ATLANTA — Although COVID-19 cases are currently low in Georgia, local medical professionals warn that the virus could come back in the coming months.
“The case of COVID may be low now, but COVID tends to come in waves. What happens in other parts of the country eventually tends to get to the Southeast," said Dr. Cecil Bennett, who runs a family practice in Newnan.
Bennett says his practice has seen its fair share of COVID-19 cases this season, but he cautions that just because the numbers in Georgia are low now, they will not stay that way.
Dr. Sujatha Reddy, another Georgia-based physician, agrees with Bennett’s assessment, noting that COVID-19 has shown a pattern of upticks in two specific seasons.
“With COVID, we’re seeing an uptick in the winter as well as the summer, and this has been going on with COVID since it became part of our lives," said Reddy.
Both doctors suggest that getting more outdoor time could help in avoiding the virus, especially in a city like Atlanta, where extreme temperatures can keep people indoors.
“Similar to winter, when you’re around people because it’s cold outside, here in Atlanta, where it’s very hot and almost prohibitive from being outside, we’re often inside with people with closed ventilation and closed windows. It might be easier to transmit that way," said Reddy.
Bennett adds that one of the best ways to protect yourself from COVID-19 is a measure that has become less common.
“Really, wearing a mask is the best way to protect us against COVID," said Bennett.
With the possibility of another COVID-19 wave looming, these doctors are urging the public to stay vigilant and consider taking precautions to keep the virus at bay.