Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #75

[10ofRods]

Hopes for fresh round of U.S. coronavirus relief fade as Congress goes home

The prospects for a deal in the U.S. Congress to help Americans suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic dimmed with the Senate and House of Representatives in recess and no fresh talks scheduled with President Trump's negotiators.

After a week that the leaders of [both] parties spent blaming each other for a breakdown in talks, lawmakers were not due to reconvene until next month, though the leaders of both parties said they could recall their members with 24 hours notice if a deal emerged.

Meanwhile, the number of U.S. coronavirus infections approached 5.3 million on Friday, with deaths topping 167,000.

As people realize there's no check this week (and some didn't get their checks last week), there are going to be a lot of disgruntled people. We can call it a new form of "CoVid Brain." All of them think "reopening" will solve their problems - but the jobs in various areas are not coming back soon.

The rest of August will see further increases in opportunistic property crime, but also domestic violence and all the problems that come when people have no cash. When people don't understand the chaos around them, when there is no consistent and reasonable social net, when nothing is being done nationwide to bring CoVid to a manageable level.

Hopefully, local people will organize to raise funds for food banks. It's really hard in communities where one group is angry at another group for not wearing masks, for having big parties, etc. Each one of us can help by joining things like NextDoor and making sure we know where resources are, including how to contact local media when things go really south for the vulnerable.

 

[10ofRods]

"Many died from drinking methanol or alcohol-based cleaning products.

They wrongly believed the products to be a cure for the virus."

What made them think that?

I don't think any died from injecting or drinking bleach anyway.

On the 99.9% killing of germs claim by the air purifying companies, are they allowed to state that if it is not true? In the UK we have the Trade Descriptions Act now to make unwarranted claims like that illegal.

"Germs" is a very broad term. Most HEPA filters do trap and contain 99% of microbes. But not all. Keep in mind that each breath exhaled by an infected party can contain 100,000 virions. 10 breaths = 1 million virions. So in 5 minutes, well, we can each do the math. After 10 breaths (with no HEPA filter sucking air down between the parties), .1% of the virions would still be around.

Viral load is known to be key to transmission as well as to the creation of severe cases. If you did the math, you would see that before a minute was up, the viral load would be much lower if the HEPA filter was in between the participants.

HEPA machines are very well tested in the US, and even the filters undergo testing, and cannot be labeled as eliminating 99% of microbes unless they do. Of course, a person has to follow instructions about changing them. This has been true of HEPA filters for at least 30 years in the US - they are trustworthy. You may look through the academic literature by using google.scholar.com and typing in "HEPA filter efficacy" or similar. Or you can read search the FDA's site. Journals relating to hospital design are also a good source.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

This post lands at random.

Just wanted to remind members that we are dealing with a grey area as it relates to Websleuths regular policy of "no political discussion". Some posts that members may perceive to be political are in fact being allowed due to the fact that Covid and its related issues are being both governed and discussed by many political agencies and politicians.

Please do continue to Report posts that you believe are political. We will review them and if they are determined to be more Covid related than political, they may not be removed. If a post is determined to be more political than Covid related, we have to make a decision whether to remove them or not.

In this particular discussion, there is no black and white, so please just bear with us and understand that this discussion, this virus, is unique and it can be difficult to draw that fine line. We do try to err on the side of the posting members but if it is an obvious political post, it will be removed ... if it falls into that grey area, it may or may not be removed.

Individual members may not always agree with the decision we make but we are doing our best to keep the discussion focused on Covid related matters while some political faces may enter the picture. The darn thing just has so many tentacles

Thanks to everyone for your understanding.

 

[24Roses]

Iowa numbers today-As of 9:30-11:00 a.m. today, we had 641 (IMO)-642 new confirmed cases for a total of 50,807-50,808 total confirmed cases of which 39,790-39,802 have recovered (IMO+582). I don't know how many recoveries KGAN reported yesterday but they are reporting an increase of 576. 10 more have passed away for a total of 964. * This is the 1st time I have used KGAN to report numbers because the news station (KCRG) that has the most accurate totals has not reported their numbers yet today; I believe this is because of the storm issues in their location.672 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours, 10 new deaths
Iowa COVID-19 Information

 

[Sundog]

Fauci says there is 'no reason' Americans can't vote in person in November

 

[Sundog]

In-N-Out outbreak
A California/West Coast favorite

In-N-Out is site of COVID-19 outbreak in Oregon

 

[Sundog]

Anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers file $11M lawsuit against Trudeau

 

[COSCitizen]

Anyone who uses a credit card, debit card, has a cell phone, or even a car, has already been "chipped". Voluntarily.

