Coronavirus prep
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I think quite a lot is being withheld from the public in the U.S. How is it that we have 68,000 reported positive tests yet only 995 deaths?
I don't believe either of those numbers. I think they are both much higher.7 -
snowflake954 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »How did Germany anticipate this well enough to have a good supply of tests available? Availability of the tests seems to be a major problem, at least in the US.
THAT my dear is everyone's question. Or they are prepared for this. Most governments were caught with their pants down and no plan. I don't understand it because at least 15 years ago The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta was working on the possibility of an unstoppable virus. I read many articles on the topic and how they went into remote areas of the world to collect samples to try and stay ahead of any virus. What happened? I am dissapoint.
There was an interview on NPR the other day that speaks to this, to some extent. (It's an interview with Max Brooks, author of "World War Z" (Zombie book!), but also a real-life disaster planning expert.)
I've tinyurl-ed the link because the link is basically the headline, and and the headline is too click-bait-y for my taste. The interview was interesting and provocative, but I won't go much further to claim that it's authoritative. Use your own judgement. It's not specifically partisan politics, but there is very strong criticism of US actions, not all of it aimed at the current administration.
I promise this links to Fresh Air at NPR.
https://tinyurl.com/thv86y2
ETA: I know it's long (41 minutes), but I recommend the full audio interview over the summary text version. It's more nuanced, among other reasons. Your favorite podcast app may have Fresh Air; this was the Max Brooks interview, broadcast on (IIRC) 3/24.5 -
cmriverside wrote: »I think quite a lot is being withheld from the public in the U.S. How is it that we have 68,000 reported positive tests yet only 995 deaths?
I don't believe either of those numbers. I think they are both much higher.
actually, John Hopkins is showing over 92,000 positive and 1,380 deaths:
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I find it interesting and disheartening that in a time of global crisis, the US can turn even a pandemic into a bipartisan argument. It literally breaks my heart to hear folks say "this is no worse than the flu" on one hand and have another describing to me what his wife is going thru in ICU right now.
If this doesn't bring our country together than nothing will. And for that I blame all the politicians of whatever proclivity. Thank God for local officials Mayors and Governors who want to save lives.15 -
SummerSkier wrote: »I find it interesting and disheartening that in a time of global crisis, the US can turn even a pandemic into a bipartisan argument. It literally breaks my heart to hear folks say "this is no worse than the flu" on one hand and have another describing to me what his wife is going thru in ICU right now.
If this doesn't bring our country together than nothing will. And for that I blame all the politicians of whatever proclivity. Thank God for local officials Mayors and Governors who want to save lives.
I sound pessimistic but the window of the country being together has long past gone. But in fairness, humanity has never been united in history. Never.
I think the smart thing to do right now is to be cautious. When two competing groups are giving contradictory advice, it is best to take the one that offers more caution.13 -
supposedly, the virus has made it to my county; however, I could find only one report on it on one local tv station's website and cannot confirm it anywhere else.1
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snowflake954 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »How did Germany anticipate this well enough to have a good supply of tests available? Availability of the tests seems to be a major problem, at least in the US.
THAT my dear is everyone's question. Or they are prepared for this. Most governments were caught with their pants down and no plan. I don't understand it because at least 15 years ago The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta was working on the possibility of an unstoppable virus. I read many articles on the topic and how they went into remote areas of the world to collect samples to try and stay ahead of any virus. What happened? I am dissapoint.
The administration dismantled the pandemic directorate in 2018
Thank you for this. I just couldn't understand what happened there--now clear as a bell.
Nice--they did it just in time too.
I realize this isn't a board for politics, but I do have to correct a blatant lie. And really this isn't politics, just some information about what government offices exist or don't exist. The pandemic response office was not dismantled. It was reorganized into a stronger combined directorate where related expertise could be co-mingled. This is according to Tim Morrison the former director of this office, who some of you may be familiar with because he testified against the president in his recent impeachment trial.
I realize there was widespread media reporting that the office had been dismantled, but there was also widespread correction in the media that this was not true.
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I know people in Germany; in Heidelberg, in Saarbrucken and in Dusseldorf. What I have heard is that unlike Spain and Italy where the coronavirus has mostly hit the oldest people in the country, in Germany it is the young ones that are more affected, so that's one reason for low death count there. But also, the past two weeks, the German government has heavily invested in testing. They are testing a walloping 500K people a week and this is leading to early detection.
