COVID-19 Outbreak Information Updates (Reboot) [over 150.000,000 US cases (est.), 6,422,520 US hospitilizations, 1,148,691 US deaths.] (21 Viewers)

[bonnjer]

Florida Gators suspend football activities after COVID-19 spike, 19 positive cases

UF Health and the sports medicine staff will reevaluate the situation Wednesday.

www.tampabay.com

Is this same state that lifted the mask mandate? I've honestly lost track which ones have.

 

[Zaphod]

Is this same state that lifted the mask mandate? I've honestly lost track which ones have.

I’m not sure FL ever had one

 

[Goatman Saint]

Florida Gators suspend football activities after COVID-19 spike, 19 positive cases

UF Health and the sports medicine staff will reevaluate the situation Wednesday.

www.tampabay.com

If it wasn’t people’s lives I’d find this combination hilarious.

 

[J.T.]

Vaccine update from Pfizer CEO and Moderna.

For those who don’t want to read the article the gist is-

Pfizer hoping to have trial data back end of the month. And 100 million doses - if the vaccine is approved which he stressed they don’t know yet- by the end of the year.

Moderna said their data will be back November 25th.

Johnson & Johnson vaccine on hold due to potential side effects issue

Pfizer CEO pushes back against Trump claim on vaccine timing

The head of Pfizer, one of the drugmakers racing to develop a coronavirus vaccine, told employees on Thursday he was disappointed that its work was politicized during the presidential debate and tried to reassure U.S. staff that the company won’t bend to pressure to move more quickly.

apnews.com

Pfizer probably just about has enough data now. Just doing the math on it, and the numbers should be just about there. Moderna is doing rolling data in Canada now. This will all break pretty soon, and a very large number of doses of vaccines will be moving very soon. The JNJ pause should be interesting. Their vaccine is different. They should know pretty soon if they have a side effect or a random event.

I still think these vaccines will be highly effective. More effective than the seasonal flu vaccine.

 

[Goatman Saint]

Pfizer probably just about has enough data now. Just doing the math on it, and the numbers should be just about there. Moderna is doing rolling data in Canada now. This will all break pretty soon, and a very large number of doses of vaccines will be moving very soon. The JNJ pause should be interesting. Their vaccine is different. They should know pretty soon if they have a side effect or a random event.

I still think these vaccines will be highly effective. More effective than the seasonal flu vaccine.

I agree with you on effectiveness

 

[StudioSaint]

Pfizer probably just about has enough data now.

According to Pfizer they won't have all the data they need until the end of this month. Just stating it in objective instead of subjective terms.

This will all break pretty soon, and a very large number of doses of vaccines will be moving very soon.

Again putting it into objective versus subjective terms.

According to the companies themselves, the earliest hoped for roll out of doses will be January. That roll out of doses will be under a EUA and not available to the general public. A general rollout to the general public is not expected until May at the eariest.

I still think these vaccines will be highly effective. More effective than the seasonal flu vaccine.

The companies themselves have not said anything definitive about the effectiveness of their vaccines. It is highly unlikely they would be considering challenge trials, if their data was showing their vaccines to be more effective that the seasonal flu vaccine.

One only considers challenge trials when testing data does not show the vaccine to be more effective than the placebo. In a normal trial, exposure to the virus is an uncontrolled variable for the vaccine and the placebo groups. If all of the vaccine group are exposed to the virus and none of the placebo group are, then the placebo group will show 0% infections which will make it statistically unclear if the vaccine is more effective than the placebo.

A challenge trial controls the variable of exposure by intentionally exposing/infecting people with the virus. You don't consider intentionally exposing/infecting people with the virus if your data indicates that your vaccine is more effective than the placebo.

 

[J.T.]

According to Pfizer they won't have all the data they need until the end of this month. Just stating it in objective instead of subjective terms.
Again putting it into objective versus subjective terms.

According to the companies themselves, the earliest hoped for roll out of doses will be January. That roll out of doses will be under a EUA and not available to the general public. A general rollout to the general public is not expected until May at the eariest.
The companies themselves have not said anything definitive about the effectiveness of their vaccines and it is highly unlikely they would be considering challenge trials if their data was showing the vaccine to be more effective that the seasonal flu vaccine. One only considers challenge trials when testing data does not show the vaccine to be more effective than the placebo.

