EMILY: NEW TRAVEL GUIDELINES RELEASED TODAY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED. HERE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY MEAN IS THE HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST. GOOD TO SEE YOU. SO THE CDC NOW SAYING TRAVEL IS LOW RISK FOR PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE THE FINAL DOSE. HOWEVER, THE AGENCY CAREFUL TO ADD IT DOES, ANYONE TAKING TRIPS RIGHT NOW, SO WHY IS THAT? >> I THINK THE MESSAGING HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. IN TODAY’S PRESS BRIEFING DURING THE Q&A, THE CDC DIRECTOR SAID THE CDC GUIDANCE ON RECOMMENDING OR NOT RECOMMEND AND TRAVEL FOR FULLY VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS IS MEANT TO SPEAK TO THE SAFETY OF TRAVEL FOR VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE VACCINES WE HAVE ARE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE. EMILARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIMING OF THAT? >> I AM SOMEWHAT CONCERNED, YES, WHEN IT COMES TO UNVACCINATED TRAVELERS BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN A RISE IN CASES AFTER PREVIOUS PERIODS OF INCREASED TRAVEL, BUT I KEEP THAT IN PERSPECTIVE. RIGHT NOW WITH MASSACHUSETTS BEING AGAIN UNFORTUNATELY A HOTSPOT, SPENDING TIME IN MOST VACATION DESTINATIONS CAN ACTUALLY BE SAFER THAN STAYING HOME. THEN AGAIN, IT CAN BE HARD TO MAINTAIN DISTANCE AND DURING TRAVEL SO THERE IS RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHAT YOU DO AT YOUR DESTINATION. FOR THOSE TRAVELING BY CAR TO AN AREA WITH LOWER COVID-19 PREVALENCE ON A BEACH, THAT IS PRETTY SAFE. FOR THOSE TRAVELING BY PLANE TO THE SAME LOW PREVALENCE AREA BUT TO GO TO A CROWDED NIGHTCLUB, THAT IS DIFFERENT. >> SO MANY FACTORS TO CONSIDER AND THEY ARE DIFFERENT. GOVERNOR BAKER SAYS THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES IN MASSACHUSETTS I’M A RESIDENT OVER THE AGE OF 70, THIS GROUP HAS DROPPED DRAMATICALLY SINCE JANUARY. A NATIONAL STUDY SAYS NEW CASES IN NURSING HOMES HAS DROPPED 96%, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. THE QUESTION MAY BE VULNERABLE PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED, WHY ARE WE SO CONCERNED ABOUT ANOTHER SURGE? >> WE HAVE REALLY ON A PRECIPICE RIGHT NOW. OUR SITUATION IN THE NORTHEAST COULD GO IN EITHER DIRECTION. IF WE FOLLOW MITIGATION MEASURES AND VACCINTE AS FAST AS WE CAN, WE MIGHT AVOID A SURGE OF HOSPITALIZATIONS BECAUSE MOST OF OUR VULNERABLE CITIZENS ARE PROTECTED. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF CASES, EVEN THOUGH IT IS RELATIVELY SMALL PROPORTIONATELY YOUNGER LESS VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS THAT TEND TO GET SEVERE COVID, THAT NUMBER BECOMES LARGE. AND WE HAVE THE RELATIVELY LARGE PROPORTION OF UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BECOME HIGH-RISK AS WELL. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHT