From herd immunity to antibody tests, Mississippi officials debunk common COVID-19 myths
With COVID-19 numbers hitting all-time highs in Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves and the state’s top health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, went about the work of dispelling coronavirus myths during their Monday press conference.
The state announced Monday single-day highs for COVID-19 hospitalizations (1,020), patients in intensive care (208) and patients on ventilators (110).
The rising numbers are consistent with officials’ warnings about the spread of the virus, but Dobbs and Reeves are concerned that too many people are still spreading COVID-19 disinformation.
Dobbs stepped up first to address rumors, “As a little bit of myth-busters, I’d like to go ahead say a couple of things quickly.”
If someone tests positive twice are they counted twice by MSDH?
Dobbs’ concern is the rumor that every time someone tests positive, it counts as a new case.
“One person is one case,” he said. “People ask me over and over, ‘If we test someone three times, does that count as three cases?’ Absolutely not.
“If we test someone 20 times, the same person is going to be just one case. There’s no case inflation for number of tests per individual. We need to set that rumor to rest.”
Have antibody tests led to misleading coronavirus numbers?
Some people have questioned COVID-19 numbers, suggesting that many positive results are the result of antibody tests for people have recovered.
“Are we driving up our case count with antibodies? Absolutely not,” Dobbs said. “Of our total of 36,689, just 285 are from antibody tests.
“It’s a small number and it’s only people who have an antibody test, have symptoms and are known to have contact with (an infected person). It’s coronavirus that’s driving up the numbers.”
Is herd immunity a solution for the COVID-19 pandemic?
After Dobbs was done addressing rumors, Reeves took the opportunity to take on the idea of herd immunity solving the coronavirus pandemic.
Reeves, who is considered of the nation’s more conservative Republican governors, said he has heard repeatedly from people that herd immunity is the only way to conquer COVID-19.
“I don’t know much about science or being a physician, but I’m pretty good at math,” the former state treasurer said.
Herd immunity takes place when enough people become immune to a disease after becoming infected, protecting the population as a whole.
Reeves says the experts have told him that herd immunity requires 70-80% of people to have contracted the virus.
“Let’s say for a second that the experts are wrong by half,” he said. “Rather than 80%, let’s say 40% would have to have contracted the virus to have herd immunity in Mississippi. We have 3 million people and 43% of that is 1.2 million people.
“We’ve had 36,000 cases. If our experts are wrong and doubling the number of people we’d need, we’d have to see 1,160,000 more cases to get what they say is half of herd immunity.
“We’ve had 36,000 cases over a nearly five-month period. That’s led us to a situation where our hospitals are at capacity. Can you imagine what we’d have with 1,160,000 million cases over the next two months, three months or even three years?”
For Reeves, the math doesn’t add up when it comes to herd immunity.
“Herd immunity as a solution does not work in our state or anywhere else unless you’re comfortable with tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands not being able to receive medical care,” he said.
Should you go to work while waiting on COVID-19 test results?
It depends on the situation, Dobbs said. Anyone with symptoms or who has been in contact with a positive case should not go back to work while waiting on results. They should stay home and away from family members.
But anyone who was part of random or widespread workplace testing does not have to wait at home for test results.
Should you test negative before you can go back to work?
Dobbs said some workplaces have been requiring employees who test positive to get repeated COVID-19 tests until it comes back negative.
That practice wastes tests, which are becoming more scarce as the outbreak explodes in Texas and Florida.
“Once you test positive, please don’t test again,” he said. “You’re only contagious for 14 days.”
Does wearing a mask really prevent the spread of coronavirus?
“Is wearing a mask in public fullproof? No, but it can go a long way toward helping,” Reeves said. “And when you combine wearing a mask in in public, social distancing, and with the other measures it can make a real difference.”
He also emphasized that mask-shaming, on either side, is not helpful to ending the pandemic.
The governor’s mask mandate for 13 Mississippi counties, including Harrison and Jackson on the Coast, went into effect at 8 a.m. Monday, but it remains to be seen how effective it will be.
Enforcement of social distancing and mask guidelines will be up to state and local law enforcement, Reeves has said, but there are no specific enforcement measures in place.
Reeves mentioned that businesses don’t have to get law enforcement involved in most situations.
“You don’t have to arrest someone. You can send them home, have them go on their merry way,” Reeves said. “We’re at a critical juncture, and we’ve all got to work together.”
Reeves continued his plea Monday for Mississippians to wear masks, acknowledging that early guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control led to some confusion on the matter.
“I promise you this is the best weapon we have right now,” he said. “It’s not fun, but it’s a hell of a lot better than a widespread economic shutdown.
“If we don’t do something, that’s the trajectory we are on. The president is wearing a mask. I’m wearing a mask. It’s got to happen.”
