wuhan - coronavirus

[Arcadia]

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/live-blog/coronavirus-updates-global-cases-approach-200-000-lockdown-becomes-new-n1162561/ncrd1163321#liveBlogHeader

“At least 10 more people who had tested positive for coronavirus in and around Seattle have died, bringing that local death toll to 56,  authorities said Wednesday.

Seattle & King County Public Health also reported 44 new cases on Wednesday, spiking the area's total count to 562.

Meanwhile in nearby Pierce County, that jurisdiction reported its first coronavirus death, a woman from Puyallup in her 50s, the county health department said.

3h ago / 1:37 PM PDT”

[Arcadia]

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3075717/chinese-social-media-shocked-huge-concerts-go-ahead-uk-amid
“Chinese social media users have been left stunned after seeing images of large-scale concerts held by Welsh band the Stereophonics that went ahead in the UK despite the country’s escalating coronavirus crisis.

Although concerts have been cancelled throughout China and the rest of Asia for months, and large festivals such as Coachella and South by Southwest called off in the United States, the Stereophonics performed in Manchester last Friday, and in Cardiff last Saturday and Sunday, packing tens of thousands of people into the shows.

Internet users in China expressed shock when a clip from one of the Cardiff shows was posted to Weibo, leaving comments such as “I have no words, I wish them well”, “The UK is going to catch up to Italy in no time” and “Don’t ask for China’s help when things start to get bad. You got yourself into this mess.”

Even many fans of the band were surprised that the shows went ahead as Britain’s confirmed coronavirus cases were approaching 2,000 and 60 people had died in the country.”

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e2.htm?s_cid=mm6912e2_w#T1_down
 

table with current US Data on hospitalisation, ICU and death by age.  

[Garga]

So, if I have to go to the hospital because I get Covid19, I probably won’t be able to breathe and will be leaving the house very quickly. 

Once there, a lot of hospitals are not allowing people to have visitors, obviously.

So, if I were to pack a bag now to grab and go, what should be in it?  I’ve never been in the hospital except to deliver babies.  What should I take if I’m there alone, sick, and can’t have a visitor to bring me things?

I get cold so easily, so maybe a robe? A charger for a phone or ipad?  Something to read if I’m anywhere near up to it?  Some sort of food item? 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Garga

[DoraBora]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-millennials/u-s-worried-coronavirus-could-hit-young-adults-white-house-official-idUSKBN21531S
 

I didn't think that younger people wouldn't get it or that some wouldn't become seriously ill (unfortunately).  I did understand that the death rate among young people (in their twenties and thirties) was very low.  Is there evidence to the contrary?

[mlktwins]

3 minutes ago, Garga said:

So, if I have to go to the hospital because I get Covid19, I probably won’t be able to breathe and will be leaving the house very quickly. 

Once there, a lot of hospitals are not allowing people to have visitors, obviously.

So, if I were to pack a bag now to grab and go, what should be in it?  I’ve never been in the hospital except to deliver babies.  What should I take if I’m there alone, sick, and can’t have a visitor to bring me things?

I get cold so easily, so maybe a robe? A charger for a phone or ipad?  Something to read if I’m anywhere near up to it?  Some sort of food item? 

Wow!  I hadn't thought of this 😪!  Good question though.  I would pack very quickly for my DH or my boys, but they would be lost for me.  I think if we are going to the hospital though, we might not be in any shape to be doing much on our phones or read a book.  I don't know 😞!

[prairiewindmomma]

10 minutes ago, Garga said:

So, if I have to go to the hospital because I get Covid19, I probably won’t be able to breathe and will be leaving the house very quickly. 

Once there, a lot of hospitals are not allowing people to have visitors, obviously.

So, if I were to pack a bag now to grab and go, what should be in it?  I’ve never been in the hospital except to deliver babies.  What should I take if I’m there alone, sick, and can’t have a visitor to bring me things?

I get cold so easily, so maybe a robe? A charger for a phone or ipad?  Something to read if i”m anywhere near up to it?  Some sort of food item? 

We kept a hospital bag in the doorway for about a decade.  My advice:

1. Definitely pack food, and a refillable water bottle. Odds are the vending machines will be broken or empty, and you will be in a wait for several hours.  When you're at peak demand, everything runs off kilter.  I usually packed a meal + heavy snacks for a week.....Clif Bars, a bag of fresh fruit, pretzels, whatever.

2. Bring toiletries--whatever you need for your comfort for a week or so.  I keep a series of travel sized items, and baby wipes for personal hygiene.  If you end up on supplemental oxygen, I find hard candies to be helpful for keeping my mouth moist and smelling decent. Don't go into this assuming you will have a private room and any real access to showering, etc. During H1N1, my newborn and to be hospitalized. There were three of us mothers + babies in a tiny room.  They literally had no room for a crib for my daughter so she slept in her carseat. They hung an iv pole behind that.  

3. Forget a robe. Bring a cardigan sweater. Pack yoga pants (black) and a dark t-shirt. Pack a spare bra, and 4-5 pairs of panties. You also want a couple of pairs of spare socks.

4. Bring a spare charger, spare battery, etc. for your electronic devices.

5. Write out your medical history, including current medicine and diagnosis list.  If you are in bad shape and cannot breathe, hand it over.  Lack of oxygen makes it hard to grasp details--your brain gets fuzzy.

 

ETA: Take off all valuable jewelry. Empty your wallet of everything except DL, insurance cards, a credit card you can easily cancel and some cash.  Consider a waist pack. Act as if you're going to get robbed.  People get desperate. 

