An informed guide to the global outbreak, with the latest developments and expert advice about prevention and treatment. |
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 | | The New York Times |
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Warding off a ‘twindemic’ |
If large numbers of people do not take the flu shot this year — out of distrust or lack of access — it would increase the risk of a widespread outbreak and possibly overwhelm hospitals as they battle the coronavirus. Doctors believe that the flu can leave people vulnerable to a harsher case of Covid-19, and if patients were to contract both at the same time, it could be disastrous. |
To prevent this nightmare scenario, the Trump administration announced yesterday that pharmacists nationwide would be allowed to administer all scheduled shots to children as young as 3, including the flu vaccine — a convenience for parents. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today that it was offering flu shots offering protection from four flu strains rather than three, including a stronger-than-normal version aimed at protecting people over 65. |
American public health officials typically look to Australia’s flu season as a predictor of how the flu will play out in the U.S. Australia’s June-to-August winter recorded a 99 percent drop in flu cases compared with 2019, because lots of people got shots, social distancing was prevalent, and Australians decreased their movement. |
But this year, experts say, Americans can’t put stock in the Australian experience. |
“This situation is of no comfort, as these measures do not apply to the United States, where the populace has never been effectively physical distancing,” said Dr. Paul Van Buynder, a public health professor at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. “It is likely they will have a significant influenza season this northern winter.” |
Who’s wearing masks in New York City? |
Our colleague Andy Newman hit the streets to find out. |
Almost everywhere, more men than women skipped masks. At some corners, the gender gap approached 25 percentage points. Overall, nearly one in three men was walking around barefaced, while only about one in six women was. |
Men were also more likely than women to be wearing masks incorrectly — dangling from one ear, nostrils peaking out, or mask tucked under the chin. |
“Probably they have to be macho,” said Damir Otovcevic, 53, an out-of-work waiter sitting on a bench in Astoria, Queens. “They don’t want women to see them cover their faces. Like how they show the muscles — the same thing.” |
Does your little one dislike masks? There are ways you can help make wearing one more tolerable, like adjusting the straps for a better fit, sewing it onto a baseball cap or headband, or distracting children with bubble gum or toys while you slip it on. |
- The U.S. Virgin Islands is halting tourist visits for a month, shutting nonessential businesses and restoring stay-at-home orders, while struggling with some of the highest per capita case numbers in the United States.
- Southern India has emerged as a hotbed for new infections. The country recorded at least 69,000 new cases overall on Wednesday, its largest daily caseload of the pandemic, and nearly a thousand deaths.
- A large virus outbreak in South Korea linked to a church is spreading through Seoul and beyond, threatening the country’s success in fighting the pandemic.
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What else we’re following |
- The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization to a coronavirus test, made by a British company, that gives results in about 12 minutes.
- James Baker, 90 and a former secretary of state, and his wife, Susan Baker, both have Covid-19, his office said. And Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, confirmed he was the latest member of Congress to test positive for the coronavirus.
- School nurses were already in short supply in the United States, but now they’re finding themselves on the front lines of a risky, high-stakes experiment in protecting public health.
- A study found that public health information about the pandemic on international agencies’ websites exceeded the recommended eighth-grade reading level, using complex syntax and technical terms.
- Dr. Anthony S. Fauci underwent outpatient surgery to remove a polyp from a vocal cord and is now resting at home. In a brief text exchange, Dr. Fauci said he was “doing fine.”
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We’ve become a family of anglers this summer, scouting out new lakes and rivers to fish. We’ve lived here forever, and are finally exploring many fisheries in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” It’s given our family a ton of welcome time outdoors, and I’ve gained a sport I can do alongside my teenage boys. — Amy Dong, Minneapolis, Minn. |
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