Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #62

[JerseyGirl]

Texas reported 3,280 new cases Monday, with a recent average of about 3,500 new cases a day. Hospitalizations have broken records there for a second week in a row.

"To state the obvious, COVID-19 is now spreading at an unacceptable rate in Texas, and it must be corralled," Gov. Greg Abbott said.

Abbott said closing down Texas again would always be the "last option," and there were several strategies to reduce the spread without shutting the state down, including social distancing, wearing masks, hand hygiene, staying home when possible, and increased testing.

Coronavirus hospitalizations surge in Arizona, Texas

 

[margarita25]

Doctor on rising coronavirus cases: This isn't the kind of record you want to break - CNN Video
Doctor on Trump rally: A scene like that is really upsetting

 

[Bravo]

It must be so frustrating for you magz and all who work tirelessly contact tracing. Thank you for doing such important work.

 

[Lilibet]

Yes, cases have gone up. But deaths have decreased by 90%.

And I think that is because the age of the cases has gone from average age of 62 down to average age of 37.

All us old folks that haven't died already, are hiding out at home. So the virus is finding new hosts that are much younger. And they are not dying at the same high rates. JMO

Yes. Here is a CNN article from Monday discussing the lower death rate. The younger ones may not be dying, but there is still the potential to infect those who will die according to scientists.

As Covid-19 cases rise among younger adults, expect a lower death rate for now, says former CDC director - CNN

 

[Bravo]

I was seeing a glimmer of hope that this Canadian would eventually see my American Family. Now that hope is pretty much dashed. For some time I'm sure.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

I don’t want to sound like a broken record but this is unacceptable and scary on so many levels as related to CV going forward.

You're sounding like a broken record, that's been left out in the AZ Sun for several days. Some of us feel the same way as you do, and it's incredibly frustrating.

 

[margarita25]

• It must be so frustrating for you magz and all who work tirelessly contact tracing. Thank you for doing such important work.

  
  I cried for days and days about this, and as a result have modified my goals and role within the field to work on the technical side.

 

[Bravo]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around as to how many people have actually drank the kool-aid

 

[anneg]

I was seeing a glimmer of hope that this Canadian would eventually see my American Family. Now that hope is pretty much dashed. For some time I'm sure.

That is sad. We older folks (and others at higher risk) in the US are facing the same situation. I don't know when we will get to see our son and family (including our two grandsons) again in person. They and all our relatives live in different states, from Vermont to the midwest (mostly Illinois) and the west coast (mostly Oregon). We're in NC. We are used to making multiple trips each year.

 

[10ofRods]

We haven't heard recently from our Canadian friend whose son had to come back to roost, for quite a while. I hope @otto is okay.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Melinda Gates: These people deserve to get coronavirus vaccine first

Health care workers should get access to a coronavirus vaccine first, Melinda Gates said during a virtual appearance at the Forbes philanthropy summit with husband Bill Gates.

"One of the reasons we are so involved in this is that you don't want the first vaccines to go to the highest-bidding countries," Melinda Gates said. "There are 60 million healthcare workers [around the world]. They deserve to get the vaccine first, they're the ones dealing with this on the front lines, trying to keep us all safe."

"Then you have to start to tier from there, based on the countries and the populations," Melinda Gates continued. "Here in the United States, it's going to be black people who really should get it first and many indigenous people, as well as people with underlying symptoms, and then elderly people."

Bill Gates accused the U.S. of turning "inward" instead of embracing collaboration with other countries to find solutions to the pandemic. "Usually the United States plays a role in global problem-solving, so rather than withdrawing from WHO, they'd be involved, collaborating with other countries, not just trying to cast blame," Gates said. For example, President Trump said in April that he would halt U.S. funding to the World Health Organization over “mistakes” he said helped the coronavirus spread.

 

[MrX]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around as to how many people have actually drank to the kool-aid

This goes both ways, but I will try to answer what you seem to be asking. It's really a matter of living "now." I personally found our lock down to be a living Hell. I already work from home, so my entire "life" involved going out to lunch and going to the bar at night. It sounds minor and petty, but that was (and is) my life. I can't imagine what this was like to the kids who missed out playing in things like the NCAA Tournament. So many of the moments and experiences that make up real life have been lost and many of us feel that that's a price that's too high to keep paying. If there was a clear target - like hold out until August and there will be a "cure," then things would be very different. But when the realization hits that 2021 will be the same as 2020, those of us that chose to keep living, will keep living. So, from what I see in my corner of the world, it's not ignorance or a war on science. It's a population of informed adults that have made a life choice.

I see Governor Cuomo's list of States that he is quarantining and would like to tell him not to worry - those of us that have chosen to live life now have no interest in visiting a place that is, by comparison, still closed.

