COLORADO SPRINGS — This week, Los Angeles County, in California, will begin requiring masks indoors again, even for vaccinated people. While there are no public plans for any new requirements or recommendations like that in Southern Colorado, one doctor is warning we could be on our way to wearing masks once again.
According to Kaiser Health, and the CDC, Colorado is among the states with the highest proportion of the delta variant. Mesa County has the most delta variant cases, of any county in Colorado.
Emergency Room Doctor Comilla Sasson, is sounding the alarm, as the delta variant quickly spreads across our state. Dr. Sasson told our sister station, it may be time to start thinking about putting our masks back on, especially indoors, where we know that the ventilation may not necessarily be good.
"When a new mutation comes out that's more transmissible, we have to change our approach to keep everyone safe, and I think that's hard for people to sometimes stomach," she explained.
So far, the vaccines available in the U.S. provide strong protection against Coronavirus, including the delta variant. There is no evidence that immunity is beginning to wear off among people who got COVID-19 vaccines. Doctor Sasson warns your best bet against the delta variant is getting vaccinated.
Vaccinated people can get infected with COVID, even if the symptoms are mild, and unknowingly spread the virus.
"What we're learning now and as we're starting to see all over the U.S. is that we're having these breakthrough cases, which is basically people who've been vaccinated who have now gotten COVID-19," Dr. Sasson said. "You've got vaccinated people who maybe have mild symptoms starting to realize they have COVID, but they can still transmit COVID to other people."
Find a vaccine site near you:
El Paso County Health
Pueblo County Health
