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COVID-19 Updated Data and Developments - 5.25.2020

May 27, 2020
by Jeannette Jiang, Emily Peterson and Robert Heimer

International case numbers as of May 25, 2020, 10:00 am

  • 5,435,789 COVID-19 cases worldwide; 345,467 deaths; 2,184,995 recovered.1
    • There is a frequently updated map of COVID-19 cases online at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html.
  • COVID-19 cases in the United States now account for nearly one-third of worldwide cases with 1,644,143 diagnosed cases.
  • Brazil now has the second highest number of cases with 363,211 cases, Russia third with 353,427, and the United Kingdom fourth with 260,916.
    • Deaths in multiple countries now exceed reported deaths in China. Deaths due to COVID-19 in 12 countries exceed China’s reported total.
    • China revised their COVID-19 death toll in Wuhan to 3,869, a significant increase from the previous 1,290 deaths. This new total now includes deaths at home. Still, experts say that these official numbers are likely understated.2 Findings in multiple locations indicate that proactive public health interventions to reduce burden on hospitals and healthcare workers, including social distancing, increased personal hygiene, and movement restrictions, are essential to reducing transmission and fatality rates.

Epidemic curve of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide by region (from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control COVID-19 Situation Update, as of 5/25/2020).

Distribution of coronavirus deaths worldwide by region (from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control COVID-19 Situation Update, as of 5/25/2020).3

US National case numbers as of May 25, 2020, 10:00 am

  • 1,644,143 cases of coronavirus confirmed by lab tests, 97,794 deaths, and 366,736 recovered cases. 14,163,915 total tests have been conducted.4
    • New York has the highest number of confirmed cases at 361,515 followed by New Jersey at 154,154 cases and Illinois at 110,304 cases.
    • A study on COVID-19 infection rates among women admitted to give birth in New York found that, in the two hospitals studied, 1 in 8 women tested positive for coronavirus. Of the total 215 pregnant women tested for COVID-19 between March 22 and April 4, nearly 14% tested positive for coronavirus but were asymptomatic. Only 2% of the women both tested positive and had coronavirus symptoms.5

Top US States, Cumulative Diagnosed COVID-19 Cases as of May 25, 2020

State

No. of Cases6

Total Tests Conducted7

% Pop. Tested Positive

New York

361,515

1,699,826

1.86

New Jersey

154,154

603,807

1.74

Illinois

110,304

747,921

0.87

California

94,407

1,582,745

0.24

Massachusetts

92,675

532,373

1.34

Pennsylvania

71,563

396,095

0.56

Texas

55,885

763,766

0.19

Michigan

54,679

451,232

0.55

Risk in population

  • The fatality rate estimate for COVID-19 has been very difficult to estimate as testing practices and availability vary widely between countries. In many areas, testing has only been given to the most severely ill patients and so many more cases of coronavirus likely have gone undetected.8
  • The fatality rate from data already available is 1.3% in people 50-59, 0.4% in people 40-49, and 0.18% in people 30 to 39. Those that are 29 and under face mortality rates 0.09% and under, and children ages 0-9 are estimated to experience mortality at rates below 0.01%.9 Data from the CDC shows that young adults ages 20-44 face a substantial risk of serious illness and hospitalization from the coronavirus.10

Deaths involving COVID-19 reported to National Center for Health Statistics as of May 20, 202011

Age group

Total number of deaths

Percentage of reported deaths

0-14

12

0.02

15-24

76

0.11

25-34

463

0.67

35-44

1,186

1.72

45-54

3,338

4.84

55-64

8,312

12.05

65-74

14,447

20.94

75-84

18,621

26.99

85+

22,543

32.67

Data from the CDC continue to confirm that individuals with underlying conditions are at greater risk of experiencing severe outcomes as a result of COVID-19. However, the CDC has reiterated that measures should be taken to protect all persons, including those without underlying conditions.12

Provisional Death Counts for COVID-19 by Demographic Characteristics (as of May 20)13

Demographic

Population Total

Female

45.34%

Male

54.66%

White

52.30%

Black

22.40%

American Indian or Alaskan Native

0.40%

Asian

5.80%

Hispanic

16.60%

Other

2.50%

Initial findings from a CDC study of hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19 suggest that male residents and black residents may face a disproportionately greater risk of being affected by and hospitalized due to coronavirus.

