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As cases surged this week, I asked more than half a dozen researchers (epidemiologists, virologists and psychologists) if the U.S. has lost its COVID-19 war and if widespread lockdowns are now inevitable.
All said no. We can still turn the tide.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/ v @NatGeo
All said no. We can still turn the tide.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/ v @NatGeo
No doubt, the U.S. situation is bad. We have higher case rates than comparable collections of nations that have tamed their outbreaks.
But our epidemic has barely broached the surface of its potential...
by @kennelliott
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
But our epidemic has barely broached the surface of its potential...
by @kennelliott https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
If an outbreak is a forest fire, then people are the trees.
This week, the CDC said SARS-CoV-2 has already infected up to 8% of the US (~26 million).
Even assuming every infection creates lasting immunityâwhich is doubtfulâthere is still more than 90% of forest left to burn.
This week, the CDC said SARS-CoV-2 has already infected up to 8% of the US (~26 million).
Even assuming every infection creates lasting immunityâwhich is doubtfulâthere is still more than 90% of forest left to burn.
Government leaders, news media, scientists, and the general public need to shift their mindsets and messaging,
Let's start with leaders: Incoherent coordination with resources and messaging is stifling people's abilities to protect themselves. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
Let's start with leaders: Incoherent coordination with resources and messaging is stifling people's abilities to protect themselves. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
Responsibility lands not only on the White House (as evident by what's happened with the CDC: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/danvergano/cdc-coronavirus-containment-redfield), but also on Congress, governors, mayors, and everyone else down the ladder.
We're letting partisanship kill us.
Story by @dvergano and @Zhirji28
We're letting partisanship kill us.
Story by @dvergano and @Zhirji28
News media: These mixed signals trickle into the news.
Ex. Governors and news outlets have repeatedly cited "reckless" younger adults as the cause of the newest surges.
Yet the share of hospitalizations among those 18-49 has been essentially the same since March
Ex. Governors and news outlets have repeatedly cited "reckless" younger adults as the cause of the newest surges.
Yet the share of hospitalizations among those 18-49 has been essentially the same since March
In Texas, the share of infections among young adults was 50 percent just before stay-at-home orders began lifting on May 1, and it has only grown by 3 percentage points since then.
For people in their 20s, the difference is even smaller, and yet... https://www.texastribune.org/2020/06/16/texas-coronavirus-spike-young-adults/
For people in their 20s, the difference is even smaller, and yet... https://www.texastribune.org/2020/06/16/texas-coronavirus-spike-young-adults/
In truth, younger adults are just the canaries in the coal mine.
They will be first to see upticks in case rates whenever public measures fail, in part because they make up more of the frontline workforce/are required to be physically at their jobs. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
They will be first to see upticks in case rates whenever public measures fail, in part because they make up more of the frontline workforce/are required to be physically at their jobs. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
Simultaneously, public messaging tends to tell younger adults theyâll be spared...which has never been true.
They have always been a part of this crisis, but conveying their risks and roles in this pandemic is difficult, which has bred confusion. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
They have always been a part of this crisis, but conveying their risks and roles in this pandemic is difficult, which has bred confusion. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
I'll leave it there because it's Saturday. Time to unplug. Read about what scientists and the general public can do in the piece.
One last tidbit for the road: We might want to reconsider the "second wave" chatter. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
One last tidbit for the road: We might want to reconsider the "second wave" chatter. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/how-to-stop-coronavirus-surges-from-winning-the-war-cvd/
Many thanks to @UAZPublicHealth's Purnima Madhivanan, @JuliaLMarcus, @ColumbiaMSPH's Jeffrey Shaman, @Social_Ecology's Roxane Cohen Silver, Crystal Watson and @JenniferNuzzo from @JHSPH_CHS, @ProfDrAMarty, and @CIDRAP director @mtosterholm for the insights.
