Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #71

[TootsieFootsie]

I think a lot of it might be due to we were locked down for ages and a lot of us only went out for essential things.
Plus a lot of people for the first time signed up to get groceries delivered amongst other things.
Also a lot more people had the flu shot this year than usually do after being urged to by medical professionals and the government.
The social distancing, washing hands was part of it but the face masks wearing has only just started, in Victoria and now it's required in some supermarkets in Sydney, so that's probably not part of the reason the flu cases came down. Will be interesting to see what effect wearing masks will have in the future.
No one where I live has been wearing them. In the past few months I've seen less than five people with masks, New South Wales. But I have a bad feeling that will change. I've ordered a pack of 50 masks which will probably arrive this coming week.
I see the writing on the wall, sadly. So far our town has only had 12 cases, none died. None were in intensive care.
Hopefully that's how it will stay but I have my doubts.
Seeing people not bothering to social distance and coughing straight out into the air doesn't fill me with confidence.

Wow, that is significant. I wonder if in the future, we will continue to control other contagious illnesses by using the same protocol .. wash hand, stand back, wear a mask.

 

[Betty P]

How Fauci says the U.S. can get control of the pandemic

Full transcript of 17th July interview with Dr. Fauci.


Here is part of the transcript.

• Judy Woodruff:
  
  Well, I know you don't like to talk about politics, but, in the state of Georgia, for example, where you have several mayors who have said, I want everybody in my city, they have to wear a mask, the governor is saying mayors can't do that.
  
  How do you have a consistent statewide message, when you have this kind of difference?
  
  
• Anthony Fauci:
  
  Well, you're right, Judy. I don't want to get involved in politics.
  
  But all I can do is plead with the people out there to be consistent and listen to what health officials like myself, if I may, are saying. Put everything else aside, and uniformly do the right thing.
  
  
• Judy Woodruff:
  
  Even if the governor of a state, like Governor Kemp in Georgia, is saying something else?
  
  
• Anthony Fauci:
  
  Well, I would appeal to them to just not do that.
  
  Again, you're right. If I get involved in politics, what happens is, it diverts the message. And my message is, if you're doing it this way, and it's not working, please reconsider, to be consistent with your message.
  
  
• Judy Woodruff:
  
  Let me ask you, Dr. Fauci, about testing.
  
  It has now — it's now clear that there aren't enough tests. Yes, they have been ramped up across the country. There are many more than there were being done months ago. But, with this surge, there aren't enough.
  
  What has to happen in order for there to be enough tests in enough places for the country to get its arm around this virus — its arms around this virus?
  
  
• Anthony Fauci:
  
  We have got to get the tests in the right place at the right time.
  
  As you know, we have been told by the people responsible for the tests that there are a lot of tests out there and, as we get into the next weeks to months, there could be millions of more tests.
  
  We have got to use them in the right manner. We have got to get them to the right people who can do the proper identification, isolation and contact tracing, and even go beyond that, Judy, to be able to test more widely in a more surveillance way, so you can get a feel for the extent and the penetrance of this community spread.
  
  
• Judy Woodruff:
  
  But there's going to need to be — as I understand it, there needs to be support, there needs to be funding for a number of these labs to open up. That hasn't happened yet.
  
  What — do you know of a solution to get this ramped up immediately?
  
  
• Anthony Fauci:
  
  We have got to make sure the dots are connected, Judy.
  
  When the Congress, in — with a great deal of generosity, gave billions of dollars to try and solve this problem, they gave something like $10 billion to the CDC to give to the states to do these kinds of implementing.
  
  We have got to make sure that it gets well spent and that it gets done in the right way. Again, we have a problem. We need to admit it and own it. But we have got to do the things that are very clear that we need to do to turn this around, remembering we can do it.
  
  We know that, when you do it properly, you bring down those cases. We have done it. We have done it in New York. New York got hit worse than any place in the world. And they did it correctly by doing the things that you're talking about.
  
  
• Judy Woodruff:
  
  Vaccines.
  
  You have been saying — we have seen some promising developments in the last few days and weeks on vaccines. You have been saying maybe later this year, into 2021.
  
  And yet there was a cautionary word from the head of a major pharmaceutical company this week. Merck, Ken Frazier, who's the CEO, said — and I'm quoting here — he said: "Anybody who says that" — he says: "Officials are doing a great disservice by telling the American people there could be a vaccine by the end of this year," because there are a whole lot of hurdles that yet have to be dealt with before there will be a vaccine.
  
