COVID-19 (f/k/a "the Coronavirus")

[GooooMarquette]

Good thread below digging into hospital census “issue” down in Texas.  On the surface it seems real bad but when you dig in 80-90% of folks hospitalized right now are non-Covid.

Even here in Wisconsin where we are doing a great job it seems in protecting the most vulnerable hospitals are back to be jam packed with non-Covid patients.  Hospitals are always operating at near 100% census so seems a bit intellectually dishonest not to give proper context to the type of patients being seen in these hot spots.

https://mobile.twitter.com/aginnt/status/1275868742287634435

Shiny object.

Of course people are still sick, and of course there will be demand for hospital beds with or without COVID. But like it or not, COVID numbers are growing so demand for hospital beds (and ICU beds) to treat COVID patients is going to rise substantially in the coming days and weeks. And if there aren't beds to accommodate them, we are in for a world of hurt.

People wanted hospitalization data, so I gave them hospitalization data...and it doesn't look good.

[shoothoops]

18 North Texas relatives test positive for COVID-19 after surprise birthday party. Three are hospitalized so far including two elderly and a third with breast cancer:

https://www.wfaa.com/amp/article/news/north-texas-family-shaken-after-18-relatives-test-positive-for-covid-19-following-surprise-birthday-party/287-ea8960ea-4c3c-40c1-b75e-f4437fe6f836?__twitter_impression=true

[GooooMarquette]

Duval County (Jacksonville) keeps setting new records for daily new COVID cases, and the positivity rate keeps increasing. Seems like a good place for a big in-person national convention in a few weeks....

Duval, St. Johns report record increases in COVID-19 cases

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/06/25/duval-st-johns-report-record-increases-in-covid-19-cases/

[Hards Alumni]

I will give you that the number of unfilled beds in Texas stat is a bit misleading since the beds are not all occupied with covid patients... but those beds are still occupied.  You can't just throw people out of them today so that people with covid can have them tomorrow.   Surely, you see the problem with that, aina?

And with cases rising, its inevitable that hospital beds will need to be filled with covid patients shortly.  Guess the folks who have elective procedures are on the back burner again because people can't be responsible.

And its official, Texas has suspended elective surgeries to free up space for covid patients.

[Uncle Rico]

And its official, Texas has suspended elective surgeries to free up space for covid patients.

Mission Accomplished

[shoothoops]

Mike Pence leader of White House task force, tours Lordstown Motors, Lordstown, Ohio. Not a single person wearing a mask including Pence.

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1276210845563969539?s=19

[Jockey]

18 North Texas relatives test positive for COVID-19 after surprise birthday party. Three are hospitalized so far including two elderly and a third with breast cancer:

https://www.wfaa.com/amp/article/news/north-texas-family-shaken-after-18-relatives-test-positive-for-covid-19-following-surprise-birthday-party/287-ea8960ea-4c3c-40c1-b75e-f4437fe6f836?__twitter_impression=true

I love the first sentence in the article. "As North Texas watches COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge, one family is shouldering a health crisis that they never expected to face."

Gathering in a large group, during a pandemic, in a hard hit state. But they "never expected to face" anything like this.

Sorry to say this, but people are really stupid.

[Jockey]

The worst is yet to come people. The monsters in charge can deny it - or say it is basically over, but we know what is coming.


Our leaders are literally killing people by refusing to tell them to wear masks. Trump, Pence, and many republican governors letting people die. Making daily choices to kill even more.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

The worst is yet to come people. The monsters in charge can deny it - or say it is basically over, but we know what is coming.


Our leaders are literally killing people by refusing to tell them to wear masks. Trump, Pence, and many republican governors letting people die. Making daily choices to kill even more.

I have to locate the article. My mom said she saw on the news a study conducted on masks revealed the following:
1 person has COVID-19 and both people wearing a mask the transmission rate is 1.5%.  1 person has COVID-19 and 1 person wears a mask the transmission rate is 5%
1 person has COVID-19 and  no one wears a mask the transmission rate is 70%.

[MU82]

I have to locate the article. My mom said she saw on the news a study conducted on masks revealed the following:
1 person has COVID-19 and both people wearing a mask the transmission rate is 1.5%.  1 person has COVID-19 and 1 person wears a mask the transmission rate is 5%
1 person has COVID-19 and  no one wears a mask the transmission rate is 70%.

I think this is what you're looking for:

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/covid-19-mask-efficacy-chart/

But Snopes says the information is "Mostly False" because "no scientific consensus exists on the efficacy of homemade masks in stopping the spread of COVID-19."

However, there have been studies showing that wearing masks does offer a fairly significant degree of protection, though certainly not at the level that chart claims.

It's interesting that many of the same people who supported taking hydroxycloroquine -- an unvetted drug with proven adverse side effects -- because "what the hell do you have to lose?" refuse to consider a "what the hell do you have to lose?" argument for wearing masks, which have some evidence of success and absolutely no adverse side effects.

[pacearrow02]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Avik/status/1276490546471677952

Another good thread this time digging into Florida numbers.  Interesting to see all the rabble rousing on here about Florida and there crappy data reporting and this guy who seems fairly down the middle says it’s the best detailed data you can find from any state.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Avik/status/1276490546471677952

Another good thread this time digging into Florida numbers.  Interesting to see all the rabble rousing on here about Florida and there crappy data reporting and this guy who seems fairly down the middle says it’s the best detailed data you can find from any state.

"Fairly down the middle?"  He's the President of a right wing think tank.

But anyway, and he seems to be down playing this, but yes, younger people are less likley to be hospitalized and die.  BUT, when younger people get the virus, eventually older people do.

