Coronavirus COVID-19 *Global Health Emergency* #16

[SandyQLS]

BREAKING: Saudi Arabia puts Qatif in Eastern Province on lockdown due to coronavirus - SPA

BNO Newsroom on Twitter

Saudi government announcement:
- Entry and exit from Qatif is suspended
- Residents who live in the area are allowed to return home
- Government departments and non-essential businesses in the area are closed

Keep your gas tank full, if possible.

Qatifi people work in the oil industry and they commute by car and bus. A lockdown at Qatif causes global disruption in the petroleum distribution chain at the source, not just in delivery to manufacturers and to us, the individual end-users:

Qatif - Wikipedia
"... Saudi Aramco (the Saudi national oil company) completed the development of the Qatif Project in October 2004, comprising facilities to produce, process and transport 80,000 cubic metres per day (500,000 bbl/d) of blended Arabian light crude oil from the Qatif field and 48,000 m3/d (300,000 bbl/d) of Arabian medium crude oil from the offshore Abu Sa'fah field (total 130,000 m3/d (800,000 bbl/d)), plus 10 million cubic metres per day (370×106 cu ft/d) of associated gas.[17]

Qatifi people are likely to work in the oil industry (Saudi Aramco, Schlumberger, Halliburton and Baker Hughes). Some of the employees have moved to Dhahran, where these companies are located, but the majority still reside in Qatif and go to Dhahran by cars or Saudi Aramco buses in about 50 minutes' journey. Others work in Aramco refineries in Ras Tanura. and others work in the petrochemical companies in Jubail (80 km from Qatif), some go everyday and some have moved to Jubail. SABIC is the largest employer in Qatif, However, some Qatifi are also working in other oil, petrochemical, and engineering companies located in Dhahran, Khobar, Dammam, Ras Tanura, or Jubail. Some of Qatifi people work in public services, health care and education. ..."

 

[margarita25]

If patients die knowingly because there are not enough ventilators or healthcare providers of any sorts, this is going to reflect extremely poorly on the Federal Government, I predict.

Rather than worrying about the cruise line or airline businesses, or the stock market, they should be doing ALL they can to increase the supply of critical care equipment and facilities.

Another thing to note about this, based on my in-depth analysis of everything that comes out of Dr. Mike’s mouth:

There needs to be enough people trained to work these machines. Dr. Mike said, paraphrasing, this is not a simple thing or skill. This is why WHO has had training on their website for this since the beginning.

 

[KALI]

Truly. In normal times I would not want to take the subway. Right now? I would be extra stressed.

NYC worries me immensely. May daughter and SIL, my son and DIL - all 4 of them work in the city. One near Rockefeller, one near Wall Street. The other 2 near mid-town. They commute by train/subway on the PATH and on the LIRR and MTA. It frightens the p**p out of me.

 

[Herat]

Must read article from Denver Post today:

States’ patchwork of crisis plans could mean uneven COVID-19 care, but Colorado among the best – The Denver Post


A few snippets: ( BBM for @firebird )

“A possible coronavirus pandemic could overwhelm the nation’s hospitals and force doctors into difficult decisions about how to allocate limited resources. Yet, experts say, only a handful of states have done the work necessary to prepare for such worst-case scenarios.

How would hospitals handle overflowing emergency rooms? What would doctors do if they ran out of medicines or ventilators? How would they decide who gets prioritized if they can’t treat everyone?”

[...]

“In worst-case scenarios, doctors may have to make decisions about who will die and who will live. To be sure, those discussions are not easy.

“They do make politicians nervous because we actually have to set out specific resource allocation schemes,” Hodge said.”

[...]

“For example, ethicists have debated what doctors should do if they run out of ventilators during a flu or coronavirus pandemic. The machines help people with respiratory infections breathe and are often the difference between life and death for critically ill patients. Even with a national emergency stockpile of ventilators, the U.S. health system has only so much capacity.

Doctors may be forced to consider whether to take a ventilator away from a patient who isn’t improving to help save another patient who might.”

[...]

“The plans detail how to deal with staffing issues, particularly as health care workers get sick themselves, such as pulling administrators with medical training back into patient care or asking families to help with feeding and personal hygiene. As hospitals swell with patients, they could be doubled up in rooms or moved to conference rooms or other unused space, grouped among less serious cases.”

[...]

