CDC chief warns second COVID-19 wave may be worse, arriving with flu season

[webfact]

CDC chief warns second COVID-19 wave may be worse, arriving with flu season

 

FILE PHOTO: Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dr. Robert Redfield testifies about coronavirus preparedness and response to the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 12, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - A second wave of the coronavirus is expected to hit the United States next winter and could strike much harder than the first because it would likely arrive at the start of influenza season, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Tuesday.

 

"There's a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through," CDC Director Robert Redfield told the Washington Post in an interview.

 

As the current outbreak continues to taper off, as shown by a recent decline in hospitalization rates and other indicators, authorities need to prepare for a probable resurgence in the months ahead.

 

"We're going to have the flu epidemic and the coronavirus epidemic at the same time," he said, and the combination would put even greater strain on the nation's healthcare system than the first outbreak.

 

The virus, which causes a highly contagious and potentially fatal respiratory illness dubbed COVID-19, emerged late last year in central China. The first known U.S. infection, a travel-related case, was diagnosed on Jan. 20 in Washington state near Seattle.

 

Since then, nearly 810,000 people have tested positive in the United States, and more than 45,000 have died from the disease.

 

Redfield and other public health authorities credit drastic stay-at-home orders and widespread business and school closings across the country for slowing the spread of infections. But the restrictions have also stifled American commerce while throwing at least 22 million people out of work over the past four weeks.

 

Even as the lockdown is gradually eased, Redfield stressed the importance of individuals continuing to practice social distancing among one another.

 

At the same time, he said, public health authorities must vastly ramp up a testing system to identify those who are infected and to locate their close personal interactions through contact tracing.

 

Asked about the recent flurry of street protests of stay-at-home orders and calls for states to be "liberated" from such restrictions - as President Donald Trump has advocated on Twitter - Redfield told the Post: "It's not helpful."

 

Building a nationwide contact tracing network, key to preventing newly diagnosed cases from growing into large outbreaks, poses a major challenge because it is so labor intensive, requiring a workforce that by some estimates would require as many as 300,000 personnel.

 

Redfield said the CDC is discussing with state officials the possibility of enlisting and training workers from the U.S. Census Bureau, and volunteers from Peace Corps and AmeriCorps, to create a new contact tracing workforce.

 

(Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; editing by Bill Tarrant and Lincoln Feast.)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-22

 

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[Tippaporn]

Highlight one man's opinion and write an article in agreement with his assumptions.  His doom and gloom view is true, I tell ya.  Keep spreading the fear.

[Matzzon]

I sincerely think this man has enough on his plate already, without making up possible scenarios that might be. How about taking care of the problem at hand with over 45k deaths and more people dying like flies around him. It that real enough for you, Dr. Robert Redfield?

[rudi49jr]

5 hours ago, Matzzon said:

I sincerely think this man has enough on his plate already, without making up possible scenarios that might be. How about taking care of the problem at hand with over 45k deaths and more people dying like flies around him. It that real enough for you, Dr. Robert Redfield?

I strongly disagree. You simply have to look at possible scenarios and prepare for that. Look at how things got out of hand because of how poorly many countries were prepared for this crisis. Now imagine an even worse crisis in about 6-7 months. I’m not saying that’s going to happen, but it would be nice if preparations were in place if it did.

[marko kok prong]

Damn democrat,lies,just nasty lies,fake news ,fire that jerk,lock him up,no burgers for him.

[phantomfiddler]

8 hours ago, Matzzon said:

I sincerely think this man has enough on his plate already, without making up possible scenarios that might be. How about taking care of the problem at hand with over 45k deaths and more people dying like flies around him. It that real enough for you, Dr. Robert Redfield?

"People dying like flies around him" ?? I am coming to the conclusion that you may be susceptible to gross exaggeration ! I personally, though living in a well populated area, have yet to see one victim of the virus lying dead in the street, and neither have any of my friends. Are you aware that, long before this Covid-19 scare, the average number of deaths in America over the winter months comes in at around 8,500 PER DAY !

[Matzzon]

13 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

"People dying like flies around him" ?? I am coming to the conclusion that you may be susceptible to gross exaggeration ! I personally, though living in a well populated area, have yet to see one victim of the virus lying dead in the street, and neither have any of my friends. Are you aware that, long before this Covid-19 scare, the average number of deaths in America over the winter months comes in at around 8,500 PER DAY !

