July 13, 2020 - 550 Texas Children With Covid Speak Volumes
550 Texas Children With Covid Speak Volumes
July 13, 2020
The daily ADPH report contains more sobering data and an illuminating perspective on today’s headline news. There were 1,958 new cases (incl. probables), an increase of 318 over yesterday. This is a clear indication that 2000+ days will become the new normal very soon. This new normal is propelled by a positivity rate that continues to climb. At 16.18% (7-day average), our positivity rate has doubled since June 23 and risen five-fold since May. Do we need a reminder that the World Health Organization and CDC advise against reopening unless the positivity rate remains below 5% for 14 days in a row?
Then, there are the hospitalizations. There are now 1,335 COVID-19 patients in Alabama hospitals, an increase of 172 over yesterday. That shatters the prior record of 1,201, set last week. ADPH warned us its new improved reporting system will cause hospitalizations to “appear to be higher than previously reported”. Somehow, this did not prepare me for a doubling of hospitalizations in just two weeks (650 on 6/28). When will the toll on healthcare workers reach a breaking point?
Finally, with only a few short weeks until school begins, it is worth pointing out another stunning disclosure in today’s data. Persons age 5-24 now comprise 19.7% of Alabama’s COVID-19 cases, exceeding the 16.7% share of people who are 65 and older. By tomorrow, we can expect the percentage of cases in our youngest age group to surpass even the percentage for persons in the age group 50-64 (i.e. - 20.04%).
This data reminds me of a statement made by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in a TV interview Thursday. Speaking directly into the camera, he said it’s unclear if children can even get and transmit COVID-19. That same day, Texas reported more than 550 COVID-19 infections in children ages 9 and younger. In the face of such ignorance, is it any wonder the school superintendents of Los Angeles and San Diego announced their schools will not reopen for in-person learning in the fall?
Here are the 14-day totals:
6/30 - 870
7/1 - 917
7/2 - 1,162
7/3 - 1,754
7/4 - 997
7/5 - 1,091
7/6 - 925
7/7 - 907
7/8 - 1,110
7/9 - 2,212
7/10 - 1,334
7/11 - 1,402
7/12 - 1,640
7/13 - 1,958
For the first time, Madison Co. is the leading county for new cases at 267, followed closely by Jefferson at 266. Mobile was third with 157 cases. More than half of Alabama’s 67 counties (35) saw double digit increases.