Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #49

[otto]

On March 20, the White House Coronavirus Task Force said it was closing the border with Mexico to any nonessential travel, beginning March 21. The measure came days after President Trump announced that the United States and Canada were closing their border by mutual decision. The border with Canada closed on March 21.

The measure allows trade to continue but restricts nonessential travel, such as tourism, from Canada. Canadian nationals who daily commute to the United States for work would still be allowed in.

On March 11 the United States barred the entry of all foreign nationals who had visited China, Iran and a group of European countries during the previous 14 days.

The ban applies to countries in the Schengen Area, which are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Effective March 16, the ban applies to foreign nationals departing from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Coronavirus Travel Restrictions, Across the Globe

In terms of virus introduction in Canada, the first cases were from China. They were contained. The next wave came from Iran and Italy. That was more or less contained, but BC and Ontario were problem areas. The next wave came from the USA. That is when Canadians said they wanted all borders closed, so all international borders were closed to all non-Canadians - except the USA.

Canada and the USA discussed the decision. That is, at first Trudeau kept the border open, and people were up in arms. It was closed a day later, with supply chain exception.

 

[otto]

I think this answers your question, but I haven't read it all the way through

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Thank you! Looks like people from Brazil, Australia, Canada, South Africa and many other countries, like Japan, are not restricted.

 

[margarita25]

Dang Cody & Henry.. I’m up for a trip..I bait my own hook but I’m a ****** when it comes to eating what I catch. I do release..gotta learn to not let it go. Trip..St Lawrence??

Bring the Cajun food!! I’ll happily invite myself.

Thank you! Looks like people from Brazil, Australia, Canada, South Africa and many other countries, like Japan, are not restricted.

View attachment 243841

I googled:

“The Schengen Agreement is a treaty which led to the creation of Europe's Schengen Area, in which internal border checks have largely been abolished. It was signed on 14 June 1985, near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, by five of the ten member states of the then European Economic Community.”

—

The Schengen Area ( /ˈʃɛŋən/) is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy.”

Wikipedia

 

[otto]

Bring the Cajun food!! I’ll happily invite myself.

I googled:

“The Schengen Agreement is a treaty which led to the creation of Europe's Schengen Area, in which internal border checks have largely been abolished. It was signed on 14 June 1985, near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, by five of the ten member states of the then European Economic Community.”
—

The Schengen Area ( /ˈʃɛŋən/) is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy.”

Wikipedia

When Italy had the outbreak, there was discussion about closing the border with the EU, and indeed some trains were stopped when travelling from Italy. Then it was decided that it was too late, so the border remained open.

It was not too late to close the border between Canada and the USA to prevent more cases arriving in Canada from the USA.

In any case, all Canadian borders are closed to everyone. USA borders are closed to some countries - countries with an earlier outbreak.

 

[Henry2326]

Hey Henry, may I please ask a favor if you get a minute? Do you have any of your “fancy graphs” for Colorado? If you come across any please post. (Jk doesn’t have to be fancy). If you don’t any no worries, I’ll dig one up later. )

Here ya go...
Rx is 1,29....it cant seem to stabilize below 1.0
Confirmed cases and deaths are trying to plateau...but 2 dots dont make a trend yet.
861 in hospital
47,466 total tested in state
20.7 positivity rate from tests.....experts request 5.0
7.3 tests per 1000 people....experts recommend 50
Not enough testing being done.

rt.live
COVID-19/Coronavirus Real Time Updates With Credible Sources in US and Canada | 1Point3Acres
No plan in sight: Test troubles cloud Trump recovery effort
Most recent data

 

[margarita25]

Here ya go...
Rx is 1,29....it cant seem to stabilize below 1.0
Confirmed cases and deaths are trying to plateau...but 2 dots dont make a trend yet.
861 in hospital
47,466 total tested in state
20.7 positivity rate from tests.....experts request 5.0
7.3 tests per 1000 people....experts recommend 50
Not enough testing being done.

rt.live
COVID-19/Coronavirus Real Time Updates With Credible Sources in US and Canada | 1Point3Acres
No plan in sight: Test troubles cloud Trump recovery effort
Most recent data

Thank you very much. Marking and bringing over to the Colorado thread.

