Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #75

[Rose in SC]

This University of California article reviews the variety of symptoms of COVID 19:

We thought it was just a respiratory virus. We were wrong.

Fascinating article - thanks for posting it. This quote stood out to me: "Typically, people who die from COVID-19 ARDS die around day 19." I didn't get my test results from CVS Pharmacy until day 20.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Andrew Lloyd Webber volunteers for Covid vaccine trial

Lloyd Webber announced the move on Twitter and received high praise from those in the theater and acting industries.

"I am excited that tomorrow I am going to be vaccinated for the Oxford Covid 19 trial," he wrote. "I'll do anything to prove that theatres can re-open safely."

Shows at Broadway theaters in New York will not be returning to the stage until at least January of 2021. All 41 Broadway theaters have been closed since March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

[weepingangel]

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Uncovering COVID’s Hidden Toll on Essential Workers. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.


Uncovering COVID’s Hidden Toll on Essential Workers
Aug 13, 2020 04:00 PM

Eastern Time (US and Canada)


FRONTLINE presents an important virtual program — the second in a series of discussions about COVID’s toll on essential workers. The upcoming event will be moderated by award-winning journalist, Maria Elena Salinas, and will feature Civil Rights icon, labor leader and United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, as well as Maria Echaveste, President/CEO of the Opportunity Institute and Senior Fellow at the UC Berkeley Center for Latin American Studies. Joining them in conversation will be Daffodil Altan and Andrés Cediel, the filmmaking team behind COVID's Hidden Toll. The program will highlight the incredible cost of the pandemic on farm and factory workers who are part of the essential workforce that helps to provide the nation’s food supply.

The discussion will explore:
- The health and financial costs for essential workers who seek to protect themselves and their families with limited information, support, and resources.
- The lack of national mandatory COVID protections for workers – and the voluntary guidelines that do exist.
- An analysis of the fragile U.S. food system, and current legislative efforts seeking to establish more aggressive measures to protect food production workers.

FEATURED SPEAKERS:
- Dolores Huerta, labor leader and co-founder, United Farm Workers
- Maria Echaveste, President/CEO of the Opportunity Institute and Senior Fellow at the UC Berkeley Center for Latin American Studies
- Daffodil Altan, Film Director, COVID’s Hidden Toll
- Andrés Cediel, Film Director, COVID’s Hidden Toll
- Moderated by Maria Elena Salinas, Independent Journalist and CBS News contributor

"COVID’s Hidden Toll" is supported by Chasing the Dream, a public media initiative from WNET in New York that examines poverty, justice and economic opportunity in America.

Watch "COVID’s HIDDEN TOLL" at pbs.org/frontline, in the PBS Video App, or on YouTube.

 

[JerseyGirl]

England's coronavirus app trial gets under way

 

[10ofRods]

Confirmed Coronavirus Cases in U.S. Children Rose By 90% in About Four Weeks This Summer, Bringing the Total to Over 380,000

Gee, I wonder why. Couldn't be year round schools reopening or the use of daycare or summer camps, right?

Schools open around the nation next week. I just made myself look at California's projections (we're not having physical class meetings) and they're awful, even without school openings.

I really fear for those states (like Arizona and Florida) where it's already so rampant. The rare pediatric consequences are tragic, and we have no clue what it will be like for high school age students - but their teachers are at such high risk. I've come to believe that face shields do nothing - people need good, tight-fitting goggles if they are in the classroom.

Like that's going to happen. I hope families are braced for the chaos that will come with constant school closures and, apparently, reopenings. I started to keep track of the number of diagnosed cases in various schools, but gave up.

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: Boris Johnson says government will be 'ruthless' over whether to add France to quarantine list

Boris Johnson has said his government will be "absolutely ruthless" in deciding whether travellers from France must quarantine for 14 days on arrival in the UK.

The prime minister said officials would be looking at the latest data later on Thursday amid mounting concern about the rising numbers of coronavirus cases in the country.

The prospect France could be removed from the list of countries exempt from the quarantine requirements will cause dismay to thousands of British holidaymakers currently in the country.

It will also come as a bitter blow to the hard-pressed French tourism industry which relies heavily on visitors from the UK.

Mr Johnson however insisted that it was essential to prevent more infection being brought into Britain from abroad.

 

[ilovewings]

This is the third nasal spray to come out of the labs, but none has been fast tracked by the FDA, that I know of. The first one (a heparin spray) had a pre-print about its effectiveness in early July. I can't remember the composition of the second. I've asked a few doctors I know about them, they haven't heard of them yet.

