Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #72

[Trino]

What is going to happen to all these people? All the kids? Evictions expected to be 11 million in one year.

Every year, about 2.3 million American renter households receive eviction papers at some point. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we might see that many evictions in one month.
11 million households could be evicted over the next four months

 

[ArianeEmory]

As Republicans Embrace Cut in Jobless Aid, Divisions Weaken Their Leverage

 

[SouthAussie]

Vaccines are tested. It's not actually rocket science - there are only a few components. If you check where your actual Rx meds come from, most come from the same places (in the case of the Oxford vaccine, it's India - and Oxford is very much involved in the production process; most of my meds come from India to begin with).

I think it's really strange to say "they" have contaminated baby formula. Are you speaking of China? Because that's not where our first batch of vaccines is coming from. We will be sharing the vaccines with UK and, apparently, India.

The US doesn't make many pharmaceuticals - and I don't think Australia makes a lot, either. Almost all our statins, heart meds, anesthetics and so on come from India (I think the US also gets meds produced in Canada and Mexico).

I am reading, though, that New Jersey may be producing pharma. But my two Rx drugs are made in India. They are tested in multiple ways (that's what university level pharmacologists do - they don't just count out the pills, they also test them for potency; V.A. hospitals all have professional pharmacologists as well, and they test chemically for purity - which is all a person needs, IMO).

Those India-produced pills .....

"Much of the contents of your medicine cabinet can be traced back to Chinese ingredients processed into pills in India. Thanks to the coronavirus, much of Chinese industry remains shut down. The potential ramifications of that for pharmaceuticals are now becoming clear."
If Coronavirus-Stricken China Can’t Export Medicine, the World Is in Trouble
The Wall Street Journal - March 5, 2020


Also, purity does not necessarily mean no adverse reactions or longterm effects. That depends on your own sensitivities, from my understanding.
Pharmaceutical excipients – where do we begin?

I am not an anti-vaxxer or anti-medication person. I have just looked at this a lot because my own doctor tries to steer us towards better diet and lifestyle first, meds and supplements later ... unless absolutely necessary of course.

I find that the US is very big-pharma driven for the most part. I asked a US friend, why are you prescribed cholesterol lowering medicine? "Oh, because I want to keep overeating all the stuff that I like."

But I am getting O/T, other than my concern about a rushed covid vac, so I will stop here.

 

[margarita25]

Streamed 5 hours ago:
Trump Holds Coronavirus Briefing From North Carolina | NBC News

 

[ilovewings]

Well, now we know.
“This evidence should help put to rest previous reports of a possible association between blood type A and a higher risk for COVID-19 infection and mortality,” Dua said.

COVID-19 and Blood Type

I have a problem with the scientists (or whoever) came out and initially said Type A was higher risk for Covid-- I know that we are learning new things about this virus all the time, but false information like this can scare people needlessly. Perhaps they should have waited until they knew for sure one way or the other before coming out with this false information. I think false information like this causes distrustful people to be more distrustful of the medical establishment. Just sayin'

 

[beatrixpotter]

Do you plan to get it this year because of Covid?? I still don't want to get the flu vaccine- one the problems with it is that it only covers certain strains so every season it is just not known what strains we will have that will not be covered by the vaccine

I've never had one either. I am allergic to a lot of antibiotics so I'm afraid of taking something unless I have to. I also have had the flu only one time in over 40 years and it was super mild. I'm not sure why but no one on my side of the family basically seems to ever get the flu. The flu vaccine is usually only 50% effective. So it never seemed worth it to me. I am considering it this year though.

 

[ilovewings]

I've never had one either. I am allergic to a lot of antibiotics so I'm afraid of taking something unless I have to. I also have had the flu only one time in over 40 years and it was super mild. I'm not sure why but no one on my side of the family basically seems to ever get the flu. The flu vaccine is usually only 50% effective. So it never seemed worth it to me. I am considering it this year though.

i dont know what to do this year-- it is a dilemma!

 

[ZoriahNZ]

Some very informative stuff, updating on recent studies regarding mask usage.

Face Masks Really Do Matter. The Scientific Evidence Is Growing.

Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said he believes the pandemic could be brought under control over the next four to eight weeks if “we could get everybody to wear a mask right now.” His comments, made in mid-July with the Journal of the American Medical Association, followed an editorial he and others wrote there emphasizing “ample evidence” of asymptomatic spread and highlighting new studies showing how masks help reduce transmission.

 

[SouthAussie]

i dont know what to do this year-- it is a dilemma!

My suggestion, for what it is worth, is ... have your flu vac. I felt much like you until a few years ago, when my nurse DD hounded me into my first flu vac, even though I rarely got flu throughout my whole life - unless I was stressed.
No adverse reactions, and I have continued having them yearly from that point on.