From CDC COVIDView Weekly Surveillance Summary, retrieved 5/25/20.14

  • Elderly: The death rate in elderly adults aged 80 or older is very high and believed to be over 15% and possibly as high as 22%.15 Older adults (those over 60 and particularly those over 80) and those with serious chronic health conditions (including heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease) are at a higher risk of getting very ill due to COVID-19. 16
  • Children: Data from China suggest that COVID-19 infections in children may be less severe than cases in adults and that children might experience different symptoms than adults, as fewer children experience fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Relatively few children are hospitalized due to COVID-19 but severe outcomes have been reported in children, including three reported deaths. The CDC advises children to practice social distancing and wear cloth face coverings as well as to follow other everyday preventative behaviors.17
  • Health care workers, home health aides, first responders, and teachers are among those at greatest risk of contracting coronavirus as a result of their job.18
  • Those that work in lower-income jobs may also face increased risk as the ability to work from home may not be feasible-- only 9.2% of those in the bottom income quartile (lowest 25% income earners) are able to work from home while 20.1% of those in the third income quartile (second-lowest, 25-50% incomes earners) are able to work from home.19

New US developments

  • Some cities in Arkansas, Texas, and California are seeing daily case growth rates of more than 9%, indicating possible outbreaks. Milledgeville, Arkansa and Roanoke, Virginia have daily death growth rates of more than 10%. As states continue to reopen, these trends could be important indicators of whether some may have reopened prematurely.20
  • A new study in the Lancet retrospectively analyzed 96,000 patient medical records from December 2019 to investigate the effects of hydroxychloroquine on COVID-19 patients. The 15,000 patients who were treated with the drug had a 34% increase in risk of mortality and a 137% increased risk of serious heart arrhythmia, these risks were even high for those who were also treated with an antibiotic. This study only confirms previous understanding that hydroxychloroquine has no benefit in treating COVID-19 patients and may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events.21 The WHO is halting the hydroxychloroquine portion of its Solidarity Trial, which aims to find new treatments for COVID-19 patients, following the new Lancet study.22
  • All 50 US states are moving towards reopening. The degree to which restrictions are lifted varies greatly from state to state but almost all businesses are allowed to reopen, some with more restrictions than others. Even still, public health officials are concerned about a resurgence of cases. 23
  • US jobless claims continue to rise and exceed 38 million even with business reopening.24
  • Many states are beginning to reopen with certain restrictions such as limiting the number of customers and requiring masks.25 As restaurants and retailers open, many are struggling to ensure their customers can maintain social distancing rules.26 The CDC has released a number of “decision trees” to help businesses safely reopen.27 On a Senate panel, Dr. Anthony Fauci and CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, warned that opening the economy too soon could have dire consequences.28
  • Moderna, who tested the first COVID-19 vaccine in humans, stated that their first trial in humans (8 individuals) appears to be safe and was able to stimulate an immune response. The next step will be to test the vaccine in 600 individuals but full scale production of the vaccine could take at least a year.29
  • More US meat plants closed as a result of significant COVID-19 outbreaks are being ordered to reopen by executive order, which is likely to place workers at increased risk of contracting COVID-19.30 The largest US beef producer, JBS, has revamped their processes in response to COVID-19 but their production has significantly slowed which could reduce the US beef market for months. 31
  • There is increasing concern about the accuracy of COVID-19 testing in the US.32 ID, Abbott Laboratories’ COVID-19 test, is currently used in the White House for rapid testing but reports say it may miss up to 50% of positive cases compared to other tests.33
  • Children in the US are becoming seriously ill due to a new syndrome that appears to be linked to immune responses to COVID-19. Pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome can affect children that were previously healthy, though many of the children that have been hospitalized with the syndrome either tested positive for coronavirus or had positive antibody tests, suggesting that they previously had coronavirus. Symptoms can include fever, rash, reddish eyes, swollen lymph nodes, and sharp abdominal pain.34
  • Research from a team lead by Daniel Weinberger at the Yale School of Public Health suggests that deaths in the US may have been significantly underestimated. These data come from analysis of the excess number of deaths, many of which could be directly or indirectly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.35
  • The FDA has approved the use of Gilead’s remdesivir for severely ill COVID-19 patients. Although the drug did not significantly reduce mortality rates, it was shown to moderately reduce hospitalization time, from 15 days to 11 days.36
  • Strange lesions on the toe (termed the “Covid toe”) or swollen and reddish toes may be an indication of a COVID-19 infection. This phenomenon may be an indication of a mild or asymptomatic infection or may develop several weeks after an acute COVID-19 infection.37
  • With almost 2,500 long-term care facilities reporting COVID-19 cases, the death toll in these facilities is now more than 2,000 and expected to continue to rise.38

