Pittsburgh's top doctors warn of a growing "COVID complacency"
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - As numbers grow, has COVID fatigue turned into COVID apathy?
We are in a new wave of COVID and there is a growing trend away from testing which experts have said is disturbing.
This week, the top doctors in all our local healthcare institutions came out with a joint statement warning against "COVID complacency."
In their offices and emergency rooms, they're seeing it.
"This is a real thing," said UPMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Don Yealy. "We see that the biggest threat now with COVID and soon to be with flu is what we call 'presenteeism' that is people coming to work or to school, not taking precautions and infecting others."
He said that this is bigger than the self.
"It's not just about yourself, it's about everybody around you, and you can't tell from looking at someone how vulnerable they are," he explained.
While you might recover from a bout with COVID, Dr. Yealy said the person you could possibly infect might not.
"It puts people in the intensive care unit and on breathing machines and still kills people at a rate that's higher than influenza or many other respiratory pathogens," Dr. Yealy warned.
So, if you find yourself with symptoms, he said to take a test.
"Don't just assume it's a cold or an allergy," he said. "And if you're positive, stay at home and have some contact with your health care provider if you have any risks for a bad outcome."
The sooner you seek help, the better chance your doctor can help lessen the severity for you.
"The problem is people are just choosing either to not test or to then not follow that really pragmatic advice," Dr. Yealy explained. "If you're sick don't go in, test yourself, and keep [a] distance or wear a mask."
While businesses and schools have relaxed their handling of COVID from the pandemic peaks, the CDC is still recommending you isolate for five days, then return to your normal activities while wearing a mask for another five days.
Lastly, a flu shot, an RSV vaccine for people over 60, and the new COVID vaccine for everyone.
As Dr. Yealy pointed out, whatever immunity you've built up by having COVID or getting vaccinated wears off over time and that could leave you increasingly vulnerable.
