A hospital in Salem, Oregon, suspended one of its nurses after people complained about a video she had posted online in which she claimed to still travel, forgo masks, and allow her children to play with others.
Salem Health posted a message on its Facebook page on Saturday announcing that it had placed the nurse on leave. The hospital took action against the nurse after a number of people complained that she was violating social distancing guidelines. The hospital’s Saturday <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salemhealth/posts/10160371964957926">post</a> said:
<blockquote>Yesterday, a nurse employed with Salem Health posted a video on social media which displayed cavalier disregard for the seriousness of this pandemic and her indifference towards physical distancing and masking outside of work. This video has prompted an outcry from concerned community members. We want to thank those of you who brought this to our attention and assure you that we are taking this very seriously. This individual does not speak for Salem Health and has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. 
We also want to assure you that this one careless statement does not reflect the position of Salem Health or the hardworking and dedicated caregivers who work here. 
Salem Health believes we all need to do our part to protect the vulnerable and stop the rapid spread of COVID-19. This includes requiring staff, patients and visitors to follow guidance from the CDC and others about mask wearing and social distancing. The COVID pandemic is serious and requires a serious response. And at Salem Health we are very serious about our approach to COVID.</blockquote>
The nurse’s video, since deleted, was posted on the platform TikTok and featured a woman in hospital scrubs and a stethoscope with the caption “When my coworkers find out I still travel, don&#8217;t wear a mask when I&#8217;m out and let my kids have play dates,” according to <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/salem-nurse-placed-on-leave-for-covid-tiktok">BuzzFeed</a>. The outlet reported that the nurse, Ashley Grames, worked in the hospital’s oncology department.
The usefulness of wearing masks in public to protect against the coronavirus is under dispute as the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-now-says-wearing-a-mask-does-protect-you-from-covid-19">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC) continues to update its guidance and more information is revealed through scientific studies. On November 8, the CDC updated its guidance on masks to say that though they are primarily used to prevent someone sick from infecting others, they do provide a layer of protection for the wearer.
“Masks also help reduce inhalation of these droplets by the wearer (‘filtration for personal protection’). The community benefit of masking for SARS-CoV-2 control is due to the combination of these effects; individual prevention benefit increases with increasing numbers of people using masks consistently and correctly,” the CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html">website</a> says.
Later in the month, a Danish study called into question the CDC’s guidance. A team of researchers found that masks provide no significant degree of protection for the wearer. As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nyt-study-finds-that-masks-do-not-protect-wearers">The Daily Wire</a> reports:
<blockquote>A new study from Danish researchers found that mask-wearers were not protected from becoming infected by the novel coronavirus more than their mask-less counterparts, contradicting the mainstream consensus, including that of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).</blockquote>
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Face mask

Oregon Nurse Suspended For Shunning Masks, Letting Her Children Have Play Dates

Coronavirus

COVID-19

Face Mask

A hospital in Salem, Oregon, suspended one of its nurses after people complained about a video she had posted online in which she claimed to still travel,

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has repeatedly said the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the U.S. on Jan. 19, 2020.
Now, the CDC is amending that timeline.
A new <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa1785/6012472">study</a> shows testing found COVID-19 infections in the U.S. in mid-December 2019. The study, which was published Monday, identified 106 infections from 7,389 blood samples collected from donors in nine U.S. states between Dec. 13 and Jan. 17. The samples, collected by the American Red Cross, were sent to the CDC for testing, which showed antibodies in 39 samples from California, Oregon, and Washington state collected between Dec. 13-16.
“The findings of this report suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infections may have been present in the U.S. in December 2019, earlier than previously recognized,” the paper said.
The Wall Street Journal, which first <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-likely-in-u-s-in-mid-december-2019-cdc-scientists-report-11606782449">reported</a> the news, wrote: &#8220;The findings significantly strengthen evidence suggesting the virus was spreading around the world well before public health authorities and researchers became aware, upending initial thinking about how early and quickly it emerged.&#8221;
But it wasn&#8217;t just spreading on the West Coast in December, the study found.
&#8220;The findings suggest there were isolated cases of coronavirus infection on the U.S. West Coast in mid-December, the scientists wrote. They also found 67 samples with antibodies in Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin or Iowa, and Connecticut or Rhode Island collected between Dec. 30 and Jan. 17,&#8221; wrote the Journal.
Reports that an unknown illness was spreading in Wuhan, China, first emerged in late December 2019. Chinese officials initially said the spread was contained and downplayed the seriousness of the virus.
It’s not the first time scientists have sought to push back the spread date. A patient in France was found to have the virus on Dec. 27, Bloomberg News <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-05/france-discovers-undiagnosed-coronavirus-patient-from-last-year">reported</a> in May.
&#8220;Not only did Covid-19 likely appear in the U.S. earlier than previously known, but researchers have found evidence that the virus is far more widespread in the U.S. than testing indicates,&#8221; the Journal wrote. &#8220;Some 53 million people in the U.S. likely had contracted Covid-19 by the end of September, according to a modeling estimate published last week by CDC researchers. Roughly 6.9 million infections had been confirmed within that time period, suggesting that roughly one in every eight cases was identified.&#8221;
At least three effective vaccines are in the pipeline.
Pfizer said on Nov. 9 that its developmental vaccine for COVID-19 may be 90% effective at inoculating people against the disease. The rate of effectiveness was calculated by analyzing early data from 94 trial participants in a study involving 43,538 subjects from all over the world. The small early sample means that the protection rate could change by the time the study ends and all the participants are accounted for, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-4f4ae2e3bad122d17742be22a2240ae8?utm_medium=AP&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=Twitter">according</a> to The Associated Press.
AstraZeneca and Oxford University announced on Nov. 23 that their jointly created COVID-19 vaccine has proven to be up to 90% effective and the makers claim it will be easier to distribute.
“These findings show that we have an effective vaccine that will save many lives,” said Oxford University professor Andrew Pollard, who served as the lead investigator for the drug&#8217;s trials. “Because the vaccine can be stored at fridge temperatures, it can be distributed around the world using the normal immunization distribution system. And so our goal &#8230; to make sure that we have a vaccine that was accessible everywhere, I think we’ve actually managed to do that.”
The biotech firm said Monday that it will ask the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve its experimental COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. Moderna said new data showed the vaccine was 94.1% effective in its late-stage clinical trial. The Moderna vaccine was developed in conjunction with the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/moderna-submits-covid-19-vaccine-for-emergency-approval">Moderna Submits Covid-19 Vaccine For Emergency Approval</a>
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Coronavirus Testing Laboratory In Glasgow

CDC Now Says COVID-19 Reached U.S. By Mid-December 2019

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has repeatedly said the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the U.S. on Jan. 19, 2020. Now, the

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Last Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html">guidelines</a> urging Americans not to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, writing, &#8220;Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year.”
But over the weekend, from Friday through Sunday, over three million Americans decided they were traveling anyway. According to the <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">Transportation Security Administratio</a>n (TSA), 1,019,836 passengers flew in the U.S. on Friday, 984,369 flew on Saturday, and 1,047,934 flew on Sunday, a total of 3,052,139 passengers.
Friday&#8217;s total represented the second-highest number of people to travel by air since the pandemic hit the U.S. in March, according to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8975523/More-1-million-people-traveled-plane-one-day.html">the Daily Mail.</a>
On Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, spoke on NBC’s Meet The Press, where he warned about traveling, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/527076-fauci-urges-americans-to-conduct-risk-benefit-assessment-before">The Hill</a>:
<blockquote>I think the people in this country need to realistically do a risk-benefit assessment. Every family is different. Everyone has a different level of risk that they want to tolerate …  So you don’t want to call it all off, but you want to say at least give you and your family the benefit of having considered what is the risk-benefit of doing that as opposed to constraining what you do to the very core people who live in your home. You just need to consider it and make your own decision.</blockquote>
Fauci added:
<blockquote>But when you think of the holiday season and the congregating indoors at what are innocent, lovely functions, like meals with family and friends, you have got to at least think in terms of evaluating, do you have people in your family that are elderly, that might have underlying conditions, like someone on chemotherapy, or other things that weaken their immune system? Do you really want to get a crowd of 10, 15, 20 people, many of whom are coming in from places where they have gone from crowded airports, to planes, getting into the house? I mean, those are the things that have been such joyous things in the past.</blockquote>
Dr. Erin Sauber-Schatz of the CDC stated bluntly on Thursday, “The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is at home with the people in your household.”
Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the leader of the Trump administration&#8217;s Operation Warp Speed, said on CNN’s <a href="http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2011/22/sotu.01.html">State of The Union</a> on Sunday, “70 percent or so of the population being immunized would allow for true herd immunity to take place. That is likely to happen somewhere in the month of May or something like that, based on our plans. I really hope and look forward to seeing that the level of negative perception of the vaccine decreases and people&#8217;s acceptance increase. That&#8217;s going to be critical to help us. Most people need to be immunized before we can go back to a normal life.”
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Travelers At LAX Airport As U.S. Holiday Air Travel Surges

