wuhan - coronavirus

[Ausmumof3]

US fda has approved a rapid detection kit with 45 minute turn around 

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN218105?taid=5e76a970ef5fb40001468335&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A Trending Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter&__twitter_impression=true

Edited March 22, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[Ausmumof3]

2 minutes ago, Arctic Mama said:

She’s a freelance Italian journalist I follow, along with Posobiac.  That particular bit hasn’t been fleshed out but as far as I can tell it’s part of a current piece she is writing, I can’t find another link easily ATM.  She has several other articles out in the last two weeks analyzing the coverage and breaking down some of what she is seeing in Italy.

I’ll find her then thanks 

[73349]

1 minute ago, Ausmumof3 said:

US fda has approved a rapid detection kit with 45 minute turn around 

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN218105?taid=5e76a970ef5fb40001468335&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A Trending Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter&__twitter_impression=true

Nice to know it's approved, but whether anyone will be able to get one any time soon is a different question of course. I've got a local doctor on my FB begging people for goggles and N95 masks for the hospital. 😕

 

[Arcadia]

3 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

US fda has approved a rapid detection kit with 45 minute turn around 

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN218105

It’s this one 🙂

 

[Ausmumof3]

7 minutes ago, Arctic Mama said:

She’s a freelance Italian journalist I follow, along with Posobiac.  That particular bit hasn’t been fleshed out but as far as I can tell it’s part of a current piece she is writing, I can’t find another link easily ATM.  She has several other articles out in the last two weeks analyzing the coverage and breaking down some of what she is seeing in Italy.

Thanks I found it.  May be an explanation for Germany’s apparently low death rate.  To get an accurate picture I guess we have to look at the usual number of deaths and compare to now.

[Arcadia]

3 minutes ago, whitehawk said:

Nice to know it's approved, but whether anyone will be able to get one any time soon is a different question of course.

 

https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus

“3. How fast is Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test?

The test is well suited for pandemic response. Many of our GeneXpert Systems are in hospital labs and other near-patient settings. From the time a sample (such as a nasopharyngeal swab) is taken, a result can be obtained in less than an hour. We call this “sample-to-answer” and it can be achieved faster than any other test available. It takes less than a minute to prepare the cartridge with the patient sample and approximately 45 minutes for GeneXpert to determine a result after a test cartridge is loaded onto the system

5. When do you expect the test to be available?

Our plan is to start shipping Research Use Only (RUO) and Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) tests before the end of March. 

6. How do I get a test?

Hospitals and labs currently using a GeneXpert system will be able to run the tests. It’s up to the healthcare professionals at those facilities to determine who meets the criteria for being tested.”

 

[Ausmumof3]

Australian PM has advised against all non essential travel.

[Pawz4me]

HanesBrands to produce surgical masks

Quote

HanesBrands, the Winston-Salem headquartered global apparel manufacturer, will begin producing cotton facemasks in some of its Latin American factories as part of a federal contract to combat a national shortage of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement came today during President Donald Trump's press briefing about the new coronavirus and the federal government's response.

The company has joined a cooperative consortium of other major apparel manufacturers led by Parkdale Mills America that are dedicating manufacturing capacity to meet the U.S. need for masks during the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a spokesman for HanesBrands.

HanesBrands is not producing respiratory masks, but rather a surgical mask. 

The company went from negotiating a contract with the federal government to beginning production in less than a week, according to a spokesperson.

Made from United States-grown cotton, the masks are being produced in HanesBrand sewing facilities in El Salvador, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. These factories would normally produce t-shirts, underwear, socks, sweatpants and sweatshirts. 

At peak output, the company expects to produce about 1.5 million masks a week. 

 

[DoraBora]

1 hour ago, HeighHo said:

 

Brooklyn and Orange County...communities that did not participate in the social isolation request or the no large group meeting request

HeighHo: Where are you getting county-specific information?

[Arcadia]

@Ausmumof3@JadeOrchidSong

Currently I have in China:

a maternal cousin who has been working there for years as expat

my brother’s in-laws in Hainan Island (wife’s parents and siblings)

my middle school classmate and her family working there as expats

my husband’s family friends who are working in Dalian for years as expats 

They are all actually doing very well while my family here have to shelter in place.

