Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #45

[LadyL]

Prime Minister Boris Johnson 'improving' and now 'sitting up in bed' in hospital

Boris Johnson, 55, remains in intensive care at St Thomas' Hospital in London but Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the Prime Minister is sitting up in bed and speaking to medics

Prime Minister Boris Johnson 'improving' and now 'sitting up in bed' in hospital

Hopefully the Prime Minister will continue improving.

good news

 

[mickey2942]

Coronavirus ventilators: Most COVID-19 patients don't come off machine

This, again supports my premise, that a ventilator is hardly a guarantee for being able to survive COVID19.

 

[jjenny]

Exactly. I wore mine for about 2o minutes in Walmart, removed it in car and placed it on car seat. BTW, I live in the high desert, dry as a bone here. No dampness in that mask.

So now it's been on your dirty car seat and you plan to put it back on your face? You are not supposed to even touch outside of it. And now its contaminated your seat and your seat contaminated it. At least keep it in a paper bag.
Basically, what you should be doing with a surgical mask is carefully remove it and throw it away, without touching the outside of it. I don't think anybody recommends reusing them.

 

[Chelly]

There are two strains of the virus, L and S. Both are in the US (link on illustration).

View attachment 242349

I wonder why we don't hear anything on news re two strains.

Coronavirus ventilators: Most COVID-19 patients don't comIe off machine

This, again supports my premise, that a ventilator is hardly a guarantee for being able to survive COVID19.

I have a fully executed DNR order on my health care directive. One copy is with my doctor, the other is posted on my refrigerator. I plan to add "no ventilator therapy" to it.

 

[MsArk]

I am not sure if I have preciously posted this but my son who lives out of state was laid off 10 days ago. He lives in one of the hotspots. He is driving home this weekend. I am going to have him quarantine for the 14 days after he arrives.

 

[Sundog]

Question:

I know they’re doing the plasma/antibody thing (like my scientific explanation? Haha)

Do we know for sure though that there is immunity after you get it? I’ve seen different reports, and can’t keep up with everything...

Maybe some develop immunity and others do not? Is there definitive reference to this somewhere that states one is immune after they get it? Because I recall a few articles where people developed symptoms again after recovering, iirc. Moo. I appreciate any clarity on this. Maybe the trials are in progress and have not lended themselves to a definitive answer yet?

On a related note, since we don't know if there will be another outbreak in the fall, around October when flu season begins, at our university we are reviewing options to think about how to make a majority of our courses into hybrid courses (in-person and online, both) so that if we do have to move to remote learning again, courses will already have that online/remote component built into them, and easier for students to adjust and for faculty to make the shift. Not something we're doing yet, but we're looking at it as part off our pre-planning for fall. All of our summer courses will be online and we're doing a virtual Commencement.

 

[jjenny]

These masks are meant to be disposable. If you are reusing them, they should be kept in a breathable container, such as a paper bag. Virus can live on a surgical mask for a long time, so you might want to rotate your masks. Don't put them on dirty surfaces such as car seats.
"If you want to be extra safe, use three masks and rotate them daily, letting them sit out in a well-ventilated area to dry in the meantime so that the viruses die," he says. "Because of severe shortages in some areas I believe that this is a safe and acceptable practice."
Can you reuse a face mask? It won't be as effective if you do

 

[10ofRods]

The testing numbers are not really comparable as different countries are using and reporting stats differently. For example in the UK they now only test those admitted to hospital, but there are thousands more managing the illness at home and "presumed positive" as logged by the NHS.

I'm afraid the death rate is the truest indication of what's happening, and even then I doubt every nation is reporting in the exact same way. It's really difficult to make comparisons and will be very interesting in months to come once all the data is available to see which methods and treatments worked best. Hopefully we'll end up with a decent global blueprint to work from for when a virus like this happens again.

There are so many problems with death rates (but you're still the best measure - although those dead people have to have been lucky enough to get a test before or after death).

First, in NYC, the fire department reports a huge increase in people found dead at home. Suddenly. Unusual. And EMT's and firefighters are testing positive. Ordinary autopsy procedures are suspended. 200 deaths more per day reported by NYFD. I trust their sense of (that's the last couple of days - probably the peak/near peak).

All over Italy, people dying at home and in hospital without tests and without autopsy.

Some nations not testing much at all (Russia, much of Eastern Europe, Saudi Arabia).

Younger people dying outside of hospital but not autopsied (several states, anecdotal).

