COVID-19

[wili]

There’s a high likelihood that community spread of coronavirus has been going on for weeks "at least": Outbreak expert

“How did we end up with major surveillance failure on par with Italy and Iran? Let’s talk about how that happens.”

He said that it would likely get spun as a flaw in the test kits, but it isn’t.

“It’s an interconnected communications, strategy, process, and execution failure, reflecting a serious breakdown of crisis management”...

... The key question is not ‘why didn’t CDC’s test kits work?’ It’s ‘why were flawed CDC test kits allowed to bottleneck all US testing capacity when alternatives were available?'”

Other nations have managed to make it work, and tens of thousands have been tested. In fact, the province of British Columbia in Canada has tested more people than all of the United States.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/03/theres-a-high-likelihood-that-community-spread-of-coronavirus-has-been-going-on-for-weeks-outbreak-expert/

[vox_mundi]

Developing Effective COVID-19 Treatments
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/china-recovered-develop-effective-covid-19-treatments-200302082850237.html

... The overall mortality rate among the infected is approximately 2.3 percent in China. However, according to a study on early samples that was published in The Lancet, a UK-based medical journal last week the disease killed 61.5 percent of the critically ill.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30079-5/fulltext

"The normal procedure of treating pneumonia, such as using ventilators, putting the patients on antiviral and antibacterial treatment and using steroids, has been proven relatively ineffective in treating patients reaching the last stage of the disease," the doctor told Al Jazeera.

"The unsatisfactory supply of ECMO machines and effective drugs contributed to the high mortality rate," the doctor continued, referring to the machine that provides cardiac and respiratory support to patients whose heart and lungs are failing.

... "There is only one drug right now that we think may have real efficacy and that's Remdesivir," the World Health Organization or WHO Assistant Director-General Bruce Aylward said at a press briefing in Beijing

Apart from Remdesivir, doctors in China are also putting a few other contenders into clinical trials, including chloroquine phosphate, an anti-malaria drug, after finding "apparent efficacy" in the treatment of COVID-19. Earlier, anti-HIV drugs, such as Lopinavir or Arbidor, were also included in China's diagnosis and treatment plan, which has been updated six times since the outbreak began.

None of these drugs has yet been proved to be universally applicable to every patient battling the novel coronavirus.

This problem also extends to the plasma extracted from the donated blood of those who have recovered. Earlier this month, doctors confirmed the usage of the plasma had had some use in fighting the disease, but experts remain cautious.

... Moderna, a biotech company based in the US, is leading the global race and released the first batch of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus for human use on February 24. In a statement, the company said the vials of mRNA-1273, the official name for the vaccine, had been shipped to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to be used in the Phase 1 study in the US.

The clinical trials will first take place at a research centre in Seattle among 45 volunteers and are expected to run 13 months (.. I think they meant weeks) with the main objective being to detect if the vaccine will trigger an immune system response and whether it is safe.

After Phase 1, clinical trials to actually test the vaccine's ability to resist the novel coronavirus will take place.

"The earliest efficacy trial will take an additional six to eight months, so although it is the fastest we have gone from getting the sequence of the virus to a trial, it still would not be applicable to the current epidemic unless this goes on for another year or year and a half," Anthony Fauci, the director of NIAID, said at a news conference held by US President Donald Trump last week.

------------------------------

[vox_mundi]

A Step Below Sex Criminals: San Antonio Bars People Who Were Previously Quarantined After a Mistaken Release.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/02/world/coronavirus-updates-news-covid-19.html

The mayor of San Antonio declared a “public health emergency” from coronavirus in the second-most populous city in Texas on Monday, days after a woman who had been quarantined and then released into the city later tested positive.

The declaration issued by the mayor, Ron Nirenberg, states that no previously quarantined person is allowed to enter the city “until further notice.” The move will delay the release of dozens of people who have been quarantined at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and comes after the C.D.C. mistakenly released the woman on Saturday; she went to a hotel and shopping mall before being quarantined again.

----------------------------

Trump Administration Says Medicare and Medicaid Might Not Cover All Healthcare Costs for Coronavirus Patients
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-administration-says-it-might-not-cover-all-coronavirus-healthcare-2020-3

The Trump administration said Monday that it is "looking" at what healthcare will be covered by Medicaid and Medicare as it relates to coronavirus care.

"We are looking at what we cover and clarifying the types of products and services that our programs will be able to pay for in terms of Medicare and Medicaid," Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Seema Verma said.

It opens the door to the possibility that older Americans, a demographic at greater risk, would have to pay up to receive medical treatment for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by coronavirus. Many Medicare beneficiaries are subject to a $1,408 deductible, with co-insurance that kicks in after the second month starting at $352 per day, gradually scaling upward.

"People who are subject to cost-sharing, they are less likely to use medical care, even if they need it," John Cogan, a health law expert at the University of Connecticut, told Business Insider. "This could put them at greater risk and spread the disease."

It comes a few days after the Health and Human Services secretary was forced to backtrack after refusing to say that a coronavirus vaccine would be affordable for all Americans.

