Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #58

[katydid23]

Dr. Anthony Fauci says staying closed for too long could cause 'irreparable damage'
HEALTH AND SCIENCE
Dr. Anthony Fauci says staying closed for too long could cause ‘irreparable damage’
PUBLISHED FRI, MAY 22 202012:17 PM EDTUPDATED FRI, MAY 22 20201:58 PM EDT

Berkeley Lovelace Jr.@BERKELEYJR

KEY POINTS

• Stay-at-home orders intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus could end up causing “irreparable damage” if imposed for too long, White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said.
• “I don’t want people to think that any of us feel that staying locked down for a prolonged period of time is the way to go,” he told CNBC.

WATCH NOW
VIDEO03:18
Dr. Fauci: We certainly support cautious reopening
In a separate interview with NPR earlier in the day, Fauci said it was “conceivable” that the U.S. could begin to roll out a coronavirus vaccine by December.

He told CNBC that biotech firm Moderna’s vaccine data, released earlier this week, was very encouraging.

Moderna has been fast-tracking work with the National Institutes of Health to develop a vaccine.

On Monday, the company released data from its phase one human trial on its potential vaccine, showing all 45 patients enrolled produced binding antibodies seen at similar levels of people who have recovered from the virus.


In a separate interview with NPR earlier in the day, Fauci said it was “conceivable” that the U.S. could begin to roll out a coronavirus vaccine by December.

He told CNBC that biotech firm Moderna’s vaccine data, released earlier this week, was very encouraging.

Moderna has been fast-tracking work with the National Institutes of Health to develop a vaccine.

On Monday, the company released data from its phase one human trial on its potential vaccine, showing all 45 patients enrolled produced binding antibodies seen at similar levels of people who have recovered from the virus.

 

[jjenny]

There is always a slight hope of recovery, which is why last ditch efforts are often taken.

What about the many people who survived, and have sworn that this drug saved their life? Do you think it was a good thing they were given a chance by using this drug?

From the actual study, the drug increases death rates. More people died in a group that was given the drug. Anecdotal stories from people who think this drug helped them don't mean anything. People can attribute their recovery to whatever, but numbers don't lie. More seriously ill patients died with the drug than without. It also caused a huge increase in arrhytmias.

 

[katydid23]

Here is what happens when unproven drug is given to sick patients for no scientific reason. And people without medical degrees shouldn't blabber on national TV how something is a magic bullet with no evidence.
"Seriously ill Covid-19 patients who were treated with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were more likely to die or develop dangerous heart arrhythmias, according to a large observational study published Friday in the medical journal The Lancet."
Large study finds hydroxychloroquine Covid-19 treatments linked to greater risk of death and heart arrhythmia

I see some issues with this study.

They say:
"Seriously ill Covid-19 patients who were treated with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were more likely to die or develop dangerous heart arrhythmias, according to a large observational study published Friday in the medical journal The Lancet."


And in the small print we see that there were MORE patients in the treatment groups with heart problems than there were in the control group:

The distribution of demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes between the four treatment groups are shown in table 2. No significant between-group differences were found among baseline characteristics or comorbidities. Ventricular arrhythmias were more common in the treatment groups compared with the control population. Mortality was higher in the treatment groups compared with the control population (p<0·0001; appendix pp 15–18).

Demographic variables and comorbidities were compared among survivors and non-survivors (table 1). Non-survivors were older, more likely to be obese, more likely to be men, more likely to be black or Hispanic, and to have diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and a history of arrhythmias. Non-survivors were also more likely to have COPD and to have reported current smoking.


So it says that many of the patients given the drug already had a history of heart arrhythmias.
And many already had a history of congestive heart disease and coronary artery disease.

So OBVIOUSLY they might have a greater risk of heart arrhythmia if given this drug while hospitalised with a very serious case of Covid-19, especially if they already have a history of that illness.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31180-6/fulltext



And this should be noted:


Our study has several limitations. The association of decreased survival with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine treatment regimens should be interpreted cautiously.

Due to the observational study design, we cannot exclude the possibility of unmeasured confounding factors, although we have reassuringly noted consistency between the primary analysis and the propensity score matched analyses. Nevertheless, a cause-and-effect relationship between drug therapy and survival should not be inferred.

These data do not apply to the use of any treatment regimen used in the ambulatory, out-of-hospital setting. Randomised clinical trials will be required before any conclusion can be reached regarding benefit or harm of these agents in COVID-19 patients. We also note that although we evaluated the relationship of the drug treatment regimens with the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias, we did not measure QT intervals, nor did we stratify the arrhythmia pattern (such as torsade de pointes). We also did not establish if the association of increased risk of in-hospital death with use of the drug regimens is linked directly to their cardiovascular risk, nor did we conduct a drug dose-response analysis of the observed risks. Even if these limitations suggest a conservative interpretation of the
findings, we believe that the absence of any observed benefit could still represent a reasonable explanation.

