Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #78

[Deleted member 158085]

I'm still catching up so I don't know if this has been posted yet.

CDC: People who tested positive for COVID-19 twice as likely to report dining at restaurants than those who test negative
Could going to restaurant increase my chance of getting COVID-19? | wqad.com

And this:
Political Appointees Meddled in C.D.C.’s ‘Holiest of the Holy’ Health Reports

Which is why it's getting harder for US citizens to trust anything we're being told related to COVID-19.

In other news, my allergies have really kicked in and I will probably be giving my constantly coughing co-workers a bit of a scare next week and they may know how I feel.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

So maybe this idea was discussed prior and i missed it but has anyone given thought to cotton balls in ones nose, under a mask for added protection? Maybe I am losing my mind. A quick search netted this from 2004. Pre Covid so who knows if it would even be effective against Covid.
Nasal plugs for preventing respiratory infections - PubMed

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I understood that post as Trino speaking of reports about the general economy, while pointing out the situation in Las Vegas as an example of improvement not happening (everywhere)?


U.S. economy is improving ...
The U.S. labor market and broader economy made some gains this week ....
However, the economy is nowhere near to rounding the corner to recovery.
U.S. economy is improving, weeks before the election.

Using an article about Las Vegas in regards to the general economy doesn't make any sense.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

We have a big order of logs arriving Monday and had a new log store delivered this week. I'm with you on the cosy prepping.

My prepping consists of digging out my electric blanket.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

So maybe this idea was discussed prior and i missed it but has anyone given thought to cotton balls in ones nose, under a mask for added protection? Maybe I am losing my mind. A quick search netted this from 2004. Pre Covid so who knows if it would even be effective against Covid.
Nasal plugs for preventing respiratory infections - PubMed

That sounds uncomfortable as all get-out.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Same here, and my heated throw.

Not so bad a winter here, it only got to -7 C a few times. Spring now and some 19 and 21 days coming up.

My prepping consists of digging out my electric blanket

 

[Clair Louise]

Same here, and my heated throw.

Not so bad a winter here, it only got to -7 C a few times. Spring now and some 19 and 21 days coming up.

I have a heated throw, but I never use it since my old cat died. He loved it.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Awww that's cute

I use mine all the time in cold weather when I'm using my laptop.

I have a heated throw, but I never use it since my old cat died. He loved it.

 

[tresir2012]

If 2 people in the same "bubble test positive," both have ongoing spread - and one may have just spread it to the other, maybe 2 days before (indicative of a high amount of viral shedding). It's very likely that someone else also will test positive - but if not, they really caught it early. Everyone should quarantine and be tested.

I think sports teams have the funds to acquire rapid testing, so hopefully, no longterm harm or foul.

The one that tested positive has now tested negative.

 

[SouthAussie]

China's children started school this month ....

Medical workers stood guard at school entrances, taking temperatures. Administrative officials reviewed the students’ travel histories and coronavirus test results. Local Communist Party cadres kept watch, making sure teachers followed detailed instructions on hygiene and showed an “anti-epidemic spirit.”

“I’m not worried,” a music teacher at the school, Yang Meng, said in an interview. “Wuhan is now the safest place.”

(You can access this full NY Times article by setting up a free account)
How China brought nearly 200 million students back to school

 

[tresir2012]

Australia remains awesome. Yeah. We aren't down to the granular level of having nationwide personnel to administer a vaccine...or even testing.

If your vaccine was calculated to the the AZ (Oxford) vaccine, it may be delayed a bit - but there are others. If Australia is ready for rapid implementation (which should always be the first step), they will have their choice of vetted vaccines. Cost may go up higher than anticipated but at this point would be insignificant compared to the alternatives.

Australia are planning to manufacture their vaccine. Not sure when they plan to start that though.

 

[katydid23]

It certainly would be reasonable to assume that, but it doesn't appear to be the case. The lack of a coordinated effort is widely understood to be a reason why the US is struggling to control CoVid.

You may recall that early in the pandemic the CDC published a document, "Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework", which was to take effect on May 1st. But that document was never distributed to the Governors, at the request of the WH. Instead they were encouraged to come up with their own plans for restarting businesses, schools, churches and other institutions.