Seriously. A relative gave her daughter one of the Google devices that allow you to have face to face conversations. Her son-in-law didn't want the household to use it because he works in a secure facility. He mentioned that at the facility, and a coworker said "Does that mean you don't use smartphones?" (Of course, all his devices are in a secure locker while he is onsite.) Her daughter was then given permission to use the Google Smart View with her mother.

 

[COSCitizen]

"Germs" is a very broad term. Most HEPA filters do trap and contain 99% of microbes. But not all. Keep in mind that each breath exhaled by an infected party can contain 100,000 virions. 10 breaths = 1 million virions. So in 5 minutes, well, we can each do the math. After 10 breaths (with no HEPA filter sucking air down between the parties), .1% of the virions would still be around.

Viral load is known to be key to transmission as well as to the creation of severe cases. If you did the math, you would see that before a minute was up, the viral load would be much lower if the HEPA filter was in between the participants.

HEPA machines are very well tested in the US, and even the filters undergo testing, and cannot be labeled as eliminating 99% of microbes unless they do. Of course, a person has to follow instructions about changing them. This has been true of HEPA filters for at least 30 years in the US - they are trustworthy. You may look through the academic literature by using google.scholar.com and typing in "HEPA filter efficacy" or similar. Or you can read search the FDA's site. Journals relating to hospital design are also a good source.

For people who are interested in installing HEPA filters on their home HVAC system, do your research first. When we bought our house, the builder's rep told us NOT to use HEPA filters in our system because they were not designed for them, and using them might cause premature failure of our HVAC plant.

ETA: changed building rep to builder's rep

 

[imstilla.grandma]

A new study points to obesity itself as a culprit. An analysis of thousands of patients treated at a Southern California health system identified extreme obesity as an independent risk factor for dying among Covid-19 patients — most strikingly, among younger and middle-aged adults 60 and younger, and particularly among men.

Among women with the illness, body mass index — a measure of body fat based on height and weight — does not appear to be independently associated with an increased risk of dying at any age, the authors said, possibly because women carry weight differently than do men, who tend to have more visceral and abdominal fat. The study was published in Annals of Internal Medicine on Wednesday.
Obesity Raises the Risk of Death From Covid-19 Among Men

 

[tresir2012]

"Germs" is a very broad term. Most HEPA filters do trap and contain 99% of microbes. But not all. Keep in mind that each breath exhaled by an infected party can contain 100,000 virions. 10 breaths = 1 million virions. So in 5 minutes, well, we can each do the math. After 10 breaths (with no HEPA filter sucking air down between the parties), .1% of the virions would still be around.

Viral load is known to be key to transmission as well as to the creation of severe cases. If you did the math, you would see that before a minute was up, the viral load would be much lower if the HEPA filter was in between the participants.

HEPA machines are very well tested in the US, and even the filters undergo testing, and cannot be labeled as eliminating 99% of microbes unless they do. Of course, a person has to follow instructions about changing them. This has been true of HEPA filters for at least 30 years in the US - they are trustworthy. You may look through the academic literature by using google.scholar.com and typing in "HEPA filter efficacy" or similar. Or you can read search the FDA's site. Journals relating to hospital design are also a good source.

Yes but are they allowed to say that without proof it kills CV? My opinion is that is a fraudulent claim and is why they retracted the claim because they had no proof.

The other article stated CDC and WHO were wrong.

"Kasibhata and other atmospheric scientists say that the coronavirus can stay airborne for much longer than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization scientists say.


Scientists with the CDC and the WHO say that particles larger than 5 microns fall out of the air after they have been exhaled and don't pose a risk to others, according to Kasibhatla.

"We know that’s not true," Kasibhata. "It’s only particles larger than 100 microns or 50 microns that fall out pretty quickly, the rest can actually stay airborne for quite awhile."

Kasibhata used this knowledge when creating the calculator."

I am wondering what evidence they have for saying this.

 

[Simply Southern]

It cannot reduce to zero, but if schools are determined to open physically, they certainly should everything possible to mitigate risk.

The amount of virions in the air is a crucial (probably the most important) variable. All kinds of things bring that level down to a safer level. First would be masks, of course. Masks vary in effectiveness, but most people seem to have cloth masks - so maybe 60% of virions exhaled are trapped, according to the early studies.

Humidity assists virions in hitting the ground earlier (and floors in hospitals and care homes where CoVid occurs almost always have significant amounts of virions on them). Dry air keeps them aloft longer.

Air flow through a HEPA filter reduces virions. A big filter will reduce virions significantly. A couple of large ones in a classroom would make me feel a lot better.

Newer Chinese hospitals and some hospitals in other places routinely have HEPA filters in them - it's just another example of how far we've fallen behind in health regulations and infrastructure readiness for disasters.

Since there's not a lot of research on HEPA filtration and CoVid, most places are reluctant to embrace the technology ($) but it does work for viruses and HEPA filters certainly trap aerosolized virions and in studies of other viruses, non-aerosolized virions as well.

