Written by Steven Hansen
The U.S. new cases 7-day rolling average is 2.7 % HIGHER than the 7-day rolling average one week ago. U.S. deaths due to coronavirus are now 0.6 % LOWER than the rolling average one week ago. At the end of this post is a set of interactive graphs and tables for the world and individual States – as well as today’s headlines which include;
- Record one-day increase in global coronavirus cases led by a surge of infections in Europe
- U.S. Could Reach Herd Immunity with 47 Percent Infection Rate
- 5 things to know about a COVID vaccine: It won’t be a “magic wand”
- India’s drug authority denies permission for phase III trials for Sputnik-V vaccine
- How America should redefine its national security after pandemic
- Coronavirus in Africa: Five reasons why Covid-19 has been less deadly than elsewhere
- ‘Pandemic fatigue’ presents a challenge in areas scrambling to avert a second wave
- U.S. expects over 1 million COVID-19 antibody doses from Regeneron, Lilly in 2020
- Trial Testing Hyperimmune Intravenous Immunoglobulin Plus Remdesivir to Treat COVID-19 Begins
- Trump is said to delay returning to the trail until next week
The recent worsening of the trendlines for new cases should be attributed to going back to school (especially at college/university level) and continued loosening of regulations designed to slow the coronavirus spread.
My continuing advice is to continue to wash your hands, wear masks, and maintain social distancing. No handwashing, mask, or social distancing will guarantee you do not get infected – but it sure as hell lowers the risk in all situations – and evidence to-date shows a lower severity of COVID-19. In addition, certain activities are believed to carry a higher risk – like being inside in air conditioning and removing your mask (such as restaurants, around your children/grandchildren, bars, and gyms). It is all about viral load – and outdoor activities are generally very safe.
The daily number of new cases in the U.S. is remaining stubbornly and embarrassedly high.
The following graphs show the 7-day rolling average for new coronavirus cases and deaths have been updated through 09 October 2020:
z coronavirus.png
Coronavirus Statistics For 09 October 2020 |
| U.S. Only | Global | U.S Percentage of Total | ||||
| Today*** | Cumulative | Today*** | Cumulative | Today | Cumulative | |
| New Confirmed Cases | 46,968 | 7,610,000 | 315,973 | 36,580,000 | 14.9% | 20.8% |
| Deaths** | 972 | 212,773 | 8,859 | 1,060,000 | 11.0% | 20.1% |
| Mortality Rate | 2.1% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.9% | ||
total COVID-19 Tests per 1,000 people | 1.80* | 364.57* | ||||
* as of 04 Oct 2020
** evidently several States included “probable” deaths today in the number
*** red color indicates record number
Coronavirus News You May Have Missed
Chile scientists study potential coronavirus mutation in remote Patagonia – Reuters
Scientists in Chile are investigating a possible mutation of the novel coronavirus in southern Patagonia, a far-flung region near the tip of the South American continent that has seen an unusually contagious second wave of infections in recent weeks.
Dr. Marcelo Navarrete of the University of Magallanes told Reuters in an interview that researchers had detected “structural changes” in the spikes on the distinctive, crown-shaped virus. He said research is underway to better understand the potential mutation and its effects on humans.
“The only thing we know to date is that this coincides in time and space with a second wave that is quite intense in the region,” Navarrete said.
The Magallanes region of Chile is largely a remote, glacier-strewn wilderness dotted with small towns and the regional hub Punta Arenas, which has seen cases of COVID-19 spike in September and October following a first wave earlier this year.
… Other studies outside Chile have also indicated that the coronavirus can evolve as it adapts to its human hosts.
A preliminary study that analyzed the virus’ structure following two waves of infection in the U.S. city of Houston found that a more contagious strain dominated recent samples.
U.S. expects over 1 million COVID-19 antibody doses from Regeneron, Lilly in 2020 – Reuters
The U.S. government expects to be able to provide at no cost more than 1 million doses of antibody treatments for COVID-19 similar to the one President Donald Trump received to treat his illness, according to a top U.S. health official on Friday.
The government’s Operation Warp Speed program currently has “a couple of hundred thousand doses” of the monoclonal antibody treatments being developed by drugmakers Regeneron Pharmaceutical Inc REGN.O and Eli Lilly & Co LLY.N, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services official Paul Mango said on a call with reporters. That would top 1 million doses by the end of the year, he said.
