wuhan - coronavirus

[bluemongoose]

I have kept up with this thread since it first started in Jan. I've lurked the whole stinking time. Love this thread! Please let's not get it shut down!

I know I don't post a ton, I'm a pretty private person and like my anonymity. So I don't say what state I'm in or things that might flag me to a person that wants to identify me.

All that to say, I finally feel compelled to say something.

I have about a dozen family members in a Gov mandated quarantine for this. Some have been tested and have tested positive. Some have refused the test (even though they were caring for the ones who did test positive) and are counting down the days to be released. Some of these have symptoms and are hiding them from the health checks simply because their symptoms do not include fever. Yup. They hate the living quarters so much they are willing to get released and spread it than stay and get tested! So frustrating. Not proud of my family members that are doing this.

I have about another dozen family and friends that have self quarantined because they have all the symptoms, live or have traveled in an area that has a high community spread, and cannot get tested though they have tried. At least one is living with a medically fragile person, who has become not sick yet, and is super concerned as they are the caretaker for the fragile person.

I have had a friend of family die of this.

I am holed up at home, trying to do my part, and keep us well if we can. People in my immediate family have asthma. I am worried. I live in an area that is under tested but with likely high community spread. Nurses and Drs are asking for us to make masks in my area. They are pretty much out of them. I am getting started on this effort now, even while knowing that these masks don't help as much as the good masks do. That the virus can still get in. But these nurses and Drs are happy to have anything as they are being told to buy bandanas since there aren't masks.

And then I read in various places, here and elsewhere, that people are thinking this is hype. People acting like other people are disposable so they can go have fun or at least not be inconvenienced. Not all the people dying are weak or old with previous conditions. Some drs see dying they are surprised by. Some of these people could be leaving behind kids. Some of these people may be your family, your drs, your friends. So far I have been lucky. Though so many of my extended family members and friends are ill and fighting this virus, I have not lost someone close to me...YET... but I'd be pretty naive to believe that I am not going to lose anyone.

I don't know...I am tired and probably a little rambley....but lets think of others. That's all. And do what you can to stay safe and even help if that is doable for your situation.

If anyone else has any other community efforts that we can do while staying home that help, please post them! Maybe if people felt they could have a purpose while being stuck at home, they would feel better.

And thanks again to all the people who have been posting all the facts on this thread. I am grateful for them!

 

[Sneezyone]

1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Several mask sewing campaigns have been started.  In some cases, people are donating supplies. In others, they are being provided to them.  If you are in the Renton area and are willing to sew, here's a link: https://www.providence.org/lp/100m-masks  Providence is providing the materials and is rolling out its campaign to other hospitals in its chain in time. 

 

If I were local, I would pick up materials. Still, I can make some from home too so that's my contribution. I have all the stuff anyway.

[pitterpatter]

He think's an antibody test is likely only a few days to a week away. Yesterday, he mentioned that it would function like a pregnancy test. That you could prick your finger, squeeze a drop of blood onto a stick, then the stick would tell you yes or no. I'm sure such a product won't find its way into the public's hands for quite a while, though, if ever.

2 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

Dr. John Campbell says they are working on an antibody test in the UK and there are promising leads that way

 

[Tree Frog]

24 minutes ago, Thatboyofmine said:

I heard the same about Pennsylvania this morning.  

So what does this mean? There will likely not be any travel within the states (MN, IL, PA)? We live in Texas and my dd is wanting to finish out her week of work tomorrow before heading home. If TX goes this route, would that mean no one should be on the road? Does the definition vary between states?

[vonfirmath]

3 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

So what does this mean? There will likely not be any travel within the states (MN, IL, PA)? We live in Texas and my dd is wanting to finish out her week of work tomorrow before heading home. If TX goes this route, would that mean no one should be on the road? Does the definition vary between states?

 

Yes it will likely vary by state. If your daughter needs to travel between states, she is risking getting stuck

Missionary friends of mine live in Honduras but came back to the US for a quick (preplanned) trip and got stuck here when Honduras closed their borders (for a "Week" But I don't think they or Honduras believes it is only for a week)

 

[SKL]

I noticed something interesting in the stats today for US states.  The Worldometer list is including "presumptive" cases in its number, at least for deaths.  In other words, if a person dies before test results come back, they are listed as a covid19 death.  At least some other sources of info are waiting until they get the test result back.

