COVID-19 Thread

[stalton]

I have heard that one of the post disease problems is diminished lung capacity. Given the aerobic nature of basketball, I can understand why a multi-million (billion?) dollar basketball organization would want to know if their players have contracted this disease. And I assume they would be willing to pay a premium to get it done. So I am guessing the fact that the owners are uber-rich is why this has enabled them to get their players tested.

I'm curious were the funds to pay for this comes from. Just the general pot, their emergency fund or they have a health budget.

[MrTPlush]

I don’t think the tests cost that much. At least it is a drop in the bucket for billion dollar teams.

 

I will admit Frank, that reason is better than any of the BS they have spewed over the days when they get questioned on it...haven’t heard them make that claim though.

[rickh150]

No they’re not. They’re getting tests because they have the money to pay a private lab. They’re not receiving them because they’re athletes and hospitals are putting them above others. Big difference there.

 

Well said...

[MrTPlush]

There are two kinds of people in this world:

 

NBA teams and celebrities carelessly wasting tests.

 

and

 

Karl-Anthony Towns donating $100k to help testing in Minnesota.

[pacopete4]

If I had the money and thought I might be exposed, I’d take a test too.

[homer]

Since a lot of people are getting info from a lot of sources, I thought I'd post the latest update from the World Health Org's Director General. This is from yesterday (sorry for the weird formatting):

 

More than 200,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported to WHO, and more than 8000 people have lost their lives.

More than 80% of all cases are from two regions – the Western Pacific and Europe.

We know that many countries now face escalating epidemics and are feeling overwhelmed.

We hear you. We know the tremendous difficulties you face and the enormous burden you’re under. We understand the heart-wrenching choices you are having to make.

We understand that different countries and communities are in different situations, with different levels of transmission.

Every day, WHO is talking to ministers of health, heads of state, health workers, hospital managers, industry leaders, CEOs and more – to help them prepare and prioritize, according to their specific situation.

Don’t assume your community won’t be affected. Prepare as if it will be.

Don’t assume you won’t be infected. Prepare as if you will be.

But there is hope. There are many things all countries can do.

Physical distancing measures – like cancelling sporting events, concerts and other large gatherings – can help to slow transmission of the virus.

They can reduce the burden on the health system.

And they can help to make epidemics manageable, allowing targeted and focused measures.

But to suppress and control epidemics, countries must isolate, test, treat and trace.

If they don’t, transmission chains can continue at a low level, then resurge once physical distancing measures are lifted.

WHO continues to recommend that isolating, testing and treating every suspected case, and tracing every contact, must be the backbone of the response in every country. This is the best hope of preventing widespread community transmission.

Most countries with sporadic cases or clusters of cases are still in the position to do this.

Many countries are listening to our call and finding solutions to increase their ability to implement the full package of measures that have turned the tide in several countries.

But we know that some countries are experiencing intense epidemics with extensive community transmission.

 

Rest of the speech here:

 

We understand the effort required to suppress transmission in these situations. But it can be done.

 

A month ago, the Republic of Korea was faced with accelerating community transmission. But it didn’t surrender.

 

It educated, empowered and engaged communities;

 

It developed an innovative testing strategy and expanded lab capacity;

 

It rationed the use of masks;

 

It did exhaustive contact tracing and testing in selected areas;

 

And it isolated suspected cases in designated facilities rather than hospitals or at home.

 

As a result, cases have been declining for weeks. At the peak there were more than 800 cases, and today the report was only 90 cases.

 

WHO is working in solidarity with other countries with community transmission to apply the lessons learned in Korea and elsewhere, and adapt them to the local context.

 

Likewise, WHO continues to recommend that, wherever possible, confirmed mild cases should be isolated in health facilities, where trained professionals can provide good medical care, and prevent clinical progression and onward transmission.

If that’s not possible, countries can use community facilities to isolate and care for mild cases and refer them for specialized care quickly if needed.

 

If health facilities are at risk of being overwhelmed, people with mild disease can be cared for at home.

 

Although this is not the ideal situation, WHO has advice on our website for how home-care can be provided as safely as possible.

 

WHO continues to call on all countries to implement a comprehensive approach, with the aim of slowing down transmission and flattening the curve.

 

This approach is saving lives and buying time for the development of vaccines and treatments.

 

As you know, the first vaccine trial has begun, just 60 days after the genetic sequence of the virus was shared by China. This is an incredible achievement.

 

We commend the researchers around the world who have come together to systemically evaluate experimental therapeutics.

 

Multiple small trials with different methodologies may not give us the clear, strong evidence we need about which treatments help to save lives.

