I think US authorities should be very worried about a second coronavirus spike in about two weeks’ time. The reason being the thousands of protesters spilling onto the streets in big cities. By definition these people are stressed. It is a scientific fact that respiratory infections spread much more rapidly under stressful conditions.

Eoin Treacy's view

Thank you for this informative email. The USA is unwittingly running a massive public health experiment in real time. The greatest mortality risk from the coronavirus is to the elderly population and particularly those with additional health challenges like heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. In many countries the average age of those who have died from the virus is 80.

Meanwhile, the majority of people out protesting on the streets are younger than 40. Since this younger demographic tends to be the primary group of non-symptomatic carriers, a substantial proportion of healthy individuals are likely to develop antibodies. However, the poor and sick, who live in multigeneration homes, are now at acute risk of infecting their families. That suggests a repeat of the Italian experience is a nontrivial risk. COVID-19 is going to go down in history as the euthanasia virus.