Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Studies, Symptom-Free Patients Didn't Spread Covid As Easily
CIDRAP: Asymptomatic COVID-19 May Not Spread As Easily As Symptomatic
Symptomatic COVID-19 cases are responsible for more viral transmission than asymptomatic infections, suggests an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of 130 studies published yesterday in PLOS Medicine. ... In 46 contact-tracing or outbreak studies, the total share of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases was 19%. Relative to symptomatic infections, the rate of viral spread from asymptomatic index patients to contacts was about two-thirds lower. (5/27)
San Francisco Chronicle: COVID Symptoms Charted By New Coronavirus Study
A yearlong study of more than 60,000 people tested for the coronavirus in San Francisco found intriguing shifts in COVID-19 symptoms over three different surges — including fewer reports of loss of smell, once considered a trademark of the illness — probably because of changes in the virus itself as well as individuals’ immunity. More people with COVID reported symptoms of upper respiratory infection — including cough, sore throat and congestion — during the omicron surge than earlier waves, researchers found. Patients also experienced fewer instances of systemic issues such as fever and body aches. Loss of smell was reported by 20% of those who tested positive during the delta surge, but only 5% during omicron. (Allday, 5/29)
The Atlantic: You Are Going To Get COVID Again … And Again … And Again
“I personally know several individuals who have had COVID in almost every wave,” says Salim Abdool Karim, a clinical infectious-diseases epidemiologist and the director of the Center for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa, which has experienced five meticulously tracked surges, and where just one-third of the population is vaccinated. Experts doubt that clip of reinfection—several times a year—will continue over the long term, given the continued ratcheting up of immunity and potential slowdown of variant emergence. But a more sluggish rate would still lead to lots of comeback cases. Aubree Gordon, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, told me that her best guess for the future has the virus infiltrating each of us, on average, every three years or so. “Barring some intervention that really changes the landscape,” she said, “we will all get SARS-CoV-2 multiple times in our life.” (Wu, 5/27)
The New York Times: Can I Stop Isolating If I’m Still Testing Positive For The Virus?
The Omicron variant of the coronavirus moves fast. Symptoms typically appear just a few days after infection, with viral levels peaking less than five days after the pathogen first becomes detectable. But for some people, the virus seems to linger, with at-home tests coming back positive day after day, even after other people in the household return to work or school. So why do some people test positive for the virus for 10 or 12 or even 14 days — and are they still infectious after so long? (Anthes, 5/29)
In covid updates from California, Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, and Louisiana —
Los Angeles Times: Gov. Newsom Tests Positive For COVID-19, Has 'Mild Symptoms'
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he tested positive for the coronavirus Saturday, making him the latest government official to contract the virus that relentlessly continues to challenge healthcare systems across the nation and around the world. “This a.m. I tested positive for COVID-19,” Newsom, who is vaccinated and has received two booster shots — the most recent on May 18 — announced in a tweet, “and am currently experiencing mild symptoms.” “Grateful to be vaccinated, and for treatments like Paxlovid,” he added, referring to the Pfizer antiviral medication. “I am following health guidelines and will be isolating while I work remotely.” (Sahagun, 5/28)
WUSF Public Media: Health Officials Urge Caution And Mask-Wearing As Florida Coronavirus Cases Climb
Federal health officials are recommending more Floridians wear masks indoors as the coronavirus spreads. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a number of counties across Florida are now categorized as "at a high risk" of COVID-19 as cases continue to climb across the state — and hospitalizations increase as well. Counties on the CDC lists are Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Sarasota, Alachua, Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach. The CDC's "COVID Community Level" measure is different from one that tracks transmission — and factors hospitalizations in as well. (Colombini, 5/27)
WFSU: A State Probe Finds Rebekah Jones' Claims Of Data Manipulation Is Unsubstantiated And Unfounded
A state investigation into allegations that the Florida Department of Health fudged COVID-19 case numbers to support Gov. Ron DeSantis’ effort to reopen the state after a shutdown in April 2020, has found no evidence of wrongdoing. Fired department analyst Rebecca Jones claimed she was let go from her job managing the state’s COVID-19 dashboard after she refused to manipulate the data. Jones gained national media attention for her claims, even starting a rival dashboard system. She also became a high-profile critic of DeSantis amid his efforts to restart the state’s economy and reopen schools. The investigation, done by Department of Health Chief Inspector General Michael Bennett, found there wasn’t enough evidence to support or disprove many of Jones’ accusations. Other claims were unfounded, meaning that the issue raised did not occur. (Hatter, 5/28)
Bangor Daily News: Funding That Boosted Maine’s Pandemic Response May Not Be There For The Next One
Maine was among those catching up. When Gov. Janet Mills took office in 2019, her administration moved to fill dozens of Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention positions left empty by former Republican Gov. Paul LePage, raising the workforce from 174 to 230 by the time the pandemic began. Federal funding has helped grow the ranks to more than 300. But public health is more than its emergencies, experts warn. They say the boom-and-bust nature of crisis spending can leave out the everyday services that make a population more resilient and that the state and federal governments should continue to focus on preventing COVID-19 and improving other services. (Andrews, 5/31)
New Hampshire Public Radio: N.H. Hospitals Adjust To Changes In COVID Data
For Dr. Matt Dunn, Chief Medical Officer at Memorial Hospital in North Conway, data has been an essential tool in the fight against COVID-19. Every day, he consults global data on new variants and other data modeling from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. He also religiously checks New Hampshire’s online COVID-19 dashboard. Having reliable numbers about how COVID-19 is spreading — and how the virus is evolving — helps Dunn and other hospital leaders make decisions about staffing and plan for potential strains on their health system. But that data is becoming trickier to navigate. (Fam, 5/27)
AP: State Suspends In-Person Visits At Juvenile Facilities
The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice says it is temporarily suspending in-person visits at all secure care facilities due to confirmed COVID-19 cases. State health officials report 1,279 new cases of COVID in Louisiana with four new deaths and 197 people hospitalized with the virus as of Friday. Those not fully vaccinated account for 65% of the COVID hospitalizations, the Louisiana Department of Health said. (5/28)