In other news:  Some hotels have been asked if they would open for non-COVID19 hospital patients.

Re deaths resulting from the shutdowns - 2 thoughts -

1) We need to be working on ways to mitigate the psychological effects.  I have seen many efforts in this regard already, but this is really serious if the isolation is going to continue long.

2) A worldwide economic crash will cause many deaths besides suicides.  Poverty and lack of production and even lack of transportation will cause deaths.  BUT we can have hope that fairly rapid progress is being made on many fronts to put this extreme shutdown behind us.

[TravelingChris]

2 hours ago, Terabith said:

That's fair, if they got on the cruise four months ago.  But, if it's been a four month cruise, how on earth did people on board contract it?  This virus didn't exist four months ago.  I would think that would be the safest possible place, unless they were stopping at ports where this was unfolding and contracting it there?  

@Pen, as far as my oldest being neurotypical, I mean there's probably some broad autistic phenotype stuff going on, but other than sensory sensitivity to noise, she literally had NO issues social or relating to depression or anxiety, until she started at the large public high school just before she turned 15.  Younger kid has had significant anxiety since birth and is definitely on asd spectrum, but oldest had no issues until this school started, which was just a really, really bad fit for her.  Her depression and anxiety actually presents more like ptsd than anything.  And it's possible there was some traumatic incident there, although she claims there wasn't, and she didn't report to her counselor.  But I've been in that school, and it is incredibly, unbelievably loud. Her counselor thinks for someone with a minor lifelong noise sensitivity, the day after day assault on her senses operated like a physical assault psychologically.   

They did go touring places.  I know that in Singapore, some of the first cases were just people who passed by a group of Chinese tourists. 

 

[Janeway]

10 minutes ago, SKL said:

I noticed something interesting in the stats today for US states.  The Worldometer list is including "presumptive" cases in its number, at least for deaths.  In other words, if a person dies before test results come back, they are listed as a covid19 death.  At least some other sources of info are waiting until they get the test result back.

In other news:  Some hotels have been asked if they would open for non-COVID19 hospital patients.

Re deaths resulting from the shutdowns - 2 thoughts -

1) We need to be working on ways to mitigate the psychological effects.  I have seen many efforts in this regard already, but this is really serious if the isolation is going to continue long.

2) A worldwide economic crash will cause many deaths besides suicides.  Poverty and lack of production and even lack of transportation will cause deaths.  BUT we can have hope that fairly rapid progress is being made on many fronts to put this extreme shutdown behind us.

presumptive means they tested positive at the local level, they are just waiting confirmation from the CDC.

[TravelingChris]

2 hours ago, Dotwithaperiod said:

 Then why are the articles saying it was a short cruise? Shoddy reporting?https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/coronavirus-thousands-who-left-cruise-ship-in-sydney-told-to-self-isolate-after-three-people-test-positive

I am fairly sure that other news outlets have been following this ship and its landing travails.  It left Miami Fl and so there I'd no possible way this would be a short cruise.  As it was. I believe it sailed around Africa and started looking for safe harbor once they were near India. They were refused there and in subsequent trials at many southeastern and South Asian ports.  Finally Australia let them dock.

 

 

  

[TravelingChris]

2 hours ago, Dotwithaperiod said:

 Then why are the articles saying it was a short cruise? Shoddy reporting?https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/coronavirus-thousands-who-left-cruise-ship-in-sydney-told-to-self-isolate-after-three-people-test-positive

Probably 

[Arcadia]

https://abc7news.com/health/meet-the-pilot-flying-covid-19-testing-kits-from-hayward-to-los-angeles/6032094/

“HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- As more people in the Bay Area are tested for novel coronavirus ABC7's Julian Glover is meeting the man on a mission to get those test kits to labs to be analyzed.

The small Cessna plane took off from Hayward Executive Airport in the middle of the night headed down to Southern California, packed full of coronavirus test kits.

"They have to get there. There's just no question about it," said pilot Kevin Perry.

The last couple of night he's said his plane has been packed to capacity carrying coronavirus test kits from Quest Diagnostics.

The swabs are from anxious patients in the Bay Area and other parts of Northern California, waiting to learn if they've tested positive for the virus.

