Week of April 13: COVID-19 info, facts & updates

[dragonfly]

Hi guys,
Because the other thread is already massive, I am going to be locking the COVID-19 threads each weekend and starting a new one.
Links to old threads will be included.

We are a global community. Let's keep each other posted about the real state of events.

Discussion is welcome.
NO FEAR MONGERING

1. Where do you live?
2. What is the current climate like where you're at?
3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?
4. What are your questions and concerns?
5. What has your government / administration done to address this (please try to keep this as politics free as possible, it is fine to state whether you agree/disagree with their actions etc) and, in your opinion, how is it working? Ex: Shelter in place orders, curfews, closures
6. Is your job affected, if so, how?
7. How are you and your family doing??

MLP Arena, our staff, and our members, are unable to provide any medical advice or diagnoses.
This is a new disease, which means that even the experts are learning as we go and the situation is rapidly evolving. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the WHO (World Health Organization) website for information about the coronavirus, and the respiratory illness it causes, COVID-19:

Prevention, health, travel and safety guidance:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

Symptoms:
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_3

FAQ:
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

Dispelling Myths / Misinformation:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters

CDC guidance:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html


Archived Discussions
March 12 - 21: http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,398121.0.html
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[Taffeta]

UK expected to extend lockdown today, probably for 3 weeks. Scientists believe we are at the peak/have flattened the curve but that all depends on what happens next. Numbers still too high to be complacent. Medics say the whole country is more or less at the same position even though London raced ahead at the start. NHS still has 10,000 free beds and 2000ish ICU beds that it can use but wants to avoid a spike. Concern now focused a lot on care homes and how to help them.

Back briefly on the subject of the NHS - a lot of doctors in 1940s opposed it too until it came in and they realised the sheer state of people's health when they hadn't been able to afford medical care. And Beth, I think you're right that it's a middle ground. Nothing humans create is perfect, but for me the premise of a free health service that offers care to all is worth protecting and fighting for. It just needs the govt to give it more priority support in the way they are doing right now. Unfortunately Tories have traditionally taken the NHS for granted (it was a Labour introduction, probably in the same way as Obamacare was Democrat over there) and so haven't always supported it as fully as they should.

There's not a lot of point in getting a free test for COVID if you later need a week on a ventilator and end up bankrupted because the hospital saved your life. Here if you're a homeless person or the prime minister, you get the same level of care and the same effort to save your life. But the success of any system depends a lot on the govt funding that's put in, which is where the NHS has sometimes struggled.

Random personal note - mother finally got her letter from the NHS confirming she is high risk. I feel vindicated because I've said all along that she is, and she wouldn't believe me because she didn't have the letter. But I stopped all my going out even before lockdown fully happened on that assumption so it changes very little. If it makes getting food deliveries easier that would be nice...

[banditpony]

When all is said and done and there is a vaccine created to hopefully end this, then I have no doubt in my mind that it will be covered -- free-- to everyone.

I don't think there should be a worry about that, honestly. That was what I was trying to explain in my message.

US healthcare system has pros and cons, and those pros and cons might be different then other country's health systems. There have been lots of positive changes that I don't find really relevant to share, although some have applied to me personally. 

But here is a list of things that insurance providers are doing. some better then others: https://www.ahip.org/health-insurance-providers-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19

Some are literally waving costs to hospital care.

[Barnacle_lady]

This weeks discussion is all about the masks. Wether they should be worn or not. Up here they say not to wear because it has no use. Only caring staff, hospital people etc should wear them. And making sure only they get them because there is a shortage. But my neighbour countries have to wear them....
Next week we get to hear what happens with schools, restaurants and "1,5 meter society". 

[tailrustedtealeaf]

PA just decided yesterday to make mask-wearing mandatory for businesses. They're encouraging customers to wear them too, but we can't refuse entry of maskless customers if it's a grocery store or pharmacy.
I was lamenting about trying to piece together a schedule for the fall semester and my mom rolled her eyes...she thinks that they're going to have online classes again.
...I can see that happening.

[Taffeta]

But here is a list of things that insurance providers are doing. some better then others: https://www.ahip.org/health-insurance-providers-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19

Some are literally waving costs to hospital care.

It's a different mindset based on different expectations I think. It's great that some of the insurance companies are doing so much for their patients, and I'm glad you shared the link - but to me free hospital care isn't a pandemic privelege but a basic human right :/  Still it's awesome they're looking at bridging that gap and helping more people than in normal circs.

