Good morning. Interesting information this morning suggesting that one reason Taiwan was so far ahead of the Covid Crisis was that the deputy director of its CDC found information on the Taiwanese version of Reddit in late December. Some of that information came from doctors within Wuhan, information that was quickly repressed by the Chinese Communist party. Fascinating that even the people in charge need to turn to alternate media to source information these days. Let's continue the conversation.
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Doctors in the Stockholm area say the number of affected has risen so quickly that they are having to re-use disposable masks and visors.
The head of the local hospital authority, Björn Eriksson, told the general health authority ten days ago that this would happen, but nothing was done, and as the number of affected continues to climb he expects the shortage to get worse.
It will be interesting to see how different health systems perform in this crisis. Sweden's has been much praised around the world for being tax-financed and free to the user.
If we could shy away from that, I'd be very happy.
I have no problem with a poster stating "Politician X has recommended closing the borders and bringing in the military, and I feel this is the wrong approach for this reason."
I just get headaches from long paragraphs about how this or that politician is a very bad guy or gal.
enough breathing tubes? Also, how can he get "enough" and the Italians can't? The hospitals where we live and where most of my family lives have been "at capacity" since fall 2019.
Regarding Sweden hc system, the textbook from which I taught 8th grade history highlighted the pros and cons of socialistic medicine. One example was of a male from Sweden who had experienced chest pains and he was sent home 3 times. When the 4th time came around he was finally given surgery. This was an 8 year old textbook around circa 2000. Based on this information, if true, could it be possible that even 20 years ago Sweden's hc system was strained?
One last thing, Fauci has been involved in the CDC since 1974
and has well known the dangers of virulent pandemics. I'm certain the WHO has been aware as well. With all the missteps our world leaders have made during this crisis, it appears most of our countries are woefully unprepared. Shouldn't they have projected this and stockpiled resources? My heart sinks to think our global leaders may have had nefarious intentions in releasing a bio weapon upon us. It just doesn't add up to me. Also, I wish I had screenshot this, a source around a month ago, I believe from Rense, stated that the virus was created in a lab at Duke University! Rumors abound!
Watch this video to learn a lot about this virus, from someone in this field for 30 years
This all started in November, when this virus jumped from Pangolin to human. At the infamous Wuhan wet market. It did not escape from a bio warfare lab in China.
If you hunt and eat deer the above video is also informative about wasting disease which is waiting to jump to humans from deer.
Stockpiling resources for a possible pandemic is not cost-free; it requires taking funding away from other priorities like schools and hospitals and the elderly and people suffering food insecurity before the pandemic. And what is happening is unprecedented in modern times. What type of politician takes away resources for people who need them because of what at the time was purely theoretical?
@XXXX, sorry, but it beggars belief that the virus would break out so close to China's Level-4 biowarfare lab yet have no connection to it.
As I said yesterday, it had long been known that employees had been taking "leftover" and "used" test animals from the lab to sell at the wet market.
Thank you, I've heard about the wasting disease as well. Don't you think " those in the field for 30 years" should have had a faster approach to containment given their robust knowledge with these virulent strains coming out of Asia? It just seemed to me that they were very slow to act.
When this is over, a thorough analysis will be needed.
At the moment, we need to focus on keeping people calm, safe, and healthy.
I just posted on yesterday's virus blog before I realised there's a new one, that I'm keeping my fingernails short and have given up rings for the duration. Hospital staff can wear wedding rings but are not supposed to wear anything else on their hands and I think we should be following that too. I'm surprised no one has mentioned this in the media that I've seen. I've never forgotten watching my cookery teacher making pastry with elaborate rings on and the rings getting all claggy and horrible. So my favourite flashy 'Norma Shearer ring' has been resolutely put away.
I get that and I'm not really placing blame on politicians here, although we have some pretty crappy ones, but the WHO et al whose one main responsibility is to prepare our govts to have a solid plan in place because, in theory, they have known this to be a future likely outcome. I guess it's so much worse than expected maybe they were caught off guard like our local govt was for Matthew and Florence. Maybe if we can get through this without too many deaths going forward, a better plan will be in place when the next bad strain comes around. I hope.
I agree! No rings and I have horrible pollen allergies and am constantly rubbing my itchy nose and eyes😱. So as to avoid putting my hands on my face I have been using my forearm which probably had all sorts of germs on it because I wasn't washing them along with my hands. I'm pretty OCD, think Jack Nicholson in "As Good as It Gets", so you can imagine the soap I've stockpiled! Haha!😊
I agree, Nutty. Keep calm and carry on. I'm sorry for the Conspiracy theories. I think it's genetic and runs in my very dysfunctional family. Lol.
Have a great day, Nutties! I will be checking in periodically to see if there is any new updates.
1. Projecting the blame
2. Info virus is created is out and China is looking for ways to distract and disinform.
This could be part of why it is targeting older populations.
I have pretty normal range but this morning, I hurt my ear and went with pain aspirin over some other as the other can increase blood pressure. This (apparently) only works if taken in the morning (in the evening it can increase blood pressure according to Dr. Google).
