“I don’t believe this.” Or “this can’t be happening.” What if it is? Coronavirus is now provoking global shock. It’s a generalized “I can’t believe this is real”: I can’t go out for a pizza I can’t get my hair cut. I can’t take a walk. I can’t leave my house. Covid-19’s ultimate effects will […]
Coronavirus Practical Epidemiology 3.18.20 The REAL Unreal
It’s real, folks. Life is a different. We’re not in Kansas anymore, and Toto the dog is banned from the beach. As I talk with patients it’s clear many cannot fully acknowledge that their present state of being is materially different from before. Many tell me they can’t place what’s going on but that they […]
Coronavirus – Practical Epidemiology 3.17.20 The Legacy of SARS
How to Control Covid-19’s First Wave Where’s St. Patrick when we need him? Perhaps he decamped to the countries, like Singapore and South Korea, that have most successfully dealt with coronavirus. They learned from what came before. In 2003 SARS came out of Guangdong province, southern China and caused a fatality rate of 8%. It […]
Coronavirus – Practical Epidemiology 3.16.20 Don’t Trust the Numbers
It’s nice to think a coronavirus case in one country is the same in the number. But the criteria are not even close. China has generally gone on clinical criteria, the Koreans on PCR tests, America by PCR plus corroboration by CDC. The PCR tests can vary from lab to lab, university to commercial establishment. […]
Coronavirus – Practical Epidemiology 3.15.20
(Disclaimer – my work experience is in chronic disease versus infectious disease epidemiology) Move Fast The growth of coronavirus in the U.S. is presently exponential.( https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/13/opinion/coronavirus-trump-response.html; ) Preventing cases now will prevent far, far more in the future. Coronavirus appears to be spread primarily person to person; very large proportions of infection on cruise […]