Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #49

[nhmemorymaker]

The FDA recently changed the testing procedures and type of swabs that are acceptable in order to ramp up testing ability. It was addressed in one of the White House press conferences a few days ago. I looked but couldn't find which presser had it but I found this article that explains the changes: To speed coronavirus testing, FDA greenlights a new type of nasal swab

From the link:

On Thursday [Apr 16, 2020], the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would allow a broader range of swabs to be used in tests, including some made of polyester that should be far easier to manufacture.

[...]

The FDA also announced that US Cotton, the country’s largest manufacturer of cotton swabs, has developed a polyester-based swab fully compatible with Covid-19 testing. The firm plans to manufacture the swabs in “large quantities,” the FDA said.

[...]

The FDA on Thursday [Apr 16, 2020] took other steps that could help speed up diagnostic testing. It now says that a sample can be collected simply by circling the swab in the nose, instead of sticking a longer swab much deeper into the throat through a nostril. That process is deeply uncomfortable and causes patients to sneeze, meaning that health care providers need to be wearing full protective gear.

The agency also said the swab can be done by a patient, instead of by a health care professional. And instead of being stored in viral transport media, a special solution that is in short supply, the FDA also now said that it is OK to use saline solution, which is much more readily available, if necessary.

*Date in brackets added by me for clarity

ETA: It might have been covered in this presser from Apr 16th:

My DH and I were tested with the nasopharyngeal swab and it was very unpleasant to say the least. I was really happy to see they are accepting use of nasal swabs because I don't want to go through that again. MOO.

Even Trump said how awful the nasopharyngeal swab was!!

 

[Sundog]

Yah, 15%......are we driving 15% less? More like 80% less for us.

I think the credit is for about two months of driving less, 15% credit toward what your annual payment would be. At least that's how it is working with my auto insurance provider. We temporarily cancelled insurance on our second car, as we only need one car right now. Both of us are staying at home and only use one car when we need to go out for food or prescriptions.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

@sillybilly can we have a "News that makes you Smile" thread for Coronavirus? A place for the so many tasteless but funny jokes and stories about "Stay at Home"? I think that we all need some happy stories.
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Anyway, I really don't like the whole "Report on your neighbors" going around lately. Some kids were playing soccer at the park, and the police were called on them. Apparently the kids were just having fun, and being appropriately "Social Distancing".

Talk about living in a "Police State". This whole situation is becoming out of control.

Lets try this----> @sillybilly can we have "the news that makes you silly". more relatable, maybe!!

 

[155etta]

Consumer Reports has a golden opportunity here for a widespread consensus on TP doncha think?

 

[ColyH]

@sillybilly can we have a "News that makes you Smile" thread for Coronavirus? A place for the so many tasteless but funny jokes and stories about "Stay at Home"? I think that we all need some happy stories.
‐‐-‐‐----------------------------------------------

Anyway, I really don't like the whole "Report on your neighbors" going around lately. Some kids were playing soccer at the park, and the police were called on them. Apparently the kids were just having fun, and being appropriately "Social Distancing".

Talk about living in a "Police State". This whole situation is becoming out of control.

I don't think we are living in a "police state" we are living in a "neighbors like to be nosy state."

 

[tresir2012]

Johnson to speak to Trump as recovery continues

Boris Johnson will speak to Donald Trump later on Tuesday and is also expected to hold an audience with the Queen this week.

The prime minister is currently not doing any formal government work as he is still recuperating from coronavirus.

But No 10 said his call with the US President would be "an opportunity for an update on the response of G7 countries" to the pandemic.

No 10 said the PM was continuing to receive updates from senior colleagues.

He has spoken to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has been deputising for him for the past two weeks, and "senior members of his team", No 10 said.

Downing Street also said Mr Johnson - who spent nearly a week in hospital and three nights in intensive care - was "continuing his recovery" at Chequers, his country retreat in Buckinghamshire.

• Live: Coronavirus latest

(Looks like he's getting back on the horse. MOO.)

 

[Tillicum]

In Ohio from the time they first began reporting the number of cases and percentage of male and female, the percentage of positive females was always higher than males until last week. Now it is 40% female and 59% male. I'm guessing more males are getting exposed now than females and wondering if it's partly due to school closings and the moms have needed to stop working in order to stay home with the kids.

I went to Aldi this morning during senior hour. Maybe 20 cars in the lot including one deputy sheriff on watch. One masked and gloved clerk was sanitizing and distributing carts at the door. One masked and gloved clerk was stocking shelves. One masked clerk was running a register behind plexiglass, all lines had plexiglass but only one was open at the time. I only saw 6 customers throughout the store, all wearing masks, none wearing gloves. Six foot markers were in the aisles and register lanes. One way markers for each aisle. All females maintained social distancing but both males went the wrong way in aisles and passed me within three feet. Since they were wearing masks, I'm not gonna freak out too much. (Yea I know their clothing, hair, shoes etc. could be carrying the virus) All shelves were fully stocked with limits on a few articles. One shelf was packed with 18 roll TP packages, limit one so I'm good for TP for awhile. I sanitized everything and put it away.

I got everything on my list, enough for at least 4 weeks. Prices and selection were great. I felt safe and relieved. All in all a very good morning for my first trip out after about 6 weeks.

 

[Sundog]

YVW. If I hadn't been following Dr. Seheult on MedCram, I would have needed to watch it at least 5 times lol. Hopefully, your friends will have some background to understand. But I really liked how he built on Dr. Seheult's messages to us, and then expounded upon the normal cascade that happens at ACE2, and the interference of the virus at the ACE2 receptors which prevent vasodilation needed, and increases the inflammatory response - the normal response is blocked and rerouted to a dangerous alternate pathway.

