Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #62

[margarita25]

Mysterious deaths of infants, children raise questions about how early coronavirus hit California

“Preserved samples of DeLap’s lungs are among tissue from more than 40 California deaths waiting for a decision by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on whether to test for COVID-19. Orange County has nine of the cases, as does Los Angeles County. Kern County has identified two respiratory deaths that might suggest COVID-19, both of young women, one of whom died Dec. 21.

Interviews and internal documents show medical examiners in Shasta, Sacramento and Santa Clara counties, meanwhile, are scrutinizing the deaths of children and babies, amid growing recognition of COVID-19 infection rates in children who show mysterious inflammatory symptoms.“

 

[tresir2012]

75 chicken plant staff test positive for Covid-19

"More workers have tested positive for coronavirus after an outbreak at a chicken factory on Anglesey.

All staff at the 2 Sisters meat processing plant in Llangefni are self-isolating after a number of workers were confirmed to have the virus on Thursday.

On Saturday the number had risen to 75, Public Health Wales confirmed.

Health officials said the number of cases was expected to rise and samples have been taken from about 350 staff.

Testing sites were set up at Llangefni and Holyhead, and at an existing facility in Bangor, following the outbreak."

I posted about this when it was 50, now it is 75 out of 350 workers have tested positive. So 25%.

If that is your normal indoor infection rate that can take place then we could expect a maximum of 25 % catching the virus in the rally, based on that. I don't think it would be that high due to the length of time exposed is not as long as a day's work, but assuming 5% of the crowd are infected and each infects 4 people then it could in theory be 310 ×4 = 1240 people plus the original 310 = 1550 ie 25% - the same as the chicken plant. 5% of those could die so 78 deaths could result. JMO

Here's another link saying the problem is in three factories altogether.

Three food factories in England and Wales close over coronavirus

Three large food factories have closed in England and Wales after about 250 workers tested positive for coronavirus, as the Unite union said it was aware of suspected outbreaks at five other sites across the UK.

A meat processing site owned by Asda in West Yorkshire became the third food plant in 48 hours to confirm an outbreak after about 150 workers fell ill with the virus. The Kober plant, which supplies bacon to Asda supermarkets and employs more than 500 people, has closed until next week with a test-and-trace programme under way.

On Thursday the UK’s main supplier of supermarket chicken, 2 Sisters Food Group, said it was closing its Anglesey plant for 14 days after 58 people tested positive for coronavirus.

In Wrexham, 38 staff have tested positive at Rowan Foods, which makes food for supermarkets across the UK. Bosses said the cases reflected an increase in the local area rather than a spread within the site.

The cluster of new cases in food processing plants will raise concerns about a potential outbreak similar to those seen in France and the US. In the latter, as many as 25,000 meat and poultry workers are reported to have contracted Covid-19 with at least 91 deaths.

The confined working conditions and long periods spent by workers in close proximity – often 10 to 12 hours a shift – mean meat factories are at substantially heightened risk of spreading the coronavirus through human-to-human transmission, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

Unions have said the living conditions of many low-paid workers in the factories is another contributing factor, as is time spent by colleagues in communal spaces such as in locker rooms and on shuttle buses.

In the UK, four food factories are reported to have been affected to date. However, Unite said it was aware of five other “suspected Covid-19 outbreaks” at other sites across the UK.

More at both links.

 

[Lilibet]

Yes, wearing masks helps prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Yes, Wearing Masks Helps. Here's Why

 

[margarita25]

Any news on the WH package for a second round of stimulus checks? I didn’t hear one reference to anything about this at the rally, nor any type of reference to the financial plan to help Americans, small businesses, workers, etc. recover from this pandemic. I heard a lot about Boeing, etc, but nothing re: help and recovery plans for American citizens going forward.

Last I heard they were talking about sending out the second round of checks in June.

 

[tresir2012]

UPDATED - Daily automotive coronavirus briefing FREE TO READ

Roundup of how the virus has impacted the car industry and some news of workers returning.

