Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #30

[drama_farmer]

This article is from the year 2009, and talks about what might happen if there are not a sufficient number of ventilators available in a crisis. This was back when the "swine flu" was the topic of the day, and they were worried about the moral/ethical conundrum of rationing vents.

Virulent Swine Flu May Trigger Rationing Of Ventilators

(snipped and bbm)
"If swine flu (this is 2009 they are discussing) takes a turn toward the truly terrible, hospitals will be swamped and there won't be enough ventilators to help the very sick breathe."

Right now, a doomsday scenario doesn't seem likely. The second wave of H1N1 looks a lot like the usual seasonal flu and not a reprise of the Spanish Flu, the 1918 pandemic that killed 50 million or more.

Still, public health officials are preparing for the worst and that means coming up with plans for who would get a ventilator and who wouldn't. Rationing of ventilators could pit the families of people with serious non-flu illnesses against those of acutely ill flu patients.

The foundation for a lot of the thinking about ventilator rationing is the New York Protocol, drafted by New York public health officials in 2007 before swine flu was even on the map.

(from 2009)Under the most serious flu scenario they contemplated, more than three-quarters of a million New Yorkers would be hospitalized and 153,000 would die. During the peak of the pandemic ventilator needs would outstrip the supply by more than 15,000."

Some think a less-than-worst-care scenario could overwhelm ventilator and ICU capacity in the US. Last month, an analysis published online by PLoS Currents: Influenza figured if swine flu infects 46 million Americans and puts 2.7 million in the hospital, more than 330,000 folks might require ventilators, exceeding current capacity by more than 23 percent."

 

[MJPeony]

CA - San Jose PD Reserve Officer Tests Positive and Could have impacted 20 others:

SJPD Reserve Officer Tests Positive for Novel Coronavirus

As of Tuesday evening, Santa Clara County public health officials have confirmed 175 cases of the virus, including multiple San Jose Fire Department personnel and Transportation Security Administration officers at Mineta San Jose International Airport.

So far, six county residents have died due to the virus.

followup to my reply- They finally updated their numbers a few minutes ago, 189 as of last night. And their Twitter says “We apologize for not tweeting the case numbers update yesterday”

HA! Wouldn’t it be nice to think ol’ MJPeony’s call this morning was what made them get on it

 

[Henry2326]

SOUTH CAROLINA....geez, anytime would help

In response to closing SC beaches and tourist areas, McMaster said "Nothing is off the table."

ABC News 4 on Twitter

 

[margarita25]

MAR 19, 2020
COVID-19 | How the U.S. Military Is Fighting the Coronavirus
“The outbreak’s spread has resulted in infections and quarantines even as the services mobilize to help battle the virus.

• The U.S. Military is transferring critical medical supplies to the Department of Health and Human Services.
• The services are also experiencing their own cases of COVID-19, with 49 military personnel worldwide infected with the disease.
• At the same time, the Pentagon is preparing to aid civilian authorities, in everything from construction programs to hospital ships.”

[...]

“The U.S. Military is trying to operate business as usual as much as possible during the coronavirus pandemic, but it’s not proving easy. From Virginia to Australia, the COVID-19 virus is causing friction to ongoing operations, slowing them down or even canceling them altogether. In the meantime soldiers, sailors, pilots, and Marines continue to fall victim to the virus, even as the armed services try to train and prepare for the defense of the nation.”

-more at link

 

[pocketaccent]

Italian Grandpa's Solution to the Toilet Paper Shortage
I love this man, watch lots of his videos.

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Haha, I successfully cut a roll in half just now, thanks to that cute man. To use only in the kitchen though. Those short little rolls sitting on my kitchen counter are so cute. They will help cut down on my usage of paper towels and will be a new staple in my kitchen.

 

[MyBelle]

Guys. It could just be me.

This is going to sound weird.

But maybe consider giving someone you trust here a phone number or something, email, whatever, should you want to have a connection here just in case / if:

My techie spider sense is going off that internet systems are possibly generally overloaded across the board and this is just the beginning. MOO

“Not to sound like an alarmist but” - (LOL remember when we USED to say that...sadly we don’t seem to need that preface anymore.)

