Video: Could February Vacation lead to new COVID-19 surge? Boston doctor weighs in
Updated: 11:57 AM EST Feb 19, 2022
>> OK. THANKS, KELLY ANN. THE STATE’S SEVEN DAY AVERAGE OF NEW COVID CASES HAS PLUMMETED 95% SINCE ITS PEAK SIX WEEKS O.AG >> HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. SANDY NELSON, AN ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR WITHIN THE DIVISION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. DR. NELSON, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> MASSACHUSETTS IS AVERAGING ABOUT 1200 NEW INFECTIONS EVERY DAY. THAT’S DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE BEGINNING OF JANRYUA. ARE YOU SEEING SIMILAR DROPSN I HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS? >> YES. THANKFULLY WE ARE SEEING A DECLINE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS. IN MASSACHUSETTS, THERE ARE ABOUT 800 INDIVIDUALS STILL HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID9,-1 DOWN 80% FROM OUR PEAK IN JANUARY. DEATHS ARE DNOW AROUND 50% AND WE’VE CERTAINLY SEEN THIS IN THE HOSPITAS. I WILL SAY THAT THE DEATH RATE IS STILL QUITE HIGH. THEER ARE ABOUT 2000 INDIVIDUALS DYING EVERY DAY FROM COVID IN THE U.S., SO WHILE WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THE RATES COMING DOWN, THEY ARE STILL QUITE HIGH. >> LOOKING AT THOSE METRICS, MOST PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED FOR THE WEEK FOR WINTER BREAK. ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT VACATION TRAVEL COULD LEAD TO A NEW SURGE? >> IT IS A GOOD QUESTION. I AM AM NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. THERE WEREO S MANY INDIVIDUALS INFECTED DURING THIS OMICRON SURGE THAT OUR OVERALL LEVEL OF COLLECTIVE IMMUNITY IS REALLY HIGH, AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH RATES THAT ARE COMING DOWN, I DON’T THINK WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE A BIG SURGE. WE MAY SEE A RIPPLE AFTER THE END OF FEBRUARY, BUT NOT A BIG JUMP IN CASES. >> SOME QUESTIONS FROM OUR VIEWERS. THIS IS FROMAN JICE. WILLIE FACE MASK PROTECT ME FROM COVID IF I’M THE ONLY ONE THE ROOM — WILL A FACE MASK PROTECT ME FROM COVID IF I’M THE ONLY ONE TINHE ROOM THAT’S WEARING ONE? DOES IT STILL MATTER? >> THAT AIS GREAT QUESTION. EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE WEARING MASSK TO PROTECT OTHERS AND OTHERS WERE WEARING THEM TO PROTECT US, BUT THERE’S BEEN EMERGING DATA THAT MASKS PROTECT THE WEARER AS WL,EL AND THIS IS TRUE WITH HIGH-QUALITY MASKS PARTICULARLY LIKE THE KF94, AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE RELIED UPON IN HEALTH CAREO T PROTECT OURSELVES. WE WHERE HIGH-QUALITY MASKS AND ROOMS — IN ROOMS AND ARE HIGHLY PROTECTED. IF IT IS MORE CORRECTLY AND IT IS HIGH-QUALITY, THE INDIVIDUAL CAN FEEL CONFIDENT OF THEIR PROTECTION. >> ANOTHER ONE, THIS TIME FROM AVI. MORE PEOPLE ARE USING OUR CAFETERIA IN OUR OFFICE BUILDING. WHAT IS THE RKIS OF GETTING OMICRON FROM THE FOOD OR THE TABLES? >> WE KNOW INDOOR DINGIN HAS BEEN A HIGH RISK FROM EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THAT IS BECAUSE OF PROXIMITY BECAUSE WE ARE TAKING TIME WITH MKSAS OFF, SITTING CLOSE TO OTHER PEOPLE AND SHARING AIRSPACE. THE RISK IS NOT FROM FOOD OR SURFACES. IF YOU WLIL GO INTO THE CAFETERIA AND SIT ALONE AT A TABLE, THE RISK IS LOW. THERE IS A SMALL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH PROXIMITY TO OTHERS,O S IF YOU ARE GATHERING, THAT MAY CARRY A SMALL RISK. >> DR. SANDY NELSON, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR W
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Video: Could February Vacation lead to new COVID-19 surge? Boston doctor weighs in
Updated: 11:57 AM EST Feb 19, 2022
Massachusetts’ 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases has plummeted, but should we be concerned that vacation-related travel could lead to another spike?
Massachusetts’ 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases has plummeted, but should we be concerned that vacation-related travel could lead to another spike?
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