 

[katydid23]

From the actual study, the drug increases death rates. More people died in a group that was given the drug. Anecdotal stories from people who think this drug helped them don't mean anything. People can attribute their recovery to whatever, but numbers don't lie. More seriously ill patients died with the drug than without. It also caused a huge increase in arrhytmias.

I think you are overstating the findings.

 

[firebird]

Nope - the entire system is going online (this is in California). And fall is already fully online and spring is likely to be as well.

Plus, I have a union. And tenure. And am the highest in seniority in my college.

Not to mention that I am 65, cannot be forced to retire and already have a disability.

So no, I won't be fired. Most teachers over 50 cannot and will not be fired. In California, anyway.

I am sheltering. But my point is that I also have a lot more income than an 18 year old. Or a 30 year old. I know what the disposal income stats are. And I won't be going to restaurants or retail.

"The entire economy" is not just retail and restaurants. It's also education.

As to K-12, it won't be much different. As I have posted many times, teachers whose kids have leukemia- they won't be in the classroom and they can avail themselves of various means to remain employed.

Believe it or not, doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists - we're all part of the economy too. About half of it.

Wow. Seems like a big part of the problem if someone can just keep a job at full salary while "working" from home without any chance of being fired regardless of what the job entails or how well or poorly one does it. Seems like being a drain on the ecomony is the part played. Glad I don't live in California. Not that it's probably much better in most states. jmo

 

[mickey2942]

Scared to Return to Work Amid COVID-19? Here Are Your Options

There really isn't any choice for most people who are working. Roll the dice.

Everyone is going to have a different situation, and they are going to have to decide what to do. I believe that most people really don't have any choice in the matter. They are not old enough to retire, don't have a house paid off, or a spouse to rely on a 2nd income.

Go back to work. Wear a mask. Wash hands. Pray.

 

[tmar]

South America 'a new epicentre' of COVID-19: WHO

South America 'a new epicentre' of COVID-19: WHO

AFP
6 hrs ago
...
South America has become "a new epicentre" of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization said Friday, following a surge in the number of COVID-19 infections.
"In a sense, South America has become a new epicentre for the disease. We have seen many South American countries with increasing numbers of cases," WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan told a virtual news conference.

"Clearly there is a concern across many of those countries, but clearly the most affected is Brazil at this point."

The novel coronavirus death toll in Brazil surpassed 20,000 on Thursday, after a record number of fatalities in a 24-hour period, the health ministry said.
...
With its curve of infections and deaths rising sharply, the country of 210 million ranks third in the world in terms of total cases, behind the United States and Russia.

The death toll -- the sixth highest in the world -- has doubled in just 11 days, according to ministry data.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

North Dakota Gov. Burgum fights back tears at daily press conference talking about wearing masks

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum fought back tears at Friday's press conference as he asked the state's residents to be empathetic about wearing masks.

Burgum pleaded with residents to not look at wearing masks as an ideological issue.

"I would really love to see in North Dakota that we could just skip this thing that other parts of the nation are going through, where they are creating a divide either ideological or political or something around mask versus no mask," Burgum said. "This is a, I would say, senseless dividing line and I would ask people to try to dial up your empathy and your understanding."

Burgum got emotional as he continued.

Gov. Burgum fights back tears at daily press conference talking about wearing masks | Grand Forks Herald

 

[tmar]

Latest on global search for coronavirus vaccine: Three candidates show early promise

Latest on global search for coronavirus vaccine: Three candidates show early promise

Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
2 hrs ago
...
A study at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston published in the journal Science on Wednesday found that nine rhesus macaque monkeys which had recovered from COVID-19 developed natural protective immunity against re-infection with the virus.

Not all viruses generate natural protective immunity, so scientists had worried people could potentially be infected over and over again. The monkey data makes that seem less likely.
“Our findings increase optimism that the development of COVID-19 vaccines will be possible,” said the study’s leader, Dr. Dan Barouch, a virologist who is also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

 

[tmar]

Animal rescue work hit hard by coronavirus restrictions

Animal rescue work hit hard by coronavirus restrictions

By national regional reporter Rachel Carbonell
6 hrs ago

© Provided by ABC Health Six dogs the Australian Working Dog Rescue Initiative has saved from being put down (Supplied: Australian Working Dog Rescue Initiative)
Thousands of animals are saved from regional pounds every year but that rescue work has been hindered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Carey Edwards from the Australian Working Dog Rescue Initiative said the organisation's revenue has dropped by more than half.