Known cases in Connecticut (call 211 or text "CTCOVID" to 898211 for information)

As of May 24, 2020 there are 40,468 (+446 from the day before) confirmed cases, 701 (-23 from the day before) hospitalizations, and 3,693 deaths. 214,136 patients have been tested in the state.39 More than half of all CT deaths were associated with nursing home infections.40

  • Fairfield County: 15,114 cases, 1,215 deaths
  • Hartford County: 9,686 cases, 1,175 deaths
  • Litchfield County: 1,331 cases, 121 deaths
  • Middlesex County: 1,010 cases, 136 deaths
  • New Haven County: 10,905 cases, 903 deaths
  • New London County: 1,045 cases, 74 deaths
  • Tolland County: 807 cases, 54 deaths
  • Windham County: 359 cases, 14 death
  • Pending address validation: 210 cases, deaths

Increases in Cases and Deaths in CT with Percent Increase from Previous Reporting Period

County

May 25

May 18

May 11

May 4

April 23

April 20

April 16

April 13

April 9

Fairfield

Cases (% increase)

Deaths (% increase)

15,114 (6.1)

1,215 (6.0)

14,248 (7.6)

1,146 (11.9)

13,236 (12.2)

1,024 (15.6)

11,801 (19.4)

886 (51.7)

9,883 (32.9)

584 (30.6)

7,434 (14.7)

447 (22.5)

6,480 (17.1)

365 (28.5)

5,534 (25.3)

284

4,417

Hartford

Cases (% increase)

Deaths (% increase)

9.686 (11.0)

1,175 (10.0)

8,723 (20.1)

1,069 (17.6)

7,263 (18.8)

909 (20.2)

6,112 (48.2)

756 (71.0)

4,128 (23.2)

442 (49.8)

3,351 (30.0)

295 (38.5)

2,579 (34.7)

213 (83.6)

1,914 (48.4)

116

1,290

Litchfield

Cases (% increase)

Deaths (% increase)

1,331 (4.9)

121 (4.3)

1,269 (10.1)

116 (8.4)

1,153 (11.3)

107 (16.3)

1,036 (43.5)

92 (46.0)

722 (20.3)

63 (31.3)

600 (22.4)

48 (37.1)

490 (21.6)

35 (45.8)

403 (38.0)

24

292

Middlesex

Cases (% increase)

Deaths (% increase)

1,010 (11.1)

136 (8.8)

909 (13.9)

125 (8.7)

798 (12.9)

115 (23.7)

707 (34.7)

93 (75.5)

525 (13.6)

53 (32.5)

462 (21.9)

40 (42.9)

379 (26.8)

28 (55.6)

299 (71.8)

18

174

New Haven

Cases (% increase)

Deaths (% increase)

10,905 (7.3)

903 (10.5)

10,159 (10.3)

817 (16.5)

9,209 (14.8)

701 (20.9)

8,024 (38.1)

580 (68.1)

5,811 (19.3)

345 (34.2)

4,871 (29.6)

257 (31.8)

3,758 (27.6)

195 (63.9)

2,946 (51.5)

119

1,945

New London

Cases (% increase)

Deaths (% increase)