[oren]

Compare Korea's response with the US response:

South Korea declares 'war' on Covid-19
More on South Korea, where cases are approaching 5,000. President Moon Jae-in said the country had begun a “war” against Covid-19 and placed all government agencies on a 24-hour alert.

He said the country was in a “critical phase” and planned to inject US$25 billion into the virus response.

“The crisis in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province reached its peak and the whole country has entered a war against the infectious disease,” Moon said.

He ordered all of the government’s organisations to shift to a “24-hour emergency situation room system”.

[nanning]

A reminder:

I'll let the poll run for a week, and then eventually remove it.

It is a week later in 5 hours.
I don't know what 'eventually' means but it would be good to have the poll removed. No biggie though. It's your forum.

[Sam]

Interestingly the CDC guidelines for infection prevention and control for COVID-19 seem to be more strict than most other jurisdictions. CDC recommend N95 masks and negative-pressure isolation at all times. WHO guidelines recommend N95 masks and negative-pressure isolation only when aerosolizing procedures (e.g., endotracheal intubation) are being performed; at other times a regular medical mask can be used. Canadian guidelines are roughly parallel to WHO guidelines.

The WHO guidelines actually make more sense given what we know about the mechanism of transmission of this disease. N95 masks and negative-pressure isolation rooms are valuable resources and need to be used rationally.

That is perhaps true if you are a health care worker who will be repeatedly exposed thousands of times, and who doesn’t mind risking ultimate exposure, illness, heart damage, lung damage, kidney damage, and death.

Yes sure, in that case, by all means use the piss poor protective recommendations from CDC. While you are at it, rely on their seemingly mostly ineffective test. 

Sam

[Sam]

There’s a high likelihood that community spread of coronavirus has been going on for weeks "at least": Outbreak expert

“How did we end up with major surveillance failure on par with Italy and Iran? Let’s talk about how that happens.”

He said that it would likely get spun as a flaw in the test kits, but it isn’t.

“It’s an interconnected communications, strategy, process, and execution failure, reflecting a serious breakdown of crisis management”...

... The key question is not ‘why didn’t CDC’s test kits work?’ It’s ‘why were flawed CDC test kits allowed to bottleneck all US testing capacity when alternatives were available?'”

Other nations have managed to make it work, and tens of thousands have been tested. In fact, the province of British Columbia in Canada has tested more people than all of the United States.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/03/theres-a-high-likelihood-that-community-spread-of-coronavirus-has-been-going-on-for-weeks-outbreak-expert/

We got here by relying on the terrible idea that we don’t want to scare people, or inconvenience them, so we rely only on PROVEN positive tests. And we do that knowing the very high false negative test rates and the known defective nature of many of the tests.

Proof in science is fine when you are trying to prove a theory. It can be a real killer when applied in real time in pandemics.

Sam

[nanning]

Wealthy turning to private jets to escape coronavirus outbreak

Firm reports rise in rich families and multinationals booking flights to lower risks

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/02/wealthy-private-jets-escape-coronavirus-outbreak
  by Rupert Neate, Wealth correspondent


Big businesses and wealthy people are chartering private jets for “evacuation flights” out of countries hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Twidell said rich families were also chartering private jets to reduce the risk of exposing their families to the virus by avoiding commercial flights and busy airports.

“Over the past few weeks, there’s undoubtedly been a rise in demand for short notice on-demand charter relating to the coronavirus Covid-19,” he said. “We’ve had a very significant number of inquiries for group evacuations and from corporates and individuals.

“Initially, inquiries were focused on evacuations from south-east Asia and other affected areas. But, increasingly, we are now seeing clients looking to take a private flight between a variety of global destinations, to avoid exposure to crowds in [commercial] cabins and airport terminals.

“In many cases, these are passengers who don’t usually fly by private aviation but are looking to protect themselves, their families and employees.”

The number of private jet flights from Hong Kong to Australia and North America in January jumped 214%, compared with the previous year, according to data from the business aviation monitoring company WingX.

[blumenkraft]

From the 'good news' section!

A 98-year-old patient recovered from coronavirus in China

Link >> https://twitter.com/eluniversocom/status/1234617854026227712?s=20

[blumenkraft]

From the 'brave people' section:

75 women graduating today from Korea's National Army Nursing Academy will head immediately to Covid-19 epicenter Daegu, where nurses have been quitting en masse. "My grandpa put his life on the line as a medic during the Korean War. For our citizens and servicemen, I'm willing to do the same now."

Link >> https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20200303036100504?section=politics/defense

[nanning]

Coronavirus: just eight out of 1,600 doctors in poll say NHS is ready

Doctors raise concern over already high demand and lack of resources in health service

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/mar/02/coronavirus-just-eight-out-of-1600-doctors-in-poll-say-nhs-is-ready
  by Denis Campbell, Health policy editor


More than 99% of 1,618 NHS medics questioned appear not to agree with the assurances given by Boris Johnson that the service will cope if it is hit by a surge in the number of people falling ill.

