COVID-19 Virus

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Well the wedding was held indoors because of heavy rain and snow. People wore their masks and every other pew was roped off. Some guests didn't attend the service (there were about thirty-five attending) It was a beautiful ceremony!!
I did go to the reception. The hall had two rooms open and the tables were well spaced away from each other,way more than six feet. Five people to a table.
I didn't dance with the bride however
I'm so glad I went!

Yesterday's news New Haven County (where I live) is now CT's "hotspot"



Jim

 

[ctwo]

This tool can give an idea of hospital capacity in your county - it does not have all hospitals though. See the drop-down below the map.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...ospitals-are-dangerously-full-is-yours#lookup

 

[Scott]

Well the wedding was held indoors because of heavy rain and snow. People wore their masks and every other pew was roped off. Some guests didn't attend the service (there were about thirty-five attending) It was a beautiful ceremony!!
I did go to the reception. The hall had two rooms open and the tables were well spaced away from each other,way more than six feet. Five people to a table.
I didn't dance with the bride however
I'm so glad I went!

Yesterday's news New Haven County (where I live) is now CT's "hotspot"



Jim

Congratulations Jim!! Glad you were able to attend in the safest manner possible!!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

More people died yesterday than did at the twin towers..:31:



Jim

 

[fiddlejen]

I am trying to understand what is meant by "More transmissible."

Does it just mean, un-masked folks are even more likely to catch it than before? Or does it mean, the new variant can get thru masks better? Should I cover up Even More when I go out?

Or, does it live longer on clothing or surfaces after you went for groceries? (Maybe I need an over-overcoat to cover up and leave outside?)

I tried googling but I'm not having much luck there's so much to wade thru. Does anyone have any clear understanding of this?

 

[SailBoat]

Great question!

The new variances (more than one internationally), seem to be 'more transmissible' in that they require fewer 'spores' to infect a Human.

One of the weaknesses of SARS-COVID-2 is that the exposure of the virus needs to be higher for it to infect a Human. That is the foundation for 'social distancing.'

Remember that the most effective test to determine if one is positive is the 'long' Q-tip, deep into the upper sinuses. The reasoning is the answer to your question: That location 'collects' the virus in volume.

The newest variances infect easier, doesn't require the higher collect rate. BUT, tend to be less evasive.

May not have the wording 100% correct. But, the point is, transfer is easier. Not as easy as the common cold, but easier then the monster virus itself.

 

[Laurasea]

great question. I understand it the mutations in the new strain, so one mutation editing out a part that made tge virus harder to replicate in our cells. 2 of the other mutation on this strain make it easier to bind and enter our cells, and one of tge mutation on this same new strain, gave it a new receptor to our cells, so like a new doorway to inter our cells and infect us. One if the mutation makes it better at avoiding detection by our body. And one mutation helps it be resistant to our body generic viral fighting . It has 27 a shocking and unusual number of mutation to show up all at once in one strsin. I heard the specialist say nirmal 1 or 2 mutation happen at at a time.

So the new strain is more infectious, because it can better evade detection by our body, has a new resistance to our bodies viral fight ( forget is it interferon? Generic body virus fighter), has a new receptor, modified its other receptors so they lock in better, and I think one modifier makes our cells make more virus better. As virus inter our cells, hijack tge call and turn tge cell into a virus factory

 

[noodles123]

I'm pretty sure the common cold is far less transmissible than covid (we spread covid very proficiently, yet we are wearing masks and washing hands far more)...and the new variant is 60% more contagious...I mean, heck, the flu (highly contagious) already has a much lower r0 number than COVID 19, let alone this new strain..If people took the same precautions, for the common cold as they do for covid, I imagine it would spread far less. I don't think that means that the cold is more contagious. I DO think COVID is very contagious, but that's not the point lol. Love you all- it's been a really rough day. Please, don't kill me!

 

[SailBoat]

Killing you would take all the joy out of visiting the Forums! Understanding that an old guy is saying that and for me, Life in Prison is not that much of a deterrent.

Sadly, the common cold (common only because of its truly vast number of variations) infects huge portions of the population everyday in a normal year. I have seen documentation that states that during the winter months, 20 to 30 percent of the North American population is either coming down, deeply effected or recovery on any given day. The effects of SARS-COVID-2 has vastly reduced the transmittal of that group of viruses, plus the flu viruses.

Cold and flu viruses tend to slow people down, the vast majority do not change they normal schedule. With this monster virus, it tends to take a large presentage of those infected and puts them in hospital or at home very sick.

The reality is, a huge number of Humans have changed their day-to-day activity and that has greatly effected transmittal of the cold and flu viruses. Although one sees many people without masks, but far less coughing and sneezing! And if they do, you can literally watch those around them melt away, quickly!