My country of origin (not China) has ran out of isolation units and is running out of protective gear despite what the worldwide media says. It’s definitely not a good situation there. Media plays favourites.

ETA:

I am obviously in an area with a high number of people holding China citizenship. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Arcadia

[DoraBora]

Amendments to current Dallas County (Texas) proclamations:

In a Saturday night press conference in the Dallas County Administration Building, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins explained the new amendment to his previously enacted proclamation about community gatherings and urged folks to not buy more toilet paper than they need.

"It's a surreal time that we live in when I'm having a press conference when I'm spending a lot of time on toilet paper, OK? But there is not a supply chain problem with the toilet paper. Folks, we are the problem with the toilet paper. When I say 'we,' I mean shoppers are the problem with the toilet paper."

A new limit on toilet paper sales will go into effect starting midnight, when all sales of bath or toilet paper in Dallas County are limited to 12 rolls per purchase or one package per purchase, whichever is greater. 

Jenkins also urged people to not take every item off the shelves at grocery stores for those who may not have enough at home.

"We've got to move from selfishness to sacrifice," Jenkins said.

Judge Jenkins also ordered closure of all salons, barber shops, tattoo parlors, etc., in which a six-foot distance from the customer could not be maintained.  All elective dental and medical procedures are prohibited in Dallas County until further notice.  All public or private recreational or community gatherings are also prohibited.

Dallas County confirmed total:  95 cases

[DoraBora]

1 minute ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

How are they defining "elective" medical procedures?

He said he expects  hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, dental offices, etc., to determine whether procedures can be postponed or cancelled based on patient risk and considering the need for resources to be redirected to fight the virus.

[Slache]

I know someone in Cincinnati who was exposed to the virus, got bored of the quarantine and went on a trip to Tennessee. Apparently she sent us this a few days ago.

[TCB]

5 hours ago, Arcadia said:

@Pen@mathnerd@Carol in CA@Acadie@TCB

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-21/fda-approves-first-bedside-covid-19-test-by-cepheid

“FDA Approves First Bedside Covid-19 Test by Cepheid

Test developed by Silicon Valley can issue results in 45 minutes

A Covid-19 test can deliver results in less than an hour has been approved under an FDA emergency authorization, marking the first test that clinicians can use at the bedside.

Testing shortages have been an ongoing challenge in the U.S. response to curb the pandemic. The White House has promised testing will ramp up as more private companies come on board. Public health and clinical labs have run more than 195,000 tests to date, but that doesn’t include hospital laboratories running their own test, Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said during a White House briefing Saturday.

Cepheid, a Silicon Valley diagnostics company, announced Saturday it received an emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration to use the test, making it the 13th Covid-19 test the agency has allowed on the market as long as the public health emergency exists. But it’s the first one that can be used at the point of care, meaning providers don’t have to send patient samples to a separate lab to be processed and then come back to the hospital or provider’s office. Cepheid said it expects to start shipping tests next week.”

ETA:

more info on the company’s webpage https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus

That is encouraging! It’s still taking days to get results back where we are but hopefully this will be available here soon too.

[Slache]

1 minute ago, square_25 said:

This turns out to be misinformation that has been posted a few times in this thread and debunked. Apparently, it's all over the place :-(. 

I didn't know it was already posted in the thread. It is so bad! Water washing it down? Holding your breath? Someone help me.

[Ausmumof3]

30 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

@Ausmumof3@JadeOrchidSong

Currently I have in China:

a maternal cousin who has been working there for years as expat

my brother’s in-laws in Hainan Island (wife’s parents and siblings)

my middle school classmate and her family working there as expats

my husband’s family friends who are working in Dalian for years as expats 

They are all actually doing very well while my family here have to shelter in place.

My country of origin (not China) has ran out of isolation units and is running out of protective gear despite what the worldwide media says. It’s definitely not a good situation there. Media plays favourites.

ETA:

I am obviously in an area with a high number of people holding China citizenship. 

I’m not sure whether to give you a like or sad reaction.  Glad about China and not the other country.

