Coronavirus COVID-19 *Global Health Emergency* #9

[Henry2326]

1,2000 test kits for a state of 41 million people?

With a very diverse ethnic population that has wide and easy access to visit family and friends in the countries that currently have the most severe COVID-19 disease infestations?

Is this some sort of federal punishment?

More are coming....they have 200 that they haven't used yet. Governor says he will get whatever he needs.

 

[enelram]

There is no shortage.....they can use the kits that were sent to them without doing the 3rd step. FL has 3 labs ready and waiting......post #422

A local Fl. university, as of Friday said they do not have any test kits for their traveling students
returning from hotspots.
I know what's being reported but it may not be factual for local areas.

 

[Herat]

Health chiefs urge over-60s to avoid crowds as coronavirus panic spreads | Daily Mail Online

So all over 60's have to self isolate!

We're gonna all need webcams for our CoronaVirus Virtual Party !

 

[Wicked Strong]

I thought it was a pretty good press conference considering the subject matter. And I'm one who doesn't think a press conference was even necessary (and that's putting it mildly) since we normally don't have press conferences about every incidence of flu - or about a thousand other things we all have a much better chance of dying from. But it ya gotta do it, then I thought they did a fine job. jmo

I agree. Some people are also ignoring the statement, that the person had an underlying medical condition. The flu, or pneumonia or any other illness might have also killed him.

USA today stated President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., initially identified the patient as a woman, but CDC Director Robert Redfield later tweeted that the agency had mistakenly identified the patient as female when briefing the president and vice president.

Coronavirus death in USA: Washington state man dies

MOO

 

[zecats]

Great post. Also, would add that the means of transmision of this virus suggest that it WILL decrease in warmer whether for the same reasons the seasonal flu and common colds do.Viruses don't transmit as easily in warmer whether for several reasons. So it's not like the experts are going out on a limb with that "prediction" lol

Curious that warmer weather places are experiencing cases. Ecuador for one. Brazil and Australia also, where it is currently summer. Hopefully not as many and warm weather WILL slow it down.

 

[Henry2326]

France appears to have uncontrolled outbreaks of #coronavirus and perhaps be in the early stages of epidemic spread in the nation. International travel restrictions become increasingly less effective as spread inevitably becomes more globally distributed.
Scott Gottlieb, MD on Twitter

NEW: France reports 27 new cases of coronavirus, or 43 new cases so far today, raising total to 100 Tracking coronavirus: Map, data and timeline
BNO Newsroom on Twitter

59 of the patients are hospitalized, suggesting that there may be a significant amount of mildly symptomatic spread that is not yet being detected as broader testing for #coronavirus in France just gets underway.
Scott Gottlieb, MD on Twitter

 

[firebird]

Health chiefs urge over-60s to avoid crowds as coronavirus panic spreads | Daily Mail Online

So all over 60's have to self isolate!

There's quite a large difference between urging and mandating imo These recommendations are really not that much different, if at all, from what the medical community would tell any older person who thinks they might be particularly susceptible to becoming seriously ill from an otherwise non-life-threatening illness.

 

[Chelly]

Health chiefs urge over-60s to avoid crowds as coronavirus panic spreads | Daily Mail Online

So all over 60's have to self isolate!

Over 70 here and began 95% isolation a few weeks ago. I've stocked up with at least three weeks worth of food, paper products, meds and necessities. I occasionally make a quick trip to Walmart (very early morning to avoid crowds) for fresh produce. I've gotten into the habit of washing tomatoes, (and certain other fruits and vegetables) with soap and hot water before consuming.

I take a daily one-or-two-mile walk around the neighborhood. I do stop and chat with other neighbors who are out walking; we maintain about a 5ft distance between each other.

I live in a 55+ gated community and can attest to how easily a cold or flu in a senior develops into pneumonia. Occasionally a friend or neighbor comes by to chat at the front door and we maintain a distance from each other. I guess you could say we all know what is going on with this epidemic, try to stick with good practice and respect others' health.

My only exception to total isolation is a once a week game of mahjongg with three other friends. Again, we are careful and will not gather if cold, flu or virus symptoms are present. Hopefully these procedures will keep me and others healthy.

Curious to know how other WS "seniors" are experiencing these uncertain days.

 

[Henry2326]

1/ Hong Kong epidemiologist Gabriel Leung @gmleunghku who was part of recent @who mission to China gave a great talk at @LSHTM Feb 27. Panopto Viewer
Joël Mossong on Twitter

2/ Here's a selection of points I thought were interesting and novel:

3/ In China, some asymptomatic cases were detected in follow up of contacts of cases, but not that many

4/ Funny outlier peak in Hubei epidemic curve could be due to poor recall of onset dates and "early February" date being coded as 1st February

5/ 80% of cases in China outside of Hubei were linked to cases in Hubei and more than 80% were in households, although this could be due to the intervention of people having to stay at home

6/ While serious toll on health care workers, 4% of total cases, this is much lower than SARS. Possibly better infection control practices.

