Covid-19 Rules the continental USA
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 12:01 pm
Rossen Reports: Stay-at-home orders coming...again? (Via Hearst TV Corp)
THE LATEST: STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS COMING…AGAIN?
The United States continues to reach bleak milestones in this pandemic. In a single day, the country reported 50,000 cases of coronavirus, causing many people to wonder if more stay-at-home orders were coming from their state governments. At least 24 states have paused or rolled back reopening plans as coronavirus cases continue to rise. We asked Dr. Amesh Adalja with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security his thoughts. He doesn’t think national or state-level stay-at-home orders will happen again. “What I think will happen is we’ll see targeted interventions based on epidemiology,” he says. Dr. Adalja believes health experts will look and see what’s driving the spread in a given area and government guidance will then be focused on that area, those businesses and the people in that community.
THE LATEST: STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS COMING…AGAIN?
The United States continues to reach bleak milestones in this pandemic. In a single day, the country reported 50,000 cases of coronavirus, causing many people to wonder if more stay-at-home orders were coming from their state governments. At least 24 states have paused or rolled back reopening plans as coronavirus cases continue to rise. We asked Dr. Amesh Adalja with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security his thoughts. He doesn’t think national or state-level stay-at-home orders will happen again. “What I think will happen is we’ll see targeted interventions based on epidemiology,” he says. Dr. Adalja believes health experts will look and see what’s driving the spread in a given area and government guidance will then be focused on that area, those businesses and the people in that community.
How can we find out where someone got the virus?
Medical experts have told us there’s a lag time for the virus to incubate in our system, so how can we even figure out where we get it from? Dr. Adalja says it’s all about having robust contact tracers at the state level. They do the interviewing of people who’ve contracted the virus. They know how to ask them where they’ve been and plot it out on a timeline to try to figure out what factors might be in common with certain people. He says this is the bread and butter of public health and epidemiology. They do it all the time for measles, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections. That’s why it’s so important that states have robust contact tracing efforts and resource their health departments to hire those people quickly.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE LEARNING...Is coronavirus seasonal or year-round?
There was a lot of talk about how the heat might help to kill the virus, giving us a summer reprieve. But hot-weather states like Florida, Arizona and Texas are seeing cases spike. Dr. Adalja says when it is hotter or more humid, you’re going to get less surface transmission. But, he says, weather doesn’t impact person-to-person transmission. He thinks that’s something that most people don’t realize — it’s really viability on surfaces that’s impacted by the weather and not necessarily how we get the virus from person-to-person transmission.
Could we reach 100,000 cases per day in the U.S.?
Dr. Anthony Fauci believes this could happen. Dr. Adalja agrees and believes we could already be there because he says we’re still undercounting cases — maybe by a factor of 10. But the fact is, this virus has established itself in the human population. He wants you to be prepared for this to infect a lot of people. Think back to 2009’s H1N1. About 61 million Americans got infected with it and that’s a virus that spreads very similarly through the respiratory routes. H1N1 killed approximately 12,000 people — which is why COVID-19 is even more dangerous.
YOUR PANDEMIC QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Is a second stimulus payment coming?
With Congress on recess for the next two weeks, many of you want to know where the second stimulus payment stands. Right now, it’s still on the table but no decisions have been made. We won’t know anything specific until a relief bill is made official. Earlier drafts have included the same $1,200 for Americans and have closed the gap on some of the people that weren’t included on the first relief bill, such as college students and adult dependents. Here’s what we’re expecting: Congress will put pen to paper late into the month when they come back on July 20. They’ll have about 15 workdays to make a decision on a bill that would or wouldn’t include the second stimulus check before their next recess in August. But you won’t be seeing that money this month, that’s for sure. Best case scenario? Maybe late August or September.
What about loans for small businesses?
Good news for small business owners! Congress passed an extension on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The original deadline to apply for the PPP was last week but $130 billion still remained in the fund, out of $660 billion allocated. You now have until August 8 to apply for the loan. The program is to help businesses keep employees paid so they can keep their doors open as the country reopens. The PPP lets businesses get direct government subsidies for payroll, rent and other costs. If all of the requirements are fulfilled, that business is then eligible to get the loan forgiven. If you’re a small business owner, you can apply by heading to the Small Business Administration’s website.
Are colleges bringing students back on campus this year?
Harvard University just announced they’re going to move all classes for the 2020-21 school year online. While they’ll bring 40% of the undergraduates back on campus, no matter where you’re living, your classes will be taught online.
Other universities, like Notre Dame, will start earlier in the year and will then end their terms before Thanksgiving. Many administrations worry about bringing students back on campus after they could have been exposed to the virus while at home. The University of Michigan says students will go home for Thanksgiving and the rest of the semester will continue online.
Many universities are coming up with their plans now and will incorporate online learning in some capacity for the next school year. We’re expecting to hear a lot more about it as the month continues and students gear up for classes to start next month.
