If in-person classes resume in the fall, students will likely be attending before a vaccine for COVID-19 is released.
SEATTLE Students in Washington state may return to the classroom this fall before a COVID-19 vaccine is available.
Though state officials have said the goal is to have at least some face-to-face instruction this fall, Dr. Ali Mokdad with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington says we need to be prepared to dial back and close schools if coronavirus cases begin to increase.
The IHME predicts there could be a powerful second wave of the coronavirus that could lead to tens of thousands of new deaths from COVID-19.
The IHME predicts the second wave will start September 15, around the same time school starts for many students in Washington.
The predictions estimate nationwide deaths will reach 169,890 by October 1, which is an increase of about 60,000 from today. The prediction has a possible range between 133,201 and 290,222 deaths.
"Deaths nationwide are predicted to remain fairly level through August and begin to rise again in the fourth week of August with a more pronounced increase during September, although some states will see the increase earlier due to increased mobility and relaxation of social distancing mandates," according to a release from IHME.
In Washington state, experts predict about 1,400 total deaths, which is about 300 more than the state has right now.
The state's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction released guidance for reopening schools after months of coronavirus closures. A panel of 123 people, including some from eastern Washington, worked to develop it.
The guidance includes a mask requirement for all students and staff in K-12 settings.
In order to meet state Department of Health guidelines, some schools may reopen in the fall with a hybrid of face-to-face or online instruction, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said. All districts will also need an alternative plan to return to fully remote learning if local health authorities or Gov. Jay Inslee mandate future closures.
"Changing health conditions in a county or region may cause a local health authority or even the Governor to have to reconsider this opportunity to open, but the primary planning of most districts should be a presumption of a fall opening," Reykdal wrote.
Inslee reiterated the need to reassess plans to reopen schools if coronavirus cases spike or spread in Washington.
"We cannot guarantee that school will open in fall. But for now, this guidance provides a path that schools, educators and families need to plan for the coming months and the fall," Inslee said. "Kids need to be learning but they also need to be safe and healthy.
BERLIN, June 19 (Reuters) - The first trial results of a coronavirus vaccine being developed by CureVac are expected in two months, German news website Focus Online reported on Friday.
CureVac, an unlisted German company, this week said first meaningful results could be available in September or October and, under favourable conditions, it could be approved by the middle of next year. (Reporting by Thomas Seythal; editing by John Stonestreet)
WUWM's Chuck Quirmbach looks into a Bubbler Talk question on recovering from COVID-19 in Wisconsin.
How many people in Wisconsin have survived a COVID-19 diagnosis?
Thats the Bubbler Talk question listener Gene Kelber, of Shorewood, sent our way. He says he and his wife are in a high-risk age group for the disease.
"We're both over 70 and we wondered how this is going to impact our life and relationship with our friends, our children, and our grandchildren who live in Shorewood, Kelber says.
>>WUWM & NPR Coronavirus Coverage
Here are some answers, as well as an update on scientific research into ways to help people get well or stay well:
Wisconsin statistics indicate statewide, 76% of the people with confirmed COVID-19 recover. In Milwaukee County, the percentage is a bit lower 71%. Recovery, by the states definition, means there'sdocumentation of resolved symptoms,documentation of release from public health isolation, or 30 days since symptom onset or diagnosis.
In Wisconsin, 76% of people with confirmed COVID-19 recover.
With about 24,000 COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin, that means about 18,000 people have recovered.
Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer of the state Bureau of Communicable Diseases, says a lot has to do with the ability of a patient's immune system to fight off the coronavirus. Westergaard says human-produced proteins called antibodies are part of the equation.
"In response to any foreign protein, whether it's a bacteria or a virus, the body generally makes antibodies in response. Sometimes, those antibodies play a large role in neutralizing the infection and doing damage to the body, and sometimes, less so. So, there are other blood cells called leukocytes and a whole range of white blood cells that are part of the body's response. There's a lot we're still learning about why some people have more severe illness than others, Westergaard said.
