COVID-19 Coronavirus Information and Discussion

[Plasmatopia]

The irony is all the large companies and universities with multi-billion-dollar endowments getting money.

True, but in the case of colleges and universities the endowments are often only allowed to trickle out at a certain pace. They can't be adjusted on the fly to deal with something like a pandemic.

[Plasmatopia]

While this forum can be frustrating at times, it's several degrees more civil than your average internet forum or social media platform.

But speaking of my faith "wavering", I had two experiences in the last 24 hours that have made that happen.

First, we took a drive out for about an hour (did not stop anywhere) for the first time in 6 weeks. For my mother (who is staying with us currently), this is the first time she's been out of the house at all since about February 15. Granted, it was a nice day, but I was surprised at the volume of traffic. It was probably 75% of what someone would expect on a normal Saturday in May. But I was also surprised at seeing parking lots full in some restaurants, a gathering of 50 people under a tent, a farmer's market (with a BBQ station) that was packed, and probably saw 2 people out of 200 who wore a mask. As I said the other day, there is no "lockdown" here. The number of cases appears to be accelerating (granted there is a lag in data).

Second, I grew up in NW PA. I belong to an active FB group which posts stuff about my hometown of Erie. Someone mentioned about driving down to Presque Isle (the popular peninsula that goes out into Lake Erie) and seeing lots of crowds with a lack of social distancing and mask wearing. In just 6 hours there were 250 comments, most of which were incredibly divisive and disrespectful. While it's true that one could see the original poster as being judgmental, the rhetoric was really off the charts. Granted, I know social media is a cesspool of keyboard warriors, but it's really depressed me how we can take an issue that affects everyone and, much like the virus itself, it doesn't take long for everyone to gravitate back to their tribal groupthink. I feel I'm cursed with an eternal optimism about the future (damn you Star Trek!), yet constantly crashed back down to Earth at what seems to be the reality. What a shame.

I guess I didn't give much indication that my comment was somewhat facetious, but I did figure that moderating this place could be a pain at times. As you say though, PE is awesome compared to so many other places on social media. It's pretty depressing out there. I've no doubt the better vibe here on PE is largely due to the efforts of the mods to keep a leash on things. Your work is very much appreciated!

[Dana5140]

This is in peer review but the paper is cohort study that is the largest study looking at risk factors for Covid. Ben Goldacre is author and is well known for his solid work: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1....06.20092999v1

[rdclark]

The Marlboro Music Festival which, since 1951, has been bringing together the finest young classical performers from the world over to study, workshop, and perform together in rural southern Vermont, has cancelled its 2020 edition, scheduled for July and August.

It's not prog, but it's an indicator of the way event organizers are thinking.

I'll miss the wonderful annual Vermont vacation, of course, but for so many of these young musicians Marlboro is the classical Olympics. It can level-up a career; the annual Musicians from Marlboro tours provide unparalleled opportunity for exposure and networking.

No doubt that we are living through The Year That Changed Everything For Everyone.

[Top Cat]

This is in peer review but the paper is cohort study that is the largest study looking at risk factors for Covid. Ben Goldacre is author and is well known for his solid work: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1....06.20092999v1

Interesting paper. Also the statistics relating Covid19 to Asians and African Americans being at greatest risk.
One question Dana, do you know what they mean when using the word deprivation as a risk factor.

[Shadow]

My middle daughter just graduated with a masters in nursing and did an interview with Johns Hopkins yesterday. She told me there are five mutant strains of the virus and one they may never figure out. When she went to University of Maryland College Park she would go to Washington and talk with the senators about keeping funding for the arts. She told me they thought she was a lobbyist. She said she was writing a paper about I think the virus and the impact on society until everything pretty much shut down in March and they didn't have to finish anything to graduate.

[Dana5140]

One question Dana, do you know what they mean when using the word deprivation as a risk factor.

This refers to declining health status resulting from lack of solid resources, such as healthy food and exercise.

The last 2 days is disturbing.

