Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #51

[Amonet]

What do they mean by depopulated? They are probably living in over crowded conditions. I'm in denial and like to imagine these animals in green pastures hanging out while we fight the virus. IMO, change is not always bad. Surely, cleaner maybe even more humane procedures will be put in place at these facilities. MOO

'The Food Supply Chain is Breaking.' Tyson Foods Warns of Meat Shortage Amid Coronavirus Pandemic


“Millions of animals —chickens, pigs and cattle— will be depopulated because of the closure of our processing facilities,” Tyson writes. “The food supply chain is breaking.”

Unfortunately, the green pastures is usually not accurate :-(

Instead it's more of a production line, where there's a time to send animals to the slaughterhouse and they have to go at that point or the farmer loses money, and if they lose money they go out of business, so it might work out cheaper for them to send the animals to slaughter before they get too old to be used for meat, but once slaughtered they won't enter the food chain as the processors can't take in enough product from the slaughterhouses.

How that leads to 'depopulation' I'm not sure. Unless it means that farmers will reduce the numbers that they rear in response to not being able to sell the animals for food? Say the animal going for slaughter is 2 yrs old, that means that the farmer paid for 2 years food, housing, medical bills for that animal, then they pay for the slaughter, and they expect to pay for that by selling the meat to the producers. If the producers can't take the meat, that leaves the farmer out of pocket with less money to pay for the next 'generation' of meat, so the herd sizes might have to be reduced in response....leading to overall depopulation of herds?

 

[LadyL]

I ordered a dress from China 2 months ago. Still waiting.

I'm waiting for masks from China. I expect them in about a year.

 

[Amonet]

Well okie dokie then. People are going to randomly come by folks house without notice and ask them for blood and question them? That's interesting. I wonder which tests they are using, because as I posted on this main thread just yesterday, some of the tests have a 14% false positive rate.

COVID-19 Antibody Testing Activity

The Georgia Department of Public Health, Fulton County and Dekalb County Boards of Health are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to learn more about the spread of COVID-19 in the community. This investigation will help us estimate the percentage of people in the community who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Some people may have had COVID-19 but were not tested, did not have any symptoms, or did not seek medical care.

From April 28 through May 4, teams will be visiting randomly selected homes in Fulton and Dekalb counties to ask residents questions about their health and to collect blood samples for an antibody test......

The last thing I read about the antibody tests was that they seemed to work best in people who'd had more severe cases.

Maybe this random testing is a good idea, as they can then ask people if they had symptoms, which symptoms and how severe, and then compare that to the blood sample and the test results, so they get a more rounded set of data to see if there's any correlation between the type and severity of symptoms and the results of the tests?

I hope they'll actually contact people before they turn up at the door to take their blood, though!

 

[cody22]

Kentuckians going out in public will have to wear a mask

New Kentucky Virus News....moo

 

[cody22]

Social Security Recipients Will Start Getting Stimulus Checks This Week

Social Security Virus Stimulus Checks News....moo

 

[firebird]

Kentuckians going out in public will have to wear a mask

New Kentucky Virus News....moo

Sorta:

Gov. Beshear says people who don't wear masks starting May 11 will not be cited, but they will be asked to put on masks. For businesses, though, it's mandatory. The governor says businesses not masking could be grounds for temporary closure.

 

[cody22]

Barr orders legal action against governors whose COVID-19 actions infringe on civil rights

More National Virus News....moo

 

[Deleted member 158085]

States where masks are mandatory. (I’m looking at one article from 8 days ago and adding another recent 4 to the list.)

Ohio
Illinois
Kentucky
Delaware
Hawaii
New York
Pennsylvania
Connecticut
Maryland
New Jersey
Rhode Island

Which states require you to wear a face mask in public?

Any others I’m missing?

 

[MsArk]

So far, the United States has recorded more than 55,000 deaths from the coronavirus alone this year, also the great majority coming in those older than 65. For perspective, the deadliest flu season over the past decade was the 2017-18 season when more than 61,000 Americans died from the flu.

By the numbers: Traditional flu vs. COVID-19

 

[Henry2326]

An overwhelming majority of Colorado believes strong measures, like the closure of businesses, are needed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, a new poll finds.

The sentiment — shared by two-thirds of residents — appears to conflict with a push by Gov. Jared Polis to begin reopening Colorado starting today with curbside retail sales and nonemergency medical procedures. And it’s amplified by the 43% plurality who believe the worst of the pandemic is yet to come, compared to 35% who believe the worst is behind us.

The data “makes it clear that people don’t want to be rushed back to work until they can do it safely, without putting their loved ones and coworkers at risk,” said Jake Williams, the executive director at Healthier Colorado.

