This portion of New Day Northwest
is sponsored by Premera Blue Cross.
Hey, welcome back.
So the COVID-19 pandemic.
It's taken a lot of twists and
turns over the past two years,
the most recent being
this Omicron variant.
We asked Premera Blue Cross,
Dr Josephine Young what
we need to be thinking about.
Yeah, as we know of right now,
because we're contained and
learn more about it every day,
our general belief that it is probably
just a little bit more contagious than
delta is in the severity seems to
be more in the standpoint of milder
symptoms rather than more severe.
Just because we haven't had a
lot of people admitted to the
hospitals yet with it,
but that can change at any point,
but for right now,
that's about where we said.
That's some good news.
So for anyone who doesn't understand
why these variants keep coming out,
can you briefly explain
why this is happening?
Yes, definitely, and we have to understand
it from the standpoint of the virus.
The virus is a living growing thing and
its sole goal is to be able to infect
more people so it can multiply and grow.
That is its sole purpose, and so every
time it infects somebody and is growing,
it's multiplying itself and every
time that multiplying happens,
changes can happen and some of those
changes make it less effective,
so those changes won't stick around.
But every change that makes
it a stronger virus,
so it's easier to infect somebody.
Or can live a little bit longer.
All of that?
That's what's going to drive
the next variant.
So it's not surprising that every
new variant of concern we see is a
little bit stronger than the last
one at being able to infect somebody.
Sneaky, clever little Organism.
So being that it is evolving,
if you will are changing all
the time to continue its spread,
or any of the current vaccines
going to be effective,
and will they stay effective?
Yeah, so early studies right
now based on what we know.
In the moment is that yes,
the vaccines are effective.
The vaccines are not as
strong against amacan,
it seems than it is against Delta,
but it's definitely effective.
So if people are not vaccinated,
definitely go get vaccinated.
If you're eligible for a
booster and it's time for one,
definitely go do it,
because we've also seen that people
who have a recent booster or the ones
at that are best protected against.
I'm crying right now.
That's really good news.
If you could find a booster.
Oh my, goodness, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So what about Holly?
I mean, a lot of people were really
gearing up for this holiday season,
having not been able to see
their families last year.
What do you recommend for
people visiting others or other
holiday plans holiday parties?
Does this change anything?
Yeah, it fundamentally right now.
It doesn't change a whole lot just
because delta, the Delta variant,
is still the predominant one in EU S Now
if you're going to travel internationally,
we're certainly you know hearing
about it more out of South Africa,
we're hearing a lot more
about it out of Europe.
So if you're traveling internationally,
you might have to think a little bit harder,
but within the US,
as long as you're predominantly
being protected from delta and it
shouldn't really change the plans much.
And and this is what I would have people.
Keep in mind.
The bottom line is you cannot catch this
virus if you don't get exposed to it.
So if you create that distance of six
feet as much as you can for people that
you don't know for people you don't know,
their vaccine status,
all of that will help.
But then, if you can't create that distance,
wearing that mask will give that.
Extra level of protection so the
virus doesn't get inside of you,
and if you end up touching it on your hands,
just wash your hands always before you
touch your face and that will help.
So those are just some basics no matter
where you're at or or who you're with.
But one other thing I would say as you're
making plans about you know traveling or not.
Think of it this way.
If you're just going to get a car
and drive to somewhere and only
be in the house with people that
you know that are vaccinated,
you're really not going to
increase your risk much there.
If you're going to go.
In a crowded thing like airplane
or train or bus or something like
that and travel a good distance
and be with people where you don't
know their vaccination status,
or maybe they're not vaccinated and
maybe in an area that has a lot of.
Of COVID infections going on,
then you're increasing your
risk significantly,
and most people are going to be
doing something halfway in between.
Yeah, well,
think about who you're gonna be with,
what their immunization status is,
how long you're going to be there,
and how crowded is the surrounding.
So once you get to where you're getting,
what is the safest way to celebrate with
friends and family right now? Definitely,
you know. Keep those gatherings small
as you can try to be with people
who feel similarly with you with
regard to the level of seriousness.
About COVID and still the same thing,
you know? Distance if you can.
If you can't wear a mask if it makes sense,
especially if you're around other people.
But the biggest thing it
wash your hands really well,
that's good for colds and flus,
and everything else is going
on this time of year 2.
COVID isn't the only infection
out there, so
tell me about it.
I'm very lucky that both my
children are over five years old.
They just got their second
vaccine a week ago. Awesome,
what about kids that are under five?
What is the concern for them?
The concern for them is obviously they
don't have any personal protection,
so they're really counting on all the
adults in their life around them to
keep them as well protected as possible.
So the more that you have people who
are vaccinated around them, rather
than unvaccinated that will be helpful.
Keeping out keeping them out of
like big crowded settings where you
don't really know whether people
are having symptoms or not.
Not traveling a whole lot with them,
those will all be helpful, but again,
keeping their hands washed.
And for the ones that are over
the age of two,
keeping masks on them when you're
outside will make all the difference.
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