(Tagging “Colorado statistics, April 20”)

 

[Seattle1]

Since this is a novel virus that no one, as far as we know, has immunity to there's a chance that everyone will get the virus. JMO.

While true, that's no reason not to protect yourself from contracting the current strain and adding to the global health crisis if you can avoid it. What if by delaying your exposure you could be contagious for a shorter period of time. Maybe a later strain will not be as deadly. I think children are showing more resilient than adults because maybe kids are more likely to have had recent exposure to the other coronaviruses.

If you really think you're going to get the virus anyway ...., all I can say is that I'm glad I did not get the chickenpox as a child because having them as an adult has reduced my risk of having shingles later. (Just ask anybody that's had shingles or the shingles vaccine and it's not a pleasant story).

 

[gngr~snap]

While true, that's no reason not to protect yourself from contracting the current strain and adding to the global health crisis if you can avoid it. What if by delaying your exposure you could be contagious for a shorter period of time. Maybe a later strain will not be as deadly. I think children are showing more resilient than adults because maybe kids are more likely to have had recent exposure to the other coronaviruses.

If you really think you're going to get the virus anyway ...., all I can say is that I'm glad I did not get the chickenpox as a child because having them as an adult has reduced my risk of having shingles later. (Just ask anybody that's had shingles or the shingles vaccine and it's not a pleasant story).

I have also wondered about the Rotavirus vaccine.
Obviously Rotavirus and Coronavirus are not the same, but the vaccine for Rotavirus didn't even exsist until about *25 years ago?
I do wonder if there might be some cross protection the the there.
Just a personal thought.
I have not read anything about this at all.
*Corrected 14 years.
*It was introduced in 1998, discontinued in 1999 due to intussuseption and re introduced in 2006.*

ETA: I did find one.
COVID-19 vaccine development: 2020 News: News: News & Events: Department of Biology: Indiana University Bloomington
Moo

 

[margarita25]

Note from April 10 WHO Conference:
After 52 days with no cases of Ebola, The gov’t of DRC was just about to officially declare the end of the Ebola outbreak. Now it seems a new case has just been confirmed in DRC, therefore that declaration of an end can no longer be made.

—-

Additionally from April 10th Conference:

BBM:

“I know that some countries are already planning the transition out of stay-at-home restrictions. WHO wants to see restrictions lifted as much as anyone. At the same time lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to a deadly resurgence. The way down can be as dangerous as the way up if not managed properly.
WHO is working with affected countries on strategies for gradually and safely easing restrictions. Important factors to consider are, first, the transmission is controlled; second, that sufficient public health and medical services are available; third, that outbreak risks in special settings like long-term care facilities are minimised; fourth, that preventive measures are in place in workplaces, schools and other places where it's essential for people to go.
Fifth, that importation risks can be managed; and sixth - and I cannot overemphasise this point - that communities are fully aware and engaged in the transition. Every single person has a role to play in ending this pandemic. We're particularly concerned by the large number of infections reported among health workers. In some countries there are reports of up to 10% of health workers being infected. This is an alarming trend.”

https://www.who.int/docs/default-so...dscape-ncov-11april2020.pdf?sfvrsn=ac0b3c1d_6

 

[gngr~snap]

This sounds like it might be promising...
Moo
"Unlike a lot of viruses, rotavirus is very flexible in allowing changes to be made to its genome,” Patton explains. “We realized that we can reengineer rotavirus to make virus strains that produce the coronavirus spike protein. So when a child is immunized with rotavirus vaccine, they not only will mount a protective immune response against rotavirus, but in addition will likely have a similar protective immune response to COVID-19."
COVID-19 vaccine development: 2020 News: News: News & Events: Department of Biology: Indiana University Bloomington

 

[Seattle1]

I have also wondered about the Rotavirus vaccine.
Obviously Rotavirus and Coronavirus are not the same, but the vaccine for Rotavirus didn't even exsist until about *25 years ago?
I do wonder if there might be some cross protection the the there.
Just a personal thought.
I have not read anything about this at all.
*Corrected 14 years.
*It was introduced in 1998, discontinued in 1999 due to intussuseption and re introduced in 2006.*

ETA: I did find one.
COVID-19 vaccine development: 2020 News: News: News & Events: Department of Biology: Indiana University Bloomington
Moo

Fantastic -- a dual vaccine; I like the way this virologist thinks!

