WASHINGTON, DC —The latest edition of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Forum Speaker Series, held on December 7, featured Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a distinguished physician, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and author of Uncontrolled spreadwith a panel of experts from Johns Hopkins University: Joshua M. Sharafstein, MD, vice dean, public health practice and community engagement, health policy and management; Kawsar R. Talaat, MD, associate professor, international health, epidemiology and global disease control; and Crystal R. Watson, DrPH, assistant professor, environmental health and engineering.
As top scientists around the world race to understand the Omicron variant, developments from South Africa, where it was first discovered, could also be occurring in the United States, Gottlieb said. Specifically, he said, “it appears that the virus is more transmissible because it can affect people who are already infected. But in the United States, we have a higher level of immunity than in South Africa because we have more people who are infected or vaccinated, or both, and a much lower number of people who are immunocompromised.”
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He is concerned that, so far, Omicron is causing mostly mild illness in vaccinated people. “We have yet to see how Omicron will perform in populations that have not been vaccinated, including children and toddlers, or who have been exposed to a previous strain of the coronavirus and think that they are immune because of that.”
Modelling shows that antibodies produced by two doses of vaccine will not be very effective against Omicron infection. “People who are infected and vaccinated or who have received three doses will have a significant level of protection,” he said.
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Gottlieb also explained the difference between protection against infection and broader protection against severe disease. “After a booster, T cells become protective against a broader range of variants.”
After laying the groundwork with Gottlieb, moderator Chip Rogers, AHLA President and CEO, asked the questions everyone in the corporate travel and events industry is asking:
When will life return to normal and people be able to travel again?
The new drugs currently being developed by Pfizer and Merck are a game changer. They dramatically reduce the risk of serious illness, disease or death when taken for the full five days. They could also be used as a prophylactic for our most vulnerable population, Gottlieb suggested.
What can we do to protect ourselves?
“Vaccination is the best way to protect ourselves,” Talaat said. “Encourage others to get vaccinated. Make sure everyone has access to it. For those who are not vaccinated, continue to wear masks and avoid crowded places where people are not wearing masks. It really restricts your life and the best way to lift those restrictions is to get vaccinated.”
Are all masks created equal?
“We know a lot more about masks now than we did when we started,” Watson said. “Tightly woven cloth masks or KN95 or N95 masks are the most protective, and three-ply cloth masks and surgical masks are also effective.”
Are we going to go back to lockdowns?
“I don’t think we’re ever going to have lockdowns like we did at the beginning of this outbreak,” Gottlieb said. “We had a population that had no immune system at all. It was never intended that lockdowns would be preventative.”
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What about travel bans?
“I don’t think travel bans are necessary,” Gottlieb said. “You can get what you want by vaccinating and testing 24 hours in advance, as we do now. It’s very effective and you only miss people who are incubating the vaccine.”
How can people meet safely?
“We now know a lot more about what mitigation measures we need to put in place,” Watson said. “Get vaccinated, wear good masks, stay in well-ventilated spaces, and get tested before you go and after you come home.”
Contact Scott Gottlieb at [email protected] ; Kawsar Talaat at [email protected] ; and Crystal Watson at [email protected]