Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Nancy Nielsen has been providing updates and analysis on a weekly basis to WBFO. Despite the increased distribution of COVID vaccines in the community, the Senior Associate Dean for Health Policy at UB's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is growing concerned. "There has been an uptick in the cases locally and the hospitalizations." In monitoring the local trends, Nielsen sees valuable lessons in what is happening in parts of Europe where the UK COVID variant may be accelerating the spread of the virus.
Government officials are responding with a new round of lockdowns. The "third wave" of the virus in Europe, Nielsen says, may be occurring because public health measures "were eased too soon."
She's wondering if such a wave could be coming to the United States.
"I have to tell you when I see the pictures of Miami Beach and Texas where large groups are congregating, without masks, I think we, as a country, have to brace ourselves."
