September 16, 2020 - Michael Caputo
Michael Caputo
September 16, 2020
It has become a familiar pattern lately for new reported cases and tests to run in tandem. Today is no exception - cases are up and so are tests. There were 927 new cases (incl. 217 probables), an increase of 32% from yesterday (701), and 6,150 tests, an increase of 18% from yesterday (5,232). As a result, our average infection rate (which measures the relationship of positive cases to overall tests) increased slightly to 16.29%, the second highest in the nation. For 19 consecutive days, our infection rate has exceeded 15% - only South Dakota can match our long streak.
Current hospitalizations continue to slowly subside - 722 patients in 102 statewide hospitals. One week ago, there were 857 patients in 106 hospitals; and a week before that, 962 patients in 106 hospitals. At our peak in late July, there were as many as 1,600 patients throughout the State. This decline is both real and significant, and it likely corroborates the evidence that younger COVID patients are less likely to require hospitalization.
In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee this afternoon, the CDC’s director, Robert Redfield, left the American public with three important takeaways. First, Director Redfield emphatically repudiated the comments of Michael Caputo, the former Trump campaign official who oversees communications at HHS. In a bizarre Facebook Live event on Sunday, Mr. Caputo had urged supporters of President Trump to prepare for armed insurrection and accused government scientists of “sedition”. (Mr. Caputo was later placed on leave by HHS and is receiving medical attention).
This is the same Michael Caputo who reportedly coerced the CDC on numerous occasions to compromise the integrity of its COVID-19 reports for political purposes. Director Redfield was clearly embarrassed by the reports and insisted that the integrity of the CDC will not be compromised under his watch.
Mr. Redfield also testified that universal mask use could bring the pandemic under control in months, if not weeks. “These facemasks are the important, powerful public health tool we have ... I might even go so far as to say that this facemask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine”, he said. Powerful words, coming from the highest public health official in an administration that often forbids White House officials to wear masks.
The final takeaway from Director Redfield’s testimony relates to vaccine timelines. He predicted that a vaccine will be approved before year-end but will not be “fully available” to the American public until “late second quarter, third quarter 2021”. These comments were the most detailed time frame outlined so far by the head of the top federal public health agency. The 14-day totals:
9/3 - 1,046
9/4 - 1,108
9/5 - 1,410
9/6 - 511
9/7 - 659
9/8 - 633
9/9 - 811
9/10 - 1,148
9/11 - 1,138
9/12 - 943
9/13 - 1,109
9/14 - 704
9/15 - 701
9/16 - 927
Jefferson Co. led the way with 150 new cases, followed by Tuscaloosa Co. with 147. Of the State’s 67 counties, six have 7-day average positivity rates under 5% and 23 have rates between 5% and 10%, including Mobile, Tuscaloosa and Lee counties.