MEDICARE PREMIUMS. BEN: MASSACHUSETTS EXTENDS THE MASK MANDATE IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR GRADES K-THROUGH-12 THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY. REHE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. SHARON WRIGHT, CHIEF INFECTION PREVENTION OFFICER AT BETH ISRAEL LAHEY HEALTH. ERIKA: IT’S HARD TO OVER-STATE THE IMPACT THAT COVID-19 IS HAVING ON SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW. PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS REPORT MORE THAN 5000,0 NEW CASES AMONG STUDENTS AND STAFF DURING THE MOST RECENT TWO-WEEK PERIOD. IT’S A STUNNING STATISTIC, AND RAISES THE QUESTION, DO YOU THINK CLASSROOMS ARE STILL SAFE PLACES TO BE? >> IN MASSACHUSESTT WHERE IN FORTUNATE POSITION THAT WE HAVE HIGH VACCINATION RATES INCLUDING IN OUR SCHOOLS. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, SCHOOLS ARE NOT THAT DIFFERENT THAN EXPOSURES HWEAVE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY. WHETHER THAT’S IN THE GROCERY STORE, RESTAURANTS OR PLAYING SPORTS. THE ISSUE DO IN THE CAFETERIA AND MAINTAINING PHYSILCA DISTANCING AND VENTILATION. FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH SENSE, EPKEING KSID IN SCHOOLS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR GROWTH. IT’S ALL ABOUT RISKS AND BALANCES. WHO WE NEED TO REMEMBER, WHAT WE DO OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL AND WORK. WHO WE SPEND TIME WIT AHND IN PARTICULAR, ALSO IMPACTS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE AT SCHLOO AND WORK. NOW IS THE TIME TO DOUBLE DOWN AND BE STRICT WITH SOCIAL GATHERING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. PAY ATTENTION TO SCREENS AND KEEP THEM HOME WITH ANY SYMPTOMS UNTIL THEY TEST NEGATIVE. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS. KEEP THE KSID IN SCHOOL, NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESTRICTIVE LONGER. BEN: LET’S GET TO THESE VIEWER QUESTIONS. THIS ONE IS FROM GARY. DOES THE OMICRON VARIANT LIVE ON SURFACES LONGER THAN OTHER VARITSAN OF COVID-19? >> IT’S AN INTERESTING QUESTION. I’M GUESSING THAT HE’S TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OMICRON’S TRIER TRANCE MISS — TRANSMISSIBILITY. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE MAIN MODE OF TRANSMISSION IS RESPIRATORY. IT’S STILL IMPORTANT, THOUGH, TO REMEMBER IF YOU TOUCH A SURFACE TO CLEAN YOUR HANDS BEFORE YOU TOUCH YOUR FACE OR EAT. IT’S NOT THE MAIN WAY YOU CAN CONTRACT COVID. ERIKA: HERE’S ANOTHER ONE, THIS TIME FROM CHRISTIAN. DO AT-HOME COVID TESTS DETECT THE OMICRON VARIT?AN >> ALMOST ALL THE AHOT-ME TEST DETECT THE OMICRON VARIANT. THERE’S A PAGE ON THE FDA WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN CHECK ONNELI THAT LIST THE FEW BRANDS THAT HAVE LESS ABILITY TO DETECT OMICRON. IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS, AT THIS POINT, YOU SHOULD ASSUME YOU VEHA OMICRON AND REPEAT A TEST 24 TO 48 HOURS LATER. BEN: BECAUSE OF TTHA LESSENED SENSITIVITY, A FEW EXPERTS SUGGEST SWABBING YOUR THROAT INSTEAD OF YOUR NOSTRIL OFFERS A BETTER CHANCE OF DETECTING OCRMION. BUT I KNOW THIS IS A SENSITIVE TOPIC. THE FDA SAYS STICK WITH THE INSTRUCTNSIO FOR THE TEST AND SWAB YOUR NOSE ONLY. WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE? >> THE ANSWER WE DON’T KNOW. FDA RECOMMENDS THROAT SWAB, THERE’S A RISK THAT YOUAN C VOMI OTR SWAB COULD BREAK AND YOU CAN CHOKE ON A PIECE. THE SWABS AREN’T AUTHORIZEDOR F USE IN THAT MANNER. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ROMECMEND IT. IN THE U.K. AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PEOPLE ARE SUGGESTING IT. THEYRE A RECOMMENDING THAT ADD A SWAB TO YOUR THROAT TO THE SAME SWAB THAT YOU SWAPPED YOUR NEOS WITH. PROBABLY DO YOUR NOTE FIRST. BUT TNO NECESSARILY SUBSTIUTING ONE FOR THE OTHER. THERE’S LIMITED DATA ON THIS NOW. WITH THIS MUCH, PEOPLE WITH SORE THROAT TO HAVE OMICRON. YOU CAN GET A P.C.R. OR YOU CAN CONSIDER HOW COMFORTABLE YOU ARE DOING A THROAT SWAB ON YOURSELF. THERE’S NOT REALLY A RIGHT ANSWER. BEN: NO THANK YOU, I WILL SCKTI WITH THE NOSE. ERIKA: YOU DON’T WANT TO DO IT THE OTRHE

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Video: Are classrooms still a safe space from COVID-19? Boston doctor weighs in

Updated: 7:19 PM EST Jan 10, 2022

Public health officials report more than 50,000 new COVID-19 cases among students and staff during the most recent two-week period.

BOSTON —

Public health officials report more than 50,000 new COVID-19 cases among students and staff during the most recent two-week period.

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