"People dying like flies around him" Yeah, as well as I am aware of the use of this expression I believe you are as well. It´s commonly used when it looks like a person is not aware of the reality around him. However, I am sure you just pointed out that to have something to start with. Tough day, perhaps?
 

Yep as you say, normally 8 500 americans die every day under normal circumstances. Now you have that plus another 3 000 PER DAY for the last week as that death toll gone from 25k to 40k. That´s what I am aware of.

[Pesche]

Why do you all blindly believe in the total miss-information and false numbers propagated by the mass media!!!

I really don't understand!

Do some research! And think a bit, ponder!

 

And then give your salt & pepper!!!

[rudi49jr]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Building a nationwide contact tracing network, key to preventing newly diagnosed cases from growing into large outbreaks, poses a major challenge because it is so labor intensive, requiring a workforce that by some estimates would require as many as 300,000 personnel.

Millions of people are unemployed right now, so there should be absolutely no problem getting those 300,000 vacancies filled lickety split.

[Eric Loh]

A different President will handle this differently. There is still hope. 

[rudi49jr]

13 hours ago, Pesche said:

Why do you all blindly believe in the total miss-information and false numbers propagated by the mass media!!!

I really don't understand!

Do some research! And think a bit, ponder!

 

And then give your salt & pepper!!!

Why do you all blindly believe in the total miss-information and false numbers propagated by the mass media!!!
Maybe you care to enlighten us, the ignorant masses?

[natway09]

I hate to say this but if "the goose" has his way this prediction has a very good chance of coming true

[IAMHERE]

Forget about predicting the future, I wouldn't trust these guys to predict the past.

[digger70]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

DC chief warns second COVID-19 wave may be worse, arriving with flu season

How does he Know (Crystal Balls) .If its get under control and No one has the virus Where does it come from Next winter ? Some one or Something must Have some Stored (maybe in Wuhan)and Spread the Virus around the World?

[candide]

17 minutes ago, digger70 said:

How does he Know (Crystal Balls) .If its get under control and No one has the virus Where does it come from Next winter ? Some one or Something must Have some Stored (maybe in Wuhan)and Spread the Virus around the World?

The usual flu moves from one hemisphere to the other according to where the cold season is. One possible scenario is that the covid may follow the same pattern. It would be a curse because some people could be infected by by both flu and covid at the same time and be too weak to fight both at the same time. 

[Diddl]

CDC is a Private Organization – Not Government!

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/?s=CDC

 

[nattaya09]

The one we are in arrived at the peak of the influenza season

[Acharn]

Quote

"We're going to have the flu epidemic and the coronavirus epidemic at the same time," he said, and the combination would put even greater strain on the nation's healthcare system than the first outbreak.

This is sheer idiocy. The current pandemic is occurring at the same time as this year's flu season. You just don't see mention of the flu  in American media because they cater to readers/viewers with the attention span of a fruit fly. They haven't announced specific numbers yet, but it looks like this season has been mild to moderate, so probably around 40,000 deaths from influenza. The mortality statistics are extremely unreliable  right now, because causes of death are not being carefully recorded. In general I think the number of deaths from COVID-19 are undercounted, but we won't ever know for sure. People are dying from preventable causes because they're afraid to go to hospitals, and hospital beds are vacant because they discharged all the patients they could, expecting a higher intake of COVID-19 cases. Well, in some places they got the huge influx, in other places not so much. New York State, for example, is overwhelmed. Michigan is getting hammered. Tennessee is getting hit hard while neighboring Kentucky has very low rates. Wash your hands.

ETA: I can't seem to insert the link at the words "this year's flu season" https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm

Edited April 22, 2020 by Acharn

[Tug]

14 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Highlight one man's opinion and write an article in agreement with his assumptions.  His doom and gloom view is true, I tell ya.  Keep spreading the fear.

Ahhh he has the facts and figures in front of him it’s his area of expertise for warned is for armed and better to be prepared than not and don’t mistake beeing prepared for spreading fear it’s what smart leaders do

[Stargeezr]

Well the USA has not even got over its first or at least 2nd wave, and with the

non distancing, non mask and glove wearing crowds, I will be surprised that

the US has even seen the peak yet. Of course I am one of those

who has not believed hardly a word that Trump or his gang have said.

