US testing czar doesn't want any more questions about when every American can expect a cheap and quick test

4 years ago 305

13 min ago

It’s a “utopian” idea to get a Covid-19 test every day, Giroir says, and “I don’t live in a utopian world”

From CNN Health’s Jen Christensen

Admiral Brett Giroir, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said Tuesday he doesn’t want to answer any more questions about when every American can quickly and cheaply get a Covid-19 test.

“It’s great to talk about this utopian kind of idea where everybody has a test every day and we can do that,” Giroir said. “I don’t live in a utopian world. I live in the real world and the real world had no tests for this new disease when this first started.”

The assistant secretary for health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, who is leading Covid-19 testing efforts, said that the country now has a “huge diversity” of tests, including a $5 point of care test that provides results within 15 minutes.

“There is no stone unturned, there is no technology that we’re not looking at, or investing in if it’s promising,” Giroir said. “We can return to society without having everyone have a test every single day. We can do that. We’re showing we can do that.

“There may be a time where everybody can wake up in the morning, pass through a tricorder and tell whether they’re infected or not, we are not there yet,” Giroir said, referring to a fictional handheld device from the “Star Trek” universe that can scan and record data by waving the instrument over someone.

Giroir said the administration has been “trawling the world” for technology that will advance testing.

“So, I don’t want to answer any more ‘when is that day going to happen,’ because I can’t tell you,” Giroir said. “It may never happen.

“But until it does, if it ever does, we have a plan, the plan’s working, and we're embellishing that plan every single day.”

14 min ago

James Madison University is reporting over 130 new cases of Covid-19 since Monday

From CNN’s Gregory Lemos

James Madison University is reporting 138 new Covid-19 positive cases among its students and employees since Monday, according the JMU Covid-19 Dashboard.

The University, located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, is reporting a 21.14% seven day moving average of daily positivity rates among students and employees and a 28.6% seven day moving average of positivity rates among students who were tested at the University Health Center.

A little more than half — 79 out of 143 — of the universities isolation beds remain available.

13 min ago

Personal responsibility is key going into Labor Day, coronavirus task force member says

From CNN's Jen Christensen

Admiral Brett Giroir, director of the coronavirus diagnostic testing, looks on as he testifies during a House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing on a national plan to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on July 31. Kevin Dietsch/Pool/Getty Images

Admiral Brett Giroir, a member of the White House coronavirus task force and assistant secretary for health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, said Tuesday that if Americans do what they are supposed to during the Labor Day weekend, the US should be in “really good shape going into the fall.”

“Labor Day is coming up and we need to stress personal responsibility,” said Giroir, who is leading the Trump administration’s Covid-19 diagnostic testing efforts. “So avoiding crowds, outdoors for family gathers are much — much better than indoors —wearing the mask and protecting the vulnerable.”

Giroir said the US has conducted more than 85 million tests for Covid-19, and there has been a 5.35% positivity rate in the past seven days.

For the past seven days, turnaround time for the tests has decreased, Giroir said; 91.9% of results from major referral labs (which do about half the tests in the US) were completed in three days. The mean turnaround time in August for large referral labs was 2.27 days.

Deaths are down 10% from their recent peak seven-day average, he said.

“Why are we seeing the success? Because the national strategy is working,” Giroir, who is leading for Covid-19 diagnostic testing efforts. “We cannot let up. Seven states still have greater than 10% positivity.”

1 hr 3 min ago

Covid-hit Spain had 75% fewer tourists in July compared to a year ago

From CNN's Laura Pérez Maestro in Madrid

Tourists sunbathe at Playa d'en Bossa in Ibiza on July 30. Jaime Reina/AFP/Getty Images

Spain received 2.5 million international tourists in July, 75% less than in the same month of 2019, according to the country's National Institute of Statistics.

Spending was also down 17.8% per tourist to €994 (or about$1,188).

The Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés, explained that this "data reflects how COVID-19 is negatively affecting the tourism sector due to restrictions on international mobility and the lack of confidence in international travel, an impact that is being felt worldwide".

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said there was a "sluggish improvement" in passenger demand in Europe in July compared to June, but still toppled 87.1% compared to last year.

IATA called on governments to work together to re-establish global connectivity and re-open borders while continuing "with relief measures to sustain airlines during the COVID-19 crisis."

"This uncertainty destroys demand," said IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac in a statement on Tuesday. "Ten percent of the global economy is sustained by travel and tourism; governments need to do better to re-start it."

