Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #73

[TootsieFootsie]

As regional areas prepare to wear face coverings in public, Tyson Blair is making sure there's enough masks to go around.

The 12-year-old boy has been making masks for elderly residents in his home town of Wedderburn.

He handed them out for free in his neighbourhood on Sunday.

"Everyone deserves to be safe in this environment," he said. "Some people may not have enough money to buy some."


Tyson, 12, neighbourly act ensures everyone has access to masks

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: Millions of over-50s could be told to stay at home to avoid second nationwide lockdown

Millions of over 50s could be told to stay at home under a "nuclear" option to prevent a new nationwide lockdown if there is a second wave of coronavirus.

Boris Johnson is reportedly considering asking a greater number of people in England to take part in the shielding programme should there be a big spike in COVID-19 cases.

A Sunday Times report said people aged between 50 and 70 could be given personalised risk ratings, taking into account factors such as age and medical conditions.

2.2 million were deemed most vulnerable and asked to shield themselves from society during the spring peak of the virus - advice that ended on Saturday.

As part of a strategy to tackle a potential second wave of coronavirus in the future, the prime minister is also reportedly considering lockdown conditions for London.

Ideas include giving Londoners stay-at-home orders, restricting travel beyond the M25, and banning people from staying in other people's homes, similar to policies implemented in local lockdowns imposed in Leicester and parts of the north-west of England.

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Covid cluster linked to bar after 13 new cases

A cluster of 13 cases of Covid-19 linked to a pub in Aberdeen is being investigated by public health officials.

NHS Grampian said the cases were associated with The Hawthorn Bar in Howburn Place in the city centre.

The pub said the outbreak was linked to customers who visited on 26 July.

All those who tested positive are showing only mild symptoms, though the health board said there may be further cases linked to the cluster.

The Hawthorn bar said physical distancing measures were in place and contact tracing was being carried out in line with the Scottish government's Test and Protect scheme.

Dr Emmanuel Okpo, consultant in public health medicine, said: "Our health protection team are speaking to the confirmed cases, establishing who they have been in contact with and providing further advice on isolation and testing as required.

"We are also carrying out wider contact tracing work, as part of the Test and Protect scheme.

"We cannot rule out the possibility of detecting further cases linked to this cluster."

'Decontamination'
In a statement published on their Facebook page, management at The Adam& The Hawthorn said their thoughts were with those affected.

They added: "It has been brought to our attention that there have been customers who visited our venue on Sunday 26 July that have tested positive for Covid-19.

"We wish to inform all customers that we have been visited by environmental health since being notified.

"We were given approval from the local authority to continue trading with our measures in place and have co-operated fully. "

The statement said the venue had undergone deep cleaning as well as "decontamination by fogging".

"We assure all customers we have been and continue to do our utmost to protect their safety and we continue with strict rules and measures in place," it said.

"We do ask all customers to be extra vigilant and adhere to our policies at all times."

 

[tresir2012]

I am not sure why restaurants are open for take away. Have we become a junk food eating society?

Probably so they have a chance to stay in business. Are there economic measures in place to help the businesses that can't stay open?

 

[musicaljoke]

STATE OF DISASTER declared for Victoria from 6pm tonight. This is a step up from the State of Emergency we have been in.

Melbourne going into Stage 4 lockdown. Six weeks at this stage.

Curfew from 8pm-5am except for going directly to/from work or providing/receiving urgent care.

Cannot go more than 5kms from home for shopping or exercise.

Only 1 person per household can go shopping.

One hour of exercise per day, no more than 2 people per household out together.

Industry announcements will come tomorrow (ie what exactly will shut down). Supermarkets, Pharmacies, Butchers, bakers, petrol stations will remain open. Cafes/Restaurants will remain open for takeaway/delivery.

Public transport limited.

More to come.

Melbourne placed under stage 4 lockdown, including 8pm curfew, as regional Victoria moved to stage 3 restrictions

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/...-for-stage-four-lockdown-20200802-p55hq7.html

It's tough, but you'll be showing the world how it's done.