That's why I asked, who do they consult?

You cannot have a singular coordinated effort, for 5o different states, all with wildly different circumstances.

The Governors are in the best position to know what their state needs and they can individually consult with the CDC and their Health departments.

New York and South Dakota do not need to read and follow the same instruction pamphlets.

The reason the US has struggled is that it it huge, vast , highly populated and has many very different circumstances and demographics.

We could not close down our states the way many countries were able to shut down their own borders.

Very few countries had to outfit 368 million citizens with PPE and tests for the virus.

It is no wonder that it has been a struggle. Some states have done pretty well. Others have not. But a pamphlet handed out by the CDC was not going to make an impact, in my opinion.

It was correct to have individual states make their own plans for reopening. How would ONE entity try and devise a plan for 50 very different states without causing dissension and misunderstandings?

 

[tresir2012]

WWII ? How many of these veterans are still active and traveling? I would think that would be a small number

I don't think they have to have served in WW1 and WW2 but just be veterans of forces from allied countries.

From the link provided.


Treatment of Allied and Foreign National Beneficiaries
VA provides medical services to beneficiaries of those nations allied with the U.S. in World War I and World War II (except any nation which was an enemy of the U.S. during World War II) who have a reciprocal agreement for care with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Here in Ireland the government is getting ready to launch a national medium-term plan for "living with Covid"...

The five-level 'Living with Covid' plan aimed at keeping schools open in all phases

Strict limits on household, indoor, outdoor and sporting events will still be in place until next April even under the Government's best-case scenario for living with Covid-19.

A five-level plan will be published on Tuesday with ministers and officials still debating the finer details of the document this weekend.

Level five will be the most restrictive and similar to the lockdown in March and April, with level one the least restrictive but still placing limits on the numbers allowed in homes and at indoor and outdoor gatherings.

(...)

"Level five is back to where we were in March, level four is a more diluted version of that, and levels three and two are where we are hovering around now," said a senior government source. "But level one is still more restrictive than people would have hoped. But it's equally truthful to say that it's as good as we can get in the current environment."

(...)

Different counties and regions could be placed at different levels depending on various factors, including their 14-day incidence rate of the virus, but no more than two levels would be allowed at any one time in the State.

The Government this week intends to keep almost all parts of the country at level two but amid growing concerns about the spread of the virus in Dublin, the capital could be categorised at level three, with restrictions similar to those that were in place in Laois, Offaly and Kildare last month.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned yesterday that the Government would not be afraid to implement restrictions in Dublin to stop the virus spreading. "We won't be afraid to implement measures specifically in Dublin, if that's the way forward," he told RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. "We did that in Kildare, Offaly and Laois... I know that some counties have a low number of cases, and I understand that argument, that there are differences and so the same restrictions shouldn't apply."

(Details of plan at link)

 

[musicaljoke]

You cannot have a singular coordinated effort, for 5o different states, all with wildly different circumstances.

The Governors are in the best position to know what their state needs and they can individually consult with the CDC and their Health departments.

New York and South Dakota do not need to read and follow the same instruction pamphlets.

The reason the US has struggled is that it it huge, vast , highly populated and has many very different circumstances and demographics.

We could not close down our states the way many countries were able to shut down their own borders.

Very few countries had to outfit 368 million citizens with PPE and tests for the virus.

It is no wonder that it has been a struggle. Some states have done pretty well. Others have not. But a pamphlet handed out by the CDC was not going to make an impact, in my opinion.

It was correct to have individual states make their own plans for reopening. How would ONE entity try and devise a plan for 50 very different states without causing dissension and misunderstandings?

Yes, the CDC ought to be the the authoritative voice for State governors for information on how to manage the pandemic. The CDC prepared for publication on May 1st, clear guidelines, with the intention that they would be followed by all states.

The original CDC publication still provides excellent guidelines, usable by all 50 states. It wouldn't surprise me that many other countries in the world have also consulted those guidelines.

Pressured by the WH, the original report was replaced with a pamphlet, (linked above) and yes, that pamphlet although still a good resource, no longer provided the detailed information that state governors needed in order to safely get their people through the pandemic. We can see the results of the poor decisions that were made. Undermining sound public health guidelines introduced chaos and uncertainty while unnecessarily put lives at stake.

