What is Happening Now?

For the past three hours, Dr. Fauci and a panel of experts have sat down and testified before a Senate committee on Trump's coronavirus response and the progress of reopening. Here are the four key takeaways:

1) Significant increases in cases: Fauci predicts that we will begin to see 100,000 new cases each day in the United States. He cannot predict the death toll, but assured the committee it will be "very disturbing."

2) Wear masks: Officials urge all Americans to wear masks, calling them extremely important and recommended for everyone. Fauci puts a specific emphasis on younger people as he wants them to know they are not exempt from wearing a mask.

3) Reopening schools: Fauci believes pool testing will be essential for schools to use when reopening. (Pool testing is when you mix a bunch of samples together and then test the whole mix. If the whole mix is negative, then all the samples are negative. If the mix is positive, then you test each sample separately. The goal is to increase testing.) He believes that there are multiple safe ways to get children back to school even in "infection dynamics" - such as modifying the school schedule, going on alternate days, morning versus evening, and sometimes virtual learning.

4) Vaccine update: Fauci is optimistic about a vaccine being produced and having doses available for the public by next year, although he cautions that there is "no guarantee" that the United States will be able to create a "safe and effective" vaccine.

Well there you have it! I personally do not know how a morning versus night schedule would work because it sounds rather miserable, but I am down for whatever our school district decides to implement if it means I get to see all my friends and teachers again. Keep staying safe guys and please wear a mask!

Source: https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/covid-19-school-work-reopening-testimony-06-30-20/index.html

#teen #news #blog #reopening #fauci #vaccine #coronavirus #covid19 #masks