ETAx2: Based on my experiences of sleeping at a hospital with kids for about 2 years total of my life, I would also pack a decent neck pillow.  There is no guarantee there will be a pull-out chair for you to sleep in.  You will probably be able to find a folding chair.  If you are going with children, definitely bring high comfort things for them to do.  Most of mine still prefer to dive into a book....but when we were taking my kids <5, we did well taking mini-dolls like Polly Pocket, Star Wars figurines, color wonder coloring books, etc.  Bring stuff you can either dip in bleach water or throw away. This is not the time to bring your favorite stuffy. 

Edited March 19, 2020 by prairiewindmomma

[Ausmumof3]

2 minutes ago, DoraBora said:

I didn't think that younger people wouldn't get it or that some wouldn't become seriously ill (unfortunately).  I did understand that the death rate among young people (in their twenties and thirties) was very low.  Is there evidence to the contrary?

Maybe what’s coming out of France and Italy.  We only have data from China really.  I suspect the death rate may be low but the hospitalisation rate may be quite high 

[Arcadia]

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Coronavirus-live-updates-Bay-Area-California-cases-15100710.php
“Napa County issues shelter-in-place order, Solano order expected

4:15 p.m. Solano County plans to issue “shelter at home” order: County officials are expected to issue a “shelter at home” order, “which is different than shelter in place,” said Matthew Davis, a county spokesman. Details of the new order are expected to be released late Wednesday afternoon. The expected announcement will come just a day after the county’s health officer, Dr. Bela Matyas, said in a YouTube video that as long as residents practiced social distancing at work and at home, they can protect themselves from getting the new coronavirus. Solano is the only Bay Area county not to have issued a shelter-in-place order.

3:01 p.m. Napa County issues shelter-in-place order: County officials announced a shelter-in-place order from March 20 through April 7, joining seven other Bay Area counties to do so in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. The order, similar to the others, requires that people stay at home except for essential activities like grocery shopping, getting medical care or taking a walk for exercise. The full order is available here. Napa County has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, but community spread in neighboring counties warranted the decision, said Dr. Karen Relucio, public health officer. “It is essential to slow virus transmission as much as possible to protect the most vulnerable and to prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed,” she said. People can walk or jog outside if they maintain social distance. Sick people should self-isolate from their housemates, and law enforcement, first responders, and employees at essential businesses are exempt from the order while they are working. Essential businesses include grocery stores, farmers markets, health care operations, banks, newspapers, gas stations and auto repair shops, among others.”

[mlktwins]

First member of Congress with a positive result!

https://news.yahoo.com/miami-mario-diaz-balart-first-230247610.html

[Arcadia]

@Pen@Pawz4me@TCB@CuriousMomof3

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/cancer-heart-surgeries-delayed-as-coronavirus-alters-care/2257107/

“Some cancer surgeries are being delayed, many stent procedures for clogged arteries have been pushed back and infertility specialists were asked to postpone helping patients get pregnant. Doctors in virtually every field are scrambling to alter care as the new coronavirus spreads. 

Medical groups issued advice this week on how hospitals and doctors should adapt as beds and supplies are pinched and worries rise about exposing patients to possible infection. That includes canceling elective surgeries, including many for slow-growing or early-stage cancers, which many people would consider not elective at all. 

Coronavirus Pandemic

Luciano Orsini's operation, set for April 1 at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, was pushed to April 29. He lost one kidney to cancer last year and was eager for this surgery to remove tumors on the sole kidney he has left.

"I don't want it to get any larger," Orsini said of his cancer, which his doctor says it's growing so slowly that he should be safe waiting. He understands but said: "The anxiety of just have this inside of you and not knowing and wanting to get it out" is hard.

Choices like this are happening across the United States, said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society.

"We are going to face ethical dilemmas, not just in cancer care but in medical care in general," he said. “We recognize that any delay is not good but we may not have a choice.”

The cancer society on Tuesday urged people to forgo mammograms, colonoscopies and other routine cancer screenings until the outbreak eases. 

On Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence called on hospitals to delay all elective procedures across the country to help ensure medical capacity is focused on stemming the spread of the coronavirus. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verma said her agency will soon issue guidance on elective procedures, including dental care. 

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, also addressed the issue, telling hospitals and dentists: "Things that don't need to be done over the next two weeks, don't get it done."

Medical care is being rescheduled for unplanned reasons, too: On Tuesday, Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston canceled all patient appointments after a staff member tested positive for the virus.

In Seattle, the U.S. city with the most virus cases, surgeon Dr. David Byrd of the University of Washington said many women with early-stage breast cancer that's fueled by estrogen — the most common form of the disease — could try hormone-blocking drugs and delay surgery for a month or two. One of his patients this week chose that because she was worried about the risks of virus infection if she went to a hospital for surgery now.

"This tumor probably took months to years to form. The likelihood of it spreading in the next few weeks is highly unlikely," Byrd said.

Many prostate and thyroid cancer operations also can wait, cancer doctors say. Other cases pose tougher decisions, Byrd and other doctors wrote in a paper published Wednesday by the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 

Cancer doctors "will face the heavy reality of rationing care," they wrote. "As the pandemic progresses, there will come a point when channeling a large amount of resources for an individual patient will be in direct conflict with the greater social good." 

At Fox Chase, it was a tough call to advise Orsini to delay his kidney cancer operation, said surgery chief Dr. Robert Uzzo. Hundreds of surgeries each week at his hospital are under scrutiny to see which can be put off.

"We want to balance the harm of delaying immediate cancer care against the harm of potential COVID infection or possible transmission to other people," Uzzo said. "What people hear about a lot are about ventilators, respirators, personal protective equipment" being in short supply, but there also are shortages of blood and other things needed for surgery, he added.

