Mass. doctor on increase in COVID-19 in Mass. wastewater
NEWSCENTER 5 AT 5:30. E THE COVID LEVEL IN WASTEWATER HAS SEEN ITS LARGEST INCREASE IN LAST SPRING. WE HAVE A DOCTOR FROM THE BRIGHAM HOSPITAL. BEN: DR., YOU ARE AWARE THE COVID LEVEL TRENDED DOWNWARD, KIND OF HELD STEADY THROUGH THE SUMMER, THEN STARTED RISING, SLOWLY AT FIRST IN SEPTEMBER, BEFORE A BIG JUMP THIS WEEK. IT IS TOUGH TO SEE ON THIS GRAPH. THIS IS WASTEWATER DATA. DO YOU THINK THAT WE ARE PERHAPS AT THE BEGINNING OF A FALL OR WINTER SURGE? >> IT’S A POSSIBILITY. WE HAVE SEEN CASES JUMP A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF SARS-COV-2 RECOVERED IN WASTEWATER. WE KNOW CASES HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE IN ENGLAND, OFTEN AN INDICATOR OF WHAT IS TO COME IN THE U.S.. CASES HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE IN SCHOOL-AGE KIDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE 10 TO 18 YEARS OLD. IT’S A POSSIBILITY. WE HAVE TO MONITOR TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. ERIKA: LET’S TALK ABOUT THE VARIANTS. IN THE PAST NEW VARIANTS WOULD TRIGGER SURGES OF INFECTIONS. WHAT IS THE SITUATION NOW? >> IT IS STILL MOSTLY BA.5, BUT THERE IS A NEW VARIANT, BA.4 .6. IT’S SIMILAR TO OTHER OMICRON VARIANT. S. IT’S A LITTLE LESS EASILY INHABITED BY SOME ANTIBODIES THAT HAD BEEN USED TO TREAT COVID. THAT IS NOW ABOUT 12%. IT’S NOT YET SHOOTING UP DRAMATICALLY, BUT IT IS MAKING STEADY IN ROADS. WE HAVE TO BE MONITORING THAT CAREFULLY. BEN: IN MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW ENGLAND THE VAST MAJORITY OF US ARE VACCINATED AND MANY OF US ARE BOOSTED. DOES THE AVERAGE PERSON IN GOOD HEALTH STILL NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO INFECTION RATES AND COVID DATA, OR SHOULD WE GO ABOUT OUR LIVES IF WE ARE FULLY UP-TO-DATE WITH VACCINES AND BOOSTERS? >> PEOPLE CAN MOSTLY GO ABOUT THEIR LIVES. BUT, THEY SHOULD NOT IGNORE THE DATA. IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE BECAUSE YOU STILL WANT TO BE ABLE TO TO BE CAREFUL. EVEN IF YOU ARE HEALTHY, IF YOU ARE AN OLDER PERSON YOU WANT TO KNOW THAT IF YOU CAME DOWN WITH COVID SYMPTOMS, YOU COULD GET TESTED AND SEEK TREATMENT. YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW, IF YOUR KIDS BECAME SICK, WE WOULD WOR
Mass. doctor on increase in COVID-19 in Mass. wastewater
Brigham’s Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes speaks about COVID-19 trends, as the COVID-19 level in Boston area wastewater sees its sharpest increase since last spring.
Brigham’s Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes speaks about COVID-19 trends, as the COVID-19 level in Boston area wastewater sees its sharpest increase since last spring.
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