Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #59

[CoverMeCagney]

Hey all. Been away for a while because I broke my ankle.

The way 2020 is going, I don't think I ever want to leave my house again.
The county next to mine reported an 80 percent increase in virus cases for the past two weeks. That is super scary.
State officials monitoring COVID-19 spike Morgan County

The news keeps showing local protests and the protestors are standing right next to each other.
Pictures of the protestors -
PHOTOS: Group marches for change in downtown Huntsville

My fear and anxiety just keep on escalating.

The Twilight Zone continues.

Oh Kensie, you really are having a crappy time of it lately. Sending you an elbow bump across the pond

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Phase Two starts Monday, WHO says face masks should be worn in public: Today's Covid-19 main points

Ireland

IN A SPEECH that began with Cicero and ended with Sam Gamgee from the Lord of the Rings (yes, really), Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced details yesterday of how Ireland would be re-opening at a faster rate than originally indicated.

It means that shops can open from Monday, you can travel anywhere within your county, meet up to six people indoors and outdoors and up to 25 people will be permitted to attend a funeral.

Under the accelerated roadmap, pubs will also be opening earlier than previously indicated and so will shopping centres and hotels. Despite all this, people are still being asked to take all necessary precautions, particularly around social distancing.

“As our country opens up and we start interacting more, personal responsibility becomes even more important than ever. We got into this fight against Covid-19 together, and we will only get out of it together,” Varadkar stated.

Here are today’s Covid-19 main points:

• The government has extended the pandemic payment schemes. Here’s what you need to know.
• There were seven deaths and 28 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Ireland last night.
• Buses and Dart services will operate a pre-Covid ‘Monday to Friday’ schedule from next week but social distancing guidelines will remain in place.
• Penneys and Ikea are among major retailers who’ve announced plans to re-open next week.
• When it came to NPHET’s advice on shopping centres and the 20km rule, the government “found a way around it”.
• The Department of Health will stop their daily briefings and switch to a briefing each Monday and Thursday as Ireland enters Phase Two.
• Visits to nursing homes will return on 15 June – but with stringent checks for visitors.
• Dublin City Council said that playgrounds will stay closed despite the government announcement yesterday.
• The GAA has said club fixtures will return on 31 July and county games from 17 October.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I think they rang a bell every time they fed the dogs for a set number of days. Then whenever they rang the bell, the dogs expected food.

Oh I know what it is. I didn't appreciate my husband being referred to as "Pavlov's dogs" but problem solved.

 

[tabitha111]

We're a few weeks into the summer fishing season, and the seafood industry has been shaken by its first major COVID-19 outbreak aboard a huge vessel. This week, Seattle-based American Seafoods confirmed that 92 crew members from its American Dynasty ship had tested positive for COVID-19, nearly three-fourths of the 126 people onboard.

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/06/05/870312092/pacific-northwest-seafood-industry-faces-covid-19-outbreak-as-season-ramps-up?

 

[tresir2012]

Oh I know what it is. I didn't appreciate my husband being referred to as "Pavlov's dogs" but problem solved.

Oh right. I see your point. I guess he wouldn't like it much either.

Have you seen Father Ted? A comedy series.

 

[ilovewings]

Hey all. Been away for a while because I broke my ankle.

The way 2020 is going, I don't think I ever want to leave my house again.
The county next to mine reported an 80 percent increase in virus cases for the past two weeks. That is super scary.
State officials monitoring COVID-19 spike Morgan County

The news keeps showing local protests and the protestors are standing right next to each other.
Pictures of the protestors -
PHOTOS: Group marches for change in downtown Huntsville

My fear and anxiety just keep on escalating.

The Twilight Zone continues.

These are definitely scary times and a broken ankle sure doesnt help
Hope your recovery goes well

 

[tabitha111]

I am going to post this as MHO (my humble opinion only) but it is from a verified contact tracer. I consider this information too important not to pass on. The conversation is long but these important parts stand out to me- take it or leave it-

Question: Has this job taught you something new about the virus, even if it’s empirical so far. Is there anything that has jumped up from your data that you didn’t know before?

Answer: I've been surprised at how it seems to spread outdoors if proper social distancing measures are not put in place. Also, this may be obvious to some, but using the same restroom as a COVID case can be a huge hazard, especially if you are living together. We strongly recommend positive cases use their own restroom for the duration of their illness, and if that's not possible, to thoroughly clean and disinfect the room after each use. Finally, we do ask cases about animal contact and recommend that people keep away from animals if they have been infected or exposed. I don't think there is much official information on this subject yet, but I found it interesting.


