Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #85

[sds71]

The following statement is attributable to:
[URL='https://www.ama-assn.org/about/board-trustees/susan-r-bailey-md']Susan R. Bailey, M.D.
President, American Medical Association

“Throughout this pandemic, physicians, nurses, and frontline health care workers have risked their health, their safety and their lives to treat their patients and defeat a deadly virus. They did it because duty called and because of the sacred oath they took. The suggestion that doctors—in the midst of a public health crisis—are overcounting COVID-19 patients or lying to line their pockets is a malicious, outrageous, and completely misguided charge. COVID-19 cases are at record highs today. Rather than attacking us and lobbing baseless charges at physicians, our leaders should be following the science and urging adherence to the public health steps we know work—wearing a mask, washing hands and practicing physical distancing.”

###

Editor’s note:

In response to similar accusations, the AMA highlighted the excess COVID-19 deaths our nation is facing, and published an AMA Viewpoint from Dr. Bailey,“The Assault on Science and Physicians Must Stop”.

[/URL]
AMA statement on ongoing attacks on physicians treating COVID patients

 

[10ofRods]

I am considering contacting one of our local TV stations see if they would
investigate this horror-- do you think it would do any good, or would i just
be spining my wheels? i never expected her to tell me nurses go between Covid
and regular patient rooms--i was stunned

I think it would do a lot of good. The hospital spokesperson will either deny that nurses do this (and be lying) or they will admit they do it. A good reporter would want to talk to some nurses to settle the matter - so your story idea might lead to nurses feeling more empowered to speak up.

Do you have access to another hospital, even if it's a half hour or more away? Obviously, that won't work in a real emergency, but if one of you needed to visit the ER, you might be better off at a better run hospital. The hospital that is closest to me is not trustworthy, and the other close one is the one for the indigent poor and those on MediCal. It's actually got better practices than the other hospital - but it's so crowded.

Our target hospital is one that's about 45 minutes away, has an actual ward for Covid and I know one of the nurses on that ward. She says they are super careful and so far no staff has gotten Covid from the hospital. It's also less crowded.

Really crazy times - I'm just glad he's home, I'm glad they're treating him and I hope he doesn't have to have inpatient care any time in the next six months!

 

[Black Widow]

Does anyone have a good sense of what is going on currently Covid wise in China...and in particular Wuhan. Is the virus under control there now.
Are they still taking precautions and if so what precautions? Are they vaccinating yet? I tried googling but I don’t feel as if I’ve come up with comprehensive answers.

 

[margarita25]

(Sorry to quote myself, but wanted to correct my earlier grammatical post error to be clear - I really messed this sentence up: “...with the exception of the more contagious strain, that the mutations have not accelerated wrt severity...“ This came out all wrong- I meant to indicate/say that “other than the notable mutation which accelerated wrt to contagiousness but NOT severity, the other 5,000+ mutations to date have also not been cause for concern wrt severity.”)

We know from this documentary about the 1918 flu that during the second and third waves, the virus mutated into a HORRIFIC, more severe strain, one where people were dead within hours after exposure, (eta: and ear drums exploding or something like that, iirc), etc.:

We know that to date, so far, knock on wood, with the exception of the more contagious strain, that the mutations have not accelerated wrt severity. Last I saw, there were well over 5,000 mutations which is common with viruses and to be expected, not worrisome at this time, and that all mutations are being monitored very closely by WHO, etc.

My question is this:

The first wave/strain of the 1918 flu affected YOUNG people. Why is this exactly? I understand how those who are elderly and have underlying health conditions are generally more affected with SARS CoV-2.

I guess my concern and thoughts today revolve around what if this virus mutates to severely affect the healthier, younger populations more, and what exactly is the science behind this. Is there even a possibility that this could happen.




Yes, I also transcribed/documented all her audio telebriefings, which should be available in the CDC thread, and/or earlier posts.

(eta:
Note to moderator, reporting/flagging post : Gah I have a huge grammatical error which comes off as incorrect information. Can you please, for the sake of thread integrity and proper information, pleeeease modify the sentence that says “with the exception of”, because what I meant to say was that “while this specific strain increased in contagiousness but NOT severity”...Sorry, I know you guys are busy but I certainly don’t want that sentence to indicate that the more contagious strain is also more severe, because it’s not. Thanks in advance as I know you guys are very busy but it is imperative to keep the facts clear here.)

 

[ilovewings]

I think it would do a lot of good. The hospital spokesperson will either deny that nurses do this (and be lying) or they will admit they do it. A good reporter would want to talk to some nurses to settle the matter - so your story idea might lead to nurses feeling more empowered to speak up.

Do you have access to another hospital, even if it's a half hour or more away? Obviously, that won't work in a real emergency, but if one of you needed to visit the ER, you might be better off at a better run hospital. The hospital that is closest to me is not trustworthy, and the other close one is the one for the indigent poor and those on MediCal. It's actually got better practices than the other hospital - but it's so crowded.

