America Needs a COVID-19 Reset
We are more than 6 months into this pandemic caused by this SARS-CoV-2 virus and yet the USA continues to struggle. Over 5 million Americans have tested positive for the COVID-19 disease (the actual number is up to 13 times higher). US deaths are more than 163,000 which represents 22% of the worldwide deaths. Our country has only about 5% of the world’s population. Since July 21 there has been only one day when the US deaths have been less than 1000. Five states (NY, CA, FL, TX, & GA) account for 40% of the US virus cases. The 5% threshold for community infection rate, sufficiently low to allow resumption of schools opening, is being exceeded by thirty-six (36) states! Thirteen of these states actually exceed a 10% infection rate. The state of New York, which was the previous epicenter of the virus, now has an infection rate of 0.78%. They have endured the pain of adequate lockdown and the payoff of a low infection rate is allowing the schools to be opened for in person instruction. One projection (IHME) is that US deaths will reach 300,000 by December 2020. The good news is that this number could be reduced by 70,000 lives if 95% of our population would just wear a face covering in public. Arizona, Texas, Florida, and California are already seeing improvement in their dismal numbers because of local mask mandates and the closure of bars and restaurants.
As we have stated before, the optimal educational situation for our children’s education is in the classroom, but it must be based on safe science-based criteria. The American Academy of Pediatrics is reporting that 97,000 children have tested positive during the last two weeks of July. We have learned that kids under the age of 10 do not become ill from COVID-19 as frequently, nor as severely as adults, but they are clearly not “immune”. Those children who become ill and hospitalized are disproportionately Black and Hispanic according to the CDC. A 7 yr. old Black child just recently died in Georgia and we know of the unfortunate death of a 5 yr. old in Michigan this past Spring. These children did not have pre-existing conditions. Georgia has lost a total of seven children including two teenagers to COVID-19. A huge concern is that children under 5 have been found to have viral loads in their nasal passages five-times that of older children and adults. Youngsters under ten may not become ill but the teachers and staff at school, as well as the relatives and friends at home are much more susceptible.
If we are going to reopen schools and businesses most safely, we must have a reset in our course. It is not that the WEAR, WASH, and WATCH strategy cannot be successful (as it is in other countries), but our federal government has inconsistent, contrary messaging. This has contributed to a significant number of our fellow citizens not executing this optimal 3-W strategy. We continue to call upon the President to adequately implement the Defense Production Act (DPA) so that we have PPE for schools, essential employees, and our healthcare facilities in anticipation of the upcoming flu season. The DPA should also be used to improve the availability of accurate and fast COVID-19 testing. We believe that the current lack of accuracy of the “rapid tests” and the excessive delay in results reporting of the more accurate PCR test can be overcome by presidential leadership that directs industry to solve these problems. Secondly, there must be a concerted and honest push for everyone to wear masks in public. The science is clear that they prevent virus spread. Once we knock down the virus rate of infection below 5%, contact tracing can be used to put out fires of increased spread. While these measures are being taken preparation for the development and distribution of a safe and effective vaccine should be under ways. This certainly involves convincing people that they should take the vaccine.
Turning around our anemic response to this virus is dependent upon public health policy free of political motives. The medical science and data, even though some consider them an affront to their personal freedom, must become the guiding light to navigate us to a virus-controlled existence. New Zealand has not had a new case of COVID-19 in 100 days!