Trump received Regeneron’s treatment last week. In a radio interview with Rush Limbaugh on Friday, Trump said he is working to get both drugs approved quickly and that he may not have recovered without the treatments he received.
Both companies have said the drugs were shown to work in clinical trials and that they have submitted an emergency use authorization to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
[editor’s note: Monoclonal antibody treatments like the one President Donald Trump received is likely the way to go to treat COVID-19]
5 things to know about a COVID vaccine: It won’t be a “magic wand” – Salon
President Donald Trump makes no secret he would like a COVID-19 vaccine to be available before the election. But it’s doubtful that will happen and, even after a vaccine wins FDA approval, there would be a long wait before it’s time to declare victory over the virus.
Dozens of vaccine candidates are in various testing stages around the world, with 11 in the last stage of preapproval clinical trials — including four in the U.S. One or more may prove safe and effective and enter the market in the coming months. What then?
- A vaccine is vital in fighting the virus, but it won’t be a quick pass back to our old lives.
- After vaccines gain approval, the real-world evaluation ensues.
- After a vaccine is approved, you still may need to wait awhile to get your shot.
- So don’t throw out your masks yet.
- What if I don’t want to get vaccinated?
Coronavirus in Africa: Five reasons why Covid-19 has been less deadly than elsewhere – BBC
Africa has recorded about 37,000 deaths, compared with roughly 580,000 in the Americas, 230,000 in Europe, and 205,000 in Asia.
“The case-fatality ratio (CFR) for Covid-19 in Africa is lower than the global CFR, suggesting the outcomes have been less severe among African populations,” noted a recent continental study by Partnership for Evidence-based Response to Covid-19 (PERC), which brings together a number of private and public organisations.
Low testing rates continue to undermine the continental response however, there is no indication that a large number of Covid-19 deaths have been missed, said Dr John Nkengasong, the head of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
So what are some of the reasons for Africa’s relatively low death rate?
- Quick action
- Public support
- Young population – and few old-age homes
- Favourable climate
- Good community health systems
A clinical trial to test the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a combination treatment regimen for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) consisting of the antiviral remdesivir plus a highly concentrated solution of antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has begun. The study is taking place in hospitalized adults with COVID-19 in the United States, Mexico and 16 other countries on five continents. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring and funding the Phase 3 trial, called Inpatient Treatment with Anti-Coronavirus Immunoglobulin, or ITAC.
The antibody solution being tested in the ITAC trial is anti-coronavirus hyperimmune intravenous immunoglobulin, or hIVIG. The antibodies in anti-coronavirus hIVIG come from the liquid portion of blood, or plasma, donated by healthy people who have recovered from COVID-19. These antibodies are highly purified and concentrated so that the anti-coronavirus hIVIG consistently contains several times more SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies than typically found in the plasma of people who have recovered from COVID-19.
India’s drug authority denies permission for phase III trials for Sputnik-V vaccine – Deccan Herald
Rejecting a proposal to conduct a direct phase-3 clinical trial of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, Indian drug regulator has advised the promoters of the vaccine to carry out a phase-2 trial on Indian subjects first to check the vaccine’s immune response before going ahead with a larger phase-3 study. Track this blog to get updates of the latest trial outcomes of Covid-19 vaccines across the globe and news about the leading pharmaceutical companies in the Covid-19 vaccine race.
Covid antibody treatments on track for FDA authorization, but are they a cure? – NBC
In the past 24 hours, two drugmakers have asked the Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorizations for their experimental antibody therapies for Covid-19.
Currently, patients must be in clinical trials for the chance to get those potentially beneficial drugs. An EUA would broaden availability to patients who are not enrolled in such studies — as was the case with President Donald Trump.
The announcements from drug manufacturers Regeneron and Eli Lilly came within hours of Trump making public pleas to drum up support and enthusiasm for the medicines — referring to the antibodies as a “cure,” despite a lack of evidence backing up such a claim.
The president, who received Regeneron’s antibody therapy last week as part of his overall treatment for Covid-19, touted the drug (as well as Eli Lilly’s similar therapy) in video messages posted on Twitter on Wednesday and Thursday.
… Monoclonal antibodies are lab-manufactured antibodies, meant to mimic the body’s immune response and help prevent the virus from replicating.
It is impossible to know which, if any, of the multiple drugs the president received while hospitalized with Covid-19 helped. Doctors also gave Trump the antiviral drug remdesivir and a steroid called dexamethasone.
