COVID-19 Summary: Case Tally, School Outbreak, Influenza Vaccination, Vaccine Waiting

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Noel King, Host:

This year we learned some important lessons from Memorial Day and July 4th. Both of these COVID cases have skyrocketed since these holidays. On Labor Day, public health professionals are closely watching. The news about current viruses is mixed. While the number of new cases in the United States is declining, there are new hotspots in the Midwest.

NPR Allison Aubrey is with me. She is up to date Good morning, Alison.

ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: Good morning, Noel.

King: This is our regular Monday check-in. Where will you stand this Monday in the US?

AUBREY: Well, after about 1000 deaths a day in a week, that number dropped to about 850 a day. Noel, many are still dead. But that is an improvement. Also, the number of new cases is about 40,000 per day, which is a significant decrease compared to the 60,000 cases in July. But, of course, it’s a Labor Day weekend. So if people are out and crowded-as we saw the anniversary, this could really set us back. And there are already hotspots in the Midwest and South. And the infectious disease experts I said this fall-people spending more time indoors, people returning to work or school-given the spread of the virus and the changing seasons There will be bumps on.

King: And when the students come back, we’ve seen this already happening on some school and college campuses. Have you noticed that any of them can contain the outbreaks or prevent them?

Aubrey: Well, there are various strategies used by groups, such as schools and nurseries. CDC Robert Redfield Director pointed to evidence of Rhode Island, which opened up hundreds of daycare facilities this summer. Some students and teachers were infected. However, by identifying and isolating them, we were able to limit the spread of the community. So he says it’s a success.

Of course, to do this effectively you need to identify people quickly, right? Therefore, some university campuses require an entrance examination. I spoke to Eric Lander. He is Director of the Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard University, where he oversees testing programs at nearly 100 college campuses in New England. Some of these schools test students and teachers twice a week. So far, this seems to be working.

Eric Lander: Tests have already identified 450 infected people. As we know, they have not spread to other people on campus. That’s the case for the current test. That information will be actionable immediately. Knowing can block the spread.

AUBREY: If a student gives a positive response, they can be quarantined. Of course, you need more than testing to prevent outbreaks, right? Everyone has to take social distance, masking, and sometimes more strict measures. At the University of Illinois, which had a very rigorous testing program, the school announced a temporary blockade of college students. The goal here is to change it quickly before it goes out of control.

King: I’m curious. Obviously there is no COVID-19 vaccine yet, but there seems to be a great impetus for people to get the influenza vaccine. I keep receiving emails from my doctor, my pharmacy. What’s going on?

AUBREY: Yes (laughs). Doctors are worried because people postpone regular visits during pandemics. So, for example, according to an analysis by Komodo Health, vaccination of children was around the end of this spring. They have recovered some. But the message from the doctor or pediatrician is this-get in and get your vaccine, especially the flu vaccine. If you have the flu and COVID, it is possible, you may really get sick. I talked to Michael Ison. He is an infectious disease doctor at the Northwestern University Fineberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Michael Ison: If you feel you may have a flu, you can’t distinguish it from COVID-19 based on symptoms. And that would mean that those people see their doctors, require tests, and need health care.

AUBREY: And this can really strain the healthcare system. That is why the same strategies that help prevent COVID also help prevent influenza, so you need to continue social distances, masking, and hand washing.

King: Until then, the presidential election will take place two months later. What is the latest advice or guidance on how to vote safely?

AUBREY: If you can vote by email, that’s a good option. But the bottom row-voting must be open on Election Day for all people who will vote directly. There are many ideas given to large venues to maximize social distance. For example, in Baltimore, Camden Yard, a baseball field, has been considered as a voting site candidate. I spoke to Mana Perez. She is the Voting Rights and Elections Program Director of the Brennan Justice Center. It is located at New York University Law School. She says another challenge here-more voting workers are needed this November.

MYRNA PEREZ: Many of our opinion polls are traditionally over the age of 65 and are at increased risk of COVID complications. Therefore, there are people who we don’t want to sign up to be voting workers again, or who shouldn’t sign up to be voting workers again. Therefore, we need to expand our role as a poller. So you need a lot of people to volunteer.

AUBREY: Hopefully young people at low risk of serious illness-it might be a good thing because the virus is still outbreak and there is no vaccine yet.

King: Yeah, yeah. I’ve acknowledged. Last week, CDC Allison told the state that he was ready to distribute the vaccine by November. Now there are some concerns about this. correct? People are worried about the political pressure to vaccinate, as the elections are approaching. The Trump administration wants to win the election. Politics aside, let’s talk about science. Will I be vaccinated this year?

AUBREY: As you know, if there are any approvals or permits for emergency use this year, it will start with a very narrow group of people, probably health care workers and nursing homes. Former FDA board member Scott Gottlieb talked about timing at the CBS yesterday.

(CBS broadcasting sound bite)

Scott Gottlieb: I think it’s very unlikely that the vaccine will spread in 2020. I think we need to think of it mainly as an event in 2021. Also, if a vaccine is available in 2020, it may be used in more targeted ways, mostly for therapeutic purposes, to protect very high-risk populations.

Aubrey: Current FDA administrator Stephen Hurne says authorities may consider a vaccine manufacturer’s application and make some evidence-based decision before the trial is complete. But, again, it will probably take months before we can all be vaccinated.

King: The event of 2021, as Scott Gottlieb says.

Alison Aubrey, thanks for your report. I am grateful.

AUBREY: Thank you, Noel. The transcript and copyright NPR provided by NPR.