  How do you answer that?
  
  
• Anthony Fauci:
  
  Well, first of all, I know Ken. He's a good friend and he's a good person. But I have to disagree with him, respectfully, on this.
  
  I don't think that's outlandish at all, because what we have been doing is that we have been putting certain things in line with each other in a way that's unprecedented.
  
  If you look at the history — and I don't want to spend a lot of time going in on it — we have gone from the sequence of the virus to a vaccine development program in days. We went from that, 62 days later, to get a phase one trial going.
  
  What you just mentioned was published two days ago, and showed very robust antibody — neutralizing antibody responses that were comparable to what you see when someone recovers from infection.
  
  Generally — and Ken is right — generally, that would take a couple of years to get to that point. We're already there. We're going into a phase three trial at the end of the month. And there are a number of other candidates that we will be following sequentially.
  
  One is right. When you're dealing with vaccines, you can't guarantee things. But you can say, based on the science and the way things are going, that I'm cautiously optimistic that we can meet that projection that we made, that I made months ago.
  
  And that is — and I will repeat it — that, by the end of this calendar year and the beginning of 2021, I feel optimistic. Nobody guarantees, but I feel optimistic that we will have a vaccine, one or more, that we can start distributing to people, because, if you look at the infections that are going on right now, and phase three trials that are now starting at the end of the month, we could get a signal of safety and efficacy by — as we get into the late fall and the early winter.
  
  And if we do, then, by the beginning of 2021, we could have a vaccine.
  
  
• Judy Woodruff:
  
  Available to hundreds of millions of Americans?
  
  
• Anthony Fauci:
  
  On day one, Judy, it's not going to be available to hundreds of millions.
  
  But what we're hearing from the companies, who have been given a lot of money by the federal government to do this, is to start making doses before you know that the trial works, which means that, if it works, you have saved months. If it doesn't, you have lost a lot of money.
  
  So, we think we can start getting doses in the beginning of 2021. And the companies have said hundreds of millions of doses within that year. So it's not going to be from day one, but it will be quick.
  
  
• Judy Woodruff:
  
  Do you have a worry, though, Dr. Fauci, that the anti-vaccine movement could interfere with this timetable?
  
  
• Anthony Fauci:
  
  Yes, I do, because, I mean, we have to admit and realize that there is an anti-vax movement that we have had to struggle with in this country.
  
  And I believe the solution to that would be community engagement and community outreach, to get people that are trusted by the community to go out there and explain to them the importance of not only getting engaged in the vaccine trial, but the importance of, when the vaccine is shown to be safe and effective, to actually take the vaccine, because it could be lifesaving, and it certainly would be the solution to this terrible pandemic.

Good interview. Had we taken early steps to stop the spread of the virus and sustained them, we wouldn't have the problems we're now experiencing with shortage of testing, delays in results, shortage of hospitals beds, etc. It's common sense, but some people refuse to see it. Some states and cities didn't control the pandemic and every other city and state has to pay the price for it with shortages and delays.

I also give a side-eye to the problems in giving federal money to states to ramp up lab production for test results, especially when there's no oversight or control over how the state puts a plan in place to do this. Some governors bully the federal government into giving them the cash with no strings attached, then the money disappears or is mismanaged and no one is held to account. Let the health care and epidemiology experts decide how this is done, not politicians.

If we had the governor of some state or a corporate lobbyist or CEO of a restaurant chain in charge of the Army or Air Force in a war overseas, people would be outraged. The same rule applies for a pandemic - don't interfere and let the experts do their work.

Dr. Fauci talking back to the CEO at Merck is the right approach. Apparently, Merck is behind the curve when it comes to developing a vaccine. That's the way it goes, you develop your vaccine and its a gamble as to whether it's going to work. These pharma companies are in heavy competition, there's a LOT of money being thrown at them and they want that money train to keep moving. Dr. Fauci knows this, knows how these companies compete and collude with each other. His job isn't to ensure a good ROI for a pharma company, it's to get some effective vaccines without harmful side effects and produce enough to get them out to those who need them.

