General Coronavirus chit chat thread - non-travel specific

[lovetravellingoz]

I know that the media want to try and fuel panic buying, but I as part of my normal weekly shop went to two supermarkets this afternoon (the second is an Asian themed one which is very good for fresh vegetables, as well as all sorts of speciality Asian cooking ingredients) and both were pretty normal.

You would hope that people would understand by now that there are ample supplies. But stupidity has not been a rare thing in this pandemic.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

At least they will be tested twice before release to the rest of Australia.

Which is relevant why?

If they complete 14 days symptom free who cares. Hope those who test positive don't mind being locked up for longer.

 

[drron]

And 5 people in the NT caught breaching isolation.At least 3 of them from Melbourne.

Pair went on cruise in Kakadu instead of quarantine, police say

Police in the Northern Territory are “extremely” disappointed after multiple breaches of coronavirus restrictions including a pair who went on a cruise instead of staying in quarantine.

www.news.com.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Essendon player Conor McKenna has tested negative again

Given the number of tests performed it may be that he had a very mild case of Covid 19.

 

[Pushka]

Which is relevant why?

If they complete 14 days symptom free who cares. Hope those who test positive don't mind being locked up for longer.

Obviously SA Health care. And they have done it pretty well so far. I have never understood your reasoning on this given that an incubation period can be up to 14 days. On this matter we shall just agree to disagree. Why take risks? We are testing all and sundry anyway so 800 more is a nothing. Symptoms clearly mean not much.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Obviously SA Health care. And they have done it pretty well so far. I have never understood your reasoning on this given that an incubation period can be up to 14 days. On this matter we shall just agree to disagree. Why take risks? We are testing all and sundry anyway so 800 more is a nothing. Symptoms clearly mean not much.

My reasoning is simple. Health authorities around the world mainly use the 14 day period as long as there are no symptoms (if there are they get extended).

No one has been shown to have been infected by a person who has been through this process.

If you test, I assume that you will keep them quarantined till they test negative. There is one person in SA who would have spent months in quarantine if he was not released till he tested positive.

Research has shown that viral loads are highest early on.

 

[Pushka]

My reasoning is simple. Health authorities around the world mainly use the 14 day period as long as there are no symptoms (if there are they get extended).

No one has been shown to have been infected by a person who has been through this process.

If you test, I assume that you will keep them quarantined till they test negative. There is one person in SA who would have spent months in quarantine if he was not released till he tested positive.

Research has shown that viral loads are highest early on.

If someone develops a positive test at Day 13 they will be infectious from the Day 12 of enforced quarantine until approx Day 20. At least we have a chance of isolating and checking on that person if they are not sick enough to be in treatment. And ensure they stay in isolation until that time. And in SA they will be checked on.

I am not sure why you then go on about being in quarantine until they test negative? If there remained concerns then they could self isolate.

That person I believe you are referring to was desperately ill and couldn't leave hospital anyway.

Under your scheme that same person won't be tested, they will be infectious for another week after the 14 day release, not knowing that, and not in isolation, and flying around the country.

And we simply are never told if someone develops Covid from another traveller so I have no idea why you assert this hasn't happened.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

My reasoning is simple. Health authorities around the world mainly use the 14 day period as long as there are no symptoms (if there are they get extended).

No one has been shown to have been infected by a person who has been through this process.

If you test, I assume that you will keep them quarantined till they test negative. There is one person in SA who would have spent months in quarantine if he was not released till he tested positive.

Research has shown that viral loads are highest early on.

My bolding...positive or negative?

there have been reported instance of it lasting weeks

there is a case of dormant Covid for 12 weeks

Latest positive test may have carried 'dormant' virus for 12 weeks - InQueensland

inqld.com.au

and testing positive for 55 days

Positive Covid-19 tests kept a mom and baby apart for 55 days. Experts see it as a bigger testing problem

Positive Covid-19 tests kept a mother and baby in Montreal apart for eight weeks. Experts say the case is a sign of a bigger problem with testing.

www.statnews.com

Obviously, not being the usual news sites I can’t verify if this is real or fake news....

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

And we simply are never told if someone develops Covid from another traveller so I have no idea why you assert this hasn't happened.

Didn’t the Melbourne security guards get it from the travellers under quarantine?