7/ Consensus emerging on presymptomatic transmission is emerging: only question is how much of transmission occurs before symptoms (10%-30%). Gut feeling is lower than 50%.

8/ Viral shedding highest early on in infection, RT-PCR decreasing monotonically over course of infections, more evidence for presymptomatic transmission

9/ New symptomatic case fatality estimate of 2.6%, increasing with age up to 10% in 80 year olds Joël Mossong on Twitter

10/ Relative susceptibility to symptomatic infection is strongly age dependent, 3 times higher in 60 + year olds than in 30-39 year olds

11/ Unclear if school closing could have sufficient impact on transmission. Will depend on susceptibility, severity and infectivity of children. For flu, reductions of Rt of 40% have been shown which might be enough for #Covid19.

 

[Trino]

Stop buying face masks?
US Surgeon General
They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!
Face masks: Surgeon general wants Americans to stop buying them over coronavirus fears - CNN

 

[Tadpole12]

1,2000 test kits for a state of 41 million people?

With a very diverse ethnic population that has wide and easy access to visit family and friends in the countries that currently have the most severe COVID-19 disease infestations?

Is this some sort of federal punishment?

I forget, was it said it costs 5 $ a test kit approx?
ETA or was it vaccines?

 

[gitana1]

I decided to brave my local Target for some supplies. Ugh. First thing in the door and some young man a couple yards ahead of me begins floridly coughing and output covering his mouth. A middle aged woman came walking toward me in an aisle, coughing without covering her mouth. I bolted from there but not before spelling at her.
I heard two other people and one child coughing in the store in aisles close to me. That made me wonder what I walking into whenever I rounded a corner.

This is making me paranoid. And super angry at selfish, unhygienic jerks who walk around coughing and sneezing without covering their mouths and noses or who take sick kids out and don’t teach them proper hygiene.

 

[SAMS]

BREAKING: Public Health King County says more than 50 people connected to a Kirkland long term care facility are sick and being tested for Coronavirus. We are on the air now until 6p with what you need to know. @KING5Seattle @JoyceTaylorKING

Mark Wright on Twitter

 

[Henry2326]

UPDATE: China's National Health Commission reports 573 new cases of coronavirus and 35 new deaths, nearly all in Hubei province Tracking coronavirus: Map, data and timeline
BNO Newsroom on Twitter

 

[gitana1]

I thought it was a pretty good press conference considering the subject matter. And I'm one who doesn't think a press conference was even necessary (and that's putting it mildly) since we normally don't have press conferences about every incidence of flu - or about a thousand other things we all have a much better chance of dying from. But it ya gotta do it, then I thought they did a fine job. jmo

This is an international crises and yes we do have press conferences about pandemics. Regardless of how likely it is for someone to get sick or die. The panic over ebola was insane here.

 

[SAMS]

ICYMI - Here's the latest on COVID-19 here in WA:

One man from King County dead
Two confirmed cases assoc. w/ nursing facility in Kirkland
50+ assoc. w/ that facility are ill, more confirmed cases expected
Nathan Pilling on Twitter

 

[Chelly]

I forget, was it said it costs 5 $ a test kit approx?

Wondering cost too; haven't found answer on Google yet.

 

[SAMS]

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said the risk to average Americans from the new coronavirus remained low, but warned ‘this can change rapidly’ reut.rs/32ChDff

Reuters on Twitter

 

[gitana1]

I suspect tht the high severe or critical rates are also linked to the Chinese cases, not those elsewhere. That's what I'm seeing googling around, anyway.

Well the one we had here in Washington who died didn’t have a connection to anyone from China, right?

I mean it’s all well and good to take this with a grain of salt if you’re young and/or without any health issues. Some of us have to worry. And I do think our lives matter too.

 

[MJPeony]

More are coming....they have 200 that they haven't used yet. Governor says he will get whatever he needs.

The state of CA has far too many people to test at this point- 200 extra on hand right now is peanuts. Even 1,200 is peanuts. Italy is testing thousands per day, same with South Korea.

As for the Governor saying he’ll get however many he needs.... well, best of luck to him. From his lips to God’s ears as they say. Unfortunately “God’s ears” are the CDC right now, so it’s really up to the CDC to find a way to expedite thousands and thousands of tests... and that’s JUST to the state of CA. I’m not all that optimistic.

All completely MOO.