US Coronavirus: The country has reported more than 2,100 deaths in a single day. Things should get worse

Many appeared to heed the warnings: New poll results released Tuesday by Axios-Ipsos show that about 61% of Americans have changed their Thanksgiving plans. Among the most common changes, according to the survey, it was decided to only see immediate members of the household and have a smaller family dinner than originally planned. Almost one in 10 Americans say they no longer intend to celebrate the holiday at all.

“It is potentially the mother of all mass-market events,” Dr Jonathan Reiner, professor of medicine at George Washington University, said Tuesday evening.

“One of the ways we think the Midwest was seeded with the virus over the summer was the Sturgis, South Dakota Motorcycle Rally where people were infected and then scattered across the Midwest. . from all airports in the United States and carrying the virus with them, ”he said.

And a negative test result is not enough, senior officials have warned. The Assistant Secretary of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services Adm. Brett Giroir said Tuesday’s tests can return false positives or false negatives and is not always an indication of a person’s infection at that time.

“A negative test today doesn’t mean you will be negative tomorrow or the next day,” he said. “It is certainly not wrong to take a test before you travel because if you test positive you have to stay home, no questions asked. But if you get a negative test that does not give you a pass. free.”

Officials project more strained hospitals, more deaths

As grim as the current numbers may sound, local leaders and officials across the country are forecasting even more difficult weeks.

In Colorado, more people are now infected with the virus than at any time during the pandemic, Governor Jared Polis said, saying the state is at the height of the infection.

On its current course, Colorado is expected to more than double its current record from over 2,800 to about 6,600 by the end of this year. That’s when hospitals are already filling up, bringing in nearly double the daily number of new patients the state saw in the spring, Polis said.

In Denver, about 25 beds in intensive care units remain available for patients while only 14 remain in Colorado Springs, he added.

In California, another dark projection. The state’s top health official said on Tuesday that California was also in the midst of a surge, cases were growing faster and steadily, and he expects deaths to climb and the system hospitable in a hurry like never before.

Hospitalizations have jumped by more than 81% in two weeks, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr.Mark Ghaly said on Tuesday, while intensive care admissions rose about 57% over the course of the same period.

“I think the number of deaths will definitely increase … just as we pass our highest case count and start to see our hospital systems pressed with Covid beyond what they have ever been before, (the) the idea that the number of deaths could exceed what we have been before is also real and true, ”said Ghaly.

And in New York City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday the state was on track to see “a major peak”, with hospitalization rates rising 128% in the past three weeks.

To curb the spread, no more restrictions

“It’s pretty clear, unfortunately, in the next week or two we should see substantial restrictions. I think indoor restaurants will be closed, gyms will be closed,” he said. “I’m not happy, no one is happy, but that’s what is coming.”

In addition, there will be a last call and service for food and drink at 10 p.m. and no entry into establishments after that time. The new limits will take effect on November 30.

In the hard-hit Texas community of El Paso, County Judge Ricardo Samaniego on Tuesday announced a partial curfew that would help tackle social and recreational activities, but that does not apply when residents are on the move to essential business or not. The curfew will run from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. and will expire on Monday.

“You will be able to buy, shop, whatever you need to do from any essential or non-essential business under the terms that are placed,” he said. “We are trying to create a balance between the health of our community and the economy.”

“But let me stress the following,” the judge said. “This is a home shelter order. Residents are strongly encouraged to take shelter at home. If they leave the home to obtain essential or non-essential services, this decree strongly recommends that only one person per family participates in obtaining goods and services. “

In Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards announced that the state was returning to phase 2 from Wednesday, amid an “aggressive third wave of COVID-19”. Under these restrictions, restaurants, gyms, hair salons, nail salons, movie theaters and non-essential businesses are limited to 50% of their capacity.

“Now is the time to make changes,” he added.

Meanwhile, in Connecticut, the governor announced on Tuesday that he had signed an executive order raising the maximum fines to $ 10,000 for companies that violate Covid-19 rules. The previous maximum penalty was $ 500.

“While the overwhelming majority of Connecticut companies have shown incredible leadership and have been fantastic partners on this front, we have seen a small number of companies in flagrant violation of these public health rules,” he said. Governor Ned Lamont said in a statement. “That’s all you need to cause a very widespread event that leads to a large number of cases and hospitalizations.”

States begin to prepare for possible vaccine

While no vaccine candidates have yet been given the green light from the FDA, preparations to receive and distribute Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine have started at the Jackson Health System in Miami, Fla., According to Chief Dr. Lilian Abbo. system infection prevention and control.

“Jackson Health System is one of five hospitals in the state and the only one in Miami to receive the vaccine in the first phase,” Abbo told CNN.

“We will start with health workers and people at high risk, frontline providers, following the guidelines of the health department and the state,” she said.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said he received news from the White House that the state, along with others, would likely receive their first batch of vaccines around mid-December. He said his office had not received the exact number of vaccines the state would receive, but said health workers and anyone in direct contact with Covid-19 patients will be given priority to receive the vaccine in first.

But there is still an important process to do before a Covid-19 vaccine can potentially get that green light, FDA Commissioner Dr Stephen Hahn said on Tuesday.

“Our scientists are going to dump on the data – and remember, this is a study involving over 44,000 people – so we’re going to look at all the patient data and be very careful with the calculation of the numbers to make sure. that we agree with the conclusion regarding safety and efficacy, ”Hahn told South Carolina Senator Tim Scott in an interview posted on Instagram.

The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biologics Advisory Committee will meet on December 10 to discuss the data. Hahn said the public will be able to watch the meeting virtually and a summary of the data will be available online.

“This committee will report back to us, and then after hearing their recommendations, we will move forward,” he said.

“We’re going to use this process for any other applications that come up, no matter what,” he added.