Warning Issued to Vaccinated About Breakthrough Delta Cases By RI's Former Director of Health
Warning Issued to Vaccinated About Breakthrough Delta Cases By RI's Former Director of Health
Moreover, the Israelis and other nations have begun booster shots for those vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine because of concern about waining protection after six months.
And, Fine says that those who are vaccinated and have breakthrough infections are suffering from the virus at a level of infection as those who are not vaccinated.
“We're going to see a substantial number of Rhode islanders infected,” said Fine.
Fine said that the Delta variant is four times more transmissible than the Alpha version of the coronavirus that caused more nearly 2,800 deaths in RI.
Rhode Island is ranked second in the United States per capita in coronavirus cases and ranked fourth for deaths per capita.
“We've been raising concerns about over the past month to six weeks well I think we're heading higher and higher and I'm understanding that we're likely to peak right about Labor Day which means between now and Labor Day we have an increasing level of disease and likely, I fear increasing hospitalizations which are too often followed by an increasing number of deaths,” said Fine.
It Is Too Late for Contract Testing and Testing Strategy Is Wrong
Fine said on GoLocal LIVE that Rhode Island now ranks as a high transmission state.
“We are now beyond the level of infection to effectively utilize contact tracing,” said Fine.
He also says that the state’s testing strategy against the Delta variant is flawed. "All the testing we're doing is voluntary testing which doesn't have much public health meaning -- it tells individuals who are sick that, yeah, you have this disease but it doesn't tell us what's happening in the population as a whole," he said.
Time to Fire Unvaccinated Employees in Healthcare
For those healthcare workers in hospitals and nursing homes, Fine said that for those that refuse to be vaccinated, they have to be fired to protect co-workers and patients — especially at a time where there are an increasing number of breakthrough cases for those vaccinated.
"I think other places have done it and I think that's where we have to go there. It stinks, but I think that will get us there eventually," said Fine.
Recommendations By Fine to Protect the Economy and Public Health
If Rhode Island wants to avoid another major economic and public health crisis, he urges Governor Dan McKee to consider the following steps:
1. Vaccinate everyone. Pay primary care practices to do a quality assurance program for their patient populations and increase the [percent vaccinated in each practice. Pay primary care physicians to offer all patients who have not been immunized individual counseling by their own primary care clinician about the value and safety of the vaccine. Many studies have shown that primary care clinicians are trusted sources. But no one has asked them to reach out to patients yet. " I'm guessing that will get us another 50,000-75000 people vaccinated," he said.
2. Immediately begin a well-controlled, standardized case-matched trial of booster vaccines in the 50,000-100,000 people vaccinated through February.
3. Reopen widespread access to infusion therapy. Pay primary care clinicians to offer infusion therapy in all of their practices, and begin it in vulnerable people with the onset of symptoms and a positive test.
4. Test everyone who works or plays in a congregate setting twice a week using PCR, and isolate everyone positive. "We'll need a 4000 person workforce to do this," he said.
5. Rapid PCR test everyone every day before entry to mass events -- churches, synagogues, mosques, and music events. Rapid PCR test everyone before entry to a bar or restaurant.
6. Universal masking in public inside events until community transmission is below 35 new cases/100,000/week. Restart masking as soon as the transmission rate rises above that number. Presently, cases are running over 135 new cases/100,000 per week
7. Move events and restaurants and bars outside until community transmission is below 5 new cases/100000/day.
8. Three-week pause to get this all organized. That means no one works out of the home aside from truly essential workers -- hospital and primary care workers, store clerks, and public transport workers. No one. No exceptions for construction or factory work.