Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #57

[nhmemorymaker]

From a real Minnesota nurse. Why people are dying. Choosing who lives and who dies. Frightening.

You all cannot imagine what's going on right now. The last 2 days have been, by far, the worst I've seen in my career. Monday, we tried desperately to keep Covid patients alive all day, only to go back Tuesday and find out several of them coded and died on evening shift. Only one, they were able to bring back. After struggling all day and doing our best, my coworkers still had to run BACK TO BACK codes and lose most of them.
Why? Because despite the reassurance from above, NO, we do not have ICU beds for everyone. And even if we have a couple open ICU beds, there is now no nurses for them, so they are useless. We do not have enough resources. In person, I watched the house supervisor try to pound it through the physicians' heads, yes there was an open bed, but no one to staff it, they could NOT transfer the patient. That patient is one that later died, NOT in the ICU, but still with us.
ICU admits are reportedly down, here's the truth why... If a Covid patient is a certain age group and has certain comorbidities, they are being ruled out for ICU potential. We are told they are not to be transferred to the ICU. Numbers are down because they never make it there. The doctors are having "Serious Illness," conversations with their families, trying to obtain DNR/DNI orders.
I will say, sometimes these decisions ARE in the best interest of the patient, but right now, I'm starting to see this on a large scale and with patients we would not have done it with before. Many of these patients do not want to die. Their families do not want them to die. The MD notes in the chart are literally reading like, "During times of crisis, when resources are strained... This patient likely would not experience a positive outcome..." Basically, if they don't think the patient would do as well as others, well, the others are more deserving of the few beds we have and this patient is prevented access. Yup, we're 100% already doing this in Minnesota. Choosing who lives and dies.
So, we are being forced to care for patients who need an ICU level of care, in a lower care environment with lower levels of intervention. BiPap and Hi flow will work for some patients, but often we are desperately trying to maintain patients who are really too critically ill to remain on them, because ICU space is now at a premium. It is NOT WORKING AND PEOPLE ARE DYING.
I don't know what to do or say anymore... It's seeing horrible things already happening, feeling helpless to stop them, and knowing so much more is on the way. I'm seeing our government leaders claim "we have prepared," but going to work and having no support. Nurse/patient ratios are the same, even though patients are 10 times sicker and staying on my unit, when they need ICU. We're short on staff, because we are also getting sick. I would usually be able to call a flying squad nurse for assistance when I'm getting in over my head, now they're all being pulled to the ICU to replace staff and there is no back up. We had no aide on one of the hallways, like so often lately, so we do the work of aide, on top of nurse, with those patients. We're not getting breaks. We're not drinking fluids adequately, too short on time and afraid to remove our N95s. There's headaches, dizziness, crying and fatigue. We are under pressure to literally keep those patients alive, because there's no alternative. And this is the tip of the iceberg...
Please wear your masks and maintain distance if we must open. Follow the rules. I am BEGGING you, please! Please, please have humility and compassion for others, please think about your family, neighbors and their families. Please think about us. Have enough heart to care for people you don't know.

Do we know when this was written?

 

[dixiegirl1035]

And my understanding the CEO has a new position with the government and had not released himself from his stock before that 20% increase!!! Quick Money!
I had been more hopeful watching the Oxford U progress with Astra Zeneca ... but sadly, there appears to be some fault with their trials with animals...

I like international research firms that don't go so cowboy with the PR like American firms do... But I can't figure out why there is so little press on the setback with the Oxford research. Since we are all watching this Race for the Cure, I really thought there would be more joy in presenting negative press regarding the setback... guess we'll just have to wait and see....
Doubts over Oxford COVID-19 vaccine after animals tested catch virus

Was just watching the TODAY show live and they covered this and indeed labelled it as "racing for the cure".

They (Oxford) said that they were excited at how it was performing, and at this time they are giving to 10,000 humans, and that the US government had invested 1 bn $$.

brb to upload a screenshot



I do have fear that some may try to consider "sunk costs" when moving forward with a vaccine that really doesn't meet standards. It's never good business to weigh in how much is invested so heck or high water we're moving forward, and could be deadly if done with a vaccine. I'll be looking at papers when they come out for sure vs. listening to CEO's or MSM or others.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

One could come from a mindset of blame, yes. One could also come from a mindset of learning important lessons in what not to do.

These studies always follow these situations. It is going to be hard to take in the future.........but we are going to be hearing lots of wrongs from China to all the third world countries that are still brewing.

