Now that testing is becoming more available, the numbers have reflected that. There is still some troubling news about people not being able to be tested, or being refused a test – but those stories are becoming fewer and further between.
As always, a reminder that I am not a medical doctor. Nor am I a healthcare professional of any kind. But we should all thank a doctor or medial professional – from the head ISU doc all the way down to the guy who replaces the light bulbs. They are all working like crazy right now in environments that are potentially dangerous to their own health.
These updates are my way of helping everyone sift through the riff-raff. My goal with these posts is to pass along relevant information from the medical community – direct from the source – with some translation into regular English.
I want to keep you informed as best as I can.
Latest Numbers:
Total United States cases: 15,219 as of Friday (7.038 on March 19th)
— Travel-related: 337 (269 on March 19th)
— Close contact: 321 (276 on March 19th)
— Under investigation: 15,219 (6,493 on March 19th) – this number reflects the increase in testing.
Total deaths: 201 (97 on March 19th)
States reporting cases: 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and US Virgin Islands
(Numbers pulled from other reliable resources) Total United States cases reported by other medical sites:
Johns Hopkins:
Total cases: 25,493 (9,415 on March 19th)
Total deaths: 307 (150 on March 19th)
Total recovered: 171 (106 on March 19th)
Notice that the numbers have increased dramatically since Thursday morning. I chose this time since the “doubling-time” has been estimated to be about 2.5 days. It seems like, now that testing is being done more frequently, the doubling time has shrunk a bit.
At this pace, there will be about one million people infected by April 3rd. That has the potential to lead to about 20,000 deaths. This is why social distancing matters. Limiting your interaction with others is important.
And why #StayHome is a thing.
Some regional numbers:
Louisiana – 763
Alabama – 131
Map not available
Arkansas – 118
Tennessee – 371
Map not available
Mississippi – 140
From the WHO
The World Health Organization updated the chart of infections. And the number of infected continues to climb.
The WHO also made a point to highlight a few prices of information. They posted to their website a few “Mythbusters” of sorts:
COVID-19 doesn’t care about the outdoor temperature
From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
There is no reason to believe that cold weather can kill the new coronavirus or other diseases. The normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the external temperature or weather. The most effective way to protect yourself against the new coronavirus is by frequently cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water.
Taking a bath won’t help
Taking a hot bath will not prevent you from catching COVID-19. Your normal body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower. Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water can be harmful, as it can burn you. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
Wear bug spray, but know that COVID-19 isn’t a mosquito-transmitted virus
To date there has been no information nor evidence to suggest that the new coronavirus could be transmitted by mosquitoes. The new coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. To protect yourself, clean your hands frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Also, avoid close contact with anyone who is coughing and sneezing.
From the CDC
The CDC is encouraging those who are healthy to donate blood to help those who are in need.
In healthcare settings all across the United States, donated blood is a lifesaving, essential part of caring for patients. The need for donated blood is constant, and blood centers are open and in urgent need of donations. CDC encourages people who are well to continue to donate blood if they are able, even if they are practicing social distancing because of COVID-19. CDC is supporting blood centers by providing recommendations that will keep donors and staff safe. Examples of these recommendations include spacing donor chairs 6 feet apart, thoroughly adhering to environmental cleaning practices, and encouraging donors to make donation appointments ahead of time.
I know there have been a handful of blood drives across the country recently, but this may be a good time to help save a life. Because right now, it really could.
From the Mayo Clinic
Exercise is important. I’ve been looking up research the past couple of days trying to find a paper that links exercise with good health. I found a ton, but all of them were very specific. None were generalized for the entire population. The last one I rad was about ultra-long distance runners.
And, by the way, based on that paper (sorry, I lost the link), if you run more than 100 miles a week… you should trim your training back while all of this blows over.
But the Mayo Clinic is a suggesting that exercise, especially right now, is a really good idea. For multiple reasons.
“We need fitness for better overall health but in particular to keep our stress level down, especially now. We don’t want our muscles to become sedentary since we’re staying at home,” says Dr. Sunni Alessandria, a Mayo Clinic physical therapist.
They also kicked out 10 steps to help “slow the spread” of COVID-19:
— Pause for a moment and collect your thoughts. Pandemics can be overwhelming, and remaining as calm as possible can help.
— Clean your hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer. Both are effective. This is particularly important when coming home from outside, before meals and after using the restroom.
