Facebook
Twitter
“When will life finally get back to normal?” That coronavirus question was posed to Dr. Fauci by The Wall Street Journal.
“It isn’t like a light switch, on and off. It’s a gradual pulling back on certain of the restrictions to try to get society a bit back to normal,” explained Fauci, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
Now, Fauci is very hesitant to give an exact timeline, although his interview makes it clear that life will NOT return to normal on May 1.
That’s unless the FDA approves this breakthrough vaccine (click here for details).
So, what can we expect to see in the U.S. in the coming weeks?
Let’s take a closer look at what’s happened in Wuhan, China – in hopes of better understanding what’s next for Americans.
Wuhan is the location where the coronavirus outbreak began. After 10 weeks, the virus has been contained and the life is starting to return to “normal.” And people are now allowed to freely enter or exit the city.
On Jan. 23, China imposed the largest military enforced quarantine in the history of the world.
The entire city of Wuhan and its 11 million residents were under strict lockdown. And similar measures were imposed across Hubei province, with an additional 50 million people.
Here’s what the life in Wuhan looked like during the lockdown:
- Testing was rapidly expanded to understand who was infected.
- Patients with mild coronavirus symptoms were sent to isolation facilities.
- People who had contact with anyone infected were sent to quarantine in hotels.
- Home quarantine was only used for healthy people with mild symptoms.
- Phone data was used to track people and identify the potential spread.
- Entire neighborhoods were locked down – restricting movement of people within the city.
- Every store was closed – including grocery stores.
- Food and essentials were only available online and delivered.
- Frequent temperature screenings.
- Limited time outdoors – even to go to the park.
Those measures were downright extreme. Yet by implementing these measures, China was able to contain the virus in 77 days.
Compare those measures to what we’re seeing in the U.S.
In New York City, the mayor closed schools, restaurants and bars on March 15. Around the same time, the state of New York recommended no gatherings of more than 50 people. People still go to parks, the grocery and the pharmacy.
These measures clearly fall short of the mitigation measures that were effectively used in China.
What we’re doing in outbreak hot spots like New York City are “mitigation light.” They impose some restrictions but continue to provide Americans with the freedom that we expect and demand.
Yet there’s a tradeoff.
By using the strictest quarantine measures ever imposed, China was able to get back to business as usual in 10 weeks.
If the timeline in the U.S. is similar to China . . .
New York might get back to “business as usual” by May 31.
Of course, there are a wide variety of contributing factors. These include the demographics and health of the American population compared with Chinese, as well as our health care system’s effectiveness and ability to rise to the challenge of the outbreak.
There’s a small chance that it’ll be different in the U.S.
However, it’s also important to realize that the U.S. is NOT taking the same extreme mitigation measures as implemented in China.
That means it’s quite likely that it’ll take longer than 77 days for America to return to normal after coronavirus.
Uncertainty looms large for the coronavirus health crisis in New York and the other 49 states. Right now, my best guess things won’t get back to normal until mid-summer.
Rapid and widespread testing could help mitigate the spread without a nationwide lockdown. And the development of effective drug therapies and vaccines could help reduce the risk of serious illness from the virus.
That’s why I’m extremely bullish on these American biotech stocks.
One tiny $5 stock is on the verge of a major COVID-19 drug breakthrough. The company’s getting millions from Bill Gates. And the FDA is “fast tracking” this new vaccine.
Go here for the full story. Shares could surge 3,825% in the coming years.
Yours in Health & Wealth,
Ian Wyatt