1,046 (20.0)

74 (12.1)

873 (11.6)

66 (22.2)

782 (25.5)

54 (25.6)

623 (56.9)

43 (207.1)

397 (17.1)

14 (40)

339 (43.6)

10 (42.9)

236 (24.2)

7 (0.0)

190 (58.3)

7

120

Tolland

Cases (% increase)

Deaths (% increase)

807 (12.9)

55 (2.0)

715 (31.6)

54 (14.9)

543 (17.8)

47 (17.5)

461 (39.3)

40 (25.0)

331 (20.0)

32 (33.3)

276 (27.8)

24 (9.1)

216 (18.9)

22 (29.4)

182 (42.2)

17

128

Windham

Cases (% increase)

Deaths (% increase)

359 (14.7)

14 (0.0)

313 (38.1)

14 (100)

270 (28.0)

7 (133.3)

211 (72.3)

3 (0.0)

122 (22.0)

4 (100.0)

100 (12.4)

2 (100.0)

89 (34.8)

1 (0.0)

66 (34.7)

1

49

Connecticut Summary Statistics by Month for Age, Nursing Home/Assisted Living, and Race/Ethnicity per 100,000

Age, total (deaths)

Nursing home/assisted living, total (deaths)*

Race/ethnicity rate per 100,000 population (deaths)

(end of month)

Cases, total

<20

20-49

50-69

>70

White

Black, not Hispanic

Hispanic

Other

Mar.

3,128 (69)

94 (0)

1,419 (3)

1,150 (25)

461 (60)

85 (11)

NA

NA

NA

NA

Apr.

27,700 (2,257)

775 (2)

10,820 (52)

9,299 (391)

6,572 (1,808)

1,713 (375) (April 17)

365 (67)

829 (89)

723 (34)

211 (11)

May to current

40,468 (3,693)

1,387 (2)

15.541 (75)

12,767 (610)

9,828 (2,949)

7,819 (1,694)

563 (112)

1,332 (140)

1,218 (55)

739 (30)

*Data on nursing homes is sparsely updated

Graphs from Connecticut COVID-19 Update41

  • As of May 22, 2020 Yale New Haven Health has 208 (a decrease of 36 from May 18) COVID-19 patients. The number of in-patients has been steadily decreasing.
    • 72 (down 23 from May 18) patients are in the ICU and another 48 (down 4 from May 18) patients are on ventilators.
    • YNHH has seen a 9-12% mortality rate among patients that test positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak.
    • Patients not requiring ICU care have, on average, stayed for 6 days in the hospital.

COVID-19 projections for reopening Connecticut42

?With all US states beginning to reopen, there is increasing concern that infection rates will again. Professor Forrest Crawford, Dr. Zehang Richard Li, and Dr. Olga Morozova at Yale created models for infection, hospitalization, and death depending on the amount of interpersonal contact following reopening. Critically, should a “fast reopening” occur, Connecticut will see a surge of hospitalizations and deaths by August. It is unknown exactly what type of reopening will occur but it is likely to fall between a slow and fast reopening.

“Slow reopening” scenario:


“Fast reopening” scenario:


Connecticut developments

  • The number of people hospitalized in Connecticut has continued to decline since the peak in April. However, experts warn that residents should continue social distancing measures in order to ensure the decline in COVID-19 infections.43
  • New rules have been announced for Connecticut’s first phase of business reopenings on May 20. The revised list of businesses that will be allowed to reopen include restaurants for outdoor dining only, museums, retail stores (including malls), and office buildings. In addition to these openings, social gatherings will continue to be limited to no more than 5 people. Those that are over age 65 and/or have preexisting health conditions are encouraged to continue to self-quarantine at home.44
  • Connecticut’s lab capacity to process COVID-19 tests is currently around 3,000 kits per week. Processing capacity is set to ramp up to 40,000 per week over the coming month and is projected to be at 140,000 tests processed per week by the end of June.45
  • Governor Lamont is joining fellow governors from New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Delaware to develop a regional supply chain for personal protective equipment, other medical equipment, and COVID-19 tests. The plan aims to identify the region’s needs, reduce cost, and stabilize the supply chain for these products.46
  • Governor Lamont signed an executive order requiring the use of face masks or coverings in public where close contact is unavoidable.47
  • Mandatory rent relief was instituted in the state. For rent due in April, landlords are required to grant a 60-day grace period for payment. The same grace period applies for rent in May, but renters are required to notify their landlord first. Additionally, no evictions can occur until July 1 unless due to a safety concern.48
  • Yale launched a multimillion dollar fund to aid New Haven and will match dollar for dollar towards its $5 million goal.49
  • Professor Marie-Louise Landry at the Yale School of Medicine and her lab have established their own test for SARS-CoV-2 with the help of YSPH researcher Dr. Nate Grubaugh. Her clinical lab tested 752 patient samples from 3/13 to 3/21. They have been able to keep up and report results the same day samples are received.50