 

[noodles123]

Killing you would take all the joy out of visiting the Forums! Understanding that an old guy is saying that and for me, Life in Prison is not that much of a deterrent.

Sadly, the common cold (common only because of its truly vast number of variations) infects huge portions of the population everyday in a normal year. I have seen documentation that states that during the winter months, 20 to 30 percent of the North American population is either coming down, deeply effected or recovery on any given day. The effects of SARS-COVID-2 has vastly reduced the transmittal of that group of viruses, plus the flu viruses.

Cold and flu viruses tend to slow people down, the vast majority do not change they normal schedule. With this monster virus, it tends to take a large presentage of those infected and puts them in hospital or at home very sick.

The reality is, a huge number of Humans have changed their day-to-day activity and that has greatly effected transmittal of the cold and flu viruses. Although one sees many people without masks, but far less coughing and sneezing! And if they do, you can literally watch those around them melt away, quickly!

LOL- It's okay, I'm pretty sure my dad has basically sad this to me for years haha!


Anyway-- the thing I contest is that MOST people do not takes colds as seriously as they should--- they seriously say, "oh, it's just a cold" so people go out and about when they have colds all the time (that could be why they seem to be so contagious in the USA, where people are inconsiderate of others with regard to spreading illness)..... Is it possible that that makes a cold seem to spread faster (b/c parents send kids with fevers to school all day long....same with vomiting children)? I mean, I think, if you are sick (even if it seems mild to you) that you should stay home, but that is not culturally acceptable in the US. If you have a cold, you still go to work and infect everyone (under the pretense that, "it's just a cold"...so of course it SEEMS more contagious than COVID.
...... COVID is highly contagious and those with symptoms THESE DAYS, do tend to take it at least SOMEWHAT more seriously... (granted, at least 40% of ppl have no symptoms and some only have minor cold ones (mimicking a cold), which is why distancing etc matters). Universal masking is working but that's not something someone would do in the US if they had a cold pre-covid. I am not sure we can compare the two for these reasons...because even with masking, covid is spreading and again, we have the new strain from Europe that is 60% more contagious than any of our previous spread.



I don't think there is any hard data on colds as far as the general populous is concerned, because 99% of people don't even report it if they have one and most also do not go to their doctor, so how do we even begin to compare commonly asymptomatic and under-reported covid with the common cold?


Given the fact that Covid is spreading widely (despite masking) and that colds spread widely without masking...it seems like apples and oranges. We KNOW that masking slows the spread of covid, but how can we compare it to the rhinovirus when that is treated with such blase attitudes in most parts of the world? The thing is, colds don't kill people in the same way that covid can, so it seems impossible to know the true infection rate for either (given the silent spread of covid and nonchalance towards colds)

 

[SailBoat]

The stats on colds is from the volume of cold remedies sold in North America. It had been a huge business up to this last late Winter, early Spring (2020). Add to that group is the sale of tissues! We are talking about multi-billion dollar industries and they track their sales very closely.

Looking at just numbers to better understand magnitude:
State of Georgia had about 3 million people vote early for their Senate race.
SARS-Covid-2 has had how many infected in North America?

 

[noodles123]

The stats on colds is from the volume of cold remedies sold in North America. It had been a huge business up to this last late Winter, early Spring (2020). Add to that group is the sale of tissues! We are talking about multi-billion dollar industries and they track their sales very closely.

Looking at just numbers to better understand magnitude:
State of Georgia had about 3 million people vote early for their Senate race.
SARS-Covid-2 has had how many infected in North America?

BUT-- people buy cold remedies for flu, allergies, colds, strep, hand-foot and mouth,sinus infections, undiagnosed viruses/bacteria in general and to get high--all of which tend to spread around the same time due to close contact indoors and all that comes with winter....so....Devil's advocate....Especially because someone using OTC meds may or may not consult a doctor, meaning that we really cannot know what prompted them to make said purchases (due to lack of medical follow-up in most cases). I think we know too little to compare them (COVID and Rhinovirus), but what we do know is that COVID is killing people at much higher rates and spreading far faster than the flu (even the original strain). The new one blows the flu out of the water. Americans know how contagious flu is, so imagine that amplified by over 70% if the new strain spreads further (there are already cases of community spread with no travel history etc--England is locked down because of it)..It's also spreading in the US but we are not fully locked down and each state is doing its own dang thing.


Plus, colds don't spread in the summer to the extent that covid did...which is compelling evidence that they (colds and flu) are somewhat less contagious. WITHOUT masks, if colds were more contagious, they would spread year-round like crazy (I'm not saying they don't spread in the summer, but the term "cold and flu season" is specific to fall/winter/early spring...This summer, even with some people wearing masks, COVID made a serious dent (unlike the flu and cold...despite social distancing etc). Plus, we have seen far fewer colds with masking etc-- implying that masks are protecting us somewhat from the flu, colds and covid, but covid is still spreading faster...even with masks...and that was just the basic strain...Now, add to that Europe's 60% more contagious version.


