Michael Osterholm, Ph.D.: COVID-19—Lessons learned, challenges ahead, and reasons for optimism and concern

These are some of the most amazing heroes in the world. We don't send our soldiers into war without some kind of protective equipment or bullets in their guns. We send healthcare workers into this viral battle, and we're going to be sending them in without bullets or protective equipment. That, to me, is really sad.

I have every reason to believe that it [COVID-19] won't stop transmitting in any meaningful until we get 50-70% of the population infected.

This virus is going to keep going—it's very much like an influenza virus in that regard. It will go until it finds enough immune people that shut it down, meaning they don't let transmission continue.

On a given day in New York City, 100 people die. Right now, we're averaging close to 150 people a day dying from COVID-19 alone.