Infectious disease specialist not alarmed by recent COVID cases
Posted Nov 6, 2020 08:25:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
After being relatively clear of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia, there has been a recent rise in cases.
But an infectious disease specialist says there’s no reason to panic.
Dr. Lisa Barrett with Dalhousie University says she’s not alarmed by the recent increase reported by the province.
She says the cases in Nova Scotia are mostly travel-related and close contacts, and people are quarantining as necessary.
But Barrett tells NEWS 95.7's The Rick Howe Show, any rise in case numbers is something to take seriously.
“From an overall numbers perspective I’m not alarmed or panicked, but I am starting to look around me,” she says. “Because this virus is one that can infect people with no symptoms, I’m very, very aware of going out and making sure I’m still keeping track of how I go out, who I contact.”
With relatively looser restrictions around COVID-19 in this region, from larger bubbles than most regions, to the recent announcement that public school gyms will gradually reopen, Barrett encourages people to download the Government of Canada's COVID-19 Alert App.
“It’s free, it's not going to hurt you, and even if it’s not perfect, it’s one hundred percent better than not having it at all,” she says.
The most important thing to learn from this increase in cases is to keep following public health guidelines, Barrett says, like wearing a mask, practicing proper handwashing, social distancing, and keeping track of our close contacts.
In other words, Nova Scotians have to continue being diligent.
“The take-home message for all of us is that if we still do the stuff we’re supposed to be doing, we will be just as successful as we’ve been in the gross majority of situations.”
