LI health experts on the delta variant: Weighing risks, what to know
Health experts urge caution as the delta variant rages
Dr. Aaron Glatt, chair of the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
For many, what began as a summer of freedom with loosening COVID-19 precautions and returning to activities is ending with increased apprehension and the dialing back of social activities. Infectious disease experts told Newsday's David Olson that it's wise to be more cautious.
Dr. Aaron Glatt, chairman of medicine and chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside, said even though vaccination greatly increases protection, "you don’t become Superman by being vaccinated. People have to realize they are still taking a slight risk. For many people that’s a very, very reasonable risk to take. I personally think each person has to individualize that risk to themselves."
Fully vaccinated older adults and people with medical conditions that make them more susceptible to severe COVID-19 should be more cautious than a healthy, vaccinated 30-year-old, he said. For higher-risk people, "if it’s not an essential activity, maybe don’t go," Glatt said.
Unvaccinated people have a much starker calculus, said Dr. Bruce Farber, chief of infectious diseases at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park.
"If you are unvaccinated, you have to be extraordinarily careful and really avoid any area where there are unmasked people inside, and outside in crowded areas," he said. "The risks are very high, and that’s why we are seeing what we are seeing all over the place."
Read more advice from the experts, including how parents can weigh the risks for unvaccinated kids, and how Long Islanders are responding to the spread.
Plus: Join us later this week for a Newsday Live event discussing the science behind mask wearing with local doctors. Register here for the event at noon on Friday.
The number of new positives reported today: 250 in Nassau, 211 in Suffolk, 1,388 in New York City and 3,686 statewide.
The map below shows vaccination rates in communities across Long Island. Search that map and view charts showing the latest local trends in new cases, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
Long Island vaccination rates as of Sept. 9.
See more coronavirus headlines below.
Erin Serpico is an assistant web producer who joined Newsday in November 2018. Originally from New Jersey, she now covers community events and produces local content for newsday.com while also helping run the homepage.
