COVID-19 Discussion Thread

[Revenant]

So we finally got some masks in. Our department will have enough for the next couple weeks, If we use them sparingly. We don’t have cleaning wipes, and we’re running short on gloves.

One of my coworker’s friends died today of Covid 19. 36 YOA. In great shape with no preexisting conditions. Even did Iron Man races.

 

[paulesko]

I guess you already know but the "amount of virus you get" (don´t know the technical term in english) is probably what determines how you pass through the whole infection, because it determines how your body can respond to it. So be extremely carefull with every single thing. Every detail counts.

Here in Spain things are getting a bit better, but we´ve been at home for three weeks now, and the curve seems to be slighltly going flat, so we get double the infecteds every 11 days and not every 2 days like it was 2 weeks ago... Be prepared for a bad bad month. Big hug from here.... you knwo internet hug... keep distance

 

[Goatee]

I guess you already know but the "amount of virus you get" (don´t know the technical term in english) is probably what determines how you pass through the whole infection, because it determines how your body can respond to it. So be extremely carefull with every single thing. Every detail counts.

Viral load?

 

[paulesko]

Viral load?

Yes exactly, it is direct translation from spanish, but sounded a bit weird to me.

 

[Revenant]

Yes. The initial viral load of your exposure may be linked to the severity of your illness. That's why cleaning and distancing is so important.

Good news: I found a pair of 3M P100 respirators in my garage. I managed to get an order of filters for them. I plan to send one to my cousin who is a doctor in a NY hospital. My family also made homemade face shields which will be helpful. Hopefully, in the future, some planning will be made to avoid running things as absolutely efficiently as possible so the people on the line for this won't have to scavenge to get supplies.

That's one of the biggest problems we have seen. Companies, organizations, hospitals, etc etc have been pushed to the breaking point for doing more with less. Positions have been eliminated or combined. Local storage of resources has been switch for the concept of rapid ordering. Patient to Nurse/Doctor/Responder ratios are the thinnest they have ever been. Because of this, as soon as there is a critical incident like this, the system collapses. Patient ratios sky rocket and not everyone can get help. Equipment that was supposed to be able to easily be ordered within a very short time period, is now impossible to get. The lack of redundancy is knocking out entire departments and shutting down key infrastructure.

In our push to save money, we forgot that disasters will happen. We became penny-wise and pound foolish. We can't just do layoffs when there are people dying. We can't just order more supplies when the suppliers can't make the items fast enough. The back-up plans all counted on a perfect unfettered and uninterrupted supply chain.

Now people are paying the price with their lives.

 

[Revenant]

My cousin, a doctor, has been exposed. She works in the New York State hospital system not far form the city. The worst part was that due to slow testing, she didn't get told until substantially after her exposure. She is currently asymptomatic, which per the new CDC guidelines means she should go back to work and just avoid being within 6 feet of anyone. I'm sure she can face time her medical procedures...

What a bunch of bovine excrement.

 

[tinyitx]

The worst part was that due to slow testing, she didn't get told until substantially after her exposure.

The countries (eg China, Germany) that have been doing relatively well to contain the damage adapt the philosophy of 'the earlier the testing of a suspected and/or high risk individual means the earlier the detection, which leads to earlier isolation and earlier treatment. The result is earlier and higher chance of recovery'. Some countries (eg England) used the 'herd immunity' approach (but switched later) had to pay a higher price (unfortunately, measured in human lives). Boris Johnson is a classic.

 

[Revenant]

The countries (eg China, Germany) that have been doing relatively well to contain the damage adapt the philosophy of 'the earlier the testing of a suspected and/or high risk individual means the earlier the detection, which leads to earlier isolation and earlier treatment. The result is earlier and higher chance of recovery'. Some countries (eg England) used the 'herd immunity' approach (but switched later) had to pay a higher price (unfortunately, measured in human lives). Boris Johnson is a classic.

And the Trump admin just unfounded most of the federal test sites. I feel like I live in Bizzaro World ...

 

[ignsvn]

Yeah I really hate the fact that, in this situation, some are still playing politics. For God sake, we're dealing with human lives here.

 

[Revenant]

Yeah I really hate the fact that, in this situation, some are still playing politics. For God sake, we're dealing with human lives here.

We could control this with three weeks of simply staying at home. Unfortunately, we can’t, as a society, seem to manage that. As such, people will continue to get infected.

We’ve flattened the curve a bit, which is good. We have not beaten the disease.

 

[confusis]

View attachment 540

More recoveries than diagnoses every day for the last four days. 29 new cases today, 49 recoveries. All deaths thus far have been >70yo with underlying age related ailments.

Still working through as essential worker. Had to buy my own mask as the surgical masks supplied fog my glasses, hurt the ears and provide no filtration.

Workload has increased 50% because customers buying from us instead of waiting in line for an hour at a supermarket. I'm exhausted. Slept 24 hours the past two days, body recovering from moving >10 metric tonnes of stock.

 

[Revenant]

We had final radio call for one of our lost first responders yesterday. The dispatcher was crying as she did it. It was rough. He was under 40, did marathons, and in perfect health. Died in just a couple days.

