Boston infectious disease specialist shares safety tips ahead of St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Updated: 11:51 AM EDT Mar 19, 2022
RHONDELLA: THANKS. TOMORROW, THOUSANDS OF PEOEPL WILL FILL THE STREETS OF SOUTH BOSTON, CELEBRATING ST. PATRICK’S DAY FOR THE FIRSTIT ME SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT. JENNIFER: JOINING US TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. EMILY HYLE, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST WITH MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. DR. HYLE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. WE REALLY ARE STARTING TO SEE A RETURN TO NORMAL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS. DOES THIS MAKE SENSE TO YOU? DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS? DR. HYLE: GOOD MORNING. IT IS GREAT NEWS IN TERMS OF OVERALL CASE COUNTS IN THE AREA, AS WELL AS HPIOSTALIZATIONS AND DEATHS AT THEIR LOW WAS POINT SINCE JULY OF 2021. I THINK WE ARE IN A GDOO PERIOD WHERE WE HAVE HIGH VACCINATION RATES, RELATIVELY GOOD BOOSTER RATES AND LESS COMMUNITY SPREAD AT THIS POINT. THAT IS REASSURING. RHONDELLA: THE NEW OMICRON VARIANT B.A.-2 IS PICKING UP STEAM IN THE U.S. ARE WE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE THREATS IT COULD POSE? DR. HYLE: ABSOLUTELY. EVERYONE IS WATCHING THE U.K. CAREFULLY. THERE HAS BEEN AN UPTICK THERE AND WE HAVE ENBE FOLLOWING THEM FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER WHAT HAPPENED ALSO HAPPENS IN THE U.S. PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THAT VERY CLOSELY. WE HAVE HAD B.A.-2 IN THIS REGION FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS OR SO. IT IS UNCERTAIN WHAT HAS LED TO THE INCREASED CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS IN THE U.K. I THINK ENEV THOUGH WE ARE AT A RELATIVELY LOW NUMBER OF CASES IN THE AREA NOW, IF YOUAV HE SYMPTOMS, YOU SHOULD GET TESTED. IF YOU’RE SEEING A PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE FAMILY MEMR,BE SOMEONE WHO WAS UNVACCINATED, IT IS WISE TO TEST BEFORE SEEING TH.EM I THINK IT IS A GREAT TIME TO GET VACCINATED OR A BOOSTER IF YOU HAVE NOT Y,ET ESPECIALLY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND HAVE NOT HAD THEIR FOURTH DOSE, OR PEOPLE OVER 65 WHO HAVE NOT HAD A BOOSTER. RHONDELLA: WENO KW WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE LAST OF THE COVID VARIANTS. IT DOES FEEL LIKE MOST PEOPLE ARE GETTING TO A PLACE FOR THEY JUST FEEL LIKE THEY WILL LIVE WITH THE VIRUS. IS THAT THE RIGHT STRATEGY? WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING IN TERMS OF O TNEO ELEVATE LEVE OLSF CONCERN? DR. HYLE: WHAT WE AREEEGIN S NOW IS A LULL. WE EXPECT THERE WILL BE SOME UPTICK AND THEN DECREASE IN CASES OVER TIME. THERE IS A LOTF O UNCERINTATY ABOUT WHAT LIVING WITH THE VIRUS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. MY HOP AEND EXPECTATION IS THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN THERE IS MORE AROUND AND WE MAY HAVE TO HAVE — LIVE WITH MORE MITIGATION STRATEGIES. LIKE MASKING, SOCIAL DISTANCING. THERE WILL BE OTHER TIMES LIKE NOW WEATHER IS A LOT MORE ABILITY TO BE OPEN BECAUSE THERE IS LESS VIRUS AROUND. WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT THE DURATION OF PROTECTION FROM THE VACCINES. WHETHER THERE IS A NEED FOR ANOTHER BST.EROO WHETHER DIFFERENT VACCINES WILL COME TO MARKET. THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY. WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A LOT OF TOOLS. THERE ARE TRTMEATSEN AVAILABLE, BOTH IN-PATIENT AND OUTPATIENT. IF YOU ARE SICK WITH COVID AND HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE DISEA,SE TH ERE’S OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUTPATIENT TREATMENT THAT REDUCE THE RISK OF SEVERE DISEASE. GETTING VACCINATED, BOOSTERS, WATCHINGHE T DAAT UNFOLD IS WHERE WE ARE NOW. RHONDEA:LL WE KNOW THE DRILL. NO LINES FOR VACCINATIONS AT THIS POINT. THK
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Boston infectious disease specialist shares safety tips ahead of St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Updated: 11:51 AM EDT Mar 19, 2022
The new omicron coronavirus variant BA.2 is picking up steam in the United States.
The new omicron coronavirus variant BA.2 is picking up steam in the United States.
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