Mandatory Mask Order

We are back with Dr. Ali Hassoun, an infectious disease specialist at Huntsville Hospital to discuss the statewide masking order.

We are back with dr. ali hassoun, an infectious disease specialist at huntsville hospital.

As you know a statewide mask order is now in effect.

In your perspective, was this the right move?

>> dr. hassoun: absolutely, yeah i think we're going to need to implement the masking with the widespread transmission that we're seeing.

You know, masking is really, really important.

I still think masking now by itself might not be enough.

Like i mentioned earlier, because you're going to need, with masking, see significant reduction in cases.

We cannot wait for four to six weeks or eight weeks to see some reduction.

We need to see it now because everything is getting pressured.

There's affect on the healthcare system.

There's going to be affect on the economy.

You know, mortality, a lot of people talk about death rate has decreased but now you see it, the death rate flattened and we night eh -- might see more death unfortunately and the same goes for hospitalization.

So i don't think we can keep waiting and see if there's going to be just enough benefit from the masking.

We're going to need to add more.

But masking as a rule is very important and it was the right move.

Definitely.

>> najahe sherman: if cases continue to rise do you see this as potentially the first step towards another stay-at-home order for alabama?

>> dr. hassoun: i think so.

And i think there's enough increase in the cases that they need to think about it now.

You look at it everywhere, wherever people have waited and waited, they continue to have increase.

And compared to states where they were able to lock down, cut down on cases, and then reopen appropriately the right time because i think we opened early.

So a lot of people say we're tired of locking down again and go back through the same thing.

I think unfortunately it wasn't done the right way when they reopened early.

We need to do it right.

If we do it right we're going to be okay.

But we're going to need to do it now.

>> najahe sherman: we're now almost two weeks out from 4th of july celebrations a.

Lot of people gathered during the 4th of july holiday locally.

Through contact traitioning is there any indication the increase we're seeing now is as a result of what may have happened during the 4th?

>> dr. hassoun: we definitely see increase but i can tell you it's a lot of mix whether it's the july 4th people out and gathering.

But i think in addition people really never complied well with the guideline, with the basic rules about if you're sick, stay home, if you get exposed, quarantine yourself, wear the mask, physical distance.

July july 4th might have some increase with it but unfortunately, you know, the community, i would say, some of them, not all of them, some of them is just not following the rules.

And we're going to see that increase continue.

>> najahe sherman: dr. hassoun, where do we go from here?

>> dr. hassoun: yeah, you know, that's always how to approach it , how to do it.

And i always think it's not just the community going to be, it's our, you know, mayor, city leadership, the state governor, you know, the state health officer going to really need to think about the lockdown.

I really think that need to be done now so we can get some, you know -- some relief from this issue.

Because we are really not seeing it.

I know they implemented the masking, but i really don't want to wait another two to four to six weeks.

We cannot afford doing that.

They're going to need to think of a better way.

The masking is good, but they need to really help us out.

Because the community, some of them might help but not everybody following the rules.

So we need to have more stricter guidance and pushing for lock down.

>> najahe sherman: and finally tonight, dr. hassoun, what is your message to people across north alabama?

>> dr. hassoun: yeah, you know, it's always please, as a community, we're going to need to, you know, follow the basics.

If we follow the basics, all of us, we're going to be able to do it.

And again, you've heard me multiple times.

The basics is if you are sick, you stay at home.

If you're exposed, quarantine and get tested.

If you go out, maintain your physical distance.

Avoid gatherings, big ones.

Avoid where, you know, unnecessary exposures.

If you cannot maintain physical distance, wear the mask.

If you go in close spaces, restaurants, supermarkets, every where in buildings, you need to wear masks all the time.

Try to help others in doing that and give advice.

Not necessarily enforce it but give that info and try to do it all together.

If you -- we can do that, we'll be able to be -- overcome this problem.

It's a major issue.

It's frustrating, but we're going to need to work it out altogether.

>> najahe sherman: dr. ali hassoun, infectious disease specialist at huntsville hospital.

Thank you so much for your time tonight.

>> dr. hassoun: thank you.