General Coronavirus chit chat thread - non-travel specific

[Flying mermaid]

I occasionally follow the blog of a 24-25 yo American (SFO) athlete/marathoner because a couple years ago he took off for several months wandering around a number of interesting spots throughout Europe and had lots of suggestions and pics of neat places.

He hasn't put anything up for quite a while until today where he related about a month or so ago he had symptoms of a cold but nothing serious, no shortness of breath, a bit of a temperature and thought nothing of it.

Today's entry was him in a hospital bed relating how he lost 5 days of his life in ICU, induced coma, and intubation with Covid-19.

He lives in San Francisco?

 

[p--and--t]

He lives in San Francisco?

Not sure exactly but majority of his posts for the last 12 months are him running around San Francisco and scenery around the bridge & short weekend holidays around California

 

[Flying mermaid]

Not sure exactly but majority of his posts for the last 12 months are him running around San Francisco and scenery around the bridge.

That’s worrying with someone who sounds young, fit and healthy. . SFO was one of the ones to lockdown really early as well.

 

[Flashback]

That’s worrying with someone who sounds young, fit and healthy. . SFO was one of the ones to lockdown really early as well.

Yep, that's why my cousin and partner left just before and have been flitting between their other houses in Lake Tahoe and Palm Springs instead, that's worked well for them.

 

[p--and--t]

That’s worrying with someone who sounds young, fit and healthy. . SFO was one of the ones to lockdown really early as well.

Its interesting looking at the USA stats on a daily graph. The figures are always much lower on weekends. Seems some of the staff monitioring the outbreak, doing counting and followup don't work weekends.

Also the average daily deaths across the nation (US) has not changed since around April 8th - hovering around average 1800-2000 a day and new cases hovering around +/-30,000 a day without seemingly any green shoots of a recovery phase. Tests per million of population also relatively low compared to many nations.

Australia isn't anywhere near the leaders of the pack in the testing stakes as well.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Its interesting looking at the USA stats on a daily graph. The figures are always much lower on weekends. Seems some of the staff monitioring the outbreak, doing counting and followup don't work weekends.

Also the average daily deaths across the nation (US) has not changed since around April 8th - hovering around average 1800-2000 a day and new cases hovering around +/-30,000 a day without seemingly any green shoots of a recovery phase. Tests per million of population also relatively low compared to many nations.

Australia isn't anywhere near the leaders of the pack in the testing stakes as well.

Yes I had noticed that as well. Some of the European countries you see a similar pattern.

my son in San Francisco feels he will be working from home for at least another month and possibly a lot longer. He is in despair about what is happening in the USA with states opening up in such an ad hoc way. At least California is trying to do it in more controlled fashion.

UAE has done a crazy number of tests per million! We are still better than USA and UK. I don’t have any problem with the current testing regime here - they have done an amazing job with testing and contact tracing, which is why we are in a good position. Will be interesting to see how things go in the next 3 weeks with the easing of restrictions.

 

[DC3]

Its interesting looking at the USA stats on a daily graph. The figures are always much lower on weekends. Seems some of the staff monitioring the outbreak, doing counting and followup don't work weekends.

Also the average daily deaths across the nation (US) has not changed since around April 8th - hovering around average 1800-2000 a day and new cases hovering around +/-30,000 a day without seemingly any green shoots of a recovery phase. Tests per million of population also relatively low compared to many nations ....

Have all of the states in the US started counting coronavirus-related deaths outside of hospitals (e.g., at home, nursing homes, prisons, other institutions, on the streets, etc,) as yet? I recall that these deaths were not being counted as part of the coronavirus stats at one stage, with some states doing it somewhat differently to others.

 

[p--and--t]

Have all of the states in the US started counting coronavirus-related deaths outside of hospitals (e.g., at home, nursing homes, prisons, other institutions, on the streets, etc,) as yet? I recall that these deaths were not being counted as part of the coronavirus stats at one stage, with some states doing it somewhat differently to others.

I don't think you can rely on any published figures for any country to be 100% accurate, (more like indicative) and most spectacularly for the USA with 50 states doing their own thing with no dedicated national taskforce, with insufficient resources, and no national consensus mechanism.

 

[get me outta here]

“Foreign diplomats arriving in Australia have been granted exemptions from strict hotel quarantine rules to quarantine at home, while one diplomat had to be "counselled" for breaching self-isolation rules.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne has told the Senate her department is aware of one case of a breach of rules, but didn't say which country the diplomat was from, or how officials became aware of the breach”.

Canberra Times

 

[DC3]

I don't think you can rely on any published figures for any country to be 100% accurate, (more like indicative) and most spectacularly for the USA with 50 states doing their own thing with no dedicated national taskforce, with insufficient resources, and no national consensus mechanism.

I guess that I should be watching more of FOX NEWS (Hannity, etc) to get the real picture.

