Coronavirus COVID-19 *Global Health Emergency* #18

[Amonet]

No words.....

Just wow...

That quote from Italy is what I've been expecting to happen everywhere when they reach a certain amount of confirmed cases. We can see from Hubei and from Italy that the number of cases doesn't have to be anywhere near the worst case scenarios of millions infected at once in order to create too much stress on the health systems of even modern, up to date, well-funded health systems in highly developed nations.

I am concerned that too many people are thinking this is going to look more like a regular flu season and that the hospitals deal with that okay (to an extent) so it won't be a massive problem. But even with fewer confirmed Covid-19 cases than the average flu season sees, it's going to cause enormous problems. Problems that hospitals cannot completely solve. Problems that governments can help to mitigate by supporting hospitals and by implementing social distancing measures, but the best they're probably looking at is something that's about twice as bad as the average flu season (which the healthcare systems wouldn't be able to cope with) or something multiple times as bad in a reasonable case scenario...and God forbid any country have the worst case scenarios.

Even the middle case scenarios are likely to mean much higher death rates. If 20% of confirmed patients need hospitalisation and oxygen, and 5 percent of cases need ICU...if there aren't enough ICU beds, equipment, doctors and nurses, you've automatically got a 5% death rate instead of 1 or 2%. If the hospitals run low on oxygen, beds for patients needing oxygen, or staff to provide the oxygen, then the death rate will be higher than 5% and up nearer to 15% to 20%.

With fewer than 10,000 confirmed cases in Italy, they are already at the point where they are unable to treat patients effectively! Maybe there are a few countries with similar sized populations that could eke that out to 15,000 confirmed cases. There are far more that wouldn't be able to cope even with the 10,000 cases that Italy has today.

And the situation in Italian hospitals is mostly limited to an outbreak in only part of the country, so it's not even 10,000 confirmed cases for a country with a population size equivalent to Italy's. It's a country with a population size equivalent to the population within the most affected zone in Italy.

All it takes is for contact tracing to miss a handful of contacts who didn't call in because they didn't know they were in close contact with an infected person, and only felt like they had a cold or a mild flu....and in a few weeks time your country looks like Italy does today.

Excess panic won't help. Excess support and preparation will. It might not solve it entirely, but it will help *if* you start early.

 

[JerseyGirl]

'We are 10 days away from the hospitals getting creamed,' warns former homeland security adviser

"We are 10 days from the hospitals getting creamed,” Tom Bossert, who was Trump’s homeland security adviser until he was ousted in 2018. Bossert was never replaced, and Trump eliminated the national security council jobs related to disease outbreaks.

In an op-ed in The Washington Post, Bossert said that unless the U.S. closes schools, halts public gatherings and takes other steps to reduce community transmission, the country is headed for the sort of crisis Italy is now facing, with hospitals overwhelmed by elderly people in need of critical care.

Coronavirus updates live: U.S., Europe brace for infection spread as Italy begins lockdown

 

[JerseyGirl]

Vice President Mike Pence announces no copays for coronavirus coverage with several insurance companies

“I’m pleased to report as you requested, Mr. President, that all the insurance companies here either today or before today have agreed to waive copays on coronavirus testing and extend coverage for coronavirus treatment in all of their benefit plans,” the Vice President announced.

Telemedicine would also be covered, and all the CEOs agreed to “no surprise billing,” Pence said.

Medicare and Medicaid, Pence said, already made it clear to their beneficiaries that coronavirus care would be covered.

Live updates: Coronavirus death toll passes 4,000 worldwide - CNN

 

[dotr]

rbbm
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newf...ce-aylward-coronavirus-who-covid-19-1.5492085
A Newfoundlander is leading the global fight against COVID-19, and wants you to know the facts

Bruce Aylward has led WHO efforts against Ebola, Zika
CBC News · Posted: Mar 10, 2020


''What is the biggest challenge you face with preventing the spread of COVID-19?

I think the single biggest challenge we faced is a misunderstanding and often a softpedalling of this at the level of the population.

People are clever. People are concerned about their health. People will do the right things if they have the right information.

What we've seen is people are cherry-picking data. So they look at the lowest possible case fatality rates and say, "Oh look, it's like seasonal flu." Or they pick, "Oh it doesn't spread so fast because of this," or "Oh it only affects the older ones, I'm safe." And none of those propositions are true.

There's no reason to panic about this disease, but you have to be deeply concerned. This is not seasonal flu. It's an order of magnitude [with] tenfold — at least — higher mortality rate. Yes, it does strike vulnerable populations, but it can strike any age. Let's be very, very clear, especially between your 30s and 60s and the older population

If the population understands all those things, it will play ball. And I find the single biggest challenge is the populations aren't always getting clear enough information.''

 

[JerseyGirl]

House Dems discuss possibility of 10,000 congressional staffers working from home

“There was a lengthy discussion about teleworking, they said that we have the capacity for 10,000 staff to work from home, and we're making arrangements that all staff have access to the equipment that they would need and that that equipment is up to date so they could be teleworking," said Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H.

Kuster said that some of her staff are already staying at home.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., on the other hand, said that Congress shouldn't shut down because it sends the wrong message.

And Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., made it clear that he is in favor of closing the Capitol to visitors.

Coronavirus updates live: U.S., Europe brace for infection spread as Italy begins lockdown

 

[SeattleStew]

Coronavirus can travel twice as far as official ‘safe distance’, study says



This is from yesterday, but it blows my mind. Mr. Stew takes the bus around DT Seattle daily. I actually went on bay of e's and purchased a few 95n masks...go ahead, throw something at me. We have an immune system impaired loved one at home.

