Once the coronavirus pandemic eases, what can we expect for the future? Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s point man on the virus task force, thinks we haven’t seen the end of it. He believes that if the virus migrates to the southern hemisphere and there’s a breakout there, it would mean that the disease is seasonal and will come back next fall.
“The reason I say that is that what we’re starting to see now, in the Southern Hemisphere … is that we’re having cases that are appearing at they go into their winter season. And if, in fact, they have a substantial outbreak, it will be inevitable that we need to be prepared that we’ll get a cycle around the second time,” said Fauci.
Fauci said a vaccine would help, but preparedness is vital.
“I know we’ll be successful in putting this down now. But we really need to be prepared for another cycle. And what we’re doing, I believe, will prepare us well,” he concluded.
Deborah Birx, the response coordinator for the task force, echoed Fauci’s assessment, saying the steps the Trump administration is taking to deter the spread of the virus are “dealing with Cycle A right now.”
One ray of hope is that the coronavirus doesn’t appear to be changing, like the flu.
Scientists said coronavirus isn’t mutating significantly, which is good news for researchers who are trying to develop a vaccine, according to The Washington Post.
Fauci said there needs to be continued “randomized, controlled trial of drugs, so that we will have a menu of drugs” that are safe and effective, according to Business Insider.
The drug everyone is talking about, hydroxychloroquine, has not been approved for use in treating COVID-19. If you take it on your own, how much should you take? For how long? How many times a day? What dosage? Who might be allergic? What are the side effects? You’re rolling the dice if you take the drug — especially if you’re not on death’s door.
Right now, pharmaceutical companies are testing proven drugs for the treatment of COVID-19. These tests are under FDA supervision and it’s hoped that researchers will hit upon a cocktail of drugs that will knock the bug out. But it takes time to do it right and hit the right combination.
It’s hard to overstate how irresponsible it was for the president to talk about any drug as a “game-changer” when that drug hasn’t been rigorously tested and approved for treating the coronavirus. When you’re telling that to desperate, fearful people who will grasp at any straw to save themselves or a loved one, you risk killing them.
Trump should stop playing doctor and get back to cheerleading the economy.
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