Covid Weekend Updates

COVID-19
Weekend Wrap-Up

What We Learned

“I put China on there so you could see how basically unrealistic this could be.”

Dr. Deborah Birx provided a graph Saturday showing America’s COVID-19 fatality rate of 11 deaths per 100,000 cases: three times lower than Italy’s. She emphasized the need & moral obligation for information sharing during a health emergency, thanking Europe for early warnings passed to Americans. China, where the COVID-19 outbreak originated, has the lowest *reported* fatality rate at .33 per 100,000 cases.

“This isn’t going to be like a light switch. It’s more like a sunrise.”

Seema Verma, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, on new guidelines for the “reopening” of America’s healthcare system. Elective procedures and some care/treatment have been on hold due to expectations of a flood of COVID-19 patients. She explained some hospitals have had to lay off staff or had unused capacity. Verma emphasized facilities need to have the resources/equipment to address potential COVID surges.

“I don’t think anyone is out of the woods right now.”

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb to CBS voicing concerns specifically about America’s Sun Belt (lower southern states like Georgia and Texas) and southeast region, such as the panhandle of Florida, where specific counties are experiencing an uptick in cases. He said those states that entered the epidemic later will naturally see a delay in cases.

“We could double or triple the number of tests we could be doing daily, if we had the swabs and reagents.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, one of several Democrat governors criticizing the Trump administration for a lack of leadership on COVID-19 testing and availability of critical test components, such as swabs. During a Sunday morning interview, she asked the government to use the Defense Production Act to insure supplies are available.

“Testing is a local thing.”

Pres. Trump announced Sunday evening the federal gov’t will help increase swab production by 20M a month by using the Defense Production Act; the law allows the gov’t to work with private companies to prioritize the production of urgently needed supplies/equipment. The President said VP Pence will hold a call with governors on Monday to help source tests & supplies – saying at times, states are not using their full capacity and/or have lost track of supplies.

Check out how COVID-19 is developing in your hometown by clicking through to our source page.