The state of emergency related to COVID-19 ends today in California. What does this mean for you?

(SACREMENTO)

California’s state of emergency due to COVID-19 ends today. The declaration gave Governor Gavin Newsom broader powers to fight the spread of the coronavirus. Its end indicates that the pandemic is moving into a less serious phase.

What does the end of the state of emergency mean for Californians? How will this affect our daily lives? We asked these questions to infectious disease specialists at UC Davis Health: Stuart H. Cohen, chief of infectious disease; Dean Bloomberg, Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases; and Natasha Tuznik, Associate Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases.

Left to right, Stuart Cohen, Chief of Infectious Diseases; Dean Bloomberg, Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and Natasha Tuznik, Associate Professor, Clinical Department of Infectious Diseases.

Here are their answers.

How worried should people be about COVID-19 right now?

Bloomberg: “At this stage of the pandemic, most people have some sort of immunity to COVID from vaccination or infection, or both. The risk of severe illness at this point is less, but not zero. COVID is becoming more and more like the flu or the flu. Most people who are not at high risk will be uncomfortable if infected, but the risk of hospitalization or death is low. Of course, remember that there are between 12,000 and 52,000 flu deaths in the US each year, so both COVID and flu vaccinations remain important.”

Cohen: “It can still happen. We need to start living as if COVID will stay with us forever. This means people in high-risk groups need to be careful and get vaccinated.”

Tuznik: “We hear stories of people who want to get COVID and are ‘just done with it. It is important to remember that the risk of contracting COVID is associated with the possibility of a long course of COVID, so it is not as “easy” as curing a common cold. COVID could lead to detrimental long-term effects, including some that are still unknown.”

So, should we continue to disguise ourselves?

Bloomberg: “Depending on your risk factors and those of your family, some may want to continue wearing masks in high-risk situations. These situations may include being indoors with someone who does not live in your household. I still recommend wearing a mask when indoors for long periods of time, such as when flying.”

Will medical teams and patients wear masks in the clinic setting?

Tuznik: “Yes, we still need to wear masks in patient care areas, at least for now. In our clinics, patients are still asked to wear masks.”

Bloomberg: “Requirements for wearing masks in patient care areas will depend on federal and state public health guidelines. It makes sense for me to continue working in a clinical setting.”

How important is it to stay at home, not to go to work or school when you feel unwell?

Bloomberg: “I hope one of the important lessons learned from the pandemic is gratitude for not showing up to work or school when you are potentially contagious with COVID or another infection.”

Tuznik: “Absolutely important. At UC Davis Health, employees are still required to report symptoms, get tested, and stay home as recommended by our health service.”

How important are COVID vaccines and boosters at this stage?

Bloomberg: “Vaccines have helped end the pandemic and save lives. Studies show that by November 2022, COVID vaccines had saved more than 18 million lives in the US.”

Cohen: “Vaccines will be important to limit the severity of the disease, less so to prevent infection.”

What does the end of the emergency mean for our daily lives?

Bloomberg: “This is a return to the common sense of disease prevention. It remains important to stay home if you are sick, avoid people who have symptoms, wear a mask in high-risk situations, and wash your hands. If infected, patients can contact their healthcare provider if they want to reduce the risk of severe infection by taking antiviral therapy.”

Were there positive lessons learned during the pandemic?

Tuznik: “A good way out of the pandemic is to raise awareness of personal and community measures to prevent infections. This includes good and thorough handwashing in addition to a strong focus on vaccines – and not just against COVID.”

Bloomberg: “Telemedicine services such as video visits have made communication with health care providers more convenient. This was especially important for those who do not live close to a doctor’s office or hospital. Many people enjoy working remotely. It’s important to note that I hope we all appreciate the work of our public health officials.”

Cohen: “Remote meetings allow you to reach more people. However, the downside of this is that when you see people on screen, you don’t see people in real life. As for the response to the pandemic, it is easy to draw conclusions in retrospect. But remember, more than a million Americans died. Even if every step taken by health decision makers wasn’t perfect, it was aimed at saving lives. Medical workers were taking a big risk. We did everything we could.”

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