IV chemotherapy treatments also are being scrutinized to see if a delay seems safe. Some patients can be switched to an oral medicine, and sometimes home health care can administer IV drugs, but only certain cancer drugs are approved for that.

"It's not necessarily a simple solution," said Dr. Richard Schilsky, chief medical officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which has posted patient advice.

Family planning also has been disrupted. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine on Tuesday called for suspension of most infertility treatments, including in vitro or lab dish fertilization, retrieving eggs or sperm, and transferring embryos to a womb. Doctors should continue to treat patients in the midst of these procedures, but start no new ones until the virus outbreak eases, the group said.

... Heart groups have advised postponing elective stent procedures for people with stable chest pain caused by clogged arteries. That's virtually all outpatient cases at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, said the chief of these services, Dr. Ajay Kirtane. Emergency stent procedures for heart attacks are still happening.

Several heart groups warned patients this week against discontinuing certain medicines. Some ACE inhibitors, like captopril, enalapril and lisinopril, and ARB medications, like losartan and valsartan, that are widely used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetes have been linked in some reports to COVID-19, the disease the new virus causes.

"There is the suggestion that the receptors that interact with these drugs also are the receptors that the virus are attaching to," but that's not known for sure, said Dr. Mariell Jessup, the American Heart Association's chief scientific officer. Some reports suggest the drugs help and others suggest they don't, she said.

"The harm that could come with withdrawing these drugs ... is much greater than continuing the drugs and individualizing the care for each patient if they develop symptoms" of COVID-19, Jessup said.”

[Kassia]

42 minutes ago, Garga said:

So, if I have to go to the hospital because I get Covid19, I probably won’t be able to breathe and will be leaving the house very quickly. 

Once there, a lot of hospitals are not allowing people to have visitors, obviously.

So, if I were to pack a bag now to grab and go, what should be in it?  I’ve never been in the hospital except to deliver babies.  What should I take if I’m there alone, sick, and can’t have a visitor to bring me things?

I get cold so easily, so maybe a robe? A charger for a phone or ipad?  Something to read if I’m anywhere near up to it?  Some sort of food item? 

 

I've had a lot of last minute hospital stays in the past few years.

Most important to me:

Remove jewelry, make sure you have insurance card and ID.  

Cell phone with charger - long cord if possible.

Reading glasses.  

Underwear

Book

 

Nice to have

pen/paper

dry shampoo and hairbrush

chapstick

hand sanitizer

hand lotion

 

I never used a robe because I didn't want to bring hospital germs back with me (same with slippers - I used the socks they gave me).  I used an extra hospital gown as a robe.  So the first layer tied in the back,second gown tied in the front like a robe.  

I may be forgetting things since DH was just 10 minutes away and could bring stuff to me easily.

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Kassia

[mathnerd]

1 hour ago, bolt. said:

Has he already moved out / abandoned his apartment?

I honestly think he can wait there (while not paying) until his landlord goes through the whole long-form eviction process and calls the police to enforce it. That will take weeks and weeks -- if it happens at all during the crisis. When this is all over, he can arrange to pay back-rent, or they can sue him, or whatever. What matters now is safety. He doesn't have to leave a safe place for a dangerous one just because someone asks him politely and it seems like the right thing to do. He can stay safe, and do 'the right thing' financially later: when 'the right thing' is possible without endangering his safety.

He already moved out because his roommates whose financial contribution made the rent feasible moved out and he was unsure of food security and worried about falling ill with COVID because he was a store manager interacting with a ton of people in a county that is the epicenter of the virus. He keeps in touch with his friend group who will support him and is taking online IT certification courses hoping to find a better paying job and move out when this all blows over.

[Ausmumof3]

CGTN. “Beijing reopens SARS hospital to cope with imported #COVID19 cases”

[Ausmumof3]

In Aus - qantas are shutting down all international flights - 20,000 staff stood down.  
Tasmania are requiring 14 day quarantine for anyone travelling to the island from anywhere

still lots of debate over schools.  Some Private schools have decided to close.  The government isn’t happy.  I suspect it adds pressure to close gov schools because otherwise feels like one rule for the wealthy one rule for the rest kind of scenario.  In spite of the talk about closing schools being more dangerous I think it’s mostly an economic decision at this point.  I wonder if a better solution would be to allow anyone who wants their kids home to keep them home.  That way the number of kids in school will be reduced making social distancing easier than in crowded classrooms and still providing care for the families who really need it.  I can’t see that we won’t end up with school closures at some point anyway.  The QLD premier was saying if they close it might have to be for up to 6 months.

[pitterpatter]

I keep waiting for our American ingenuity to kick in. I mean, isn't that what we've long been known for as a country? Where are our clever heroes that are going to dig us out of this? A small South Korean lab saved them by coming up with a way to produce quicker, more reliable tests. Everyone in the company jumped in and did what needed to be done for the sake of the country.

2 hours ago, TCB said:

I remember reading in January that we had 30 million masks stockpiled and that we would need 300 million and it is with disbelief that I hear that they are still saying that! What the heck! Why did we not use those 2 months to do something about it?! I don't know if my hospital has many or even any. I know they are trying to buy some but where will there be any? We have some PAPR units and we have surgical masks. How can this happen over here with the so called 'fantastic' healthcare that we have? Before you say anything I know that the system is only fantastic for some so that was sarcastic but honestly how can this be happening to this extent in any developed country?

 

[TCB]

32 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

@Pen@Pawz4me@TCB@CuriousMomof3

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/cancer-heart-surgeries-delayed-as-coronavirus-alters-care/2257107/

“Some cancer surgeries are being delayed, many stent procedures for clogged arteries have been pushed back and infertility specialists were asked to postpone helping patients get pregnant. Doctors in virtually every field are scrambling to alter care as the new coronavirus spreads. 

