Dr. Cameron Webb serves as senior policy advisor for equity on the White House COVID-19 response team. The noted physician has dedicated himself to educating the Black community on COVID protection. Dr. Webb joined the rolling out discussion to advise our community as we enter the fall season with the delta variant on the prowl.
Dr. Webb, kids are going to school now, so what should their parents and the children be most safe about?
The first thing I’ll say is that our number one defense is getting vaccinated if you’re old enough to do so. So if you’re over 12, that’s key. The other thing is layered mitigation strategies. You have one layer, masking, that’s pretty good protection. But there are always things that can kind of undermine that protection. So [you should] layer that with other strategies, like keeping some physical distance, good hand hygiene, and avoiding crowded spaces, contact tracing, and [having a] plan around quarantine and isolation. [Also] in this pandemic, you have to have support for parents and families, to make sure they’re able to keep kids home. That’s how we stay safe, and make sure that we’re not sorry.
When you think about the parents, what are we getting ready to head into, that we need to be most safe? So we’ve got some homecoming season coming, what should we all be safe about?
This delta variant, is so highly transmissible, that I think that any environment where you’ve got a lot of people is an environment where the virus can spread. Make sure that you’re wearing masks and doing what you can to protect yourself all the time. As we look at this fall season, and many are eager to get back to some semblance of normal, understand that you have a lot of viruses circulating in our communities right now because of this delta variant and how unforgiving it is. That applies to sporting events, concerts, etc., in addition to making sure that you’re vaccinated.
For those trying to figure out their protocol, should they get a flu shot, go in and actually get their annual physical? What should their health regimen be?
I always encourage folks to get the flu shot. I think it’s another thing that can protect you, from an upper respiratory standpoint. I work in a hospital in a COVID unit, our hospitals have been designed to avoid the spread of COVID, from provider to patient or from patient to patient. So don’t feel like you have to avoid unnecessary care at all.
If you’ve got questions or concerns, you need to seek medical care, you need to talk to your providers, and they’ll guide you to where you need to go. Make sure you tend to that to that [as well] . That’s so critical because that will not just save your life through this season. But for years to come.
