Experts Advise Caution, Not Fear, as COVID Infections Rise in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — COVID circumstances have slowly however steadily ticked up throughout the vast majority of the Bay Space since mid-March.

In San Francisco, the 7-day common check positivity price is at 5.2 %. On March 16, the 7-day check positivity price was 2.4 %.

Nonetheless, many individuals who stay within the Bay Space aren’t as involved about this case enhance as they have been about earlier spikes.

“I feel people’ attitudes have modified about it when it comes to possibly not being as fearful about it. I don’t know if that’s a great or a nasty factor,” mentioned Gerard Ayala, a San Francisco resident. “I feel my perspective has modified as effectively. Possibly not as fearful now that I’ve had it and have been by way of the expertise.”

Though circumstances are on the rise, UCSF infectious illness knowledgeable Dr. Peter Chin-Hong doesn’t wish to classify what’s occurring proper now as a surge.

“We’ve got a really dramatic decoupling to date between what we see in the neighborhood and what we see within the hospitals. In fact, hospitalizations lag circumstances in the neighborhood, historically, however these circumstances have been going up for a while and we nonetheless haven’t seen a big effect within the hospitals,” Dr. Chin-Hong mentioned. “I feel two weeks would give sufficient time to guarantee that lag received’t be mirrored within the hospitals.”

Even so, Chin-Hong thinks the growing variety of infections will affect the area.

“You will notice disruptions in the neighborhood with constructive circumstances — folks taken out of the workforce,” he mentioned. “It’s potential that check positivity is even larger however it’s unsure as a result of we don’t actually know who’s getting examined formally in comparison with who’s getting examined at house.”

Right here’s how Chin-Hong described the present state of affairs.

“It’s truly extra akin to what persons are hoping to have on the finish of the day: an endemic section. It’s simply that I wouldn’t wish to name it an endemic but as a result of it’s not predictable what the following new variant will do lengthy after this current BA.1 surge adopted by BA.2. It’s like a one-two punch, which may be very totally different than, ‘punch, wait some time — everybody’s immunity goes down — after which punch once more,’” he mentioned.

The physician’s recommendation?

“Don’t be afraid however interact with life responsibly,” he mentioned. “Usually, I put on not less than a surgical masks in an indoor crowded area.”