The US may be a large, diverse country, but it was positioned as the best in the world for handling a pandemic. Without a coordinated effort, and without federal leadership, the chinks in the wall have been exposed and the world is horrified.

The Global Health Security Index

The CDC Guidance On Reopening – CWLA

 

[katydid23]

Yes, the CDC ought to be the the authoritative voice for State governors for information on how to manage the pandemic. The CDC prepared for publication on May 1st, clear guidelines, with the intention that they would be followed by all states. Those guidelines are linked in my message above.

The original CDC publication still provides excellent guidelines, usable by all 50 states. It wouldn't surprise me that many other countries in the world have also consulted those guidelines.

Pressured by the WH, the original report was replaced with a pamphlet, (linked above) and yes, that pamphlet although still a good resource, no longer provided the detailed information that state governors needed in order to safely get their people through the pandemic. We can see the results of the poor decisions that were made.

The US may be a large, diverse country, but it was positioned as the best in the world for handling a pandemic. Without a coordinated effort, and without federal leadership, the chinks in the wall have been exposed and the world is horrified.

The Global Health Security Index

Trump administration buries detailed CDC advice on reopening

You are making it sound like our esteemed governors were totally clueless without the CDC.

From what I saw, there were many reputable experts that were consulted. The decisions the governors made were based upon the information they uncovered from their own Health Departments and disease specialists.

Some states did a good job with their reopenings. Others ran into trouble. But I don't think that they were traveling blind.

That 'detailed' advice may or may not have been all that helpful for all of the states. Just because the report may have set down strict guidelines, it does not mean the governors were going to stick to them. Many were seeking a balance between adherence to a total lockdown, and individual freedoms. That may be one of our weaknesses but it is also one of our strengths. JMO

ETA: from the article linked in quote:

The CDC is hearing daily from state and county health departments looking for scientifically valid information with which to make informed decisions.

Still, behind the scenes, CDC scientists like those who produced the guidance for “Opening Up America Again″ are working to get information to local governments. The agency still employs hundreds of the world’s most respected epidemiologists and doctors, who in times of crisis are looked to for their expertise, said former CDC director Tom Frieden. People have clicked on the CDC’s coronavirus website more than 1.2 billion times.

States that directly reach out to the CDC can tap guidance that’s been prepared but that the White House has not released.

“I don’t think that any state feels that the CDC is deficient. It’s just the process of getting stuff out,” Plescia said.



Sounds to me like the CDC was able to convey any of that important info to each State that reached out with questions, tailored to their circumstances. I think that is preferable than a one size fits all report.

 

[Lato]

`Notice this morning re weather......Southern Louisiana......very loud alarm on phone at 4:22 am......shows us under Hurricane warning and flood watch. The direction of this storm is worrisome. The name is Sally.
National Hurricane Center

Movement of lots of people may occur again.

 

[SouthAussie]

Doctors warn that bad air quality stemming from smoke produced by the wildfires ravaging Western states could make people more vulnerable to coronavirus infections.

"Multiple studies have shown a correlation between higher levels of pollution in the air and greater spread and severity of Covid-19 cases," said Dr. Brad Spellberg, chief medical officer of the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, citing several studies conducted in the United States, China and Italy. "Some studies have also shown that exposure of lung tissue to pollution may increase susceptibility to viral infections."

To prevent the possible spread of coronavirus during the intense fire season, those remaining indoors due to poor air quality should stay away from anyone who is not in their immediate household, (Dr. Leana) Wen said.

US coronavirus: Some college towns grapple with Covid-19 after students return - CNN

 

[MimosaMornings]

Coronavirus expert Dr. Peter Hotez reveals when we can expect a vaccine

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Well that publication is still available.

Opening Up America Again | The White House

It hasn't been taken down.

i have missed some posts...so this has perhaps already been addressed.... and I believe we had lots of discussion about it back in May.
But the WH basically ignored the CDC plan, and also had destroyed the Obama plan that was in place.

Trump administration buries detailed CDC advice on reopening