Even If Cases Start Decreasing, Experts Say Second Wave Of COVID-19 Is Possible
(CBSDFW.COM) - As lockdown restrictions ease, infectious disease experts stress life will not be going back to normal anytime soon, and if cases start to decrease, a second wave of the the virus is possible.
"It's definitely a concern whenever you start to have larger groups of people together in a shared space for prolonged periods of time," Dr. Diana Cervantes, an infectious disease epidemiologist, said.
Cervantes said it's still important to remain vigilant and social distancing and good hygiene. She said this could lead to a drop in cases in the summer months because the high heat appears to make the virus less stable, but a second, larger wave of cases could follow.
"Especially in the fall, with other respiratory viruses, we do tend to see an increase in the fall," she said.
She references the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
"We did see an increase in the summer, but the increase was much higher in the fall," she said. "Since this virus is built pretty much the same way, it's got the same kind of structure as those viruses. We can assume that we may see a very similar pattern of increased transmission because the virus tends to be more stable once the weather does start to cool off and we see less humidity."
She stresses the need for a vaccine in order for life to return to some sense of normal. She points out the majority of us are likely susceptible to this virus if we come in contact with it.
"We don't have any immunity against this virus," she said. "So that's definitely the push."
