Name: Mississippi health experts, governor debunk 7 common COVID-19 myths
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Mississippi health experts, governor debunk 7 common COVID-19 myths

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Mississippi Clarion LedgerView CommentsAs coronavirus surges in Mississippi and much of the South, another surge is occurring on social media.&nbsp;While health experts are beating the table to warn&nbsp;the public of the potential consequences of coronavirus, a segment of the population is simultaneously downplaying that threat.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is coming as coronavirus cases in Mississippi and the death toll continues to rise.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nationwide, there have been over 4 million cases. There have been more than 146,000 deaths as of Monday, &nbsp;Still, misinformation continues to circulate online: from wearing a mask to positive cases of the virus to herd immunity.&nbsp;The unofficial opinions have prompted&nbsp;State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs and even Gov. Tate Reeves to set the record straight on their own social media platforms.&nbsp;&nbsp;State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers also responded to a list of coronavirus questions that have been put into doubt.&nbsp;For subscribers:Coronavirus in Mississippi:&nbsp;Early on, coronavirus skeptics claimed the virus was no worse than the flu. Despite a rising number of cases and deaths, some still float that idea.Both the flu and coronavirus are infectious respiratory illnesses. Although symptoms can look similar, the two are caused by different viruses.&nbsp;There are several key differences between the two:&nbsp;Coronavirus:The seasonal flu leads to deaths as well. Deaths from coronavirus, however, are about three times that of the average number of deaths the U.S. sees from the flu. And coronavirus deaths continue to mount.&nbsp;The average death toll in the entire U.S. in a typical flu season is around 49,000 deaths a season, sometime a bit higher, sometimes lower, So far there have been over 146,000 deaths&nbsp;in the U.S. due to COVID-19.&nbsp;Perhaps the most prominent&nbsp;of all the debates over coronavirus is about masks.A growing tide of to say they wouldn't wear a mask, questioning its effectiveness and calling it government overreach.&nbsp;Leaving aside the "constitutional right" or "personal liberty" to wear or not wear a mask, reliable health experts have concluded wearing a facial covering, while not a cure-all, limits the spread of the virus.Dobbs and Reeves for their part have asked residents to wear one. The Health Department released a compilation on YouTube of Dobbs saying so — repeatedly.&nbsp;The governor&nbsp;- so far - has resisted a statewide mask mandate. Instead, he has mandated a requirement to 30&nbsp;counties and said more could be added. More than half the states in the country are&nbsp;under such an order.&nbsp;"The prevailing question should always be: what is the cost of this measure compared to the benefit? We believe the benefit of wearing masks is pretty high. Nothing's perfect, but it's good. And the societal cost - compared to shuttering schools and businesses - is infinitely higher," Reeves said.&nbsp;Byers gave a similar response to the question.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Individuals with COVID-19 transmit the virus through infectious respiratory droplets when they cough or speak, or sneeze, even if they are not having symptoms.&nbsp;Masks, if worn correctly to cover the nose and mouth, and if worn consistently, can significantly reduce the risk of an infected person transmitting the infection..."&nbsp;"...Because people can transmit the infection when they don’t have symptoms and don’t even know they are infected, it is important to wear masks whenever you are in public, especially around vulnerable individuals.&nbsp;Masks are one tool used to prevent transmission; the other big one is staying six feet or more away from each other."Mask mandates:Of particular concern to parents as students are expected to return to school is what effect the virus has on children.&nbsp;While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19, adults make up most of the known cases to date.Data shows children fare better against the virus than adults. To date, 17 children under the age of 5&nbsp;have died of Covid-19 nationwide, according to the CDC. The that's&nbsp;a little under a third the number in that age range who have died of the flu this year.&nbsp;Children are also less likely to catch and spread the virus, according to experts, leading to a guideline from the American Academy of Pediatrics that advocates a return to school.&nbsp;In Mississippi, there have been 2,404&nbsp;positive cases in residents 10 years of age and younger. So far, there have been no deaths, according to the department.&nbsp;Still,&nbsp;Dobbs&nbsp;said on Thursday&nbsp;there is some risk no matter what the age, noting at least two children are currently in a hospital ICU.&nbsp;Byers added children can still spread the virus raising concerns about an in person return to school.&nbsp;"We have seen fewer cases in children than adults, but we do know that children can and do become infected and can transmit the infection. However, children are less likely have poor outcomes," he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A common refrain on social media posts is that deaths are down, and deaths are the only true measure of the virus. The argument goes that even as cases rise, the system has figured out a way to decrease the number of deaths, the most important factor.