 

[Simply Southern]

The President's campaign built an outdoor stage in between the two venues. Pence and Trump were both supposed to speak (to be streamed to the indoor venues and of course, via an approved local news affiliate).

That didn't happen. The stage was built, a few hundred were waiting (I personally think they were allowed inside if they wished, but many did not want to go inside, for obvious reasons).

Then, without any known apology, the Campaign decided that Pence and Trump would *not* speak there (too few people?) and while the few hundred remaining people watched, they immediately began to dismantle that stage. It sent a clear signal to those waiting outside that their wait was over and that the promised speeches would not be happening. It was abrupt. There's video footage of it around, but it's easy to imagine.

Temperature screenings are mostly CoVid theater, of course. Unfortunately, super spreaders are the ones who are highly contagious with minor symptoms and no fever.

In the video of the waiting crowd, one could hear a woman coughing. She probably just had a cough. I felt for her, because I have a cough right now, too - so I do not go out in public whatsoever, knowing how triggering that is for my fellow citizens. But if they wanted to be effective in preventing CoVid among Trump voters, they might have considered handing out a checklist of symptoms (which I know Fauci would like to use his own public time to do - but isn't allowed) and asking people to excuse themselves if they had 2 or more symptoms. Something like that. Set a precedent for how to regain public balance.

I need to move to a utopia.

I know they were to speak to the overflow crowd. There was no overflow crowd.

Do you have a link for the above? I missed seeing this in MSM.

Thanks.

 

[tresir2012]

158 chicken factory workers positive for Covid-19

Update on the chicken factory - latest news today is 158 now testing positive out of 350 workers.

So my question is why no PPE for these workers?

 

[Simply Southern]

Any government employee needs permission from Public Relations and supervision prior to participating or speaking to media. Even if it nothing to do with their job.

It can be especially tricky for someone as prominent as Dr. Fauci, he really can't separate himself from his public persona and his private persona.

Not just government employees, but most big business companies.

My company requires all employees to notify the public relations dept with any inquires. We are free to speak in public but not on behalf, or referencing the company, or any situation, political or otherwise the company might be involved in.

Just standard operating procedures.

Moo....

 

[Simply Southern]

Any news on the WH package for a second round of stimulus checks? I didn’t hear one reference to anything about this at the rally, nor any type of reference to the financial plan to help Americans, small businesses, workers, etc. recover from this pandemic. I heard a lot about Boeing, etc, but nothing re: help and recovery plans for American citizens going forward.

Last I heard they were talking about sending out the second round of checks in June.

Moo... I'm not holding my breath on that. We have over 12k in VA refusing to go back to work. The special unemployment benefits requirements, extra money end in July.

Virginia has these claims on hold, awaiting direction from the federal government.

Virginia: More than 12K have refused to return to work

While certain circumstances, such as health, childcare or other caregiver responsibilities, may warrant continued payments of unemployment benefits to a claimant who has refused to return to work, the payments will be paused pending the outcome of an administrative review,” the commission said in a news release. The news release noted that approximately 400,000 job vacancies are currently posted on a state workforce website.

In the 13 weeks since March 15, when measures to help stop the spread of the virus started taking a serious toll on the economy, the commission said it has received over 849,000 initial claims for unemployment benefits. It has approved and issued payments to a record 75% of those claimants and has paid out more than $4.2 billion to people who have lost wages during the COVID-19 pandemic, the news release said.

Moo...

 

[anneg]

Yes, wearing masks helps prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Yes, Wearing Masks Helps. Here's Why

I like the video on that page that offers tips for homemade masks, including choice of fabric, using multiple layers of fabric, and getting a snug fit.

The article refers to the hair stylists at the Great Clips in Springfield Mo who had COVID-19 but, because they wore masks, none of their customers caught it from them. (I thought I'd seen that customers were wearing masks too, but the linked story doesn't say that.)