[Ausmumof3]

South Australian border to close to non essential traffic from Tuesday.  Effectively people can still come through but have to self isolate for 14 days.  They need to give name, number and address where they will be isolating to police at border crossings.

[Pen]

I

12 minutes ago, Slache said:

I know someone in Cincinnati who was exposed to the virus, got bored of the quarantine and went on a trip to Tennessee. Apparently she sent us this a few days ago.

 

Her behavior is despicable IMO and the thing she sent you about fibrosis etc is baloney internet social media hoax trash.  

 

[Ausmumof3]

Coles has announced it will donate $1 million worth of food and groceries to vulnerable Australians amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The supermarket giant said in a statement on Sunday the donations would be sent to food relief organisations, Foodbank and SecondBite.

They will then distribute the food to 3800 community programs across the nation.

[Slache]

9 minutes ago, Pen said:

Her behavior is despicable IMO and the thing she sent you about fibrosis etc is baloney internet social media hoax trash.  

I know. I just thought it should be shared and didn't realize it already was.

[LMD]

17 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

South Australian border to close to non essential traffic from Tuesday.  Effectively people can still come through but have to self isolate for 14 days.  They need to give name, number and address where they will be isolating to police at border crossings.

How does that work for logistics? Trucks and supplies? What if you come through and go home again before 14 days - just stay isolated I guess...

[Sk8ermaiden]

What are we supposed to do if we think we might have it, but do not have a doctor or insurance? I don't feel that bad at all, no fever. Just a cough, and a tightness in my chest. I've had pneumonia twice in the last four years, and it feels like it's *heading toward* pneumonia, but never actually gets any worse. It's been like a week of the same. I still take in a deep breath and hold it with no cough, which I can't do with pneumonia. 

But some of the things I'm reading about how people are going from fine to needing a vent in an hour are scaring me. The 29 year old who thought she was getting better and then just suddenly died? I'm widowed - I can't let anything happen to me if I can prevent it. 

I'm not panicking...I just want to make sure that I don't avoid medical care if I actually should be getting it. I'm not sure what to do.

[kbutton]

8 minutes ago, Sk8ermaiden said:

I'm not panicking...I just want to make sure that I don't avoid medical care if I actually should be getting it. I'm not sure what to do.

Your state might have a hotline that can give you instructions.

If you do get sicker, you can go to the ER. Just find out now, before you are sick, if it's best to call ahead. A lot of ER's are opening up triage tents, so calling ahead is not really necessary in that case. 

[sangtarah]

https://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/unmc-experts-develop-process-to-decontaminate-masks-used-in-coronavirus/article_d6a8df62-3c58-51fd-97c0-05ec4cc2c8d1.html
 

UNMC In Nebraska is trying to stretch the mask supply. 

[Terabith]

https://covidactnow.org/?fbclid=IwAR2ElUDxYDNLFMe_ySemjZs-wODJKVDR7CNVOjcVfJukPZ9AmAyeUzKMlZ0

[Arcadia]

41 minutes ago, Sk8ermaiden said:

I'm not panicking...I just want to make sure that I don't avoid medical care if I actually should be getting it. I'm not sure what to do.

Call your county’s health department hotline. They should know what to do.

[Ausmumof3]

51 minutes ago, LMD said:

How does that work for logistics? Trucks and supplies? What if you come through and go home again before 14 days - just stay isolated I guess...

So doesn’t apply to any essential services so I guess it’s mostly aimed at tourism 

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Sk8ermaiden said:

What are we supposed to do if we think we might have it, but do not have a doctor or insurance? I don't feel that bad at all, no fever. Just a cough, and a tightness in my chest. I've had pneumonia twice in the last four years, and it feels like it's *heading toward* pneumonia, but never actually gets any worse. It's been like a week of the same. I still take in a deep breath and hold it with no cough, which I can't do with pneumonia. 

But some of the things I'm reading about how people are going from fine to needing a vent in an hour are scaring me. The 29 year old who thought she was getting better and then just suddenly died? I'm widowed - I can't let anything happen to me if I can prevent it. 

