Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #32

[Starry Night]

It would be a good math assignment for students to draw graphs and extrapolate the numbers, but maybe it's just too grim and dark.

I kinda laughed at what you said so that means I am getting nervous....it's not funny at all.

 

[NoSI]

This is for anyone who could use a laugh just about now. Again, I by no means want to turn a very serious situation into a joke, but a good laugh a couple times per day keeps the doctor away… especially when you have to self-isolate.

Chris Mann – Oh Corona

https://youtu.be/ojrtwXqqc6g

 

[NoSI]

Another one. Again, I by no means want to turn a very serious situation into a joke, but a good laugh a couple times per day keeps the doctor away… especially when you have to self-isolate.

Chris Mann – Stay Home Vogue

https://youtu.be/3xt58OVnmXU

 

[Lilibet]

Well, i need to run this by you folks: we are at a condo in Fort Myers Florida- mostly old folks here like us. I look out my lanai at the pool and there are probably 10 people in the pool with 20 more sitting around together like it is normal day (before the virus): so i call the prez of our association and she basically says legally there is nothing she can do about it; they are adults and she cannot stop them- i am so mad- these are old people, at risk- and acting like it is just a regular day in our world--- my husband and i are self isolating; we go to the grocery store and that is it-- it just makes me see red. i will make sure we don't get too close to any of them should we see them walking around. foolish

The reason we are self-isolating is precisely because of people who won’t. Oregon hasn’t required staying home yet, so people are free to go about their business and put others at risk...or themselves if they are in a risk category. That’s on them...and the government for not insisting they stay home. But of course they will be the ones overwhelming our health system if or when those of us who have been careful need it. All we can do is stay home and take precautions when we have to go out.

 

[Starry Night]

Aaarrrrrggggggg$&#@*......we’ve been here 3 weeks.....I ain’t going nowhere.....I’m locked and stocked.

I think you should stay where you're at! Don't leave. Period. Be safe and just stay inside

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I’m sorry to read this, HKP. I hope you have everything you need to get through this and are feeling better soon. I just saw a thread here for those who may have contracted the new virus ... maybe you would like to add your experience there and keep us updated? Members who May Have the Coronavirus

Thanks Spellbound, good idea.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I am so glad you have family support to help you through this. I am sure it is stressful and you need to know you are not alone.

I hear ya about the Losartan. I am not stopping taking mine either. I know some advise that we do, but if your blood pressure spikes, it won't be helpful.

Do they want you to go to the hospital at some point? Are there guidelines? Or is it just up to you.

If you are breathing OK, you should be fine just riding it out. The majority of people seem to be OK doing that. Keep resting and eating soup and I bet you can come out of this okay.

Thanks Katy, yes we basically are advised to manage it at home...unless we can't, if complications develop. I feel strong. Tbh, be glad to lose a few pounds on the soup diet!

 

[nhmemorymaker]

How Are the Rich and Famous Jumping the Test Queues? In England, by Paying $425

As the old saying goes, money talks. This is not right.

And moneyed New Yorkers are fleeing to Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and far out Long Island renting up big properties to get out of NYC. This will become a"class" issue more and more.
my heart breaks for you...

 

[0101ABA]

For the first time since the news of COVID broke, I am honestly concerned for myself, my family, and my co-workers. In my office we have 3 members of the same family (living together) who work in one capacity or another. One has been sick for a little over 2 weeks, her husband for almost 1 1/2 weeks, and now their mother/MIL. Have not had any tests returned as of yet but I had to call an ambulance for the mother this AM as she was clearly not well and had no business driving herself to the ER. The mother is in an extremely high risk group (age, asthma, and on immunosuppressants).

I’ve never thought anyone was blowing this out of proportion, but right or wrong, I’ve been one to minimize risk but have continued to live my life as normally as possible. The husband/wife team in my office work in a completely separate department so I rarely see them except in passing...however, the mother is my boss and so we work in close quarters everyday. Since yesterday I haven’t felt well. Not awful, just have a slight cough and tight chest. I’m anxiously awaiting her test but know it could even be weeks before she hears. Left work early, will work remotely and am staying away from all family for the time being. Most likely just a cold or allergies but for the first time there is that little niggle in the back of my mind wondering if it’s more.

 

[JerseyGirl]

There has never been a cookie of any kind that lived a long life in my home.....moo

I can't buy Halloween candy in advance, have to buy it the night before.

 

[Herat]

@10ofRods Many thanks for your nice words. Yes, New Mexico is indeed Land of Enchantment and we have the sweetest, loviest of neighbors. I'll be heading outside in a new minutes for our daily 4 p.m Happy Hour on the Sidewalk. Today's tune will be Abba's "Dancing Queen". Hugs and peace to all.

oooh, thanks for the suggestion

I'll be watching Mamma Mia video tonight.