Also, the team in Japan has found, that the drug Favipriavir is very effective in treating patients of coronavirus. This thought has also been resonated by the scientists in Germany. It is safe and have proven to be very effective in clinical trials, the Chinese ministry of science and technology has said. The patients who have been given this drug have been tested negative four days after being tested positive of COVID19 compared to patients treated with other drugs. Also X-ray reports are showing an improvement in lungs for over 91% of patients compared to 62% without the drug.
But the Japanese ministry has also said that the drug is not very effective for people with severe symptoms.10 -
MikePfirrman wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »How did Germany anticipate this well enough to have a good supply of tests available? Availability of the tests seems to be a major problem, at least in the US.
Angela Merkel is a scientist. She accepted the WHO's help at first offer and listened to the science. She went into their house of parliment and told them that 60% to 70% of the population would get it. Reportedly, they sat in stunned silence and listened to her. Bottom line, they believed the science and weren't too arrogant to accept WHO's help.
They are also helping out Italy. Italy has run out of hospital beds, therefore Germany has admitted few of Italian patients at its hospitals.9 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I think quite a lot is being withheld from the public in the U.S. How is it that we have 68,000 reported positive tests yet only 995 deaths?
I don't believe either of those numbers. I think they are both much higher.
actually, John Hopkins is showing over 92,000 positive and 1,380 deaths:
Yeah, I was using WHO numbers as of yesterday's reporting time/at closing.
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We're getting pretty close to politics here, now, folks. It would be super nice IMO if this thread stayed open and active: It's about the sanest, most calm, most fact-based discussion of the pandemic I've seen anywhere; and it's so excellent that it's international.
Here on the home front, a couple of personal/local anecdotes:
Here, one of the biggest hospital systems is accepting a range of donated supplies, and has set up a collection location. They're publicizing what they will (and won't) accept. What they will accept includes the homemade cloth masks that many home sewing folks are making.
It's small scale for sure, but local maker networks are using 3D printers to make parts for N-95 masks, and collaborating with other sources to get filters and other non-printable components (I don't have the details, but I think a health care organization is collecting the components, sanitizing, assembling, for safety reasons). These, too, are being accepted through organized channels (i.e., not like the simpler "make cloth masks at home" individual efforts).
Diverse businesses with the capability here in Michigan have converted to making gowns, masks, booties, etc., reportedly including the locally famous Stormy Kromer (they're famous for making wool ear-flap caps
).
On my personal home front, my massage therapist (who's become a friend, as I've been seeing him for years now), is out of business for the duration, and is turning his attention to various forms of helping, one of which is bread-baking for people he knows. Earlier this week, he contactlessly delivered a big loaf of delicious homemade bread, still warm from the oven, to my front porch.23 -
Not expressing a political opinion at all, but for those interested, this is a pretty even-handed discussion of the controversy: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/03/18/coronavirus-did-president-trumps-decision-disband-global-pandemic-office-hinder-response/5064881002/
And this is the argument as to why/how what actually did happen mattered from Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development: https://www.justsecurity.org/69197/lessons-ignored-john-boltons-bogus-defense-of-streamlining-away-our-bio-readiness/7 -
It's about time! The photo they shared of the LSD path a day earlier was a completely different image. I'm glad Mayor Lightfoot put a stop to that.3 -
T1DCarnivoreRunner wrote: »
It's about time! The photo they shared of the LSD path a day earlier was a completely different image. I'm glad Mayor Lightfoot put a stop to that.
Agreed.0 -
@AnnPT77 my pastor just put out a call saying his wife is asking church members to help her make masks based upon a few patterns she's found online. Are these masks considered disposable, or can they be washed and re-used, or bleached or something?3
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cwolfman13 wrote: »
Manufacturers have increased production and others are converting lines to help with production...but it's not like flipping a switch and all of a sudden ventilators and PPE equipment comes rolling off these lines. Also, these companies supply a global market, not just the USA. It's a global market and global demand for a global crisis.
It's not quite as easy as snapping one's fingers and getting production to match worldwide demand. Not particularly a fan of this administration, but they're pretty limited in what they can really do here. The only thing they could really do is basically take control of the US stockpile as an emergency and distribute them where they see most fit...but at current, there would still be shortages around the country.
