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Update for Week of October 19, 2020 to the Joint Statement on COVID-19 from Lung Cancer Advocacy Groups

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The daily news reports are a stark reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. Consistent with experts’ fears for the fall, new cases are on the rise across the US and in Europe.

Caught in the grips of this unprecedented public health crisis for almost all of 2020, Americans are growing fatigued and restless. The lockdowns in the spring and the extended period of social distancing needed to keep the virus at bay are negatively impacting people’s mental health. For many, it is the lack of touch, a simple hug, that we miss the most.

And this is the time of year when we start looking to Thanksgiving to reunite with family and loved ones, a time often celebrated with large gatherings, extended celebrations and warm embraces. But, at a time when cases are once again surging across the country, each of these activities presents a serious risk for virus transmission. This risk comes at even greater cost for the lung cancer community given the increased likelihood of severe disease and heightened mortality for lung cancer patients who contract COVID-19.

Recently, several health experts have weighed in on how best to approach the holiday to ensure maximal safety. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, has suggested Americans need to strongly weigh the risk-benefit of having Thanksgiving gatherings. In places or states with a high number of new cases, some experts even advise canceling (or at least postponing) this year’s celebration. You can check each state’s COVID-19 new case activity here. While we all feel the need to be close to our loved ones at this time of year especially, we want to urge all of you to do your homework and take appropriate precautions to protect yourselves and those around you. You can use a risk calculator to decide the level of risk. To assist with your planning, the CDC also provides a list of Thanksgiving activities at different risk levels. The table below offers example activities at different risk levels for virus spread.

LOW RISKMODERATE RISKHIGHER RISK
–Having a small dinner with people who live in the same household
–Having a virtual dinner with your loved ones and make it fun by sharing recipes
–Preparing special family recipes and delivering them in a safe and contact-free fashion		Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community while maintaining social distancingAttending indoor gatherings with people from outside your householdAttending large indoor celebrations with singing or chanting
Watching a sporting event in a virtual get-togetherAttending a small outdoors sports event where public health precautions are maintainedAttending a crowded sports event, even if it’s outdoors
Watching all Thanksgiving events (parade, sports) from homeAttending a pumpkin patch or orchard where people are following public health precautionsHaving a small group outdoor, open-air parade with social distancing  Attending or participating in crowded parades
Shopping online after Thanksgiving Going shopping in crowded stores around Thanksgiving holiday

We realize that celebrating the holidays is an important part of our tradition. We, therefore, suggest that you identify an inner circle of family and friends (your social distancing crew) who will be taking precautions with you during the holidays so you can celebrate safely! The holidays can be stressful, and with the pandemic adding a new layer of stress, do not forget to take care of your mental health.

How can you vote safely during the pandemic?

Election day is coming, and it’s important to make your voice heard. If you’re concerned about how to vote safely during a pandemic, Consumer Reports offers a Guide to Voting During a Pandemic that covers several different approaches to voting. The CDC has also issued special COVID-19 safety recommendations for voters. Many of their suggestions are familiar by now; however, the CDC also discusses additional precautions specifically for in-person voting. Some examples:

  • Avoid delays by verifying your voter info and having any necessary registration forms ready.
  • Bring your own black pen (or stylus, if used in your precinct).
  • Review a sample ballot in advance so you can vote and depart quickly.
  • Use early voting, if available in your jurisdiction.
  • Vote at off-peak times, such as mid-morning.
  • If driving to the polls and your schedule allows, monitor the voter line from your car and join it when it’s shorter.

Resources and websites

  1. IASLC’s Guide to COVID-19 and Lung Cancer
  2. The National Cancer Institute has a special website for COVID-19 and emergency preparedness. COVID-19: What People with Cancer Should Know
  3. We are following updates provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  4. Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Resource Center
  5. Interactive map of US COVID-19 cases by state
  6. COVID-19 in patients with cancer: managing a pandemic within a pandemic
  7. You can find information specific to your state or city or town on your health department’s website.
    • Directory of state department of health websites
    • Directory of local health department websites
  8. American Medical Association resources for healthcare providers.

Patient participation in #NACLC20 virtual lung cancer conference

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The virtual 2020 IASLC North American Conference on Lung Cancer (NACLC 2020) runs October 16-17. Patients will be providing special perspectives throughout the conference.

