Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #79

[SouthAussie]

Well, it has been found that Aussies are almost all-in when it comes to a properly tested vaccine.


Nearly eight in 10 Australians believe vaccines prevent infectious diseases and will access a new Covid-19 vaccine if it is available and properly tested, a ChildFund Australia survey has shown.

Essential Report polling for ChildFund Australia shows 79% of Australians believe vaccines are effective in preventing infectious diseases, and 78% would take a Covid-19 vaccine once properly tested and released.

But Australians are also strongly supportive of the Australian government helping neighbouring countries roll out an immunisation program. Seventy-nine percent of survey respondents believe there should be a fair global allocation system for the Covid-19 vaccine to assist people in poor countries.

Jobseeker rate will be extended into 2021 'if required', minister says – as it happened

 

[Sundog]

Updated article in New York Times on the possibly 100,000 Australians who are barred from returning to their own country due to COVID - Friday, September 25

Stranded Overseas, Thousands Beg Australia to Let Them Come Home

Australia is one of the few places in the world that is barring citizens from leaving their own country and limiting the number of those who can return. The tough regulations have raised legal concerns about the right to freedom of movement, and have been especially painful for the large numbers of Australians who turn to travel as a balm against the tyranny of distance from the rest of the world.


But as many of those stranded abroad have become more publicly vocal about their plight, some opposition politicians have expressed more empathy. “These are people who have the right to come back to their country, because they are Australians,” Kristina Keneally, the Labor Party’s top official for home affairs, told Parliament in September.

BBM

 

[nhmemorymaker]

It reminds me of a saying i read about these times:
We are all in the same storm
We are not all in the same boat

Lovely.

 

[Bravo]

I recently spoke with a former female co-worker. She called to wish me a Happy Retirement. I had no idea she had Covid. She is in her early 60's. Stated it was 2 weeks of pure he77. Spent her time on the couch. Up to the bathroom only and to get a meal her grown children would drop at her door. They also dropped off a walker as she was so dizzy when she did get up they feared a fall given she lives alone. Described fatigue, aches and fever as intense. Started turning the corner at 2 weeks yet continued to test positive for 6 more weeks. She also stated she has no long term side effects that she is aware of. Obvious I have no link to provide.

 

[SouthAussie]

Updated article in New York Times on the possibly 100,000 Australians who are barred from returning to their own country due to COVID - Friday, September 25

35,000 Aussies overseas, 26,000 want to come home.

Government officials told a COVID-19 Senate committee on Thursday that 35,700 Australians had registered with the Smartraveller website, with 26,800 of those intending to come home.

“There are approximately 20,000 spare seats of capacity on commercial airlines coming into the country each week,” department spokesman Simon Duggan said.

“The availability of flights is not the binding constraint up to this point.”

Mr Duggan said the “real limiting factor” in increasing quarantine capacity was the availability of trained medical professionals, with almost all ADF medical staff deployed.

NoCookies | The Australian
September 24, 2020

 

[tresir2012]

Updated article in New York Times on the possibly 100,000 Australians who are barred from returning to their own country due to COVID - Friday, September 25

Stranded Overseas, Thousands Beg Australia to Let Them Come Home

Australia is one of the few places in the world that is barring citizens from leaving their own country and limiting the number of those who can return. The tough regulations have raised legal concerns about the right to freedom of movement, and have been especially painful for the large numbers of Australians who turn to travel as a balm against the tyranny of distance from the rest of the world.


But as many of those stranded abroad have become more publicly vocal about their plight, some opposition politicians have expressed more empathy. “These are people who have the right to come back to their country, because they are Australians,” Kristina Keneally, the Labor Party’s top official for home affairs, told Parliament in September.

BBM

The Guardian has an article about this too. It is being debated in the Parliament.

Australians stranded overseas willing to wear ankle bracelets while quarantining to return home

Paraphrasing - some of the stranded Aussies are going to give evidence to the Senate to lift the cap and many are willing to wear ankle bracelets to quarantine. One guy has set up a website ( link is in the article ) for use by them and to register their locations worldwide. There are reported to be 26,000.