Our target hospital is one that's about 45 minutes away, has an actual ward for Covid and I know one of the nurses on that ward. She says they are super careful and so far no staff has gotten Covid from the hospital. It's also less crowded.

Really crazy times - I'm just glad he's home, I'm glad they're treating him and I hope he doesn't have to have inpatient care any time in the next six months!

Guess what? I am going to need surgery at this hospital within a month--- My guess is that this is the protocol at all hospitals (including University of Michigan medical center)---- It is Henry Ford Health System and it is no shlock hospital system!

 

[weepingangel]

More at links
https://www.wcvb.com/article/cruises-no-sail-order-lifted/34536250
CDC lifts ban on cruises and paves way for return to sailing

The order will be replaced with a new conditional sail order that will remain in effect until either Nov. 1, 2021, the expiration of the declaration of a public health emergency or when CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield decides to end it.

Cruise lines will have to prove to the CDC that their COVID-19 protocols are effective before they will be allowed to sail with passengers


Tiger at Tennessee zoo tests positive for coronavirus – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Three tigers at a Tennessee zoo are in quarantine after one tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to a Friday news release from Zoo Knoxville.

 

[margarita25]

The following statement is attributable to:
Susan R. Bailey, M.D.
President, American Medical Association

“Throughout this pandemic, physicians, nurses, and frontline health care workers have risked their health, their safety and their lives to treat their patients and defeat a deadly virus. They did it because duty called and because of the sacred oath they took. The suggestion that doctors—in the midst of a public health crisis—are overcounting COVID-19 patients or lying to line their pockets is a malicious, outrageous, and completely misguided charge. COVID-19 cases are at record highs today. Rather than attacking us and lobbing baseless charges at physicians, our leaders should be following the science and urging adherence to the public health steps we know work—wearing a mask, washing hands and practicing physical distancing.”

###

Editor’s note:

In response to similar accusations, the AMA highlighted the excess COVID-19 deaths our nation is facing, and published an AMA Viewpoint from Dr. Bailey,“The Assault on Science and Physicians Must Stop”.


AMA statement on ongoing attacks on physicians treating COVID patients

Thank you for posting this VERY important article. I have quoted/referenced Dr. Bailey wrt to PPE shortages in previous posts.

 

[mickey2942]

A few weeks ago, I wouldn't have bet that people would want to go on cruises. However, I think that there are two types of people in the United States now.

Those who take the virus very seriously.

And those who want to have the good times roll.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Virus Hospitalizations Are Up in N.Y.C. But This Time, It’s Different.
In New York City, hospitalizations have been slowly but steadily rising, eliciting painful memories of the surge of infections in the spring that killed more than 20,000 people. But the terrifying inundation of patients that overwhelmed hospitals then has yet to materialize again in New York City, even as cases rise.

Broad acceptance of face masks and social distancing has helped curb the spread of the virus, public health experts said. Fewer cases means fewer patients, allowing hospitals to better care for those who do come through the door.

And while there is no cure for Covid-19, doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in New York City have used their experiences during the spring surge to make significant improvements in hospital care.

Across the city’s public and private hospitals, patients with an illness serious enough to need treatment are given a diagnosis and cared for more quickly, spend less time on average in the hospital and are less likely to end up on mechanical ventilation, doctors and hospital executives said.

Fewer are dying: 139 people in the four weeks ending last Saturday. On the worst day during the spring, New York City recorded over 800 confirmed and probable deaths.

That trend has been mirrored in other parts of the country and world, as studies have begun to show lower death rates.

I'll take this as a "hooray"...

 

[ZoriahNZ]

“Not just a virus that kills people”—WHO spotlights long-term COVID-19

I think this is an important point that needs to be hammered home. Especially to young people who think that if they get it, they'll just bounce back with no long term repercussions.

A significant number of people infected with the pandemic coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, are experiencing long-term symptoms and taking many weeks or months to fully recover, the World Health Organization emphasized in a press conference today.

 

[Colorado303]

I don't understand people not following health guidelines. It must be scary living in the USA at this time when Covid is running rampant and so many don't seem to care.

It is scary. And very disheartening. If you’d told me a year ago that the world would be facing a pandemic but masks would keep transmission down, I’d have been certain the US would have one of the highest compliance rates. Had this happened some years ago, I still think that would have been true.

IMO our inconsistent mask compliance just demonstrates how fractionized the country has become. Almost everybody hates at least one group or another. The people who should be bringing us together care more about being re-elected than they do about the country or their constituants (on both sides, IMO).

In the last year an alarming number of people (again, on both sides) think violence and property destruction are acceptable forms of expression. You read about things like that happening in other countries but don’t think it would ever happen here.

