Mass. doctor on signs recent COVID-19 wave may have peaked – WCVB Boston

>> THANK Y.OU THE RECENT RISE OF COVID-19 LEVELS IN LOCAL WASTEWATER MAY BE LEVELING OFF. >> HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. EMILY HYLE, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT MASS GENERAL HOSPIT.AL GOOD MORNING. YOUVE BEEN TRACKING THIS DATA CLOSELY. ARE YOU SEEING ANY EARLY SIGNS THAT THIS WAVE MAY BE PEAKING? >> I THINK IT IS PROBABLY EARLY TO SAY ALTHOUGH YOU CAN SEE FROM THE WASTEWATER THAT THERES A LITTLE LEVELING OFF. I WONDER ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF PEOPLE POTENTIALLY BEING AWAY FOR PART OF THE RECENT SPRING WEEK, SO IFT I GETS -- SO IT GETS HARD TO KNOW. NEXT WKEE WILL BE INTERESTING AND HELPFUL TO SEE WHETHER THE PATTERN OF LEVELING OFF OR DECLINE CONTINUES OR WHETHER THINGS GO UP AS PEOPLE RETURN TO BOONST OR DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF MIXING HAPPEN AFTER THE HOLIDAYS. >> THIS WEEK WAS A VACATION WEEK FOR MANY FAMILIES AND MASSACHUSETTS -- IN MASSACHUSETTS, SO ARE THERE CONCERNS FOR A NEW SEARCH WHEN EVERYBODY RETURNS? >> IT IS UNCERTAIN. I WOULD SAY THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME CCEONRNS, ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE TRAVELING TO SEE FRIENDS AND FAMILY. DOI THINK THAT NOW IS A REALLY SMART TIME TO BE A LITTLE CAUTIOUS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTILACURLY VULNERABLE TO SEVERE COVID INFECTION, OLDER PEOE,PL PEOPLE WITH IMMUNOSUPPRESSION WERE MULTIPLE COMORBIDITIES. I DO THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT TIME, IF YOU ARE FEELING A LOT ALL, TO GET TESTED, GET A RAPID OR PCR TESTS, OR IF YOU HAVE TRAVELED RECENTLY AND ARE GOING TO SEE SOMEBODY YOU DONT NORMLYAL SEE, EVEN IF YOU FEEL WELL, TEST, BECAUSE WE KNOW THERETHS E TIME BEFORE SYMPTOMS START WHERE YOU C PANOTENTIALLY BE INFECTIOUS TO OTHERS. >> HAVE SEEN A CHANGE IN MASK POLICIES THIS WEEK. LOGAN AND MANY AIRLINES ARE ALL NOW MASK OPTIONAL. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE TIMING OF THAT DECISION? >> WELL, I PERSONALLY THINK IT IS STILL A GOOD TIME TO CONTINUE MASKING INDOORS BECAUSE WE ARE CERTNLAIY SEEING IN OUR REGION A RISE IN CASES AND I DO THINK WITH A LOT OF MIXING ON AIRLINES OR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION LIKE US IS AND TRAINS -- LIKE BUSES AND TRAINS, IT IS SMARTOT CONTINUE MASKING TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS. >> THERE ARE PLACES WHERE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO WEAR A MASK EVEN IF IT IS NOT REIRQUED? >> I CONTINUE TO MASK IN ALL DOINOR SPACES. I HAVE AN UNDER-FIVET A HOME WHO IS UNABLE TO BE VACCINATED YET BECAUSE THERES NO ELIGIBLE VACCINE AND HAVE MANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO ARE OLDER OR IMMUNOSUPPRESSED SO I PERSONALLY CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS INDOORS TO PROTECT MYSELFND A OTHERS IM AROUND. >> OK. DR. EMILY LEHY, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT

Mass. doctor on signs recent COVID-19 wave may have peaked

Updated: 10:28 AM EDT Apr 23, 2022

Dr. Emily Hyle, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, examines if Massachusetts wastewater data shows that this recent COVID-19 wave may be peaking."I think it's probably a little early to say, although you can see from the wastewater that there's a little bit of leveling off," Hyle said Saturday. Hyle said she wonders about what the influence of people potentially being away for part of the recent spring week will have on COVID-19 case counts. "I think it's really hard to know," Hyle said. "I do think the next week will be really interesting and really helpful to see whether that pattern of leveling off or declining continues -- or whether things go up a little bit as people return to the Boston area or different patterns of mixing happen after the spring holidays."I do think that now is a really smart time to be a little cautious, especially if you live with people who are particularly vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection," Hyle said. "It's a really important time, if you're feeling ill at all, to get tested," Hyle said. "Do a rapid test, get a PCR test, or if you have traveled recently or are going to see somebody you don't normally see or who would be at high risk, to test before seeing them, even if you feel well."

Dr. Emily Hyle, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, examines if Massachusetts wastewater data shows that this recent COVID-19 wave may be peaking.

"I think it's probably a little early to say, although you can see from the wastewater that there's a little bit of leveling off," Hyle said Saturday.

Hyle said she wonders about what the influence of people potentially being away for part of the recent spring week will have on COVID-19 case counts.

"I think it's really hard to know," Hyle said. "I do think the next week will be really interesting and really helpful to see whether that pattern of leveling off or declining continues -- or whether things go up a little bit as people return to the Boston area or different patterns of mixing happen after the spring holidays.

"I do think that now is a really smart time to be a little cautious, especially if you live with people who are particularly vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection," Hyle said.

"It's a really important time, if you're feeling ill at all, to get tested," Hyle said. "Do a rapid test, get a PCR test, or if you have traveled recently or are going to see somebody you don't normally see or who would be at high risk, to test before seeing them, even if you feel well."

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Mass. doctor on signs recent COVID-19 wave may have peaked - WCVB Boston