Take away: think before grabbing something medication over the counter.
The YMCA in my areas is still open but has canceled all classes and child care.
Nutties be prepared to see a sharp increase in the number of cases and deaths in the US and UK in coming weeks and then a leveling off as the social distancing reduces the spread of the virus.
Politico has an interesting story about Karlie Kloss's father who is an emergency room physician passing on health tips to Jared Kushner who is talking to his father-in-law , the President.
Finally there are reports a vaccine trial will start on humans bypassing animal testing.
Off topic: Megs is tone deaf.
>>>“This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers,” Trump wrote, adding that he was directing Cabinet secretaries to issue regulations ensuring small businesses would not be hurt by mandates in the bill.
“I encourage all Republicans and Democrats to come together and VOTE YES! I will always put the health and well-being of American families FIRST,” the president wrote. “Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!”
@Wizardwench, Snopes fact checking site explains Trump Did Not say the virus itself was a hoax. He was referring to the issue being used by Democrats against him.. Here is link which gives detailed recounting of the circumstances.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-coronavirus-rally-remark/?collection-id=238766
In Jacksonville, the zoo is shutdown, the parks are shut down, the libraries are shut down, the schools are shut down (statewide), government offices and meetings open to the public are shut down...all in an effort, as the Jacksonville mayor pointed out, to slow the curve so that the hospitals aren't overwhelmed and hopefully we can lower the oncoming fatalities. Meanwhile, spring breakers are everywhere. The beaches are open and thousands are there. They've asked medically fragile people which includes those aged 60 and above to self-isolate. We have a LOT of people here from Europe (and the middle east) for the Proton Beam Therapy Centers. All of these people are going to be medically fragile.
I believe that the mayors in south Florida are quite concerned because there are a lot more positive cases there.
I expect domestic air travel to be suspended in the short term (but this is not an official governmental policy, just what I expect).
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8111149/Medication-taken-1-3million-raise-risk-coronavirus-scientists-claim.html
Don’t forget to dry clothes, especially underwear, towels, sheets, etc. for 20 minutes on high heat. Viruses live /can survive in the newer hi-efficiency washers and dryers because they don’t become hot enough to kill microbes anymore. The hi-effiecieny is designed to save money/ resources, not kill bacteria, viruses. So todays washers and dryers just spread viruses around to all the other clothes and live in the washer waiting for the next load. If one person is sick in the family, it just spreads to everyone else.
I think the best thing to do is put them in plastic bags, label them, and not use them again for 30 days (which is what husband and I plan to do if this thing lasts for several months). We are keeping our fingers crossed that the heat, sunshine, and salty sea air are going to help wipe this thing out and that people will be able to point and laugh at me for buying my hurricane goods so far ahead of time.
I am writing to you from Bergamo, Italy, at the heart of the coronavirus crisis. The news media in the US has not captured the severity of what is happening here. I am writing this post because each of you, today, not the government, not the school district, not the mayor, each individual citizen has the chance, today to take actions that will deter the Italian situation from becoming your own country’s reality. The only way to stop this virus is to limit contagion. And the only way to limit contagion is for millions of people to change their behavior today.
If you are in Europe or the US you are weeks away from where we are today in Italy.
I can hear you now. “It’s just a flu. It only affects old people with preconditions”
There are 2 reasons why Coronavirus has brought Italy to it’s knees. First it is a flu is devastating when people get really sick they need weeks of ICU – and, second, because of how fast and effectively it spreads. There is 2 week incubation period and many who have it never show symptoms.
When Prime Minister Conte announced last night that the entire country, 60 million people, would go on lock down, the line that struck me most was “there is no more time.” Because to be clear, this national lock down, is a hail mary. What he means is that if the numbers of contagion do not start to go down, the system, Italy, will collapse.
Why? Today the ICUs in Lombardy are at capacity – more than capacity. They have begun to put ICU units in the hallways. If the numbers do not go down, the growth rate of contagion tells us that there will be thousands of people who in a matter of a week? two weeks? who will need care. What will happen when there are 100, or a 1000 people who need the hospital and only a few ICU places left?
On Monday a doctor wrote in the paper that they have begun to have to decide who lives and who dies when the patients show up in the emergency room, like what is done in war. This will only get worse.
There are a finite number of drs, nurses, medical staff and they are getting the virus. They have also been working non-stop, non-stop for days and days. What happens when the drs, nurses and medical staff are simply not able to care for the patients, when they are not there?
And finally for those who say that this is just something that happens to old people, starting yesterday the hospitals are reporting that younger and younger patients – 40, 45, 18, are coming in for treatment.
You have a chance to make a difference and stop the spread in your country. Push for the entire office to work at home today, cancel birthday parties, and other gatherings, stay home as much as you can. If you have a fever, any fever, stay home. Push for school closures, now. Anything you can do to stop the spread, because it is spreading in your communities – there is a two week incubation period – and if you do these things now you can buy your medical system time.
And for those who say it is not possible to close the schools, and do all these other things, locking down Italy was beyond anyone’s imagination a week ago.
Soon you will not have a choice, so do what you can now.