A vaccine for children is critical, according to Patton, because despite the impression that the novel coronavirus is affecting only adults, children are getting infected, in some cases, leading to significant illness. And recent research has suggested that infants and preschool-aged children are more prone to severe disease than school-aged children.

But even more important, Patton notes, is that children can be asymptomatic carriers, spreading COVID-19 disease throughout families and communities. [bbm]

 

[pocketaccent]

https://nypost.com/2020/04/20/can-the-coronavirus-be-spread-through-farts/

During Friday’s episode of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s “Coronacast,” podcast, producer and host Dr. Norman Swan made a cautionary suggestion when it comes to particles of feces set adrift within a fart and the spread of COVID-19.

“No bare-bottom farting,” Swan advised about posterior pandemic panic, in a measured, mildly amused tone.

“Luckily, we wear a mask, which covers our farts all the time,” Swan said, referring to the protective aspects of pants, shorts, dresses, underwear and other garments. “I think that what we should do in terms of social distancing and being safe is that … you don’t fart close to other people, and that you don’t fart with your bottom bare.”
...

 

[otto]

While true, that's no reason not to protect yourself from contracting the current strain and adding to the global health crisis if you can avoid it. What if by delaying your exposure you could be contagious for a shorter period of time. Maybe a later strain will not be as deadly. I think children are showing more resilient than adults because maybe kids are more likely to have had recent exposure to the other coronaviruses.

If you really think you're going to get the virus anyway ...., all I can say is that I'm glad I did not get the chickenpox as a child because having them as an adult has reduced my risk of having shingles later. (Just ask anybody that's had shingles or the shingles vaccine and it's not a pleasant story).

What people don't understand yet is that even though they survive the virus, there is a good chance they will have suffered irreversible damage to some organs - such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. They don't consider the possibility that being asymptomatic doesn't mean they won't get very sick. Antibodies guarantee nothing. The second wave is a documented fact for viruses like this.

I think people are misled into thinking that the virus is harmless, that asymptomatic people are immune, and that herd infection is a good idea.

 

[otto]

Fantastic -- a dual vaccine; I like the way this virologist thinks!

A vaccine for children is critical, according to Patton, because despite the impression that the novel coronavirus is affecting only adults, children are getting infected, in some cases, leading to significant illness. And recent research has suggested that infants and preschool-aged children are more prone to severe disease than school-aged children.

But even more important, Patton notes, is that children can be asymptomatic carriers, spreading COVID-19 disease throughout families and communities. [bbm]

A 2 year old child who had travelled to Florida around Spring Break brought the virus into an oil company daycare. Everyone started working from home. They are still working from home. Transmission from the USA was a turning point in Canada.

A vaccine would allow life to return to normal - something everyone wants. Without a vaccine, hard to say what comes next. We have some countries isolating the vulnerable, others full shut down to stop transmission (like China), others toying with life as normal regardless of virus.

 

[tresir2012]

Well I found it. Not once has this information been mentioned in the Massachusetts media or has the mass.gov page linked to. I have never seen information from other states, or national data either.

Literally the most important U.S. based information to disseminate.

https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-dashboard-april-20-2020/download

Age of death, health status, hospitalizations by age. Massachusetts data through yesterday.

View attachment 243816

The graphs show-

The median age of death is well over 80 (the average age of death in the U.S. is 79).

97.5% of COVID-19 victims had underlying health issues.

73% of hospitalizations were of those over 70.

Also-

Those under 30 have less risk of COVID-19 than they do for the flu.

People from 40-60 have little risk of death, unless they have health issues.

There is much clearer picture of who is vulnerable from COVID-19 than there is the flu. The flu has a lot less age discrimination.