The government has prevented a report from CDC from being released.
Arizona has disbanded its data gathering and analysis committee.
The TX governor admits he knows people will die when he reopens the state.
The IA governor will allow employees to fire employees who do not immediately return to work when their company reopens, even if they cannot do so because someone in the family is ill or they themselves are compromised.
Th OH governor backs down on a requirement to wear masks in public.
The TX governor, again, asks that a women in jail for violating a closure notice be released.
Jarod Kushner is still running the Covid response, accompanied by a bunch of people with no skill is logistics or procurement.

I could go on, but our response to this crisis is as deplorable as anyone could ever imagine.

[ronmac]

I saw a graph last night that showed the overall rate of infections in the US. The line in the graph depicted a bit of a plateau. However, there was an accompanying graph that excluded New York which showed the US rate in an upward arc.

Here's a similar second graph.

[Interstellar]

I wish the best for everyone, but I have a special thought for all of you who are in the US. Although it is a challenge for every country, the way things have been happening in the USA these past few weeks has been equally worrying, fascinating and disturbing to me. I have friends in Indiana and Texas and I feel for the people on this forum who have been affected in any way by all this.

I'm hoping for more results from the studies that have been launched these past weeks, amongst which the European clinical trial Discovery, but this program also shows, once again, the shortcomings of cooperation between European countries. Oh well. Fingers crossed for some interesting results next week... maybe.

[Top Cat]

This refers to declining health status resulting from lack of solid resources, such as healthy food and exercise.

Thank you Dana..

[Buddhabreath]

...
I could go on, but our response to this crisis is as deplorable as anyone could ever imagine.

Indeed. You scratched the surface. It is absolutely mind-boggling. I provided (without political commentary) an outline of some of this a couple of weeks ago, including a link to an in-depth first-rate investigative report which included interviews from primary sources and subject-matter experts detailing the “Kushner affair”, much of which is only now garnering wider attention in the main stream media, but that post was deleted.

This is a an incredible tragedy. The truth will out.

[Rye-Ergot]

Although it is a challenge for every country, the way things have been happening in the USA these past few weeks has been equally worrying, fascinating and disturbing to me.

And for many of us here as well.

[spellbound]

She told me there are five mutant strains of the virus and one they may never figure out.

Thanks for this info. The news only just got around to admitting there may be a virus mutation.

The government has prevented a report from CDC from being released.
Arizona has disbanded its data gathering and analysis committee.
The TX governor admits he knows people will die when he reopens the state.
The IA governor will allow employees to fire employees who do not immediately return to work when their company reopens, even if they cannot do so because someone in the family is ill or they themselves are compromised.
Th OH governor backs down on a requirement to wear masks in public.
The TX governor, again, asks that a women in jail for violating a closure notice be released.
Jarod Kushner is still running the Covid response, accompanied by a bunch of people with no skill is logistics or procurement.

Thanks for that, as well. I knew about the first and last of your points. The state-level news, I hear less about. It is disturbing that Arizona disbanded that committee, as Arizona has more senior citizen residents than any state other than Florida, IIRC. Guess the most endangered are the most expendable, there. All in all, this looks like a lesson in what not to do in an emergency. I have a low tolerance for corruption, incompetence, and dishonesty, so, as you can imagine, my head is ready to explode on a daily basis.

[Top Cat]

These are definitely trying times, facing an unknown future, frustration with leadership and the stress of being shut in, the constant fear of wondering if you or any of your loved one's will succumb to this virus.
But I can't stress enough how important it is to maintain a positive outlook through it all. Mental health can determine whether your body also stays healthy, and it can beat a body up and cause illness before you blink an eye.
I can't help but feel the constant obsession so many have for monitoring news 24/7 can easily put one into overload. It's too much, and I can only suggest limiting how much time you spend absorbing information about Covid19. Yes, it's important to know what's going on, the latest updates, etc. But try to move on to a less Covid19 filled day and night when possible.

As far as leadership decisions on a national, state and local level, there really isn't much we can do about it at this stage. We're stuck with what we have, so for me at least I try to do what I can in my little section of the world. Whether it be supportive of family and friends or being diligent about social distancing, wearing a mask when shopping, I'm doing what I can to keep myself, my wife and strangers safe.