Even ‘mild’ Covid-19 can be a lengthy, challenging illness – CNN
All coronavirus infections start mild, doctors say, and the majority — about 80% — stay that way.
Mild infection, though, is a broad description that captures a number of possible symptoms. And with Covid-19, even a mild case can be lengthy and uncomfortable.
Mild symptoms of Covid-19 can include fever, cough, sore throat, malaise, headache, muscle pain, congestion or runny nose, loss of taste or smell, and diarrhea, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
… “You generally don’t have shortness of breath, you don’t have an abnormal chest X-rays or just imaging,” Walensky said. ” … So, it’s people who said, ‘You know, I bet you’re unwell, why don’t you stay home. Sounds like you can be safely cared for at home.’ That’s mild, mild illness.”
There are asymptomatic cases of Covid-19, where people have no symptoms, or symptoms so mild they’re unrecognizable. But people who are asymptomatic when they test positive may still develop symptoms in the days ahead — and they can still spread the virus.
“If you’re diagnosed with Covid, you’re told go home, stay there and don’t bother coming to the hospital until you start having shortness of breath,” Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease expert at Emory School of Medicine, told CNN.
“They don’t have shortness of breath,” del Rio said of people with mild illness — but they should monitor their oxygen levels for any indication that they could be progressing to a more severe form of the disease.
“The great majority of people with mild (symptoms), stay as mild,” del Rio added.
Mild may not be easy, though. Some patients experience Covid-19 symptoms long after they would expect to feel better, and even after they’ve stop testing positive for it.
[editor’s note: this is a good post to read entirely]
U.S. Could Reach Herd Immunity with 47 Percent Infection Rate, Study Finds – Newsweek
The United States could reach herd immunity against coronavirus when only around 47 percent of the population has been infected, a team of scientists has estimated.
In a pre-print study—one that has not been peer-reviewed—scientists found that the level of herd immunity the nation requires to emerge from the pandemic could well be significantly lower than frequently cited “classical” estimates of 60 percent or higher.
Scientists from the research arm of UnitedHealth Group—an American health care company based in Minnesota—wanted to understand what levels of herd immunity are required during the COVID-19 pandemic given that populations do not mix homogeneously. This means people only interact within a small circle of close contacts.
To do this, scientists used data from counties across the U.S. to run computer simulations of how the pandemic will play out up until its end point. They found that necessary levels of herd immunity vary greatly from county to county, but a population weighted average for the United States suggests this threshold could be reached when 47.5 percent of the country’s population has been infected.
How America should redefine its national security after pandemic – The Hill
Americans accept the need to invest a substantial part of our national income on defense to keep our country safe, but we have not been safe against a pandemic. Even with a vast national security budget, we have neglected public health investments that could have made our country much more secure against the risks of a new contagious disease like the coronavirus. The devastating cost of this pandemic is a warning against identifying national security only with military defense.
The United States needs a broader definition of national security if we are to be better prepared for the next challenge. National security spending should include any public investments that can reduce the likelihood and potential cost of any risks that could involve devastating damage to our country. Even when the probability of such catastrophic risks is low, it could be worth spending money to make it even lower.
For the risks of a pandemic, we could have invested in a manufacturing capability for emergency production of personal protective equipment and medical test kits, which would have been at least as valuable for our national security this year as any missiles and warships. The next deadly disease could emerge in a less developed country, and Americans would be safer if we had our mobile medical reserve corps ready to deploy and contain the initial outbreak. From this view, a withdrawal from the World Health Organization marks a step in the wrong direction.
[editor’s note: this is a think piece]
‘Pandemic fatigue’ presents a challenge in areas scrambling to avert a second wave. – New York Times
Some areas around the world that were devastated by the coronavirus in the spring — and are now tightening rules to head off a second wave — are facing resistance from residents who are exhausted, confused and frustrated.
In both Western Europe and the northeastern United States, governments were able to dramatically reduce cases with broad measures that were effective but economically bruising. Now, as cases surge, officials are seeking more targeted closures, trying to thread a narrowing course between keeping the virus in check and what their publics and economies will bear.
“It is going to be a lot more difficult this time,” said Professor Cornelia Betsch, Heisenberg-Professor of Health Communication at Erfurt University, in Germany, citing “pandemic fatigue.”
