Dr. Adit Ginde, who’s researching monoclonal antibodies at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, says awareness is a major problem. “Patients in the general public haven’t generally heard of this treatment.”
“We are in a mental health crisis right now, so more people are struggling and may be more open to accessing services,” said psychologist Allison Dempsey, associate professor at University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora. “It’s much easier to connect from your living room.”
"Childhood cases really reflect what's going on in the surrounding community," said Dr. Sean O'Leary, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado. Indeed, the seven-day average of new Covid-19 cases overall is up slightly from the previous week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That doesn’t mean all travel has to be forbidden, said Dr. Sean O’Leary, vice chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children’s Hospital Colorado. “It’s really a personal decision, and depends on lots of different factors. Does the child have underlying health issues that may put them at higher risk?” he said, referring to conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cystic fibrosis and asthma.
Dr. Sarah Jolley, a pulmonary and critical care specialist at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital [and CU School of Medicine] in Aurora, called for the medical community to create standardized definitions and guidelines of care.
“We cannot leave any part of society behind,” Richard Zane, M.D., professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, told NBC News in a phone call. Zane is helping stand up vaccination rollouts across the state, from clinics and drive-throughs to mass vaccination centers and “pop-up” clinics. His own facility is in talks with Lyft about the possibility of providing rides to some patients.
Even before any vaccine is available, some people are trying to boost their chances of access, said Dr. Allison Kempe, an expert in vaccine dissemination who is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "People have called me and said, 'How can I get the vaccine?'" she said. "I think that not everyone will be happy to wait, that's for sure. I don't think there will be rioting in the streets, but there may be pressure brought to bear."
With the pandemic, a vaccine may be our only way out, said Dr. Lauren Grossman, an assistant professor of emergency medicine and general internal medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "In this particular case, I don't see how we have much of a choice, to be honest," she said. "Look at what we're going through now with schools reopening."