“The truth is the NHS has already been brought to its knees and many doctors fear that our health system simply won’t cope in the event of influx of coronavirus patients.

“With nearly 10,000 doctor vacancies and 43,000 nurse vacancies [in the NHS in England] the NHS is already understaffed to deal with demand. A&E waiting times are the worst on record. Intensive care units are at capacity and are even struggling to admit patients who are critically unwell or awaiting cancer surgery.”


[Prime Minister] Johnson said: “I think the crucial thing for the public to understand is coronavirus is of concern, it is a novel illness, but it’s something this country really amply has the resources to deal with.

“We have state-of-the-art testing facilities, we have a fantastic NHS. We will have to get through this, but believe me we are going to beat it.”


The main concerns doctors highlighted in the survey were:

• The NHS is already struggling to meet the existing need for care and so would not be able to cope with a sudden large increase in demand linked to Covid-19.
• Hospitals have too few intensive care and high-dependency care beds, those units are understaffed and there are no plans to expand such facilities.
• GP practices do not have enough appointments to ensure that patients can be seen quickly.
• Some hospitals are lacking basic equipment including face masks.
• NHS 111 is still telling some people who appear to have symptoms o Covid-19 to go to A&E or an urgent care centre, even though official advice warns against anyone with suspected coronavirus going to A&E or a GP practice.

Parmar said doctors had been “shouting this from the rooftops for some time”.

[blumenkraft]

From the 'sane politicians' section:

Andrew Cuomo, @NYGovCuomo on Twitter

BREAKING: I am announcing a new directive requiring NY health insurers to waive cost sharing associated with testing for #coronavirus, including emergency room, urgent care and office visits.

We can't let cost be a barrier to access to COVID-19 testing for any New Yorker.

Of course not universal though.

[vox_mundi]

FDA and CDC take action to increase access to respirators, including N95s, for health care personnel
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-and-cdc-take-action-increase-access-respirators-including-n95s

Today, in a joint effort, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took action to make more respirators, including certain N95s, available to health care personnel. Currently, the majority of respirators on the market are indicated for use in industrial settings. Today’s action allows certain National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved respirators not currently regulated by the FDA to be used in a health care setting by health care personnel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, thereby maximizing the number of respirators available to meet the needs of the U.S. health care system.

The FDA concluded that respirators approved by NIOSH, but not currently meeting the FDA’s requirements, may be effective in preventing health care personnel from airborne exposure, including COVID-19, which can cause serious or life-threatening disease, including severe respiratory illness. Given the increased demand and supply challenges on the availability of respirators, today’s EUA helps to provide alternatives that can enable more health care personnel to have access to this potentially lifesaving personal protective equipment. This action is the result of the close collaboration between the FDA and the CDC to prioritize access to needed medical products during this outbreak to support health care personnel.

The FDA and CDC are aware that as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to expand globally, the supply chain for these devices will continue to be substantially stressed as demand exceeds available supplies. Under the circumstances of this emergency, nationwide shortages are anticipated. The FDA and CDC are taking steps to address the observed and anticipated shortages by expanding the use of respirators that are NIOSH approved, but do not currently meet FDA regulatory requirements.

While the EUA today can help increase the availability of certain NIOSH-approved respirators to health care personnel, this EUA does not apply to the public, who should not wear these respirators to protect against COVID-19.

(... except if your net worth is North of $100 million or you 'own' a senator or president)

There is no added health benefit to the general American public to wear a respiratory protective device (such as an N95 respirator). The immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low. The CDC recommends everyday preventive actions, such as hand washing, to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.

--------------------------

US state Georgia confirms first two coronavirus cases

The U.S. state of Georgia has confirmed its first two cases of the coronavirus disease, said Governor Brian Kemp.

The two patients are from the same household, state officials said. One of them had traveled to Milan, Italy, they added.

------------------------------



------------------------------


Positive cases outside of China

------------------------------

Washington State Governor Says People ‘Should Start To Think About Avoiding Large Events’
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/03/coronavirus-live-updates-china-reports-125-new-cases-as-its-numbers-drop.html

Washington Governor Jay Inslee said that residents “should start to think about avoiding large events and assemblies” as the coronavirus outbreak in the state worsens. Local health officials are currently not making a request for events to be canceled, Inslee said during a press briefing. “The people should be prepared for that possibility and need to be thinking about it,” he added.

-------------------------------

Trump Defends Holding Campaign Rallies Even as Coronavirus Spreads
https://www.cnn.com/cnn/2020/03/02/politics/trump-coronavirus-response-rallies/index.html

President Donald Trump said Monday he thinks it's "very safe" to continue hosting crowded campaign rallies around the country even as his administration contends with a growing outbreak of coronavirus in the United States.

"These were set up a long time ago," the President said in the Oval Office when asked if it was a good idea to proceed with his planned rally on Monday evening in North Carolina.

Trump insisted his campaign rallies, which can bring thousands of supporters into contained spaces, did not pose a risk.