This is a period of great stress - and thereby possible lowered resistance - for us all.

 

[beatrixpotter]

Some quick references:

Mayo Clinic / Vitamin C

“In some people, oral use of vitamin C can cause kidney stones. Long-term use of oral vitamin C supplements over 2,000 milligrams a day increases the risk of significant side effects. Tell your doctor that you're taking vitamin C supplements before having any medical tests.
Oct 18, 2017“

Family History of Kidney Stones? Watch Those Megadoses of Vitamin C

Total, Dietary, and Supplemental Vitamin C Intake and Risk of Incident Kidney Stones

High-dose vitamin C linked to kidney stones in men - Harvard Health Blog

It's worse than that actually. Much lower doses of ascorbic acid convert to oxalates. Most kidney stones are oxalate stones. It doesn't necessarily take that much C. I don't take supplemental C ever at this point. I eat fruit and veg instead.

Ascorbic Acid Intake and Oxalate Synthesis

 

[MimosaMornings]

14 in Texas family test positive for coronavirus after small gathering, 1 dies — NBC News

“Fourteen members of the same family in Texas tested positive for the coronavirus following a small gathering in June, the family says. One of them has died and another is on life support.

Tony Green, who lives in Dallas, said that after months of social distancing, he and his partner hosted a party for their parents on June 13. Green and his partner are not married but have been together nearly 9 years and he said he considers his partner's family as his in-laws.

He and his partner did not wear masks at the gathering, nor did their parents.

"We just felt the worst was behind the country because everything was easy, things were reopening and none of us were experiencing any symptoms," Green said.

The next day, Green said, he woke up feeling sick. By June 15, his partner and parents, all of whose names he declined to provide, were all sick.”
————
I just can’t imagine hosting a party and then waking up the next morning sick.
The dark realization.....that poor family.

 

[ZoriahNZ]

My son and hubby now get their flu jabs for the winter season because they are both asthmatics and prone to respiratory problems. No adverse reactions.

I've been laid out the with the flu a couple of times, and it was awful. Being bedridden for days, barely able to get to the bathroom.

What prompted my family to start being more regular with the flu vaccines is that my son caught a really bad flu from school camp a couple of years ago. Almost went to the ER. It came upon him so suddenly over 12 hours and it was frightening seeing him so sick and weak.

The flu is no joke and I think any kind of prevention, even if it's not 100% foolproof is better than nothing.

 

[neesaki]

I think you might find that they contain food based vitamins as opposed to synthetic vitamins, but the actual pill ingredients are still other unnamed stuff (excipients) that act as a conduit for the intake of those vitamins.

In other words, the vitamins/medications are added to other unnamed pill ingredients.

Here is an article about the excipients and some of their dangers, if you are interested.

Pharmaceutical excipients – where do we begin?

Same applies to vaccines. Which is why I am concerned about the initial rounds of covid vaccines, once they are developed without long term testing.

And just think where many of these meds/supplements are made ... in places where they have contaminated their own baby formula.

I’m one who is concerned about this vaccine supposedly coming out so quickly. These things usually take years to develop in order to assure they’re not only effective, but safe.
Why don’t they yet have a vaccination for the AIDS virus , if it’s all so easy. Call me skeptical.... but, yes, that’s just me, a skeptic. Yes, it’s a painful situation to be in.

This article compares polio to Covid.

What the History of Polio Can Teach Us About COVID-19

 

[margarita25]

I’m one who is concerned about this vaccine supposedly coming out so quickly. These things usually take years to develop in order to assure they’re not only effective, but safe.
Why don’t they yet have a vaccination for the AIDS virus , if it’s all so easy. Call me skeptical.... but, yes, that’s just me, a skeptic. Yes, it’s a painful situation to be in.

This article compares polio to Covid.

What the History of Polio Can Teach Us About COVID-19

My thoughts exactly.

Dr. Tedros and company have talked about this since very early on. In fact, iirc, they even mentioned a vaccine that was developed for Ebola which later turned out to be harmful.

I would like to see a global list of the vaccines in trial, and what phases they are in.

 

[ZoriahNZ]

Here's some CDC guidelines and facts about Flu vaccines and how they can help.

What is the role of supplementation with ascorbic acid, zinc, vitamin D, or N-acetylcysteine for prevention or treatment of COVID-19?

It's very encouraging, though, that perhaps the masking, social distancing and increased hygiene measures might help reduce the risk of influenza as well as COVID-19

The reason I brought up Vitamin C was in relation to NAC being discussed as a preventive or therapeutic supplement for COVID-19. I found this interesting article in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine while trying to find out more about NAC.