>>Coronavirus Antibody Tests Now Available In Wisconsin Amid Caution
Some relatives of COVID-19 survivors also credit quick access to high quality health care, and even some say it's luck, when their family member stays alive. But Wisconsin alone, there are still more than 5,000 active COVID-19 cases. About 720 people in the state have died due to COVID-19 69% were age 70 and up.
Across the world, more than 450,000 people have passed away.
So, some researchers are working on ways to heal patients faster or reduce their symptoms.
Dr. Amy Jenkins is with the Defense Department's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA.) She recently told a webcast offered by the journalism resource group SciLine that DARPA is working on a bigger version of what's being tried in Milwaukee and elsewhere taking plasma from recovered patients and using those antibodies to help current patients.
"That's great, but it's not particularly scalable. For each person who wants to donate their plasma, you may only be able to treat a handful of people with that plasma. What we want to do is go into that plasma, that blood, find the best antibodies, because not all of them are great, find what are really the good ones and then manufacture them in large bio-reactors. Then, give them back to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, Jenkins said, adding the manufactured antibodies could even be used as a vaccine.
Other researchers are also going the large-scale antibody route and some preliminary test results are due this summer.
As many as 150 groups worldwide are working just on potential COVID-19 vaccines. At the UW-Madison, researcher Peter Halfmann is part of a team developing what they call CoroFlu, which he says is based on an existing influenza vaccine.
"We're taking out one of the proteins, the genes, of the coronavirus, putting it into a vaccine vector that's already going through Phase 2 clinical trial in Europe as a flu vaccine. So, we have some efficacy and we have some safety data for this platform that we're using. We modified the platform, so it will now target the coronavirus. It kind of gives us a leg up, Halfmann told WUWM.
Halfmann says more work isahead, and human testing is still six months away. He says other vaccines are likely to be ready first. But he says there may be a role for CoroFlu.
"As vaccines come out, we're going to see what's working and what doesn't work, and we can try to modify our vaccine to fill in the part that other vaccines are not working for, Halfmann said.
The Trump administration's COVID-19 vaccine effort, called Operation Warp Speed, hopes to roll out a vaccine by the end of the year. Some scientists and Democrats are skeptical.
In Shorewood, Bubbler Talk questioner Gene Kelber says he'll keep his fingers crossed. But in the meantime, hell make sure friends and family practice social distancing.
Have a question you'd like WUWM to answer? Submit your query below.
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The news in the US has been dominated by anti-racism protests for the past couple of weeks, but coronavirus is now back in the headlines.
Several states have seen a record number of cases in recent days, leading to fears that the country is experiencing a second wave of infections.
But Vice-President Mike Pence said those fears were "overblown" and accused the media of using "grim predictions" to scare the American people.
So what is going on in the US?
With more than two million coronavirus cases, the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world - about a quarter of the global total.
The situation got really bad in late March but by May, cases were declining and most states had begun to ease restrictions put into place to halt the spread of the virus.
The number of new cases rarely fell below 20,000 though, because as some states were bringing their outbreaks under control, others were only just beginning to see flare-ups.
For this reason, the top US health official for infectious diseases, Anthony Fauci, sees the current situation as a continuation of the initial outbreaks.
"People keep talking about a second wave," he told a reporter last week. "We're still in a first wave."
Spikes in cases in those new hotspots mean the country's overall seven-day average has now risen for several days in a row for the first time since cases peaked in early April.
The North East has been by far the worst-hit region, with about a quarter of all US cases and more than a third of all US deaths occurring in the states of New York and New Jersey. But in recent weeks, the region has brought its outbreaks under control.
The South and West of the country, on the other hand, have seen a big rise in the number of infections, according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project.
There's no debate over whether cases are going up again, but there is over why.
President Donald Trump blames it on increased testing, telling the Wall Street Journal he thinks "testing is overrated" because "in many ways, it makes us look bad."
The US has conducted more tests than any other country - about 25 million so far - so that does go some way to explaining why it has the highest number of cases in the world, although international comparisons are difficult to make for a number of reasons.
