Covid-19 discussion and humor thread [Was: CDC says don't touch your face to avoid Covid19...Vets to the rescue!

[Bad Things]

I'm afraid to ask, but... is there still normal air travel happening in the US, or are there finally restrictions in place?

[BillsFan4]

2 minutes ago, Bad Things said:

I'm afraid to ask, but... is there still normal air travel happening in the US, or are there finally restrictions in place?

Not that I’m aware of.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/03/31/coronavirus-us-crisis-why-airlines-still-flying/2918233001/

 

Just recommendations to avoid discretionary travel. 

[Bad Things]

2 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Not that I’m aware of.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/03/31/coronavirus-us-crisis-why-airlines-still-flying/2918233001/

 

Just recommendations to avoid discretionary travel. 

 

That's just crazy.

[SinceThe70s]

20 minutes ago, Bad Things said:

 

That's just crazy.

 

Yup. We're flying from NY to Phoenix on Thursday. Except of course we aren't. Playing chicken with the airline hoping they'll cancel flight and we'll get a refund instead of having to book another flight by mm/dd/yyyy.

 

 

[BillsFan4]

 

[SinceThe70s]

5 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

 

My neighbor owns a scaffolding business. NYC officials reached out to him wrt managing the bodies.

[Gugny]

The "Leader of the Free World" on experimental drugs:

 

"It's not going to hurt people," he argued during a press briefing on Sunday. "It can help them, but it's not going to hurt them."

 

“...And they're not expensive. What do you have to lose?"

 

But added this disclaimer:  “What do I know, I’m not a doctor. But I have common sense,” 

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-touts-chloroquine-for-covid-19-but-dismisses-risks-2020-4

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/04/05/trump-again-promotes-experimental-drug-for-coronavirus-treatment-hydroxychloroquine-what-do-i-know-im-not-a-doctor-but-i-have-common-sense/#1eca6b464609

 

EDIT:  I am not against experimental treatments, generally speaking.  My point in posting is how aloof this person was with his communications.  These are messages that need to be delivered by medical professionals without agendas.

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Gugny

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

On 4/4/2020 at 8:21 PM, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/york-coronavirus-cases-dropping-first-171231878.html
 

The number of infections and deaths in New York, the epicentre of the US coronavirus outbreak, is dropping for the first time, officials say.

 

 

But in a news conference on Sunday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said it is too early to know the data's significance.

 

Hap.  was this where you meant? 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by SlimShady'sSpaceForce

[John in Jax]

Hydroxychloroquine is an “experimental” drug? I thought it’s been around for decades, and is relatively safe (all drugs will have side effects for some people).

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/fauci-warned-of-trump-pandemic-2017-200054359.html

 

Dr. Fauci Warned In 2017 Of ‘Surprise Outbreak’ During Trump Administration

Nina Golgowski

HuffPostApril 5, 2020, 4:00 PM EDT

 

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease specialist, warned in early 2017 that a “surprise outbreak” would occur during the Trump administration, and he said that more needed to be done to prepare for a pandemic.

 

“There is no question that there will be a challenge to the coming administration in the arena of infectious diseases,” he said in a speech titled “Pandemic Preparedness in the Next Administration” at Georgetown University Medical Center. He delivered it just days before Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2017.

Fauci, who has overseen the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984, warned that looming health challenges would involve both chronic diseases ―  ones already ongoing ― as well as “a surprise outbreak.”

 

 

all I can say is consider the source I posted.   

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Is this a possibility?  

 

Real coronavirus death toll in U.S. is higher than ...

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/04/real...

 

12 hours ago · As the number of people who died of the coronavirus in the United States gets close to the 10,000 mark, experts warn that the real number is certainly higher. The official death toll fails to ...

[Brit]

9 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

Is this a possibility?  