I think they should let them back asap. The website owner has been stranded for six months while his wife is on her own in Australia. Why can he not return and quarantine at his home as well as the others. There is plenty of room on the flights. I don't get it. MOO.

 

[weepingangel]

COVID-19 cluster on Nantucket linked to church gathering
more at link
A cluster of coronavirus cases reported within three days last week on Nantucket has been linked to a gathering at a church on the island, officials said

Between Friday and Sunday, Nantucket Cottage Hospital identified 19 new cases of COVID-19 among patients tested at the hospitals drive-through evaluation site, according to a joint statement from Nantucket Cottage Hospital and the town of Nantucket Health Department.

The uptick in cases caused the seven-day positive testing rate for the island to jump from 2.5% on Friday to 4.3% on Sunday. In the seven days before Friday, 11 new cases had been reported on Nantucket, the statement said.

 

[Sundog]

The Guardian has an article about this too. It is being debated in the Parliament.

Australians stranded overseas willing to wear ankle bracelets while quarantining to return home

Paraphrasing - some of the stranded Aussies are going to give evidence to the Senate to lift the cap and many are willing to wear ankle bracelets to quarantine. One guy has set up a website ( link is in the article ) for use by them and to register their locations worldwide. There are reported to be 26,000.

The NY Times article I posted above also states that they are also recommending that citizens be allowed to self-isolate, instead of mandating quarantine in government-designated facilities - and indicates that similar programs have been successful in Hong Kong, Singapore and Qatar.

And apparently the number of citizens trying to return home could be much higher, according to the airline industry and figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number is likely closer to 100,000 rather than the 35,000 most often quoted (NY Times, September 25, link posted above).

 

[tresir2012]

The NY Times article I posted above also states that they are also recommending that citizens be allowed to self-isolate, instead of mandating quarantine in government-designated facilities - and indicates that similar programs have been successful in Hong Kong, Singapore and Qatar.

And apparently the number of citizens trying to return home could be much higher, according to the airline industry and figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number is likely closer to 100,000 rather than the 35,000 most often quoted (NY Times, September 25, link posted above).

I personally know what it is like to have a relative stranded overseas during this emergency, but it was nothing like 6 months. Very worrying and distressing time.

This is encouraging regarding vaccine rollout-

Latest on vaccine dates is November and December according to link below.

Fauci Sees Covid-19 Vaccines For Different Patients With Five In Final-Stage U.S. Trials

 

[nhmemorymaker]

It wasn't just those states though all states had problems. Many countries also had problems. 42% of US deaths and 80% of Canadian deaths.

Links to follow.

42% of COVID-19 Deaths in Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities

Click on map to see individual states percentages updated as at 31Aug.

Many links on Canada but this is one.

Canada’s proportion of coronavirus deaths in nursing homes top 16 other nations: study

I still keep coming back to Judge Joe's comments--->separate thread for nursing homes and Veterans Administration. It would be a very worthwhile thread, but I find numerous articles are just isolated examples without a strong foundation of what we are trying to say.

"That there are lots of covid cases in long term centers"??? Well, duh of course there are....for so many reasons!

The international aspects of COVID--the disease, the antibodies, the mixed messages, the levels of lockdown, the vaccines, the hot spots and spikes, the emotional deaths are all so critical in this main thread, and I value the wide international experience and knowledge just so so much.

But there is simply no way to be fully clear and informative when we just throwing links up to address one long term care issue vs. another. Trying to compare one place in the US vs one place elsewhere is simply too complex.

International Approaches to Long-term Services and Supports | American Society on Aging

And the VA..... omg, talk about nailing jello to a tree... We have some US experts here, but our collective knowledge base doesn't even scratch the surface of the issues and problems with the Vets Admin. Adding some jello here....

Study Identifies Coronavirus Risk Factors Among Veterans

VA coronavirus cases top 60,000 since start of the pandemic

VA workers are the US health care system’s fail-safe. Why isn’t the VA listening to them? | Federal News Network

I would appreciate someone telling me who the Mod would be that I would make such a suggestion............

