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>> GOVERNOR HEALEY ANNOUNCES THE STATE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY FOR COVID-19 WILL NOW AND MAY 11. HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IS THE CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT THE BRIGHAM. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> NICE TO BE HERE WITH YOU. >> AS YOU WELL KNOW, MAY 11 IS THE SAME DAY THE FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IS SCHEDULED TO END. WHAT IMPRACTICALITY DOES THAT MEAN FOR A HOSPITAL LIKE YOURS AND WITH -- WOULD PATIENTS NOTICE ANY CHANGE IF THEY WALKED IN THE DOOR MAY 12? >>, NOTHING MUCH WILL CHANGE FOR OUR PATIENTS. I THINK WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO MASK AS A PRECAUTION AND OUR OPERATIONS ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE VERY MUCH. WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE IS WHAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF SUPPORT FOR ACCESS TO VARIOUS COVERT RELATED CARE. THAT IS A CONCERN. THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THESE DRUGS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED UNDER AN EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION WHEN AN EMERGENCY IS NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE. >> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE TOOLS WE KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THIS VIRUS. >> THE GOVERNOR SAYS WE NOW HAVE MANY. DO YOU AGREE? WE SHOULD SEE SOME CHANGES IN TERMS OF APPROVALS SO PEOPLE CAN USE THEM. >> WE CERTAINLY HAVE ALL VARIETY OF TOOLS STARTING WITH VACCINATION AND THE DRUGS WE HAVE TO TREAT PEOPLE WHO ARE SYMPTOMATIC AND OUTPATIENT OR AT RISK OF SEVERE DISEASE. WE HAVE MANY WAYS OF BEING ABLE TO DEAL WITH COVID ALTHOUGH PREVENTING COVID IS STILL THE BEST APPROACH. >> MASSACHUSETTS HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST VACCINATION RATES FOR COVID-19 IN THE COUNTRY AND YET ONLY 80% ARE FULLY VACCINATED IN THE BAY STATE. WITH THAT GROUP, JUST 62% HAVE RECEIVED JUST ONE BOOSTER SHOT. DO YOU SEE THOSE NUMBERS AT THIS POINT TWO YEARS AFTER VACCINES OR HAVE WE REACHED THE LIMIT? >> I HOPE THOSE NUMBERS WILL INCREASE. I THINK WE STILL NEED TO PERSIST AT EDUCATING AND CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT GETTING VACCINATED IS IN THE BEST INTEREST. >> SPEAKING OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED AT ALL. MASSACHUSETTS STILL HAS 7% OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE IN THAT CATEGORY. NOT A SINGLE COVID SHOT. IN YOUR OPINION, DO THOSE PEOPLE HAVE A LOWER RISK OF SERIOUS ILLNESS OR DEATH FROM COVID BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ON VACCINATED BECAUSE IT IS LESS SEVERE? ANY TRUTH TO THAT? >> AT A PEOPLE HAVE A LOWER RISK OF BECOMING INFECTED BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH LESS COVID CIRCULATING. EVEN IF YOUNGER -- BECAUSE YOU HAVE COEXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS LIKE DIABETES OR ASTHMA OR YOUR OVERWEIGHT, THERE IS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT WHETHER THE OMICRON VARIANT WERE LESS VIRULENT THAN OTHER ONES. I DON’T THINK WE CAN REALLY COUNT ON THIS BEING A LESS VIRULENT VIRUS AT THE TIME.