 

 

Pretty much a certainty, I'm afraid. This is a worldwide issue, not a US specific one. I am aware of one death (two doors down) that is almost certainly COVID19 (guy came back from a holiday in Italy just as this started, developed a fever and cough, died but never even went to the docs). He had not been tested then and it is unlikely he will be soon (if ever) since we also do not have enough tests for our health care workers let alone for those we can do nothing for.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

The "Leader of the Free World" on experimental drugs:

 

"It's not going to hurt people," he argued during a press briefing on Sunday. "It can help them, but it's not going to hurt them."

 

“...And they're not expensive. What do you have to lose?"

 

But added this disclaimer:  “What do I know, I’m not a doctor. But I have common sense,” 

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-touts-chloroquine-for-covid-19-but-dismisses-risks-2020-4

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/04/05/trump-again-promotes-experimental-drug-for-coronavirus-treatment-hydroxychloroquine-what-do-i-know-im-not-a-doctor-but-i-have-common-sense/#1eca6b464609

 

 

 

It was interesting how Dr. Fauci wasn’t allowed to answer the question about the potential effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of CoVID-19. That question got shot down in record time.

[Warren Zevon]

1 hour ago, John in Jax said:

Hydroxychloroquine is an “experimental” drug? I thought it’s been around for decades, and is relatively safe (all drugs will have side effects for some people).

 

Every drug is experimental if not prescribed/used as the label indicates.

[Sundancer]

12 hours ago, John in Jax said:

I'm pretty sure that they are doing that, aren't they? Also, to date, have there been any documented instances of a situation (in the USA) where a ventilator was needed, and not available?

 

No. It's something to watch and I am sure we can all agree that we should make sure that doesn't happen. 

 

In 4 years, some journalist is going to show a photo of a warehouse full of PPE and ventilators that looks like the closing scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark. You have to push on for a minute.

 

 

[K-9]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2020/04/05/researchers-warn-that-covid-19-treatment-touted-by-trump-may-be-toxic-when-combined-with-diabetes-drug/#66ef072f55f8

[Punching Bag]

42 minutes ago, Brit said:

 

Pretty much a certainty, I'm afraid. This is a worldwide issue, not a US specific one. I am aware of one death (two doors down) that is almost certainly COVID19 (guy came back from a holiday in Italy just as this started, developed a fever and cough, died but never even went to the docs). He had not been tested then and it is unlikely he will be soon (if ever) since we also do not have enough tests for our health care workers let alone for those we can do nothing for.

 

i wonder how much impact this virus has on those who do the autopsies?  That is something I have not seen in press.  I think this virus should be recognizable in any autopsy from what I read/watched.

[Sundancer]

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

 

i wonder how much impact this virus has on those who do the autopsies?  That is something I have not seen in press.  I think this virus should be recognizable in any autopsy from what I read/watched.

 

Locally, funeral homes are now forbidden from embalming bodies, I assume, because of fear of transmission. You're either getting frozen for later or cremated if you die right now. 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Sundancer

[John in Jax]

1 hour ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

Is this a possibility?  

 

Real coronavirus death toll in U.S. is higher than ...

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/04/real...

 

12 hours ago · As the number of people who died of the coronavirus in the United States gets close to the 10,000 mark, experts warn that the real number is certainly higher. The official death toll fails to ...

OTOH, I've read a LOT of stories over the last few days that said in many US hospitals/morgues they are listing this virus as the cause of death when that's not really the case. I guess we'll just have to wait a few months before we get the "real" numbers.....

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, John in Jax said:

Hydroxychloroquine is an “experimental” drug? I thought it’s been around for decades, and is relatively safe (all drugs will have side effects for some people).

 

It's an experimental drug for treatment of the covid-19 diseases.

There is anecdotal evidence (open, non-blinded, small studies) that it may work, primarily (French study) 92% MILDLY ill people

There is a small blinded study of seriously ill patients from China just published that showed no effect.
 

