KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — COVID-19 is extremely predictable: We know that when a group of people are infected by the virus, it is only a matter of time before a certain percentage will get sick enough to be hospitalized, many for just a few days.
But, for a significant percentage, the hospital stay can be weeks or even months. Sadly, for hundreds of thousands of people, they never go home again.
Another result of these hospitalizations during a surge like we are experiencing is overcrowding and shortages of everything, from staff to PPE.
It is predictable, and the only way to prevent this from happening is preventing the spread of the virus.
Certainly, vaccines will help, but it will be many months before there is an impact, which brings us back to the most predictable point of all: wearing masks and social distancing remains our best weapon.
