JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some experts are comparing the rise of new COVID-19 variants to a Category 5 hurricane lingering just off the coast. Are people who are fully vaccinated against the virus safe?
Dr. Oz, who recently spoke with CNN’s chief medical expert Dr. Sanja Gupta for the Oz program airing Monday, joined The Morning Show to share that he is not as concerned about the variants as some experts.
“Although we have COVID variants in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa, that raises concern in Florida, actually -- there are a few number of UK cases -- the vaccine does seem to work against them,” Oz said. “I’m not quite as panicked as some have made it seem.”
What Oz discussed with Gupta, about one-third of people who have COVID seem to have lingering neurological effects.
“A big part of the COVID story that’s not been discussed is that if you’re healthy when you get COVID, you do much better,” Oz said. “Anything you can do -- slashing your sugar, hydrating -- which 20% of the blood goes to the brain -- omega-3 fats -- all of these are hugely beneficial at protecting the brain. So if you do get COVID, you’ll cope more effectively, we believe.”
The CDC recently released new guidelines saying that fully vaccinated people who meet certain criteria will no longer be required to quarantine following exposure to someone with COVID-19.
The CDC recently released new guidelines saying that fully vaccinated -- at least two weeks after their second shot -- will no longer be required to quarantine following exposure to someone with COVID-19.
“If it’s within three months of being vaccinated, you’re almost certainly protected. I bet it’s a year but we only have three months of data,” Oz said. “I’m actually encouraged that the CDC said this. Besides reducing the chance of severe illness by close to 100% ... we have new data now that people get infected less so they will pass it less -- so you can do things that other people can’t do.”
Oz said we’re seeing an encouraging downward trajectory of new cases and illnesses. He believes that if we get past the next couple of months -- between warmer weather and 100 million people vaccinated -- the CDC might relax its safety protocols.
“We’ve got a pretty good chance of having a normal summer,” Oz said.