The coronavirus pandemic in the US is now completely out of control.
We're missing any kind of leadership.
Any kind of effort to contain the runaway disease.
• Cases, all-time high (145k / day)
• Hospitalizations, all-time high (65,000)
• Deaths rising slowly to 1 / minute
We're missing any kind of leadership.
Any kind of effort to contain the runaway disease.
• Cases, all-time high (145k / day)
• Hospitalizations, all-time high (65,000)
• Deaths rising slowly to 1 / minute
2/ But what's happening in the states?
There is some mythology here. Most prominent:
'It's just hitting places that haven't had it. Of course that was going to happen.'
• It didn't _need_ to happen — that's our incompetence.
• The pandemic is everywhere, like never before.
There is some mythology here. Most prominent:
'It's just hitting places that haven't had it. Of course that was going to happen.'
• It didn't _need_ to happen — that's our incompetence.
• The pandemic is everywhere, like never before.
3/ If you look at the data in the last 7 days, daily new cases have risen in all 50 states+DC.
IL +49% (11.4k / day)
MN +49% (4.8k)
PA +45% (3.7k)
OH +42% (5.3k)
CA +41% (6.4k)
MI +41% (5.7k)
That's just 6 states.
Notice 2 things:
->They are big states
->Case counts high
IL +49% (11.4k / day)
MN +49% (4.8k)
PA +45% (3.7k)
OH +42% (5.3k)
CA +41% (6.4k)
MI +41% (5.7k)
That's just 6 states.
Notice 2 things:
->They are big states
->Case counts high
4/ But just to underscore: Cases are rising in all 50 states + DC.
No place has the virus under control.
Hospitalizations aren't just at an all-time high: So many people are in the hospital from covid-19 in some states that the health care system in those places is fracturing.
No place has the virus under control.
Hospitalizations aren't just at an all-time high: So many people are in the hospital from covid-19 in some states that the health care system in those places is fracturing.
5/ Hospitalizations for covid-19 have also risen in every single state in the US + DC (except for 1, Idaho).
In 20 / 50 states, hospitalizations are up 30% or more. In a week.
One of the easy dismissals of the pandemic the last 4 months has been, 'It's just cases.'
In 20 / 50 states, hospitalizations are up 30% or more. In a week.
One of the easy dismissals of the pandemic the last 4 months has been, 'It's just cases.'
6/ But 8 months into this, the only people admitted to the hospital are really sick.
Hospital admissions are not 'young people testing positive.' They are a sign of enormous impact on communities.
In Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, the Dakotas, the question is: Who gets care?
Hospital admissions are not 'young people testing positive.' They are a sign of enormous impact on communities.
In Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, the Dakotas, the question is: Who gets care?
7/ Below is today's @washingtonpost story explaining how doctors and nurses fear having to decide not just between covid patients and 'postponable' medical care — but having to pick among which covid patients to give the most intensive care to.
washingtonpost.com/climate-enviro…
washingtonpost.com/climate-enviro…
8/ I love the case of Arizona, from the summer.
Cases rocketed in Arizona — daily case counts going up by 10x in the space of 8 weeks.
May 8: 400 new cases / day AZ statewide
June 8: 1,100 cases
July 8: 3,800 cases
The pandemic roared through Arizona.
See graph below.
Cases rocketed in Arizona — daily case counts going up by 10x in the space of 8 weeks.
May 8: 400 new cases / day AZ statewide
June 8: 1,100 cases
July 8: 3,800 cases
The pandemic roared through Arizona.
See graph below.
9/ But then Arizona grabbed hold & knocked the virus on its butt.
Daily new cases fell as fast as they rose:
July 8: 3,800 new cases / day
Aug 8: 1,050 cases
Sept 8: 500 cases
Down by 70% in 4 weeks.
Down again by 50% in 4 weeks.
How'd they do that? Can the US do it?
Daily new cases fell as fast as they rose:
July 8: 3,800 new cases / day
Aug 8: 1,050 cases
Sept 8: 500 cases
Down by 70% in 4 weeks.
Down again by 50% in 4 weeks.
How'd they do that? Can the US do it?
10 / A state that had disdained masks adopted them widely.
They closed the bars & the restaurants. They stayed home — they were careful to go out only when they needed to.
Nothing epic — the things we know *work*. And it worked.
They closed the bars & the restaurants. They stayed home — they were careful to go out only when they needed to.
Nothing epic — the things we know *work*. And it worked.
11/ The pandemic is now so bad CNN is reporting that Doctors Without Borders is coming to the US to provide medical care in places that are overwhelmed.
Doctors Without Borders picks the places in the world in greatest medical crisis — they've come here.
cnn.com/2020/11/12/hea…
Doctors Without Borders picks the places in the world in greatest medical crisis — they've come here.
cnn.com/2020/11/12/hea…
12/ The physicians, public health specialists, and state government officials say:
Things will get worse in the US in the next 4 to 6 weeks.
They don't have to. We know what works — and we know it works in 7 to 21 days.
We are the ones who can contain this — town by town.
Things will get worse in the US in the next 4 to 6 weeks.
They don't have to. We know what works — and we know it works in 7 to 21 days.
We are the ones who can contain this — town by town.
13/ Re-upping this thread from last night.
Ordinary Americans can make a huge difference every day in the pandemic.
People are dying, people will die, who do not need to — not in some vague future, between now & Christmas.
But we also need leaders.
Ordinary Americans can make a huge difference every day in the pandemic.
People are dying, people will die, who do not need to — not in some vague future, between now & Christmas.
But we also need leaders.
https://twitter.com/cfishman/status/1326696482624434179?s=20
14/ Wherever you live right now in the US...
At whatever moment you took this pandemic most seriously in your own daily life...
At whatever moment you were most worried & so most cautious...
Do that now. Because it's as bad as it was when you were most worried — it's worse.
#
At whatever moment you took this pandemic most seriously in your own daily life...
At whatever moment you were most worried & so most cautious...
Do that now. Because it's as bad as it was when you were most worried — it's worse.
#
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