JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — With temperatures reaching the 90s this week on the First Coast, will the heat impact the number of coronavirus cases?
We'll have to wait a longer longer to find out.
Dr. David Caro, the disaster medical officer at UF Health says because the virus is still new, doctors and researchers aren’t sure yet how weather can potentially impact COVID-19 cases.
It is a possibility though.
“The thought is that it might, but there is no documented evidence to that effect,” Caro said.
He does think with hurricane season here, that could be an indirect factor that would cause a spike in cases if people need to shelter in close quarters.
“You’re putting folks at higher risk all in one spot, and you could actually increase the risk of transmission because they’re so close together,” Caro said.
But what about seasonal viral strains, like the flu?
The CDC has confirmed different strains of the new coronavirus, but the question remains, “How many develop and whether or not they still have the same ability to cause infection,” according to Caro.
That means you can possibly get the novel coronavirus more than once, much like people get various strains of seasonal flu.
Recently one Colorado woman contracted COVID-19 twice. Doctors say she may not have developed antibodies against the virus the first time to fight off a second infection, but they aren't exactly sure if that's the definitive reason.
That means it’s still critical to wear a face mask.
Though Caro understands in this heat, the humidity can make it more uncomfortable to breathe, he said that’s a small price to protect yourself from the virus.