It’s mid-Memorial Day weekend and everybody’s itching for a reprieve from a locked-down spring.
But the patchwork of business openings and closings across U.S. states and counties has left a lot of us confused about whether it’s safe to go camping, to the community pool or even to venture into a hair salon for an hour or two.
With the big caveat that what’s relatively low-risk for one person holds a higher risk for someone who is older or has an underlying health condition, NPR asked six public health specialists this week to rate the risk posed by various summer activities.
Testing for antibodies to the coronavirus may help officials figure out how many people have been infected and recovered, doctors say. But getting a positive test result won’t prove you’re immune.
Tell that to some employers who are now requiring the test as a sort of “golden ticket” for anyone who wants to get back into the workplace. Or to the people paying $119 or more out of pocket for a test they hope will buy them peace of mind.
"Having positive antibodies may mean that you have some protection, but you can still get it again," Dr. Juanita Mora, a Chicago immunologist tells her patients.
"So, keep the face cloth on. Keep the social distancing.” And wash your hands -- thoroughly and often.
A virologist who figures he caught COVID-19 on a crowded flight raised an interesting point recently when asked how he got infected. He’d worn a mask and gloves and had sanitized the area around him.
"You can still get this virus through your eyes, and epidemiologically, it's the best guess I have of probably how I got it," Dr. Joseph Fair told NBC.
We asked eye doctors to explain how that happens, and why they think it is infrequent.
You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
No comments:
Post a Comment