Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #88

[I'm Just Here]

As thousands of athletes get coronavirus tests, nurses wonder: What about us? — The Washington Post

Perhaps they should switch salaries and testing availability for 30 days.
The system is out of whack when we revere pro athletes over our front line health care workers fighting the Covid war.
JMO

I don't have a subscription for the article but it sounds bad to leave out our front line workers in testing! My daughter is an RN Hospice worker and is tested two times a week. My sister in another state, she and co workers test if have symptoms so I am not sure how it all works.

 

[ColyH]

If people choose not to spend holidays with relatives they will find it is less stressful than spending times with relatives. Go ahead and try it. It's great!

 

[margarita25]

As thousands of athletes get coronavirus tests, nurses wonder: What about us? — The Washington Post

“On her day off not long ago, emergency room nurse Jane Sandoval sat with her husband and watched her favorite NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers. She’s off every other Sunday, and even during the coronavirus pandemic, this is something of a ritual. Jane and Carlos watch, cheer, yell — just one couple’s method of escape.

“It makes people feel normal,” she says.

For Sandoval, though, it has become more and more difficult to enjoy as the season — and the pandemic — wears on. Early in the season, the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan was one of five coaches fined for violating the league’s requirement that all sideline personnel wear face coverings. Jane noticed, even as coronavirus cases surged again in California and across the United States, that Levi’s Stadium
was considering admitting fans to watch games.

But the hardest thing to ignore, Sandoval says, is that when it comes to coronavirus testing, this is a nation of haves and have-nots.

Among the haves are professional and college athletes, in particular those who play football. From Nov. 8 to 14, the NFL administered 43,148 tests to 7,856 players, coaches and employees. Major college football programs supply dozens of tests each day, an attempt — futile as it has been — to maintain health and prevent schedule interruptions. Major League Soccer administered nearly 5,000 tests last week, and Major League Baseball conducted some 170,000 tests during its truncated season.

Sandoval, meanwhile, is a 58-year-old front-line worker who regularly treats patients either suspected or confirmed to have been infected by the coronavirus. In eight months, she has never been tested. She says her employer, California Pacific Medical Center, refuses to provide testing for its medical staff even after possible exposure.”

-
Perhaps they should switch salaries and testing availability for 30 days.
The system is out of whack when we revere pro athletes over our front line health care workers fighting the Covid war.
JMO

In response to your comment, “Perhaps they should switch salaries and testing availability for 30 days.
The system is out of whack when we revere pro athletes over our front line health care workers fighting the Covid war.“, my friend that works on the front lines, whom I’ve talked about here before, echoed almost identical sentiments. She is a major major sports fan and athlete herself, but mentioned her resentment very similarly to your statement above, and has even stopped watching pro-sports as a form of her own personal boycott. Jmo.

 

[10ofRods]

Not so long ago the U.S. was the country the world looked to in a crisis, for better or for worse, whether it was for guidance, help or comfort. The world looked to the U.S. to do things right in a crisis, to show strength and compassion.

For the world to now look at the U.S. in horror and pity is a sudden sea change on the world scene. Yes, other countries like Sweden may be struggling with Covid-19 too, but the big difference is that no one ever looked to Sweden or other countries for guidance, help or comfort in a time of crisis. The comparison doesn’t fly.

Now the U.S. is essentially in Covid free-fall because those with responsibility abdicated from the beginning. When someone asks “Where’s Pence?” it’s not because people will suddenly start listening to him and he can turn this around at this late date. It’s because he is MIA at a time when he could at least offer comfort and, as a matter of principle and integrity maaaaybe beg people to wear masks and stay home. Crickets. Sorry world.
JMO MOO

That was so well written. Thank you.

 

[SouthAussie]

Not so long ago the U.S. was the country the world looked to in a crisis, for better or for worse, whether it was for guidance, help or comfort. The world looked to the U.S. to do things right in a crisis, to show strength and compassion.

For the world to now look at the U.S. in horror and pity is a sudden sea change on the world scene. Yes, other countries like Sweden may be struggling with Covid-19 too, but the big difference is that no one ever looked to Sweden or other countries for guidance, help or comfort in a time of crisis. The comparison doesn’t fly.