Anyway, I think pretty much everything I’ve said that is going to happen has already started happening, based on what we’ve learned so far from those who have come before us...

There is value in all these international posts that you might not think could affect you.

Watch what happens in other countries.

Front lines, police, FD, medical workers, etc etc same old

Anyway my point is:

Oh yeah. In case the internet goes down have a plan B for communication and contact Jmo moo.

Jumping off this further.

Everyone go to Public Health Dept and Governor’s Office in your State and write down phone numbers, etc. Moo

Just pretend the internet goes down. Make some notes moo/

—

hopefully a lot has been learned from Katrina re: FEMA.

Checking in on FEMA brb.

Blizzard here.

A very good idea. I think there will be widespread communication outages because of sheer volume of worldwide users.

JMO

 

[LadyL]

Ontario doctor rigs up solution to double ventilator capacity in rural hospital

 

[LadyL]

‘Like, we’re here’: Spring breakers defy coronavirus fears to party

 

[10ofRods]

Looks like US is catching up to Italy

View attachment 239288

Coronavirus Update (Live): 244,364 Cases and 10,007 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Outbreak - Worldometer

Yes, and at the rate we're going, our First Wave is going to be a doozie (and peak in the next couple of weeks).

There are a lot of us. We have no national coordination (Italy managed to supply some nationwide parameters) and some states who still think it's not that big of a deal. <modsnip>

It's okay, though. The facts are the same: most people will survive and many will by asymptomatic. People aged 80 and over are at high risk, people 60-70 are at higher risk than they would be with other current viruses.

Kids will hopefully continue to be safer than they are from flu.

Flu figures show 125 child deaths, record-high hospitalizations in young children

Hopefully, the various measures taken for CoVId19 will also slow the flu.

Do we really need to be out and about ALL THE TIME?

 

[Tony1902]

MAR 19, 2020
COVID-19 | How the U.S. Military Is Fighting the Coronavirus
“The outbreak’s spread has resulted in infections and quarantines even as the services mobilize to help battle the virus.

• The U.S. Military is transferring critical medical supplies to the Department of Health and Human Services.
• The services are also experiencing their own cases of COVID-19, with 49 military personnel worldwide infected with the disease.
• At the same time, the Pentagon is preparing to aid civilian authorities, in everything from construction programs to hospital ships.”

[...]

“The U.S. Military is trying to operate business as usual as much as possible during the coronavirus pandemic, but it’s not proving easy. From Virginia to Australia, the COVID-19 virus is causing friction to ongoing operations, slowing them down or even canceling them altogether. In the meantime soldiers, sailors, pilots, and Marines continue to fall victim to the virus, even as the armed services try to train and prepare for the defense of the nation.”

-more at link

Is that USAMRID helping sorry dragging of your post

 

[margarita25]

This is correct. The numbers of infected will grow rapidly as testing continues. It is not reflective of a huge jump in cases, rather, it is indicative of a more accurate appraisal of the current situation.

Word.

It’s very important to keep this in mind as the numbers come out this week, per Dr. B., as related to “curve”.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Yes - absolutely. And yawning isn't so great either. I'


Except that it will cause huge disparities in who gets what. The "Feds" have no human constitutuents that aren't living in States. If you think the Feds have ready capacity to figure out who needs what, and where, I have to respectfully disagree (see FEMA articles online). The Feds should be focused on verifying facts and need and giving incentives to bump up production of things, like TEST KITS.

It's not like buying TP, either. TP is actually not essential - test kits are. Hopefully the Feds will realize this - someday. The Executive Branch has charged budget-challenged CDC to handle these issues. Fortunately, they're getting some aid from the military - but those 500,000 test swabs we just purchased from "Italy" (really from China) - where are they now? You will see that only some states will get them - and whether that use is judicious, we don't know. States that have "got their own" - should they still get more?