It's an urgent mission with little time to spare.

"All of these tests kits are under a time constraint," said Perry, "If they sit here too long they could go back and then they would have to be retested. From engine to start I'm out of here in 5 minutes."

Every night just before midnight, 50 green bags stuffed with kits are packed into his plane headed to labs in Los Angeles to be analyzed.

"I fly them down to labs that are waiting for all of these kits at 2 a.m.," said Perry. "It's gotta be tested for somebody down the road that needs treatment."

Perry stressed the efficiency of flying the kits down to Southern California instead of driving them. He said the flight path only takes him 90 minutes compared to a six hour drive -- and that's with little traffic.

"It's the finale of the testing. That's what I accomplish -- is getting the tests to labs so they could get their results in a timely fashion," Perry said.”

[Acadie]

2 hours ago, JadeOrchidSong said:

Nobody knows the real death number in China. For what I learned, 60% died in their own homes, 40% in hospitals. Those that died at home were never tested nor confirmed. Even in the hospitals, they did not have time to test everyone and many died before a test could be done and they were NOT recorded in the death number. 

In Wuhan, the government showed the world that patients recovered and hospitals were emptied. In fact, friends told me that new hospitals were built in the suburb away from public eyes. They can hold 4000 patients there. 

Any place in China that reports infected case is generally punished for telling the truth now. 

 

@JadeOrchidSong I want to thank you for sharing this as well. Like many people, I've assumed the totals China reported were low, and that the number of new cases going down to zero recently is a fabrication. But hearing about the specific ways this is happening helps me understand not only how information on coronavirus in China is so manipulated and controlled, but also give me a window into what it might mean to live under a totalitarian regime.

I think we're not immune, in the US, from manipulating information for political ends. But the extent to which it happens in China, and the way the entire system has been set up to support it are on a completely different level. I hear the stress and anger and grief in your post, about what this has cost Chinese people and culture, and how serious and ongoing the threat to the common good. 

[mathnerd]

21 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

So what does this mean? There will likely not be any travel within the states (MN, IL, PA)? We live in Texas and my dd is wanting to finish out her week of work tomorrow before heading home. If TX goes this route, would that mean no one should be on the road? Does the definition vary between states?

In my state, the first to issue "shelter in place" orders, the order explicitly states that residents who are traveling back to their home are allowed to do so. They do not want unnecessary exposure, travel etc. Our county allows going to garden centers, home improvement stores, auto repair shops, restaurants to pick up food, pharmacies etc. in addition to returnees. In fact, 4 friends of mine were skiing in Nevada when CA put out its shelter-in-place order and 1 day after that, they drove to reach home. All the orders are self-enforced for the most part too.

[SKL]

4 minutes ago, Janeway said:

presumptive means they tested positive at the local level, they are just waiting confirmation from the CDC.

That is different from what the news story that I googled said.  Of course the news story could be wrong.  But my usual local news source was not reporting the death at all, despite reporting a number of other Coronavirus related things on a frequent basis.

[Arcadia]

12 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

. All the orders are self-enforced for the most part too.

 

https://abc7news.com/health/coronavirus-dozens-violate-covid-19-shelter-in-place-order-in-san-jose/6032425/

“San Jose police say they responded to 56 violations of the shelter-in-place order on Thursday. Starting next week, those who are not complying will face business license sanctions and health code violations.”

[Tree Frog]

18 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

In my state, the first to issue "shelter in place" orders, the order explicitly states that residents who are traveling back to their home are allowed to do so. They do not want unnecessary exposure, travel etc. Our county allows going to garden centers, home improvement stores, auto repair shops, restaurants to pick up food, pharmacies etc. in addition to returnees. In fact, 4 friends of mine were skiing in Nevada when CA put out its shelter-in-place order and 1 day after that, they drove to reach home. All the orders are self-enforced for the most part too.

 

38 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

 

Yes it will likely vary by state. If your daughter needs to travel between states, she is risking getting stuck

Missionary friends of mine live in Honduras but came back to the US for a quick (preplanned) trip and got stuck here when Honduras closed their borders (for a "Week" But I don't think they or Honduras believes it is only for a week)

 

Thank you both for your replies. That eases my concern some. She will be leaving a university in TX that is about 3.5 hours from home.