Question:
What do you know now that you didn’t know two weeks ago about the spread, or peoples activities during this?


Answer: Not much new information has come up through my official work channels these last few weeks, but personally I've been surprised at the amount of new infections seeming to occur from going to outdoor events/functions. Before now, I considered the chances of contracting the disease from someone while outside to be pretty low. Now, it seems as people are getting more comfortable with going out and having outdoor barbecue's and get-togethers these events can be potential sources of the virus spread.
That's just my personal opinion of course.

Question: That football player got sick at a protest how bad is this? Also are you seeing tracing leading to surface objects transfer? If so in your opinion based on what you’ve seen so far how do you think these protestors sharing food and water as well are going to affect transmission?

Answer:
At least in our system I don't think we have enough data yet to determine the % breakdown on which methods of transfer occur most often.

Something we highly highly highly stress is to at all costs not use the same bathroom as someone who has COVID. If a positive case shares a restroom with their family we advise them to thoroughly clean and disinfect after each use.

As far as the protests go, I'm not sure, but we are beginning to see several transmissions occurring from people who have gone to outdoor yard parties/get-togethers/cookouts at peoples' homes. And of course everyone should be wearing a mask if they are in public and not able to social distance.
***************************
NOTE from me- I am convinced I will NEVER use a public bathroom again!!

All of this is MOOOOO

 

[JerseyGirl]

When I saw the projections for AZ, I was really shocked and upset. AZ has been protected a bit by its geography, but now, it's becoming endemic. Hard to second guess the date of closing - but the reopening was ill-timed.

Stay safe, Arizonans. Wear your masks, get the best masks you can. Wear your sunglasses, stay outdoors, avoid A/C, and wash your hands 12X a day.

NY’s figures are going down now as other States go up. I recall hearing June and even July peak dates for most States, after New York which peaked first. It’s a shame those governors in states with increasing numbers decided not to close at all, opened too early or did not institute mandatory mask wearing, a requirement here since March and to this day.

Signs are on all the store (what little is open) that a mask is a requirement. I hear all the time about out-of-staters coming into our stores without masks and being turned away (or directed to a counter to buy one).

 

[tresir2012]

UK passes 40,000 coronavirus deaths

UK hits over 40k deaths. The % rate did not continue the weekly downward trend that I had recorded since April.

15thMay 9% increase
22ndMay 7%
28thMay 4.9%
5thJune 5.5%

40,261 deaths as at 5th June.

 

[tresir2012]

Drugs firm to begin making potential virus vaccine

We are starting to manufacture this vaccine right now - and we have to have it ready to be used by the time we have the results," he said.

AstraZeneca says it will be able supply two billion doses of the vaccine.

Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Mr Soriot said manufacturing was beginning already because, "we want to be as fast as possible".

"Of course, with this decision comes a risk but it's a financial risk and that financial risk is the vaccine doesn't work," he added.

"Then all the materials, all the vaccines, we've manufactured will be wasted."

• Drugs firm prepares to supply vaccine in September
• Virus vaccine 'could be ready by end of the year'
• The Bill Gates ‘microchip’ claim fact-checked

He said AstraZeneca would not seek to make a profit from producing the drug during the pandemic.

More at link.

Astra Zeneca info

AstraZeneca - Wikipedia

 

[ilovewings]

@ilovewings
Depends on which side of Atlanta for the hotels. (North versus south of the city)
I’m guessing you’re going home via I-85?
If so, be careful going through South Carolina. Unmarked cars and road construction.
Some of the Pilot gas stations have masks and all sizes of hand sanitizer for sale near the registers.

we are taking I75--- we were about 35 miles south of Atlanta--
the hotel --- Ho!iday Inn Express was totally booked
we were lucky to get a room at midnight
fortunately we didnt see too many people
no.more buffet breakfast-- understandable
There are so many avenues for exposure in a hotel
all the things you touch --constant use of hand sanitizef but
you still miss some things---one can only do the best you
can and pray

 

[MimosaMornings]

“As far as the protests go, I'm not sure, but we are beginning to see several transmissions occurring from people who have gone to outdoor yard parties/get-togethers/cookouts at peoples' homes. And of course everyone should be wearing a mask if they are in public and not able to social distance.”

Ok, so if there was transmission at these outdoor parties/cookouts - there was a positive person in the mix. I would think it was someone that had no symptoms, thinking they were good to go and not sick.
Everyone at the party would have to go into the home to use the bathroom. Is that how it spread? Or the person serving the food?
Not masked or social distancing at the party - talking and laughing in close environment?

