Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #73

[JerseyGirl]

Louisiana dog tests positive for coronavirus, agency says
It's the state’s first confirmed infection in an animal and was determined through a nasal swab test. The Agriculture Commissioner said there have been 24 other cases of COVID-19 reported in animals across the country since April.

Coronavirus in pets, French research strategy and a duplication detector
Cats and dogs are just as likely to be infected with the virus SARS‑CoV-2 as people are, according to a survey in northern Italy that is the largest study of the coronavirus in pets so far. Nicola Decaro at the University of Bari and his colleagues took nose, throat or rectal swabs of 540 dogs and 277 cats in northern Italy between March and May, according to a preprint study that has not yet been peer-reviewed (E. I. Patterson et al. Preprint at bioRxiv http://doi.org/d4r7; 2020). The animals lived in homes with infected people, or in regions severely affected by COVID-19. None of the pets tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA, but in further tests of antibodies against the virus circulating in the blood of some animals, the researchers found that around 3% of dogs and 4% of cats showed evidence of previous infection.

 

[Sundog]

RSBM - Fortunately when all this started, I had 3 digital thermometers already. I did think to buy extra batteries for them, just in case. I keep two at home, one for me, one for DH and keep one here in my desk at work. I admit I tend to be a bit obsessive about taking my temp (just now it was 96.9, lol, I usually run low).

The one thing I wish I had bought more of is Lysol spray in the aerosol can. Back in February when I could have bought unlimited cans, I bought two. Two! Can't find it anywhere now, although I did score a couple of small cans of the Walmart brand. One of the custodians here at the church also works part time at Walmart. I told him I would pay him a finder's fee if he could get me a can of Lysol!

About two weeks ago we had to run into the Home Depot and while there, I was able to buy a few bottles of Lysol spray, they had a fully stocked shelf. Maybe it was the timing, but was glad to see them.

 

[oviedo]

I make my own sanitised wipes. I use baby wipes saturated with hand sanitiser.
Around here there is sanitiser everywhere now after being impossible to find for months.

We've had such a shortage of baby wipes around here - but hand sanitizer seems to be back in stock at Costco.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Deadly diseases from wildlife thrive when nature is destroyed, study finds

The human destruction of natural ecosystems increases the numbers of rats, bats and other animals that harbour diseases that can lead to pandemics such as Covid-19, a comprehensive analysis has found.

The research assessed nearly 7,000 animal communities on six continents and found that the conversion of wild places into farmland or settlements often wipes out larger species. It found that the damage benefits smaller, more adaptable creatures that also carry the most pathogens that can pass to humans.

The assessment found that the populations of animals hosting what are known as zoonotic diseases were up to 2.5 times bigger in degraded places, and that the proportion of species that carry these pathogens increased by up to 70% compared with in undamaged ecosystems.

Human populations are being increasingly hit by diseases that originate in wild animals, such as HIV, Zika, Sars and Nipah virus. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, there have been a series of warnings from the UN and WHO that the world must tackle the cause of these outbreaks – the destruction of nature – and not just the health and economic symptoms.

(...)

The new analysis is the first to show how the demolition of wild places, as the world’s population and consumption grows, leads to changes in animal populations that increase the risk of disease outbreaks. The research demonstrates that disease surveillance and healthcare needs to be ramped up in those areas where nature is being ravaged, the scientists said.

“As people go in and, for example, turn a forest into farmland, what they’re doing inadvertently is making it more likely for them to be in contact with an animal that carries disease,” said David Redding, of the ZSL Institute of Zoology in London, who was one of the research team. The work is published in the journal Nature.

(...)

Humans have already affected more than half of the Earth’s habitable land. Prof Kate Jones, of the University College London, and also part of the research team, said: “As agricultural and urban lands are predicted to continue expanding in the coming decades, we should be strengthening disease surveillance and healthcare provision in those areas that are undergoing a lot of land disturbance, as they are increasingly likely to have animals that could be hosting harmful pathogens.”

(More at link)

 

[Tadpole12]

Pfizer announces deal with Canada for experimental COVID-19 vaccine

That's encouraging.

