IN PREVENTING SEVERE ILLNESS AND DEH.AT A HOLIDAY SURGE IN COVID CASES, ADDING TO A STRAIN ON LOCAL HOSPITALS, EVEN AS A NEW VARIANT THREATENS TO TRIGGER NEW OUTBAKRES. HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. HELEN BOUCHER, THE INTERIM DEAN OF TUFTS MEDICAL SCHO AOL AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIASTLI AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. GOOD TO SEE YOU. N: I’M SURE YOU ARE EXHAUSTED BY TS.HI WERE A EXHAUSTED BY THIS. I THINK EVERYBODY THOUGHT BY NOW IT WOULD BE OVER OR NEARLY OVER. THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH SAID TODAY, THE U.S. IS NOT IN A GOOD PLACE RIGHT NOW WITH OVER 100,000 NEW CASES EVERY DAY. WHERE ARE THE HOT SPOT I WOULD HAVE TO THINK ONE OF THEM IS HERE BECAUSE OUR CASE NUMBERS HAVE SKYROCKETED. WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT ABOUT HOW MASSACHUSETTS COMPARES? >> IT IS DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THE NORTH IS A RELATIVE HOT AND HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS WE ARE AT A HIGHERAS C RATE THAN WE WOULD LIKE AND HOSPITALS ARE STARTGIN TO FEEL IT. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR DESPITE ESTHE NUMBERS AND WE STILL HAVE VERY GOOD TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX. ESPECIALLY VACCINATION. ERA:IK STATE DATAWS S HOSPITALS ARE NEAR CAPACITY RIGHT NOW. HOW IS TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER DOING? >> WE ARE FEELING THE PAIN IS ERYBODY IS. IT IS LARGELY DUE TO NON-COVID PATIENTS. A NUMBER OF PATIENTS ARE VERY ACUTELY ILL WITH ILLNESSES THAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCE OF DELAYING CARE DURING THE EARLIER PHASES OF COVID. ADD TO THAT THE SEPTIC WE HAVE SEEN AND IT IS PUTTING US IN A TOUGH SPOT WITH OTHER HOSPITALS ACROSS THE STATE. IN THE WORKFCE ISSUES. WE NEED PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED AND FOLLOW MITIGATION MEASURES. BEN: I WANT TO ASK YOU SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS FROM VIEWERS. ROBIN WRITES, I SEE THE DAILY NUMBER OF VICOD CASES. ESDO IT INCLUDE POSITIVE RESULTS FROM AT-HOME TESTS I DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS ON E.>> IT CAN IF THAT AT-HOME TEST IT DOESN’T INCLUDE THE DENOMINATOR OF HOW MANY AT-HOME TESTS ARE DONE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACRSTO THAT MAKE INTERPRETING CASE NUMBERS DIFFICULT. HANGVI THE PRESENCE OF AT-HOME TESTS IS ONE OF THEM. I THINK THAT’S THE MESSAGE FOR PEOPLE TODAY. ERIKA: HERE’S ANOTHER ONE, THIS TIME FROM THBE. SHE WANTS TO KNOW, WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF YOUR PCR TEST IS FLAGGED AS ABNORMAL? >> SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET A RESULT LIKE THIS BECAUSE SOMETHING IS OFF WITH THE TEST. IT IS NOT CLEARLY NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE. IN THAT CASE, THE TEST NEEDS TO BE REPEATED. IT DOESN’T HAPPEN OFTEN BUT THESE ARE SOPHISTICATED TESTS. HE WILL RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DOEX NT AND IT IS OFTEN REPEAT THE TEST.

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Video: Boston doctor calls rise of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts disappointing

Updated: 6:25 PM EST Dec 7, 2021

The North is a relative COVID-19 hot spot and hospitals are starting to feel it.

BOSTON —

The North is a relative COVID-19 hot spot and hospitals are starting to feel it.

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