Geisinger CEO: COVID-19 vaccine is coming but we have to be super vigilant until then – PennLive

DANVILLE -- The chief executive officer of Geisinger sees a vaccine as a light at the end of the tunnel in the battle against the coronavirus.

But, Dr. Jaewron Ryu, citing the increased number of COVID-19 cases, said it might be a little premature to say that weve turned the corner.

Speaking at a news conference Friday, he stressed the need to take all precautions like wearing a mask, avoiding large gatherings and social distancing to reverse the upward trend.

The coronavirus is out there in the community and that means anybody can get it, he said. We have to be super vigilant."

Ryu cited the change in weather, fewer daylight hours, events being moved indoors and the flu season as contributing reasons for the increase in COVID-19 cases.

He believes a safe, effective vaccine will be available in the first of 2021 but said it could take months before it is widely available.

Ryu cited statistics to illustrate in the COVID-19 resurgence throughout Geisingers service area.

During July and August there were 2,100 positive tests but more importantly, he said, the rate of positive tests averaged 3.4 percent and some weeks it was below 2 percent.

Fast forward to September and October and we have had double the number of positive tests, to almost 4,000, Ryu said. More concerning has been the increase in rate of positive tests, he said.

It has averaged 6.3 percent during those two months, he said. Over the past couple of weeks that rate has bumped above 9 percent and is quickly approaching 10 percent, he said.

By comparison, he said, during the height of the pandemic in April and May the positive test rate was in the 10 to 15 percent range.

The number of hospitalized patients has climbed into the 80s and 90s compared with the 10- to 30-range this summer, he said.

Only 15 to 20 percent of the Geisinger hospitalized patients are from nursing homes, Ryu said. That shows the virus is in the community, not just nursing homes, and why everybody needs to be careful.

Since Sept. 1, the most positive test rate has been among those in the 20 to 29 and 50 to 59 age groups, Ryu said, debunking the myth all the those with the virus are old.

The industry has learned how to treat the virus and is doing a better job managing mortality rates, he said.

But, the virus is very humbling, he said. People do get very sick, treatments are not foolproof and they dont work on everyone.

View original post here:

Geisinger CEO: COVID-19 vaccine is coming but we have to be super vigilant until then - PennLive