COVID-19

[JurDocDuLac]

No Cuomo fan here, but by comparison with Europe…

This is a horrifying read.
-----

European countries lead the world in per capita deaths, in part because of what happened inside their nursing homes. By fixating on saving their hospitals, European leaders sometimes left nursing-home residents and staff to fend for themselves.

Few countries embody this lethally ineffective pandemic response more than Belgium, where government officials excluded nursing-home patients from the testing policy until thousands were already dead.

Belgium’s response offers a gruesome twist: Paramedics and hospitals sometimes flatly denied care to elderly people, even as hospital beds sat unused. In Belgium, the authorities shunned and all but ignored nursing homes [so] Belgium’s hospital system never came under strain. Even at the height of the outbreak in April … intensive-care beds were no more than about 55 percent full. [Yet] during the peak of the crisis, from March through mid-May, nursing-home residents accounted for two out of every three coronavirus deaths.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/08/world/europe/coronavirus-nursing-homes-elderly.html?smid=tw-share

 

[Circa]

I don't get what you're objecting to in my comment. All I said was that these potential vaccines ARE going through clinical trials otherwise they would be in use current; nothing about other kinds of vaccines.

Also, I'm not going to get into an argument about RNA vs. DNA vaccines - I have no expertise or knowledge on the subject and I'm not going to get into a debate if I don't understand the science behind both.

as to the bolded... I don't either. It's all good bud.

 

[MJ12666]

No Cuomo fan here, but by comparison with Europe…

This is a horrifying read.
-----

European countries lead the world in per capita deaths, in part because of what happened inside their nursing homes. By fixating on saving their hospitals, European leaders sometimes left nursing-home residents and staff to fend for themselves.

Few countries embody this lethally ineffective pandemic response more than Belgium, where government officials excluded nursing-home patients from the testing policy until thousands were already dead.

Belgium’s response offers a gruesome twist: Paramedics and hospitals sometimes flatly denied care to elderly people, even as hospital beds sat unused. In Belgium, the authorities shunned and all but ignored nursing homes [so] Belgium’s hospital system never came under strain. Even at the height of the outbreak in April … intensive-care beds were no more than about 55 percent full. [Yet] during the peak of the crisis, from March through mid-May, nursing-home residents accounted for two out of every three coronavirus deaths.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/08/world/europe/coronavirus-nursing-homes-elderly.html?smid=tw-share

Just in case you are not aware, Cuomo's policy required nursing homes to accept patients that were recovering from Covid-19.

https://nypost.com/2020/07/08/cuomo-sent-6300-covid-19-patients-to-nursing-homes-amid-pandemic/

 

[Irishize]

For those that didn’t know, Irish DL Jacob Lacey’s father, David; contracted COVID-19 back in March. He shared his experience with Eric Hansen & Tyler James on Irish Insider’s Pod of Gold. Really insightful first person account.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pod-of-gold-notre-dame-football/id1435318252?i=1000477753980

 

[notredomer23]

7 day average for cases

July 3: 49,229
July 10: 56,998
July 17: 67,571
July 24: 68,481
July 31: 66,290
Aug 7: 55,490

Hopefully we return to around the July 3rd number or better this week and continue the right trajectory.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Two thirds of Indiana COVID deaths are from LTC facilities. For quite awhile it was believe that number was closer to 50%.

Since April 8, nursing homes have been required to notify the state health department of coronavirus cases and deaths within 24 hours. Yet a significant number of LTC facilities were showing up as not submitting any data up until recently.

Now there are only 5 LTC facilities that haven't reported anything to the state out of 759.


https://www.indystar.com/story/news/health/2020/08/06/indiana-nursing-homes-assisted-living-centers-bear-brunt-covid-19/3311095001/

 

[Irish#1]

Two thirds of Indiana COVID deaths are from LTC facilities. For quite awhile it was believe that number was closer to 50%.