"I think it's very safe," he said in the Oval Office, where he was hosting Colombia's President.

[silkman]

Food and Drug Administration issues emergency authorization on healthcare workers' masks.

https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/digital-images/org/1c1c7230-5fa0-46a1-b613-7fb409520f9f.jpg

An ambulance driver prepares to transport a patient from the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington on February 29, where multiple staff and residents have reportedly exhibited coronavirus-like symptoms. David Ryder/Getty Images

[vox_mundi]

US Shoppers Are Panic-Buying Goods Amid Coronavirus Fears — Here's What Will Likely Sell Out First
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-update-photos-of-empty-shelves-in-us-stores-2020-2#many-home-depot-stores-have-posted-signs-limiting-customers-to-10-masks-per-purchase-5
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-what-to-buy-top-selling-items-2020-2

US shoppers have started stocking up on masks, hand sanitizer, oat milk, nutrition bars, and more, according to Nielsen data.

US sales of hand sanitizer soared 428% in the week ending January 25 compared with the same period last year.

Some supply shortages may now be spreading to the US, as consumers rush to stock up on medical supplies and shelf-stable foods.

https://mobile.twitter.com/PrzemekPalka/status/1233051304576069632

https://mobile.twitter.com/KevinlyFather/status/1233915315215450112

So what are people buying, exactly?

Nielsen data shows spikes in sales of masks, thermometers, and many shelf-stable foods starting as early as January in the US.

Here's the list of products that saw some of the biggest sales increases in the week ending January 25 — which is the most recent data available — compared to the same week in 2019, according to Nielsen Retail Measurement Services. 

[Tom_Mazanec]

A reminder:

I'll let the poll run for a week, and then eventually remove it.

It is a week later in 5 hours.
I don't know what 'eventually' means but it would be good to have the poll removed. No biggie though. It's your forum.

It turned out to be a waste of time.
No consensus.

[blumenkraft]

From the 'Bernie is always on the right side of history' section:

David Sirota, @davidsirota on Twitter:

When I worked for @BernieSanders 20 yrs ago, he & Wellstone pushed a bill to make sure drug companies couldn't profiteer off something like a coronavirus vaccine.

The bill passed the House.

@JoeBiden helped the GOP & pharma lobbyists kill it in the Senate.

https://mobile.twitter.com/davidsirota/status/1234539927880077313

[vox_mundi]

Public data on the number of patients tested in the US for coronavirus was removed from the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to a congressman, who has written to ask questions about it.

Mark Pocan, a Democratic party congressman, writes that until 1 March, the CDC reported publicly on its website on the number of travel-related Covid-19 cases, the total number of people tested and the number of deaths.

“Inexplicably, today, the CDC’s public webpage dedicated to Covid-19 data no longer displays how many persons have been tested for, or who have died, from Covid-19. I would like to know why,” he writes.

https://mobile.twitter.com/repmarkpocan/status/1234640186966978567

https://mobile.twitter.com/JuddLegum/status/1234536619270688768

----------------------------

... Just like climate change - hide the bad news

[Alexander555]

Looks bad. https://english.mojahedin.org/i/iran-covid19-coronavirus-20200302?fbclid=IwAR0uPfbId1hLs8aJaJcbjTNuljxDf2n2-Ia9pb03l8avC2XMfpeqTPwsv50

[vox_mundi]

^ that would suggest 25-50,000 cases

-----------------------------

New cases reported as South Korea outbreak continues to grow
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 374 new coronavirus cases in its midday update on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the KCDC reported 600 confirmed cases from 24 hours prior.

This brings the total number of cases in the country to 5,186, making it the largest outbreak outside China

[pietkuip]

Looks bad. https://english.mojahedin.org/i/iran-covid19-coronavirus-20200302?fbclid=IwAR0uPfbId1hLs8aJaJcbjTNuljxDf2n2-Ia9pb03l8avC2XMfpeqTPwsv50

The reason that Swedish health authorities gave for suspending flights from Iran is that they do not get satisfactory answers from the authorities there.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-sweden-iran/sweden-suspends-flights-to-and-from-iran-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak-idUSS3N28J00B

[Alexander555]

Looks bad. https://english.mojahedin.org/i/iran-covid19-coronavirus-20200302?fbclid=IwAR0uPfbId1hLs8aJaJcbjTNuljxDf2n2-Ia9pb03l8avC2XMfpeqTPwsv50

The reason that Swedish health authorities gave for suspending flights from Iran is that they do not get satisfactory answers from the authorities there.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-sweden-iran/sweden-suspends-flights-to-and-from-iran-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak-idUSS3N28J00B

That's six weeks to late.

[vox_mundi]

World Pharmaceutical Supplier India Restricts Export of Some Ingredients, Drugs
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-idUSKBN20Q0ZZ

India, the world’s main supplier of generic drugs, has restricted the export of 26 pharmaceutical ingredients and drugs made from them, including paracetamol, as concern mounted the coronavirus outbreak could turn into a pandemic.

