Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #66

[HongKongPhooey]

Personal rant/worry. Please tell me if I'm over reacting here. I seem to be the only one in my family following any sort of "rules"...brother flies in from Dallas, another brother flies in from Orlando (all hot spots) one sister has a lake house, everyone gathers including college age nephews with girlfriends, I see photos on facebook of them all on the pontoon boat....text my sister that it looks like grand central station there...she says "we are distancing and wearing masks" of course I see none of that in photos inside and outside of house...then the two brothers go over to my 89 year old fathers house...then I see more photos of one of my brother's wives has gone home to her family and her and her sisters are all posing for photos side by side with mom and dad and she is the mother of the two nephews...smh...what the ???
Young nephews and their girlfriends come and go to the lakehouse by the way the others are staying there.
I try to explain that even though my sister who owns the lake house has been working from home, only shops a few times a month with a mask...that she has no idea all the people everyone else has been in contact with and so on and so on...we are all over 50 too...not exactly young, (except for the 2 nephews and thier gfs) I just think that monkey see...monkey do...we have really gotten so complacent in our country.

I dont think you are overreacting. I would be furious if that was my dad

 

[CSIDreamer]

I’m A-neg too and feeling fine

I am, too. Must be the birthday buddy thing lol.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

This is tremendous if true. Also this link regarding blood type A being more likely to be affected seriously by the virus is interesting. I am type A :-(

Study ties blood type to COVID-19 risk

Tagging @10ofRods.

I'm A neg as well. Not sure if you'll find that reassuring or not

 

[CSIDreamer]

I'm A neg as well. Not sure if you'll find that reassuring or not

Don't tell us that.

I'm thrilled you made it through.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

View attachment 254463
Total COVID-19 tests

The US currently ranks about 8th for the amount of tests conducted per 1,000.000 people.

View attachment 254464
COVID-19 testing rate by country | Statista

And is a prime example of the horse chasing the cart.

Unless the US does testing, tracing and quarantine. (which they have not focused on to mitigate at all) .. it's just a cluster... a runaway horse. MOO

as Casey Anthony said .. what a waste... what a huge waste.

ullhair:

 

[CharlestonGal]

I see some horrible times ahead. Just read a few details in the following article. The message is going to be high survival rates, and a study they will reveal shows good therapeutics ...... doesn't sound as if any health promotion is going to happen. And the President will be distancing himself from any of the conversation about it.

'We need to live with it': White House readies new message for the nation on coronavirus

I do not want to "live with it". I want to visit my family, 90% of whom live in the EU. I want to visit my best friend in Iceland. I want to go back to the Sydney Opera House. I don't want to be locked up in America because I am not welcome in most of the free world, because we can't get our act together. I don't accept our citizens and health workers dying from what is a manageable problem. But I have to live with all this because people want to party? Because people want to politicize what is a health problem? Because our leaders are too busy engaging in a popularity contest than to actually lead us out of this mess?

"We need to live with it" is NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER. Period.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I think that you may be missing the point. What was said is that 99% of cases are totally harmless.

I don't know about you, but many of us see a whole lot of harm going on, as a couple of us have tried to explain.

Thinking of you as the latest South Australian figures in Victoria have climbed. You guys can do it and show us all how it's done!

Source: Victoria DHHS

 

[SouthAussie]

I do not want to "live with it". I want to visit my family, 90% of whom live in the EU. I want to visit my best friend in Iceland. I want to go back to the Sydney Opera House. I don't want to be locked up in America because I am not welcome in most of the free world, because we can't get our act together. I don't accept our citizens and health workers dying from what is a manageable problem. But I have to live with all this because people want to party? Because people want to politicize what is a health problem? Because our leaders are too busy engaging in a popularity contest than to actually lead us out of this mess?

"We need to live with it" is NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER. Period.

I hope my flight credit (from the airlines cancelling my summer visit to the US) does not expire before I am able to return there to visit my friends.
It expires in Dec 2021.

 

[Sundog]

Nah. Everyone knows better by now - social distancing & masks to reduce risks for all. While they definitely deserve compassionate medical care, they also deserve censure if they willfully endangered others out of arrogance or to score political points. That goes quadruple for the powerful. We can wish them health and still criticize them. It's not unlike DUI - putting others in harm's way out of selfishness is criticized all the time.

