{"id":28506,"date":"2020-09-14T15:45:16","date_gmt":"2020-09-14T20:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tmc.edu\/news\/?p=28506"},"modified":"2020-09-15T19:04:00","modified_gmt":"2020-09-16T00:04:00","slug":"coronavirus-connection-a-texas-medical-center-continuing-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tmc.edu\/news\/2020\/09\/coronavirus-connection-a-texas-medical-center-continuing-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus: A Texas Medical Center continuing update"},"content":{"rendered":"
UPDATE | September 15, 2020, 4:30 p.m.: <\/strong>Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted today’s updated COVID-19 numbers for the city. There were 325 news cases today, bringing the city’s total to 69,567. In addition, there were 12 newly reported deaths, bringing Houston’s total to 982.<\/p>\n A new report<\/a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 121 people under age 21 in the United States died of COVID-19 between Feb. 12 and July 31, 2020.<\/p>\n Of those deaths, 78 percent occurred among Black, Hispanic and American Indian\/Alaska Native individuals. Twelve\u00a0were infants and 85 were aged 10 to 20 years.<\/p>\n Although symptoms associated with COVID-19 are milder in children than adults, the report concluded that \u201congoing surveillance for SARS-CoV-2-associated infection, hospitalization and death among persons aged <21 years should be continued as schools reopen in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n STAT News reported this week that a study<\/a> forthcoming from 23andMe, the personal genomics and biotechnology technology company known for its direct-to-consumer DNA test, shows that an individual\u2019s \u201cgenetic code could be connected to how likely they are to catch Covid-19\u2014and how severely they could experience the disease if they catch it.\u201d<\/p>\n The 23andMe study, which included web-based surveys of more than one million research participants, found that people with blood group O tested positive for COVID-19 less frequently than people with other blood groups.<\/p>\n At least one previous study<\/a> came to a similar conclusion in terms of blood group.<\/p>\n The 23andMe study also found that African American ancestry, obesity, lower socio-economic status and pre-existing conditions were associated with a higher risk of hospitalization in COVID-19 patients.<\/p>\n The new study, Stat News reported, has not yet been peer-reviewed.<\/p>\n The New England Journal of Medicine<\/em> today published a \u201cPerspective\u201d piece<\/a> about the role reversal of Big Pharma and the U.S. government, \u201cUp Is Down\u2014Pharmaceutical Industry Caution vs. Federal Acceleration of Covid-19 Vaccine Approval.\u201d<\/p>\n The article references the Sept. 8 pledge<\/a>\u00a0from nine pharmaceutical companies saying they would not apply for approval of a COVID-19 vaccine until they were satisfied that data from clinical trials was adequate.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom a legal perspective, the CEOs\u2019 pledge to hold back on seeking marketing permission prematurely could lead to the unusual situation of the government advocating for quick approval of a medical product even as its manufacturer declines to request such approval,\u201d states the article, written by members of Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston. \u201cThen what? The FDA process is predicated on a sponsor submitting an application to the agency. But an administration that has taken an unprecedented role in influencing FDA policy on COVID-19 could encourage the agency to issue an EUA [Emergency Use Authorization] for a product that has antibody data that only seem promising, even without a formal approval request by its manufacturer.\u201d<\/p>\n The article looks ahead to the coming months, noting that the federal response to public distrust and the nine pharmaceutical companies \u201cwill help determine not just the fate of the first COVID-19 vaccines, but also what remains of the public\u2019s eroding trust in one of the most important aspects of U.S. science policy.\u201d \u2014 Maggie Galehouse<\/em><\/p>\n UPDATE | September 14, 2020, 3:45 p.m.<\/strong>: Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported the highest single-day increase in global infections since the pandemic began, with 307,930 new cases. The previous daily high was on September 6, with 306,857 new cases.<\/p>\n The Houston Health Department is reporting today 329 new cases of COVID-19 and 7 additional deaths, bringing the city\u2019s totals to 69,242 cases and 970 deaths. During an afternoon press briefing, Mayor Sylvester Turner also announced that the city\u2019s positivity rate had dropped to 6.1 percent, but reiterated that the goal was for the rate to drop below 5 percent.<\/p>\n \u201cThis virus is still very much present, we need to be very, very vigilant\u2014even though the positivity rate is moving in the right direction, it can easily go up just like it is coming down,\u201d Turner said.<\/p>\n Another positive metric: according to the Houston Chronicle<\/a>, the percentage of Houston-area ICU patients hospitalized for COVID-19 fell to 14 percent on Sunday, the first time that percentage has fallen below 15 percent since May 31. The drop is \u201ca key achievement that indicates the virus is slowly being brought under control here,\u201d the authors of the article wrote.