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Louisiana Congressman-elect Luke Letlow dies of COVID-19 at age 41

2020-12-30 | 🔗
Dr. Marc Siegel calls the congressman-elect’s death a ‘rare situation,’ reacts to recent coronavirus news on ‘Fox & Friends.’
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Were going to turn to a Fox news, alert right now, sad news: a 41 year old, Louisiana, congressman Elect Luke, let Letlo has died from Covid 19, the shocking news confirmed by his family last night, just ten days after he tested positive for the virus, Jason thats, a tough story, the congressman Elect, leaves behind his wife and two very young children. Griff Letlow is the first member or member Elect of Congress to die from the coronavirus. Letlow was set to be confirmed on Sunday. We want to bring in now a Fox news, medical contributor, Dr Marc Siegel, good morning, Dr Siegel. This is tough news, sad news. We have to bring you on, but what can you tell us about what has happened? First of all, this is a reminder that the virus comes in two phases that first you get the virus. The second is you get the inflammation from the virus, even though, as we have documented over and over vast majority of the time, its
elderly people that die of this or obese and the congressman was neither but from what his doctor is reporting Griff. He had this since December. 19Th it looked like he was out of the woods, but then he was transferred to Louisiana State University Icu, and then he went down hill and it looked like it was his heart rather than his lungs. We have always focused on the lungs the inflammation on the lungs. We need to say more, it can effect the heart. This is very unusual. I dont want people out there to think this is common. It does not appear from what im hearing that he had underlying conditions. This just remind you that this virus is somewhat unpredictable and can be quite tragic. Is it yeah? It is definitely unpredictable so sad. I know when my husband and I heard the news this morning. We just thought he worked so hard on this whole year to win his election and have this happen to him? I again just want to give you another opportunity. This makes people very frightened because he was so young. Most of us would not think somebody without underlying
conditions that this could happen to do. You think that this is, you know, a sign of maybe a different strain of covid, or what are your thoughts on that? No, I dont think that, because the strain we are about to talk about is more transmissible, but not more severe does not cause more severe outcomes. He also, I want to point out, got remdesivir the antiviral treatment that we use steroid. We use in later stages to damp down on that inflammation. That has been quite helpful. This is definitely a very, very rare situation. Again our heart goes out to his family, but its not something. I want the public to say now, im not out of the im at risk too. It can happen, we dont know for sure he didnt have
underlying conditions. Will that can predispose to this, but it looks like it was just a rare situation. Genetically everyone is different. Some people respond to this virus differently than others. Some boost the immune response. They need and others dont its a reminder to get early care to get the best possible care. The vast majority of the time you are going to be fine, Jason Doctor. I want to get your thoughts on what Colorado health officials are confirming its the first: U Dot S case of the new highly infectious strain of the coronavirus. What do we need to know about this? Well, Jason. You know what we need to know about this. This is the opposite side of the coin that we dont need to panic here, because this strain we hear the word mutation and we get really worried. I want everyone to know that over the course of a pandemic, new strains always mutate, they always change and they almost definitely will change in the direction of something that is more easily transmissible that gives the virus a survival advantage.
Here is something you are not hearing the seventeen other countries hearing the seventeen other countries so far, only in southern edge gland thats been the case crucial. We do that testing the one thing about this 17 year old in Colorado we havent yet figure Ifed out if its linked to travel to the, U Dot, K and all other seventeen countries. It was always linked to travel to the United Kingdom im sure we are going to find that out here. It hasnt taken root. Here we are testing it isolating it want it to becoming a predominant strain because it spreads so more easily Griff. There is good news breaking overnight coming out of the: U Dot K. That is their approval of the use of the objection, Farad Astrazeneca Covid 19 vaccine, which is, I think, thats freight news I dont think we have spent.
I dont think we have spent enough time how exciting one vaccine in five years, unbelievable. We are getting at least three now in nine month. There is also this criticism Griff about the first two. Only eleven million doses have been sent out so are if a and only two and a half million people have gotten it guess what thats a lot of people to get a brand new vaccine in a week or two. Now here is another vaccine, Oxford vaccine, coming from a really really excellent Vaccine Institute the Jenner Institute in the United Kingdom and London, it looks like its about ninety percent, effective, which isnt, quite at the level of the other two, the fires and Moderna its really really good and has the advantage of something that you could ship around easily and doesnt have to be stored in the cold, its going to be easier to get it into areas where you cant get the other two vaccines poor, poorer neighborhoods around the world. This vaccine will be used a lot its based on another
revolutionary concept. It actually uses a virus from a chimpanzee by the way in order to deliver the genetic pay load, its been used in Ebola, its been tested, its safe, its effective, its exciting Rachel. Yes, it definitely is exciting, Dr Siegel, its exciting, to see you because you illuminate so much on this and take so much of the fear out of this pandemic. Thank you so much for joining us happy new year to you. Thank you Rachel. Thank you guys.
Transcript generated on 2020-12-30.