An emergency room doctor in Denver has called for indoor mask rules to be reimposed — saying it’s time to “change our approach” now that the Delta variant is driving outbreaks.
“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,” Dr. Comilla Sasson told the Denver Channel.
Sasson said it was clear that the “data is changing,” with the highly contagious Delta variant now accounting in the state for around 90% of cases.
“I think maybe it’s time to start thinking about putting our masks back on, especially indoors where we know that the ventilation is not necessarily all that good,” Sasson told the outlet.
Across the country, around 97% of hospitalizations for the virus have been among unvaccinated people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But Sassoon stressed that mask rules for vaccinated people are also critical since they can also become sick with milder cases 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,” 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.”
US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said on Sunday said that he believes that local governments across the country might start reimposing indoor face-covering requirements to combat surges caused by the Delta variant.
“In areas where there are low numbers of vaccinated people, where cases are rising, it’s very reasonable for counties to take more mitigation measures, like the mask rules coming out of L.A. And I anticipate that will happen in other parts of the country,” Murthy said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.