Known cases in Rhode Island (call 401-222-8022 for information)

As of May 24, 202051

  • 14,065 confirmed cumulative cases (+1391 from 5/17/20)
  • 132,701 total tests conducted
  • 240 patients currently hospitalized
  • 49 patients currently in ICU
  • 608 deaths in the state

Graphs from Rhode Island Department of Health COVID-19 Disease Data dashboard as of 5/24/2020.52

Rhode Island developments53

  • Governor Raimondo announced that restaurants, hair salons, and gyms will be allowed to reopen on June 1 under new guidelines that include mandatory face masks, deep cleaning procedures, and capacity limits in facilities.54
  • Rhode Island is the first state in the northeast to reopen nonessential businesses. Businesses that choose to reopen must limit the number of customers allowed inside, based on their square footage, face coverings are required in all public spaces, and meetings of more than 5 people are still prohibited.55
  • Rhode Island has now tested more residents per capita than any other state, contributing to the rising number of positive cases in the state. Many positive cases are asymptomatic and may have been overlooked elsewhere where testing is less widespread.56
  • Rhode Island opened a walk-up COVID-19 testing site in the parking lot of the Robert L. Bailey IV Elementary School in Providence. The location was chosen in order to be accessible to Rhode Island’s Latinx population, as 45% of the people that tested positive for coronavirus in the state are Latinx.57
  • Governor Raimondo issued an executive order requiring all employees to wear masks while at their place of business. Additionally, Governor Raimondo has ordered that all people must wear cloth face coverings while in public.58

Key international developments

  • Countries around the world are reopening as infection rates and deaths slow.59
  • China has repeatedly pushed back against international calls for an independent investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. 60
  • Wuhan, the epicenter for the pandemic, is in the process of testing all 11 million residents.61
  • President Vladimir Putin announced an end to Russia’s “nonworking period” this week, despite growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country. The official number of cases in Russia is now 300,000, but experts believe that actual cases exceed those reported. Official counts also appear to be miscounting COVID-19 deaths, as there were 1,700 more deaths in Moscow than the average for April, but officials have only reported 642 coronavirus deaths in the city and just over 2,000 deaths in the entire country.62
  • Oxford University has begun human testing of their COVID-19 vaccine and hopes to have it widely available by September if the vaccine demonstrates efficacy by June.63
  • As the pandemic continues, developing countries around the world are facing a global food crisis. Lockdowns and social distancing are preventing people from working and disrupting agriculture production and supply routes. More than 265 million people could be facing acute hunger, increasing from the already 135 million people who already face food shortages.64
  • Leaders of Belarus, Turkmenistan, Nicaragua, and Brazil continue to deny the major health threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brazil’s President Bolsonaro in particular is encouraging citizens to ignore public health guidelines such as social distancing.65
  • The EU has linked Russian media outlets to disinformation about the coronavirus. The EU-produced report states that the disinformation seeks to undermine public trust in health care systems abroad.66

COVID-19 numbers sources

The New York Times may be the best source of COVID-19-related because of its interactive US map and overview of trends in states. The New York Times also includes probable COVID-19 cases. Other news sources include:

  1. New York Times
    1. State and local health agencies and hospitals.
      1. Now including cases and deaths that have been identified by public health officials as probable coronavirus patients
    2. Great US map interactive
      1. Detailed state information; identifying states that are increasing/decreasing
    3. Regular updates
  2. CNN
    1. Data from Johns Hopkins
    2. Great visuals of the US cases
    3. Okay timeline charts by state
      1. Y axis not standardized, may be misleading on first look
    4. Regular updates
  3. NPR
    1. Data from Johns Hopkins
    2. Okay US case visualization
    3. Great timeline visualization of cases by state (heat map)
    4. Easy comparison between states
    5. Regular updates
  4. John Hopkins
    1. Data from Johns Hopkins, Red Cross, Census American Community Survey, Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
    2. Very comprehensive data
    3. Visualizations are okay (overwhelming)
    4. Includes recovered
    5. Updated daily
  5. WorldOMeter
    1. Official Websites of Ministries of Health or other Government Institutions and Government authorities' social media accounts
    2. Includes recovered
    3. Very comprehensive data
    4. Simple visualizations
    5. Daily
  6. CDC
    1. Cases and deaths reported by U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S.-affiliated jurisdictions
    2. Not very interactive
    3. Updated daily

What is coronavirus?

Coronavirus is a family of viruses that have been known to infect humans. Viruses in the family are known to cause the common cold, SARS, and MERS. The virus that causes COVID-19 infects people and is easily spread person-to-person but is far less virulent than SARS. Cases have been detected in most countries worldwide, including the United States, and has officially been declared a pandemic, or a global disease outbreak. COVID-19 causes a respiratory disease that may be identifiable by dry coughing, breathing difficulties, and fever. Those that suspect they are infected with coronavirus should call their health provider first and should not go to a health care facility unless directed to do so.

Nomenclature

The novel (new) coronavirus, formally named “SARS-CoV-2,” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated as COVID-19) by the World Health Organization.

Is there a vaccine?

Moderna, who tested the first COVID-19 vaccine in humans, stated that their first trial in humans (8 individuals) appears to be safe and was able to stimulate an immune response. The next step will be to test the vaccine in 600 individuals but full scale production of the vaccine could take at least a year.67

Vaccines must go through at least 3 clinical phases to ensure their efficacy and safety before they can be approved and used in the general population.68 Even with an expedited process it will be at least a year before a COVID-19 vaccine is fully developed and made available to the public.69 Johnson and Johnson will start human testing of their COVID-19 vaccine in September, to be ready for emergency use by early 2021. The vaccine would be sold on a not-for-profit basis.70

What is a vaccine?

Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases. Vaccines are made out of killed or weakened parts of the virus or bacteria of interest. Once inside the body, the vaccine is able to stimulate the immune system to develop antibodies and thus immunity to the disease, all without the person getting the disease.71

The vaccine currently being developed by Moderna uses genetic information, messenger RNA (mRNA), to deliver the vaccine. mRNA vaccines are an emerging platform and as of now no mRNA vaccine has reached the market. Compared to some forms of traditional vaccines (DNA-based, live/killed attenuated viruses), mRNA vaccines are thought to be safer because they are non-infectious and have no risk of potentially mutating inside the human body. Through chemical modifications mRNA is stabilized and readily enters into cells. Lastly, mRNA vaccine production is inexpensive, fast, and scalable.72

Why did the CDC recommend an 8-week moratorium on in-person gatherings?

On Monday the US government officially recommended that people should avoid in-person gatherings of 10 or more people.73 This recommendation is supported by evidence from South Korea and China, both of which appear to slowly be returning to life as normal after 8 weeks of anti-coronavirus measures.74 On March 10, China closed the last of its temporary emergency hospitals75 after seeing a dramatic decrease in new cases over the past couple of weeks.76 Likewise, South Korea has experienced a substantial decrease in new cases over the past week.77

