There are plenty of good resources online, you just need to know which ones have accurate info. Tap or click here for a list of trustworthy Twitter accounts to follow. You’ve probably heard a lot about testing during the COVID-19 outbreak. This is good because it helps you understand what’s going on. That’s why a new site has come online that tracks test results across the country.
How many people have coronavirus in your state?
A new online resource to get helpful coronavirus information is now available. It’s called the COVID Tracking Project. The site collects information from 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and five other U.S. territories to provide the most comprehensive testing data for the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. It includes positive and negative results, pending tests and total people tested for each state or district. You can find all the collected data at covidtracking.com/data/. Check out the site out and find the most recent testing information from your state and other areas around the country. The CDC doesn’t publish complete testing data, which is why the COVID Tracking Project was started.
Are hospitals near you ready for COVID-19?
One reason the entire country is coming together to help flatten the curve is to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed during this frightening pandemic. The reality is hospitals across the U.S. have a limited number of beds available to care for patients. Even more limited are the number of beds in intensive care units. RELATED: What stores are open during the coronavirus pandemic and how to place orders online That’s why it’s so critical to slow the spread of the coronavirus. If there is a dramatic spike in coronavirus patients, hospitals all over the U.S. may not be able to care for them all. With that in mind, the Harvard Global Health Institute looked at the potential impact COVID-19 could have on hospitals. Its best-case scenario has 20% of adults in the U.S. infected with coronavirus over the next 18 months. The worst-case scenario has 60% of adults in the U.S. infected over 6 months. Director of HGHI, Dr. Ashish Jha, said many communities in America are not prepared to take care of the COVID-19 patients who show up. So how well are your local hospitals prepared to handle this pandemic? Now, you can find out. ProPublica created a tool based on HGHI research that will show you just how prepared your local hospitals are. On the site, you can also see how hospital beds would fill up by region under different pandemic scenarios. To check out this helpful tool, click here. And once you’re on the site, type in your city and state in the search box under “Find your hospital region by address.” The results page will break down how hospitals near you would handle each scenario, along with stats about your region including population, percentage of residents over 65 and more. Resources like these help keep everyone informed, which can give a little comfort and bring some calm during these chaotic times. I’m all for that, how about you? The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, advice, or health objectives.
