Thread by @WhitneyEpi

This #COVID19 thread is stomach-churning. Literally I feel queasy with dismay. I am very worried about my state of North Carolina in particular... #SARSCoV2...1/

https://twitter.com/cfishman/status/1269789771230072832

Lots of responses say, “Well, they’re just testing more volume of #SARS_CoV2 testing” (and I hope that’s the case), but the data aren’t looking great for that as an explanation. See new tests:positive case stat for the “South” in this tweet 2/

https://twitter.com/covid19tracking/status/1268302878898139136?s=21

It *could* be much great precision in targeting tests to those most at-risk of #SARSCoV2 infection (which we *should* be striving to do, esp re: low-income, uninsured, Native, Black & Latinx populations shouldering disproportionate impact), but that feels like wishful thinking 3/

“Reopening” without a national system of free, easily available #SARSCoV2 testing was always going to be risky. And contradictory and confusing guidance from the federal govt enhanced those risks. I think many people are genuinely confused about #COVID19 risks. I’m worried.

Bc the US #SARSCoV2 regime is so inconsistent, I prefer to look at #COVID19 hospitalizations, but even that’s a lagging indicator, especially for outbreaks that start among young people (likely to be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic) (I think 4-6 weeks)

* Multiple words missing from my tweet above! Chiefly “testing” and “lag”. For a fun time, see if you can figure out where I intended those words to go! 😬🤦🏾‍♀️😂

Bad news from today’s NC govt #COVID19 press briefing re: hospitalizations. This increase reflects activities from early May (around Mother’s Day). #SARSCoV2 transmission could be much worse today. Be cautious, y’all.

https://twitter.com/nchealthnews/status/1270069093031448579?s=21

https://twitter.com/NCHealthNews/status/1270069093031448579

@l_farland I saw that AZ was also one of the states with #SARSCoV2 trending up and I immediately thought of you. Not sure if that’s sweet or awful. 😩