As frontline medical workers continue working around the clock to help others during the coronavirus pandemic, a local doctor shares his insight about the situation.
Frontline medical workers continue to put their lives at risk...helping others...action news now reporter kristian lopez spoke with a local doctor about his insight on local impacts.
Kristian ll: i spoke with dr. roy shannon from oroville hospital.
We wanted to know- can people get infected with the coronavirus twic*?
How lon* does he think social distancing will last?
And what's nex* for us?
Kristian:if someone gets the coronavirus and recovers could they get it again or does it cause immunity?
Dr. roy shannon/physician, head of infection control at oroville hospital: we don't know that for sure, the assumption is we probably have immunity with most viral infections once you get them you have immunity, we don't know for sure but we are assuming.
How long do you think we will have to follow social distancing?
It will depend on how things go in the rest of the country, it probably helps that we have lower population because we have lower numbers.
How soon do you think we could see a vaccine?
When you make a vaccine you have to make sure it's safe, its probably going to be a good year before we see a good safe vaccine.
Could using the plasma of those who have recovered help others?
That is a very investigational issue.
Its being done on an investigational basis, when you take something from the plasma you have to make sure you dont give them another disease.
If they are going to be donors they have to be tested to make sure they don't transmit anything, its happening in investigational settings.
You have to meet a lot of criteria.l i would like to comment all the nurses and doctors are doing their best and looking ahead.
So far we have been pretty fortunate.
Kristian ll tag: dr. shannon says he cannot stress enoug* that its very important to keep following social distancing guidelines, he says people should continue to wear masks when they go out and only to leave the house if it's absolutely necessary, and of course keep washing your hands frequently.
There is no set end date for the stay at home order... but we know federal social distancing guidelines will stay in place at least through april 30th.# as
Dr. Roy Shannon, head of infection control at Oroville Hospital, provided some insight about the coronavirus during a Facetime..