Dr. Jerome Adams on Indiana’s record number of COVID cases, when to use at-home tests
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — WISH-TV medical expert and former U.S. surgeon general Dr. Jerome Adams gave his thoughts on the latest developments in the fight against COVID-19 on Friday.
Speaking with News 8’s Alexis Rogers, Adams discussed the significance of the latest data released by the state department, why getting a booster shot is so important and when to use at-home tests.
While hospitalizations decreased slightly, Indiana reported a record number of COVID-19 cases Friday. Adams says it’s a reminder there is still work to do to end the pandemic.
“The key message here for folks is get your vaccination, get your booster because as long as it takes to go up and hit a peak, it takes that long to come back down the mountain, so we’re not out of the woods yet,” Adams said.
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Adams also explained why he believes only people who’ve gotten a booster should be considered fully vaccinated and emphasized that it is not too late for someone who only got one dose to finish the full three-part series.
“Three doses is ideal, two doses is better than one, one dose is better than done. So wherever you are in that spectrum, go in and try to get to that three-dose series so that you can be best protected,” he said.
With at-home tests now available for free from the federal government, Adams identified two situations where using one of the tests can be especially beneficial.
The fist, Adams says, is if someone has symptoms suggesting they may have COVID. The second is prior to interacting with a loved one who is more vulnerable.
“It’s all about whether you want to protect yourself or protect others. If you have symptoms, that’s a great time to use that test when you get it in to determine whether or not you’re infectious because it can help you decide whether or not you need to seek treatment and whether or not you need to isolate. If you’re going around someone else who’s vulnerable, you’ve got a grandmother or an aunt who you want to go visit and you want to make sure you’re not taking something dangerous into them, that’s protecting others. That’s another great time to use a rapid test,” he said.