CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Researchers running models to predict COVID-19 activity provided Corpus Christi leaders an update Friday that included an indication of acceleration, and a potential spike, if precautions aren't taken as businesses reopen.
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi reseacher Christopher Bird said one of the precautions most people need to take to avoid a spike in cases is wearing face masks.
“It doesn’t have to be 100 percent of everybody, but it has to be a majority at the very least," Bird said. "If we don’t do those things, we will end up in a scenario, based upon these models, where we approach the capacity of the hospitals at some point in the future.”
An overwhelmed health-care system is one of the biggest concerns associated with the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Studies Bird referenced Friday also find that up to 50 percent of people infected with COVID-19 don't have symptoms, but are contagious. A person could have coronavirus and not know it, which is another reason he urges mask-wearing.
“I don’t think it’s a bad trade off to wear a mask if you go to the store to try to avoid infecting somebody,” he said.
