Update No. 13 – Variants, Vaccines, and Vaccination
Feb 22, 2021
By: ASRM
Origin: ASRM Bulletin
American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Patient Management and Clinical Recommendations During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
Read Update No. 13 here.
It has been more than one year since the first case of COVID-19 was identified in the United States (U.S.) and the first SARS-CoV-2-related death was recorded. The largest surge of cases since the onset of the pandemic occurred following the seasonal holidays, lasting for most of January 2021, but is now on a downward trajectory in the U.S. Nevertheless, current community transmission rates continue at a substantial level.
In the current update, the ASRM Coronavirus/COVID-19 Task Force (the “Task Force”) continues to support strict adherence to its earlier recommended mitigation strategies for disease prevention, including use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), implementation of travel restrictions and quarantines when appropriate (see Update #3).
Even though the decreasing trend in infection rates is encouraging, and 52 million in the U.S. have been vaccinated, CDC guidelines should be strictly followed, and COVID-19 prevention should remain a top priority to reduce the likelihood of the emergence of additional, new SARS-CoV-2 variants. While COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing illness and hospitalization, their effectiveness for prevention of transmission remains unclear. Care centers should continue to maintain usage of masks and double masking, hand washing, avoidance of crowds, and social distancing.