 

[Betty P]

I love Dr. Fauci, but is he really seeing what is going on out there? Preaching social distancing and mask wearing for months and months... it's like nagging a teenager to clean up their room, you can nag and nag but will it get done? Only if there are strict consequences perhaps...
It is just not being done.
My daughter in law has received invites to out of state wedding showers where she is the only one not going due to the virus! The other girls are all onboard.
My sister with the lake house entertained a young niece and her boyfriend (college age) this past weekend who came up from Florida of all places. I saw loads of photos of them on the boat, in the house, etc. My own parents didn't see them while they were up because of concerns, but my sister who has had a revolving door at her home this summer was all in. Then she worries about the virus after they leave on our family text group!! smh
Its a combo of people can't say no, or it happens to other people, not them, or the "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we shall die" philosophy.
A lockdown across the nation in my eyes, will be the only thing that works unless we get a vaccine. MOO

American exceptionalism is how we got in the mess we're now in. To blame that on Dr. Fauci, who is following evidence based medical guidelines, is inaccurate. Some folks keep fighting the measures needed to stop the pandemic with the result of making it spread. I don't know why people are so obsessed with going to Disney World or a friend's wedding or to Applebee's, I'm not part of the instant gratification crowd. Most people are willing to wait til next year to take another cruise or go to someone's college graduation. In the big picture, those things aren't really important, getting rid of a pandemic is. JMO

 

[beatrixpotter]

I love Dr. Fauci, but is he really seeing what is going on out there? Preaching social distancing and mask wearing for months and months... it's like nagging a teenager to clean up their room, you can nag and nag but will it get done? Only if there are strict consequences perhaps...
It is just not being done.
My daughter in law has received invites to out of state wedding showers where she is the only one not going due to the virus! The other girls are all onboard.
My sister with the lake house entertained a young niece and her boyfriend (college age) this past weekend who came up from Florida of all places. I saw loads of photos of them on the boat, in the house, etc. My own parents didn't see them while they were up because of concerns, but my sister who has had a revolving door at her home this summer was all in. Then she worries about the virus after they leave on our family text group!! smh
Its a combo of people can't say no, or it happens to other people, not them, or the "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we shall die" philosophy.
A lockdown across the nation in my eyes, will be the only thing that works unless we get a vaccine. MOO

Dh had to stop at the store this afternoon, wearing a mask of course. A man in the aisle next to him complained to an employee that he thinks masks are BS. Yeah, that's not passive aggressive. It's these JA's that can't even shut up about it, can't even shop without kvetching to others about masks who are going to be the death of people. They are NOT going to voluntarily wear a "mask of the beast".

 

[slowpoke]

Well, there is one positive thing that has happened for us this winter ... our flu deaths have dropped dramatically.

36 deaths from flu this year, as compared to 430 last year, Australia wide.

They are attributing this to the measures we are taking to keep covid under control.

This time last year 430 people had died from influenza. This year it's just 36

I read similar in an article in the Wall Street Journal regarding Chile and other countries in the Southern Hemisphere, who are currently having their winter season.

It may be behind a paywall, so I’ll summarize:

“Covid Measures Have All But Wiped Out the Flu in the Southern Hemisphere”

Chile, Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand have seen far lower numbers of influenza and other seasonal respiratory viral infections this year. Mask use and travel restrictions are credited with this silver lining during this coronavirus pandemic.

This could be seen as good news for the US and Europe worried about the “second wave”. On the other hand, with restrictions lifting, businesses reopening, and people letting their guard down in regard to mask wearing, hand-washing and social distancing it could be a normal flu season for these countries.

The article mostly focuses on Chile. Last year there were, 20,949 seasonal respiratory infections. This year, so far:1,134. It does say, of Australia, for the last two weeks of June last year: 22,047 lab-confirmed cases of influenza, this year for the last 2 weeks of June: 85.

One question I had was if they were testing way less for influenza. This season, when one has symptoms, I’d think they’d immediately go for covid testing. If it’s negative, are they then getting tested for influenza? Speaking for myself, I’ve never been tested for influenza. I’ve rarely had it, but when I have I’ve just stayed home until well.

Covid-19 Measures Have All but Wiped Out the Flu in the Southern Hemisphere

 

[beatrixpotter]

Nope. I'm well past being tolerant of people who won't wear masks and go out in public. I'm sure I'd never say anything to them directly while out. But I will not respect those choices or decisions personally.

Their choices directly and negatively impact other people. They aren't decisions that only impact themselves. There is no getting around how often asymptomatic people spread this virus and kill others. People who can't be bothered to wear masks are why schools can't open up and why we will all end up shut down again if they continue to refuse.

<Mod snip: personalizing> And I'm fine with no choice for people. Just like no one gets a say in whether or not they voluntarily want to participate in wearing a seat belt even if you want to go flying through a windshield.<snip>

 

[CSIDreamer]

I got a pretty new burgundy print mask this morning. My hubby's favorite college team print for him. My daughter was like well if you're buying in bulk I like that one there lol.

