General Discussion/Q&A on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[p--and--t]

Agree. Maybe tongue in cheek comment. I am on two overseas cancellations so far (Late March and right now) and possibly one to FNQ next month if things go to carp.

Think of holiday bookings now like a lottery ticket.

If you "win" WOW.

If not, oh well, another time.

 

[drron]

Mrsdrron this weekend has been changing our WA accommodation from next month until April next year.They all agreed to change though one suggested that we might have to be lucky to come next April.

 

[Gremlin]

Mrsdrron this weekend has been changing our WA accommodation from next month until April next year.They all agreed to change though one suggested that we might have to be lucky to come next April.

The Gremlin family was booked to go to WA in September. Have rebooked the accommodation to September next year. Had a similar comment from one of the places. Gah!

 

[love_the_life]

Interesting news article on live theatres wanting to re-open but they contend they cannot manage with current (or even slightly reduced) social distancing - eg every second seat.
South Australian state (?) theatre is preparing to open again soon but at half capacity.

 

[Flashback]

Basically, if in the UK and wanting a holiday; if you KNOW you can actually WFH for 2 weeks when you come back then you should book. If you know your company is not so flexible and already wants you to be in physically again (when ... keep in mind ........ most are STILL wfh!) then you just shouldn't go as it's too risky. Simples.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Exactly... quarantine doesn’t mean you have to sit all day and read a book. For many people they will be able to fully work from the hotel as per a normal day. So the quarantine doesn’t even equal leave!

 

[drron]

So a few assorted references.First possibly sometimes steroi_s aren't so good with covid patients.

CRP levels may help identify COVID-19 patients most likely to benefit or be harmed by glucocorticoids

According to an observational study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels may play a role in helping to identify the subset of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who would benefit from glucocorticoid therapy."Our study extends the findings...

dgalerts.docguide.com

Some more severe liver side effects with remdesivir.

DG Alerts COVID-19

Jet Blues new cleaning system for Covid.

JetBlue's Snazzy New Ultraviolet Cleaning System

JetBlue is trialing a new ultraviolet cleaning system from Honeywell, which is supposed to reduce viruses and bacteria.

onemileatatime.com

More on schools.A CDC director talks.

CDC Director: Threat of Suicides, Drug Overdoses ‘Far Greater’ Than COVID Concerns

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is promoting the re-opening of schools across the […]

www.faithwire.com

And more on the possible increase in suicides.

COVID-19 and suicide: variation and response - InSight+

Governments should immediately invest in new representative data collections and progress the national suicide prevention and state suicide register systems, write Samantha Tang, Mark Deady, Dunkan Yip and Helen Christensen

insightplus.mja.com.au

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And more on the possible increase in suicides.

COVID-19 and suicide: variation and response - InSight+

Governments should immediately invest in new representative data collections and progress the national suicide prevention and state suicide register systems, write Samantha Tang, Mark Deady, Dunkan Yip and Helen Christensen

insightplus.mja.com.au

Projected increase in suicide as low as 1%. It's a good summary article, highlighting that we really just don't know what the impact will be, especially given the factors such as emergency jobseeker/jobkeeper/jobfinder that have been put in place. Hopefully the latter will mean the severity is reduced. We also need to factor in modern technology when it comes to isolation. Big changes in recent years.

 

[blackcat20]

I was pulled over yesterday by Vic police for a ‘Covid compliance check’. Fortunately I was out doing grocery shopping so sent on my way (I was already on my way home).

 

[RooFlyer]

So a few assorted references.First possibly sometimes steroi_s aren't so good with covid patients.

Could you give a quick layman's explanation of that one, please?

 

[drron]

Could you give a quick layman's explanation of that one, please?

steroi_s are a potent anti inflammatory agent.CRP is a measure of inflammation.So a high CRP usually means more inflammation.So a lower CRP means you wouldn't expect much benefit from steroi_s.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Could you give a quick layman's explanation of that one, please?

It was a retrospective study which looked at a bunch of patients who had been given early steroi_s. Overall they found no harm in giving them. CRP is a marker of inflammation, the higher it is the more severe the immune response.
The authors found that in those with a minimal rise or no rise in CRP that steroi_s increased their chances of death and/or being ventilated.
Those with a high CRP, it decreased their chances of death and/ or ventilation.
The numbers in the trial were very small n=140 given steroi_s, and further trials would be needed to establish which groups of patients benefit most.

