Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #55

[SoCalDavidS]

Sorry if this was posted already. Anyways, it's worth being posted again.

Cannabis promising in reducing coronavirus infection: Alberta study | Calgary Herald

Cannabis shows promise blocking coronavirus infection: Alberta researcher

Cannabis extracts are showing potential in making people more resistant to the novel coronavirus, says an Alberta researcher leading a study.

After sifting through 400 cannabis strains, researchers at the University of Lethbridge are concentrating on about a dozen that show promising results in ensuring less fertile ground for the potentially lethal virus to take root, said biological scientist Dr. Igor Kovalchuk.

 

[roche.analisa]

I keep thinking...no, people get it... they will not congregate on the beaches, or churches.. we know better now. But, geeez, when I see this number today,, I guess all i keep thinking is "what are we thinking?"

"We" are not thinking. My microbiologist husband keeps walking around singing, "COVID bloom" - a song he made up after Texas started reopening and the whole world around us started acting like this never happened.

So obviously the baby shower for our first grand baby will not happen. We rolled out the baby registry to friends/family. We asked that gifts be sent to their own home and arrange to drop them here to us and we will get them to Son and DIL. Then we will pick a date/time and do a virtual baby shower. They can open their gifts and those who can will be able to watch. I figured I went to all these folks baby showers so I didn't feel awkward about sending out the registry. They wont have the food but most people hate going to them anyways

I love baby showers! And bringing dinner to families with new babies! And all things baby!

My county scored an F...........................I am dooooooooooomed................moo

North Texas here - Texas F, Tarrant County F.

 

[Bravo]

I am so happy you are able to go back to work @Bravo Yay!!!!

Thanks so much. It will give me some time to phase out mentally to retirement. A job I have loved for well over 30 yrs. So come fall I will be done. Unless there is another exposure then that's it for me. I feel confident I can do it safely but mentally I don't want to go thru it again. I think what kept me sane was the fact that I was on day 7 since exposure when I found out.

 

[Trino]

We are living in a science fiction movie now.

When the pandemic first started, TX was giving info by zip code. No more. No idea why, but I certainly would like to know what areas to avoid. Not asking for specific homes/addresses, just what cities. The names of nursing facilities in my area that have the virus are given. Why not info about specific zip codes?

 

[musicaljoke]

Nationwide, nearly 100 children have been diagnosed with the newly identified syndrome, which has been called pediatric multisymptom inflammatory syndrome. The Chicago Tribune reports that about half a dozen children in Illinois have been hospitalized with the condition.

At least eight states — California, Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington — and Washington, D.C., have reported cases, according to NBC News.

Dr. Stan Shulman, pediatric infectious diseases specialist for Lurie Children’s at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said he believes the new syndrome is a delayed response to a COVID-19 infection, as symptoms start developing about 4 to 6 weeks after a child was infected with the virus.

"Some patients with the new syndrome have one or two Kawasaki- like symptoms, but the way they attack the heart is different," he explained. "Kawasaki attacks the coronary arteries, while the new syndrome attacks the heart muscle, which affects how the heart pumps blood. This new syndrome causes shock and low blood pressure because the heart isn't pumping normally. It can cause difficulties with the GI tract and kidneys, and there is usually vomiting or diarrhea. Some kids develop a rash or red eyes, which are also symptoms of Kawasaki Disease."
...
Unlike COVID in adults, which tends to be more severe in those with underlying health conditions, this new syndrome is attacking healthy kids.

Shulman said parents should not panic, but should be aware of the symptoms, which are primarily a high fever, belly pain and diarrhea or vomiting. He said not all kids have the Kawasaki-like rash or red eyes, but they have been seen in some cases.
New COVID-19 related syndrome showing up in children in Illinois | Kane County Chronicle

Noooo, I so much don't want children to get this. How odd that there is such a delayed onset. Does anyone know if there is a treatment?

Please, let's not send the kids back to school just yet.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Check out how your state & county scored on social distancing...

Covid-19 Social Distancing Scoreboard — Unacast

No matter what county/state I enter - still a big fat F.

