Tony's Diary Package — page 374

30 September 2020 1.As predicted : rising cases would lead to new admissions, rising inpatient numbers and increasing fatalities. 2.Uncontrolled diffuse community spread in MN, WI, ND, SD and Heartland IA, KS, NE, OK, MO where hospitalizations are rising and fatalities will continue to increase across these regions : as there is insufficient mitigation --low mask wearing, low physical distancing and inadequate protection of community vulnerable persons : LTCF aggressively being protected 3. Tribal Nations from these regions will drive substantial hospitalizations and fatalities 4. This diffuse spread is not solely university driven but most likely post Labor Day, end of vacations with silent spreading over the past 2-3 weeks through asymptomatic spread similar to post Memorial Day (that was undetected this time due to the change in CDC guidance on testing and many states dramatically decreasing testing): the majority of universities only testing symptomatic students with a tiny proportion of voluntary surveillance testing (except U of ILL and Clemson) 5. Will be key to increase testing in the communities and states where hospitalizations are rising, where test positivity is rising and in communities 6. This first several tranches of BINAX to states should be prioritized to states with high community spread 7.Florida and Texas have low testing rates and continued high mortality >100 deaths/day -- testing needs to increase significantly before reversal of mitigation efforts (CA, TX, CA contributed >350 deaths/day) 8.Florida has significant residual disease and daily cases, reversing the majority of mitigation efforts will result in rising cases in 2 weeks and rising hospitalizations in 3 weeks and rising mortality in 4 weeks -- the last week of October iterviewed with ice trend; New Yorker >on masks. Addressed the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on COVID-19 led by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Rep Escobar. Addressed State, local and Tribal Officials on COVID-19 Presented plenary to American Academy of Pediatrics Addressed Quad Caucus together with Francis PRESS: Wired TV with Steven Levy; ABC Podcast; Interviewed with Washington Post (Joel Achenbach) regarding anti-Science trend; New Yorker Interview NY Times: Fauci counters Trump for misrepresenting his stance on masks.