 

[Rose in SC]

Just a testing update: Had a test done at 10am last Saturday morning, July 18. Still no results in.

This is rural South Carolina. I lucked out and got a rapid-test Monday morning which was negative. Worked from home all week just in case, but, gee whiz, some people don't have those options.

 

[MrX]

I love Dr. Fauci, but is he really seeing what is going on out there? Preaching social distancing and mask wearing for months and months... it's like nagging a teenager to clean up their room, you can nag and nag but will it get done? Only if there are strict consequences perhaps...
It is just not being done.
My daughter in law has received invites to out of state wedding showers where she is the only one not going due to the virus! The other girls are all onboard.
My sister with the lake house entertained a young niece and her boyfriend (college age) this past weekend who came up from Florida of all places. I saw loads of photos of them on the boat, in the house, etc. My own parents didn't see them while they were up because of concerns, but my sister who has had a revolving door at her home this summer was all in. Then she worries about the virus after they leave on our family text group!! smh
Its a combo of people can't say no, or it happens to other people, not them, or the "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we shall die" philosophy.
A lockdown across the nation in my eyes, will be the only thing that works unless we get a vaccine. MOO

With what consequences - arrest, jail, crippling fines? Enforced by roadblocks or house-to-house searches? None of the activities described, above, will end with a lock down - they'll just go underground, like last time.

 

[gitana1]

I eat super healthy and a ton of vegetables every day so I hope I have an easier time of it. Thanks for sharing. It's encouraging to hear of older and higher risk people still doing well. Always nice to balance the sad news with good!

I also am a supplement guzzler. lol The one time my family got the flu I had the easiest case. I had a low grade fever and barely felt ill for 48 hrs. If family hadn't tested positive for flu B I'd never have guessed I actually had the flu. I also always use my infrared mat when ill and we have a sauna. Sauna seems to knock everything out for us.

I'm really worried about my parents though. My mom has type 2, doesn't eat well, has hypertension and my dad has lupus and hypertension. He lives off baked beans and grilled meat. :/

Yes. It helps me to hear good news. Because with asthma I’ve felt like it would be a death sentence and it’s really hard to avoid risky situations 100% of the time.

As my dad would say, “Ni tanto, ni tan poco.” Meaning don’t go overboard but don’t neglect to do what needs to be done either.

This is a serious disease that affects everyone in various ways, whether they get it or not. Sadly, it seems that some refuse to believe that so others are repeating the scary stuff to make sure people do.

But that can be overwhelmingly negative.

I want honesty. The bad and the good. Reality and hope.

I’m also trusting history combined with my gut. I sure hope I survive this and that my loved ones all do. Not everyone is lucky.

But whether I survive or not I’m confident this will recede and life will return to relative normalcy sooner than we think.

 

[MimosaMornings]

North Carolina COVID-19 cases continue to climb Saturday — The Charlotte Observer

“The number of COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise as more than 2,000 new cases were reported Saturday.”

 

[gitana1]

With what consequences - arrest, jail, crippling fines? Enforced by roadblocks or house-to-house searches? None of the activities described, above, will end with a lock down - they'll just go underground, like last time.

I agree. I think what is really needed is mature, honest, sane leadership that doesn’t minimize this pandemic nor politicize it and doesn’t make mask wearing or testing and tracing into a hill to die on.

We also need cohesive strategies and policies nationwide.

I mean I think our problem is fivefold in this country and why our numbers are so high:

1. Minimization of a major health crisis due to politics.
3. No real safety nets for Americans who can lose their shirts with lockdowns.
4. A cultural disdain for expertise and science.
5. A novel virus with evolving information and also some misinformation- whether purposefully or not purposefully given to the public - about the disease, how it spreads and how to prevent it.

A lack of trust in this country has caused some real problems.

 

[Tillicum]

Ohio had 1438 new cases in the last 24 hours but 0 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Current Trends

 

[gitana1]

Well, there is one positive thing that has happened for us this winter ... our flu deaths have dropped dramatically.

36 deaths from flu this year, as compared to 430 last year, Australia wide.

They are attributing this to the measures we are taking to keep covid under control.

This time last year 430 people had died from influenza. This year it's just 36

Yeah I was really worried that we would have COVID deaths on top of flu deaths and that hasn’t happened.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Ohio had 1438 new cases in the last 24 hours but 0 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Current Trends

Good job Ohio!

