‘It’s not surprising’ doctor says about bump in COVID-19 cases in schools
Updated: 4:59 PM EDT Apr 4, 2022
MARIA: THE NUMBER OF NEW COVID-19 CASES IS STARTING TO CLIMB AGAIN INSIDE MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC SCHOO.LS HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DIRECTOR OF PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN. ED: LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS DATA FROM THE STA.TE IT SHOWS INFECTIONS AMONG STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVEJUMPED MARCH 30. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS THIS A SMALL BUMP, OR THE START OF A LARGER SURG >> IN TERMS OF THE SECOND QUESTION IT’S HDAR TO KW.NO WE’LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE COMING WEEKS SHOW US IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF CASES. IT’S NOT SURPRISING THAT WE ARE SEEING LITTLE BUMP. RIGHT NOW THE VAST MAJORITY OF COVID-19 THA CIRCULATING IS THE BA2 VARIANT OF OMICRON THAT WE THOUGH IS MORE TRANSMISSIBLE. DOESN’T CAUSE MORE SIOER DISEASE AS FAR AS WE KNOW. IT’S MORE EASILY SPREAD. IT’S SPREADING IN A SITUATION WHERE MASKS HAVE BECEOM OPTIONAL IN SCHOOL SETTINGS. THINGS HAVE BEENPENG O UP. THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD BOOSTERS IN THE FALL ARE APPROACHING THE 6-MONTH MARK. WE’RE SEEINGT WANING IMMUNITY. MARIA: WE KNOW KIDS AGE 5-TO-11 HAVE THE LOWEST VACCINATION RATES OF ANY AGE GROUP THAT’S CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE. DOES THAT MAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS MORE VULNERABLE TO OUTBREAKS RIGHT NOW THAN OTHER INDOOR LOCATIONS, SUCH AS OFFICES OR RESTAURANTS? >> I THINK IT’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE HEAV TO THINKBO AUT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. PEOPLE SPEND MOREIM TE IN SCHOOL THAN THEY DO IN A RESTAURANT. AS PATRON. WORKERS ARE THERE BUT THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE WEARING MAS,KS POTENTIALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTING, FEWER PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED ANG STUDENTS. WE HAVE TO THINK AUTBO OFFICE BUILDINGS MIGHT BE NEWER, MIGHT HAVE BETTER VENTILATION SYSTEMS IN PLACE. THERE’AS LOT OF DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS TO THINK ABOUT WITHOT L OF KID MORE HIGHLY UNVACCINATED POPULATIONN I CLOSER PROXIMITY FOR MORE HOURS OF THE DAY. WE CANEE MORE SPREAD IN WEEKS TO COME IF WE SEE RATES OF COVID IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE’RE EISE NOW. ED: MANY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DROPPED THEIR MASK MANDATES WEEKS AGO. DO YOU THINK ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD CONSIDER BRINGING THEM CKBA >> IT’S MULTIFACTORIAL. THINKI ANGBOUT WHAT’S GOING ON INHE T COMMUNITY NOT JUST THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BUT THE LGEAR COMMUNITY. ALSO LOOKING AT LIKE THE C LEVELS. WHAT’S THE IMPACT IN TERMS OF HOSPITALIZATIONS,CU I UTILIZATION, ETCETERA. REALLY LOOKING AT A PICTURE WITH MASK MANDATES. THINK ABOUT THAT IF IT’S MAKING PEOPLE FEEL A LITTLE SAFER FOR LITT WLEHILE, BRING THEM BACK. MIGHT NOT BE SUCH A BAD THING RFO A PERIOD OFE T.
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‘It’s not surprising’ doctor says about bump in COVID-19 cases in schools
Updated: 4:59 PM EDT Apr 4, 2022
Data shows the number of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts public schools are on the rise.
Data shows the number of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts public schools are on the rise.
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