CDC Warns Against Thanksgiving Travel. Then 3 Million Americans Flew Over The Weekend.

airline travel

Anthony Fauci

Thanksgiving

Last Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines urging Americans not to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, writing,

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CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said on Thursday that K-12 schools should remain open because data shows that schools are among the &#8220;safest places&#8221; that kids can be from the pandemic, and attempts to close schools are nothing more than an &#8220;emotional response.&#8221;
“Today, there’s extensive data that we have—we’ve gathered over the last two to three months—that confirm that K-12 schools can operate with face-to-face learning and they can do it safely and they can do it responsibly,” Redfield said. “The infections that we’ve identified in schools when they’ve been evaluated were not acquired in schools. They were actually acquired in the community and in the household.”
“Today, as Dr. Birx said, our big threat for transmission is not the public square, it’s small family gatherings, family gatherings where people become more comfortable, they remove their face-mask when they get together and it’s this silent epidemic that begins to transmit,” Redfield continued. “But it’s not interschool transmission. The truth is, for kids K-12, one of the safest places they can be, from our perspective, is to remain in school, and it’s really important that following the data, making sure we don’t make emotional decisions about what to close and what not to close, and I’m here to say clearly the data strongly supports that K-12 schools—as well as institutes of higher learning—really are not where we’re having our challenges.”
He added, “And it would be counterproductive from my point of view, from a public health point of view, just in containing the epidemic, if there was an emotional response, to say, ‘Let’s close the schools.’”
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CDC Director Robert Redfield pointing out the obvious that triggers teachers unions, which is &quot;[t]ere is extensive data&quot; that &quot;confirm[s]&#8230;K-12 schools can operate with face-to-face learning and they can do it safely and they can do it responsibly.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/o4nMS81Axp">pic.twitter.com/o4nMS81Axp</a>
&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1329552499255209984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Over the summer, Redfield said that the threat of suicide, drugs, and the seasonal flu represented a &#8220;far greater threat&#8221; to kids than the coronavirus.
&#8220;We&#8217;re seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID,&#8221; Redfield <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-director-threat-of-suicide-drugs-flu-to-youth-far-greater-than-covid">said</a> at the time. &#8220;We&#8217;re seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose that are above excess that we had as background than we are seeing the deaths from COVID.&#8221;
“So this is why I keep coming back for the overall social being of individuals,” he continued, “is let’s all work together and find out how we can find common ground to get these schools open in a way that people are comfortable and their safe. And if there is a need for investment and resources, just like there is a need for some of the underprivileged children that are probably better served if they have certain comorbidities to do homeschooling, they need the access to be able to have the computer and the internet to do that.”
“The goal is to get all these kids back into education,” concluded Redfield. “I’d like to see the goal being face-to-face education, five days a week, as when we get there, then we’ve got there for those children that don’t have an underlying significant comorbidity that would preclude it. And, hopefully, the states and the federal government will work together to see that the resources to get these schools fully operational come to bear.”
This article has been updated to include additional information. 
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HHS Secretary Azar And CDC Director Redfield Hold Press Conference

CDC Director: Schools Among ‘Safest Places’ Kids Can Be, Closing Schools An ‘Emotional Response’ Not Backed By Data

CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said on Thursday that K-12 schools should remain open because data shows that schools are among the &quot;safest places&quot; that

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Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, health experts said masks weren&#8217;t necessary.
&#8220;There’s no reason to be walking around with a mask,&#8221; Dr. Anthony Fauci, an immunologist and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who served on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/preventing-coronavirus-facemask-60-minutes-2020-03-08/">said</a> in March on CBS News. &#8220;When you’re in the middle of an outbreak, wearing a mask might make people feel a little bit better and it might even block a droplet, but it’s not providing the perfect protection that people think that it is.&#8221;
But the response to the virus has been evolving ever since. Soon after Fauci made his comments, experts — including the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — said Americans should wear masks, citing estimates that 40% or more of those infected were asymptomatic but could still spread the virus.
&#8220;We were not aware that 40% to 45% of people were asymptomatic, nor were we aware that a substantial proportion of people who get infected get infected from people who are without symptoms. That makes it overwhelmingly important for everyone to wear a mask,&#8221; Fauci <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-09-22-20-intl/h_bf089a39912dd3b166749c4ba471f143?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+CNN+-+Top+Stories%29">said</a> in September, noting that &#8220;the data now are very, very clear.&#8221;
While masks were deemed useful to protect others, the efficacy of masks for the wearer was in question.
Now, the CDC says mask wearers get a measurable amount of protection against the virus, saying masks &#8220;reduce inhalation&#8221; of possible virus-laden droplets.
&#8220;Masks are primarily intended to reduce the emission of virus-laden droplets (&#8216;source control&#8217;), which is especially relevant for asymptomatic or presymptomatic infected wearers who feel well and may be unaware of their infectiousness to others, and who are estimated to account for more than 50% of transmissions,&#8221; the CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html">reported</a> on Tuesday. &#8220;Masks also help reduce inhalation of these droplets by the wearer (&#8216;filtration for personal protection&#8217;). The community benefit of masking for SARS-CoV-2 control is due to the combination of these effects; individual prevention benefit increases with increasing numbers of people using masks consistently and correctly.&#8221;
&#8220;Adopting universal masking policies can help avert future lockdowns, especially if combined with other non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing, hand hygiene, and adequate ventilation,” the CDC said. “The prevention benefit of masking is derived from the combination of source control and personal protection for the mask wearer.&#8221;
“The relationship between source control and personal protection is likely complementary and possibly synergistic, so that individual benefit increases with increasing community mask use,” according to the agency.
The CDC also reported results on various materials used in masks. “Studies demonstrate that cloth mask materials can also reduce wearers’ exposure to infectious droplets through filtration, including filtration of fine droplets and particles less than 10 microns,” it said. Others such as silk “may help repel moist droplets and reduce fabric wetting and thus maintain breathability and comfort,” the agency added.
“Multiple layers of cloth with higher thread counts have demonstrated superior performance compared to single layers of cloth with lower thread counts, in some cases filtering nearly 50% of fine particles less than 1 micron,” the CDC said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fauci-floats-masks-and-social-distancing-into-2022-even-with-vaccine">Fauci Floats Masks And Social Distancing Into 2022, Even With Vaccine</a>
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New York Yankees v Washington Nationals

CDC Now Says Wearing A Mask DOES Protect You From COVID-19

Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, health experts said masks weren&#039;t necessary. &quot;There’s no reason to be walking around with a mask,&quot; Dr. Anthony Fauci,

