WVXU: Immunocompromised patients navigate new maskless communities

While the CDC lifted masking and social distancing guidelines for most people last month, immunocompromised people are still navigating how to safely enter back into public activities.

Tahir Latif, MBBS, clinical professor in the Department of Internal Medicine in the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine, director of infusion services at the UC Medical Center and a UC Health oncologist and hematologist, told WVXU the immunocompromised patients he works with are at a higher risk of infection. The patients now have to balance wanting to improve quality of life by returning to social interactions with the threat of a COVID infection.

"I think it has changed their life drastically," he said. There's no doubt about it. And the fear is real."

Latif said immunocompromised people should get their vaccine and booster shots and see if antibody treatments are right for them, but healthy people in the community can also take precautions by being vaccinated, keeping their hands clean and wearing masks around immunocompromised individuals.

Read the WVXU story.

Featured photo at top of face masks courtesy of Unsplash.