Researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) said that the likelihood that a coronavirus infection will prove fatal has dropped by nearly a third since April due to improved treatment. Statistics reflect that doctors have figured out better ways to care for patients, including the use of blood thinners and oxygen support. Effective treatments such as the generic steroid dexamethasone, have also been identified.

Despite the positive trend, infections and hospitalizations have spiked across the country in recent weeks. The research group said its modeling suggests 439,000 cumulative U.S. deaths by March 1 and a peak of daily deaths in mid-January at 2,200. All of this said, we are still in the midst of a pandemic, and people are getting sick and dying at an alarming rate. It is not the time to relax our standards and pretend everything is going to be just fine tomorrow!

Stay the course, stay strong, stay well, mask up, and stay tuned!