The seasonal flu vaccine has an average effectiveness of about 40%. The FDA has set a floor of 50% for effectiveness of any Covid vaccines. The major companies have set their "internal" floors at 60%. I guess we will find out when we find out.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Overview

COVID-19 is a new type of coronavirus that causes mild to severe cases. Here’s a quick guide on how to spot symptoms, risk factors, prevent spread of the disease, and find out what to do if you think you have it.

www.webmd.com

 

[StudioSaint]

I guess we will find out when we find out.

True and according to the companies themselves, we won't find out from the companies until November at the earliest and the FDA won't authorize an emergency usage until January at the earliest.

We won't know the actual effectiveness of the vaccines until the FDA fully reviews the companies' data. May is expected to be the earliest that the FDA might possibly approve general usage of the vaccine.

 

[St. Geezy]

 

[superchuck500]

So need to lay on the therapy couch here a moment.

One of my very good friends from growing up (we have known each other since elementary school, became good friends in junior high and high school, continued to be good friends for many years, and have stayed in touch after I left New Orleans) was a confirmed bachelor for many years. Well, he's finally getting married and I'm really happy for him. My wife and I have spent time with him and his fiance' (including a weekend they stayed with us the year before last) and we are absolutely looking forward to their wedding.

The wedding is in December and I was hoping they would postpone it. Coincidentally enough (I'm 47, don't have too many wedding invites anymore) another long-time friend was supposed to be getting married this month (October) but she postponed it due to Covid. But my other friend has no intentions of postponing. And now I have received an invite to a guys' weekend (i.e. 'bachelor party') next month and I see on the invite list a lot of good friends that I rarely (if ever) see any more. I don't know how many people will be there, but I suspect it will be more than a handful.

Take away Covid, and I'm there for all of this. We would be brining the family into town for the wedding (my kids would stay with my parents) and we'd be really excited for the event. I'd definitely get a pass from the wife for the guys' weekend and I know it would be a time to spend with some people I truly love and miss. You don't get many opportunities like that as you get older.

But fork this damn Covid situation. We have been being very sensible about it - no, we're not on complete lockdown, but everything we do is based on a Covid risk-assessment. We go out to eat only when we can eat outdoors. I'm still working from home. My kids are in school but there are safeguards and protocols. We are keeping socializing to a minimum (and when we do, it's based on sensible assessment) and we haven't traveled except to a family place in North Carolina that we can drive to and doesn't require a hotel.

There's no way I can justify attending these activities based on how we have been dealing with this. The weekend next month will be in common living quarters (probably a rental house) with a number of people doing whatever they're doing in their lives, many of which probably aren't being cautious (deciding to attend this is certain a sign that they're not especially cautious). And then the wedding will likely be well attended and given that this will be many friends (and parents of friends) that I have known for decades, the temptations for close contact (lots of hugs and handshakes to be sure) will be too great to resist.

As much as I wish that these things would be postponed, that isn't my call. I just don't see how I can expose my wife and kids to something that is substantially beyond any risk that we have been willing to take, based on our mutual views about risk and the mitigation we have done to date. So it looks like I'm going to have to decline and just not be there. And that's such a shame. These kinds of joyous gatherings of longtime, childhood friends (the kind that you typically just don't have in your adult-life circles) are very rare the older you get.

And I have to tell my very good friend that I won't be able to be there at his wedding. That really sucks.

 

[Loco Hornet Fan]

So need to lay on the therapy couch here a moment.

One of my very good friends from growing up (we have known each other since elementary school, became good friends in junior high and high school, continued to be good friends for many years, and have stayed in touch after I left New Orleans) was a confirmed bachelor for many years. Well, he's finally getting married and I'm really happy for him. My wife and I have spent time with him and his fiance' (including a weekend they stayed with us the year before last) and we are absolutely looking forward to their wedding.

The wedding is in December and I was hoping they would postpone it. Coincidentally enough (I'm 47, don't have too many wedding invites anymore) another long-time friend was supposed to be getting married this month (October) but she postponed it due to Covid. But my other friend has no intentions of postponing. And now I have received an invite to a guys' weekend (i.e. 'bachelor party') next month and I see on the invite list a lot of good friends that I rarely (if ever) see any more. I don't know how many people will be there, but I suspect it will be more than a handful.

Take away Covid, and I'm there for all of this. We would be brining the family into town for the wedding (my kids would stay with my parents) and we'd be really excited for the event. I'd definitely get a pass from the wife for the guys' weekend and I know it would be a time to spend with some people I truly love and miss. You don't get many opportunities like that as you get older.

