Coronavirus - COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #24

[margarita25]

Dbm consolidate

 

[margarita25]

Canada:

10 new coronavirus cases in Alberta, 2 in intensive care
Updated Saturday, March 14, 2020 4:00PM MDT

——

Return home while you can, Ottawa tells Canadians as COVID-19 continues to spread
March 14, 2020

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, announced he held a phone call with President Donald Trump following a news conference in which U.S. officials raised the possibility of grounding all domestic flights south of the border.”

—-

COVID-19 case identified in Alexandria

“The patient is a woman in her 30s from Prescott Russel who returned from traveling to New York City, N.Y. on Monday, March 9 and developed symptoms two days later.”

—-

B.C. residents advised not to cross border into Washington due to coronavirus concerns
MARCH 13, 2020 11:54 AM

(See now that’s the headline word we need, coronavirus “concerns” not “fears”.)

“Provincial health officials are recommending British Columbia residents not cross the border into Whatcom County due to the coronavirus outbreak in Washington state. Residents who choose to do so should expect to be isolated when they return.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry in a press conference Thursday, March 12, in Victoria, B.C., advised all British Colombia residents against all non-essential travel outside of Canada. Included in that travel warning, she said, are trips to the United States.”

———


“In an interview with The Canadian Press, chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance points to two Russian aircraft intercepted off the coast of Alaska on Monday as an example of the potential threats the military needs to continue guarding against despite the pandemic.

Russian military aircraft have also been intercepted approaching British and Norwegian airspace on several occasions over the past week, raising concerns Russia is probing European and North American defences.

“We preserve the force so we continue to do our job, part of which is to deter and, if necessary, defeat attacks on Canada,” Vance said.

“And part of the deterrence is ... our ability to intercept those who would be approaching our airspace and tell them not to. Or if they enter our airspace and won’t leave and try to attack Canada, we counterattack. We won’t let that drop.”

Asked if he was worried COVID-19 would embolden adversaries as Canada and others are struggling to deal with the pandemic, Vance said: “It’s another factor we need to consider in terms of preserving the force and maintaining situational awareness, as we say.”“

Canadian military making COVID-19 plans amid worries crisis will embolden adversaries
Fri., March 13, 2020

—-

“In one scenario devised by the researchers in which very little is done to contain the spread of the virus, Ontario would see a total of just over six million infections after about 16 months. In that same scenario, a maximum of 126,563 infected people would die.

In another, where schools are closed for about 18 months, deaths could be limited to 10,706.”

Here’s how coronavirus could spread in Ontario

 

[Bampot]

Virus isolation for over-70s 'within weeks'

I've woke up to this news! I'm sure it's been posted so sorry for double post.

I'm just trying to get my head round this. I'm glad they do tell us in advance to try and prepare ourselves.

I have a 70 year old MIL with cancer. A 71 year old FIL who lives in a very remote village whose one high in life is his weekly visit to glasgow to visit his family. And an 87 year old gran with dementia who lives alone!

Ahhhhh! I can't envisage how to implement this plan.

 

[weepingangel]

I just don’t know why more people can’t see this Part of things.
And why preventing the spread is so important to everyone

It doesn't matter how deadly it is, if so many people need hospitalization that our medical system is overwhelmed. People who would otherwise survive will die due to lack of medical care, ventilators, oxygen, etc.

 

[happyday]

I was thinking about the swine flu pandemic in 2009, and I wonder why why there wasn’t this much mass panic? I remember being worried because I had elementary school kids and people of all ages were getting very sick and dying. It was a a scary, unknown mutated from pigs virus and we had no vaccine. Scary. People at my kids’ school were getting it. 61 million people in US infected and over 12,000 in US only died! 575,000 people worldwide died. So many people. 60 people in US and 5,000 worldwide with this virus. I understand this is far from over, but still this shut down of the entire world is warranted? IDK, I’m worried about the virus but I think I’m more worried about the effects of the panic even more.

Understanding Swine Flu (H1N1 Flu)

 

[COSCitizen]

I want to focus now and then here on the positives. There are always positives. On Nextdoor people are reaching out saying that if anyone needs help or supplies or child care or remote tutoring they’re available for free. Just beautiful.

I just went to our local Next Door for the first time in a while and you are right: there are people there trying to make a positive difference. I expected to see a lot of naysayers, but they are keeping quiet if so.

