CDC Director Robert Redfield warns that the US could see its worst fall in history in terms of public health if coronavirus guidelines are not followed 

DR. REDFIELD GROWS A SPINE 
WARNS AMERICA ABOUT TRUMPVIRUS 

CDC issues dire warning that America will see the worst fall in history for public health if people don't wear masks and social distance as the US records nearly 1,500 new deaths - the highest daily spike since May

It came as the US reported 55,910 new cases and 1,499 deaths on Wednesday - the highest number of fatalities reported in a single day since May

Redfield said measures like masks and social distancing are only effective if at least 95 percent of the population adhere to them

'I'm not asking some of America to do it. We all gotta do it,' he said

He also stressed the importance of Americans getting vaccinated for the flu 

Redfield said hospitals will likely be overwhelmed if a bad flu season arrives on top of the pandemic

By MEGAN SHEETS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 13 August 2020



CDC Director Robert Redfield warned that the US is approaching what could be the worst fall in public health history if people fail to follow guidelines on slowing the spread of coronavirus

The US is approaching what could be the worst fall in public health history if people fail to follow guidelines on slowing the spread of coronavirus, the CDC has warned.

CDC Director Robert Redfield issued the warning on Wednesday as the US reported 55,910 new cases and 1,499 deaths - the highest number of fatalities in a single day since May.

More than 166,000 Americans have now died from COVID-19 and the average number of deaths has remained at just over 1,000 per day for two weeks.

Cases, which have now surpassed 5.2 million, have been falling nationally for three straight weeks and the average daily infection toll remains steady at about 52,000.

As autumn draws near, the CDC is heightening pleas for the public to stay vigilant in preventing the spread of the virus by wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and staying smart about gatherings.

Redfield said that if the CDC's guidelines are not followed, this could be 'the worst fall, from a public health perspective, we've ever had' as the coronavirus pandemic is compounded with flu season.


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Redfield's warning came as the US reported 1,499 new deaths on Wednesday - the highest number of fatalities reported in a single day since mid-May

Nationwide 55,910 new cases of coronavirus were reported on Wednesday


The graphic above shows daily increases in coronavirus cases and deaths. On Wednesday the US saw its largest daily increase in fatalities since mid-May. A significant spike is shown on one day in late June when a large number of deaths that occurred on previous days were reported

'For your country right now and for the war that we're in against covid, I'm asking you to do four simple things: wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands and be smart about crowds,' Redfield said in an interview with WebMD.

'I'm not asking some of America to do it. We all gotta do it,' he added, stressing that the guidelines are only effective if between 95 and 99 percent of people adhere to them.

Asked what he thinks the pandemic will look like by Thanksgiving, Redfield cited the opening line from Charles Dickens' 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities.

'It's dependent on how the American people choose to respond,' he said. 'It's really the worst of times or the best of times, depending on the American public. I'm optimistic.'

Redfield's comments came as:
Florida, Georgia and Texas report record high numbers of daily deaths, driving the US increase of 1,499
Texas testing falls to its lowest rate since June while the positivity rate hits a record 24.5 percent
California begins to turn a corner with fewer daily cases and hospitalizations
Arizona is found to have the highest rate of pediatric infections - accounting for 12 percent of total cases 

National cases continue to decline despite infection rates rising in some rural areas

Redfield said that this year it will be more important than ever for people to get the flu vaccine to avoid overwhelming hospital systems already stretched with coronavirus patients.

'If there's one thing we all can do to prepare ourselves for the fall, [it is] to get the flu vaccine,' he said.

'By getting vaccinated, you can protect your children. When we look at the mortality that we see with flu, one thing is for certain. The kids that get vaccinated, they basically get protected against death.'

He noted that last year just 47 percent of the US population opted for a flu vaccine, and said the CDC is hopeful that that rate will be at least 65 percent this year.

The CDC has already purchased 10 million doses of the flu vaccine for uninsured adults this year, compared to the typical 500,000 doses.


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The 1,499 deaths reported on Wednesday marked the largest daily increase since mid-May. However, there is one day in late June with a large increase due to deaths that had occurred earlier in the month but were added to the total late

Redfield said he is 'very cautiously optimistic' that one or more coronavirus vaccines will be available by the beginning of 2021.

There are currently 270 vaccine trials underway, and Redfield said six of those candidates are 'moving forward very rapidly'.

He said that three vaccines entered phase three clinical trials two weeks ago and a fourth is expected to enter the final phase of trials soon.

'No one can predict scientific success, but we think from a scientific threshold, developing a COVID vaccine is not as complex as an HIV vaccine,' he said.

'I'm very optimistic that we're going to have one or more vaccines available.'

National health officials are currently seeking to quash rampant anti-vaxxer conspiracy theories about forthcoming coronavirus vaccines.