 

[lucidtx]

Coronavirus in Colorado: Gov. Polis declares state of emergency

Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency Tuesday as Colorado gears up to fight the growing outbreak in this country of the new coronavirus that already has caused havoc around the globe.

The governor also announced three new cases in Colorado.

 

[JerseyGirl]

oh well

White House plan for economic response to coronavirus is 'not there right now,' officials say

 

[Tillicum]

JMO
It just dawned on me last night...

This "Virus Crisis" is going to go down in history as a major event in most everyone's lives worldwide.

Whether anyone chooses to follow the news or not, this "Virus Crisis 2020" is already turning out to be a huge worldwide impact that is affecting many people worldwide. No matter if its an economical impact, a health impact, or just an inconvenience impact, nobody can hardly deny that this is now becoming a major event in our lives.

From that angle, its no wonder a lot of us are paying attention. Knowledge is power in the fight against this, and I feel comforted that most all of us here are doing most everything we can to fight this on a personal basis. If we succeed and escape its wrath, then great. If we dont and get impacted, then at least we will know we did everything we could to try to keep it at bay.

Thanks again to everyone for sharing all the information.

I was just thinking we should be doing journals during this crises and pass them on to our kids and grandkids after the all clear sounds. 100 years from now they can learn from our mistakes and accomplishments.

 

[Trudie]

Idk. I pitched it, watered flowers, iirc.

Could you boil it first like on "Naked and Afraid".

 

[Amonet]

Interesting article about virus risks on various modes of transport.

It says that the air on planes isn't too bad as they use very good HEPA filters. Buses and underground trains could be more risky, especially at peak times when there's a higher density of passengers per vehicle.

I wish the UK government had already suggested businesses staggering starting/leaving/lunch times for staff in order to try and reduce the density of travelers per public transport vehicle. I hope that will be in the measures they introduce in the next week or two.

Coronavirus: What's the risk on public transport?

 

[JerseyGirl]

NY to Deploy National Guard to New Rochelle, Set Up Containment Editor; Tri-State Cases Up to 186 and Counting

Governor Cuomo is setting up a "containment area" in New Rochelle. Testing will be available in this area and the National Guard will help with delivering food and cleaning.

Asked Tuesday whether New York City's iconic St. Patrick's Day Parade, scheduled for next week should be canceled out of caution, Cuomo said officials are still assessing the situation. But it's possible. "You calibrate your response to the time and the facts and the circumstances in that place at that time," Cuomo said on CNN. "So parades, etc. we look at that on a daily basis."

 

[Tbone144]

Texas Medical Center prepares for coronavirus spread


Texas Medical Center prepares for coronavirus spread

director and CEO of the med center in Houston:

"Flu season kills far more people around the world than any of these coronaviruses have ever," McKeon said.

Apparently there is nothing to see here, move along. Despite it being a new virus and the RO and mortality rate as it’s filtering through countries.

 

[Trudie]

I was just thinking we should be doing journals during this crises and pass them on to our kids and grandkids after the all clear sounds. 100 years from now they can learn from our mistakes and accomplishments.

Speaking of journals, I heard it is a good idea to keep track of anyone you’ve had contact with. In the event someone contracts this most evil crap, they are interviewed extensively about recent contacts and outings, most can’t remember. I’m sure after being diagnosed it is difficult to recall every person you might have been in close proximity to as well as every errand.

 

[Tbone144]

Three confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in Collin County


Three confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in Collin County

Picked it up in CA on business trip. My husband has to go to NC next week and AZ week after. Not looking forward to this. Sending him with hand sanitizer and gloves, he said he won’t wear mask.

 

[Hatfield]

I was just thinking we should be doing journals during this crises and pass them on to our kids and grandkids after the all clear sounds. 100 years from now they can learn from our mistakes and accomplishments.

Thats a great idea.

I especially like the idea that our kids and grandkids may someday find it very useful to have that information, if they end up with a different breakout of something similar many years down the line.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Our 80 year old neighbor who just got out of the hospital for a leg infection told me yesterday that “it’s a hoax” and I’m still flabbergasted.

 

[JerseyGirl]

California’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was still on track to begin on April 10. But a petition calling for its cancellation had gathered nearly 15,000 signatures by Monday evening.

The release of the latest movie in the James Bond franchise has been postponed until November. The movie, “No Time to Die,” had previously been scheduled to open in April.

The Ultra Music Festival in Miami was postponed until next year.

Canceled Because of Coronavirus: A Brief List

 

[happyday]

Students at Harvard are being asked to move out of their dorms by Sunday.

“Harvard College students have been asked to move out of their Houses and First-Year Dorms by Sunday, March 15 in an effort to de-densify our community,” media relations director Rachae Dane said..

All academic courses will continue to be held remotely, she added.

Coronavirus live updates: Death toll passes 4,000 worldwide - CNN

The students are being told not to come back after spring break—online classes. People are going to be MAD about this. I think this is too much, personally. I know at my daughter’s university (the 1st to close for the rest of the quarter) one dept. cancelled finals and made all classes pass/fail at the last minute. Students and parents FLIPPED OUT. That is not the kind of class they registered for and worked for all quarter for to just get “credit.” They decided to change it back to graded. Thank goodness! I thought it seemed lazy on their part—like they were using the situation to just be done with it. Students (especially out of state and international) have paid a fortune for these classes and to be blown off and grades not counted? I don’t think so. I don’t think students paying for Harvard are going to let this fly either. Harvard prices for online classes? Nope!

 

[Tillicum]

I checked in on my MIL 82 and FIL 89. They just got home from their regular check up with their doctor. They were there for 2 hours and the doctor never mentioned COVID-19. Unfortunately they didn't ask about it either.