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Short Wave

NPR

News, Life Sciences, Astronomy, Daily News, Nature, Science

4.7 • 6.5K Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2022

⏱️ 13 minutes

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Summary

The pandemic is at a turning point. Hospitalizations in this country are down. Deaths are starting to decline. Some of the states that have had the strictest COVID restrictions are starting to dial back. With fewer cases, and more tools to manage COVID, we can start putting more focus on other diseases again. Doctors are encouraging patients to get the checkups they've been holding off on.

NPR science correspondent Allison Aubrey talks about the future of masking, virus detection and routine preventive care that has been ignored during this pandemic.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to shortwave from NPR.
0:04.3	Hey short waivers, it's me, Emily Kwong, with ScienceDest Correspondent Extraordinaire
0:11.3	Allison, Aubrey, hi.
0:12.9	Hey Emily, it's good to be here.
0:15.3	We have a lot to get through.
0:17.3	Let's start with some good news.
0:18.6	I have learned from your reporting that the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases has
0:23.1	dropped by about 75% since the start of February.
0:27.0	Yeah, I think we're at a real turning point.
0:29.1	I mean hospitalizations are also down and deaths are starting to decline.
0:33.4	So some of the states that have had the strictest COVID restrictions are starting to dial
0:37.0	back.
0:38.0	Yeah.
0:39.0	But the data doesn't tell the whole story.
0:40.7	Of course, mask mandates are being lifted in many regions across the country.
0:46.2	What does this all mean?
0:47.6	Are we going to see a huge drop in infections this spring?
0:50.6	What are you looking out for?
0:52.1	That is certainly the direction we're headed at the moment.
0:54.2	Hopefully this trend continues.
0:56.1	With fewer and fewer cases and more tools to manage COVID, not just vaccines, but also
1:00.9	medicines, we can start putting more focus on other issues again, such as preventing lifestyle
	...

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