 

[drron]

My reasoning is simple. Health authorities around the world mainly use the 14 day period as long as there are no symptoms (if there are they get extended).

No one has been shown to have been infected by a person who has been through this process.

If you test, I assume that you will keep them quarantined till they test negative. There is one person in SA who would have spent months in quarantine if he was not released till he tested positive.

Research has shown that viral loads are highest early on.

Because people may be positive but without symptoms.The index case of the extended family cluster in Melbourne was asymptomatic.The numbers of asymptomatic cases may be very large.although they may not be as infective as symptomatic cases they only need to infect one person to possibly set up a cluster.
Interesting figures out of Italy from their contact tracing.As you may suspect that is a large number of people.So of contacts that tested positive nearly 75% of those under 60 did not develop symptoms.They definitely could still be infective after 14 days

[2006.08471] Probability of symptoms and critical disease after SARS-CoV-2 infection

 

[Pushka]

Didn’t the Melbourne security guards get it from the travellers under quarantine?

Yes now you mention it but I'm presuming it was in the 14 day window. But because they weren't ever tested unless symptomatic then maybe they weren't as careful as they should be with people who were asymptomatic or the day prior to symptoms.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Because people may be positive but without symptoms.The index case of the extended family cluster in Melbourne was asymptomatic.

Yes positive, but may or may not be infectious. With the travellers they will most likely be positive when thy board the plane. So testing on arrival is sensible.
Asymptomatic and infectious is mainly a problem as they do not suspect that they are infectious and so do not act in ways to prevent spread. Whereas in quarantine everyone should be treated as if they are infectious, as that is what quarantine is for.

With the Melbourne Dr who was infected from a patient and then infected his family. I doubt that he was still infectious after 14 days.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Didn’t the Melbourne security guards get it from the travellers under quarantine?

That is assumed, but not yet known. Well at least by the public anyway as the health officials may not yet have revealed all they know. You would assume that the genomic testing would have been completed by now.

They have indicated that the guards were not practising appropriate social distancing while at work. Whether that was just with each other, or also with quarantine people they have not defined. One can speculate that use of PPE etc was probably not well done.

Using poorly trained non-skilled staff , with evidently very little appropriate supervision, for their role has not been a wise one.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Yes now you mention it but I'm presuming it was in the 14 day window. But because they weren't ever tested unless symptomatic then maybe they weren't as careful as they should be with people who were asymptomatic or the day prior to symptoms.

Lots of possibilities:

ie

• A guard helping quarantined people with their bags on arrival.
• A guard using gloves and not charging them properly, or touching his face etc. Poor use of masks etc
• Inappropriate social distancing with quarantined people on arrival, or during

The guards have been indicated to not have practised appropriate social distancing while at work.


There are also the pre-symptomaic, and the syptomatic who only have very mild symptoms, and may not have recognised them as a symptom. However all workers in a quarantine environment should always act as if everyone is infected, and not act differently with someone showing no symptoms.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Along with the CV19 test, we also also need it to test at the same time for dishonesty and stupidity as it seems to be these factors that often create the hotspots.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Just on 14 day quarantine and then go on your way, but only if tested. Why are the quarantined different from those in 14 day self-isolation?

The returned travellers, who are positive, would most likely have been infected before flying and so will have infected more than 14 days before being released. So if anything you should be more concerned about those in self-isolation with respect to 14 days, as most in quarantine will actually be 14+days.

Personally my main concern is not the 14 days, it is the quality of the quarantine or self-isolation. And I am way, way more fearful of the self-isolating as we know that they have infected other people, and sometimes even created hotspots. Whereas with those in quarantine it seems to be a fear that someone may eventually infect someone post-quarantine.

 

[drron]

Although asymptomatic people may have a lower viral load evidence has been presented that they shed it for longer.Also not as great an antibody response.
.

.

 

[Pushka]

Novac Djokovic has apparently tested positive according to radio report just now. Quelle surprise!

 

[drron]

And according to the OECD Australia is doing pretty well when it comes to the hit to the economy compared to most other nations.
.

 

[Pushka]

And according to the OECD Australia is doing pretty well when it comes to the hit to the economy compared to most other nations.
View attachment 220981.

New Zealand certainly has taken a hit.