Since April 8, nursing homes have been required to notify the state health department of coronavirus cases and deaths within 24 hours. Yet a significant number of LTC facilities were showing up as not submitting any data up until recently.

Now there are only 5 LTC facilities that haven't reported anything to the state out of 759.


https://www.indystar.com/story/news/health/2020/08/06/indiana-nursing-homes-assisted-living-centers-bear-brunt-covid-19/3311095001/

I was wondering why the spike in numbers. I'm feeling better if this is just delayed reporting. We should see a significant drop in the next few days if true.

 

[ab2cmiller]

I was wondering why the spike in numbers. I'm feeling better if this is just delayed reporting. We should see a significant drop in the next few days if true.

I don't think the daily numbers for total deaths are related to this reporting. Lots of deaths from April through July were actually people who came from LTC facilities. But many of the LTC facilities weren't submitting data.

For example, Last Tuesday there were 1,618 deaths to date attributed to LTC facilities out of 2,709 deaths. Today the LTC deaths are 1,903 to date out of 2,835 total deaths. Obviously most of the increase in LTC deaths were from weeks/months ago, whereas they were previously counted in the overall death count.

Regardless, Indiana hasn't had any spikes recently, been fairly flat for about a month.

 

[Irish#1]

I don't think the daily numbers for total deaths are related to this reporting. Lots of deaths from April through July were actually people who came from LTC facilities. But many of the LTC facilities weren't submitting data.

For example, Last Tuesday there were 1,618 deaths to date attributed to LTC facilities out of 2,709 deaths. Today the LTC deaths are 1,903 to date out of 2,835 total deaths. Obviously most of the increase in LTC deaths were from weeks/months ago, whereas they were previously counted in the overall death count.

Regardless, Indiana hasn't had any spikes recently, been fairly flat for about a month.

Thanks for the clarification. According to the IN COVID dashboard there's been a spike in reported cases. https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2393.htm

 

[ab2cmiller]

Thanks for the clarification. According to the IN COVID dashboard there's been a spike in reported cases. https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2393.htm

Yes, spike in cases, but deaths are flat, which is good news.

7 day moving average of positivity rate has been between 7.75% and 9% for the past month. So the positivity rate has been fairly constant as well which is good news. So the increases in cases is a result of increased testing.

Increase in ICU usage over the past month related to COVID. Obviously something to watch.

It looks like Ohio has about the same percentage of COVID deaths being from LTC facilities 68%
https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/ohio-department-of-health-reports-2429-covid-19-deaths-in-long-term-care-facilities

 

[Irishize]

“The Coronavirus is Never Going Away”

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/08/coronavirus-will-never-go-away/614860/

 

[Legacy]

Considering the studies that are reporting cross-immunity in people who have been exposed to coronavirus respiratory infections and the hope that a vaccine for COVID will provide some protection against future novel corronaviruses, worth noting is the progress towards a SARS-CoV virus vaccine. That had progressed to the point of a large-scale Phase 1 human trials. It was never done due to withdrawl of federal funds and no interest by private pharmaceutical companies. A few adaptations and mass manufacturing could have easily and relatively quickly in appropriate dosages and verified safety. Plus, a number of us would have achieved immunity from that vaccine.

As Ben Franklin observed - An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00533741

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-scientists-uncover-sars-cov-specific-cell-immunity.html

https://www.bcm.edu/departments/ped...arch/vaccine-development/coronavirus-vaccines

Financially, that's billions instead of trillions and a wrecked economy - a modest amount.

How stupid not to invest in our future.

 

[Irish#1]

Russia has announced they have a vaccine. Not sure I'm ready to believe that.