JEFF ROSSEN
Chief National Consumer Correspondent
Hearst Television
THE LATEST: STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS COMING…AGAIN?
The United States continues to reach bleak milestones in this pandemic. In a single day, the country reported 50,000 cases of coronavirus, causing many people to wonder if more stay-at-home orders were coming from their state governments. At least 24 states have paused or rolled back reopening plans as coronavirus cases continue to rise. We asked Dr. Amesh Adalja with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security his thoughts. He doesn’t think national or state-level stay-at-home orders will happen again. “What I think will happen is we’ll see targeted interventions based on epidemiology,” he says. Dr. Adalja believes health experts will look and see what’s driving the spread in a given area and government guidance will then be focused on that area, those businesses and the people in that community.
THE LATEST: STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS COMING…AGAIN?
The United States continues to reach bleak milestones in this pandemic. In a single day, the country reported 50,000 cases of coronavirus, causing many people to wonder if more stay-at-home orders were coming from their state governments. At least 24 states have paused or rolled back reopening plans as coronavirus cases continue to rise. We asked Dr. Amesh Adalja with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security his thoughts. He doesn’t think national or state-level stay-at-home orders will happen again. “What I think will happen is we’ll see targeted interventions based on epidemiology,” he says. Dr. Adalja believes health experts will look and see what’s driving the spread in a given area and government guidance will then be focused on that area, those businesses and the people in that community.
How can we find out where someone got the virus?
Medical experts have told us there’s a lag time for the virus to incubate in our system, so how can we even figure out where we get it from? Dr. Adalja says it’s all about having robust contact tracers at the state level. They do the interviewing of people who’ve contracted the virus. They know how to ask them where they’ve been and plot it out on a timeline to try to figure out what factors might be in common with certain people. He says this is the bread and butter of public health and epidemiology. They do it all the time for measles, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections. That’s why it’s so important that states have robust contact tracing efforts and resource their health departments to hire those people quickly.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE LEARNING...Is coronavirus seasonal or year-round?
There was a lot of talk about how the heat might help to kill the virus, giving us a summer reprieve. But hot-weather states like Florida, Arizona and Texas are seeing cases spike. Dr. Adalja says when it is hotter or more humid, you’re going to get less surface transmission. But, he says, weather doesn’t impact person-to-person transmission. He thinks that’s something that most people don’t realize — it’s really viability on surfaces that’s impacted by the weather and not necessarily how we get the virus from person-to-person transmission.
Could we reach 100,000 cases per day in the U.S.?
Dr. Anthony Fauci believes this could happen. Dr. Adalja agrees and believes we could already be there because he says we’re still undercounting cases — maybe by a factor of 10. But the fact is, this virus has established itself in the human population. He wants you to be prepared for this to infect a lot of people. Think back to 2009’s H1N1. About 61 million Americans got infected with it and that’s a virus that spreads very similarly through the respiratory routes. H1N1 killed approximately 12,000 people — which is why COVID-19 is even more dangerous.
YOUR PANDEMIC QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Is a second stimulus payment coming?
With Congress on recess for the next two weeks, many of you want to know where the second stimulus payment stands. Right now, it’s still on the table but no decisions have been made. We won’t know anything specific until a relief bill is made official. Earlier drafts have included the same $1,200 for Americans and have closed the gap on some of the people that weren’t included on the first relief bill, such as college students and adult dependents. Here’s what we’re expecting: Congress will put pen to paper late into the month when they come back on July 20. They’ll have about 15 workdays to make a decision on a bill that would or wouldn’t include the second stimulus check before their next recess in August. But you won’t be seeing that money this month, that’s for sure. Best case scenario? Maybe late August or September.
What about loans for small businesses?
Good news for small business owners! Congress passed an extension on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The original deadline to apply for the PPP was last week but $130 billion still remained in the fund, out of $660 billion allocated. You now have until August 8 to apply for the loan. The program is to help businesses keep employees paid so they can keep their doors open as the country reopens. The PPP lets businesses get direct government subsidies for payroll, rent and other costs. If all of the requirements are fulfilled, that business is then eligible to get the loan forgiven. If you’re a small business owner, you can apply by heading to the Small Business Administration’s website.
Are colleges bringing students back on campus this year?
Harvard University just announced they’re going to move all classes for the 2020-21 school year online. While they’ll bring 40% of the undergraduates back on campus, no matter where you’re living, your classes will be taught online.
Other universities, like Notre Dame, will start earlier in the year and will then end their terms before Thanksgiving. Many administrations worry about bringing students back on campus after they could have been exposed to the virus while at home. The University of Michigan says students will go home for Thanksgiving and the rest of the semester will continue online.
Many universities are coming up with their plans now and will incorporate online learning in some capacity for the next school year. We’re expecting to hear a lot more about it as the month continues and students gear up for classes to start next month.
JEFF ROSSEN
Chief National Consumer Correspondent
Hearst Television