Mask requirements increase as COVID Delta variant surges in Miami Valley, Ohio

DAYTON, Ohio — The CDC is recommending indoor mask use for everyone, including vaccinated individuals and many businesses or governments are considering making their masks mandatory for indoor situations.

With COVID cases rising and the Delta variant out there, a lot of people are worried that they’ll have to wear their masks again. News Center 7 talked to a doctor at Miami Valley Hospital about why they feel it’s a good idea.

Dr. Roberto Colon, Chief Medical Officer at Miami Valley Hospital, said, “Until we have enough people vaccinated, we’re going to be dealing with this.”

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Colon knows no one is excited about wearing masks again but said it’s like riding in car with only a seat belt to protect you, you want more.

“Adding an airbag adds another layer of protection,” Colon said.

Colon said wearing a mask is another form of protection, besides just vaccines as COVID surges and the Delta variant becomes the predominant strain.

Jessica Hayes, of Dayton, said, “Medical-wise, you want to keep one with you all the time, then you have this Delta variant out here, so I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

Hayes said she has no problems with wearing a mask, it’s always been required for transportation like flights or buses. She said the Delta variant concerned her enough to convince her to get vaccinated.

Raymond Tyner, of Dayton, said he is still not convinced to seek out the vaccine.

“I have not it and I’m kind of against it, Tyner said.”

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Tyner said he does wear a mask when required and is upset that we have to live like this, even going back to having vaccinated individuals wear a mask.

“It’s like a lose-lose situation. It comes down to your safety as well as everybody else’s,” Tyner said.

According to Dr. Colon, “We have to do a lot of catching up to get things under control.”

He said cases of COVID are increasing rapidly and the Delta variant jumps quicker and easier from person to person. That’s why he believes masks are important to slow it down while we work to increase vaccinations.

“90 to 95% of the people hospitalized with COVID are unvaccinated individuals right now,” Colon said.

Doctors make it clear that if you are sick enough with COVID and end up in the hospital, then it’s overwhelmingly statistically likely that you didn’t get a vaccination.

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