Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #63

[JerseyGirl]

This chart shows the link between restaurant spending and new cases of coronavirus

Analyzed data from 30 million Chase credit and debit cardholders and from Johns Hopkins University’s case tracker found that increased restaurant spending in a state predicted a rise in new infections there 3 weeks later.

Conversely, higher spending at supermarkets predicts a slower spread of the virus, which could indicate that states that buy more groceries are more mindful of social distancing measures.

“For example, as of three weeks ago, supermarket spending was up 20% or more from last year’s levels in New York and New Jersey, while it was up less than 10% in Texas and Arizona,” Edgerton said.

 

[MimosaMornings]

New Hand Sanitizers Packaged in Beverage Bottles Could Pose Health Risks

During the coronavirus pandemic, calls to poison control centers related to sanitizer have risen

Among the products Americans are having a hard time purchasing during the coronavirus pandemic, hand sanitizer tops the list: Seventy-four percent of people say they have been unable to track it down, according to a new nationally representative survey from Consumer Reports of 2,164 adults.

In response to that shortage, the Food and Drug Administration last month made it easier for companies that don’t typically manufacture hand sanitizer to start making it. Alcohol distillers, in particular, responded to that need, with an estimated 700 of them shifting some production to hand sanitizer, trade groups say. That makes sense because alcohol is the main ingredient of hand sanitizer and, say, gin or vodka...

I bought a bottle of hand sanitizer from a distillery. Paid for it online and contactless pickup. Good price, pretty bottle with decorative label. First time I used it - oh my gosh, the smell!
Took me back to my college days.....

 

[JerseyGirl]

US has 'serious problem' with virus, says Fauci

Yesterday at the White House briefing, Dr Fauci said:

"As you can see we are facing a serious problem in certain areas. So what goes on in one area of the country ultimately could have an affect on other areas."

Dr Fauci said the current rises were due to everything from regions "maybe opening a little bit too early", to opening at a reasonable time "but not actually following steps in an orderly fashion", to the citizens themselves not following guidance.

"People are infecting other people, and then ultimately you will infect someone who's vulnerable," he said.

"You have an individual responsibility to yourself, but you have a societal responsibility because if we want to end this outbreak, really end it... we've got to realise that we are part of the process."

Dr Fauci added that if the spread was not stopped, eventually even the parts of the country doing well now would be affected.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Our 300 people from Mumbai have landed in my state. Here is what happened.

All officials and helpers at the airport were masked and gloved.
They were loaded into waiting buses - 20 per bus, so they could distance - and taken to a city hotel. They expressed how glad they are to be back in Australia to the news crews who were waiting there at a distance.
They were swabbed.
Now they wait 14 days in hotel quarantine - in family hotel suites - with security at the hotel to ensure they comply.
We could see Uber Eats being delivered to the security people to take to various rooms for people who ordered in.
They will be swabbed again after 14 days before being allowed to go home.

Our Premier expects about 25 of them to test positive to the virus, going by typical trends.

That's quite an operation isnt it? 300 people and 20 on a bus at a time.

I'm really interested to see how the testing goes, could give us a useful insight into how things are looking.

Also, if any test positive it's good to know they'll be in the hands of medics from the get-go.

 

[LadyL]

Make masks mandatory in Toronto stores? Mayor now says he’s open to the idea

 

[mickey2942]

I bought a bottle of hand sanitizer from a distillery. Paid for it online and contactless pickup. Good price, pretty glass bottle with decorative label. First time I used it - oh my gosh, the smell!
Took me back to my college days.....

Funny you would say that. The other day I wiped down my office with these new Sani-cloth wipes, then put on some hand sanitizer. The smell, I think I was high for a few minutes!

"Why is Mickey obsessively cleaning her office and using hand sanitizer?"

 

[anneg]

Science by press release: When the story gets ahead of the science
By Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Updated 7:43 AM ET, Sat June 27, 2020
Science by press release: When the story gets ahead of the science - CNN

Interesting article about a trend we all have observed over the past few months. A few excerpts (BBM):

"According to the Milken Institute, there are at least 254 treatments and 172 vaccines currently in development to fight Covid-19." ...