 

[MimosaMornings]

I know of two care centers in the Nashville TN area that are now allowing families to “check out” their loved one in the facility for the day. Visitors are still NOT allowed in.
Residents can gather in groups of 5 to play cards, read, talk. Dining room open with spaced tables and staggered times.

 

[tresir2012]

Right, I wish we all knew.

WHO knew the first USA case flew in on 21 Jan. UK knew of their first cases 26th Feb. They contact traced but couldn't stop it . Whether that was because they just couldn't trace everyone or there were earlier cases we will never know IMO.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Was just watching the TODAY show live and they covered this and indeed labelled it as "racing for the cure".

They (Oxford) said that they were excited at how it was performing, and at this time they are giving to 10,000 humans, and that the US government had invested 1 bn $$.

brb to upload a screenshot

View attachment 247855[/QUOT

I thought we had heard some setbacks from the Oxford study. Testing on Monkeys. Are they saying differently now.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

...

I know of two care centers in the Nashville TN area that are now allowing families to “check out” their loved one in the facility for the day. Visitors are still NOT allowed in.
Residents can gather in groups of 5 to play cards, read, talk. Dining room open with spaced tables and staggered times.

This is such good news..... These isolated folks just break my heart.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I thought we had heard some setbacks from the Oxford study. Testing on Monkeys. Are they saying differently now.

It wasn't mentioned

Only that they were already prepping by making available hundreds of millions of doses by end of year, and billions by end of 2021.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I am enjoying the PHLove music COVID program tonight. It is all the famous Philly singers, like Patty LaBelle, The Geeter and Bobby Rydell, and a bunch of other DJ like figures. Good music. They are even playing some of that black Church gospel music.

That all sounds like great Philly... their music and followers have always been a "philly strong" lot.
My daughter owns a little house in Philly in a sweet little neighborhood. She and boyfriend moved to NYC for jobs this past year. So she, boyfriend and dog are living in a 6th floor apartment. She cries over how much she misses being in her lovely Philly neighborhood....

 

[tresir2012]

If only we had all realised that the virus was entering our countries through Europe as well.
One of our first Aussie outbreaks followed a wedding where people flew in from Europe (Italy) to attend the wedding.

Do you remember the date of that? I am wondering if it is around the same dates as the returning UK skiers from Italy around 26th Feb.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

UK and US, CV+ people in hospital were moved to care homes as much as possible, to free up beds in hospitals as CoVid ramped up. Not everywhere, but in New York, New Jersey and California:

‘Playing Russian Roulette’: Nursing Homes Told to Take the Infected

In UK, CV+ patients were also moved to care homes:

Care homes' soaring death rate blamed on 'reckless' order to take back Covid-19 patients

In Washington and UK, care home workers then transmitted the disease to more care homes (they were likely. mostly asymptomatic):

Agency staff were spreading Covid-19 between care homes, PHE found in April

Nursing home staff spread coronavirus to other facilities, CDC investigation finds

It's very important to remember these things and how this now endemic spread first started.

It helps to put school openings in question. Most care home workers are mothers of school age children. They work long hours, often at several care homes. Some of the dads work in those homes too (night shift). Any cryptic transmission of CoVid in schools will result in hundreds of asymptomatic but CV+ LVN's, medical attendants, caregivers (in homes and at people's own homes).

Many who work in the courts are parents as well. They will bring it, being asymptomatic, into courts where judges themselves will be one of the most vulnerable groups, but also elderly witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants.

This means it will inevitably move back into hospitals and care homes. It will move into the court system. Then the second wave will hit.

Having said all that, it's certainly the case that not all elderly people will die. They will just be very, very sick and our healthcare system will become astronomically overburdened and expensive. It will be hard to get non-CV patients all their proper care.

Many younger people will also be very sick, some on ventilators, and many with what look to be lifelong health issues.

If a place hasn't had a new case of CV for a couple of weeks, and if there are contact tracers available, it would make sense for parents to be told of the risks, and for parents who work in essential healthcare roles to be tested daily, which is possible.

PCR based testing, there is no other way right now. But that's not going to get put in place before August. It simply isn't going to happen and the legal issues surrounding such a plan take us into uncharted waters.

As usual, @10ofRods, a boatload of information. However, most the articles here are about a month old... one quite recent. Since you seem to track the trends so well.... i hope you will continue to share any updates on the "care homes" dilemma.... I "feel" it is getting much better, but have no real way of understanding...
Have they put holds on "staff travelling among care centers"? That bit was actually new info for me, just didn't know why there was so much of that. My own doctor was livid that they were putting hospitalized care home patients back in care homes.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Suicide rates spike through COVID-19 pandemic

Heres a small sampling.

