Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #74

[tresir2012]

As to teachers teaching with just face shields - that's basically zero protection IMO. They would need masks too.

Kids would miss out on the facial expressions of the lower half of the face, but if the only other choice was just staying home watching whatever on TV, real world school with masked teachers would be preferable, IMO. Those parents who could stay home and basically help with their kids' schooling could keep their kids home - it would be a classroom full of kids with less-engaged or less-available parents.

However, in many places, schools do not have the funds for dry erase markers, much less N95 masks. We're already reading that teachers in some places are expected to provide their own PPE (and they'd have to social distance too - no having kids right up at their desks/in their faces).

Since schools cannot provide the protection indicated by the CDC, lawsuits would occur from both teachers and parents of sick children (especially those without health insurance - which is about half of them).

Teachers have health insurance, of course, but since the CDC has weighed in on PPE, it would be open and shut to show negligence on the part of a school. So schools have to shut immediately when COVid is detected and obviously, some people will end up suing anyway. Technically, these cases should be Workers Comp, but there are other ways to skin the legal cat. Class action suits seem plausible.



It's very possible - although there's no easy way of knowing. It's possible some of us have had other coronaviruses in the past. The research is focused on human coronaviruses, but...I'd think that even a closely related virus could help with contemporary immunity.

Coronavirus | Human Coronavirus Types | CDC

I only wish we could know. I'm feeling 1% braver for a few reasons, one of which is that I've been exposed to common colds for years - but also, there are better treatments for CoVid and I have a new doctor who has admitting privileges to a hospital with a UCLA hospitalist - so the possibility for getting an antiviral that works just went up for me.

I am being watched, though. My husband and daughters think I should be exceptionally careful. I guess I'm now the oldest person they know, ha.

The CDC has some comprehensive guidance on schools going back. This is the section on face coverings. While it does not recommend face shields, it does recommend clear face coverings for staff.
Communities, Schools, Workplaces, & Events

 

[Trino]

Why are Americans acting like the pandemic has passed? Are they not aware of the southern states and the rising count? Have they not heard the death predictions by the end of the year? Don't they know that some states that reopened are now shutting down? How do we get people to take this seriously?
The Pandemic Isn’t Over. We Need to Act Accordingly

 

[tmar]

COVID-19 pandemic affecting critical charity donations

COVID-19 pandemic affecting critical charity donations

Sky News Australia

1 hour ago
Australian charities are set to lose tens of millions of dollars as they are forced to cancel fundraising events because of the coronavirus pandemic.
My Room Children’s Cancer Charity CEO Margaret Zita told Sky News how "difficult” its been for the families and children in the hospitals.

“They can’t even see their own siblings and extended families,” Ms Zita said.

“It’s extremely difficult, it’s gut-wrenching to see the effect of what this pandemic is doing across all charities, especially ones like My Room.

“We really, really need those funds coming in to continue the amazing work we are doing.”

 

[10ofRods]

1% would be 7,000 so 1,024 is only 0.143 %.
Also, if they do infect people, it will be more likely fellow travellers who may not be from SD but out of state, who may well take it back to be absorbed into their home state statistics.

My post wasn't about the number of cases in SD. It's about the nationwide average - because the participants in this rally are not (mostly) from SD, as has been well known since it began in 1938.

 

[mickey2942]

Georgia teens shared photos of maskless students in crowded hallways. Now they’re suspended.

What the heck?! So, they are using some obscure rule about Social Media posting, of pictures taken at school.

And how many others have broken this rule, over and over, with zero consequences.

 

[10ofRods]

It's not magical thinking. Some people live where masks are not needed and so they are not worn. Sturgis is one of those places. I live in a place that is similar and we have hundreds visiting every day, no masks needed unless you want to wear one. In Sturgis there is a guy doing drone shots of the campground he is at as well as other areas of the rally and the area is very rural and spread out. It probably wouldn't be allowed to post on here but gives a good idea of the surrounding area.

PS - that campground has only two sets of restrooms AND you should look at some of the shots from last night's party.

Sheesh.

 

[mickey2942]

Masks are mandatory by the Governor of Montana, in all public places, and businesses.

I just went to three separate car lots, looking for a car, very few masks to be seen. Go figure it.

