‘We are so close to the finish line’: Dr. Ashish Jha breaks down how to limit the latest COVID-19 surge over the next month
“We start with rising cases, deaths. Let’s end it with falling infections.”
Dr. Ashish Jha says it is possible the United States can “turn the corner” on the coronavirus pandemic this month.
“As we start April, let’s make it our transition month,” the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health wrote on Twitter early Friday morning. “We start with rising cases, deaths. Let’s end it with falling infections.”
Jha wrote that he estimates about 50 percent of Americans have some immunity to the virus and, in May, that number is likely to be between 60 and 65 percent, which will help slow surges in cases like the one much of the country is currently experiencing.
But to reach that goal, Jha wrote that it is essential that vaccinations continue to push forward and that public health measures are maintained through the month of April.
“We are now in middle of a surge — with so many unnecessary deaths,” he wrote. “We can blunt it by keeping public health measures in through April. And vaccinating 3M+ daily. If we do, by May 1, we could see declining infections. Declines that continue into June, July, August, September.”
As we start April, lets make it our transition month
We start with rising cases, deaths
Lets end it with falling infections
By keeping public health measures in place
And vaccinating!
1 in 2 Americans likely has some immunity to SARS-CoV2
By May 1, should be 3 in 5
Thread
— Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) April 2, 2021
This is why our spike in cases much less scary (so far) than that in the EU
Higher population immunity (infections + vax) here blunting a lot of the effect of B.1.1.7
Each week, vaccines add another 2.5% of Americans to pool of folks with some immunity pic.twitter.com/blmRw0xTlj
— Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) April 2, 2021
We are now in middle of a surge – with so many unnecessary deaths
We can blunt it by keeping public health measures in through April
And vaccinating 3M+ daily
If we do, by May 1, we could see declining infections
Declines that continue into June, July, August September..
Fin
— Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) April 2, 2021
Jha told “Good Morning America” on Friday he is hopeful that the end of Passover and Easter Sunday will be the last holiday weekend where it won’t be safe for unvaccinated people to mingle together.
“We are so close to the finish line, I just want people to hold off just a little bit longer,” he said.
Given the surge in COVID-19 cases being seen across the country, Jha recommends holding off on traveling until the end of April when he believes the nation will be in “much better shape.”
“If you need to travel and you’ve been vaccinated, I think that’s pretty reasonable,” he said. “But I would cut out unnecessary travel, and I would hold off if you’ve not been vaccinated.”
Dr. Ashish Jha on the increase of coronavirus infections and spread of new variants: “It’s going to make a huge difference once people get vaccinated.”
@GStephanopoulos @ashishkjhahttps://t.co/WKP2aZ0HjU pic.twitter.com/FU5wosVZSY— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 2, 2021
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