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The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released new <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/going-out/voting-tips.html">guidance</a> over the weekend explaining that voters who have tested positive for COVID-19 can still exercise their right to vote, even if they are currently sick or are undergoing quarantine.
&#8220;CDC&#8217;s recommendations for isolating someone who has Covid-19 or quarantining someone who was in close contact with a person with Covid-19 would not preclude them from exercising their right to vote,&#8221; a CDC spokesperson told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/02/health/vote-in-person-with-covid-cdc-wellness/index.html">CNN</a> in an email Monday.
Any voters casting their vote in-person, however, should take several precautions and bring materials to reduce the chances of spreading the coronavirus, according to the CDC. 
The agency&#8217;s guidelines note that any voter who is sick or in quarantine “should take steps to protect poll workers and other voters,” including wearing a mask, maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet from others, and washing or sanitizing your hands before going to the polls and after casting your ballot.
“You should also let poll workers know that you are sick or in quarantine when you arrive at the polling location,” reads the CDC’s guidelines.
The CDC recommends voters bring any documents necessary to vote in-person, voters should wear a mask, and bring an extra one with them in case the other gets wet or dirty. In-person voters should also bring hand sanitizer, tissues, water, and a black ink pen with them, and fill out any forms in advance if possible, so as to spend the least amount of time at the polls. 
Furthermore, voters should check with local authorities for any additional guidance before heading to the polls. 
A separate set of CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/election-polling-locations.html#VoterRecommendations">guidelines</a> for “polling locations and voters,” updated last week, asks polling locations to set up “alternative voting options” for symptomatic voters when possible in their area:
<blockquote>Where possible in your jurisdiction, offer alternative voting options for voters with symptoms, those who are sick or known COVID-19 positive. Alternative voting options should minimize exposure between poll workers and voters, such as a designated polling site or curbside voting for sick voters. Poll workers assisting voters with symptoms should be provided with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/using-ppe.html">personal protective equipment</a> (PPE), including respiratory protection, face shields, gowns, and gloves, and trained in the appropriate use of this equipment.
Post <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/print-resources.html?Sort=Date%3A%3Adesc">signs</a> to discourage anyone with symptoms from entering the polling location buildings and provide voting options for those with symptoms. Ensure that any signage is accessible to voters with disabilities, for example by providing large print or braille versions or having audible messages with the same information.</blockquote>
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Minnesota Primary Voters Head To The Polls

CDC Says People Under Quarantine Or With COVID-19 Can Still Vote

2020 Election

Election Night

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released new guidance over the weekend explaining that voters who have tested positive for COVID-19 can still

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The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6942e2.htm?s_cid=mm6942e2_w">revealed</a> Wednesday that young adults aged 25-44 years saw the largest increase in &#8220;excess&#8221; deaths from previous years, a stunning 26.5% jump. 
The notable increase even surpassed the jump in excess deaths of older Americans, who are at much higher risk of COVID-19 fatality.
Moreover, according to the CDC, 100,947 excess deaths were not linked to COVID-19 at all.
Since such young people are at very low risk for COVID-19 fatality — 20-49-year-olds have a 99.98% chance of surviving the virus, per <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/planning-scenarios.html">CDC</a> data — it has been suggested that the shocking increase in deaths is largely attributable to deaths of &#8220;despair,&#8221; or deaths linked to our &#8220;cure&#8221; for the disease: lockdown measures.
Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, one of the most vocal and earliest <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-scott-gottlieb-discusses-coronavirus-on-face-the-nation-march-22-2020/">proponents of lockdown measures</a>, admitted this much during a Wednesday news appearance.
&#8220;I would suspect that a good portion of the deaths in that younger cohort were deaths due to despair, due to other reasons,&#8221; admitted Gottlieb (see video below). &#8220;We&#8217;ve seen a spike in overdoses, and I would suspect that a good portion of those excess deaths in that younger cohort were from drug overdoses and other deaths that were triggered by some of the implications of we&#8217;ve gone through to try to deal with COVID-19.&#8221;
Critics <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/05/trump-acknowledges-some-coronavirus-deaths-will-result-from-reopening.html">roundly</a> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/suicide-coronavirus-opioids-deaths-shutdown/2020/05/31/bf6ddd94-a060-11ea-81bb-c2f70f01034b_story.html">mocked</a> President Donald Trump early in the pandemic for warning about excess deaths of despair under lockdown. Public health experts and others are now increasingly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thousands-of-health-experts-sign-declaration-calling-for-end-to-lockdown-warn-of-irreparable-damage">calling</a> for an end to heavy-handed measures, citing a growing body of evidence that such policies are having drastic negative impacts on Americans’ physical and mental health.
Possibly the starkest impact has been the worsening of another U.S. health crisis: the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-major-crisis-deepened-during-the-covid-lockdowns-opioids">opioid epidemic</a>. Deaths from opioids were already rising as initial estimates from the CDC show 2019 to be the worst year on record with roughly 71,000 deaths. The crisis has worsened across more than 40 states during the pandemic, according to an analysis of local news reports by the<a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2020-10/issue-brief-increases-in-opioid-related-overdose.pdf"> American Medical Association</a>.
From the start of the year to the end of August, preliminary counts of overdose deaths have jumped 28% in Colorado, 30% in Kentucky, and 9% in Washington state over the same time frame last year, <a href="https://www.boston25news.com/news/health/us-drug-overdoses/VRVCJXPGPRN37X7S4ETGKC5UNE/">according</a> to The Associated Press.
Calls to suicide hotlines <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/06/15/crisis-hotline-call-volume-spikes-straining-social-workers/5266072002/">spiked</a> amid the pandemic as people, isolated at the direction of public health officials and scared of contracting COVID-19, suffered anxiety attacks and mental breakdowns. Calls to the Disaster Distress Helpline, which offers emotional support to people amid a natural disaster, jumped 890% in April compared to April 2019. Local law enforcement and health agencies in places such as Fresno, California, and Los Alamos, New Mexico, are <a href="https://www.rollcall.com/2020/08/05/pandemics-effect-on-already-rising-suicide-rates-heightens-worry/">reporting</a> significant increases in death by suicide, sometimes as high as 70% in a month.
Many distressed callers reached out after losing a job or even their house after government-mandated closures plunged the U.S. to its highest <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-economy-implodes-shrinking-at-record-breaking-33-rate-last-quarter">unemployment rate</a> since the Great Depression. Stay-at-home orders devastated small businesses and pushed an estimated 8 million Americans into poverty, according to a recent <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5743308460b5e922a25a6dc7/t/5f87c59e4cd0011fabd38973/1602733471158/COVID-Projecting-Poverty-Monthly-CPSP-2020.pdf">study</a> from Columbia University.
By the end of August, for example, Yelp <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/16/yelp-data-shows-60percent-of-business-closures-due-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic-are-now-permanent.html">found</a> that 97,966 small businesses were forced to close their doors permanently because of lockdown restrictions.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-158175 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-10-22-at-8.38.53-AM-1024x572.png" alt="" width="1024" height="572" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-10-22-at-8.38.53-AM-1024x572.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-10-22-at-8.38.53-AM-300x168.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-10-22-at-8.38.53-AM-768x429.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-10-22-at-8.38.53-AM-1536x859.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-10-22-at-8.38.53-AM.png 1964w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
WATCH:
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&quot;I would suspect that a good portion of the deaths in that younger cohort were due to despair, due to other reasons. We&#39;ve seen a spike in overdoses,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottGottliebMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottGottliebMD</a> on a CDC report finding 25-44 year olds are being hit hard trying to deal with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> pandemic. <a href="https://t.co/IW9L4YwaTq">pic.twitter.com/IW9L4YwaTq</a>
&mdash; Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SquawkCNBC/status/1318877295680118785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Timothy Pearce contributed to this report.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-really-hard-to-cope-youth-suicides-skyrocket-nearly-90-in-wisconsin-county" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">‘It’s Really Hard To Cope’: Youth Suicides Skyrocket Nearly 90% In Wisconsin County</a>
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Worried Woman With Protective Face Mask In Bus Transport.