Indian pharma companies get almost 70% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for their medicines from China, Reuters reports.

Already, the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted businesses dependent on Chinese supplies and industry professionals say Indian generic drugmakers are likely to face supply shortages from China if the epidemic drags on.

“Export of specified APIs and formulations made from these APIs... is hereby ‘restricted’ with immediate effect and till further orders,”

The list given by the government included 26 APIs and formulations, which amount to 10% of all exports.

“Irrespective of the ban (restrictions), some of these molecules may face shortages for the next couple of months,” Dinesh Dua, chairman, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (pharmexcil), told Reuters.

A notification issued by the DGFT on March 3, 2020 has put restriction on export of paracetamol (acetaminophen), tinidazole, metronidazole, acyclovir, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, progesterone, chloramphenicol, erythromycin salts, neomycin, clindamycin salts, ornidazole APIs and their formulations with immediate effect and till further orders.

China has accounted for 67.56 per cent of India's total imports of bulk drugs and drug intermediates at US$ 2,405.42 million in 2018-19

[philopek]

https://www.facebook.com/leala.kalifah/videos/2458502754401557/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDczMDQ3MTMyODozMDY5MjEzODkzMTEyOTMw/?eid=ARAY2HzYkYVdS8tTQaDBllTY5S9PWP9CLnXu_vYcNHQuuTrwyGttg1HEzCUkE2ATqWMa5mURv8pqk3ec

[philopek]

Just imagine everyone if all this Energy, Effort, Money or whatever else would be used to fight something that really matters.

For example to fight "Global Warming"

For example to stop exploitation of everything, fauna, flora, people and the entire planet?

Are you aware that by discussing this bullshit hyped nothing you just help with the diversion
from the real problems that is exactly what this hype was built up for among other things?

This thread among a few others disqualify a many and a lot of the good and important stuff on this forum.

You can all be sure that it restrain from posting about 1000 times before i have to say somehting again.

Interesting in all the threads that leas nowhere and bias as well as "denial" of facts prevail
it's always the same people at the front and they are so nice sounding and social and mostly friendly like if the facts of life would be nice and friendly and or could be opposed in a nice and friendly manner.

Believe me, i'm fully aware of me being a minority and that there is no way of changing anything, hence writing this is probably a mistake, but then so what. If i had a say I would simply
lock this and a few other threads that only contribute to make the scheme of the ruling powers
work as planned.

[BeeKnees]

https://www.facebook.com/leala.kalifah/videos/2458502754401557/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDczMDQ3MTMyODozMDY5MjEzODkzMTEyOTMw/?eid=ARAY2HzYkYVdS8tTQaDBllTY5S9PWP9CLnXu_vYcNHQuuTrwyGttg1HEzCUkE2ATqWMa5mURv8pqk3ec

Belittling the long term effects of Measles by only focusing on how many die is daft.  25% end up in hospital due to complications.  Similar numbers to those that die end up blind or deaf or brain damaged.

Added to that there is this little nugget:
The measles virus can kill cells that make antibodies, and thus weakens the immune system which can cause deaths from other diseases.  Suppression of the immune system by measles lasts about two years and has been epidemiologically implicated in up to 90% of childhood deaths in 3rd world countries.

Measles is a nasty illness, comparing it to the huge number of bacteria and viruses that are largely benign is just silly.

[Pmt111500]

https://www.facebook.com/leala.kalifah/videos/2458502754401557/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDczMDQ3MTMyODozMDY5MjEzODkzMTEyOTMw/?eid=ARAY2HzYkYVdS8tTQaDBllTY5S9PWP9CLnXu_vYcNHQuuTrwyGttg1HEzCUkE2ATqWMa5mURv8pqk3ec

Philopek obviously wants all diseases that do not kill him.

[vox_mundi]

British Government Launches Planning Document on Coronavirus
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan/coronavirus-action-plan-a-guide-to-what-you-can-expect-across-the-uk

Police and fire services will only respond to the most serious call-outs if their staff fall ill through coronavirus, the British government has warned, in a key planning document setting out how ministers would deal with an escalating outbreak.

The 28-page action plan envisages that up to a fifth of the national workforce could be absent from work, schools could close and elderly people would be advised not to attend social gatherings.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/869827/Coronavirus_action_plan_-_a_guide_to_what_you_can_expect_across_the_UK.pdf

The measures would be rolled out only if the virus moved beyond the currently designated “contain phase”.

The plan also states there could be an increase in deaths arising from the outbreak, particularly among vulnerable and elderly groups, and that local authorities will need help to deal with that challenge, presumably in relation to morgue capacity.

It also proposes that businesses facing short-term cashflow because of low demand from customers could ask the HMRC how to avoid falling behind with tax. And it says that if NHS staff numbers are affected, some non-urgent care may be delayed and retired healthcare professionals brought back on duty.

--------------------------

British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson is asked about whether he is prepared to deploy the army and police.

The police are there, he replies, but the army is of course always ready to back them.