Medical groups issued advice this week on how hospitals and doctors should adapt as beds and supplies are pinched and worries rise about exposing patients to possible infection. That includes canceling elective surgeries, including many for slow-growing or early-stage cancers, which many people would consider not elective at all. 

Coronavirus Pandemic

Luciano Orsini's operation, set for April 1 at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, was pushed to April 29. He lost one kidney to cancer last year and was eager for this surgery to remove tumors on the sole kidney he has left.

"I don't want it to get any larger," Orsini said of his cancer, which his doctor says it's growing so slowly that he should be safe waiting. He understands but said: "The anxiety of just have this inside of you and not knowing and wanting to get it out" is hard.

Choices like this are happening across the United States, said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society.

"We are going to face ethical dilemmas, not just in cancer care but in medical care in general," he said. “We recognize that any delay is not good but we may not have a choice.”

The cancer society on Tuesday urged people to forgo mammograms, colonoscopies and other routine cancer screenings until the outbreak eases. 

On Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence called on hospitals to delay all elective procedures across the country to help ensure medical capacity is focused on stemming the spread of the coronavirus. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verma said her agency will soon issue guidance on elective procedures, including dental care. 

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, also addressed the issue, telling hospitals and dentists: "Things that don't need to be done over the next two weeks, don't get it done."

Medical care is being rescheduled for unplanned reasons, too: On Tuesday, Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston canceled all patient appointments after a staff member tested positive for the virus.

In Seattle, the U.S. city with the most virus cases, surgeon Dr. David Byrd of the University of Washington said many women with early-stage breast cancer that's fueled by estrogen — the most common form of the disease — could try hormone-blocking drugs and delay surgery for a month or two. One of his patients this week chose that because she was worried about the risks of virus infection if she went to a hospital for surgery now.

"This tumor probably took months to years to form. The likelihood of it spreading in the next few weeks is highly unlikely," Byrd said.

Many prostate and thyroid cancer operations also can wait, cancer doctors say. Other cases pose tougher decisions, Byrd and other doctors wrote in a paper published Wednesday by the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 

Cancer doctors "will face the heavy reality of rationing care," they wrote. "As the pandemic progresses, there will come a point when channeling a large amount of resources for an individual patient will be in direct conflict with the greater social good." 

At Fox Chase, it was a tough call to advise Orsini to delay his kidney cancer operation, said surgery chief Dr. Robert Uzzo. Hundreds of surgeries each week at his hospital are under scrutiny to see which can be put off.

"We want to balance the harm of delaying immediate cancer care against the harm of potential COVID infection or possible transmission to other people," Uzzo said. "What people hear about a lot are about ventilators, respirators, personal protective equipment" being in short supply, but there also are shortages of blood and other things needed for surgery, he added.

IV chemotherapy treatments also are being scrutinized to see if a delay seems safe. Some patients can be switched to an oral medicine, and sometimes home health care can administer IV drugs, but only certain cancer drugs are approved for that.

"It's not necessarily a simple solution," said Dr. Richard Schilsky, chief medical officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which has posted patient advice.

Family planning also has been disrupted. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine on Tuesday called for suspension of most infertility treatments, including in vitro or lab dish fertilization, retrieving eggs or sperm, and transferring embryos to a womb. Doctors should continue to treat patients in the midst of these procedures, but start no new ones until the virus outbreak eases, the group said.

... Heart groups have advised postponing elective stent procedures for people with stable chest pain caused by clogged arteries. That's virtually all outpatient cases at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, said the chief of these services, Dr. Ajay Kirtane. Emergency stent procedures for heart attacks are still happening.

Several heart groups warned patients this week against discontinuing certain medicines. Some ACE inhibitors, like captopril, enalapril and lisinopril, and ARB medications, like losartan and valsartan, that are widely used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetes have been linked in some reports to COVID-19, the disease the new virus causes.

"There is the suggestion that the receptors that interact with these drugs also are the receptors that the virus are attaching to," but that's not known for sure, said Dr. Mariell Jessup, the American Heart Association's chief scientific officer. Some reports suggest the drugs help and others suggest they don't, she said.

"The harm that could come with withdrawing these drugs ... is much greater than continuing the drugs and individualizing the care for each patient if they develop symptoms" of COVID-19, Jessup said.”

It's really hard to come to terms with us being in this situation. Honestly I feel like I'm having a nightmare I can't wake up from. I'm really thankful for everyone that has been doing the research on this thread and helping us all be informed because I feel like I've had some time to adjust over the last month or so of knowing this might happen. I feel really sorry for those that were oblivious and are now having to come to terms with things so quickly.

[mommyoffive]

San Miguel county colorado is under shelter in place due in part to multiple children under 4 who are severely ill.
https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/03/18/coronavirus-in-colorado-san-miguel-county-ordered-to-shelter-in-place/

 

 Washington Post's website included the following:
“There are concerning reports coming out of France and Italy about some young people getting seriously ill and very seriously ill — in the ICU,” Birx said. She said that they have not seen any significant mortality among children but that people in their 20s, 30s and 40s could be in more danger than earlier thought. 

 

I am taking this to mean that it seems as though children are not as protected from this disease as we think

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/early/2020/03/16/peds.2020-0702.full.pdf

[TCB]

19 minutes ago, pitterpatter said:

I keep waiting for our American ingenuity to kick in. I mean, isn't that what we've long been known for as a country? Where are our clever heroes that are going to dig us out of this? A small South Korean lab saved them by coming up with a way to produce quicker, more reliable tests. Everyone in the company jumped in and did what needed to be done for the sake of the country.