To be clear, MASKS DO MATTER, but my thing is, COVID appears to be more contagious than most other common viral illnesses...which makes sense, in part, due to its novelty.

 

[Scott]

The stats on colds is from the volume of cold remedies sold in North America. It had been a huge business up to this last late Winter, early Spring (2020). Add to that group is the sale of tissues! We are talking about multi-billion dollar industries and they track their sales very closely.

Looking at just numbers to better understand magnitude:
State of Georgia had about 3 million people vote early for their Senate race.
SARS-Covid-2 has had how many infected in North America?

The stats on colds is from the volume of cold remedies sold in North America. It had been a huge business up to this last late Winter, early Spring (2020). Add to that group is the sale of tissues! We are talking about multi-billion dollar industries and they track their sales very closely.

Looking at just numbers to better understand magnitude:
State of Georgia had about 3 million people vote early for their Senate race.
SARS-Covid-2 has had how many infected in North America?

BUT-- people buy cold remedies for flu, allergies, colds, strep, hand-foot and mouth,sinus infections, undiagnosed viruses/bacteria in general and to get high--all of which tend to spread around the same time due to close contact indoors and all that comes with winter....so....Devil's advocate....Especially because someone using OTC meds may or may not consult a doctor, meaning that we really cannot know what prompted them to make said purchases (due to lack of medical follow-up in most cases). I think we know too little to compare them (COVID and Rhinovirus), but what we do know is that COVID is killing people at much higher rates and spreading far faster than the flu (even the original strain). The new one blows the flu out of the water. Americans know how contagious flu is, so imagine that amplified by over 70% if the new strain spreads further (there are already cases of community spread with no travel history etc--England is locked down because of it)..It's also spreading in the US but we are not fully locked down and each state is doing its own dang thing.


Plus, colds don't spread in the summer to the extent that covid did...which is compelling evidence that they (colds and flu) are somewhat less contagious. WITHOUT masks, if colds were more contagious, they would spread year-round like crazy (I'm not saying they don't spread in the summer, but the term "cold and flu season" is specific to fall/winter/early spring...This summer, even with some people wearing masks, COVID made a serious dent (unlike the flu and cold...despite social distancing etc). Plus, we have seen far fewer colds with masking etc-- implying that masks are protecting us somewhat from the flu, colds and covid, but covid is still spreading faster...even with masks...and that was just the basic strain...Now, add to that Europe's 60% more contagious version.


To be clear, MASKS DO MATTER, but my thing is, COVID appears to be more contagious than most other common viral illnesses...which makes sense, in part, due to its novelty.

I naively stocked up on OTC supplies during the "wild west" days of Covid. Mostly Guaifenisin, cough syrup, upgraded thermometer, and Gatorade. Been a long while since I've had "common cold" though rarely take anything beyond Sudafed and nasal sprays.

 

[SailBoat]

In the reality that is my extended family. I have members that believe that this SARS-covid-2 is all made-up and /or exaggerated to force State Control over them. To the other extreme, I have members that will not leave their homes, and haven't since last Spring out of fear of immediate death. Yet, they are happy to have their 'stuff' delivered to their home. I'm someplace in the center and conduct my life accordingly and attempt to bring that position to this Thread and my extended family and friends.

Personally, I do not care 'to what' extreme one wishes to believe, history will define what happened, who did what, who was right and who was wrong. But that is for the future to define.

At this point (less than a year from the first clear indications of there being a SARS-covid-2), we have two vaccines with at least one more nearing approval! Commonly, it would take four years. At some point, one needs to stand-up and take a long look around oneself and be thankful for where we have come.

 

[Scott]

In the reality that is my extended family. I have members that believe that this SARS-covid-2 is all made-up and /or exaggerated to force State Control over them. To the other extreme, I have members that will not leave their homes, and haven't since last Spring out of fear of immediate death. Yet, they are happy to have their 'stuff' delivered to their home. I'm someplace in the center and conduct my life accordingly and attempt to bring that position to this Thread and my extended family and friends.

Personally, I do not care 'to what' extreme one wishes to believe, history will define what happened, who did what, who was right and who was wrong. But that is for the future to define.

At this point (less than a year from the first clear indications of there being a SARS-covid-2), we have two vaccines with at least one more nearing approval! Commonly, it would take four years. At some point, one needs to stand-up and take a long look around oneself and be thankful for where we have come.