Putin says Russia has approved 'world first' Covid-19 vaccine. But questions over its safety remain

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/11/europe/russia-coronavirus-vaccine-putin-intl/index.html

 

[SonofOahu]

Just in case you are not aware, Cuomo's policy required nursing homes to accept patients that were recovering from Covid-19.

https://nypost.com/2020/07/08/cuomo-sent-6300-covid-19-patients-to-nursing-homes-amid-pandemic/

I discussed this before, but in cases where triage is happening, there is no choice but to ship the patients out of acute and into the post-acute setting. You hope that it doesn't get to that point, but with COVID, it clearly does. NY had two big problems:

1. They didn't shut down the subways
2. They didn't have a coordinated system to move patients around the various hospitals

Granted, NY has over 200 hospitals, but a connected and coordinated patient-control network would have spread out the load better.

FYI, the CDC released a best-practice "book" awhile back, and NY's movement into the post-acute setting was listed in it. That was standard CDC guidance in the old days of COVID. Things change, people learn, generally after some hard lessons.

 

[SonofOahu]

In true Hawaii fashion, we're experiencing our peak about a month after the mainland. Same with flu, actually. Our numbers are, relatively, getting up there. All Oahu hospitals are now in multiple weekly-conversations in preparation for our surge needs.

The biggest hospital has about 100 patients, and is opening its fourth COVID unit. They're transferring less-acute patients to the other hospitals to create space. It's a very coordinated exercise, because we have a strong association and emergency-management apparatus.

Legacy, to answer your question, staffing will be a limiting factor in how well we can absorb patients. We all have enough space, but probably not enough staff. The travel-RN rate is at about $130 per hour.

We're seeing a lot of asymptomatic positive cases. I'm not sure if I'm one of them; I may get tested tomorrow. This illness really plays with your mind, as every damn symptom makes you go "crap, is it the 'rona?"

 

[dublinirish]

first 2020 high school contest of the season took place in Utah yesterday
https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020...spotlight-in-season-opening-win-over-herriman

 

[Irishize]

Here’s a nice detailing of all the vaccines & their respective companies:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/14/the...rus-vaccines-heres-where-the-deals-stand.html

 

[Legacy]

Kaiser Health News and The Guardian have a joint project concerning the deaths of health care workers from Covid-19.

Exclusive: Over 900 Health Workers Have Died of COVID-19. And the Toll Is Rising.
KHN and The Guardian unveil an interactive database documenting front-line health care worker deaths. The majority of them are people of color — and nurses face the highest toll.

More than 900 front-line health care workers have died of COVID-19, according to an interactive database unveiled Tuesday by The Guardian and KHN. Lost on the Frontline is a partnership between the two newsrooms that aims to count, verify and memorialize every U.S. health care worker who dies during the pandemic.

KHN and The Guardian are tracking health care workers who died from COVID-19 and writing about their lives and what happened in their final days.

READ THEIR STORIES

It is the most comprehensive accounting of U.S. health care workers’ deaths in the country.

As coronavirus cases surge — and dire shortages of lifesaving protective gear like N95 masks, gowns and gloves persist — the nation’s health care workers are again facing life-threatening conditions in Southern and Western states. (cont)

Mahalo, Oahu - for your explanations, input her and your contribution to fighting Covid-19 on your island.

 

[phork]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...me-halts-person-classes-146-students-n1237195

Well there goes that fuzzy feeling.

 

[SonofOahu]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...me-halts-person-classes-146-students-n1237195

Well there goes that fuzzy feeling.

Completely predictable. Insert surprised Pikachu face.

I'm disappointed that ND hasn't taken a stand for not playing football this Fall. Maybe Father Jenkins will pull that plug, now that he's seen what happens when you amass that many people at one time.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

I am not linking to it but there is a Deadspin article by Sam Fels on BK and ND that is absolute garbage. I can’t believe it was actually published. The headline was changed but not the tweet promoting it.

 

[notredomer23]

I am not linking to it but there is a Deadspin article by Sam Fels on BK and ND that is absolute garbage. I can’t believe it was actually published. The headline was changed but not the tweet promoting it.