"Deliveries of the BNT162 mRNA-based vaccine candidate are planned over the course of 2021, subject to clinical success and Health Canada approval the two companies said in a statement. They did not reveal financial details."

Canada signs deal to secure ‘millions of doses’ of promising COVID-19 vaccines

"Tam did not say the vaccine would not become mandatory.

Nor has Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated what approach his government would take."

 

[Rose in SC]

Just when I think South Carolina is doing a little better.

SC coronavirus cases nearing 95,000; 45 more deaths announced

94,837 confirmed positive cases (+1,175)
1,819 confirmed deaths (+45)
Percent Testing Positive - 20.7 %

 

[10ofRods]

The alternate four day week model really does not give any more days off than going every other day. Right now parents have child care arrangements that have been in place since March.

A four day week followed by a period of time off is especially good when children share the same equipment. Going every other day constantly means that a different group of students used the equipment just yesterday.

The four day week could also work for places of employment, which would give parents a predictable work schedule and leave a three day weekend for cleaning the place of employment.

Isn't it frustrating that school officials aren't thinking along these same lines? It is entirely true that having one group of children go for several days, then allowing rooms to air out over 3 days is more than enough to ensure that cohort 1 doesn't infect cohort 2. If anyone cohort 2 did appear to contract CoVid on day 1 of their week, that would be very concerning and deserve investigation by local public health, but also should be reported to regional epidemiologists.

I get the feeling it's panicked principals and teachers (none of whom are experts on CoVid) who are having to put measures in places on the fly. They think mostly about classroom size, teacher needs, teacher vulnerability etc. Not necessarily about how the virus is actually transmitted.

 

[10ofRods]

I was very interested in this article so I subscribed to WSJ- it is like 1.00 a week for 9 weeks. I thought it was worth it. I have always worried that despite hospitals saying how they sanitized and all of that, that a patient could still contract the virus- and I am right. it is downright scary.

Hospitals Struggle to Contain Covid-19 Spread Inside Their Walls

CoVid is almost never transmitted by surfaces. All the disinfection in the world is only as good as the next breathing person who comes into the space. In fact, the studies done early on things like metal and cardboard used such a high amount of virus that there are virtually no real world scenarios in which 100 people would all sneeze on exactly the same spot on a bannister.

It's each other - our fellow humans - who transmit this. Coughing and sneezing are great ways to transmit - but breathing, talking and especially singing/deep breathing/yelling transmit it.

I can't read the article, of course - as I do not have a subscription (and have had varying results with publications when I try to cancel when the nearly-free subscription runs out - I hate having to give them a CC number! They need to take paypal!)

 

[Tadpole12]

I go to the shops a few days a week too, but not to get the boring basics. I adore shopping.
I do a lot of Click and Collecting, all kinds of things from clothes, homewares, tech stuff, lots more.
Plus several times a week I go for fresh fruit and veg. Apples have been my thing for awhile and I want to try all the different varieties.
The Woolworths people packing my last order must have thought I was crazy because apart from my fave pink lady apples and royal gala, I bought one apple from each of the varieties that were new to me.
I just don't think I'd like to live somewhere far from shops, I think I'd go insane lol. As it is I only have to walk two blocks and I'm in our CBD area and the shopping centres. Aldi is even closer.

Thanks for the updates, TF.

We are polar opposites geographically and shopping strategies.

I have little retail nearby, and going to town always sucks the life out of me x stores in 5 hours, so I like to shop monthly, and just go to the small town if I need an essential.

However, I do love to shop for and look at clothes and useless plastic stuff and where I live that's Giant Tiger and Walmart, but it fills the need.

 

[10ofRods]

I completely agree. It just seems like an excuse to shame people instead of admitting that our supply chain is not built to accommodate this sort of situation. It's not the shopper's fault that the grocery stores deliberately plan to have minimal amounts of food and instead rely on constant shipments. This annoyed me this spring and it annoys me now.

