Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #56

[10ofRods]

Good night all - I'm sorry for all the long posts and sporadic tirades. You all are my refuge and help me think through so much.

Truthfully, at the CoVid planning meeting I attended today, everyone was so focused on smiling and being cheerful and remembering people's birthdays--> not much business was done, God Bless 'Em. But then we go home and reflect and email each other - before I do that, I come here and read (and type really fast - it's my SuperPower to type fast, which can be a burden to all of you - apologies).

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Yup. Most do not want to give that information up, for many reasons - I'd say the vast majority.

I guess I understand in concept that people object to being asked to "report" on everywhere they've been and everyone they've had contact with, but wow, I can't imagine choosing "privacy" over helping notify folks who might have been exposed by me or who might have exposed me to this virus.

I make my notes each night and since I mostly don't go anywhere, it's not too difficult. I certainly couldn't look back a week at a time and remember where I went and which day I went there.

And if someone who gets sick used, say, the ATM in my town, I certainly want to be able to determine whether I used it before or after them (even though I use a glove at the ATM now).

I can't imagine discovering I'm sick and not wanting my friends and neighbors to be warned.

Even if people have certain specific contacts they don't want to report (like what, they saw their drug dealer? or the person they're having an affair with?) would that really outweigh wanting to give people heads-up notice they might have been exposed?

I guess I'm a squeaky-clean fuddy-duddy... sigh...

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Well, as someone who is being asked to write recos for contact tracers, I'd say that in SoCal, they're not at all the same as telemarketers

They're going to make way more, and if they don't have at least 60-80 college units, good luck to them in landing a plum of a job. Everyone else is making $15, for their $22 dollars, they're going to have to show some background in biology, anthropology, any lab science. Sociologists with Master's and Bachelor's are applying - and they'll work for $22 right now.

Not telemarketers. I'm actually gearing up to teach two (maybe more) large-ish labs focusing on contact tracing, because, well, that's what my profession does (trace networks, talk to people, use ethics in talking to them, provide data as to accuracy, etc). Bio majors are going to be in the line, but sociologists and anthropologists are the ones who study the methods and techniques of interviewing total strangers.

Everything I’ve found says high school degree or equivalent.

CONTACT TRACER JOB QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants are required to have a high school diploma or equivalent and the ability to speak, read and write in English, the posting said. Critical thinking and good judgment are required and the ability to speak two or more languages is a plus.

The company is also looking for people who can empathize with “distressed individuals” and possess excellent interpersonal skills and the “ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse individuals during a time of crisis and distress,” according to Partners in Health.

Applicants should have either a PC with Windows 10 or a Mac with Apple OS X 10.13, the posting said. A headset is preferred.


Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article242122121.html#storylink=cpy

Do I need experience? What skills are required?
Applicants for contact tracer positions don't need a background in health care, but strong interpersonal skills and empathy are musts, experts said. At least having an interest in public health also goes a long way. Call center employees often make successful "disease detectives," as contact tracers are also known.

"The perception that they need to be physicians or doctorate-level epidemiologists is not accurate at all. They should have an interest in public health and be comfortable with medical terminology. But essentially, if you are comfortable talking to people, answering questions and gathering information, you can do it," Coyle said.

Lost your job? Consider becoming a "contact tracer" - CBS News

Contact tracers will have to make phone calls to those who have been infected to interview them about with whom they’ve been in close contact. This will have to be done in a compassionate and sensitive way that protects the privacy of everyone involved.

Contact tracers will have to go through an extensive training process ahead of time and must have graduated high school.

How to apply to be a COVID-19 contact tracer in Louisiana

 

[Recidivist]

Some people don't mind giving the gov't that sort of information, but it seems that most do - thus the low numbers downloading the TraceTogether app.

Speaking of contact tracing.... about ten years ago, a person from the county came by to tell me and my coworkers that we had been exposed to TB. They wanted us to submit a blood sample taken right there in the (pretty dirty) shop. I can't remember what the others did, but I politely declined. I can only cooperate so far when it involves a big needle, a county employee, and dirty space.

I actually felt uneasy about giving the gov't my blood, mostly because I was a pot user and it was still illegal.

 

[gngr~snap]

Yup. Most do not want to give that information up, for many reasons - I'd say the vast majority.

It's a CDC reportable virus. If you survive you are questioned.
It gets muddy.


Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

 

[otto]

Medical students have taken the lead in contact tracing in Canada.

"University of Calgary medical students and residents are helping fight the spread of COVID-19 on the front lines, and with their help the province has quadrupled its contact-tracing capacity.
...

"Within the first 24 hours of having those discussions we had already mobilized our first groups of medical students," she said. "Five days later we had trained 150 of them to be ready to go."

Schindler said these U of C medical students are playing a vital role in contacting Albertans who have come in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
...

Pawa said PHPC is now sharing the resources developed in Calgary — including training materials and an overview of the process —with members throughout Canada."​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/u-of-c-covid-19-contact-tracing-1.5509022

 

[cass523]

NEW YORK SLOWLY REOPENING: Gov. Cuomo laid out steps to reopen parts of New York, as restrictions ease in 45 states, but with ongoing safety concerns and at least 10 states reporting cases of a syndrome in children tied to COVID-19.
@TomLlamasABC reports.

"Tonight, new analysis from the CDC reveals the toll in the city could be worse than first thought. Nearly another 5,300 deaths may be directly, or indirectly linked to the pandemic."

Ten states investigating potential cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in children, 93 possibly in NY

"So what your finding is the child first gets infected with covid, sees some covid symptoms and then weeks later there's sort of like this new illness with the mysterious symptoms."

"That's what it is looking like, so far, yes. Again, we still have a lot to learn. It seems to be that this is an inflammatory response to the viral infection, there may be a timing issue of a couple of weeks."

"In Detroit, 9 year-old Josi Paskvan had a high fever and red eyes on and off for weeks."

"Beaumont saw its first case Thursday, a 9-year-old girl who was slipping into cardiac distress.

"All we could think about was her little heart and what could happen," said Melissa Paskvan.

On and off for a week, her daughter Josie had a high fever, red eyes and cracked lips.

"My tummy hurt and my throat was like, dry," Josie said.

She was diagnosed with pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome. Josie is COVID-19 positive. Her doctors say the virus triggered this illness."

video (3:00)
World News Tonight on Twitter

Detroit area hospitals prepare for rise in rare COVID-19 related child illness

 

[otto]

NEW YORK SLOWLY REOPENING: Gov. Cuomo laid out steps to reopen parts of New York, as restrictions ease in 45 states, but with ongoing safety concerns and at least 10 states reporting cases of a syndrome in children tied to COVID-19.
@TomLlamasABC reports.

"Tonight, new analysis from the CDC reveals the toll in the city could be worse than first thought. Nearly another 5,300 deaths may be directly, or indirectly linked to the pandemic."

Ten states investigating potential cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in children, 93 possibly in NY

"So what your finding is the child first gets infected with covid, sees some covid symptoms and then weeks later there's sort of like this new illness with the mysterious symptoms."

"That's what it is looking like, so far, yes. Again, we still have a lot to learn. It seems to be that this is an inflammatory response to the viral infection, there may be a timing issue of a couple of weeks."

"In Detroit, 9 year-old Josi Paskvan had a high fever and red eyes on and off for weeks."

"Beaumont saw its first case Thursday, a 9-year-old girl who was slipping into cardiac distress.

"All we could think about was her little heart and what could happen," said Melissa Paskvan.

On and off for a week, her daughter Josie had a high fever, red eyes and cracked lips.

"My tummy hurt and my throat was like, dry," Josie said.

She was diagnosed with pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome. Josie is COVID-19 positive. Her doctors say the virus triggered this illness."

video (3:00)
World News Tonight on Twitter

Detroit area hospitals prepare for rise in rare COVID-19 related child illness

I'm quite fascinated by this new information. First everyone claims that children are completely safe from the disease, but now we find out that adults get sick in 5 - 14 days whereas the virus multiplies quietly in children for up to 6 weeks and then severely damages their health. Many people who get sick do not seem to recover to pre-virus health.

Today I heard from my brother that someone he knows was a fit, healthy 50 year old active athlete. When he got sick, he spent 3 weeks on a ventilator. He has no memory of the 3 weeks. Today he uses a walker.

 

[gngr~snap]

I'm quite fascinated by this new information. First everyone claims that children are completely safe from the disease, but now we find out that adults get sick in 5 - 14 days whereas the virus multiplies quietly in children for up to 6 weeks and then severely damages their health. Many people who get sick do not seem to recover to pre-virus health.

