Coronavirus

[bosk1]

But the huge numbers, the ones you're talking about that bury the ER and overwhelm hospitals around the world will see some relief, hopefully considerable relief, once the vaccines are widely available.

I think they largely already are experiencing some relief, at least in this country.  Very few, if any, U.S. hospitals are overwhelmed to the point of being buried and not able to adjust, from what I have seen and heard (notwithstanding that the news continues to use the obligatory Scary Voice when reporting numbers every day).

[Stadler]

But the huge numbers, the ones you're talking about that bury the ER and overwhelm hospitals around the world will see some relief, hopefully considerable relief, once the vaccines are widely available.

I think they largely already are experiencing some relief, at least in this country.  Very few, if any, U.S. hospitals are overwhelmed to the point of being buried and not able to adjust, from what I have seen and heard (notwithstanding that the news continues to use the obligatory Scary Voice when reporting numbers every day).

My local station (the only news I watch now) is like that.    "Disturbing new COVID milestone today; Over 200.   THOUSAND.  deaths nationwide.   For more on this, let's go to Alisha Maldonado in [some CT town that has nothing to do with the national numbers]."

[The Walrus]

I don't watch the news anymore.

[T-ski]

Wisconsin is entering the danger zone, been getting big spikes the last week or so.  Health department imploring people to get their shit together.

[emtee]

I don't watch the news anymore.

I'm getting very close too brother The less I watch the better I feel.
.

[Dublagent66]

I don't watch the news anymore.

I'm getting very close too brother The less I watch the better I feel.
.

I'm already there.  Now, if we could just get the stupid election over with, won't have to see all the ridiculous campaign ads on every other channel. 

[Stadler]

I don't watch the news anymore.

I'm getting very close too brother The less I watch the better I feel.
.

It's tangible.  I wasn't kidding in the P/R section when talked about the sort of vertigo I feel now with so much of the popular discussion. 

[The Walrus]

I don't watch the news anymore.

I'm getting very close too brother The less I watch the better I feel.
.

It's tangible.  I wasn't kidding in the P/R section when talked about the sort of vertigo I feel now with so much of the popular discussion.

That's exactly why I avoid the news and asked for my P/R posting privileges to be revoked - I'm actively trying to avoid the vast majority of political discussion or news to keep stress down. In fact I just defused a potential argument about ACAB with a good friend before this post. Not doing it.

[Dublagent66]

I don't watch the news anymore.

I'm getting very close too brother The less I watch the better I feel.
.

It's tangible.  I wasn't kidding in the P/R section when talked about the sort of vertigo I feel now with so much of the popular discussion.

That's exactly why I avoid the news and asked for my P/R posting privileges to be revoked - I'm actively trying to avoid the vast majority of political discussion or news to keep stress down. In fact I just defused a potential argument about ACAB with a good friend before this post. Not doing it.

Like Joshua said in the movie War Games.  "The only winning move is not to play." 

[Stadler]

Here we go.

"Disturbing new COVID milestone today."

[Orbert]

But the huge numbers, the ones you're talking about that bury the ER and overwhelm hospitals around the world will see some relief, hopefully considerable relief, once the vaccines are widely available.

I think they largely already are experiencing some relief, at least in this country.  Very few, if any, U.S. hospitals are overwhelmed to the point of being buried and not able to adjust, from what I have seen and heard (notwithstanding that the news continues to use the obligatory Scary Voice when reporting numbers every day).

There's been some relief, true, but there are still spikes here and there, and that will continue for a while.  I'm talking about real relief, like a cure, except that this is a virus and thus there is no cure, only vaccines to try to prevent it, and treatments for those who inevitably get it.  We're getting closer on the vaccines, and developing better treatments as well, as we learn more about it.  I was just reacting to the (rhetorical?) question "When will it end?"  I don't think it will ever truly end, as in "go away completely".  Not like Polio or Hepatitis C or other diseases we've actually cured (recent antivax-inspired resurgences notwithstanding).

[emtee]

The first diagnosed case was in January in Washington State. Many people had it then and didn't know. So, we have been wrestling with this now for 8 - 9 months.

So many people are struggling financially. So many businesses as well. And our elected leaders, so entrenched in their tribal positions, not wanting to give the appearance of caving and ceding an advantage to the opposition, refuse to come to an agreement on a stimulus. Shame on them!