2017-2018 Estimated Influenza Illnesses, Medical visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths and Estimated Influenza Illnesses, Medical visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths Averted by Vaccination in the United States | CDC

This COVID data has been compiled from the onset, but not shared from the Mass DPH website. I'm a bit of a simpleton, but if I was in charge about 2.5 months ago and I saw this data coming in, I wouldn't have locked down the country.

I'd have spent trillions of dollars locking down the vulnerable citizens, instead of lighting trillions of dollars on fire. Mandatory stay at home for seniors, with food distribution available. Extreme caution and procedures at senior living centers. Relocating vulnerable people from dangerous home situations if they want (multigenerational families). Full unemployment benefits for vulnerable that shouldn't working. And whatever else is required.

Why did we lock down everyone?

This was mentioned initially, with the over 70's and anyone with underlying health conditions being advised to stay at home. The other restrictions were to stop the spread and to stop those vulnerable groups from being infected.

 

[katydid23]

i am so glad i got the oximeter but i could not find one anywhere--all sold out
including CVS -- i ordered it from Amazon-still waiting for that one so went to
Walmart yesterday----it was 38.00----i think it provides peace of mind if you
are oxygenating well

Yes, it does help me relax.

I have had a few acute asthma attacks over the years. The one 2 years ago kept me in the hospital for 4 days, before strengthening my lungs enough to allow me to return home.

I can go many months without needing my inhaler or nebuliser. But then quite suddenly, I can be triggered by something, like a bad cold, or too much smoke in the air, from the wildfires, and my oxygen levels will drop quickly.

So this virus does frighten me......but so far so good....And the oximeter gives me a chance to be literal and scientific, and verify that my lungs are working great.

 

[tresir2012]

I am sorry for being dense, but I don't get this:

"The 40% comes from the percentage of households with only one person, which is different from how many who lives alone."

What is the difference between those 2 things?

One is the number of domestic dwellings so 40% of them have one person living in them. The other 60% have more than one person living in them. So 40% of dwellings have only one person living in them which converts to 22% of the population. The other 60% would have couples and families ( 78% of the population ) living in them.

 

[tresir2012]

San Francisco did the same thing in 1918 PLUS there was an anti-mask league. Whereas Los Angeles (a set of small towns back then, mostly) self-isolated, canceled parades and fairs, and in downtown L.A., people wore masks.

The difference in mortality was readily observable.

Is it known how the 1918 epidemic began in the states?

 

[Hazelnutty]

https://nypost.com/2020/04/20/can-the-coronavirus-be-spread-through-farts/

During Friday’s episode of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s “Coronacast,” podcast, producer and host Dr. Norman Swan made a cautionary suggestion when it comes to particles of feces set adrift within a fart and the spread of COVID-19.

“No bare-bottom farting,” Swan advised about posterior pandemic panic, in a measured, mildly amused tone.

“Luckily, we wear a mask, which covers our farts all the time,” Swan said, referring to the protective aspects of pants, shorts, dresses, underwear and other garments. “I think that what we should do in terms of social distancing and being safe is that … you don’t fart close to other people, and that you don’t fart with your bottom bare.”
...

Adding this to my new & ever growing <Carona List of Things I Thought I'd Never Read in My Lifetime>

+++Don't be a bare-bottomed farter!

* underline twice*

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus in Scotland - Fears for oil and gas industry - BBC News

Summary

1. Official figures reveal 12 care homes in Scotland no longer have enough staff to meet the needs of residents.
2. An appeal hearing in the legal battle between former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale and Wings over Scotland blogger Stuart Campbell will be heard in a virtual court - a legal first in Scotland.
3. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Scotland stands at 915, although the actual number will be much higher. Twelve more deaths were reported on Monday.
4. In the US the price of oil has turned negative for the first time in history as demand for the commodity dries up. Australia's second biggest carrier Virgin Australia has collapsed into administration
5. The UK oil and gas industry warns the virus is a "body blow" for the sector which could affect its ability to recover and transition to cleaner fuels.
6. President Trump has said he intends to temporarily suspend all immigration to the US because of the threat of the "invisible enemy" coronavirus.