 

[CSIDreamer]

Thank you, this is helpful. I'm still trying to figure out how this works, so I have a couple more questions. Is it left up to the individual to determine when symptoms have passed, or is a local public health officer involved in the process? Does the Public Health officer have any authority to place a person in isolation, or close an establishment that flaunts the recommendations?

My local health officer could close an establishment. I'm not 100% certain of the other answers. Jmo

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I recently spoke with a former female co-worker. She called to wish me a Happy Retirement. I had no idea she had Covid. She is in her early 60's. Stated it was 2 weeks of pure he77. Spent her time on the couch. Up to the bathroom only and to get a meal her grown children would drop at her door. They also dropped off a walker as she was so dizzy when she did get up they feared a fall given she lives alone. Described fatigue, aches and fever as intense. Started turning the corner at 2 weeks yet continued to test positive for 6 more weeks. She also stated she has no long term side effects that she is aware of. Obvious I have no link to provide.

I, too, have a friend, a physical therapist who went through he77... totally bed/couch bound for over three weeks. Lost 23 pounds. Two months later he is STILL experiencing massive fatigue, and some irregularities with heart issues.... also no links. But the collective suffering of those that SURVIVE will be an active story for a long long time.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I agree...needs its own thread. The unchartered waters that hit the Mid Atlantic states is not comparable to any area of the country.

States already have individual threads. Anyone can post in those as well. Care homes have been a global issue. Jmo

 

[tresir2012]

I still keep coming back to Judge Joe's comments--->separate thread for nursing homes and Veterans Administration. It would be a very worthwhile thread, but I find numerous articles are just isolated examples without a strong foundation of what we are trying to say.

"That there are lots of covid cases in long term centers"??? Well, duh of course there are....for so many reasons!

The international aspects of COVID--the disease, the antibodies, the mixed messages, the levels of lockdown, the vaccines, the hot spots and spikes, the emotional deaths are all so critical in this main thread, and I value the wide international experience and knowledge just so so much.

But there is simply no way to be fully clear and informative when we just throwing links up to address one long term care issue vs. another. Trying to compare one place in the US vs one place elsewhere is simply too complex.

International Approaches to Long-term Services and Supports | American Society on Aging

And the VA..... omg, talk about nailing jello to a tree... We have some US experts here, but our collective knowledge base doesn't even scratch the surface of the issues and problems with the Vets Admin. Adding some jello here....

Study Identifies Coronavirus Risk Factors Among Veterans

VA coronavirus cases top 60,000 since start of the pandemic

VA workers are the US health care system’s fail-safe. Why isn’t the VA listening to them? | Federal News Network

I would appreciate someone telling me who the Mod would be that I would make such a suggestion............

Sorry I don't know. I don't think it is a good idea at all because of the following:

We only presently have separate threads for countries. So would that mean a separate thread for care home cases for each country? That would be very cumbersome. If we are discussing one particular home and putting that on it's own thread, it would be a never ending task IMO.

 

[Bravo]

And here we go in my Province......
Ontario reports 700 new coronavirus cases, highest daily infections ever recorded

 

[MimosaMornings]

Just an addem re: San Antonio Rodeo
Scheduled in 5 months Feb 18 - 28 2021. Note that Texas (and San Antonio) have extremely high coronavirus cases. The rodeo events are INDOORS at the ATT Center. Texas ordinance currently limits indoor attendance to 50% of capacity. And, there's an outside part to this event - think state fair with lots of booths, food. How's this gonna work?

2019 attendance:
Rainy and inclement weather caused attendance on the grounds to be down slightly from the previous two years, but it was still a very healthy count of over 1.9 million guests.
SAN ANTONIO STOCK SHOW & RODEO BREAKS ARENA RECORDS | San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo

And right after will be the Houston Rodeo.
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo > 2021

Attendance

 

[weepingangel]

Military suicides up as much as 20% in COVID era | Boston.com
More at link
WASHINGTON (AP) — Military suicides have increased by as much as 20% this year compared to the same period in 2019, and some incidents of violent behavior have spiked as service members struggle under COVID-19, war-zone deployments, national disasters and civil unrest.