But fork this damn Covid situation. We have been being very sensible about it - no, we're not on complete lockdown, but everything we do is based on a Covid risk-assessment. We go out to eat only when we can eat outdoors. I'm still working from home. My kids are in school but there are safeguards and protocols. We are keeping socializing to a minimum (and when we do, it's based on sensible assessment) and we haven't traveled except to a family place in North Carolina that we can drive to and doesn't require a hotel.

There's no way I can justify attending these activities based on how we have been dealing with this. The weekend next month will be in common living quarters (probably a rental house) with a number of people doing whatever they're doing in their lives, many of which probably aren't being cautious (deciding to attend this is certain a sign that they're not especially cautious). And then the wedding will likely be well attended and given that this will be many friends (and parents of friends) that I have known for decades, the temptations for close contact (lots of hugs and handshakes to be sure) will be too great to resist.

As much as I wish that these things would be postponed, that isn't my call. I just don't see how I can expose my wife and kids to something that is substantially beyond any risk that we have been willing to take, based on our mutual views about risk and the mitigation we have done to date. So it looks like I'm going to have to decline and just not be there. And that's such a shame. These kinds of joyous gatherings of longtime, childhood friends (the kind that you typically just don't have in your adult-life circles) are very rare the older you get.

And I have to tell my very good friend that I won't be able to be there at his wedding. That really sucks.

That really stinks, man. I was going to be in the same boat but lucked out with the couple deciding to postpone.

I wish I could think of something better to say or some kind of advice. I hate that it is playing out like this for you.

 

[Infoman]

So need to lay on the therapy couch here a moment.

One of my very good friends from growing up (we have known each other since elementary school, became good friends in junior high and high school, continued to be good friends for many years, and have stayed in touch after I left New Orleans) was a confirmed bachelor for many years. Well, he's finally getting married and I'm really happy for him. My wife and I have spent time with him and his fiance' (including a weekend they stayed with us the year before last) and we are absolutely looking forward to their wedding.

The wedding is in December and I was hoping they would postpone it. Coincidentally enough (I'm 47, don't have too many wedding invites anymore) another long-time friend was supposed to be getting married this month (October) but she postponed it due to Covid. But my other friend has no intentions of postponing. And now I have received an invite to a guys' weekend (i.e. 'bachelor party') next month and I see on the invite list a lot of good friends that I rarely (if ever) see any more. I don't know how many people will be there, but I suspect it will be more than a handful.

Take away Covid, and I'm there for all of this. We would be brining the family into town for the wedding (my kids would stay with my parents) and we'd be really excited for the event. I'd definitely get a pass from the wife for the guys' weekend and I know it would be a time to spend with some people I truly love and miss. You don't get many opportunities like that as you get older.

But fork this damn Covid situation. We have been being very sensible about it - no, we're not on complete lockdown, but everything we do is based on a Covid risk-assessment. We go out to eat only when we can eat outdoors. I'm still working from home. My kids are in school but there are safeguards and protocols. We are keeping socializing to a minimum (and when we do, it's based on sensible assessment) and we haven't traveled except to a family place in North Carolina that we can drive to and doesn't require a hotel.

There's no way I can justify attending these activities based on how we have been dealing with this. The weekend next month will be in common living quarters (probably a rental house) with a number of people doing whatever they're doing in their lives, many of which probably aren't being cautious (deciding to attend this is certain a sign that they're not especially cautious). And then the wedding will likely be well attended and given that this will be many friends (and parents of friends) that I have known for decades, the temptations for close contact (lots of hugs and handshakes to be sure) will be too great to resist.

As much as I wish that these things would be postponed, that isn't my call. I just don't see how I can expose my wife and kids to something that is substantially beyond any risk that we have been willing to take, based on our mutual views about risk and the mitigation we have done to date. So it looks like I'm going to have to decline and just not be there. And that's such a shame. These kinds of joyous gatherings of longtime, childhood friends (the kind that you typically just don't have in your adult-life circles) are very rare the older you get.

And I have to tell my very good friend that I won't be able to be there at his wedding. That really sucks.

If no one in your immediate social circle (Yourself, Wife, Kids, Parents, etc.) is "high risk"... I say go for it, and be as safe as you can... then use common sense when you return home afterward. Use the same risk assessment you always do in life. If the risk is too high in your estimation... skip it.

I had a similar situation a couple of months ago...

The only person in my immediate social circle that's "high risk" is my father (65+ and has COPD).... I let him know that we'd have to stay away from each other (Me and the Wife) for 2 weeks after the event I attended.