 

[MrX]

Why are Americans acting like the pandemic has passed? Are they not aware of the southern states and the rising count? Have they not heard the death predictions by the end of the year? Don't they know that some states that reopened are now shutting down? How do we get people to take this seriously?
The Pandemic Isn’t Over. We Need to Act Accordingly

Speaking for myself, I found what I call the "intellectual dishonesty" surrounding all of this to be unbearable. The very first thing we encountered, in March, was a Two Week lock down. I knew it would be longer, but had friends who were making plans to meet at the bar on April 1. Two months later we "reopened," only to then have bars and gyms reclosed with no deadline, no metrics, no plan of action to reopen. My state went from worst in the nation to first - the authorities are crediting masks and the above mentioned closures. I don't know about anyone else, but I saw masks everywhere before the mandate and every restaurant with a bar is packed like it's New Year's Eve. So whatever is causing the decline in numbers isn't masks and bar closures. In fact, our R0 was in decline two weeks before the actions, so if anything caused the improvement it was probably the extreme summer heat. I know too many people that were exposed, had symptoms and tested negative to put much faith in whatever testing is taking place here. Everyone I know who did test positive got better. I could go on, but there is live music tonight that I don't want to miss.

Anyway, I don't know the answer to your question. It just feels very strange to be in a State that has gone from one extreme to the other when nothing has really changed, in terms of behavior. The people in my social circle have been living through this, as well, and they are all just as confused about who to trust anymore.

 

[Clair Louise]

Speaking for myself, I found what I call the "intellectual dishonesty" surrounding all of this to be unbearable. The very first thing we encountered, in March, was a Two Week lock down. I knew it would be longer, but had friends who were making plans to meet at the bar on April 1. Two months later we "reopened," only to then have bars and gyms reclosed with no deadline, no metrics, no plan of action to reopen. My state went from worst in the nation to first - the authorities are crediting masks and the above mentioned closures. I don't know about anyone else, but I saw masks everywhere before the mandate and every restaurant with a bar is packed like it's New Year's Eve. So whatever is causing the decline in numbers isn't masks and bar closures. In fact, our R0 was in decline two weeks before the actions, so if anything caused the improvement it was probably the extreme summer heat. I know too many people that were exposed, had symptoms and tested negative to put much faith in whatever testing is taking place here. Everyone I know who did test positive got better. I could go on, but there is live music tonight that I don't want to miss.

Anyway, I don't know the answer to your question. It just feels very strange to be in a State that has gone from one extreme to the other when nothing has really changed, in terms of behavior. The people in my social circle have been living through this, as well, and they are all just as confused about who to trust anymore.

BBM. Most of India has extreme heat all the time and they are not doing well at all. Australia's worst outbreaks were in the middle of an extremely long and hot summer. Brazil also had the start of the virus in a hot summer.

 

[mickey2942]

BBM. Most of India has extreme heat all the time and they are not doing well at all. Australia's worst outbreaks were in the middle of an extremely long and hot summer. Brazil also had the start of the virus in a hot summer.

Las Vegas and Arizona have astronomical Covid rates. The heat doesn't stop this virus at all.

 

[mommadukes]

BBM. Most of India has extreme heat all the time and they are not doing well at all. Australia's worst outbreaks were in the middle of an extremely long and hot summer. Brazil also had the start of the virus in a hot summer.

Not to mention Florida’s terrible numbers, which were infinitely superior when it was ten or more degrees cooler in the early stages of the pandemic.

 

[Tillicum]

Contact tracing? What's that??

(And schools are notoriously hard to contact trace: first, there are the other people in the class; then the people in the school - those are the *known* contacts; then the parents and all their coworkers).

If anyone lives in a US state (besides NY or NJ) and that's what's happening, please post about it!

I'm more familiar with the western half of the US - there is no contact tracing. It has to be obvious as all get-out for people to say, "Welp, they got it from school" or "They got it from their spouse."

We spend lots of time trying to figure out how the sick or dead people got CoVid - but it's our own personal time and the public health department where I work still hasn't had their "contact tracers" go through training.

Plus, people are being assaulted, threatened and otherwise abused for trying to contact trace. Only in the SF Bay Area and NY/NJ are people downloading apps to make it easier. Even there, it's not a majority.

Ohio is doing contact tracing. Every presser DeWine shares how and where the contact tracing leads to. IMO it's very informative and gives us an idea of places to avoid.

Coronavirus contact tracing anecdotes show 50 Ohio bars associated with outbreaks since July 1

 

[Deleted member 158085]

There's not a place in the US that should not be social distancing and wearing masks in public. If there's actually a clean county out there, it won't be for long if people don't start social distancing and masking up now. I live in the back of beyond - 300 people total in my township - and I mask up to go in the PO.

 

[ilovewings]

How did it happen? America’s unique failure to control the virus

It's because they are ignorant or have magical beliefs. Not everyone who is allowed to travel is doing so.

Some of them may not mind dying, I suppose is another reason. The ones I'm seeing talk to cameras look to be in their mid-70's. There are always motorcycle accidents on the way, as well, so these are risk-taking types of people.

As one campground owner said, "They risk their lives at every intersection." He also claims they "know how to prevent the virus."