Hydroxycholorquine has side effects ranging from serious to unpleasant.  Cardiotoxicity is the most serious.  Diarrhea is the most common.  If you have really sick people who already have abnormal heart rhythms, this may not be helpful (that's understated).

 

This may be a good place to put this:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/therapeutic-options.html

3 hours ago, Gugny said:

The "Leader of the Free World" on experimental drugs:

 

"It's not going to hurt people," he argued during a press briefing on Sunday. "It can help them, but it's not going to hurt them."

 

“...And they're not expensive. What do you have to lose?"

 

But added this disclaimer:  “What do I know, I’m not a doctor. But I have common sense,” 

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-touts-chloroquine-for-covid-19-but-dismisses-risks-2020-4

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/04/05/trump-again-promotes-experimental-drug-for-coronavirus-treatment-hydroxychloroquine-what-do-i-know-im-not-a-doctor-but-i-have-common-sense/#1eca6b464609

 

EDIT:  I am not against experimental treatments, generally speaking.  My point in posting is how aloof this person was with his communications.  These are messages that need to be delivered by medical professionals without agendas.

 

 

The problem is that it isn't clear it's not going to hurt people.  Chloroquine has a known number of side effects, some serious.  You don't want to give it to people on ventilators, unless you know it helps. 

 

It also is not in infinite supply right now.

 

I know it won't happen but Trump should say "I'm not a doctor" and stop there.

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

 

i wonder how much impact this virus has on those who do the autopsies?  That is something I have not seen in press.  I think this virus should be recognizable in any autopsy from what I read/watched.

 

I would think autopsies would stop for the duration?  I'm surprised this doesn't happen.

[Gugny]

4 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

The problem is that it isn't clear it's not going to hurt people.  Chloroquine has a known number of side effects, some serious.  You don't want to give it to people on ventilators, unless you know it helps. 

 

It also is not in infinite supply right now.

 

I know it won't happen but Trump should say "I'm not a doctor" and stop there.

 

It is painfully irresponsible.

 

When Gov. Cuomo speaks .. he has experts around him and asks them if what he's saying is accurate.  He's not above being corrected, or having experts elaborate or clarify, because he understands the importance of clear and accurate communication.

 

[BillsFan4]

9 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

It is painfully irresponsible.

 

When Gov. Cuomo speaks .. he has experts around him and asks them if what he's saying is accurate.  He's not above being corrected, or having experts elaborate or clarify, because he understands the importance of clear and accurate communication.

 

This is what every other country is doing too (at least in every press conference I’ve watched).

 

We are the only country with a leader constantly contradicting the experts and also giving completely unqualified and unproven advise. It’s crazy. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life.

[BillsFan4]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2020/04/05/researchers-warn-that-covid-19-treatment-touted-by-trump-may-be-toxic-when-combined-with-diabetes-drug/#671ae1b655f8

 

hydroxychloroquine isn’t like Tylenol or something, where anyone can take it at home. It Has To be taken under a doctors supervision, and if combined with certain other drugs it can cause death or other life threatening side effects. Even all on its own it can cause life threatening side effects.

 

It has a very narrow therapeutic window - the difference between an effective dose and a toxic dose is much smaller than other drugs. And it can have many very strange side effects.

 

 

and it is an immuno-suppressive drug. It shuts down your immune system. That’s why they use it for diseases that attack your immune system like Rheumatoid arthritis (and also why they say people on immune-suppressive drugs are at higher risk of getting COVID19). So for people to take it that are not sick, it could actually cause a lot more harm than good by suppressing their immune system and making them more vulnerable to getting sick. 

 

 

Just look at the list of medications it interacts with- (there’s about 100. A huge number). Look at all the medical problems you have to be cautious of when taking this drug.

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/hydroxychloroquine-oral-route/precautions/drg-20064216?p=1

[BillsFan4]

https://www.sciencealert.com/small-trial-found-antimalarial-is-not-effective-for-treating-coronavirus

 

Quote

However, a study just published in a French medical journal provides new evidence that hydroxychloroquine does not appear to help the immune system clear the coronavirus from the body.