New CDC Numbers Show Lockdown’s Deadly Toll On Young People

Mental health

Scott Gottlieb

Suicide

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed Wednesday that young adults aged 25-44 years saw the largest increase in &quot;excess&quot; deaths from

https://editorial.dailywire.com/news/new-cdc-numbers-show-lockdowns-deadly-toll-on-young-people/

https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/10/GettyImages-1209025695-1200x800.jpg

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says small gatherings &#8212; like the ones that will occur on Thanksgiving &#8212; could spike the spread of COVID-19.
&#8220;In the public square, we&#8217;re seeing a higher degree of vigilance and mitigation steps in many jurisdictions,&#8221; Director Dr. Robert Redfield said during a call with the nation&#8217;s governors on Tuesday, audio of which was <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/14/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html">obtained</a> by CNN.
&#8220;But what we&#8217;re seeing as the increasing threat right now is actually acquisition of infection through small household gatherings,&#8221; Redfield said. &#8220;Particularly with Thanksgiving coming up, we think it&#8217;s really important to stress the vigilance of these continued mitigation steps in the household setting.&#8221;
Redfield&#8217;s warning about holiday gathering was emphasized last week by White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, who said the holidays will look different this year.
&#8220;We know most individuals under 35 will be asymptomatic,&#8221; she said during a visit to Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. &#8220;That means you don&#8217;t have any symptoms, or the symptoms are so mild that you don&#8217;t believe it has anything to do with COVID.&#8221;
But that can present problems, she said.
&#8220;This virus can spread among families and friends if you take your mask off and you are primarily indoors,&#8221; she said, <a href="https://www.wlwt.com/article/dr-deborah-birx-in-new-hampshire/34362006">according</a> to WLWT-TV.
Birx also commented on the holidays during a visit to the Broad Institute COVID-19, a high-capacity testing facility that processes more than 1 in every 20 tests conducted in the United States
“We take down our guard when we are with people we know,” Birx said, the Boston Globe <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/10/09/metro/dr-deborah-birx-warns-about-covid-spread-small-gatherings-praises-aggressive-college-testing-model/">reported</a>.  “And we assume if we know you; you couldn’t have COVID.”
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, professor of medicine at George Washington University, told CNN that people should not have indoor Thanksgiving dinners with people not in their immediate household.
&#8220;If you&#8217;re lucky enough to live in a part of the country where the weather will be moderate in November, do an outdoor Thanksgiving.  I think in the &#8230; places in the country where the winter comes early, I think you have to really be careful,&#8221; Reiner told CNN&#8217;s &#8220;New Day.&#8221;
&#8220;The consequences of this virus, particularly for older folks &#8212; the people that we really want to gather with on Thanksgiving &#8212; can be really dire. And frankly, I&#8217;d rather do a Zoom Thanksgiving with people that I love than expose them to something that might kill them,&#8221; he said.
In the audio obtained by CNN, Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed optimism about a vaccine, saying several trials are  on a &#8220;really good track.&#8221;
&#8220;A couple of the vaccines are very close to getting some sort of information,&#8221; said Fauci, an immunologist, and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who serves on the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
The doctor said U.S. health officials should know by November or December if any vaccine is effective, adding, &#8220;It is conceivable that we might even know before then.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fauci-trump-get-into-war-of-words-over-doctors-praise-on-covid-19-response/">Fauci, Trump Get Into War Of Words Over Doctor’s Praise On COVID-19 Response</a>
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Overhead view of table during Christmas dinner

CDC Director Says Small Household Gatherings Fueling COVID-19 Spread: Report

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says small gatherings -- like the ones that will occur on Thanksgiving -- could spike the

https://editorial.dailywire.com/news/cdc-director-says-small-household-gatherings-fueling-covid-19-spread-report/

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It&#8217;s not too early to wonder whether Santa Claus will be able to slink down the chimney this Christmas and deliver toys to all the good boys and girls of the world.
But Halloween, at least, looks like a washout this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://wcbs880.radio.com/articles/news/cdc-labels-trick-or-treating-as-high-risk-halloween-activity">announced</a> on Monday that trick-or-treating is &#8220;higher risk&#8221; and advised Americans to avoid the activity to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Said the CDC &#8212; &#8220;Avoid these higher-risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:&#8221;
<ul>
<li>Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door</li>
<li>Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots</li>
<li>Attending crowded costume parties held indoors</li>
<li>Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming</li>
<li>Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household</li>
<li>Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors</li>
<li>Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19</li>
</ul>
Among the &#8220;lower risk activities&#8221;:
<ul>
<li>Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them</li>
<li>Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends</li>
<li>Decorating your house, apartment, or living space</li>
<li>Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance</li>
<li>Having a virtual Halloween costume contest</li>
<li>Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with</li>
<li>Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house</li>
</ul>
The CDC also said Halloween costume masks should not be used in place of protective cloth masks. &#8220;Do not use a costume mask as a substitute for a cloth mask unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers your mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around your face,&#8221; the CDC said. &#8220;Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.&#8221;
While the CDC didn&#8217;t offer guidelines for Christmas, the agency did cover Thanksgiving, saying:
&#8220;Avoid these higher-risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:&#8221;
<ul>
<li>Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving</li>
<li>Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race</li>
<li>Attending crowded parades</li>
<li>Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors</li>
<li>Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household</li>
</ul>
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-cancels-trick-or-treating-suggests-new-halloween-activities-then-walks-it-back">Los Angeles Cancels Trick-Or-Treating, Suggests New Halloween Activities. Then Walks It Back.</a>
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Group of children in halloween costumes in front of house

CDC Labels Trick-Or-Treating ‘High Risk’ For Spreading COVID-19

Halloween

It&#039;s not too early to wonder whether Santa Claus will be able to slink down the chimney this Christmas and deliver toys to all the good boys and girls of

https://editorial.dailywire.com/news/cdc-labels-trick-or-treating-high-risk-for-spreading-covid-19/

https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/trick-2.jpg

Critics slammed Robert Redfield, who heads the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after he testified that face masks may be more effective than a COVID-19 vaccine.
Redfield made the controversial statements while testifying in front of the Senate on Wednesday on the coronavirus pandemic.
“I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine, because the immunogenicity may be 70%. And if I don&#8217;t get an immune response, the vaccine is not going to protect me. This face mask will,” Redfield said.
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CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield makes it as clear as he can: &quot;This face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Ul0Ppj5qqv">pic.twitter.com/Ul0Ppj5qqv</a>
&mdash; The Recount (@therecount) <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1306257291726016514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume jumped on Redfield for saying that masks can protect the wearer from the virus. Previously, mask-wearing has been touted as a courtesy or a duty to protect others in case the wearer is infected with the coronavirus.
“For months we’ve been told we should wear masks not so much to protect ourselves as to protect others. Now the head of the CDC is claiming that a mask will protect the wearer better than a vaccine. Does he expect people to believe that?” Hume said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
For months we’ve been told we should wear masks not so much to protect ourselves as to protect others. Now the head of the CDC is claiming that a mask will protect the wearer better than a vaccine. Does he expect people to believe that?
&mdash; Brit Hume (@brithume) <a href="https://twitter.com/brithume/status/1306429970177314816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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President Trump contradicted Redfield at a press conference later in the day, saying, “As far as the masks are concerned, I hope that the vaccine is going to be a lot more beneficial than the masks.”
Redfield tried to clarify his testimony by releasing a statement over Twitter.
“I 100% believe in the importance of vaccines and the importance in particular of a #COVID19 vaccine. A COVID-19 vaccine is the thing that will get Americans back to normal everyday life,” Redfield said. “The best defense we currently have against this virus are the important mitigation efforts of wearing a mask, washing your hands, social distancing and being careful about crowds. #COVID19”
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The best defense we currently have against this virus are the important mitigation efforts of wearing a mask, washing your hands, social distancing and being careful about crowds. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>
&mdash; Dr. Robert R. Redfield (@CDCDirector) <a href="https://twitter.com/CDCDirector/status/1306362537924079616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Redfield’s comments on masks are another twist in health officials evolving recommendations. At the beginning of March when the pandemic was picking up, U.S. health officials played down the effectiveness of masks in order to keep people from buying them.
U.S. Surgeon General <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-surgeon-general-seriously-people-stop-buying-masks">Jerome Adams</a> wrote a message on Twitter saying, “Seriously people — STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dr-fauci-admits-that-public-health-experts-initially-downplayed-face-masks-over-concerns-about-supply">Anthony Fauci</a>, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, admitted in June that health officials were not upfront with the America people over the effectiveness of masks. Fauci said health officials downplayed masks to prevent a run on the limited supply.
“We wanted to make sure that the people, namely the health care workers, who were brave enough to put themselves in a harm way, to take care of people who you know were infected with the coronavirus and the danger of them getting infected,” Fauci said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-director-threat-of-suicide-drugs-flu-to-youth-far-greater-than-covid">CDC Director: Threat Of Suicide, Drugs, Flu To Youth ‘Far Greater’ Than Covid</a>
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Robert Redfield

CDC Director Ripped Over Claim On Mask Effectiveness: ‘Does He Expect People To Believe That?’

