A new article following 43 pregnant patients + COVID patients in New York had some promising data. The take away for clinicians is that many of the patients who tested positive were completely asymptomatic upon testing. We are just waiting for the ability to test everyone here! Symptoms in pregnant women were similar to what we described in earlier posts. Newborns did well and they did not separate the newborns from mothers, just kept them 6 feet apart if they were positive, breast feeding was encouraged! Symptoms were mild in 86% of patients which is similar to the rest of the population (9 % severe and 4.7% critical.) Continue to flatten that curve!
This is a good article with a summary of the data we have from the United States so far.
I will summarize below.
#1 Total number of confirmed cases > 300,000
#2 Death rate in the US has been 1.7% this compares to 10 % in Italy and 0.7% in Germany, but this will depend on if hospitals are equipped to deal with the surge (which is expected in late April here in California).
#3 It is possible to have negative tests that are wrong, we call that a false negative and it can depend on the collection technique.
#4 No evidence for re-infection, but data mostly from monkeys.
#5 There may be value of everyone wearing masks because of asymptomatic transmission.
#6 Survival of the virus on surfaces may be up to 9 days at room temperature, >30 degrees celsius is shorter, and learning and disinfecting surfaces is very effective.
#7 We don't know when social distancing measures will be lifted, in China after the initial wave most transmission occurred in households. If someone is infected, it is important they wear a mask in their house as well.
#8 3 vaccines are in human trials right now, we think availability will be early to mid 2021
PACWHA doctors on Zoom in the photo!