It is exciting, but I think monoclonal antibodies in some form will come first as that seems to be the focus.

At any rate I sure do hope they can move their nasal spray into human trials and I wish I knew how to volunteer to be a guinea pig! It sounds amazing (it's based on that Llama research some of us read back in April and May).

This nasal spray sounds like it has so much promise but they need to get jiggy with it and get it into human trials- what are they waiting for?

 

[LadyL]

The Canada-U.S. border could remain closed until next summer

 

[SoCalDavidS]

A study estimates that 6 per cent of England has had COVID-19, a much higher rate than thought previously, with the highest rate of infection in the capital.

Coronavirus update: Study estimates more than one in ten Londoners has had COVID-19

That's terrific. It means only another 400K deaths before reaching herd immunity.

 

[gitana1]

A tip about the paper face masks, if it feels that they don't fit tightly on the cheeks, try to twist the band going round the ear to be like an X on the cheeks instead. Several of the nurses at work wears them like that.

I take a twist tie- like the kind that come with any electronics you buy or other items which fasten the item to cardboard for sale - and loop it through both of the ear loops. Then I twist it around so the mask is tighter. I have a smaller face I guess so this makes it fit snug.

When I have to go to the office (and so I have my hair down usually), I put my head down (upside down) before twisting the tie, so it doesn’t tangle in my hair.

 

[weepingangel]

Medford High School graduation ceremony canceled after several seniors test positive for COVID-19

massachusetts/more at link
Medford High School graduation ceremony canceled after several seniors test positive for COVID-19 and ‘significant evidence’ that students didn’t quarantine
The Medford High School Commencement Ceremony that had been rescheduled to Aug. 15 was canceled after several of the school’s seniors scheduled to participate in the ceremony tested positive for COVID-19.

“Local health officials notified the Superintendent that in addition to these multiple positive tests, there is significant evidence that individuals who tested positive have failed to comply with the public health guidance regarding isolation and quarantining,” the school said in a statement. “For these reasons, and for the safety of all community members, the graduation ceremony has been cancelled.”

“We are devastated not to have the opportunity to congratulate and commend our seniors upon the completion of their high school careers,” said Superintendent Marice Edouard-Vincent, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn and Director of the Medford Board of Health, MaryAnn O’Connor in the statement. “The failure to comply with the restrictions and advice of public health officials is simply unacceptable. It is critically important that all community members, including the students of the Medford Public Schools, adhere to public health guidance. The safety and well-being of all community members will continue to be our highest priority.”

 

[nhmemorymaker]

A friend of mine here in Canada has a Sister who lives in Georgia. They rented a motor home and drove up. The motor home was the quarantine plan. When they got to the Border they called my friend to confirm they were aware they were coming and agreed with their quarantine plan. They arrived and parked in their large yard where they stayed for 14 days. My friend received many follow up calls that they were following protocols. There was even a day they showed up to check unannounced.

A friend of mine here in Canada has a Sister who lives in Georgia. They rented a motor home and drove up. The motor home was the quarantine plan. When they got to the Border they called my friend to confirm they were aware they were coming and agreed with their quarantine plan. They arrived and parked in their large yard where they stayed for 14 days. My friend received many follow up calls that they were following protocols. There was even a day they showed up to check unannounced.

I just get so jealous of discipline and follow-through in other countries.
Bottom Line.....this just never had to be like this, here is the US.

Georgia school district closes second high school as coronavirus quarantines grow

 

[Sillybilly]

Food related posts have been moved to the appropriate thread.

Please make your food related posts in the Food and Recipes found here.

 

[Rose in SC]

SOUTH CAROLINA - Thursday, August 13

SC announces 907 new COVID-19 cases, 35 more deaths Thursday

103,051 confirmed positive cases (+907)
2,089 confirmed deaths (+35)
Percent Positive - 15.7 % (down from Wednesday!)

SC Testing Data & Projections (COVID-19) | SCDHEC

 

[24Roses]

Iowa numbers today: As of 10:30-11:00 a.m. today, we had 465 new confirmed cases for a total of 50,167 confirmed cases of which 39,220 have recovered (from IDPH +672). IMO, KCRG has yesterday's recovery number total of 38,548, but with the correct amount of new recoveries since yesterday. 5 more had passed away for a total of 954. Iowa reports more than 50,000 cases of COVID-19
Iowa COVID-19 Information

 

[Trino]

I just get so jealous of discipline and follow-through in other countries.
Bottom Line.....this just never had to be like this, here is the US.