Now the U.S. is essentially in Covid free-fall because those with responsibility abdicated from the beginning. When someone asks “Where’s Pence?” it’s not because people will suddenly start listening to him and he can turn this around at this late date. It’s because he is MIA at a time when he could at least offer comfort and, as a matter of principle and integrity maaaaybe beg people to wear masks and stay home. Crickets. Sorry world.
JMO MOO

I think the world looked to the US to do the right thing to protect their own public health and help their own people, not so much for guidance for ourselves ... as we are much different cultures and don't have the same value on some things. Speaking of first world western nations, anyway. (There is a large disparity between some of our values, even though we are friends.)

I think we also expected the US to join in with trying to covid-vaccinate the whole world. Not to bash WHO.

I strongly suspect this will all change early next year.

 

[I'm Just Here]

What and the world is a Covid breathalyzer test, just mentioned on news?

 

[margarita25]

If people choose not to spend holidays with relatives they will find it is less stressful than spending times with relatives. Go ahead and try it. It's great!

Lol, comedians have been having a hay day with this premise...

 

[Lilibet]

I think the world looked to the US to do the right thing to protect their own public health and help their own people, not so much for guidance for ourselves ... as we are much different cultures and don't have the same value on some things. Speaking of first world western nations, anyway. (There is a large disparity between some of our values, even though we are friends.)

I think we also expected the US to join in with trying to covid-vaccinate the whole world. Not to bash WHO.

I strongly suspect this will all change early next year.

Maybe I didn’t express it well. I was speaking of the U.S. position in the world in general historically (regarding guidance, comfort, trying to do the right thing...I should have said “for those who need it and want it”), and how it changed to horror and pity with Covid. We could have set an example for those countries that needed it. Instead, we dropped the ball completely, horrifying the world. I was trying to make the point that I don’t think the failure of other less powerful countries like Sweden with their Covid response, etc is in any way comparable to the failure of the U.S., as if those country’s failures should comfort us in the U.S., as someone posted. Much has historically been expected of the U.S. in terms of leadership as the most powerful western country in the world. We flunked Covid.
JMO MOO

 

[acutename]

What and the world is a Covid breathalyzer test, just mentioned on news?

just what it sounds like....but I believe it is a new thing still in beta

 

[SouthAussie]

John Barsa, the acting head of the US Agency for International Development, has tested positive for coronavirus, CNN has learned.

Barsa, a Trump political appointee, has been regularly going to the office and holding meetings, including with officials from the White House, without a mask, a source familiar with the situation told CNN.
The source also said the Biden transition team has been informed about Barsa's diagnosis, and that Barsa had not met with them.

Barsa's diagnosis joins a list of coronavirus cases within the Trump administration and President Donald Trump's circle in recent weeks as the pandemic continues to surge nationwide.

Acting head of USAID tests positive for Covid-19 - CNNPolitics

 

[margarita25]

What and the world is a Covid breathalyzer test, just mentioned on news?

just what it sounds like....but I believe it is a new thing still in beta

This actually isn’t a new thing, a few examples from previous articles/posts

Recent:

Texas A&M developing new breathalyzer COVID-19 test
Nov. 20

Texas A&M System, Worlds Inc. Collaborate On COVID-19 Breathalyzer
Nov. 19
—

Singapore startup develops 60-second COVID-19 breathalyzer test
Nov. 4
—

Promising research points to noninvasive breath test to find COVID-19 within a minute
Nov. 1

“Researchers based at Loughborough University in Leicester, U.K...”
—

Covid: New breath test could detect virus in seconds
Nov. 1

“Research shows breath analysis developed in Wales may be able to distinguish Covid-19 from other chest infections almost immediately.

Results published by the Lancet follow trials in Scotland and Germany.”
—

Singapore firm invents ultra-fast coronavirus breathalyser test
Oct. 29
—

Covid-19 Breath Analyzer Being Tested At The University Of Miami
Oct. 29
—

Ireland / Breath test detects COVID 19 infection
Oct. 29
—

Japan:

Japanese research team develops COVID-19 breath testing system
Oct. 17

Breath test able to safely detect COVID-19, other signs of ill-health : The Asahi Shimbun
Oct. 17
—

India/Israel: 30-Second COVID-19 Breathalyzer Test Could Be a Game-Changer
Oct. 13
—

Personalised COVID-19 breath test prototype developed
Sept. 24

“Integumen recognised that in collaboration with Modern Water, Avacta and Aptamer Group...”
—

Israel:

New breath test sniffs out Covid-19 in 30 seconds - ISRAEL21c
Aug. 24

Novel COVID-19 Breathalyzer Has Potential as Screening Tool
Aug. 21

“A team led by F.M.W Academic Chair Professor Hossam Haick and Dr. Yoav Broza of the Technion Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, in collaboration with researchers from Wuhan, China...”
—

France:

French hospital develops breath test for COVID-19
Aug. 3

A breathalyzer for coronavirus gives instant results, but don't expect a widespread rollout
July 23
—

Finland / video

New COVID-19 test similar to breathalyzer shows promise
July 16
—

In South Africa, COVID-19 Breath Test Trial Set for June
June 15
—

Breath of Hope: COVID-19 breathalyzer testing in development | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
June 12
—

Ohio State researchers testing breathalyzer to detect COVID-19
June 5
—

Team to develop Breathalyzer-like diagnostic test for COVID-19
May 21

“A research team led by Pirouz Kavehpour, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering...”
—

BGU researcher develops one-minute COVID-19 breath test
May 15
—

 

[SouthAussie]

The United States recorded its 13 millionth case on Black Friday, and over 264,000 deaths.

Los Angeles County announced a new stay-home order Friday as coronavirus cases surge out of control in the nation’s most populous county. The three-week order takes effect Monday.

Congresswomen-elect Boebert is calling her Thanksgiving a 'turkey funeral' and hosting over 30 people. In most areas of the state, personal gatherings are restricted to 10 people, but funerals have less stringent rules.

A Toronto barbecue restauranteur has been charged with trespassing, obstruction and violating COVID-19 guidelines after allegedly breaking into his own restaurant to serve food to his supporters. Skelly and a large crew of supporters allegedly smashed drywall and broke locks set by the city.

The United Kingdom's chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, cautioned families over the holidays not to hug their elderly relatives "if you want them to survive to be hugged again" beyond the holidays.

Clearing snow from roads and sidewalks is never a cakewalk in Vermont. This winter, the COVID-19 pandemic has delivered to plow crews — and the general public — more uncertainty. What do you do when your snow plough driver is quarantined?

Oregon officials have fined Courthouse Club Fitness $90,000 for defying Gov. Kate Brown's COVID-19 order and remaining open throughout the state's two-week "freeze."

COVID news: LA stay-at-home order; AstraZeneca trial; US deaths, cases

 

[Rose in SC]

America braces for Black Friday: Retailers pin their hopes on shopping bonanza | Daily Mail Online

The article is about people shopping on Black Friday-
I must be naive because I thought people would not be out shopping in droves this year, ya know, during a PANDEMIC--- These must be the same people who traveled by airplane to get to granny's house----bringing, cheer, sickness and death. The surge from all these joyous occasions is going to be overwhelming.

My step-daughter said to us yesterday ( while we Zoomed) that people have to get back to living normal life, and you know, if old people have to stay home, oh well.----

BBM - I have a 31 year old co-worker who feels this exact same way. Thing is, he's only 31 and already on high blood pressure medicine. Comes from a family with bad genes, lots of heart issues, strokes, etc. Thinks me and the other 'old lady' in the office are paranoid when we wear our masks at work. He's a good guy, and I certainly don't want him to get sick, but he takes no precautions at all unless he has to (Walmart, etc) and then does so begrudgingly.

 

[Rose in SC]

The United States recorded its 13 millionth case on Black Friday, and over 264,000 deaths.

That is indeed a Black Friday.

 

[acutename]

Colorado Springs Mayor takes “sobering” tour of Memorial Hospital

“COLORADO SPRINGS — As COVID-19 patients continue to surge into the city’s hospital beds, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers toured the hospital and took part in its daily briefing in order to understand the problems health care providers are facing.

“It’s so sad to see people isolated, on ventilators, and, in many cases, in their last days with virtually no communication with their families. It is a very, very sobering sight,” Mayor Suthers said in a press conference after his tour.”

—

Thanksgiving celebrations could double U.S. COVID-19 death rate to 4,000 a day, professor predicts

“Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor of medicine at George Washington University, has predicted that the daily death rate connected to new COVID-19 infections will double in the next 10 days, bringing the national rate to over 4,000 deaths a day.

"It takes about five to seven days to become symptomatic," Reiner told CNN on Wednesday. "Usually, it takes about another week to be sick enough to be hospitalized so that's two weeks at least, and then it takes usually another week for folks to succumb to the illness."

