Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #54

[musicaljoke]

I don't have a good feeling about this new direction to COVID management. From the article:

During a visit to the plant in Phoenix after weeks holed up at the White House, Mr Trump told journalists: "Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job, but we're now looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening. And we'll have a different group probably set up for that."
The president - who wore safety goggles but no face mask during a tour of the facility - was asked if it was "mission accomplished", and he said: "No, not at all. The mission accomplished is when it's over."
He told reporters: "I'm not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes.
"Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon."

White House plans to disband virus task force

 

[Bravo]

Summer is coming for so many. Very worrisome.

 

[tmar]

Whistleblower complaint blasts Trump administration's COVID-19 response

Matthew Knott
1 hour ago

Washington: A former Trump administration official has alleged he was removed from his post after resisting efforts to "flood" major US cities with potentially dangerous coronavirus drugs and refusing to award lucrative government contracts based on "political connections and cronyism".

The allegations are contained in an 89-page whistleblower complaint filed by Rick Bright, the former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

Bright says he tried to raise the alarm about COVID-19 in January - including the need for the US to stockpile surgical masks and ventilators - but encountered resistance from senior officials who instead downplayed its threat.
...
He said these officials included Alex Azar, the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

"It was obvious that Dr Bright's persistent demands for urgent action to respond to the pandemic had caused a 's--t storm' and a 'commotion' and were unwelcome in the office of the HHS Secretary," his complaint reads.

"As a result, HHS leadership excluded Dr Bright and BARDA from these recurring meetings and from the critical discussions about addressing the COVID-19 pandemic."

He says that "even as HHS leadership began to acknowledge the imminent shortages in critical medical supplies, they failed to recognise the magnitude of the problem, and they failed to take the necessary urgent action".
...

 

[Cool Cats]

Over 70% of inmates at two separate Ohio prisons test positive for Covid-19

Here's a breakdown of cases at each facility:

Marion Correctional Institute: As of May 4, 1,746 inmates and 175 staff members tested positive for Covid-19.

Pickaway Correctional Institute: 1,554 inmates and 101 staff members tested positive for coronavirus.

There have been 11 confirmed coronavirus-related inmate deaths at MCI, and 23 at PCI.

There have also been an additional two “probable” Covid-19 deaths at PCI. A staff member at PCI — a nurse – died due to complications associated with the virus.

It should be noted that these two facilities account for a vast majority of the positive cases in prisons in Ohio currently — 3,300 out of a total of 3,580.

US coronavirus update: Latest on cases, deaths and reopening

Ohio National Guard provides temporary housing for state corrections facilities


Photo By Tech. Sgt. Joseph Harwood | Ohio National Guard members support the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and... read more

 

[BUF]

I don't have a good feeling about this new direction to COVID management. From the article:

During a visit to the plant in Phoenix after weeks holed up at the White House, Mr Trump told journalists: "Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job, but we're now looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening. And we'll have a different group probably set up for that."
The president - who wore safety goggles but no face mask during a tour of the facility - was asked if it was "mission accomplished", and he said: "No, not at all. The mission accomplished is when it's over."
He told reporters: "I'm not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes.
"Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon."

White House plans to disband virus task force

IMO his main concern now is to get the economy going (or try to) and get going on his rallies again.

 

[RANCH]

I found this.

During the first SARS outbreak in 2003, data suggested the virus could remain infectious in bodily fluids such as blood, urine and feces for 72 to 96 hours, says Jason Kindrachuk, microbiologist and assistant professor at the University of Manitoba.

Why doesn't the data confirm that the SARS virus can remain infectious in dead people's bodily fluids? It only suggests it.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/covid-questions-answered-bodies-1.5535139

 

[otto]

Whistleblower complaint blasts Trump administration's COVID-19 response

Matthew Knott
1 hour ago

Washington: A former Trump administration official has alleged he was removed from his post after resisting efforts to "flood" major US cities with potentially dangerous coronavirus drugs and refusing to award lucrative government contracts based on "political connections and cronyism".

The allegations are contained in an 89-page whistleblower complaint filed by Rick Bright, the former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

Bright says he tried to raise the alarm about COVID-19 in January - including the need for the US to stockpile surgical masks and ventilators - but encountered resistance from senior officials who instead downplayed its threat.
...
He said these officials included Alex Azar, the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

"It was obvious that Dr Bright's persistent demands for urgent action to respond to the pandemic had caused a 's--t storm' and a 'commotion' and were unwelcome in the office of the HHS Secretary," his complaint reads.