There are numerous articles showing production of new ventilators has not started, at least as of a few days ago. Decisive action, based on the information coming out of China, would have made a difference.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marleycoyne/2020/03/23/gm-and-ford-are-not-yet-making-ventilators-despite-trumps-assertion/#3e7ef6214784
Also: "What is really needed, a number of public health experts and former government officials say, is for Washington to take control of the nation’s existing ventilator supply. Because peak coronavirus infections will hit cities and regions at different times in the coming months, a centralized federal effort could send unused machines to hospitals that need them most." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/health/ventilators-coronavirus.html
Elon Musk stated it would take them 8-10 weeks to get a line to produce ventilators. Not sure if he was thinking of 3D printing like they use in building their rocket engines but metal 3D printers may not be required so the more common plastic 3D printers could work I expect base on the article below.
https://3dnatives.com/en/3d-printed-respirator-230320205/
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bmeadows380 wrote: »@AnnPT77 my pastor just put out a call saying his wife is asking church members to help her make masks based upon a few patterns she's found online. Are these masks considered disposable, or can they be washed and re-used, or bleached or something?
Not Ann but: They can be washed and re-used BUT they must be made of 100% cotton tightly woven or finely knit fabric which can withstand the high temps needed to properly sanitize them. Most are using quilting cottons which also gives a nice selection of cute prints.6 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »@AnnPT77 my pastor just put out a call saying his wife is asking church members to help her make masks based upon a few patterns she's found online. Are these masks considered disposable, or can they be washed and re-used, or bleached or something?
I think it may depend on who gets them. I believe at least one of our local health systems is considering them reusable, based on how they phrased it on their list of what they're accepting. They're washable, so should be sanitizable. I don't know if they use bleach, or some other method. The ones I've seen are made from normal quilting type cotton, but multi-layer. Anecdotally (i.e., people on Facebook, not publicity from those health organizations), some health care staff are using them as covers for N-95 masks, to prolong useful life of the latter.5 -
Also. I think they prefer the ones with ties rather than elastic because of the high temps they use for sanitizing. If one is making them for home use, I think elastic is fine.4
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That’s my question... because, I admit quite selfishly, I don’t want to use my pretty fabric if they are just going to be tossedbmeadows380 wrote: »@AnnPT77 my pastor just put out a call saying his wife is asking church members to help her make masks based upon a few patterns she's found online. Are these masks considered disposable, or can they be washed and re-used, or bleached or something?
I have a resource for quite a bit of older fabric I was told I could have, though!
ETA: thanks for the added info! I was posting and hubby came in from work so there was a few minutes lag, enough time for others to chime in!
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bmeadows380 wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I think quite a lot is being withheld from the public in the U.S. How is it that we have 68,000 reported positive tests yet only 995 deaths?
I don't believe either of those numbers. I think they are both much higher.
actually, John Hopkins is showing over 92,000 positive and 1,380 deaths:
Also, covid-19 takes a while to kill - reports from China say in fatal cases, an average of 18 days from onset of symptoms. It hasn’t been that long in most of the US cases. We won’t get an idea of our mortality rate here until things shake out a bit.6 -
SummerSkier wrote: »I find it interesting and disheartening that in a time of global crisis, the US can turn even a pandemic into a bipartisan argument. It literally breaks my heart to hear folks say "this is no worse than the flu" on one hand and have another describing to me what his wife is going thru in ICU right now.
If this doesn't bring our country together than nothing will. And for that I blame all the politicians of whatever proclivity. Thank God for local officials Mayors and Governors who want to save lives.
Yes, if this works out it will be due to the leadership of state and city officials.9 -
Not my carrier but- apparently Verizon is providing free data to their (its?) customers. The message my relative received said "We have added 15GB of data to your plan at no charge for use from 3/25-4/30. No action is needed." I have ATT, I don't know if they are doing something similar.1
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snowflake954 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »How did Germany anticipate this well enough to have a good supply of tests available? Availability of the tests seems to be a major problem, at least in the US.
THAT my dear is everyone's question. Or they are prepared for this. Most governments were caught with their pants down and no plan. I don't understand it because at least 15 years ago The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta was working on the possibility of an unstoppable virus. I read many articles on the topic and how they went into remote areas of the world to collect samples to try and stay ahead of any virus. What happened? I am dissapoint.
The administration dismantled the pandemic directorate in 2018
Thank you for this. I just couldn't understand what happened there--now clear as a bell.
Nice--they did it just in time too.
I realize this isn't a board for politics, but I do have to correct a blatant lie. And really this isn't politics, just some information about what government offices exist or don't exist. The pandemic response office was not dismantled. It was reorganized into a stronger combined directorate where related expertise could be co-mingled. This is according to Tim Morrison the former director of this office, who some of you may be familiar with because he testified against the president in his recent impeachment trial.