I am not upping my shopping in the middle of a pandemic. I'll absolutely stock up as we need to. I have 9 people in my household. I don't blame any of these people. I'm sure no one wiped out the entire case of meat. Instead most people probably picked up a little extra. And that's all it takes to wipe things out. I know people with large families back in the spring who were forced to go to the store daily and never able to get enough for one shopping trip since they were limited despite family size: one loaf of bread, one package of meat. If we are going to keep doing this ration cards make sense.

Exactly! We buy our meat online as well (from a cooperative run mostly by veterinarians and animal lovers). We've really cut down on meat consumption (yay) but if I do want chicken, I don't want to have to order it every week when I can get all I need for 2 months at one time and not have all of that extra delivery.

People have bought every tent, sleeping bag, first aid kit, and even RV's are running low here in California. Water jugs, coolers, tarps - all gone. I suspect this means people are going camping? Plan to be homeless? We can see that some neighbors have gotten their RV's out of storage and have family members living in them (not legal, but who is going to turn them in during CoVid?)

I am just not getting the difference between "stocking up" and so-called "panic buying." I intend to keep stocking up, as I have done nearly all my adult life because...earthquakes...fires. Have been stranded twice in a flood situation. Having food you can eat even if the power goes out (or some means of cooking food if power goes out) is just second nature in my family.

Anyway, the things we stock up on (olives, cheeses) are never in short supply. Both daughters say they can get paper towels easily, as well as almond milk, olives cheese, vegetable broth, etc.

Thank goodness for Amazon. I think authorities are short-sighted when they try to discourage us from making less frequent trips (but stocking up when we do). The prices at the local stores have shot up, to the point (for example) that it's cheaper for us to buy our toothpaste at Amazon (although of course, Amazon typically forces me to...stock up).

 

[24Roses]

Iowa numbers as of 10:30-11:00 a.m. today: 509 new confirmed cases for a total of 46,490 confirmed cases of which 34,660 have recovered (IMO +735). 8 more have passed away for a total of 893. 509 COVID-19 cases, 8 deaths reported in Iowa Wednesday
Iowa COVID-19 Information

 

[ilovewings]

from the link:
snipped
Jury selection was accomplished remotely and streamed live on the 11th Circuit’s YouTube page.

Before the trial, a survey conducted by the local chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates of more than 600 Miami-Dade residents showed that local citizens would be willing to perform their civic duty during a pandemic, said Administrative Judge Jennifer Bailey.

“People see the right to a jury trial as essential work,” she said. “It’s something that we need to go forward on, provided — and it’s a big provided — that we take the necessary steps to keep everyone safe.”

For the pilot program, court officials edited a traditional jury summons so that it instructed recipients to go online instead of reporting to the courthouse, Judge Bailey said.

A 30% response yielded about 700 qualified and eligible jurors, from which, 120 were selected to participate in initial Zoom interviews, she said. Relatively few cited the pandemic as a reason for not wanting to serve, Judge Bailey said.

“In the end, there were about 12 to 14 people, who, for various reasons COVID-related, ultimately we excused for cause,” she said.

Using remote technology for jury selection allowed court officials to limit the number of people required to report to the courthouse.
---------
It's a little misleading - the jury was selected remotely but the trial is taking place live
JMO

Wow- great information- thanks -- i guess remote juries will be the way trials are conducted

 

[ilovewings]

CoVid is almost never transmitted by surfaces. All the disinfection in the world is only as good as the next breathing person who comes into the space. In fact, the studies done early on things like metal and cardboard used such a high amount of virus that there are virtually no real world scenarios in which 100 people would all sneeze on exactly the same spot on a bannister.

It's each other - our fellow humans - who transmit this. Coughing and sneezing are great ways to transmit - but breathing, talking and especially singing/deep breathing/yelling transmit it.

I can't read the article, of course - as I do not have a subscription (and have had varying results with publications when I try to cancel when the nearly-free subscription runs out - I hate having to give them a CC number! They need to take paypal!)

I tried posting plain text but it didnt come up that way (bummer)

 

[Warwick1991]

NYC Will Install Checkpoints To Identify Out-Of-State Travelers Required To Quarantine

New York City will begin sending law enforcement officers to check for travelers at Penn Station as well as major bridge and tunnel crossings who are driving in from states with high levels of confirmed cases, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday.