 

[Tillicum]

When the pandemic first started, TX was giving info by zip code. No more. No idea why, but I certainly would like to know what areas to avoid. Not asking for specific homes/addresses, just what cities. The names of nursing facilities in my area that have the virus are given. Why not info about specific zip codes?

Weather.com has info per zip code.

 

[MimosaMornings]

When the pandemic first started, TX was giving info by zip code. No more. No idea why, but I certainly would like to know what areas to avoid. Not asking for specific homes/addresses, just what cities. The names of nursing facilities in my area that have the virus are given. Why not info about specific zip codes?

Each county could be doing their own information. Here is one example
Brazoria County Coronavirus Map | Brazoria County, TX

 

[musicaljoke]

Well - yes, but the virus would mostly or entirely spread among the unvaccinated - they will have made a decision to get CV-19.

For the rest of us, it seems likely that the vaccine will not provide 100% protection, but it will be close. One thing that it's predicted to do is to decrease severity in the few people who still get it. That's simply not as unlikely as it sounds, since we know that most people have either no symptoms or mild symptoms.

People don't understand vaccines, sadly. I do think people will change their minds once those of us who have the vaccines live to tell about it. At any rate, it will take some meditation and work on my part to deal with people who refuse to have vaccines.

Good luck to the unvaccinated because once the vaccine is widely available, the economy can open and the rest of us can go safely about the world.

While Oxford is making great progress and UK has secured a manufacturing partner in India for when the vaccine is through testing, their plan is to make about 20-40 million doses in the next year - enough for UK adults.

The vaccine that's furthest along is from SinoVac, in China. They plan 100 million doses within a year - so not enough even for China.

For those of us in the US, our researcher/manufacturer is Pfizer, which intends "millions" of doses by December/January - not nearly enough for 330 million Americans.

So most people reading here won't be getting that vaccine until sometime in 2021, if then - unless some governmental agency devotes resources to scaling up production in the U.S. I can't even imagine how they'll make decisions about who gets the "millions" that Pfizer is supposed to have available in the upcoming winter. Military? White House and Congress? Doctors and nurses? Essential workers next? Hotspots?

At any rate, I guess I'm resigning myself to not even having the opportunity for a vaccine before I age another couple of years. Fortunately, standard of care will surely improve.

End of the beginning for COVID-19 vaccines

^Article shows timelines for testing and production - there's a fourth one I didn't mention, another one in China with scant data on when it might have a vaccine ready.

Compliance might not be so dismal for an adult vaccination program. I suspect employers will make vaccination mandatory.

 

[10ofRods]

Johns Hopkins refutes Rush Limbaugh's claim that California has reached herd immunity - and while at it, refutes other myths about herd immunity.

Early Herd Immunity against COVID-19: A Dangerous Misconception

 

[firebird]

It says the study is bull crap.

Or that "social distancing" doesn't correlate with low virus rates. jmo

 

[10ofRods]

Compliance might not be so dismal for an adult vaccination program. I suspect employers will make vaccination mandatory.

Not if we're only planning to manufacture a 2-3 million vaccines a year. I wonder how it'll ever get scaled up and whether the Chinese vaccines will end being used (and will they rush them through testing in the US?) Because China's plan is to use all of their own vaccine production, as scheduled, for the next couple of years. They need to get their own economy back on its feet.

We shall see. Unless there's dramatic investment at the federal level, it may be vaccines purchased state-by-state, with the richer states bidding higher than other states.

There are plans (sort of on pause right now) for two more American companies to come on line. First estimate was late Autumn, but, well here's the whole article:

End of the beginning for COVID-19 vaccines

The good news is that Johnson and Johnson stands ready (if their vaccine is approved by January 2021) to produce 300 million doses by the end of 2021.

So the US should, in theory, have enough vaccine available by December 31, 2021 - or shortly thereafter.

I am not always optimistic about big corporations getting such enormous scaling upwards as quickly as they'd like stockholders to think they will.