I realize there was widespread media reporting that the office had been dismantled, but there was also widespread correction in the media that this was not true.
The office WAS disbanded, but was reorganized. Some left, some were let go, but the people who made up the team are still involved.
We were still caught flat footed regardless. It watered down some of our response to have members now partially working on pandemics and partially working on other work in the NSC and elsewhere.
I STILL don't get why corporations are lobbying for the defense act to be sidelined. Okay, I get why they want the status quo, but in the end riding in like a knight to save the country by dropping production of one item and instead making face masks would pay dividends7 -
In slightly creepy synchronicity I’m in the UK, watching an old (2005) Australian hospital drama on Prime.
A Spanish man with a Diplomatic passport is admitted to the ER with pneumonia like symptoms. Visa stamps in his passport indicate he was most recently in China. The doctors stare wide eyed at each other and say ‘coronavirus’!
I’m waiting to see if the episode ends in his death or recovery! 😱😂8 -
BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »In slightly creepy synchronicity I’m in the UK, watching an old (2005) Australian hospital drama on Prime.
A Spanish man with a Diplomatic passport is admitted to the ER with pneumonia like symptoms. Visa stamps in his passport indicate he was most recently in China. The doctors stare wide eyed at each other and say ‘coronavirus’!
I’m waiting to see if the episode ends in his death or recovery! 😱😂
What's the series called?
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All Saints - series 8 ep 232
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moonangel12 wrote: »
That’s my question... because, I admit quite selfishly, I don’t want to use my pretty fabric if they are just going to be tossedbmeadows380 wrote: »@AnnPT77 my pastor just put out a call saying his wife is asking church members to help her make masks based upon a few patterns she's found online. Are these masks considered disposable, or can they be washed and re-used, or bleached or something? I have a resource for quite a bit of older fabric I was told I could have, though!
ETA: thanks for the added info! I was posting and hubby came in from work so there was a few minutes lag, enough time for others to chime in!
My mother and I were just laughing yesterday about people making fabric masks. We're pretty sure every quilter on the planet of Earth is probably chortling about how this is the time they've been waiting for all their lives--a deep societal need for items made from all the fabric remnants they've been stashing for years!
I know the introverts thought this was their time to shine, but it looks like it's the quilters that are going to save the world!21 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »@AnnPT77 my pastor just put out a call saying his wife is asking church members to help her make masks based upon a few patterns she's found online. Are these masks considered disposable, or can they be washed and re-used, or bleached or something?
I think it may depend on who gets them. I believe at least one of our local health systems is considering them reusable, based on how they phrased it on their list of what they're accepting. They're washable, so should be sanitizable. I don't know if they use bleach, or some other method. The ones I've seen are made from normal quilting type cotton, but multi-layer. Anecdotally (i.e., people on Facebook, not publicity from those health organizations), some health care staff are using them as covers for N-95 masks, to prolong useful life of the latter.
It is my understanding some will use an autoclave and others will use high temp water, the same as they do for fabric scrubs and scrub caps.1 -
moonangel12 wrote: »
That’s my question... because, I admit quite selfishly, I don’t want to use my pretty fabric if they are just going to be tossedbmeadows380 wrote: »@AnnPT77 my pastor just put out a call saying his wife is asking church members to help her make masks based upon a few patterns she's found online. Are these masks considered disposable, or can they be washed and re-used, or bleached or something? I have a resource for quite a bit of older fabric I was told I could have, though!
ETA: thanks for the added info! I was posting and hubby came in from work so there was a few minutes lag, enough time for others to chime in!
My mother and I were just laughing yesterday about people making fabric masks. We're pretty sure every quilter on the planet of Earth is probably chortling about how this is the time they've been waiting for all their lives--a deep societal need for items made from all the fabric remnants they've been stashing for years!
I know the introverts thought this was their time to shine, but it looks like it's the quilters that are going to save the world!
Based on previous calls to crafters for help (like the recent call for mittens to help koalas burned in the Aussie wildfires) there will soon come a time when health organizations will have to say "Stahhhhhp!". Isolate a crafter in the house with their stash and a project and mayhem ensues.
Not making masks right now. I am working on another project to donate to a kitten rescue for their fundraiser. I DID find some suitable fabric in my stash so I can if I stay isolated longer.4
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