Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #95

[SouthAussie]

“This is about our responsibility, our humanitarian obligation, to save as many lives as we can"

(Joe Biden's words - after arriving in the UK - ahead of the G7 summit on Friday.)

“The United States is providing these half billion doses with no strings attached,” Mr. Biden said. “We’re doing this to save lives, to end this pandemic. That’s it. Period.”

“We have to end Covid-19, not just at home, which we’re doing, but everywhere”
“There’s no wall high enough to keep us safe from this pandemic or the next biological threat we face, and there will be others. It requires coordinated multilateral action.”

The first 200 million doses will be distributed by the end of this year, followed by 300 million by next June, Mr. Biden and Pfizer said. The doses will be distributed through Covax ...

On Eve of G7 Summit, Biden Touts United Front on Global Issues

 

[LadyL]

It's fun to look back now...

Our pandemic stocking-up was mainly done by my husband and son. They bought the normal "scarcity" items, like toilet paper and paper towel--we still have a surplus of paper towel in the attic.

But, they bought a lot of odd things, too. They both shop at Sams, so they purchased in bulk--boxes and boxes of sweetened cereals (ick), cases of dry pasta, and then they bought a bunch of industrial-size cans of vegetables and nacho sauce. Those huge cans are still in the pantry. I guess I need to have a party when it's safe, so I can use all those big cans.

oh wow lol @ industrial size cans of nacho sauce
those are some serious nacho eaters right there

 

[LadyL]

I went through our surplus canned and dry goods that we stocked up on during the height of the pandemic recently to check expiration dates and noticed that this fall there are quite a few expirations. I know that we can't use the items by then, so donating them now to a food pantry is one way to make sure they get used in time, and by people who could use the items. Just an idea. We have a student food pantry on our campus that gets used all summer, and also there is a church food pantry that is open daily nearby, so there are lots of options. Recent studies show that university students who have regular access to a food pantry on their campuses are more likely to be retained and continue to move forward in their studies.

we've started checking expiry dates too and trying to use up those items
like all the dry beans and legumes that my husband thought I wouldn't mind soaking and preparing rather than just using the canned version lol

 

[LadyL]

While I don't think we imprison for violations here, I have noticed just lately (since the ongoing Melbourne outbreak) that every place I go into is asking if I have checked in using their QR code.

I think they all must have received some kind of alert that they will be fined if they are not checking that their customers have checked in. I know that fines are on the table if a location is not enforcing QR code check-in, but I haven't seen them be so strict about this before.

(The QR code checking in process - where you scan the location's QR code with an app on your phone - allows good contact tracing if an outbreak occurs. It takes about 3 seconds to do it, but I have seen lazy people not doing it.
If you don't have the app on your phone, you must sign in on a provided sign-in sheet.)

wow yeah we don't have that here (Canada) at all

 

[SouthAussie]

wow yeah we don't have that here (Canada) at all

Yeah ... but Canada has a fabulous vaccination rate. I was looking at a world map a bit earlier. Canada has the highest vaccination rate of anywhere (one dose, % of population).
Kudos to Canada. A really great accomplishment.



Interactive: Track the COVID-19 vaccine rollout

 

[Teche]

we've started checking expiry dates too and trying to use up those items
like all the dry beans and legumes that my husband thought I wouldn't mind soaking and preparing rather than just using the canned version lol

Oh, dried beans are the best. The only canned beans I use are for chili. In south Louisiana, we mostly use Camilla Brand, a New Orleans company. Check out the website for easy recipes. Cooked bean dishes freeze well.

 

[Lilibet]

Awesome that you could attend a zoom wedding and thank you for sharing the experience with us!!!!

I’m so you enjoyed it. But wait…there’s more!

Sort of OT, but pandemic related—-This is actually the second Zoom wedding we’ve attended, and both have been international. The daughter of friends has been teaching in Thailand for a couple of years and her new husband is Thai. The April wedding was in Thailand, and for health and financial reasons her parents, siblings and grandparents could only attend on Zoom. It was also an international guest list. After the wedding, the bride and groom scheduled breakout rooms for family and friends in the U.S. and in Thailand…sort of the Zoom version of a receiving line! They even had their reception on Zoom with entertainment. Her best friend here in the U.S. serenaded them…very sweet. Zoom made it possible for so many more to attend than could have otherwise, even if they had married in the U.S.