Suicide deaths have to be investigated pretty thoroughly. It's going to be a bit before anyone gets their total numbers.

I personally know one person who attempted suicide due to CV. She was on a vent for a couple of days afterwards.

Jmo

 

[Simply Southern]

It's looking back, and even Fauci on February 29th that he saw no immediate need for social distancing.

Sorry, I must have missed this. Do you happen to have a source for the 2/29/20 quoting Dr. Fauci?

Thanks

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Julia Roberts and other celebs team with Dr. Fauci for #PassTheMic campaign - CNN

(CNN)Some big names in Hollywood are partnering with Dr. Anthony Fauci and other experts for a campaign to highlight what they say is a need for a more unified global response to the pandemic.

The #PassTheMic campaign, announced Wednesday, is part of the ONE World Campaign and calls "for a global response to COVID-19 that protects the most vulnerable, supports people worst hit economically, strengthens health systems and creates a more just and equal world." It's run by ONE, a global campaign to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030.

Here is the first one... Julia passing to Dr. Fauci

In addition to the youtube, they have a page for his comments

What keeps me optimistic is the power of science

 

[zecats]

That first picture is worth a 1000 words... an image that used to be of pleasure and such fun....now just looks so dangerous. I am sure you will keep us updated @tresor2012.... Our beaches just do not look this bad... well... I don't think so anyway. Maybe we will get pictures this Memorial Day Weekend too.
I was at one of our beaches this week at 8am. We can drive on some of our beaches here and I probably saw 10 or so people for miles in either direction. I had forgotten just how wonderful the smell of salt air was! And for right now only our county residents can drive on to the beach... that helps.

We'll see what the Jersey Shore looks like this weekend as well, though the cooler than normal temps may be somewhat of a deterrent for beachgoers and boardwalk strollers.

I'm waiting until after this holiday weekend to go down and open my condo unit, and even then will practice all I need to practice to stay safe. FWIW, my place is in Wildwood Crest, which has an extremely wide beach. When the tide is out, it's even wider..so hopefully easier to keep folks spread apart. Lifeguards have been placed on duty for this weekend and next - every other chair. After that, they are there full time.

 

[SouthAussie]

Do you remember the date of that? I am wondering if it is around the same dates as the returning UK skiers from Italy around 26th Feb.

March 6th wedding. 39 guests tested positive afterwards.

(Our very first case was on January 25th, a man who had returned from Wuhan. We closed flights from China and Iran, but flights from Europe were still arriving regularly at the time.)

 

[Simply Southern]

WTH? People can belly up to the bar, buddy/buddy. And storm troopers bust into churches to measure people, to make sure everyone is 6 feet apart.

The world has gone insane, every week it is something else.

In Virginia all the ABC stores are open, restaurants selling alcohol to go per governors Emergency Order.

All our churches remain closed per governors EO.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Even as late as February 29th, people like Tony Fauci were saying there was no immediate need for social distancing.

I am not sure why you keep stating this... Fauci and Redfields were quite early trying to influence social distancing. And it made a pretty big difference to most people. I don't think it is a big deal as of a precise date... but they both were predicting what did transpire as days were flying by. A lot keeps changing (i.e. virus on surfaces etc), but social distancing is, in my opinion, one of the most important messages, along with washing hands!

Redfield and the National Institute of Health’s top immunologist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, recommended the White House launch social distancing guidelines in late February, but no action was not taken until about three weeks later.

https://nypost.com/2020/04/13/cdc-head-urged-coronavirus-mitigation-in-late-february/

 

[nhmemorymaker]

well, here we are in Southwest Florida, it is really
hot and our AC went out--had to call a tech to
come and fix it---hate that but have no choice-
so he arrives with no mask, so i quickly got him
a mask-- i am staying away from him and letting
my husband deal with him-- it freaks me out-
so when he leaves i will use alcohol to disinfect
every surface he touched--- so now he is vacuuming
out the drain-- if he has the virus we are dead

the fact is that air condtitioning spreads the virus- i have to
pray he doesnt have it--he could be an asymptomatic carrier

I had to have service in the house as well, last month. These are essential workers and I feel for them....but they are in and out of many residences, who knows where, and they are usually young and could be asymptomatic...so it is a hard call. I feel much better going into stores where I know how to be now. Easier than having strangers, good hardworking strangers no doubt, but still strangers coming in.

 

[JerseyGirl]

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