Critics slammed Robert Redfield, who heads the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after he testified that face masks may be more effective

https://editorial.dailywire.com/news/cdc-director-ripped-over-claim-on-mask-effectiveness-does-he-expect-people-to-believe-that/

https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Robert-Redfield.jpg

Dr. Scott Atlas, who joined the White House’s pandemic response team in mid-August, has denied a report that he is pushing the so-called “herd immunity” strategy of handling the coronavirus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/terms/glossary.html">herd immunity</a> is “a situation in which a sufficient proportion of a population is immune to an infectious disease (through vaccination and/or prior illness) to make its spread from person to person unlikely. Even individuals not vaccinated (such as newborns and those with chronic illnesses) are offered some protection because the disease has little opportunity to spread within the community.”
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-coronavirus-scott-atlas-herd-immunity/2020/08/30/925e68fe-e93b-11ea-970a-64c73a1c2392_story.html">The Washington Post</a>, citing five unnamed sources, reported on Monday that Atlas was pushing President Donald Trump to consider the strategy to bring the coronavirus infectivity rates down to manageable levels and avoid large spikes, such as what was seen in New York and New Jersey in early summer.
“There is no policy of the President or this administration of achieving herd immunity. There never has been any such policy recommended to the President or to anyone else from me. That’s a lie,” Atlas told The Washington Post after the report was published.
White House communications director Alyssa Farah also denied the report.
“President Trump is fully focused on defeating the virus through therapeutics and ultimately a vaccine. There is no discussion about changing our strategy,” Farah said in a statement. “We have initiated an unprecedented effort under Operation Warp Speed to safely bring a vaccine to market in record time — ending this virus through medicine is our top focus.”
Sweden is the most prominent adopter of the strategy and has been criticized for its relatively high death rate. Sweden’s rate of new infections has slowed markedly, however, and the country is <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-31/who-special-envoy-heaps-praise-on-sweden-s-covid-strategy">considering</a> backing off already lax rules put in place because of the pandemic. Countries such as France, Spain, and portions of eastern Europe are seeing bumps or <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/31/world/europe/coronavirus-covid-spain-second-wave.html">surges</a> in coronavirus cases.
Atlas has long been a critic of the strict lockdown policy embraced by many states in the U.S. The approach is a blunt policy instrument with severe economic consequences that has contributed significantly to the tens of millions of Americans put out of work because of the pandemic.
In May, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/study-1-out-of-every-3-americans-suffering-anxiety-or-depression-during-lockdowns">Atlas</a> co-wrote an op-ed arguing that the cost of locking down large parts of American society has already far exceeded the toll of the virus.
“The disease has been responsible for 800,000 lost years of life so far,” Atlas and other researchers wrote. “Considering only the losses of life from missed health care and unemployment due solely to the lockdown policy, we conservatively estimate that the national lockdown is responsible for at least 700,000 lost years of life every month, or about 1.5 million so far — already far surpassing the COVID-19 total.”
Some public health experts reacted with alarm to The Washington Post report. New York University professor Paul Romer said, “The administration faces some pretty serious hurdles in making this argument. One is a lot of people will die, even if you can protect people in nursing homes.”
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Scott Atlas

‘That’s A Lie’: Scott Atlas Denies Pushing ‘Herd Immunity’ Strategy In White House

White House

Dr. Scott Atlas, who joined the White House’s pandemic response team in mid-August, has denied a report that he is pushing the so-called “herd immunity”

https://www.dailywire.com/news/thats-a-lie-scott-atlas-denies-pushing-herd-immunity-strategy-in-white-house/

https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Scott-Atlas.jpg

The Most Common Face Coverings: Here’s What You Need To Know

Some health officials on the White House Coronavirus Task Force said in February that masks were not effective in preventing the general public from

https://editorial.dailywire.com/news/breaking-down-the-most-common-face-coverings-thought-to-protect-us-from-covid-19/

https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/05/D998D341-4C08-4590-A9EC-988EE5E39CD3-scaled-e1597756628464.jpeg

More than 25% of young Americans aged 18-24 have seriously considered killing themselves during the last month, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6932a1-H.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report</a> released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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&#8220;The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been associated with mental health challenges related to the morbidity and mortality caused by the disease and to mitigation activities, including the impact of physical distancing and stay-at-home orders,&#8221; the report began. &#8220;Symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased considerably in the United States during April–June of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CDC: 25.5% of Americans age 18 to 24 seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days. 16% of age 25 to 44.<a href="https://t.co/wl6qYWFLW0">https://t.co/wl6qYWFLW0</a> <a href="https://t.co/0uC0EUzpmx">pic.twitter.com/0uC0EUzpmx</a>
&mdash; Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/kerpen/status/1293990087911514112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The report continued:
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To assess mental health, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the pandemic, representative panel surveys were conducted among adults aged ≥18 years across the United States during June 24–30, 2020.
</div>
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</div>
Overall, 40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder (30.9%), symptoms of a trauma- and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic (26.3%), and having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19 (13.3%). The percentage of respondents who reported having seriously considered suicide in the 30 days before completing the survey (10.7%) was significantly higher among respondents aged 18–24 years (25.5%)[.]</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
The <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/14-05-2020-substantial-investment-needed-to-avert-mental-health-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Health Organization</a> also recently reported skyrocketing levels of mental anguish worldwide since the advent of COVID-19. Substance abuse has also increased, WHO said, with “statistics from Canada [reporting] that 20% of 15-49 year-olds have increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic.”
The CDC report later noted, &#8220;Elevated levels of adverse mental health conditions, substance use, and suicidal ideation were reported by adults in the United States in June 2020. The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety disorder was approximately three times those reported in the second quarter of 2019 (25.5% versus 8.1%), and prevalence of depressive disorder was approximately four times that reported in the second quarter of 2019 (24.3% versus 6.5%).&#8221;
The report went on to advise, &#8220;Markedly elevated prevalences of reported adverse mental and behavioral health conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the broad impact of the pandemic and the need to prevent and treat these conditions.&#8221;
The CDC recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-sides-with-trump-says-students-need-to-go-back-to-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">warned</a> of severe consequences for young people if schools do not reopen in the fall, a position that President Donald Trump has echoed, despite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/schools-cant-reopen-unless-charter-schools-shut-down-police-are-defunded-los-angeles-teachers-union-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pushback</a> from some <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/north-carolina-teachers-union-demands-benefits-for-illegal-immigrants-before-returning-to-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">teachers&#8217; unions</a>. As The Daily Wire reported, &#8220;The AAP and CDC guidance says that children not allowed to attend school in the fall face greater risk of abuse, as well as detrimental impacts to their physical and emotional health. The advice also warns of lasting effects to a generation’s education and learning.&#8221;
Former first lady Michelle Obama recently revealed how she, too, has not been left unscathed from the depression sweeping the country, which she blamed in part on the Trump administration. Claiming she has been experiencing sleep disturbances, Obama said, “I know that I am dealing with some form of low-grade depression. Not just because of the quarantine, but because of the racial strife, and just seeing this administration, watching the hypocrisy of it, day in and day out, is dispiriting.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michelle-obama-blames-her-low-grade-depression-partly-on-hypocrisy-of-trump-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michelle Obama Blames Her ‘Low-Grade Depression’ Partly On ‘Hypocrisy’ Of Trump Administration</a>
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.
</div>
</div>
</div>

Depressed Teen

More Than A Quarter Aged 18-24 Have ‘Seriously Considered Suicide’ In Past 30 Days, Says CDC

More than 25% of young Americans aged 18-24 have seriously considered killing themselves during the last month, according to the Morbidity and Mortality

https://www.dailywire.com/news/more-than-a-quarter-aged-18-24-have-seriously-considered-suicide-in-past-30-days-says-cdc/

