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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(107,085 posts)
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 12:39 PM Jun 2020

Here's How Long We'll Be Struggling With COVID-19, Says Harvard Doctor

The strange and surreal lifestyle we now find ourselves living in as a result of the coronavirus pandemic is a challenge. According to Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, the sacrifices and adjustments we are making to abate the spread of COVID-19 will likely need to continue for another year.

Appearing on CNN this weekend, Jha said of the coronavirus pandemic, "Not only is it not fading out — this will be with us for at least another 12 months, and that's the most optimistic scenario for having a vaccine." While there have been encouraging trial tests for both therapeutic treatments and vaccines, the broad application of a proven medicine is still roughly a year away according to experts.

Since the coronavirus outbreak was officially named a pandemic in March, different parts of the nation have had different methods to deal with the contagion. Every state is now at least in some phase of reopening since the White House directed shelter at home guidelines, though a half dozen or so states that opened up early in the process are seeing sharp spikes in cases, causing national debate over a second wave, or perhaps, a first wave that has not yet come to an end.

Donald Trump explained during a political rally Saturday night that the increased number of coronavirus cases are a direct result of the increased number of tests. This received pushback, however, by Dr. Tom Inglesby, the director of the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who explained on Fox News Sunday that the spikes in confirmed cases in many states in the South and West are not simply a result of increased testing. Inglesby noted that while overall testing is increasing, so too is the percentage of tests coming back as positive, particularly in states like Arizona, Texas, North and South Carolina, and Florida, he said, "That's a real rise."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/heres-how-long-well-be-struggling-with-covid-19-says-harvard-doctor/ar-BB15Pflm?li=BBnb7Kz

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Here's How Long We'll Be Struggling With COVID-19, Says Harvard Doctor (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jun 2020 OP
Or, like NY, we could take it seriously for 100 days soothsayer Jun 2020 #1
As a Floridian, this depressed the hell out of me. Pacifist Patriot Jun 2020 #2
Yeah, he's far from perfect soothsayer Jun 2020 #3
Very concerned about FL where we have folks; but appalachiablue Jun 2020 #12
Wouldn't work. We had to stop it before it moved into Hortensis Jun 2020 #5
Idk, the ny/nj folks were the biggest hotspot in the world soothsayer Jun 2020 #9
NJ too, Murphy Has Been Flying Under the Radar, But We've Done Awesome in NJ Skraxx Jun 2020 #6
Yes! Really well done soothsayer Jun 2020 #10
The Positivity Rate Is The Key ProfessorGAC Jun 2020 #4
This is why finding a treatment that reduces the severity of some symptoms is key. Bleacher Creature Jun 2020 #7
At least it's not the doom and gloom they've been projecting. Initech Jun 2020 #8
Hmm, watch the U.S. over the next couple months soothsayer Jun 2020 #11
" this will be with us for at least another 12 months," DrToast Jun 2020 #13

Pacifist Patriot

(24,647 posts)
2. As a Floridian, this depressed the hell out of me.
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 12:51 PM
Jun 2020

Cuomo has his pros and cons like every politician/leader, but he sure stepped up in a pandemic. Meanwhile my state has no leadership whatsoever. Just craven politicians who value money over people.

soothsayer

(38,601 posts)
3. Yeah, he's far from perfect
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 12:59 PM
Jun 2020

But boy he seems to have really helped the people of ny pull off the impossible.

And he’s keeping his eye on the ball.

I hope people also take him up on police reform. He’s handed them quite an opportunity.

appalachiablue

(41,053 posts)
12. Very concerned about FL where we have folks; but
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 04:19 PM
Jun 2020

just got news that 2 seniors tested negative recently.

What's gone on politically in the Sunshine State in the last 20 years is disappointing and more.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
5. Wouldn't work. We had to stop it before it moved into
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 01:03 PM
Jun 2020

the population at large, as we and 24 other nations did with SARS-1 early in this century. NY's still in this to the end, even if handling it better than many other states.

soothsayer

(38,601 posts)
9. Idk, the ny/nj folks were the biggest hotspot in the world
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 04:09 PM
Jun 2020

They got it under control. It’s not too late to start in earnest everywhere else.

ProfessorGAC

(64,422 posts)
4. The Positivity Rate Is The Key
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 01:01 PM
Jun 2020

Test 100,000. 5% positivity, so 5,000 cases.
Test 200,000. Same rate, so 10,000 cases. But, it's not twice as bad. No context without knowing that tests doubled.
Test 200,000. 7% positivity, 14,000 cases. Twice as many tests, but 2.8 times the cases.
That's why the positivity rate is a key statistic. It's a dimensionless number. It's already in context.

Bleacher Creature

(11,235 posts)
7. This is why finding a treatment that reduces the severity of some symptoms is key.
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 01:37 PM
Jun 2020

We need something to help us hobble along until there's a vaccine.

Initech

(99,914 posts)
8. At least it's not the doom and gloom they've been projecting.
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 01:40 PM
Jun 2020

The thing is we just don't know - it could be a year, three years, the next decade, forever. Some are just guessing whatever they think is going to happen. Even the worst pandemic in history only lasted 18 months. I can't see this one lasting much longer than that.

DrToast

(6,414 posts)
13. " this will be with us for at least another 12 months,"
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 04:25 PM
Jun 2020
and that's the most optimistic scenario for having a vaccine."


That is most definitely not the most optimistic scenario. There are at least two vaccines that may be ready by the end of the year.

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