Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #104

[beatrixpotter]

This thread just seems all over the place to me. It's sad that nurses can't keep their kids in school so they can work. But kids should definitely stay in school despite the rising case numbers. Then people can just stay home and die from lack of medical care....so the schools can stay open and the nurses can continue going to the hospitals.

Parents can just as reasonably take care of their own children at home and educate them at home. And they can do so FAR more easily than expecting people to provide specialized medical care or medicines at home. In one of these scenarios people die and in the other they do not.

Why exactly would schooling be a greater priority in a pandemic than health care to keep people alive?

 

[Yesiamapirate]

This tread is all over the place, I will agree. This pandemic has thrown us into a world that is not cut and dry. All of our actions have reactions and consequences. It’s like an impossible jigsaw puzzle because the pieces are from 10 different puzzles in one box. It is heartbreaking. The toll on humanity.
I just can’t see us shutting down things again. Not everyone afford to stay home when the school closes. For many people school is the babysitter. Especially those with less resources. If we shut down restaurants, bars, sports venues, etc., who is going to pay their bills? Do we do another round of enhanced unemployment, stimulus checks and government handouts so people can sit home? I don’t know. But I do know that the ticket handler that took my hockey ticket today will get paid at the end of the week. Are we prepared to tell them to close things up? The check is in the mail? I just don’t see that happening.

 

[CSIDreamer]

This thread just seems all over the place to me. It's sad that nurses can't keep their kids in school so they can work. But kids should definitely stay in school despite the rising case numbers. Then people can just stay home and die from lack of medical care....so the schools can stay open and the nurses can continue going to the hospitals.

Parents can just as reasonably take care of their own children at home and educate them at home. And they can do so FAR more easily than expecting people to provide specialized medical care or medicines at home. In one of these scenarios people die and in the other they do not.

Why exactly would schooling be a greater priority in a pandemic than health care to keep people alive?

What type of workarounds would you suggest?

Its my belief that locking everyone in their homes is not sustainable. JMO.

 

[Arkay]

NY Trumps Case Record by 9K, Reports Over 85,000 New Positives on New Year's Day

This is beyond anything we've had before. It's unfathomable.

My brother-in-law is currently at the Jets game. He's a season-ticket holder who hasn't gone this season due to Covid, but today they're playing Tom Brady and he went. Which is making my sister very upset. We are hoping that since it's outdoors and he's triple-vaxed that it will be enough.

85,000+ cases in my city in one day. Each person who is positive will likely spread it to many more. It’s feeling inescapable. There are strict mandates here which are largely ignored and unenforced. This is the result.

 

[weepingangel]

I believe shutdowns of schools here wont be mandated. I think there just won’t be enough staff to safely operate. Kind of like the nationwide airlines thing. ( we’ve had disruptions to local public transport also due to lack of staff) maybe they’ll call up state guardsmen to work in the schools. Idk. They were handling some school bus/transport previous to winter break. And they’re in the hospitals as well.

 

[Arkay]

Cape Cod children aged one and six left orphaned after parents both die days after Christmas | Daily Mail Online

Ok, so a “mystery illness” that killed both young parents after Christmas. I’m willing to take bets on what caused this tragedy.

 

[LaborDayRN]

California’s New Covid Quarantine Guidelines Are Stricter Than CDC’s – Deadline
The new Golden State guidelines add that all Covid-positive individuals can end isolation after day five if symptoms are not present (or are resolving) and if an antigen test collected on day five or later is negative. It also says unvaccinated individuals — or vaccinated but unboosted people — who are exposed to Covid “should stay home for at least five days and also get an antigen test on day five.”

The framework encourages upgrading mask quality, given the transmissibility and prevalence of Omicron. It says, “all persons should optimize mask fit and filtration, ideally through use of a surgical mask or respirator.”

Los Angeles County’s Director of Public Health indicated today that the county would be aligning with the state’s guidelines.

 

[MimosaMornings]

And how are the schools not supposed to close if there aren't enough teachers and other employees who aren't sick?

Georgia was averaging under 2,000 cases a day and now it's like 24,ooo a day. We've had one of the most rapid increase in case numbers in the entire country based on some graphs I've seen giving percentage increase.