Sup Cack, glad you’re back.

Not sure what else you expected from Deadspin. The only way they stay relevant these days is with BS like that.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Sup Cack, glad you’re back.

Not sure what else you expected from Deadspin. The only way they stay relevant these days is with BS like that.

I agree which is why I didnt link it. It was a Breitbart level shit piece explicitly saying ND doesnt care about killing its students. He references Declan and Lizzy/Prince issues. Fucking gross.

 

[zelezo vlk]

So what are y'all thinking about the holidays? I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I'll be spending them alone. Just doesn't seem like we'll have a good enough handle on this thing in 3 or 4 months to feel like I wouldn't be putting my folks and sister and nephew at risk.

 

[SonofOahu]

So what are y'all thinking about the holidays? I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I'll be spending them alone. Just doesn't seem like we'll have a good enough handle on this thing in 3 or 4 months to feel like I wouldn't be putting my folks and sister and nephew at risk.

This is going to be the worst holiday flu/COVID season in history. Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but we're not going to have a vaccine in 2020, not a worthwhile one, anyway. Our supply chain is already warning us to expect shortages, again, once Fall starts.

You know how people were saying "COVID is no worse than the flu"? Well, pray for a light flu season, because we're going to find out.

 

[Irish#1]

So what are y'all thinking about the holidays? I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I'll be spending them alone. Just doesn't seem like we'll have a good enough handle on this thing in 3 or 4 months to feel like I wouldn't be putting my folks and sister and nephew at risk.

This is going to be the worst holiday flu/COVID season in history. Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but we're not going to have a vaccine in 2020, not a worthwhile one, anyway. Our supply chain is already warning us to expect shortages, again, once Fall starts.

You know how people were saying "COVID is no worse than the flu"? Well, pray for a light flu season, because we're going to find out.

I'm not expecting a big improvement until next spring. If I had to guess, even though the Flu and COVID are not related (except for being a virus), I expect the demand for flu vaccines to go through the roof this year. Our company provides flu shots every September and they already ordered them back in July to make sure we would get them.

 

[IrishLax]

I agree which is why I didnt link it. It was a Breitbart level shit piece explicitly saying ND doesnt care about killing its students. He references Declan and Lizzy/Prince issues. Fucking gross.

I used to be an avid Deadspin reader circa 2010. A couple years ago, I realized it had devolved from an irreverent sports blog into pure anti-factual garbage, so I blocked it in my browser. For a couple weeks I would still instinctively try to go there out of habit, but now I haven't given that shitthole a thought or a click in a long time and I'm glad.

 

[Legacy93]

This is going to be the worst holiday flu/COVID season in history. Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but we're not going to have a vaccine in 2020, not a worthwhile one, anyway. Our supply chain is already warning us to expect shortages, again, once Fall starts.

You know how people were saying "COVID is no worse than the flu"? Well, pray for a light flu season, because we're going to find out.

How do we know its going to be such a bad flu season? Like what do they look at as indicators? Genuinely curious how doctors / epidemiologists / etc. come to their expectations on whether a flu season will be light / heavy.

 

[dublinirish]

I used to be an avid Deadspin reader circa 2010. A couple years ago, I realized it had devolved from an irreverent sports blog into pure anti-factual garbage, so I blocked it in my browser. For a couple weeks I would still instinctively try to go there out of habit, but now I haven't given that shitthole a thought or a click in a long time and I'm glad.

Deadspin OG was great and it is sadly missed
Here's an article that chronicles what went down there:
https://slate.com/business/2019/11/deadspin-roundtable-barry-petchesky-megan-greenwell-tom-ley.html

The phoenix site the old writers have launched is a paywall site called Defector
https://defector.com/

 

[GowerND11]

So two student athletes at our local high school were tested for Covid. While waiting for their results, they continued to attend practices, and went to a birthday party. The tests came back positive, now the sports programs there are shut down from practicing for two weeks.