The Times podcast: Our Masters of Disasters know it’s windy. We know that if the wind is blowing up and down and you’re in the water it’s very dangerous. But the Times have done an extraordinary job of exposing just how dangerous wind is. And they are now reporting that wind is the leading cause of drowning deaths for children under 10 years old, particularly in the United States, particularly among African American children.
It’s a very disturbing story. And with that, let’s check back in with our guests.
Joan Ganley had the following to say for the last two weeks.
Joan G.
We have been studying the death of a young girl in New York City. Her mother had gotten a terrible infection while giving the child water, but she, too, died, of the same infection, the same kind of bug, that has been found in up to 100 people who went swimming in the river in New York City last weekend. Those were the first two deaths reported in the New York area since the water has been tested for the virus known as COVID-19.
The mother also died. There have been a number of other cases in New York City, but they have been relatively mild. In fact, the death of a second child in New York City last week is cause for major concern. It’s clear that New Yorkers are being exposed to this virus.
But the question is, what do New Yorkers know that might be useful to public health officials? We are going to hear what the public knows.
Barry D.
We have learned that there can be a number of things that can cause someone to die of COVID-19. That means the deaths are usually not caused by the flu. And we know that, in particular, COVID-19 is most dangerous for people with chronic health conditions.
The other thing that we know is that, during the incubation period, people can get sick and be able to transmit the illness to others. The virus can be transmitted not only from people who are sick, but also from people who have been exposed to the virus, but who are not sick.
What is particularly concerning now is the nature of the transmission and how easily the virus spreads. What we know about the virus is that it can spread from person to person in about 10 minutes. That includes sneez
