COVID Concerns: Doctor Expects Spike In Cases After MLB All-Star Game
DENVER (CBS4) -- As Denver continues to roll back restrictions ahead of the All-Star Game, some medical experts say there are concerns about how the delta variant, and people traveling from out of state, could impact the case rate in the community.
Elijah Ayers lives close to Downtown Denver. He's anxious to see how many people will be flocking to the Ballpark Neighborhood during All-Star Weekend as the pandemic continues.
"I'm a sign language interpreter and I'm in a lot of peoples' private space," Ayers said. "So, I do take a lot of that into consideration, people with kids, and people that don't have access to resources like I do."
Dr. Reginald Washington, Chief Medical Officer for Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, says anyone who isn't vaccinated will be at risk.
"We're going to have a large population of people coming to our city, some of whom are not vaccinated, and we have no way of knowing who is vaccinated and who is not," said Washington.
Children between the ages of 3 and 11 are no longer required to wear a mask in Denver, leaving them to potentially catch the virus or spread it to residents and tourists. Kids 12 and younger are not yet eligible for the COVID vaccine.
"I really anticipate that we will see a spike in cases, some of those cases will be in another state because they'll go back home, incubation will be what it is, and they won't be sick for a while," said Washington.
Even though he's vaccinated, Ayers plans to avoid the crowds just in case.
"I'm an extrovert, so I kind of like being around people, but it's a pandemic," Ayers said. "Yeah, I kind of miss people, then yeah there are things going on that could have serious implications for families."