Please share.
Thank you for sharing. I have posted your info to everyone I know and asked them to please share ASAP.
NC has closed all schools k12.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11175256/queen-coronavirus-quits-buckingham-palace/
https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-14/elderly-to-be-quarantined-for-four-months-in-wartime-style-mobilisation-to-combat-coronavirus/
This is an ITV News article but the Express and DM are also running with it now.
I just wanted to share a few of my experiences in the Netherlands during this pandemic. As you all know, the Netherlands is the size of a postage stamp, yet we already have 959 infected and 12 dead. The hospitals in certain areas are already becoming overwhelmed. I think we are approximately a week ahead of the UK and possibly 2 weeks ahead of the US. Nearly every venue is closed here except for schools and I expect they will be shut on Monday. My son is in his high school exam year, so I have no idea how he will sit his exams now. The first Corona patients have arrived in my neighbourhood, a family a few streets from our house is in home quarantine. The situation in the shops is absolutely mental, it is like shopping in the Soviet Union in the 1980's. I've never seen anything like it.
My immune system is not good, so I really appreciate all the zinc and vitamin tips. I am glad I am able to read all the different perspectives from different countries on this blog! Thank you all!
When asked if he had any knowledge of the duration of this emergency, he said that he believed it to be 6 to 8 weeks.
A moonshiner could make bank at the moment by producing 70 to 90% ethanol and making hand sanitizer (grin). I think I may contact a couple and suggest it.
Whenever I try to find out how the virus is affecting people in the middle of selling and moving house, all the articles go on about the effect on house prices, not the practicalities of being further on than that. I've written to the Daily Telegraph to ask them to consider writing an article on it. There's enough about consumer rights when cancelling holidays but nothing on moving house.
Robert Peston who broke this story is getting slammed on Twitter for irresponsible reporting. Something of this magnitude, if true, should come first from the government. To make things worse, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock got on the Twitter thread to direct worried people to his article in the Telegraph, which is behind a paywall! People are infuriated and asking is this any way to run a government? We need clear authoritative guidance. Frequently. Leave no room for this horrible and scary confusion.
"In the near future we will take further steps. SAGE has advised the next planned effective interventions will need to be instituted soon, including measures to ‘shield’ older and medically vulnerable people from the virus. Everyone will need to help to ensure they get the support they need to stay at home, and to protect them from the consequences of isolation: loneliness, and a lack of support. Government, local councils, charities, friends and neighbours will need to be part of the national effort to support the shielded. We will provide expert advice and support as soon as we progress to this phase.
"Next week we will publish our emergency bill, to give the Government the temporary powers we will need to help everyone get through this. The measures in it allow for the worst case scenario. I hope many of them won’t be needed. But we will ask Parliament for these powers in case they are."
***
'Shield' and 'shielded' could be carefully chosen words to use instead of 'quarantine'.
This is why my mother isn't taking any risks now, even though she'll be stir crazy and grieves for the elderly friends she can't see. We think if we got the virus we'd pull through but the odds for my father would be much worse. Get your father to take a look at any one of the excellent explanations and drawings there are online about what the virus can do to your lungs. Then think about how much his heart would have to work to get the oxygen his body needs. I sound heartless spelling it out, but now is the time to do it. For the elderly. They are often the core of our families. Irreplaceable. I do hope things get easier for your family Unknown. I will be thinking of you.
I may have to sign up for early social security retirement much as I hate to but I suppose a reduction in benefits beats being dead. I suppose.
Have any of you ladies/gents read about a 20 to 30% permanent reduction in lung volume after having this disease?
Island size is only 721sq km
Population 5.9M
Density approx 8.5K people/sq km or 21.4K/sq mile
Covid-19: Less than 200, 0 death
Travel hub for Asia, over 1M China nationals either working or studying here.
There is no social distancing in Singapore, there is not enough space or you would fall off the island. We live in high-rise buildings and most homes are with air-con. Our flats are also tiny 60-94sq/m for 3 - 5 persons. These perfect conditions for spreading viruses esp in lifts.
Luckily, we have had 0 death so far. Currently, over 70% of the new cases are imported. That means people were infected abroad and returned to Singapore. The govt here takes quarantine and social tracing very, very seriously. Foreign uni students and workers have been kicked out of the country for good when found to have broken their quarantine and charged in court for lying about their whereabouts before and after symptons showed. The police force helps with contact tracing and all close contacts are immediately informed and goes into self quarantine. They have to monitor their health very carefully during that time and so far, it has borne fruits as over 85% of the time, each case can be traced to an existing cluster. When a new cluster is found, we are given notice. It is getting more difficult now as more and more cases are imported. We even have foreigners from our neighbouring coutries coming in for free covid-19 treatment. It is frustrating because many of the neighbouring countries claim to have zero case but the truth is they are in denial. Their countrymen are flying in here, some on private jets and taking advantage of our healthcare here. We expect an explosion of numbers soon as a neighbouring country had a religious gathering of 15K people last week and some returning to Singapore and Brunei have already been confirmed to have caught the Covid-19. Sigh...