Public Health Officials Alarmed By Rebound In New COVID-19 Cases As Protests Continue

Largely thanks to the overwhelming profit motive of corporatized media, Americans suffer from an entrenched myopia that has become a major stumbling block to all manner of reform. We could spend hours parsing various theories about the provenance and nature of this endemic short-termism, which permeates everything from the priorities of corporations, the media and the average man on the street.

Whether you believe us or not, scientists and public health officials who have been on the front lines of the pandemic are alarmed by the  resurgence in new coronavirus cases following 2 weeks of protests spanning more than 30 states.

Moreover, many of the same critics who attacked GOP governors and the Trump administration for pushing for a “premature” reopening are now arguing that the coronavirus is no longer a concern.

Makes sense https://t.co/TtXDBJpzDd

— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) June 8, 2020

As US stock benchmarks power higher, it seems investors are choosing to ignore warning signs like Johns Hopkins University data showing a sharp jump in new cases last week, compared with the week before, according to a WSJ analysis of the data.

This attitude seems at odds with the advice from experts including Dr. Fauci and UK Secretary of Health Matt Hancock, who warned that the demonstrations risked sparking a resurgence in new cases. Robert Redfield, director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, joined Gov Cuomo in urging protesters to get tested immediately.

“I do think there is potential, unfortunately, for this to be a seeding event,” Dr. Redfield said.

While New York, New Jersey and a handful of the other most hard-hit states have reported continued success, states like Florida, Tennessee and even Texas have seen a jump in new cases. And while expanded testing capacity is undoubtedly one contributing factor, many fear that increased human interaction is mostly to blame.

Source: NYT

Public health officials in Utah – not exactly a focal point of the unrest spurred by the murder of George Floyd – reported an alarming spike in new cases in the wake of the state’s reopening, which began about a month ago. Officials say it’s unclear how much of that jump is due to expanded testing accessibility, and how much represent the virus’s natural rate of expansion.

The spread of the virus picked up in Utah weeks after reopenings began, said Angela Dunn, state epidemiologist with the Utah Department of Health. She said she is very concerned about the rise in infections and urged residents to use face coverings and maintain social distancing.

“This past week, we’ve had a sharp spike in cases, and it’s not explained easily by a single outbreak or increase in testing,” Dr. Dunn said Wednesday. “This is a statewide trend.”

In Nashville, the rebound was sharp enough to convince officials to delay the next step in its reopening plan.

In Nashville, Tenn., a surge in the number of daily coronavirus cases reported has slowed reopening plans. Alex Jahangir, a surgeon and the head of the city’s Covid-19 task force, said case counts over the last few days had increased the city’s seven-day average. The city will wait to make a decision on when to begin its next reopening phase.

“It is concerning enough for us to slow down and see what’s happening over the next few days,” Dr. Jahangir said Thursday.

LA County blamed last week’s spike on delays in counting new cases, while Arkansas says it is now considering a regional approach following a spike in cases in the northwestern part of the state, while officials continue to ramp up testing.

“The spike in the new cases that we have reflects the dramatic increase in testing that we’re doing,” said Arkansas Gov Asa Hutchinson .

Florida is allowing Disney World to reopen, even as the pace of new cases has continued to accelerate, seeing a 13% spike last week.

What’s more,  tear gas and pepper spray cause people to tear up and cough, aerosolizing the virus and causing it to spread more easily.

At this point, leftists and the MSM have become so trusting of reports confirming their worldview that they’ve been blinded by their own biases, exposing the seems of a shoddily stitched political narrative.