France has placed cities on “maximum alert” and ordered many of them to close all bars, gyms and sports centers on Saturday. Italy and Poland have expanded their mask wearing rules. The Czech Republic has declared a state of emergency, and German officials fear new outbreaks could soon grow beyond the control of their vaunted testing and tracing abilities.
Similar dynamics are afoot across the Atlantic. In Boston, plans to bring children back to school have been halted as cases climb precariously. New virus clusters are emerging in Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. In New York City, the number of new cases each day now averages more than 500 for the first time since June, and rising rates of positive tests have alarmed health experts. Strict rules have been put in place in some neighborhoods as well as in the city’s northern suburbs.
Anticoagulation for Sickest COVID-19 Patients: Tread Carefully – MedPage
COVID-19 patients without overt venous thromboembolism (VTE) should receive anticoagulation in the hospital but only at relatively low doses, according to American Society of Hematology (ASH) draft guidance.
ASH endorsed prophylactic-intensity anticoagulation — not intermediate- or therapeutic-intensity — to prevent clotting in COVID-19 patients who are acutely or critically ill.
This conditional recommendation was based on very low certainty in the evidence about the effects of anticoagulation in affected patients, the guideline panel acknowledged.
But that may change in the near future, as there are currently 20 or so global randomized trials studying the question of anticoagulation dosing for primary thromboprophylaxis in sick, hospitalized COVID-19 patients, according to Alex Spyropoulos, MD, of Northwell Health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, who was not involved with the group.
A pilot randomized trial, HESACOVID, recently suggested that therapeutic-level dosing of enoxaparin (Lovenox) improved respiratory outcomes in severe COVID-19.
Trump is said to delay returning to the trail until next week. Health experts had been concerned about a weekend rally. – New York Times
President Trump was not expected to return to the campaign trail until next week, Monday at the earliest, according to an aide with knowledge of the situation. On Thursday, he had said that he had hoped to attend a rally in Florida on Saturday, which would be just nine days after he tested positive for the virus.
As of Friday morning, aides had successfully argued against Mr. Trump doing events outside the White House this weekend.
Health experts had bristled at the notion that Mr. Trump would be healthy enough to return to the campaign trail this weekend, arguing that, out of an abundance of caution, he should stay in isolation for up to 20 days. Such a recommendation, intended to protect both the president and those who might be in close contact with him, could keep Mr. Trump out of the public sphere for at least another week.
Trump says he’s ready for rallies but details slim on health – AP
President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that he is ready to resume campaign rallies and feels “perfect” one week after his diagnosis with the coronavirus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans, as his doctor said the president had “completed his course of therapy” for the disease.
The president has not been seen in public — other than in White House-produced videos — since his Monday return from the military hospital where he received experimental treatments for the virus. On Thursday, his physician, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, said in a memo that Trump would be able to safely “return to public engagements” on Saturday, as the president tries to shift his focus to the election that’s less than four weeks away, with millions of Americans already casting ballots.
While Trump said he believes he’s no longer contagious, concerns about infection appeared to scuttle plans for next week’s presidential debate.
“I’m feeling good. Really good. I think perfect,” Trump said during a telephone interview with Fox Business, his first since he was released from a three-day hospital stay Monday. “I think I’m better to the point where I’d love to do a rally tonight,” Trump said. He added, “I don’t think I’m contagious at all.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says individuals can discontinue isolation 10 days after the onset of symptoms, which for Trump was Oct. 1, according to his doctors. Conley said that meant Trump, who has been surrounded by minimal staffing as he works out of the White House residence and the Oval Office, could return to holding events on Saturday.
Trump coughs during his call-in interview on Hannity but says he’s feeling ‘really good’ – Business Insider
- President Donald Trump interrupted himself during a call-in interview on Fox News on Thursday night to clear his throat to the point of a stifled cough.
- The host Sean Hannity did not acknowledge the moment and kept the interview moving.
- Hannity did ask Trump how he was doing following his discharge from the hospital with COVID-19, and Trump said he was feeling “really great.”
- Trump also announced plans to hold a rally “probably in Florida” on Saturday night and said he would get “the test” for the coronavirus on Friday to see whether he’s negative.
- The president cleared his throat later in the interview when talking about absentee ballots.
What caused Mike Pence’s bloody eye – Politico
Vice President Mike Pence ignited speculation about his health when he arrived at the only vice presidential debate Wednesday night with a bloody left eye, but a senior administration official on Thursday said there’s no reason to be concerned.
