And that’s why we need Dr. Rubin to analyze and interpret, and maybe use some magic lie detector on what the CDC puts out. Maybe WHO is a more trustworthy source.
Question, do you find it concerning that the PCR came back on a potentially asymptomatic individual, when it has previously been the belief that an individual needs to be symptomatic to be contagious?
To another point, I must say, I am an epidemiologist and you are the only professional at this time whose thoughts on this matter I actively seek out, they are both calm and incredibly well thought out. Please keep it coming!
Also, are you at all concerned that they did a genomic sequencing and the mutation is shown in the m strand? Predictions on whether this will make it more transmissable, more deadly, or attenuated?
has human to human spread on a scale of this been studied since covid and how would the breakdown of immune systems from covid infections change the way this infects people? what is the probability of the strain mutation? are certain groups of people more susceptible to this strain?
I know that we know what we know about this strain, but what do we know in a world still dealing with covid?
Thank you, Dr. Rubin, for this level-headed article. I kindly ask that you remember that there is a damn good reason many of us worry about our government hiding the truth from us. The president hid the truth from us in January and February, 2020, so we were unprotected and vulnerable. I am disabled, along with millions of other Americans, and over 1 million Americans are dead, because the current president lied about a virus and told us that Covid wasn’t here in February, 2020. My body is permanently damaged, and my life expectancy shortened, because of this lie. We also know full well that the CDC is weakened and compromised. So give us some credit for asking hard questions now.
Yes, ask the hard questions but don't panic. If it eases your mind then wear a well-fitted N95 or better mask while in public areas. I'm still doing that to avoid influenza, colds, pollen and air pollution. And even if you doubt HHS/CDC information, the WHO and other sources are still trustworthy (like this Substack).
I am still skeptical. It took a while for covid to go from keep a distance of 6 feet to its airborne - but it did. Do we know for sure that this isn’t going to be the case with this virus?
The difference here, I think, but I'm not a health professional, is that there was overwhelming evidence that SARS-CoV-2 was most likely spread via aerosols because of the rapid spread in Wuhan. It took health officials 7-10 months before they acknowledged aerosol transmission! I'm not sure what the professional concerns were in delaying acknowledgement, but hundreds of thousands of people died because of that delay.
It's a well-known virus and genomic testing of current infections have no big changes from the Andes strain now circulating in Argentina. I would not expect any big changes in how it's spread in the near future. I don't believe it's a quickly mutating virus, so you can relax into watchful awareness.
It is true that in early COVID, bc there were not enough masks, they said masks weren't necessary or useful. Once the supplies increased, that advice changed. I'm skeptical of home quarantiners at this point. I don't trust them.
This is the kind of calm, grown-up nuance the internet keeps trying to drown in sirens. Serious doesn’t mean apocalyptic. Caution doesn’t mean conspiracy. Sometimes the most radical thing you can do online is read the actual guidance before building a throne out of panic and bad screenshots.
Thank you for this breakdown, but I’m not seeing much discussion of the commercial flights that some of the passengers took home from the cruise ship. Apparently one woman’s husband died from hantavirus but they didn’t know it yet, so she flew home commercial, and now she is dead too and others from that flight are in the hospital, including a flight attendant who worked other flights before getting sick. Wouldn’t being on a flight count as “prolonged exposure within 6 feet” especially due to the poor air quality on planes, and no one masking anymore?
Love an educated and leveled response. It seems uncommon rn. Thank you for this article.
I would NOT call the CDC credible in any sense!! Not under this administration.
And that’s why we need Dr. Rubin to analyze and interpret, and maybe use some magic lie detector on what the CDC puts out. Maybe WHO is a more trustworthy source.
Agreed! That is the only reason I have a higher level of concern. Otherwise, it all makes sense.
The CDC can go fuck can absolutely go fuck themselves. The WHO and Canadian health ministry are much more reliable sources.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html
I’m really confused as to why we are relying on the CDC for anything????
Question, do you find it concerning that the PCR came back on a potentially asymptomatic individual, when it has previously been the belief that an individual needs to be symptomatic to be contagious?
To another point, I must say, I am an epidemiologist and you are the only professional at this time whose thoughts on this matter I actively seek out, they are both calm and incredibly well thought out. Please keep it coming!
Also, are you at all concerned that they did a genomic sequencing and the mutation is shown in the m strand? Predictions on whether this will make it more transmissable, more deadly, or attenuated?
has human to human spread on a scale of this been studied since covid and how would the breakdown of immune systems from covid infections change the way this infects people? what is the probability of the strain mutation? are certain groups of people more susceptible to this strain?
I know that we know what we know about this strain, but what do we know in a world still dealing with covid?
The Hanta virus been around and the Andes been known since 1995 or three decades. It is also endemic in South America.
yes, that is what we know. thank you.
Thank you, Dr. Rubin, for this level-headed article. I kindly ask that you remember that there is a damn good reason many of us worry about our government hiding the truth from us. The president hid the truth from us in January and February, 2020, so we were unprotected and vulnerable. I am disabled, along with millions of other Americans, and over 1 million Americans are dead, because the current president lied about a virus and told us that Covid wasn’t here in February, 2020. My body is permanently damaged, and my life expectancy shortened, because of this lie. We also know full well that the CDC is weakened and compromised. So give us some credit for asking hard questions now.
Yes, ask the hard questions but don't panic. If it eases your mind then wear a well-fitted N95 or better mask while in public areas. I'm still doing that to avoid influenza, colds, pollen and air pollution. And even if you doubt HHS/CDC information, the WHO and other sources are still trustworthy (like this Substack).
I am still skeptical. It took a while for covid to go from keep a distance of 6 feet to its airborne - but it did. Do we know for sure that this isn’t going to be the case with this virus?
The difference here, I think, but I'm not a health professional, is that there was overwhelming evidence that SARS-CoV-2 was most likely spread via aerosols because of the rapid spread in Wuhan. It took health officials 7-10 months before they acknowledged aerosol transmission! I'm not sure what the professional concerns were in delaying acknowledgement, but hundreds of thousands of people died because of that delay.
It's a well-known virus and genomic testing of current infections have no big changes from the Andes strain now circulating in Argentina. I would not expect any big changes in how it's spread in the near future. I don't believe it's a quickly mutating virus, so you can relax into watchful awareness.
Good stuff Dr. Rubin!
This is an excellent explanation. Thank you!
It is true that in early COVID, bc there were not enough masks, they said masks weren't necessary or useful. Once the supplies increased, that advice changed. I'm skeptical of home quarantiners at this point. I don't trust them.
Very informative and de-escalating. Thanks
This is the kind of calm, grown-up nuance the internet keeps trying to drown in sirens. Serious doesn’t mean apocalyptic. Caution doesn’t mean conspiracy. Sometimes the most radical thing you can do online is read the actual guidance before building a throne out of panic and bad screenshots.
As an epidemiologist I'm thankful for providers giving such great insight into public health work. This is a fantastic post!
Thank you for this breakdown, but I’m not seeing much discussion of the commercial flights that some of the passengers took home from the cruise ship. Apparently one woman’s husband died from hantavirus but they didn’t know it yet, so she flew home commercial, and now she is dead too and others from that flight are in the hospital, including a flight attendant who worked other flights before getting sick. Wouldn’t being on a flight count as “prolonged exposure within 6 feet” especially due to the poor air quality on planes, and no one masking anymore?
I double checked about the Flight Attendant. She is alive and was found not to have Hantavirus.
I do not trust CDC which, under the leadership of RFK Jr and Trump, has been hiding measles data and undermining vaccines.
Thank you so much for this.
Thank you!