COVID-19/Coronavirus: Away From The World

[jeff1818]

Originally Posted by Josh.0 If asymptomatic spread is indeed possible as we all expect, it’s virtually impossible to escape this thing.

I hope you all get on without any symptoms. The only way to truly avoid it is to shelter in place for the long-haul until a vaccine.

[gweeps]

Originally Posted by Josh.0 I’m anticipating receiving a positive test this week. The girl I’m dating’s mother has been sick and, originally, returned two negative rapid response tests. When the second one came up negative, the testing provider decided to send the results for further testing because she is showing classic, moderate/moderate-severe symptoms of COVID-19 (nothing requiring hospitalization). That test came back positive. “The girl” had been with her mom and me both (separately) for several days last week (before Thanksgiving) before the mom started showing symptoms. Now that her mom’s positive test has come back, the girl took a test today (results are expected in 2-4 days) and is quarantining with me at my place (I’m going to take mine tomorrow). I’m guessing we both have it. I have no symptoms of anything but have loaded up on Vitamin D, Zinc, Vitamin C, and baby Aspirin 81 mg. If asymptomatic spread is indeed possible as we all expect, it’s virtually impossible to escape this thing.

Sorry to hear about this. Hope you can ride it out if you have to.

[DMBCLSTJ]

Originally Posted by Josh.0 I’m anticipating receiving a positive test this week. The girl I’m dating’s mother has been sick and, originally, returned two negative rapid response tests. When the second one came up negative, the testing provider decided to send the results for further testing because she is showing classic, moderate/moderate-severe symptoms of COVID-19 (nothing requiring hospitalization). That test came back positive. “The girl” had been with her mom and me both (separately) for several days last week (before Thanksgiving) before the mom started showing symptoms. Now that her mom’s positive test has come back, the girl took a test today (results are expected in 2-4 days) and is quarantining with me at my place (I’m going to take mine tomorrow). I’m guessing we both have it. I have no symptoms of anything but have loaded up on Vitamin D, Zinc, Vitamin C, and baby Aspirin 81 mg. If asymptomatic spread is indeed possible as we all expect, it’s virtually impossible to escape this thing.

Really hope you don't have it but if you do, may it be a mild case

[Josh.0]

Thanks, all. We shall see. So far, so good.

Some great news on the vaccine front:

‘Absolutely remarkable’: No one who got Moderna's vaccine in trial developed severe COVID-19

[Only registered users can see links.]

This is particularly exciting because Moderna is the vaccine with much more practical storage capabilities.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by Josh.0 This is particularly exciting because Moderna is the vaccine with much more practical storage capabilities.

I thought both Moderna and Pfizer had to be kept in deep freeze? Oxford was the one more in line with the regular flu vaccine as far as storage.

Keep us updated on your health

[mattinmass]

One of my best friends tested positive a week and a half ago - nearly 2 weeks (11/18) - after his co-worker tested positive. He fought flu like symptoms for over a week, and then had to go to the hospital last Friday (day after Thanksgiving). Classic difficulty breathing, wasn't recovering, etc. Scary shit man - he is 43 and otherwise healthy. Sounds like they've been trying to keep him prone a lot to get the lungs working better - and pumping him full of steroids. Fingers crossed.

[gweeps]

Originally Posted by mattinmass One of my best friends tested positive a week and a half ago - nearly 2 weeks (11/18) - after his co-worker tested positive. He fought flu like symptoms for over a week, and then had to go to the hospital last Friday (day after Thanksgiving). Classic difficulty breathing, wasn't recovering, etc. Scary shit man - he is 43 and otherwise healthy. Sounds like they've been trying to keep him prone a lot to get the lungs working better - and pumping him full of steroids. Fingers crossed.

Hope your friend makes it through his ordeal.

[Josh.0]

Originally Posted by Jack I thought both Moderna and Pfizer had to be kept in deep freeze? Oxford was the one more in line with the regular flu vaccine as far as storage. Keep us updated on your health

It looks like Moderna isn’t nearly as demanding:

[Only registered users can see links.]

One big reason? One of the front-runners in the vaccine race — the one made by Pfizer — needs to be kept extremely cold: minus 70 degrees Celsius, which is colder than winter in Antarctica. Moderna has said that its vaccine needs to be frozen too, but only at minus 20 Celsius, more like a regular freezer.

[mario]

[Only registered users can see links.] :

Thirteen states have allowed unemployment benefits to fall below the poverty level of $245 a week, or $12,760 a year, according to a study released Monday by the Government Accountability Office.

The change has all occurred since the the end of July, when a federal program providing $600 in supplemental weekly benefits expired.

