wuhan - coronavirus

[mommyoffive]

Covid-19 global updates: New restrictions, travel bans in Asia region as delta cases rise (msn.com)

Hawaii officials say Las Vegas 'poses significant risks' after traveling residents contract COVID-19 (msn.com)

Tracking coronavirus case surges in the United States (msn.com)

As Americans navigate conflicting COVID-19 mask advice, 'everyone is confused' (msn.com)

Coronavirus Watch: New cases triple in past month (msn.com)

[ktgrok]

I know they are seeing transmission in Australia in pharmacies and retail places, right? Are people in those places masking? Or not?

Also, it seems really weird to me that removalists/movers are so many of the cases of transmission - why is that? Are they spending more time in a person's home, breathing hard lifting things, not masking? Or? Like...that's just a strange job to me to be such a part of the problem. 

[Melissa Louise]

1 minute ago, ktgrok said:

I know they are seeing transmission in Australia in pharmacies and retail places, right? Are people in those places masking? Or not?

Also, it seems really weird to me that removalists/movers are so many of the cases of transmission - why is that? Are they spending more time in a person's home, breathing hard lifting things, not masking? Or? Like...that's just a strange job to me to be such a part of the problem. 

Idk about anywhere else but yes - and I'm not the only one double masking in the supermarket/chemist either. 

I think there were just 2 sets of removalists - bad luck? Going into different homes? Plus crossing state lines = bad.

[mommyoffive]

07/22/21: Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials - YouTube

7 day daily avg of confirmed covid cases is up 52% compared to last week, hospitalizations up 32%, and deaths up 19%. Last week all figures were up considerably compared to the prior week as well. Walensky says Delta is more aggressive and more transmissible than original/prior variants. It is one of the most infectious respiratory viruses we know of and that she’s seen in her 20 year career.

If you’ve previously had covid, cdc still strongly recommends you get vaccinated. Vaccination will give you longer lasting, more robust, and wide reaching protection to conquer the variants currently circulating the US.

162M indivudals in US fully vaxxed This last week Florida, Texas, and Missouri accounted for 40% of the covid cases in the US. (For additional context, the total population of all 3 states combined accounts for 17% of the us total population) 20% of cases recorded in Florida alone for second week in a row. Vax rates are increasing in the states with lowest vax/highest case rates again for second week in a row.

Fauci says the vax trials for kids under 12 are doing age deescalation in these groups 9-12, 6-9, 2-6, and then 6 months-2.

 

A reporter asked about a mrna dose for those who received j&j vax and Fauci says it is not needed, there is no current data to indicate that it is needed, j&j offers very good protection still.

Edited July 23, 2021 by mommyoffive

[ktgrok]

41 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

Idk about anywhere else but yes - and I'm not the only one double masking in the supermarket/chemist either. 

I think there were just 2 sets of removalists - bad luck? Going into different homes? Plus crossing state lines = bad.

Ok, so yes, seeing transmission masked, indoors. 

[TravelingChris]

My R Gov said that people don't have common sense and that she blames the unvaccinated for our surge.  ANd she urged people to get vaccinated.  This was yesterday.  

[SoCal_Bear]

3 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

My R Gov said that people don't have common sense and that she blames the unvaccinated for our surge.  ANd she urged people to get vaccinated.  This was yesterday.  

I saw that. Bravo for her for speaking the truth. I really hope she does not get blowback for what she said.

 

[Melissa in Australia]

7 hours ago, ktgrok said:

I know they are seeing transmission in Australia in pharmacies and retail places, right? Are people in those places masking? Or not?

Also, it seems really weird to me that removalists/movers are so many of the cases of transmission - why is that? Are they spending more time in a person's home, breathing hard lifting things, not masking? Or? Like...that's just a strange job to me to be such a part of the problem. 

Hardly anyone is allowed to cross state or regional borders. Truck drivers are exempt, including removalists 

People in shopping centres and pharmacist are masked, but may not be wearing a mask correctly 

[Melissa in Australia]

The removalists that came to Vic removed their mask, but the householder didn't. The householder didn't get covid. But the house was in a high rise  unit. The neighbour didn't wear a mask in the hallway. He caught covid. As did some friends he went to the footy with. Which turned into the superspreader event

The removalists were there for 5 hours. 

[Melissa Louise]

6 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Ok, so yes, seeing transmission masked, indoors. 

Actually, a lot of these are exposure sites, not necessarily transmission sites. 

I think that it's still spreading more in the home and at work, between colleagues - not entirely sure transmission at the chemist as a customer is a big driver of infection. 