I'm not panicking...I just want to make sure that I don't avoid medical care if I actually should be getting it. I'm not sure what to do.

 

Testing is supposed to be covered: 

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6201

care if you are positive is another issue not yet worked out, but some places have added open enrollment periods to get medical insurance:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/uninsured-covid-19-health-care-coverage_n_5e739885c5b6f5b7c53fdfb8

 

I would call your hospital now to ask what to do both with regard to not having insurance and also in general as you should not expose people when trying to get tested.  Some places are now going out to cars to do swan tests even if there’s no official drive through testing.

 If you are still home and well enough Monday call your state Health Department and local if any.  

Also possibly try 211 and 311 in case there is any helpful information that way. 

 

(Maybe 

 

 

The Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990 provides immediate crisis counseling to people ...

Sep 10, 2018 · A disaster or tragedy is unexpected and often brings out strong emotions. The Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990 can provide immediate ...

 

would have leads to other resources.  Or not.  ?) 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Pen

[Pen]

9 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

 

But it is just the kind of info a quarantine-hopper might think supports her actions. NBD, folks, just drink more water. 🙄

 

Yeah. You are right. And even some quite careful and wise people on here fell for some versions of that. 

 

[Ausmumof3]

ABC news:

The NSW and Victorian Governments will proceed to a more comprehensive shutdown of non-essential services over the next 48 hours in attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Key points:

The shutdowns in Victoria and NSW will not effect supermarkets, pharmacies and banks

Victoria will bring forward school holidays to begin on Tuesday

The Government will also consider locking down COVID-19 "red zones", as has been done in Wuhan and parts of Europe

Supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies, convenience stores, freight and logistics, and home delivery will be among the many services that will remain open.

Schools in both states will also be open on Monday, but in Victoria school holidays will be brought forward to start on Tuesday.

Both Victoria and NSW were planning to push for lockdowns at tonight's National Cabinet meeting, but NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made clear that their states would be pursuing these more drastic measures.

Coronavirus update: Follow all the latest news in our daily wrap

Mr Andrews said the step was necessary or "our hospitals will be overwhelmed, and more Victorians will die".

Ms Berejiklian said she would "update NSW tomorrow morning about the impacts and our plans following the National Cabinet".

[vonfirmath]

9 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

a third case is a homeless guy in seattle who walked off from a quarantine facility while waiting for test results (they were negative.)., shoplifted at a nearby store, then hopped on a metro bus.  I agree with the kent mayor if people are going to be quarantined, there has to be a way of enforcing it because some people just don't care about anyone else.

 

This has my friend in Bellevue, WA very concerned. They are putting in a quarantine area for homeless people in walking distance from the home I used to share with her and with nothing to keep the people there, she's concerned they are going to walk out and be in her community.  She says she's locked her door and has not been out at all but she'll need to get food eventually.

[Pen]

10 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

you know, there have been multiple cases where people went out after knowing they had/probably-had (were being tested because they were symptomatic) this virus.  there needs to be criminal charges (assuming they survive).  I think of the man who got on the jet-blue cross country flight knowing he was being tested, received confirmation he had it before the plane took off - and stayed on it anyway.  Jet blue banned him from ever flying with them, but there needs to be criminal charges for this.

then the woman at the mega church in Deagu South Korea.  she went to church AFTER she was told to be tested because she was symptomatic.  (and she'd gone to church the previous week when she probably was contagious - but (I think) not symptomatic.)

those are just two cases.

a third case is a homeless guy in seattle who walked off from a quarantine facility while waiting for test results (they were negative.)., shoplifted at a nearby store, then hopped on a metro bus.  I agree with the kent mayor if people are going to be quarantined, there has to be a way of enforcing it because some people just don't care about anyone else.

 

I agree.  There need to be criminal repercussions.  Not just “charges” and then bail and appearances...   unfortunately if people won’t do the right things on their own then those scenes of people in Vhina who violated home quarantine being dragged off may need to be a reality elsewhere.

And also strong criminal repercussions for kids going around coughing on food in stores, the recklessly indifferent college party crowds, etc.  

It is ridiculous.  