Over the last month, the number of daily COVID-19 deaths has trended upwards. On November 25, 2,313 deaths were reported, the highest daily toll in five months and the second-highest daily toll in six months.“
—

Illinois surpasses 12,000 COVID-19 deaths and 700,000 cases
—

ICU Doctor Simulates the 'Last Moments' COVID-19 Patients See Before Death as Plea to Take Virus Seriously
"This is not fear-mongering. This is real," Dr. Kenneth Remy, a physician for Washington University-BJC Health System in St. Louis, tells PEOPLE

“"This is what it looks like when you breathe 40 times a minute, have an oxygen level that's dipping well below 80. This is what it's going to look like," Dr. Kenneth Remy, a pediatric and adult critical care physician for the Washington University-BJC Health System in St. Louis, says in the clip — which has been viewed over 121,000 times since it was uploaded on Twitter last week.

"I hope that the last moments of your life don't look like this," he continues, holding up a laryngoscope and endotracheal tube used for intubation. "Because this is what you'll see at the end of your life if we don't start wearing masks when we're out in public."

Remy, 43, tells PEOPLE on Thursday that he created the video after seeing a "pretty high mortality in people dying" of COVID-19 in the intensive care unit.“

[...]

“The doctor says he's concerned another spike will sicken healthcare workers and put a strain on his already "fatigued" colleagues.

"This disease is quite rampant and surging. I fear that it will surge even more," he says. "Our hospitals are going to get more full than they currently are right now."“

[...]

“Remy is also afraid of contracting the novel virus at work and bringing it home to his wife Allison and their four children...”

[...]

“"The truth is every time I intubate or perform CPR on a person with COVID, I'm a little nervous of getting the disease," he says. "I can't tell you enough how that fear is real for me and all of my colleagues. It seems odd, but the thought of potentially transmitting the disease inadvertently to those that I love the most in this world [while] doing the job that I have wanted to do since I was five years old is frankly terrifying."“

—

Hospital workers called exhausted as U.S. records highest number of COVID deaths since May
Parts of Europe are reporting declining cases and Sicily has asked Cuba to send doctors and nurses

“The U.S. recorded the highest number of deaths from the coronavirus illness COVID-19 since May on Tuesday, and continues to average close to 200,000 new cases a day, with hospitals across the nation reporting exhausted health-care workers and steadily filling intensive-care units.

The U.S. added 176,439 new cases on Tuesday, according to a New York Times tracker, and at least 2,203 patients died, the most since early May, and close to the record of 2,603 fatalities recorded on April 15. Nine states — Ohio, Washington, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Oregon, Maine, Alaska and North Dakota — had record fatalities, according to a Washington Post analysis. The U.S. has averaged 175,270 cases a day for the past week.

BBM:
The U.S. continues to lead the world by case numbers at 12.6 million and fatalities at 260,591, according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins University. By comparison, the regular flu season has caused between 12,000 and 61,000 deaths annually since 2010, according to CDC data.“

didn't anyone pay attention to NYC during Mar/Apr? Or is this virus more inexorable than people want to accept?

 

[ColyH]

I think we worry too much about what the world thinks of us. Do what we have to do and help out other countries who need it but stop acting like the judge, jury, and executioner over every international incident that comes up.

 

[10ofRods]

didn't anyone pay attention to NYC during Mar/Apr? Or is this virus more inexorable than people want to accept?

They really didn't pay attention. Only older folks watch national news. Most of the nation doesn't live in NYC or in NY. They seriously, seriously don't know what happened...out here. If they do get wind of it, they are told it's a hoax OR they simple can't imagine it and go on with their lives.

"It's just a flu," is another common option. And really, for most of the younger people (who are the asymptomatic carriers in larger numbers), it truly is just like a real bad flu...which sort of lingers, more like mono. Which they have usually not heard of.

None of them has had measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox or even strep throat. Many of them can't remember ever having the flu. (Flu shot compliance gets higher ever year - 70& of my students this year had it).

Death rates for the 40-50 year olds who get it are about 1 in 200.

For 51-65 year olds it's 1 in 100 or slightly less.

For 66-75 year olds it's either 2% or 3% depending on the study.

75-90 is about 5% dead. Over 90%, it's 6-20% depending on study.

It's always hard to draw any kind of "true" conclusion from this type of data, since so far, it's been mostly symptomatic, worried people (mostly older) who have gone into ER's and been tested. But we also have increasing large numbers of positives coming from workplace requirements to test. The people who are dying (throughout those groups) tend to be obese or overweight, diabetic or prediabetic, have high bloodpressure and the likelihood is that they have 2 or more of those.