But there's plenty of evidence to suggest the recent rise in infections is down to more than just a higher number of people being tested.
Twice last week, Arizona saw more new cases on its own than the entire nine-state North East region and that's not just down to increased testing.
This is clear when you look at the rate of coronavirus tests that are coming back positive.
If lots of tests are being done and the spread of the virus has been reduced, then the positive case rate would go down too. If the virus is still being spread widely, it goes up.
At the moment the positive case rate is just below 5% nationally, which is the level the World Health Organization recommends countries be at or below for 14 days before they ease restrictions on movement.
But about a third of states are above that level, as the chart below shows, and all of them have reopened to some extent over the last month.
The number of people being hospitalised has also risen in a number of these states, including Texas, where some reopened bars and restaurants are now closing their doors again, reports the Texas Tribune, because of fears over a new surge of cases.
Faced with rising case numbers and an economy that desperately needs to get going again, many public officials are looking to facemasks to help slow the spread of the virus. California, North Carolina and several US cities mandated or urged their use last week.
But masks have become increasingly politicised in recent weeks, with President Trump saying some people wear them primarily to show opposition to him.
Amid all of the fears about new hotspots, the most positive news in the US at the moment is that daily deaths continue to fall.
They peaked back in May when the outbreaks in the Northeast were at their most intense, with New York state alone registering around 1,000 a day. This week, that figure is about 40 a day.
However, deaths is a metric that lags behind cases and hospitalisations because it can take several weeks for those who are worst-hit to die from the disease. That means the consequences of the current spikes in cases won't be seen for a couple of weeks at least.
If we do see the number of deaths edging up, there will likely be some pressure on governors to reintroduce restrictions but Dr Fauci doesn't think that will happen.
"I don't think we're going to be talking about going back to lockdown," he said last week. "I think we're going to be talking about trying to better control those areas of the country that seem to be having a surge of cases."
Researchers are racing to produce a vaccine but it's clear that Americans, and the rest of the world, are going to be living with the virus until next year at the earliest.
One forecasting model run by experts at the University of Washington, which has been cited by the White House in the past, predicts the US death toll will have passed 200,000 by October - a month before the election.
Tempe, ARIZONA Mill Avenue, a bar crawl hot spot for locals and Arizona State University students, has come back to life in recent weeks except for one fixture: the Mill Cue Club.
That changes on Friday. Dennis Alexander is preparing to reopen his night club Friday for the first time in three months. Like many businesses, Mill Cue Club is taking new precautions, including limiting capacity, requiring staff to wear masks and sanitizing pool cues and balls and darts after theyve been used.
But hell also be keeping close watch on the latest data.
The spikes within the state are obviously a concern, not so much the increase in cases, because, of course, testing has exploded, Alexander said. But we are watching hospitalizations and the demographics of those closely.
Plenty of other Arizonans are also watching the numbers. The state has seen a 178 percent surge in coronavirus cases in the past two weeks, making it one of a handful of states that are now seen as having the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the United States. The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 3,246 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday and 41 deaths.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey lifted the states stay-at-home order May 15, and business owners have been figuring out how they can comply with the rules to restart their businesses.
Since then, life has started to return to the way it was before the coronavirus. Shopping malls are now open and Arizonans are happy to wait in line outside stores, which are limiting their capacity.
While restaurants are supposed to enforce social distancing, regulars at some hot spots have been crowding their favorite bars at happy hour. The bartenders and servers wearing masks are the only indicators that times have changed.
Some of that nightlife has drawn national scrutiny. Last month, boxer Floyd Mayweather was spotted in a video posted by TMZ partying in the International Boutique Nightclub in Scottsdale, Arizona. International Boutique did not immediately return a request for comment.
Some business owners say they feel conflicted about operating in the midst of the pandemic and with what they describe as unclear guidance.
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We have been there for 25 years and have seen a lot, so we werent in any rush before we had a good handle on how we could do that safely, Alexander said. Sometimes between the state and the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], it feels like there has been conflicting information.