But yeah, I didn't double mask at all last year, but there's a reason Ive just started. 

 

[Melissa Louise]

15 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Hardly anyone is allowed to cross state or regional borders. Truck drivers are exempt, including removalists 

People in shopping centres and pharmacist are masked, but may not be wearing a mask correctly 

True - until last week there were still ppl wearing masks under their noses etc. That seems to have stopped this week. 

 

[Ausmumof3]

10 hours ago, ktgrok said:

I know they are seeing transmission in Australia in pharmacies and retail places, right? Are people in those places masking? Or not?

Also, it seems really weird to me that removalists/movers are so many of the cases of transmission - why is that? Are they spending more time in a person's home, breathing hard lifting things, not masking? Or? Like...that's just a strange job to me to be such a part of the problem. 

Masks are mandatory in indoor public spaces here in my state. Most people seem to be abiding by that.  However the transmission so far here happened before that came back in.

Removalists are probably one of the few categories still allowed to cross state borders I guess, possibly without the level of testing for mainstream truck transport.

Edited July 24, 2021 by Ausmumof3

[Melissa Louise]

Cases in NSW still on the rise. 163 today. 

[Rosie_0801]

40 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Removalists are probably one of the few categories still allowed to cross state borders I guess, possibly without the level of testing for mainstream truck transport.

That was all happening on the Hume on the way home from Melbourne last night.

[Melissa Louise]

Oh good, my LGA wins 'most new cases' today. Ugh. 

[Melissa Louise]

Voices of ppl in one of the worst affected LGA's.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jul/24/imprisoned-south-west-sydney-on-harsher-lockdown-and-the-fight-to-stop-covid

[Ausmumof3]

12 for Vic. 1 here from the winery.  They are doing mapping etc of where everyone was sitting so that information will be useful for transmission patterns once the 14 days is up.  At this stage hopeful to be out of lockdown by Wednesday. DH is an essential worker and he says you wouldn’t really know it’s lockdown by the number of cars around etc but people are masking.

[Melissa Louise]

ATAGI has changed their advice for Greater Sydney. 

All adults over 18 should strongly consider getting vaccinated with any available vaccine, including AZ. Benefits now outweigh risks.

I'm grateful for vaccines but I'm so upset that young adults are forced into getting a vaccine that is riskier for them than the vaccines currently being supplied to 50+yr olds who refuse to take their comparatively smaller risk of side effects. 

Anyway. I will give dd1 the new info. I guess it's up to her to weigh up the risk. 

Still not recommended for under 18's. 

Edited July 24, 2021 by Melissa Louise

[Melissa Louise]

I really hate ScoMo. 

Sorry. Just needed to say it. 

He's s complete failure on vaccines. And everything else. 

[Ausmumof3]

21 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

ATAGI has changed their advice for Greater Sydney. 

All adults over 18 should strongly consider getting vaccinated with any available vaccine, including AZ. Benefits now outweigh risks.

I'm grateful for vaccines but I'm so upset that young adults are forced into getting a vaccine that is riskier for them than the vaccines currently being supplied to 50+yr olds who refuse to take their comparatively smaller risk of side effects. 

Anyway. I will give dd1 the new info. I guess it's up to her to weigh up the risk. 

Still not recommended for under 18's. 

you should read the study linked in the Irish Express thing up thread first if you haven’t.  Haven’t looked at it in detail but it claims the risk of AZ to anyone under 40 is double the risk of Covid.  

[bookbard]

9 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

All adults over 18 should strongly consider getting vaccinated with any available vaccine, including AZ. Benefits now outweigh risks.

 

What about these 50,000 extra Pfizer they're talking about? Surely they'll prioritise your area? It's her decision I guess, but I'd be reluctant to take the risk, if you're just staying at home. I don't have a real sense of where the spread is happening, because even though they're listing exposure sites, you don't know if anyone has actually caught covid there. I know that there's been spread in cafes and workplaces, and random other places, but where are the main places it's spreading in Sydney? 

I was able to get Pfizer last week, booked from June. Most older people that I interact with through work have got AZ from their doctor; many of the younger people seem completely unaware of it all, as in they haven't thought of getting the vaccine and would have no idea how to book for it. And there are definitely a number of older people who do not want the AZ and are holding out for Pfizer. 

[Ausmumof3]

2 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

you should read the study linked in the Irish Express thing up thread first if you haven’t.  Haven’t looked at it in detail but it claims the risk of AZ to anyone under 40 is double the risk of Covid.  