Sadly, we attended the Zoom funeral last month of a dear friend who lived hundreds of miles away. We never could have gone otherwise and we would have felt terrible not to be there. They were a well-traveled couple, so again it was an international group attending. Afterward, we were in a breakout room with old friends who have moved away, so it was a reunion of sorts that eased our pain. I know our friend would have loved it.

For us, Zoom is probably the best thing the pandemic has brought to us. I love it! Traveling is next to impossible for me due to physical limitations, so it’s enabled me to do things I never could have done otherwise. Fifteen months ago I’d never heard of zoom, but tomorrow I’m Zooming to a class originating in the next state!

 

[ilovewings]

Undervaccinated red states are nowhere near herd immunity as dangerous Delta variant spreads

Delta variant is spreading and dangerous-- the article indicates that those who are fully vaccinated are pretty well protected, but unvaccinated people and people who have only one shot are much less protected. Those who are not vaccinated are putting all of us at risk and it makes me very angry. What also makes me angry is how evil this damn virus is as it continues to mutate into a much more dangerous version of its original self. I also want to say I have no sympathy for those unvaccinated people who may contract this nasty variant.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Two Royal Caribbean cruise passengers test positive for Covid-19 (nbcnews.com)

The guests on the cruise operator's Celebrity Millennium ship were "asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team," officials said.

Two passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship tested positive for Covid-19, officials said Thursday.

Celebrity Millennium, which is part of Celebrity Cruises owned by the Royal Caribbean Group, was the first cruise ship to sail out of North America since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020, Celebrity Cruises said in a news release.

"Today two guests sharing a stateroom onboard Celebrity Millennium tested positive for Covid-19 while conducting the required end of cruise testing," the cruise line company said. "The individuals are asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team."...

 

[ilovewings]

Two Royal Caribbean cruise passengers test positive for Covid-19 (nbcnews.com)

The guests on the cruise operator's Celebrity Millennium ship were "asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team," officials said.

Two passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship tested positive for Covid-19, officials said Thursday.

Celebrity Millennium, which is part of Celebrity Cruises owned by the Royal Caribbean Group, was the first cruise ship to sail out of North America since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020, Celebrity Cruises said in a news release.

"Today two guests sharing a stateroom onboard Celebrity Millennium tested positive for Covid-19 while conducting the required end of cruise testing," the cruise line company said. "The individuals are asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team."...

The article states the passengers and crew are all supposed to be vaccinated and tested but as we know the vaccines do not 100% protect us from the virus. I think it is premature to even consider going on a cruise at this time.

 

[Skigh]

Coronavirus: UK announces 8,126 Covid cases in biggest spike since February | Daily Mail Online

 

[margarita25]

Earlier @SouthAussie mentioned that seeing a world perspective of the pandemic is beneficial. Although I’m sure those of us here on this thread reject willful ignorance and have a broad perspective about what’s going on in other countries, I had the opportunity today to learn some details about a couple of places.

This afternoon I attended a Zoom wedding that took place here on the west coast. The bride is local. The groom and his family are from Hong Kong. The groom has been here since November and the newlyweds will live in Hong Kong. His parents and brother (fully vaccinated) arrived last week and formed a bubble with the bride’s family (also fully vaccinated) who took them sightseeing in our beautiful area. After a west coast road trip, they will return to Hong Kong in a week or so. We’ve known the bride since she was a tiny girl, so while we’re happy for her we will certainly miss her.

I chatted with a family friend of the groom in a break-out room before the ceremony and learned that when they return to Hong Kong, they will have to stay in a designated quarantine hotel for 14 days and then, because they are vaccinated, they can self-monitor for the remaining 7 days at home. Otherwise, they would be 21 days at the hotel. He told me that the government in Hong Kong is very strict about masks and social distancing. Violations result in heavy fines and even imprisonment for social distancing violations!

The groom’s sister and her husband live in Europe and told me they could not attend because travel to the U.S. from most of Europe and other countries is barred. Thank goodness for Zoom! Friends from all over the U.S. and the world were able to share in this happy event…and learn a little bit about each other.

COVID-19 Information | U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau

COVID-19 and Your Health

Thank you for sharing this, Princess Lilibet! I like the idea of a zoom wedding, but you know what’s even better? A zoom marriage!

For you my dear:

Princess Diana would have loved Lilibet Diana's name

 

[SouthAussie]

Two Royal Caribbean cruise passengers test positive for Covid-19 (nbcnews.com)

The guests on the cruise operator's Celebrity Millennium ship were "asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team," officials said.

