Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #64

[Tippy Lynn]

The hospitals are the ones who released the numbers that their ICUs were nearing 100 % capacity. Then they changed the reporting.
But either way, I think it's pretty obvious there is not a lot of room left in there to house covid patients.

I don’t know what this hospital in particular is doing or what all the other states are doing, but MN has a COVID response plan in place to add a number of hospital and ICU beds within 24 and 72 hours if needed. I’m guessing others have the same planning measures in place to care for COVID patients.
Response and Preparation Capacity / COVID-19 Updates and Information - State of Minnesota

 

[tresir2012]

Again to be clear only my experience from one hospital in Michigan. At the height of the pandemic, we had designated units and personnel. They did not combine. Now that we are down to so few covid patients, we do co-mingle. This is dependent on having enough PPE to safely do this. Also we are a major hospital, lots of experience with infectious disease and we have negative pressure rooms. But all of this is a delicate house of cards. It is not built for a surge and if we experienced a surge we would be scrambling again.

TY for your response. I have a friend who talks of "red" areas in our hospitals. This would be Covid areas I am guessing, so they do not go from one area to the non red area.

Take care.

 

[KALI]

We've recently had two ladies come to our restaurant several times who tell my husband that they won't wear masks for "health reasons".
He told me this morning he won't allow them to enter again. We're supposed to let them, but, he's not going to.
Between that and policing the homeless he has to move out of our location, and the
Jerks that keep filling up our trashcans with their personal garbage, so that we're left with no where to put ours, he's become the new security/police force.
Hubby in no whimp. But, this is certainly an unwelcome new twist to restaurant ownership.

IMO any state that mandates mask wearing should supply security for every business open to the public. The employees aren't trained, don't have time, aren't paid for and shouldn't be put at risk to enforce their state's mandate IMO. Masks aren't mandated here but my husband works late every night in order to catch up on his daily, normal responsibilities. Customers won't maintain the 6 foot distance, constantly bend around the plexiglas and repeatedly try to get into the petitioned off areas. Every day he comes home more stressed and exhausted. I'm sure he's not the only out there being emotionally distressed on a daily basis.

 

[squareandrabbet]

Good question. I can only speak from my experience working for a major medical ctr. in Michigan. Our general ICU for adults runs at capacity most times. Such was the case last weekend. I was not full of Covid patients, just typical for our health system on any given day. The problem is when the hospital ICU is typically full and you get a COVID surge you have a problem. We dealt with this by adding more ICU beds, converting regular units to ICU. Perhaps the ICU is full in that Huston hospital but they are also able to add beds so it is not a crisis? These are my thoughts and opinions only. MOO

I cannot find the article again, but one of the Houston doctors/administrators backtracking/clarifying, did indeed say that it's no trick for their ICUs to be 85-90% filled at any point in time; and that this was in fact their usual operating status, so having them filled to 90% is not a cause for worry, FWIW.

Just had a thought about schools opening in the Fall.

Will classes and all kids/adults quarantine at home for 14 days if a student or teacher in that classroom contract the virus? I mean, it is going to happen and probably on a frequent basis. I just don’t see how schools will be able to function with any regularity.

I saw an article about that, too, a couple days ago. People whose elected officials have not yet firmed up a principle are in fact up in arms, because they are understandably tweaked to find out that the government may in fact change its mind from week to week (purposefully, like "A-days" being "gym" and "B-days" being study hall, as they were in my youth); or even day to day, a la carte making decisions on the fly; and how parents are expected to carry on their working lives if they can't know from day to day if they will need to be home with their children or not.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

I am asking @Yesiamapirate . After all, that error was repeated by many countries returning positive patients from hospitals to SNF and elderly care homes, as we already know.

I am not sure about SNF and care homes. I really can only speak of the hospital that I work at. But I think hospitals have staff that are better equipped to handle a mix of infectious and non infectious patients. Care homes were not prepared. They lacked PPE, single rooms and training that hospital nursing staff gets. MOO

 

[COSCitizen]

@10ofRods.... You had provided another real-time Covid tool, yesterday or the day before. I meant to copy it...so could you provide again. I think it was something from NYT??

This one? I have it bookmarked.

Rt COVID-19

 

[Tony1902]

If anyone has Netflix, which I’m steadily going through, Turkish & odd Korean movies as well, I highly recommend ‘Homemade.’ They are short films made by various people during quarantine.

O si quieren moverlo, Por favor, hazlo

 

[Tillicum]

I have grave concerns about the effects COVID has on our mental health. We always discuss the physical side of those infected but what about the constant strain on the mental health of so many who are consumed with fear that this virus will infect them? What is that doing to their close relationships? Will it have a lasting effect? Will the anger and hatred towards others fade in time?

