On April 13, 2020 I spoke at Press Conference says COVID-19 social distancing measures will be our “new normal” until we have a vaccine. Until the end of December 2020, safe and effective Vaccines against covid-19 Available in the US with limited supply. Now in April 2022, the supply of a COVID-19 vaccine in the US is plentiful, with the vaccine approved by the FDA for people 5 years of age and older. Now we also have medicine can prevent and treat COVID-19. Compared to the early days of the pandemic, the current COVID-19 preventable, treatable, and controllable. But just as we have adapted before, we need to adapt again. We must now make personal choices to keep ourselves and others healthy and safe. That’s to let us know about and use the many available COVID-19 control tools.
Despite great progress in COVID-19 care and prevention over the past two years, we are still in the midst of a serious pandemic. In the US, there are about 30,000 new cases, 1,500 new hospitalizations and 400 new deaths every day each due to COVID-19. We have to face the continuation developments of COVID-19 to a more contagious virus that emerges in unpredictable waves of infection. We face a response to COVID-19 that is diverse and at times controversial. We face against vaccination. We are faced with growing public fatigue with COVID-19 mitigation measures. We face the erosion of trust in public health and health industry leaders. We also recognize that with a polarized public, achieving a unified local response can be difficult, but we can also see sabotage internal struggle in the community.
We continue to face regulatory challenges to our COVID-19 control measures that are affecting the public health response and limiting the powers and actions of the CDC. Federal regulations for large businesses to vaccinate their employees have been reversed in Supreme Court. The recent introduction of the masked mission in Philadelphia is being Legal challenge. Less than a week later Expanded CDC Mask missions for travel in response to the increase Omicron B2 . variant infectiona federal judge vacated mandate travel mask. These legal rulings mean that the authority of the CDC and health departments is limited.
Like viruses, we need to recognize that the way we respond to COVID-19 has evolved. By April 2022, the new normal means that individuals, businesses, schools and communities, will increasingly take on the responsibility of controlling COVID-19. Usually “recommend” will replace “delegate”. The new normal is that we all work together in public health to protect each other and ourselves. New normal doesn’t mean COVID-19 is over not yet.
First, whether vaccinated or not, our duty is not to infect others. If a person has COVID-19, we need to isolate. We need to know the symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested when we feel sick. Because up to 30% of individuals have COVID-19 may not yet have symptoms but can spread it to others, testing is especially important if a person will be around medically vulnerable people or in closed, crowded places where there is a risk higher spread. Over the counter COVID-19 tests, which have excellent performance in serial use, should continue to be widely available.
Second, we need to recognize the importance, Safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination and booster shots for adults and children. Severe COVID-19 infections have now occurred in unvaccinated people. More than one-third of people eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States are not vaccinated and wrong information about the COVID-19 vaccine has contributed to this problem. .
Third, we need to recognize those who vulnerable against the adverse effects of the virus and ensure that these individuals remain protected. We also need to recognize that people without medical conditions can also get serious COVID-19 infections. This protection comes in the form of immunizations and booster shots. We need to ensure that appropriate medical preventive therapies are used for medically vulnerable people. Eveld is a new combination monoclonal antibody treatment that significantly reduces your chances of getting COVID-19 if you are immunocompromised. However, only about 30% of the Avald doses available used.
Fourth, whether vaccinated or not, we need to make sure that when someone is infected with COVID-19 that they can be treated with antiviral drugs. The drugs include Paxlovid or Molnupiravir, and monoclonal antibodies. Experimental programs for treatment need to be widely publicized and expand the availability of drugs.
Fifth, we need to recognize that the way we track and publicly report COVID-19 infections in communities may be outdated. With so much home testing and no standardized home testing reports, we don’t know. correct numbers among those with COVID-19. Public health officials, along with the medical community, will need to find and present this information in a unique way. Wastewater testing is a potential strategy as well as a randomized surveillance trial of people in the community or of those seen in healthcare settings.
Sixth, we need to continue to rely on basic COVID-19 precautions. COVID-19 is much less transmitted outdoors than indoors and is most contagious in closed, crowded spaces. Suitable indoor ventilation need to become the new normal of our indoor life.
Seventh, masks also play a role in mitigating COVID-19, as the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 is reduced if individuals wear high-quality, well-fitting clothing. mask. But the effectiveness of the mask can change by variant. The use of masks can be facilitated by making high-quality masks freely and widely available. We must also recognize how controversial the issue of masks has become and ask ourselves what role they play in layering mitigation strategies. For example, focusing on ventilation and COVID-19 screening alone may be enough to control the spread of COVID-19 without the use of masks. The new normal means we also need to respect the choices of individuals, businesses or communities to wear or not wear masks.
Eight, we need medical community keep standing up and is an authoritative source of information. Medicine has long been based on facts and data and public health measures. More and more we hear “talk to your trusted healthcare provider.” The medical community has an obligation to point out flaws and present the facts frankly. The medical community needs to step up to combat misinformation and provide vaccines and boosters to those in their care. The medical community needs to play an even bigger role in prescribing new and effective COVID-19 treatments for this preventable and treatable disease.
To prevent further waves of infection, our overall response will turn to local individuals, businesses or organisations. We now have vaccines, drugs, and strategies to prevent, treat, and control COVID-19. As before, public health will need to continue to play an important role during this pandemic and ensure that COVID-19 treatment and control tools are readily available. Two years after this pandemic, we must know how and act to keep ourselves and others healthy and safe.
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