But some people through all groups have no known pre-existing conditions (we don't know how many, yet) or silent conditions (many different ones).

Meanwhile, antibody studies show that way more people have had it than we have positive tests for...they often say they never knew they had it or can only recall sniffles.

Numbers above are approximate. Overall death rate in the US is 3% right now. To me, that's really high (what, 1 in 33/34 people who get it?)

And as for people who are dying unexpectedly of heart attacks and strokes, at ages younger than models would predict. I'm mourning the death of Dr. Mary Fowkes (I did not know her personally, but admired her work so much). She worked with (dead) COVID patients and their body fluids every day. She made major discoveries about COVID and she died at 66, at home alone. She was not known to have had prior heart problems. She was the first, AFAIK, to view micro bloodclots due to COVID in human lungs, brains and hearts. She predicted that strokes, heart attacks and lung damage might occur even in the asymptomatic.

 

[Cool Cats]

The hypocrisy is epic. No wonder this country is such a disaster. The leaders are not even providing leadership. And where is Pence? Wasn't he supposed to be in charge of the Covid response? Has he just bailed?

Vice President Mike Pence Surprises Troops in Iraq for Thanksgiving - Trip was kept secret

At an early Thanksgiving luncheon, the vice president and his wife served the troops traditional fare and thanked them for their service.


Twitter
Mike Pence
@Mike_Pence
·Nov 26

On this Thanksgiving Day, we’re thankful for our Family, Friends & the Doctors, Nurses, First Responders & Men & Women of our Armed Forces that we’ve met along the way. God Bless our Healthcare Workers & our Military, especially those deployed overseas Defending Our Freedom!

Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, made a Saturday morning surprise visit to troops based in Iraq.

To keep the trip a secret, the Pences flew in a C-17 military cargo jet and landed in Erbil for a meeting with Iraqi Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani, according to Fox News.


Twitter
Vice President Mike Pence
@VP

Happy Thanksgiving from Iraq. @SecondLady and I are so honored to be with our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines here in Iraq! We are so proud of you and thankful for you all!

 

[acutename]

Denver mayor traveled for Thanksgiving despite COVID-19 and Twitter was not happy about it

Scratching head.....
He flew into Houston, geez like IAH isn’t one of the busiest airports anyway.

Denver mayor apologises after flying for Thanksgiving against his own advice

as I read about this, he said he was not going to a big gathering, but he traveled to be with his wife and daughter....is there a reason why they were not in Denver? Are the separated?

I read all these stories and on some level, I just do not get it- one of the first big spreads of the virus came when China was having Chinese New Years- or they were about to- and people were traveling. Why does anyone think that Thanksgiving travel is different than Chinese New Year's travel? And the hospitals filing up and stressing and sickening the medical personnel- that happened in Wuhan and in NYC.... are humans just doomed to do these same things and have the same result?

 

[Rose in SC]

Someone talking sense in South Carolina. Hope it's not too late!

Health experts fear spike in COVID-19 cases following Thanksgiving, warn of 2nd wave in SC
"With many families hosting a Thanksgiving meal in the Midlands or traveling to be with family for the Thanksgiving holiday, health experts are warning that South Carolina might see another spike in the coming weeks.

University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health Chair of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Dr. Anthony Alberg said South Carolina is most likely just entering the second wave of the virus, and he’s concerned what the outbreak might look like in the state over the next few weeks in the wake of people traveling and spending time with family for Thanksgiving in the next few months as the winter progresses.

The number of cases, hospitalization rate, and the percent positive are all things health experts use to track the COVID-19 outbreak, and Alberg said all of those numbers here in South Carolina are headed in the wrong direction.

“We are on an upward trend and the worst is very likely yet to come for us here in South Carolina, worse than we saw in July,” Alberg said.

This warning comes as DHEC has reported South Carolina having over 1,000 COVID-19 cases every day this past week, with over 1,500 cases three of the days. They report the percent positive as of Thursday at 12.3% and that 884 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19.

“This is a measure of disease transmission in the community, and everything is pointing in the same direction,” Alberg said. “These are not artifacts. These are very real numbers showing a concerning trend.”

Today's reported numbers (no report on Thanksgiving):
199,538 confirmed positive cases (+1,777)
4,043 confirmed deaths (+28)
Percent Positive - 12.3%

SC Testing Data & Projections (COVID-19) | SCDHEC