Biden COVID Advisory Board Member: ‘First and Foremost’ Action to Protect Yourself Is ‘Don’t Be in Crowds’

On Wednesday’s “CNN Tonight,” Biden COVID-19 Advisory Board member Dr. Michael Osterholm stated that among the things that people can do to protect themselves, “First and foremost is just distancing. Don’t be in crowds, don’t be in large gatherings, whether you wear a mask or not. Because masks are very helpful. They can surely reduce the risk, but the bottom line message is, you want to distance yourself.”

Osterholm said, “Clearly, we haven’t had the direction of what could happen and therefore, why we need to take certain actions. And as you and I have talked in previous shows, it’s the combination of pandemic fatigue, people just after eight to nine months feeling like they don’t want to distance from others. They’re ready to go back to restaurants, bars, churches, any number of different locations. And that group which we call pandemic anger, the group that do not believe that this pandemic is real, and they’re not going to follow public health recommendations. And then you mix that all up with indoor air now the fall, winter season upon us, where transmission is so much higher.”

He later added, “[I]t’s really an important message that we can do multiple things to protect ourselves. First and foremost is just distancing. Don’t be in crowds, don’t be in large gatherings, whether you wear a mask or not. Because masks are very helpful. They can surely reduce the risk, but the bottom line message is, you want to distance yourself. Then, just as you said, wear a mask. Also, make note that if you are sick, don’t go into the public. If you have symptoms that are similar to what might be COVID, be sure and get tested and then isolate yourself and quarantine away so that you don’t transmit the virus to others.”

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