COVID-19 Outbreak Information Updates (Reboot) [over 150.000,000 US cases (est.), 6,422,520 US hospitilizations, 1,148,691 US deaths.] (15 Viewers)

[bonnjer]

Well, I think us not locking down at all will be an interesting comparison with other countries actually locking down. Fwiw, I think it's pretty much too late to lock down now. The damage is already done.

I think the damage can get a whole lot worse. With Thanksgiving next week, we're staring at a freight train that's rumbling down the tracks toward us and it doesn't seem like we're moving.

 

[Saint_Ward]

Who isn't wearing masks in public settings at this point?

Over the last 4 months or so (in my experience) - it's extremely rare to see someone in the grocery, gas station, restaurant, etc. without a mask... very rare.

On a different anecdotal note: I now have a 1st cousin and a niece (from different parts of the family and in completely different locations)... that wear masks religiously... and that have caught Covid anyway.... both recovered and are fine... both had mild symptoms (loss of taste and smell - light cough - fever).

I'm still fine with masks - and think that some level of protection is better than none... but I am really starting to question how effective they are in general.

Going out to dinner with friends, house parties, at work, I've seen people get more lax, at least at their desks. When you're there for 8 hours, it doesn't matter that you stayed in your area without a mask. I wish people would just keep the damn things on and just take them off to eat lunch, have coffee, and snacks.

Masks aren't the only variable. And it usually requires everyone in the shared airspace wearing them.

 

[DaveXA]

I think the damage can get a whole lot worse. With Thanksgiving next week, we're staring at a freight train that's rumbling down the tracks toward us and it doesn't seem like we're moving.

I agree. If we stated a lockdown today, sure. But that ain't happening. Even if the President ordered a nationwide lockdown, several governors have already stated they would ignore any national mandates. They're stupid, but that's what they're saying. I'd rather just do a national lockdown and mandatory mask usage in public led by the CDC and not the President. But I'm not sure either of them would have a big impact because of the defiance of states to national mandates. A pandemic is a national problem and requires a national response, but our country is so fractured and dysfunctional, we're screwed regardless.

 

[Rickboy]

*sigh*... our son’s school district just went back to remote learning until January. They’ll look at in person learning at that time. However, at the rate this thing is going, I don’t see them going back to in person learning.

 

[jboss]

The capital S "state" in America has been whittled down damn near to the bone. We are so uniquely incompetent at handling something like this at the fundamental level, especially compared to the global standard of dealing with this pandemic. I just feel so beaten down by the powerlessness in how this has been handled in the US. It's still a steady-as-she-goes attitude at the top with more regard to the economy (see: capital interests) than the welfare of the citizens of this country. And even the, let's say current events, that have happened recently don't seem to offer any better alternative to the problem.

 

[superchuck500]

Daily tests are climbing rapidly. Looks like it's tracking closely with positive cases. I suspect the line up will continue for about 2-3 weeks, then plunge. The plunge in France just started and we have been 2-3 weeks behind them. Looking for a big drop in cases by mid December.

Tests and cases are correlated but percent positive (see below chart from Johns Hopkins) and test demand are also increasing - which means that the outbreak is spreading faster than the increase in test volume. This isn’t surprising given the steady rise in hospitalization (we’re now 25% over the previous high in the summer surge). Prevalence of disease requiring hospitalization is directly associated with infection, independent of testing. Mortality is down but the volume of cases is bringing death counts that are getting into Spring numbers.

This isn’t a function of testing. We are in the midst of a massive surge.

 

[superchuck500]

Why would we plunge in cases like France did? Are we in a lockdown? France is, and has been since October 30.

Plus we have an American social/cultural event holiday week that will almost certainly be a major spreading event.

If we aren’t at 250K new cases per day by December 15, I will be shocked. Might happen sooner.

 

[bclemms]

Plus we have an American social/cultural event holiday week that will almost certainly be a major spreading event.

If we aren’t at 250K new cases per day by December 15, I will be shocked. Might happen sooner.

We will be there next week.

 

[superchuck500]

We will be there next week.

Probably so.

 

[Saint_Ward]

I posted this on the politics site, and I complained that the NY times needs to change their colors to differentiate things.. looks like they just did. That's like Alexa level stalking there..

 

[Saint_Ward]

The good news is that ND, SD (to a lesser extent), Iowa, and Wyoming look like they've all peaked and are starting to slow down or come down (7 day average daily rate). Wisconsin and Illinois too.

Michigan is still early in their upswing, and they just shut down.

 

[Saint_Ward]

And sorry, I've been a bit absent sharing data on here. Two major reasons.

1. I'm burned out.

2. I can't log in on SR from my work computer anymore (not that I really should be..haha.). I can only do so much from my phone.

 

[superchuck500]

Very good news here as well - one of the most detailed post-infection immunity studies to date (pre-publish) finds that the body retains a strong immunoresponse to the virus for a long time. Perhaps a very long time.

Immunity to the Coronavirus May Last Years, New Data Hint (Published 2020)

Blood samples from recovered patients suggest a powerful, long-lasting immune response, researchers reported.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Eeyore]

These allegations are nuts! No wonder we can't get rid of this virus. If this is true, it's just a game to the rich and we're nothing to them.

Lawsuit: Tyson managers bet money on how many workers would contract COVID-19 • Iowa Capital Dispatch

A lawsuit claims that Tyson Foods ordered employees to work during the pandemic while managers privately wagered money on how many of them would contract COVID-19.

iowacapitaldispatch.com

I'm sure that the result of this will be a law that prevents Tyson's employees from suing them for this.

 

[Eeyore]

Coronavirus: Tennessee mayor will not require masks until Holy Spirit says so

A Tennessee county mayor said that while coronavirus cases are increasing in his area, he will not order mandatory face coverings until the Holy Spirit guides him in that direction.

www.fox23.com