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U.S. NEWS Thursday 5 November 2020
Public health may be U.S. election loser as coronavirus surges

By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer
Regardless of the presi-
dential election outcome,
a vexing issue remains to
be decided: Will the U.S.
be able to tame a perilous
pandemic that is surging as
holidays, winter and other
challenges approach?
Public health experts fear
the answer is no, at least in
the short term, with poten-
tially dire consequences.
Donald Trump's current
term doesn't end until Jan.
20. In the 86 days until then,
100,000 more Americans
will likely die from the vi-
rus if the president doesn't
shift course, said Dr. Robert
Murphy, executive director
of the Institute for Global
Health at Northwestern Uni-
versity's Feinberg School
of Medicine, echoing es-
timates from other public
health experts.
As of Wednesday, the race In this Oct. 27, 2020, Artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg walks among thousands of white flags planted in remembrance of Americans
was too close to call, with who have died of COVID-19 near Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington.
several key battleground Associated Press
states still counting votes.
The U.S. death toll is already careful than ever," she said. noted. "There's a lot of suf- has said he wanted them and other restrictions to
more than 232,000 and the Polls showed the public fering that is going to hap- available right away. control surging cases,
seven-day rolling average health crisis and the econ- pen before then, which So far, the FDA has granted Trump has resisted those
for new daily deaths is ris- omy were top concerns for could have been prevent- full approval to only one approaches and has fo-
ing. Total confirmed U.S. many Americans. ed," Wen said. drug — the antiviral remde- cused on rebuilding the
cases have surpassed 9 They are competing issues Federal health officials sivir — for hospitalized pa- economy.
million and new daily infec- that Trump and Demo- have said they believe a tients. Dexamethasone or Absent a national pan-
tions are increasing in near- cratic contender Joe Biden vaccine could get emer- similar steroids are recom- demic strategy, curbing vi-
ly every state. view through drastically dif- gency use authorization mended for certain severe- rus spread in the U.S. will de-
"Where we are is in an ex- ferent lenses. before the end of the year. ly ill patients under federal pend on more Americans
tremely dire place as a Trump has ignored the ad- The first limited supplies of treatment guidelines. taking necessary precau-
country. Every metric that vice of his top health ad- doses would then be im- The government continues tions and the upcoming
we have is trending in the visors, who have issued in- mediately distributed to to sponsor many studies holiday season will make
wrong direction. This is a vi- creasingly urgent warnings the most vulnerable popu- testing other treatments that a challenge, said Dr.
rus that will continue to es- in recent days about the lations. Doses would then alone and in combination Cedric Dark, an emergen-
calate at an accelerated need for preventive mea- gradually become more with remdesivir. cy physician in Houston.
speed and that is not going sures, instead holding rallies widely available. But the development of "It's going to be Thanksgiv-
to stop on its own," said Dr. where face coverings were The timeline hinges on hav- treatments could be af- ing, winter break for college
Leana Wen, a public health rare and falsely suggesting ing a vaccine that's shown fected if Trump makes students, Christmas time
expert at George Washing- that the pandemic is wan- to be safe and effective, good on threats to fire Dr. and Hannukah," but fami-
ton University. ing. which experts note is not Anthony Fauci, the govern- lies may have to resist close
Dr. Susan Bailey, president By contrast, Democrat Joe yet a certainty. "The vac- ment's top infectious dis- get-togethers this year, he
of the American Medical Biden has rarely been seen cine has to move at the ease doctor, or other top said. Outbreaks on college
Association, said there are in public without a mask speed of science," said health officials Trump has campuses mean many stu-
things Americans can do and made public health a Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice clashed with. dents may be bringing the
now to help change the key issue. Whether his voice dean for public health Most Americans support virus home and spreading
trajectory. will carry much influence if practice at Johns Hopkins mandating mask-wearing it to parents and grandpar-
"Regardless of the outcome Trump is declared the win- University and former Mary- in public and think prevent- ents, he said.
of the election, everyone in ner is uncertain. land state health depart- ing the virus from spreading Dark, who hasn't seen his
America needs to buckle "President Trump has al- ment chief. is a higher priority than pro- parents in over a year,
down," Bailey said. ready made clear what On the treatment front, the tecting the economy, ac- has had to adjust his own
"A lot of us have gotten kind his strategy is for COVID-19, makers of two experimen- cording to AP VoteCast, a holiday plans. This year,
of relaxed about physically which is to pretend that tal antibody drugs have nationwide survey of over Thanksgiving will be in his
distancing, not washing our there is not a contagious vi- asked the Food and Drug 133,000 voters and nonvot- parents' garage, with the
hands quite as often as we rus all around us," Wen said. Administration to allow ers conducted for The As- door up, chairs at least 6
used to, maybe not wear- Trump has been touting emergency use of them for sociated Press by NORC at feet apart, and a space
ing our masks quite as faith- treatments and vaccines, people with mild to moder- the University of Chicago. heater if needed.
fully. We all need to realize which won't be widely ate COVID-19, and Trump, While several European "We can at least see each
that things are escalating available to all Americans who received one when he countries have imposed or other, from a distance,''
and we've got to be more until at least mid-2021, she was sickened last month, proposed new lockdowns Dark said.q