Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #51

[katydid23]

Even in sparsely populated areas, such as the Great White North in Canada, the virus has taken hold. Saskatchewan announced a 5 phase plan to open up the province on May 4, starting with dentists and eye doctors. That blew my mind. It was an eye doctor who sounded the alert in China. They justify initiating normal life because they've so far had few cases. Today, Saskatchewan had a big jump in cases.

There has to be some herd immunity ramping up at some point. We cannot ALL hide in our cabins for years.

I think the plan is for the most vulnerable to stay quarantined and the rest of the population to begin going back into the world, big by bit.

 

[otto]

There has to be some herd immunity ramping up at some point. We cannot ALL hide in our cabins for years.

I think the plan is for the most vulnerable to stay quarantined and the rest of the population to begin going back into the world, big by bit.

There's some debate about herd immunity. If people have immunity after getting sick, that works. At this time, there's no evidence that people are immune, and cannot get sick again, after being sick once.

In fact, early reports were of a few people getting sick twice. That triggered the question of whether they were actually recovered after testing negative twice.

We don't know enough to trigger herd immunity. We need to know that getting sick once ensures immunity from getting sick again. Otherwise, it's open season for the virus.

 

[katydid23]

Is the complex clear of the virus? In Canada, we hear again and again that care aides typically work in more than one facility, they carry the virus from an infected environment to a clean environment. BC is the only province I know with new requirements that aids work in only one facility.

My Mom's facility has 200 seniors. None have been confirmed with the virus. We get an email twice a week about what is going on there.

2 weeks ago they confirmed one staff member had tested positive. But so fair none of the residents caught anything.

They have had that requirement about staff not working anywhere else for about 3 weeks, I believe.

And the staff has no physical contact with the residents except for emergencies.

But my Mom is not in assisted living. She lives on her own in a quarantined apartment. But the nurses call her twice a day and they drop off her meals and speak through the door.

 

[otto]

<respectfully snipped>
I think the plan is for the most vulnerable to stay quarantined and the rest of the population to begin going back into the world, big by bit.

In many parts of Northern Europe, people over 70 were told to stay home in early March, maybe even February. I spoke to a relative who said once a week for groceries, and short walks in the park across the street for the dog. Otherwise, over 70 had to stay home. I have read about this in Sweden and the Netherlands.

It makes sense that those less at risk return to work, remain cautious, social distance, wear masks, and remember that viral load is related to severe illness.

 

[otto]

My Mom's facility has 200 seniors. None have been confirmed with the virus. We get an email twice a week about what is going on there.

2 weeks ago they confirmed one staff member had tested positive. But so fair none of the residents caught anything.

They have had that requirement about staff not working anywhere else for about 3 weeks, I believe.

And the staff has no physical contact with the residents except for emergencies.

But my Mom is not in assisted living. She lives on her own in a quarantined apartment. But the nurses call her twice a day and they drop off her meals and speak through the door.

Sounds like a comfortable, dignified, safe system allowing independent living with nearby supports. Hopefully she will remain safe.

 

[katydid23]

There's some debate about herd immunity. If people have immunity after getting sick, that works. At this time, there's no evidence that people are immune, and cannot get sick again, after being sick once.

In fact, early reports were of a few people getting sick twice. That triggered the question of whether they were actually recovered after testing negative twice.

We don't know enough to trigger herd immunity. We need to know that getting sick once ensures immunity from getting sick again. Otherwise, it's open season for the virus.

I don't agree with that view. We have A LOT of essential workers going out and about to their jobs every day, and still remaining healthy.

And my nephew is an ER doctor in Brooklyn, and had the virus a 6 weeks ago. He got over it pretty quickly, tested negative 3x in a row, and he is back at work. But he was asked to go to New Orleans where the need was greater.

He believes there is a herd immunity already happening in NYC, because of the recent antibody tests that have been going on recently.

There are plenty of people who got the virus and recovered fully and are now back at work. I dont see any reason why that won't continue to happen in the future.

 

[katydid23]

Sounds like a comfortable, dignified, safe system allowing independent living with nearby supports. Hopefully she will remain safe.

That^^ is there core problem for many seniors .

My brother thinks the most dangerous thing right now is the inability for her to
continue with her cardiology appointments. She had a heart monitor procedure weeks before the pandemic hit. And she has had to skip 3 important checkups since then. She is 89, and she cannot afford to skip these appointments much longer.

 

[Satchie]

California is very similar to Canada. We have some very big cities, but most of the state is rural and very spread out.

Even in Los Angeles area, in suburbs surrounding the city there are places with no cases whatsoever.

And we don't have much mass transit other than in SF Bay Area.

California doesn't have Quebec. It has less than 1/4 of the population of Canada, but well over half of both cases and deaths. I really don't know what happened there. The government has focused on private nursing homes, but it's more than the nursing homes.

 

[otto]

I don't agree with that view. We have A LOT of essential workers going out and about to their jobs every day, and still remaining healthy.

And my nephew is an ER doctor in Brooklyn, and had the virus a 6 weeks ago. He got over it pretty quickly, tested negative 3x in a row, and he is back at work. But he was asked to go to New Orleans where the need was greater.

He believes there is a herd immunity already happening in NYC, because of the recent antibody tests that have been going on recently.

There are plenty of people who got the virus and recovered fully and are now back at work. I don't see any reason why that won't continue to happen in the future.