This video..... It was a final AHA! moment that I had never really understood COMPLETELY until this video. Glad I found as YouTube algorithm must have sent my way. I only found today in my "home" link at YouTube, as most every day, I just click on my "subscribed" Youtubes. Food for thought, algorithms are good for such. I'm slowing going through his other videos.

In another of his videos, He's on board with the vitamin D need/impact as is Dr. Sehult and Dr. Campbell. (love how Dr. Campbell pronounces vitamin lol). I think many in the scientific community really want the word out about vitamin D, as both Dr. S and Dr. Campbell has said again and again it's so simple and effective, yet Dr. C is continuing to be concerned that no one is speaking to as not politically correct perhaps to speak to that it is more of an issue of a person of color due to their skin color not allowing sufficient production of vitamin D (his words, not mine)

Great video. I watched it several times, but now am confused about medications for hypertension such as ACE inhibitors (Lisinopril, etc.) and Angiotension blockers (Losartan, etc.). I recall studies and conversations with experts that suggested that ACE inhibitors might be contraindicated in relation to COVID-19. I would like to understand this better, so will continue to do research on this.

 

[anneg]

I don't think we are living in a "police state" we are living in a "neighbors like to be nosy state."

We used to live in western PA, near Pittsburgh, where nosy neighbors were called "nebby neighbors." There were other words we heard there that I haven't heard in other places we have lived. See link below for more.

Dictionary

 

[mickey2942]

I don't think we are living in a "police state" we are living in a "neighbors like to be nosy state."

Agree to disagree.
Police issue arrest warrant for Louisiana pastor who held services despite state order

 

[Sundog]

FDA authorizes first at-home coronavirus test

 

[BlueShoe]

I sort of wish it wasn't called "opening up the country," or "liberating the state," or similar here in the U.S. I wish it would be called something like "first step," or "partial isolation." My fear is that too many people will not understand that we should still have some reasonable and responsible behavior and not just rush out as if life were suddenly back to normal. Lots of people, including me, feel anticipation and are tired of waiting. But we don't want a return of this lock-down anytime soon because of too many people acting irresponsibly toward others. MOO

 

[Simply Southern]

Live | The White House

2:05 PM EDT
Vice President Pence Participates in a Roundtable Discussion with GE Healthcare Employees
Madison, WI

 

[Jax49]

FDA authorizes first at-home coronavirus test

$119. Thanks for linking.

 

[Trident]

Sometimes...i dunno... feels as if we are getting a big fat warning to how damaging our regular lifestyle is.. wonder if we will see any real real changes as to polution, the oceans, the environment.. we are learning much.

Yes, our "regular/normal" lifestyle is very danaging to everyone and everything. If we would all just sit back and take a good/honest look at what we have turned our world into, with no care for life or our fellow man, maybe we would hang our heads in shame and ask for forgiveness.

 

[Tillicum]

US records lowest coronavirus-related deaths in 2 weeks

Monday marked the lowest number of coronavirus-related fatalities in the U.S. in two weeks, just days after the number of deaths had spiked to 4,591 in a single day. According to Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. lost 1,433 people to coronavirus on April 20, adding to the overall death toll of 42,364.

According to the data, nearly 93 percent of all U.S. deaths from the pandemic have occurred in the past three weeks, 44 percent of which have occurred over the last seven days. But after several sharp spikes last week, the number seems to be slowing, with the data reflecting an average of 600 less deaths than previous days.

 

[Trident]

Ya'll wanna know what I've learned from this pandemic? I've learned that old people, immune compromised like me, should stay out of crowds during flu/virus season - the same as I always did. I've learned to use good sense, shop when there are less people, like early in the morning. AND, for God's sake, stay away from children, even your own grandkiddies - they are walking/talking/lovely hothouses for all kinds of germs and viruses.

Use some common sense folks, I do, and I've managed to stay alive for many years. The Good Lord willing, it will be many more, if the creek don't rise.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Agree to disagree.
Police issue arrest warrant for Louisiana pastor who held services despite state order

I think this might be a little different. I’m absolutely against the pastor being arrested for holding services but this was aggravated assault.

La. pastor arrested after allegedly backing bus in direction of protester

Videos at link: The bus incident, the white truck incident, and the arrest of the pastor

“At first I thought he [Spell] was just turning around his bus and was going to pull away, but he just kept coming in reverse,” said Trey Bennett, the protester.

There is also a second warrant out for the arrest of the person driving a white truck that appears to swerve off the road in a separate attempt to hit a protester standing on the side of the road near the church.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Great video. I watched it several times, but now am confused about medications for hypertension such as ACE inhibitors (Lisinopril, etc.) and Angiotension blockers (Losartan, etc.). I recall studies and conversations with experts that suggested that ACE inhibitors might be contraindicated in relation to COVID-19. I would like to understand this better, so will continue to do research on this.

agree. especially since i take lisinipril. confess, personal bias here.

 

[Sundog]

I sort of wish it wasn't called "opening up the country," or "liberating the state," or similar here in the U.S. I wish it would be called something like "first step," or "partial isolation." My fear is that too many people will not understand that we should still have some reasonable and responsible behavior and not just rush out as if life were suddenly back to normal. Lots of people, including me, feel anticipation and are tired of waiting. But we don't want a return of this lock-down anytime soon because of too many people acting irresponsibly toward others. MOO

I was on a work-related conference call this morning, and we are all working remotely, and we are making plans for phase 1 reopening, and phase 2 reopening, and phase 3 reopening, according to federal guidelines. These are just contingency plans we have to start developing, but they are very fluid in terms of changes that we have a team that monitors them changes daily as reported by CDC and state health department and county health department.