Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #84

[10ofRods]

Today's stats from the United States show that, of all the states, North Dakota has the highest number of COVid cases per capita.

That's total CoVid cases (some of them are resolved).

North Dakota has only slightly less than 800,000 people (about the size of just one California county - San Francisco is about 890,000 last time I checked).

North Dakota has had 43,000 CoVid cases.

South Dakota is in second place for total number of cases per capita. And they didn't start having cases right away, the way NY and WA did.

The NYTimes shows just how steep and rapid the curves have been in these two rural areas.

At 535 deaths per million of population, North Dakota rivals Sweden in its approach to CoVid. It didn't have to be this way, obviously, as other places have managed to keep the rates lower.

 

[LadyL]

Losing one's sense of smell and taste is, however, associated with a better CoVid outcome (not dying).

Loss of Smell Associated with Milder Clinical Course in COVID-19

But, for those who lose their appetites or can't taste their favorite foods, it's definitely more than an inconvenience. I would not like to have it.

yeah it's not good
my Dad lost so much weight because he just did not have an appetite because of the loss of taste/smell

 

[oviedo]

And this attitude will continue to permeate the US response IMO
A teacher friend in IN had a student test positive last Wed - Mom called the School Thursday to report this and sent her other elementary kids in same day -My teacher friend worked very closely with now positive 5 year old and the school response? Stay in your classroom and only the kids who lined up with 5 year old were sent home - what is my teacher friend to do? The school has the latitude to decide the protocol (never mind the County Health Dept) They haven’t reported and my friend is told to return to work despite this exposure - and the spread continues
JMO

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Iowa numbers today: As of 10:00-11:00 a.m., we had 508 new confirmed cases for a total of 107,570 of which 82,056 had recovered (+275). 6 more were reported to have passed for a total of 1,534. There are 25,574 active postive cases. 63 were hospitalized in the last 24 hrs. for a total of 480 (+5).Oct. 19: 508 new cases, 275 recoveries, and 6 deaths
Iowa COVID-19 Information

Did you see this? The governor has been told she must stop using CARES act money for non-pandemic related expenses.

Oops!

Gov. Reynolds' use of CARES Act money for non-pandemic expenses 'not allowable', State Auditor says | wqad.com

 

[Trino]

Minnesota cases are rising, but from what I'm observing, most urban/suburban counties are following the state mask mandate. In the Twin Cities I just don't see people in stores without them. However, in outlying areas that I have visited in the last month, it's been questionable.

While bicycling, stopped at a small bar (Coke) in New (pop. 13,000). Waitress - no mask. Patrons - nope. Battle Lake (pop. 900) drug store cashier had hers pulled down talking to a patron. She did pull it on for me. The smaller towns still appear to feel invincible.

yeah it's not good
my Dad lost so much weight because he just did not have an appetite because of the loss of taste/smell

It seems a weight loss is part of the virus. Has Trump lost weight?

 

[SouthAussie]

Our travel bubble with NZ is not working so well.

A whole bunch of NZers flew in last week. Per agreement, they are allowed to go to the two states of NSW and NT.

So, after landing in Sydney ...
65 of them then flew on to the state of Victoria (Victorian authorities have 'made contact' with 55 of them so far).
25 of them then flew on to the state of WA (and were put immediately into hotel quarantine)
5 then flew on to my state (and were put immediately into hotel quarantine).

The Premiers of these 3 states are a bit perturbed. Why is no-one controlling this? Well, it seems, once they have landed in Australia ... they are 'in Australia' (not international travellers) ... so the domestic airlines are letting them fly.

Good thing we first started a travel bubble with a 'safe' country, so we can iron these details out.

NZ travel bubble was only supposed to be with NSW and the NT, so why are Kiwis heading to other states?

ETA: Just heard on the news that my state has decided to open up to NZ, so no problem now for those NZers coming to my state.

 

[SouthAussie]

The Bean N Loaf cafe in Fitzgibbon, Queensland, was aware that people in the local community were doing it tough during the COVID pandemic.

So they created a “Pay with a Post-it” system.

(Strangers pay for a cup of coffee. A post-it note goes onto the outside blackboard and the post-it can be used by another person for a 'free' coffee.)

https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/good...-covid-battlers-using-post-it-notes-c-1370858

 

[ZoriahNZ]

It appears that the trans Tasman bubble kerfuffle was a case of very bad communication and confusion over the rules. Some kind of interstate tussle, with the Federal government insisting they were ok with travellers going to other states.

Australia's Federal Govt understood Kiwis could travel within Aus

It was their understanding that anyone who was allowed to fly into NSW and NT were to be treated as internal travellers.

Trans-Tasman bubble: Kiwis await clarification from Australia on interstate travel rules

There are details in this article which so shows public health officials in Australia were giving conflicting information to New Zealand travellers.

On Monday, the DHHS website said: “If you are travelling from New Zealand and have passed all relevant immigration and biosecurity requirements as established by the Federal Government, New South Wales Government and Northern Territory Government, then you are able to travel to Victoria. You do not need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Victoria.”

I also read another article where one of the women who went to Melbourne VIC for her father's funeral double checked through her travel agent and was told it was fine for her to fly to Victoria.

So definitely some teething problems which need to be ironed out.

 

[neesaki]

I get sick of the no maskers. Someone told me the other day that they've proven that masks don't work. I told him differently, that the study he was referring to was flawed, and that masks are part of the solution, no, not 100%, but still an essential part.
I'm also a retired RN, and there is obviously a reason that when we had patients in isolation, that we all wore masks!
But I'm sure it went in one ear and out the other. Well we can't save everyone can we.
Has anyone seen this? I think it's so cool.

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[margarita25]

rsbm
Has anyone seen this? I think it's so cool.

