Covid-19 Top Stories July 8, 2020

Facts First Edition

Another 60,000 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the United States in the past day. The chart of new cases in the United States shows that there has been no “flattening of the curve:” The trend is downward in nine states, upward everywhere else, including nine states where the trend is sharply upward.

Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center

• The Texas Tribune reports a dramatic increase in the number of people in the Houston area who have died at home, never receiving hospital care for COVID-19. On July 3, the Houston Fire Department reported the most dead-on-arrival calls in its history, 18. Similar trends were observed in New York City in March and April.

• A new study in the journal Brain says clinicians should be alert for neurological consequences of COVID-19. The researchers say the brain and nervous system damage is not related to the severity of respiratory damage.

• With the number of COVID-19 cases surging throughout the country, demand for tests has surged, too. My sources in multiple locations confirm what this Associated Press report says: COVID-19 testing in the United States is a “hot mess.”

• Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says the federal government should put major investment into developing and manufacturing monoclonal antibodies to treat and prevent COVID-19, in part because such products could be ready for widespread use faster than any vaccines.

• The White House Coronavirus Task Force held a briefing on the reopening of schools and urged states to follow CDC guidelines. Earlier, President Trump went on a Twitter tirade against the CDC school guidelines. VP Pence said the CDC would provide “additional guidance” next week.

• The New York Times reports on COVID-19 cases and deaths traced back to churches and other religious gatherings.

• Watch the numbers: Opponents of stricter mitigation strategies are pointing to increasing numbers of people recovered from COVID-19 to support their positions. While a larger number of cleared cases may be good, it does not relate to the number of people who need hospital care or the capacity of the healthcare system to treat new COVID-19 patients.

• Useful guidance: A University of Wisconsin engineer has created videos based on his research showing which homemade face coverings work best — and how to make them.