“People don’t understand how close the health system runs to capacity every day. We just don’t have the trained staff to staff much beyond what we have now,” Hick said. “Patients are waiting in the emergency department in many cities on a routine basis. Then you talk about adding a pandemic onto that? There are going to be compromises.””

If patients die knowingly because there are not enough ventilators or healthcare providers of any sorts, this is going to reflect extremely poorly on the Federal Government, I predict.

Rather than worrying about the cruise line or airline businesses, or the stock market, they should be doing ALL

Here’s another thing that I think is important to mention re: supplies, etc.:

I think rationing is also a big part of this whole equation. For example, I noticed that before this, I would just “pour however much milk I wanted in my coffee”.

Well now I’m thinking about how I can better use all items more sparingly and carefully. This requires a conscious effort to break all habits.

I am practicing more control and restraint with regards to everything.

Do I really need ALL THAT GRATED CHEESE on top of my pizza?

I can list endless examples on how I’ve been consciously using everything around here more carefully. I learned that lesson real fast when I consumed the majority of my food supplies in a short time period.

This is a lesson that I think is beneficial whether or not there is an epidemic, but certainly important going forward as related to the situation at hand and stretching out supplies.

So @margarita25- have you learned yet not to buy extremely yummy things that get consumed first, or at least lock them away in a place you can't get to easily late at night?

I actually am considering buying a freezer so I have enough freezer space for the kinds of foods I am likely to eat. Like the pizza with extra cheese

 

[otto]

 

[margarita25]

If patients die knowingly because there are not enough ventilators or healthcare providers of any sorts, this is going to reflect extremely poorly on the Federal Government, I predict.

Rather than worrying about the cruise line or airline businesses, or the stock market, they should be doing ALL


So @margarita25- have you learned yet not to buy extremely yummy things that get consumed first, or at least lock them away in a place you can't get to easily late at night?

I actually am considering buying a freezer so I have enough freezer space for the kinds of foods I am likely to eat. Like the pizza with extra cheese

@Herat , YES. I have. Absolutely. There is ZERO point in buying trailmix and I’m NOT even kidding. I bought frozen fruit to suck on if I need something sweet.

Honestly, I’m dripping sweat so badly atm I’m going to have to take a break. I am having some kind of severe anxiety reaction. :drama: Note to pick up here.

(ETA: Which unfortunately brings to the table it’s virtually impossible financially to stock up on my medical marijuana. This is a huge concern. I have health conditions for which this is required.)

 

[dotr]

New..
Ontario reports additional case of COVID-19, woman who travelled to Colorado
''Ontario health officials announced a new confirmed case of COVID-19 Sunday afternoon, bringing the province’s total up to 29.

Officials said the case involves a woman in her 40s who returned from Colorado on March 2 and went to Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto.

“The hospital took all necessary precautions and followed standard operating procedures, including testing and assessment,” a statement from the Ministry of Health said.

“Toronto Public Health is actively engaged in contact tracing and case management.”

 

[margarita25]

Yeah I have that video memorized, not even kidding.

Remember that is a very tame version, based on the network’s affiliations moo, but a must watch indeed.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

I have an issue. I have some “workers” that need to come to the house. This causes me some anxiety because there’s no way to tell how seriously they may be taking the situation, therefore you really don’t know if they’re practicing proper hygiene, etc., most importantly washing their hands and practicing proper respiratory etiquette.

This may sound silly to some, and I really don’t care. There is universal discussion about containment and closing borders, etc, but what about our own homes?

We had a new stove delivered on Friday and I was terrified (well that's slightly hyperbolic). I picked up all scatter rugs and washed them and had them waiting. Two men delivered the stove and neither coughed and both appeared healthy. I had the windows open and washed the floors of the rooms impacted. They both wore shoes in. If I had had masks I probably would have asked that they wear them. And so as not to make them feel bad and to be truthful, I would have said it was for both of our protection. But I had no masks so the open windows had to suffice. I don't know if this will help.

 

[Henry2326]

OTTAWA —Hospitals in Canada are warning the federal government that a health system already stretched thin may not be able to cope if the novel coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen here.

The hospitals say they need help now to “dramatically scale up” respiratory virus testing, to collaborate on laboratory analysis to quickly share data with other hospitals, and to protect staff amid a COVID-19 outbreak that has arrived in flu season, according to the national advocacy group for health care organizations and hospitals.