 

[MuddyTires]

More good news:

NPR’s Greg Allen—who has been with NPR for three decades as an editor, executive producer, and correspondent, including the past 14 years in Miami—reports that Florida doctors are telling him that the COVID-19 cases they're seeing now are less acute, and that many of those with COVID are actually in the hospital for other conditions when they're tested and found positive.

This is similar to what the executive at the company running 13 stand-alone ERs in Texas said yesterday that they’re in Texas.

Twitter

 

[margarita25]

Thank you. I’m proud to be an American, although I consider myself a citizen of both the US and Australia. I shan’t forget the honorary Australian status y’all granted me while participating in an Australian crime thread. I’m sure it’s binding.

 

[KALI]

So, so sad. Truly a wonderful group.

I heard today that Cirque du Soleil (a Montreal-based, world-touring, wonderfully talented and artistically creative entity) has now filed for bankruptcy. Because 'the show must go on' is not possible, they are hanging up their hats. At least for the foreseeable future.

Cirque du Soleil files for bankruptcy protection: ‘It’s a big shock’

 

[Tony1902]

Also thinking of buying a shortwave radio online and listening to a numbers station, I think there’s one left, for my own amusement.

 

[24Roses]

Iowa news today: 212 (IMO)-213 new confirmed cases and 6 more have passed away. As of 11:00 a.m today, we now have 28,941-28,944 total confirmed cases and 713 have passed away. 23,035-23,078 have recovered (* large increase in recoveries is explained in article below). Iowa COVID-19 Information
June 30: Over 5,000 recoveries reported, along with 213 new cases and five deaths
Gov. Reynolds announces changes to COVID-19 reporting
Iowa part of 14-day quarantine measure for travelers to NY, NJ and CT

 

[margarita25]

Coronavirus update: Oregon, Kansas face masks; New Jersey casinos

Starting Wednesday, face masks in indoor public spaces will be required for all Oregonians.

In Kansas, facial coverings will be required starting Friday.

Meanwhile in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that the state would pause its planned reopening for indoor dining and banned smoking and drinking at Atlantic City casinos set to reopen this week. The Borgata casino dropped its plans to reopen soon. It had planned to hold an invitation-only "soft opening" on Thursday and open its doors to the general public starting July 6.

Banned smoking and drinking at casinos? That’ll definitely keep some people out lol.

 

[jjenny]

""We are now having [40,000+] new cases a day. I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around," Fauci said. "Clearly we are not in total control." He declined to make a prediction on the number of COVID-19-related deaths the U.S. could experience. More than 126,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus."
Fauci: COVID-19 cases could reach 100,000 a day if U.S. cannot control the virus

 

[jjenny]

More good news:

NPR’s Greg Allen—who has been with NPR for three decades as an editor, executive producer, and correspondent, including the past 14 years in Miami—reports that Florida doctors are telling him that the COVID-19 cases they're seeing now are less acute, and that many of those with COVID are actually in the hospital for other conditions when they're tested and found positive.

This is similar to what the executive at the company running 13 stand-alone ERs in Texas said yesterday that they’re in Texas.

Twitter

Tout va très bien, Madame la Marquise

 

[squareandrabbet]

So, so sad. Truly a wonderful group.

My father, a fairly talented if conventional high-school all-rounder, would stare fixedly at their televised performance marathons around the holidays. "Look at that muscle control!", he would murmur. I saw they were going to let go of 3,500 employees... oy vey.

 

[margarita25]

Dollar General tried that. Customers simply shot and killed the security guard when he demanded they wear a mask.

Really? Ugh, is there a link? Tia.

 

[Tippy Lynn]

I have grave concerns about the effects COVID has on our mental health. We always discuss the physical side of those infected but what about the constant strain on the mental health of so many who are consumed with fear that this virus will infect them? What is that doing to their close relationships? Will it have a lasting effect? Will the anger and hatred towards others fade in time?

COVID-19: How to manage your mental health during the crisis

 

[JerseyGirl]

Daughter who lives in Florida just called. Remember that vacation to the Florida Keys last week?

Well, turns out 2 people in her party tested positive today for Covid that was traced to a party the week before THAT. She said they were also with another family and all of them dined and drank at restaurants and bars, went scuba diving, snorkeling and boating all week.

She then went on to tell me how contagious it is, they are now worried, warning me to stay in, blah, blah blah. In the meantime I'm rolling my eyes on the phone, saying, Yes, I told you this. Yes, I warned you of that.

Good luck Florida.