There are over 5.76 million global cases. The US has over 1.7 million of those cases. There have been over 355,000 deaths around the world from the pandemic virus.
Half of Americans say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine. Roughly one in three say they aren’t sure if they’d get one, and one in five say they would flat out refuse to get one. Of those who plan to refuse, concerns about safety are paramount. Some fear the push to produce a vaccine quickly will result in safety corner cutting.
CDC best-case-scenario mathematical modeling shows mortality rates of 0.2-0.4%. Upper-bound estimates (AKA worst-case-scenarios) predicts general mortality rates of 1%. These estimates all seem very low, especially compared with the numbers we’re seeing in New York and elsewhere. Some experts rebuff these estimates. All agree we need more time and data to make more accurate models.
115 different drugs being used off-label in search for effective COVID-19 treatments. The most common drugs tried are antivirals, antibiotics, and corticosteroids. Off-label prescription drug use is very common in clinical settings, and not just for COVID-19. There’s off-label use of drugs in virtually every medical specialty. Off-label treatments are legal and happen when there is evidence for success and few alternatives. Successful off-label drug use can lead to more robust research into effective treatments.
Austin experiences a record rise in COVID-19 cases. Re-opening seems to be precipitating a surge in cases. Many have been seen patronizing bars and restaurants in close proximity to others and without masks. Officials plan to monitor hospital treatment capacity in the upcoming weeks.
CDC says antibody tests are wildly inaccurate. More than 50% of positive antibody tests are actually false positives. False positives can lead to dangerous behaviors if people believe they are immune but are not. Perhaps these tests should not be used to make decisions on returning to work or school—at least until (or if) more accurate tests become available.
CIDRAP roundup—The WHO plans to boost funds to fight COVID-19, France bans hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment, and Brazil and India suffer as cases rise:
WHO creates foundation to boost funds as #COVID19 cases climb https://t.co/3SeGjTn05y #coronavirus #pandemic pic.twitter.com/qVff2YzKnd
— CIDRAP (@CIDRAP) May 27, 2020
Reports of testing in the US have dropped off precipitously in the US and the reason is unknown. My best guess is a lag in reporting due to the long holiday weekend:
Our daily update is published. We’ve now tracked 15.2 million tests, up just 285k from yesterday, way below average. It's not clear why tests have fallen so far.
Note that we can only track tests that a state reports.
For details, see: https://t.co/PZrmH3TKeq pic.twitter.com/toeKST3z1i
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) May 27, 2020
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 are rising in quite a few states:
Arizona, North Carolina, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are all seeing hospitalizations rising to new levels.
Not all states report this data, and we wish that they did. pic.twitter.com/ql49O8FtuK
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) May 27, 2020
McConnell encourages you to wear your mask, says there’s no stigma in doing so. Listen to McConnell:
McConnell made an extensive plea for Americans to don face masks as a means to begin returning the U.S. to normalcy while the virus remains a threat.
“There’s no stigma attached to wearing a mask. There’s no stigma attached to staying six feet apart”https://t.co/pkXEz4X6SN
— POLITICO (@politico) May 27, 2020
Donating plasma to help COVID-19 patients is also therapeutic to the donor:
via @NYTimes https://t.co/kV6IOyunt9
— Michael Joyner (@DrMJoyner) May 27, 2020
