Dr. Stuart Weiss: COVID-19 Update Monday 28-September-2020
By Dr. Stuart Weiss, Intelligent Crowd Solutions
Dr. Stuart Weiss, FACEP, FAAP, CBCP
September 28, 2020
Today’s topics: So Where Are We?
| So Where Are We? Folks have been asking me where I think we are in relation to CoViD-19. Its been a fairly constant question from my clients and friends alike. So let’s take a moment to look at where we are. According to Johns Hopkins University CoViD-19 dashboard, the US has a little over 7.1 million confirmed cases. We have a little over 205,000 Americans dead from SARS-CoV-2 infection and its complications. We add around 850 more deaths every day to our count. New case numbers had been dropping every day until September 12th when the number of daily new cases began to increase. The seven day rolling average increased to a little over 43,000. The middle of our country has very active case counts that are rising. The eastern seaboard seems to be keeping the virus in check, for the moment. This change is to be expected as the weather gets colder and we spend more time indoors. Also school has restarted in some places and young people are congregating and not wearing face coverings or socially distancing. We are entering Flu season and a colleague of mine had his first flu/CoViD-19 dual infection in a patient. How unlucky was that guy. To get both illnesses at the same time. No one knows what this winter will look like with both illnesses circulating. When we look at the southern hemisphere, they had a pretty mild flu season so perhaps we will as well. I am strongly recommending that everyone get a flu shot in early October which should carry them through the flu season. People ask me where we are with vaccine development. Things seem to be going well on that front. There are a number of candidates in phase three trials. Phase three are the big trials that expose big numbers of people to the vaccine. So far, we have seen that Astrazenica has shut down their trial twice for an adverse side effect. This is to be expected and that is why phase three trials are so important. Even when we get a valid candidate, we will need to see how effective it is and how many Americans choose to get the vaccine. No vaccine is 100% effective. Hopefully, we will have one that is 50-60% effective and many Americans will choose to get vaccinated. Most vaccine candidates require a two shot series to be effective and one only needs one shot. All except for one requires extremely cold storage temperatures (like minus 80 degrees) so that makes distribution and storage a challenge. When people ask me when I think a vaccine will make a difference, I tell them by next Summer to Fall, if we’re lucky and there are no hiccups. If a vaccine suddenly is approved prior to January, I wouldn’t take it. Phase three trials won’t have been completed with the data fully analysed before then. If political pressure pushes a vaccine through, who knows if it is safe. As to treatment, we have learned much about CoViD-19 illness over the past 9 months. We still only have a few medicines to help. Remdesivir and steroids still play an important part in treatment. Hydroxychloroquine still doesn’t play an important role at all. Convalescent serum seems to play a really important role in treating critically sick people and can really save them sometimes. Prevention is still the most important thing to do although there are still plenty of places that ignore this basic public health guidance. The three pronged approach of hand washing, social distancing and face coverings makes a huge difference but seems to be too much to ask for some folks. Lastly, testing continues to be incredibly important in tracking and intervening in illness. Testing is still an issue in some places and people are still waiting way too long for results, although its gotten better in many places. I fear that as flu comes, results will take longer to get back. Basic medical supplies for personal protection as still lacking, nine months into this pandemic. There are still shortages of gloves, N-95 masks, gowns and swabs. Now, we can’t get enough testing cartridges for our Abbott machines. Our walk-up rapid testing center in Manhattan, NY, is doing well. There are many people who want or need a rapid test. Lines begin to snake around the block an hour before we open each day. We have slowly begun to see the number of positive tests rise over the past week. So that’s where we are. In a few short weeks, we will decide if we stay the course or choose a different direction. As a medical professional, I hope we choose a new direction as I am tired of seeing over 800 more people die each day. I look forward to the day when my testing center is no longer needed. Be well and take care of yourself. We will get through this together. –Dr. Stu |