"There has been a huge impact on donations, of course, because everyone needs their money to survive," he said.

Annual events where the organisation raised funds and awareness have all been scrapped.

"We would have been out there demonstrating and showing everyone what our fantastic rescue dogs can do," Mr Edwards said.

"That's all gone, as is all the royal shows we do — they're all cancelled," he said.

Fears that more dogs are being put down
The biggest problem has been getting to country pounds to save animals.

Codirector of the organisation, Di Edwards, said regular commercial transport options have been very limited.

"So we've had to get volunteers to drive their own vehicles up to these pounds, which are thousands of kilometres away from anywhere central," she said.

Ms Edwards worried that more dogs were being put down than might normally be saved.

 

[firebird]

Looks like California college campuses will now be open in the fall, with some in person and online classes. Maybe they got some less than positive feedback about being fully online. Not gonna kill the case cow.

"UC President Janet Napolitano left the door open for a mixture of in-person and online, but she said every campus will be open and offering instruction this fall."

Reopening California: UC president expects campuses to hold mixture of in-person and online classes in fall

 

[Rocco]

Alabama Huntsville dropping men’s ice hockey effective immediately

https://www.uscho.com/2020/05/22/br...e-hockey-effective-immediately-citing-budget/

 

[tresir2012]

I went to get my snow tires off and the summer tires on today ... I know, I know, what's the rush? Covid protocol was in place. First I had to show proof that I had an appointment to get through the road block.

The garage doesn't have a waiting room any more. Customers stay behind their wheel since mechanics do not get into your car. I had a great time, driving onto the hoist and going up, up, up. With all the windows down, I could enjoy the smell of fresh tires and hear the stupefying garage music. Before I finished reading a chapter, I came back down, down, down. It was a fun adventure.

I'm to come back after putting on 100 kms. That could be next fall when it's time to put the snows back on.

My next outing is in just three weeks, to the annual hazardous waste collection day. I'll put my jar of batteries in the trunk and the nice folks at the collection will gather them right out of the trunk and reclaim or recycle, or whatever it is they do with the stuff. This will be great fun. The whole village lines up for this event. The press will likely be there.

What an exciting life you are leading?
I guess we have a long wait for the next episode LOL.

 

[tresir2012]

I can provide links to Virginia Governors first few pressers, he focused on mental health and repeatedly encouraged everyone to walk in the park. Well, that changed when the Park Service complained about folks pooping in the parks and the media coverage of crowds gathering.

Haven't heard much from him on MH recently...

Moo.. Glad to provide the links.

That sounds like the masses heading to the beaches in Devon and Cornwall, yet all the public loos are still closed. Pooping in the Park could become an annual event. MOO.

Ok. Lessons to be learned. Before opening up the country, open up the public toilets first.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Covid-19 'taking different path in Africa', says WHO

The 54 countries of the African Union were reporting a total of 103,933 cases of coronavirus on Saturday morning, according the Africa Centres for Disease Control.

So far African nations have reported 3,183 deaths from Covid-19, while 41,473 people have recovered since the virus was first detected on the continent 14 weeks ago.

There had been apocalyptic forecasts for the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Africa. On Friday evening, after the 100,000th case was reached, the World Health Organization’s Africa office circulated a note saying that it now seemed clear that the pandemic “appears to be taking a different pathway in Africa.” The note continued:

Case numbers have not grown at the same exponential rate as in other regions and so far Africa has not experienced the high mortality seen in some parts of the world. Today, there are 3,100 confirmed deaths on the continent.

By comparison, when cases reached 100,000 in the World Health Organization (WHO) European region, deaths stood at more than 4,900. Early analysis by WHO suggests that Africa’s lower mortality rate may be the result of demography and other possible factors. Africa is the youngest continent demographically with more than 60% of the population under the age of 25. Older adults have a significantly increased risk of developing a severe illness. In Europe nearly 95% of deaths occurred in those older than 60 years.

WHO also noted that African governments swiftly imposed restrictive measures on their populations in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease. However, it also said that despite “significant progress in testing”, rates of testing remain low in comparison to other regions.

It insisted that, despite the relatively low number of cases, “the pandemic remains a major threat to the continent’s health systems”.

Now that countries are starting to ease their confinement measures, there is a possibility that cases could increase significantly, and it is critical that governments remain vigilant and ready to adjust measures in line with epidemiological data and proper risk assessment.

Coronavirus live news: Covid-19 'taking different path in Africa', says WHO

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: People urged to stay away from UK beaches over bank holiday weekend

With temperatures set to reach highs of 26C (79F) over the bank holiday weekend, councils with responsibility for beaches and beauty spots are warning people to keep away.

Pictures of crowds flocking to beaches in Brighton and Southend in recent days have raised concerns over social distancing.