Bar Smith, a nightclub in Phoenix, reopened after Memorial Day weekend at a reduced capacity, but owner Sean Badger isnt entirely thrilled about it.
I am in business begrudgingly at this moment. It has been weird, Badger, who also DJs on the roof of his bar, said.
When Ducey opened up the state, Badger said the pressure returned to get back on schedule paying bills, such as rent and utilities. Badger doesnt fault his landlord, who he knows relies on his rent money.
I am just trying to make enough money to keep my landlord from evicting me. Im not making a profit, he said. It feels s----- to risk my life to go try and make some money.
At the same time, he understands and appreciates why people feel the need to go out and socialize. Some people also show up with masks, Badger said, but after having a few drinks or seeing a friend, they cant help but get close to others.
These are people who are still going to house parties and pool parties. If they werent coming to me, theyd be going somewhere else, he said. They want to live their life.
On Wednesday, Ducey, who has been criticized for reopening the state too early and for not issuing a statewide mask policy, said he would allow mayors to make a decision for their cities.
The Phoenix City Council voted 7-2 on Friday to require people to wear face coverings in public. Mayor Kate Gallego has been encouraging residents to wear masks, even tweeting a selfie of herself wearing a covering. Scottsdale, Tempe and Tucson are among the cities that will require people to wear masks in public, with some exceptions such as when theyre eating or drinking. However, its unclear how enforceable those mandates will be in nightclubs where booze flows freely and people are busy on the dance floor.
While some businesses, such as grocery stores, have featured signs at their entrances throughout the pandemic detailing CDC guidelines and encouraging the use of masks, new reminders began cropping up this week as cases in Arizona continue to spike.
At Einstein Bros. Bagels in Tempe, new signs were placed on the entrance at the start of the week encouraging customers to wear masks. At the register, customers are encouraged to place their payment in a plastic basket, that way they dont have to hand it directly to a cashier. The dining room is closed, but people are still welcome to eat at outside tables.
Karen Pea, who was at Einsteins on Thursday morning, said she started wearing a mask because she is concerned about Arizonas curve rising.
Ive noticed a real change in the past week as the numbers have gotten worse, she said. Right now, it seems to be about 50-50 wherever I go, but I feel like people are starting to get the message.
Sarah Miranda, who lives in Phoenix, said she wishes more people would wear masks. Shes been very careful about where she goes because she wants to protect her 75-year-old grandmother.
When I go out in public, I do see people not wearing masks and I think it is dangerous and selfish for these folks to not do their part to flatten the curve, she said.
The issue of reopening has created a difficult line to walk for club owners and their staff in a state that ready or not is roaring back to life, but has also become a coronavirus hot spot.
I dont want people dying of broken spirits any more than the disease, Badger said. Even if they just pop in for 30 minutes and listen to some music, it might be enough to get them through the next few weeks.
Some businesses have decided it's not worth trying to remain open as coronavirus cases surge. On Friday, Apple announced it will temporarily close six of its stores in the state.
The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating, with Thursday's 150,000 new cases the highest in a single day and nearly half of those in the Americas, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
"The world is in a new and dangerous phase," Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from WHO headquarters in Geneva. "The virus is still spreading fast, it is still deadly, and most people are still susceptible."
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More than 8.53 million people have been reported infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 453,834 have died, a Reuters tally showed as of 13:26 GMT on Friday.
Tedros, whose leadership of the WHO has been severely criticized by U.S. President Donald Trump, urged people to maintain social distancing and "extreme vigilance."
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As well as the Americas, a large number of new cases were coming from South Asia and the Middle East, Tedros added.
WHO emergencies expert Mike Ryan drew attention to the situation in Brazil, where he said there had been 1,230 additional COVID-19 deaths in the previous 24 hours.
About 12 percent of infections in Brazil involved healthcare workers, he added, praising their bravery.
Brazil has the world's worst outbreak outside the United States, with 978,142 confirmed cases and 47,748 deaths.
