Governor Larry Hogan says Baltimore City’s positivity rate has dropped to the lowest point since the pandemic.
Still, the city is taking precautions ahead of the fall.
BOPA has postponed the Baltimore Book Festival until 2021 and Light City until 2022 and the Baltimore City Health Commissioner said it's still very serious.
A LOT TO KEEP UP WITH.
IT'SCAUSING CONFUSION AND A LOT OFQUESTIONS FOR HEALTH EXPERTSABOUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY SAFE.TODAY, THE BATLIMORE CITYHEALTH COMMISSIONER ADDRESSEDA LOT OF THAT IN WEBINAR, ANDGAVE NEW INSIGHT INTO WHAT THEFALL MIGHT LOOK LIKE.THE BALTIMORE CITY HEALTHCOMMISIONER ANSWERED A LOTQUESTIONS SUBMITTED LIVE BYTHE PUBLIC..
COVERING TESTING,VACCINES, EVEN TO WHATSHOULD EXPECT IN THE FALL.GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN SAYSBALTIMORE CITYRATE DROPPED TO THE LOWESTPOINT SINCE THE PANDEMICBEGAN.
STILL BALTIMORE CITY ISTAKING PRECAUTIONS, ANNOUNCINGTHE CANCELLATION OF MAJOR FALLFESTIVALS..
AND BALTIMORE CITYHEALTH COMMISSIONER DR.LETITIA DZIRASA SAYS THIS ISSTILL VERY SERIOUS.
We want tosee a sustained decline of newcases over a 14 day period aswe think about transitioninfrom phase to phase RIGHT NOWIN THE CITY, LIMITED INDOORDINING IS ALLOWED.
AND WESEEN SAFETY ORDERS FLUCTUATEWITH RISING CASE NUMBERS.
THECITY IS WORKING QUICKLY TOPROCESS OUTDOOR DININGREQUESTS FROM RESTAURANTS SOTHEY HAVE A MEANS TO SUSTAINFINANCIALLY IF THINGS WERE TOCHANGE AGAIN.
ITCHANGES THAT ARE CAUSINGCONFUSION ABOUT WHAT'S SAFAND WHATJOINED THE DOWNTOWNPARTNERShIP AND CITYCOUNCILMAN ERIC COSTELLO THISMORNING FOR THEIR WEEKLYCORONAVIRUS RECOVERY WEBINAR..
TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSEQUESTIONS.
So where do youthink we go from here?
Howlong would you consider sociadistancing to be necessary?DZIRASA IS OPTIMINISTIC ABOUTA VACCINE IN THE NEXT FEMONTHS BUT SAYS SOCIALDISTANCING AND MASKS WILL BETHE NORM WELL INTO THE FALL.Say we were to get a vaccineby the end of this year.
Wealso need to ensure prettywidespread vaccination ofgood portion of our populationand we would likely start withthose who are most vulnerable.SHE EXPECTS ISSUES COMPARABWITH WHAT WE SAW IN TESTING.It took us awhile to get tothe point where we had testkits and we have enough supplyand so I would hope that wewould take lessons learnedfrom some of the challenges wehad with producing tests andswabs and be prepared for acovid vaccination.
SHE ALSOADDRESSED SOME COMMONMISCONCEPTTIONS, SAYING NEVERYONE NEEDS TO GET TESTED.If you have been generallysafe.
If youhome.
If yousocial distancing.
Then Iwouldnjust to get a test.
I wouldreally again focus it onpeople who are symptomatic,even mildly symptomaticbecause we just donrisk spreading, or if youhad that positive contact orexposure.
SHE ALSO SAYS WHILERESEARCH CONTINUES, IT APPEAYOU COULD GET COVID-19 MORETHAN ONCE... SHE SAYS ALL THEMORE REASON TO CONTINUE THESOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES INPLACE.
Right after aninfection, thereperiod of immunity, which wthink lasts maybe a coupleweeks.
But itindefinite.
So certainly youcould have had it in march andyou could be subject to get itagain in august.
SHE SAYSANOHTER THING WE HAVE TO THINKABOUT IN THE FALL IS THE FLUSEASON.
AND SHE ENCOURAGESEVERYONE TO START THINKINGABOUT GETTING A FLU SHOT,WHICH ARE USUALLY AVAILABLELATE AUGUST, EARLY SEPTEMBER.FOR WMAR 2 NEWS IISAACSLET'S GET A CHECK O
