Increase in COVID-19 cases expected this summer – WWLP.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) COVID-19 is constantly showing us that its here to stay. 22News spoke with a health expert who talks about how we can protect ourselves from the disease this summer.

The COVID-19 summer wave is making its way across the U.S. as temperatures warm up. More people across the nation are starting to come down with the disease as they spend more time out at large gatherings. This COVID surge comes as temperatures warm up, which increases the transmission of the disease.

While COVID cant survive long in high temperatures, those warm temperatures cause more people to head inside where its much cooler. Diseases like COVID are able to spread quicker in low temperatures.

Dr. Robert Baldor with Baystate Health told 22News that many people think that COVID is gone but it is in fact still here and it is coming with a series of different strains and variants including KP.2, KP.3 and LB.1.

As COVID-19 spreads, older adults over the age of 65 and those who are immunocompromised are at higher risk of getting severely sick from COVID-19.

Dr. Baldor says its important for this group to take the proper safety precautions, Those people are more at risk. They should be thinking about masking and staying away from places at least for a little bit until we figure out what is going on. This is happening and its not clear if we are going to have a big breakout or not. I do not think it is going to be as bad because so many of us have been vaccinated.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, COVID-19 reported cases have increased since the end of April but only by a small amount. Last year, reported cases between July and September nearly tripled.

Dr. Baldor says vaccinations are another way to protect yourself from getting sick. He says a new vaccination is coming later this fall. In the meantime, if you are feeling sick it is important to stay inside to prevent others from getting sick.

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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Increase in COVID-19 cases expected this summer - WWLP.com