Dear Reader:

Worldometer, Sept 21: Over 31.4 million cases and over 967.5 thousand deaths worldwide. Over 7.4 million cases and over 204 thousand deaths in the U.S. Over 33 thousand new cases and 294 new deaths in the U.S. yesterday.

Health, Dr. Fauci warns, don’t go there, Sept 20: “There’s a lot of advice about how to stay safe from the coronavirus this fall, but the nation’s top infectious-disease expert wants you to keep one tip at top of mind: stay out of restaurants and bars—basically, away from any indoor spaces with crowds.

“In many states, restaurants and bars were closed early in the pandemic. Some states reopened bars, only to close them again when several outbreaks were linked to bars. Eight months into the COVID-19 era, New York is only just now allowing indoor restaurant service (at 25% capacity) as of Sept. 30; there, bars are still outdoor-only… Why? Fauci said that if you look at the figures on the CDC website, ‘that’s really telling.,, It shows the … risk of different types of situations that give you a higher risk of transmissibility, and coming right out at you from the figure is restaurants, bars, and gyms,’ said Fauci. ‘When you have restaurants indoors in a situation where you have a high degree of infection in the community [and] you’re not wearing a mask, that’s a problem… There’s no doubt about that.. those are things that are crystal clear’. In June, Fauci told a Congressional hearing, “Congregation at a bar inside is bad news. We’ve really got to stop that. Right now.” That month, 107 coronavirus cases were linked to a single bar in East Lansing, Michigan. In recent weeks, many colleges have welcomed students back to campus, only to cancel in-person classes because of COVID-19 outbreaks linked to indoor parties and gatherings.

“Fauci has repeatedly advised that “outdoors is better than indoors.” Several studies have shown that the coronavirus can spread readily indoors via recirculated air in ventilation systems, while transmission outdoors is much less likely. Fresh air causes coronavirus particles to disperse before they can be inhaled or otherwise invade the mucous membranes, which experts believe are the primary means of COVID-19 transmission.

“As for yourself, do everything you can to prevent getting—and spreading—COVID-19 in the first place: Mask, get tested if you think you have coronavirus, avoid crowds (and bars, and house parties), practice social distancing, only run essential errands, wash your hands regularly, disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and to get through this pandemic at your healthiest”.

The Washington Post, the CDC says Covid-19 is airborne and spread by aerosols, warns of badly ventilated spaces, Sept 20: “For months, scientists and public health experts have warned of mounting evidence that the novel coronavirus is airborne, transmitted through tiny droplets called aerosols that linger in the air much longer than the larger globs that come from coughing or sneezing. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees. The CDC recently changed its official guidance to note that aerosols are ‘thought to be the main way the virus spreads’ and to warn that badly ventilated indoor spaces are particularly dangerous.

“’There is growing evidence that droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others, and travel distances beyond 6 feet (for example, during choir practice, in restaurants, or in fitness classes),” the agency stated. “In general, indoor environments without good ventilation increase this risk. ‘While the CDC has not called for any new action to address the airborne threat of a virus that has now killed nearly 200,000 Americans, experts said the change should help to shift policy and public behavior…

“‘Researchers long suspected that the virus could travel much farther, especially indoors and in places where people talk loudly or sing. Infamously, one infected person in March unknowingly passed covid-19 to 52 others at a choir practice in Washington state. Similar indoor ‘superspreader’ events added weight to the idea of an airborne threat… ‘Cloth masks are not designed to block aerosols. And 6 feet apart may be insufficient, [especially] indoors [with] poor ventilation.’ The change should drive people to adopt concrete solutions to slowing airborne transmission, Jimenez said, such as wearing more tightly fitting masks, improving ventilation and keeping as much distance as possible from others when indoors.”

Reuters, U.S., to  surpass grim milestone of 200,000 Covid-19 deaths (Sept 21): “Trump has frequently questioned the advice of scientific experts on everything from the timing of a vaccine to reopening schools and businesses to wearing a mask. He has refused to support a national mask mandate and held large political rallies where few wore masks. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield recently told Congress that a face mask would provide more guaranteed protection than a vaccine, which would only be broadly available by ‘late second quarter, third quarter 2021.’

“Trump refuted the timeline for the vaccine and said that it may be available in a matter of weeks and ahead of the Nov. 3 election. On Friday he said he expects all Americans to have a vaccine by April. Biden, who often wears a mask and has said he would require masks nationwide, has warned against a rushed release of a vaccine, saying, ‘Let me be clear: I trust vaccines, I trust scientists, but I don’t trust Donald Trump.’…

“The University of Washington’s health institute is forecasting coronavirus fatalities reaching 378,000 by the end of 2020, with the daily death toll skyrocketing to 3,000 per day in December. Over 70% of those in the United States who have lost their lives to the virus were over the age of 65, according to CDC data. The southern states of Texas and Florida contributed the most deaths in the United States in the past two weeks and was closely followed by California. California, Texas and Florida – the three most populous U.S. states – have recorded the most coronavirus infections and have long surpassed the state of New York, which was the epicenter of the outbreak in early 2020. The country as a whole is reporting over 40,000 new infections on average each day. Six out of every 10,000 residents in the United States has died of the virus, according to Reuters data, one of the highest rates among developed nations. Brazil follows the United States in the number of overall deaths due to the virus, with over 136,000 fatalities.”

anita

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