 

I know I'm waiting for it too! I have seen some pretty ingenious ideas already though. Ventilating up to 4 patients using 1 ventilator and the couple who have been 3D printing face shields. I'm sure it won't be long, or at least I hope so. I just can't believe nobody got on to it weeks ago!

[Arcadia]

@mathnerd

https://abc7news.com/health/exclusive-positive-covid-19-cases-reported-at-peninsula-nursing-home/6025610/
“SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The ABC7 I-Team has confirmed three residents of a San Mateo County nursing home have tested positive for coronavirus and have been transferred to the hospital.

San Mateo County Health confirms to the I-Team that it is investigating how the coronavirus infected at least three residents at Atria Burlingame. The assisted living and memory care facility is closed to visitors and family.

Julie Berk told the I-Team' Dan Noyes, "The families are freaking out and also because they can't see their loved ones, they can't see them physically. At all. And we don't know when we will."

Both of Julie Berk's parents are Atria residents. Her 101-year-old father is temporarily in the hospital, and she just happened to take her 85-year-old mother home for dinner Sunday. She would like both to be tested for coronavirus, but Atria and the county say they won't give tests unless the patient shows symptoms.

Julie Berk: "I'm not happy about it, but I don't know what I can do about it."
Dan Noyes: "Why would it help you to have your mom tested?"
Julie Berk: "So that I know that she doesn't have it, both for her sake and myself and my partner's sake and my son."

Atria Burlingame has not released a statement about the infections, even though I emailed and called. Another family of an Atria resident provided emails that the facility sent out, that say the residents who have coronavirus went to the hospital this past Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The remaining residents are restricted to their apartments, and meals are being delivered to them.”

[SKL]

An employee in my kids' school district has CV.  They are telling which elementary school, but because of rules, they will not say who it is or exactly what kind of job the person does.  Parents are angry because they want to know whether or not this is a person who had contact with their kid.  The authorities say the health people will sort out the contact stuff.

I was tempted to post "I think we should all assume we are exposed at this point."  At least those of us with kids in b&m schools.  They've been out of school since last Thursday p.m., but still.

[Matryoshka]

3 hours ago, Garga said:

The USA now has more cases than S Korea.  https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

And that's with S. Korea's extensive testing and our all-but-nonexistent testing. Terrifying.

[Sneezyone]

46 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

CGTN. “Beijing reopens SARS hospital to cope with imported #COVID19 cases”

China is reporting no new community spread diagnoses today too.

[mommyoffive]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/younger-adults-comprise-big-portion-of-coronavirus-hospitalizations-in-us/ar-BB11nGEB?ocid=spartandhp

US death toll 118

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-signs-coronavirus-relief-legislation-into-law/ar-BB11mM5c?ocid=spartandhp

 

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/younger-adults-comprise-big-portion-of-coronavirus-hospitalizations-in-us/ar-BB11nGEB?ocid=spartandhp

Edited March 19, 2020 by mommyoffive

[Garga]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

@Pen@Pawz4me@TCB@CuriousMomof3

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/cancer-heart-surgeries-delayed-as-coronavirus-alters-care/2257107/

“Some cancer surgeries are being delayed, many stent procedures for clogged arteries have been pushed back and infertility specialists were asked to postpone helping patients get pregnant. Doctors in virtually every field are scrambling to alter care as the new coronavirus spreads. 

Medical groups issued advice this week on how hospitals and doctors should adapt as beds and supplies are pinched and worries rise about exposing patients to possible infection. That includes canceling elective surgeries, including many for slow-growing or early-stage cancers, which many people would consider not elective at all. 

Coronavirus Pandemic

Luciano Orsini's operation, set for April 1 at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, was pushed to April 29. He lost one kidney to cancer last year and was eager for this surgery to remove tumors on the sole kidney he has left.

"I don't want it to get any larger," Orsini said of his cancer, which his doctor says it's growing so slowly that he should be safe waiting. He understands but said: "The anxiety of just have this inside of you and not knowing and wanting to get it out" is hard.

Choices like this are happening across the United States, said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society.

"We are going to face ethical dilemmas, not just in cancer care but in medical care in general," he said. “We recognize that any delay is not good but we may not have a choice.”

The cancer society on Tuesday urged people to forgo mammograms, colonoscopies and other routine cancer screenings until the outbreak eases. 

On Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence called on hospitals to delay all elective procedures across the country to help ensure medical capacity is focused on stemming the spread of the coronavirus. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verma said her agency will soon issue guidance on elective procedures, including dental care. 

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, also addressed the issue, telling hospitals and dentists: "Things that don't need to be done over the next two weeks, don't get it done."

Medical care is being rescheduled for unplanned reasons, too: On Tuesday, Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston canceled all patient appointments after a staff member tested positive for the virus.

In Seattle, the U.S. city with the most virus cases, surgeon Dr. David Byrd of the University of Washington said many women with early-stage breast cancer that's fueled by estrogen — the most common form of the disease — could try hormone-blocking drugs and delay surgery for a month or two. One of his patients this week chose that because she was worried about the risks of virus infection if she went to a hospital for surgery now.

"This tumor probably took months to years to form. The likelihood of it spreading in the next few weeks is highly unlikely," Byrd said.

Many prostate and thyroid cancer operations also can wait, cancer doctors say. Other cases pose tougher decisions, Byrd and other doctors wrote in a paper published Wednesday by the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 

Cancer doctors "will face the heavy reality of rationing care," they wrote. "As the pandemic progresses, there will come a point when channeling a large amount of resources for an individual patient will be in direct conflict with the greater social good." 