So testing, masks, humidifiers and HEPA filters should be in the toolshed of every school. IMO.

I have faith and confidence in DUKE. I worked side by side with infectious disease staff and the CDC during a Legionnaire outbreak in Virginia. I had a patient die of unknown reason. I get call from the physician, autopsy revealed Legionnaires disease. BAM... CDC and DUKE were on my door step within hours. By day 2 we had 15
cases.

It amazed me the things DUKE can test for virus. Shower heads, covers on a boat, clothing, even a bandaid and of course medical equipment. They select the item, seal with everyone signing, created a chain of custody.

Source, hot tub display at a Lowes Home Store 30 miles away.

These folks are amazing. I feel confident If DUKE does the testing and clinical data for air filters the information is highly creditable.

LEGIONNAIRES' OUTBREAK LINKED TO VA. STORE'S HOT TUB DISPLAY

Moo...

 

[KALI]

This has the potential to be a serious mess.

California judges lift coronavirus eviction ban

The Judicial Council of California voted to end the statewide eviction moratorium next month, reopening courts to landlords and pressuring Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers to address a potential housing crisis.

Courts will be allowed to process evictions after midnight, Sept. 1, although a patchwork of more than 100 local laws could prevent delinquent tenants from being displaced. Most Bay Area counties and cities have passed renter protections during the coronavirus pandemic, although many are scheduled to expire in August.

Researchers at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation found nearly 1 million California renters have experienced job losses due to the health crisis. Nearly three-quarters of those apartments include a person of color.

 

[Simply Southern]

"Many died from drinking methanol or alcohol-based cleaning products.

They wrongly believed the products to be a cure for the virus."

What made them think that?

I don't think any died from injecting or drinking bleach anyway.

On the 99.9% killing of germs claim by the air purifying companies, are they allowed to state that if it is not true? In the UK we have the Trade Descriptions Act now to make unwarranted claims like that illegal.

What the article doesn't share....

Every see bottle of hand sanitizer sitting around in NH, MH hospitals, and hospital. Nope, hospitals to keep on the walls.

That's because patients will and do drink hand sanitizer for the alcohol content.

I have personally witnessed this. Gross I know.

Moo....

 

[tmar]

Russia reports more than 5,000 new coronavirus cases

Russia reports more than 5,000 new coronavirus cases

12 hrs ago
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia reported 5,065 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday, bringing its nationwide tally to 912,823, the fourth highest caseload in the world.

Russia's coronavirus crisis response centre said 114 people had died over the last 24 hours, pushing its official death toll to 15,498.

 

[tmar]

China's COVID-19 researchers got a head start on a vaccine — here's where they're at now

China's COVID-19 researchers got a head start on a vaccine — here's where they're at now

By Bang Xiao

52 mins ago
In the race for a viable coronavirus vaccine, China is one of the clear frontrunners.

It was the first country to experience an outbreak of COVID-19, and the country where it was first detected, giving Chinese researchers a head start on developing a vaccine to fight the disease which has now killed more than 750,000 people around the world.

One vaccine under development by the pharmaceutical firm CanSino and the People's Liberation Army has already been cleared for use by the nation's military personnel.

But given the Chinese Communist Party-led nation's prickly foreign relations with many Western nations, including Australia, questions have been raised over what would happen if China were to become the first country to develop an effective vaccine.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said his country's vaccines would be a "global public good" and would be made available to all nations.
However, questions have also been raised about the quality of Chinese-produced vaccines, in the face of multiple scandals in the country's vaccine manufacturing industry in the past decade.

 

[tresir2012]

Fauci says there is 'no reason' Americans can't vote in person in November

What if you are in quarantine at the time? Eg have had a positive result or are awaiting a test result? Clearly you will not be able to vote in person even if you wear a mask and social distance. There could be a lot of people in that category.

 

[tresir2012]

This has the potential to be a serious mess.

Do they ever have to pay the rent owing under the previous moratorium or does the government pay the landlords for those months? If the tenant does not have to ever pay that back rent then why would they not have put some by from the previous $1,200 weekly amounts they have been receiving, so they could pay the future rent?

 

[Simply Southern]

For people who are interested in installing HEPA filters on their home HVAC system, do your research first. When we bought our house, the builder's rep told us NOT to use HEPA filters in our system because they were not designed for them, and using them might cause premature failure of our HVAC plant.

ETA: changed building rep to builder's rep

They do reduce air flow, as well. Many layers of "thick paper" can increase the work load of any compressor and reduce longevity of the device.

Excellent you bring this up.

 

[LadyL]

pictures of first U.K. socially distanced concert!

I like it. I would rather go to a concert like this than the pre-covid ways.

Regno Unito: video e foto dal primo concerto nella nuova arena con distanziamento sociale