The question about how to balance public health concerns with the impact on the economy found that 64% agreed the state “should take measures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus while more widespread testing becomes available — even if that means many businesses will have to stay closed.” The support is the same rate among residents who lost their job, income or work hours due to the coronavirus.

Most Coloradans don’t think state should reopen until more coronavirus testing is available, poll says

 

[cody22]

Hundreds gather in Pacific Beach for anti-lockdown protest; 100 new COVID-19 cases reported in region

New San Diego Virus cases according to this Local News......moo

 

[KALI]

Gosh. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees!
Just heard my favorite doctor mention, that two of the following symptoms are NOT related to covit-19. Sneezing or a runny nose!
For those of us with allergies like me, this is very reassuring news!
I then started thinking about the symptoms of Covit-19, he's correct. They do not mention sneezing, or runny noses.
What a relief to know that. I'm going through boxes of tissues like crazy for a funny nose.
This world widely known and decorated pulmonary specialist can be listened to every night on KFI 640 a.m. Los Angeles.
at 6:00 pm, pst.
Sorry, I'm on my tablet, don't know how to show a direct link.
but the above into will get you this info.
same link will allow you to re-listen to him via the iheartradio.com podcast.

 

[10ofRods]

I’m scheduled to donate blood May 4. Hoping I might be able to get tested for antibodies. Just a thought if I tell them I’ve been living with a (recovered) positive person and perhaps had the virus too. I would donate plasma instantly.

In fact, I used to do so while in college, twice a week. It’s easy enough to do. Back in those days, we were paid to give it.

Today, they only allow plasma donations every 28 days (AFAIK). 13 times a year.

The recommendation today is to wait 8 weeks in between blood donations, but I know that some places allow it more often.

Platelets, I think, can be given once a week.

 

[Curious Me]

The article said that up until now they were using the 'pepcid' stuff in conjunction with hydroxychloroquine as so many patients and their relatives wanted it tried due to hearing so much promising stuff about it. As it was approved to try it in patients, the doctors were trying it in the patients out of hope, and because at the time there wasn't a study showing that it would do more harm than good.

That's why studies need to be done, and why the HC was only allowed on compassionate grounds, but even then it's much better to have a study done at the same time to ensure that giving it is the right thing....and if it does help then you have the evidence to push for more patients to receive it.

But now that the studies are starting to suggest it isn't as helpful as hoped (too many negative effects and not enough positive effects) they're likely to stop doing the study with HC + the pepcid stuff, and just use the pepcid stuff.

I know. Also I know HC helped me so much with my RA.
I don't think you were on this thread when I said my HC prescription refill is being shorted (only 14 pills instead of 100 plus they won't mail them anymore. I have to go pick up only 14 pills counted as a full refill by them, every two weeks during a Pandemic. Trying to contact them to complain is almost impossible.)

I'm so sick of talking about Hydroxychloroquine, but even if they're still testing and running trials...I just want my full prescription mailed to me. Going to pick it up at my medical clinic or the hospital pharmacy is exposing me needlessly.

 

[cody22]

Virus leads New York to nix Democratic presidential primary

Virus affecting New York Primary Election....moo

 

[10ofRods]

Unfortunately, the green pastures is usually not accurate :-(

Instead it's more of a production line, where there's a time to send animals to the slaughterhouse and they have to go at that point or the farmer loses money, and if they lose money they go out of business, so it might work out cheaper for them to send the animals to slaughter before they get too old to be used for meat, but once slaughtered they won't enter the food chain as the processors can't take in enough product from the slaughterhouses.

How that leads to 'depopulation' I'm not sure. Unless it means that farmers will reduce the numbers that they rear in response to not being able to sell the animals for food? Say the animal going for slaughter is 2 yrs old, that means that the farmer paid for 2 years food, housing, medical bills for that animal, then they pay for the slaughter, and they expect to pay for that by selling the meat to the producers. If the producers can't take the meat, that leaves the farmer out of pocket with less money to pay for the next 'generation' of meat, so the herd sizes might have to be reduced in response....leading to overall depopulation of herds?

If there's no one to process and package the meat according to US food standards, the meat just rots. Freezing the meat would require a vastly different production process.

All over the world, rich nations have systems that provide "instant food," wherein food supplies are renewed all year round, slaughter occurs all year round, and food gets to our tables via many steps. It's quick, but exceptionally complex.

In times like these, complex systems fail. End consumers don't realize that there are no cadres of butchers in the back of the grocery store - it's all butchered packaged in...some other nation? Some other state? Then flown in, in most cases. So many parts of this have broken down.

 

[Henry2326]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a clear message to his state's residents after images circulated of throngs of crowds on Ventura and Orange County beaches this weekend: stop flouting social distancing guidelines or it could delay the state's reopening.

