Is a Coronavirus Spike Inevitable? Why 16 Medical Experts Are Worried

January 7, 2021 Topic: Coronavirus Spike Region: Americas Blog Brand: Coronavirus Tags: CoronavirusPandemicSymptomsHolidayTravel

Is a Coronavirus Spike Inevitable? Why 16 Medical Experts Are Worried

As Americans enter the new year, how will holiday travel shape the coming weeks in January? In order to get that important answer, the National Interest reached out to sixteen medical experts across the country.

 

Dr. Cathy McCarty, Professor and Genetic Epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus

“People interact with others outside of their ‘bubble’ and may have traveled while asymptomatic or before they experienced symptoms, but were infectious. Also, the new variant that is circulating is one and a half times as infectious. . . . Thankfully, it does not appear to be associated with higher death rates, but again, because it is much more infectious, we would expect to see higher numbers of cases and deaths if we don't get it under control.”  

 

Dr. William G. Carlos, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine

“Travel increases the opportunities for human contact at bus terminals, airports, and restaurants. This increases the odds that an infected person can come into contact with uninfected people and spread the virus. Because the uninfected people are also traveling, they now increase risk of spread if they become infected, and the cycle continues.”  

Dr. Perry N. Halkitis, Dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health 

“Travel spreads pathogens, especially when in planes where people are crammed together for extended periods of time. Also, we know that this year influenza or flu cases are drastically down. This is in part due to limited travel from South America where the flu season just ended.”  

Dr. Jason Keonin, Physician and Surgeon at Northwest Iowa Surgeons PC 

“The concern is that people will be directly exposed to people not in their immediate household, in large groups, and possibly without masks. People traveling across distances also face exposure while they fly and travel. . . . I would expect (the death rate) to rise after the holidays, but it’s also possible in the next few months that we might see the vaccine start to have a positive effect on the incidence and prevalence of COVID, so hopefully, we do see some improvement.”  

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.  

Image: Reuters