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15 West Point Cadets Test Positive for Coronavirus 15 West Point Cadets Test Positive for Coronavirus
(14 days later)
At least 15 of the graduating cadets who returned to West Point ahead of President Trump’s commencement speech in June tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a U.S. Army spokeswoman.At least 15 of the graduating cadets who returned to West Point ahead of President Trump’s commencement speech in June tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a U.S. Army spokeswoman.
None of those cadets had coronavirus symptoms, and the virus had not spread from them to any other cadets among the class of 1,106 since they returned to the U.S. Military Academy last week, the spokeswoman, Col. Sunset Belinsky, said on Tuesday. She said that the academy learned that the 15 had the coronavirus after all cadets were tested immediately upon arriving on campus. The cadets who tested positive were immediately isolated.None of those cadets had coronavirus symptoms, and the virus had not spread from them to any other cadets among the class of 1,106 since they returned to the U.S. Military Academy last week, the spokeswoman, Col. Sunset Belinsky, said on Tuesday. She said that the academy learned that the 15 had the coronavirus after all cadets were tested immediately upon arriving on campus. The cadets who tested positive were immediately isolated.
“The Army and West Point have done meticulous planning to ensure the health and safety of the returning cadets of the U.S. Military Academy’s class of 2020,” Colonel Belinsky said. “There is mandatory screening for all, and we’ve had a small number — about 1.5 percent — test positive. This was anticipated.”“The Army and West Point have done meticulous planning to ensure the health and safety of the returning cadets of the U.S. Military Academy’s class of 2020,” Colonel Belinsky said. “There is mandatory screening for all, and we’ve had a small number — about 1.5 percent — test positive. This was anticipated.”
In April, Mr. Trump abruptly said he would speak at West Point after the cadets had already been sent home because of concerns about the coronavirus. The president’s announcement came one day before Vice President Mike Pence delivered the commencement address at the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in Colorado.In April, Mr. Trump abruptly said he would speak at West Point after the cadets had already been sent home because of concerns about the coronavirus. The president’s announcement came one day before Vice President Mike Pence delivered the commencement address at the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in Colorado.
The speech is scheduled to take place June 13. Before Mr. Trump’s surprise announcement, West Point officials had said they were not sure when the graduation ceremony would be held or whether it was a good idea to have it.The speech is scheduled to take place June 13. Before Mr. Trump’s surprise announcement, West Point officials had said they were not sure when the graduation ceremony would be held or whether it was a good idea to have it.
Mr. Trump faced criticism at the time of his announcement. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat of Illinois, condemned the decision to gather cadets at West Point for a speech during a public health crisis.Mr. Trump faced criticism at the time of his announcement. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat of Illinois, condemned the decision to gather cadets at West Point for a speech during a public health crisis.
“Trump’s reckless decision to gather 1,000 Cadets at West Point for a speech puts our future military leaders at increased risk — all to stroke his own ego,” she said in a statement in April. “Our troops need stable, consistent leadership during volatile times like these, not a commander-in-chief who values his own photo ops and TV ratings over their health and safety.”“Trump’s reckless decision to gather 1,000 Cadets at West Point for a speech puts our future military leaders at increased risk — all to stroke his own ego,” she said in a statement in April. “Our troops need stable, consistent leadership during volatile times like these, not a commander-in-chief who values his own photo ops and TV ratings over their health and safety.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the coronavirus cases on Tuesday evening.The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the coronavirus cases on Tuesday evening.
When Mr. Trump announced in April that he would speak at the graduation, he told reporters that he did not like the look of a socially distanced graduation and that he hoped the “look” of the ceremony would be “nice and tight.”When Mr. Trump announced in April that he would speak at the graduation, he told reporters that he did not like the look of a socially distanced graduation and that he hoped the “look” of the ceremony would be “nice and tight.”
West Point officials said that they had been taken aback by the impromptu announcement. They said they had been reviewing graduation options, and Mr. Trump pre-empted their planning.West Point officials said that they had been taken aback by the impromptu announcement. They said they had been reviewing graduation options, and Mr. Trump pre-empted their planning.
Updated July 7, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
The coronavirus cases among the cadets underscore the difficult challenge universities face as some prepare for students to return in the fall.The coronavirus cases among the cadets underscore the difficult challenge universities face as some prepare for students to return in the fall.
The University of Notre Dame said the fall semester would begin and end earlier than usual, without breaks, to minimize the chances for students to bring the coronavirus to campus. But even with stringent protocols in place, like those put in place at West Point, the virus can spread.The University of Notre Dame said the fall semester would begin and end earlier than usual, without breaks, to minimize the chances for students to bring the coronavirus to campus. But even with stringent protocols in place, like those put in place at West Point, the virus can spread.
The Naval Academy had decided not to recall its nearly 1,000 graduating midshipmen to Annapolis, Md., for a commencement this year because of the risk of the coronavirus spreading.The Naval Academy had decided not to recall its nearly 1,000 graduating midshipmen to Annapolis, Md., for a commencement this year because of the risk of the coronavirus spreading.
The Air Force Academy, however, sent home its underclassmen, locked down its seniors on campus — and went ahead with plans for Mr. Pence to be its speaker. During Mr. Pence’s speech in Colorado Springs in April, cadets marched six feet apart and sat eight feet apart.The Air Force Academy, however, sent home its underclassmen, locked down its seniors on campus — and went ahead with plans for Mr. Pence to be its speaker. During Mr. Pence’s speech in Colorado Springs in April, cadets marched six feet apart and sat eight feet apart.