[Arcadia]

@mathnerd

Santa Clara County, California 

On Twitter 12 mins ago

“We are very sorry to announce two deaths from #COVID19, bringing the total to 8. The seventh death was an adult male in his 80s. The eighth death was an adult male in his 70s. We express our condolences to their families and friends. Read more: http://direc.to/dY2d”

“Update: 7 new cases of #COVID19 in Santa Clara County. This brings the total number of cases to 196. You can visit our website for the most updated count: http://direc.to/dY2d”

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

 

https://abc7news.com/health/coronavirus-dozens-violate-covid-19-shelter-in-place-order-in-san-jose/6032425/

“San Jose police say they responded to 56 violations of the shelter-in-place order on Thursday. Starting next week, those who are not complying will face business license sanctions and health code violations.”

 

Personally, I’d like to see college kids who violate the rules lose their scholarships and loans if any, and be on probation as to return to school online or otherwise. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/asia/beijing-coronavirus-woman-fired-intl-hnk/index.html

Chinese Australian woman broke Chinese quarantine to go for a jog and lost her job and is going to be deported. 

[regentrude]

5 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

I’m super worried about a spike in suicide this year, that could possibly outstrip the covid-19 deaths if the isolation and lockdown continues.

Yes. I am seeing the strain this already takes on my friends who struggle with mental illness, and this is only the beginning. (And let's not forget, there are already 47,000 deaths by suicide in this country and a woeful lack of mental health resources, and of what little there is, much is becoming unavailable now)

Edited March 20, 2020 by regentrude

[Ausmumof3]

https://chicago.suntimes.com/platform/amp/coronavirus/2020/3/20/21188526/shelter-in-place-order-illinois-pritzker-coronavirus-stay-at-home-lightfoot-businesses#click=https://t.co/MhHIC2PYqj
 

illinois shelter in place order 

[Ausmumof3]

France reports 1,617 new cases, 78 new deaths, total of 12,612 cases and 450 dead

Italy - 5,986 new cases, 627 new deaths, to 47,021 cases and 4,032 dead

UK - 714 new cases, 33 new deaths, total to 3,983 cases and 177 dead.  Boris Johnson ordered the closure of bars, clubs, restaurants, leisure centres, theatre and gyms

 

[Ausmumof3]

27 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Yes. I am seeing the strain this already takes on my friends who struggle with mental illness, and this is only the beginning. (And let's not forget, there are already 47,000 deaths by suicide in this country and a woeful lack of mental health resources, and of what little there is, much is becoming unavailable now)

I am seeing beyond blue advertising related to coronavirus down here.  

[mommyoffive]

1 minute ago, Ausmumof3 said:

France reports 1,617 new cases, 78 new deaths, total of 12,612 cases and 450 dead

Italy - 5,986 new cases, 627 new deaths, to 47,021 cases and 4,032 dead

UK - 714 new cases, 33 new deaths, total to 3,983 cases and 177 dead.  Boris Johnson ordered the closure of bars, clubs, restaurants, leisure centres, theatre and gyms

 

 

Oh my god. 

[Ausmumof3]

ABC - Australia

Mr Hunt said alongside importing more internationally manufactured kits, the Government is focused on expanding the use of alternative tests recently developed in Australian laboratories.

 

"The aim is to have more tests and more types so we can avoid any disruption in the large-scale testing regime we have in place in Australia," he said.

 

The Doherty Institute in Melbourne has created an in-house testing method made from different components to the international commercial testing kits, which the Government hopes to roll out to other labs.
 

[Pen]

9 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

 

Oh my god. 

 

Same reaction here. 

 

[livetoread]

   I wouldn’t be surprised if starting tomorrow (and for awhile) the US has the highest number of daily new cases. We are just behind Italy so far today, and our numbers are climbing rapidly, even with limited testing. Of course, we have a higher population than the other badly stricken countries (not counting China) which factors in.
 

Edited March 20, 2020 by livetoread

[Arcadia]

25 minutes ago, Pen said:

Same reaction here. 

 

36 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Oh my god. 

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/coronavirus-covid19-italy-death-toll-tops-4000-12562212

“The mayor of the most badly affected city, Bergamo in the affluent northern region of Lombardy, said the true number of fatalities from the pandemic in his area was four times higher than was officially reported so far.

