COVID-19 Outbreak (Update: More than 2.9M cases and 132,313 deaths in US) (5 Viewers)

[St. Widge]

They do. But, I think you have to look at it from the lens of what can you get people to reliably do. The longer this plays out, the worse the counter reaction.

Also, you know I have a pretty broad view of the public being generally stupid.

We need a clear and consistent message from our leaders. So, we're forked.

I agree. I'm just saying that those who argue that this is "Unconstitutional" or that it is taking away some rights don't understand there own system of government or the Constitution. But, like I said, I'm not surprised that people don't. We have a population that has little knowledge of it's own history, philosophy, or laws beyond what someone told them on Facebook.

And I'm not saying we should live under a stay at home order until we find a vaccine, although I would personally be fine with that. But, I am saying that it really shouldn't be too much to ask people to continue to practice social distancing and wear face coverings in public. Especially given the evidence about about how much even a 50% reduction in spread due to wearing face coverings can do to the spread of the virus.

 

[Turfie]

As for your question, you can have Covid-19 and influenza at the same time, but it's relatively unlikely. The number of people who do will be a small subset of all those with Covid-19, and of those with both who die, the hypothetical number of them who die entirely from influenza and not at all from Covid-19 would be even smaller, even if it were possible to accurately determine. It's not going to be significant outside highly specific contexts.

Thanks. I was just curious. I used to run a diagnostic lab for plant diseases. They would have these rapid PCR tests that would be run. They would give you a positive or negative result based on a primer that you used.

We found that they had flaws because certain pathogens are just so ubiquitous that they are in almost every sample. When in reality there was a different organism that truly broke the camels back, so to speak.

 

[bonnjer]

Looks like JBE is making an announcement about the Stay at Home order this afternoon. Not sure if it's to extend it or lift it at the end of the month. If I had to guess, I'm thinking he extends it two more weeks.

 

[St. Widge]

Looks like JBE is making an announcement about the Stay at Home order this afternoon. Not sure if it's to extend it or lift it at the end of the month. If I had to guess, I'm thinking he extends it two more weeks.

I think he will announce that we will begin shifting into Phase 1 of re-opening starting on May 1 and will lay out the plan of how we are going to proceed. I hope it's a slow methodical plan with lots of pauses to see if what we are doing is starting to allow the virus to come back.

 

[LuvNOLA]

This has been something that has bothered me since the beginning of this pandemic back in March, at least as far as locally. Honestly, it is a bit of a sore subject for me personally, as there was a situation at my place of employment in which I refused to have myself or my staff perform a specific task that would have put us directly in harms way for several days, dealing with thousands of members of the public, and my employer brought in their doctor they "had been consulting with regarding the pandemic" to try to ease my fears.

Of course, this was no CDC doctor or anyone of that ilk mind you - just a plain ol' local family practice doctor that they had been relying on for assessments of the situation.

After I listened to the Dr.'s spiel about how this pandemic is no big deal - there are only 30 something cases in the area right now, that even if I get it, I won't die, and in a week or two there would be no cases because it is contained and this is no different than the flu (sounds familiar I'm sure) - I then took the floor and delivered this message to both he and one of our senior executives that was in the room with us that clearly was buying everything this guy had been telling them: Being a medical doctor does not make a person a social-distancing or pandemic control expert!

A family practice medical doctor is an expert at four things - 1. A thorough understanding of how the human body works, 2.) Being able to diagnose a sickness within a human's body, 3.) Telling a human how he or she may have gotten sick, and 4.) How to treat said sickness....that's it. Him trying to explain to me anything about pandemic control or the need to social distance or not is no different than him trying to explain to me how the Cover 2 defense works - that is not your field. It is something that effects your field to a very large degree, but it is not your field.

It was a very professional and polite, but obviously contentious conversation.

Granted, and I said this to him, doctors have very sharp minds, and they are fully capable of analyzing data just like any other analytics expert can or just like any other intelligent person that has decided to pay close attention to something can, and because of that sharp mind, they may be able to come up with more accurate conclusions more times than not than the average person; but unless you work for the CDC and specialize in this specific thing, having "Dr." in front of your name does not add to your credibility with assessing a pandemic spread and the need to socially distance, nor does it give you a sudden thorough understanding of how this brand new virus works, what types of surfaces it can live on, and how long it can live on it, etc. - no one had a clue back then about any of that stuff! Opinions were all over the place and still are today, but you know it all because you are local family doctor?!

I told the doctor in that meeting that there were already hundreds of examples around the globe that clearly showed to anyone that is paying attention that if you have 30 cases and your city is still open, you will soon have 200 cases, and that will soon be thousands of cases within a few short weeks. I even also told him that the task my employer is asking us to do right now will be moot in the next 10 to 14 days anyway, as we won't even have a choice in the matter because things will be shut down in a governmental-mandatory fashion; he essentially laughed at that notion in a smug manner, and after ending the conversation politely and respectfully, we went our separate ways.