“That is under the reasonable worst case scenario,” he adds.

--------------------------

... In reality, the proportion of the population who will get infected is likely to be lower, and probably much lower, than 80 percent.

... There will come a time when the official reaction to the virus will move beyond a phase of “containing” it, adds Whitty.

This will come when so many people are affected in Britain and around the world so as to make it sensible to end that phase of planning.

“There will come a point... when containing ceases to make sense. We haven’t reached that point but we could reach that point,” he added.

---------------------------

British supermarkets have drawn up “feed the nation” contingency plans that would help the country cope with any panic-buying brought on by a sudden escalation of the outbreak.

Under the plans, supermarkets would work with suppliers to scale back the variety of foods and groceries available, and instead focus on maintaining supplies of staple products.

---------------------------

[vox_mundi]

Iran to Deploy Armed Forces to Combat Virus as Death Toll Jumps to 77
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3064808/coronavirus-iran-deploy-armed-forces-combat-outbreak-death

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the Islamic Republic’s armed forces to assist its Health Ministry in combating the spread of the new coronavirus.

"Whatever helps public health and prevents the spread of the disease is good and what helps to spread it is sin," Khamenei said.

Authorities plan to mobilise 300,000 soldiers and volunteers to confront the epidemic

77 people have died and 2,336 have been infected by the coronavirus in Iran

Iran has the highest number of deaths from the coronavirus outside China

-------------------------------

India Confirms New Coronavirus Case https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus-deaths-china-cases-slow-live-updates-200303003539680.html

An Italian national tested positive for coronavirus in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, a major tourist destination, a hospital official said on Monday,

This brings the number of people who have tested positive in the country to six.

----------------------------

France Shuts Over 100 Schools in Bid to Contain Coronavirus
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus-deaths-china-cases-slow-live-updates-200303003539680.html

French officials have closed about 120 schools in areas that have reported the largest numbers of coronavirus infections, and more could be closed in the coming days, Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said

------------------------

Germany Reports 31 New Cases
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus-deaths-china-cases-slow-live-updates-200303003539680.html

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany rose to 188 on Tuesday, up from 157 on Monday afternoon, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said.

[pietkuip]

From The Guardian:

"[Iranian] state television quoted a lawmaker as saying 23 members of parliament now had the virus."

[Archimid]

"Whatever helps public health and prevents the spread of the disease is good and what helps to spread it is sin,

This is the general attitude that must be maintained to stop a virus like this. This type of thinking can also lead to atrocities in the name of the common good. Medical ethics are now more important than ever and politicians are most tempted to be unethical now.

[vox_mundi]

Trump Suggests Using Flu Vaccine On Coronavirus and is Instantly Corrected By Health Experts: ‘No’
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-coronavirus-flu-vaccine-us-pandemic-meeting-leonard-schleifer-a9371286.html?amp

President appears to not understand basic information about vaccine testing

Donald Trump asked medical experts if coronavirus could be treated with a flu vaccine that already exists at a meeting with pharmaceutical executives on Monday.

However, the president appeared to not understand basic information about how a vaccine is tested or produced and had to be repeatedly corrected by public health officials.

When Leonard Schleifer, the CEO of biotechnology company Regeneron, noted that millions of people are vaccinated for the flu, Mr Trump interrupted and asked if the same vaccine could be used for coronavirus.

“You take a solid flu vaccine, you don't think that would have an impact, or much of an impact, on corona?” he said.

“No… probably none,” Mr Schleifer replied.

-----------------------------

President Trump told a rally crowd Monday night that he lectured drug executives, visiting the White House to discuss the coronavirus, that they need to reduce annual deaths from the flu.

“I actually told the pharmaceutical companies you have to do a little bit better job on that vaccine,” Trump said in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“You lose 27,000 people to the common flu. It can be much more,” Trump said. “One year it went up to 100,000 people. I said nobody told me that. Nobody knew that.”

---------------------------

As Bart Simpson would say:

... "No offense but what you don't know could fill a warehouse."

---------------------------

President Trump spoke about his efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus in the United States during a rally on Monday evening in Charlotte, N.C.:

... "My administration is also taking the most aggressive action in modern history to protect Americans from the coronavirus. You know about this whole thing, horrible. Including sweeping travel restrictions. Today, we met with the big great pharmaceutical companies, and they’re really working hard and they’re working smart, and we had some — we had a great meeting today with a lot of the great companies and they could have vaccines I think relatively soon"

... "And they’re going to have something that makes you better, and that’s going to actually take place we think even sooner. So it’s — a lot of good things are happening. But we have strong borders and really are tough, and early actions have really been proven to be 100 percent right. We went out, we’re doing everything in our power to keep the sick and infected people from coming into our country. We’re working on that very hard."

He later added:

... "We’re going to reduce the severity of what’s happening. The duration of the virus, we discussed all of these things, we will bring these therapies to market as rapidly as possible. And I have to say with a thriving economy, the way it is, and the most advanced health system on Earth, America is so resilient, we know what we’re doing. We have the greatest people on Earth, the greatest health system on Earth."