We were doing NOTHING to prevent spread and then this happens. Eventually I guess people are going to have to learn covid is airborne and it's not leaving anytime soon and we need to put some actual mitigation measures into place instead of continuously waiting till it all blows the heck up again. Governor Kemp's answer is to do absolutely nothing till the hospitals are overwhelmed and then call in the National Guard for help.

GA had more cases in just THREE days last week than the entire month of November. The hospitals are again seriously overwhelmed.

If GA parents do nothing to stop the spread of covid, and let's be frank, the overwhelming majority of parents here absolutely do not, then why exactly should schools and hospitals have to take the brunt of it? Why should the vulnerable forgo medical care and risk illness? The parents are the ones still responsible for taking care of their own children and not the school system.

And they shouldn't remain open as basically babysitters when they would otherwise be forced to close from medical necessity. But again they are doing nothing to prevent this stage yet again occurring. It's just yet again people being somehow surprised by the consequences of their actions.

I live in GA and one whole branch of banks across our county has been closed for days for "medical reasons". This is just what happens when you pretend you aren't still in a pandemic. Children aren't getting more benefits in a few weeks of school to outweigh the clearly negative benefits of crashing the accessibility of medical care etc.

Or I guess we can just wait and see. Let everything stay open and see just how much it blows up.

I just looked up the covid cases for our local schools the last two days we were open last week and the numbers of sick students and teachers quadrupled and tripled in one day. I'm pretty sure these school administrators wouldn't be doing this without good reason.

Edited to add: Let's also remember that people can't even access tests right now to confirm covid or rule out covid. Not that the tests are super accurate. It's just flying blind and waiting for the system to crash to continue ignoring it. I say the schools are doing a good job not being entirely blind to the problems they are facing and having to weigh it with the problems it does create for students and their families. There are not great options here sadly.

GA - no masks in schools? Can’t remember.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Maybe it is time for people to care for "sick" people at home. And accept that all people can't be saved. Triage. Hospital care for the most likely to survive.

Home health? Hospice?
They are experiencing a huge shortage of staff.

 

[CharlestonGal]

DH and I had a conversation about this a few nights ago. We were wondering if the pandemic has encouraged or discouraged young people from considering healthcare professions. It would be interesting to see if applications to medical school and undergraduate or graduate nursing programs have declined over the last year or two. Those who were considering medicine or nursing might be rethinking career options due to the pandemic. JMO

Nurses and LPNs especially. They make nowhere near the amount of money worth all the crap they put up with. Teachers, too. Not worth it. jmo

 

[Mauig’ma]

This thread just seems all over the place to me. It's sad that nurses can't keep their kids in school so they can work. But kids should definitely stay in school despite the rising case numbers. Then people can just stay home and die from lack of medical care....so the schools can stay open and the nurses can continue going to the hospitals.

Parents can just as reasonably take care of their own children at home and educate them at home. And they can do so FAR more easily than expecting people to provide specialized medical care or medicines at home. In one of these scenarios people die and in the other they do not.

Why exactly would schooling be a greater priority in a pandemic than health care to keep people alive?

For one the youth are our future and deserve to be in school. Look at the suicide rates and I could go on and on. The Benefits outweigh anything else imo

 

[CrimeAway]

California’s New Covid Quarantine Guidelines Are Stricter Than CDC’s – Deadline
The new Golden State guidelines add that all Covid-positive individuals can end isolation after day five if symptoms are not present (or are resolving) and if an antigen test collected on day five or later is negative. It also says unvaccinated individuals — or vaccinated but unboosted people — who are exposed to Covid “should stay home for at least five days and also get an antigen test on day five.”

The framework encourages upgrading mask quality, given the transmissibility and prevalence of Omicron. It says, “all persons should optimize mask fit and filtration, ideally through use of a surgical mask or respirator.”

Los Angeles County’s Director of Public Health indicated today that the county would be aligning with the state’s guidelines.

I think that a negative rapid antigen test result before the 5-day quarantine ends, should be the guidance.

Fauci: CDC Mulling COVID Test Requirement for Asymptomatic

 

[Turkeytrot]

There really isn't a perfect/one size fits all solution when it comes to schools staying open or not.

My kiddo returned to in-person school in the fall of 2020. We've had 3 or 4 instances where possible exposure/positive cases moved them to remote for a week or so. The last one was the week of their thanksgiving break.