Quoting myself to add the link 

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40328123.html?type=amp&__twitter_impression=true

vaccinating with AZ across the population would avert 10 COVID deaths and cause 21 clotting deaths. I don’t believe that age should be expected to take that risk due to government incompetence/unwillingness to do what’s necessary to protect the older ones.

[Ausmumof3]

9 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Quoting myself to add the link 

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40328123.html?type=amp&__twitter_impression=true

vaccinating with AZ across the population would avert 10 COVID deaths and cause 21 clotting deaths. I don’t believe that age should be expected to take that risk due to government incompetence/unwillingness to do what’s necessary to protect the older ones.

Also quoting myself to say the one thing that might change my mind on this is solid evidence that delta is more deadly for younger age groups.  I haven’t seen that yet but maybe someone else here can comment?

either way I’m sorry you are in the situation ☹️
 

 

[Melissa Louise]

23 minutes ago, bookbard said:

What about these 50,000 extra Pfizer they're talking about? Surely they'll prioritise your area? It's her decision I guess, but I'd be reluctant to take the risk, if you're just staying at home. I don't have a real sense of where the spread is happening, because even though they're listing exposure sites, you don't know if anyone has actually caught covid there. I know that there's been spread in cafes and workplaces, and random other places, but where are the main places it's spreading in Sydney? 

I was able to get Pfizer last week, booked from June. Most older people that I interact with through work have got AZ from their doctor; many of the younger people seem completely unaware of it all, as in they haven't thought of getting the vaccine and would have no idea how to book for it. And there are definitely a number of older people who do not want the AZ and are holding out for Pfizer. 

I hope they prioritise young essential workers in SWS, esp in disability care. 

Under 50's have to seek AZ from the GP - they can't go to a vaccination hub. 

I'm so confused about what to advise the kids. 

Stay in till Christmas? 

[Laura Corin]

8 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Hardly anyone is allowed to cross state or regional borders. Truck drivers are exempt, including removalists 

People in shopping centres and pharmacist are masked, but may not be wearing a mask correctly 

When the UK locked down,  the only people allowed to move house were NHS workers  being redeployed 

[bookbard]

@lewelmawhat did new zealand do about deliveries, post offices and ordering online? Were postal workers and delivery drivers allowed to move around?

[TCB]

Has anyone kept up with the Ivermectin research? I haven’t looked closely recently and saw the other day that ? the most positive study was withdrawn because of ? falsified data. We are embroiled in Ivermectin wars here right now so I’d like to study up on it if anyone has reliable information.

[KSera]

1 hour ago, TCB said:

Has anyone kept up with the Ivermectin research? I haven’t looked closely recently and saw the other day that ? the most positive study was withdrawn because of ? falsified data. We are embroiled in Ivermectin wars here right now so I’d like to study up on it if anyone has reliable information.

I just recently read an article about how the ivermectin thing started last year—based on a study that was then withdrawn, but by then it was too late, and people were taking it (https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/surgisphere-sows-confusion-about-another-unproven-covid19-drug-67635). I found that background helpful in increasing my understanding of how we got here with ivermectin.

And then as you say, the more recent big study that was touted by ivermectin fans everywhere was withdrawn due to plagiarism and falsified data (which included, among other things, 79 of the patient records being obvious clones) (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jul/16/huge-study-supporting-ivermectin-as-covid-treatment-withdrawn-over-ethical-concerns) That article includes a link to the data showing all the irregularities within the data set. 
 

Other than that, everything I read is that there isn’t any solid data to recommend it on yet. Oxford is enrolling for a large trial, which hopefully will finally give a definitive answer, because all we have are small and largely observational studies. 
 

This is a weird source (smart retirement report), but written by a pharmacist and gives a decent overview of where ivermectin stands right now :

https://smartretirementreport.com/2021/07/22/a-major-ivermectin-study-has-been-withdrawn-so-what-now-for-the-controversial-drug/

 

[melmichigan]

For anyone interested I was playing around with the different models for fall for the US. The default is ensemble, so click "all" in the upper right to be able to add and subtract the different models from the list.  

https://covid19scenariomodelinghub.org/viz.html

 

[BeachGal]

5 hours ago, TCB said:

Has anyone kept up with the Ivermectin research? I haven’t looked closely recently and saw the other day that ? the most positive study was withdrawn because of ? falsified data. We are embroiled in Ivermectin wars here right now so I’d like to study up on it if anyone has reliable information.