Excellent perspective, My Friend! We are in the "fog of war" and will have far better understanding once history is written. I too know folks from either side of the continuum - typically the best response is closer to the center. The bright side is miracle of Science, with vaccines developed in record time with seemingly (at least at the beginning) excellent effectiveness.

 

[bug_n_flock]

There were police roadblocks all over the state yesterday handing out masks and flyers. No doubt also looking for anything suspicious considering there is an armed protest planned at the state capitol on sunday. The small nursing home in county was hit hard, 24 seriously ill and 1 death the last numbers we heard... it is a 60 bed facility. Staff are also ill. At least 10 staff infected. There is a new highly contageous strain that was discovered in ohio, the next state over. A LOT more ambulance activity. The ambos are staffed all the time now, which is not normal for our county. Our county is home response, meaning people respond in their personal vehicles often to fires and car crashes. Everybody seems very on edge when we go out.



They had 3 roadblocks stopping cars in all directions just in the little town we get our mail, grceries, and feed from. 14 in total over the county, 26 the next county over. Similar numbers in the other counties from the list we found online(which claimed it was a seatbelt checkpoint tho that makes even less sense). Has us scratching our heads... our state really doesn't have the resources for that kind of action. Cashier at the dollar store said they were giving out masks and flyers. Someone else said it was an excuse to look for anyone suspicious before the protest. We thankfully didn't need to go thru any of the checkpoints. We have plenty of masks and don't go out often. After this, we will be going out even less. Scary stuff going on right now. Stay safe guys.

 

[SailBoat]

There were police roadblocks all over the state yesterday handing out masks and flyers. No doubt also looking for anything suspicious considering there is an armed protest planned at the state capitol on sunday. The small nursing home in county was hit hard, 24 seriously ill and 1 death the last numbers we heard... it is a 60 bed facility. Staff are also ill. At least 10 staff infected. There is a new highly contageous strain that was discovered in ohio, the next state over. A LOT more ambulance activity. The ambos are staffed all the time now, which is not normal for our county. Our county is home response, meaning people respond in their personal vehicles often to fires and car crashes. Everybody seems very on edge when we go out.

They had 3 roadblocks stopping cars in all directions just in the little town we get our mail, grceries, and feed from. 14 in total over the county, 26 the next county over. Similar numbers in the other counties from the list we found online(which claimed it was a seatbelt checkpoint tho that makes even less sense). Has us scratching our heads... our state really doesn't have the resources for that kind of action. Cashier at the dollar store said they were giving out masks and flyers. Someone else said it was an excuse to look for anyone suspicious before the protest. We thankfully didn't need to go thru any of the checkpoints. We have plenty of masks and don't go out often. After this, we will be going out even less. Scary stuff going on right now. Stay safe guys.

That is amazing, confusing and a bit on the scary side and a truly odd government /police response. I'm guessing that you have not heard what the flyer stated? It is a very expensive and to a degree, somewhat dangerous to set-up road blocks as a result of cars running into each other, just to hand-out masks and flyers.

Michigan is falling rapidly in both the number of new cases and deaths driven by the monster virus. But we are only a couple of months away from Spring Break and the return of our Snowbirds. In addition, Michigan has halted active Drug Traffic Curtailment, which has clear links to past spread in Michigan. The only drug curtailment occurs by accident from a lone officer stopping a car for a traffic violation.

I have not seen the level of police activity reported in other States. Will be interesting what its all about...

 

[Laurasea]

Meanwhile in Florida.....
Masks often rare...I went to the gas station no one had a mask...
We are surging, my mom has lost friends or spouses of friends, our hospital is full.
Full COVID-19 resurgence’ in Florida, White House Task Force report says
https://www.wfla.com/community/heal...n-florida-white-house-task-force-report-says/

Oh and the new variant is spreading here in Florida
A lot of stress for our state to get message out about mask and distance, and for us to increase testing ..
https://www.news4jax.com/news/flori...k-force-report-puts-duval-county-in-red-zone/

 

[saxguy64]

On a personal note of frustration... A friend just messaged me. His dad has been in a VA nursing home for well over a year now, I forget, maybe 2 or 3. Hasn't been out of his room in over three months. Strict protocol in place, staff wear full PPE looking like they're ready to board the freaking space shuttle. My friend was just notified that there are five positive cases in his dad's unit. WTH?!

 

[SailBoat]

On a personal note of frustration... A friend just messaged me. His dad has been in a VA nursing home for well over a year now, I forget, maybe 2 or 3. Hasn't been out of his room in over three months. Strict protocol in place, staff wear full PPE looking like they're ready to board the freaking space shuttle. My friend was just notified that there are five positive cases in his dad's unit. WTH?!

I have been pondering the transference of this virus when there is seemly little to no clear means. The only thing I have is that we are missing something in the protocols. The what is the point of pondering...