Is the coronavirus pandemic over? AdventHealth doctors explain

Health experts talk about what to expect in the coming months

ORLANDO, Fla. – Is the coronavirus pandemic over?

Dr. Vincent Hsu, of AdventHealth, says not quite.

“We are very close. You can say we are on the 10-yard line, 5-yard line, right there toward the goal line, but we cannot spike the ball quite yet,” said Hsu, AdventHealth executive director of infection prevention.

[TRENDING: Here’s why some get side effects from vax | Thrill-ride guide: Universal’s Velocicoaster | Fla. reverses course on rainbow-color bridge flap]

AdventHealth held a briefing Thursday to discuss where Central Florida stands with the coronavirus and what to expect in the months ahead.

Hsu said the positivity rate has gone down in Central Florida, adding that vaccinations are working, keeping people out of hospitals.

Still, he said more people need to get vaccinated.

“We are in this somewhat unfortunate situation where there’s still a large number of people who have not been vaccinated, so there are still pockets of infection,” Hsu said.

He also explained variants of the virus will continue to be a concern as more Americans resume traveling, adding that people who are unvaccinated should continue to take precautions.

That includes children under 12. Hsu said trials for that younger age group are underway.

“We don’t expect those trials to have any results by October or November, so we will not expect that there will be vaccinations before schools start,” he said.

To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6′s coronavirus newsletter and go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.


About the Author:

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

Recommended Videos