With many nations easing restrictions but fearful of a second wave of infections, Ryan urged a gradual and scientific approach.
"Exiting lockdowns must be done carefully, in a step-wise manner, and must be driven by the data," he said. "If don't know where it is the chances are the virus will surprise you."
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Ryan said the resurgence of new clusters did not necessarily mean a second wave, while "second peaks" were also possible in one wave. The emergencies expert praised Germany, China and South Korea for their handling of the pandemic.
With trials underway around the world to find medicines and a vaccine for COVID-19, WHO officials warned that large-scale testing would be needed with side-effects carefully monitored.
"Although it is not impossible to find a vaccine ... it's going to be a very difficult journey," Tedros said.
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Some cities, such as Washington, D.C. are offering free coronavirus testing for people who've attended protests. Where free tests aren't available, some people may find insurance refuses to cover precautionary testing. Carolyn Kaster/AP hide caption
Some cities, such as Washington, D.C. are offering free coronavirus testing for people who've attended protests. Where free tests aren't available, some people may find insurance refuses to cover precautionary testing.
In the wake of the massive turnout at anti-racism demonstrations around the country, public health officials are encouraging protesters to get tested for the coronavirus. As purely precautionary testing has become more common, some insurance companies are arguing they can't just pay for everyone who's concerned about their risk to get tested.
Lynne Cushing of Nashville, Tenn., says she had been pretty strict about social distancing until the recent protests, which she felt compelled to attend.
"I had hoped to kind of stay on the edge or the periphery a little bit," she says. "But I didn't think about the fact that everyone's going to be chanting. There's going to be all this forced air coming out of people at the demonstration."
So a few days after marching in her mask, she went to a curbside clinic for a COVID-19 test. Cushing knew health plans had to cover the test and can't even charge a co-pay.
"Because I have health insurance, I'm lucky in that regard," she says.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed by Congress requires health plans to fully pay for testing deemed "medically necessary." But as testing expands enough to allow people without symptoms to be tested, a gray area is beginning to appear.
The coverage mandate can be up to interpretation.
"This is a very live and active debate right now," says health policy research professor Sabrina Corlette of Georgetown University.
"That requirement may only apply if you've been referred for a test by a health care professional after presenting with symptoms of the disease," she says.
The guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says full coverage is required "when medically appropriate for the individual, as determined by the individual's attending health care provider in accordance with accepted standards of current medical practice."
Health plans have been erring on the side of paying the full cost, though hospitals have reported some self-funded plans trying to impose co-pays and deductibles. But the nation's largest insurer, UnitedHealthcare, makes the same distinction, that full coverage does require a test to be deemed medically necessary.
The concern is that an open-ended commitment to pay for testing would lead to runaway costs for health plans.
"These are some very big numbers that we're looking at," says Kristine Grow, spokesperson for America's Health Insurance Plans.
The tradegroup just funded a study that estimates the cost of all the precautionary testing needed over the next year both related to the workplace and public health surveillance programs.
What worries health plans is that employers may may start to institute testing requirements for everyone returning to work. AHIP projects it could cost health plans $25 billion a year if the government doesn't step in to defray the cost. And testing for antibodies could approach $19 billion.
Health plans also anticipate a rise in opportunistic providers that could be offering fraudulent or unproven tests, including for coronavirus antibodies.
"That's why we think it's very important to approach testing with a very strategic approach, one that's based on science, and has very clear direction on who gets tested, how often, what that test result means, how we take action and where the funding comes from," Grow says.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued guidance saying employers can legally require testing. Still, most businesses aren't taking their coronavirus precautions that far. Employment attorneys say they're settling for temperature checks and questionnaires about symptoms and exposures.
But at least one industry is already staring down this dilemma of who pays long-term care. Nursing home staffers in many states are required to be tested every week. In New York, it's twice a week, and health plans are beginning to balk.
One-time testing wouldn't be that big of an expense, though even that would add up across hundreds of employees at roughly $100 per test.