Accountability is a thing, even for the powerful people we adore. JMO.

I got behind in reading the thread, so it may have already been addressed, but has it been established that Kimberly knew she was infected with COVID-19 at the time of these events, as I read that she was asymptomatic when she got the COVID-19 positive test results.

 

[SouthAussie]

Thinking of you as the latest South Australian figures in Victoria have climbed. You guys can do it and show us all how it's done!

Source: Victoria DHHS

The Victoria authorities have pulled out all stops and are doing the absolute best they can to get this under control.

People who are being isolated in the 9 residential towers where they live are complaining that they feel like caged animals. That shows you how serious the authorities are about getting the spread under control. Drastic measures are being taken.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

The JHU link I posted states that WHO does not recommend reopening if more than a 5% positivity rate is achieved so that is an indicator of where they stand on the issue.

.. and that is tied into they are expecting that testing, tracing and quarantine will be done for all the positives. Which is NOT being done in some countries as a focus . Heck, third world countries are doing it.

It's all tied into one, not a standalone MOO

 

[CSIDreamer]

The Victoria authorities have pulled out all stops and are doing the absolute best they can to get this under control.

People who are being isolated in the 9 residential towers where they live are complaining that they feel like caged animals. That shows you how serious the authorities are about getting the spread under control. Drastic measures are being taken.

I meant to ask. What's the procedure for them to get groceries?

 

[Trident]

I can so relate to you - perhaps one of the worst personal losses I've experienced during this pandemic is the distance (figuratively) that it has put between me and my family. I try so hard to listen and not respond, but that isn't my strong attribute. Sometimes, a response just bursts out. A couple weeks back, my 85 yr old Mother and I had a very emotional disagreement. According to her, it's all political, she doesn't believe anything "they" say, it's only old people who have already lived their lives, she is "ready to go" and stated she is only taking up space and air for a younger person. It broke my heart and I didn't argue with her, but broke down in tears and told her I couldn't listen to that and I was hanging up. That is what I did - I told her I love her dearly and in tears I hung up on my Moma because I just couldn't stand to listen any longer. Heartbroken that obviously she's so scared and won't acknowledge it and have a calm conversation, heartbroken that she can't think about her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and all of us that love her so very much. Most of all, heartbroken that she doesn't value her own life and doesn't feel as if she has anything left to give to others. That is hard for me to explain - but that is who I am, I think we all have so much to give to others needing us and our help.
My two sisters, an RN and a school teacher are in denial - this is where she gets her information. One sister repeatedly has stated to me " I wouldn't break the law" - meaning they stay just barely under any mandates. None of them wear a mask, practice social distancing or are being cautious. My nephew sent me a wedding invitation this week for end of the month (July) to an outdoor wedding, which seems to have already morphed into a large wedding although started out with immediate family and closest of friends. All the nieces and nephew and even my oldest daughter, along with 2 of my grandchildren, have already had trips to the beach in the past month. They all continue and have the entire time, to visit each other and not take precautions. I dearly love my family, even if I don't understand them and hate the thought of them becoming a statistic in this deadly pandemic simply by being careless.
My rant this morning - and I don't think it's even helped me any by putting it out there.
But I do understand you and share your concerns for your family - I'm right there with you.

<modsnip: personalizing>

I'm an old lady who feels somewhat like your mother does and I totally understand where you're both coming from, I think.

 

[CharlestonGal]

Harvard doctor 'very optimistic' that vaccine will come in early 2021, but may not be totally effective

Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, predicted there is a likelihood that a coronavirus vaccine will be available in early 2021, but cautioned that it may not be 100 percent effective.

"Vaccines, I am very optimistic we’re going to have one in early 2021. The challenge here,” Jha said, “is that there are seven-plus billion people in the world. And there is going to be a race to vaccinate everybody, we’re going to need billions of doses."

He continued: "And I’m very worried about supply chains, about having enough vials and syringes, and all the stuff."

Jha said that due to the high demand, it may take until next spring or summer before everyone in the U.S. will be able to get vaccinated.