 

[musicaljoke]

I am not sure why restaurants are open for take away. Have we become a junk food eating society?

Some restaurants do Meals on Wheels and other types of delivery services for people who can't make their own meals. Our local Hydro and construction workers are living in the motels for the season and their meals are delivered. I've seen them eating their breakfasts which they've laid out on the hood of their vehicles.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Should I get tested? What if I don't have symptoms? Will it hurt? Your COVID-19 testing questions answered
Dr Norman Swan says Victoria's elevated positive testing rate is of concern

It's no secret that COVID-19 testing is crucial to get control back over the virus situation in Australia.

From the number of people getting tested, to the way that data is reported, to exactly how it physically feels, there's no shortage of questions about COVID-19 tests.
I'm not feeling too good … should I get tested?

Yes, you should organise to get tested if you're not feeling well — no matter how badly you don't want to see that positive result.

Menzies Health Institute infectious diseases and immunology director Nigel McMillan says if you're sick, particularly if you have obvious symptoms, just get a test.

"I think we should all feel comfortable with going and getting tested now, particularly if you have a sore throat, a high temperature, a dry cough or a loss of smell or taste," he says.

"You shouldn't be ashamed, you shouldn't feel embarrassed to go and ask for a test at any fever clinic, we want you to do that.

"The issue of course is that there's so many people who don't have any symptoms and don't know they've got it, and that's why this is so difficult — they never think about getting tested because they're perfectly fine."


If you're still not sure about getting tested and how it works, we've answered some frequently asked questions right here.


Should you get tested for COVID-19 twice? What if you don't have symptoms?

 

[weepingangel]

600 New Coronavirus Cases in New England, Vermont Reports 1st Death in Over a Month
600 New Coronavirus Cases in New England, Vermont Reports 1st Death in Over a Month

The current state of our NewEngland states.
The Rhode Island Governor, “Knock it off!”
RI is a pretty popular day trip destination for Massachusetts residents. (Providence night life and the beaches) We also have many RI folks that commute here to work.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Schools in bucolic North Georgia town opened Friday, masks optional “When schools opened Friday in Jefferson, a picturesque town of around 12,000 residents just north of Gwinnett County, ...
What they didn’t have...: masks. “I think masks shouldn’t be mandatory,”said Gary Gunter, whose granddaughter attends Jefferson Elementary School. “The science has already proven that children are not spreaders. I have to trust the science.”
——
Which science is that?!?
——

Cobb parents turn out to demand in-person classes for students

“They have no intention of getting our kids back in school,” she said. “We are the voice of the 113,000 students in this county that deserve face-to-face learning.”
———
Yeah, the school board is just doing that for no reason at all. I’d think your child’s safety would be of utmost importance.

Hey Gary .... you read about the YMCA camp right near you with the superspreader event? jeesh

How At Least 44% Of Young People At A Summer Camp Caught Coronavirus

 

[ilovewings]

Dozens of COVID-19 vaccines are in development. Here are the ones to follow.

The latest development in a several vaccines and how they work- I prefer inactivated
virus- it seems safer to me---

 

[MimosaMornings]

No we can't lol.

Some of us aren’t great cooks and some just get tired of being the only cook doing three meals a day for months for others. Plus cleanup afterwards.
Takeout from a restaurant (not McDonalds) was such a welcome relief!
JMO

 

[SouthAussie]

Coronavirus: Millions of over-50s could be told to stay at home to avoid second nationwide lockdown

Millions of over 50s could be told to stay at home under a "nuclear" option to prevent a new nationwide lockdown if there is a second wave of coronavirus.

Boris Johnson is reportedly considering asking a greater number of people in England to take part in the shielding programme should there be a big spike in COVID-19 cases.

A Sunday Times report said people aged between 50 and 70 could be given personalised risk ratings, taking into account factors such as age and medical conditions.

2.2 million were deemed most vulnerable and asked to shield themselves from society during the spring peak of the virus - advice that ended on Saturday.

As part of a strategy to tackle a potential second wave of coronavirus in the future, the prime minister is also reportedly considering lockdown conditions for London.