There is one silver lining in all of this, at least for the US. We are in an election cycle and we have the opportunity to hold those responsible if we feel they've proven to be negligent or performed poorly in the handling of how to fight the spread of the virus.
We are just over 6 months from voting to decide who our new leaders will be, and we also have the advantage to have seen how present leaders have responded and listen to how candidates will deal with this in the future..
If your Mayor, County, Governor, members of Congress or the President has failed in your eyes, let your voice be heard on election day..give them the boot to the curb.
We are so fortunate we have this ability to change our government, our leaders who we view as failing us and the country.
Let your voice be heard then.

But for now, do the best you can, stay positive, try to not overdo the news and keep mentally healthy, cause you need it to keep your body healthy.

I care for all of you, we share a love for music, but we all are also very passionate and become upset when we see things that aren't right, or people being taken advantage of, or suffering due to someone else's decisions.

Be well, be safe, hug your loved ones, write or call those who you can't touch physically. This all will eventually fade away in to memory, there will be a vaccine, we will beat this thing and if our leaders have failed us, we can at least tell them in November "you're fired".

[Shadow]

I heard on the news today the virus could have been here in November, and possibly as far back as September. They will have to recheck the causes of death of some patients back then.

[markwoll]

Lots of people now have Thinkihadititis.
My wife and I both got sick in Feb after a trip to the ER for an unrelated problem.
Could it have been Covid? Only know if we get tested.
Are we itching to get that done. Not really.
At least not until the tests have gotten more routine and have a 'track record' of reliable results.
I had a zoom with my department where we discussed, among other things, the (very) preliminary plans to reopen.
Lots to do before then.

[JKL2000]

I heard sort of an interesting story today. A guy said his wife is working in one of the NY area hospitals in the Covid unit, and while everyone she works with has caught the virus, she hasn't. I asked if she'd been tested and he said she was, and they found no antibodies. So she's just been really lucky or careful and hasn't come in contact with the virus, rather than being immune or having had mild symptoms.

[Zeuhlmate]

One of my friends lives on the small island Bornholm. His wife has corona now (not hospitalzed), but he and his 2 sons (teenagers) have nothing, all including friends have been tested, nothing. They cant figure out how she got it, she hasn't been travelling since the start of january, and works with only few colleges and mostly out doors.

2 months ago he was at a beekeepers convent in another part of the country, he could have caught it there, but never got ill, passed it on, long incubation time... who knows. He is a teacher and his school has been closed down the last 1½ month.

For stupid reasons you can't get tested for antibodies (to verify this theory).

[ronmac]

^^ I'm a news junkie and have cut way back for the reasons stated above. Plus, they are rehashing everything over and over for the most part.

[Camelogue]

How is that anybody who wants a test can get a test working out? I heard they were "beautiful."

[ronmac]

How is that anybody who wants a test can get a test working out? I heard they were "beautiful."

"Anybody" is not defined as you or I.

[rdclark]

"Anybody who is anybody."

[Top Cat]

"Anybody who is anybody."

nobody..lol

am I picking up a Abbot and Costello comedy skit here.

[rdclark]

And now...

(CNN)The new coronavirus can persist in men's semen even after they have begun to recover, a finding that raises the possibility the virus could be sexually transmitted, Chinese researchers said Thursday.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/07/healt...lth/index.html

So what does this do to the world's most popular shelter-in-place pastime?

[Poisoned Youth]

^^ I'm a news junkie and have cut way back for the reasons stated above. Plus, they are rehashing everything over and over for the most part.

My observation is the mainstream news cycle is essentially a never-ending, gigantic novel that turns one page per day. It takes 2 minutes to read it and the rest of the day to talk about it. They feed off each other, so if someone appears on NBC and says something worth repeating, it will appear on the other networks, online print, etc.

And in this last month especially, the pages aren't turning as fast, so it's just COVID-ad-nauseum. And there is so much information, that it feels like often times we don't have any, if that makes sense.

What I do give some of the networks credit for during this time is pushing for clarity and clear communication from leadership. I've observed several times where today's discussion leads to tomorrow's clarification.