Regarding the recent report of MRI abnormalities in college football players: invoking the precautionary principle when things are unclear is often the best course. And we should do what we can to minimize the number of people infected across the board. However ...
I'd note that the ramifications of "cardiac MRI abnormalities" are *very* unclear at this stage. In the widely-cited German cMRI study, more than 58% of chronic-disease matched controls without COVID-19 had an "abnormal native T1" ...
... a much higher proportion than non-chronic-disease matched healthy controls, suggesting that the rate of abnormalities depends on the population tested. A cardiac MRI abnormality by itself does not equal "myocarditis" - & we don't know what specific abnormalities were found!
To be clear, I'd favor any reasonable steps to minimize community spread of coronavirus. I will stand with the players and their safety. I also know nothing about college football and haven't seen a full game in my life - definitely not shilling for football.
But the fact is that clinical acute myocarditis has been reported very rarely with COVID-19 (outside respiratory failure when multi-organ failure is common). COVID-19 is first and foremost a respiratory virus, and that's how it kills 99% of the time.
Remember: more than 20 million Americans have likely been infected with coronavirus. In some communities ~30% have been infected. Let's be cautious in suggesting long-term consequences from asymptomatic or mild infection unless there is strong and solid evidence.
... Lest we drive our collective anxiety level up to a trillion
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