A version of this story appeared in the June 13 edition of CNN's Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction newsletter. Sign up here to receive the need-to-know headlines every weekday.
It's hard to do the right thing when the guidance depends on whom you ask. Each nation, region and sometimes even a neighborhood has its own approach to the coronavirus. While some countries like Brazil are lifting lockdowns as their death tolls mount, others are keeping strict restrictions in place despite big drops in new infections.
In some cases, advice from scientists and public health bodies has only added to the uncertainty. The World Health Organization, for example, has reversed its stance twice in one week, first changing its guidance on face masks, then walking back comments on asymptomatic transmission.
The confusion could worsen the spread as concern grows in the United States over a potential second wave. North Carolina, Florida, Texas and Arkansas are reporting record spikes in cases. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now predicts 130,000 Americans will have died of Covid-19 by July 4.
In response, the infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has urged states to rethink reopenings to avoid a surge. "When you start seeing more hospitalizations, that's a surefire sign that you're in a situation where you're going in the wrong direction," Fauci told CNN.
In China, meanwhile, Beijing's largest vegetable market was shuttered today after new Covid-19 cases were linked to the location. Adjacent neighborhoods are being closed off and schools suspended while health authorities race to test 10,000 people.
YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED
Q: How do I safely take care of someone who is sick?
A: It's critical to avoid infecting yourself and, in turn, others. The CDC suggests:
- Giving the sick person their own room to stay in, if possible, and keeping the door closed.
- Having only one person serve as carer.
- Asking the sick person to wear a face mask, if possible. If the mask causes breathing difficulties, then the carer should wear a mask instead.
Send your questions here. Are you a health care worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you're facing: +1 347-322-0415.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TODAY
Nurses and doctors accuse Brazil of sacrificing them to coronavirus
"It's hard to face the worst health crisis in the country with a president who doesn't see the reality, or have the maturity to deal with the crisis," said Pedro Archer, a doctor and director of the physicians' union in Rio state.
The pandemic has killed 30 doctors along with 40 nurses and medical staff in the state, according to the union. Brazil has reported more than 828,800 coronavirus cases, second highest in the world after the US. Archer blames the toll on a lack of leadership. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed the virus as a "little flu" and called lockdown measures a "terrible disgrace."
How not to be a 'super spreader'
Why are certain people spreading the virus more than others? Scientists say that so-called super spreaders may be a case of the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Some people have a higher viral load, some release more virus-laden droplets into the air by speaking loudly and others find themselves in crowded locations without knowing they are infectious.
The main problem is that no one knows who is infectious until it's too late. That's why frequent hand washing, wearing masks and social distancing is crucial. "Just because someone has a high viral load doesn't make them a super spreader if they're behind a mask [or] at home," said Dr. Jared Baeten, a public health professor at the University of Washington.
The virus could become even more infectious
The coronavirus may have mutated so that it more easily infects human cells, according to researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida. They say the mutation affects the spike protein, which the virus uses to get into cells.
They say more research is needed to show whether the change has altered the course of the pandemic. But at least one researcher not involved in the study says it likely has, and the changes may explain why the virus has infected so many people in the US and Latin America.
Experts worry about the rush for a vaccine
When US President Donald Trump announced "Operation Warp Speed" to develop a Covid-19 vaccine last month, he noted that vaccine trials are moving with "record, record, record speed."
But experts are worried that Trump will exert political pressure to put a vaccine on the market before it's ready. And they want assurances from the US Food and Drug Administration that it won't authorize a vaccine unless it has first been studied on at least 30,000 people in clinical studies.
"We don't believe that we have enough power in the analysis to be able to document the vaccine works unless you get to roughly that number," Dr. Francis Collins told CNN.
There's also concern that the rush will dissuade people from getting vaccinated. A CNN poll in May found that one-third of Americans would not seek to be immunized against the coronavirus, even if the vaccine is cheap and widely available.
ON OUR RADAR
- The widow of the Wuhan whistleblower, Dr. Li Wenliang, has given birth to their son.
- Another person who attended the "Zero Ducks Given" party at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri on Memorial Day weekend has tested positive for coronavirus.
- All Uber passengers and drivers in the United Kingdom will need to wear a face mask starting Monday.
- "The virus makes the timelines, we don't make the timelines," said Oregon Gov. Kate Brown as the state paused its reopening due to spikes in cases.
- The French government on Monday will lift travel restrictions on internal European borders.
- A desperate Brazilian family stormed a Covid-19 intensive care unit after the death of a relative, throwing equipment on the floor and harassing staff.
- Longer gaps between guests, enhanced cleaning protocols, no throw pillows. Airbnb hosts struggle with prepping their properties amid the pandemic.
- Summer camps try dividing campers into "pods" to keep them together while limiting the spread of coronavirus.
Itching to get some fresh air and sleep under the stars? Here are some tips on how to stay safe while camping:
- Don't be spontaneous. Make plans and book in advance.
- Come supplied with cleaning and personal hygiene products.
- Set up your campsite as far as possible from others.
- Keep it in the family.
- Be respectful of the rules.
- Avoid contact sports.
- If a trail is marked closed, there's a good reason. Don't go on it.
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