White House doctors have cleared the vice president of a conjunctivitis infection, commonly known as pink eye, and believe Pence suffered from a broken blood vessel instead, according to the official.
Progressive activists and the prominent conservative news aggregator Matt Drudge were quick to seize on Pence’s abnormally bloodshot appearance as he sparred with Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris at the University of Utah. On Wednesday night and throughout Thursday morning, the lead headline on Drudge Report, a popular conservative news portal, read “PENCE BLOODY EYE RAISES ALARMS” and was accompanied by a close-up image of the vice president’s face.
[editor’s note: As a bloody eye is a usual symptom of COVID-19, I included this in today’s and yesterday’s article. At this point, I do not believe the Vice-President is covering anything up. You may want to read: Vice President Mike Pence postpones Friday appearance to vote in Indianapolis]
The following are foreign headlines with hyperlinks to the posts
Spain invokes state of emergency for Madrid lockdown
China Joins WHO-Led Global Coronavirus Vaccine Effort, As U.S. Sits It Out
EU’s Potential COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Top a Billion With J&J Deal
Eli Lilly in Deal to Supply COVID-19 Drugs to Low-income Countries
WHO Reports Record One-Day Rise in Global Coronavirus Cases Amid European Outbreak
U.K. Government Expands Wage Subsidies to Help Businesses Hit by COVID
Most of Cuba reopens to international tourists, but Havana remains off-limits.
Italy records highest daily Covid-19 increase since end of March
The following are additional national and state headlines with hyperlinks to the posts
Trump suggests he may have contracted coronavirus from Gold Star families
New Hampshire health officials are investigating a COVID-19 outbreak linked to a two-day prayer session at a Nashua church.
Former NJ Gov. Chris Christie Still In Hospital After Contracting Covid-19
Top White House aide hosted lavish Atlanta wedding in May despite virus restrictions
Broadway’s Reopening Is Pushed Back Again
Fauci Says ‘Reasonably Good Chance’ Regeneron Antibody Therapy Helped Trump
Utah COVID Cases Rise, University Hospital ICU at 95 Percent Capacity
Pennsylvania COVID Cases Soar With Highest Daily Rise since April
Fauci: Social Media Has Impacted Pandemic ‘More Negatively Than Positively’
Two more White House residence staff members are said to have previously tested positive.
There have been at least 178,000 virus cases on U.S. college campuses since the pandemic began.
Microsoft told employees this week that it will change its remote work policy to a “hybrid” model once it’s safe to return to the office.
The White House plans to increase its coronavirus relief offer to $1.8 trillion as it scrambles to craft a relief deal with Democrats.
Mortgage bailouts fall below 3 million for the first time since April
Gilead Sciences Chief Executive Daniel O’Day said the company will have enough global supply of its coronavirus treatment remdesivir by the end of the month.
Supreme Court to hold phone hearings for rest of 2020 because of coronavirus
3 members of Louisiana governor’s staff quarantined
Today’s Posts On Econintersect Showing Impact Of The Pandemic With Hyperlinks
02 October 2020 ECRI’s WLI Marginally Improved
August 2020 Headline Wholesale Sales and Inventories Remain In Contraction Year-over-Year
Rail Week Ending 03 October 2020 – September Volumes Down Only 1% Year-over-Year
COVID19 Update: U.S. Vs EU27 08October 2020
Warning to Readers
The amount of politically biased articles on the internet continues to increase. And studies and opinions of the experts continue to contradict other studies and expert opinions. Honestly, it is difficult to believe anything anymore. A study usually cannot establish cause and effect – but only correlation. Be very careful what you believe about this pandemic.
I assemble this coronavirus update daily – sifting through the posts on the internet. I try to avoid politically slanted posts (mostly from CNN, New York Times, and the Washington Post) and can usually find unslanted posts on that subject from other sources on the internet. I wait to publish posts on subjects that I cannot validate across several sources. But after all this extra work, I do not know if I have conveyed the REAL facts. It is my job to provide information so that you have the facts necessary – and then it is up to readers to draw conclusions.
Coronavirus INTERACTIVE Charts
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Analyst Opinion of Coronavirus Data
There are several takeaways that need to be understood when viewing coronavirus statistical data:
- The global counts are suspect for a variety of reasons including political. Even the U.S. count has issues as it is possible that as much as half the population has had coronavirus and was asymptomatic. It would be a far better metric using a random sampling of the population weekly. In short, we do not understand the size of the error in the tracking numbers.