Ideas include giving Londoners stay-at-home orders, restricting travel beyond the M25, and banning people from staying in other people's homes, similar to policies implemented in local lockdowns imposed in Leicester and parts of the north-west of England.

It is such a strange mix in the UK. Boris Johnson is considering all these lockdown/stay at home/restricted travel measures, and yet I saw tonight on our Aussie news that the London Eye has just opened up again, at 50% capacity in those enclosed sightseeing capsules.

 

[tresir2012]

I am interested in the way the Navajo are teaching their people that they are warriors who are supposed to protect their families and shield their elders. They wear masks.

<modsnip>

Men are less likely to wear masks ... | Arwa Mahdawi

From the study link in the article.

"Abstract
Now that various countries are or will soon be moving towards relaxing shelter-in-place rules, it is important that people use a face covering, to avoid an exponential resurgence of the spreading of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Adherence to this measure will be made explicitly compulsory in many places. However, since it is impossible to control each and every person in a country, it is important to complement governmental laws with behavioral interventions devised to impact people’s behavior beyond the force of law. Here we report a pre-registered online experiment (N=2,459) using a heterogenous, although not representative, sample of people living in the USA, where we test the relative effect of messages highlighting that the coronavirus is a threat to “you” vs “your family” vs “your community” vs “your country” on self-reported intentions to wear a face covering. Results show that focusing on “your community” promotes intentions to wear a face covering relative to the baseline; the trend is the same when comparing “your community” to the other conditions, but not significant. We also conducted pre-registered analyses of gender differences on intentions to wear a face covering. We find that men less than women intend to wear a face covering, but this difference almost disappears in counties where wearing a face covering is mandatory. We also find that men less than women believe that they will be seriously affected by the coronavirus, and this partly mediates gender differences in intentions to wear a face covering (this is particularly ironic because official statistics actually show that men are affected by the COVID-19 more seriously than women). Finally, we also find gender differences in self-reported negative emotions felt when wearing a face covering. Men more than women agree that wearing a face covering is shameful, not cool, a sign of weakness, and a stigma; and these gender differences also mediate gender differences in intentions to wear a face covering."

So it was only 2,459 in the survey and was not a representative sample.

The result is it has to be mandated if you want it done. I am not surprised by that or that men more so than women won't wear a mask voluntarily.
I think it would be good if it was a representative sample but as the survey was 19 pages I just pulled this small section which summarises.

 

[tresir2012]

It is such a strange mix in the UK. Boris Johnson is considering all these lockdown/stay at home/restricted travel measures, and yet I saw tonight on our Aussie news that the London Eye has just opened up again, at 50% capacity in those enclosed sightseeing capsules.

It's whack a bunch of moles ATM. I think they are at a loss what to do about London.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I hope Russia's vaccinations have good results. If not, people will be reluctant to accept safe and proven vaccines when they become available later.

Ummm, October? As Fauci said, to do properly none will start until 2021, even though some that espouse, with great eloquence of dialog (to some MOO) that it will happen sooner.

 

[tresir2012]

My good news today is that someone offered me what looks like easily 2 bushels of free pears I'm going to pick up in a couple of days. Pear preserves, pear syrup and pear pie filling here we come.

You'd think I'd already lived through a famine in another life or something. But all I think about is making, putting up, growing and ensuring I have enough food for my family right now. All those years of reading Little House on the Prairie and the Foxfire books are paying off.

Things at Aldi and Walmart are getting harder to access again here. I need to snag some more sugar and rice when I can and maybe some pasta. We are low on that. Dh is putting in new shelves for the stuff I'm canning.

Oh, I bought face shields off Amazon. Dh wore one once and the next time he came out to the car it had MELTED!! It was totally unusable again. Talk about poorly made. I can't recall any plastic item in the car ever melting before so I can't imagine how badly this was made. Don't buy face shields from this company.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0872QVFG1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm getting ready to make my annual blackberry and crabapple jam. Have made some sloe gin already, dandelion wine, elderflower champagne, (those last two have been drunk in lockdown) big bumper crop of crab apples so am going to try crab apple cider this year. All instructions have been from the net. For the first time in years we have no overdraft whereas we still have a 7k overdraft limit, so financially we are better off than we have been for years due to just spending less. Have even paid off two credit cards completely. It's quite eye opening. My clothes are falling to pieces mind you so will need a shopping trip very soon.