"The media's coverage of these developments has also been at "breakneck speed" -- because finding any way to stall the spread of this disease is so imperative. For example, several scientists recently called me both on and off the record to relay their optimism that a vaccine could be available by the beginning of next year.... So this past week, I took a step back to dig deeper into the studies and look into the source of this optimism. I was surprised at how thin the available data actually is in peer-reviewed medical journals.

Truth is, most of what we have seen so far has come in the form of press releases or pre-print reports that have not undergone the scientific scrutiny of independent review. In fact, despite all the enthusiasm around vaccines, there is only one published study of a vaccine trialed in humans -- from the Chinese company CanSino Biologics." ...

"But there are also growing concerns -- on the part of scientists and journalists -- that the studies being offered up and showcased are not ready for "prime time." In fact, many are not studies at all, but subjective conclusions based on data, and methods that remain hidden and thus difficult to validate. Never before has full and immediate transparency been so important, and never before has the scientific picture around Covid-19 been so opaque."

Dr. Gupta discusses the role of the pre-print servers medRxiv (for health sciences) and bioRxiv (for biology) and provides three examples of the story getting ahead of the science: hydroxychloroquine, dexamethasone, and Moderna.

Well worth reading! MOO

 

[JerseyGirl]

I can’t imagine cutting people off during a crisis. When people are looking to their church for those things and being denied?
Makes me sad

I'll try to say this without offending anyone, but what was described is just totally illogical, imho. I remember communion as a Southern Baptist - once the deacon's wife forgot to prepare unleavened bread, so we used saltines with our grape juice.

It is now suggested by churches during Zoom masses:

All who believe in Jesus Christ are invited to partake, have bread or crackers ready as well as grape juice.

Church news: First Presbyterian Church celebrating Pentecost Sunday

We are in the midst of a pandemic, I am sure God understands.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

Florida just announced 9,585 New Cases. A new daily record.

Arizona: Arizona reports 3,591 new coronavirus cases, 44 more deaths

 

[tresir2012]

This relates to the recent Federal court decision on gatherings during the Coronavirus pandemic in NY. Full court decision at link.




Home » Office of Public Affairs » News
https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Dist.-Ct.-Memo-and-Order-June-26-2020.pdf. The department's previous statement on religious concerns in New York City can be found here Statement from Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband and U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider on New York City’s Reopening Plans.

Topic(s):
Civil Rights
Component(s):
Civil Rights Division
Press Release Number:
20-597
Updated June 26, 2020

 

[JerseyGirl]

Arizona: Arizona reports 3,591 new coronavirus cases, 44 more deaths

For Arizona, it was the sixth daily report of more than 3,000 new cases in the past nine days. The number of positive cases matches the daily high that was set Tuesday.

ADHS - Data Dashboard

 

[JerseyGirl]

Florida just announced 9,585 New Cases. A new daily record.

Florida reports another pandemic record with 9,585 new coronavirus cases

Florida hit a new record for coronavirus cases on Saturday, with a reported 9,585 cases in just 24 hours.

The FL Department of Health now says 132,545 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

At least 3,489 people have died from a virus-related illness in Florida, including 99 from outside the state.

The statewide numbers Saturday broke the previous record of 8,942 set Friday.

 

[tresir2012]

Pence defends Trump campaign rallies despite surge in coronavirus cases: 'We have an election coming up this fall'


Pence defends Trump campaign rallies despite surge in coronavirus cases: ‘We have an election coming up this fall’
PUBLISHED FRI, JUN 26 20203:09 PM EDTUPDATED FRI, JUN 26 20203:20 PM EDT

Kevin Breuninger@KEVINWILLIAMB




KEY POINTS

• Vice President Mike Pence defended the Trump campaign’s decision to resume its signature in-person rallies despite a worrying spike in coronavirus cases.
• At a White House coronavirus task force briefing, Pence was asked why the campaign forged ahead with the rallies, which have drawn tens of thousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters in the past.
• “The freedom of speech, the right to peaceably assemble, is enshrined in the constitution of the United States,” said Pence, who leads the task force. “And we have an election coming up this fall.”

Pence said that he and Trump believed in “taking proper steps” in their approach to hosting rallies amid the pandemic. At the most recent rally in Oklahoma over the weekend, attendees received masks, hand sanitizer and temperature checksbefore entering the Tulsa arena where Trump spoke. But wearing the masks was not mandatory.

