COVID-19 Virus

[fiddlejen]

Again...I have been forced to wear a VERY thick mask for over 8 hours a day since August. Yes, it is miserable and I have a freaking callous on my nose...but at least I have minimized community/family spread (from students to me and me to students)

These things have been SO HELPFUL to me for making masks more comfortable, easier to use and easier to breathe in:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R6SD3V5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[texsize]

The last great pandemic took 600,000 lives, this pandemic will surpass that, probably by the end of April, and it won't stop there.

John Hopkins, CDC, WHO, the Lancet Journal, NIH, and multiple universities, and other institutions from around the world. All agree we can change this and lower deaths by wearing a mask with close to 90% compliance.

Italy and Europe are once again having more cases and deaths. Which has been a past predictor for what happens here.

Its hard for the human mind to grasp such large numbers. I've heard it phrased, think about several airplanes a day crashing and killing everyone. And it keeps happening everyday. We would be outraged, we would be shocked, we ground the flights ....

I'm saddened by all these deaths. I want to do whatever it takes to stop them .it seems so little to wear a mask.

I admit that 600,000 is a staggering amount of human loss and suffering for families and friends.
But....
If you look at the world’s total population now and the numbers lost versus the number dead in the 1917/1918 flu versus the world population then I would wager the % loss of life was greater in the 1918 flu .

I have no problem wearing a mask when I go out.

My 2 biggest problems with the who deal is not being able to visit my 86 Year old father who is slowly loosing his memories and that my wife intends to get the vaccine. She has good reason due to international travel but it does not give me a warm and fuzzie feeling.
Texsize

 

[texsize]

According to this article on the 1918 flu from the CDC we lost 1/3 of the world’s population.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-re...he+1918+flu&channel=aplab&source=a-app1&hl=en

I don’t think 600,000 is anything close to 1/3 our current population.

Is Covid-19 real, of course it is.
Is it bad news to get sick from it? It can be, have a friend from work that spent 10 days in the hospital and is one of the “long haulers”

Is it worth the risk of taking a vaccine that has not gone through the normal safety testing?
That is a question that must be answered on an individual basis.

Edit.
I just realized that 600,000 is just U.S. deaths not worldwide deaths.:12:

 

[Scott]

No bait, only the slow cycling around an honest attempt to see where paths separate to assure that the herd will not become immune when the latest statement from the 'experts' state a 90% adherents is the only way.

The math never gets us there.

Conventional wisdom argued against the rapid development of three vaccines in record time in the U.S, others globally. I trust the science as vetted by CDC and other agencies in collaborative effort for approval. Bad meds have been approved in the past, many more fail the testing progression and never see production. The lifesaving drugs available far outweigh the negative.

Not sure what validated math suggests we'll never reach herd immunity, unless the abstainers reach critical mass. That'd be a shame and lead to an unfortunate Darwinian effect.

 

[texsize]

For a patient with terminal disease taking a early release medicine makes sense.
That was the reason for allowing treatments to be used quickly.

Treating millions of people with a vaccine that has not been fully tested for a sickness that has a , what .02 or was it .2% mortality does not make sense to me.

Does not anyone remember thalidomide

 

[SailBoat]

No bait, only the slow cycling around an honest attempt to see where paths separate to assure that the herd will not become immune when the latest statement from the 'experts' state a 90% adherents is the only way.

The math never gets us there.

Conventional wisdom argued against the rapid development of three vaccines in record time in the U.S, others globally. I trust the science as vetted by CDC and other agencies in collaborative effort for approval. Bad meds have been approved in the past, many more fail the testing progression and never see production. The lifesaving drugs available far outweigh the negative.

Not sure what validated math suggests we'll never reach herd immunity, unless the abstainers reach critical mass. That'd be a shame and lead to an unfortunate Darwinian effect.

Not sure what else to say. 50% of those who can do not get the vaccine. 50% of those that should use a mask do not. Those numbers will not get us to herd immunity. That sadly /heavily implies Darwinian effect will be a reality.

 

[noodles123]

No bait, only the slow cycling around an honest attempt to see where paths separate to assure that the herd will not become immune when the latest statement from the 'experts' state a 90% adherents is the only way.

The math never gets us there.

