When will COVID-19 restrictions ease up? Health experts explain

Hopefully, the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is getting us closer to normal life.

Shots are opening up to all Florida adults next week and public health experts are laying out a timeline on when COVID-19 related restrictions could ease up.

April will be a defining month in the COVID-19 pandemic.

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"If we get a really good number of people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s vaccinated over the next few weeks, including all others who have not been vaccinated yet, we’re going to see a really big drop in probably sometime in mid to late May," Dr. Michael Lauzardo of the University of Florida said.

Dr. Lauzardo believes COVID-19 restrictions will let up once the number of infections drops and stays down.

"I think the first things that can start to go are rules related to numbers of people in buildings, in establishments," he explained. 

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Public Health Professor Dr. Jay Wolfson with the University of South Florida also said to expect fewer restrictions on travel. 

"On international travel, we think things are going to open up quite a bit especially as international organizations require what’s going to become some kind of a vaccine passport. I doubt we’re going to have those in this country," Dr. Wolfson explained.

Public health experts say that mask use will likely be the last restriction to go. Some vulnerable people will need to wear them through the end of the year. 

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Nonetheless, experts believe that local governments should start planning how to handle the return.

Dr. Lauzardo said that "I think science is still guiding us to hang in there just a little bit longer. If we do this right, we can be all the way open, fully open a lot sooner than if we drag out there and say I don’t want to do this now."

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