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First we were told face masks weren’t helpful in reducing the spread of the coronavirus because they would cause us to touch our face more and then spread the disease to others. Then we were told to wear the masks to save lives and reopen the economy.
Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that face masks with vents or valves don’t reduce the spread of the virus, as those additions that allow the user to breathe easier can deposit more “expelled respiratory droplets that can reach others.” In <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html">guidance</a> updated late last week, the CDC added a warning about face masks with exhalation valves or vents.
“The purpose of masks is to keep respiratory droplets from reaching others to aid with source control. However, masks with one-way valves or vents allow air to be exhaled through a hole in the material, which can result in expelled respiratory droplets that can reach others. This type of mask does not prevent the person wearing the mask from transmitting COVID-19 to others. Therefore, CDC does not recommend using masks for source control if they have an exhalation valve or vent,” the CDC warned (emphasis original).
Even some N95 and KN95 masks contain valves or vents, meaning that just because they’re recognizable, doesn’t mean they’re safe.
The new guidance comes after researchers at Duke University tested different types of face masks and revealed that the popular, breathable “neck gaiters” may be worse than wearing no mask at all. The Daily Wire’s Joe Curl previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wearing-a-neck-gaiter-may-be-worse-than-no-mask-at-all-study-finds">reported</a> that the researchers “used a laser-like device, a cardboard box and a cell phone camera to capture individual particles released from a person’s mouth when they speak.”
“Test subjects spoke the same phrase into the box, first without a mask, then with one on. Each type of face covering was tested 10 times,” Curl continued.
“Even very small particles can do this kind of [light] scattering,” one of the study’s co-authors, Warren S. Warren, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/mask-test-duke-covid/2020/08/10/4f2bb888-db18-11ea-b205-ff838e15a9a6_story.html">told The Washington Post</a>. “We were able to use the scattering, and then tracking individual particles from frame to frame in the movie, to actually count the number of particles that got emitted.”
The Washington Post also <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/08/13/cdc-mask-guidance-masks-valves/">reported</a> that major U.S. airlines have banned the use of masks with valves. On Wednesday, American Airlines became the latest airline <a href="http://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2020/New-Face-Covering-Guidelines-for-Customer-and-Team-Member-Safety-Exhaust-Valves-or-Vents-will-No-Longer-be-Allowed-on-American-Airlines-OPS-DIS-08/default.aspx">to ban</a> such masks being worn by passengers.
“Wearing a face covering is a responsibility we all share. An effective covering, worn properly, is one of the best ways we can control the spread of COVID-19 to protect our team members and customers,” said Alison Taylor, Chief Customer Officer at American. “Since American began requiring face coverings in early May, the vast majority of customers have welcomed our continuing efforts to strengthen the policy based on the CDC’s guidance.”
American also offered lists of what was allowed and not allowed on its flights:
<blockquote>Allowed:
<ul>
<li>A well-secured cloth or mask that fits snugly against the face and covers an individual’s nose and mouth. It must be made of a material that prevents the discharge and release of respiratory droplets from a person&#8217;s nose or mouth.</li>
</ul>
Not allowed:</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>
<blockquote>Face coverings with exhaust valves.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Face coverings made with materials such as mesh or lace fabrics.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Face coverings that do not cover the nose and mouth.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Face shields without the addition of a face covering.</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

different types of protective face mask against blue background

CDC Now Says Face Masks With Vents Or Valves Don’t Prevent Spread Of Coronavirus

First we were told face masks weren’t helpful in reducing the spread of the coronavirus because they would cause us to touch our face more and then spread

https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-now-says-face-masks-with-vents-or-valves-dont-prevent-spread-of-coronavirus/

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During a Buck Institute Webinar streamed on July 14, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield promoted the general reopening of schools, highlighting the low coronavirus risk for children without preexisting conditions and the unfortunate spike in suicides and drug overdoses, which Redfield said are &#8220;far greater&#8221; in number than COVID-linked deaths in the young.
&#8220;It’s not risk of school openings versus public health. It’s public health versus public health,&#8221; <a href="https://www.buckinstitute.org/covid-webinar-series-transcript-robert-redfield-md/">asserted</a> Redfield.
&#8220;I’m of the point of view, and I weigh that equation as an individual that has 11 grandchildren that the greater risk is actually to the nation to keep these schools closed,&#8221; he continued.
Redfield said that over 7 million children get mental health services from their school, &#8220;a lot of people get food and nutrition in schools,&#8221; and added that schools are vital &#8220;in terms of mandatory reporting sexual and child abuse.&#8221;
&#8220;Obviously, the socialization is important,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And, obviously, for some kids, I think actually a majority of kids, their learning in a face-to-face school is the most effective method of teaching.&#8221;
The reopening, Redfield underscored, &#8220;has to be done safely, and it has to be done with the confidence of the teachers. It has to be done with the confidence of parents. And so I think each of the school districts will begin to wrestle with this.&#8221;
Speaking of the risks of the China-originated coronavirus to children, Redfield said data shows the flu is some five to 10 times more deadly, adding that the odds of a child dying a COVID-linked death is &#8220;one in a million.&#8221;
&#8220;I think it is important to try to be factual as we go through this,&#8221; the CDC director said. &#8220;When we look at, right now, the mortality of this particular COVID virus, in the first almost 218,000 people we looked at February to July, there was 52 individuals under the age of 18. And if I recollect, about 35 were actually school age. Some of them were younger than school age. We’re looking critically at those individuals. And, you know, clearly, there’s an increase in comorbidities related to significant medical conditions&#8230;&#8221;
&#8220;But I think that’s important because what that means, actually, is the risk per 100,000, so far, you know, into the outbreak, six months into it, is, in fact, that we’re looking at about .1 per 100,000. So another way to say that, it’s one in a million,&#8221; Redfield said in reference to the death rate among children.
&#8220;Now, I’m not trying to belittle that, I’m just trying to make sure we look at it proportional,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Because if you do the same thing for influenza deaths for school-age children over the last five years, they’re anywhere from five to 10 times greater.&#8221;
&#8220;So I want people to understand the risk properly as they make that decision. And, obviously, influenza, we also benefit from having therapy and a vaccine. So I don’t want people to overestimate the risk of serious illness to individuals that are school age,&#8221; Redfield advised.
&#8220;That said, there is a real risk to vulnerable individuals that are teachers, potentially, that may have comorbidities,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And, obviously, there are some students that have a comorbidity.&#8221;
According to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/flu-vs-covid19.htm">CDC.gov</a>, &#8220;The risk of complications for healthy children is higher for flu compared to COVID-19. However, infants and children with underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for both flu and COVID-19.&#8221;
The CDC director then discussed the social tradeoff of the shutdown, particularly for our youths.
&#8220;But there has been another cost that we’ve seen, particularly in high schools,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We’re seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID. We’re seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose that are above excess that we had as background than we are seeing the deaths from COVID.&#8221;
&#8220;So this is why I keep coming back for the overall social being of individuals,&#8221; he continued, &#8220;is let’s all work together and find out how we can find common ground to get these schools open in a way that people are comfortable and their safe. And if there is a need for investment and resources, just like there is a need for some of the underprivileged children that are probably better served if they have certain comorbidities to do homeschooling, they need the access to be able to have the computer and the internet to do that.&#8221;
&#8220;The goal is to get all these kids back into education,&#8221; concluded Redfield. &#8220;I’d like to see the goal being face-to-face education, five days a week, as when we get there, then we’ve got there for those children that don’t have an underlying significant comorbidity that would preclude it. And, hopefully, the states and the federal government will work together to see that the resources to get these schools fully operational come to bear.&#8221;
The full webinar can be viewed <a href="https://buck2020.extendedsession.com/session/dr-robert-redfield/">here</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>

CDC Director: Threat Of Suicide, Drugs, Flu To Youth ‘Far Greater’ Than Covid

During a Buck Institute Webinar streamed on July 14, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield promoted the general

https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-director-threat-of-suicide-drugs-flu-to-youth-far-greater-than-covid/

