Health: Correctional COVID Case Leads to Changes

Welcome back time now xxx the c-d-c says covid-19 cases at a vermont correctional facility led the agency to change its guidance on what defines "close contact."

Mandy gaither explains.

#### l3: your health white correctional covid case leads to changes louisville in a new c1 3 report, the c-d-c traces how a correctional officer in vermont contracted covid-19.

Dr. peter hotez, dean of the national school of tropical medicine at baylor college of medicine /"they were able to use cameras in the correctional facility to show that this officer actually had multiple short term contacts over an 8 hour period."

The c-d-c says the officer got the virus from one of six inmates ... even though he spent very little time with them.

Previously, the c- d-c defined close contact as 15 minutes of continuous exposure to an infected person.

But now the agency is making a change, saying a person can be infected through with multiple, brief exposures, totalling 15 minutes or more, spent six feet or closer.

Dr. peter hotez, dean of the national school of tropical medicine at baylor college of medicine /"it's basically the same if someone say in your house or your place of work if they have covid-19 without adequate masks then you could have multiple short term contacts over a 24 hour period and still get covid-19."

Another reason protective measures remain critical -- especially now -- as coronavirus cases climb across the country.

Dr. peter hotez, dean of the national school of tropical medicine at baylor college of medicine /"we don't have a lot of tools to fight this virus right now until vaccines come along next year and for now it's still masks, washing your hands frequently and social distancing."

For health minute, i'm mandy gaither.

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