Below I tackle some of the most commonly mischaracterized things about #COVID19.
These are the facts. So get it on your aunt's Facebook wall or print it out and put it in the break-room!
THREAD
Months into the pandemic, providers are still reusing single-use items, including gowns & masks.
We need more PPE to keep us safe. Too many of our healthcare providers have been infected & died.
h/t @DrTomFrieden
Test results must be prompt (2-3 days max) to be useful.
But many labs are overwhelmed & people are reporting long wait times.
My (unofficial) survey showed 66% of tests taking >2 days.
As school season starts, data suggests that kids of all ages get infected & can infect others. Check out @meganranney's amazing thread 👇
Takeaway: Schools - and families - need safe contingency plans!
At first we weren't sure (and frankly didn't communicate it well). But now we do know - masks ARE a critical part of stopping COVID.
Do they provide 100% protection at all times? Nope. That's why it's not just masks: its masks + distancing + hand hygiene.
Millions of Facebook views doesn't alter the actual science. To date, there is no strong evidence hydroxychloroquine has any benefit in treating #COVID19.
Whether given early. Or late.
Or alone. Or in combination.
When COVID hit NYC earlier this year, we had to learn how to best treat it. Since then, we've learned a lot.
When to use different types of oxygen & ventilators. Proning (turning patients over) helps. And steroids save lives.
At 155,000+, the US has more deaths than anywhere else in the world. By far.
You can make it sound less catastrophic by arguing others have more deaths per capita or whatever you want.
But its still over 155,000 deaths. So many of them preventable.
We're learning more about COVID #longhaulers - those who still suffer symptoms weeks/months after the initial illness.
Fatigue, ♥️ problems, foggy memory, breathing trouble, etc.
We need a plan to support them.
And we must amplify the right voices. Because public health principles - not political bluster - will get us through this.
And we will get through this.
Be safe everyone.