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance on Friday warning about severe consequences to children if schools do not reopen for in-person class in the fall.
The CDC’s updated guidance now aligns with recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which endorsed school reopenings with limited exceptions last month. The new guidance also resolves what many had said was a conflict between the White House and the CDC on the safety of in-person learning amid the pandemic.
“The best available evidence from countries that have opened schools indicates that COVID-19 poses low risks to school-aged children, at least in areas with low community transmission, and suggests that children are unlikely to be major drivers of the spread of the virus,” the CDC concludes in its <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/reopening-schools.html">guidance</a>. “Reopening schools creates opportunity to invest in the education, well-being, and future of one of America’s greatest assets — our children — while taking every precaution to protect students, teachers, staff and all their families.”
President Trump has pushed for schools to open in the U.S. to resume in-person learning as soon as possible, even threatening to strip federal funding from school districts that refuse to open back up in the fall. The president has said that schools would be allowed to remain closed in coronavirus hotspots.
The administration has argued that the risk to students of missing significant time in class far <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dan-crenshaw-smacks-democrats-for-pushing-narrative-of-crisis-and-fear-on-schools-reopening">outweighs</a> the risk to students of violating social distancing rules amid the pandemic. Studies suggest that the coronavirus is much less dangerous to children and young adults than common illnesses such as the flu. According to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-academy-of-pediatrics-get-students-back-to-school-in-the-fall">AAP</a>:
<blockquote>SARS-CoV-2 appears to behave differently in children and adolescents than other common respiratory viruses, such as influenza, on which much of the current guidance regarding school closures is based. Although children and adolescents play a major role in amplifying influenza outbreaks, to date, this does not appear to be the case with SARS-CoV-2. Although many questions remain, the preponderance of evidence indicates that children and adolescents are less likely to be symptomatic and less likely to have severe disease resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, children may be less likely to become infected and to spread infection.</blockquote>
Democrats, teachers unions, and others have pushed back against the administration’s strategy. The Florida Education Association (FEA), the state’s largest teachers union, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/floridas-largest-teachers-union-sues-gov-desantis-over-school-reopenings">sued</a> Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this week over a state Department of Education order for schools to reopen.
“Everyone wants schools to reopen, but we don’t want to begin in-person teaching, face an explosion of cases and sickness, then be forced to return to distance learning,” The FEA argued.
The AAP and CDC guidance says that children not allowed to attend school in the fall face greater risk of abuse, as well as detrimental impacts to their physical and emotional health. The advice also warns of lasting effects to a generation’s education and learning.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

President Trump

CDC Sides With Trump, Says Students Need To Go Back To School

public schools

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance on Friday warning about severe consequences to children if schools do not

https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-sides-with-trump-says-students-need-to-go-back-to-school/

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Four previous directors of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention accused President Donald Trump of politicizing the agency and botching the U.S. pandemic response.
Tom Frieden, Jeffrey Koplan, David Satcher, and Richard Besser, who altogether ran the CDC for about 15 years, slammed Trump in a joint op-ed published Tuesday in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/07/14/cdc-directors-trump-politics/">The Washington Post</a>. The former directors argued that Trump had failed the U.S. in part because case numbers are higher across the country than those reported by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“As America begins the formidable task of getting our kids back to school and all of us back to work safely amid a pandemic that is only getting worse, public health experts face two opponents: covid-19, but also political leaders and others attempting to undermine the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” the public health experts began, referencing the Trump administration’s push to reopen schools in the fall. “As the debate last week around reopening schools more safely showed, these repeated efforts to subvert sound public health guidelines introduce chaos and uncertainty while unnecessarily putting lives at risk.”
The former directors went on to tout China’s reported cases relative to the United States. The coronavirus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and spread globally to nations unprepared to face such a disease in large part because the CCP initially hid the outbreak. The Chinese government <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-a-timeline-of-the-coronavirus-outbreak-and-chinas-coverup">allowed</a> an estimated 5 million people to leave Wuhan before shutting down the city.
“China, using the same mitigation tools available to us and with a far larger population, has had just a tiny fraction of the 3.1 million cases reported here. The United States now has more cases and deaths than any other country and the sixth-highest rate of any large country in the world — and we are gaining on the other five. The United States is home to a quarter of the world’s reported coronavirus infections and deaths, despite being home to only 4.4 percent of the global population,” the former CDC directors wrote.
The U.S. intelligence officials have reportedly <a href="https://dw-site-dev.dailywire.com/news/breaking-u-s-intelligence-tells-trump-that-china-intentionally-lied-about-coronavirus-outbreak-report-says">warned</a> the White House that China is intentionally underreporting the virus’s spread and fatality rate. Based on the evidence, Trump has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-death-rate-from-coronavirus-in-china-far-higher-than-the-u-s">said</a> China&#8217;s death toll from the disease is “far higher” than that of the United States.
The former directors also asserted that the pandemic in the U.S. is worsening as “willful disregard for public health guidelines” leads “to a sharp rise in infections and deaths.” It remains unclear what data the group is referring to. Total positive cases in the United States are rising as the disease spreads in the South and West. Weekly deaths from the disease in the U.S. continue to fall, however.
As noted by the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html">CDC</a>:
<blockquote>Based on death certificate data, the percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia, influenza or COVID-19 (PIC) decreased from 6.9% during week 26 to 5.5% during week 27, representing the eleventh week of a declining percentage of deaths due to PIC. The percentage is currently below the epidemic threshold but will likely change as more death certificates are processed, particularly for recent weeks.</blockquote>

Former CDC Directors Bash Trump Over Virus Response, Says U.S. Is Failing Compared To China

China

Washington Post

Four previous directors of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention accused President Donald Trump of politicizing the agency and botching the U.S.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-cdc-directors-bash-trump-over-virus-response-says-us-is-failing-compared-to-china/

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CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, told a group of reporters in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on Monday that if everyone wears face coverings for four to six weeks in the U.S., the COVID-19 epidemic in the country could be driven &#8220;to the ground.&#8221;
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s important, again, to emphasize, you can&#8217;t emphasize it too much, that actually face coverings work,” Redfield said. &#8220;It&#8217;s our major defense to prevent ourselves from getting this infection.&#8221;
Redfield continued, &#8220;If all of us would put on a face covering now for the next four weeks to six weeks, I think we could drive this epidemic to the ground in the country, so hopefully there’ll continue to be more emphasis on that.&#8221;
&#8220;I just want to make a few points of emphasis, that obviously I think people realize that this is the greatest public health crisis that we&#8217;ve had to respond to as a nation in more than a hundred years, and it&#8217;s really a marathon, not a sprint,&#8221; Redfield said leading into his later comments about face coverings.
&#8220;One of the most important things that we have in the response to this outbreak right now, as we wait for the development of important countermeasures, particularly an effective, efficacious vaccine, is to fully embrace public health,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And the most important aspect of that, I try to remind people that we are not defenseless against this virus, we actually have some of the most powerful weapons you could ask to have.&#8221;
Along with urging the public to wear face coverings, Redfield emphasized the importance of maintaining &#8220;hand hygiene&#8221; and &#8220;social distancing.&#8221;
Redfield&#8217;s comments come as the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. hit over 3.3 million this week with over 135,000 succumbing to the disease.
Video and partial transcript of Redfield&#8217;s comments below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield: “If all of us would put on a face covering now for the next 4-6 weeks, we could drive this epidemic to the ground.” <a href="https://t.co/VCxLtn7lMB">pic.twitter.com/VCxLtn7lMB</a>
&mdash; The Recount (@therecount) <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1282784165356871680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote>CDC DIRECTOR ROBERT REDFIELD: I just want to make a few points of emphasis that obviously I think people realize that this is the greatest public health crisis that we&#8217;ve had to respond to as a nation in more than a hundred years and it&#8217;s really a marathon, not a sprint.
One of the most important things that we have in the response to this outbreak right now, as we wait for the development of important countermeasures, particularly an effective efficacious vaccine, is to fully embrace public health. And the most important aspect of that I try to remind people that we are not defenseless against this virus, we actually have some of the most powerful weapons you could ask to have. And the most powerful weapon that we have that I know of is wearing face coverings when you&#8217;re in public. So, we ask the American public to all fully embrace the use of face coverings when they&#8217;re in public.
The second thing we have is the importance of hand hygiene and the third is the importance of social distancing. These are not just words, these are very powerful public health tools. And then we can couple that with the traditional public health measures that we&#8217;ve used for decades of early case identification, contact tracing, isolation. But the most important thing that I can ask the American public to do is to fully embrace face coverings, to fully embrace careful hand hygiene and fully embrace social distancing.
And the last thing I&#8217;ll say before I answer questions is, I also appeal to the American public to commit themselves to protect the vulnerable. For most of those under the age of 45, this virus is not going to cause significant morbidity or mortality, but those of us that have significant medical comorbidities like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, chronic lung disease, and happen to be elderly, particularly those over the age of 65, with those comorbidities, this virus can cause significant illness requiring hospitalization, even death.
&#8230;
I think it&#8217;s important, again, to emphasize, you can&#8217;t emphasize it too much, that actually face coverings work. It&#8217;s our major defense to prevent ourselves from getting this infection.
If all of us would put on a face covering now for the next four weeks to six weeks I think we could drive this epidemic to the ground in the country, so hopefully there’ll continue to be more emphasis on that.</blockquote>
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Coronavirus Task Force Holds Press Briefing At U.S. Department Of Education