Add to that a run on masks and other personal protective equipment, a documented shortage of critical care beds, and a new federal warning to all persons entering Canada from anywhere in the world to “self-monitor” for symptoms of COVID-19, and you see a system that could quickly come to a breaking point.
Hospitals warn they can’t cope if coronavirus outbreak worsens in Canada

 

[Herat]

So, there is no powdered milk around here.

So I bought an extra carton of milk and put it in the freezer.

Costco has that UHT Horizon Organic milk in 8 oz containers, a flat of 18, I think that outdates July 2020 and does not have to be refrigerated.

If you are like me and desperately need milk in your am coffee (a non-negotiable item) this is my best find yet!

 

[Henry2326]

BREAKING: Saudi Arabia closes all schools and universities across the kingdom until further notice due to coronavirus - SPA
BNO Newsroom on Twitter

This follows a decision earlier today to put Qatif in Eastern Province on lockdown. Saudi Arabia has 11 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

 

[Sundog]

Gilan Province, N #Iran
Locals are protesting the burial of a COVID-19 victim in a cemetery located very close to people's homes.
Such dangerous corpses should be buried in designated areas far from urban districts, especially residential areas.
#cornoravirus Heshmat Alavi on Twitter

This is so sad for the loved ones of the victim who died, but probably understandable for the local community, given the high rate of infection in Iran.

 

[Henry2326]

Two more "presumptive positive" coronavirus cases have been identified in New Jersey, bringing the total to six, Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver said Sunday.

"We expect increasing activity daily, if not hourly," said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli.

The new cases include a 70-year-old man from Teaneck, who is in stable condition but is hospitalized in the ICU; and a 32-year-old man from West New York in Hudson County, who was hospitalized on March 5.

Authorities say that an Uber driver from New York who tested positive for the virus had also transported people to New Jersey. Authorities are in the process of getting information from the driver to ascertain any potential exposure in New Jersey.

2 more 'presumptive positive' coronavirus cases identified in NJ; total at 6

 

[Tillicum]

Stopped at Walmart to pick up a spare thermometer. Good thing I looked in the box. Someone stole the thermometers and put the empty boxes back on the racks.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I must admit that I'm a little disheartened about Princess Cruises taking a major media hit in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Since 2002, DH and I have sailed exclusively on Princess - 21 cruises to date. We like the understated elegance of Princess ships and the relaxed, quiet ambiance. Princess ships don't have ice rinks, water slides, go-kart tracks, rock-climbing walls, etc. that one finds on other lines. While there are dedicated children's/teens' centers, we rarely see more than a handful of children or teens on our cruises that are usually when school is in session.

Princess tends to attract "older" guests, so I'm thinking that this might be the reason that Princess ships are prone to COVID-19 outbreaks. There have been comments that refer to Princess vessels as "floating nursing homes" due to the high number of older passengers, many using walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters.

 

[Henry2326]

Italy deaths by age...

Age (deaths):
0-49 yo: 1
50-59 yo: 1
60-69 yo: 14
70-79 yo: 39
80:89 yo: 60
>90yo: 18
#COVID19 Italy 8 Mar @DPCgov
Dr Elisabetta on Twitter

 

[margarita25]

I think it's safe to assume that any workers you have coming to your house will not be taking the situation too seriously or practicing proper hygiene.

Well there’s something we can agree on.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Thank you, enelram.

Unfortunately my situation is somewhat of an emergency. Darn it.

Direct your guests to the powder room or kitchen and ask them to wash their hands thoroughly. I would

 

[Lilibet]

What took him so long....

BREAKING: Oregon Governor Brown declares state of emergency due to coronavirus
BNO Newsroom on Twitter

I think SHE jumped on it pretty fast. I’m just teasing @Henry2326, but I’m happy with the action she’s taken today. We doubled and went from 7 cases (4 new cases) to 14 since yesterday.

The Oregon Health Authority announced seven new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 Sunday morning, doubling the number of known cases in Oregon.

All seven new cases are the result of community spread or contact with another known case. None are the result of international travel. Three were hospitalized at the time they were diagnosed.

Gov. Kate Brown declares coronavirus state of emergency, announces 7 new Oregon cases

Gov. Brown declares a State of Emergency for Oregon

State of Emergency declared for Oregon due to COVID-19