August 2, 2020
A recently published article in Nature Reviews has put forth a possibility that a large percentage of the population appears to have immune cells that are able to recognize parts of the Covid-19 virus, and that may possibly be giving them a head start in fighting off infection which means that some people may have some
unknown degree of protection. Immunology researchers found that about half of the people they studied have some T cell reactivity — T cells, like antibodies, are created by the body after an infection to help with future infections from the same invader. The assumption is that this T-cell recognition of parts of the Covid-19 virus may come from past exposure to 1 of the 4 know circulating coronaviruses that cause the common cold in millions of people every year. But many questions remain — including whether this recognition to parts of SARSCoV-2 by T cells helps or hurts
Coronavirus cases around the globe have surpassed 17.8 million with 4.6 million infections recorded in the US. America recorded more than 1.9 million new infections in July, nearly 42% of the cases reported nationwide since the pandemic began and more than double the number documented in any other month. The 7-day
average for new infections is hovering around 65,000 for 2 weeks in what experts are saying amounts to a second wave of cases. The US has reported more deaths linked to coronavirus than anywhere else in the world and updated CDC models show 20,000 more Americans could die in just the next 3 weeks. At least 154,447
Americans have died since the beginning of the pandemic
The picture emerging in major cities across the world suggests that public transportation may not be as risky as believed. In countries where the pandemic has ebbed, ridership has rebounded — yet, there have been no notable super spreader events linked to mass travel, according to a recent survey of transportation agencies. Those findings could be evidence that subways, commuter railways, and buses may not be a significant source of transmission, as long as riders wear masks and train cars or buses never become as intensely crowded as they did in pre-pandemic rush hours
England has had the greatest rate of excess deaths of any country in Europe during the coronavirus pandemic, with a surge that lasted longer and spread to more places than in hard-hit nations like Italy and Spain, according to a government report released Thursday. Public health officials have attributed Britain’s high toll in part to the timing of their lockdown, which came a week after those in Italy and Spain. Also, the government abandoned a program of mass testing and contact tracing in early March, depriving it of data on how fast the virus had circulated in the population. One of the report’s bright spots was that the government’s message to stay home was heeded preventing hospitals from being overrun, however, experts said that some sick people who should have gone to the hospital stayed home and at least some of them died from cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses
The coronavirus is again picking up dangerous speed in much of the Midwest — and in states from Mississippi to Florida to California that thought they had already seen the worst. In Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois, government officials are retightening restrictions on residents and businesses, and seeing a surge in hospitalizations. In the South and West, several states are reporting their highest levels of Covid-19 cases, with outbreaks overwhelming urban and rural areas alike. And across the US, communities have seen coronavirus numbers fall and then shoot back up
A new report about a coronavirus outbreak at a sleep-away camp in Georgia provides fresh reasons for concerns. Of the 600 campers and staff members, nearly half became infected within a week of orientation. The camp took precautions but did not require campers to wear masks and singing and cheering may have
helped spread the virus
LA County reported an additional 1,476 cases and 23 deaths. Totals are now 192,167 cases and 4,692 deaths. City Breakouts (Cases/Deaths): City of LA 78,381/2,153; Long Beach 8,282/177; Carson 1,283/40; El Segundo 98/0; Gardena 867/34; Hawthorne 1,415/29; Inglewood 2,018/76; Lawndale 473/9; Lomita 171/7; Manhattan Beach 267/4; PV Estates 75/2; Rancho PV 227/12; Redondo Beach 401/9; Rolling Hills 5/0; Rolling Hills Estates 31/2; Torrance 1,046/59
Compiled by Charlene Nishimura
Media Sources: Los Angeles Times; New York Times; Washington Post; Wall Street Journal; Forbes Magazine; Business Insider; USA Today; CBS News; CNN; KTLA; OZY; ABC World News Tonight; Spectrum News 1; The Hill.com; WebMD; AP, Politico, Newsweek, Reuters, televised briefings from the White House, Governor Newsom, LA County Health Department, Mayor Garcetti; City of Torrance press releases; Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce press releases