At Fox Chase, it was a tough call to advise Orsini to delay his kidney cancer operation, said surgery chief Dr. Robert Uzzo. Hundreds of surgeries each week at his hospital are under scrutiny to see which can be put off.

"We want to balance the harm of delaying immediate cancer care against the harm of potential COVID infection or possible transmission to other people," Uzzo said. "What people hear about a lot are about ventilators, respirators, personal protective equipment" being in short supply, but there also are shortages of blood and other things needed for surgery, he added.

IV chemotherapy treatments also are being scrutinized to see if a delay seems safe. Some patients can be switched to an oral medicine, and sometimes home health care can administer IV drugs, but only certain cancer drugs are approved for that.

"It's not necessarily a simple solution," said Dr. Richard Schilsky, chief medical officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which has posted patient advice.

Family planning also has been disrupted. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine on Tuesday called for suspension of most infertility treatments, including in vitro or lab dish fertilization, retrieving eggs or sperm, and transferring embryos to a womb. Doctors should continue to treat patients in the midst of these procedures, but start no new ones until the virus outbreak eases, the group said.

... Heart groups have advised postponing elective stent procedures for people with stable chest pain caused by clogged arteries. That's virtually all outpatient cases at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, said the chief of these services, Dr. Ajay Kirtane. Emergency stent procedures for heart attacks are still happening.

Several heart groups warned patients this week against discontinuing certain medicines. Some ACE inhibitors, like captopril, enalapril and lisinopril, and ARB medications, like losartan and valsartan, that are widely used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetes have been linked in some reports to COVID-19, the disease the new virus causes.

"There is the suggestion that the receptors that interact with these drugs also are the receptors that the virus are attaching to," but that's not known for sure, said Dr. Mariell Jessup, the American Heart Association's chief scientific officer. Some reports suggest the drugs help and others suggest they don't, she said.

"The harm that could come with withdrawing these drugs ... is much greater than continuing the drugs and individualizing the care for each patient if they develop symptoms" of COVID-19, Jessup said.”

The part in bold: my dh takes an ACE inhibitor and I started researching this.  It’s gone back and forth.  On 3/11 they were saying that ACE inhibitors could be a problem, but just yesterday (3/17), this has changed.  

From the linked article:  

“This speculation about the safety of ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blockers treatment in relation to COVID-19 does not have a sound scientific basis or evidence to support it,” de Simone wrote in the ESC statement. “Indeed, there is evidence from studies in animals suggesting that these medications might be rather protective against serious lung complications in patients with COVID-19 infection, but to date there are no data in humans. The Council on Hypertension strongly recommends that physicians and patients should continue treatment with their usual antihypertensive therapy because there is no clinical or scientific evidence to suggest that treatment with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers should be discontinued because of the COVID-19 infection.”

https://www.healio.com/cardiology/vascular-medicine/news/online/{fe7f0842-aecb-417b-9ecf-3fe7e0ddd991}/cardiology-societies-recommend-patients-taking-ace-inhibitors-arbs-who-contract-covid-19-should-continue-treatment

 

 

 

[math teacher]

I've been on the ledge today. Our school is closed, but staff was there today preparing materials for pickup on Friday. One of the teachers just got back from California. LA/Disney-Oh my, couldn't believe she didn't self-quarantine.

[mlktwins]

33 minutes ago, Garga said:

The part in bold: my dh takes an ACE inhibitor and I started researching this.  It’s gone back and forth.  On 3/11 they were saying that ACE inhibitors could be a problem, but just yesterday (3/17), this has changed.  

From the linked article:  

“This speculation about the safety of ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blockers treatment in relation to COVID-19 does not have a sound scientific basis or evidence to support it,” de Simone wrote in the ESC statement. “Indeed, there is evidence from studies in animals suggesting that these medications might be rather protective against serious lung complications in patients with COVID-19 infection, but to date there are no data in humans. The Council on Hypertension strongly recommends that physicians and patients should continue treatment with their usual antihypertensive therapy because there is no clinical or scientific evidence to suggest that treatment with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers should be discontinued because of the COVID-19 infection.”

https://www.healio.com/cardiology/vascular-medicine/news/online/{fe7f0842-aecb-417b-9ecf-3fe7e0ddd991}/cardiology-societies-recommend-patients-taking-ace-inhibitors-arbs-who-contract-covid-19-should-continue-treatment

 

 

 

My DH is on an ARB.

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, mlktwins said:

First member of Congress with a positive result!

https://news.yahoo.com/miami-mario-diaz-balart-first-230247610.html

Two now.

 

https://abc7news.com/6026105/

“WASHINGTON -- Miami Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart has become the first known member of Congress to test positive for the new coronavirus, and his diagnosis was quickly followed by a second announcement.

Diaz-Balart entered self-quarantine in Washington Friday, according to a statement. He said he decided not to return to South Florida because his wife has a pre-existing medical condition.

Diaz-Balart developed symptoms, including a fever and headache, on Saturday. He learned Wednesday that he had tested postive for the COVID-19 virus.

"I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better," Diaz-Balart said in a statement Wednesday. "However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times."

