University Of Washington Model Projects Additional 85,000 Could Die Of COVID-19

Stephanie Stahl reports.

LIVE IN DEPTFORD, HOWARDMONROE CBS3 "EYEWITNESS NEWS."♪♪NOW TO THE LATEST COVID-19HEADLINES.A COMMON STEROID MAY BE THEBREAKTHROUGH DRUG RESEARCHERSHAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.ALSO NEW TODAY, A COVID-19MODEL FROM THE UNIVERSITY OFWASHINGTON NOW PROJECTS MORETHAN 200,000 AMERICANS COULDDIE OF COVID-19 BY THATOCTOBER 1ST.AND THE UNITED STATES ANDCANADA EXTEND THEIR BORDERCLOSING AGREEMENT.THE EXTENSION MEANS THE BORDERWILL REMAIN CLOSED TONONCERTAINLY TRAVEL THROUGHJULY 21ST.THAT UNIVERSITY OFWASHINGTON MODEL HAS BEEN USEDBY THE WHITE HOUSE AND IT NOWPROJECTS AN ADDITIONAL 85,000AMERICANS COULD DIE OFCOVID-19 BY OCTOBER 1ST.RAISING THAT TOTAL TO OVER200,000.HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIESTAHL HAS THE CORONAVIRUSUPDATE NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY.Reporter: THERE ISCONTINUED PROGRESS FIGHTINGCOVID-19 IN THE TRI-STATEREGION.BUT THE PHILADELPHIA HEALTHDEPARTMENT TODAY ISSUED NEWWARNINGS TO RESTAURANTS NOTFOLLOWING SAFETY GUIDELINES.PEOPLE HAVE TIRED OF THEEPIDEMIC BUT THE VIRUS IS NOTTIRED OF US.THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF PEOPLEOUT THERE FOR THE VIRUS TOAFFECT.Reporter: THE HEALTHCOMMISSIONER IS CONCERNEDABOUT CROWDING AND A LACK OFSAFETY PRECAUTIONS AT SOMERESTAURANTS THAT WERE JUSTALLOWED TO START OUTDOORDINING.HE SAYS IF IT CONTINUESTHEY'LL BE CITED AND FINED IFNECESSARY.OUTDOOR EXPOSURES ARE LESSRISKY THAN INDOOR EXPOSURES.VIRUS CAN SPREAD AMONG PEOPLEWHEN THEY'RE CLOSE TOGETHERAND NOT WEARING MASKS.Reporter: HE WARNS THEPHILADELPHIA REGION COULD BEPART OF A DANGEROUS TRENDHAPPENING NATIONALLY.18 STATES ARE SEEING ANINCREASE IN WEEK TO WEEK NEWCASES AND AN UPDATED MODELFROM THE UNIVERSITY OFWASHINGTON PROJECTS MORE THAN201,000 COVID-19 DEATHS IN THEU.S. BY OCTOBER.THAT ESTIMATE IS UP 30,000FROM JUST LAST WEEK.THIS EPIDEMIC ISN'T OVER.FAR FROM IT.UNTIL WE HAVE A VACCINE, THEONLY THING PROTECTING US ISHOW WE BEHAVE.Reporter: IN FLORIDAWHERE RESTRICTIONS WERELIMITED AND LIFTED EARLY,12,000 PEOPLE TESTED POSITIVEOVER THE LAST SEVEN DAYS.IN MIAMI, THE REOPENING HASBEEN PUT ON HOLD.WE ARE SEEING AN UPTICKPARTICULARLY IN THE AGEDEMOGRAPHIC 18 TO 35 ANDPARTICULARLY AFTER MEMORIALDAY WEEKEND.WE'RE SEEING RISING CASESIN MANY STATES THAT DON'T HAVEANY RESTRICTIONS RIGHT NOW.AND I THINK THAT'S ARE A BIGMISTAKE.THEY'RE GOING TO SEE MANY MORECASES.DEATHS.Reporter: NEW RESEARCHSHOWS A POTENTIAL BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENT FORCOVID-19.IT IS A CHEAP WIDELY USEDSTEROID THAT REDUCESINFLAMMATION.THE NEW STUDY SAYS IT REDUCED