[lonestar]

The first diagnosed case was in January in Washington State. Many people had it then and didn't know. So, we have been wrestling with this now for 8 - 9 months.

So many people are struggling financially. So many businesses as well. And our elected leaders, so entrenched in their tribal positions, not wanting to give the appearance of caving and ceding an advantage to the opposition, refuse to come to an agreement on a stimulus. Shame on them!

It's truly disgusting. I got two good friends, both single moms who were laid off and can't get back to the workforce because of online learning and because the restaurant industry took such a massive hit, who are struggling hard. I'm really worried for both of them, and I'm sure there are cases like this all over the country.

[ErHaO]

But the huge numbers, the ones you're talking about that bury the ER and overwhelm hospitals around the world will see some relief, hopefully considerable relief, once the vaccines are widely available.

I think they largely already are experiencing some relief, at least in this country.  Very few, if any, U.S. hospitals are overwhelmed to the point of being buried and not able to adjust, from what I have seen and heard (notwithstanding that the news continues to use the obligatory Scary Voice when reporting numbers every day).

That would be good news. I think the coming months will be a very suspenseful period due to several factors. Part it being how the seasons (potentially) affect human immune systems (perform the best in summer, at least in western countries) and part of it influenza potentially joining the misery.

And offcourse human behavious during the holidays (lot's of traveling to indoor meetings in remote areas to meet families). This way the virus can reach areas that weren't really affected until now.

Offcourse none of this is a given or anything, just personal worries.



Unfortunately our numbers (Netherlands) are bad and at my work a lot of patients are coming in. Our area already transports patients to other areas and some healthcare services are shutting down temporarily to focus on covid. It is bad, as there are plenty of horror stories from the first wave at my work, hopefully it won't come to that.

[ProfessorPeart]

My county is going on lockdown again starting Saturday. Numbers have been rising and the infection rate has been increasing. Over half the cases in my county are people under 30. The highest number of infected everyday is in that range.

Meanwhile, some dude in DC just came down with Covid. Guess he is a bigshot or something.

[emtee]

I'm not surprised. Gonna be interesting over the next 2 weeks of quarantine.

[lordxizor]

Minnesota has gone from consistently around 6000 active cases for most of the summer to 10000 basically since the start of the school year. It's mostly going people who are at lower risk thankfully, but still is a bad trend. I foresee going to back to full time distance learning.

[hunnus2000]

Meanwhile, some dude in DC just came down with Covid. Guess he is a bigshot or something.

Oh the irony......

But I would be shocked if anyone said they were surprised.

[Snow Dog]

Meanwhile, some dude in DC just came down with Covid. Guess he is a bigshot or something.

It is what it is.

[Anguyen92]

This virus gives no f*** who it hits.  If you tempt its fate, it will hit you eventually.

[jingle.boy]

Meanwhile, some dude in DC just came down with Covid. Guess he is a bigshot or something.

It is what it is.

Just hit it with a disinfectant IV.

[SystematicThought]

Minnesota has gone from consistently around 6000 active cases for most of the summer to 10000 basically since the start of the school year. It's mostly going people who are at lower risk thankfully, but still is a bad trend. I foresee going to back to full time distance learning.

What scares me is how the government is basing their decisions. The cases have been going higher as of late but so has testing. Like today there were 1,184 positive cases, but 31,075 tests. The positivity rate has been trending down. I just hope they don’t go back to shutting things down. I will give Minnesota credit, they don’t jump to rash decisions

[jingle.boy]

A few days ago, the Premier of Ontario told the public 'if you want a test, go get one'.  So, a shit-ton of asymptomatic people got one for various reasons.  Now the testing facilities are drowning - 90k+ backlog of cases.  They're teetering on the edge of having samples be spoiled (3-day shelf life).  No one even knows if people whose sample was spoiled will be notified.  Strong likelihood they won't be, so people who potentially are positive won't be notified, and think they're in the clear.

Ontario has more daily positive cases than at any time in the spring, and this government is still not taking any significant measures beyond "encouraging" people to behave better.  Only yesterday did they institute a province-wide mask mandate - indoors when physical separating is not possible.   

[lordxizor]

I really don't understand why you would want to get tested if you have no symptoms unless you knew you were exposed to someone who tested positive. Too big of a chance of a false positive, IMO.

