A doctor from Brigham and Women calls for improving the measures used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 – including masking, testing and quarantine – after the first case of a variant strain of the virus was found in Massachusetts.
The first case of the coronavirus variant cluster B.1.1.7, initially detected in the UK, is in a woman from Boston who tested positive for COVID-19 in early January. The woman, who is in her early twenties, traveled to the United Kingdom but tested negative before returning to the United States. She became ill the day after she arrived in Boston.
Although it is not known that the variant of the virus causes more serious diseases, it is probably contagious. Experts are come away that the new version will drive increasing cases in the United States, which in turn will lead to more hospitalizations and deaths.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a stern warning that the variant is expected to become the dominant source of infection in the United States by March.
“I want to emphasize that we are very concerned that this tension is more transferable and could accelerate the outbreaks in the US in the coming weeks,” said Dr. Jay Butler, deputy director for infectious diseases at the CDC, said. according to the New York Times. “We are sounding the alarm and calling on people to realize that the pandemic is not over yet and it is by no means time to throw in the towel.”
Dr. Abraar Karan, an internal medicine physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, wrote on Twitter on Monday that the interventions stopping the spread of COVID-19 should be increased with the virus effect spreading more effectively.
“Every intervention must be so much more effective,” he wrote.
Masks, testing, detection, isolation, quarantine and vaccinations all need to be improved, he said.
“Other countries have used isolation spaces outside the home – our efforts here have begun, but have apparently not increased,” Karan wrote.
People should keep masks in the house under supervision, he said. Paid free time is also essential to move forward to ensure people isolate themselves and stay home after possible exposure. Otherwise, individuals will do what they have to do to put food on the table, he said.
Karan said at this stage of the pandemic, it is not enough that especially the public health messages rely solely on the use of masks.
“We need to give people complementary and appropriate health guidelines based on scenarios that can catch them off guard,” he said.
2 /
• pulls down windows while driving shares or if it is by public transport• avoid eating together indoors during lunch at work
• Reduce time in shared public spaces, even when wearing clothes, such as in grocery stores
I’m sure we can make a much longer list together!
– Abraar Karan (@AbraarKaran) 19 January 2021
As an example, Karan said messages should include asking people to open public windows or, if possible, drive stocks, avoid eating together during lunch and around the time spent in shared public spaces (such as grocery stores) spend, reduce. masks.
“Everything we do, we must do better and more effectively,” Karan wrote.
2 /
• Detection – must be much faster; digital tracking has been used in other states, NY and others tried an opt-in system via apps, unclear how it did• Insulation – other countries have used insulation spaces outside the home – our efforts here have started, but it has apparently not increased
– Abraar Karan (@AbraarKaran) 19 January 2021
4 / Ventilation – should encourage smarter strategies in everyday situations; windows down in ride shares; windows open at home / workplaces; reinforces the idea of avoiding ‘shared air’
Everything we do, we must do better and more effectively # covid19
– Abraar Karan (@AbraarKaran) 19 January 2021
Get Boston.com’s email alerts:
Subscribe and receive coronavirus news and recent updates, from our newsroom to your inbox.