So yeah, if we could stick everyone who is 60+ years old in a bubble, everyone else can probably live their lives.  But that really isn't possible.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I think this is what you're looking for:

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/covid-19-mask-efficacy-chart/

But Snopes says the information is "Mostly False" because "no scientific consensus exists on the efficacy of homemade masks in stopping the spread of COVID-19."

However, there have been studies showing that wearing masks does offer a fairly significant degree of protection, though certainly not at the level that chart claims.

It's interesting that many of the same people who supported taking hydroxycloroquine -- an unvetted drug with proven adverse side effects -- because "what the hell do you have to lose?" refuse to consider a "what the hell do you have to lose?" argument for wearing masks, which have some evidence of success and absolutely no adverse side effects.

I found these.  You're right not exactly the stats my Mom was reciting but highly encouraging.  One from WHO & the other from TAMU.

Face masks may reduce COVID-19 spread by 85%, WHO-backed study suggests
By Rachael Rettner - Senior Writer 24 days ago
Here's how much face masks, social distancing and eye protection may help with preventing COVID-19 spread.
https://www.livescience.com/face-masks-eye-protection-covid-19-prevention.html

Face masks critical in preventing spread of COVID-19
Study found that wearing a face mask stopped person-to-person spread of the virus
Date: June 12, 2020    Source: Texas A&M University
Summary:  A study has found that not wearing a face mask dramatically increases a person's chances of being infected by the COVID-19 virus.

[Uncle Rico]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Avik/status/1276490546471677952

Another good thread this time digging into Florida numbers.  Interesting to see all the rabble rousing on here about Florida and there crappy data reporting and this guy who seems fairly down the middle says it’s the best detailed data you can find from any state.

Happy to know if I have to go to the hospital, I probably won’t die based on my age.  That’s reassuring.  A few days at the hospital means less cooking for myself

[forgetful]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Avik/status/1276490546471677952

Another good thread this time digging into Florida numbers.  Interesting to see all the rabble rousing on here about Florida and there crappy data reporting and this guy who seems fairly down the middle says it’s the best detailed data you can find from any state.

There is a difference between having detailed data, and intentionally excluding a significant amount of data. People are criticizing the latter.

Also, based on these numbers over 12% of cases end up in the hospital. That is a sobering statistic.

[GooooMarquette]

The spread is getting so bad in Texas that Abbott is finally beginning to reverse course. Bars closed at noon today (except takeout), and restaurants must go from 75% to 50% capacity. It's a start. Now about Florida, Arizona and other surging states....

Abbott, in a reversal, announces that Texas bars shut at noon Friday amid surging cases.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/world/coronavirus-live-updates.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage#link-6883f28

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas ordered all bars to close on Friday and told restaurants to reduce their operating capacity, in an abrupt reversal of his previous policy as the nation’s second largest state grapples with surging coronavirus cases weeks after reopening.

The move comes just a day after Mr. Abbott, a Republican, put the state’s reopening on pause, while remaining firm that going “backward” and closing down businesses was “the last thing we want to do.”

By Friday, he said, “it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars. The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health.”

Under the order, bars must close effective 12 p.m. Friday locally, but they can remain open for take out. Restaurants, which had been operating at 75 percent capacity, can remain open, but must reduce capacity to 50 percent.

[tower912]

Yessir, I remember reading that we needed to rush the reopening and that places like Florida, Texas, and Sweden were going to show the rest of us how it is done.     

[Hards Alumni]

Yessir, I remember reading that we needed to rush the reopening and that places like Florida, Texas, and Sweden were going to show the rest of us how it is done.   

Wait, so, we weren't supposed to be apologizing to Ron DeSantis?

We should have been listening to scientists and epidemiologists the entire time, and let the politicians shape the policy around what the scientists say.

Otherwise, why bother having scientists at all.

[GooooMarquette]

Yessir, I remember reading that we needed to rush the reopening and that places like Florida, Texas, and Sweden were going to show the rest of us how it is done.   

To be fair, lots of states jumped the gun (IMHO) in reopening, but you are right that Texas and Florida are the poster children for worst practices.

I get why DeSantis doesn't want to shut anything back down or even mandate masks in Florida - it would antagonize POTUS and many in his state. But if he wants any real chance for the NBA, the RNC and a couple baseball teams to succeed later, it really would benefit him to take strong action NOW. If he doesn't, Jacksonville and Orlando could be where Houston and Dallas are today, just as masses of people would be coming to town.

[tower912]

And we should all be wearing masks

[Pakuni]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Avik/status/1276490546471677952

Another good thread this time digging into Florida numbers.  Interesting to see all the rabble rousing on here about Florida and there crappy data reporting and this guy who seems fairly down the middle says it’s the best detailed data you can find from any state.

From the Tweet ...
If you want to understand what's going on with #COVID19 right now, the best place to look is Florida, because they do the best job of anyone in terms of data transparency.

That's an extraordinary take given that the person who created Florida's Department of Health dashboard said she was fired for refusing to manipulate the data and has presented evidence showing the state has consistently undercounted its cases.

[pbiflyer]

Florida reports almost 9000 new cases. That is almost double the previous high.  Winning!

[Warriors4ever]

https://www.wesh.com/article/florida-bars-alcohol-consumption-suspended/32981423#

Florida is shutting down bars.

[injuryBug]

I have to locate the article. My mom said she saw on the news a study conducted on masks revealed the following:
1 person has COVID-19 and both people wearing a mask the transmission rate is 1.5%.  1 person has COVID-19 and 1 person wears a mask the transmission rate is 5%
1 person has COVID-19 and  no one wears a mask the transmission rate is 70%.

I saw this too and if it were true then getting kids back in school is a no brainer

[TSmith34, Inc.]

And we should all be wearing masks

Seriously. The evidence seems to point to the fact that if everyone would simply wear masks in public the R(0) would be < 1 and we could actually get past this without further major disruptions.