— At the beginning of the day and when you get home, disinfect items that are frequently touched by yourself or others. Such items could include cellphones and cellphone cases, door handles and keyboards. Regular household disinfectants are effective. Disinfecting surfaces and items, and cleaning your hands will reduce transmission.
— It is reasonable to change out of your work clothes before or when you get home. Launder frequently with normal detergent. No extra laundering or special handling is needed.
— If you are sick, stay home and try to limit your contact with others, especially vulnerable adults.
— Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing, cough into your sleeve, and wash your hands if you accidentally soiled them with respiratory secretions.
— Avoid all contact with elderly or immunocompromised family members. Social distancing is essential to minimize the spread of COVID-19. This is particularly important for those who are most vulnerable.
— Reserve masks for when you are symptomatic and need to be around others at home.
— Get adequate sleep and eat sensibly. A healthy immune system is important.
— Social distancing is important, but keep in contact with friends and family. Relationships are important for mental health. Call, text or use other methods to virtually connect and check on your loved ones.
Inconclusive data for pregnant women
Right now it looks like there is inconclusive data when it comes to COVID-19 and women who are pregnant. One paper, “Guidelines for pregnant women with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection” states that “Newborns of mothers positive for SARS-CoV-2 should be isolated for at least 14 days or until viral shedding clears, during which time direct breastfeeding is not recommended.”
While a response to that paper, titled, “COVID-19 in pregnant women” Manuel B Schmid writes:
“On the basis of these data, we feel that clear recommendations, as proposed in the appendix of the Correspondence by Favre and colleagues, cannot and should not be made, although we realize that during the worrisome actual situation such recommendations are very sought after. However, making recommendations that can affect a large number of people requires a sound foundation. In the absence of such a foundation, the medical and academic community should explain to the best of their knowledge what they know and what the knowledge gaps are, rather than trying to fill these gaps with unsound speculation.”
I think it is still very early in the game to be making any certain claims about COVID-19 and pregnancies. There just isn’t a large enough sample size of women, yet. And while, “better safe than sorry” is often a good rule of thumb with illnesses, I can offer no evidence of a specific recommendation that is agreed upon by a majority of researchers.
That makes me think that it will be a case-by-case decision. So if you are pregnant and become infected, make sure you work directly with your doctors on the proper course of action.
The “Wonder Drug” promises
Friends, I need to level with everyone for a moment. I know this whole Coronavirus thing feels bad. We are all looking for hope. But hope is not fact. And I know that makes me sound like a “downer,” right now. I know. But I also know there are a lot of claims being made by multiple outlets and people – from top to bottom in society – about this drug will do this and that drug will cure that.
That type of phrasing isn’t based in reality. Some drugs *could* work, other drugs *may* help. But saying drugs *will* help is offering false hope.
Because researchers and medical professionals just don’t know yet. And you can’t prescribe drugs based on a “feeling” or an “instinct.” There needs to be clinical trials, tests and confirmation – against a null hypothesis – to show that something is, or is not effective.
On top of that, each person is different, and each case is different. Just because a drug worked to fight COVID-19 in one person, doesn’t mean it will work in the next. That is what the clinical trials are for. That person may have just “gotten better” on their own. Researchers have no way of knowing until these trials are conducted.
So please, as hard as it is (I know, I want this to go away, too) try to temper expectations when you se headlines of “THESE DRUGS ARE GUNNA FIX IT!” because we have no way of knowing that right now.
And we won’t – barring some kind of miraculous breakthrough – for at least another few months. At the earliest.
Here is a quick podcast from the NEJM. It is an interview with Dr. Eric Rubin and Dr. Lindsey Baden on new research on possible treatments for Covid-19. I’ll be honest, it is a bit heavy on medical verbiage and I had to stop it and rewind it a few times when listening. But it is worth the time. Especially if you are at home, practicing social distancing.
The doctors talk about a lot of good information, but at one point, they bring up a very good point. Baden says, “… The ability to determine, systematically, if a new therapy works, was very difficult given the conditions the providers are in…” and I think that is an important thing to remember right now.
It is very hard to test new drugs and new treatments because of the situation people are in when they enter the hospital and the numbers of people who are being treated, and the treatments those people need. Unlike a “simple” clinical trial test, where you get volunteers and the timetable isn’t as dire, in the middle of a pandemic that is not the case. And it can be difficult for CVOID-19 research to get done.
