September 20, 2020 - Power Grab
Power Grab
September 20, 2020
In a complete reversal from yesterday, both tests and cases plunged today. There were 798 cases (incl. 121 probables), a decline of 38%, and 5,595 tests, a 41% decline. Over the last 7 days, our positivity rate has averaged 13.75%, which is a significant improvement after 23 straight days over 15%.
On May 12, 2020 the World Health Organization advised governments that before reopening, rates of positivity should remain at 5% or lower for at least 14 days. As of yesterday, 23 states had positivity rates below 5% while 11 states had rates above 10%. Among the states falling below 5% are all 6 New England states (Mass; VT; NH; Maine; RI; and CT), as well as the original epicenter states of New York and New Jersey. Also below 5% are several Upper Midwestern states that suffered terribly in the spring - Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota. The entire West Coast delegation (California; Oregon; and Washington) has rates below 5% despite battling epic forest fires for weeks. Also, three Southern states have succeeded in lowering their rates below 5% - Louisiana (one of the original epicenters), North Carolina and Kentucky.
On the other end of the spectrum are a handful of Midwestern and Southern states (AL - 13.75%) that were mostly spared last spring but later struggled, especially lately. Such states include Wisconsin (16.98%) (victim of protests and Trump rallies?); Idaho (16.4%); SD (15.9%); Iowa (15.34%); Kansas (15.1%); Utah (14.1%); Florida (11.8%); Missouri (11.63%); Nebraska (11.25%); and SC (10.62%).
One final news story out of Washington. In a stunning declaration on Friday, Alex M. Azar II, the Secretary of H.H.S., barred the nation’s health agencies, including the FDA, from signing any new rules regarding the nation’s foods, medicines, medical devices and other products, including vaccines. It’s unclear how this announcement may change the vetting and approval process for the three vaccines that are currently in advanced clinical trials in the United States. Stay tuned because we’ve seen these power grabs before. They have a way of withering under the glare of the public spotlight. The totals:
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
9/17 - 670
9/18 - 1,106
9/18 - 1,301
9/19 - 798
Jefferson leads the way with 104 cases, followed by Madison Co. with 76 and Tuscaloosa with 60. Among the most populous counties in the State, the highest average positivity rates include Shelby (13.77%); Montgomery (13.07%); and Calhoun (12.69%).