Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #104

[CharlestonGal]

It would be great to know but that’s impossible here. No at home rapids, people driving 50-60 miles to find one and lucking out. CVS will show in stock and when you get there - they’ve been sold out for a week. Good luck getting anyone on the phone too. They’re swamped.

Testing center shut down because of high number of staff with Covid.

I know several neighbors with Covid and none could get early treatment because they weren’t sick enough for an ambulance call but definitely not a mild case.

People going to ED to be tested too.

ED/ER’s with wait times in the double digits and there is no separation of likely Covid intake from others in ER. They are laying down in hallways, one which goes to the main entrance of the hospital. I was not a happy camper. Easy transmission to other patients, staff or visitors.
JMO

I just put all my info (using the symptoms I had last week) into the Walgreen's app for a PCR test. Next available appointment is Wednesday at 3 pm. That's cutting it extremely close - 5 days of symptoms - if you want antivirals or mabs.

How is early treatment supposed to work if you can't even get a test until you're on 5 days of symptoms and your PCR will not be back from the lab for who knows how many days???

 

[CharlestonGal]

A ‘very strange’ omicron variant symptom has emerged

Nailed it. If you go back to my posts from last week when I got sick, nightsweats was my very first symptom. The rest came on a few hours later. jmo

 

[CharlestonGal]

I got some N95 3M Aura masks too, ordered them online from CVS. I know they're probably the best masks I have, but I find them hard to breathe in, and they feel scratchy where there are staples on the sides. I may have to try to cover the staples somehow. So I'm using the KN95s I ordered from Amazon instead; but they are not easy to breathe in when I'm exerting myself. I tend to breathe through my mouth when wearing the good masks.

Cover the staples with a dab of hot glue.

ETA: Obviously, do not put the mask on until the glue has dried and cooled!

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Where have you seen that rapid tests are only 50/50? That’s not at all what we are seeing (I’m in healthcare). I’ve seen a few mentions that rapid tests might not pick up positive omnicron cases as well as other variants, but nothing with an actual number. I’ve also seen nothing to indicate rapids are giving false positives. IME, that is incredibly rare. Not impossible, but extremely unlikely.

Recent facts say otherwise.

Ellume COVID-19 Home Test Recalled for False Positive Test Results

FDA says rapid Covid antigen tests may be less sensitive in detecting omicron

Rapid Covid tests not as accurate with Omicron: US regulator

Do Rapid At-Home Tests Detect the Omicron Variant? Here's What Experts Say

 

[justbeachy]

Disney World to livestream New Year’s Eve fireworks

They live stream them every year, so it's not like this was done as a special thing for this year. And the parks are still packed. They have a reservation system in place to limit park capacity, but these are some pics from yesterday at Magic Kingdom (not my pics, they were shared with me) and the pics I'm seeing from today are just as crowded, so...

MOO IMO

 

[ilovewings]

Not sure how advisable this is:


London's New Year's Eve fireworks 'are ON' | Daily Mail Online

Not sure how advisable this is:


London's New Year's Eve fireworks 'are ON' | Daily Mail Online

There are alot of ill-advised activities going on---

 

[justbeachy]

Recent facts say otherwise.

Ellume COVID-19 Home Test Recalled for False Positive Test Results

FDA says rapid Covid antigen tests may be less sensitive in detecting omicron

Rapid Covid tests not as accurate with Omicron: US regulator

Do Rapid At-Home Tests Detect the Omicron Variant? Here's What Experts Say

Interesting...those Ellume tests are the ones they sell at Target. They are still listed on their website but are showing as "out of stock" for my area and not available for shipping. There was a millisecond yesterday when they showed up as available but by the time I got it in my cart it was no longer available. Glad now that I didn't get one!

 

[nhmemorymaker]

A ‘very strange’ omicron variant symptom has emerged

This really does clinch it for me.... Besides the headaches, runny nose, loss of taste and smell (definitely did...though not completely), i also had the sweats.. in the daytime more however. The sweats and heat kept making me think I must have a fever... but constantly running a lower temp.
I did have the Negative results from the rapid test... but I am just pretty sure I had it.... but mild enough to say "thank goodness".

What I really want to 'learn' today is some statistical information on getting the virus more than once. Anyone who already has some factual data........ please answer!!!

