SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Native medical doctors say the truth that Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held outdoors makes it a low-risk occasion on the subject of COVID-19.
“I feel there shall be a small enhance in instances that come as a consequence of gathering in massive numbers, the place we don’t know of us’ well being standing, their vaccination standing, however I don’t assume it is going to be a surge that basically, you recognize, challenges and threatens to overwhelm our well being techniques, domestically,” says Memorial Well being’s Affiliate Medical Director, Dr. Stephen Thacker.
He says along with a neighborhood vaccination fee of 55% many residents have pure immunity to COVID after getting contaminated through the omicron surge.
“These two issues mixed I feel create a distinct consequence following massive occasions of gathering,” Thacker mentioned.
However after the parade, many individuals have a good time into the weekend, typically inside native bars and eating places. Thacker says that might be an issue for high-risk people.
“If anybody was out and about indoors with massive with massive teams, whereas masking will not be mandated essentially anymore, when you’re somebody who’s excessive threat of a foul consequence in the event that they get COVID-19, masking remains to be a really efficient and acceptable means to assist preserve your self protected,” Thacker mentioned.
Thacker additionally touched on a brand new COVID variant generally known as “stealth omicron” which is 30% more infectious, however doesn’t look like extra dangerous.
“It’s undoubtedly one thing to maintain and eye on, as a result of if it could possibly out-compete the opposite omicron virus then it could possibly turn into extra frequent within the space,” Thacker mentioned.
Although he says since we’re simply now recovering from the omicron surge, it’s much less prone to make a huge impact right here, due to pure immunity and vaccinations.
Thacker says there’s one other new variant referred to as deltacron that’s a mixture of stealth omicron and the delta variant.
Nevertheless, he says proper now well being officers aren’t that involved, as a result of there are fewer than 10 instances throughout the U.S.