Later Wednesday, Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah announced in a statement that he had also tested positive and was in self-quarantine. Here's the full text of his statement:

"On Saturday evening, after returning from Washington, D.C., I developed mild cold-like symptoms. In consultation with my doctor Sunday, I immediately isolated myself in my home. I have been conducting all meetings by telephone. My symptoms got worse and I developed a fever, a dry cough and labored breathing and I remained self-quarantined. On Tuesday, my doctor instructed me to get tested for COVID-19 and following his referral, I went to the local testing clinic for the test. Today I learned that I tested positive. I am still working for my Utahns and pursuing efforts to get Utahns the resources they need as I continue doing my job from home until I know it is safe to end my self-quarantine. I'm doing my part as all Americans are doing to contain the spread of the virus and mitigate the coronavirus outbreak. I urge Uthans to take this seriously and follow the health recommendations we're getting from the CDC and other health experts so that we can recover from this public health threat."

Other members of Congress, including Florida Sen. Rick Scott, have self-quarantined, but none have reported positive test results. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez tested positive for the virus last week.”

[SeaConquest]

Has this been posted yet? It's from MIT Technology Review about what permanent changes to society we might expect. It kinda broke me tonight, so proceed with caution if you are feeling emotionally vulnerable.

We’re not going back to normal: Social distancing is here to stay for much more than a few weeks. It will upend our way of life, in some ways forever.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615370/coronavirus-pandemic-social-distancing-18-months/?fbclid=IwAR2Cze_sD814L0_a6SQw9uxmrIda_Ig5VCvLhPwe7OQWZSNgZjNfYQQ2Wnk

Edited March 19, 2020 by SeaConquest

[Arcadia]

England and Wales cancelled exams https://www.bbc.com/news/education-51643556

“How long are schools likely to be closed?

We don't yet know. This will depend to a large extend on how effective measures to reduce the spread of the outbreak are.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries said the move was not prompted because children were at any particular risk, but because it was necessary to reduce social contact throughout society. 

England's Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says schools will be closed "until further notice".

Most schools were due to break up for the Easter holidays in two weeks' time.

Schools in England, Wales and Scotland will close on Friday afternoon. Schools in Northern Ireland closed for pupils from Wednesday for teachers from Monday.

So will every school be completely closed?

No. Some schools will be kept open with a skeleton staff to provide support for the children of key workers, such as NHS staff, police and delivery drivers.

They will also be asked to help those most in need - for example, children who receive free school meals.

Teaching unions are supportive of these measures, but say they want to see more details of the plans.

The government says it's also asking nurseries and private schools to close, and will provide financial support if needed.

What will happen about exams?

In England and in Wales, all exams in May and June have been cancelled, including GCSEs and A-levels as well as England's primary school national curriculum tests, known as Sats.

Mr Williamson told the Commons on Wednesday: "I can confirm we will not go ahead with assessments or exams and that we will not be publishing performance tables for this academic year.

"We will work with the sector and [the exams watchdog] Ofqual to ensure children get the qualifications that they need."

Scotland and Northern Ireland will announce a decision on exams in the days to come.

What does this mean for parents?

For many working parents, the closures will present issues surrounding childcare (this was one of the reasons why the government delayed closures as long as possible). 

Some may need to take time off work, raising concerns that some families will struggle financially.

Head teachers have told the BBC that they have been making plans to continue teaching and supporting pupils during the closure, using social media and technologies such as Google Classroom and Maths Watch.

On Tuesday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said that funding for early years grants would continue to be paid while nurseries or pre-schools are closed and if childminders are unable to work.”

[BusyMom5]

5 minutes ago, kdsuomi said:

If anyone honestly thinks people will put up with extreme "social distancing" for up to 18 months, you're kidding yourself. People want their kids to go to school. People want jobs. People want to socialize. People want to do more than stay at home and only leave to go to the grocery store. Honestly, another solution had to be found or people will revolt, especially since so many already think the government is overreacting. 

This is coming from someone who is "higher" risk and has almost everyone in my immediate family in that same category. 

 

Totally agree.   No one is really doing anything where I live except for the places that have closed.  Most jobs can't be done in isolation and people cannot just hunker down and wait a year for a vaccine.  They have Bill's to pay.

[sbgrace]

I'm hoping for effective treatments that can help reduce severity and morbidity so our health systems can manage lifting of restrictions.

I'm concerned about all of us, but I think/assume we'll end up doing bursts of isolation and relaxation of isolation over time as local areas see rises and falls of infection rates. I still don't know how that's going to be manageable. But I'm especially concerned about the mental health of older and other high risk individuals who might need to self isolate until a vaccine is found.  So, I'm hoping and praying some treatment(s) will make long term isolation unncessary for everyone. 

Edited March 19, 2020 by sbgrace

[Pen]

I noticed a huge change irl in my area after the first local area death

gloves

standing farther apart

cleaning a lot

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Pen

[Ausmumof3]

59 minutes ago, kdsuomi said:

If anyone honestly thinks people will put up with extreme "social distancing" for up to 18 months, you're kidding yourself. People want their kids to go to school. People want jobs. People want to socialize. People want to do more than stay at home and only leave to go to the grocery store. Honestly, another solution had to be found or people will revolt, especially since so many already think the government is overreacting. 

This is coming from someone who is "higher" risk and has almost everyone in my immediate family in that same category. 

It depends what this virus looks like once it hits fully.  But I tend to think it will be short term measures, gradual relaxation with possible tightening rounds some areas.  There’s still the possibility that it could die out somehow.  

[Arcadia]

Playing badminton in an apartment while quarantine. Video is 17:58 mins long and very pleasant  

 

[lewelma]

NZ has closed its borders to ALL foreigners as of midnight tonight.  Only NZ citizens/permanent residents will be allowed entry.

28 cases here, all from overseas travel. Still NO community spread. Contact tracing is continuing. 

[Ausmumof3]

16 minutes ago, lewelma said:

NZ has closed its borders to ALL foreigners as of midnight tonight.  Only NZ citizens/permanent residents will be allowed entry.

