Johns Hopkins experts say ‘We are really still in our first wave’

BALTIMORE — Half a year has passed since the coronavirus entered our world, and a group of experts from Johns Hopkins University say they agree on one thing: The pandemic isn’t over and could still get worse.

“There has been much discussion of a second surge, and usually by this we mean something that comes in the fall when we have other respiratory diseases as well,” said Dr. Lisa Maragakis, senior director of infection prevention for the Johns Hopkins Health System. “We are really still in our first wave.”

Maragakis offered insight this week on where the virus was headed during a panel discussion with colleagues focused on aspects of COVID-19 that included pediatrics, disparities, contact tracing and therapies. There is no vaccine and there are a lot unknowns, but the officials have learned ways to control the virus — if people listen.

Maragakis called the numbers so far “staggering:” more than 8.2 million cases and 446,000 deaths worldwide, and more than 2.1 million cases and 117,000 U.S. deaths.

More troubling, she said, are increases in many states likely due to reopening and some protests over the killing of George Floyd.

She called for consistent messaging on wearing face masks, distancing between people and hand-washing to prevent infections. She also said the country needs more testing for cases and tracing of those exposed so they can be isolated.

Also needed is sufficient protective gear for health workers and disinfectants. Labs need such things as reagents used in processing tests.

Some good news is that the virus has infected fewer children than adults, said Dr. Aaron Milstone, professor of pediatrics in Hopkins’ School of Medicine.