  I will wait until Summer is over before I even venture too far from where I live.

Certainly not going to be going to large gatherings of any kind, or hanging with

a bunch of screaming fanatics, and such either. Stay safe everybody, and stay

healthy.

Geezer

[canuckamuck]

So tired of hearing the fear porn. Covid 19 is nothing special. Can we have our lives back please?

Edited April 22, 2020 by canuckamuck

[Cryingdick]

We can't take the chance. I am ordering everybody to shelter in place until spring of 2021.

[Chomper Higgot]

It might be worth listening to the science experts rather than the politicians.

 

It’s not like the alternative non-science approach has worked that promised miracle.

[Chomper Higgot]

10 hours ago, nattaya09 said:

The one we are in arrived at the peak of the influenza season

‘Arrived’.

 

Now it has a firm footing.

[FarFlungFalang]

11 hours ago, Diddl said:

CDC is a Private Organization – Not Government!

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/?s=CDC

 

Dude "government" is a private organisation!Did you think it was otherwise?

[Pesche]

17 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

Why do you all blindly believe in the total miss-information and false numbers propagated by the mass media!!!
Maybe you care to enlighten us, the ignorant masses?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_pandemic

 

https://www.worldometers.info/

 

https://www.euromomo.eu/

 

Maybe after informing yourself, for a beginning on these links, you will start to think and do your own research and your own opinion, instead of believing mass media informative MANIPULATION!

 

 

[digger70]

15 hours ago, candide said:

The usual flu moves from one hemisphere to the other according to where the cold season is. One possible scenario is that the covid may follow the same pattern. It would be a curse because some people could be infected by by both flu and covid at the same time and be too weak to fight both at the same time. 

They better get a wriggle on otherwise there will be a lot more  people dying  then this first round this season .

[spidermike007]

There does seem to be a deliberate agenda at the highest levels, to scare the American public. Scare them into total submission? Hospitals are being given a premium for declaring deaths as Covid, for uninsured patients who die. Why? It is anyone's guess what the agenda is. One would ask why would the feds want to actually beef up the numbers? Even if there is no testing done, all the patient has to do is exhibit "Covid like symptoms", and they can write Covid on the death certificate. This is a scandal of the highest magnitude, that is being perpetrated on the American people. 

 

Hospitals are getting paid more to list patients as Covid-19 and three times as much if the patient goes on a ventilator, according to The Spectator. Last night Senator Dr. Scott Jensen from Minnesota went on The Ingraham Angle to discuss how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging American doctors to overcount coronavirus deaths across the US. This was after Dr. Scott Jensen, a Minnesota physician and Republican state senator, told a local station he received a 7-page document coaching him to fill out death certificates with a Covid-19 diagnosis without a lab test to confirm the patient actually had the virus. Dr. Jensen also disclosed that hospitals are paid more if they list patients with a Covid-19 diagnosis.

 

https://accountingweekly.com/us-hospitals-getting-paid-to-list-patients-as-covid-19/

[Eric Loh]

Let’s hope Dr Robert Redfield will not go the way like dismissed Dr Rick Bright or Dr Fauci who seem to be missing for the second day running for the daily briefing. Science is losing grip to politics in the WH. 

[winslowsjardine]

17 hours ago, Acharn said:

This is sheer idiocy. The current pandemic is occurring at the same time as this year's flu season. You just don't see mention of the flu  in American media because they cater to readers/viewers with the attention span of a fruit fly. They haven't announced specific numbers yet, but it looks like this season has been mild to moderate, so probably around 40,000 deaths from influenza. The mortality statistics are extremely unreliable  right now, because causes of death are not being carefully recorded. In general I think the number of deaths from COVID-19 are undercounted, but we won't ever know for sure. People are dying from preventable causes because they're afraid to go to hospitals, and hospital beds are vacant because they discharged all the patients they could, expecting a higher intake of COVID-19 cases. Well, in some places they got the huge influx, in other places not so much. New York State, for example, is overwhelmed. Michigan is getting hammered. Tennessee is getting hit hard while neighboring Kentucky has very low rates. Wash your hands.

ETA: I can't seem to insert the link at the words "this year's flu season" https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm

According to the CDC most of the time the the flu season peaks between between december and february.