We hope that viral load will not make any difference. In Spring 2020 the virus arrived in North America. Summer is two months away. We have no idea how this will play out, but anyone who suggests that the peak has passed and we're good to go has not looked into the 1918 pandemic. Spring is the first wave, Fall is the second wave. There was a third wave.

Herd immunity did not work in 1918. Soldiers from Kansas carried the virus to WW1. People died in March 1918, in October 1918, and some experienced a third wave. Herd immunity of some sort was eventually established, or the virus ran out of hosts. Either way, millions died prematurely.

We hope that recovered people are no longer contagious, and that they are no longer susceptible to the virus.

 

[otto]

That^^ is there core problem for many seniors .

My brother thinks the most dangerous thing right now is the inability for her to
continue with her cardiology appointments. She had a heart monitor procedure weeks before the pandemic hit. And she has had to skip 3 important checkups since then. She is 89, and she cannot afford to skip these appointments much longer.

Do you have telehealth and access to smart technology? A pulse sensor would be important for heart, oxygen, thinking. Other sensors can detect movement, such as sitting too much and other activities.

I had my first telehealth appointment on Friday, but it was physio, not heart. Assessment and diagnosis is possible, in my opinion, with the right information - such as smart tech info.

 

[otto]

California doesn't have Quebec. It has less than 1/4 of the population of Canada, but well over half of both cases and deaths. I really don't know what happened there. The government has focused on private nursing homes, but it's more than the nursing homes.

Montreal may normally have higher international travel numbers, perhaps explaining why they are hit harder.

In Montreal, the problem is not just higher number of infected, but health care professionals that abandon jobs in care facilities, health care aides that work in several care facilities, absence of sufficient protective equipment, overwhelmed health care system.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

There's optimism that living more spread out, unlike what we've seen in China, Italy and many parts of Europe, reduces spread.

The highlighted column on the right is deaths/million. The USA has more cases and more deaths than any other country, but Russia is jumping up the list fast - it should pass China in 2 days.

View attachment 244513

I'm not sure that reported deaths in China are accurate.

Coronavirus: Europe 'wary of confronting China over deaths'
Western intelligence officials say that figures underplaying the toll are likely pushed up the chain from a local level by Chinese officials nervous of revealing the full truth, and these make their way up to Beijing, with officials at the top fully aware of this problem occurring along the chain.

Europe 'wary of confronting China over Covid deaths'

 

[Deleted member 39678]

That^^ is there core problem for many seniors .

My brother thinks the most dangerous thing right now is the inability for her to
continue with her cardiology appointments. She had a heart monitor procedure weeks before the pandemic hit. And she has had to skip 3 important checkups since then. She is 89, and she cannot afford to skip these appointments much longer.

My mom is 87 and went through breast cancer treatment last fall.
She went to a scheduled mammogram on Friday.

She had to have her temperature taken at the valet parking before being let in the building. She was worried about something but they told her it was from the radiation treatment and she was okay.

I'm glad that she was able to complete her appointment and get good news.

 

[tresir2012]

California doesn't have Quebec. It has less than 1/4 of the population of Canada, but well over half of both cases and deaths. I really don't know what happened there. The government has focused on private nursing homes, but it's more than the nursing homes.

Cruise ships?

 

[otto]

Cruise ships?

Cruise ships don't count since people got off the ships in the USA, were not tested or quarantined, and they returned home to spread the virus.

 

[tresir2012]

There's optimism that living more spread out, unlike what we've seen in China, Italy and many parts of Europe, reduces spread.

The highlighted column on the right is deaths/million. The USA has more cases and more deaths than any other country, but Russia is jumping up the list fast - it should pass China in 2 days.

View attachment 244513

That's not true. Belgium has the highest at 597 per million. How weird is that? What is going on there?

 

[katydid23]

Do you have telehealth and access to smart technology? A pulse sensor would be important for heart, oxygen, thinking. Other sensors can detect movement, such as sitting too much and other activities.

I had my first telehealth appointment on Friday, but it was physio, not heart. Assessment and diagnosis is possible, in my opinion, with the right information - such as smart tech info.

She uses her oximeter everyday. And takes her own blood pressure. and it goes to her doctor because she calls in the data.

.... but he cannot do her cardiology tests, like the EKG etc, nor tests on her newly placed heart monitor, without her being there. And he does want to check it out. She was having 'fainting spells' and we don't know if it has been corrected because there is no one there to monitor her anymore. She doesn't even realise when she has one.

 

[tresir2012]

Cruise ships don't count since people got off the ships in the USA, were not tested or quarantined, and they returned home to spread the virus.

Yes but where did they go home to? Quebec? California? All over the world. The crew also went home all over the world. Were they ever traced ? Even after the fact.

 

[katydid23]

My mom is 87 and went through breast cancer treatment last fall.
She went to a scheduled mammogram on Friday.

She had to have her temperature taken at the valet parking before being let in the building. She was worried about something but they told her it was from the radiation treatment and she was okay.

I'm glad that she was able to complete her appointment and get good news.

Thank goodness she was able to go to that. It must be a big relief for you both.

 

[tresir2012]

Trying to look on the bright side. So what if I can't breathe. Wearing a mask might have advantages for some people. It could mean:

• no makeup & no lipstick
• no need to wax or shave as often
• no need for fat lip plumb treatments
• no need for lower face botox
• no one notices spinach in your teeth
  
• stop buying teeth whiteners
  
• forgo front tooth replacements
• oops forgot my mask

Don't need to put those dentures in.