Doctors warn of COVID-19 fatigue as cases rise

Doctors knew it would be challenging to keep COVID-19 from spreading when the weather changed and more people headed indoors. They also knew flu season would bring another round of complications as health professionals worked to tell the viruses apart. But they say COVID-19 fatigue is the most concerning and that people are relaxing the precautions they take and allowing COVID to spread.

“We know how to do this, it’s not rocket science. It’s really a matter of willpower and making the commitment to protect our community, to protect our families and our loved ones,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin of Public Health Seattle & King County.

Dr. Mark Tonelli works in the ICU at UW Medical Center treating COVID-19 patients. “I think it hasn’t helped we’ve been told this is a matter of time and hunker down for a little bit, and it will get better. But it’s not going to, this is going to be with us through the winter, even beyond this next several weeks,” said Tonelli. “I don’t want people to get complacent.”

The increase in cases had the Bellevue School District decide to postpone returning to in-person learning until January. The Kent School District announced remote learning would continue until Jan. 28, 2021.

Cox Media Group