New variants of COVID-19, including a new strain that researchers at the Ohio State University in Columbus found, have alarmed Dr. Gottlieb and prompted him to emphasize the importance of distributing the vaccine quickly, CNBC reported.
“If we can’t get more protective immunity into the population, we could be facing a situation where we have, sort of, a perpetual infection heading into the spring and summer as these variants get a foothold here,” Dr. Gottlieb told CNBC.
As for vaccine recipients, they should still abide by public health recommendations, like wearing a mask, for a period of time after their second shot in the arm to ensure they’ve built up full protective immunity, Dr. Gottlieb told CNBC.
“That doesn’t mean you have to hibernate and have to avoid seeing family,” Dr. Gottlieb told CNBC. “Maybe you can lean forward in that regard but wear a mask. Be more careful in those interactions, because in a high-prevalent environment, you’re still at risk.”
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What hospitals are learning as they distribute the COVID-19 vaccine
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