 

The study comes on the heels of two others - one in France and one in China - that reported some benefits in the combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for COVID-19 patients who didn't have severe symptoms of the virus.

 

I am a medicinal chemist who has specialized in discovery and development of antiviral drugs for the past 30 years, and I have been actively working on coronaviruses for the past seven.

 

I am among a number of researchers who are concerned that this drug has been given too much of a high priority before there is enough evidence to show it is indeed effective.

 

I pray that this drug does end up being effective for COVID19, but it’s just too soon to tell (and definitely way too soon to be telling anyone/everyone that it won’t hurt to take it...).

 

 

 

another issue is that patients who are on this drug and truly Need it now can’t find it -

 

https://www.npr.org/2020/04/01/825056946/why-lupus-patients-find-hydroxychloroquine-in-short-supply

Edited April 6, 2020 by BillsFan4

[Sundancer]

I had massive racing heart when I took it. Like I was playing the 40th Minute in a full court game of basketball. And also sweating and headache like a vice. It was the only drug I was on and when I stopped it went away right away. That’s just me but for sure, it’s not like popping a Tylenol. 
 

My wife and daughter took it with no side effects except some stomach upset. 
 

This was a few years ago when I traveled to India a lot. 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Sundancer

[BillsFan4]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/irelands-prime-minister-will-practice-medicine-again-during-pandemic/ar-BB12cbeX?li=BBnbcA1

Ireland's Prime Minister Will Practice Medicine Again During Pandemic

‘Ireland's Prime Minister (or Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar has rejoined his nation's medical register and will work directly to assist in the medical effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic.’

 

???? 

 

[Punching Bag]

2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

I would think autopsies would stop for the duration?  I'm surprised this doesn't happen.

 

They can't.  There are a lot of laws about when autopsies need to be done plus the implications in legal cases and wills.  Those in hospitals do not need to be investigated in many cases.

3 hours ago, Sundancer said:

 

Locally, funeral homes are now forbidden from embalming bodies, I assume, because of fear of transmission. You're either getting frozen for later or cremated if you die right now. 

 

Never read that and surprised too for as what some have called "just another Asian flu".

[Sundancer]

8 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

Never read that and surprised too for as what some have called "just another Asian flu".

 

Why the cynicism? 

 

Good news today from NYS. Still more possible flattening numbers:

 

Deaths in New York State: 4,758, up by 599 from 4,159 on Sunday morning. This is a slight increase from Saturday, when 594 people were reported dead, and a drop from Friday, when the state’s daily death toll peaked at 630.

Confirmed cases: 130,689, up from 122,031. In New York City, 72,181, up from 67,551.

Hospitalized in New York State: 16,837, up by 2 percent from 16,479 on Sunday. This was the third straight day of single-digit percentage growth, after a long period when hospitalizations were growing by 20 or 30 percent per day.

In intensive care: 4,504, up by 2 percent from 4,376 on Sunday. The day-over-day increase was the smallest in at least two weeks.

[Punching Bag]

9 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

Never read that and surprised too for as what some have called "just another Asian flu".

 

Just now, Sundancer said:

Why the cynicism? 

 

Not my cynicism. I think it is a very dangerous virus BUT I also think it is possible for a lot more people to go back to work with proper safety equipment.

[Figster]

PA's confirmed cases seems to be leveling off for the 1st time and the death rate is unusually low in comparison to other states and worldwide.

 

11,510 confirmed cases

 

150 deaths

 

A higher than normal death rate can be explained by the lack of adequate testing. Lower then normal death rate cannot be explained as easily.

 

Younger age groups on average? Better management?

