CDC promises to end disruption; its new guidance won’t do it
Guidance crafted only to keep hospital beds empty will not keep schools and workplaces full or planes in the sky.
thehill.com
Recent census data shows that 7.6 percent of American adults are currently experiencing symptoms consistent with Long COVID. A large study from the Netherlands found that one in eight people infected with COVID-19 went on to have at least one symptom of Long COVID. This ‘epidemic within a pandemic’ could yield a massive long-lasting health crisis with major impacts on health systems and the economy. Katie Bach of the Brookings Institution estimates 2 to 4 million people are out of work due to Long COVID, and its economic burden may amount to $170 to $230 billion a year in lost wages.
First, guidance crafted only to keep hospital beds empty will not keep schools and workplaces full or planes in the sky. The CDC guidance only recommends masking at levels of COVID spread that threaten to limit impact on hospitals. Experts have demonstrated that it sets thresholds above the level to keep schools open stably and keep immunocompromised people safe.
Second, policy decisions on the investment and deployment of next generation tools, including better vaccines, should not only aim to reduce the risk of severe acute illness, but also better prevent disability from Long COVID and disruptions caused by people getting sick from periodic reinfections.
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