The U.S. is slowly reopening. So, is the threat of COVID-19 finally over? Unfortunately not. To help keep us safe, CTEH’s scientific experts are addressing some of the top COVID-19 misconceptions:
Misconception: The pandemic is improving.
The U.S. is currently experiencing an increase in infections. With no firm timeline for a vaccine, the CDC is continuing to urge Americans to follow its health and safety guidelines, including proper hand hygiene, social distancing, and cloth face coverings.
Misconception: COVID-19 doesn’t affect young adults, only the elderly and immunocompromised.
While death rates are lower among young adults, COVID-19 can cause long-term negative health effects—from stroke to shortness of breath—in these individuals. In early July, the U.S. was reporting rising infection rates for this demographic group, particularly Gen Z and Millennials.
Misconception: Temperature screenings alone will prevent transmission.
The CDC recommends daily health screenings to identify people with possible COVID-19 symptoms. However, temperatures alone will not catch asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic carriers. The CDC noted 40 percent of transmissions occur without any symptoms at all, reaffirming the need for continued social distancing and cloth face coverings. As the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation recently stated, “If 95 percent of Americans wore face masks in public, it could prevent 33,000 deaths by October 1.”Public-facing entities are also encouraged to implement comprehensive health and safety plans, with medical screenings, contact tracing programs and more.
Have additional questions about COVID-19 and CTEH’s pandemic response services? Contact webquestion@cteh.com.
Any scientific or medical information included in this article is current as of the date of publication; however, public health knowledge of COVID-19 is rapidly developing. Readers are advised to monitor national, state and local public health agencies for current recommendations regarding any infectious disease.
