COVID-19

[Tenshot13]

Really? I'm pretty sure 45 knows better than some random dude on a website.

Take a screenshot, I'm agreeing with Hoodie.  Antibiotics do not treat viruses, they fight infections caused by bacteria.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Really? I'm pretty sure 45 knows better than some random dude on a website.

Sadly he doesn’t.,

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I need some clarification on something I literally don't understand.  I'm not politically trolling -- I legitimately don't get it.

Our Governor, Ron Desantis, has been floating the idea of getting kids back to school.  ....like, as early as May 1st, in some reports.  Now, that's not happening, so I'm not worried about it, but my question is WHY?

I don't understand the value that it brings you, even if it were to be harmless.  I get wanting to start the economy back up and get people back working and all that -- but kids aren't working.  They don't help the economy.  And the teachers are working remotely and getting paid and the kids are still receiving some level of education.

So, I would at least understand wanting to open non-essential businesses again at a rate that could risk infection....like restaurants and bars, but why schools?  That doesn't stimulate the economy at all.

What are we going to do with the kids?  Many working parents are dependent on schools and summer camps for childcare while they work. 

[Fau Teixeira]

Really? I'm pretty sure 45 knows better than some random dude on a website.

I appreciate that .. I think your joke went over alot of heads.

And the media is actually doing alright with this coverage for the most part. Even fox news is sorta ok when it comes to virus coverage. Trump looks horrid trying to manage this, the level of incompetence is staggering. He went from "i'm not responsible" to saying the governors were the ones to call the shots in their states to yesterday declaring the united states a dictatorship. What a staggering clown. He can't be run out of the white house fast enough.

[Tenshot13]

I appreciate that .. I think your joke went over alot of heads.

And the media is actually doing alright with this coverage for the most part. Even fox news is sorta ok when it comes to virus coverage. Trump looks horrid trying to manage this, the level of incompetence is staggering. He went from "i'm not responsible" to saying the governors were the ones to call the shots in their states to yesterday declaring the united states a dictatorship. What a staggering clown. He can't be run out of the white house fast enough.

Thing is, with dementia Joe, he won't be.  Be prepped for 4 more years.

[fyo]

Sadly he doesn’t.,

It was, as Fau pointed out, a joke. Apparently, I need to start using sarcasm tags ;-).

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

It was, as Fau pointed out, a joke. Apparently, I need to start using sarcasm tags ;-).

Given the amount of misinformation being spewed by the president and Fox and the number of people who believe them, it wasn’t obvious you were joking. 

[BuccaneerBrad]

Thing is, with dementia Joe, he won't be.  Be prepped for 4 more years.

That's what I'm thinking.  Trump is gonna wipe the floor with Biden come November.

[Downunder Dolphan]

I need some clarification on something I literally don't understand.  I'm not politically trolling -- I legitimately don't get it.

Our Governor, Ron Desantis, has been floating the idea of getting kids back to school.  ....like, as early as May 1st, in some reports.  Now, that's not happening, so I'm not worried about it, but my question is WHY?

I don't understand the value that it brings you, even if it were to be harmless.  I get wanting to start the economy back up and get people back working and all that -- but kids aren't working.  They don't help the economy.  And the teachers are working remotely and getting paid and the kids are still receiving some level of education.

So, I would at least understand wanting to open non-essential businesses again at a rate that could risk infection....like restaurants and bars, but why schools?  That doesn't stimulate the economy at all.

The main reason (at least in Australia) is so parents in essential industries (like health, social services, critical retail and manufacturing, etc) can still go out and work without being reliant on childcare - it indirectly assists the economy that way.

Also, it is still thought there is less of a risk of serious illness consequences to children given the statistics to date. Of course there is the counter argument that children going to schools could act as carriers and conduits to transmit the disease between households...

[Downunder Dolphan]

From April 12, 2009 to April 10, 2010, there were 12,469 deaths in the US from H1N1.
From February 29, 2020 to today (less than 7 weeks), there have been 23,330 deaths in the US from CV-19.
Keep in mind that the former number is entirely in hindsight months later, after plenty of time to research and categorize all the deaths.  There are thousands of people dying at home in NY who are not currently categorized as CV-19 deaths, but may be later.

Sad to see people still trying to downplay and softsell this virus.  It is not H1N1, it is not the flu.  It is far more deadly than either.

Here's another disappointing example:

Coronavirus: Pastor who decried 'hysteria' dies after attending Mardi Gras

Key quotes:

- Pastor Spradlin's son, Landon Isaac, 32, told me that he and his father had talked and agreed about what they felt was an irrational frenzy and fear mongering about the virus, perhaps because it was an election year.

- "I was frustrated with the way that the media was very agenda driven - and it's on both sides. I feel like the coronavirus issue turned into something that was 'party against party' instead of one nation under God," [Spradlin's daughter] says.

The fear was entirely rational.  At the end of the day, when the body count is tallied, it won't matter which party said what; all that will matter is which officials took this crisis seriously and acted with urgency, and which ones tried to deemphasize the risk and minimize their action.