"Many of the elderly are dying in their houses or in old people's homes, without anyone testing them either before or after they die," Giorgio Gori told the Huffington Post.

He added that a dozen mayors of other cities had confirmed the same thing to him.

Responding to requests by the governors of the worst-hit regions, the national government in Rome said that from Saturday all parks would be closed and people could only take exercise around their homes.”

[mommyoffive]

26 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/coronavirus-covid19-italy-death-toll-tops-4000-12562212

“The mayor of the most badly affected city, Bergamo in the affluent northern region of Lombardy, said the true number of fatalities from the pandemic in his area was four times higher than was officially reported so far.

"Many of the elderly are dying in their houses or in old people's homes, without anyone testing them either before or after they die," Giorgio Gori told the Huffington Post.

He added that a dozen mayors of other cities had confirmed the same thing to him.

Responding to requests by the governors of the worst-hit regions, the national government in Rome said that from Saturday all parks would be closed and people could only take exercise around their homes.”

 

Yes, I had heard that.   I have no words, just horrific.   I know they are so overwhelmed, but I wish they could get the true numbers.   To warn people here.  So people here can learn from what is really happening.   I don't think that we can truly learn from China because I don't think they are honest.  

[Terabith]

https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-interview-larry-brilliant-smallpox-epidemiologist/?fbclid=IwAR1nu3Ic9ytkxT40autPV9_UDVMoYNvg4j9OX5nWMOlzETRx_5hqdRsJU-g

[mathnerd]

2 hours ago, Arcadia said:

@mathnerd

Santa Clara County, California 

On Twitter 12 mins ago

“We are very sorry to announce two deaths from #COVID19, bringing the total to 8. The seventh death was an adult male in his 80s. The eighth death was an adult male in his 70s. We express our condolences to their families and friends. Read more: http://direc.to/dY2d”

“Update: 7 new cases of #COVID19 in Santa Clara County. This brings the total number of cases to 196. You can visit our website for the most updated count: http://direc.to/dY2d”

I was told that some of these cases were homeless people in Santa Clara 😞

[Arcadia]

@Ausmumof3 if the lady is my neighbor, I would pass her my spare ventolin inhaler 😞

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-21/coronavirus-panic-buyers-cause-shortage-of-life-saving-medicines/12076660

 

“A Queensland mum has pleaded with the public to stop panic-buying medication, after she was unable to buy her son life-saving drugs that prevent his "lungs shutting off".

• Pharmacy staff told a mother they had been abused attempting to stop a man without asthma purchasing puffers and planning to store them
• New regulations combat bulk-buying behaviour, limiting the purchase of prescription medications and critical over-the-counter drugs to a month's supply
• The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia says warehouses have reassured them there is enough of these medicines

Sunshine Coast woman Natalie Benson said she tried to source Ventolin from four chemists for her three-year-old asthmatic son Oliver, after he fell sick earlier this week, but coronavirus panic buyers had left pharmacy shelves empty.

On Thursday the Federal Government enforced new regulations to combat bulk-buying behaviour, limiting the purchase of prescription medications and critical over-the-counter drugs to a month's supply.

Ms Benson said it was disappointing the Government had to step in, and that people were choosing to put others' lives at risk.”

[Jean in Newcastle]

3 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

@Ausmumof3 if the lady is my neighbor, I would pass her my spare ventolin inhaler 😞

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-21/coronavirus-panic-buyers-cause-shortage-of-life-saving-medicines/12076660

 

“A Queensland mum has pleaded with the public to stop panic-buying medication, after she was unable to buy her son life-saving drugs that prevent his "lungs shutting off".

• Pharmacy staff told a mother they had been abused attempting to stop a man without asthma purchasing puffers and planning to store them
• New regulations combat bulk-buying behaviour, limiting the purchase of prescription medications and critical over-the-counter drugs to a month's supply
• The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia says warehouses have reassured them there is enough of these medicines

Sunshine Coast woman Natalie Benson said she tried to source Ventolin from four chemists for her three-year-old asthmatic son Oliver, after he fell sick earlier this week, but coronavirus panic buyers had left pharmacy shelves empty.

On Thursday the Federal Government enforced new regulations to combat bulk-buying behaviour, limiting the purchase of prescription medications and critical over-the-counter drugs to a month's supply.