"It also adds up for the number of times," says Christine Thelen, a lawyer with the firm Lane Powell in Portland who represents nursing home companies. "You take a COVID-19 test today, but that doesn't mean that three days from now I don't test positive, because it's a point-in-time test."
Still, Thelen says she's advising clients that no worker should be asked to pay their own way.
"I think employers need to pay for it," she says.
Public health researchers emphasize the importance of regularly testing nursing home residents and employees, as well as other asymptomatic, but high-risk people, and making testing available to people who may have been exposed at events like protests. This can help catch undetected disease and stop it from spreading in a community.
Many cities are offering to fund the precautionary tests for people who've attended protests. Still these free tests aren't available everywhere and since most states are not yet paying for testing (though Tennessee is) many people are left relying on their private insurance.
Lynne Cushing was right to be worried. She tested positive after the march she attended, though she says she knew the risk and considered it worth taking
"I don't regret it," she says.
She never developed symptoms, and her health plan seems to have covered the full cost.
But the friends she marched with also decided they needed to get tested. And thousands more were encouraged to do the same. And that same situation is playing out in dozens of cities across the country.
This story is part of a reporting partnership that includes WPLN, NPR and Kaiser Health News.
Editor's note: The radio version of this story incorrectly said Lynne Cushing got tested the next day after the march. In fact, she was tested a few days after the protest to account for the incubation period.
Its a question that has haunted scientists since the pandemic began: Does everyone infected with the virus produce antibodies and if so, how long do they last?
Not very long, suggests a new study published Thursday in Nature Medicine. Antibodies protective proteins made in response to an infection may last only two to three months, especially in people who never showed symptoms while they were infected.
The conclusion does not necessarily mean that these people can be infected a second time, several experts cautioned. Even low levels of powerful neutralizing antibodies may still be protective, as are the immune systems T cells and B cells.
But the results offer a strong note of caution against the idea of immunity certificates for people who have recovered from the illness, the authors suggested.
Antibodies to other coronaviruses, including those that cause SARS and MERS, are thought to last about a year. Scientists had hoped that antibodies to the new virus might last at least as long.
Several studies have now shown that most people who are visibly ill with Covid-19 develop antibodies to the virus, although it has been unclear how long those antibodies last. The new study is the first to characterize the immune response in asymptomatic people.
The researchers compared 37 asymptomatic people to an equal number who had symptoms in the Wanzhou District of China. The investigators found that asymptomatic people mount a weaker response to the virus than those who develop symptoms.
Antibody levels fell to undetectable levels in 40 percent of asymptomatic people, compared with just 13 percent of symptomatic people.
The sample size is small, however, and the researchers did not take into account protection offered by immune cells that may fight the virus on their own or make new antibodies when the virus invades. A few studies have shown that the coronavirus stimulates a robust and protective cellular immune response.
Most people are generally not aware of T cell immunity, and so much of the conversation has focused on antibody levels, said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University.
Apart from T cells, which can kill the virus on encounter, people who have been infected make so-called memory B cells, which can rapidly ramp up antibody production when needed.
If they find the virus again, they remember and start to make antibodies very, very quickly, said Florian Krammer, a virologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who has led several studies of antibodies to the coronavirus.
In the new study, antibodies to one viral protein dropped below detectable levels. But a second set of antibodies targeting the so-called spike protein of the coronavirus needed to neutralize the virus and prevent reinfection were still present.
In fact, these antibodies seemed to show a smaller decline in asymptomatic people than in symptomatic people. The neutralizing antibody is what matters, and that tells a very different story, Dr. Krammer said.
Updated June 16, 2020
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who dont typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the countrys largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was very rare, but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus whether its surface transmission or close human contact is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nations job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.
States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you arent being told to stay at home, its still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people dont need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks dont replace hand washing and social distancing.
If youve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
A second paper, published on Thursday in the journal Nature, suggests that even low levels of antibodies might be enough to thwart the virus. It does appear that even low levels of certain antibodies have potent neutralizing capability, said Dr. Rasmussen, the Columbia University virologist. Low antibody titers dont necessarily determine whether a patient will be protected from reinfection.
