COVID In Pennsylvania: With Cases Rapidly Spreading, ER Doctor Says Holidays 'Horror Show In The Making'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- COVID-19 cases are spreading throughout Pennsylvania, sparing no one, including Gov. Tom Wolf. On Wednesday, Wolf announced that he has tested positive for the virus.
In a statement, Lyndsay Kensinger, Wolf's spokesperson, said the governor is asymptomatic.
"Everyone meeting the definition of a close contact has been notified and is following Department of Health and CDC guidelines for quarantine," Kensinger said.
Those quarantining include several members of the governor's senior staff, including Health Commissioner Dr. Rachel Levine. Kensinger said those members have all tested negative.
"The cases are just steadily creeping up," Dr. Jose Torradas said.
Torradas is an emergency room physician in Bucks County and also the medical director for Philly Fighting COVID, a nonprofit helping coordinate the city's testing and vaccination response.
"The numbers are creeping up. The cases are creeping up", Torradas said, "and we're still not even at Christmastime, so this this is a horror show in the making."
Torradas says Wolf's asymptomatic positive diagnosis should be a warning to those thinking about traveling over the holidays.
"The 80-year-old grandma, not going out, right? The 6-month-old, you can keep home," Torradas said. "But it's the 20-30-year-old who isn't feeling anything, feels great, goes to a big party and then brings it home."
Torradas' suggestion, especially for those who have relatives in high-risk categories, is to get creative with how to celebrate the holidays this winter with the hopes things start to return to normal in 2021.
"A Zoom Christmas is better than an ICU New Year," Torradas said.
Torradas says he expects approval for the COVID vaccine this Thursday and barring any distribution logjams, he thinks one-half of the U.S. population, including the most vulnerable, could be vaccinated by April.
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