Ms Benson said it was disappointing the Government had to step in, and that people were choosing to put others' lives at risk.”

I don’t understand. How could someone without a prescription buy prescription drugs let alone stockpile them?  

[Terabith]

3 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

I don’t understand. How could someone without a prescription buy prescription drugs let alone stockpile them?  

I think in certain countries ventolin is an over the counter med.  

[DoraBora]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

 

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/coronavirus-covid19-italy-death-toll-tops-4000-12562212

“The mayor of the most badly affected city, Bergamo in the affluent northern region of Lombardy, said the true number of fatalities from the pandemic in his area was four times higher than was officially reported so far.

"Many of the elderly are dying in their houses or in old people's homes, without anyone testing them either before or after they die," Giorgio Gori told the Huffington Post.

He added that a dozen mayors of other cities had confirmed the same thing to him.

Responding to requests by the governors of the worst-hit regions, the national government in Rome said that from Saturday all parks would be closed and people could only take exercise around their homes.”

Why is it so bad in Italy?  This has probably been discussed on this thread, but I haven't seen it.  Why are they being hit so hard?

[Arcadia]

11 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

I don’t understand. How could someone without a prescription buy prescription drugs let alone stockpile them?  

 

7 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I think in certain countries ventolin is an over the counter med.  

Our Aussie boardies mentioned Ventolin is an OTC medicine. 

[mathnerd]

5 minutes ago, kand said:

Our hospitals are already out of PPE, so I’m quite worried about what the next two weeks will look like here. 

There are provisions in the law by which the Federal government can order manufacturing facilities to manufacture PPE in situations of national emergency. Even if China decides to screw the US by not exporting PPE and other countries have short supply, we can manufacture enough in-house in america if we deploy our domestic resources.

[Ausmumof3]

29 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

I don’t understand. How could someone without a prescription buy prescription drugs let alone stockpile them?  

Ventolin is not prescription here.  However most chemists will require a doctors letter but not all and because there’s no tracking on it you could go to multiple and stock up.  I actually am slightly concerned as I chose not to stock up because my sons asthma is pretty mild.  We have enough to get us through for this time of year but if there’s still shortages in spring it will be a problem.

[Ausmumof3]

29 minutes ago, DoraBora said:

Why is it so bad in Italy?  This has probably been discussed on this thread, but I haven't seen it.  Why are they being hit so hard?

Outbreak started earlier.  They have a high percentage of people over 65.  
 

those are the official things.  A couple of other thoughts that aren’t verified is there does seem to be pretty dense living in areas.  My sis said that a lady whose dogs she minds ended up in hospital in Italy at one point and she was a bit shocked at the general lack of gloves/PPE used at that point.  Officially they have one of the best hospital systems in the world but maybe culture plays a part?  Obviously that’s just second hand word of mouth so take it with a pinch of salt.

[Ausmumof3]

Tuesdayschild (chelle in nz) was having trouble getting on the forum this morning.  She wanted to post that Jacinta Arden was doing a live address to the nation.  I think the live part is over but there are details on the update here

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12318673
 

summary 

Key points:
• Four-stage alert system for Covid-19 announced
• New Zealand moved up to Covid-19 alert level 2 – reduce contact
• New Zealanders over 70 and those with certain medical conditions told to stay at home as much as they can to reduce risk of contact with the virus. There are 528,000 people aged 70-plus in New Zealand
• Workplaces to implement plans to reduce person-to-person contact, including work from home where possible
• Limit all non-essential domestic travel

 

There are currently 52 cases in NZ, 2 are not travel related.

[Ausmumof3]

Re the ventolin issue it’s not just a problem of local people stockpiling.  Border security have said they had to step up checks because drugs are being sent overseas. 

[Ausmumof3]

ABC: Victorian school students have been asked to stay home to allow teachers to prepare to run classes remotely.

no more details at this stage - headline says for 2 days.

edited to add more from Channel 7

 

Victorian public school holidays will be extended by two days to allow teachers to make plans for online learning.

The days off will bookend holidays, with the final day of term one now Thursday, March 26.

Students will come back for term two from Wednesday, April 15.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[Ausmumof3]

7news - vic - australia

Premier Daniel Andrews also announced thousands of businesses will have payroll tax payments refunded and waived this financial year to help them survive, under a $1.7 billion support package.