That's a really long time for airlines, amusement parks, hotels, sports franchises, etc. to be without a vaccine - and I bet they open without it. If things go well enough with just contact tracing, I doubt they will force existing employees to get the vaccine (I can only imagine the legal challenges to that).

 

[Trino]

Each county could be doing their own information. Here is one example
Brazoria County Coronavirus Map | Brazoria County, TX

But, that's by county. Just about every state is doing it by county. I want something more specific - zip codes, at least.

 

[firebird]

Older article but still applies to incoming air travel and they have your personal information.

Travelers caught disobeying the Texas self-quarantine order could face jail time

Tyler woman describes enforcement of travel-related quarantine order

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update | Southwest Airlines

“Anyone traveling through/from

• California (Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Ontario, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose)
• Connecticut (Hartford)
• Georgia (Atlanta)
• Illinois (Chicago - Midway)
• Michigan (Detroit and Grand Rapids)
• New Jersey
• New York (Albany, Buffalo/Niagara, Long Island/Islip, New York - LaGuardia, and Rochester)
• Washington (Seattle/Tacoma and Spokane)

to any of our Texas destinations will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days and complete this form from the Texas Department of Public Safety upon arrival. Travelers may complete the form electronically and show their confirmation email, along with a valid driver's license/ID card or passport, to a DPS Trooper upon disembarking the plane. This is effective March 28 until further notification is received from the Governor of Texas’ website.”

TxDPS - COVID-19 Travel Information


https://www.dps.texas.gov/covidtravel/TravelFormForArrivals.pdf

I think the Gov's order the other day saying no jail time for violations of his EO overrides this -- at least the possible jail part.

 

[tmar]

Couple die drinking homemade beer to get around coronavirus lockdown restrictions

Abigail O'Leary
6 hrs ago
...
A couple died after drinking homemade beer to get around strict coronavirus lockdown restrictions on alcohol.

Tony Hilliar, 54, and Alida Fouche, 42, had run out of their own supplies of alcohol when they opted to make a batch of home-brew beer in the Port Nolloth home in South Africa.


The country has imposed strict restrictions on the sale of alcohol since going into lockdown a number of weeks ago.

It is believed both collapsed at their home after drinking a bottle of the brew each.
...
“Everyone is making their own beer so Tony did as well but it seems something went terribly wrong with the brew and that they both collapsed and died very senseless deaths.

“This alcohol ban is just beyond total belief and there is no sense whatsoever in it and the sooner people are treated like grown ups the better” he said.
...
South African Breweries have also just announced that it will have to pour 400 million bottles of beer down the drain as they are not allowed to transport it to their bottling plants.
...
It said that South Africa along with Panama and Sri Lanka were the only three countries in the world where all forms of alcohol sales to the population were still strictly prohibited by law.

 

[MimosaMornings]

But, that's by county. Just about every state is doing it by county. I want something more specific - zip codes, at least.

Here is SC broken down by county and zip code.
SC Cases by County & ZIP Code (COVID-19) | SCDHEC

 

[cody22]

11 Secret Service members have coronavirus, 23 have recovered, 60 self-quarantining: report

Uh-Oh !.....Secret Service Virus News.......moo

Seattle to permanently close 20 miles of streets to traffic so residents can exercise and bike on them

Seattle, Washington Virus News...moo

 

[Inthedetails]

Seattle to permanently close 20 miles of streets to traffic so residents can exercise and bike on them

Seattle, Washington Virus News...moo

There is a street in my neighborhood closed to traffic for the same reason. I love it! It's a bit weird because LE is there to monitor, but I do appreciate the extra space. I also like there is room for kids to bike, scooter, etc - which is nice since all playgrounds are closed to them now.

jmo

 

[LadyL]

There is a street in my neighborhood closed to traffic for the same reason. I love it! It's a bit weird because LE is there to monitor, but I do appreciate the extra space. I also like there is room for kids to bike, scooter, etc - which is nice since all playgrounds are closed to them now.

jmo

seems redundant
why didn't they just assign the cops to watch the playgrounds?

 

[Bravo]

seems redundant
why didn't they just assign the cops to watch the playgrounds?

The playground equipment would be an issue.