You can also find the original Abba videos. They're great

 

[KALI]

i think it's more that they're not afraid of leaving this earth. Just moo

My neighbours are in their 80s and I've offered to help. They aren't interested and are going about their business like nothing has changed. The husband has COPD! I'm worried for them. And my best friend's parents who are in their early 90s are the same way. They still make weekly trips to the grocery store. I think a lot of seniors are in denial for one reason or another.

 

[SkylarSid]

I have heard that from many people. Maybe down the road they will test to see if people have the antibodies in their system and that will show if the person has already had it. Just a possibility.

i definitely feel I have had it. I started in early November with a horrible dry cough. How can we know?

 

[The•Qwill•Pen]

We can’t get the antibiotic in her. I crushed it up and put it in her food. I’m hoping before we go to bed, she’ll nibble a little. She doesn’t want anything to eat at all. Not even a cheese treat.

Have you tried putting it in a scoop of peanut butter? My current foster is on antibiotics, and it's worked like a charm. I just make sure the peanut butter encases the pill completely, so that he doesn't figure out my real intentions and take evasive actions

 

[Bits777]

Another one. Again, I by no means want to turn a very serious situation into a joke, but a good laugh a couple times per day keeps the doctor away… especially when you have to self-isolate.

Chris Mann – Stay Home Vogue

https://youtu.be/3xt58OVnmXU

Love this!!! Nearly peed myself laughing- awesome!!!

 

[Herat]

Hello guys, I am fairly sure I have this blinking virus so thought I would hop on here and share with you. Hopefully to reassure.

I am in the UK, county of Bucks where a few people have sadly died already. I work in retail and my husband commutes to London on the train. So there was always a good chance I might get it. Also someone coughed in my face earlier this week (really appreciated that) and I was at the hairdresser last Saturday. She had been in London all week on a course, using the tube every day. So there are risks there, for sure.

My symptoms started yesterday morning. A huge headache which floored me. Luckily I wasnt due into the work so I stayed home in bed. I thought maybe it was stress related after a nightmare week, as I know headache isnt a typical starting point for the virus. In the afternoon, a cough started up. I do cough a lot anyway but not usually through the day. This cough has started to make my back ache now and although it isnt constant, I can have a bout that ends up in a squeaky kind of cough and leaves me shattered.

I am very very tired. Had a bath first thing today and have been in bed all day again. Although I would stay in my room anyway to keep from family, I would struggle at the mo to make coffee and toast. Thank God for Mr HKP.

I have a v low appetite. Have to be encouraged to eat like a child. This is not me at all!! Normally could eat like a horse all the time.

Weird one but I have a numb dry tongue. It feels almost scratchy but actually isnt. Hard to describe.

My eyes have on and off been dry and itchy. Not conjunctivitis but just something I noticed.

Stupidly, we have no thermometer (ordered one now). Sometimes in myself I feel v hot (like now, it's gone 9pm and my window is open for the breeze). Other times I am under the duvet with layers on and hot water bottle.

My legs ache a lot! But they often do, due to vit D deficiency. They are v uncomfortable tho, kept me awake last night. I was rationing the paracetamol but dont need to tonight thank goodness, we have supplies!

Earlier my chest felt a bit tight. My breathing was fine, I was just aware of it. If I take a deep breath in, I always cough out.

So you prob know but here in the UK we only test hospital cases now. This is really hard because I would love to know for sure. I went on NHS 111 online and completed the short questionnaire and it said my symptoms "suggest coronavirus infection", even without me confirming a high temperature. So I suppose I just have to take that as what's happening.

So we are following the guidance here. Husband and son will self isolate for 14 days and I will for 7 initially.

Right this minute, I do not feel too bad. Despite the paracetamol, the headache is trying to inch back in. Legs are aching. But I have eaten something and just had a cup of tea (of course...). My brain feels feverish which is the worst thing as I cant sleep. Cough has settled for now.

My biggest worry is that Mr HKP has asthma and it seems v likely he will get this too, although he is sleeping in another room and avoiding me as much as poss other than to deliver food and drink trays at the door bless him.

So right now, I'm not too bad at all which hopefully may be reassuring altho it is early days and I know we will possibly all react differently.

Incidentally I have controlled hypertension and take Losartan but have no intention of stopping taking it.

Ask me anything and if anyone has similar symptoms I'd be interested to know.

ETA age wise, I believe I would qualify as golden these days but only just

HKP

Oh HKP, you are doing all the right things, certainly. And Mr HKP, too.

I'm thinking of you and really really hoping you are one of the 80% ! Make sure to take regular deep breaths every hour, and get up to move
around. Also wiggle your toes and feet and do little leg exercises in bed regularly so you keep the circulation in your legs going correctly. If possible even putting a board along the foot of your bed so you can push off regularly with your toes can help reduce the chance of deep venous thrombosis. ( DVT).