<\/p>\n During today\u2019s press conference, Turner also announced the expansion of the Mayor\u2019s Office of Human Trafficking to include efforts around domestic violence. The newly named Mayor\u2019s Office of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence will continue to focus on gender-based violence and will expand its focus on domestic violence issues, which have escalated during the pandemic.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that the stresses created by the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the risk for domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse for women and girls nationwide,\u201d Turner said. \u201cCOVID-19, let me quickly say, is no excuse for any kind of domestic violence or abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n Turner added that in the last few months, service agencies have reported a large uptick in requests; he said the Houston Area Women\u2019s Center reported a 40 percent increase in calls and Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse<\/a> reported a 90 percent increase for protective orders. Turner said that while there are complexities to this issue, the office will begin by focusing on the financial and economic abuse that survivors often experience.<\/p>\n The Houston Health Department and its partners have also announced the schedule for free COVID-19 testing sites<\/a> throughout the city this week.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Harris County Agency on Aging is also offering in-home COVID-19 testing for homebound individuals, including those with disabilities and adults 60 years and over. Inquiries can be made at 832-393-4301 or 800-213-8471.<\/p>\n In COVID-19 vaccine news, AstraZeneca has resumed the Phase 2\/3 trial<\/a> for its vaccine candidate in the United Kingdom only. The trial was suspended temporarily after one of the trial participants experienced a potential adverse reaction involving inflammation of the spinal cord. The testing has not yet resumed in the United States, Brazil and South America, where AstraZeneca is also conducting Phase 2\/3 and Phase 3 trials. In addition, Pfizer and BioNTech are hoping to expand their Phase 3 trail<\/a> for their COVID-19 vaccine. The move will require FDA approval, but the companies hope to increase their participant size from 30,000 to 44,000 individuals. And, according to China\u2019s top medical official<\/a>, the country will not work to vaccinate its entire population against COVID-19 once a vaccine is available, but prioritize frontline workers and vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n Finally, Baylor College of Medicine released today a set of guidelines<\/a> for schools across the country to reference as they make plans to reopen.<\/p>\n \u201cBaylor has a history of working closely with math and science-focused schools in Houston and South Texas,\u201d Paul Klotman, M.D., president, CEO and executive dean at Baylor, said in a statement. \u201cWe feel strongly that we should share broadly our expert guidance on how and when to open schools safely in this time of pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n The guidelines address a wide range of topics, including decisions related to reopening timelines and planning and preparing for re-entry; planning for physical distancing; attention to facilities, including how to clean and disinfect; health supplies; guidance on face coverings, classroom spacing and reducing interactions among students; communication efforts; screening and testing students and teachers for COVID-19 symptoms; potential exposure and protocols for positive cases; and isolation and quarantine instructions. \u2014 Alexandra Becker<\/em><\/p>\n UPDATE | September 11, 2020, 3:30 p.m.<\/strong>: On this 19th\u00a0anniversary of 9\/11<\/a>, as we remember the nearly 3,000 people who perished in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center<\/a> reported the following national numbers for COVID-19 in the United States:<\/p>\n For daily updates of national numbers, visit the \u201cData in Motion\u201d<\/a> feature on the Johns Hopkins website.<\/p>\n Flu viruses are most common during the fall and winter, with influenza activity ramping up as early as September and October. As we head into the weekend, a graphic released this week by Harris County Public Health might help people sort out several symptoms they may be experiencing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Associated Press reported<\/a> Thursday that medical supplies needed to battle COVID-19 remain in short supply, despite the fact that White House officials say U.S. hospitals have all the supplies they need. N95 masks are among those items experiencing critical shortfalls in certain places.<\/p>\n \u201cFront-line health care workers, hospital officials and even the Food and Drug Administration say shortages persist,\u201d the AP story said.<\/p>\n The White House took too long to sign contracts with companies that produce \u201cmeltblown textile,\u201d the dense mesh made from plastic that allows N95 masks to block small particles\u2014including viruses, according to the story.<\/p>\n The report is \u201cpart of an ongoing investigation by the Associated Press, the PBS series \u201cFrontline\u201d and the Global Reporting Centre that examines the deadly consequences of the fragmented worldwide medical supply chain.