Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #48

[Lilibet]

Six months ago, if you were asked to choose between losing the excess 140,000 people in the U.S. (and > 50% would die before the end of the year regardless), which is 0.04% (1/25th of 1 percent) of the U.S. population.

-OR-

saving these 140,000 people and putting the American economy in a deep and long lasting recession, what would you have said?

Hard choices. Am I selfless enough to volunteer to be one of the 70,000 (who wouldn’t have died anyway by the end of the year) in order to rescue the economy? Are you? Is anyone? Who would be willing to sacrifice the life of their spouse, father, mother, grandparent, friend? I guess like the Texas congressman said, we older ones ought to make this sacrifice? Will he go first?!

From WaPo:
How about we wait to have the discussion of how many deaths are acceptable among which sorts of people — elders? asthmatics? — until after we’ve taken common-sense measures to prevent the preventable. Such as, a ramped-up national testing and tracing system that would allow Americans to make legitimate personal-risk assessments and reduce the chance of new outbreaks as they return to work and to their amusements. People need to work — but they also need to know they won’t carry the virus home.

It’s called informed consent. And right now, we don’t have it. None of us. Only about 1 percent of Americans have been tested as we approach reopening.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/04/18/sally-jenkins-trump-coronavirus-testing-economy/

 

[margarita25]

Hi Niner! We'll be sure to post a link for you.....or you can set your alarm clock to get up and watch, like many of us did during the Oscar Pistorius trials. Stay safe and HUGS!

What’s the situation there in Latvia, @Niner? Googling:

COVID-19 infected in Baltics. 712 in Latvia, 1 239 in Lithuania, 1 512 in Estonia

 

[cass523]

"Inside the Hot Zone," Maimonides Medical Center, NY

I thought Dr Cameron Kyle-Siedell would be on this show since he works the ER at this hospital and has been in the news for a few weeks

"Exposed to the coronavirus daily, the Maimonides Medical Center staff have seen some of their own sickened by the virus. Nurses in the intensive care unit talk about the relationships they've built."

"Dr. Saunders is called upon for the most extreme cases. A patient has been on a ventilator for 24 hrs that is not helping. He assesses his patient and hooks him up to an oxygenator."

An oxygenator is a medical device that is capable of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood of human patient during surgical procedures that may necessitate the interruption or cessation of blood flow in the body, a critical organ or great blood vessel.

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[margarita25]

Hi, someone had just posted about how they notice spraying in other countries but not here in the US, can’t find post now to quote and battery is dying...Wanted to bring forward this wild video re: “spraying” from the early days in case anyone missed it:

Coronavirus - Global Health Emergency, 2019-nCoV #3

 

[Oregonmama]

Switzerland projects American Flag onto iconic mountain in a show of solidarity

 

[SeattleStew]

@Lilibet
When do the Stones come on? And Stevie Wonder and Sir Paul McCartney? During the main show at 8?

—-

ETA:
I love Adam Lambert’s shirt and blue colors. He looks so pretty.

—-

That Indian song was pretty too.

—-

That Sofi Tucker song was a fly jam.

Sofi Tucker had DH and I shaking it and feelin that groove! Kinda having our own little dance party here. DH figured out how to broadcast in from our big screen, such a fun respite from COVID.

<modsnip>

So many great artists I'd never heard before, like this Irish band, Picture This, what an amazing lineup.

 

[ilovewings]

I’m in the same boat regarding asthma.

It is a pretty scary time for people like us!!!!

 

[Ray_of_hope]

I have two elderly cats and when I am out for solo/socially distant walks, I walk by the vet to make sure it's still open just in case we need end-0f-life services. Looks like "regular" services are suspended but will take emergencies. Door is locked and I don't see the receptionist through the window like I usually do. Maybe the vet is handling it all on her own, IDK.

Condolences to anyone losing their beloved pets. They are such good company and the loss is hard especially now.

jmo

The veterinarians are open in my town (5 offices) and we have to drive up and let them take our pets into the office while we wait in the car. All transactions are done outdoors.

 

[Oregonmama]

Another checkin... Oregon sees about 50 to 80 new cases a day. Our schools might not re open in the fall. And I'm now going stir crazy but we enjoy our nightly drives to the country side to a secluded spot to watch the sunset while enjoying a glass of wine . Teen free so that's a bonus.

 

[Lilibet]

So many great artists I'd never heard before, like this Irish band, Picture This, what an amazing lineup.

Yes it is an amazing lineup. We have it on our large screen TV too. But was anyone else asking “Picture This” why they aren’t social distancing? I assume/hope they all live together!

 

[CeeCeeCat]

I hope the link works - an interesting if lengthy article about the initial UK response (lack of) to Covid19

Coronavirus: 38 days when Britain sleepwalked into disaster
Boris Johnson skipped five Cobra meetings on the virus, calls to order protective gear were ignored and scientists’ warnings fell on deaf ears. Failings in February may have cost thousands of lives

Read in The Times and The Sunday Times: Coronavirus: 38 days when Britain sleepwalked into disaster — The Times and The Sunday Times

 

[Lilibet]

It is a pretty scary time for people like us!!!!