-----------------------

[Gray-Wolf]

There are times I worry......

https://www.resilience.org/stories/2020-03-03/covid-19-the-black-swan-is-circling/

[edmountain]

That is perhaps true if you are a health care worker who will be repeatedly exposed thousands of times, and who doesn’t mind risking ultimate exposure, illness, heart damage, lung damage, kidney damage, and death.

Yes sure, in that case, by all means use the piss poor protective recommendations from CDC. While you are at it, rely on their seemingly mostly ineffective test. 

Sam

What a strangely angry response. If the CDC IPC guidelines are "piss poor" I am curious what you think of the guidelines from the WHO, Health Canada, and other jurisdictions which are actually less strict than those from the CDC.

[Tor Bejnar]

I'm glad I claimed my post yesterday afternoon should be considered "gossip".  This morning that coworker admitted to misreading an e-mail, something like: "Covid 19 Infections in Florida" - Edit: see FDOH Covid-19 website header, copied below.  The following is more likely accurate (via Cat 6 blog)

... Across Florida, more than 20 people have been tested for coronavirus, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday. Eight of those tests are pending. The state is monitoring nearly 200 people for symptoms. In total, about 800 have been monitored.

[Sigmetnow]

From vox_mundi post above:

Washington State Governor Says People ‘Should Start To Think About Avoiding Large Events’
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/03/coronavirus-live-updates-china-reports-125-new-cases-as-its-numbers-drop.html

Washington Governor Jay Inslee said that residents “should start to think about avoiding large events and assemblies” as the coronavirus outbreak in the state worsens. Local health officials are currently not making a request for events to be canceled, Inslee said during a press briefing. “The people should be prepared for that possibility and need to be thinking about it,” he added.

——-
March 1, 2020  U.S., Washington state:

Andrea S. James on Twitter: "Someone I know closely is in Kirkland w/fever, chills, headache, nausea. Nurse @ Evergreen hosp (site of 1st US covid-19 death) tells her not to worry unless she’s in contact with an infected person, and not to come to hospital, just drink fluids. Does not advise quarantine.”
https://mobile.twitter.com/andreasjames/status/1234274499148693505
  "Can @WADeptHealth pls help me to understand public health rationale? Ppl in Kirkland have no idea if they’ve been near infected person. My friend is in 20s, healthy, feeling the sickest of her whole life. Called hospital: No quarantine, carry on, call back if you feel worse.”
 
  "@WADeptHealth In light of this, seems irresponsible:”

Trevor Bedford: This strongly suggests that there has been cryptic transmission in Washington State for the past 6 weeks. 3/9

https://mobile.twitter.com/trvrb/status/1233970559257468928
[Thread at the link.]

[Archimid]

Don't know if this isi legit, but here it goes:

The Epidemiological Characteristics of an Outbreak of 2019 Novel
Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) — China, 2020

https://newsus.cgtn.com/news/files/COVID-19.pdf

A  total  of  72,314  patient  records—44,672
(61.8%)  confirmed  cases,  16,186  (22.4%)  suspected
cases,  10,567  (14.6%)  clinically  diagnosed  cases
(Hubei  Province  only),  and  889  asymptomatic  cases
(1.2%)—contributed  data  for  the  analysis.  Among
confirmed cases, most were aged 30–79 years (86.6%),
diagnosed  in  Hubei  (74.7%),  and  considered  mild
(80.9%).  A  total  of  1,023  deaths  occurred  among
confirmed cases for an overall case fatality rate of 2.3%.
The COVID-19 spread outward from Hubei Province
sometime  after  December  2019,  and  by  February  11,
2020,  1,386  counties  across  all  31  provinces  were
affected.  The  epidemic  curve  of  onset  of  symptoms
peaked  around  January  23–26,  then  began  to  decline
leading  up  to  February  11.  A  total  of  1,716  health
workers have become infected and 5 have died (0.3%).

[Alexander555]

Local transmission in New York. https://nypost.com/2020/03/03/bronx-jewish-day-school-closes-for-suspected-coronavirus-case/?fbclid=IwAR1S7u8ppby9Mx18StjBwAqSWNztqIVefQ31NARDvreC0wXdpXDhHqA-YdE

[Shared Humanity]

That is perhaps true if you are a health care worker who will be repeatedly exposed thousands of times, and who doesn’t mind risking ultimate exposure, illness, heart damage, lung damage, kidney damage, and death.

Yes sure, in that case, by all means use the piss poor protective recommendations from CDC. While you are at it, rely on their seemingly mostly ineffective test. 

Sam

What a strangely angry response. If the CDC IPC guidelines are "piss poor" I am curious what you think of the guidelines from the WHO, Health Canada, and other jurisdictions which are actually less strict than those from the CDC.

From his posts, Sam has to be a medical professional with infectious disease knowledge as he questions many of the statements made by the experts and almost all of the data is suspect due to efforts to conceal the seriousness of the pandemic. We know how doctors can have poor bedside manner and this must be the reason for the tone of some of his comments.