 

[jjenny]

Swine flu had low death rate. That's why covid is treated differently, it has a higher death rate.
"Based on an estimate of around 200,000 deaths, they said the case fatality ratio was probably less than 0.02 percent."
Swine flu infected 1 in 5, death rate low, study shows

 

[realanastasia]

I was going to bump it also, for the second time, so thanking SB too. Today I talked to a friend who is over 80 and who has a home helper once a week provided by the state. My friend mentioned that her helper doesn’t think this is a big deal. I didn’t want to upset my friend, but I asked her if she is aware that it is a big deal. She said she is. As much as I like her helper, I’m really annoyed at her for minimizing this and possibly not taking necessary precautions. She works in other homes too.

Tl;dr: What can I do to mitigate the health risks posed by the multiple home health care aides who come to my elderly parents' home three times a day to assist my dad with ADLs?

I feel your pain, Lilibet--my wheelchair-bound father, who's 83, relies on home health care aides to help him with many ADLs (activities of daily living) because my mom, 72, is physically incapable of doing so due to asthma, obesity, and HBP). There are usually three different people there throughout the day (one comes from 8-12, another from 1-4, another from 5-8) as well as occasional visits from physical therapists, nurses, etc.

I really like and trust the vast majority of the folks who help my dad, and the agency they work for seems to do a pretty good job screening its employees, but there are a few that I suspect aren't going to take this seriously (people who have previously come to work with the sniffles, have a habit of touching their faces/putting their fingers in their mouths, etc.). Many of these folks are themselves 60+ years old, and some work second or even third jobs at nursing homes/care facilities that we all know are rife with various germs/viruses.

To be brutally honest, I do not expect that my parents, if infected with CV, would survive. And thinking about the number of vectors of disease they're exposed to IN THEIR OWN HOME, EVERY SINGLE DAY, has me paralyzed with fear. I don't know what to do, or to advise them to do--do I move back to my childhood home and (after quaratining myself for 14 days) try to handle my dad's care on my own (I'm 41, and in pretty good physical health), leaving my immunocompromised partner (and her elderly parents who live next door) to fend for themselves?

Do I ask the agency to avoid scheduling the folks with the questionable hygiene habits? Aside from insisting that all the aides wash their hands thoroughly when they arrive or that they wear latex gloves when they touch my dad and prepare his food, is there anything else I can do to mitigate the risk these carers pose?Ideally I'd like them to wear masks for the ADLs that require them to be in really close proximity to my dad (i.e. when he transfers from a wheelchair to a stationary recliner, the aide has to stand very close to him so that their heads are probably 10-12 inches apart at most) but I know how great the need is for masks right now for healthcare facility workers/EMTs, so I would not propose this.

This all may end up being a moot point, since I would not be surprised to hear that some of these home health aides are calling out/quitting to preserve their own health and well-being or because they have to care for their young children since there's no school for at least two weeks in PA (no judgement--I can understand making those decisions). But I would not be surprised if there comes a point in the not-too-distant future where intra-state travel restrictions mean that I'm going to have to either commit to moving home and becoming a caregiver until the crisis abates, or accept that I may not see my parents for several months and trusting that their aides will a) keep showing up b) practice good hygiene c) not come to work sick, which is why I'm considering it now.

 

[Skigh]

A woman has launched a 'kindness campaign' using a postcard to help people look after neighbours self-isolating amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Becky Wass, from Falmouth, Cornwall, has made a print at home template which allows people to tick boxes outlining what help they require.

Woman's amazing act of kindness to help coronavirus self-isolating neighbours


It is heartening to hear of kind deeds amongst so many stories of stockpiling and selfish entitled behaviour.

 

[margarita25]

Coronavirus in the Bay Area: 17 new cases in Santa Clara County
Mar 14, 2020 / 01:21 PM

@This brings the total cases in Santa Clara County up to 91.

Health officials said they expect the numbers to continue to grow.

Friday night, officials announced the county’s second death.”

 

[happyday]

Swine flu had low death rate. That's why covid is treated differently, it has a higher death rate.
"Based on an estimate of around 200,000 deaths, they said the case fatality ratio was probably less than 0.02 percent."
Swine flu infected 1 in 5, death rate low, study shows

That’s true but we don’t know the death rate yet for Covid 19. I think it’s going to be WAY lower than we think. Time will tell. But just from sheer numbers 2,000 so far cases in US compared to 61,000,000 in US for swine flu.

 

[0101ABA]

A chain pharmacy? Or a little guy?

Chain. Work for Walmart, possibly closing direct access to other pharmacies later today. Drive thrus will remain open

 

[Betty P]

Tl;dr: What can I do to mitigate the health risks posed by the multiple home health care aides who come to my elderly parents' home three times a day to assist my dad with ADLs?

