COVID-19 Update: Tuesday, September 1st

Explaining the racial disparity, Labor Day, Vaccine progress, Wastewater, and Statins

1. Ethnic and racial differences may be due to work settings according to a study published in JAMA. The study found that Black and Hispanic workers were more likely to have essential jobs, less likely to be able to work from home, and more likely to live in a household with someone who worked in the health-care sector than Caucasian people. All items that raised their risk. Additional research continues to determine other factors contributing to this disparity but you can read about this study here https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2769703

2. Labor Day is coming up and while we all could use a day off, there is mounting concern that it will result in increased cases much as Memorial Day and July 4th did. Experts are cautioning people to please continue taking precautions over the holiday, so we do not reverse the progress we have been making.

3. Three possible vaccines are now in phase III clinical trials. Current projections look like the vaccine may require two doses. Meanwhile, the FDA mentioned they may provide EUA authorization to a vaccine prior to the conclusion of phase III trials which has experts concerned and advising against that. In related news, about 40% of Americans say they are leery of the vaccine.

4. The University of Arizona caught an outbreak of COVID before it really began by monitoring the wastewater. As a result, they were able to catch and identify asymptomatic cases and implement risk mitigation efforts early.

5. Statins seem to be associated with reduced risk of mortality according to a study published in Cell Metabolism. Among hospitalized patients, those on a statin seemed to have better outcomes than those who were not. You can read more here https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/pdf/S1550-4131(20)30316-8.pdf

FINAL THOUGHTS: Yesterday was rough, but today is fresh and new and ushered in a nice cool morning full of hope. I was reminded that joy comes in the morning, we just have to wait for it. Patience is not something most of us have an abundance of, and in this case, we have been waiting a very long time for small glimmers of hope, but they are peaking through. The numbers are getting better. Two days in a row we have had new cases in the 30K range and deaths under 1000. That is fantastic news that we are moving in the right direction. It is working. Morning is coming and with it, hope, joy, and the promise of a new day.

1918 Photo from a college football game.