Then small family gatherings outdoors without separate bathrooms isn’t a good idea and you still need to mask and social distance - no matter where you are.

 

[tresir2012]

we are taking I75--- we were about 35 miles south of Atlanta--
the hotel --- Ho!iday Inn Express was totally booked
we were lucky to get a room at midnight
fortunately we didnt see too many people
no.more buffet breakfast-- understandable
There are so many avenues for exposure in a hotel
all the things you touch --constant use of hand sanitizef but
you still miss some things---one can only do the best you
can and pray

Thanks for the updates. How long for you now? Will you have to stop again?

 

[JerseyGirl]

we are taking I75--- we were about 35 miles south of Atlanta--
the hotel --- Ho!iday Inn Express was totally booked
we were lucky to get a room at midnight
fortunately we didnt see too many people
no.more buffet breakfast-- understandable
There are so many avenues for exposure in a hotel
all the things you touch --constant use of hand sanitizef but
you still miss some things---one can only do the best you
can and pray

I am sorry, stay safe! Next time purchase some disposable gloves to use when leaving the car. Are you encountering people wearing masks at stops and hotels?

 

[tresir2012]

Coronavirus: face coverings mandatory in hospitals and on public transport in England from June 15 – Which? News

Update for 5 June 2020:
The government has announced that wearing a face covering will be mandatory in hospitals and on public transport in England from 15 June. The rule applies only to England, where face coverings will be a condition of travel on buses, trains, ferries and airplanes. Visitors and out-patients in hospitals will also be required to wear face coverings. Young children, disabled people and those with breathing difficulties will be exempt. Last month, the government published guidance saying that homemade cloth face coverings could help reduce the risk of transmission in some circumstances, and advising their use in certain situations where maintaining social distancing is more difficult. It has now updated this advice for England, making wearing a face covering mandatory in hospitals and on public transport from 15 June 2020.

Read more: Coronavirus: face coverings mandatory in hospitals and on public transport in England from June 15 – Which? News - Which?

 

[Sundog]

Romanian shoemaker makes shoes that if two people are wearing them, they will be about five feet apart.

Romanian shoemaker creates size 75 shoes for social distancing

ETA U.S. women's size 9 shoe is European size 40 (UK 7).

 

[MimosaMornings]

we are taking I75--- we were about 35 miles south of Atlanta--
the hotel --- Ho!iday Inn Express was totally booked
we were lucky to get a room at midnight
fortunately we didnt see too many people
no.more buffet breakfast-- understandable
There are so many avenues for exposure in a hotel
all the things you touch --constant use of hand sanitizef but
you still miss some things---one can only do the best you
can and pray

Sounds like McDonough/Blacksville area.
Which is odd because there are plenty of open hotel rooms a lot closer. The hotels 10 miles north of Atlanta are nowhere near capacity.
Was there a bus parked in the parking lot of the hotel?
If these were protesters that were from the metro Atlanta area (and 35 miles out - isn’t metro Atlanta) - why do they need hotel rooms?
Coming up I-75 and staying north of the city would suggest out of state, not locals.
I don’t think Marta goes out that far.

Or were these protesters going to Florida?
Safe travels today! Try not to worry!

 

[tresir2012]

Coronavirus updates: Protesters don masks but defy advice on gatherings - BBC News

Many cities having protests today amid fears about COVID. Info on each location at the link.

London info below.


Hundreds have turned out for today’s anti-racism protest in Parliament Square in London.

A plea from the government not to gather in large groups over fears of spreading the coronavirus has not deterred them - nor has the wet and cold weather -

The organisers have already warned people that if they “are here for violence, [they] are not part of the cause”.

They asked those in attendance to maintain a 2m distance from each other and distributed face masks.

Social embed from twitter

Jeffrey Ingold@Jefflez


Protest is already underway down in Parliament Square

#BlackLivesMatterUK#BLMLDN



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12:19 - 6 Jun 2020
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[Tadpole12]

Oh right. I see your point. I guess he wouldn't like it much either.

Have you seen Father Ted? A comedy series.

Big Fan.
ETA correction Training Father Jack?

 

[Sundog]

Thanks for the updates. How long for you now? Will you have to stop again?

Long drive from Atlanta to Michigan - I know this I-75 drive well, years ago my husband was at Emory and I was in Ohio, so there was a lot of back and forth. We made the trip from Atlanta to Ohio in about 13-14 hours, if I remember right. Straight driving,with stops only for gas and to use the bathroom. To Michigan, depending on where, add another hour or two.

Stay safe on the road @ilovewings, you'll be home by tonight!