Today News Journal
    What's Hot

    Trump Isn’t Touting His Biggest Success

    February 5, 2023

    The Colorado River Is Disappearing. Here’s How to Replenish It.

    February 5, 2023

    Fake Meat’s Beyond Impossible Quest to Win Over Americans

    February 5, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Today News Journal
    Contact Us
    • Home
    • Trending
    • Business
    • Health
    • Technology
      • Automobile
      • Gadgets
      • Mobiles
      • Robotics
    • Lifestyle
      • Culture
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Editorials
    • News
      • Politics
    Today News Journal
    Home » Health » Covid-19 case rates still matter
    Health

    Covid-19 case rates still matter

    James MartinBy James MartinMarch 28, 2022No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email


    But experts say that tracking new Covid-19 cases is still important — even if it is an imperfect measure.

    “Dating back to the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve always known that case numbers were being undercounted. It was never quite clear how much,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

    With at-home tests more widely available and vaccination helping prevent severe disease, people might be skipping laboratory-confirmed PCR tests. Before, limited availability of testing probably created similar gaps in reporting. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that even before Omicron, only 1 in 4 cases was officially reported.

    “With an infection that can rapidly spread, where we are today in the data isn’t necessarily going to be reflective of how bad it’s going to be tomorrow or the day after,” said Michael LeVasseur, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University’s School of Public Health. “There could be many, many more people who are infectious that you can encounter that you’re not seeing in the data.”

    But even as they fall, daily case counts provide a useful benchmark in a more comprehensive assessment of the situation that calls for a look across multiple trends.

    “From a public health perspective, it’s always important to look at more than one data source. And when those data sources together are pointing in the same direction, you can have more confidence,” said Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists.

    Hospitalizations and deaths have consistently been the most reliable Covid-19 metrics, experts say.

    As BA.2 grows in the US, experts look to other countries to predict its impact here

    “Those two are bookends that don’t really change much relative to the availability of testing,” Osterholm said.

    Early indicators of transmission have more room for improvement. Case rates are best understood in tandem with test positivity rates. Visits to emergency room departments and virus levels in wastewater can help, too.

    Despite the dramatic improvement over the past two months, coronavirus transmission is still high.

    “Even though things are going down, boy, is there a lot of Covid out there,” Hamilton said.

    Once driven solely by transmission levels, the CDC adjusted its guidelines for indoor masking last month to rely on hospitalization metrics more heavily than cases.

    Though the CDC’s newer “Community Levels” map is mostly green, the original “Community Transmission” map still has lots of red. As of Thursday, less than 2% of US counties have a “high community level,” but more than a third of counties still had “high” or “substantial” transmission over the past week.

    Experts admit that balancing all of these metrics is a complicated risk assessment for individuals to make day to day and that public messaging to help has missed the mark.

    “I don’t think we have hit our sweet spot for how we’re helping communicate that to people,” Hamilton said.

    “It’s hard, because I think it’s not only important to look at a metric which says, ‘Yes, there’s virus out there.’ It’s also important to apply that to your own individual risk level.”

    And this individual risk assessment might get harder in the days and weeks to come if signals become mixed. In the UK, for example, the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron led to a rise in cases that has been much sharper than the rise in hospitalizations or deaths.

    But an individual approach shouldn’t necessarily change, whether there are 500 new cases per day or 50,000 cases per day, LeVasseur said.

    “I can take a look at trends and do a back of the envelope guess at how I’m feeling about risk. But it doesn’t stop me from wearing a mask. It doesn’t stop me from having conversations with the people that I’m going to be with about our approach,” he said.



    Source link

    Related posts:

    1. What are the latest rules for face coverings and masks?
    2. Oxygen stocks running dangerously low in Ukraine
    3. France coronavirus: Bordeaux ICUs are nearing capacity. And it’s only September
    4. Unpopular teens could be at higher risk of heart conditions later in life, study suggests
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    Previous Article‘A complicated decision’: Southgate faces Maguire quandary for England | England
    Next Article Australia hit by Covid and injuries before first ODI in Pakistan | Australia cricket team
    James Martin
    • Website

    Related Posts

    How to be prepared in case of a shooting without living in fear

    January 26, 2023

    Many women underestimate breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer, study shows

    January 26, 2023

    Pediatricians are giving out free gun locks to approach the gun violence epidemic as a public health crisis

    January 25, 2023

    CDC figuring out ‘logistical and legal’ aspects of testing airplane wastewater for coronavirus variants, source says

    January 25, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Search
    Categories
    • Automobile
    • Business
    • Coronavirus
    • Culture
    • Editorials
    • Finance
    • Gadgets
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Mobiles
    • Money
    • News
    • Politics
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Trending
    • World
    Latest Posts

    Trump Isn’t Touting His Biggest Success

    February 5, 2023

    The Colorado River Is Disappearing. Here’s How to Replenish It.

    February 5, 2023

    Fake Meat’s Beyond Impossible Quest to Win Over Americans

    February 5, 2023

    Here’s How Finland, Sweden and NATO Should Deal With Erdogan

    February 5, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Don't Miss
    News

    Trump Isn’t Touting His Biggest Success

    By James MartinFebruary 5, 20230

    Comment on this storyCommentOne sunny spring morning in May 2020, President Donald Trump stood in…

    The Colorado River Is Disappearing. Here’s How to Replenish It.

    February 5, 2023

    Fake Meat’s Beyond Impossible Quest to Win Over Americans

    February 5, 2023

    Here’s How Finland, Sweden and NATO Should Deal With Erdogan

    February 5, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    About Us

    Hello friends, I am James Martin. Welcome to my blog todaynewsjournal.com. We are a team of experienced journalists who are passionate about delivering the latest news and current events to our readers. Our editorial team is dedicated to providing the most accurate and up-to-date information possible. We aim to be your go-to source for news and current events. Here on this site, You will get up to date information regarding all important categories like business ideas, health tips,... (Read More)

    Latest News

    Trump Isn’t Touting His Biggest Success

    February 5, 2023

    The Colorado River Is Disappearing. Here’s How to Replenish It.

    February 5, 2023

    Fake Meat’s Beyond Impossible Quest to Win Over Americans

    February 5, 2023
    SIGN UP NEWSLETTER

    Join The Conversation sign up to receive emails for The Daily special tips general info.

      Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
      • Home
      • Editorials
      • Get In Touch

      Copyright © 2021-2023 · Today News Journal Privacy Policy

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

      We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
      Cookie SettingsAccept All
      Manage consent

      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
      Necessary
      Always Enabled
      Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
      CookieDurationDescription
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
      viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
      Functional
      Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
      Performance
      Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
      Analytics
      Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
      Advertisement
      Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
      Others
      Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
      SAVE & ACCEPT

      Sign In or Register

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below.

      Lost password?