SALT LAKE CITY — Utah doctors are preparing for a possible post-holidays surge in COVID-19 cases.
After a long Christmas weekend, infectious disease physicians at Intermountain Healthcare are preparing for a possible spike in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
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Experts worry exposure to others could have been longer during holiday gatherings, meaning a greater risk of infection.
Dr. Todd Vento, an Intermountain Healthcare infectious disease physician, will take part in a Monday morning news conference. He’ll explain what hospitals could see during the next several weeks and what people should do if they believe they could have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
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Symptoms of COVID-19 and the need for hospitalization don’t normally happen until one to three weeks after the initial exposure. Due to the incubation period people who may have been exposed should receive a test 5-7 days after an exposure to ensure accuracy. An infected person can test negative if they receive a test too soon after exposure.