\u201d<\/p>\n Starting Sept. 14, the U.S. government will stop the enhanced entry health screening for passengers arriving from China, Iran, the Schengen region of Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Brazil.<\/p>\n \u201cWe now have a better understanding of COVID-19 transmission that indicates symptom-based screening has limited effectiveness because people with COVID-19 may have no symptoms or fever at the time of screening, or only mild symptoms,\u201d a media statement posted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website said. \u201cTransmission of the virus may occur from passengers who have no symptoms or who have not yet developed symptoms of infection. Therefore, CDC is shifting its strategy and prioritizing other public health measures to reduce the risk of travel-related disease transmission.\u201d<\/p>\n Going forward, government resources will focus on individual passengers and a series of new initiatives, including robust illness response at airports; voluntary collection of contact information from passengers using electronic means; potential testing to reduce the risk of travel-related transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19; country-specific risk assessments to assist passengers in making informed decisions about travel-related risk; and post-arrival passenger recommendations for self-monitoring and precautions to protect others. \u2014 Maggie Galehouse<\/em><\/p>\n UPDATE | September 10, 2020, 3:30 p.m.:<\/strong>\u00a0An increasing body of research has been published to shed light on the specific ways COVID-19 has roiled the United States for more than six months. Two papers published today explain how the novel coronavirus has caused people to delay care and its disproportionate weathering on poor individuals and people of color.<\/p>\n \u201cBeyond the Case Count: The Wide-Ranging Disparities of COVID-19 in the United States\u201d<\/a> from The Commonwealth Fund<\/a> concluded that \u201cCOVID-19 pandemic\u2019s impact in the United States has exposed long-standing inequities by race, ethnicity, and income.\u201d<\/p>\n The results are an analysis of the U.S. responses to the Fund\u2019s 2020 International Health Policy COVID-19 Supplement Survey, fielded in the U.S. and nine other countries from March 30 to May 25, 2020.<\/p>\n Of the report\u2019s U.S. findings:<\/p>\n Also, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report<\/a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued results of a survey showing that an estimated 41 percent of U.S. adults have avoided medical care during the pandemic<\/a> because of concerns about COVID-19, including 12 percent who sidestepped urgent or emergency care and another 32 percent who bypassed routine care.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This confirms the anecdotal concerns of Houston-area clinicians and the health care executives who have warned about decreased traffic for preventive care including vaccinations, annual well exams and screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies.<\/p>\n \u201cThese findings align with recent reports that hospital admissions, overall emergency department (ED) visits and the number of ED visits for heart attack, stroke, and hyperglycemic crisis have declined since the start of the pandemic, and that excess deaths directly or indirectly related to COVID-19 have increased in 2020 versus prior years,\u201d the report said. \u201cNearly one third of adult respondents reported having delayed or avoided routine medical care, which might reflect adherence to community mitigation efforts such as stay-at-home orders, temporary closures of health facilities, or additional factors. However, if routine care avoidance were to be sustained, adults could miss opportunities for management of chronic conditions, receipt of routine vaccinations, or early detection of new conditions, which might worsen outcomes.\u201d \u2014 Cindy George<\/em><\/p>\n UPDATE | September 9, 2020, 3:40 p.m.: <\/strong>The Houston Health Department reported today 223 new cases of COVID-19 and eight new deaths, bringing the total to 66,488 cases and 906 deaths. In addition, the city\u2019s positivity rate is 6.6 percent.<\/p>\n Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced today that he will allow live events with certain health and safety protocols in place, starting with small audiences that fill 25 percent of a controlled venue\u2019s normal occupancy.<\/p>\n The Houston Symphony, which typically seats 3,000, will allow 150 guests to attend a concert series at Jones Hall. The Houston Dynamo and Dash have also announced that they will begin hosting their games with less than 25 percent capacity in BBVA Stadium.<\/p>\n However, parades, fun runs, walks, biking events, festivals and other similar events in uncontrolled spaces or venues will continue to be on hold through the rest of the year.<\/p>\n Houston Fire Department Capt. Tommy Searcy died yesterday due to complications from COVID-19.<\/p>\nCOVID-19 deaths of children under 21<\/h6>\n
COVID-19 and blood group<\/h6>\n
Role reversal<\/h6>\n
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Allergies, cold, flu or COVID-19?<\/h6>\n
N95 masks in short supply<\/h6>\n
U.S. government adjusts entry strategy for international air passengers<\/h6>\n
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Houston to begin restarting live events<\/strong><\/h6>\n
Houston mourns death of HFD Captain Tommy Searcy<\/strong><\/h6>\n