 

[Arcadia]

@mathnerd

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/bay-area-companies-escalate-production-delivery-of-coronavirus-tests/2258796/

“Bay Area companies are beginning to ramp up production and delivery of novel coronavirus tests, and, as of Friday, those tests can be delivered to homes.

Dr. Caesar Djavaherian, Chief Medical Officer of Bay Area health care company Carbon Health, said his company’s tests — fast-tracked for approval by the Food and Drug Administration — started going out on Thursday. People can order one from the company’s website. The cost is $167.50.”

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, kand said:

From what I understand, people were slow to take it seriously, very much like in the US. People didn’t start following the guidelines not to gather until after things started getting serious and things were really locked down.  That’s why epidemiologists have been saying we are on the same trajectory, just 10-14 days behind Italy. I hope that it will be better in much of the US because some places were able to start getting stricter earlier in the spread in their city, by watching what was happening in the area hit earlier. Our hospitals are already out of PPE, so I’m quite worried about what the next two weeks will look like here. 

 

So do people think the US is going to be as bad as Italy?   Or do we think somehow we are going to do better.   I had thought I read somewhere we were 4-6 weeks behind Italy?

[Matryoshka]

2 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

So do people think the US is going to be as bad as Italy?   Or do we think somehow we are going to do better.   I had thought I read somewhere we were 4-6 weeks behind Italy?

Me personally,  I'm worried we'll be worse than Italy. .. 😞

[Arcadia]

@Pen any idea how to check if FDA approved?

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/20/healthcare-startups-nurx-and-carbon-health-ship-at-home-covid-19-test-sample-kits/
 

“Efforts to get at-home test kits for the COVID-19 coronavirus are ramping up quickly, and two more health industry startups are bringing their own products to market, with both Carbon Health and Nurx starting to ship their own in-home sample collection kits.

Both of these new offerings are the same in terms of approach to testing: They deliver swab-based sample collection hardware that people can use at home to collect a mucus sample, which they then ship back using included, safety approved, projective packaging to be tested by one of the existing FDA-approved commercial labs across the country.

These tests follow the PCR-based method, which tests for the genetic presence of the COVID-19 virus in a patient. These have a high degree of accuracy, at least when performed in a controlled setting and administered by a medical professional, and are the same tests that are available via drive-through testing stations being set up by state agencies.

At-home use is relatively new to market, and could introduce some potential for error in the collection part of the process, but both Carbon Health  and Nurx are offering consultation with medical professionals to help ensure that samples are collected properly, and that results, when available, are correctly interpreted and provided with guidance on next steps for those taking the tests.

None of these tests are free — the Carbon Health test costs $167.50, and the Nurx test costs $181, including shipping and assessment. These are in line with other offerings, including the one from Everlywell we covered earlier this week, which retails for $135. These are described as essentially at-cost prices, and all parties say they are subject to coverage by FSA or HSA money, or potentially by insurers depending on a person’s plan.

One big question around these types of tests is how much supply will be available. Nasopharyngeal swabs used for the in-person type of testing are already reportedly in short supply in some regions, and testing needs are only growing. Carbon is using different swabs to collect a simple saliva sample, which it notes are not in as short supply as the nasopharyngeal version. Other types of tests, including a “serological” one being developed by startup Scanwell, instead work by analyzing a patient’s blood, and could provide some relief for the swab-based tests, especially now that the FDA has expanded its emergency guidance to include their use.”

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 hour ago, StellaM said:

 

Ventolin is over the counter here.

Follow up question:  is Ventolin even advised?  I thought that there was differing medical opinions on the use of steroids?  

[TCB]

Bluemongoose so sorry to hear about your family members who are sick!

[Acadie]

3 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

The Ventolin thing brings up a question that I've been worried about. 

My kid is dependent on Xopenex, which is basically designer Ventolin/Albuterol, and on two other rare drugs that are currently being investigated as a possible treatment for the most severely impacted ICU patients, plus plenty of other things that ICU patients would also use like IV bags, and sterile gloves, and ventilator circuits.  

How much should I be worried about shortages?  

 

Could you call the doctor and see if you can get prescriptions for a 90 day supply of essential drugs?