Oxford’s PRINCIPLE trial should eventually provide more information. 

https://www.principletrial.org/news/ivermectin-to-be-investigated-as-a-possible-treatment-for-covid-19-in-oxford2019s-principle-trial

From today, ivermectin is being investigated in the UK as part of the Platform Randomised Trial of Treatments in the Community for Epidemic and Pandemic Illnesses (PRINCIPLE), the world’s largest clinical trial of possible COVID-19 treatments for recovery at home and in other non-hospital settings.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/oxford-university-explores-anti-parasitic-drug-ivermectin-covid-19-treatment-2021-06-22/

Ivermectin resulted in a reduction of virus replication in laboratory studies, the university said, adding that a small pilot showed giving the drug early could reduce viral load and the duration of symptoms in some patients with mild COVID-19.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens.

[TCB]

@KSera and @BeachGal I think I read that the meta analyses that have persuaded some people on the effectiveness of Ivermectin, were heavily influenced by the positive results from the Egyptian study that has been withdrawn. Have you heard more about this, or the effect on outcomes when a meta analysis is done without including that study?

It will be good to have a good quality RCT to look at.

[KSera]

46 minutes ago, TCB said:

@KSera and @BeachGal I think I read that the meta analyses that have persuaded some people on the effectiveness of Ivermectin, were heavily influenced by the positive results from the Egyptian study that has been withdrawn. Have you heard more about this, or the effect on outcomes when a meta analysis is done without including that study?

It will be good to have a good quality RCT to look at.

That’s exactly what I’ve read. When the falsified  Egyptian study is removed, the meta-analysis no longer shows any effect from ivermectin.

Edited July 24, 2021 by KSera
Typo

[BeachGal]

53 minutes ago, TCB said:

@KSera and @BeachGal I think I read that the meta analyses that have persuaded some people on the effectiveness of Ivermectin, were heavily influenced by the positive results from the Egyptian study that has been withdrawn. Have you heard more about this, or the effect on outcomes when a meta analysis is done without including that study?

It will be good to have a good quality RCT to look at.

I haven't been following ivermectin all that much but what I have read is that in order to successfully treat Covid, the dose would have to be dangerously large. I don’t know, though.

[Not_a_Number]

1 hour ago, TCB said:

@KSera and @BeachGal I think I read that the meta analyses that have persuaded some people on the effectiveness of Ivermectin, were heavily influenced by the positive results from the Egyptian study that has been withdrawn. Have you heard more about this, or the effect on outcomes when a meta analysis is done without including that study?

It will be good to have a good quality RCT to look at.

My personal stance is that I really don't believe in meta-analyses and recommend everyone else follows suit 😛 . You can't take a bunch of noisy, disparate data and make heads or tails of it, basically. 

ETA: I formed this opinion back when I was obsessively trying to scour the medical literature for whether epidurals had a negative effect on newborns/new mothers and also trying to figure out the data on inductions at the end of pregnancy. It was all fascinating and extremely hard to interpret, and the meta-analyses were so obviously useless I was shocked people were using them. 

Edited July 24, 2021 by Not_a_Number

[SoCal_Bear]

UK Study about cognitive deficits after Covid.

https://www.psypost.org/2021/07/large-study-finds-covid-19-is-linked-to-a-substantial-drop-in-intelligence-61577

[lewelma]

14 hours ago, bookbard said:

@lewelmawhat did new zealand do about deliveries, post offices and ordering online? Were postal workers and delivery drivers allowed to move around?

Only food could be delivered - and we were not set up for the volume, so they gave it to the old people. You had to prove age to get delivery.

Besides that, ALL stores were closed. Including ALL internet shopping. The post office was closed. There were no deliveries or mail. 

Edited July 25, 2021 by lewelma

[Ausmumof3]

18 hours ago, Melissa Louise said:

I hope they prioritise young essential workers in SWS, esp in disability care. 

Under 50's have to seek AZ from the GP - they can't go to a vaccination hub. 

I'm so confused about what to advise the kids. 

Stay in till Christmas? 

I keep thinking about this and then thinking there’s also the long COVID and neurological stuff 😬. Soo hard to know!

[TexasProud]

1 hour ago, lewelma said:

Only food could be delivered - and we were not set up for the volume, so they gave it to the old people. You had to prove age to get delivery.

Besides that, ALL stores were closed. Including ALL internet shopping. The post office was closed. There were no deliveries or mail. 

Just wow. So many people here would starve.  How long did this go on?  How did people earn money or even survive. I am trying to picture that for more than a weekend and just cannot imagine that amount of lock down. There would be riots.

