Shelter-in-place orders and distancing guidelines have kept COVID-19 case numbers at a manageable level so far, but the threat of community transmission is still very real.
Texas is among several states to start lifting shutdowns and relaxing safety restrictions. As soon as they could, people longing for a reprieve from quarantine descended on restaurants, bars, museums, gyms and beaches, despite ongoing concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
How does the virus spread in the community? What are the biggest risk factors? What can you do to avoid or mitigate the likelihood of transmission in high-risk situations?
What is the level of risk for people in large groups or small spaces? What about singing and shouting? Does being outdoors lessen your risk? How important is it to wear a face mask and why has doing so become so politicized?
People are understandably lonely and frustrated after weeks or months of isolation, and messaging about the threat is becoming less impactful as individuals and families tire of isolation. Maintaining a heightened level of caution about personal and community well-being can be mentally exhausting.
What is "caution fatigue" and how can you limit its negative effects? How could large-scale caution fatigue impact public health outcomes in Texas?
Guests:
- Jacqueline Gollan, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
- Dr. Daniel Musher, M.D., Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Professor of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at the Baylor College of Medicine
- Jose Cedeño Laurent, research associate in the Epidemiology & Risk Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
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*This interview was recorded on Tuesday, May 26.
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