The CARES Act signed into law in March provided the weekly $600 payments to all unemployment benefit recipients. The amount was an attempt to bridge the difference between average weekly payments that came in at $333 per week.
[...]
In addition to regular unemployment benefits in 13 states slipping below poverty levels, a special CARES program for gig economy workers and the self-employed, called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), fared even worse. Those benefits fell below poverty levels in 29 of 41 states, according to GAO.

[mario]

Originally Posted by mario

One week later:

[Steveo Style]

Pretty crazy. It looks like NJ is flattening out. Hospitalizations only about 40% of what they were at the peak in April, though it's continuing to rise a bit. Cases and transmission rate is flattening/declining.

Let's see what happens in the next month/January after Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah

[gweeps]

A couple thoughts: it takes a while for things to hit exponential growth, so certain regions need to not get a false sense of security when cases numbers go down.

Maybe we don't need to worry as much about whether we have a vaccine that can prevent more than severe disease? If we can get some other treatments to help us manage symptoms, like we have for the flu...

[gweeps]

Wow. Grim.

[Josh.0]

Apparently 2% of random blood samples taken last December in I believe California had antibodies connected with COVID-19 in them.

Who knows when we actually got this thing in the US. Whenever it was, it was at least several months before we finally noticed and started to panic.

[DMBCLSTJ]

Originally Posted by Josh.0 Apparently 2% of random blood samples taken last December in I believe California had antibodies connected with COVID-19 in them. Who knows when we actually got this thing in the US. Whenever it was, it was at least several months before we finally noticed and started to panic.

My guess is the November time frame. There several, while anecdotal, people who I personally know that had an undiagnosed illness that had the exact same symptoms, but had multiple negative flu results. Among those people, airline pilot's and a friend who frequented China often, in November 2019 no less.

[gweeps]

Originally Posted by DMBCLSTJ My guess is the November time frame. There several, while anecdotal, people who I personally know that had an undiagnosed illness that had the exact same symptoms, but had multiple negative flu results. Among those people, airline pilot's and a friend to frequented China often, in November 2019 no less.

We know the virus was circulating in Italy back in September 2019.

[mario]

There has yet to be any evidence that either vaccine with pending EUAs prevents the vaccinated from spreading covid.

A vaccine can prevent me from getting sick but can it also prevent me from being a carrier?
Moderna and Pfizer vaccine candidates have shown high effectiveness in preventing people from getting Covid-19. [Only registered users can see links.] .

[mario]

Six million doses might be available in a couple weeks. What does that mean?

The CDC estimates there are
- 21 million healthcare personnel
- 87 million essential workers,
- 100 million adults with high-risk medical conditions and
- 53 million others 65 and older.

[Only registered users can see links.] The doctors and nurses who get the vaccine will still need to isolate from their families since they may be asymptomatic spreaders anyway.


Just a thought, maybe we should be taking some precautions now to try to reduce the spread of the virus?

[mario]

A very normal and usual message that [Only registered users can see links.] just pushed out to maybe a million people who are patients.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by mario There has yet to be any evidence that either vaccine with pending EUAs prevents the vaccinated from spreading covid. A vaccine can prevent me from getting sick but can it also prevent me from being a carrier? Moderna and Pfizer vaccine candidates have shown high effectiveness in preventing people from getting Covid-19. [Only registered users can see links.] .

Originally Posted by mario Six million doses might be available in a couple weeks. What does that mean? The CDC estimates there are - 21 million healthcare personnel - 87 million essential workers, - 100 million adults with high-risk medical conditions and - 53 million others 65 and older. [Only registered users can see links.] The doctors and nurses who get the vaccine will still need to isolate from their families since they may be asymptomatic spreaders anyway. Just a thought, maybe we should be taking some precautions now to try to reduce the spread of the virus?

There is so much misinformation going on, but I guess that is to be expected with the thirst for information on this thing. The Pfizer CEO said they already have provided plane loads of doses to states in anticipation of approval. Then I hear people say they are ready to have trucks rolling within hours of approval. Then within weeks of approval.

The part about not knowing if it protects against spread makes sense duding from how these trials work. I guess we'll know more about that soon from them purposely infecting patients who have received the vaccine. I know the Oxford people said they believed their did, whatever that actually means.

But, this is all going to be about personal responsibility. You are going to have to get this thing, or take the risk on your self. But, it is going to be required for a lot of things. Kids will need it to go to school. You'll need it to get elective surgery at the hospital. Employers will require it. So, if it doesn't protect against an inoculated person spreading it (still a big IF), it will just take a few months longer to return to some semblance of normal.