Ksenia Shestakova/iStock
By DR. MISHAL REJA, ABC News
(NEW YORK) As new COVID-19 variants emerge that are potentially more contagious, specialists say that masks are more important than ever because they will lower the spread of the virus regardless of the variant.
“The variants do not affect the type of mask you need to wear. It does affect the importance of wearing a mask and ensuring that you have a good fit,” Dr. Stanley Weiss, epidemiologist and professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers School of Public Health, told ABC News.
They key, experts say, is to wear a mask that fits well, and wear it consistently. In some cases, this could mean wearing an extra mask if it’s tolerable, but for most it’s not necessary. So keep it simple and make sure your mask completely covers you mouth and nose and keep it on when you can’t adequately distance.
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As vaccinations ramp up and variants emerge, experts weigh in on mask safety.
• 7 min read
Are 2 masks better than 1?
Dr. Darien Sutton has what you need to know about layering masks to prevent COVID-19 infection.Peter Hamlin/AP Illustration
As new COVID-19 variants emerge that are potentially more contagious, specialists say that masks are more important than ever because they will lower the spread of the virus regardless of the variant. The variants do not affect the type of mask you need to wear. It does affect the importance of wearing a mask and ensuring that you have a good fit, Dr. Stanley Weiss, epidemiologist and professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers School of Public Health, told ABC News.
The line to get a COVID vaccine in N.J. got much longer after the CDC changes guidelines
Updated Jan 17, 2021;
Posted Jan 17, 2021
Camden County Public Health Nurse Margarita Camacho administering a COVID-19 vaccination at Camden County College.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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Last week amid a rocky and chaotic rollout of the nation’s coronavirus vaccination campaign, the Trump administration issued new guidelines greatly expanding vaccine eligibility to those 65 years and older.
Outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said there was no reason for states to complete vaccinating all healthcare providers before opening vaccinations to older Americans and other vulnerable populations, comparing the situation to the boarding of an airplane at an airport gate.
N.J. task force: We have lost two years in our fight against HIV | Opinion
Updated Jan 17, 2021;
Posted Jan 17, 2021
On World AIDS Day, December 1, 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that his administration would work to end the HIV epidemic by 2025. The Statewide Task Force to End the HIV Epidemic was formed and a written plan was submitted in May, 2018. Task force members say that plan has not yet been enacted by the governor.
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By Kathy Ahearn-O’Brien and Perry N. Halkitis
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is very easy to forget that we are still fighting an HIV epidemic. With over 37,000 New Jerseyans living with HIV, and approximately 1,000 or so new infections each year, HIV remains a major public health concern.