 

[tresir2012]

Yes. It helps me to hear good news. Because with asthma I’ve felt like it would be a death sentence and it’s really hard to avoid risky situations 100% of the time.

As my dad would say, “Ni tanto, ni tan poco.” Meaning don’t go overboard but don’t neglect to do what needs to be done either.

This is a serious disease that affects everyone in various ways, whether they get it or not. Sadly, it seems that some refuse to believe that so others are repeating the scary stuff to make sure people do.

But that can be overwhelmingly negative.

I want honesty. The bad and the good. Reality and hope.

I’m also trusting history combined with my gut. I sure hope I survive this and that my loved ones all do. Not everyone is lucky.

But whether I survive or not I’m confident this will recede and life will return to relative normalcy sooner than we think.

My son has asthma and we think his inhaler has really helped him. He got a new type last year and it is really effective and long lasting. In a red puffer. Don't know what it is called but it is a mix of preventative and therapeutic.
I have also read that asthma is not one of the underlying health conditions considered as at risk regarding coronavirus fatalities, but Alzheimers/Dementia, Heart disease and Diabetes, are the major ones.

Here's an up to date list from CDC. Asthma is listed as a "might be" .

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

"People of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19:

People of any age with the following conditions are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or higher)
• Serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Sickle cell disease
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus

COVID-19 is a new disease. Currently there are limited data and information about the impact of underlying medical conditions and whether they increase the risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Based on what we know at this time, people with the following conditions might be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19:

• Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
• Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
• Liver disease
• Pregnancy
• Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
• Smoking
• Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Want to see the evidence behind these lists?

Children who have medical complexity, who have neurologic, genetic, metabolic conditions, or who have congenital heart disease might be at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared to other children.

The list of underlying conditions is meant to inform clinicians to help them provide the best care possible for patients, and to inform individuals as to what their level of risk may be so they can make individual decisions about illness prevention. We are learning more about COVID-19 every day. This list is a living document that may be updated at any time, subject to potentially rapid change as the science evolves."

More at link including precautions to take.

 

[Rose in SC]

South Carolina's new case count was down from yesterday (lowest amount of new cases since July 7), but 74 new deaths. The percentage of people testing positive was 19% yesterday.

DHEC announces 1,368 new cases and 74 additional deaths | WBTW

 

[Cryptic]

I love Dr. Fauci,

A lockdown across the nation in my eyes, will be the only thing that works unless we get a vaccine. MOO

I like doctor Fauci as well. I do wish, however, that he would openly state that he addresses only the medical aspects of the crisis with his extremely sound professional advice.

In the end, however, the crisis has economic and social considerations as well. A shut down may well make medical sense, but also may well not be sustainable economically. Likewise, the tools to truly enforce compliance with social distancing measures may exist in China, but might not exist in the US.

Its a combo of people can't say no, or it happens to other people, not them, or the "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we shall die" philosophy.

I agree, undoubtably some, or many, of the people who flout common sense social distancing rules have these attitudes. In addition, they may think that as they are low risk, they don't consider the impact of their choices on others.

At the same time, I think there are also disconnects on the other side. For example, the judge in my County who shut businesses down early and wanted to keep them shut longer than the governor has a currently guaranteed source of income (govt. pay check). I also strongly suspect that as other 1800 Sue Them law businesses were considered "essential" his law personal business remained open as well.

In short, ordering economic shut downs is always easier when one is largely insulated from the concequences of those orders. ​

 

[24Roses]

Iowa news today: As of 10:00 a.m. today, we had 667 new confirmed cases for a total of 41,627 confirmed cases of which 29,460 are recovered. 6 more have passed away for a total of 826. July 25: 667 new cases, 312 recoveries, and six deaths – KWWL IDPH numbers as of 11:00 a.m. today are almost the same: 41,628 confirmed cases of which 29,462 have recovered. Those who have passed remained at 826. Iowa COVID-19 Information
Governor’s office lifts cap on virus testing at Dubuque site – KWWL
Almost $18 million available to Iowa renters, homeowners impacted by COVID-19
IHSSA shortens 2020 regular season for high school football
Family of detained refugee demanding release after two other detainees test positive for COVID-19

 

[Skigh]

New two-week quarantine for holidaymakers returning from Spain will be introduced TONIGHT | Daily Mail Online

I wonder how many returning from Spain will actually quarantine for 2 weeks.