Conventional wisdom argued against the rapid development of three vaccines in record time in the U.S, others globally. I trust the science as vetted by CDC and other agencies in collaborative effort for approval. Bad meds have been approved in the past, many more fail the testing progression and never see production. The lifesaving drugs available far outweigh the negative.

Not sure what validated math suggests we'll never reach herd immunity, unless the abstainers reach critical mass. That'd be a shame and lead to an unfortunate Darwinian effect.

Not sure what else to say. 50% of those who can do not get the vaccine. 50% of those that should use a mask do not. Those numbers will not get us to herd immunity. That sadly /heavily implies Darwinian effect will be a reality.

But isn't that like saying, people will steal anyway or kill anyway or cheat anyway?

We don't just give up....The mindset that we can't do anything to stem this tide is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I don't think that irresponsible behavior should be the standard for comparison when it comes to a country that supposedly strives for the better. Herd immunity may not be possible with this virus, but we have got to slow the spread or these mutations be extremely problematic.

 

[Scott]

Not sure what else to say. 50% of those who can do not get the vaccine. 50% of those that should use a mask do not. Those numbers will not get us to herd immunity. That sadly /heavily implies Darwinian effect will be a reality.

Who said 50% of the U.S. population will not get vaccinated? Half of a particular demographic may choose to be obstructionist or waive inoculation for moral/personal choices. I have seen no statistic suggesting a mere 50% of the entire population will wind up vaccinated. Even if that were the case, 20 to 25% of the remainder will become infected, develop antibodies, (or die) and assist the goal of herd immunity. One way or another, we will achieve herd immunity. Just as we did in aftermath of Spanish Flu without arsenal of pharmaceuticals.

 

[noodles123]

The last great pandemic took 600,000 lives, this pandemic will surpass that, probably by the end of April, and it won't stop there.

John Hopkins, CDC, WHO, the Lancet Journal, NIH, and multiple universities, and other institutions from around the world. All agree we can change this and lower deaths by wearing a mask with close to 90% compliance.

Italy and Europe are once again having more cases and deaths. Which has been a past predictor for what happens here.

Its hard for the human mind to grasp such large numbers. I've heard it phrased, think about several airplanes a day crashing and killing everyone. And it keeps happening everyday. We would be outraged, we would be shocked, we ground the flights ....

I'm saddened by all these deaths. I want to do whatever it takes to stop them .it seems so little to wear a mask.

I admit that 600,000 is a staggering amount of human loss and suffering for families and friends.
But....
If you look at the world’s total population now and the numbers lost versus the number dead in the 1917/1918 flu versus the world population then I would wager the % loss of life was greater in the 1918 flu .

I have no problem wearing a mask when I go out.

My 2 biggest problems with the who deal is not being able to visit my 86 Year old father who is slowly loosing his memories and that my wife intends to get the vaccine. She has good reason due to international travel but it does not give me a warm and fuzzie feeling.
Texsize

Does the facility offer rapid testing for visitors? Does your dad's room have windows? You could use paint markers to write messages, play trivia etc from the outside if it does. Do you guys use Zoom ever? If you have never done it, it's worth looking into and any number of the staff where your dad lives could likely help him get started answering video calls etc.



My younger sibling (who had cancer within the year), mom, dad and me have all had 2 doses, and it was not pleasant on the 2nd for 3/4 of us. I know it is scary to some extent but the vast majority have been okay

 

[texsize]

The last great pandemic took 600,000 lives, this pandemic will surpass that, probably by the end of April, and it won't stop there.

John Hopkins, CDC, WHO, the Lancet Journal, NIH, and multiple universities, and other institutions from around the world. All agree we can change this and lower deaths by wearing a mask with close to 90% compliance.

Italy and Europe are once again having more cases and deaths. Which has been a past predictor for what happens here.

Its hard for the human mind to grasp such large numbers. I've heard it phrased, think about several airplanes a day crashing and killing everyone. And it keeps happening everyday. We would be outraged, we would be shocked, we ground the flights ....

I'm saddened by all these deaths. I want to do whatever it takes to stop them .it seems so little to wear a mask.

I admit that 600,000 is a staggering amount of human loss and suffering for families and friends.
But....
If you look at the world’s total population now and the numbers lost versus the number dead in the 1917/1918 flu versus the world population then I would wager the % loss of life was greater in the 1918 flu .

I have no problem wearing a mask when I go out.