Students of world history tell me these social patterns don’t bode well for a country’s long-term future. And if a deadly pandemic isn’t bringing people together I can’t imagine what could. I’m incredulous, angry and terribly, terribly sad.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Are you looking at IHME? Some states have graphs for ICU beds and some don't. I'm not sure they had numbers other than floating your cursor you could see the numbers?

ETA: Hmmmm, doesn't explain the change COVID-19 model FAQs

ETA2: Some great IHME related links and reads while I was looking for the above information

1. Great information (including stats on masks and how they input 40% reduction on data if masks are used... for anyone wanting information on such) Modeling COVID-19 scenarios for the United States | Nature Medicine
2. This is the mobility tracker and I found very interesting. It shows % increases in park visitations etc. and is drilled down on a county level in the US COVID-19 Community Mobility Report
3. More detailed info on modeling https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art:10.1038/s41591-020-1132-9/MediaObjects/41591_2020_1132_MOESM1_ESM.pdf
4. Looking back at old forecasts, they projected more than 200,000 by November 1 on July 7th (We crossed 200,000 on September 22nd)
   July 7, 2020
   New IHME Forecasts Show More Than 200,000 US Deaths by November 1
   News Release
   In its first projections of COVID-19 deaths out to November 1, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington is forecasting more than 200,000 deaths in the United States.
   
5. And it turned out to be 206,000.........
   June 24, 2020
   New IHME COVID-19 Model Projects Nearly 180,000 US Deaths
   News Release
   In its first projections comparing different actions to control COVID-19 transmission, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington is forecasting nearly 180,000 in the United States will die by October 1.

Wow. Thank you!

 

[margarita25]

Virus Hospitalizations Are Up in N.Y.C. But This Time, It’s Different.
In New York City, hospitalizations have been slowly but steadily rising, eliciting painful memories of the surge of infections in the spring that killed more than 20,000 people. But the terrifying inundation of patients that overwhelmed hospitals then has yet to materialize again in New York City, even as cases rise.

Broad acceptance of face masks and social distancing has helped curb the spread of the virus, public health experts said. Fewer cases means fewer patients, allowing hospitals to better care for those who do come through the door.

And while there is no cure for Covid-19, doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in New York City have used their experiences during the spring surge to make significant improvements in hospital care.

Across the city’s public and private hospitals, patients with an illness serious enough to need treatment are given a diagnosis and cared for more quickly, spend less time on average in the hospital and are less likely to end up on mechanical ventilation, doctors and hospital executives said.

Fewer are dying: 139 people in the four weeks ending last Saturday. On the worst day during the spring, New York City recorded over 800 confirmed and probable deaths.

That trend has been mirrored in other parts of the country and world, as studies have begun to show lower death rates.

I'll take this as a "hooray"...

This is great, thanks.

 

[ZoriahNZ]

The following statement is attributable to:
Susan R. Bailey, M.D.
President, American Medical Association

“Throughout this pandemic, physicians, nurses, and frontline health care workers have risked their health, their safety and their lives to treat their patients and defeat a deadly virus. They did it because duty called and because of the sacred oath they took. The suggestion that doctors—in the midst of a public health crisis—are overcounting COVID-19 patients or lying to line their pockets is a malicious, outrageous, and completely misguided charge. COVID-19 cases are at record highs today. Rather than attacking us and lobbing baseless charges at physicians, our leaders should be following the science and urging adherence to the public health steps we know work—wearing a mask, washing hands and practicing physical distancing.”

###

Editor’s note:

In response to similar accusations, the AMA highlighted the excess COVID-19 deaths our nation is facing, and published an AMA Viewpoint from Dr. Bailey,“The Assault on Science and Physicians Must Stop”.


AMA statement on ongoing attacks on physicians treating COVID patients

This is so disheartening. These people are our front-line in the war against COVID-19 and they are being mistreated, maligned and placed in an untenable position. I wouldn't be surprised if many are and will continue to suffer from a form of PTSD and severe depression due to their extremely dangerous, exhausting and tragic work conditions.

We should be treating them the way veterans should be treated: with respect and acknowledgement of their public service and sacrifice.

 

[margarita25]

“Not just a virus that kills people”—WHO spotlights long-term COVID-19

I think this is an important point that needs to be hammered home. Especially to young people who think that if they get it, they'll just bounce back with no long term repercussions.

“A significant number of people infected with the pandemic coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, are experiencing long-term symptoms and taking many weeks or months to fully recover, the World Health Organization emphasized in a press conference today.“

Thanks, ZoriahNZ, I’m actually watching the conference right now:

(eta:
Doc T just said there was an earthquake in Greece and Turkey.

eta2:
WS thread here)

 

[10ofRods]

(Sorry to quote myself, but wanted to correct my earlier grammatical post error to be clear - I really messed this sentence up: “...with the exception of the more contagious strain, that the mutations have not accelerated wrt severity...“ This came out all wrong- I meant to indicate/say that “other than the notable mutation which accelerated wrt to contagiousness but NOT severity, the other 5,000+ mutations to date have also not been cause for concern wrt severity.”)



