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

[GooooMarquette]

For those not following the Michigan thread, my department currently has 5 members who have tested positive and 22 in quarantine.    Stemming from a wedding reception for one of our firefighters.

I thought it was impossible for me to hold the COVID deniers in more contempt than I did 48 hours ago.  I was wrong.

That is simply mind-boggling. People who are supposed to be keeping others safe are spreading risk for everyone.

[MU82]

Verified American COVID-19 deaths hit 160K today.

The rate had been going down for months -- from 10K every 5 days into mid-May, to 10K every 15 days into early-July, when 130K was reached.

But it then took 12 days to go from 130K to 140K ... 11 days to go from 140K to 150K ... and now only 8 days to go from 150K to 160K.

Sucks.

[Hards Alumni]

Ohio governor Mike DeWine tests positive just before he was supposed to meet with the emperor.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/world/coronavirus-covid-19.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20200806&instance_id=0&nl=breaking-news&ref=headline&regi_id=108420427&segment_id=35439&user_id=d36dcf821462fdd16ec3636710a855fa

He had just held a news conference begging Ohioans to respect how insidious the coronavirus is, warning that the people who are most at risk are often loved ones.

In one case, a churchgoer who attended a service while he was sick helped spread the virus to 91 other people spanning five counties. In another, a son brushed off symptoms while holding a vigil for his dying father, and five relatives later tested positive. In another case, at least 15 people were sickened after a man with symptoms attended his brother's wedding. The bride and groom were among those who fell ill.

"Just because it's your family, just because it's your friends, they could still be carrying the virus," DeWine said Tuesday. "Choosing to not gather for parties or barbecues might feel like you're not being friendly, but it really is a sign of friendship."

Late last night he tested negative.  He will be retested Saturday.

[tower912]

Going for the best 2 out of 3.   Or the old NBA 3 to make 2.

[Hards Alumni]

For those not following the Michigan thread, my department currently has 5 members who have tested positive and 22 in quarantine.    Stemming from a wedding reception for one of our firefighters.

I thought it was impossible for me to hold the COVID deniers in more contempt than I did 48 hours ago.  I was wrong.

So what happens when there is an emergency?  How are you healthy folks supposed to pick up the slack of that many missing fire fighters?

[tower912]

There are plans in place that are about to be implemented.    Basically, we are going to completely rearrange our work schedule and consolidate 3 shifts into 2.       Traditionally, we work 24 hours, off 24 hours, work 24 hours, off 24 hours, work 24 hours, off 96 hours.    Starting in the next few days, we are going to work 48 straight, be off for 48.   

This will probably continue until the quarantined are able to return and we have no new cases.   

[Hards Alumni]

There are plans in place that are about to be implemented.    Basically, we are going to completely rearrange our work schedule and consolidate 3 shifts into 2.       Traditionally, we work 24 hours, off 24 hours, work 24 hours, off 24 hours, work 24 hours, off 96 hours.    Starting in the next few days, we are going to work 48 straight, be off for 48.   

This will probably continue until the quarantined are able to return and we have no new cases.   

I'm not going to get into why I think this is a terrible idea for a safety sensitive job... but damn, man, that's awful.

[tower912]

Hards, there is no argument that you can make that hasn't already been beat to death within our department.      The bottom line, though, is that the calls are still coming in, the fires are still burning.    Our department has been understaffed for 15 years.    And when I say 'understaffed', we are the smallest department for a city our size in the country.    Now, there are some exurbs with nothing but subdivisions and strip malls that have similar populations and slightly smaller departments.    But for an actual 'city', with neighborhoods and industry all intermingled, we are the smallest.   

And our professionalism means that we are going to suck it up and find a way.    It is what we do.   

And let this be a cautionary tale.    The virus is relentless.    All it takes is a little carelessness and everything gets rocked.   Wear your masks.   Wash your hands.    Socially distance. 

[Babybluejeans]

Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks the pandemic marks the end of the US empire.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/covid-19-end-of-american-era-wade-davis-1038206/

For more than two centuries, reported the Irish Times, "the United States has stirred a very wide range of feelings in the rest of the world: love and hatred, fear and hope, envy and contempt, awe and anger. But there is one emotion that has never been directed towards the U.S. until now: pity." As American doctors and nurses eagerly awaited emergency airlifts of basic supplies from China, the hinge of history opened to the Asian century.

[Galway Eagle]

Nm

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Politicians are a reflection of people and their problems.  Politics won't be a driver of the downfall of any government.   Government not addressing people's problems will.  Another way of saying the political is a symptom not the disease


Which reminds me.  This is the covid thread.  The r's and d's thread is somewhere else. 

[MU82]

Late last night he tested negative.  He will be retested Saturday.

I am glad DeWine tested negative. It would appear he has done everything right as far as following guidelines for himself and those around him.

Unfortunately, the first reaction of many was: "See! Masks don't work." But now he has tested negative twice, so are these same people saying, "Um ... never mind"? Of course, even if he didn't test negative, it was idiotic to say masks don't work.

My biggest concern coming out of all this is that false readings seem to happen too often on these quick-results tests. Bad tests are worse than no tests.

[pbiflyer]

I am glad DeWine tested negative. It would appear he has done everything right as far as following guidelines for himself and those around him.

Unfortunately, the first reaction of many was: "See! Masks don't work." But now he has tested negative twice, so are these same people saying, "Um ... never mind"? Of course, even if he didn't test negative, it was idiotic to say masks don't work.

My biggest concern coming out of all this is that false readings seem to happen too often on these quick-results tests. Bad tests are worse than no tests.

