New York Could be Transitioning from a Pandemic to an Endemic

By Neil A. Carousso

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Epidemiologists are optimistic that COVID-19 will eventually become a seasonal threat like the flu. They credit high vaccination rates in New York for helping transition the state and most populous city to an endemic from the highly deadly pandemic that overwhelmed New York hospitals in the spring of 2020.

On The 880 Weekly Rewind, Dr. Mangala Narasimhan, critical care pulmonologist and director of critical care services at Northwell Health, told WCBS producer Neil A. Carousso that she is concerned about the potential for a twindemic this winter.

“I don’t think it’s time to completely get rid of masking; I don’t think its time to completely get rid of social distancing,” Dr. Narasimhan said of living with COVID-19.

Rewind Host Lynda Lopez also takes a deep dive into next week’s local elections, including the New York City mayoral race, New Jersey gubernatorial race and the Virginia gubernatorial race that could be a referendum on President Joe Biden’s first year in office.

Subscribe and download The 880 Weekly Rewind podcast for in-depth reporting and deeper analysis of the top stories of the week, produced by Neil A. Carousso, for WCBS-AM New York.