And a few bad actors jeopardize the lives and livelihoods of many.  

 

[LMD]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

So doesn’t apply to any essential services so I guess it’s mostly aimed at tourism 

Ah of course! Sorry, brain fog 😄

[Bootsie]

7 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

Sigh.  the change in China’s numbers appear to be because they have eased off of testing.  No testing = no positives.

This can also skew things when they’re not tabulating the same way.  It’s what makes the US look like it had terrible infant mortality compared to, say, Germany or even Brazil.

 

If this is true, how is Germany classifying someone who has pre-existing conditions?  If you look at the number of cases being reported there Total Cases = Active Cases + Deaths + Recovered.  If they are not counting these as "deaths" there would need to be another category or this wouldn't add up.

[SKL]

Looks like US new deaths are down for the second day in a row.

[El...]

1 hour ago, Bootsie said:

If this is true, how is Germany classifying someone who has pre-existing conditions?  If you look at the number of cases being reported there Total Cases = Active Cases + Deaths + Recovered.  If they are not counting these as "deaths" there would need to be another category or this wouldn't add up.

I'm in Germany and following the local numbers.  This Twitter post is not true. They most definitely are reporting the underlying condition AND coronavirus as a legit covid death. Here is an example of local reporting, though you might need Chrome to translate.  The local reporting matches the national for our state - I'm watching. Twitter twits are distributing a lot of bad info lately. https://www.gangelt.de/news/226-erster-corona-fall-in-nrw

[Innisfree]

18 minutes ago, StellaM said:

Australian PM just over-ruled the states - schools to stay open.

'No evidence students spread the virus'.

 

 

That seems to fly in the face of all logic. Of course students can spread the virus.

I'm sorry, Stella. I hope he comes to his senses quickly. Is there any response from medical professionals, perhaps? Anyone who can counter this?

[Bootsie]

1 hour ago, elroisees said:

I'm in Germany and following the local numbers.  This Twitter post is not true. They most definitely are reporting the underlying condition AND coronavirus as a legit covid death. Here is an example of local reporting, though you might need Chrome to translate.  The local reporting matches the national for our state - I'm watching. Twitter twits are distributing a lot of bad info lately. https://www.gangelt.de/news/226-erster-corona-fall-in-nrw

Thanks for the information.  

Some countries (such as Germany) seem to have a lot lower number of cases classified as "serious/critical" than Italy, Spain, or France, which is consistent with their lower death rate.  I don't know if the definition for serious/critical is the same across countries, but the difference is so striking, that it doesn't seem that differing definitions could really explain it.  

[Carrie12345]

10 hours ago, square_25 said:

1. We have identified four initial sites in New York State for locating temporary hospitals in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers. The four sites are the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the Westchester Convention Center. The Army Corps is expected to immediately begin work to construct the temporary hospitals. I also requested that FEMA designate four field hospitals with 250 beds each for the state. 

I watched Cuomo’s briefing yesterday, and listening to these words brought me close to breaking down. These are things a spoiled American only knows in the context of movies. Now they’re happening within 100 miles of my home. It’s chilling.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Seasider too said:

 

But it is just the kind of info a quarantine-hopper might think supports her actions. NBD, folks, just drink more water. 🙄

That’s exactly it. 

[73349]

I'm horrified at the people clinging to bad information when good information is so easy to get now. 😕

Stella, DS is wondering: Does Aus have an impeachment mechanism?

2 hours ago, Bootsie said:

Thanks for the information.  

Some countries (such as Germany) seem to have a lot lower number of cases classified as "serious/critical" than Italy, Spain, or France, which is consistent with their lower death rate.  I don't know if the definition for serious/critical is the same across countries, but the difference is so striking, that it doesn't seem that differing definitions could really explain it.  

Not a doctor, but I would think general health of the population would play into the percentage of cases that were serious/critical.  When dh and I were Italy almost 20 years ago for our honeymoon, once I got past the age of the buildings the next thing I noticed was how few children we saw.  Their population is pretty old.  Italy has also had more than its fair share of corruption and economic struggles over recent history which has to play into health as well.