[cramx3]

I really don't understand why you would want to get tested if you have no symptoms unless you knew you were exposed to someone who tested positive. Too big of a chance of a false positive, IMO.

For the most part, I agree, but to travel or maybe to take a job, showing proof of a negative test is kind of a thing right now in some situations. Also, having been in contact with a recent positive person is another reason to get a test even if you feel fine.

After just road tripping and having some of my first real interactions with random people (I had indoor dining and outdoor dining in Maine, sat inside a bar in Boston, stayed at 3 different hotels, had valet car service) makes me wonder if I could have picked it up. Granted myself and everyone other than the one bar patron took the precautions with wearing a mask, but just makes me wonder.

[Stadler]

The post above was my non-dramatic way of saying my daughter tested positive.   It was a clear chain:  boyfriend of one of her roommates, that roommate, the OTHER roommate, then her.   The boyfriend and the first roommate were asymptomatic.    The middle roommate lost her sense of taste, and had what you would call a 'mild cold' in any other year.    My daughter is largely asymptomatic (sniffles, but she has asthma and allergies and so basically sniffles ALL the time; it's a running joke between us when we talk on the phone:  "are you crying?").   

I can't speak to the boyfriend and first roommate, but the second roommate and my daughter are quarantining together, and neither has had a fever at all this entire time, even though that is one of the "quickie" screening methodologies.   

I get where you're coming from, Lordxizor, but I also see the other side.  I think there's an argument against worrying about the false positive; if one person falsely quarantines, it's not the end of the world.   It's the false negatives and the asymptomatic people spreading the virus unknowingly that we have to worry about.

[ProfessorPeart]

Florida gives the NFL teams the all clear to fully stock their stadiums with fans. Dolphins say thanks, but no thanks. At least there is some common sense in Florida.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/dolphins-reportedly-get-clearance-to-host-full-capacity-of-fans-at-stadium-but-will-stick-with-13000-fans-174413711.html

[emtee]

We jumped back up to 35 positives in our hospital. It was a short but enjoyable lull but here we go again.

[jingle.boy]

Florida gives the NFL teams the all clear to fully stock their stadiums with fans. Dolphins say thanks, but no thanks. At least there is some common sense in Florida.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/dolphins-reportedly-get-clearance-to-host-full-capacity-of-fans-at-stadium-but-will-stick-with-13000-fans-174413711.html

The sport that is having the most trouble containing the virus amongst its players is the one opening to fans?

 

[cramx3]

Florida gives the NFL teams the all clear to fully stock their stadiums with fans. Dolphins say thanks, but no thanks. At least there is some common sense in Florida.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/dolphins-reportedly-get-clearance-to-host-full-capacity-of-fans-at-stadium-but-will-stick-with-13000-fans-174413711.html

I don't understand how this makes sense.  At least they aren't going ahead with it.

[ProfessorPeart]

Remember, it's Florida. This decision is right in line with that state.

This will be another one of those stories on TV news where they say, "and here's another strange story out of, you guessed it, Florida". In this case, it's the politicians doing the stupid thing.

[cramx3]

Remember, it's Florida. This decision is right in line with that state.

This will be another one of those stories on TV news where they say, "and here's another strange story out of, you guessed it, Florida". In this case, it's the politicians doing the stupid thing.

Yea, I get the "florida being florida" but even that makes no sense still  Or is this just about making money on ticket sales?  Like if you can host a 50k person football game, there's no reason anything else should be shut down at all, but I'm guessing there's still no concerts.

[MoraWintersoul]

Living like this is pretty depressing. Every activity is just unsafe enough not to be worth the risk. The curve has been rising, then flat, then rising again all the time since I got back home, and my city is always the worst off. Not going anywhere except the store and the hiking spots I can reach on foot (because we're only encouraged to use public transport if we have to go to work) sucks, but I can't exactly do anything else in good conscience. With increased unemployment, people with much better resumes are out competing for the same dayjobs I am applying to, so there's only a very small chance I'll be able to actually get one. All of this should make me extra motivated to be productive and do something while I'm stuck at home until spring, but it's having the opposite effect on me.

[jingle.boy]

I hear ya, Milena.  It is depressing as shit.  With the days getting shorter, temperatures getting colder, it ain't gonna be any better anytime soon.   

[T-ski]

My town of 35,000 in Wisconsin has one of the highest positive rates in the U.S. at the moment.

Awesome.