*sends you some virtual scones with jam and clotted cream"
Regards, Herat

 

[KALI]

I would be ignoring that order. Rather be by the sea than elsewhere!!!

New Jersey’s governor just announced that anyone who has a second home along the shore is to go home to their primary residence and not use another county’s resources if they get sick.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Oh HKP, you are doing all the right things, certainly. And Mrk HKP, too.

I'm thinking of you and really really hoping you are one of the 80% ! Make sure to take regular deep breaths every hour, and get up to move
around. Also wiggle your toes and feet and do little leg exercises in bed regularly so you keep the circulation in your legs going correctly. If possible even putting a board along the foot of your bed so you can push off regularly with your toes can help reduce the chance of deep venous thrombosis. ( DVT).

*sends you some virtual scones with jam and clotted cream"
Regards, Herat

Herat, I really appreciate this thank you

 

[10ofRods]

New England Journal of Medicine on saline shortage....
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1800347

"Most drug shortages occur with older, generic, injectable medications that are produced by a small number of suppliers — typically three or fewer. The United States gets its saline from just three companies: Baxter International, B. Braun Medical, and ICU Medical. Most shortages are caused by a quality or production problem at the manufacturing facility — causes that apply to the current saline shortage as well.2,3 In addition, when one supplier experiences a shortage, other suppliers often have insufficient manufacturing capacity to make up the difference. Drug manufacturers are not required to have redundancy in their facilities or even a business contingency plan in case of a disaster, no matter how essential or lifesaving the medication they are producing.1
Saline is an inexpensive product — it’s simply salt water — but proper manufacturing practices are required to keep it sterile, pyrogen-free, and free from particulate matter. Production demands are challenging, since very large quantities are needed: more than 40 million bags per month. Saline is required for virtually all hospitalized patients, whether as a component of a medication infusion or as a hydration, resuscitation, or irrigation fluid.2 Unfortunately, shortages of saline have become commonplace in recent years (see table).

Most drug shortages occur with older, generic, injectable medications that are produced by a small number of suppliers — typically three or fewer. The United States gets its saline from just three companies: Baxter International, B. Braun Medical, and ICU Medical. Most shortages are caused by a quality or production problem at the manufacturing facility — causes that apply to the current saline shortage as well.2,3 In addition, when one supplier experiences a shortage, other suppliers often have insufficient manufacturing capacity to make up the difference. Drug manufacturers are not required to have redundancy in their facilities or even a business contingency plan in case of a disaster, no matter how essential or lifesaving the medication they are producing.1

The shortage of small-volume saline bags (250 ml or less) became dire almost immediately after Baxter’s Puerto Rico manufacturing plant was hit by Hurricane Maria.2 Baxter supplies approximately 50% of U.S. hospitals with this product, which is used as a diluent to deliver a variety of parenteral medications. Despite this tremendous need, Baxter has no redundancy in manufacturing capacity for small-volume saline bags. The other two saline suppliers have not been able to increase their production enough to make up for the shortage.2,3 In fact, saline produced by B. Braun was already in short supply before the hurricane, as the company worked to correct manufacturing-quality problems.3

The saline shortage had actually begun in 2014, affecting large- as well as small-volume products.4 Large-volume saline products (>500 ml) are typically used as maintenance or resuscitation fluids or for irrigation. Although some shortages of large-volume saline solutions are attributable to problems at manufacturing facilities, increased demand for intravenous fluids due to a severe influenza season has also contributed to the current short supply.2

Oh, how we need to change this business model of doing basic healthcare. I am now very interested in the nations that are nationalizing (abruptly) these industries. I guess, in some way, if the president uses that War Production Act, he would in effect be creating a nationalized medical supply line that competes with the private sector and can be turned on at any moment to produce things at fair public prices.

If we can't do saline cheaply and at very high (nearly unlimited supply) and we are running out of so many basic medical supplies...we get an "F" in social consciousness. It's everyone's fault, I guess, for not paying attention and joining some major lobby group.

We will suffer more right now because we have to fix this to move forward. We will need an "oversupply" of all these items...into the foreseeable future. Some would call it abundance. Having a lot of something makes many people feel secure and happy. China had a lot of everything. In vast warehouses. All of it. And regionally dispersed in an exceedingly efficient way (as is the population - but that's a different story).

Abundance of necessities is a good thing, the US should give up its reluctance to warehouse things for emergencies and do some planning for the good of the whole.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Have you tried putting it in a scoop of peanut butter? My current foster is on antibiotics, and it's worked like a charm. I just make sure the peanut butter encases the pill completely, so that he doesn't figure out my real intentions and take evasive actions

We have sun butter because we’re both allergic to peanuts but yes, we tried that. Thank you for your suggestion. Everyone here has been so helpful. She finally ate today! I was able to get her other med in her too by holding her chin up. Then she got a little piece of cheese for doing so good!

I received an email from the shelter. They were able to either adopt out, or place in a home, every animal today!!