Today I heard from my brother that someone he knows was a fit, healthy 50 year old active athlete. When he got sick, he spent 3 weeks on a ventilator. He has no memory of the 3 weeks. Today he uses a walker.

Sadly, they don't come off of a ventilator and resume life like it was before they got sick.
Most need additional care for weeks or possibly months.

Some people spend a couple of weeks in the ICU, then two to three days on a medical/surgical ward. Other people take another week or two to regain some strength. Some will go to an acute rehabilitation facility to get rehab three times a day. Others can go to a skilled nursing facility, where they’ll get rehab over a couple of months and then go home.
What Does Recovery From COVID-19 Look Like? It Depends. A Pulmonologist Explains.

 

[TravelingBug]

<snip>

There's one person (I can't remember where) who infected 533 others (some directly, some from the direct infection). ALL of those people (most of whom are asymptomatic) need to self-quarantine, as it's unknown how many people are passing it on cryptically.

.

It was Ghana in a fish processing plant.

A worker infected 533 others with coronavirus at a factory in Ghana, president says - CNN

 

[tresir2012]

Our restaurants are required to mask up here. Jmo

How can customers eat if they have to wear masks? Or do you just mean the servers?

ETA NVM I see you have answered already

 

[tresir2012]

Opinion - A cruise to Mexico, during hurricane season, with the Virus going around........https://www.ar15.com/media/mediafiles/sharedAlbum/giphy-84.gif......moo

I'll take two please. Plus the international flight there and back. Lubbly Jubbly.

 

[pocketaccent]

Dr. Fauci to testify reopening too early risks 'needless suffering and death' from coronavirus: Report

KEY POINTS

• Dr. Anthony Fauci reportedly plans to warn states Tuesday in Senate testimony that prematurely reopening their economies will cause “needless suffering and death.”
• “If we skip over the checkpoints...then we risk the danger of multiple outbreaks throughout the country,” Fauci said in an email to a New York Times reporter.
• Fauci’s warning stands in contrast to President Donald Trump’s eagerness to reopen the U.S. economy.

 

[tresir2012]

It seems this forum isn't moving as fast as previously. Does this mean some have left because they disagree or because they are among the counted cases?

We are crushing the curve hopefully. We need posters from Russia and Brazil as they are heading upwards now.

 

[tresir2012]

Are you joking? If not, why on earth would you not share where you’ve been in order to save lives?

He's joking.

I'm joking about wanting to go on a cruise and crossing the border to go to a garden centre. It's how I am coping with lockdown. It's good to dream about such things though, if that is what people wish to do, I guess. I must say although I want everything to reopen, I may not be gleefully rushing out anywhere for a couple of weeks. Let the others test the waters first. (Another Jaws analogy ? )

 

[tresir2012]

Coronavirus: Dr Jane Goodall believes pandemic brought on humans due to 'absolute disrespect' for nature

Vaccines and Variant CJD (vCJD) Questions and Answers

Zoonotic diseases and possible transmission paths discussed in these links.

 

[CeeCeeCat]

Referring to the UK, am I right in thinking if a second wave is going to happen we will start seeing signs of this in around a fortnight’s time? Asking as I was appalled at the sight of passengers packed like sardines on a platform at Canning Town station yesterday, hardly a mask to be seen. Canning Town is in Newham. Newham is a borough in London, the one already worst affected by Covid19.
Today, I am grateful for my own little bubble of safety here at home and I am thanking my lucky stars I am not one of those people having to travel.
Stay safe today

 

[tresir2012]

'Don't ask me. Ask China': Trump clashes with reporters then abruptly leaves press briefing

 

[tresir2012]

Referring to the UK, am I right in thinking if a second wave is going to happen we will start seeing signs of this in around a fortnight’s time? Asking as I was appalled at the sight of passengers packed like sardines on a platform at Canning Town station yesterday, hardly a mask to be seen. Canning Town is in Newham. Newham is a borough in London, the one already worst affected by Covid19.
Today, I am grateful for my own little bubble of safety here at home and I am thanking my lucky stars I am not one of those people having to travel.
Stay safe today

Have you got a link for the tube pictures?

 

[tresir2012]

Hopes raised for end to Covid-19 crisis in UK care homes as death rates fall