Between 20 and 50 percent of those infected may never show outward signs of the illness. The new study from China, which tracked people over time to confirm that they never developed symptoms, put that number at 20 percent.
About a third of the asymptomatic people had the ground-glass opacities characteristic of Covid-19 and abnormalities in the lungs and in cell types, however.
The study also found that asymptomatic people shed virus when infected, and did so for longer than those who had symptoms. That finding is interesting because it actually might suggest that these asymptomatic patients are indeed capable of transmitting virus, Dr. Rasmussen said.
But she and other experts noted that its unclear whether the virus shed by asymptomatic people is capable of infecting others. It is important to know if they are shedding infectious virus, or just remnants of the virus, said Akiko Iwasaki, a viral immunologist at Yale University.
Dr. Iwasaki was more concerned than the other experts about the two new studies.
These reports highlight the need to develop strong vaccines, because immunity that develops naturally during infection is suboptimal and short-lived in most people, she said. We cannot rely on natural infection to achieve herd immunity.
Each week, we answer "frequently asked questions" about life during the coronavirus crisis. And we ask readers to send in their queries. Some of the questions we get are a little ... unusual. They may not be the most critical health questions. Yet they are definitely interesting. So this week, here is a sampling of both frequently and infrequently asked questions. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
Is it safe for a repair person to work in my home?
When it comes to bringing home a repairperson, it's essential to weigh the need for the fix against the potential transmission risk.
"It all depends on how urgent they think the repair is needed," says Dr. Mark Kortepeter, professor of epidemiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health.
"Everything we do has to be a risk-benefit calculation, and I wouldn't stop a necessary repair if it's really needed just like I wouldn't stop going to the grocery store."
Some repairs can be really necessary for the comfort and safety of your home life, Kortepeter says and if that's the case, he says there are things you can do to ensure the risk of spreading the virus is low as it can be.
To limit particle exchange with the service worker, ask them to do the usual things: wear a mask, take off their shoes and use hand sanitizer before they begin working. For your own protection and theirs, everyone in your family should also wear a mask for the duration of time they're doing work in your house, he says.
While they're working, it's a good idea to stay out of the room until they're done with the job, and disinfect the area in addition to any doorknobs or surfaces the repairperson may have touched during their visit. If they ask to use your bathroom, it can be awkward to say no, so Kortepeter says to just try not to enter right after they've flushed.
For extra caution, Harvard Medical School physician Dr. Abraar Karan also recommends calling the repair company in advance to inquire if it screens workers for COVID symptoms and potential virus exposures.
You should also consider who is at home, says Karan. If there's a high-risk, immunocompromised family member, consider postponing the repair or avoiding that individual's contact with the technician as much as possible by keeping them in another room.
New research shows that flushing a toilet can release lingering clouds of coronavirus particles found in fecal matter into the air. What risk do these 'toilet plumes' pose for infection?
Right now, scientists aren't exactly sure how significant the risk of flushing is when it comes to getting infected with COVID-19, explains Kortepeter. But there are still some bathroom hygiene measures you should take in the short run to minimize the potential chance of transmission.
Though viral coronavirus particles have been detected in fecal matter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it's "unclear whether the virus found in feces may be capable of causing COVID-19." And, "while [scientists] have detected lingering SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air samples above toilets, [they] have not grown virus from these samples in culture to see if viable virus could be isolated," explains Karan in an email to NPR. "[And that's] the important question for transmission risk."
Though it hasn't been documented, Kortepeter says he could imagine a few ways toilet plumes could potentially lead to infection. Aerosolized coronavirus particles may linger in the air after a flush, which could be inhaled by a later toilet user. Or, he hypothesizes, heavier droplets could "settle" on surfaces say a toilet seat, the floor or metal canisters holding toilet paper. These particles could later be picked up by touch and ingested orally, causing infection.
But these are only educated guesses, says Kortepeter. And it's still not clear what the toilet to person transmission risk looks like or how significant it is.
