Catherine O'Neal, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine
Parts of the state could see record highs tomorrow, and that’s led some armchair virologists to speculate Louisiana could see a dip in COVID-19 cases as a result.
Our Lady of the Lake infectious disease specialist Catherine O’Neal says that’s a dubious claim and not supported by research.
“This coronavirus is very stable in humid temperatures so for us Louisianans I think being outside and being away from other people helps but it may not help to slow the disease if the temperature is rising on its own,” says O’Neal.
Some of the misinformation about potential dips in COVID rates over the summer likely stems from false assumptions that it behaves like influenza. O’Neal says that’s not the case.
“As opposed to the flu, coronaviruses, and we have known this for years, persist during the summer. Lots of kids get colds during the summer like they do during the winter,” says O’Neal.
That means we’re unlikely to be bailed out of this pandemic just because of a change in seasons. O’Neal says we’re still at a point where we don’t know when life can return to normal.
“If we can get it to a manageable level soon, then we can slowly begin to socialize again if we can’t then the disruption to our lives will last longer,” says O’Neal.
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