 

WHO and its partners are therefore organizing a study in many countries in which some of these untested treatments are compared with each other.

 

This large, international study is designed to generate the robust data we need, to show which treatments are the most effective.

 

We have called this study the SOLIDARITY trial.

 

The SOLIDARITY trial provides simplified procedures to enable even hospitals that have been overloaded to participate.

 

Many countries have already confirmed that they will join the SOLIDARITY trial - Argentina, Bahrain, Canada, France, Iran, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Thailand - and I trust many more will join.

 

I continue to be inspired by the many demonstrations of solidarity from all over the world.

 

The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund has now raised more than US$43 million from more than 173,000 individuals and organizations, a few days since we launched it. I’d especially like to thank FIFA for its contribution of US$10 million.

 

These and other efforts give me hope that together, we can and will prevail.

 

This virus is presenting us with an unprecedented threat. But it’s also an unprecedented opportunity to come together as one against a common enemy – an enemy against humanity.

 

I thank you.

 

 

On research/vaccine:

As you know, the first vaccine trial has begun, just 60 days after the genetic sequence of the virus was shared by China. This is an incredible achievement.

We commend the researchers around the world who have come together to systemically evaluate experimental therapeutics.

Multiple small trials with different methodologies may not give us the clear, strong evidence we need about which treatments help to save lives.

WHO and its partners are therefore organizing a study in many countries in which some of these untested treatments are compared with each other.

This large, international study is designed to generate the robust data we need, to show which treatments are the most effective.

We have called this study the SOLIDARITY trial.

[nate82]

 

Apparently the country to live through this in style who really knows how to manage an outbreak is north korea....0 cases!!

 

That's because they executed them all. Can't spread the virus if you are dead.

[pacopete4]

I know this crosses towards political but now there’s reports that Republican Senator Burr our of North Carolina was warned of what could happen with this virus and he sold $1.6M worth of stocks and didn’t tell anyone of the conversation. This could get interesting to say the least. You even have conservative Fox News, Tucker Carlson, calling for his resignation and facing prosecution. Crazy times....

[Samurai Bucky]

 

Apparently the country to live through this in style who really knows how to manage an outbreak is north korea....0 cases!!

 

That's because they executed them all. Can't spread the virus if you are dead.

Permission granted to use the sarcasm tag...

 

[sarcasm]... unless you weren't being sarcastic... [/sarcasm]

[PeaveyFury]

Quarantine in place order issued for the entire state of California tonight.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Quarantine in place order issued for the entire state of California tonight.

 

 

I don't think it's a reach that other states will adopt this sooner, rather than later.

[brwrsfan]

Quarantine in place order issued for the entire state of California tonight.

 

 

I don't think it's a reach that other states will adopt this sooner, rather than later.

 

I’ll be very surprised if WI isn’t in the same spot by early next week, with the entire country there by the end of next weekend.

[superfly]

Thanks for the info WHO. I have a few thoughts about that letter posted above but I may get banned from the site with the amount of expletives I’d probably use. Maybe if they wouldn’t have been on a podium kissing China’a rear end in January this wouldn’t be an issue today.

[MrTPlush]

What California did really isn’t that far off what we are doing already in Wisconsin. Biggest thing is businesses are shut down unless essential...though that won’t effect people working at home. Gas stations, grocery stores, banks etc. will all still be open. You can still go outside to exercise. The only thing it may effect is daycares, but that’s about it. The 10 person limit on gatherings pretty much gives you a de facto statewide quarantine.

[LouisEly]

Germany is a country I'm struggling to understand of how they are managing this so well. Their infection rate is well over 12K people, yet only 28 have died -- a tiny 0.2% mortality rate. What's different?

Well, the biggest factors are who is tested and who contracts it. As for testing, Italy told those who were mildly symptomatic to not come in and get tested. Their denominator is a fraction of what it should be. Germany may be testing everyone who is symptomatic.

 

Then there's the question of who is contracting it. If the Germans who are contracting it are young and relatively healthy, then the mortality rate will be very low. Italy has a terrible health care system, especially primary care, and a lot of people got cross-contaminated within the healthcare system. Many of those people were already sick/poor health/other comorbidities, thus they were higher risk. If it goes around a nursing home, you have to expect a much higher mortality rate than if it goes around a college campus.

 

Yeah, all true. This is why I wish people would look at context when there is a spike in cases.

 

More positives in and of itself is not a bad thing. It means we're testing more people, finding them and isolating them. People should not use total cases to compare us to Italy. If we're finding more infected because we're getting better and more efficient at testing, that's a good thing. I'm more concerned with the deaths, if they start to spiral out of control then that's much more of a sign of the health care system getting overwhelmed.