 

[Princess Fiona]

steroi_s are a potent anti inflammatory agent.CRP is a measure of inflammation.So a high CRP usually means more inflammation.So a lower CRP means you wouldn't expect much benefit from steroi_s.

Thank you for saying that way better and shorter than me

 

[Lynda2475]

My KN95 disposable masks finally arrived today (originally ordered for the now not happening plane rise to CNS tomorrow), although tighter fitting (more likely to leave a red mark on the face, especially under the eyes), they appear to be more comfortable for breathing than the surgical type masks, as they sit/project out from face and therefore less warm air pushing back on face

For comfort if needing to wear for a longer period of time I would rate:
1. Profound Triple Layered Cloth Face mask, slightly less comfy with the PM 2.5 filter inserted (Triple-Layered Protective Face Mask)
2. KN95 disposable mask, less comfortable under eyes but decent breathing;
3. Triple Layer disposable surgical mask - gets hot really really fast.

My plan going forward is to always have disposable surgical mask with me if just ducking out to grab coffee or to supermarket for a quick shop, and if I think i'll be near people for more than 30 mins, also bring either cloth or KN95 masks instead.

i've pre-ordered a couple more 3 layer fabric masks from Communities Adults Adjustable 3 layer Face Mask (including 2 Filters) in the hope that they are like the Profounf ones but local, was able to pick up a 50 pack of the PM2.5 filters on amazon for $10.

Think I finally got through to my Dad re need to wear masks every-time he is out, have had calls today about when to use surgical mask vs the profound one I gave, how often to washa nd change filters.

 

[Princess Fiona]

A very interesting study from Scandinavia on the economic effects of a shutdown.
Covid-19 Pandemic Scandinavia

Scientists compared spending patterns (bank records of more than 800,000 people) in Denmark (who had strict shut down) compared to spending patterns in Sweden (who didn’t have a shut down). And yes, they compared spending patterns AFTER taking into account things like stock market indexes, unemployment claims, cross-country spending, time of year, etc., etc..

What did they find?
• There was only a 4% difference in spending between the two countries (Denmark saw a 29% drop in spending; and Sweden saw a 25% drop in spending after the pandemic hit)
• There was a bigger drop in spending among 18-29 years olds in Denmark compared to Sweden. In other words, a shutdown constrains the young, who in the absence of a shutdown, would contribute the most to spreading the disease
• There was a bigger drop in spending among 70+ year olds in Sweden compared to Denmark. In other words, a shutdown contained the spread of the disease and reduce the need for extreme isolation among the most at risk (and reduced mortality).

TL;DR
It is the virus itself that causes economic turmoil.
With a very modest effect on the economy there are much greater benefits for health with the Danish approach.

 

[Jenya]

does anyone know where to find current basic reproduction number (R0) ?
They constantly talking that it is around zero in Victoria, but I am unable to find any published figure/trend

 

[Himeno]

does anyone know where to find current basic reproduction number (R0) ?
They constantly talking that it is around zero in Victoria, but I am unable to find any published figure/trend

If it was around 0, there wouldn't be a problem.
The VIC CHO said over the weekend that it had been 1.8 when the full Melbourne lockdown started and is now hovering around 1.0.

 

[teammongo]

ABC coronavirus coverage

1.06

 

[drron]

A couple more short studies.Those taking PPIs,for ulcers,reflux etc,are not more likely to get Covid but are more likely to have severe disease.

Study suggests PPIs increase risk of COVID-19-related severe clinical outcomes

Results of a study published in Gut suggest that while patients who take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are at an increased risk for severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19, they are not more likely to be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.The researchers, led by Seung Won Lee, Department of Data...

dgalerts.docguide.com

As you would think higher viral loads indicate worse disease.

SARS-CoV-2 viral load predicts COVID-19 mortality: Study

Findings from a large hospitalised cohort published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine show an independent relationship between high severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality.Elisabet Pujadas, Icahn School of...

dgalerts.docguide.com

And basically no difference in viral loads between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases in isolation.

Study shows similar viral loads in symptomatic, asymptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection under isolation

By Denise BaezNEW YORK -- August 7, 2020 -- In a cohort of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection who were isolated in a community treatment centre, the cycle threshold (Ct) values in asymptomatic patients were similar to...

dgalerts.docguide.com

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

A question I have:

If the virus becomes a 24hour virus, does it mean that it’s infectious period is the same duration but ends earlier (from when the person acquired covid)?