Coronavirus - COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #23

[weepingangel]

Boston’s infectious disease specialists’ message to the public: Don’t be cavalier about the coronavirus - The Boston Globe

We have entered a new and eerily unfamiliar era in medicine with the Covid-19 pandemic spreading across the United States and into Massachusetts. And we are worried. As infectious disease physicians on the front lines of an unsettling scourge, united in our sense of urgency to take action, we are concerned that the community response to this pandemic feels too cavalier and casual, misaligned with that of the medical community and public health officials.

RELATED: ‘These are crazy numbers’: Boston doctors warn that Italy may be a preview of a coronavirus outbreak here


In Boston’s health care organizations, the number of Covid-19 patients is escalating, as is the need for imminent and acute care. Hospitals are busy testing patients who meet the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, planning for a surge in patients, restricting visitors and trying to conserve N95 masks and other vital supplies. Physicians who specialize in understanding, diagnosing, treating, and preventing infectious diseases cannot keep up with the desperate phone calls seeking guidance about testing, exposures, and symptoms. More and more hospital employees who may have been exposed to someone with Covid-19 are requiring furloughs. Indeed, the medical community is in full disaster mode.

more at link

 

[LadyL]

Don't forget to open your windows for at least 10 minutes each morning, even if it's cold out. Let some fresh air in. And yes, place air cleaning plants all over the house. Pothos, English Ivy, Areca Palms, Snake plants are great at cleaning the air and removing toxins, and super easy to grow.

Wouldn't be lovely if scientists can develop a plant that zaps coronavirus!

be careful - not all plants are pet-safe

 

[raja]

Maybe we can help by making a shopping list of more practical items:

whole wheat flour
oil
frozen real juice concentrate
dried skim milk powder
dried beans and lentils
laundry detergent
canned or frozen veggies
veggie seeds
waxed gouda cheese
salt
popcorn
dish soap
tooth paste

.. what else?

Dehydrated onions, beef broth concentrated (Try Better than Broth).

 

[Henry2326]

If I were you, I'd tell them you don't have a square to share.
Lol.

That was the funniest thing today..

 

[weepingangel]

Metropolitan Opera to Offer Up 'Nightly Met Opera Streams' - Opera Wire

 

[Damarna]

The kids might not get to eat if this doesn't happen.

jmo

I've seen mention of using our district buses to deliver lunches to students if we close. It's a small district so really would be doable. I work at the high school so if we close I may be facing a bit of a financial dilemma (as many many others).... But I'm also a bus driver and would be the first to step up to help our kids!

 

[Trudie]

Testing various sites could lower false-negatives
Using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), investigators detected COVID-19 RNA in lung wash (14 of 15 samples; 93%), sputum (72 of 104; 72%), nasal swabs (5 of 8; 63%), lung biopsy (6 of 13; 46%), throat swabs (126 of 398; 32%), feces (44 of 153; 29%), and blood (3 of 307; 1%). The 72 urine specimens all tested negative.

Twenty patients had two to six specimens collected at the same time. Viral RNA was detected in single specimens from six patients (respiratory specimens, feces, or blood). Seven patients shed live virus in respiratory specimens, 5 in feces (2 of whom did not have diarrhea), and 2 in blood.

"Testing of specimens from multiple sites may improve the sensitivity and reduce false-negative test results," the authors wrote, citing two smaller studies that reported COVID-19 in anal and oral swabs and in blood in 16 patients and viral load throughout disease progression in throat swabs and sputum from 17 infected patients.

The highest viral loads in the JAMA study were found in sputum, the authors note, with moderate loads in nose-throat swabs, the most common way to confirm infection. Four fecal samples had high viral loads.

Multiple routes may speed transmission
The findings imply that the coronavirus may be transmitted through feces and invade the circulatory system, the researchers said. "A small percentage of blood samples had positive PCR test results, suggesting that infection sometimes may be systemic," they wrote. "Transmission of the virus by respiratory and extrarespiratory routes may help explain the rapid spread of disease."
Study: COVID-19 may spread in several different ways

 

[Henry2326]

WASHINGTON

Huge thank you to local research groups including @seattleflustudy for loaning us tips so that @UWVirology could continue testing for #SARSCoV2 #HCoV19 through the night. New shipment arrived from @Roche this morning! #WhereAreTheTests UW Virology on Twitter
UW Virology on Twitter

STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES

 

[Sundog]

Don't forget to open your windows for at least 10 minutes each morning, even if it's cold out. Let some fresh air in. And yes, place air cleaning plants all over the house. Pothos, English Ivy, Areca Palms, Snake plants are great at cleaning the air and removing toxins, and super easy to grow.

