Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #48

[CSIDreamer]

Idle musing - I think the POTUS question and answer part of the Virus Press Conference today is probably gonna be very interesting......moo

Any popcorn left? Jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Because of community spread, we had to get students out of the residence halls, as the virus spreads rapidly in congregant settings. And accreditation agencies and the federal and state governments require a certain amount of days for instruction each semester, so we could only cancel two days of classes and still move forward with having students complete the spring semester. There was no more time to do it right.

Yes, I understand. I have college kids right now.

We have a difference of opinion, which is fine. (Other solutions exist besides instantly going to video online classes.....but nevermind. My point isn't to argue.)

jmo

 

[LadyL]

Yet I read Canada is flattening the curve
Canada is flattening the coronavirus curve. That’s ‘good news,’ expert explains

I dispute their reading of the graph. None of those lines are curving downwards. What are they looking at? The lines might be bending but they're definitely not 'curving downwards' IMO.

 

[MajorHoople]

New York City Public Schools to Close to Slow Spread of Coronavirus

(note-the proper date of this article is March 15, 2020, not April 15, 2020)

Following Days Of Pressure, Mayor Bill De Blasio Announced Plans To Close The Nation’s Largest Public School System

"New York City’s public school system, the nation’s largest, will begin shutting down this week, by far the most far-reaching and disruptive measure the city has taken yet to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The city’s vast system of 1,800 schools now faces its most serious challenge in decades, as it embarks on a mass closure that could potentially last through the end of the school year.

The mayor and Mr. Cuomo had resisted closing the city’s schools even as other states shuttered their public schools, and urban school districts, like Los Angeles and Seattle, did the same.

But in recent days, a growing chorus of local politicians, public health experts [see post above], parents and educators have ramped up the pressure on the city to shut down schools. By Sunday afternoon, even Mr. Cuomo said the city schools should close within 24 hours, as soon as the city came up with a plan for child care and food."

 

[Trino]

Where our tax dollars go.
"In this chaotic effort to obtain supplies, the Trump administration awarded a $55 million contract to Panthera Worldwide LLC, a company with no expertise in the world of medical equipment, for N95 masks, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

Panthera's parent company filed for bankruptcy protection last fall, and one of its owners last year said it'd had no employees since May 2018, The Post reported, citing sworn testimony. It's no longer listed as an LLC in Virginia, where its main office is, after fees went unpaid."

 

[Seattle1]

I think you are going to have to find someone to figure out how to pay for all that screening testing of patients that are not clinically ill.

Who is going to pay those bills? Especially in those people who never had healthcare, or lost their employer healthcare when they lost their jobs or their employer closed it's business?

And how are you going to convince Health Insurance Companies to many $$$ millions of dollars for screening tests?

The home test kits would be pennies compared to the cost of treatment and shut down of the world economy! The results are as quick as 10 minutes. Start-up firms are charging $135 for kit and assessment and established firms can do for even less. This is a fraction of the $1200 stimulus already being doled out to every man, woman, and dependent child. And who can forget that Pharmaceuticals were left untouched under Obamacare as their very own gift from the government to support the congressional bill (or else remain silent as it passed-- which the majority chose). They also have the capability to process tests. MOO

Healthcare startups Nurx and Carbon Health ship at-home COVID-19 test sample kits – TechCrunch

 

[slowpoke]

Australia's prime minister has berated the World Health Organization for supporting China's decision to reopen live animal markets amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
Updated 14/04/2020

Morrison chides WHO as wet markets reopen in China's coronavirus epicentre

Thank you for this article. This thread moves so fast, but I wanted to comment on these “wet markets”.

Quotes from the article I found interesting:

University of Melbourne Chinese Studies lecturer Delia Lin said there is a “genuine linguistic misunderstanding” of what wet markets actually are.

Wet markets in China are more like a farmers' market in Australia.”

Dr Lin, who lived in Wuhan until 1997, said there were a small number of Chinese markets dangerously trading in live animals.

“I grew up in Wuhan and people hate all those sorts of things.

“They are disgusted with wildlife trading. There’s only a tiny minority of people consuming that.”

My reflex was to condemn China and their wet markets, but then I didn’t even know what a wet market was. I don’t live in Australia, but here in the US we have farmers’ markets, and we have outdoor fish markets. China’s wet markets sound similar, to me, anyway.

The only thing abhorrent and dangerous is the sale of wildlife, which the great majority of wet markets do not sell, apparently. So, wet markets, ok. Wildlife trade, NO!

 

[Seattle1]

New York City Public Schools to Close to Slow Spread of Coronavirus

Following Days Of Pressure, Mayor Bill De Blasio Announced Plans To Close The Nation’s Largest Public School System

"New York City’s public school system, the nation’s largest, will begin shutting down this week, by far the most far-reaching and disruptive measure the city has taken yet to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The city’s vast system of 1,800 schools now faces its most serious challenge in decades, as it embarks on a mass closure that could potentially last through the end of the school year.

The mayor and Mr. Cuomo had resisted closing the city’s schools even as other states shuttered their public schools, and urban school districts, like Los Angeles and Seattle, did the same.

But in recent days, a growing chorus of local politicians, public health experts [see post above], parents and educators have ramped up the pressure on the city to shut down schools. By Sunday afternoon, even Mr. Cuomo said the city schools should close within 24 hours, as soon as the city came up with a plan for child care and food."

WOW!! I had no idea NY schools were still open!

 

[Bravo]

I dispute their reading of the graph. None of those lines are curving downwards. What are they looking at? The lines might be bending but they're definitely not 'curving downwards' IMO.

I think their finding is simply the lines are not shooting straight up. Let's hope we have peaked. We shall see.

 

[MajorHoople]

WOW!! I had no idea NY schools were still open!

I know. I think schools closed weeks ago in most of the country. I can't help but wonder if "open schools" night be the primary reason for the horrendous death rate in New York State and New York City.

 

[Bravo]

WOW!! I had no idea NY schools were still open!

Me either. Holy chit! Our's closed last month. Cant remember exact date. Ont. Canada here.
ETA-my notes say March 14th which was the start of March break. Remain closed rest of school year.

 

[Jax49]

WOW!! I had no idea NY schools were still open!

Article is over a month old - dated March 15, 2020.

 

[slowpoke]

Delete

 

[cody22]

WOW!! I had no idea NY schools were still open!

That is darn near unbelievable. Why were they still open ? Ours have been closed since early March......moo

 

[Bravo]

Dr. Birx giving a tutorial. She has totally lost me discussing other diseases. Might just be me

 

[Tillicum]

I know. I think schools closed weeks ago in most of the country. I can't help but wonder if "open schools" night be the primary reason for the horrendous death rate in New York State and New York City.

According to IHME they closed March 18, 2020. IHME | COVID-19 Projections

 

[MajorHoople]

Article is over a month old - dated March 15, 2020.

Oops, I goofed! Thanks for noticing that.

 

[Tillicum]

Dr. Birx giving a tutorial. She has totally lost me discussing other diseases. Might just be me

Not just you. I was thinking how glad I was we wouldn't have to be tested on her presentation.

 

[Bravo]

Not just you. I was thinking how glad I was we wouldn't have to be tested on her presentation.

Thankfully Fauci was there. Now he I can understand and speaks to this virus.

 

[Tillicum]

Thankfully Fauci was there. Now he I can understand and speaks to this virus.

How sad is this though? It's Friday night and the world is sitting around getting educated on nasal swabs.