[Warcodered]

A potential coronavirus vaccine funded by Bill Gates is set to begin testing in people, with the first patient expected to get it today

https://www.businessinsider.com/inovio-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-starts-in-philadelphia-kansas-city-2020-4

 

Still has a ways to go but the people that sign up to test these things have some serious balls of steel.

Edit: note that this is the SECOND clinical trial to start in the United states, as the linked article explains.

Here's the first:
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-vaccine-first-dose-administered-in-clinical-trial-2020-3

[Sundancer]

31 minutes ago, Figster said:

PA's confirmed cases seems to be leveling off for the 1st time and the death rate is unusually low in comparison to other states and worldwide.

 

11,510 confirmed cases

 

150 deaths

 

A higher than normal death rate can be explained by the lack of adequate testing. Lower then normal death rate cannot be explained as easily.

 

Younger age groups on average? Better management?

 

Gov Wolf deserves a lot of credit for shutting down early (I think only WA shut down sooner). Plus Philadelphia is not as densely populated as many other places. It's #95 on the most densely populated cities--with more row home housing than high rises. (NYC Metro is all 8 of the top 8.)

 

The deaths tally for all of PA has been over 20 a single day, and it's been at 10-15 most days. I think you can look at California and PA and do a long look to figure out why they got this so right thus far. I don't have all the answers but it's real, especially in PA given that it's an urban center and so close to NYC. No need to crow yet but something is working there so far. 

 

The other stat to look at in PA is new hospitalizations. Here is that number in the last bunch of days:

 

 

That is really amazing. Source

Edited April 6, 2020 by Sundancer

[Figster]

30 minutes ago, Sundancer said:

 

Gov Wolf deserves a lot of credit for shutting down early (I think only WA shut down sooner). Plus Philadelphia is not as densely populated as many other places. It's #95 on the most densely populated cities--with more row home housing than high rises. (NYC Metro is all 8 of the top 8.)

 

The deaths tally for all of PA has been over 20 a single day, and it's been at 10-15 most days. I think you can look at California and PA and do a long look to figure out why they got this so right thus far. I don't have all the answers but it's real, especially in PA given that it's an urban center and so close to NYC. No need to crow yet but something is working there so far. 

Good point, and Wolf does deserve credit.

 

Row housing  allows familes the ability to control their own environment for the most part. High rise living, not so much. Senior citizens living in high rises become sitting ducks. 

 

It helps explain the difference in death rates IMO... 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Figster

[Sundancer]

15 minutes ago, Figster said:

Good point, and Wolf does deserve credit.

 

Row housing  allows familes the ability to control their own environment for the most part. High rise living, not so much. Senior citizens living in high rises become sitting ducks. 

 

It helps explain the difference in death rates IMO... 

 

Look at the most dense cities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population_density

 

NYC Manhatten is 2.5 as dense as Philly with 3.5X the number of people and in NYC, EVERYONE takes mass transit. In Philly, it's not the same culture. 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Sundancer

[Hapless Bills Fan]

[BillsFan4]

This tweet kind of confirms what many thought - there are more deaths from COVID19 in NYC than are being reported.

 

 

 

 

? no words

 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by BillsFan4

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

 

[T&C]

[LeGOATski]

2 hours ago, Warcodered said:

A potential coronavirus vaccine funded by Bill Gates is set to begin testing in people, with the first patient expected to get it today

https://www.businessinsider.com/inovio-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-starts-in-philadelphia-kansas-city-2020-4

 

Still has a ways to go but the people that sign up to test these things have some serious balls of steel.

Edit: note that this is the SECOND clinical trial to start in the United states, as the linked article explains.

Here's the first:
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-vaccine-first-dose-administered-in-clinical-trial-2020-3

Bill Gates is the man. Doing the good work, instead of trying to sell some experimental drug he has stock in.

[plenzmd1]

Funny, i approach the market now just like a Bills game...it  has a good day and I put on the post game show  and listen to why and just nice to see people be happy..bad days i peek at the score and too much red i just dont listen at all.