1 hr 8 min ago

Louisville, Kentucky, announces 195 new Covid-19 cases

From CNN's Ganesh Setty

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer speaks to a group gathered for a vigil in memory of Breonna Taylor on June 6, in Louisville, Kentucky. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Greg Fischer announced 195 new Covid-19 cases and three more virus-related deaths during a news briefing Tuesday, bringing the city’s total to 12,612 confirmed cases and at least 282 deaths.

There are currently 111 residents hospitalized, of whom 52 are in the ICU, said Fischer.

The city’s positivity rate currently stands at 9.42%, he said.

“Our wildfire is still burning and it’s burning strong in the red,” said chief health strategist Dr. Sarah Moyer.

Cases are starting to trend downward but are still “way too high,” she continued, adding that the positivity rate is still increasing.

In terms of testing, Louisville’s capacity is “quite robust,” said Bill Altman, Chief Strategy Officer for Kindred Health and former Chair of the Board of Health, who is leading the city’s work on testing as a consultant.

Altman also noted that testing turnaround times are back to 48 hours or less after the city started to rely more on local and regional labs.

1 hr 56 min ago

New York City delays in-person school until Sept. 21

From CNN's Melanie Schuman

Mayor Bill de Blasio, right, listen as he meets with parents at Bronx Collaborative High School on Wednesday, August 26, in New York. Bebeto Matthews/Pool/AP

New York City students will not return for in-person learning until Sept. 21, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a press conference this morning. The first day of school in NYC was previously scheduled for next Thursday, Sept. 10.

After discussions with unions, this resolution was done “in a constructive spirit,” the mayor said.

More preparation days for teachers will now be built in to the schedule. The mayor said all of the changes are taking place in “absolutely unprecedented conditions” and the city is setting the “global gold standard.”

Here are details on NYC's new plan for school reopening:

Sept. 8: Teachers and staff return Tuesday as planned, but instead of bringing students back on Sept. 10, that will be an instruction day teachers and staff.Sept. 10, 11, 14 and 15 will be devoted to preparation for teachers and staff.Sept. 16: Remote instruction will begin for all students. Sept. 21: Students can return to school buildings for blended learning – a model previously outlined by the city. Some students come to buildings some days and learn remotely other days.

2 hr 17 min ago

Two more states added to New York's Covid-19 quarantine travel list

From CNN's Kristina Sgueglia

Passengers, some wearing masks and protective gear, queue for their flight at Terminal 1 of John F. Kennedy Airport amid the novel coronavirus pandemic on May 13 in Queens, New York. Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images

New York state added two more states to its list of states and territories that are subject to its Covid-19 travel advisory, bringing the total to 33.

People traveling to the state from Alaska and Montana will now have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

New Jersey and Connecticut are expected to add the states to their list too, as all three neighbor states issued the same travel advisory guidance initially.

"As we continue to pursue a phased, data driven reopening, the number of areas that remain on New York's travel advisory is a stark reminder of the continued extent of the COVID-19 crisis throughout the nation," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Meanwhile the State of New York has remained under a 1% transmission rate for its 25th day and ICU patients are at lows not seen since mid-March.

Of more than 1,000 establishments visited by the State Liquor Authority and State Police Task force, only three were observed in violation – including two in New York City.

The full, updated travel advisory list is here.

2 hr 49 min ago

White House will resume tours next Saturday after a 6-month hiatus

From CNN's Betsy Klein

The White House is seen from the North entrance on December 22, 2018 in Washington. Olivier Douliery/Getty Images

White House tours, which were suspended on March 12, are set to resume six months later on Saturday, Sept. 12.

“In order to ensure the safety and health of all visitors, there have been new policies implemented that align with the guidance issued by Federal, State, and local officials,” a statement from the first lady’s office said.

Face coverings will be required for those over the age of 2, and group sizes will be limited to 18% of normal capacity, the first lady’s office said.

3 hr 27 min ago

Don't stigmatize students who catch Covid-19 at college, professor says

From CNN's Adrienne Vogt

Across the United States, 36 states are reporting 20,000 coronavirus cases at colleges and universities.

In an interview on CNN’s “New Day,” Erin Bromage, a UMass Dartmouth biology professor, said that one of the best way to keep Covid-19 in check is to test students three times per week.

“But three times a week is financially really tough for most universities to accomplish,” Bromage said. “When you go to once a week, it's impossible to actually catch up to those infections.”

Bromage also warned that we should not stigmatize against students who get coronavirus on campus.

“Administrators had the choice of designing a plan of how they delivered education, and they had all of summer to do this,” he said.

He said that it falls on school officials to find safe ways for students to socialize.

“If…we start forcing them to go underground in regards to their social activities, that makes it even harder to control. We need to be looking at ways to understand what the students want to do — they want to congregate, they want to be together, they want to socialize — but we need to help them do that in a safer way,” Bromage said.

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