(eta:
Note to moderator, reporting/flagging post : Gah I have a huge grammatical error which comes off as incorrect information. Can you please, for the sake of thread integrity and proper information, pleeeease modify the sentence that says “with the exception of”, because what I meant to say was that “while this specific strain increased in contagiousness but NOT severity”...Sorry, I know you guys are busy but I certainly don’t want that sentence to indicate that the more contagious strain is also more severe, because it’s not. Thanks in advance as I know you guys are very busy but it is imperative to keep the facts clear here.)

You're doing great, @margarita25 I read it the way you intended.

To be specific, the early mutation in one strand (probably in France), caused the virus to be more stable in air. This means that of the 100,000 or so virions expelled with each adult human breath (from about day 2 after getting the virus until about day 16-21), some will break apart from colliding with molecules in the air.

The new mutation made the virus a bit more stable (I think of it as being less feathery, more like spores, but that's just a metaphor).

So the new version (which is the one that came to New York and New Jersey) can last longer in ordinary atmospheric conditions.

The next mutation seems to be in the same direction. And it makes sense. Virions that can handle "life" outside the human body by floating around longer in the air we breath (and staying aloft near our heads - in other words, improved aerodynamic qualities) will be more successful at infecting people. So it will start to dominate the viral domain (this new, more persistent variant is apparently responsible for about 40% of infections in the studies that have been done).

SO...the spike proteins that cause the symptoms are unchanged (it's no more lethal) but now it will get inside the lungs of more people. Does it last longer as a contagious virus while inside the body? Not known.

But it does last longer in the air, which is super important to understanding the winter conditions (already conducive to Coronavirus living longer) that are upon us.

Scary thing to me is that places (like Paris) where as many as 10% of people got it the first time around, are getting it again, big time. Because 90% of the population has no immunity at all - and this new mutation may mean the potential for a larger initial dose (viral load), which winter already predicts.

Cold, dry weather is in first place, from my reading, for promoting CV. Hot dry weather is in second place (but more rare). Humidity and cold or humidity and hot are better than either of those first two.

So...add a humidifier to your kit if you run an indoor business, or add it to your home if you have people in your bubble coming over. Obviously, if you are interacting with the public or others who might be community transmitters, wear a mask (yep, even at home during your holiday party - if you insist on still having one, especially if you are over 50, or chubby, or pre-diabetic or diabetic). Asthma is no longer considered a high risk factor (yay), but of course, asthmatics know what it's like to be short of breath - and why would you want to risk it?

The vaccines are coming! Just a few more months, and if we don't to shut down whole sectors of the economy (again), we need to be careful, vigilant and pay attention to the science.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Heartbreaking - his first word after 7 months was “pain”. I hope this means Derek is slowly starting to recover

Kate is the host of Good Morning Britain, and has shared her husbands arduous Covid journey with viewers. Derek has been battling the virus in hospital since March.

[URL='https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8899027/Kate-Garraways-husband-Derek-Draper-SPEAKS-time-amid-7-month-COVID-19-battle.html']Kate Garraway's husband Derek Draper speaks for first time in 7-months amid his coronavirus battle | Daily Mail Online[/URL]

 

[SouthAussie]

"They worked day and night in different shifts."

When Covid-19 infections started to rise in Pakistan, the country had to face a critical issue. A lack of laboratories capable of diagnosing Covid-19.
At the beginning the testing facility was not available in Pakistan.
With the support of the World Health Organisation, the government was able to establish a testing facility in the National Institute of Health by 1st of February.
With WHO's help Pakistan opened more than 100 new labs raising the testing capacity from 250 people a day to over 7,000 a day.
There have been many things that we did not know about in how to get a country which had only 10 to 12 labs to begin with, to go up to 129 labs that are fully functional and are able to support testing for over 50,000 tests in a day.
The WHO staff here at WHO regional reference laboratory, who are very skilled, they stepped forward and supported the government to increase their capacity.
WHO also provided up-to-date guidance on Covid-19 testing and donated equipment to boost lab capacity in Pakistan.
Let's beat Covid-19 together.

"They worked day and night in different shifts”

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Today, only ONE state is less than one for their Rt value. SMDH, before long, we're going to get to the original R0 .


source, rtlive.com

 

[CSIDreamer]

Today, only ONE state is less than one for their Rt value. SMDH, before long, we're going to get to the original R0 .

View attachment 269928
source, rtlive.com

What was the original? I only look at that graph with one eye open.