Two passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship tested positive for Covid-19, officials said Thursday.

Celebrity Millennium, which is part of Celebrity Cruises owned by the Royal Caribbean Group, was the first cruise ship to sail out of North America since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020, Celebrity Cruises said in a news release.

"Today two guests sharing a stateroom onboard Celebrity Millennium tested positive for Covid-19 while conducting the required end of cruise testing," the cruise line company said. "The individuals are asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team."...

Tested at the end of the cruise. And asymptomatic. Oh boy. There's a potential virus outbreak right there.

How long have they been carrying the virus, and how many unmasked people have they been sharing air with in confined spaces?

To me (and especially considering cruiselines history of spreading this virus) cruises are a very dangerous thing at this point in time.

 

[ilovewings]

Tested at the end of the cruise. And asymptomatic. Oh boy. There's a potential virus outbreak right there.

How long have they been carrying the virus, and how many unmasked people have they been sharing air with in confined spaces?

To me (and especially considering cruiselines history of spreading this virus) cruises are a very dangerous thing at this point in time.

Going on a cruise ship is not a very smart thing to do at this time--'
There is too much virus still circulating

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

It’s no surprise people are hesitant to take the vaccine. I wonder how many sub-standard vaccines get through quality control.

U.S. FDA asks J&J to discard millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration on Friday said Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) must throw away millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine that were manufactured at a problem-plagued Baltimore factory but also cleared millions for use.

Two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that the agency had cleared about 10 million doses. The New York Times said that the batches being discarded amount to around 60 million doses, citing people familiar with the matter.

 

[GRT]

Tested at the end of the cruise. And asymptomatic. Oh boy. There's a potential virus outbreak right there.

How long have they been carrying the virus, and how many unmasked people have they been sharing air with in confined spaces?

To me (and especially considering cruiselines history of spreading this virus) cruises are a very dangerous thing at this point in time.

I wonder if a little defrauding may be going on. The cruise line made the passengers show a negative covid test plus proof of full vaccination 72 hours before they set sail.

Yet, at least two came back infected.

The only reason I wonder about fraud is because I make diplomas for home school seniors. When I delivered the pack about 3 weeks ago, one of the dad's asked me if I would consider making vaccination cards. I declined, but if he's thinking along those lines, who else is?

They'd be incredible easy to duplicate and the cruise line would probably have no way of verifying the information.

I have to wonder how many out there are doing that?

 

[SouthAussie]

I wonder if a little defrauding may be going on. The cruise line made the passengers show a negative covid test plus proof of full vaccination 72 hours before they set sail.

Yet, at least two came back infected.

The only reason I wonder about fraud is because I make diplomas for home school seniors. When I delivered the pack about 3 weeks ago, one of the dad's asked me if I would consider making vaccination cards. I declined, but if he's thinking along those lines, who else is?

They'd be incredible easy to duplicate and the cruise line would probably have no way of verifying the information.

I have to wonder how many out there are doing that?

Yes. It has been happening for a while.
An online record on a govt site or a digital passport are likely the best ways to overcome this growing issue. imo


More than 1,200 vendors operating in the UK and worldwide, offering false documents for as little as £25
Fake Covid vaccine and test certificate market is growing, researchers say

Travelers desperate to cross borders are buying fake coronavirus test results or falsifying their own in an attempt to bypass regulations.
Travelers Are Buying Fake COVID-19 Test Results on the Black Market

A Nevada man is charged in the theft of more than 500 blank vaccine cards in Los Angeles.

 

[LadyL]

Yeah ... but Canada has a fabulous vaccination rate. I was looking at a world map a bit earlier. Canada has the highest vaccination rate of anywhere (one dose, % of population).
Kudos to Canada. A really great accomplishment.

View attachment 300253

Interactive: Track the COVID-19 vaccine rollout

super glad to read that
I never would've guessed based on my local experiences

 

[JDG]

super glad to read that
I never would've guessed based on my local experiences

One dose only gives you about 30% protection though and Canadas' 'fully vaccinated' rate is very low compared to the US and the UK.

It's like the Hunger Games in my area.

 

[tabitha111]

I was at a party this evening. All guests were fully vaccinated but one. Lady who is 80, yet very spry and engaging. She has had TB when she was young and is on breathing treatments every day....it's mind boggling that she did not nor wants to be vaccinated! Reason being that she is afraid of the vaccine. So Covid doesn't scare her?