&nbsp;In Mississippi, the number of daily deaths dropped in recent weeks even as cases have exploded. That is beginning to turn around.&nbsp;One reason for the relative drop off, health experts have said, is that most new cases have occurred in a younger demographic. Many of those cases have been traced back to social gatherings where younger Mississippians have gathered — without masks and proper social distancing.&nbsp;Younger Mississippians are less likely to develop serious symptoms from the virus. This doesn't prevent them from spreading it to those who are most vulnerable&nbsp;such as a parent or grandparent.&nbsp;&nbsp;"We’re still seeing ongoing, widespread community transmission especially among younger Mississippians. That results in more cases," Byers said."People are getting sick in the community and stressing the hospitals, and it is leading to outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The truth is we are now seeing an increased number of deaths as a result of the increased number of cases overall.&nbsp; We have not beaten COVID. Everyone still needs to take appropriate precautions to prevent infection and protect those most vulnerable."&nbsp;There has been wide fluctuation on reported deaths since the first case was reported on March 11. The number of deaths on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week&nbsp;jumped up&nbsp;to 32 and 33, the fifth highest overall. The highest death toll so far was 44 on July 7.Over time,&nbsp;the trajectory continues steadily upward, a clear sign deaths aren't decreasing or even leveling off.&nbsp;Mississippi Capitol outbreak:There are several misconceptions about coronavirus testing. Most of those have to do with how the department collects data.Dobbs&nbsp;explained&nbsp;what isn't counted as a new case, contrary to popular misconception.&nbsp;Any Mississippian who tests positive the first time for coronavirus is counted in the department numbers. It's a one-time only scenario. Dobbs notes if one person is tested 1,000 times, it still counts as one case."Please ignore the conspiracy nonsense," he said.&nbsp;Another misconception is that additional testing is the sole reason for an increase in the total coronavirus counts. Testing by the Health Department and private labs has increased steadily&nbsp;since the outbreak began. However, the surge in recent&nbsp;cases far exceeds the&nbsp;increase in testing.&nbsp;The true measure is the percentage of positive cases the state is seeing. In that case, Mississippi is among the top&nbsp;states in the nation in the number of per capita positive cases. The percentage is about 16% of all tests.&nbsp;To keep it&nbsp;simple, if you test 100 people on Monday and get five positive cases, that's a 5% positive rate.&nbsp;If, on Friday, the same test reveals 16 of 100 people tested positive, it's 16%. In short, the severity of the virus is determined in large measure by a rising percentage of Mississippians who test positive in a specific population.&nbsp;"A higher percent positive most likely means more community transmission, Byers said.&nbsp;Around the state:Antibody&nbsp;tests, which reveal if a person has had the virus,&nbsp;are counted as probable cases if they come back positive, according to Byers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Positive antibody cases are investigated, and if symptoms and exposure are consistent with a case, they are counted as probable cases," he&nbsp;said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Those who have coronavirus and die of other health maladies, say a heart attack, aren't counted, he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, family members of those who test positive are&nbsp;not considered to have the virus unless a separate test confirms it.&nbsp;Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.Often, a percentage of the population must be capable of getting a disease in order for it to spread. This is called a threshold proportion. If the proportion of the population that is immune to the disease is greater than this threshold, the spread of the disease will decline.&nbsp;There are several problems with this as it relates to coronavirus. Reeves did a good job of explaining the problem.Reeves points out&nbsp;the state would need to see about 1.2 million residents with the infection to achieve the threshold. And he admits that's on the low side.&nbsp;The governor used a hypothetical 40% threshold. Health experts say the percentage is closer to the 70% to 80% range. That equates to about 2,250,000 of the state's 3 million residents.&nbsp;The surge in recent cases is putting a heavy burden on&nbsp;the state's health care system. A&nbsp;significant increase from that would be catastrophic, officials say.Reeves explained: "To get to 40% infections, we’d need 3,187 new cases every day for a full year from today. We would need to TRIPLE our worst day — every day — for a year."View Comments

Mississippi Clarion LedgerView CommentsAs coronavirus surges in Mississippi and much of the South, another surge is occurring on social media.&nbsp;While health experts are beating the table to warn&nbsp;the public of the potential consequences of coronavirus, a segment of the population is simultaneously downplaying that threat.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is coming as coronavirus cases in Mississippi and the death toll continues to rise.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nationwide, there have been over 4 million cases. There have been more than 146,000 deaths as of Monday, &nbsp;Still, misinformation continues to...

Mississippi health experts, governor debunk 7 common COVID-19 myths

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