 

[24Roses]

Iowa numbers today: 255 (IMO)-258 new confirmed cases and 2 more have passed away. We now have a total of 26,601 confired cases and 690 have passed away as of 11:00 a.m. today. 16,727-16,764 have recovered. Two more COVID-19 deaths in Iowa as hospitalizations drop 14% in one day
Iowa COVID-19 Information

 

[squareandrabbet]

Probably because those getting the extra $600/wk unemployment think that's going to last forever.

those recipients are fortunate, lol. My severance package ran out some time in May; and NYS thoughtfully mandates how fast they think you should spend it before you qualify for unemployment, so: I may or may not get a single week of the extra $600, because my original letter said I couldn’t reapply until July 26, which is just about ... 10 months since I was let go. Too bad I didn’t know last October that I shouldn’t have invested in apartment improvements because March was coming! I also made too much money with said severance package to qualify for a cent of the $1,200, so it’s been thin pickings. I keep secretly hoping when I do apply, that they will tell me I have a retroactive packet of money waiting for me but I can’t think why they would, lol.

 

[JerseyGirl]

I see Governor Cuomo's list of States that he is quarantining and would like to tell him not to worry - those of us that have chosen to live life now have no interest in visiting a place that is, by comparison, still closed.

The governors of New Jersey and Connecticut are also in agreement with New York's Cuomo. That's 3 states, don't wanna let Cuomo get all the credit:

Conn., NY, NJ Announce Joint Travel Advisory Requiring Self-Quarantine of Visitors

 

[margarita25]

Melinda Gates: These people deserve to get coronavirus vaccine first

Health care workers should get access to a coronavirus vaccine first, Melinda Gates said during a virtual appearance at the Forbes philanthropy summit with husband Bill Gates.

"One of the reasons we are so involved in this is that you don't want the first vaccines to go to the highest-bidding countries," Melinda Gates said. "There are 60 million healthcare workers [around the world]. They deserve to get the vaccine first, they're the ones dealing with this on the front lines, trying to keep us all safe."

"Then you have to start to tier from there, based on the countries and the populations," Melinda Gates continued. "Here in the United States, it's going to be black people who really should get it first and many indigenous people, as well as people with underlying symptoms, and then elderly people."

Bill Gates accused the U.S. of turning "inward" instead of embracing collaboration with other countries to find solutions to the pandemic. "Usually the United States plays a role in global problem-solving, so rather than withdrawing from WHO, they'd be involved, collaborating with other countries, not just trying to cast blame," Gates said. For example, President Trump said in April that he would halt U.S. funding to the World Health Organization over “mistakes” he said helped the coronavirus spread.

Equitable distribution of vaccines is certainly something that WHO has been talking about from the beginning, and prioritization to health workers and others who may be more vulnerable and are on the front lines makes 100 percent sense.

I’m glad you posted this because I do anticipate quantity/availability of vaccines to be a potential issue in the future. This was discussed, iirc, in the 2005 documentary, “The Coming Pandemic” (if not in that documentary, it was somewhere else I saw this).

 

[MrX]

Equitable prioritization of vaccines is certainly something that WHO has been talking about from the beginning, and prioritization to health workers and others who may be more vulnerable and are on the front lines makes 100 percent sense.

I’m glad you posted this because I do anticipate quantity/availability of vaccines to be a potential issue in the future. This was discussed, iirc, in the 2005 documentary, “The Coming Pandemic” (if not in that documentary, it was somewhere else I saw this).

This is a very important addition to the discussion. I suspect there is a belief that as soon as vaccine is approved, that it will be available to all. This is going to be a long process, assuming any of the vaccines actually get that far. It's something that has to be understood and considered when deciding whether to commit to isolation.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

The governors of New Jersey and Connecticut are also in agreement with New York's Cuomo. That's 3 states, don't wanna let Cuomo get all the credit:

They are absolutely doing the correct thing.

 

[mickey2942]

They are absolutely doing the correct thing.

Too bad other states didn't get on the same page. Then, states like Montana, Utah, Idaho, would not have rates rising daily, due no doubt to travel from other "hot spots".

 

[margarita25]

those recipients are fortunate, lol. My severance package ran out some time in May; and NYS thoughtfully mandates how fast they think you should spend it before you qualify for unemployment, so: I may or may not get a single week of the extra $600, because my original letter said I couldn’t reapply until July 26, which is just about ... 10 months since I was let go. Too bad I didn’t know last October that I shouldn’t have invested in apartment improvements because March was coming! I also made too much money with said severance package to qualify for a cent of the $1,200, so it’s been thin pickings. I keep secretly hoping when I do apply, that they will tell me I have a retroactive packet of money waiting for me but I can’t think why they would, lol.

Another concern, and something I’m experiencing, is that after all the $ spent stocking up, being shutdown, etc., how the heck can some of us afford to stock up again? I’ve spent any extra money I had getting prepared in February/March, and now what comes in will only pay basic bills.