My 2 biggest problems with the who deal is not being able to visit my 86 Year old father who is slowly loosing his memories and that my wife intends to get the vaccine. She has good reason due to international travel but it does not give me a warm and fuzzie feeling.
Texsize

Does the facility offer rapid testing for visitors? Does your dad's room have windows? You could use paint markers to write messages, play trivia etc from the outside if it does. Do you guys use Zoom ever? If you have never done it, it's worth looking into and any number of the staff where your dad lives could likely help him get started answering video calls etc.



My younger sibling (who had cancer within the year), mom, dad and me have all had 2 doses, and it was not pleasant on the 2nd for 3/4 of us. I know it is scary to some extent but the vast majority have been okay

My father is lucky enough not to need to be in a care facility, he lives at home with his wife (my stepmother). She makes sure he takes care of himself. There is nothing keeping me from visiting with him other than the risk of transmitting the virus to him or his wife.
I am considering going up anyway because I can sleep in a separate building on his property and visit with him in mask. Summer the risk of transmission should be lowered .

I am sorry to hear about your sibling and the big C. I hope things work out.
Cancer is a scary thing in the best of times.
Cancer took my mother in 2019.

Texsize

 

[noodles123]

I admit that 600,000 is a staggering amount of human loss and suffering for families and friends.
But....
If you look at the world’s total population now and the numbers lost versus the number dead in the 1917/1918 flu versus the world population then I would wager the % loss of life was greater in the 1918 flu .

I have no problem wearing a mask when I go out.

My 2 biggest problems with the who deal is not being able to visit my 86 Year old father who is slowly loosing his memories and that my wife intends to get the vaccine. She has good reason due to international travel but it does not give me a warm and fuzzie feeling.
Texsize

Does the facility offer rapid testing for visitors? Does your dad's room have windows? You could use paint markers to write messages, play trivia etc from the outside if it does. Do you guys use Zoom ever? If you have never done it, it's worth looking into and any number of the staff where your dad lives could likely help him get started answering video calls etc.



My younger sibling (who had cancer within the year), mom, dad and me have all had 2 doses, and it was not pleasant on the 2nd for 3/4 of us. I know it is scary to some extent but the vast majority have been okay

My father is lucky enough not to need to be in a care facility, he lives at home with his wife (my stepmother). She makes sure he takes care of himself. There is nothing keeping me from visiting with him other than the risk of transmitting the virus to him or his wife.
I am considering going up anyway because I can sleep in a separate building on his property and visit with him in mask. Summer the risk of transmission should be lowered .

I am sorry to hear about your sibling and the big C. I hope things work out.
Cancer is a scary thing in the best of times.
Cancer took my mother in 2019.

Texsize

Ugh..the worst....So sorry...my mom holds my dad together (sort of). I cannot imagine.

2020 has been the most stressful year of all time for my family- cancer, covid, deaths etc..
Chemo and radiation in the middle of a pandemic=terrifying, for sure. My younger sibling got diagnosed in the summer or fall of of 2019 I think..but lost all hair and had multiple operations during this whole sh*t show! It has been particularly frightening in terms of people refusing to mask-up (even in the freaking cancer wing, a guy was coughing and refusing back in August or something....come on now!)

I really hope *knock on wood* that remission sticks around and that we (as a country) make 2021 better than the last (without compromising safety)


If your dad has dementia, I was an in-home caretaker for my grandma as well as others (before I became a teacher), so I worked a lot with hospice etc, but if you do want to talk about anything related to that, PM me and I will reply! I am sorry you guys are going through that. When working together to provide full-time care for my grandma, my mom was stressed like I have never ever seen her. I do not envy what you had to go through.

 

[SailBoat]

Today, has been a breath of fresh air! I'm at the cabin and have been seeing, meeting with and spending time with 'truly sick, uninformed, idiots, that are vaccinated and foolishly share like serious errored views' as I! And, I dangerously shook hands and hugged several of them. If I die tomorrow, I will die a very happy guy that felt the joy of deep friendship!

The Sun will come out tomorrow and I am so very happy for that reality!

Tons to say about our nations leading expert Dr. Fauci and his need to be in front of TV cameras was sadly evident today. He is a truly intelligent individual. But, his handlers should be keeping him away from the cameras. Just saying.

 

[SailBoat]

Understand this is still an early finding!

