CNBC -
September 2, 2020
On Sunday, Twitter removed a post retweeted by Trump that claimed the CDC had “quietly” updated its guidance to indicate only 6% of the country’s coronavirus death toll — roughly 9,000 deaths — was actually caused by the virus, according to a CNN report. The tweet said the remaining 94% had “other serious illnesses.” … White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci confirmed on Tuesday that more than 180,000 people in the U.S. have died from Covid-19. Fauci’s comments come after some have claimed a new CDC update indicates only 6% of the nation’s total reported Covid-19 deaths were actually from the virus, and the remaining percent died of “other serious illnesses.”
AP -
September 2, 2020
The torrid coronavirus summer across the Sun Belt is easing after two disastrous months that brought more than 35,000 deaths. Whether the outbreak will heat up again after Labor Day and the resumption of school and football remains to be seen. Seven of the nine states along the nation’s Southern and Western rim are seeing drops in three important gauges — new deaths, new cases and the percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus. Alabama is the only state in the region to see all three numbers rising; Mississippi’s deaths are up, but positive rates and cases are dropping.
CNN -
September 2, 2020
The US CDC advises that most Americans who have tested positive for coronavirus can return to work or school 10 days after the onset of symptoms, unless the illness requires hospitalization. But new research suggest that the virus and its symptoms are often nowhere near finished by that benchmark. According to research published Tuesday in the British Medical Journal, patients may need to wait over a month before being retested to know whether they have cleared the virus.
Reuters -
September 2, 2020
Antibody levels against the novel coronavirus rose and then held steady for up to four months in more than 90% of recovered COVID-19 patients in Iceland, according to a study published on Tuesday. In previous studies, antibody levels dropped sharply within a few months after COVID-19, raising questions about the duration of immunity that infection may provide. The new finding may have implications for reinfection risks and vaccine durability, said Kari Stefansson, chief executive of deCode Genetics, which conducted the study.
Bloomberg -
September 2, 2020
Obese and overweight people are at high risk of suffering severe cases of Covid-19, according to a French study that sheds light on the pandemic’s burden. The research, presented at a conference this week, shows how carrying extra pounds puts patients at risk of more serious disease and death. Only one in every 10 people who end up in intensive care with Covid-19 were in a range of healthy weight, the study found.
CNN -
September 2, 2020
Pregnant and recently pregnant women who are diagnosed with Covid-19 in the hospital appear to be less likely to have symptoms of fever and muscle pain but more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit, according to a new paper published in the BMJ medical journal on Tuesday. The study also found pregnant women with Covid-19 are at increased risk of delivering preterm, but preterm birth rates were not high.
HealthDay -
September 2, 2020
Severe COVID-19 is rare in kids and teens, and death is exceptionally rare, occurring only in those with serious underlying conditions, according to a new study. The study, published Aug. 27 in the BMJ, also showed that Black children have a disproportionately high rate of severe COVID-19 illness. For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 651 children and teens with COVID-19 who were admitted to 138 hospitals in England, Scotland and Wales between mid-January and early July.
HealthDay -
September 2, 2020
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Monday that it would extend its flexible free school meals program through the fall, to help keep millions of kids fed as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hold the country in its grip. The program, which allowed parents and caregivers to collect free meals for their kids at any school this summer, was set to expire at the start of September but pressure had been mounting on the agency to continue the program, the Washington Post reported.
HealthDay -
September 2, 2020
A new study of 13 U.S. medical centers finds that 6% of staff tested positive for prior infection with the new coronavirus, with almost half (44%) having no idea they'd ever contracted SARS-CoV-2. … One thing was clear, however: Use of masks, gowns, gloves and other protective gear by staff kept infection rates down. And when hospitals faced shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), COVID-19 infections rose.
HealthDay -
September 2, 2020
In experiments that visualized the likely travel patterns of "respiratory droplets," researchers found that plastic face shields are poorer barriers than standard masks. The shields, which sit away from the face and have gaps at the bottom and sides, would allow many more droplets to escape if the wearer coughed or sneezed. The same was true when the researchers ran the experiment using masks with exhalation valves.
CNN -
September 2, 2020
People who wear face masks to protect against disease typically don't neglect other steps that safeguard their health such as washing hands, according to a new study. Some experts had worried that face coverings could create a false sense of security for wearers but a review of existing -- albeit limited -- evidence by researchers at the University of Cambridge and King's College London in the UK found that this doesn't appear to be the case.
NPR -
September 2, 2020
FEMA said it is changing the policy on the personal protective equipment that it will pay for. … The changes mean that in most cases, FEMA will no longer reimburse states for the cost of cloth face coverings at nonemergency settings, including schools, public housing and courthouses. The policy goes into effect on Sept. 15.
CBS News -
September 2, 2020
Customers who try getting into an Uber without a face mask will have to prove they have their mouths and noses covered if they want a ride in the future, the ride-hailing service said on Tuesday. It cited medical experts in stating that wearing a mask can slow the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 180,000 Americans to date. Should a driver report a passenger not wearing a face mask during a ride, the Uber app will require that person send a selfie of themselves wearing a facial covering before they can call an Uber again, the San Francisco company said.
AP -
September 2, 2020
A federal official said Tuesday the government plans to ship rapid coronavirus tests to assisted living facilities, moving to fill a testing gap for older adults who don’t need the constant attention of a nursing home. HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir said assisted living facilities will be followed by senior day care centers and home health agencies in getting the tests.
AP -
September 2, 2020
The Trump administration is canceling some of its remaining orders for ventilators, after rushing to sign nearly $3 billion in emergency contracts as the COVID-19 pandemic surged in the spring. The Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement Tuesday affirming that the national stockpile has now reached its maximum capacity for the life-saving breathing machines, with nearly 120,000 available for deployment to state and local health officials if need.
AP -
September 2, 2020
Apple and Google are trying to get more U.S. states to adopt their phone-based approach for tracing and curbing the spread of the coronavirus by building more of the necessary technology directly into phone software. That could make it much easier for people to get the tool on their phone even if their local public health agency hasn’t built its own compatible app. The tech giants on Tuesday launched the second phase of their “exposure notification” system, designed to automatically alert people if they might have been exposed to the coronavirus.