A medic administers a Coronavirus test in Houston, Texas
UPDATED, AUGUST 27:
Trump Administration officials ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to revise Coronavirus testing guidelines, excluding asymptomatic individuals even if they have been exposed to the infection.
Adm. Brett Giroir, the Administration’s lead for testing, insisted it was a “CDC action”, with input from Director Robert Redfield. But “two federal health officials” said the revision was mandated by a director to the CDC from the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Giroir maintained, “There was no weight on the scales by the President or the Vice President or [HHS] Secretary [Alex] Azar.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Government’s top infectious disease expert, was not at the Thursday meeting of the White House Coronavirus Task Force that signed off on the directive, as he was having surgery for a polyp on a vocal cord.
Instead, the meeting included Redfield, Food and Drug Administration head Stephen Hahn, and Dr. Steve Atlas, a Fox News contributor and vocal backer of Donald Trump’s positions on the virus.
Notably, Giroir did not name Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the Task Force.
Fauci said he initially had no objections to the revision, but now has “some concerns” because the virus could be spread through asymptomatic contact.
“My concern is that[the guidance] will be misinterpreted,” he said.
The US death toll reached 179,743 on Wednesday, with 1,225 fatalities in 24 hours. Confirmed cases are 5,823,685, a rise of 44,657.
ORIGINAL ENTRY, AUGUST 26: Medical and public health experts question the revision of testing guidelines, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to exclude those who do not have symptoms of Coronavirus — even if they have been recently exposed.
The experts emphasized the importance of identifying the spread of the illness in the shot period window before the onset of symptoms, when the infected are thought to be most contagious. Models suggest that about half of transmission is from people who are pre-symptomatic.
The CDC’s alteration came as the US death toll reached 178,518, an increase of 1,242 in 24 hours. Confirmed cases are 5,779,028, a rise of 38,400.
Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease expert in California, explained, “This is potentially dangerous….You’re not looking for a lot of people who are potential spreaders of disease. I feel like this is going to make things worse.”
Previous CDC guidelines said “testing is recommended for all close contacts” of those with coronavirus, regardless of symptoms. They highlighted “the potential for asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission”.
The revised guidance said testing of the asymptomatic might be done for “vulnerable” individuals, or upon the recommendation of health care providers or state or local public health officials.
Dr. Susan Butler-Wu of the University of California responded, “We’re in the middle of a pandemic, and that’s a really big change.” She expressed concern that the new guidelines would be misread to support the falsehood that asymptomatic people cannot spread Coronavirus.
The CDC did not explain the reason for the change, but referred questions to the Department of Health and Human Services. An HHS spokesperson also gave no explanation, saying, “The decision to be tested should be one made in collaboration with public health officials or your health care provider based on individual circumstances and the status of community spread.”
Serious failures and lack of organization in the Federal Government’s approach to testing fed the deadly spread of Coronavirus this spring. The CDC’s initial test did not work, and there was lax effort from the Trump Administration as Donald Trump denied there was a threat.
When the Administration did react in late March, as the pandemic took hold, it was under an ad hoc group led by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. That initiative soon collapsed in chaos.
Trump Convention’s Mixed Messages
There were mixed messages on Coronavirus from the second night of the Republican National Convention, dominated by statements from Donald Trump’s family.
See America Unfiltered on RTE: A Trump Convention “To Instill Fear”
In contrast to most of the rhetoric from the virtual speeches, which have stoked fear, division, and clashes over culture, Melania Trump tried to display compassion and an acknowledgement of the virus’s extent:
I know many people are anxious and some feel helpless. I want you to know: You’re not alone. My husband’s administration will not stop fighting until there is an effective treatment or vaccine available to everyone.
In defiance of her husband’s denials, falsehoods, and dismissal of experts, she insisted, “Donald will not rest until he has done all he can to take care of everyone impacted by this terrible pandemic.”
But top White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow portrayed the virus as a past event and declared Administration success: “It was awful. Hardship and heartbreak were everywhere, but Presidential leadership came swiftly and effectively.”
And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continued Donald Trump’s tagging of the pandemic to assail Beijing and absolve his Administration: “The President has held China accountable for covering up the China virus, and allowing it to spread death and destruction in America and around the world. And he will not rest until justice is done.”
