Video: Boston doctor says we are at ‘major transition point’ in COVID-19 pandemic
Updated: 6:02 PM EDT Apr 19, 2022
AT 5:30. JESSICA: THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT’S STILL DECIDING WHETHER TO APPEAL A COURT DECISION THAT VACATED THE CDC’S MASK MANDATE FOR AIRPLANES AND OTHER FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION. HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IS DR. GABRIELA ANDUJAR VAZQUEZ. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEI WNGITH US. THE ASSOCIATE HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. ED: HELLO, .DR VAZQUEZ. EVERYONE WANTS TO BE DONE WITH THIS PANDEMIC. EYTH WANT TO REMOVE THE FACEMASK. REMOVING FACE MASKS IS A BIG STEP TOWARD NORMALCY. IN YOUR OPINION, CAN WE TAKE THEM OFF NOW OR IIT TS OO SOON? DR. VAZQUEZ: I THINK WE’RE ABLE TO LIFT MANDATES SUCH AS THIS ONE. I THINK WE ARE AT A MAJOR TRANSITIONOINT P TO THIS PANDEMIC. WE KNOW CASES MIGHT CONTINUE TO FLUCTUATE NOW. AND IN THE FUTURE, WELL A HAVE LEARNED HOW TO PROTECT OURSELVES, RIGHT? WE KNOW REGARDLESS WHETHER THERE AR E MANDATES IN PLACE OR NOT, WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MIGHT NEED ONE TO WEAR MASKS IN PUBLIC. BUT WE ALSO KNOW WE HAVE AN AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES, HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT WILL STEP US CONTIE TONU CURB THIS DISEASE. JESSICA: LET ME ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT LATE TODAY, THE MBTA IS NOW ANNOUNCING IT’S DROPPING ITS MASK MANDATE FOR TRAINS AND BUSES STARTING TODAY. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TTHA DECISION? DR. VAZQUEZ: YEAH. I THINK WE ALL KNOW BYOW N IT’S NOT PRACTICAL MANDATES WITH REGARD TO COVID. THE BOTTOM LINE ISO T HOW UNDERSTAND HOW INDIVIDUALS CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. YOU CAN WEAR A WELL-FITTING MASK ANYWHERE YOU GO. YOU SHOULD WEAR A MASK IF YOU’RE FEELING ILL. EVEN WITH RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE COVID AND WHETHER THERE IS A MANDAR OTE NOT. ED: MASSPORT, T.S.A., MOST AIRLESIN THEY’VE ALREADY TOLD US, THEY’RE NO LONGER REQUIRING MASKS. HOW IS THAT CHANGING THE COVID RISK FOR TRAVELERS AT LOGAN AIRPORT? DR. VAZQUEZ:HE T RISKS IN GENERAL AND ALSO IN TRANSPORTATION IS BASED ON EACH INDIVIDUAL AT THIS POINT, RIGHT? IT VARIES BY DIFFERENT THINGS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN MITIGATE THAT RISK BY BEING UP-TO-DATE ON VACCINES, BY HAVING HAND HYGIENE WHEN WE COUGH, WHEN WE SNEEZE, WHEN WE TOUCH OUR FACES. AND ULTIMATELY, BY WEARING A WELL-FITTED MASK INDOORS, IF WE’RE NOT SICK BUT WANT TO FEEL PROTECTED, AND BY DOING SO WE WEAR A MASK. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TOOLS WE HAVE TO MAKE EVERYTHING SAFER GOING FORWARD NOW THINGS ARE BEING LIFTED. JESSICA: AND WE KNOW A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE TRALIVENG THIS WEEK WITH YOUNG KIDS. WHO MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE. DO THEY NEED TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS ON THEIR FLIGHT HOME? DR. VAZQUEZ: I THINK IN THAT AGE GROUP WHERE WE KNOW THERE’S NO VACCINE AVAILABLE, I WOULD STILL RECOMMEND IF THEY ARE THAT AGE THEY CAN WEAR A MASK, 2 OR MORE IS USUALLY THE AGE THAT THEY’RE ABLEO T WEAR A MASK THAT THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO DOO. S HOPEFULLY WE CAN HEAR GOOD NEWS THERE’S SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES FOR THAT AGE
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Video: Boston doctor says we are at ‘major transition point’ in COVID-19 pandemic
Updated: 6:02 PM EDT Apr 19, 2022
The associate hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center believes it is the right time to lift mask mandates.
The associate hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center believes it is the right time to lift mask mandates.
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