By Dan Cannon
By
most measures, the United States is, more or less, starting a long, painful
struggle against the highly infectious and lethal COVID-19.
Both
South Korea and the U.S reported corona virus infections starting about the
same time.
But
right from the start, South Korea initiated massive testing (currently 10 times
the U.S. number) and follow-up treatment. Using lessons from the 2015
MERS coronavirus outbreak, South Korea’s systematized and highly coordinated
testing identifies those who are infected, allowing for speedy and relatively
effective early treatments and measures.
To
date those efforts have apparently checked the spread of the virus in South
Korea and helped flatten the rate of infection curve, lessening pressure on their
health care system.
However,
in the U.S. some six to seven weeks later, we find ourselves with at least
three regional infection spikes while still lacking not only enough tests and
testing supplies, but, more importantly, lacking a larger coherent action plan
beyond “shelter in place” edicts in some areas/situations.
It
is not too late to put more coherent, effective plans into place.
As
suggested by Neeraj Sood in the 3/16/20 Wall Street Journal, the federal government
– meaning Trump’s executive branch – should immediately plan, initiate and
evaluate a massive scientific testing program.
Per
Dr. Sood, testing needs to be massive but not for everyone in the usual medical
sense. Instead, much more on-going testing needs to be done to identify
those who carry the virus, in order to facilitate quarantines to reduce
transmissions and to treat the sick.
The
effectiveness of this kind of testing is being demonstrated by South Korea’s
apparent early successes.
For
the long run, Dr. Sood’s suggestion of massive continuous testing goes far
beyond straightforward identification for treatment measures.
His
well-reasoned assertion (surely endorsed by every epidemiologist alive) is that
randomized sampling/testing of populations around the U.S. is needed to provide
sound, reliable, scientific data about the depth and breadth of the infection,
information needed as the basis for planning.
Moreover,
there is an existing wealth of scientific expertise at virtually every
college/university in the U.S. that would likely jump at the chance to help do
this NOW.
While
scientific testing and data cannot provide all the answers in this crisis, it
certainly could help channel systematic effort into a highly coordinated
direction, instead of the current thoughtful but piecemeal and relatively
uncoordinated efforts. It will work much better for everyone to have access to
and use the same reliable information for making future critical decisions
about momentous health and economic issues.
Let’s
turn National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Dr. Anthony Fauci
and his colleagues loose to become much more proactive!
Dan Cannon lives in Seaford.
The Opinion page is populated with letters from you, our readers. The Delaware State News was founded on and still is dedicated to the basic principle of civilly and respectfully sharing ideas to create a better community for us all. To submit a letter to the editor, visit the Letter to the Editor form.
Commentary: Scientific sampling essential in the fight against COVID-19
By Dan Cannon
By most measures, the United States is, more or less, starting a long, painful struggle against the highly infectious and lethal COVID-19.
Both South Korea and the U.S reported corona virus infections starting about the same time.
But right from the start, South Korea initiated massive testing (currently 10 times the U.S. number) and follow-up treatment. Using lessons from the 2015 MERS coronavirus outbreak, South Korea’s systematized and highly coordinated testing identifies those who are infected, allowing for speedy and relatively effective early treatments and measures.
To date those efforts have apparently checked the spread of the virus in South Korea and helped flatten the rate of infection curve, lessening pressure on their health care system.
However, in the U.S. some six to seven weeks later, we find ourselves with at least three regional infection spikes while still lacking not only enough tests and testing supplies, but, more importantly, lacking a larger coherent action plan beyond “shelter in place” edicts in some areas/situations.
It is not too late to put more coherent, effective plans into place.
As suggested by Neeraj Sood in the 3/16/20 Wall Street Journal, the federal government – meaning Trump’s executive branch – should immediately plan, initiate and evaluate a massive scientific testing program.
Per Dr. Sood, testing needs to be massive but not for everyone in the usual medical sense. Instead, much more on-going testing needs to be done to identify those who carry the virus, in order to facilitate quarantines to reduce transmissions and to treat the sick.
The effectiveness of this kind of testing is being demonstrated by South Korea’s apparent early successes.
For the long run, Dr. Sood’s suggestion of massive continuous testing goes far beyond straightforward identification for treatment measures.
His well-reasoned assertion (surely endorsed by every epidemiologist alive) is that randomized sampling/testing of populations around the U.S. is needed to provide sound, reliable, scientific data about the depth and breadth of the infection, information needed as the basis for planning.
Moreover, there is an existing wealth of scientific expertise at virtually every college/university in the U.S. that would likely jump at the chance to help do this NOW.
While scientific testing and data cannot provide all the answers in this crisis, it certainly could help channel systematic effort into a highly coordinated direction, instead of the current thoughtful but piecemeal and relatively uncoordinated efforts. It will work much better for everyone to have access to and use the same reliable information for making future critical decisions about momentous health and economic issues.
Let’s turn National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Dr. Anthony Fauci and his colleagues loose to become much more proactive!
Dan Cannon lives in Seaford.
The Opinion page is populated with letters from you, our readers. The Delaware State News was founded on and still is dedicated to the basic principle of civilly and respectfully sharing ideas to create a better community for us all. To submit a letter to the editor, visit the Submit a Letter page.