Medical experts look ahead to fighting COVID-19 this fall

After a difficult and deadly summer with COVID-19, medical experts are looking ahead to fighting the virus this fall.

"My feeling as an infectious disease person is that we will be dealing with boosters and perhaps even new variants," said Dr. Larry Bush of Wellington.

Booster shots, Dr. Bush said, could likely be necessary as new variants of COVID emerge.

The new variants are a particular concern as health experts try to increase vaccination rates.

"Hopefully this won’t happen toward the end of the year with the holiday season with travel and families getting together," Dr. Bush said. "I’m hopeful particularly if we start to see boosters come on line."

Dr. Bush said he also expects emergency approval for children under 12 before the end of the year, which can help ease cases in schools.

"We will reach herd immunity one way or another, hopefully by vaccine but if not then by natural infection," he said.

Dr. Bush said anti body treatments and more vaccinations are now contributing to lowering hospitalization rates.

"Keep in mind this is not the first pandemic we’ve overcome," he said. "We have much more science now much more ability to do things now we should be able to overcome this one more easily we have to get away from speculation and cynicism."

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