"As a result, HHS leadership excluded Dr Bright and BARDA from these recurring meetings and from the critical discussions about addressing the COVID-19 pandemic."

He says that "even as HHS leadership began to acknowledge the imminent shortages in critical medical supplies, they failed to recognise the magnitude of the problem, and they failed to take the necessary urgent action".
...

What is this about:

"A former Trump administration official has alleged he was removed from his post after resisting efforts to "flood" major US cities with potentially dangerous coronavirus drugs and refusing to award lucrative government contracts based on "political connections and cronyism."
​

Not surprising, how long did we hear that malaria drugs were the cure until it suddenly switched to Remdesivir? That is also useless, but the USA needs more time to sort that out and will tout it as the cure until other studies overwhelm Gilead Pharmaceuticals.

"Specifically, Bright says he opposed the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as "lacking scientific merit" even though the Trump administration "promoted it as a panacea and demanded that New York and New Jersey be 'flooded' with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India". "Dr Bright hoped that by shining a light on HHS’s reckless and dangerous push to make these drug available, American lives would be saved," his complaint states."
​

https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-...ations-covid-19-response-20200506-p54q75.html

 

[jjenny]

Well, my cat sure understands. He rolls over on command. If I say, "Outside?" he runs to the door. Greenie? Same. Ready for bed? He beats me there. He's an old guy.

My cat only understood one thing- are you hungry? He knew that one.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

I get why the rich care but some of the comments I see on places like Twitter and so on who seem to jump on any bandwagon and are stupid and think this is a conspiracy. Money is all well and good but no point to it if you are dead.

And certain people will still be focused on the economy.

Health and the economy are both important things to be focused on. People need to be able to feed their families. We can’t wait for the virus to be eradicated because that won’t happen anytime soon.

As far as I’m concerned close it indefinitely as long as the government doesn’t keep handing out stimulus checks. That’s the meaning of planning for a rainy day. Unfortunately people don’t do it.

IMO

 

[tresir2012]

Doesn't matter what's going on in other countries or how easy it is to discredit information. History says that SARS infection remained on corpses in Canada for up to 96 hours. Until there is proof that SARS Covid is different, best to trust history.

Can we discredit that SARS was contagious after death?

That was why I asked for a link for the fact you gave.

snipped

I'm just not sure Americans will cooperate with tracing in large enough numbers to make it work.

jmo

Possibly. Maybe accept it and cooperate to defeat the virus then disconnect Bluetooth afterwards to disable the app. Quick tracing and testing seems to be how Germany and South Korea and other countries have beaten the virus.

 

[tresir2012]

IMO they are invested in this and I think they are really interested in the wellbeing of the people. Dr. Birx has an office at the WH, don’t know if that will continue now. Dr. Fauci has never been shy about speaking, although I think he had to adjust his comments at times. Maybe now he will speak even more freely.

President Trump said both Drs. Fauci and Birx would be staying.

Trump says Fauci, Birx will still be involved in COVID-19 efforts

 

[10ofRods]

Mask questions here.

Okay, so it seems clear that cloth masks are not that effective. N95 for medical use are unavailable. N95 for general use are available many places (but banned in some places because particles can escape them, so some places banned them on public transport).

However, most of what I'm reading does not give cloth masks a good protection score - at all. N95's don't block everything incoming, but between 40-60%. Cloth masks, depending on the cloth, block 3-20% of aerosolized particles. The study I read was done regarding nurses and their masks, in places where nurses had to make their own cloth masks.

A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers

Those of you who learned to pleat and double/triple fabric were on the right path. Now, it looks like some kind of neoprene-like fabric is being used.

Here's the thing - I intend to social distance. I do not want people closer than 6 feet and I'm only going to be outdoors when there's a breeze. So...a plain cloth mask (I have one, have to toss it) only blocks 3% of aerosolizd particles. Pillow case fabric, doubled, may block 40% (but again - I don't intend to be near anyone in the first place).

So - what are your mask ideas? I'm more concerned about incoming virion than outgoing, as I know I do not currently have CoVid, but I would like to do something other than pace around the perimeter of my own yard one day.

My daughter, with a family of 5, said her costs went up because food prices have increased significantly.

They sure have. Here in California, protein has gone up in cost, no matter what type it is. I look for it to get worse before it gets better, as California is facing a difficult decision about whether to keep its borders open to cheaper eggs, meat and produce from elsewhere - if there's a risk to it. The news about the two main strains of CoVid is very sobering. Will we give up and just eventually let it come to our state?

