COVID In Pennsylvania: Dr. Rob Danoff Joins CBS3 To Discuss Surge In COVID-19 Cases, Availability Of Vaccine
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With officials continuing to express concerns about rising coronavirus cases, there's also hope on the vaccine front. Pennsylvania officials reported 4,200 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, as well as 32 new deaths.
Officials are watching for any potential surges in COVID-19 cases following the Thanksgiving holiday.
Dr. Rob Danoff, Director of the Jefferson Health Northeast COVID-19 testing center, joined Eyewitness News Tuesday morning.
Danoff says that if you traveled during the holiday officials are recommending you quarantine if you can.
"What we are recommending right now is really try to socially distance," Danoff said. "Do your best [to socially distance] if you travel. No matter where you were, the airport, waiting area, different family members from different areas of the country."
He says people normally get symptoms on day five or six from exposure, but the range is three to 14 days. If you are exposed to the virus, you should wait at least day five from exposure to get tested to avoid a false negative.
"If you were exposed to somebody today, you don't call up and say, 'OK I need to get tested today,'" Danoff said. "We need to wait at least five days from your exposure before you get tested if we don't have any symptoms. If we get it too early it will be a false negative."
Moderna filed to allow for emergency use authorization of its coronavirus vaccine on Monday and the advisory committee immunization practices is meeting Tuesday to discuss which groups will be prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine first -- groups 1A, 1B, and 1C.
Danoff says the initial group might be the seniors or long-term care facilities, healthcare providers, which will include housekeepers. The groups of people who are at high exposure.
From there he says it is expected that it will go down the line for the people most at risk, for example, first responders.
The meeting has been moved up to Tuesday because the governors of all the states need to have their plans in by Friday.
"Realistically, there is probably going to be about 40 million doses available by the end of December, which is enough for 20 million people," Danoff said.
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