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Pittsburgh’s big weekend leads to COVID safety concerns

PITTSBURGH — The holiday lights are up, and the crowds of people are expected back. Downtown’s big Light Up Night festivities are back with vendors, shows and live music, but should people be concerned with rising COVID-19 cases?

“I think if people get vaccinated and keep their distance and wear their masks there isn’t going to be a problem,” said Cheryl Kaufman.

That’s what the organizers with the Downtown Partnership are asking. Patrons are highly encouraged to be vaccinated and if not to wear a mask, but doctors even told Channel 11 masks may not be necessary.

“We have a lot of experience now with small and large events where everyone is outdoors are relatively safe and I’m not as adamant people should mask,” said AHN’s Dr. Arvind Venkat.

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Although, this weekend isn’t just happening outside. You have people heading inside for shows at Heinz Hall or to watch the Steelers on Sunday night football.

“You are at a bar watching a football game or with a large crowd of people at a concert I would urge you whether you are vaccinated or not to wear a mask,” Venkat said.

It’s the move indoors that doctors believe is behind those spiking cases. More people are in confined areas with highly contagious strains and it’s not clear if the outbreak is hitting certain populations.

So doctor’s advice is to get vaccinated and mask when inside.

“We are all waiting to see if these cases are largely among the vaccinated, break thru cases that are symptomatic but not so severe they need to result in hospitalization or is this going to be another surge among the unvaccinated and we are going to see a rise in deaths, I don’t know the answer to that,” Venkat said.

Doctors are studying those numbers, with the group that continues to lead with most positive cases being people age 25 to 49.