Information highlights from CDC website78

  • Symptoms
    • Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.
      • Fever
      • Cough
    • Shortness of breath
  • Mounting anecdotal evidence suggests that a loss of smell and taste are significant symptoms associated with COVID-19. 79
  • Testing80
    • As of March 15, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam have successfully verified COVID-19 diagnostic tests in state and local public health laboratories.
    • Many states have opened “drive-through” coronavirus testing stations with more to come.81
    • The number of tests still lags far behind need. The governors of many states have complained that the federal government’s response in making tests available has been inadequate.82

How is coronavirus spread?83

  • Person-to-person
    • Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
    • Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
      • Respiratory droplets can spread through the air (6 feet) or land on nearby surfaces where they can survive for a period of time (“Our studies indicate that aerosol and fomite transmission of HCoV-19 is plausible, as the virus can remain viable in aerosols for multiple hours and on surfaces up to days.”)84
      • Normal vocalizing – talking or singing – produces droplets that can remain airborne for 8 minutes.85, 86

Guidelines from the CDC to Minimize Chances of Infection87

  • Clean your hands often
    • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
    • If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact
    • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
    • Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
  • Take steps to protect others
    • Stay home if you’re sick
      • Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. If you think you may have contracted the virus call your doctor first.
    • Cover coughs and sneezes
      • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
      • Throw used tissues in the trash.
      • Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
    • Wear a facemask
      • If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people, when you go out in public, and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. People who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room.
      • If you are NOT sick: The CDC recommends that all people who are not sick wear a cloth face covering in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as grocery stores and pharmacies. Wearing a cloth face covering in public is especially important in areas with significant community-based transmission.
    • Clean and disinfect
      • Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
      • If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

1 https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

2 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/17/world/asia/china-wuhan-coronavirus-death-toll.html

3 https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/geographical-distribution-2019-ncov-cases

4 https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

5 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2009316?query=featured_coronavirus

6 https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

7 https://covidtracking.com/data

8https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/27/821958435/why-death-rates-from-coronavirus-can-be-deceiving

9https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/coronavirus-and-its-high-mortality-rate-among-older-patients.html

10 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e2.htm?s_cid=mm6912e2_w

11 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm

12 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6913e2.htm

13 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid_weekly/index.htm

14 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html

15 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/health/coronavirus-elderly-protection.html

16https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-rate-by-age-countries-2020-3#still-older-patients-in-south-korea-also-had-a-much-higher-death-rate-than-younger-ones-patients-older-than-80-had-a-72-death-rate-as-of-wednesday-6

17 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6914e4.htm?s_cid=mm6914e4_w

18 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/15/business/economy/coronavirus-worker-risk.html

19 https://www.bls.gov/news.release/flex2.t01.htm

20https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/23/upshot/five-ways-to-monitor-coronavirus-outbreak-us.html#hotspots

21 https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/22/hydroxychloroquine-coronavirus-study/

22https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/25/861913688/who-halts-hydroxychloroquine-trial-over-safety-concerns

23https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/states-reopen-map-coronavirus.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-coronavirus-world&variant=show®ion=TOP_BANNER&context=storylines_menu

24https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/05/21/unemployment-claims-coronavirus/

25https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/01/us/coronavirus-states-reopen-tension.html

26 https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-05-15-2020-11589536941

27 https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/coronavirus-2020-05-14/card/Uu7n5RXcfFdkWnyUPoDg

28 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/12/us/politics/coronavirus-dr-fauci-robert-redfield.html

29https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/us/coronavirus-updates.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage#link-471da7cb

30 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/28/business/economy/coronavirus-trump-meat-food-supply.html

31https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-to-slow-u-s-meat-production-for-months-ceo-says-11589540400

32 https://www.wsj.com/articles/questions-about-accuracy-of-coronavirus-tests-sow-worry-11585836001

33https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-13/abbott-fast-test-missed-many-covid-cases-unreviewed-study-says?sref=jFvCme3g

34 https://www.nytimes.com/article/kawasaki-disease-coronavirus-children.html

35 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/28/us/coronavirus-death-toll-total.html

36 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/01/health/coronavirus-remdesivir.html

37 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/01/health/coronavirus-covid-toe.html?referringSource=articleShare

38https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/more-2-200-coronavirus-deaths-nursing-homes-federal-government-isn-n1181026