I should add that the UK has a private health care option as well, it's just not quite the same as in the US. And right now the private healthcare stuff is at the disposal of the NHS to treat non-covid patients (free/under NHS rules) so I guess it's true that private sector health can play a part as well.

The mask debate is here too.

UK safe distance is 2m (6ft) like I think in the US but some research has suggested if you're standing, that's fine, but if you're walking or running the distance away should be greater. There are a lot of concerns over misuse of masks though as has already been mentioned by other posters, so I think it will roll on. I admit I don't want to wear a mask, but more importantly I'm not sure that obtaining a mask will even be possible in current climate. We'll see.

UK news today:
CPAP device plans are being made available for free to other countries to help them in their treatment of patients.
FINALLY a domestic design for ventilators has been approved as suitable for COVID patients and thus into production and another one is being looked at for less severe patients, which can only be good for the NHS in the long term whatever happens with COVID going forwards.
The 99 year old war captain doing laps of his garden has now raised £14 million for the NHS and is officially a legend.
Lockdown expected to continue for 3 weeks more, will be very surprised if Raab doesn't announce that in the briefing today given all the govt ministers keep saying we're not there yet.　(Edit: Yes, UK lockdown confirmed for 3 more weeks when it will be reviewed again subject to all the figures. But we are geared up for the 12 weeks they told vulnerable people at the start, so actually quite relieved...).
UK is apparently also trialing plasma studies in Cardiff.
We were warned to expect stats to jump today after the bottleneck of easter, but they haven't jumped as much as projected...I really want to believe we are absolutely on the top of this curve since our new cases are going down a little bit each day, critical care hospital admissions yesterday were down 2% on the day before and deaths are not skyrocketing in the way they were predicted to do by some of the models.

We are all keeping our collective fingers crossed.

PHE are also mysteriously doing "high accuracy" antibody tests in mysterious unknown places on mysterious uncounted people...which appear in the stats but nobody knows anything about them. I sense a spy novel in progress...

[SpacePinto]

This weeks discussion is all about the masks. Wether they should be worn or not. Up here they say not to wear because it has no use. Only caring staff, hospital people etc should wear them. And making sure only they get them because there is a shortage. But my neighbour countries have to wear them....

Czechia made it mandatory for everyone to wear masks in public a few weaks ago and latest statistics show that it was indeed a very good decision.

[lonewolf]

Kansas is up to 1588 and 80 deaths.
There was a story in our local paper about clandestine church gatherings happening in NE Kansas. The photo showed a bunch of cars lined up facing a road.
Lansing, MI had a protest over the stay at home orders, and I've been seeing plans on Facebook for nationwide protests on May 2nd (#wewontstayhome) if the orders extend past that (Cali may not see any concerts, etc. until  late next year). If this does happen it's going to get ugly.

[Taffeta]

The Lansing protests made our news as well.

I hope it doesn't make Michigan's situation worse :/

[banditpony]

Well, the bad area within Michigan is Detroit-- as that is one of the worst hotspots. So I'd say whatever they spread within the protest, won't overload the hospitals since other areas aren't really hit as hard.

But really, there's more protests then that. There were protests in a ton of states. I know there were at least 2 in Ohio, you could hear them screaming during the Governor's daily press conference.

People have a right to protest. :/ One would like it if they practiced social distancing while they do it. But they are hurting financially most likely, and that's a scary thing. I can't blame them for being hurt, even if they are acting recklessly.

[brightberry]

I'm not surprised at protesting in the US.  A lot of citizens don't have the kind of money needed to just stay inside and not work even for a couple of weeks.  Where I live, unemployment is almost impossible to get right now.

However, I don't think most of the protesting is about that.  I hear too many complain that covid isn't that bad, government overreach and so on.  But that's not the reality I see when we look at places like New York and Italy.  Covid looks really bad to me.

This is such a horrible situation.

[Ponyfan]

I think the governor will hold a press conference tomorrow and issue new executive orders. I thought it was supposed to earlier this week but it didn't happen.

In my county we now have 401 cases, 101 recovered and 28 deaths. There haven't been any protests that I know of in my city but people are getting restless. Small non essential businesses are pleading with the mayor to let them reopen if they follow guidelines.  The mayor appointed a committee to look in to when the city can reopen but warned it will be a long process. 

