COVID-19 PSA. Read this and get your head in the game

Yep, remember seeing an article a while back claiming the fatality number was closer to 25K in China based on something implied in a publicized document. China was imprisoning doctors for trying to warn the world, there's no way we should trust a single thing they tell us about the infection rate. I find the stats in that 2nd article OP posted to be suspicious as hell. I don't believe for a second the infection rate magically flattened in every single region at the same time.

 

I don't think it's accurate to compare it spreading in the U.S. as quickly as it did in Asia, Italy, Europe, etc because I think that we're being way more proactive.
I honestly feel like more people are going to die from stress and anxiety than from the virus itself.

 

My friends quarantine yourselves now. My now 2yr old daughter was infected with one of the human common cold coronavirus strains when she was 12 weeks old. She was hospitalized for 5 days as she could not clear her airways (too young for a good cough reflex) and required constant suctioning plus supplemental oxygen. Any hospital can handle a case as this, however if our healthcare systems get overwhelmed as in Italy and Iran we may start to see the young be affected.

A recent study published in NEJM reported out of over 300 children with pulmonary infections in China, 6 had COVID-19, one required intensive care. It is very low but not unlikely or impossible.

I hope everyone takes some time to prepare for social distancing. I see a mandatory lockdown/quarantine as imminent.

 

Thank you for sharing the solid information.

 

From what I’m reading doctors are saying that you have to meet really strict guidelines in order to get tested. Some of that is probably due to the limited number of tests but is it possible that the strict guidelines are in place to discourage testing so that there are less people testing positive which makes it look like the United States has it under control. No country wants to look like they are failing at the way they are handling the crisis. Especially the United States.... I feel like if the numbers skyrocket it will induce some major panic. More than what we are seeing now.

 

My nephew in a northern state is suspected of having it but can't get tested because you need to knowingly come in contact with a confirmed case of it to get tested.

It's ridiculous.

 

Except the stores are already sold out of isopropyl/rubbing alcohol. I don't if I'd call hoarding, probably just people buying enough for an extended time period. And for their family. And their friends.

It's due to the lack of test kits. It will change. We can't fight it if we can't find it.

Interesting article in the NYTimes about how some close neighbors of China contained the spread of CV-19. Pretty severe measures, brought about through hard experience in the past with other pathogens.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/opinion/coronavirus-best-response.html

 

100% agreed. I feel like there are way too many people taking it lightly. If you get people tested and confirm that there are WAY more that have it then maybe everyone will get on board with self quarantine. Otherwise it’s going to get out of hand. My niece is a doctor in northern Michigan, spoke with her on Monday and she said they were instructed to treat it same as a regular flu. They had no test kits at that time. Hopefully the test kits start pouring in so we can get an accurate idea of where we are.

 

It's all you really can do, until there is a vaccine.

 

Testing guidelines are changing daily (almost hourly). Here in MT we no longer have to be tested for other common viruses (not cheap, $700-800 worth of tests) prior to getting COVID-19. No testing can be done in the state of MT on the weekends. No longer needs approval by local health dept medical director. Still have to have a history of exposure (ie going to endemic area) plus symptoms (cough/fever). I suspect as more testing kits become available this will change. Check with your local hospital/doc’s office (call) if you develop any symptoms since they may be working on a solution to test the masses. For example, my local hospital is setting up a drive through testing starting Monday.

 

One of the biggest concern in the medical community is lack of resources for the healthy if the old/immune compromised overwhelm the system. And trust me, it won’t take much to overwhelm it. We have something like shy of a million hospital beds for over 300 million people. So for example, if I get in a car accident and need urgent trauma care but there are no hospitals to take care of me, then I’m in trouble. As healthy individuals it is in our interest to help stop the spread.

 

CLEVELAND — Saturday morning Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals will start drive-thru testing for coronavirus for people who have a doctor’s order to be tested.

 

The only thing that truly frightens me about the virus is the fact that my fiancé has a suppressed immune system due to going through chemo right now.

 

Limit her exposure and that may include you.

 

We have pretty much stopped going out in public, especially her. however I am forced to still go to work. Wish there was some way to get paid to stay at home lol

 

Don't we all.

Take this very serious. I'm convinced I had it, back in late December.

 

Just in case anyone was looking for some good news this morning:

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/13/815522836/u-s-coronavirus-testing-gets-a-breakthrough

Tldr;. The FDA approved a new test that requires fewer specialized resources and can be manufactured by more than one company. They've got 400k ready to ship and they'll be making 1.5 million per month (at the company they interviewed).

 

Doing drive thru test in Maine in some spots too

 

My kid's school isn't closing. They're doing everything that the CDC has asked the schools to do. They'll be bringing in additional people to come look over their policies and procedures to make sure they're doing everything they can.

But this is the difference between a small school with under 25 per class, open air dining area, and teachers who don't just go in for a paycheck but actually care.

We shall see what the preschool does though.. might Force my hand to stay home (work is on a mission essential personnel only).