COLLEGE STATION, Texas — COVID-19 has made its rounds over the past two years, across the nation and right here in The Brazos Valley. Now school is weeks away before from being back in session.
Health experts Thursday hope to inform, educate and mitigate the risk of getting the virus.
Education - It's what health experts said is one of the keys to battling COVID-19, but it also starts with conversations.
“This event today is what we would like to call a community conversation about where we are today with COVID-19, trends, and what we see moving ahead,” said health and research scientist with CPHA, Ninfa Peña-Purcell.
Doctors like Robert Carpenter said the virus is always changing.
“That’s one of the questions that folks have ... 'can’t I wait until I have just been exposed or maybe been have had COVID before I actually receive the vaccine or just get it right before school?" said Carpenter. "The reality of it is you need about four to six weeks of time for your immune system to get primed and prepped.”
In recent weeks, according to the CDC website’s County Check Tool, The Brazos Valley continues to be at a high level of COVID-19 exposure. But Carpenter said the pandemic isn't over yet.
“A lot of folks are really tired of the pandemic - I’m tired of the pandemic, we are all tired of it but unfortunately, it’s not done with us quite yet. What we want to do is prepare especially for our young people and families as they get ready for the school season," said Carpenter.
But experts said COVID-19 may be here to stay.
“I think it’s just something that we have always been diligent about until we start moving forward further ahead – I think it is still going to be part of public health community issue," said Peña-Purcell.