Four years on, COVID-19 now considered
more like other respiratory diseases
By Roberta Cannon, RN
In March 2020, the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four years later, it feels like we are finally back to some semblance of normalcy, with no required masking or isolation for several days following exposure or during illness.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reinforced this return to normalcy when on March 1, 2024, it issued updated COVID-19 community guidelines that are like other respiratory illnesses such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and flu.
“The COVID-19 guidelines are less restrictive than what we’ve seen in the past,” said William Agel, MD, MPH, chief medical officer for Cape Cod Hospital and Cape Cod Healthcare. “The updated guidelines are in line with what we are currently seeing, which is less COVID-19 circulating in the community, less virulence, and fewer COVID-19 admissions in the hospital. We currently have one patient in the hospital with COVID-19.”
Dr. Agel said there are a couple of reasons for the decreasing numbers:
Hospital Guidelines“(CCHC) currently follows the CDC guidelines for healthcare systems,” Dr. Agel said. “If you are coming to Cape Cod or Falmouth Hospitals, and recently had a respiratory virus or have symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, we ask that you stay at home. If you can’t stay home, or if you need to come to the hospital, we ask that you wear a mask. If you are well but would feel more comfortable wearing a mask at our facilities, we won’t preclude you from wearing one.”
The hospital and clinical staff are not required to wear masks unless they are returning to work after having respiratory illness, said. Dr. Agel. In that case, they would need to wear a mask.
“In general, we keep a close eye on what is going on in the community and we have not seen the need for our employees to go back to masking,” he said.
COVID-19 has now entered the stage where it is considered in the public health and medical community more like other respiratory viruses, Dr. Agel said.
“It can still be problematic for some, and we need to protect them through vaccination as well as following the CDC guidelines.”
about the expert William Agel, MD, MPH -Dr. William Agel holds a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and earned his medical degree at New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ. He completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, MA. He is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He has been affiliated with Cape Cod Hospital since Sept. 1, 1999 and is a member of Cape Cod Preferred Physicians. His clinical interests include obstetrical care, gynecologic care, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery for uterine leiomyoma, endometriosis, pelvic organ prolapse, early stage gynecologic malignancy and stress urinary incontinence. He is the chief medical officer of Cape Cod Hospital and Cape Cod Healthcare.
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Originally published on Cape Cod Health News, April 02, 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reinforced this return to normalcy when on March 1, 2024, it issued updated COVID-19 community guidelines that are like other respiratory illnesses such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and flu.
“The COVID-19 guidelines are less restrictive than what we’ve seen in the past,” said William Agel, MD, MPH, chief medical officer for Cape Cod Hospital and Cape Cod Healthcare. “The updated guidelines are in line with what we are currently seeing, which is less COVID-19 circulating in the community, less virulence, and fewer COVID-19 admissions in the hospital. We currently have one patient in the hospital with COVID-19.”
Dr. Agel said there are a couple of reasons for the decreasing numbers:
- We are entering springtime with fewer gatherings indoors and more activities outdoors.
- COVID-19 is beginning to take on a seasonal nature when infections begin to increase in the fall and peak in the winter.
- When you become ill with a respiratory virus, stay home and away from others.
- Get tested for COVID-19, RSV and flu viruses.
- You can return to normal activities when symptoms have been improving overall for at least 24 hours and, if you had a fever, it is absent without using fever-reducing medication.
- Once you resume normal activities, you are encouraged to take additional steps for the next five days to reduce the spread of the respiratory infection. These include: Wearing a well-fitting mask, bringing in more outside fresh air, purifying indoor air, covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing your hands often, and cleaning touched surfaces.
- Stay up to date with the latest vaccines.
Hospital Guidelines“(CCHC) currently follows the CDC guidelines for healthcare systems,” Dr. Agel said. “If you are coming to Cape Cod or Falmouth Hospitals, and recently had a respiratory virus or have symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, we ask that you stay at home. If you can’t stay home, or if you need to come to the hospital, we ask that you wear a mask. If you are well but would feel more comfortable wearing a mask at our facilities, we won’t preclude you from wearing one.”
The hospital and clinical staff are not required to wear masks unless they are returning to work after having respiratory illness, said. Dr. Agel. In that case, they would need to wear a mask.
“In general, we keep a close eye on what is going on in the community and we have not seen the need for our employees to go back to masking,” he said.
COVID-19 has now entered the stage where it is considered in the public health and medical community more like other respiratory viruses, Dr. Agel said.
“It can still be problematic for some, and we need to protect them through vaccination as well as following the CDC guidelines.”
about the expert William Agel, MD, MPH -Dr. William Agel holds a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and earned his medical degree at New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ. He completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, MA. He is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He has been affiliated with Cape Cod Hospital since Sept. 1, 1999 and is a member of Cape Cod Preferred Physicians. His clinical interests include obstetrical care, gynecologic care, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery for uterine leiomyoma, endometriosis, pelvic organ prolapse, early stage gynecologic malignancy and stress urinary incontinence. He is the chief medical officer of Cape Cod Hospital and Cape Cod Healthcare.
View Physician Profile
Originally published on Cape Cod Health News, April 02, 2024