I feel your pain, Lilibet--my wheelchair-bound father, who's 83, relies on home health care aides to help him with many ADLs (activities of daily living) because my mom, 72, is physically incapable of doing so due to asthma, obesity, and HBP). There are usually three different people there throughout the day (one comes from 8-12, another from 1-4, another from 5-8) as well as occasional visits from physical therapists, nurses, etc.

I really like and trust the vast majority of the folks who help my dad, and the agency they work for seems to do a pretty good job screening its employees, but there are a few that I suspect aren't going to take this seriously (people who have previously come to work with the sniffles, have a habit of touching their faces/putting their fingers in their mouths, etc.). Many of these folks are themselves 60+ years old, and some work second or even third jobs at nursing homes/care facilities that we all know are rife with various germs/viruses.

To be brutally honest, I do not expect that my parents, if infected with CV, would survive. And thinking about the number of vectors of disease they're exposed to IN THEIR OWN HOME, EVERY SINGLE DAY, has me paralyzed with fear. I don't know what to do, or to advise them to do--do I move back to my childhood home and (after quaratining myself for 14 days) try to handle my dad's care on my own (I'm 41, and in pretty good physical health), leaving my immunocompromised partner (and her elderly parents who live next door) to fend for themselves?

Do I ask the agency to avoid scheduling the folks with the questionable hygiene habits? Aside from insisting that all the aides wash their hands thoroughly when they arrive or that they wear latex gloves when they touch my dad and prepare his food, is there anything else I can do to mitigate the risk these carers pose?Ideally I'd like them to wear masks for the ADLs that require them to be in really close proximity to my dad (i.e. when he transfers from a wheelchair to a stationary recliner, the aide has to stand very close to him so that their heads are probably 10-12 inches apart at most) but I know how great the need is for masks right now for healthcare facility workers/EMTs, so I would not propose this.

This all may end up being a moot point, since I would not be surprised to hear that some of these home health aides are calling out/quitting to preserve their own health and well-being or because they have to care for their young children since there's no school for at least two weeks in PA (no judgement--I can understand making those decisions). But I would not be surprised if there comes a point in the not-too-distant future where intra-state travel restrictions mean that I'm going to have to either commit to moving home and becoming a caregiver until the crisis abates, or accept that I may not see my parents for several months and trusting that their aides will a) keep showing up b) practice good hygiene c) not come to work sick, which is why I'm considering it now.

This is an important issue. Most of these workers earn low wages and are considered "contract employees". That means they probably don't have group health insurance, paid sick leave, unemployment compensation, etc. They probably have little or no choice but to work, even when sick. These are mostly people who live paycheck to paycheck.

The only benefit of this pandemic is that it brings into stark relief the deficiencies in our workplace, health care and social safety nets.

 

[margarita25]

I remember the docs talking about how responses will vary based on the community and the situation.

Here an example:

Santa Clara
Coronavirus in the Bay Area: 17 new cases in Santa Clara County

“On Friday, the county issued a mandatory order prohibiting public or private gatherings of more than 100 people.”

[...]

“Public Health is also banning gatherings of 35 to 100 peopleunless certain conditions are met to reduce the likelihood of transmission at those events.”

Vs. Colorado, which is 250:

“As Polis urged the cancellation of any events bringing together more than 250 people, state lawmakers prepared to vote to postpone the legislative session.”

Colorado sees flood of event cancellations as state reports first coronavirus death – The Denver Post

Wait ya this an “urging” or is it mandatory like Santa Clara?

Looking...

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Fox News highlighting our doctor Campbell and calling him a YouTube sensation! We knew that Fox News

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[margarita25]

Oh oh...

Cannabis Business Not Immune to Coronavirus
MARCH 13, 2020

 

[weepingangel]

He acknowledges he is positive but has an issue with isolation, he has “places to go.”

And people to see

 

[SuziQ]

Park City, Utah has it's first community spread. A bartender that went to work sick. It is a busy place as it is ski season. Banks in the area had a run on money Saturday and almost ran out.

Hunter High School student and staff in West Valley City, Utah is quarantined for 14 days. Two students tested positive.

Nearby a Charter School has a student testing positive.

Utah has 14 cases as of last night.

I am on my phone right now and it is not link friendly. I will try to provide links later.

I am still praying for all of us.

 

[Wyle_E_Coyote]

11 year-old girl second pediatric flu death in Cuyahoga County

hmmmmm

There is a lot we don't know about this virus. I've been skeptical of the idea that this doesn't strike young people. At this point, that's been based on the numbers from China, but with only one or sometimes two children per family wouldn't their demographics skew the statistics away from the young?

 

[margarita25]

Michigan announces 8 new positive COVID-19 cases, 33 cases total
Updated: March 15, 2020, 8:48 am