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: 'Rapid increases' in South Africa cases as more than 500,000 test positive

South Africa has confirmed more than 500,000 coronavirus cases, as the number of infections in the African continent climbs towards one million.

The country reported a daily rise of 10,107 new COVID-19 infections.

This brings the total to 503,290 - the fifth-highest worldwide, behind the US, Brazil, India and Russia, according to Johns Hopkins University in the US.

Denis Chopera, a virologist based in Durban, said: "Half a million is a significant milestone, because it shows we've entered a stage of rapid increases. We may reach one million cases very quickly."

Many experts think South Africa could reach the peak in cases in late August or early September.

Mr Chopera added: "What we know for sure is that the figures are an underestimate and that this virus will be with us for a long time to come."

Just over three million of South Africa's 58 million people have been tested since the country's first case was confirmed five months ago.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Lung, immune function in kids could protect from severe COVID-19

"
These profoundly decreased rates of symptomatic infection, hospitalization, and death are well beyond statistical significance, require further examination, and may hold the key to identifying therapeutic agents," the authors wrote.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2s, called ACE2, are the doors that allow SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, to enter the body's cells. Children naturally have less ACE2 in the lungs than adults.

"ACE2 are important for viral entry and there seems to be less of them in children, because they increase with age," "

And what better design for one of the worst viruses, that they can infect children to such loads viral loads ( 100-1,000 times an adult), have delayed symptoms, and can pass it around through children to take back home to adults. Almost 50% of the kids in the Georgia camp took it back home. Thank goodness for such quick tracing, and would love o know the secondary and primary infection rates... and this would be even with one of the QUICKEST turnarounds and tracings in the US for a superspreader?

Looking forward to such, if scientists can get their hands on such data soon to write up reports in respected journals. Which might not be shared (and some spoke of China covering up, let's see how this superspreader event appears in journals ASAP as to their tracking and tracing!!)

The worst case virus ever, Doesn't kill most hosts is a hallmark .

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Just a wild prediction, but I think canned pumpkin is going to be hard to find this fall..buy early! (More folks cooking/baking at home)

Thanks! What are some other canned items folks buy for t'giving we should buy now that are shelf stable. I just put canned sweet potatoes on my Kroger list... those Durkee onions for casseroles? What else?

Ooopsie, this perhaps needs to be put in the shopping thread, but everyone here knows to do stuff 2 months ahead so leaving this post here for heads up!

 

[SouthAussie]

STATE OF DISASTER declared for Victoria from 6pm tonight. This is a step up from the State of Emergency we have been in.

Melbourne going into Stage 4 lockdown. Six weeks at this stage.

Curfew from 8pm-5am except for going directly to/from work or providing/receiving urgent care.

Cannot go more than 5kms from home for shopping or exercise.

Only 1 person per household can go shopping.

One hour of exercise per day, no more than 2 people per household out together.

Industry announcements will come tomorrow (ie what exactly will shut down). Supermarkets, Pharmacies, Butchers, bakers, petrol stations will remain open. Cafes/Restaurants will remain open for takeaway/delivery.

Public transport limited.

More to come.

Melbourne placed under stage 4 lockdown, including 8pm curfew, as regional Victoria moved to stage 3 restrictions

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/...-for-stage-four-lockdown-20200802-p55hq7.html

I just watched an epidemiologist speaking of the Victorian crisis. She says that in the world scale of things, Victoria (and Australia) has been doing very well in containment. Australia is actually in 120th place in the list of world countries in cases per million.

She also said that Victoria has done really well in controlling exponential growth of the virus. That stage four lockdown is to try to bring the numbers down. Stage three was only necessary during the first wave to achieve this aim -and it was certainly worth trying stage three first - but now we need to move to stage four to get the case numbers down.

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