"Those images are an example of what not to see, people, what not to do if we're going to make the meaningful progress that we've made in the last few weeks extend into the next number of weeks," Newsom, a Democrat, said during a news conference Monday.

Newsom, who issued a stay-at-home order in March, emphasized that California was approaching a point of safely loosening some restrictions put in place to staunch the spread of the virus -- but that such a shift was dependent upon residents' behavior.

"The reality is we are just a few weeks away, not months away, from making measurable and meaningful changes to our stay-at-home order," he said. "That is a very optimistic point to emphasize."

"However, that's driven by data, it's driven by behavior, and as we change our behavior, we can impact the science the health and the data," Newsom added. "This virus doesn't take the weekends off."

"I cannot impress upon you more, to those Californians watching, that we can't see the images like we saw, particularly on Saturday in Newport Beach and elsewhere, in the state of California," he added.

California governor frustrated at images of crowded beaches: 'This virus doesn't take the weekends off'

 

[jjenny]

Well okie dokie then. People are going to randomly come by folks house without notice and ask them for blood and question them? That's interesting. I wonder which tests they are using, because as I posted on this main thread just yesterday, some of the tests have a 14% false positive rate.

COVID-19 Antibody Testing Activity

The Georgia Department of Public Health, Fulton County and Dekalb County Boards of Health are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to learn more about the spread of COVID-19 in the community. This investigation will help us estimate the percentage of people in the community who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Some people may have had COVID-19 but were not tested, did not have any symptoms, or did not seek medical care.

From April 28 through May 4, teams will be visiting randomly selected homes in Fulton and Dekalb counties to ask residents questions about their health and to collect blood samples for an antibody test......

Yea, what a brilliant idea. No way would I let a "team" into my house.

 

[Curious Me]

Hundreds gather in Pacific Beach for anti-lockdown protest; 100 new COVID-19 cases reported in region

New San Diego Virus cases according to this Local News......moo

That Beach Protest yesterday was sickening, IMO. You found good pics of it. By next week some of those protesters might not be feeling well.

The San Diego Beach Openings today were much better with cooperation. Surfers looked happy. The Mayor was happy. I wish I knew what that loud woman that demanded her rights to sit on the beach did. I haven't heard she sat.

 

[cass523]

Well okie dokie then. People are going to randomly come by folks house without notice and ask them for blood and question them? That's interesting. I wonder which tests they are using, because as I posted on this main thread just yesterday, some of the tests have a 14% false positive rate.

COVID-19 Antibody Testing Activity

The Georgia Department of Public Health, Fulton County and Dekalb County Boards of Health are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to learn more about the spread of COVID-19 in the community. This investigation will help us estimate the percentage of people in the community who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Some people may have had COVID-19 but were not tested, did not have any symptoms, or did not seek medical care.

From April 28 through May 4, tVirology | National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Projecteams will be visiting randomly selected homes in Fulton and Dekalb counties to ask residents questions about their health and to collect blood samples for an antibody test......

I am just adding this on to your post. I found this website, 57 instituations across the country trying to test people for antibodies to see if they can be used on sick people.
Testing that has been done, convalescent plasma in other coronaviruses

National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project

"We are a group of physicians and scientists from 57 institutions in 46 states who have self-organized for the purpose of investigating the use of convalescent plasma in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The nucleus of the organization sprung from a coalition of biomedical researchers assembled several years ago to refocus studies of health and disease more squarely on public health priorities.

Thus when Arturo Casadevall, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology at Johns Hopkins University and Liise-anne Pirofski, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine published, on March 13th 2020, their paper, “The convalescent sera option for containing COVID-19” in the Journal of Clinical Investigation2, a group of colleagues who were already connected through friendships and common interests, instantly recognized the promise and importance of examining whether this mode of treatment might work in COVID-19 and reached out to other colleagues in virology, transfusion medicine, epidemiology, clinical trials and several other disciplines to move these ideas forward.

Hence, the National Convalescent Plasma Project (CCPP19) emerged as a decentralized grass roots effort from academic institutions that rapidly organized itself into a national organization to deploy the use of plasma in this emergency. The special attraction of this modality of treatment is that, unlike vaccines or newly developed drugs, it could, in principle, be made available very rapidly."

This website is for:

• Health care providers who are considering using convalescent plasma to treat patients, either outside of a trial or in the context of a randomized trial
• Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 infection and are willing to donate plasma
• Patients with any stage of COVID-19 (or their families) who are considering this treatment
• Any member of the public interested in learning more about convalescent plasma use currently and in the past (see section on key papers)

National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project

Key Scientific Papers