Coronavirus

New Science Emerges as Coronavirus Cases Surge, Schools Make Plans for Fall 

Amidst a nationwide surge in COVID-19, scientists are learning more about the activity of the virus and investing in new treatment options. Nevertheless, much uncertainty remains, with limitations on drug supply and questions about the financial resources required to head safely into fall.   

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, states across the nation report a continued surge in new cases. California alone saw a recent two-week infection rate increase of 43% with ICU admissions up 37%. Meanwhile, new science is painting a better picture of the virus and honing in on treatment while schools grapple with how to safely educate students in the fall. 

Recent Discoveries Provide Better Understanding of COVID-19

In Spain, one of the hardest-hit European countries, new data suggests that only 5% of the country’s residents have developed antibodies through exposure to the virus, leaving 95% of the population susceptible to illness. Similar studies in China and the United States also show that the vast majority of individuals remain vulnerable. By some estimates, a 60% exposure rate is necessary to develop herd immunity, but according to Isabella Eckerle, head of the Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, and Benjamin Meyer, a virologist at the University of Geneva, “In light of these findings, any proposed approach to achieve herd immunity through natural infection is not only highly unethical, but also unachievable.” 

In addition, researchers have learned more about the behavior of the virus itself. A study out of UC San Francisco has determined that cells infected with COVID-19 grow arms, called filopodia, that reach into neighboring cells to infect them with the virus. While other viruses also replicate using filopodia, COVID-19 appears unusual in that it grows these tentacles so rapidly. 

Moreover, a mutated form of the virus, known as G614, appears to spread more rapidly than the earlier D614 variety, being three to nine times more infectious. It is now the dominant viral strain. Fortunately, while more infectious, this mutation does not appear to cause more severe illness. Theoretical biologist Bette Korber of Los Alamos National Laboratory indicates, “We interpret [the more rapid spread of G614] to mean that the virus is likely to be more infectious. Interestingly, we did not find evidence of G614 impact on disease severity.” 

Similarly, Lawrence Young, a professor of medical oncology at the UK’s University of Warwick, has said, “The current work suggests that while the G614 variant may be more infectious, it is not more pathogenic. There is a hope that as SARS-CoV-2 infection spreads, the virus might become less pathogenic.” 

Drug Remdesivir Shows Promise, Pricing and Supply an Issue 

Gilead Sciences has developed a new antiviral drug, called Remdesivir, which is the first to show effectiveness against COVID-19 in a large clinical trial, reducing patients’ recovery time by an average of four days. The drug works by disrupting the virus’s ability to replicate within the patient’s cells. 

Since its approval for emergency use in May, the U.S. Government has been distributing Remdesivir donated by Gilead. This month, though, Gilead will begin charging for the drug, which will cost U.S. hospitals an average of $3120 per patient. However, Gilead estimates a savings of $12,000 per patient in reduced hospitalization time. While some politicians have criticized the price of the drug, Steven D. Pearson, President of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, said in a written statement, “Gilead made a responsible pricing decision based on the evidence we have today. If further data do not show a clear mortality benefit for remdesivir, then the price of the drug should be dramatically reduced.”    

With the donated supply of Remdesivir now used up, the Trump administration has made a deal with Gilead to procure the first 500,000 doses, which amounts to all of July’s production and 90% of August and September’s. According to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar,  “President Trump has struck an amazing deal to ensure Americans have access to the first authorised therapeutic for Covid-19. To the extent possible, we want to ensure that any American patient who needs Remdesivir can get it.” 

Schools Make Plans for Fall 

As summer moves along and cases spike, educators are contending with the very real challenges that back-to-school will bring. In the Ivy League, Harvard has announced that the majority of classes will be taught online, with no reduction in tuition, and up to 40% of students may be allowed to live on campus.  Similarly, Princeton plans to offer mostly online instruction, but is offering a 10% tuition reduction and considering a plan to allow 50% of students back for a semester at a time during the coming school year. 

Other colleges and universities are likewise making plans, in many cases investing large sums of money to create a safe learning environment. Already facing budget crunches due to lower anticipated enrollment, these institutions are spending millions on everything from plexiglass barriers to face masks and other protective gear. The University of Southern Florida recently placed an order for 1,200 hand sanitizing stations, while Purdue University has budgeted $50 million dollars for safety gear and has begun a fundraising campaign to assist with the effort. Fortunately, supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are rising to meet the demand with new manufacturers and suppliers such as Blueflame Medical entering the fray.    

Blueflame Medical

Adding to budget concerns, schools must take on significant added cost to hire new, hourly employees to wipe down doorknobs and other surfaces throughout the day and to take the temperatures of all students and faculty entering buildings on campus, With the viability of sports, another significant source of revenue for universities in question, much uncertainty looms on the horizon this coming fall. 

Evidence of Progress and a Hopeful Outlook 

Even as cases spike, however, good news remains. With a better understanding of coronavirus and the development of promising treatments, plans to resume schooling reflect a certain optimism in our ability to manage this deadly pandemic and get on with life.    

Facemasks and other PPE remain critical as Americans seek to resume daily life and favorite summer pastimes amidst recent spikes in COVID-19 infection rates.  