[AbruptSLR]

The attached image shows the number of COVID-19 tests and tests per population for the indicated countries as of March 2, 2020.  The US appears to be acting like a poor third world country with regard to its COVID-19 testing program to date:

[Sigmetnow]

"It is a new virus, and it is capable of person-to-person spread," she said. "If sustained person-to-person spread in the community takes hold outside China, this will increase the likelihood that the WHO will deem it a global pandemic."
Top CDC official tells Congress coronavirus almost qualifies as a global pandemic
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/03/top-cdc-official-tells-congress-coronavirus-almost-qualifies-as-a-global-pandemic.html

"Supplies are rapidly depleting. WHO estimates that each month 89 million medical masks will be required for the COVID-19 response, 76 million examination gloves and 1.6 million goggles."
WHO officials make urgent plea for medical gear: 'Supplies are rapidly depleting'
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/03/who-officials-make-urgent-plea-for-medical-gear-supplies-are-rapidly-depleting.html

”The Federal Reserve announced an emergency rate cut Tuesday of half a percentage point in response to the growing economic threat from the novel coronavirus.
The move was the first such cut since December 2008, during the financial crisis.”
Fed cuts rates by half a percentage point to combat coronavirus slowdown
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/03/fed-cuts-rates-by-half-a-percentage-point-to-combat-coronavirus-slowdown.html

Edit:  more:
"Central banks are pulling out a playbook that was designed to deal with financial problems and not to deal with public health problems. So I really think they're like a fish out of the water here. They have no idea how to contain or even to understand what may be about to happen in the public health area or the U.S. economy's response to that."
Fed is a 'fish out of the water' in fight against coronavirus, former Morgan Stanley chief economist says
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/03/fed-is-a-fish-out-of-the-water-in-fight-against-coronavirus-former-morgan-stanley-chief-economist-says.html

[Sebastian Jones]

This Twitter thread fro the Seattle area in America is very disturbing. Sick people who appear to have many of the Covid 19 symptoms are not getting testied or treated. It paints a picture of a health care system in disarray. Almost as disturbing as the fear and helplessness on display is the callous acceptance by some that the American system cannot possibly test all who need testing.
https://twitter.com/into_the_brush/status/1234685467682979840?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjc18y&refsrc=email

[Pmt111500]

Thanks again Archimid, for the Chinese study on this. It's of course a terrible read, but the situation has been and is terrible. And they're taking very extensive measures there. I wonder if this had started in Europe before Christmas (say, in a large city in Poland), would we be in a better situation at all.

[Alexander555]

Health system in northern Italy stretched to the limit. 10 % of medical staff already infected. https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0006393527

[Archimid]

the American system cannot possibly test all who need testing.

It most certainly can. It chooses not to.

Like with most diseases, the earlier these cases are caught, the better the likely outcome. Lack of testing means that people will not get adequate treatment in time. The US will have a very high fatality, thanks to Trump.

I pray summer limits this gross mishandling of the situation.

[Alexander555]

the American system cannot possibly test all who need testing.

It most certainly can. It chooses not to.

Like with most diseases, the earlier these cases are caught, the better the likely outcome. Lack of testing means that people will not get adequate treatment in time. The US will have a very high fatality, thanks to Trump.

I pray summer limits this gross mishandling of the situation.

It's the democrat states that bring in almost all the cases, the open border states. Just look to Europe, they left all the borders open. Italy is already a disaster. Cases are going up fast in France and Germany. Today we had our first case of local transmission here in Belgium. It's the same lobbyists that you had from the anti-brexit camp. This is there next disaster.

[Zinc_wit]

the American system cannot possibly test all who need testing.

It most certainly can. It chooses not to.

Like with most diseases, the earlier these cases are caught, the better the likely outcome. Lack of testing means that people will not get adequate treatment in time. The US will have a very high fatality, thanks to Trump.

I pray summer limits this gross mishandling of the situation.

It's the democrat states that bring in almost all the cases, the open border states. Just look to Europe, they left all the borders open. Italy is already a disaster. Cases are going up fast in France and Germany. Today we had our first case of local transmission here in Belgium. It's the same lobbyists that you had from the anti-brexit camp. This is there next disaster.

It sort of surprised me it took so long before we had infections over here (belgium), wonder if the people will respond similar to germany with the panic buying, feels weird when it's not just a discussion on a forum but an hour away from you.

[Alexander555]

I think Europe will become one big Wuhan, with Belgium as the epicenter

[pietkuip]

A man in Spain died three weeks ago.

Now the test shows the corona virus, says regional health chief Ana Barcelo in Valencia.

[Tor Bejnar]

...
It's the democrat states that bring in almost all the cases, the open border states. ...

Is this a reference to states (in the US) I wish were Democratic-leaning, like Florida (2 cases) and Georgia (2 cases), but aren't?

Map of states with confirmed cases (from National Public Radio):