 

[MimosaMornings]

Disney World to livestream New Year’s Eve fireworks

They live stream them every year, so it's not like this was done as a special thing for this year. And the parks are still packed. They have a reservation system in place to limit park capacity, but these are some pics from yesterday at Magic Kingdom (not my pics, they were shared with me) and the pics I'm seeing from today are just as crowded, so...

MOO IMO
View attachment 328079 View attachment 328080

OMG

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Nailed it. If you go back to my posts from last week when I got sick, nightsweats was my very first symptom. The rest came on a few hours later. jmo

yep, i certainly thought of you with this post, as well as myself......
You just got such a stronger case............. but thank heavens, you did get the antibodies. I know you are pretty sure it was that Harris Teeter trip.... i think the "good thing" is that you did get it early in the surge....so more was available...

Now we MUST learn more and more about reinfection............

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Omicron wave creates chaos for school districts post holiday breaks (nbcnews.com)

The Biden administration has also emphasized the importance of returning in person as it looks to prevent major disruptions with the rise of omicron.

As another surge of Covid cases has swept the U.S., school districts around the country are pushing to keep classrooms open next week when students return from winter breaks.

Officials in the country’s largest school system, New York City’s, said Tuesday that they will double in-school testing of students even without symptoms or exposure, test both vaccinated and unvaccinated students and deploy millions of at-home rapid tests as the city and the state deal with record-shattering daily case counts because of the omicron variant of the coronavirus...

 

[CharlestonGal]

yep, i certainly thought of you with this post, as well as myself......
You just got such a stronger case............. but thank heavens, you did get the antibodies. I know you are pretty sure it was that Harris Teeter trip.... i think the "good thing" is that you did get it early in the surge....so more was available...

Now we MUST learn more and more about reinfection............

I was thinking about that last night. I'm kind of lucky I got it as early as I did. There were 2,200 cases in my state the day I got sick. Over 6,000 yesterday, so it's spreading fast. Appointments for testing are now 5 days out and there are no home tests on the shelves anymore.

Of course, my diagnosis totally blew up Christmas, but in the long run I think I might be better off to have gotten sick when I did.

As for reinfection, I'm not sure and neither is my doctor. I now have Moderna, natural antibodies to Omicron and a mab infusion on board. But my doctor advised I continue to isolate the best I can until my bypass is done, just to be on the safe side. jmo

 

[CSIDreamer]

I was thinking about that last night. I'm kind of lucky I got it as early as I did. There were 2,200 cases in my state the day I got sick. Over 6,000 yesterday, so it's spreading fast. Appointments for testing are now 5 days out and there are no home tests on the shelves anymore.

Of course, my diagnosis totally blew up Christmas, but in the long run I think I might be better off to have gotten sick when I did.

As for reinfection, I'm not sure and neither is my doctor. I now have Moderna, natural antibodies to Omicron and a mab infusion on board. But my doctor advised I continue to isolate the best I can until my bypass is done, just to be on the safe side. jmo

How much longer until your bypass? I would hate needing to wait on one.

 

[charminglane]

The library I work at closed to the public Thursday. We were given an extra paid holiday. The numbers in L.A. County are getting too high to stay open safely, even with masks, which staff and public have been wearing all along.
We will be going in on Monday to receive our tests, which will then be taken to a local charter school we partner with. The results will be forwarded to out Director and we will be notified if we are positive or exposed. We will be working from home Mon. and Tues. and preparing for curbside orders to reopen Thursday. We were told this will be until January 15, but I beg to differ. It could be the whole month or longer.
I had sent a text to the Director on Wednesday that there were 2 libraries in different parts of the state that were moving back to curbside only. She must have gotten on the horn with Board members, because she came in to our office Wednesday at closing and said not to come in tomorrow. We are a special district and operate separately from the county. Amen.

 

[CharlestonGal]

How much longer until your bypass? I would hate needing to wait on one.

My insurance approved it last August when I had my latest heart cath and stent placement. 3 arteries are now stented and need bypass. I've been putting it off because I don't want to be in the ICU during a pandemic. So maybe March or April if things calm down by then?

