Health expert cautions not to relax precautions, or face a spike in COVID-19 cases

As we move into the yellow phase in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, health care providers are reminding everyone: don't let your guard down.

It's important for people to recognize the the precautions we've been taking really do help to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

If we completely let up, it's very likely we'll see another surge of infections here...such as what's being reported in other states, such as Texas, North Carolina, and Arizona.

Arizona ended its stay at home orders two weeks ago, now officials there reporting consistently higher numbers of COVID-19 cases for three days straight.

"The significant increase that we've seen is very concerning to me," says Wendy Smith-Reeves, former director ot Arizona's Office of Emergency Management.

It could be due to lifting restrictions.

But other factors also play a role, such as more testing and fewer people taking precautions.

As Philadelphia and surrounding counties move to the yellow phase, practicing precautions should continue, such as maintaining social distance with others, wearing masks, and monitoring for symptoms, especially if you are out in a crowd.

Dr. Larry Caplin, the CEO of DOCS Health, is helping businesses, schools and churches navigate re-opening safely.

For the public, he says: remember the virus hasn't gone away and it hasn't changed.

"It is no less dangerous than it was two months ago," says Caplin.

"People aren't shaking hands, hugging like they used and they need to carry those behaviors forward. If they don't carry those behaviors forward we're going to step backwards and it's going to create a big problem for everyone," he adds.

What he tells business owners, church or school leaders: everyone needs to have a written plan with two crucial components: 1.) how to keep people coming in healthy and 2.) how to keep employees healthy.