REGISTRATION IS FREE for all patients and caregivers. Register here: https://naclc2020.iaslc.org/registration/

Check out the full program here. https://naclc2020.iaslc.org/program-at-a-glance/

Don’t miss these two presentations by lung cancer patient research advocates on Saturday, October 17th:

Ivy Horowitz Elkins and Janet Freeman-Daily on “Patient Driven Research” in the Targeted Therapy session (9:50-10:45 am CT)

Jill Libles Feldman on “Adjuvant Treatment: What Does It Mean for Patients” in the Keynote session. (11:50 am -12:40 pm CT)

We can’t legislate math. Or a virus.

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Today I find myself remembering the 1897 effort to legislate the mathematical value “pi” to make it more convenient for humans.

It didn’t work. Pi is defined by the existence of a circle. Humans have no say in the matter.

Math does not accommodate the wishes of humans. A natural law supercedes the laws of people. Deciding it should behave differently will not change it. Ignoring it will not make it go away. Our only option is to understand what the law is so we can adapt to it.

A virus does not accommodate the wishes of humans either. Deciding it should behave differently will not change it. Ignoring it will not make it go away. Our only option is to understand it so we can adapt to its existence.

We must adapt to coexist with the virus SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes, COVID-19. The virus will not change to suit our wishes.

Update for Week of October 5, 2020 to the Joint Statement on COVID-19 from Lung Cancer Advocacy Groups

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As of October 3, 2020, the US has had close to 7.2 million cases of COVID-19, with over 200,000 deaths. Daily reported cases of COVID-19 have been on the rise. This is not surprising due to social distancing fatigue and mask fatigue.

As the weather becomes cooler and we spend more time indoors, an upward trend in COVID-19 cases is expected. Though a lot of vaccine candidates are showing promise in clinical trials, an effective anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine will probably not be available for large-scale community use before the middle of 2021. Even once a vaccine becomes available, we will need close to 660 million doses over the next year or so, because the vaccine candidates furthest along in trials require two doses per person. For the near and somewhat distant future, we will continue to rely on public health measures such as washing our hands, maintaining social distancing, and wearing a mask.

As the leaves turn, the holidays begin. Different holidays present different risks – Halloween typically involves large gatherings of children and young people going to door-to-door to collect candy or to party, other holidays bring loved ones together to share meals or celebrate the end of one year and the start of a new one.

Living during the pandemic does not mean we need to completely cancel our holiday celebrations. With advanced planning and maintenance of public health precautions, we can take measures to ensure a safe and COVID-19-free holiday season.

Here are some ideas for celebrating Halloween safely. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have provided guidelines to ensure that we have a “COVID-free” season[A1] .

  1. Keep a track of community levels of COVID-19 in your area. You can find this information through your local department of health.
  2. If the weather permits, try to have an outdoor gathering where ventilation is not an issue. If you are planning on having an indoor celebration, it might be a good idea to keep a door or windows open – to promote air circulation.
  3. Keep the gathering as short as possible. Longer gatherings equal longer time for exposure.
  4. Smaller gatherings are of course less risky than larger gatherings. Though the CDC doesn’t have specific numbers to guide size of gatherings, they recommend that the size of the gathering be determined by ability to reduce or limit contact between guests (the event space), the risk of spread between guests, and state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations.
  5. If your guests are attending from another state, check the COVID-19 caseload in that state. The same applies if you are planning to travel. It is always a good idea to check caseload at point of origin and destination. If you plan to drive to a holiday gathering and are able to, quarantine for 14 days before travel.
  6. If you are the host, remind your guests that social distancing, hand washing, and wearing a mask are a part of the celebration .
  7. The National Institutes of Health has developed a rapid COVID-19 antigen test. If you are able to access a rapid antigen test, it may be a good idea to get tested before you attend a celebration (though since these tests are less sensitive than the nasal swab PCR test and a negative test doesn’t rule out an asymptomatic or presymptomatic infection).
  8. Since patients with lung cancer are considered at high risk of developing complications from COVID-19, use your judgement and exercise caution when deciding whether you wish to attend a celebration – especially where you do not know a lot of the guests.

We wish everyone a safe and healthy Fall!

Resources and websites

  1. IASLC’s Guide to COVID-19 and Lung Cancer
  2. The National Cancer Institute has a special website for COVID-19 and emergency preparedness. COVID-19: What People with Cancer Should Know
  3. We are following updates provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  4. Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Resource Center
  5. Interactive map of US COVID-19 cases by state
  6. The One-Two Punch: Cancer And COVID-19 (an important perspective for cancer patients)
  7. You can find information specific to your state or city or town on your health department’s website.
    • Directory of state department of health websites
    • Directory of local health department websites
  8. American Medical Association resources for healthcare providers.