Wouldn't be lovely if scientists can develop a plant that zaps coronavirus!

Great suggestions, but for people with pets, please check which plants might not be safe for them.

 

[Henry2326]

Swiss authorities ordered the closure of the mountain railways servicing the area until at least April 30, 2020, according to a Zermatt Tourism statement sent by spokeswoman Fabienne Fux-Schaller
Swiss Alps ski resorts shut down in response to coronavirus
CNN International on Twitter

STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES

 

[gregjrichards]

BREAKING: New York reports second coronavirus death as man, 65, tested positive to COVID-19 AFTER he passed away

New York reports second coronavirus death after man, 65, tested positive to COVID-19 posthumously | Daily Mail Online

• 
  
  
  • Rockland County man, 65, has been recorded as New York state's second coronavirus death
  • The man died earlier this week, and is said to have only tested positive to COVID-19 posthumously

 

[x_files]

Food for Thought:
How long could this last?
Well, the Spanish Flu lasted two years.

The Spanish flu had three waves that lasted more than two years. The second wave in October 1916 was the deadliest.

"When it was all over, the Spanish flu killed an estimated 675,000 Americans among a staggering 20 to 50 million people worldwide. Certain U.S. cities fared far worse than others, though, and looking back more than a century later there’s evidence that the earliest and most well-organized responses slowed the spread of the disease—at least temporarily—while cities that dragged their feet or let down their guard paid a heavier price."
https://www.history.com/news/spanis...ziXuHGajWV2x3Y4Eixoks-LlVUnLL6FVYWl6u9lnFujEY

 

[SAMS]

PM Breaking News on Twitter

Breaking: Mayor of Teaneck, New Jersey, calls for all residents to self-quarantine due to the coronavirus. There are currently 18 cases in the city of 40,000. Brian Thompson on Twitter

 

[Chelly]

I have been using a scarves when I am in a public place and washing them when I return home. I use part of it over my mouth and nose and the ends to open doors and touch things in the store.

I just got back from a quick trip to WaWa and observed people inside and then sat outside in my car a few minutes. I did not see one person take any steps like I did.

Those long, Pashmina scarves will do the trick.

 

[FrostOwl]

Yes for canned meats. Good idea.

Why not try some vegetarian alternatives, for example dried soya mince. It doesn't take much space when dry, and have a good shelf life. There are lots of recipes on the web for ideas what to do with it.

 

[Sundog]

It is getting bad here in my neck of the woods.
A young mother has been transferred from Rome to Emory hospital, they are afraid she may not live long enough to make it there.
I personally know 2 people who are at home extremely ill, deep dry cough, feel like they are suffocating and temps as high as 103.7.
They are my son's friend and his mother.
They both attended Liberty Square Church on March 1st.
When they called the hospital they were told of they weren't sick enough for the ICU, the would be taken to the basement for transport to a place of isolation to get tested and quarantined there. They were told if they they chose not.to seek treatment they have to stay on isolation in their home until March the 25th unless their condition worsened.
That's scary!!
The numbers from that Church continue to grow.
Moo

This is really awful. I'm so sorry.

 

[Sundog]

Seems Mar-a-Lago should be declared a hotspot. IMO

Hope she is okay.

 

[Henry2326]

IMPORTANT..Average almost 3.

Our latest phylodynamic analysis of #COVID19 in China, Italy, Washington State, and on the Diamond princess cruise ship. The R0 is very comparable across outbreaks. Full report on Phylodynamic Analyses of outbreaks in China, Italy, Washington State (USA), and the Diamond Princess Tanja Stadler on Twitter
Tanja Stadler on Twitter

STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES

 

[Chelly]

DH was planning to go to the library for some reading material and/or DVDs. Closed through April 5.

Troy Public Library

Library books are very unsanitary.

 

[LadyL]

I panicked too much and decided just to go ahead and go shopping today.

Meat? Gone. Veggies? Gone. Fruit? Gone. Barely any canned goods or frozen stuff left. We were able to grab some stuff but we were lucky because they were restocking as we came in. I was able to grab a package of toilet paper that they were just putting onto the shelves. There were limits to have many of each things we could buy. I think I went at a very lucky time.

I talked to my parents and my father went to 4 stores and could not find toilet paper. All 4 stores were almost completely wiped out of everything. He could not get any produce. He finally found some water at a local store but he had to wait 1 hour in a line to get into the store, and there was a limit of 1 water per person. I may have to share some of my TP with them.

I'm glad you were able to get some tp and other items.