Jha also addressed the rising number of cases across the country. He blamed this in part on some states reopening too early and not following federal guidelines for a gradual reopening process, as well as "mixed messaging on masks and social distancing."

The doctor said he was concerned by the scene of people without masks attending President Trump's speech at Mt. Rushmore over the holiday weekend, where social distancing was not practiced.

"Those are just risky things," Jha said about such gatherings, adding that President Trump should "stick with the science" in getting people to take precautions. He did note that "outdoors is better than indoors, so I was happy to see that."

Jha said the country is currently facing a "perilous moment," and that some states must be "very aggressive" in combating spikes. He said that going back to "shelter in place" practices "should absolutely be the last thing that you want to get to," but said that if the virus is not under control it will be "very hard to keep schools open."

 

[SouthAussie]

I meant to ask. What's the procedure for them to get groceries?

The authorities are going to provide them with their food and other needs. It is a huge logistical undertaking.
They do not have to pay rent during the time of the isolation. Rent payments are suspended.
And hi-speed internet is being provided so they can stay in contact, and some may still be able to work, with the children being able to do online school lessons.

We have very good social services here. They will not go without.

 

[Lilibet]

I got behind in reading the thread, so it may have already been addressed, but has it been established that Kimberly knew she was infected with COVID-19 at the time of these events, as I read that she was asymptomatic when she got the COVID-19 positive test results.

Whether Kimberly knew she was infected or not, it was irresponsible to attend fundraising dinners without social distancing and mask (except for eating). Anyone can be infected and asymptomatic, so everyone needs to assume they could infect someone. As it turned out, she is infected and her lack of caution may have endangered others at those events, because she didn’t follow CDC recommendations. So everyone who attended those events will need to either be tested or self-quarantine or both.

 

[dmac55]

Re: COVID-19 "99% harmless"

There is a difference between didn't die, and harmless
To me

Scientists Uncover Long Term Effects of COVID-19, Virus Attacks Vital Organs – NBC 7 San Diego
Scientists Uncover Long Term Effects of COVID-19, Virus Attacks Vital Organs

 

[10ofRods]

About blood type A. The answer is "Yes," people with blood type A are more likely to put into the ICU and suffer a more serious consequence of CoVid-19.

That does not mean, however, that it is the blood type itself that's causing the problem. The gene that controls blood type (it's on Chromosome 3 - I think) has about 2000 other genes on it and some of them co-vary along with the blood antigen gene.

In fact, just in the past few days, a pre-print of a study of a sequence of 2 genes that are near the blood type gene came out. The paper showed that these 2 genes correlate highly with Type A blood, but they have to do with the immune system. People with one set of variants of these 2 genes were more likely to have a poor outcome of CoVid.

So it's probably those genes (or perhaps even other nearby genes on that Chromosome) that are responsible for the increased seriousness.

There are some other genes (APOE-4 for example) that also correlate with a worse outcome.

The 2 alleles (gene variants) on Chromosome 3 that are associated with poor outcomes are quite old in the European genome and less commonly found elsewhere. There are genes in the African/African-American population that also confer a disadvantage.

There's also a "superimmunity" gene that has been proposed to explain why a small percentage of Europeans seem to be much less affected by HIV and I'd bet a box of donuts that those same people are among the asymptomatic/low symptom CoVid+ people.

 

[Sundog]

So we had a Skype call with family in Beijing yesterday, and the authorities are using cell phone app to enforce quarantine. People are tracked and if they go near a hot spot, then they get a color-coded message on their phone, which means they may have been exposed. So that means that everywhere they go from then on - work, school, restaurant, grocery store, marketplace, public transportation, etc., they have to show the app to get in. So if they have a red-coded message, they are denied entry. The only way to get the color-code on your phone changed is to get a test that is negative, then the government is notified and the color-code is changed. Mostly this is done on WeChat, which everyone uses in Beijing.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

<modsnip: personalizing>

I'm an old lady who feels somewhat like your mother does and I totally understand where you're both coming from, I think.

#IamSA55's mother (No I'm not, but I GET IT! I feel the same way many days)

I vent and I'm very very depressed and have so many feelings as she does. I live alone, and I'm very depressed. I need help and support.

PLEASE Let's all pick up the phone and support folks like "mother"... please please please please please. I beg of you all!