Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #59

[LadyL]

Coronavirus cases are rising faster than ever worldwide - CNN

 

[ilovewings]

well we are on the road from Florida to
Michigan and i have already screwed up
it is raining so when we stopped at a
gas station i forgot my mask-used the
ladys room and of course people were
using those dreadful dryers -hope none
of them have the virus--we also bought
a donut and touched the wrapper
and then touched the donut touched
i guess the best laid plans----

 

[HongKongPhooey]

well we are on the road from Florida to
Michigan and i have already screwed up
it is raining so when we stopped at a
gas station i forgot my mask-used the
ladys room and of course people were
using those dreadful dryers -hope none
of them have the virus--we also bought
a donut and touched the wrapper
and then touched the donut touched
i guess the best laid plans----

Dont worry, you will more than likely be absolutely fine. But dont let that little blip colour the rest of your trip, keep up your safety precautions. It is bewildering being out and about, easy to forget things but just take your time and have a good trip.

 

[tmar]

'Treated like lepers': Kiwis reveal abuse received after having COVID-19

'Treated like lepers': Kiwis reveal abuse received after having COVID-19

Mark Quinlivan
31 mins ago
...
Kiwis have been abused after contracting COVID-19, even after recovering from the respiratory disease.

An unnamed woman told NZME the attitude from people towards those who had contracted the illness was "horrible".

"You really learned if you had a hard shell or not," she said.

"I could handle it, but my children, they were treated like lepers."

The woman said most of the abuse she'd received was over social media.
...
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield this week reiterated that message.

"There is no stigma around having had COVID-19," he told reporters.

"Please be kind. Make them feel part of our society."

 

[10ofRods]

The UK has tested over 5 million people, the US almost 20 million. Your quoted numbers are, I think, for positive test results. It is likely both countries has millions more of untested cases; eg in the UK they only tested on admission to hospital, so loads of people have had it without getting tested and loads more will have been asymptomatic or just getting on with it at home.

Also do you know if the US is still underreporting on the care/home setting figures? Last I heard 17 states were yet to add those numbers to the national total.

I'm not convinced the UK's figures are right either, in fact I don't 100% trust ANY country on their statistics! The bigger and more accurate picture will take years to sort out and will be an interesting and scientifically crucial piece of history.

You're right - the testing rates are roughly the same (so it would seem that the stats I quoted above are valid).

I don't trust anyone on their stats, completely, either - but since that's what we keep using here to talk about this disease, I regard them as a good reference. Both US and UK have similar excess death percentages - so obviously, there have been more deaths (as many as ⅓ more).

Yes, 17 states (at least) are underreporting care home deaths or arguing about whether to include them or even count them. Then, there are states where tests are still hard to come by and very little testing is done - for those states, we'll need the excess death rates and I don't trust the CDC, I'm awaiting independent medical research.

If it's true that UK had way more relatively asymptomatic or weakly symptomatic cases, then that's a good thing, really.

I've been very surprised by the few studies trying to randomly look at antibody rates - California's rates seem to be between 3 and 5% with antibodies, closely tied to the other stats in the county in question. New York may be as high as 18-20%. I've forgotten now how Italy and Spain's rates came in, but IIRC, Spain's overall antibody rate is only 5%! Even with their fairly hard shutdown and so many fatalities, they have a long road of vigilance ahead of them. I wonder how they'll handle travel. Portugal is very happy to allow international travel, but I wonder what Spain will do.

Or Australia. Or New Zealand.

Thanks for the correction, btw.

 

[ilovewings]

Dont worry, you will more than likely be absolutely fine. But dont let that little blip colour the rest of your trip, keep up your safety precautions. It is bewildering being out and about, easy to forget things but just take your time and have a good trip.

Thanks for your encouragement--it means a lot





i really appreciate your encouragement--
it means alot-- it is so hard to stick to
a plan--

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Y
If it's true that UK had way more relatively asymptomatic or weakly symptomatic cases, then that's a good thing, really.

.

Not just the UK, probably everywhere else too. I read that the asymptomatic rate (as proven with antibody tests) is significantly more common in the young adult age range, think it was age 17-29 or thereabouts, which would make sense. Also a larger proportion of hospital and care workers. I'll try and find the article.

 

[CSIDreamer]

well we are on the road from Florida to
Michigan and i have already screwed up
it is raining so when we stopped at a
gas station i forgot my mask-used the
ladys room and of course people were
using those dreadful dryers -hope none
of them have the virus--we also bought
a donut and touched the wrapper
and then touched the donut touched
i guess the best laid plans----

You'll be okay. Safe travels!

 

[10ofRods]

Not just the UK, probably everywhere else too. I read that the asymptomatic rate (as proven with antibody tests) is significantly more common in the young adult age range, think it was age 17-29 or thereabouts, which would make sense. Also a larger proportion of hospital and care workers. I'll try and find the article.

Pretty sure you're right. I did see some excess deaths studies (but at least a month ago) showing Brazil and Ecuador have as many as 2X the deaths they've tested/reported, which isn't surprising.

This aspect of breaking apart the pandemic (accounting for cases in nations where testing is very limited) means that international travel needs to be resumed very slowly. The only serious patient in Vietnam was a British citizen who is an airline pilot. I know from my brother (airline pilot) that airlines are being very tight-lipped about CoVid, but judging from recent accounts of flying, the various US-based airlines are *not* following the agreed-upon safety procedures, but regard them as "optional" and "voluntary." I predict this will not end well, on at least a couple of levels.

