“Oh — if I’m going to the movies, I’m still wearing a mask — and I’m waiting til afterwards to eat my popcorn and have my beverage!” epidemiologist Stephanie Silvera says.
Like many of us, Silvera is reaching out for a normal life — back in the office, perhaps dining out — but always calculating the risk of COVID-19. People feel freer with most mask restrictions gone and COVID-19 caseloads trending down, but the new and highly contagious BA2 virus variant is spreading fast, with caseloads expected to climb.
Health experts first recommend folks get fully vaccinated and boosted, as they warn the pandemic is not over. Still, the governor has no plans to reinstate mandatory COVID-19 restrictions statewide, and with cases declining for now, some people now want to break loose and travel. They’re requesting official reassurances about the risks of COVID-19 outbreaks and travel restrictions. The best path, says Dr. Meg Fisher, is to figure risks based on your family and who is most vulnerable.