In the meantime, doctors suggest taking precautionary steps in the immediate future to minimize the chance of virus spread from flush plumes especially if you're using a public restroom or a bathroom that isn't yours. One tip from Kortepeter is to close the lid of the toilet before flushing to limit the amount of fecal particles pushed into the air from the pressure of the flush. He also recommends wearing a mask to minimize droplet inhalation and washing your hands with soap and water after using the restroom to kill any viral particles you may have picked up.
And, he adds, "minimize the amount of time you're in the restroom," Kortepeter says. "Choose a stall that hasn't just been vacated before you, or wait a minute."
Finally, if you're living with someone who's been infected and have multiple bathrooms in your home, Kortepeter suggests confining them to just one toilet to minimize the risk of transmission. For those with just one bathroom, it's a good idea to follow the above guidelines regarding mask-wearing, washing hands and closing the lid when flushing to avoid potential transmission from plumes.
Is it OK to go to the salon again for services such as manicures, pedicures or massages?
When it comes to salon services, researchers say there's a few things you should consider. But the biggest question to ask yourself about moving forward with a particular procedure: Do you really need it?
"Any face to face contact, especially extended, needs to be done with a mask on, ideally by both parties," says Karan. "Again, masks are not perfect so I would probably avoid hour-long massages right now as that is quite prolonged close contact in the same room and the masseuse is probably having close contact with many other people throughout the day."
If you're going to get a manicure/pedicure, Kortepeter says you could try going to the salon at times of the day when it's less crowded. Or consider only getting one procedure at a time to minimize the length of time you're in contact with others.
Asked whether some salon services are riskier than others, Kortepeter says the danger increases based on the contact time and the number of people in the facility. These are ultimately risks you have to weigh for yourself, he says.
Is it a good idea to spray myself with disinfectant?
The answer here is decisively no. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned against it this week.
"Disinfectant is for surfaces, not for skin," says Kortepeter. "The main place that needs to be cleaned after being out and about is your hands, and you can do that simply by washing them. What you don't want to do is put potentially toxic substances on your skin it can cause skin burns and injury."
Spraying yourself with disinfectant won't reduce your risk of infection, Kortepeter says. But it does carry the risk of causing harm to your skin and eyes.
"I would say, use that money to instead buy a mask," says Karan. "And wear it."
Sheriff Lamb, a Republican who is up for election in November and is running unopposed, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday night that he believed he was infected at a campaign event on Saturday. Videos posted on YouTube by Pinal Central, a local news organization, showed Sheriff Lamb without a face mask and hugging and shaking hands with supporters under a tent in a parking lot, as hundreds of people lined up holding campaign signs.
In the interview, he walked back the assertion that the gathering was a campaign event.
That was a come and pick up a yard sign event, Sheriff Lamb said. More people showed up than I anticipated.
Asked if he thought those people may also have been exposed to the virus, Sheriff Lamb said the people came to the event on their own free will.
I think everybody understands we are all putting ourselves at risk, he said.
He said he would self-quarantine for two weeks as the health authorities traced people he had been in recent contact with. He said he did not think he got close enough to other people while renting his car to put them at risk.
He said he was taking precautionary measures during his drive back to Arizona.
I wear my mask, I stay away from people, he said. I use the sanitizer to clean the gas pump and everything.
Updated June 16, 2020
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who dont typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the countrys largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was very rare, but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus whether its surface transmission or close human contact is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nations job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.
States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you arent being told to stay at home, its still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people dont need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks dont replace hand washing and social distancing.
If youve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
This spring, amid a backlash to stay-at-home orders nationwide, some protesters, businesses and church leaders defied the measures.
All 50 states have now begun to reopen. Arizonas stay-at-home order expired on May 15.
More than a month later, Arizona is seeing a sharp spike in coronavirus cases, prompting Gov. Ducey to take a stronger stance and allow local governments to require that their residents wear face masks. Previously, the state had only recommended that people wear masks, and localities were precluded from drafting more restrictive rules.