But no one is wearing masks. That's the magical thinking part.

They know how to prevent the virus
perhaps they should share this amazing knowledge with the world. LOL

 

[Simply Southern]

You do realize that the chart shows that most places can only get 1-2 channels? How would that work as a nationwide or statewide educational system?

I put in my zip and it advised me I need an antenna (not rabbit ears) mounted on my house (which has been true since I was a kid - we lived 60 miles outside of Los Angeles). The antenna they are advising me to buy (to get 3 whole channels in my area) is way cheaper than on the other site (only $200) but has been unavailable nationwide for several months.

I can just see it: schools email parents all over California to tell them to get up on the roof and install an antenna, then they buy time (how much time? so many grades of students! so many classes!) from CBS, NBC, ABC or KTLA.

Let's say it was just for 7-12th grade (where it's needed most). Average middle school has 3 grades with about 15 subjects available for each year. 45 classes a day. They'd have to be every other day and some broadcast at night. Parents would need to set up some kind of recording option.

Whew. My own suggestion to parents would be to find age appropriate programming on youtube or Coursera or Kahn Academy and go from there.



There are two different stats under discussion. President of Mexico is using IFR, you're using CFR (also called CMR).

So you're both right. One could argue all day long whether either the US or Mexico have properly discovered all their active cases or not. But we do know, more or less, the total population of the two countries - so the President of Mexico used IFR.

Here's the Statista chart for the data under discussion by Mexico's President:

COVID-19 deaths per capita by country | Statista

Note that Belgium is in first place and UK is #2. This stat is as interesting as the other, given that the actual number of tests and known cases is something of a wild card variable.

US is in 8th place, Mexico is in 10th place on that stat.

I live in rural Virginia, I received about 48 stations. I have a 5 year old table top 15.00 Wal-Mart antenna.

Southwestern Virginia lacks internet service in about 60% of the area. No satellite internet service at all. Satellite TV yes, but no internet. Cable companies mainly stay close to towns, in rural areas. These areas also lack a signal for air TV.

Our kids are suffering terribly by not being able to attend school. Parents without internet service can go to a hot spot, which we have purchased and stationed about the county and download the pre recorded lessons and upload home work. This is after working all day in a factory, while washing clothes and cooking dinner.

The school is paying for hot spots, internet service for homes that can not afford. But many live more than a half mile off the main road and companies won't "run a line". There are about 20 families we can't even place a hot spot close to because of hills and valleys.

Last year, many of the kids just didn't attend the online classes, or couldn't participate at all. The kids are suffering, they will be so behind, lost in a system that will not work in some areas.

Its very sad, these are the kids that need all support services schools offer, the nurse, the counselor, the smiling lunch lady, the principal, the library staff. They need the school breakfast, lunch and the backpack we send home with dinner. Most of all they need the love that we all share in our schools.

I cry everyday for our kids. I feel we will loose some forever.

No we can't even think of sending our kids back with 15 to 20% positivity rates.

 

[Simply Southern]

The Unequal Cost of Social Distancing

“Social distancing will save lives.(i) Its economic costs are staggering. While frustrating but manageable for many people(ii), the economic fallout of social distancing is brutal for the poorest, most vulnerable and marginalized members of our society. Even looking at the issue purely in terms of lives lost, injuries sustained, and lifelong psychological damage, there are tradeoffs that we feel have not been sufficiently acknowledged.”

So well said!!! Especially for our children in rural areas. The isolation, lack of internet, lack of 3 meals, a smile, a peaceful environment free of harm.

I know the emotional toll I have experienced.

 

[Simply Southern]

If that happens then they contact trace and quarantine, deep clean the school and re-open.

In a normal school years, we see our schools close once or twice during the flu season. They close Thursday and Friday, deep clean. Kids and teachers are over the regular flu in just a few days.

 

[Tillicum]

Third of Americans would say 'no' to COVID vaccine - even if it was free

More than a third of Americans say they would not get a COVID-19 vaccine right now, even if were free and FDA-approved, according to a new Gallup poll.

Political party affiliation is the biggest difference-maker as 81% of Democrats said they would get a vaccine, while less than half of Republicans, 47%, said they would get the vaccine.

White Americans are more likely than non-White Americans to say they would get a vaccine if it was available, 67% to 59%. That’s despite the fact that “some racial and ethnic minority groups are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19,” as the CDC puts it.

 

[Midgie2]

There's not a place in the US that should not be social distancing and wearing masks in public. If there's actually a clean county out there, it won't be for long if people don't start social distancing and masking up now. I live in the back of beyond - 300 people total in my township - and I mask up to go in the PO.

Same here.

 

[Tillicum]

Good news!
Coronavirus: Gov. DeWine’s third test comes back negative, First Lady tests negative