What is the role of supplementation with ascorbic acid, zinc, vitamin D, or N-acetylcysteine for prevention or treatment of COVID-19?

 

[realanastasia]

This story gives some insight into the scientific malfeasance that led to some of the high-profile-but-subsequently-retracted scientific studies conducted on this virus.
The Doctor Behind the Disputed Covid Data

I have a problem with the scientists (or whoever) came out and initially said Type A was higher risk for Covid-- I know that we are learning new things about this virus all the time, but false information like this can scare people needlessly. Perhaps they should have waited until they knew for sure one way or the other before coming out with this false information. I think false information like this causes distrustful people to be more distrustful of the medical establishment. Just sayin'

You should definitely read the article I linked earlier this evening—it deals with this very topic!

 

[slowpoke]

i dont know what to do this year-- it is a dilemma!

I’ve been getting the flu shot annually and have never had any adverse reactions.

For the flu or any other illness or disease, I feel I’d rather try to prevent it than maybe get it and suffer through it.

With my health plan it’s been easy to get, free, and it seems to have helped keep me healthy, so I will definitely get the flu shot.

 

[SouthAussie]

I’m one who is concerned about this vaccine supposedly coming out so quickly. These things usually take years to develop in order to assure they’re not only effective, but safe.
Why don’t they yet have a vaccination for the AIDS virus , if it’s all so easy. Call me skeptical.... but, yes, that’s just me, a skeptic. Yes, it’s a painful situation to be in.

This article compares polio to Covid.

What the History of Polio Can Teach Us About COVID-19

My nightmare concern is a situation like thalidomide babies. I would be very reluctant to have a rushed-through vaccine if I was pregnant. But I wouldn't want to contract covid either. That would be a very difficult position to be in.

How close are we to having a COVID-19 vaccine?

 

[realanastasia]

14 in Texas family test positive for coronavirus after small gathering, 1 dies — NBC News

“Fourteen members of the same family in Texas tested positive for the coronavirus following a small gathering in June, the family says. One of them has died and another is on life support.

Tony Green, who lives in Dallas, said that after months of social distancing, he and his partner hosted a party for their parents on June 13. Green and his partner are not married but have been together nearly 9 years and he said he considers his partner's family as his in-laws.

He and his partner did not wear masks at the gathering, nor did their parents.

"We just felt the worst was behind the country because everything was easy, things were reopening and none of us were experiencing any symptoms," Green said.

The next day, Green said, he woke up feeling sick. By June 15, his partner and parents, all of whose names he declined to provide, were all sick.”
————
I just can’t imagine hosting a party and then waking up the next morning sick.
The dark realization.....that poor family.

And yet, how infuriating to read that the very same person who initiated the get-together and claims he feels “overwhelming guilt” (saying that he does not “think that people are really paying enough attention to the safety protocols and to the things they can do to protect themselves a little better”) ALSO says “he is uncertain whether staying at least 6 feet from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces is effective in reducing the spread of the virus, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.”
See this dispiriting quote from Mr. Green: "I just didn't see that six feet apart makes a difference because of the distance germs can travel," he said. "I’m still not 100 percent sure that it does."

Cognitive dissonance much?

 

[10ofRods]

What is going to happen to all these people? All the kids? Evictions expected to be 11 million in one year.

Every year, about 2.3 million American renter households receive eviction papers at some point. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we might see that many evictions in one month.
11 million households could be evicted over the next four months

THIS is the major upcoming peril!

If 11 million households are evicted (some say it will be more), then family health declines. It's really hard to remember all the virus protections if you're living in a car with 2-3 other people. Inability to get good sleep, constant worry, lack of food - and lack of housing - makes people drive as far as they can toward a place where at least they won't freeze to death at night. In the 2008 recession, SoCal saw a lot of new arrivals. People thought they could sleep in their cars on city streets - which they can, because there's not much enforcement, but very quickly the issues with bathrooms arose. WalMart doesn't allow much "camping" in its lots any more (no where in the more temperate parts of California).

People would pass through our neighborhood, sleep in the grocery store parking lot for a couple of nights, the grocer would eventually lock their bathroom except for paying customers (an inconvenience for all). The gas stations near me absolutely do not allow non-customers to have the key. So people were going down into ravines and pooping/peeing in the water that runs to the ocean. No bueno. In L.A., people on the westside got pretty aggro about turning these newcomers in to police or making it hard for them to sleep/stay.

It is awful. If 11 million working people who did their level best to stay housed are now evicted, I call that a kind of sin (on the part of a society that lets it happen).

The quality of life for all of us is about to decline. We don't know where that will go. I just know that come winter, the homeless in cold states will head to the Southwest (and to Portland and Seattle). And so many young adults out of work, foot loose, and without anything to lose by living an underground life.