PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - New research suggests COVID-19 is seasonal, but public health experts say more study is needed to fully understand the virus’ behavior and what can be done to control it. A research team from the University of Illinois looked at global epidemiological data and studied factors including climate to try and determine how the virus might play out in years to come.
Public health professionals are watching closely to see if certain parts of the year might offer some relief from the virus. (Source: 3TV/CBS 5)
“The flu goes away as the temperature rises,” says Dr. Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, a Scottsdale epidemiologist and founder of IPCWell. “Part of that is also people going outside, but as we’ve seen, this virus has pretty much stayed constant with us.”
Lloyd-Krejci has been working throughout the pandemic to curb COVID-19 infections in nursing homes and other health care settings. She says public health professionals are watching closely to see if certain parts of the year might offer some relief from the virus.
“There will be more evidence that comes out to suggest whether it’s going to be more prevalent in certain seasons or not,” says Lloyd-Krejci.