39 https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus

40https://ctmirror.org/2020/04/30/nursing-home-deaths-account-for-more-than-half-of-all-covid-19-fatalities-in-connecticut/

41 https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Coronavirus/CTDPHCOVID19summary5102020.pdf?la=en

42 https://crawford-lab.github.io/covid19_ct/

43 https://ctmirror.org/2020/05/22/positive-covid-19-trends-continue-as-connecticut-heads-into-holiday-weekend/

44https://dailyvoice.com/connecticut/litchfield/news/covid-19-detailed-rules-now-released-for-ct-businesses-due-to-reopen-may-20/787774/

45https://www.jax.org/news-and-insights/2020/march/jax-providing-coronavirus-testing-for-connecticut-residents

46https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/05-2020/Governor-Lamont-Announces-Multi-State-Agreement-to-Develop-Regional-Supply-Chain-for-PPE

47https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/Executive-Orders/Lamont-Executive-Orders/Executive-Order-No-7BB.pdf

48https://www.wtnh.com/news/health/coronavirus/governor-lamont-announces-relief-for-those-struggling-to-pay-rent-during-pandemic/

49https://www.nhregister.com/news/coronavirus/article/Yale-launches-multimillion-dollar-fund-to-aid-New-15162549.php

50 https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/marie_landry/

51 https://health.ri.gov/data/covid-19/

52 https://ri-department-of-health-covid-19-data-rihealth.hub.arcgis.com/

53 https://www.wpri.com/coronavirus/

54 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/05/22/metro/raimondo-unveil-more-reopening-plans-ri-coronavirus-deaths-reach-579/

55 https://www.wcvb.com/article/rhode-island-becomes-first-new-england-state-to-reopen-amid-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic/32424223#

56 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/28/us/coronavirus-rhode-island.html

57 https://patch.com/rhode-island/cranston/ri-coronavirus-walk-testing-site-open

58 https://www.wpri.com/health/coronavirus/compliance-terrific-for-ri-face-coverings-order/

59https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-on-lockdown-coronavirus-italy-2020-3#brazils-infection-numbers-have-surpassed-spain-and-italy-but-president-jair-bolsonaro-has-not-instituted-a-lockdown-2

60https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/world/coronavirus-news.html?module=STYLN_live_tabs&variant=1_menu®ion=header&context=menu&state=default&pgtype=Article#link-4e365a28

61 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/14/world/asia/coronavirus-testing-china-wuhan.html

62https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/world/coronavirus-news.html?module=STYLN_live_tabs&variant=1_menu®ion=header&context=menu&state=default&pgtype=Article#link-69c1af20

63https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/495865-oxford-professor-possible-coronavirus-vaccine-could-show-efficacy

64https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/world/africa/coronavirus-hunger-crisis.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

65 https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2020/04/11/jair-bolsonaro-isolates-himself-in-the-wrong-way

66 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/18/russian-media-spreading-covid-19-disinformation

67https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/us/coronavirus-updates.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage#link-471da7cb

68 https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/basics/test-approve.html

69 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/health/coronavirus-vaccine.html

70https://www.wsj.com/articles/johnson-johnson-to-begin-human-trials-on-covid-19-vaccine-by-september-11585569380

71 https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/vpd-vac-basics.html

72 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5906799/

73https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/03.16.20_coronavirus-guidance_8.5x11_315PM.pdf

74 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/opinion/coronavirus-social-distancing-effect.html

75 http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/10/c_138863160.htm

76 https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/china/

77 https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/south-korea/

78 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/index.html

79https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/22/health/coronavirus-symptoms-smell-taste.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes

80https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/testing-in-us.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Ftesting-in-us.html

81 https://www.businessinsider.com/drive-through-coronavirus-tests-states-2020-3

82 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/health/coronavirus-testing-us.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/05/us/coronavirus-aid-governors-pearl-harbor.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage§ion=US%20News

83 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.html

84 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v1.full.pdf

85 https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/droplets-from-speech-can-float-in-air-for-eight-minutes-study-67538

86 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6919e6.htm

87 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html

Submitted by Denise Meyer on May 27, 2020