There's a need for coordination, or else supplies end up (as they currently) are...deployed in the wrong places.

Where's the plan??

IMO this was stressed at the press conference this afternoon with the governors in regard to the chain of command - locally executed, state managed and federally supported. The individual communities know best as to what they need and they contact their state leaders. The state leaders contact FEMA for support that the individual states are unable to supply. AFAIK it’s always been this way with disaster relief.

 

[SkylarSid]

Another Face mask Pattern - this one is being requested by some hospitals as medical workers are wearing it over their regular masks to increase the longevity of regular masks. It is unclear when mask supply will improve and so medical workers are understandably concerned and trying to preserve their masks.

Face Mask Pattern - Free Sewing Patter • Craft Passion

Speaking of masks, the Virginia based company Cupron who has been making antimicrobial copper-based products for health care settings, is now making reusable masks. Hopefully, the can crank up their production.
About Cupron, Inc. | Company History
About Cupron, Inc. | Company History

 

[Henry2326]

NEW YORK

NYS is now testing at rate that is VASTLY HIGHER than #SouthKorea, on a per-capita basis. Kudos to NYS & NYC leadership for taking this seriously. The new #Covid19 #Coronavirus cases will look worse, but the public's health will be better. (((Howard Forman))) on Twitter

 

[Gardenista]

PBSO - Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
·

Residents beware!

There are reports of people dressing in white lab coats, wearing masks and gloves knocking on doors stating that they are from the Department of Health or the CDC and want to test residents for the #Coronavirus.

BE ADVISED Representatives from the CDC or Department of Health will not show up at your residence unannounced!

If anyone comes at your residence unannounced wearing a white lab coat, mask, and gloves and says they are a representative of the CDC or Department of Health without notifying you first, please call PBSO at 561-688-3400 or your nearest law enforcement agency.

 

[KALI]

Yes! Do not flush them. Keep a lined trash can in bathroom. Dispose there. I have a 42 year old sailboat. We never flush tonite paper. Has to go in a plastic bag, then out to trash.

You would've loved all my wise relatives that talked with that kind of accent. I do like the idea of cutting up the paper towels to "do your business", but … I'm not sure paper towels are recommended for our sewer systems? Do you think they might clog plumbing easier than toilet paper?

 

[Tony1902]

Jeez Louise in coastal south SMALL town— no bread after 0800. Showing a friend how to make it herself?! No yeast or flour. I just ordered & paid for a bakery for bread. Lord of the Flies coming next? I can’t sleep food tastes like styrofoam.

 

[10ofRods]

Even if medical equipment (esp ventilators) can be rushed to market, here's something to consider:
Are There Enough Skilled Medical Workers To Run Ventilators?

There are about 150,000 respiratory therapists. They, too, are often concentrated in large cities. The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says we already need more - about 21% more - in the next several years just to care for the growing number of people, often elderly people, with chronic lung disease. In a pandemic, Kallstrom said retired therapists can be pulled back, students about to graduate from two- or four-year training can start.

Some therapists have proposed ways to modify a ventilator - a machine designed for one patient - to connect it to four. But Kallstrom's group studied that and says it's not safe. The best solution, that's what the nation is doing - social distancing, self-quarantine so that fewer people get infected at once and so those ventilators - and the staff to run them - are needed over a spread-out period of time

Something like 70% of those respiratory techs are in California (where many colleges have training programs, it's actually not that common to have the training programs).

In places without the techs, R.N.s do the work as a routine. There's training at our local hospitals right now (California).

 

[escape2sc]

Regarding the increase in numbers in relation to the curve...Don't Italy's numbers also reflect increased testing ? Regardless of curve the confirmed numbers are increasing rapidly which means the numbers waiting for results is increasing and the number of newly infected is increasing.

 

[10ofRods]

SOUTH CAROLINA....geez, anytime would help

In response to closing SC beaches and tourist areas, McMaster said "Nothing is off the table."

ABC News 4 on Twitter

Good example of how some late-to-the-game states think it's just their local problem.

::Sigh::