Very scary...to think about possibly suffocating to death if we catch this! I have absolutely no respect for anyone who thinks their “rights to freedom” are more important than our right not to die a horrible death.
JMO

 

[margarita25]

All of you with asthma, this may make you feel better:

Asthma Is Absent Among Top COVID-19 Risk Factors, Early Data Shows

—-

Oh yes! Purple Unicorn from Kiona over in Eastern Washington. I think I'll get out some of my secret popcorn stash along with that fine bud and enjoy the show! BTW I'm GF, too, so your cracker story is hilarious. I was found myself rooting around for a soy sauce packet from a Chinese food delivery many moons ago even though not GF, but needed for a recipe.

Keep posting all this great info sleuthers! I've learned sooo much from y'all!

Funny, there’s that kitchen junk drawer with soy sauce, pizza Parmesan packets, delivery plastic ware...you can find napkins in the plasticware packets if you run out of toilet paper

 

[cody22]

The protestors and my thoughts.
Can you imagine a grown adult making a sign, getting in a car, and standing in a street demanding to be exposed to a deadly virus and to expose others?

Yes, I can.......... Over something they strongly believe in....moo

 

[branmuffin]

The protestors and my thoughts.
Can you imagine a grown adult making a sign, getting in a car, and standing in a street demanding to be exposed to a deadly virus and to expose others?

Would someone get arrested if they coughed on them?

 

[LadyL]

I don't think that is the case. This article explains it. As long as you don't touch the fabric or surface and then touch your face, it won't transfer. The virus has to enter through your eyes, nose or mouth.

How long does coronavirus live on different surfaces?

we were talking about sitting on a park bench
you sit on it, the virus transfers to your clothing
you wear that clothing home - you do not change
an hour later you have touched your clothing and touched your face
also you have sat on furniture inside your home and transferred the virus there

Yes, I think sometimes it gets lost in the conversations that you can't get the virus through your hands. Yes, wash items, of course, and be mindful of what you touch....but the ultimate thing is to wash your hands frequently and keep them away from your face.

jmo

the virus will transfer from furniture to clothing to skin to mouth/eyes/nose

I was referring to being infected from park bench to clothing to face even after washing hands.

washing your hands has nothing to do with it if the virus is on your clothing
why do you think medical workers are dropping their clothes in the garage into a laundry hamper before running to the shower inside? they're leaving the possible virus on the clothing so they don't transfer it

Wouldn’t transference apply?

I don’t know, but if I pulled my sleeve down over my hand to open a door, I think I better be really careful that this sleeve does not touch my face later.

yep exactly

I had to have my old cat euthanized this past week. For the most part, the vet's office handled things well under the circumstances. They are making people wait in their car with their pet until an exam room is free then they call you on your cell phone. I was offered a mask and gloves at the entrance. The vet tech and the vet wore masks as well. The person who greeted me at the door (they keep it locked) and walked me to the back did not, which irked me a little.

The tech put in a really long IV line so the vet didn't have to get close to me or my cat to do the injections. I was in and out really quickly.

so sorry for your loss

I learned a new word, fomite, as in "The authors concluded aerosol and fomite transmission of SARS-C0V-2 was "plausible" and may help inform COVID-19 mitigation efforts." (1)

I am learning so much from everyone here and all the useful links they provide. In Geography, I'm learning the demographics of countries that I haven't studied since grade 5. In History, I'm learning about the pandemic of 1919 and am still wondering why this was skipped entirely in school. And Epidemiology has something new to teach me every day. Then there's also Psychology, Sociology, Anatomy, Medicine, Mental Health, Statistics, Science, Politics, Disease Modelling ...

(1)https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/85466

and there's the technical word for what I've been trying to explain

 

[The Night Watchman]

Hard choices. Am I selfless enough to volunteer to be one of the 70,000 (who wouldn’t have died anyway by the end of the year) in order to rescue the economy? Are you? Is anyone? Who would be willing to sacrifice the life of their spouse, father, mother, grandparent, friend? I guess like the Texas congressman said, we older ones ought to make this sacrifice? Will he go first?!

From WaPo:
How about we wait to have the discussion of how many deaths are acceptable among which sorts of people — elders? asthmatics? — until after we’ve taken common-sense measures to prevent the preventable. Such as, a ramped-up national testing and tracing system that would allow Americans to make legitimate personal-risk assessments and reduce the chance of new outbreaks as they return to work and to their amusements. People need to work — but they also need to know they won’t carry the virus home.

It’s called informed consent. And right now, we don’t have it. None of us. Only about 1 percent of Americans have been tested as we approach reopening.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/04/18/sally-jenkins-trump-coronavirus-testing-economy/

Hard choices indeed. The cards have been dealt and we are unprepared for the pandemic.