The variants of SARS-CoV-2 that keep emerging aren’t just a human problem. Two reports released this week have found the first evidence that dogs and cats can become infected by B.1.1.7, a recent variant of the pandemic coronavirus that transmits more readily between people and also appears more lethal in them. The finds mark the first time one of the several major variants of concern has been seen outside of humans.

B.1.1.7 was first identified in the United Kingdom and that’s where some of the variant-infected pets were found. The U.K. animals suffered myocarditis—an inflammation of the heart tissue that, in serious cases, can cause heart failure.

But the reports offer no proof that the SARS-CoV-2 variant is responsible, nor that it’s more transmissible or dangerous in animals. “It’s an interesting hypothesis, but there’s no evidence that the virus is causing these problems,” says Scott Weese, a veterinarian at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College who specializes in emerging infectious diseases.

 

[texsize]

Is it just me

Covid-19 is turning me into a hypochondriac.

Every time I cough a little I take my temp.

Every time I have a headache I take my temperature.

Every time my legs hurt or I feel a little tired I check my temperature.


Good grief.

 

[Scott]

Understand this is still an early finding!

The variants of SARS-CoV-2 that keep emerging aren’t just a human problem. Two reports released this week have found the first evidence that dogs and cats can become infected by B.1.1.7, a recent variant of the pandemic coronavirus that transmits more readily between people and also appears more lethal in them. The finds mark the first time one of the several major variants of concern has been seen outside of humans.

B.1.1.7 was first identified in the United Kingdom and that’s where some of the variant-infected pets were found. The U.K. animals suffered myocarditis–an inflammation of the heart tissue that, in serious cases, can cause heart failure.

But the reports offer no proof that the SARS-CoV-2 variant is responsible, nor that it’s more transmissible or dangerous in animals. “It’s an interesting hypothesis, but there’s no evidence that the virus is causing these problems,” says Scott Weese, a veterinarian at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College who specializes in emerging infectious diseases.

Some zoos vaccinating some of our nearest evolutionary cousins:
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/16/9754...protect-both-animals-and-humans-from-covid-19

 

[fiddlejen]

Just got my first vaccine shot yesterday!

Despite reports of vaccines going un-taken in some areas, in Massachusetts still difficult to get that first shot.

Oddly -- my own MD office is associated with one of the larger regional medical groups - I continue getting emails from that group, stating they are making vaccine appts available as they get the vaccine. But a Different large regional medical group - with whom I saw a specialist a year or two ago - sent me the appt link (at the beginning of March) and I was able to schedule with them. (The link had appts in various locations, all thru March, but just in the time it took me to open it to register, the end-of-March, 45-minutes away, was the soonest available.)

So vaccine shot number 1. Yay!! I'll go back in 4 weeks for the second one. Then a few weeks after that I can consider myself fully vaccinated! Yay! Here in New England, mid-May is still barely spring, really. So, before Summer! I am really looking forward to going to the beach this year. Last year was my first summer in years to not visit the beach At All during summer. Also looking forward to attending church again. (I have not been willing to sit for that long in an enclosed space, un-vaccinated.)

 

[noodles123]

Congratulations on your vaccine.


I am just so disappointed in how this whole thing is going..I feel like I am always doom and gloom, but at the rate we are going in the US, I wouldn't start making plans for vacation...we are going to have another surge-- I am certain. Think about it-- this whole world got infected from 1 or 2 people....one year ago...we are opening up when millions are infected people and already seeing surges..plus the variants.


I want you to be able to go to the beach and church too...believe me...but I would wait before banking on that (unless people start understanding that "can" doesn't mean "should" in terms of states opening etc).

 

[SailBoat]

Congratulations on your first Shot!!!

Wow, you have to wait four weeks for the second!? Our wait was three weeks! Oh, yaaa, different supplier! Its wonderful being on the other side of the Vaccinations!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

The "new variant" is surging here in CT..hospital admins on the rise and posativity on the upsweep. Schools have opened for in-person learning,resturants at 50% capacity.

I got my first shot last week..simple process,was there maybe 20 minutes including the "wait" time. I get my second shot 4/13.
Still being a hermit. The weather is improving and I want so much to ride my Harley or go fly my drone...I've seen bikers wearing masks,people in cars by themselves,windows up,wearing masks..


Jim

 

[SailBoat]

Congratulations Jim, on the first shot!!!

Just another step closer to being full on Vaccinated!!!