KSAT Q&A: Dr. Berggren discusses teen vaccinations, when you should still keep your mask handy
Dr. Ruth Berggren, of the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, joins KSAT Q&A to discuss teens receiving their COVID-19 vaccine and when you should still keep your mask handy despite new CDC guidelines.
โDonโt forget to wash your handsโ says San Antonio infectious disease doctor in KSAT Q&A
SAN ANTONIO โ Infectious disease doctor Ruth Berggren with UT Health San Antonioโs Long School of Medicine says we should be taking safety precautions like hand washing to prevent more than just coronavirus. In the latest KSAT Q&A she talks about transmission of covid-19 and things like the common cold. More from Dr. Berggren:How safe is curbside voting? COVID-safe Halloween celebration ideas from San Antonio doctorCOVID-19 hospitalizations not seeing same decrease as positivity rate, says San Antonio doctor
COVID-19 hospitalizations not seeing same decrease as positivity rate, says San Antonio doctor
SAN ANTONIO โ Dr. Ruth Berggren, an infectious disease doctor with UT Healthโs Long School of Medicine, joins KSAT Q&A to talk about the latest in coronavirus spread in San Antonio and vaccine development. Watch the full interview in the video player above. Catch more expert interviews every Monday- Friday at 6:30 p.m. and on the Nightbeat.
Why voting is good for your health, according to San Antonio infectious disease doctor
SAN ANTONIO โ From concerns over mail-in ballots to risking exposure at the polls, voting during a pandemic has been a hot topic this election season. In the latest KSAT Q&A, Dr. Ruth Berggren with UT Healthโs Long School of Medicine said whichever way you vote, it could be good for your health. How could voting be good for your health in the middle of a pandemic? Latest vaccine developmentsThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put out new guidance to prepare states for a vaccine distribution. According to Berggren, there are as many as five vaccines from different companies that are working through the approval process.
โDonโt be frightened by this:โ San Antonio doctor talks coronavirus vaccine hiccup
SAN ANTONIO โ There are dozens of coronavirus vaccines currently in development. According to AstraZeneca, a woman who received the experimental vaccine reported symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis, a rare inflammation of the spinal cord. The symptoms are neurological and Berggren said itโs hard to tell if they were caused by the vaccine. โAnd so to get, as a nation, 300 million people promptly vaccinated [for the coronavirus] is going to take some time. Related: Companies testing vaccines pledge safety, high standardsSan Antonio doctor leading Operation Warp Speed COVID-19 vaccine trialWatch KSAT Explains: A search for a COVID-19 below:
Infectious disease specialist answers your COVID-19 questions
SAN ANTONIO โ During a Q&A on Thursday, Dr. Ruth Berggren, an infectious disease specialist from UT Health San Antonioโs Long School of Medicine, answered questions submitted by viewers. Can a face shield be worn instead of a face mask? โYouโre worse off just wearing a face shield. She says face masks act as a barrier to โcatch some of the big droplets that are coming at you if somebody sneezes.โWill the COVID-19 vaccine cause bad side effects? โAnd the reason I believe that is the progress thatโs been made so far with the vaccine development and also with drug development.โ
Some San Antonio hospitals using pediatric ICU for adults due to hospitals reaching capacity
San Antonio hospitals are reaching capacity, as 87% of available staffed beds are currently in use. Only 13% of staffed hospitals beds are available. Experts have been concerned they might see a shortage in the antiviral drug remdesivir. Much of the supply at local hospitals came from the U.S. government. โThis week we did run out of the drug remdesivir for a while.
Infectious disease expert: What qualifies as significant exposure to COVID-19 and when to get tested
SAN ANTONIO As the COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Bexar County, you may be wondering whether youve been exposed to the disease and when you should get tested. Dr. Ruth Berggren, an infectious disease specialist with the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, answered those questions during a Q&A with KSAT on Thursday. Berggren said people with COVID-19 symptoms should get priority due to the number of people rushing to get tested right now. Berggren said that you should wait at least eight days after youve been exposed to COVID-19 before getting tested. RELATED: Coronavirus update San Antonio, June 25: Single largest daily increase of COVID-19 cases reported in Bexar County
SAQ: What is immunity testing?
SAN ANTONIO โ SAQ: What is immunity testing and is it going to be available in San Antonio? According to Doctor Ruth Berggren with the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, immunity is the bodyโs ability to fight off illnesses. There is now testing to see whether someone is making enough antibodies to fight off the new coronavirus. ICYMI: Local scientists studying levels of immunity in COVID-19 survivorsDr. Berggren said โwe wonโt know exactly what it means right off the bat. Dr. Berggren said the test has been approved by the Federal Drug Administration and will be available in San Antonio within in the next two weeks.