I don't know. It's a hard decision. jmo

 

[Sundog]

The library I work at closed to the public Thursday. We were given an extra paid holiday. The numbers in L.A. County are getting too high to stay open safely, even with masks, which staff and public have been wearing all along.
We will be going in on Monday to receive our tests, which will then be taken to a local charter school we partner with. The results will be forwarded to out Director and we will be notified if we are positive or exposed. We will be working from home Mon. and Tues. and preparing for curbside orders to reopen Thursday. We were told this will be until January 15, but I beg to differ. It could be the whole month or longer.
I had sent a text to the Director on Wednesday that there were 2 libraries in different parts of the state that were moving back to curbside only. She must have gotten on the horn with Board members, because she came in to our office Wednesday at closing and said not to come in tomorrow. We are a special district and operate separately from the county. Amen.

I couldn't get the link to this article to post, and there is a paywall, so am just cutting and pasting the headline. Seems our libraries in Ohio are having trouble with staffing as well, and, of course, morale is a major concern. Glad to hear you will be closing for awhile.


News Alert
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31

Big and small, Ohio libraries face same challenges of staffing shortages, morale issues
Issues facing librarians range from finding enough workers to keeping up morale to working through the unique hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

[CharlestonGal]

Florida doesn’t plan to open COVID testing sites amid surge, Orange County official says

Orange County officials said Wednesday the state has balked at opening testing sites amid a tidal wave of demand and denied a request this week for four flashing signs to help provide information to people in miles-long lines.

“We have been asking the state for weeks now if the state would, or intended to, open testing sites,” Banks said Wednesday evening. “The state clarified again today they have no intention … That’s the absolute biggest thing we need help with right now.”

Banks, who heads the county’s testing efforts, said he expects a third COVID-19 testing site at the South Orange Youth Complex opening Thursday, to be swamped. But opening additional local sites would be difficult to staff, he said, and wouldn’t meet the demand. The South Orange Youth Sports Complex will open for testing Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be open seven days per week. However, it will be closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

When the line closed at about noon at Barnett Park Wednesday, Banks said a line of cars about a mile long was turned away due to reaching capacity. The ones that made it through still waited for hours to get swabbed.

Mayor Jerry Demings blasted the state and Gov. Ron DeSantis at his Tuesday news conferences for not helping counties battle the omicron variant, which has produced record-high infection totals and, also, immense demand for testing.

“We have not received any assistance from the state of Florida at our testing sites,” Demings said. “All Florida residents should be outraged … where is Ron DeSantis now?”

 

[WichitaFalls]

I follow her on twitter- she is advising to prepare now for shortages, store closings, office closings, in the next 6-8 weeks. Get your supplies in!


Tatiana Prowell, MD

@tmprowell

To all the people who harassed me overnight & said I was peddling “fear ” when I said in Jan we’ll call 911 & no one will come or we’ll be unable even to enter an ER, this is a #DC suburb, now. Ambulances waiting 8 HOURS to be able to drop a patient at ER. #STAYHOME








Tatiana Prowell, MD

@tmprowell

Listen to me. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY #OMICRON. From modes of transportation to places you shop to places you get medical care to places you worship to places you learn. The public is not ready. Every single thing is going to be affected. Everything. Get ready.

I follow her as well! Her post mentioned above is what prompted me to spend the last couple of days preparing for every thing to be affected. Are you set Ms Tabitha?

 

[WichitaFalls]

There are alot of ill-advised activities going on---

Truer words were never spoken. :-(

 

[tabitha111]

Most large New Year’s Eve events in the United States have been canceled or diminished, as the nation shattered its record for new daily coronavirus cases on Wednesday. But Chicago, Las Vegas and San Antonio are a few of the anomalies, having neither scrapped nor pared back their plans.

In Las Vegas, city officials say that they expect more than 300,000 people on the Strip and downtown for the return — after a one-year hiatus — of New Year’s Eve fireworks. Masks remain required indoors, but face coverings and social distancing are optional outdoors.

Live Updates: Covid Wave Dampens New Year Observances Worldwide

yep, our retirement community "caregiver" is in Las Vegas right now. She barely wears a mask here, so I know it will only be a thin cloth mask at the poker tables (her speciality). This place slays me, saw a young couple walk in yesterday with a young boy and not a single mask on- they were visiting her father- only she checked in (temp check) her husband and boy did not and walked on up anyways.
Then there is the man moving in today whose relatives (I assume) three big burly guys bringing up furniture from a pick up truck- no masks.
There is a singer coming at 2 pm for a NYE sing along, then a BYOB party starting at 10 pm tonight- needless to say I won't be attending.