Following the easing of some lockdown measures last week, there are no restrictions on how far people can travel to get to the countryside, National Parks and beaches in England.

Councillor Carmen Appich, from Brighton & Hove City Council, urged anyone thinking of travelling to the city "to consider very carefully how their journey will impact on others".

Hastings Borough Council said the area is "closed to visitors from outside the town".

Holidaymakers are being told that the "clear advice" from the Isle of Wight Council is they should stay away.

People are similarly being advised not to visit Blackpool and Morecambe Bay to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

After pictures showed crowds at Southend in Essex earlier this week, the council's leader said the easing of lockdown restrictions has put the council in a "very difficult position".

Councillor Ian Gilbert said on Friday: "For many weeks we ran a successful Don't Visit Southend campaign, but the government's lifting of restrictions have put us in a very difficult position as day trips and sunbathing are allowed, and takeaways can be open for business."

"Wish you weren't here!" is Sefton Council in Merseyside's take on the picture postcard message it is sending to people thinking of travelling to its beaches from across the North West.

In Cornwall, council leaders warned there is no lifeguard cover and a large coastal swell and spring tide will bring hazardous sea conditions over the weekend.

Rob Nolan, cabinet member for environment and public protection at Cornwall Council, said people should not be holidaying in Cornwall and must return to their "principle residence" each night.

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

11 more deaths in Ireland and China reports zero new cases for first time: Today's Covid-19 main points

(Ireland)

HEALTH OFFICIALS YESTERDAY confirmed a further 11 people have died from Covid-19 in Ireland.

A further 115 cases of the virus have also been confirmed here, bringing the total number of cases to 24,506. The death toll from Covid-19 in Ireland is now 1,592.

Speaking at the press briefing at the Department of Health, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan expressed concerns about the behaviour of some people since the Covid-19 restrictions were eased slightly on Monday.

“There has been some congregation and we don’t expect we’re going to see 100% compliance all of the time by everybody. So some of the kinds of scenes you’ve described, I have seen one or two of them myself on social media, are exactly examples of things we don’t want to see happening,” Holohan said in response to questions at the briefing yesterday evening.

Here are today’s Covid-19 main points:

• A further 11 people have died from Covid-19 in Ireland, the Department of Health confirmed yesterday evening.
• Dr Tony Holohan has expressed concerns about the behaviour of some people since Covid-19 restrictions were eased slightly on Monday.
• The vast majority of people whose travel plans were cancelled after Usit went into liquidation in March will be able to claim refunds after the company’s online operations were bought.
• Psychologists at UCD and UCC are kicking off a survey looking at how the news has affected the public’s reaction to Covid-19.

 

[tresir2012]

Tens of thousands of coronavirus tests have been double-counted, officials admit

Oh how I wish that said tens of thousands of deaths had been double counted. Or could that mean that? (if some of the tests were on the deceased).

 

[Cool Cats]

Students sue N.J. over canceling graduation. A judge will hear their case.

The suit asserts that the ban on graduations is unreasonable because social distancing could easily be achieved with an outdoor graduation ceremony on an area less than one-third the size of a football field, where the school’s 350 seniors could each be seated at least 7.5-feet apart from one another, with their family members similarly spaced off to the side.

In the complaint, Deem includes a diagram developed by an engineering firm illustrating how students could be seated on a football field at an adequate social distance from one another.

 

[Trino]

Yes - yes, they do "have" to bowl. And I get it, to a degree. Since this is a disease that isn't killing people until they're 50-60 and upwards, younger people have every reason to want to get antibodies right now. I hope it works out well for them. It's not an easy disease to have, even if you don't die.

But people go sky-diving and now they go bowling during CoVid. Ultimately, this may result in a real dip in people who go bowling and the bankruptcy of bowling alleys (because getting over CoVid takes so long, they won't feel as much like bowling and tons of bowlers are older people).

Several studies predict an average loss of 8 years of life expectancy for women and 9 for men. This includes predictions based on lasting health consequences of getting CoVid while under 50.

In the US, the average age isn't yet completely known, but looks to be 69. 55+ is where the curve starts to rise. The rest of the population is relatively safe.

In UK, Weatherspoons (Spoons) is going to require daily testing for employees, install plexiglass, social distance, require gloves and have hand sanitizer. Good for them. At least that's a response (from someone whose business tanked even before it was shut down by government).

Businesses don't realize that they can't survive without consumers (J.K. Galbraith - all of his work, as a citation, as well as Adam Smith).

Bit this disease is killing and harming people of all ages just not at the same rate as elderly. May I suggest a read about Nick Cordero, actor, age 41, no underlying conditions, not overweight. Hospitalized since March, leg removed, strokes and seizures. He may not make it.