[Bootsie]

10 minutes ago, Mom2mthj said:

Not a doctor, but I would think general health of the population would play into the percentage of cases that were serious/critical.  When dh and I were Italy almost 20 years ago for our honeymoon, once I got past the age of the buildings the next thing I noticed was how few children we saw.  Their population is pretty old.  Italy has also had more than its fair share of corruption and economic struggles over recent history which has to play into health as well.

The median age in Germany (and Japan) is older than that of Italy.   

[Guest]

I wish my state would set dates farther out. Right now, we have a lot of what seems like good ideas-Schools are closed, restaurants are take out/delivery only, bars and gyms are closed, community facilities closed (including playgrounds, tennis courts, and bathrooms in parks, which pretty much means, yeah, you can walk your dog there, but that's about it)-but all the dates are the end of the month. It kind of leaves me in limbo as a teacher at the community center, because I suspect it will be much, much longer before I see my music students again, but officially, we reopen April 1. The schools are in the same boat-officially, next week is an "Extended Spring Break", and they'll be back April 1.

Part of me wants to go ahead and prepare to teach online, but for piano, that's something that actually will require getting some equipment-you really need at least two cameras set up, as well as a microphone for both the teacher and the piano, and I also don't have copies of my repertoire/solo books that each student has at home, although I do have their core curriculum. I suspect it will cost me about $150 to set up to go online. If we're going back in a week, I can't justify it. And while I know some piano teachers do teach online as a big part of their teaching normally, this isn't something I can see doing long-term. I specialize in young children and children with special needs. They need all senses involved and engaged. I just can't see how to make it work and teach to the degree and the way that I feel kids need to be taught online.

 

Rationally, the writing on the wall is that I might as well plan to go online-that even if my kids just talk to me once a week and play a piece on their piano through Facetime, it's probably good for them to have that stability, however long this lasts. And that, to be honest, I need them too. Not financially (although the fact that the office that has to request my check is shut down does not escape me), but to have something to focus on that isn't old Disney movies and compulsively reading news (which is what I've been doing for the last week).  But somehow, making the plans to NOT go back makes it real...that this is how life is going to be, not just for a couple of weeks, but for possibly months on end. And I'm not sure I'm able to face that yet.

[livetoread]

An article I just read this morning suggested a couple of reasons for a Germany’s low death rate compared to active cases. One was that it has a very high testing rate, even higher than South Korea, and tested a lot of younger people initially. They tested lots of travelers coming back from ski vacations and the like which is going to skew younger. They anticipate that the death rate might align with other countries eventually, but who knows? The differing testing rates across countries makes it hard to draw conclusions about the progression of things, IMO.

https://www.ft.com/content/c0755b30-69bb-11ea-800d-da70cff6e4d3

Edited March 22, 2020 by livetoread

[El...]

2 hours ago, Bootsie said:

Thanks for the information.  

Some countries (such as Germany) seem to have a lot lower number of cases classified as "serious/critical" than Italy, Spain, or France, which is consistent with their lower death rate.  I don't know if the definition for serious/critical is the same across countries, but the difference is so striking, that it doesn't seem that differing definitions could really explain 

I don't have an answer, but I have a few observations!

First, we aren't done yet. The numbers are not even close to complete. Things may change drastically. I hope not, but our hospital is reportedly now full. It just took a tad longer to get there. 

Second, the health workers seem to be running the process by contacts. So, when someone is identified with the disease, they and those in the home are immediately quarantined. Then they go back at least two weeks in the patient's life and contact everyone with whom the patient had contact. I mean, thorough.  And they quarantine them all and monitor them. Then the minute one of those people in quarantine becomes ill, they run down their contact ring. You get tested with symptoms. So the tests do not reflect the number of people who have been quarantined for 2 weeks. It's been thorough. It's been a LOT. I live in a hard hit area.

One of the first patients in our area was married to a daycare worker. She was sick and was tested positive, so they quarantined every family with a child who had been in her care in the last two weeks.  See what I mean about thorough?

I think (and hope) that this is keeping the cases young. The sick aren't socializing where there are older people. 