You refer to sacrificing lives, but I think it is more sacrificing the very small chance that you or your loved ones will suffer permanent loss due to coronavirus. But that is a real concern nonetheless.

The Washington Post commentary is powerful and compassionate. It is hard to argue with the logic, except it makes no mention of the economic cost is of waiting until after we’ve taken common-sense measures to prevent the preventable.

Sally Jenkins says sarcastically- Rather than damage the economy further, we must accept a certain number of coronavirus casualties so the rest of us can go back to restaurants and football games. It’s a false moral equation and a false choice.

Sally is a good and expressive writer. She talks about people going to restaurants and football game instead of people getting back to work to pay their bills. Very effective. She says a moral equation is false, but doesn't present the societal cost of keeping the economy shut to her equation. Her equation isn't really an equation.

 

[tresir2012]

CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN RULES (clear as mud)


1. You MUST NOT leave the house for any reason, but if you have a reason, you can leave the house

2. Masks are useless at protecting you against the virus, but you may have to wear one because it can save lives, but they may not work, but they may be mandatory, but maybe not

3. Shops are closed, except those shops that are open

4. You must not go to work but you can get another job and go to work

5. You should not go to the doctors or to the hospital unless you have to go there, unless you are too poorly to go there

6. This virus can kill people, but don’t be scared of it. It can only kill those people who are vulnerable or those people who are not vulnerable people. It’s possible to contain and control it, sometimes, except that sometimes it actually leads to a global disaster

7. Gloves won't help, but they can still help so wear them sometimes or not

8. STAY HOME, but it's important to go out

9. There is no shortage of groceries in the supermarkets, but there are many things missing. Sometimes you won’t need loo rolls but you should buy some just in case you need some

10. The virus has no effect on children except those children it affects

11. Animals are not affected, but there is still a cat that tested positive in Belgium in February when no one had been tested, plus a few tigers here and there…

12. Stay 2 metres away from tigers (see point 11)

13. You will have many symptoms if you get the virus, but you can also get symptoms without getting the virus, get the virus without having any symptoms or be contagious without having symptoms, or be non contagious with symptoms...

14. To help protect yourself you should eat well and exercise, but eat whatever you have on hand as it's better not to go out shopping

15. It's important to get fresh air but don't go to parks but go for a walk. But don’t sit down, except if you are old, but not for too long or if you are pregnant or if you’re not old or pregnant but need to sit down. If you do sit down don’t eat your picnic

16. Don’t visit old people but you have to take care of the old people and bring them food and medication

17. If you are sick, you can go out when you are better but anyone else in your household can’t go out when you are better unless they need to go out

18. You can get restaurant food delivered to the house. These deliveries are safe. But groceries you bring back to your house have to be decontaminated outside for 3 hours including Pizza...

19. You can't see your older mother or grandmother, but they can take a taxi and meet an older taxi driver

20. You are safe if you maintain the safe social distance when out but you can’t go out with friends or strangers at the safe social distance

21. The virus remains active on different surfaces for two hours ... or four hours... six hours... I mean days, not hours... But it needs a damp environment. Or a cold environment that is warm and dry... in the air, as long as the air is not plastic

22. Schools are closed so you need to home educate your children, unless you can send them to school because you’re not at home. If you are at home you can home educate your children using various portals and virtual class rooms, unless you have poor internet, or more than one child and only one computer, or you are working from home. Baking cakes can be considered maths, science or art. If you are home educating you can include household chores to be education. If you are home educating you can start drinking at 10am

23. If you are not home educating children you can also start drinking at 10am

24. The number of corona related deaths will be announced daily but we don't know how many people are infected as they are only testing those who are almost dead to find out if that's what they will die of… the people who die of corona who aren’t counted won’t be counted

25. You should stay in locked down until the virus stops infecting people but it will only stop infecting people if we all get infected so it’s important we get infected and some don’t get infected

.

Very clear and informative.

Do you want a job with the Government Information Office?

 

[margarita25]

Infection in the USA was from Europe and China. Both the L and the S strain are active and moving around in the USA today.

View attachment 243331

Source:

National Science Review
March 3 2020
Virus Origins and Mutations​

On the origin and continuing evolution of SARS-CoV-2

Marking thanks.

 

[musicaljoke]

Very scary...to think about possibly suffocating to death if we catch this! I have absolutely no respect for anyone who thinks their “rights to freedom” are more important than our right not to die a horrible death.
JMO

I don't think the rights are mutually exclusive. I enjoy my rights to freedom, but that includes the privilege to live in such a way, that I voluntarily commit myself to care for others who enjoy the same rights. That freedom, E pluribus unum, was the motto in the initial 1776 design of the Great Seal of the United States. We are not a collection of disconnected individuals, rather, we are willing to put our freedom to work for the common good.