The vice president noted that attendees were screened at recent events, and added that Oklahoma’s positivity rate for Covid-19 cases appears to be on the decline as of Friday. “That’s a great testament to the fact that people are using common sense, they’re being responsible.”

 

[oviedo]

My IN family is at the farmers market and no one has masks but them ... I’m not that surprised that the restaurant spending has increased - I haven’t been inside one since March (other than the cruise I went on) but I have done take out twice - with the increase in FL numbers that’s done for me now - will cook at home exclusively now
JMO

 

[JerseyGirl]

'We opened too quickly': Texas becomes a model for inadequate Covid-19 response

“The harsh truth is that our current infection rate is on pace to overwhelm our hospitals in the very near future,” Lina Hidalgo, the Harris County (Houston) judge, said at a press conference on Friday. “We opened too quickly.” It was not her choice. Hidalgo issued a mandatory mask order in April that was swiftly rendered toothless by Governor Abbott, who said masks were strongly recommended but local authorities could not impose penalties for non-compliance.

Dan Patrick, the 70-year-old Texas lieutenant governor, declared in March that he was willing to risk death to help the economy.

On Friday, Patrick dismissed the idea of a fresh lockdown and accused hospitals of providing misleading information. “Yes, positive rates are up, mostly young people, they’re not dying,” he told Fox News. “We’re still moving forward, with a slight pause.”

 

[ilovewings]

How the World Missed Covid-19’s Silent Spread

Very long article about how the world missed Covid-19 Silent Spread

It is amazing how many agencies we rely on dropped the ball including The WHO and CDC---- and how many public health officials and epidemiologists refused to believe that people without symptoms could spread the disease. There are so many ways the WHO has dropped the ball: when Covid first became known the WHO said they didn't believe there was people to people transmission: they also advised people not to wear masks--
and on and on it goes with them. I believe I even read Dr. Fauci early on in Feb stated he didn't think this virus would be a big problem in the United States: i would have to find his statement somewhere so i cannot be sure he actually said that.

Did Dr. Fauci Say There Was 'Nothing to Worry About' in Regards to COVID-19?
According to this article he didn't say there was nothing to worry about.

 

[JerseyGirl]

How Idaho's record-breaking week for COVID-19 cases adds up

Statewide data shows people aged 18 to 29 report the most cases. More females than males have contracted the virus, with 54% of the state's total cases.

Crush The Curve Idaho to ramp up testing, expects hundreds more coronavirus case

 

[tresir2012]

This chart shows the link between restaurant spending and new cases of coronavirus

Analyzed data from 30 million Chase credit and debit cardholders and from Johns Hopkins University’s case tracker found that increased restaurant spending in a state predicted a rise in new infections there 3 weeks later.

Conversely, higher spending at supermarkets predicts a slower spread of the virus, which could indicate that states that buy more groceries are more mindful of social distancing measures.

“For example, as of three weeks ago, supermarket spending was up 20% or more from last year’s levels in New York and New Jersey, while it was up less than 10% in Texas and Arizona,” Edgerton said.

Also

"The National Restaurant Association said in a statement that it shares the nation’s concern over rising Covid-19 cases.

“It is irresponsible to pin the rise on a single industry,” the trade group said in a statement to CNBC. “Restaurants have historically operated with highly regulated safety protocols based on the FDA’s Food Code and now have taken new steps to meet social distancing guidelines required by state and federal officials. We all have responsibility for wearing masks, washing hands, and social distancing.”

Edgerton also gave the caveat that the states that are now seeing a surge in new infections share other factors outside of higher restaurant spending."

 

[Baciagalupo]

These Florida numbers are INSANE.

 

[musicaljoke]

Florida reports another pandemic record with 9,585 new coronavirus cases

Florida hit a new record for coronavirus cases on Saturday, with a reported 9,585 cases in just 24 hours.

The FL Department of Health now says 132,545 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

At least 3,489 people have died from a virus-related illness in Florida, including 99 from outside the state.

The statewide numbers Saturday broke the previous record of 8,942 set Friday.

How can this be? It's Saturday and the day's merely half over. This is gut wrenching. Most of the snowbirds from these parts, N. ON., go back to live in Florida once we feel a chill in the air. The migration begins in just three months. Many of them don't have winterized homes so that they can stay in Canada for the winter. So on top of the concern for the residents, I'm also concerned for those from outside the state.