WCPO-TV: Experts: Reopening states still far from herd immunity
UC expert says despite increased vaccination rates, unvaccinate people are still in danger
Thanks to the growing availability of vaccines for COVID-19, mask restrictions are being dropped in many places and people are gradually going back to doing things they did before the onslaught of the pandemic. However, vaccination rates are still not high enough to reach herd immunity.
In a story aired by WCPO-TV, Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine, shared his expertise on this topic.
Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases/Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand
Fichtenbaum said any amount of vaccination is helpful in preventing the novel coronavirus from spreading, but unvaccinated people are still in danger as social gatherings and indoor events resume.
“The people we’re seeing in the hospital are those who’ve never been vaccinated,” he said.
And it might be difficult to gauge the true danger until fall, Fichtenbaum added. In summer, all people are more likely to be socializing and attending events outdoors — where COVID-19 transmission is much more uncommon, even for unvaccinated people.
"We see a lot more spread when people are indoors,” he said.
Fall might be the first real test for a post-vaccine society. In the meantime, Fichtenbaum said, he and other experts will look closely at case numbers after Fourth of July gatherings.
Lead image/Kaique Rocha/Pexels
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