Now they are just saying testing doesn't mean anything. 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

My biggest concern coming out of all this is that false readings seem to happen too often on these quick-results tests. Bad tests are worse than no tests.

This is the least of our problems in testing IMO.  Our biggest problem is testing is not actionable because of lead times.  At least with the quick test, someone can take an action (isolate and get the more accurate test).

By the way Medical Twitter is scratching their heads a bit on the false neg.  Apparently he took the quick antigen test, which is supposed to be really accurate.

[MU82]

This is the least of our problems in testing IMO.  Our biggest problem is testing is not actionable because of lead times.  At least with the quick test, someone can take an action (isolate and get the more accurate test).

By the way Medical Twitter is scratching their heads a bit on the false neg.  Apparently he took the quick antigen test, which is supposed to be really accurate.

I defer to your knowledge on the science. Thanks.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I defer to your knowledge on the science. Thanks.

You probably shouldnt.  I just stayed at a Holiday Inn last night and read some tweets.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

You probably shouldnt.  I just stayed at a Holiday Inn last night and read some tweets.

That's good enough for most people.

[forgetful]

This is the least of our problems in testing IMO.  Our biggest problem is testing is not actionable because of lead times.  At least with the quick test, someone can take an action (isolate and get the more accurate test).

By the way Medical Twitter is scratching their heads a bit on the false neg.  Apparently he took the quick antigen test, which is supposed to be really accurate.

I'm not sure if you mistyped here, but the quick antigen tests are typically less accurate. They do give fast results and are easy to perform though. His negative was on the PCR test, which is more accurate.

[Hards Alumni]

I'm not sure if you mistyped here, but the quick antigen tests are typically less accurate. They do give fast results and are easy to perform though. His negative was on the PCR test, which is more accurate.

I have read the same.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I'm not sure if you mistyped here, but the quick antigen tests are typically less accurate. They do give fast results and are easy to perform though. His negative was on the PCR test, which is more accurate.

I wasn't commenting on the compare to the type of test.  Just meant in general and was based on the tweet below from an individual who is usually pretty reliable.  Hopefully my response to 82 put it in the context I meant it. 

https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1291571263916449795?s=21

I should have stopped after my first point anyway!

[shoothoops]

Moderna, which received a billion dollars from the government, is said to price its vaccine between $32-$37. This is after Pfizer recently received much criticism for saying they would price theirs at $19.50.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/510725-moderna-to-charge-32-to-37-a-dose-for-its-covid-vaccine?amp&__twitter_impression=true

[forgetful]

I wasn't commenting on the compare to the type of test.  Just meant in general and was based on the tweet below from an individual who is usually pretty reliable.  Hopefully my response to 82 put it in the context I meant it. 

https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1291571263916449795?s=21

I should have stopped after my first point anyway!

You are good. I read your statement with the "false negative" words in it. Antigen test usually have a high rate of false negatives. The issue here is false positives. Many of these antigen tests claim 100% specificity, which means that they shouldn't generate false positives.

The problem is what samples they challenged the test against. If there are antigens that will cross react, that are not in your "negative decoys," then you will be 100% specific against that test set, but may not be 100% specific across the general public. I believe their test set is around 150-200 "negative" samples. Although fairly large there is still a reasonably high chance that they are missing non-specific antigens in that data set.

I think what you are seeing is some antigen and antibody tests now being able to claim 100% specificity, because they are designed around the known FDA test set, which may not be universally representative. I'd guess most of these are really around 97+% specific.

[Jockey]

Moderna, which received a billion dollars from the government, is said to price its vaccine between $32-$37. This is after Pfizer recently received much criticism for saying they would price theirs at $19.50.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/510725-moderna-to-charge-32-to-37-a-dose-for-its-covid-vaccine?amp&__twitter_impression=true

So, once again, minorities and the poor will get a sharp stick in the eye.

[GooooMarquette]

And here come the bikers...

Harleys everywhere, masks nowhere: Sturgis draws thousands

https://apnews.com/fa074079157ad9a3683445b291daaf39

Many who rode their bikes into Sturgis on Friday expressed defiance at the rules and restrictions that have marked life in many locales during the pandemic. People rode from across the country to a state that offered a reprieve from coronavirus restrictions, as South Dakota has no special limits on indoor crowds, no mask mandates and a governor who is eager to welcome visitors and the money they bring.

"Screw COVID," read the design on one T-shirt being hawked. "I went to Sturgis."

Bikers rumbled past hundreds of tents filled with motorcycle gear, T-shirts and food. Harley Davidson motorcycles were everywhere but masks were almost nowhere to be seen, with an Associated Press reporter counting fewer than 10 in a crowd of thousands over a period of several hours.

[Jockey]

And here come the bikers...

Harleys everywhere, masks nowhere: Sturgis draws thousands

https://apnews.com/fa074079157ad9a3683445b291daaf39

Many who rode their bikes into Sturgis on Friday expressed defiance at the rules and restrictions that have marked life in many locales during the pandemic. People rode from across the country to a state that offered a reprieve from coronavirus restrictions, as South Dakota has no special limits on indoor crowds, no mask mandates and a governor who is eager to welcome visitors and the money they bring.

"Screw COVID," read the design on one T-shirt being hawked. "I went to Sturgis."

Bikers rumbled past hundreds of tents filled with motorcycle gear, T-shirts and food. Harley Davidson motorcycles were everywhere but masks were almost nowhere to be seen, with an Associated Press reporter counting fewer than 10 in a crowd of thousands over a period of several hours.

As long as we don't have to pretend to care when they die, I'm OK with this.

I'm sure all those old, overweight Harley guys have nothing to worry about anyway.