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That’s awesome

 

[margarita25]

Fauci / Covid & Hospitalizations Surge / 85% of Wisconsin hospital beds are full / Woman who died on plane:

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[TootsieFootsie]

I've read a bit about it and I saw it as only going to certain states, not being able to get a connecting flight to whichever state you really wanted to end up.

It appears that the trans Tasman bubble kerfuffle was a case of very bad communication and confusion over the rules. Some kind of interstate tussle, with the Federal government insisting they were ok with travellers going to other states.

 

[SouthAussie]

I've read a bit about it and I saw it as only going to certain states, not being able to get a connecting flight to whichever state you really wanted to end up.

I feel sorry for the NZers. They now have to quarantine, when they didn't think they had to.
And I feel sorry for Victoria. Andrews is still dealing with active cases and trying to open up Melbourne. He doesn't want anyone else thinking they don't have to quarantine.
And WA has never been open to anyone without quarantining.

Definitely needs to be sorted out. I saw (on TV) one NZer who had arrived in SA ... he said it is really confusing when reading about it on the internet. Clear as mud.


ETA: I did just hear though that Qantas is now telling NZers that they cannot go to Victoria. They even called some of them at home to tell them they need to rearrange their plans.

 

[ZoriahNZ]

I've read a bit about it and I saw it as only going to certain states, not being able to get a connecting flight to whichever state you really wanted to end up.

That was my understanding, too.

Except the Federal gov was saying the opposite and even Australian public health and state government officials like in the article I linked to above and also this one below were telling travellers interstate travel was allowed:

Trans-Tasman bubble: Woman sets the record straight amid controversy over New Zealanders entering Melbourne

Sue told 9News the travel agent called the state's Department of Home Affairs who advised she was able to enter from NSW due to Victoria's borders being open.

So it seems that there wasn't consensus as to how the Tasman bubble was meant to operate. Or bad messaging. Or both.

Hopefully now everything has been clarified for all parties.

 

[Tigerlily75]

Besides mortgages, landlords have insurance, property taxes and maintenance costs that have to be paid on their rental properties.

Without rent money coming in these landlords are paying for everything out of pocket. That wont work forever. JMO.

Here in Melbourne there is help for both renters and landlords, in addition to the optional mortgage pauses (and income support is still ongoing in the form of JobKeeper and JobSeeker). Evictions are banned until March 2021 and a landlord who works with his/her tenants in creating a new rental agreement will get a 50% discount on land tax and the state government provides $3000 of rent paid on behalf of the tenant directly to the landlord or their real estate agent.

This is for both residential landlords and small commercial landlords.

 

[Tigerlily75]

Our travel bubble with NZ is not working so well.

A whole bunch of NZers flew in last week. Per agreement, they are allowed to go to the two states of NSW and NT.

So, after landing in Sydney ...
65 of them then flew on to the state of Victoria (Victorian authorities have 'made contact' with 55 of them so far).
25 of them then flew on to the state of WA (and were put immediately into hotel quarantine)
5 then flew on to my state (and were put immediately into hotel quarantine).

The Premiers of these 3 states are a bit perturbed. Why is no-one controlling this? Well, it seems, once they have landed in Australia ... they are 'in Australia' (not international travellers) ... so the domestic airlines are letting them fly.

Good thing we first started a travel bubble with a 'safe' country, so we can iron these details out.

NZ travel bubble was only supposed to be with NSW and the NT, so why are Kiwis heading to other states?

ETA: Just heard on the news that my state has decided to open up to NZ, so no problem now for those NZers coming to my state.

Really poor communication all around it sounds like!

 

[TootsieFootsie]

If I was one of the NZ visitors I'd be a bit worried about going on to another state that wasn't officially part of the bubble and "possibly" ending up in one of the "hot spots".
I wouldn't like to travel around another country willy nilly when a pandemic is happening.
Then there's the chance of "taking something back with me" to New Zealand. But now they will have to quarantine and maybe the travellers hadn't thought of that.
I agree that Dan Andrews is doing a great job and this is something that wasn't anticipated.
I hope they're able to contact all visitors.
I hope this doesn't lead to more cases either in New Zealand or here.
It does seem the New Zealand visitors were told it was ok.

 

[ZoriahNZ]

The impression I get from the individual reports is that these people most likely have loved ones in Australia. They weren't 'tourists' in the traditional sense, if that makes sense? One woman was attending her father's funeral, another was being reunited with their fiance whom they hadn't seen (in person) since February.

I'm with you, I would not be keen to travel under any circumstances at the moment. But I can't say for sure how I would react if family needed me.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Oh yes, if it was a family needs thing, then I would probably have taken the chance, while still taking precautions, hand sanitisers etc, probably more on embarking. I'm not sure if people on the planes from NZ would be wearing masks ?
I did also think that some might have been Australian residents and this was their chance to come home.

I'm with you, I would not be keen to travel under any circumstances at the moment. But I can't say for sure how I would react if family needed me.

 

[GRT]

Yes, and that's why Fauci fears record numbers in late fall and winter. (One reason - there are others, such as natural drops in Vitamin D for those who aren't supplementing and live further north). Also, people head indoors. Cold air is also drier air, so the virions may stay aloft longer.

My own view is that being indoors in a heated (dry) environment with lots of people is a really bad strategy for winter.

If in addition, some people who have already had CoVId get it again, then Yikes!

If the front line antibodies fade over time, it's very possible that people stay retain some overall immunity to CoVid and will have a milder case.

It's good to know some immunity might remain. That's encouraging! Do you recommend humidifiers indoors? Or, would that even make a difference? Heated indoor air is so dry anyway, and if it helps promote the spread of the virus that's going to be worse.