 

[drron]

You stated that we need to be in the real world in replying to me.

But yet you live in a world of where there were enough tests to test all the returning travellers to Australia. This was not so.

So those responsible made real world decisions to put in place a quarantine process that that they had the resources and tests to implement. (As I have also stated as test supply improves who gets tested increases).

From what I have read there does not seem to have cases of people who were quarantined adequately infecting people after release.

And someone testing positive does not mean they are still contagious. Your posts seem to imply that all Covid 19 positive people are contagious.

Though I have given you the experience in SA where they test people soon after arrival at the hotel and again after.Those that were negative and then positive are likely to be infectious.
Also the case yesterday in Tasmania's South.Quarantined on arrival from interstate and tested prior to release and positive.

Now certainly in the beginning there was a lack of testing ability and a lot of arrivals.However mandatory hotel quarantine began on 20/3 meaning they would leave hotel quarantine on 3/4.Yet on 2/4 Australia had tested 1% of the population- the first country to reach this milestone.

Australia’s world first achievement in coronavirus testing

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia has become the first country in the world to test 1 per cent of its entire population for the coronavirus.

www.news.com.au

So by 2/4 they had the capacity to test patients leaving quarantine yet there is the case I keep going back to of the woman who tested positive in SA despite having symptoms whilst in quarantine in Sydney but not tested.FAILURE.

 

[drron]

I don't think you can rely on any published figures for any country to be 100% accurate, (more like indicative) and most spectacularly for the USA with 50 states doing their own thing with no dedicated national taskforce, with insufficient resources, and no national consensus mechanism.

The USA has the same problem as Australia.There is a National Covid taskforce led by VP Pence.However the states control whether there is lockdown or not.The Federal Government can only advise.just like Australia.

 

[DC3]

The USA has the same problem as Australia.There is a National Covid taskforce led by VP Pence.However the states control whether there is lockdown or not.The Federal Government can only advise.just like Australia.

That would be the POTUS.

 

[p--and--t]

The USA has the same problem as Australia.There is a National Covid taskforce led by VP Pence.However the states control whether there is lockdown or not.The Federal Government can only advise.just like Australia.

You mean the one that was disbanded and then reverted over 48hours and sent 270 broken faulty ventilators that had to be rebuilt because the governor had the temerity to criticise the president. The VP who intimated if people prayed more they wouldn't have such a big problem.

 

[Pushka]

SBS news service showed the tragedy of the homeless in USA. It is heartbreaking. I don't know where the world is right now.

 

[DC3]

You mean the one that was disbanded and then reverted over 48hours and sent 270 broken faulty ventilators that had to be rebuilt because the governor had the temerity to criticise the president. The VP who intimated if people prayed more they wouldn't have such a big problem.

View attachment 217356

He thought that you wore it as you would wear eye shades?

 

[drron]

Again the value of masks is not for the well to stop them getting a virus but to reduce the chance of the infected spreading their virus.So Pence was not as stupid as many imply for not wearing the simple surgical mask shown in the picture.The most important person wearing a mask is the guy in bed.

Then you have the policing of lockdown in NYC.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1257336067453259776

And then Victorian policeman breaking distancing laws moving on a homeless woman from a park bench.Heartless.
.

 

[p--and--t]

Again the value of masks is not for the well to stop them getting a virus but to reduce the chance of the infected spreading their virus.So Pence was not as stupid as many imply for not wearing the simple surgical mask shown in the picture.The most important person wearing a mask is the guy in bed.

Then you have the policing of lockdown in NYC.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1257336067453259776

And then Victorian policeman breaking distancing laws moving on a homeless woman from a park bench.Heartless.
.

The point wasn't whether to wear a mask or not (which was the centre rules and he was asked to do and refused), it was the illogical (some might say stupid) answer he gave making an excuse why he wouldn't wear one.

Not sure why you had to distract with a non-associated event to justify your post

 

[DC3]

Again the value of masks is not for the well to stop them getting a virus but to reduce the chance of the infected spreading their virus.So Pence was not as stupid as many imply for not wearing the simple surgical mask shown in the picture ....

Yes, but it was more about the mask being expected to be worn at the facility, as I understood it, and as worn by others. He chose not to abide by this. As though he is above such things?

Not to mention the reason, later provided, was so as he could look them in the eye.

Edit: Maybe not as stupid, but not a good look, putting it mildly. More about perception rather than a health need. I would have not have expected the POTUS-type behaviour that was exhibited

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The USA has the same problem as Australia.There is a National Covid taskforce led by VP Pence.However the states control whether there is lockdown or not.The Federal Government can only advise.just like Australia.

Same problem? I think it's an advantage! Each state can tailor to their specific circumstances and strategies. Despite the best efforts of the media, some premiers have extraordinarily high approval ratings for their of handling the pandemic.