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Americans Attempt to Resume Normalcy as COVID Cases Spike

Summer has officially begun. Lockdown restrictions are loosening nationwide, professional athletes are preparing to play, and lockdown-weary individuals are hoping to travel. Yet, despite these optimistic attempts to return to normal, some states are seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases. In other instances, stores and venues reopened for business have been forced to pull back.

Meanwhile, airlines feel the pinch as summer travel operates at a fraction of its usual capacity, and eager travelers face frustration over quarantine waiting periods upon arrival. As athletes and eager fans prepare for opening day, Major League Baseball and the National Football League question whether their seasons will be a go.

Cases Spike in California, Florida, Others

In recent days, California has seen an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases. On Friday, June 19, California saw a record 4,317 new cases, topping the previous day’s record of 4,084. In response, California governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order requiring facemasks. North Carolina and the state of Washington have also followed suit with statewide mask mandates.

Florida has also experienced rapid COVID escalation, with a recent, single-day high of 5,506 cases. Despite Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ insistence that there is “plenty of hospital space,” other figures indicate that the number of available hospital beds in the state’s intensive care units has fallen to below 20%.

As the median age of infection in Florida has fallen, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida, Cindy Prins, believes improper adherence to social distance and mask-wearing is a factor, saying, ““I’m definitely seeing when I’m out and about that people are not necessarily adhering to social distancing guidelines, that they’re not necessarily wearing a mask or wearing it correctly.”

Similarly, Arizona has experienced rapid COVID escalation of late, with some hospitals nearing capacity and Governor Doug Ducey also issuing a facemask requirement. Ducey recently admitted, “I said two weeks ago that there is not a trend here. Looking at the last two weeks of data, there is a trend. And the trend is headed in the wrong direction and the actions we’re going to take are intended to change that direction and reverse this trend.”

Nevada and Texas have also seen recent infection-rate spikes.

Travel, Sports Face Uncertain Future

More than three months into the pandemic, Americans are eager to return to usual activities, hoping to watch sports and travel for business and pleasure. However, coronavirus spikes and other uncertainty shroud these activities. The aviation industry has been hit hard. Southwest Airlines has fared better than most airlines, but is still operating at only 40% of its usual capacity for this time of year.  Closed borders, a halt on business travel, and pocketbooks hit by recession are all factors in decreased travel. Moreover, leery travelers worry about safety due to lax enforcement of in-flight mask policies. Delta and American Airlines intend to remedy such laxity with strict, new policies of enforcement, while JetBlue, hopeful for a travel uptick, will reinstate some flights beginning in July and August.

Further complicating matters is the fact that many states have imposed quarantine measures for out-of-state travelers, reducing the appeal or practicality of interstate travel. Recently, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut announced a 14-day quarantine for any individuals traveling from viral hotspots, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah, and Texas. These nine states are being monitored, with the potential to fall off that list if infection rates improve. Of course, other states could find their way onto the list if they experience similar spikes.

Another staple of summer, Major League Baseball, has faced uncertainty, missing its usual opening day and having proposed a shortened, 60-game season to begin July 19. However, the Philadelphia Phillies recently confirmed that five players and three staff are COVID-19 positive. As a result, the team closed its spring training facility indefinitely, casting an air of uncertainty over the viability of a 2020 season. As NFL teams begin to practice, in anticipation of a September 10 start date, White House advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has offered a grim prediction: “Unless players are essentially in a bubble — insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day — it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall.”

Retail Opens, and Closes

Over the past several weeks, many of the business that shut down in March have begun to reopen. In New Jersey, one of the areas hardest hit by illness, Governor Phil Murphy has announced a June 29 mall reopening, with stores at 50% capacity and face coverings required. New York is also preparing for its next opening phase, to include offices, in-store retail, hair salons, barbershops, real estate, and auto sales.

However, some stores that have resumed business are being forced to close again. Apple, which had reopened the majority of its stores, is one such business. The closures include eleven stores in hotspot states – Florida, Arizona, North Carolina and South Carolina. According to an Apple spokesperson, “Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas. We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible.”

Retail has been hit especially hard during the pandemic. Apple stock prices fell upon the announcements of these re-closures, while Triple Five Group missed a $7 million mortgage payment in June for its Mall of America in Minnesota.

PPE Still Necessary for Successful Reopening

A common thread as retail, travel, sports and other services seek to resume and stay open is the necessity of face-coverings. From tightened airline restrictions to mask-wearing mandates, protective face-coverings appear to be a feature of everyday life that is not going away anytime soon.

As certain industries reopen, demand for PPE has increased, but some businesses are finding the necessary equipment in short supply. According to Don Yoshikawa, a dentist in Huntington Beach, California, “It’s been impossible to get enough proper PPE equipment. My dental supply company has been on back-order for months.”

To meet the need for face masks and other PPE, companies such as Blueflame Medical have stepped in the gap to source and distribute these high-demand items. What is clear is that facemasks and other protective equipment will continue to be essential as Americans move to resume, and retain, their usual routines and activities.