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Five More Questions with Dr. Stephen Haering, Alexandria’s Health Department Director

Dr. Stephen Haering keeps calm amid the pandemic by starting each day with 90 minutes of yoga practice. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Stephen Haering).

ALEXANDRIA, VA – On Wednesday Dr. Stephen Haering answered “10 Questions” with guest host Jane Hess Collins, about himself, public health in Alexandria, and how Alexandrians can get involved in our great city during our Z-TV LIVE! show. Want more? Here are five more questions with and about Dr. Haering.

We all need to relax and find a place of compassion and peace for ourselves and each other.”

  1. Does summer outdoor heat kill the coronavirus?

Look at Brazil. It’s hot there and they’ve had massive infections and outbreaks. And there’s been increases here in Texas and Arizona. There’s no evidence that heat kills the virus.

  1. When will a vaccine be available to everyone?

Even with fast tracking it normally takes 12 – 18 months to develop a vaccine and get it to the populations. I know they are working more vigorously on this and there’s over 100 vaccine candidates, many of which are going to human trials for safety testing and to see if they actually work. Our hope is that it happens sooner rather than later, and ideally it would be this winter or next spring.

  1. Can pets get COVID-19?

There has been evidence, yes, of pets getting the virus from humans, but there’s no evidence of pets giving COVID to human beings. So if you get sick, isolate away from your pet just like you would with other humans in your home. There’s more information on the CDC and City of Alexandria websites. And I’m not aware of any pets dying from COVID. If you think you pet has it, call your vet.

  1. How many bottles of hand sanitizer do you have in your home?

I have five bottles of hand sanitizer in my home, including one in my car. And I keep a small, one-ounce bottle with me if I’m going hiking. We keep two bottles in the conference room at work and I keep one in my desk. But, I usually wash with soap and water.

  1. With all of the changes from community migration strategies, what do you miss the most?

I miss hanging out in coffee shops and seeing peoples’ smiles.

FULL INTERVIEW ON “TEN QUESTIONS” BELOW

To See More ‘Ten Questions’ Interview Follow-Ups, CLICK HERE

Jane Collins

Jane Hess Collins is a communications consultant and coach, and holds a masters’ degree in Public Relations & Corporate Communications from Georgetown University. She is the founder and executive director of Heard, an Alexandria-based nonprofit that teaches life skills disguised as art to underserved populations. She retired from the United States Air Force in 2009.

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