Stay tuned. Gov Newsom - if you're reading, what are you going to do there?

 

[tresir2012]

Good to see that you found the link! If people want to handle infected corpses, that's their choice. However, the virus lives on surfaces and bodies for several hours. Seems likely that the virus can live on a dead body just like it lives on a dead surface.

Otto you have not provided the link I asked for so I do not accept it is fact that the virus exists on a dead body. Especially with funeral homes leaving bodies lying around in unrefrigerated locations so that neighbours had to report the smell.

Dozens of Decomposing Bodies Found in Trucks at Brooklyn Funeral Home

 

[cody22]

Summer is coming for so many. Very worrisome.

Opinion - I believe this is going to be a long hot Summer in many different ways........moo

 

[otto]

Otto you have not provided the link I asked for so I do not accept it is fact that the virus exists on a dead body. Especially with funeral homes leaving bodies lying around in unrefrigerated locations so that neighbours had to report the smell.

This is the information that we have. We can figure it out for ourselves based on the fact that people excrete fluids at the time of death, the SARS virus was active on bodies for up to 96 hours, this virus is SARS-COV, and there is information from around the world that the deceased are no longer removed in caskets.

"Right now, Health Canada has no clear answer, but here's what we do know:

SARS-CoV-2 (the proper name for the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19) can remain infectious on different surfaces for varying amounts of time.

"So, it would be possible that the virus could persist and remain infectious in or on the body of someone who has died," says Dr. Ilan Schwartz, infectious disease specialist and assistant professor at the University of Alberta.

During the first SARS outbreak in 2003, data suggested the virus could remain infectious in bodily fluids such as blood, urine and feces for 72 to 96 hours, says Jason Kindrachuk, microbiologist and assistant professor at the University of Manitoba. "​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/covid-questions-answered-bodies-1.5535139

Do you have any specific questions, other than post the link again?

 

[cody22]

REPORT: Texas Hair Salon Owner Gets Jail Sentence for Violating Coronavirus Lockdown Order

Texas Virus News....moo

 

[otto]

Opinion - I believe this is going to be a long hot Summer in many different ways........moo

Does that mean more active hurricane season?

 

[tresir2012]

Mask questions here.

Okay, so it seems clear that cloth masks are not that effective. N95 for medical use are unavailable. N95 for general use are available many places (but banned in some places because particles can escape them, so some places banned them on public transport).

However, most of what I'm reading does not give cloth masks a good protection score - at all. N95's don't block everything incoming, but between 40-60%. Cloth masks, depending on the cloth, block 3-20% of aerosolized particles. The study I read was done regarding nurses and their masks, in places where nurses had to make their own cloth masks.

A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers

Those of you who learned to pleat and double/triple fabric were on the right path. Now, it looks like some kind of neoprene-like fabric is being used.

Here's the thing - I intend to social distance. I do not want people closer than 6 feet and I'm only going to be outdoors when there's a breeze. So...a plain cloth mask (I have one, have to toss it) only blocks 3% of aerosolizd particles. Pillow case fabric, doubled, may block 40% (but again - I don't intend to be near anyone in the first place).

So - what are your mask ideas? I'm more concerned about incoming virion than outgoing, as I know I do not currently have CoVid, but I would like to do something other than pace around the perimeter of my own yard one day.



They sure have. Here in California, protein has gone up in cost, no matter what type it is. I look for it to get worse before it gets better, as California is facing a difficult decision about whether to keep its borders open to cheaper eggs, meat and produce from elsewhere - if there's a risk to it. The news about the two main strains of CoVid is very sobering. Will we give up and just eventually let it come to our state?

Stay tuned. Gov Newsom - if you're reading, what are you going to do there?

If face coverings are recommended I would prefer a home made face shield personally, to cover eyes also.

We have no current meat shortages in UK or higher costs so far luckily.

Regarding the two strains, one report said the new strain was stronger, while another said it was weaker, so I don't know what to believe. I have seen no peer review of either report.

 

[Henry2326]

233 new sequences added to Nextstrain from US. Notice how the CA strains cluster separately from the NY and New Orleans.

Note: I'm not claiming it means something....only that it's different and smarter folks than me are trying to figure it out. Obviously, NY and New Orleans had a much more transmittable issue and virulent issue.

Nextstrain on Twitter

 

[Henry2326]

FL, GA, and SC sample sequences are found nested within a small USA cluster among otherwise mostly Asian sequences.......
Nextstrain on Twitter