SO, epidemiologists will use many measures (coffins ordered, cremations done) to compare this year's death rates to all the years where there is data. They'll look at incidences of known cases.

Some percentage will be attributed to the flu, using the best flu data.

But the predictions are that twice (thrice) as many people are dying in February, March and April than is usual.

I think it's 1.5 to 2X higher than what we see via the test kits. Maybe even worse.

 

[Bravo]

What a heart-warming and meaningful gesture. I applaud you and DH. Bravo, @Bravo

Thanks Chelly. It really meant so much to us. As I said our Nurse Daughter and Therapist Son are in that Hospital every working day. We will show up often. Gotta fashion some noise makers lol

 

[otto]

I am not sure if I have preciously posted this but my son who lives out of state was laid off 10 days ago. He lives in one of the hotspots. He is driving home this weekend. I am going to have him quarantine for the 14 days after he arrives.

Is he going to quarantine with you, or are you making arrangements for him to isolate somewhere else?

 

[Bravo]

Fauci: I don't think we should shake hands 'ever again'
I'm with Dr. Fauci. I'm a hugger person. Not anymore.

 

[otto]

On a related note, since we don't know if there will be another outbreak in the fall, around October when flu season begins, at our university we are reviewing options to think about how to make a majority of our courses into hybrid courses (in-person and online, both) so that if we do have to move to remote learning again, courses will already have that online/remote component built into them, and easier for students to adjust and for faculty to make the shift. Not something we're doing yet, but we're looking at it as part off our pre-planning for fall. All of our summer courses will be online and we're doing a virtual Commencement.

At the local university, in-person classes were stopped on March 13, and will not resume until September - depending on the virus situation. The remainder of the Winter semester and Spring/Summer semesters are entirely online this year.

Convocation has been postponed to November.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

We showed up at our Local hospital at 6:45 p.m. as planned. Had a sign thanking workers with a big red heart on it. We caught those coming on shift and those leaving. It was amazing to see all the smiles on faces, thumbs up, Nurses yelling and waving at us from windows. Our Daughter was coming on shift for her 12 hr. midnight. She was beaming and took a pic. Such a very small gesture meant so much to them and to us.

How wonderful and amazing. What a kind gesture. I am sure it made the day of those hard working front line folks. Best wishes to your hero, your sweet daughter.

 

[Bravo]

How wonderful and amazing. What a kind gesture. I am sure it made the day of those hard working front line folks. Best wishes to your hero, your sweet daughter.

Thank You for your kind words. We are incredibly proud of our kids.

 

[otto]

For any academics looking to contribute to the "what next" question:

The Revenge of the Real is an open call for papers, projects, and research related to these urgent topics and how they are now and will continue to affect urban life, systems, and futures.

The Revenge of the Real: Open Call

 

[otto]

Thanks Chelly. It really meant so much to us. As I said our Nurse Daughter and Therapist Son are in that Hospital every working day. We will show up often. Gotta fashion some noise makers lol

Do they have the supplies that they need? Are they working with covid infected patients?

 

[Chelly]

Thanks Chelly. It really meant so much to us. As I said our Nurse Daughter and Therapist Son are in that Hospital every working day. We will show up often. Gotta fashion some noise makers lol

There ya Go! And some bright colors!

 

[MsArk]

Is he going to quarantine with you, or are you making arrangements for him to isolate somewhere else?

My home has a split bedroom floor plan so he can stay on his side of the house, bedroom and bath. I will wear and mask and take meals to him. Maybe it is over reacting and not sure how he will like it but I’ve been too careful for too many weeks to be careless at this point.

 

[Tbone144]

Not sure if this has been posted but I love me some Bucees.
How is Buc-ee’s stopping the spread of COVID-19 at their pumps?
How is Buc-ee’s stopping the spread of COVID-19 at their pumps?

 

[otto]

My home has a split bedroom floor plan so he can stay on his side of the house, bedroom and bath. I will wear and mask and take meals to him. Maybe it is over reacting and not sure how he will like it but I’ve been too careful for too many weeks to be careless at this point.

It's not over-reacting. When my son has required to self-isolate for 2 weeks I would not let him come home, and we still keep a healthy distance during short visits on the driveway. We think he's been infected, and we don't know enough about the contagion period, so we're erring on the side of safety.

I've heard that you should set aside cutlery, glass, mug and plate for him to use throughout the isolation.