AUSTIN, Texas — In our effort to continue to bring you facts not fear about COVID-19 (coronavirus), we want to give you some context, so we consulted with several local doctors and the city's health authority.
First, the strong control and isolation measures imposed by China are helping. The number of cases there are decreasing, from thousands of new cases to just 26 new cases on Thursday.
Most of the cases are mild. The idea in the U.S. is to keep this virus from spiking.
“Honestly, the individual risk doesn't change dramatically once we've gotten a case or a few cases,” said Dr. James Evans, M.D., infections disease doctor at St. David’s Healthcare.
Doctors KVUE spoke with say they aren't concerned about a couple of cases, even dozens or hundreds; it's if we start to see thousands of cases. It is why you are seeing events with crowds being canceled.
So should you cancel your spring break plans?
“It really is common sense in the end, understanding how the transmission occurs and then becoming very disciplined about minimizing individual family and ultimately community risk,” said Dr. Evans.
If you are over the age of 60 or live with someone who is, consider that the people most at risk are 60 and above and people with underlying medical issues. That is where we have seen the most deaths. So think about your family.
Enjoy some time outdoors. If you do go out, try to keep a safe distance – six feet is what most medical professionals recommend – and wash your hands.
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