We ordered 500 tests to be sent to us so we could test our entire department. Fortunately, we decided to test the tests first. We took 3 people with confirmed Covid-19 and who had symptoms. Only 1 came back positive. These tests were useless garbage.

 

[paulesko]

We had final radio call for one of our lost first responders yesterday. The dispatcher was crying as she did it. It was rough. He was under 40, did marathons, and in perfect health. Died in just a couple days.

We ordered 500 tests to be sent to us so we could test our entire department. Fortunately, we decided to test the tests first. We took 3 people with confirmed Covid-19 and who had symptoms. Only 1 came back positive. These tests were useless garbage.

Same problem here in Spain, the governmet bought a huge amount of test which only where accurate on 1/3 of cases. Apparently only the most expensive test are 95% reliable, I don´t remember if they were called pcr or something like that... but the fast test are not very reliable, because they donñt look for the virus or a RNA those other test look for some kind of protein or antibodies, that could be there because of other reasons... so not reliable.

We know so little about this virus. A group of 55 scientist have been working together here in Spain to find a quick test to detect covid 19 via an pcr test, it cost 15 euros per test and takes less than 4 hours... but you know... those "bad" test costs like 2 euros so now we know why they bought them. I guess the important thing for politicians (at least here) is to say they are doing a lot of tests regardless wether they work or not.

 

[Windfall]

As this progresses, I figured I'd try to share a personal update. If everyone keeps doing these local updates, it helps everyone else get a better gauge of what's going on, so keep it up!
Some off my parent's friends in PA have died of it, but nobody that I know personally yet. 150 confirmed cases in my county.

Stay safe all, and help out if you can. This isn't a time for political infighting, like so many are doing here in the US. This is a time for action.

you all. Stay safe, please

 

[tinyitx]

We had final radio call for one of our lost first responders yesterday. The dispatcher was crying as she did it. It was rough. He was under 40, did marathons, and in perfect health. Died in just a couple days.

We ordered 500 tests to be sent to us so we could test our entire department. Fortunately, we decided to test the tests first. We took 3 people with confirmed Covid-19 and who had symptoms. Only 1 came back positive. These tests were useless garbage.

Hey, man, try keeping a high morale. Having a positive outlook is important so that you can fight in the long haul. I suppose some test kits are more accurate while some are less (maybe this is why some are more expensive and some are less and various test kits have different testing procedure). And this virus is so new that no test kit is 100% accurate but I think having a test is much better than none. Even if a test has 1-in-3 accuracy, it is still useful to 'save 1 life', better than all 3 go undetected, so to speak.

Here locally, virus should have been under control last month. But, because of the 'bad policy' (ie herd immunity) in the UK (but policy corrected since then), many (literally thousands) of our students left the UK and came back home. This influx last month created a second wave of outbreak. Many of these university students were not tested/screened in the UK and, indeed, a good number was infected. The bad part is that all of them are supposed to stay home for 14 days isolation but many are selfish (or ignorant) enough to sneak out of their home...

Anyway, cheer up.

 

[TheHig]

We had final radio call for one of our lost first responders yesterday. The dispatcher was crying as she did it. It was rough. He was under 40, did marathons, and in perfect health. Died in just a couple days.

We ordered 500 tests to be sent to us so we could test our entire department. Fortunately, we decided to test the tests first. We took 3 people with confirmed Covid-19 and who had symptoms. Only 1 came back positive. These tests were useless garbage.

☹ Deepest condolences and thanks to you and your Brothers and Sisters and to all who are on the front lines or essential. My Brother is Cop and there is no staying at home there. He is OK so far as is his family thankfully. I work for a large ISP and we are in office despite being fully remote capable. CEO can eat a bag of dicks. Just got my papers to show to the police if I am stopped on the way to and from work. Surreal. Lucky to be in Ohio where the Governor decided to take steps early despite the useless Feds. We are doing as well as could be expected I suppose but the reality is this isn't going away anytime soon. Until the best and brightest around the world can figure this thing out and come up with a vaccine or effective treatment keep your guard up. Stay the fuck home unless absolutely necessary and appreciate every second with those you love. Mortality has never been more front and center as it is now. Be safe and best of luck everyone.

- James

 

[Revenant]

I have symptoms. Getting tested tomorrow morning.

 

[ignsvn]

I have symptoms. Getting tested tomorrow morning.

Oh dear. Hopefully everything's OK. Here's hoping for the best!

 

[TheHig]

I have symptoms. Getting tested tomorrow morning.

Aww man.

 

[Revenant]

My symptoms aren't worse but aren't better. The testing facility stopped doing any tests without appointments due to funding. I'm scheduled for tomorrow. I had to alert my command staff which was a tough phone call to make. No one wants to be alarmist, but no one wants to infect anyone else. They have been extremely supportive, and I thank them for that. I'm blessed with a great command staff.

I'm hoping that this might just be a normal flu. However, my work building has several dozen people either infected or quarantined. I wore my own P100 mask the entire time I was in there with the exception of eating or drinking, and we sanitized our work area two to three times daily. But we were taking temps of everyone coming in and out, including people with known Covid-19 diagnosis.

The scary part is that these symptoms hit me out of no where. I was sitting on my couch after work feeling fine. Then two hours later, I'm feeling like I got hit by train and running a fever.