 

[margarita25]

Moo... I'm not holding my breath on that. We have over 12k in VA refusing to go back to work. The special unemployment benefits requirements, extra money end in July.

Virginia has these claims on hold, awaiting direction from the federal government.

Virginia: More than 12K have refused to return to work

While certain circumstances, such as health, childcare or other caregiver responsibilities, may warrant continued payments of unemployment benefits to a claimant who has refused to return to work, the payments will be paused pending the outcome of an administrative review,” the commission said in a news release. The news release noted that approximately 400,000 job vacancies are currently posted on a state workforce website.

In the 13 weeks since March 15, when measures to help stop the spread of the virus started taking a serious toll on the economy, the commission said it has received over 849,000 initial claims for unemployment benefits. It has approved and issued payments to a record 75% of those claimants and has paid out more than $4.2 billion to people who have lost wages during the COVID-19 pandemic, the news release said.

Moo...

I also saw on a news report, maybe NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, that there have been a bunch of fraudulent unemployment claims, moo.

——

US coronavirus: More young people across the South are testing positive for coronavirus, officials warn - CNN

“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said last week that people under 30 made up a majority of new coronavirus cases in several counties. He said that increase in young infected people could be related to Memorial Day parties, visits to bars or other gatherings.
And in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that the median age was 37 for newly diagnosed coronavirus cases over the last week. In the state, 62% of new cases for the week of June 7 are under 45 years old, he said.
"That is a big change from where we were at the end of March and the beginning of April. It was skewing much older at that time," he said.“

 

[Simply Southern]

Huge impact on all cities not just NYC. If people do not return to work... Some business will save money, less operating cost for utilities, rent, liability insurance, etc.

Employees don't have to purchase work clothing, no transportation cost, eating at home, no lunch shopping quickie. If we stay or work from home we spend less.

Recovery for housing, retail and restaurant is going to be long and slow.

Up to 90% of employees will NOT report to their offices when NYC allows all 300,000 to return | Daily Mail Online


As New York City prepares to allow companies to reopen their offices on Monday following a three-month coronaviruslockdown, many workers are fearful about going back in.

Real estate brokers and landlords are anticipating that only 10 to 20 percent of Manhattan's office workers will return to their desks this week amid fears of another wave of infection.

Twitter Inc, for example, announced last month that its employees can work from home indefinitely. The social media giant is not planning to reopen its New York City office at all on Monday.

Ad giant Interpublic Group of Cos, which employees nearly 10,000 people in the Big Apple, told employees they would continue working from home until at least Labor Day.

Fellow ad firm Omnicom Group Inc said it would wait up to four weeks to begin bringing people back into the office, and that returning will be voluntary.

A recent global survey by trade group CoreNet Global found that just 15 percent of companies said their office occupancy will be back to pre-pandemic levels within six months, while 38 percent said it would take more than a year.

 

[jjenny]

It's trending younger because the message is, young people have nothing to worry about from covid. So when everything opened, a lot of young people are not taking precautions, such as masks and social distancing. And while in general young people are less likely to get serious complications, it's not true for all young people.

 

[ilovewings]

Amid Confusion About Reopening, An Expert Explains How To Assess COVID-19 Risk

I brought this over from the prior thread because i think Dr. Osterholm has the most comprehensive and useful information about this virus that i have read. it is a must read. It is scary because he says (and i did read this before) that eventually 60-70% of the population will become infected. Now that is a very scary statistic and means many more people will die from this virus. He basically states that the virus will do what it does-- it will circulate and kill people. We need to take precautions-- that being outdoors is better than being indoors; wearing masks is good---that surfaces in his opinion is not a serious vector of the disease and that we are "over the top" with disinfectants- this is an airborne disease.
He also says that he gets nasty emails and threats by people who think the virus is a hoax and is being hyped to go against the president - he has turned these emails over to the police.

