Boston doctor discusses importance of free COVID-19 testing as federal program nears end
Boston doctor discusses importance of free COVID-19 testing as federal program nears end
Updated: 6:10 PM EDT Aug 30, 2022
>> YOU ARE WATCHING WCVB NEWSCENTER 5 AT 5:30. ERIKA: YOUR LAST CHANCE TO ORDER FREE COVID-19 TESTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FRIDAY. HERE TO ANSWER QUESTION IS THE HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. THANKS FOR JOINING US. BEN: WE KNOW YOU GET PLENTY OF FREE TESTS AT WORK, BUT FOR THE REST OF US, EVERY HOME IN THE U.S. IS ELIGIBLE FOR THREE ROUNDS OF FREE TESTS. MORE THAN 600 MILLION KITS HAVE BEEN MAILED OUT. BY ANY MEASURE, IT’S A POPULAR PROGRAM, BUT NOW, NO FUNDING FOR IT. WHAT IMPACT COULD THIS DECISION HAVE ON PUBLIC HEALTH IN MASSACHUSETTS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY? >> FREE TESTING IS STILL SO CRITICAL. OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THOSE MOST AFFECTED ARE THOSE LEAST ABLE TO ACCESS TESTING. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE MOST HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS IS TO KNOW YOU HAVE COVID-19. I’M NOT SURE THE SYSTEM WAS THE MOST EQUITABLE OR COST-EFFECTIVE, BUT I’M SURE A LACK OF FREE ACCESS TO TESTING WILL BE DISADVANTAGING THE ALREADY DISADVANTAGED. THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GET FREE TESTS, AND I THINK THOSE NEED TO BE SCALED UP. ERIKA: THE STATE COLLECTS DATA ON THE NUMBER OF COVID POSITIVE TESTS, BUT EARLIER THIS SUMMER, HEALTH OFFICIALS BEGAN SHARING INFORMATION ON A WEEKLY INSTEAD OF DAILY BASIS. IS THE DATA STILL HELPFUL CONSIDERING EVERYONE IS NOT REPORTING THEIR TESTS? ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO TRACK HOW THE VIRUS IS SPREADING OR CHANGING? >> WE DON’T MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON DAY TO DAY CHANGES IN THE DATA, SO WEEKLY IS ENOUGH. MOST TESTING IS DONE AND DOESN’T MAKE IT INTO PARTS OF THE DASHBOARD, SO THAT IS OF LIMITED UTILITY. WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WASTEWATER LEVELS, HOSPITAL EMPLOYEE ILLNESS RATES, AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED FOR COVID AS OPPOSED TO THOSE IN THE HOSPITAL FOR OTHER REASONS WHO HAPPEN TO TEST POSITIVE, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT METRIC THAT MASSACHUSETTS STARTED MONITORING IN THE WINTER BASED ON RESEARCH OTHERS AND I HAD DONE ON THE UTILITY OF THAT METRIC. BEN: AS YOU KNOW, YOU LIVE IN THE SUBURBS. KIDS HAVE RETURNED TO THE CLASSROOMS, AND MANY WON’T WEAR FACE MAX. — FACE MASKS. WHAT DO YOU WANT PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR COVID RISK GOING BACK TO SCHOOL? >> WE ARE IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLACE THAN WHERE WE WERE LAST TIME YEAR — WHERE WE WERE AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR. SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HAVE LAYERS OF IMMUNITY FROM IMMUNITY AND VACCINES, AND WE HAVE A PREVENTATIVE ANTIBODY THERAPY FOR IMMUNOCOMPETENT EYES PEOPLE. CHILDREN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AT LOW RISK, SO I THINK NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME TO REFOCUS OUR ENERGY ON GIVING CHILDREN THE NORMALCY THEY DESERVE AND TACKLING THE LEARNING LOSS THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED. ERIKA: TO THE OTHER ILLNESS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT, OUGHTS OF PARENTS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MOOKIE POX. ONE SUPERINTENDENT SAID SHE IS REQUIRING STRICTER CLEANING MEASURES TO PREVENT ANY SPREAD. DO YOU THINK COMMUNITIES SHOULD TAKE MORE STEPS? >> I DON’T THINK SO. THE CDC RELEASED NEW MONTHLY GUIDELINES WHICH HAS SAID NO SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN. GIVEN THE WAY MONKEYPOX SPREADS THROUGH INTIMATE CONTACT, WE CAN EXPECT SOME SPREAD, BUT NOT LARGE OUTBREAKS. I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT SURFACES IN ATHLETIC OR WELLNESS AREAS, AND IT APPEARS THE OUTBREAK MAY BE SLOWING DOWN ACROSS THE U.S. BE
Advertisement
Boston doctor discusses importance of free COVID-19 testing as federal program nears end
Updated: 6:10 PM EDT Aug 30, 2022
Friday will be the last chance for people to order free COVID-19 test kits from the federal government.
Friday will be the last chance for people to order free COVID-19 test kits from the federal government.
Advertisement