Edited July 25, 2021 by TexasProud

[Melissa Louise]

40 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I keep thinking about this and then thinking there’s also the long COVID and neurological stuff 😬. Soo hard to know!

Have to keep reminding myself it's up to the adult kids to make their own decision. I can only pass on info. 

In good news, all Melbourne cases in isolation during their infectious period! Cautiously optimistic for them. 

Let's just ignore Sydney's news, lol

 

[bookbard]

1 hour ago, lewelma said:

Only food could be delivered - and we were not set up for the volume, so they gave it to the old people. You had to prove age to get delivery.

Besides that, ALL stores were closed. Including ALL internet shopping. The post office was closed. There were no deliveries or mail. 

OK, that is far more than has ever happened in Australia. I am all for it, by the way, what a difference 2 weeks of proper shut down would make. But I doubt that it would ever happen, our current federal and NSW state politicians are too beholden to big business. 

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, bookbard said:

OK, that is far more than has ever happened in Australia. I am all for it, by the way, what a difference 2 weeks of proper shut down would make. But I doubt that it would ever happen, our current federal and NSW state politicians are too beholden to big business. 

I think the first lockdown here was almost at that level. Food shops were open but very little else.  Subsequent lockdowns have been lighter.

[Ausmumof3]

So today’s news was 141 for NSW plus 2 deaths including a woman in her 30s with no preexisting conditions.

No new cases for QLD but a case from NSW has been travelling through some areas.

11 from VIC all quarantining.

3 for SA all in quarantine.  We are working toward reopening Wednesday assuming nothing changes.

We have ordered loads of boosted Pfizer for sometime in the future.

[Ausmumof3]

Also there have been some big protests in Sydney and some also in Melbourne.

[bookbard]

6 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I think the first lockdown here was almost at that level. Food shops were open but very little else.  Subsequent lockdowns have been lighter.

No, the post offices were open and there were deliveries of absolutely everything, so lots of delivery drivers around, lots of extra people working in stores to pack and send the items.

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by bookbard
added detail

[Ausmumof3]

2 minutes ago, bookbard said:

No, the post offices were open and there were deliveries of absolutely everything, so lots of delivery drivers around, lots of extra people working in stores to pack and send the items.

 

Yeah true.  But at least here in SA it felt like people were trying to avoid going out whereas now it feels like they’re looking for excuses 

[bookbard]

Yep, and there's so much more anger and protest. A lot of it is because there is less financial support and more of the govt blaming the people - when the whole thing began because the government didn't clearly legislate PPE for those transporting flight crews, and that was after the ruined Christmas/northern beaches outbreak which began for exactly the same reason. I enjoyed lockdown last year - this year I feel myself boiling with fury and I need to somehow let it go (prob need to get offline).

[Ausmumof3]

8 minutes ago, bookbard said:

Yep, and there's so much more anger and protest. A lot of it is because there is less financial support and more of the govt blaming the people - when the whole thing began because the government didn't clearly legislate PPE for those transporting flight crews, and that was after the ruined Christmas/northern beaches outbreak which began for exactly the same reason. I enjoyed lockdown last year - this year I feel myself boiling with fury and I need to somehow let it go (prob need to get offline).

Yep!  Found myself frustrated a lot this week and that was only a couple of days in.  

[KSera]

57 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Also there have been some big protests in Sydney and some also in Melbourne.

From the looks of what I saw of them, that looked  like a pretty concerning situation for spread 😢. I wouldn’t of worried too much about it before Delta, since it didn’t seem to be spreading outdoors, but the risk feels different now. I can’t help but feel some need to apologize if US exported the whole protesting a pandemic, cut off your nose to spite your face thing.

[Ausmumof3]

11 minutes ago, KSera said:

From the looks of what I saw of them, that looked  like a pretty concerning situation for spread 😢. I wouldn’t of worried too much about it before Delta, since it didn’t seem to be spreading outdoors, but the risk feels different now. I can’t help but feel some need to apologize if US exported the whole protesting a pandemic, cut off your nose to spite your face thing.

No need to apologise - the protests seem to happen everywhere.

[Melissa Louise]

2 hours ago, KSera said:

From the looks of what I saw of them, that looked  like a pretty concerning situation for spread 😢. I wouldn’t of worried too much about it before Delta, since it didn’t seem to be spreading outdoors, but the risk feels different now. I can’t help but feel some need to apologize if US exported the whole protesting a pandemic, cut off your nose to spite your face thing.

Pretty sure we birthed and exported the Murdoch press...!!