 

[tmar]

Coronavirus update: WHO reports record daily increase in global COVID-19 cases

Coronavirus update: PepsiCo food factory in Beijing closed after workers test positive to COVID-19

4 hrs ago

China's latest outbreak of coronavirus has seen PepsiCo workers test positive for COVID-19.

Germany's infection rate has jumped above the levels needed to contain it over the long term.
Meanwhile, Dubai is opening the country to foreign visitors.

 

[jjenny]

I like the video on that page that offers tips for homemade masks, including choice of fabric, using multiple layers of fabric, and getting a snug fit.

The article refers to the hair stylists at the Great Clips in Springfield Mo who had COVID-19 but, because they wore masks, none of their customers caught it from them. (I thought I'd seen that customers were wearing masks too, but the linked story doesn't say that.)

Pretty said that to this day general public is told to wear homemade masks, instead of making enough N95s for everybody. My understanding about homemade masks, the more layers, the better. Unfortunately you still have to be able to breathe, which becomes harder the more layers the mask has. Apparently using two different materials in one mask, such as cotton and silk, also helps.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

Yesterday I posted about the highest New Cases total for Orange County, CA of 413. Today's # bests that with 434.

That means the 4 Highest Daily Totals since the beginning of crisis, have all happened in the last 8 days. (434, 413, 288, 297)

 

[SoCalDavidS]

Amid Confusion About Reopening, An Expert Explains How To Assess COVID-19 Risk

I brought this over from the prior thread because i think Dr. Osterholm has the most comprehensive and useful information about this virus that i have read. it is a must read. It is scary because he says (and i did read this before) that eventually 60-70% of the population will become infected. Now that is a very scary statistic and means many more people will die from this virus. He basically states that the virus will do what it does-- it will circulate and kill people.

It doesn't need to be that way. If we had flattened the curve enough, it would have allowed time for treatments and a vaccine to be developed. By following the Sweden model going forward, it is entirely possible that 60-70% will become infected prior to a vaccine, but it didn't have to be that way. With more self control, we could have stretched this out until early 2021, when hopefully a vaccine will exist.

Of course, we have those who now want to go with the "well, what if there is NEVER a vaccine" argument. Which makes it much easier for people to accept the fact that we might as well open up, because it's never going to get better, so we're only hurting ourselves hoping for something to come along. And sure, it is possible that will be the case, but not according to what most scientists are saying. Most seem to believe that an effective vaccine will be in production by 2021, and eventually it will be readily available. I have yet to hear anyone with intelligence say that it is unlikely a vaccine will be developed anytime in the next several years.

 

[tmar]

I live in an area classified as a specific Covid-19 Hot Spot in Australia.
In an hours time, the Health Minister will report, on the latest numbers, and possibly further more reimposing of restrictions, which were upgraded a day ago.

I am anxious, yet our numbers are relatively low, in comparison to other parts of the world.
Perhaps, depending on what each of us have been through in our areas with Covid-19, our expectations/fear differ greatly.
When I read here, I am astounded what you guys are going through, and certainly hope things improve.

 

[ilovewings]

It doesn't need to be that way. If we had flattened the curve enough, it would have allowed time for treatments and a vaccine to be developed. By following the Sweden model going forward, it is entirely possible that 60-70% will become infected prior to a vaccine, but it didn't have to be that way. With more self control, we could have stretched this out until early 2021, when hopefully a vaccine will exist.

Of course, we have those who now want to go with the "well, what if there is NEVER a vaccine" argument. Which makes it much easier for people to accept the fact that we might as well open up, because it's never going to get better, so we're only hurting ourselves hoping for something to come along. And sure, it is possible that will be the case, but not according to what most scientists are saying. Most seem to believe that an effective vaccine will be in production by 2021, and eventually it will be readily available. I have yet to hear anyone with intelligence say that it is unlikely a vaccine will be developed anytime in the next several years.

The major problem in this country has been, and remains lack of leadership--politics
is ruling the day-- it is a tragedy