Third, it appears to me that people around me are taking this all very seriously. I do not see folks flouting the advice not to gather.  Our schools and daycares have been closed for about three weeks. We didn't have church services on Ash Wednesday, even.

There are police checkpoints on the highway now, checking for fevers. 

At lot of people smoke, which is bad.  There're a lot of positive healthy lifestyle norms like fresh, local food and sunshine.  People go outside a lot. They do drink some.... 😅

We'll see. I'm hoping, here, in my house, with no place I need to go other than the grocery store next weekend and maybe a walk in the woods with the kids. 

[Pen]

7 hours ago, Bootsie said:

If this is true, how is Germany classifying someone who has pre-existing conditions?  If you look at the number of cases being reported there Total Cases = Active Cases + Deaths + Recovered.  If they are not counting these as "deaths" there would need to be another category or this wouldn't add up.

 

I don’t know the answer to your question. However that was an issue locally.  Our first confirmed / admitted to CV19 case was diagnosed after someone had (apparently—news has been changeable and sketchy) gone into hospital due to heart symptoms and died in hospital of a heart attack.  I think there was a question of whether to count it as a CV death versus a heart attack death.  I think they did put it as a CV death, but it sounded like it might be taken off CV death list after autopsy.  

Had this person not died and been tested, probably  she might just have been one more community person with undiagnosed CV19. (If reports are correct that she hadn’t already been know to have CV19 prior to going to Emergency Department due to heart.) 

In part I had the feeling that right now it went on as a CV death to warn area people not to act like idiots.  But I think if there had already been several local CV deaths then it might have been counted heart attack to not make the numbers for area look as bad. 

It doesn’t seem clear to me whether CV19 can directly increase chance of death by heart attack in people with preexisting heart conditions (rather than preexisting cardiac issues only being more of a risk for the whole typical illness with severe lung involvement).  If it can and if people who die of “heart attack” aren’t generally swabbed for CV19, there may be more CV19 cases than recorded.

This could also include some relatively young medical workers (China) who may have died of “heart attack” from stress and overwork— and may or may not have also been infected with SARS-CoV-2. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Pen

[J-rap]

12 minutes ago, dmmetler said:

I wish my state would set dates farther out. Right now, we have a lot of what seems like good ideas-Schools are closed, restaurants are take out/delivery only, bars and gyms are closed, community facilities closed (including playgrounds, tennis courts, and bathrooms in parks, which pretty much means, yeah, you can walk your dog there, but that's about it)-but all the dates are the end of the month. It kind of leaves me in limbo as a teacher at the community center, because I suspect it will be much, much longer before I see my music students again, but officially, we reopen April 1. The schools are in the same boat-officially, next week is an "Extended Spring Break", and they'll be back April 1.

Part of me wants to go ahead and prepare to teach online, but for piano, that's something that actually will require getting some equipment-you really need at least two cameras set up, as well as a microphone for both the teacher and the piano, and I also don't have copies of my repertoire/solo books that each student has at home, although I do have their core curriculum. I suspect it will cost me about $150 to set up to go online. If we're going back in a week, I can't justify it. And while I know some piano teachers do teach online as a big part of their teaching normally, this isn't something I can see doing long-term. I specialize in young children and children with special needs. They need all senses involved and engaged. I just can't see how to make it work and teach to the degree and the way that I feel kids need to be taught online.

 

Rationally, the writing on the wall is that I might as well plan to go online-that even if my kids just talk to me once a week and play a piece on their piano through Facetime, it's probably good for them to have that stability, however long this lasts. And that, to be honest, I need them too. Not financially (although the fact that the office that has to request my check is shut down does not escape me), but to have something to focus on that isn't old Disney movies and compulsively reading news (which is what I've been doing for the last week).  But somehow, making the plans to NOT go back makes it real...that this is how life is going to be, not just for a couple of weeks, but for possibly months on end. And I'm not sure I'm able to face that yet.

I think a lot of states/areas have done it this way -- setting end-dates in early April, as a way of quickly making a decision when so much was still unknown, and giving it short-term structure.  (And I think for a lot of businesses, that amount of time could still include full-time pay because of sick-leave, vacation-time, even spring break, etc.)   Many of our end-dates here are for early April as well, but of course that will not happen.  If anything, we'll be on a strict lock-down by then.