I'm a stay at home mom so we've been lucky that those last minute changes haven't been a problem for us. But I can't imagine how much of a nightmare it's been for families with two working parents, single parents, etc.

That being said - I can see a situation where too many kids, teachers, general school staff, etc are sick and they have to go remote anyway.

It's just a mess

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

CDC considering testing guidelines for the asymptomatic, Fauci says (nbcnews.com)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is aware of the "pushback" after it issued shortened isolation guidance, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now considering adding testing requirements to its new isolation guidelines for asymptomatic Covid patients, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Last week, the CDC shortened its isolation recommendations for those who have tested positive for Covid but show no symptoms from 10 days to five. Fauci, the president's chief medical adviser, said that the agency is now debating adding to its guidance...

It's unclear whether a positive test would require further isolation or whether an asymptomatic patient would be free to move about, so long as they're masked...

 

[tabitha111]

Tatiana Prowell, MD on Twitter: "In case no one has told you, the odds your kids will be at school in person in 2-3 wks in the US approach zero in most areas, no matter what your BOE or Governor decide about opening. There won’t be enough people well to run buses, lunches, clean, or teach. Plan now as a family." / Twitter

 

[weepingangel]

Oh this would be horrible anyway. But if it was covid just that much worse imo. And moo.

Cape Cod children aged one and six left orphaned after parents both die days after Christmas | Daily Mail Online

Ok, so a “mystery illness” that killed both young parents after Christmas. I’m willing to take bets on what caused this tragedy.

 

[mickey2942]

Home health? Hospice?
They are experiencing a huge shortage of staff.

No. Family. I used to work in healthcare, and it amazed me how folks didn't want to take any responsibility for sick parents, siblings, family. They basically expected "the system" to just do everything.

I can't tell you how many people just expect some magic "system" to do everything.

 

[weepingangel]

Yes please let’s change things again two days later. Why on earth can’t they get this right- the messaging - I realize that things change- but omg Not what we need right now. All this wishy washy ness. (Disclaimer haven’t read new potential guidelines in detail)

CDC considering testing guidelines for the asymptomatic, Fauci says (nbcnews.com)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is aware of the "pushback" after it issued shortened isolation guidance, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now considering adding testing requirements to its new isolation guidelines for asymptomatic Covid patients, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Last week, the CDC shortened its isolation recommendations for those who have tested positive for Covid but show no symptoms from 10 days to five. Fauci, the president's chief medical adviser, said that the agency is now debating adding to its guidance...

It's unclear whether a positive test would require further isolation or whether an asymptomatic patient would be free to move about, so long as they're masked...

 

[MimosaMornings]

No. Family. I used to work in healthcare, and it amazed me how folks didn't want to take any responsibility for sick parents, siblings, family. They basically expected "the system" to just do everything.

I can't tell you how many people just expect some magic "system" to do everything.

Yep. Usually one is the caregiver while the others flit around on vacation, ignoring requests, etc.
Plus they think Hospice means a nurse 24/7 and does everything. Nope.

 

[weepingangel]

Well two -three weeks ago (I’m speaking to local timelines) they should have started weeding out “need a test” and “not sick enough to be here* and asymptotic positives from ERs. Pre-triage if you will. There are strict guidelines about hospitals refusing walk ups but I’m sure emergency orders/mandates could have been utilized. There’s no room at the inn. None. And the care you’ll get maybe more likely to be not optimal. And no visitors at all again. So patients are alone for the most part. Nobody to advocate for them.

Good news - no morgue trucks in use this time afaik (again locally). Yet? Hopefully not. I see Nj and NY are surging badly. We’ve been in their geographic covid cluster for the most part. And what’s that Florida? Everything’s fine there again? Mk.

Hospital staffing imo (speaking locally again) isn’t sustainable much longer as is. Unless this is over and done in the next two weeks maybe. I just can’t comprehend what’s going to happen with a continuing surge of sick people.


Eta - our testing system/availability (local) -after all this time!! This far into it - has pretty much jumped the shark.

No. Family. I used to work in healthcare, and it amazed me how folks didn't want to take any responsibility for sick parents, siblings, family. They basically expected "the system" to just do everything.

I can't tell you how many people just expect some magic "system" to do everything.