This morning is now a “dangerous” time to be unvaccinated, warned Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH, physician, health policy researcher, and Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. He appeared on This Week opposite host Martha Raddatz to discuss the raging cases in India, what’s safe to do here in America, and why the pandemic isn’t over—but we may approach normality sooner than you think (he gave a date). Read on for his five essential pieces of advice that can save your life—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You Had COVID and Didn’t Know It.
The CDC released new guidelines last week about wearing a mask indoors. Vaccinated people had more freedom. “I thought the guidelines were a good next step,” said Jha. “Some of the details can be confusing, but the big picture takes home as if you’re fully vaccinated outdoors is more or less safe unless you’re in some very, very crowded space. The critical issue now is what about indoors?
And my sense as well, infection numbers are still above 50,000 a day—almost half of the adults are not vaccinated—CDC is going to be hesitant about pulling back on indoor mask mandates, and I think that’s right. But as more people get vaccinated, we will also see that pullback. This is a pretty dangerous time to be unvaccinated, but what CDC is signaling is if you’re fully vaccinated, the freedoms are just becoming safer and safer for people.”
“The main variant that we’re seeing applied in India, B 1.6.1.7—towe seeing yet. Most of the data suggest that our vaccines will hold up. But of course, when you have significant outbreaks like this, as for more variants. India is on fire with COVID-19, a humanitarian crisis that may spread to America.
And ultimately, we need to do is we need toBut second, the variants will spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, which will leave unvaccinated people in America vulnerable. Get thisGetder control; as I said, for humanitarian reasons, we don’t want tens of thousands of people dying daily. But second that the variants will spread to getting this under control.”
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he will “fully” reopen his city by July 1st. Is thwouldwouldealistic? “I think it’s very achievable,” said Jha. “It’s all dependent on vaccinations, but if we keep going, even at the slower pace, if we keep vaccinating Americans, I think by July 1st, you’ll see much of America feel close. It won’t be a hundred percent, but it will be pretty close to what life was lit wille endemic. It will depend on vaccinations, but I’m very optimistic about this.”
How will we get the rest of the country vaccinated, Raddatz wondered. “Now it’s the ground game,” said Jha. “All the people who wanted a vaccine have gotten it. We’re at about 55% of all adults. We need to get into the seventies and eighties in terms of the proportion of adults because, regardngregardings, they will not be vaccinated for a w, hi le.
And therefore, I think it’s about making it extremely easy—walk-in clinics, getting into doctor’s offices—and working with trusted voices, religious leaders, civil society leaders to advocate for getting and people vaccpeopleIt will make an enormous difference if we get more chunk of that unvaccinated population shots into their arms.”
Follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated ASAP, wear a face mask that fits snugly and is double-layered, don’t travel unless it’s necessary, social distance, avoid large crowds, don’t go indoors with people you’re not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