Some of the most popular theories include that the vaccines are part of a CIA scheme to take over the world, that they will be used to insert tracking devices into people, and that they've been developed using monkey brains.

A CNN poll from May found that a third of Americans said they would not get vaccinated against COVID-19, even if the vaccine is affordable widely available.

Dr Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, told the outlet he was taken aback by those findings.

'Speaking for myself, I think I underestimated the level of public resistance,' Collins said. 'I didn't expect it to be that widespread.'

'We are behind here,' Collins added. 'We haven't done a good job of getting [coronavirus vaccine] information out there.'

In his interview with WebMD Redfield emphasized that there's still much to be learned about the novel coronavirus.

He said what has surprised experts the most is how infectious the virus is compared to earlier coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS, which don't spread as rapidly between people.

Another key difference is the fact that many infected individuals don't show any symptoms - which is why it's critical for everyone to do their part and follow CDC guidelines.

Universal adherence to those guidelines has proved challenging as the Trump administration has sought to undermine the CDC's authority and refused to introduce federal mandates for measures like face coverings.

As a result many states have seen a surge in cases and deaths over the past two months.

While cases have finally begun to decline nationwide, deaths are on the rise as the total number of fatalities rose by nearly 1,500 on Wednesday, following an increase of 1,300 on Tuesday. 

Nationwide daily new cases have finally begun to fall after a large surge in July

Daily deaths increased by nearly 1,500 on Wednesday, the largest single-day spike since May

The increase in deaths was driven, in part, due to Florida, Georgia and Texas reporting record high fatalities.

Florida reported 276 new fatalities on Tuesday and 212 on Wednesday, bringing the statewide death toll to 8,765.

Meanwhile, the number of cases in Florida continue to trend downward following a huge summer spike across the Sunbelt states. The state reported 8,183 cases on Wednesday, down from the record 15,000 in mid-July.

In Georgia, a record high of 136 deaths were added to the state's death toll on Tuesday, followed by 109 on Wednesday, bringing the total to 4,456.

There has been an uptick in deaths in the state since late July and the average death toll increased by five percent last week compared to the previous seven days.

The increase in deaths comes after infections across the state started trending upwards in late June. Cases appeared to plateau in Georgia in late July but are now increasing slightly after a decline in the first week of August.

Texas broke its record for new deaths with 324 reported on Wednesday, bringing the state total to over 9,000.

The positivity rate in Texas currently stands at 24.5 percent - the highest rate since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Texas Department of State Health Service.

Meanwhile testing for COVID-19 in the state dropped to its lowest level since June, with fewer than 35,000 new tests conducted Wednesday.

Texas reported 6,200 new cases on Wednesday, down significantly from its peak in mid-July when there were several days with more than 10,000 new cases.

In the last week, 11 states saw increases in COVID-19 cases including Hawaii (124%), Vermont (27%), North Dakota (19%), Indiana (18%), South Dakota (16%), Illinois (15%), Virginia (15%), Arkansas (7%), Idaho (5%), Kansas (5%) and Minnesota (3%).


The increase in deaths was driven, in part, due to Florida and Georgia reporting record high fatalities. Florida reported 212 new deaths and 8,183 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the statewide totals to 8,765 and 550,901, respectively

Florida reported 109 new deaths and 3,660 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the statewide totals to 4,456 and 226,153


Texas broke its record for new deaths with 324 reported on Wednesday, bringing the state total to over 9,000

The continuing decline in national cases comes largely from the recent hotspots of California, Arizona, Florida and Texas where infections have slowed after seeing huge spikes in the last two months.

California reported 11,645 new cases on Tuesday. While that number is well above the state's seven-day rolling average of 8,762, officials emphasized that more than half of the cases reported had been confirmed on previous dates.

The state also reported 180 new deaths, bringing the state death toll to 10,648.

In Arizona, just 229 new cases and seven deaths were reported on Tuesday, though that number is expected to increase as more comprehensive information becomes available.

Arizona currently leads the nation with pediatric coronavirus cases, according to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The state's rate of cases in children and young adults ages 19 and younger is 1,206.4 per 100,000 people in that age group. It's also the only non-Southern state in that group, alongside South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi.

As of Tuesday, more than 23,000 Arizonans under age 20 have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and 11 have died.

In New York, the hardest-hit state in the early months of the pandemic, 737 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The positivity rate in the state hit a record low of 0.78 percent this week. 

CDC warns the public of the risk of getting coronavirus

California reported 11,645 new cases on Wednesday. While that number is well above the state's seven-day rolling average of 8,762, officials emphasized that more than half of the cases reported had been confirmed on previous dates


In Arizona, just 229 new cases and seven deaths were reported on Tuesday, though that number is expected to increase as more comprehensive information becomes available

In New York, the hardest-hit state in the early months of the pandemic, 737 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The positivity rate in the state hit a record low of 0.78 percent this week


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