I won't callously state that I was "happy" to be right, but I did take a level of satisfaction in knowing that the analysis and research I had done myself from simply paying attention and not turning a blind eye, came to fruition. And literally, in even less than the 10 days I mentioned to him in that meeting, we were all given the "work from home" mandate by the local government, and shortly thereafter, the state, and my conversation with the doctor "consultant" became moot, just as I told him it would.

It takes courage, and you were gifted with that courage. Good for you!

 

[DaveXA]

But the flip side of that is..."I see people out in the community not wearing masks, so lets FORCE people into it with even tighter regulations." Let people make sacrifices on their own terms. Try to convince people to continue to make small sacrifices.

FWIW, I'm not advocating forcing anything. What I said earlier was a bit tongue in cheek with the "maybe we should" comment.

But, if people want to sacrifice the greater good for their own selfish reasons, then I'm all for making them feel bad about that kind of decision.

Either we get out of the house with PPE and social distancing while out, or we stay home. Otherwise, we truly are screwed. If you want to screw everyone else, well then that says all I need to know.

 

[sammymvpknight]

FWIW, I'm not advocating forcing anything. What I said earlier was a bit tongue in cheek with the "maybe we should" comment.

But, if people want to sacrifice the greater good for their own selfish reasons, then I'm all for making them feel bad about that kind of decision.

Either we get out of the house with PPE and social distancing while out, or we stay home. Otherwise, we truly are screwed. If you want to screw everyone else, well then that says all I need to know.

There are some situations which PPE is not practical. Should we keep kids out of school until this whole thing blows over? Because there is a chance that this thing doesn't blow over...even with a vaccine.

 

[LuvNOLA]

They do. But, I think you have to look at it from the lens of what can you get people to reliably do. The longer this plays out, the worse the counter reaction.

Also, you know I have a pretty broad view of the public being generally stupid.

We need a clear and consistent message from our leaders. So, we're forked.

Stick with the Fauci crowd (majority), not the stupidity crowd (minority).

 

[LuvNOLA]

This is what I told my son who is having more issues with this than my daughter (who freaking loves this).

I told him, to pick one friend. Someone who's been stuck at home like him. I know they're healthy and not carrying anything. I'm not scared of bringing anything into the house, due to us taking good precautions.

I said, we'd just have a quick chat to make sure that friend hasn't done anything too stupid. They will have to remove their shoes when the first enter. Wash their hands immediately, and we'd probably avoid hugs, but, I'm negotiable on that, so long as they're well washed. I'd still prefer the kids to keep some distance, but I'm not going to freak out too much.

Honestly, me going to work, and doing the shopping is the higher risk to my family. So long as people are being honest, I'm not worried about the kids. This is probably the least germ ridden our children have ever been, if they've been stuck inside mostly.

You are a good dad

 

[Get in the Carr]

Cases slightly up in Louisiana. The stay home has to be extended at least until May 15 huh?

 

[St. Widge]

Cases slightly up in Louisiana. The stay home has to be extended at least until May 15 huh?

Hard to know. The overall trend has been on a pretty steep decline for a few weeks. Seems likely that we continue under some restrictions, but I suspect we will start the process of slowly opening starting on May 1.

 

[DaveXA]

There are some situations which PPE is not practical. Should we keep kids out of school until this whole thing blows over? Because there is a chance that this thing doesn't blow over...even with a vaccine.

I acknowledge that kids going to school with PPE isnt practical. So, until this blows over, they don't go to school. If it takes a year, so be it. I'm not sending my kids to school if CV19 is still widespread in the fall. People can do what they want, but I refuse to be a part of that problem.

 

[itztime]

Nada.

Can't even find bleach to shock my redneck pool

In Texas we've moved from milk, eggs, toilet paper and paper towels being rare to bleach, spaghetti, and energy drinks.

StackPath

I ordered and the bleach arrived the next day.

 

[LuvNOLA]

I'm sorry man. One of my daughters, who is very well adjusted started having night terrors this past week. She hasn't seen her friends in months. She use to like school and education. She is becoming more depressed with each passing day with this home school set-up. What we are doing right now simply is NOT sustainable. I'd gladly see my grandpa die for the sake of my children. Call me callus, but it is what it is. I truly believe that are underestimating the psychological ramifications that this has on our country...especially on our children.

What???!!! I walk a dog 4 times a day, with a mask on, and nobody bothers us, or comes near us. If we see someone, I just wave, say hi & keep walking.

Why can’t your daughter go out walking with her buddies, with a mask on, and use social distancing????!!!!

Plus, we have a Gazebo with a fire pit, in the back yard, so I am working outside all day long, getting some fresh air.

BobE posted a great pic of his mom, with her buddies all sitting outside, 6-10 feet apart, yakking away and having a great time.

There has got to be a million creative ways for your daughter to get outside & not be so down in the dumps.

 

[sammymvpknight]

I acknowledge that kids going to school with PPE isnt practical. So, until this blows over, they don't go to school. If it takes a year, so be it. I'm not sending my kids to school if CV19 is still widespread in the fall. People can do what they want, but I refuse to be a part of that problem.

Many people do not have the means to keep their kids home year around. And I don't personally think that it is healthy for kids to be isolated that long. My kids will be back to school in the Fall.