Smart Talk Thursday: What have we learned about COVID-19?

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its fourth month in Pennsylvania, scientists and doctors are still learning about the virus and how to the treat the illness that comes along with it.

Two Penn State Health medical specialists appear on Thursday’s Smart Talk answering questions about what we thought we knew and what we know now about the novel coronavirus. Joining us are Dr. Ami DeWaters, Associate Division Chief of Hospital Medicine and Dr. Ian Ross, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hospital Medicine, both at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Several of the topics to be addressed are how treatment options have changed during the pandemic, whether the antiviral drug remdesivir is one of those treatment options, antibody testing, and how to protect ourselves as mitigation strategies like stay-at-home orders are loosened.

As of Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported more than 73,000 COVID-19 cases and almost 5,800 deaths.

For more on COVID-19 and a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare, check out WITF’s Transforming Health, a partnership of WITF, WellSpan Health and Capital Blue Cross.