The Assistant Health Secretary repeated other experts’ claims on Monday that New York, New Jersey and Connecticut would see their coronavirus peak this week, with more hospitalizations and deaths expected than any other time.
Speaking on Good Morning America, Admiral Brett Giroir said this week would be the worst week for those three states but ‘that doesn’t mean we’re over it’.
It comes after Surgeon General Jerome Adams’ grave prediction that this week ‘will be our 9/11’ or this generation’s Pearl Harbor in terms of the number of lives that will be lost to the virus.
As of Monday morning, there had been nearly 10,000 deaths across the US including more than 4,000 in the state of New York.
There are more than 330,000 cases of coronavirus across the country and experts fear the true number is far higher but is being concealed to a lack in testing.
Speaking on Good Morning America, Admiral Brett Giroir said this week would be the worst week for those three states but ‘that doesn’t mean we’re over it’
Admiral Giroir said: ‘This week is going to be the peak – peak hospitalizations, peak ICU’s and, unfortunately, peak deaths.
‘That doesn’t mean we’re over it. There are other parts of the country that will peak a a later date; New Orleans, Louisiana etc.
‘Do the social distancing, wear the masks – that’s how we’re going to defeat this virus,’ he said.
He also said he was ‘very optimistic’ about blood tests that are in development that will allow tens of millions of people to be tested to find out if they have had the virus and recovered from it or not.
If the test proves they have recovered from it, it will suggest they are immune and are able to go back to work.
There are two types of that test that are being discussed; both center on antibodies and blood plasma that could then be used to treat those who are sick with the virus and build up their immunity to it.
‘When we get to the next phase, it will be a combination of the kind of tests we do now plus serologic tests which is a drop of blood, it’s very, very quick.
‘They will tell you if you’ve been exposed to the virus. That’s very important as we think about reopening the country and the economy.
‘If you’ve had the virus, in all probability, you are safe and immune. For the serologic test we’re very optimistic.
‘There are several going through the FDS right now. We want to make sure these tests are highly validated and that their performance is excellent,’ he said, adding: ‘I’m personally very optimistic that by May, we’re going to have these in very large quantities.’
Adm. Giroir added that the blood tests were much ‘simpler’ than the current COVID-19 tests being used in hospitals which involve swabs and more steps.
He also weighed on the hydroxychloroquine – the anti-malarial drug that the White House has given conflicting messages over – and said it could be useful depending on the patient.
On Sunday, President Trump, who touted the drug as a ‘miracle cure’ last week before it had been proven to be an effective coronavirus treatment, stopped Dr. Anthony Fauci from answering a question about it.
A woman arrives at Wyckoff Hospital in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on Sunday April 5 to be treated for coronavirus. New York City – which has been terrorized by the virus for weeks – will see its peak this week
Fauci has been more cautious in his descriptions of it as a cure for COVID-19.
On Monday, Adm. Giroir said that whether or not it worked was dependent on each case.
Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned this weekend that this week would be the ‘Pearl Harbor’ for this generation
‘I think the decision to use hydroxychloroquine is physician and patient. We know a lot about it. It has some side effects and can be used off label,’ he said, adding it was down to ‘risk benefit analysis.’
‘If a person is really sick and about to go onto a ventilator, the risk calculation in my mind is probably good. You would probably use it. ‘
‘It’s an individualized decision and it’s being made often throughout the country.
‘We’re going to support [healthcare workers] by making sure the supply is there should they decide it’s what they want to do,’ he said.
He also said more needed to be learned about how the virus can affect pets after a tiger in the Bronx zoo tested positive.
‘We have to learn more on that. There’s some CDC guidance… hopefully no one has a pet tiger,’ he said.
On Sunday, Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned the public that the week would be the most tragic many would ever see.
‘This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly.
‘This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment – only it’s not going to be localized, it’s going to be happening all over the country.
‘And I want America to understand that,’ he continued in his warning to Americans,’ he told Fox News.
New data suggests the United States is 11 days away from its coronavirus peak when it is predicted 2,644 people will die in 24 hours across the nation
Researchers also warn 100,000 Americans will die by August 4, pictured. Previous White House predictions have put the figure between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths in the US if the nation continues on its trajectory and current social distancing guidelines are maintained
The stark new model – created by researchers from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics – also shows the country is also 10 days from its peak resource use, when 262,092 hospital beds will be needed
According to a model created by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, coronavirus will reach its peak on April 16 in the U.S.
Even President Trump, who has been one of the most optimistic voices throughout the pandemic, said the next 14 days would be ‘horrific’.
There is now not only a race against time to source enough medical equipment to get through the coming weeks of the pandemic, but scientists are rushing to find a treatment or vaccine that could prevent the virus coming back as a seasonal illness later in the year.
Dr. Fauci has warned that it is a possibility it will read its head again in the colder months and that the country needs to be prepared for that.
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has repeatedly told of the need for more ventilators before the state’s hospitals become overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients this week.
Over the weekend, China – which is where the virus originated – donated 100,000 ventilators to the state to help it combat the next phase of the pandemic.
Doctors are also converting other medical machines like BiPaps and anesthesia machines to turn them into ventilators.
There are makeshift morgues set up all over the city outside hospitals to cope with the staggering death toll.
New Orleans has emerged as the next hot spot. The city’s death rate is double what New York’s is per capita and because its population is generally less healthy, there are grave fears over how it will impact the city.
Detroit is also becoming a point of concern as are cities in Florida where much of the population is elderly.
America is now reporting more cases than any other country in the world.