The New Normal: Concerns emerge about coronavirus variant amid mask guidance confusion

Dr. Corina Marcu says it's really up to the state to mandate masks in schools and follow CDC guidelines.

News 12 Staff

Jun 9, 2021, 1:21 AM

Updated 1,217 days ago

Share:

As parents and schools grapple with mask guidance, concerns are emerging about a coronavirus variant.
Dr. Corina Marcu, associate vice president of Medical Affairs at Hartford HealthCare's St. Vincent's Medical Center, weighs in on the fight to unmask kids.
Dr. Marcu says it's really up to the state to mandate masks in schools and follow CDC guidelines. She says we are in a good place but should still watch out for other variants that are out there.
Pfizer is moving forward with vaccine trials for children under 12. Still, many parents are hesitant to vaccinate their kids.
SEARCH FOR A CURE: Statistics and State Resources
A new study found that 45% of parents said they are not very or not at all likely to get their child vaccinated. Just 15% said their child already had received a vaccine.
In addition to hesitancy to vaccinate kids, some adults say they still won't get the vaccine.
A Gallup poll found that 24% of U.S. adults don't plan to get vaccinated. Of that group, 78% said they are unlikely to reconsider.
Dr. Marcu says parents need to ask questions and learn more about the vaccines. She says it's understandable that some people are hesitant because of the newness of the vaccines.
Dr. Anthony Fauci also warned that there is one variant of the coronavirus that people should take seriously. The so-called Delta variant was first found in India and is now dominant in the U.K. Analysts say the variant is peaking in the 12 to 20-year-old group.
Dr. Marcu says she thinks we need to be concerned about the variant. She says the U.K. has similar vaccination rates like the U.S., so for them to see a 50% increase in the variant cases, it is cause for concern.