I think reopening the city and the schools when we still have our numbers increasing so much everyday is not a good decision. Walmart is now just giving customers a sanitized cart instead of letting them choose. 

I mentioned this in the other thread but I will also say it here.


I think people are letting their guard down here. I've seen several people in the stores not social distancing, not wearing facial coverings or continuing to bring very young children in to the store. I know some people are single parents and have to bring their children because they can't leave them at home but I've also seen a lot of families with children that are old enough to stay home while one person goes to the store. I also saw a couple of people that were wearing facial coverings but took them off while still in the store.   


Ponyfan

[mlp4me]

I'm in Northeast Wisconsin. Our shelter order was extended today until 5/24. School year will finish at home. Thus my work from home has been extended. We are beginning to see random shortages of sale items at stores and TP continues to be out of stock. As for statistics...

In my county, 168 confirmed cases now, 2 deaths.
For the whole state 3,555 confirmed cases, 170 deaths.
I still feel the shelter order is working to slow the spread.

 If I go out I'll be wearing a mask and gloves plus lysol spray for everything...

Hoping the stimulus is helping those who are in need!

[Taffeta]

Well, the bad area within Michigan is Detroit-- as that is one of the worst hotspots. So I'd say whatever they spread within the protest, won't overload the hospitals since other areas aren't really hit as hard.

CNN mentioned protests in Ohio as well, I remember something about Ohio's governor being very fast with shut down measures at the start which I guess would contribute.

I think it's a dangerous assumption that a protest in an apparently low risk area can't create a bigger issue.

Three examples for you of why this is not good.

Spain allowed a demonstration on International Women's Day. 2 weeks later Spain's cases exploded to the situation they are now in (hopefully now on the decline but it went up very quickly). Barcelona and Madrid are among the worst hit places in Spain, they had large protests.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-43324406

The cases in Iran are thought to have exploded due to people gathering (pilgrimages). Same is true in South Korea and in some other places like India where close gatherings of people (here religious) helped to cause the virus to spread.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/world/middleeast/coronavirus-iran.html

And here in the UK, the closest city to where I live had an unexpectedly sharp rise in cases at the start of the UK's crisis. One potential cause for this seems to have been that 3000 fans of their football team travelled to Spain and watched the game there and thus brought a cluster of infection back into the country. The same may also have happened in Liverpool with a game there that people wanted to be stopped but which was not. London was our epicentre and our hotspot - now the country is all levelling off but the midlands in particular (my wider region) has also been hard hit by people continuing religious gatherings against advice.
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11699/11944242/coronavirus-wolves-urge-fans-to-travel-with-caution-to-europa-league-game-at-espanyol
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/sharp-rise-in-number-of-coronavirus-cases-in-west-midlands

In short, the rationale why people are gathering is less important than the biological reality that people gathering causes higher risk of disease spread.  The virus doesn't care about the reasons. It doesn't care about the right to protest. It just doesn't care, period.

The other thing is that available hospital capacity doesn't automatically save lives. There's no cure or vaccine, it's a lottery whether the person who gets it gets better or doesn't. We've had a woman of 106 survive and a boy of 13 with no health conditions die. And at no point in this crisis has our health service been overloaded. The risk is just too great.

One news report also mentioned how PA had a much worse experience of Spanish Flu because a parade was allowed to go ahead in 1918 compared to areas that locked down.

Obviously there's nothing wrong with protesting against something you disagree with but to me the protests in cars (thus socially distanced) made a lot more sense than the mass gatherings where social distancing was being obviously ignored which are high risk for the people present. By all means make your views known, but not in a way that endangers other people.

We get a lot of US news here as well as UK and Europe and it sounds like there's been a lot of economic upheaval there (here too but the US is so vast it's always going to hit the headlines with the figures). However the govt is discussing a new support package, right? So hopefully that will help the people protesting out. The thing is the damage of the protests in these places won't be seen on the health services for 2-3 weeks most likely, and given the new guidelines from the white house they may actually put Michigan (and maybe other states) back on the curve to recovery by making it hard to meet the 14 days case drop criteria. So they might actually be making the whole thing worse economically as well by not protesting safely.

Time will tell, fingers crossed it's not like that at all.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I saw that Harrisburg is planning a protest soon as well. It's certainly scary to think about how this will continue to effect the economy, but I think it would cause cases to explode...
I work for the first time since Monday, I wonder what has changed.