Source: mudwerks
(via How Structural Racism Harms Black Americans’ Health | Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine)
denying the existence of Structural or Systemic Racism is not a valid strategy
Source: magazine.jhsph.edu
Key takeaways:
- What is the “percent positive” and why does it matter? The percent positive is exactly what it sounds like: the percentage of all coronavirus tests performed that are actually positive. The percent positive is a critical measure because it gives us an indication how widespread infection is in the area where the testing is occurring—and whether levels of testing are keeping up with levels of disease transmission.
- The higher the percent positive is, the more concerning it is. As a rule of thumb, however, one threshold for the percent positive being “too high” is 5%.
- And no, a low percent positive does not mean that a population has herd immunity. A low percent positive simply means that the level of coronavirus transmission, relative to the amount of testing, is low at this point in time.
Source: mudwerks
Among the key recommendations:
- Encourage and, when appropriate, mandate nonpharmaceutical interventions, including wearing masks and physical distancing.
- Postpone higher-risk activities and close facilities in jurisdictions where the epidemic is worsening; reinstitute stay-at-home orders for up to two weeks in jurisdictions where health care systems are in crisis.
- Bolster PPE supply chains and stockpiles.
- Bolster test supply chains, plan for shortages, and collaborate with states and commercial laboratories to expand capacity and improve test turnaround times.
- Scale up contact tracing programs and continue to improve participation and performance.
- Plan for an eventual national vaccine, including production, allocation, distribution, and community engagement to ensure a successful rollout.
Source: mudwerks