Coronavirus Q&A: Will protests affect virus spread?

Dr. Brian Hollenbeck, Chief of Infectious Disease at New England Baptist Hospital, said thousands of people followed safety coronavirus guidelines while protesting in Boston on Sunday, but others failed to wear masks or maintain proper distancing.

EMILY: WE’RE CONNECTING YOU WITHINFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS INBOSTON FOR INSIGHT INTO THECORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.WE’RE JOINED BY DR. BRIANHOLLENBACK, CHIEF OF INFECTIOUSDISEASE AT NEW ENGLAND BAPTISTHOSPITAL.THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH USTONIGHT.AS YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL KNOWTHERE HAVE BEEN LARGE PROTESTS, IN MANY CITIES AROUND THECOUNTRY, INCLUDING YESTERDAY INBOSTON.WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE EVENTS,ALL THE PEOPLE IN ALL THE PEOPLEINVOLVED, WHAT IS THE RISK TOPUBLIC HEALTH RIGHT NOW?DR HOLLENBACK: WE ARE AT APOINT IN THE PANDEMIC WHERE WEARE SEEING SOME IMPROVEMENTS,BUT WE ARE AT A CRITICAL POINTWHERE AS WE OPEN BACK UP, WENEED TO DO THESE MEASURES.THAT IS WHERE WE STAND AND ITHINK AS WE SEE THE PROTEST,THERE ARE RIGHT WAYS TO DO ITAND THERE ARE WRONG WAYS TO DOIT AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVEFIGURED OUT THE RIGHT WAY TO DOIT.BUT THERE WERE SOME WHO DID NOTHAVE THEIR MASKS ON THE RIGHTWAY AND THAT CAN BE AN ISSUE.EMILY: TO YOUR POINT, WE DID SEEDEMONSTRATORS NOT WEARING MASKSAND NOT KEEPING SIX FEET OFSEPARATION.I CAN BE HARD IN THESESITUATIONS.SHOULD ANYONE WHO ATTENDED BEQUARANTINED OR TESTED?DR. HOLLENBACK: I WOULD NOTRECOMMEND TESTING UNLESS YOU’RESYMPTOMATICALLY AROUND SOMEONEWHO WAS SYMPTOMATIC OR HAD COVID.RIGHT NOW WE ARE FACING THESTATE GUIDANCE AND THEY ARERECOMMENDING THAT WE MONITOREVERYONE FOR SYMPTOMS AND SEEKTREATMENT IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMSOR HAVE BEEN AROUND SOMEONE WHOIS KNOWN TO HAVE HAD COVID-19.EMILY: DO YOU THINK QUARANTINEIS NECESSARY?NOT AT THIS POINT, IT SOUNDSLIKE?DR. HOLLENBACK: NO.EMILY: WE’RE SEVERAL WEEKS INTOTHE STATE’S FIRST PHASE OFRE-OPENING.WHAT DATA WILL YOU BE LOOKINGFOR THIS WEEK THAT WOULDINDICATE IT’S SAFE TO MOVE AHEADWITH PHASE 2?DR. HOLLENBACK: WE WOULD BEWANTING TO WATCH THE NUMBER OFCASE COUNTS EACH DAY TO BE SURETHE NUMBER OF DAILY CASES ISCONTENT -- DAILY CASES IS GOINGDOWN.WE WANT TO SEE IT’S NOT CHANGINGOVER THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT THEPERCENTAGE OF TESTS THAT AREPOSITIVE.THERE NEEDS TO BE ENOUGHpCAPACITSO WE ARE MONITORING BAGS, ICUBEDS, METRICS LIKE THAT.FOR EACH SECTOR, THERE AREFEATURES THAT NEED TO BE LOOKEDAT.FOR HEALTH CARE, IT HAS TO BESUFFICIENT PERSONAL PROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT AND EQUIPMENT FORSURGERY, MAKING SURE WE CAN MOVEPATIENTS THROUGH THE HOSPITALSAFELY.EMILY: SO, FOR BIG THINGS TOWATCH THERE.IT SOUND LIKE EVERYTHING ISTURNING