Georgia school district closes second high school as coronavirus quarantines grow

No. It did not have to be like this. A national plan, implemented immediately, would have worked. Now we have fractured states doing fractured things, and it would be difficult to institute a national plan.

 

[Trino]

Depends on the length of the trip.

Eventually the RV has to be dumped, water has to be replaced, and new food purchased. Gas stations/convenience stores/grocery stores are, IMO, CoVid vectors. With good mask and hand sanitizing procedures, this can be gotten around, but it annoys me no end that when California is supposed to have stopped non-essential travel that people are still traveling. I believe we are still restricted from non-essential travel, but hey, that stops no one.

I guess people can just live on canned food, but having walked down PCH where the RV's are, I see lots of BBQ being done. Grocery bags from a local boutique grocery store. Tons of socializing (same at Sturgis). Without masks. It's irritating.

On a slightly different topic, one couple who decided to defy the ban on non-essential travel were delighted to find an "open motel." Of course they're open, for various essential purposes. The one they chose happened to be one where the City of San Francisco was housing quarantined homeless people while they awaited test results (and one floor was positive CoVid people). None of them stayed in their rooms, of course.

An RV would definitely be way safer than a motel in SF, is what I'm saying. We talked about going on a car camping trip (very local to us) but after scoping out the campground situations nearest us and reading about others more distant, we realized we'd be part of the problem. We talk about travel constantly, but we know we won't do it.

And we haven't been to a grocery store since February 20. One trip to a gas station. 3 trips to the pharmacy, that's it.

We have a 5th wheel and were in Texas when the virus hit in March. Left early, returned home. Medical records were at home. Great medical care in Minnesota.

 

[10ofRods]

Mini update on Sturgis:

Employees at 2 bars got back to me with their perceptions. They think the numbers are about 1/5th or less than last year (which is consistent with what LE PR people said initially). That's consistent with my daily head counts (comparing to similar video from last year and the year before).

There's parking on Main Street nearly all day (yesterday and so far today). Way less traffic. More single riders than on the weekend. Age still looks to be average of around 60-65. Campground videos show full on partying/attendance at live music. More women at the campgrounds than downtown over the past couple of days.

The two bar employees have both been harassed about wearing masks. They say they are scared, that they have been called all kinds of names, that this is atypical for Sturgis but that the "crowd is ugly" this year. Younger, organized groups of attendees from all over North America aren't there, this year. LGBTQ groups are not there. There were many groups of all-women riders last year, they don't see them this year. So, a different vibe.

Good news is that there are way fewer people in the bars at night, lack of women means that men leave earlier. Smashmouth concert was attended, but did not sell out ($350 a head is what I was told).

Yesterday was 20% more cases than the day before, which is a significant upswing. This is still lower than their largest numbers in early May. Naturally, these are cases diagnosed in SD.

Idaho saw a lot of tourism in the past month and a lot of Sturgis-bound people. Worth keeping an eye on Idaho too.

 

[weepingangel]

$350 to see Smashmouth ?? Wow​

Interesting observations though.
Agree with above poster “concentrated demographic”

Mini update on Sturgis:

Employees at 2 bars got back to me with their perceptions. They think the numbers are about 1/5th or less than last year (which is consistent with what LE PR people said initially). That's consistent with my daily head counts (comparing to similar video from last year and the year before).

There's parking on Main Street nearly all day (yesterday and so far today). Way less traffic. More single riders than on the weekend. Age still looks to be average of around 60-65. Campground videos show full on partying/attendance at live music. More women at the campgrounds than downtown over the past couple of days.

The two bar employees have both been harassed about wearing masks. They say they are scared, that they have been called all kinds of names, that this is atypical for Sturgis but that the "crowd is ugly" this year. Younger, organized groups of attendees from all over North America aren't there, this year. LGBTQ groups are not there. There were many groups of all-women riders last year, they don't see them this year. So, a different vibe.

Good news is that there are way fewer people in the bars at night, lack of women means that men leave earlier. Smashmouth concert was attended, but did not sell out ($350 a head is what I was told).

Yesterday was 20% more cases than the day before, which is a significant upswing. This is still lower than their largest numbers in early May. Naturally, these are cases diagnosed in SD.

Idaho saw a lot of tourism in the past month and a lot of Sturgis-bound people. Worth keeping an eye on Idaho too.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

That's terrific. It means only another 400K deaths before reaching herd immunity.

No thanks, 40k is plenty!! Ten times that just doesn’t bear thinking about.