 

[10ofRods]

Dropping in to post this lovely news:

Bald men at higher risk of severe case of Covid-19, research finds
Bald men may be at higher risk of suffering from severe Covid-19 symptoms, emerging evidence suggests.

The link is so strong that some researchers are suggesting baldness should be considered a risk factor called the "Gabrin sign", after the first US physician to die of Covid-19 in the United States, Dr Frank Gabrin, who was bald.

The lead author of the key study behind the association, Professor Carlos Wambier of Brown University, told The Telegraph: "We really think that baldness is a perfect predictor of severity."

Data since the beginning of the outbreak in Wuhan, China, in January has shown that men are more likely to die after getting coronavirus. In the UK, a report this week from Public Health England found that working-age males were twice as likely as females to die after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

Until recently, scientists have been at a loss at why this might be, pointing to factors such as lifestyle, smoking, and immune system differences between the sexes. But increasingly they believe it could be because androgens - male sex hormones like testosterone - may play a part not only in hair loss, but also in boosting the ability of coronavirus to attack cells.
Bald men at higher risk of severe case of Covid-19, research finds

Different ethnic groups have varying amounts of testosterone, as well, which could account for some of the differential death rates.

It's also possible that estrogens have some protective effect, which would account for an increased mortality among aging women (but still less than aging men).

 

[LadyL]

Thanks for your encouragement--it means a lot





i really appreciate your encouragement--
it means alot-- it is so hard to stick to
a plan--

I found myself lifting my mask to itch my nose etc. at the hospital yesterday. We're all doing our best and are bound to make little mistakes.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

So according to that there's actually a slightly higher risk of death if you take it.

What a wild goose chase that one was. Thanks, Pres.

I am so confused.

 

[ilovewings]

You'll be okay. Safe travels!

Thank you---

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Pretty sure you're right. I did see some excess deaths studies (but at least a month ago) showing Brazil and Ecuador have as many as 2X the deaths they've tested/reported, which isn't surprising.

This aspect of breaking apart the pandemic (accounting for cases in nations where testing is very limited) means that international travel needs to be resumed very slowly. The only serious patient in Vietnam was a British citizen who is an airline pilot. I know from my brother (airline pilot) that airlines are being very tight-lipped about CoVid, but judging from recent accounts of flying, the various US-based airlines are *not* following the agreed-upon safety procedures, but regard them as "optional" and "voluntary." I predict this will not end well, on at least a couple of levels.

Yes, excess death studies will flush out some of the more glaring inaccuracies (I'm lookin' at you, Russia!) and put the stats right.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

well we are on the road from Florida to
Michigan and i have already screwed up
it is raining so when we stopped at a
gas station i forgot my mask-used the
ladys room and of course people were
using those dreadful dryers -hope none
of them have the virus--we also bought
a donut and touched the wrapper
and then touched the donut touched
i guess the best laid plans----

I screw something up every time I leave the house. Just do your best.

 

[Really?]

Thanks for your encouragement--it means a lot





i really appreciate your encouragement--
it means alot-- it is so hard to stick to
a plan--

Don’t forget that we are all taking this trip with you....safety in numbers.

 

[mickey2942]

I drove home from work today, traffic, stores were busy, restaurants full. What was the point of the world stopping in March? Why didn't people just Social Distance and start wearing masks then?

What is the point of cancelling weddings, concerts, rodeos, when 1000's of people are protesting every where?

 

[CSIDreamer]

I drove home from work today, traffic, stores were busy, restaurants full. What was the point of the world stopping in March? Why didn't people just Social Distance and start wearing masks then?

What is the point of cancelling weddings, concerts, rodeos, when 1000's of people are protesting every where?

Traffic was ridiculous here too.

 

[tresir2012]

Avoid George Floyd protests, UK public urged

Has this been posted in here yet?

First time I have heard any politician coming out and saying this.

"Health Secretary Matt Hancock has urged people not to breach lockdown rules to take part in mass demonstrations following the death of George Floyd.

He told the Downing Street briefing he was "appalled" at the African American man's death, but that coronavirus remains "a real threat".

Black Lives Matter protests are planned in towns and cities across the UK this weekend.

A senior Met Police officer earlier warned such gatherings were "unlawful".

Protests began in the US after a video showed Mr Floyd, 46, being arrested on 25 May in Minneapolis.

Footage showed Mr Floyd gasping that he could not breathe during the arrest by four officers. They have since been charged over the death which sparked days of protest in the US and Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the world.

• UK passes 40,000 coronavirus deaths
• UK protests over George Floyd death 'unlawful'

Mr Hancock said: "Like so many, I am appalled by the death of George Floyd and I understand why people are deeply upset, but we are still facing a health crisis and coronavirus remains a real threat.

"The reason that it is vital that people stick to the rules this weekend is to protect themselves and their family from this horrific disease.

"So please, for the safety of your loved ones, do not attend large gatherings, including demonstrations of more than six people." "

 

[jjenny]

I drove home from work today, traffic, stores were busy, restaurants full. What was the point of the world stopping in March? Why didn't people just Social Distance and start wearing masks then?

What is the point of cancelling weddings, concerts, rodeos, when 1000's of people are protesting every where?

That confuses me too. Nothing really changed. We don't have a vaccine, there is not enough remdesevir (and it's not a magic bullet). We just basically paused for a couple of months but are going to end up right where we started.