28 cases here, all from overseas travel. Still NO community spread. Contact tracing is continuing. 

Came to post this.  Also same thing in Aus.

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-19/coronavirus-non-resident-travel-ban-australia/12071640?pfmredir=sm

[Jean in Newcastle]

2 hours ago, SeaConquest said:

Has this been posted yet? It's from MIT Technology Review about what permanent changes to society we might expect. It kinda broke me tonight, so proceed with caution if you are feeling emotionally vulnerable.

We’re not going back to normal: Social distancing is here to stay for much more than a few weeks. It will upend our way of life, in some ways forever.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615370/coronavirus-pandemic-social-distancing-18-months/?fbclid=IwAR2Cze_sD814L0_a6SQw9uxmrIda_Ig5VCvLhPwe7OQWZSNgZjNfYQQ2Wnk

My opinion?  This is fearmongering.  Living in an epicenter, people have already shown resilience and have come up with ways to come together.  As time progresses, people will continue to figure things out.  There are wars that go on for 18 months or more.  This isn't the first pandemic that the world has faced.  It will not be forever and I think that it is wrong to say that it will be.  (I am not minimizing how hard it will be for everyone to some extent and some people in some sectors more than others.  But for those, there are people trying to mitigate some of that impact.) 

[Ausmumof3]

Dear State Swim families,

Based on the advice we have been given from the Australian Government, swimming continues to be a low-risk activity.

As we offer small class sizes in a venue which is significantly smaller than leisure centres, we do not breach the 100 people limit at any one time, which allows us to continue to operate. 
 

- this from the swimming centre we used to go to.  We stopped because we got sick so often from the warm humid indoor pool environment!

[Robin M]

Informative Red Table Talk with Will Smith and Dr Olsterholm, head of infectious research center,

https://www.facebook.com/redtabletalk/videos/596573410959049/

[Jean in Newcastle]

33 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Dear State Swim families,

Based on the advice we have been given from the Australian Government, swimming continues to be a low-risk activity.

As we offer small class sizes in a venue which is significantly smaller than leisure centres, we do not breach the 100 people limit at any one time, which allows us to continue to operate. 
 

- this from the swimming centre we used to go to.  We stopped because we got sick so often from the warm humid indoor pool environment!

The question is whether the virus can survive in chlorinated water. If it can, then of course it doesn’t matter how small the class size is. 

[Ausmumof3]

14 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

The question is whether the virus can survive in chlorinated water. If it can, then of course it doesn’t matter how small the class size is. 

I don’t seem to have problems with outdoor pools but this is an indoor centre.  I think it’s the humid environment while you’re waiting and in the change rooms.

[Ausmumof3]

World just passed 220,000 cases

[Melissa in Australia]

2 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Dear State Swim families,

Based on the advice we have been given from the Australian Government, swimming continues to be a low-risk activity.

As we offer small class sizes in a venue which is significantly smaller than leisure centres, we do not breach the 100 people limit at any one time, which allows us to continue to operate. 
 

- this from the swimming centre we used to go to.  We stopped because we got sick so often from the warm humid indoor pool environment!

twins swimming is canceled as an instructor at the pool has flue like symptoms, so the whole pool is now closed

[Melissa in Australia]

DD is coming home from Uni tomorrow. the Uni has worked out a way to make workshop classes able to be done remotely.

Edited March 19, 2020 by Melissa in Australia
spelling

[Carrie12345]

My son works for a cell phone company/store.  In Florida.  Floridian WTM’ers, what the what is wrong with your state?????  I’m trying to get him to quit. He lives with his dad and doesn’t have “real” bills right now. He has no need to contribute to the spread or a cause worth getting sick for. And we can help if he needs a little money here and there. But he’s also on the spectrum, so hearing national recommendations that say one thing and having a boss that tells him another is a difficult thing for him to sort out. He’s going to need some mom pushing today.

[Aura]

2 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

My son works for a cell phone company/store.  In Florida.  Floridian WTM’ers, what the what is wrong with your state?????  I’m trying to get him to quit. He lives with his dad and doesn’t have “real” bills right now. He has no need to contribute to the spread or a cause worth getting sick for. And we can help if he needs a little money here and there. But he’s also on the spectrum, so hearing national recommendations that say one thing and having a boss that tells him another is a difficult thing for him to sort out. He’s going to need some mom pushing today.

It's not just Floridians. My sis most likely has the virus. She probably got it from her boss, who is sick and basically told everyone to come to work even if they're sick.

There were several people in her office that were sick, and yesterday she started feeling short of breath and a little tight in the chest. She has no fever.

This is in Georgia.

[Ausmumof3]

Bno:  Iran: 1,046 new cases, 149 new deaths - Belgium: 309 new cases, 7 new deaths - Luxembourg: 132 new cases, 2 new deaths - Israel: 102 new cases - Indonesia: 82 new cases, 6 new deaths - Iceland: 80 new cases - First death in Russia

[Ausmumof3]

An increase of 25,000 cases in the last 24 hours.

11 hours ago, pitterpatter said:

I keep waiting for our American ingenuity to kick in. I mean, isn't that what we've long been known for as a country? Where are our clever heroes that are going to dig us out of this? A small South Korean lab saved them by coming up with a way to produce quicker, more reliable tests. Everyone in the company jumped in and did what needed to be done for the sake of the country.

 

Well my guess is it has already kicked in.  Things like multiple people for one ventilator don’t get proven out overnight.  Inventions are often in the works for awhile before we hear about them.  I just read this morning in the Detroit News that the President is in talks with at least 2 of the big 3 automakers about the feasibility of converting some production capacity to ventilaors.