Yes, there's a good reason the media are trying to scare the shit out of people - and why some who did not take it seriously enough early on woke up when some of the horrific death rates began appearing from Italy, Spain, France, UK...

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?

Some of the figures are already comparable to the deadly Spanish flu of 1918 - if death rates over 10% doesn't scare people, nothing will.

Then there's the likely prospect that there never may be a vaccine - there was never one for the deadly SARS or MERS viruses, they were quarantined until they burnt out. Unfortunately, this virus is widespread enough and infectious enough that it may not be an option and could be with us until it runs its course (which could take years).

Ultimately we may be just buying enough time to have enough medical resources to cope with a massive surge of cases without them being overwhelmed like in the worst affected countries of Western Europe (and New York for that matter).

We have been very lucky here in Australia to date with relatively low infection, community transmission and death rates - the majority of cases have been directly traced to cruise ships or other returning from overseas (now resulting in compulsory quarantine in hotels for a minimum of 14 days). But even with our preparations, most are aware of what is going on elsewhere and that there is a chance things could get much worse in the short term, or eventually in the long term as things try to return to some kind of normal.

[fyo]

Then there's the likely prospect that there never may be a vaccine - there was never one for the deadly SARS or MERS viruses, they were quarantined until they burnt out. Unfortunately, this virus is widespread enough and infectious enough that it may not be an option and could be with us until it runs its course (which could take years).

The reason a vaccine was never developed for SARS and MERS is that they were contained quickly enough that "we" (in the wealthy part of the world) were no longer affected by it and that even the affected regions only saw a minimal number of infected cases (about 8000 globally for SARS, 3500 for MERS). There were several vaccines in development for these, SARS in particular, but the funding dried up before they were complete.

That prior work is being fast-tracked now, as are numerous other attempts at developing a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. I just read about one vaccine effort from the UK that is doing human trials in parallel with animal trials. In short, all the stops are being pulled out and I would be very surprised if we don't see a vaccine at some point. (So your "like prospect" of there never being a vaccine is quite unlikely, IMHO.)

[Downunder Dolphan]

The reason a vaccine was never developed for SARS and MERS is that they were contained quickly enough that "we" (in the wealthy part of the world) were no longer affected by it and that even the affected regions only saw a minimal number of infected cases (about 8000 globally for SARS, 3500 for MERS). There were several vaccines in development for these, SARS in particular, but the funding dried up before they were complete.

That prior work is being fast-tracked now, as are numerous other attempts at developing a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. I just read about one vaccine effort from the UK that is doing human trials in parallel with animal trials. In short, all the stops are being pulled out and I would be very surprised if we don't see a vaccine at some point. (So your "like prospect" of there never being a vaccine is quite unlikely, IMHO.)

I don't doubt the kitchen sink is being thrown at this, as has been widely reported a lot of existing treatments are being tested to try and find a quick fix. There are stories of progress and possible human trials of new treatments that would normally take years longer to get to that stage, and yet there is also the admission that a vaccine may be so late to develop the virus may already run its course. That's if a vaccine ever comes to fruition.

Lockdowns and putting economies into suspended animation can only last so long, already we are starting to see countries like Spain taking the foot off the brake despite having a nearly 10.5% death rate. It's a pretty safe bet that in six months most of if not the rest of the world will have followed suit because of economic pressure - then it will be a case of juggling just how much the health systems can take before they break and the fatalities get out of hand - that's the cold, hard way they will look at it.

Under those circumstances, even with everything being thrown at developing a vaccine, our chances are at best 50/50. I don't think they are that good, I think it's more likely this virus will rip through the rest of the world within the next 12-24 months, how many survive will depend on the medical resources available (and a huge chunk of luck).

[Downunder Dolphan]

Under those circumstances, even with everything being thrown at developing a vaccine, our chances are at best 50/50. I don't think they are that good, I think it's more likely this virus will rip through the rest of the world within the next 12-24 months, how many survive will depend on the medical resources available (and a huge chunk of luck).

An article about the potentially long road to creating a safe coronavirus vaccine, and why it has never been achieved before (including some references to the disastrous SARS tests on lab monkeys in 2003).

https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020-04-17/coronavirus-vaccine-ian-frazer/12146616

[SCFinfan]

Hey y'all,

Sorry this is a bit belated - a lot of things going on here in Charleston. I wish you all the best during this pandemic. I hope everyone's been healthy, and that no one's family has been affected. I didn't read any of the comments in this thread before posting it, so if there is bad news, I am sorry, and I'll pray for you and your family, or donate if you have a GFM.

Take care and be well, and Go Dolphins!

SC

[Dave Gray]

From what I can tell, everyone on the site is healthy...no cases.

I still don't know anyone personally who has shared that they have 100% had the virus and tested positive.
Today, I do have my first case of someone directly related to someone I know dying of it.  My friend's grandmother died of COVID-19 yesterday.