"Travelers coming in from those states will be given information about the quarantine and they will be reminded that is it required, not optional," de Blasio said. "They'll be reminded that failure to quarantine is a violation of state law and it comes with serious penalties."

A total of 35 states and U.S. territories, essentially most of the country, currently meets the state's quarantine criteria for a 14-day home quarantine.

Those who fail to quarantine are subject to a $10,000 fine. Refusal to fill out the form carries a $2,000 penalty.

On Wednesday, the mayor said that all air travelers would now be required to fill out the state health form when they purchase their ticket online.

Does anybody know what happens to travelers just driving through to destinations north? What happens on Route 95? A number of states have quarantines in place - do people get stopped at the border of each state?

 

[10ofRods]

I tried posting plain text but it didnt come up that way (bummer)

WSJ is onto us.

 

[10ofRods]

Temperature taking doesn't protect against young, asymptomatic spreaders of CoVid.

 

[Tigerlily75]

Here in Melbourne - under a strict Stage 4 lockdown - you now need a permit completed by your employer to go to work, with hours of work filled in and signed by both of you. For workplaces that are still permitted, that is.

Permitted worker scheme

I‘m one of the few exemptions as an Emergency Services worker and so only need to show my work ID.

 

[MrX]

Does anybody know what happens to travelers just driving through to destinations north? What happens on Route 95? A number of states have quarantines in place - do people get stopped at the border of each state?

Great question. It will be interesting to see how this works out - it may serve to foreshadow how Australia-style virus eradication measures would work in the U.S.

 

[beatrixpotter]

Exactly! We buy our meat online as well (from a cooperative run mostly by veterinarians and animal lovers). We've really cut down on meat consumption (yay) but if I do want chicken, I don't want to have to order it every week when I can get all I need for 2 months at one time and not have all of that extra delivery.

People have bought every tent, sleeping bag, first aid kit, and even RV's are running low here in California. Water jugs, coolers, tarps - all gone. I suspect this means people are going camping? Plan to be homeless? We can see that some neighbors have gotten their RV's out of storage and have family members living in them (not legal, but who is going to turn them in during CoVid?)

I am just not getting the difference between "stocking up" and so-called "panic buying." I intend to keep stocking up, as I have done nearly all my adult life because...earthquakes...fires. Have been stranded twice in a flood situation. Having food you can eat even if the power goes out (or some means of cooking food if power goes out) is just second nature in my family.

Anyway, the things we stock up on (olives, cheeses) are never in short supply. Both daughters say they can get paper towels easily, as well as almond milk, olives cheese, vegetable broth, etc.

Thank goodness for Amazon. I think authorities are short-sighted when they try to discourage us from making less frequent trips (but stocking up when we do). The prices at the local stores have shot up, to the point (for example) that it's cheaper for us to buy our toothpaste at Amazon (although of course, Amazon typically forces me to...stock up).

That's sad about all the camping supplies being sold out. I bet it's a very very good chance these are newly homeless or expecting to be homeless.

I need to look into toothpaste on Amazon. The last time I got some Amazon was pricier than Walmart.

We just got our milk delivered to our door by our local farmer! I just refocused how I order things and buy more from other sources than I had in a while and focus on bulk buying. We'd gotten in the bad habit of going to Aldi constantly but that just won't work now as we are trying to limit our shopping excursions drastically.

 

[tmar]

Hope there are no crowds of 'panic buying' (afraid of the future) when I need groceries.

Melbourne wakes to grim new life under stage four restrictions

Melbourne wakes to grim new life under stage four restrictions

Sky News Australia

1 hour ago
Stage four restrictions come into effect for Victorian businesses from today.

Under stage four, all non-essential businesses and services will be closed, and many others, including construction businesses, will be forced to severely limit their workforces.

With a large degree of uncertainty within the business community, business groups are calling on the government to set up a dedicated communications unit to answer all their questions going forward.
Victoria reported its darkest day since the beginning of the pandemic yesterday, with 725 new cases and 15 deaths, including a man in his 30s.