The real problem is the area between total cases and deaths - serious cases that require hospitalization. Neither mild cases nor deaths take up hospital beds. That's the critical stat that they're not telling us.

 

They should also be using AI to understand the common characteristics of those who have died or have serious cases in order to proactively identify who is at serious risk. I'd be shocked if the #1 common characteristic isn't smoking.

[adambr2]

Quarantine in place order issued for the entire state of California tonight.

 

 

I don't think it's a reach that other states will adopt this sooner, rather than later.

 

I’ll be very surprised if WI isn’t in the same spot by early next week, with the entire country there by the end of next weekend.

 

People should understand, before it does get here and misunderstanding gets out of hand, that this doesn't put everyone on total lockdown. You can still leave to get food, essentials, medical care, or to work or take a walk.

 

Basically, the way everyone should be living already anyway.

[adambr2]

The real problem is the area between total cases and deaths - serious cases that require hospitalization. Neither mild cases nor deaths take up hospital beds. That's the critical stat that they're not telling us.

 

They should also be using AI to understand the common characteristics of those who have died or have serious cases in order to proactively identify who is at serious risk. I'd be shocked if the #1 common characteristic isn't smoking.

 

According to Worldometers, that number is 64. I find that really hard to believe though, that's barely 1 patient per state and the death rate is still rising while the critical number is rarely updated.

[adambr2]

Spain is really starting to have a problem. Not surprisingly, they have the second oldest elderly population in the world.

 

The oldest, oddly, is Japan, who does not have a major COVID-19 crisis at this time.

[nodakfan17]

Spain is really starting to have a problem. Not surprisingly, they have the second oldest elderly population in the world.

 

The oldest, oddly, is Japan, who does not have a major COVID-19 crisis at this time.

I’d venture a guess that Japan being a literal island helps reduce transmission.

[adambr2]

Spain is really starting to have a problem. Not surprisingly, they have the second oldest elderly population in the world.

 

The oldest, oddly, is Japan, who does not have a major COVID-19 crisis at this time.

I’d venture a guess that Japan being a literal island helps reduce transmission.

 

Doesn't hurt, but that isn't helping the UK that much.

[GAME05]

A political show I was listening to yesterday said there's been a lot of positive news about the medicine normally used to treat malaria and it's effects on Covid. So far it's worked well to both treat it and prevent it, and apparently it's safe enough for pregnant and nursing mothers. If that turns out to be true, an already-FDA-approved medicine could be dumped onto the market and given out pretty quickly.

 

edit: Not FDA approved for this particular virus. But old enough that it's already available as a generic. Bayer has donated three million doses to the US for testing.

[adambr2]

A political show I was listening to yesterday said there's been a lot of positive news about the medicine normally used to treat malaria and it's effects on Covid. So far it's worked well to both treat it and prevent it, and apparently it's safe enough for pregnant and nursing mothers. If that turns out to be true, an already-FDA-approved medicine could be dumped onto the market and given out pretty quickly.

 

Hydroxychloroquine, especially when combined with azithromycin.

 

https://nypost.com/2020/03/19/old-malaria-drug-hydroxychloroquine-may-help-cure-coronavirus-study/

 

Hopefully, this is going to be the key. Eventually there will be a vaccine, but we can't afford to wait 14-18 months for that right now.

[PeaveyFury]

You can still leave to get food, essentials, medical care, or to work or take a walk.

 

Basically, the way everyone should be living already anyway.

 

Bold added for emphasis, as this is a big difference- non-essential businesses have been closed. Meaning, you can go to get food and gas, etc., but a lot of other businesses will be shut down. Working from home will obviously continue for those that can, though.

[adambr2]

You can still leave to get food, essentials, medical care, or to work or take a walk.

 

Basically, the way everyone should be living already anyway.

 

Bold added for emphasis, as this is a big difference- non-essential businesses have been closed. Meaning, you can go to get food and gas, etc., but a lot of other businesses will be shut down. Working from home will obviously continue for those that can, though.

 

I'm curious to see how various states define essential vs. non-essential.

 

For example I work in manufacturing producing paper. So I don't know where I'd fall on that.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Spain is really starting to have a problem. Not surprisingly, they have the second oldest elderly population in the world.

 

The oldest, oddly, is Japan, who does not have a major COVID-19 crisis at this time.

I’d venture a guess that Japan being a literal island helps reduce transmission.

 

Doesn't hurt, but that isn't helping the UK that much.

 

You can take a train into the UK from Paris and thousands do every day, or did. The geography is ignored in this too much. Even with South Korea, whose only border is with N. Korea.