COVID-19 HEADLINES FOR TODAY
| Coronavirus update for September 28, 2020 World Wide Updates Kenya extends Covid-19 curfew and eases other restrictions WHO announces agreement to make rapid Covid-19 tests available to low and middle income countries Canada’s largest province reports highest number of daily cases ever reported during pandemic New rules to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the Belgian capital, Brussels, come into force today. Germany saw an increase of 1,192 infections on Sunday and three deaths Coronavirus admissions at intensive care units in the Provence-Alpes Côte d’Azur region have tripled since the beginning of September Households in England’s northeast will be banned from mixing indoors under new legislation World nears 1 million deaths as new outbreaks emerge Quarantine failure led to more than 18,000 infections and 700 deaths in Australia, inquiry hears Some countries are eying Sweden’s “light-touch” Covid-19 response. It’s a gamble that could backfire Beijing asks frozen food importers to avoid importing goods from coronavirus hotspots Melbourne lifts curfew after nearly 2 months of lockdown as coronavirus cases fall The G20 Summit in November will be held virtually India has now reported more than 6 million coronavirus cases Australia’s Victoria state records lowest daily increase in coronavirus cases in over 100 days Coronavirus outbreak reported on Greek islands cruise Romanian village re-elects mayor days after he died from coronavirus Prince Charles says young people need ‘urgent help to protect their futures’ from coronavirus Madrid residents at ‘series risk’ without tougher coronavirus restrictions, health minister warns Dutch advise masks in shops as virus surges while restricting travel to Amsterdam and closing bars early as cases rise Official death toll probably an underestimate, WHO official says Israel doubly deserted on Yom Kippur during holiday and COVID-19 lockdown 1-Soccer-Genoa says 14 team members and staff have tested positive for COVID Doubles pair out of French Open after coach tests positive for COVID-19 Total Cases Worldwide: 33,490,979 Total Deaths Worldwide: 1,004,866 Total Recovered: 24,800,180 US Updates US stocks open and close higher Cuomo announces spike in NYS coronavirus cases and sharp rise in some Jewish neighborhoods amid High Holidays Fauci: Don’t dismiss Covid-19 cases in children Trump announces plan to deploy 150 million rapid tests to states Chicago will ease Covid-19 restrictions on restaurants, bars and gyms, mayor says Thousands expected to attend motorcycle rally in South Carolina New York will deploy rapid testing machines to focus on new Covid-19 clusters United Airlines will stop pilot furloughs until at least next June Covid-19 rates among adolescents are about “double” that in younger children, CDC study says Providence College going remote until October 3 after nearly 200 students test positive for Covid-19 Wisconsin set a new coronavirus case record this weekend Nearly half of US states are reporting increased numbers of new Covid-19 cases Pace University says 20 students, 18 of those in same dormitory, test positive for Covid-19 Inovio’s planned Phase 2/3 Covid-19 vaccine trial on partial hold to answer FDA questions, company says New York extends Covid-19 residential eviction protections through the rest of the year CDC director concerned Atlas is sharing misleading information with Trump 1 in 3 parents won’t get flu vaccine for their child during pandemic, study finds US reports nearly 37,000 new Covid-19 cases Mother of South Carolina teacher who died of Covid-19 dies from it weeks later 21 US states are reporting increased Covid-19 cases as experts warn of a fall surge A Maryland man sentenced to 1 year in jail for holding large parties, violating state’s Covid-19 rules Thousands of students missing from virtual classes Only 10 states see downward trends in new cases New York state will receive daily NYC school testing numbers, governor says Amazon Prime Day set for October 13 and 14 after coronavirus delayed original summer date Falcons CB Terrell tests positive for Covid Total US cases: 7,347,241 Total US deaths: 209,679 Total Recovered: 4,597,165 Total Tested in US: 101,308,599 Total cases in CA: 811,189Total deaths in CA: 15,614 Total cases in TX: 770,230 Total deaths in TX: 15,861 Total cases in FL: 701,302 Total deaths in FL: 14,043 Total cases in NY: 490,638 Total deaths in NY: 33,225 |
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