One person I know (HS friend) that was at that event tested positive a few days after (blood test), and we were in contact with each other... He then - the next day - tested negative (nasal swab)....

My entire inner social circle has had zero (covid) issues....

I say be smart, and live your life... JMO

 

[Booker]

So need to lay on the therapy couch here a moment.

One of my very good friends from growing up (we have known each other since elementary school, became good friends in junior high and high school, continued to be good friends for many years, and have stayed in touch after I left New Orleans) was a confirmed bachelor for many years. Well, he's finally getting married and I'm really happy for him. My wife and I have spent time with him and his fiance' (including a weekend they stayed with us the year before last) and we are absolutely looking forward to their wedding.

The wedding is in December and I was hoping they would postpone it. Coincidentally enough (I'm 47, don't have too many wedding invites anymore) another long-time friend was supposed to be getting married this month (October) but she postponed it due to Covid. But my other friend has no intentions of postponing. And now I have received an invite to a guys' weekend (i.e. 'bachelor party') next month and I see on the invite list a lot of good friends that I rarely (if ever) see any more. I don't know how many people will be there, but I suspect it will be more than a handful.

Take away Covid, and I'm there for all of this. We would be brining the family into town for the wedding (my kids would stay with my parents) and we'd be really excited for the event. I'd definitely get a pass from the wife for the guys' weekend and I know it would be a time to spend with some people I truly love and miss. You don't get many opportunities like that as you get older.

But fork this damn Covid situation. We have been being very sensible about it - no, we're not on complete lockdown, but everything we do is based on a Covid risk-assessment. We go out to eat only when we can eat outdoors. I'm still working from home. My kids are in school but there are safeguards and protocols. We are keeping socializing to a minimum (and when we do, it's based on sensible assessment) and we haven't traveled except to a family place in North Carolina that we can drive to and doesn't require a hotel.

There's no way I can justify attending these activities based on how we have been dealing with this. The weekend next month will be in common living quarters (probably a rental house) with a number of people doing whatever they're doing in their lives, many of which probably aren't being cautious (deciding to attend this is certain a sign that they're not especially cautious). And then the wedding will likely be well attended and given that this will be many friends (and parents of friends) that I have known for decades, the temptations for close contact (lots of hugs and handshakes to be sure) will be too great to resist.

As much as I wish that these things would be postponed, that isn't my call. I just don't see how I can expose my wife and kids to something that is substantially beyond any risk that we have been willing to take, based on our mutual views about risk and the mitigation we have done to date. So it looks like I'm going to have to decline and just not be there. And that's such a shame. These kinds of joyous gatherings of longtime, childhood friends (the kind that you typically just don't have in your adult-life circles) are very rare the older you get.

And I have to tell my very good friend that I won't be able to be there at his wedding. That really sucks.

Sucks man. We're missing two weddings this fall because of the pandemic. We're seven months in, hopefully in the next seven months there will be a vaccine. Until then, "it is what it is."

 

[superchuck500]

 

[DaveXA]

If no one in your immediate social circle (Yourself, Wife, Kids, Parents, etc.) is "high risk"... I say go for it, and be as safe as you can... then use common sense when you return home afterward. Use the same risk assessment you always do in life. If the risk is too high in your estimation... skip it.

I had a similar situation a couple of months ago...

The only person in my immediate social circle that's "high risk" is my father (65+ and has COPD).... I let him know that we'd have to stay away from each other (Me and the Wife) for 2 weeks after the event I attended.

One person I know (HS friend) that was at that event tested positive a few days after (blood test), and we were in contact with each other... He then - the next day - tested negative (nasal swab)....

My entire inner social circle has had zero (covid) issues....

I say be smart, and live your life... JMO

That's all well and good and some people might be inclined to agree with you, but, I just can't get there. For one, I don't necessarily know whether any of our family is high risk or not. Any of us might have underlying conditions we're unaware of which could take an ordinary Covid case from mild to severe. I realize we can't stay holed up at home all the time, and we don't. All of my kids work, and are in school. 3 are virtual learning and one is doing hybrid. My kids and their friends hang out at home or at their home. They don't go out.

We refuse to participate in gatherings where there are more than 10 people. There's no way to vouch for people's health in those circumstances. And it's not all bad because I'm perfectly content with working from home and doing what I need to do. I honestly don't miss the socializing all that much. Not that I don't enjoy a good social outing, but I can make do without it. Now, in another 6 months of this, I might feel differently. We'll see.