While the data is incomplete and causes of suicide are complex, Army and Air Force officials say they believe the pandemic is adding stress to an already strained force.

And senior Army leaders — who say they’ve seen about a 30% jump in active duty suicides so far this year — told The Associated Press that they are looking at shortening combat deployments. Such a move would be part of a broader effort to make the wellbeing of soldiers and their families the Army’s top priority, overtaking combat readiness and weapons modernization.

 

[cass523]

Perhaps the most remarkable creature to call the waters off New Jersey home is older than the dinosaurs, helps balance the state's ecosystem and looks like it crept out of the "Aliens" movie franchise.

Now the horseshoe crab is playing a vital role in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, with billions of doses expected to be produced worldwide over the next several years.

The crab's distinctive blue blood has been used in the development and production of nearly all injectable medicines and vaccines along with medical devices in the U.S. and much of the world for four decades.

Its blood is hyper-sensitive to endotoxin, a bacteria that can enter the bloodstream through injections. Scientists developed a test in the 1960s using horseshoe crab blood that slowly became the industry standard to ensure that injectable substances won't harm people.

And as pharmaceutical companies begin to roll out COVID-19 vaccines, some of those vials will be deemed to be safe thanks to a creature that was sitting off the southern tip of New Jersey in the dark waters at the bottom of Delaware Bay — home to the largest population of horseshoe crabs in the world, at 25 million to 30 million.

And so from Massachusetts to the waters off Cape May and on down to South Carolina, boats head out regularly to collect the crabs, which are transported in refrigerated vans to laboratories. About a third of their blood is taken out of their bodies to develop the LAL test or limulus amebocyte lysate — the substance that reacts to the endotoxins. Industry guidelines call for them to be returned to the ocean within 36 hours.

COVID vaccine: Horseshoe crabs could be key in NJ

 

[tresir2012]

Perhaps the most remarkable creature to call the waters off New Jersey home is older than the dinosaurs, helps balance the state's ecosystem and looks like it crept out of the "Aliens" movie franchise.

Now the horseshoe crab is playing a vital role in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, with billions of doses expected to be produced worldwide over the next several years.

The crab's distinctive blue blood has been used in the development and production of nearly all injectable medicines and vaccines along with medical devices in the U.S. and much of the world for four decades.

Its blood is hyper-sensitive to endotoxin, a bacteria that can enter the bloodstream through injections. Scientists developed a test in the 1960s using horseshoe crab blood that slowly became the industry standard to ensure that injectable substances won't harm people.

And as pharmaceutical companies begin to roll out COVID-19 vaccines, some of those vials will be deemed to be safe thanks to a creature that was sitting off the southern tip of New Jersey in the dark waters at the bottom of Delaware Bay — home to the largest population of horseshoe crabs in the world, at 25 million to 30 million.

And so from Massachusetts to the waters off Cape May and on down to South Carolina, boats head out regularly to collect the crabs, which are transported in refrigerated vans to laboratories. About a third of their blood is taken out of their bodies to develop the LAL test or limulus amebocyte lysate — the substance that reacts to the endotoxins. Industry guidelines call for them to be returned to the ocean within 36 hours.

COVID vaccine: Horseshoe crabs could be key in NJ

I hope they can use the synthetic alternative. This report shows why.

Saving the horseshoe crab: A synthetic alternative to horseshoe crab blood for endotoxin detection

 

[Trino]

Surely the vaccine will be rolled out by/before February I hope. Even Dr.Fauci estimates end of the year IIRC.

Actually he even said October in this article.

Dr Fauci says COVID-19 vaccine by October is 'conceivable' but unlikely | Daily Mail Online

Probably not going to the general public if available.
Dr. Fauci says unlikely.
CDC Director:
"I think there will be vaccine that will initially be available some time between November and December, but very limited supply, and it will have to be prioritized," Redfield told lawmakers. "If you're asking me when is it going to be generally available to the American public so we can begin to take advantage of vaccine to get back to our regular life, I think we're probably looking at late second quarter, third quarter 2021."
When will a coronavirus vaccine really be ready?