- Just because some of the methodology used in aggregating the data in the U.S. is flawed – as long as the flaw is uniformly applied – you establish a baseline. This is why it is dangerous to compare two countries as they likely use different methodologies to determine who has (and who died) from coronavirus.
- COVID-19 and the flu are different but can have similar symptoms. For sure, COVID-19 so far is much more deadly than the flu. [click here to compare symptoms]
- From an industrial engineering point of view, one can argue that it is best to flatten the curve only to the point that the health care system is barely able to cope. This solution only works if-and-only-if one can catch this coronavirus once and develops immunity. In the case of COVID-19, herd immunity may need to be in the 80% to 85% range. WHO warns that few have developed antibodies to COVID-19. At this point, herd immunity does not look like an option although there is now a discussion of whether T-Cells play a part in immunity [which means one might have immunity without antibodies]
- Older population countries will have a higher death rate.
- There are at least 8 strains of the coronavirus. New York may have a deadlier strain imported from Europe, compared to less deadly viruses elsewhere in the United States.
- Each publication uses different cutoff times for its coronavirus statistics. Our data uses 11:00 am London time. Also, there is an unexplained variation in the total numbers both globally and in the U.S.
- The real question remains if the U.S. is over-reacting to this virus. The following graphic from the CDC puts the annual flu burden in perspective [click on image to enlarge]. Note that using this data is dangerous as the actual flu cases are estimated and not counted – nobody knows how accurate these guesses are.
What we do not know about the coronavirus [actually there is little scientifically proven information]. Most of our knowledge is anecdotal, from studies with limited subjects, or from studies without peer review.
- How many people have been infected as many do not show symptoms?
- Masks do work.
- Do we develop lasting immunity to the coronavirus? Another coronavirus – the simple cold – does not develop long term immunity.
- To what degree do people who never develop symptoms contribute to transmission?
- The US has scaled up coronavirus testing – and the accuracy of the tests has been improving. However, if one loses immunity – the coronavirus testing value is reduced.
- Can children widely spread coronavirus? [current thinking is that they are becoming a major source of the pandemic spread]
- Why have some places avoided big coronavirus outbreaks – and others hit hard?
- What effect will the weather have? At this point, it does not seem hot weather slows this coronavirus down – and it seems air conditioning contributes to its spread.
- Outdoor activities seem to be a lower risk than indoor activities.
- Can the world really push out an effective vaccine in 12 to 18 months?
- Will other medical treatments for Covid-19 ease symptoms and reduce deaths? So far only one drug (remdesivir) is approved for treatment.
- A current scientific understanding of the way the coronavirus works can be found [here].
Heavy breakouts of coronavirus have hit farm workers. Farmworkers are essential to the food supply. They cannot shelter at home. Consider:
- they have high rates of the respiratory disease [occupational hazard]
- they travel on crowded buses chartered by their employers
- few have health insurance
- they cannot social distance and live two to four to a room – and they eat together
- some reports say half are undocumented
- they are low paid and cannot afford not to work – so they will go to work sick
- they do not have access to sanitation when working
- a coronavirus outbreak among farmworkers can potentially shutter entire farm
The bottom line is that COVID-19 so far has been shown to be much more deadly than the data on the flu. Using CDC data, the flu has a mortality rate between 0.06 % and 0.11 % Vs. the coronavirus which to date has a mortality rate of 4 % [the 4% is the average of overall statistics – however in the last few months it has been hovering around 1.0%] – which makes it between 10 and 80 times more deadly. The reason for ranges:
Because influenza surveillance does not capture all cases of flu that occur in the U.S., CDC provides these estimated ranges to better reflect the larger burden of influenza.
There will be a commission set up after this pandemic ends to find fault [it is easy to find fault when a once-in-a-lifetime event occurs] and to produce recommendations for the next time a pandemic happens. Those that hate President Trump will conclude the virus is his fault.
Resources:
- Get the latest public health information from CDC: https://www.coronavirus.gov .
- Get the latest research from NIH: https://www.nih.gov/coronavirus.
- Find NCBI SARS-CoV-2 literature, sequence, and clinical content: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sars-cov-2/.
- List of studies: https://icite.od.nih.gov/covid19/search/#search:searchId=5ee124ed70bb967c49672dad
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