[Pen]

4 hours ago, dmmetler said:

I wish my state would set dates farther out. Right now, we have a lot of what seems like good ideas-Schools are closed, restaurants are take out/delivery only, bars and gyms are closed, community facilities closed (including playgrounds, tennis courts, and bathrooms in parks, which pretty much means, yeah, you can walk your dog there, but that's about it)-but all the dates are the end of the month. It kind of leaves me in limbo as a teacher at the community center, because I suspect it will be much, much longer before I see my music students again, but officially, we reopen April 1. The schools are in the same boat-officially, next week is an "Extended Spring Break", and they'll be back April 1.

Part of me wants to go ahead and prepare to teach online, but for piano, that's something that actually will require getting some equipment-you really need at least two cameras set up, as well as a microphone for both the teacher and the piano, and I also don't have copies of my repertoire/solo books that each student has at home, although I do have their core curriculum. I suspect it will cost me about $150 to set up to go online. If we're going back in a week, I can't justify it. And while I know some piano teachers do teach online as a big part of their teaching normally, this isn't something I can see doing long-term. I specialize in young children and children with special needs. They need all senses involved and engaged. I just can't see how to make it work and teach to the degree and the way that I feel kids need to be taught online.

 

Rationally, the writing on the wall is that I might as well plan to go online-that even if my kids just talk to me once a week and play a piece on their piano through Facetime, it's probably good for them to have that stability, however long this lasts. And that, to be honest, I need them too. Not financially (although the fact that the office that has to request my check is shut down does not escape me), but to have something to focus on that isn't old Disney movies and compulsively reading news (which is what I've been doing for the last week).  But somehow, making the plans to NOT go back makes it real...that this is how life is going to be, not just for a couple of weeks, but for possibly months on end. And I'm not sure I'm able to face that yet.

 

If me, I’d plan to go online because there’s essentially no way the virus will be in control April 1 —regardless of whether your government or other entity in charge decides to open things back up or not. 

 

I think people need to look at the epidemiological information available and if they can take action to help slow/ stop spread of the virus even a tiny bit, do that.

Don’t wait for government to mandate it.

 

Also doing do probably helps others to do similar. And it helps to figure out methods to change (whatever, teaching in your case) that can be adopted or learned from or built upon and modified by others. 

 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Pen

[Pen]

25 minutes ago, elroisees said:

I don't have an answer, but I have a few observations!

First, we aren't done yet. The numbers are not even close to complete. Things may change drastically. I hope not, but our hospital is reportedly now full. It just took a tad longer to get there. 

Second, the health workers seem to be running the process by contacts. So, when someone is identified with the disease, they and those in the home are immediately quarantined. Then they go back at least two weeks in the patient's life and contact everyone with whom the patient had contact. I mean, thorough.  And they quarantine them all and monitor them. Then the minute one of those people in quarantine becomes ill, they run down their contact ring. You get tested with symptoms. So the tests do not reflect the number of people who have been quarantined for 2 weeks. It's been thorough. It's been a LOT. I live in a hard hit area.

One of the first patients in our area was married to a daycare worker. She was sick and was tested positive, so they quarantined every family with a child who had been in her care in the last two weeks.  See what I mean about thorough?

I think (and hope) that this is keeping the cases young. The sick aren't socializing where there are older people. 

Third, it appears to me that people around me are taking this all very seriously. I do not see folks flouting the advice not to gather.  Our schools and daycares have been closed for about three weeks. We didn't have church services on Ash Wednesday, even.

There are police checkpoints on the highway now, checking for fevers. 

At lot of people smoke, which is bad.  There're a lot of positive healthy lifestyle norms like fresh, local food and sunshine.  People go outside a lot. They do drink some.... 😅

We'll see. I'm hoping, here, in my house, with no place I need to go other than the grocery store next weekend and maybe a walk in the woods with the kids. 

 

Could you remind me where your “here” that’s being so thorough is? Was it Belgium?

(I can’t see signatures if information is there.)