Epidemiologist could see mask warrants return, but not in Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – With the Delta variant becoming the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States, an epidemiologist told News4Jax on Monday that there were concerns that the spread of the virus could go unnoticed.

This concern could be due in part to the fact that the symptoms of the Delta variant are different from those seen during the initial outbreak of COVID-19. People infected with the variant have had headaches, runny noses and sore throats, like what they might have with a cold, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr Jonathan Kantor, an epidemiologist at the Penn Center for Epidemiology, said the concerns that are now circulating are no different from those felt at the start of the pandemic when it dawned on health experts that the virus could spread among people. apparently healthy or asymptomatic individuals.

“There were these healthy young adults or even kids who could be pretty asymptomatic or think they were just sniffing or something, but in the meantime they have the potential to spread COVID, so I think we’re seeing the same concern will occur, ”Dr. Kantor told Bruce Hamilton of The Morning Show.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Delta variant now accounts for 51% of new infections nationwide. At UF Health Jacksonville, experts say new infections have doubled in the past two weeks, and half of those cases are believed to be the Delta variant.

As a rule, Americans have decided that vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks or get tested for the virus, Dr Kantor said. But, he said, as concern grows over the more transmissible Delta variant, he wouldn’t rule out the return of the mask’s warrant. Except, maybe, in Florida.

“I think there may be a concern, I think there may be a tendency – as we see in Israel, as we see in Europe – to consider mask warrants, even for those who have been vaccinated, just because of the potential for the Delta variant, “Kantor said.” I doubt, given the signals the governor has sent, that we’ll be looking at the in Florida, unless the data changes significantly . “

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In its weekly status report, Florida last week reported 23,697 new cases statewide, nearly doubling the number of new cases recorded the week before. Jacksonville has not been immune to the trend as it has recorded 2,127 new cases after not seeing more than 2,000 new cases in a week since February.

According to Baptist Health, it is currently caring for 133 COVID-19 patients, 35 of whom are in intensive care. At UF Health Jacksonville, 21 of 60 COVID-19 patients in intensive care, Monday morning.

Governor Ron DeSantis, who publicly has not made much of concerns about the Delta variant, urged Floridians, especially those who are not vaccinated or have health issues, to get vaccinated to avoid falling. seriously ill.

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During Monday’s interview, Dr Kantor said he is not someone who recommends everyone get immunized immediately and that every child should be immunized. But he said people who are not vaccinated must weigh the pros and cons of the vaccine and the virus.

“Vaccines have very, very small risks associated with them, but getting COVID-19, we know, comes with bigger and much bigger risks,” he said. “So the key thing to remember is that your alternative to a vaccine is not that you are going to live happily ever after. Your alternative to getting a vaccine is a pretty good chance that you get COVID yourself or pass it on to someone else. “

Information from journalist Jim Piggott contributed to this report.