CDC Director: U.S. ‘Could Drive This Epidemic’ Into The Ground In 4-6 Weeks With Simple Steps

CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, told a group of reporters in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on Monday that if everyone wears face coverings for

https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-director-u-s-could-drive-this-epidemic-into-the-ground-in-4-6-weeks-with-simple-steps/

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According to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Francis Collins, his agency, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Academy of Medicine, will form an advisory committee that will determine where a coronavirus vaccine would be distributed.
On July 2, Collins informed a Senate panel that the group of agencies hope to have the committee formed by Labor Day, adding, &#8220;We think that might be something best done, in a circumstance, by an organization that is not itself governmental. Because it&#8217;s still the case, I think, that people are a little uneasy about the government calling the shots here,” the <a href="https://www.ibtimes.com/coronavirus-vaccine-panel-experts-determine-who-gets-vaccinated-first-us-3005344">International Business Times</a> reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/national-strategy/planning-guidance/guidance_508.html">guidelines</a> for the distribution of a vaccine:
<blockquote>Across categories, vaccine will be allocated and administered according to tiers where all groups designated for vaccination within a tier have equal priority for vaccination. Groups within tiers vary depending on pandemic severity. Tier 1 is the highest priority group to receive vaccination if there is limited vaccine supply for any pandemic severity.
Persons not targeted for vaccination in an occupational group would be vaccinated as part of the General Population based on their age and health status.</blockquote>
For the purposes of any vaccination, the CDC divides the American population into four categories: Homeland and National Security, Health Care and Community Services, Other Critical Infrastructure, and General Population.
In the category of Homeland and National Security, Tier 1 includes “the group deployed &amp; mission essential personnel.’” In the category of Health Care and Community Services, the CDC designates “Public health personnel, inpatient health care providers, outpatient and home health providers, health care providers in long-term care facilities, and pharmacists and pharmacy technicians” as Tier 1.
In the category of Other Critical Infrastructure, Tier 1 includes “Emergency services and public safety sector personnel such as EMS, law enforcement, fire services, and manufacturers of pandemic vaccine and antivirals.” In the category of General Population, Tier 1 includes “Pregnant women, infants and toddlers 6-35 months old.”
“The Trump administration launched <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/06/16/fact-sheet-explaining-operation-warp-speed.html">Operation Warp Speed</a>, in early June, with a goal of delivering 300 million coronavirus vaccine by January 2021. Essentially, the president wants to cut the process of vaccine development, which normally takes at least five years,” the International Business Times noted.
Speaking with Collins on Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci <a href="https://www.pscp.tv/w/1jMJgXabMYWxL">stated</a> of the current state of the coronavirus:
<blockquote>The current state is really not good in a sense that, as you know, we have been in a situation, where we were averaging about 20,000 new cases a day, and then a series of circumstances associated with various states and cities trying to open up in the sense of getting back to some form of normality has led to a situation where we now have record-breaking cases. Two days ago, it was at 57,500, so within a period of a week and a half, we’ve almost doubled the number of cases … we are still knee-deep in the first wave of this. And I would say this would not be considered a wave, it was a surge or resurgence of infections superimposed upon a baseline that really never got down to where we wanted to go.</blockquote>
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Close-Up Of Doctor Filling Medical Injection.

CDC, NIH, National Academy Of Medicine To Form Committee Determining Who Gets Vaccine First, Report Says

vaccine

According to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Francis Collins, his agency, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-nih-national-academy-of-medicine-to-form-committee-determining-who-gets-vaccine-first-report-says/

https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/GettyImages-1212351786.jpg

This article has been corrected to clarify that while the CDC announced that the death rate is &#8220;currently at the epidemic threshold,&#8221; the agency uses more than just the death rate to designate disease outbreaks as epidemics. 
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the percentage of deaths in the United States has dipped low enough that it is &#8220;currently at the epidemic threshold.&#8221; The agency also noted, however, that it expects the status will &#8220;likely change&#8221; as more death certificates are processed for recent weeks and has clarified that its epidemic designation is determined by more than solely a disease&#8217;s death rate.
The CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html">announced</a> Friday that the percentage of deaths had declined for 10 weeks in a row, noting: “Based on death certificate data, the percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia, influenza or COVID-19 (PIC) decreased from 9.0% during week 25 to 5.9% during week 26, representing the tenth week of a declining percentage of deaths due to PIC. The percentage is currently at the epidemic threshold but will likely change as more death certificates are processed, particularly for recent weeks.”
The CDC is still unsure whether the 10-week declining percentage of deaths will see a reverse, adding: “Nationally, levels of influenza-like illness (ILI) and COVID-19-like illness (CLI) activity remain lower than peaks seen in March and April but are increasing in most regions. The percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, also increased from last week.  Mortality attributed to COVID-19 decreased compared to last week and is currently at the epidemic threshold but will likely increase as additional death certificates are processed.”
In response to interpretations of the CDC&#8217;s &#8220;epidemic threshold&#8221; statement as meaning that the agency could be on the verge of lifting the epidemic label from COVID-19, CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund refuted the claim, telling <a href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/jul/13/facebook-posts/no-cdc-not-verge-no-longer-calling-covid-19-epidem/">PolitiFact</a>:
<blockquote>The epidemic threshold &#8220;refers to the point at which the observed proportion of deaths is significantly higher than would be expected at that time of the year in the absence of substantial influenza, and now COVID-related mortality.&#8221; Deaths are a lagging indicator of COVID-19, partly because of a delay in the processing of death certificates. Death rates alone don’t &#8220;have bearing on whether COVID-19 is still an epidemic,&#8221; given that the extent of the outbreak is the primary factor.</blockquote>
Near the end of June, CDC Director Robert Redfield <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/06/25/coronavirus-cases-10-times-larger/">posited</a> that the number of people in the United States who had been infected was likely 10 times higher than the 2.4 million confirmed cases, meaning at least 24 million people had been infected. Redfield surmised that between 5 to 8 percent of Americans had been infected, adding, “Young people, many newly mobile after months of lockdowns, have been getting tested more often in recent weeks and driving the surge in cases in the South and West &#8230; in the past, I just don’t think we diagnosed these infections.&#8221;
On Friday, the CDC delineated the differences in number of positive tests for the coronavirus around the nation:
<blockquote>Nationally, using combined data from the three laboratory types, the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 with a molecular assay increased from week 25 (8.1%) to week 26 (8.7%).
Increases were reported in seven of ten HHS surveillance regions. Four regions reported between 4% and 6% of specimens positive for SARS-CoV-2: Regions 2 [NY/NJ/Puerto Rico], 5 [Midwest], 7 [Central] and 10 [Pacific Northwest].
Two regions reported between 10% and 15% of specimens positive for SARS-CoV-2: Regions 4 [South East] and 9 [South West/Coast]. Region 6 [South Central] reported &gt;15% of specimens positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Three regions (Regions 1 [New England], 3 [Mid-Atlantic] and 8 [Mountain]) reported a stable or decreasing percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.</blockquote>
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In this photo illustration the Centers of Disease Control

CDC: Covid Death Rate ‘Currently At The Epidemic Threshold’

This article has been corrected to clarify that while the CDC announced that the death rate is &quot;currently at the epidemic threshold,&quot; the agency uses more

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