Could California see a fourth surge of COVID-19 cases?
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Updated: 8:03 PM PDT Mar 31, 2021
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Updated: 8:03 PM PDT Mar 31, 2021
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SOME KIND OF SURGE OF ITS OWN. EMILY THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO -- EMILY: THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO. CALIFORNIA IS UNLIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A FOURTH SURGE OF COVID CASES, IF PEOPLE CONTINUE EFFORTS TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, SAYS DOCTOR NICOLAS SAWYER. >> CALIFORNIA IS DOING A GOOD JOB AT CONTINUING TO MASK UP, SOCIAL DISTANCE AND ALSO WE’RE DOING A RATHER GOOD JOB OF GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED. EMILY: SAWYER IS AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN WITH U.C. DAVIS HEALTH. HE’S SEEN THE DROP IN CASES IN STATE DATA, AND IN HOSPITALS. >> THE LEVEL OF PATIENTS THAT WE’RE SEEING COMING IN WITH COVID-19 IS GREATLY REDUCED. WE’RE SEEING IT, AND WE’RE STILL TESTING MANY, MANY PEOPLE FOR IT, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE JUST NOT THE SAME. EMILY: HE SAYS CALIFORNIANS NEED TO KEEP TAKING THE VIRUS SERIOUSLY TO AVOID A SURGE GETTING TESTED WHEN NECESSARY, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK WEARING ARE ALL STEPS HELPING KEEP THE STATE’S CASE RATE IN DECLINE. >> JUST HANG ON A LITTLE BIT LONGER, THE END IS IN SIGHT. EMIL: AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE SAYS, GETTING THE VACCINE. >> WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SAFE AND EXCELLENT VACCINES, AND AS SOON AS WE CAN GET THOSE ADMINISTERED TO THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION AND REACH HERD IMMUNITY, WE’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO A SENSE OF