Coronavirus/Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

Also, being diagnosed with COVID-19 is different than dying from it. It is is an indictment that a "rich" country such as the U.S. is the country with one of the worst outcomes. The medical (I won't even refer to is as a healthcare system) system has been shown to be in tatters with nurses forced to wear garbage bags for their own protection. Nursing homes, many of which are owned and operated by wealthy politically connected insiders have been shown to be poorly run and inept are becoming a new hotspot for the coronavirus.

 

Am I the only one who has noticed that the countries that have the worst outcomes all have utterly dysfunctional governments? Putting aside the U.S. and China (it's obvious what's wrong with them) but also the U.K. (Brexit), Italy (dysfunction since the days of Berlusconi and now Five Star movement), Spain (infighting among political parties for years now). France has also had it pretty bad and their government has been teetering on the edge of instability for years.

[Roman]

this was reported o our local news here. Walmart will now not allow anyone here to come into the store without a mask and gloves on. that story is causing a major scandal here.

[marceline]

 

I can't find a mask or gloves anywhere. I tried to buy through Amazon and the delivery date is mid-May.

[alphanguy74]

You have to go to Ebay. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/300-3boxes-Latex-Disposable-Gloves-Powder-Free-Vinyl-Nitrile-Free-Size-Large/110904467359?hash=item19d26bdf9f:g:MboAAMXQQANREQRW

Edited April 10, 2020 by alphanguy74

[Roman]

 there are none to be found. my thinking is they can't produce them fast enough at all to meet demand. which also goes to that....well, we know who.

[alphanguy74]

Ebay is where you have to get them at this point. 

[marceline]

 

That's why I'm almost suspicious of the recommendation that everyone wear a mask. I'm sure we'll find that some people made moves in the stock market that worked out well for them once the new guidance was announced.

 

I forgot about them. I guess I'll have to deal with the price gougers.

[Roman]

very true. the one percent have really lined their pockets on this one.

[JaneAusten]

Well when people start dying in rural America which is under resourced don't admit you were wrong of course. You think because there are just a few cases now in a community that 100% believes this is likely no worse than the common cold due to propaganda are going to take actions to stay safe. And I know the assumption - urban to some of you = PoC. And you blame it on population density not the fact that a lot of the essential workers - people in grocery stores, fast food restaurants - can't work from home - and a good portion of them are PoC - unprotected, underpaid, and under serviced.

And what are the testing rates in Missouri? You also failed to mention that almost 100% of the deaths in St. Louis are PoC.  I am sure it's population density and has zero to do with who is out there working unprotected but is considered essential.

 

And a public event by the way is one of where one of the major outbreaks in Chicago started. A church service. Have they cancelled church services or are they like in Kansas allowing people to pack into churches on Easter.

 

And one last thing. The Virus just doesn't pop up in a nursing home. Most of these people are not mobile. They get them there is because someone from the GENERAL PUBLIC brings it in. My mom and brother are on lockdown in their retirement community and they have told all of us, no one has gotten sick and if someone does it will be because someone from the outside brought it in.

Edited April 10, 2020 by JaneAusten

[Roman]

Jane, I now ignore this person. this person adds nothing to this conversation.

[DramatistDreamer]

Well, in the beginning the CDC and surgeon general also said that COVID-19 was contagious only when someone began to show symptoms.  I knew that wasn't true from the get-go because that is not generally how communicable disease works.  Someone can be completely asymptomatic, never show symptoms yet still have the flu virus and infect other people.

 

The reason why they were downplaying wearing masks was likely because they knew they had a shortfall of supplies and wanted to save them for frontline medical workers (who quickly ran out of supplies).  Also, due to a fear that people wouldn't remove or dispose of their masks or gloves properly.  As someone who has had experience working with medical waste, you must remove your gloves properly so as not to contaminate yourself or others. If folks are not even washing their hands properly, there was likely concern that they wouldn't use gloves or masks properly.

Edited April 10, 2020 by DramatistDreamer

[marceline]

The spike we're going to see in rural America is going to be ugly. I'm here in Ohio but this state is chock full of good hospitals from the Cleveland Clinic on down. I live ten minutes from a Level 1 trauma center. Rural America has closed 125 rural hospitals in the last ten years and the ones that are open are starved for money because they can't do elective procedures so they aren't generating needed income. My prediction is that a lot of people are going to pack into churches on Easter and 2-3 weeks later the funerals will begin.

[alphanguy74]

Nobody is going to church on Easter. Living in this area, I can assure you that church gets cancelled when we have 6 inches of snow. There are a couple of nutball congregations in the south that are holding service, but by and large, 99% aren't. So... how many are being tested? 

 

Missouri people tested - .65% of the total population

New York State people tested - 2.05% of the total population. 

 

So that means a little more than three times the amount of the general population of the state of New York has been tested, yet they have FORTY FIVE TIMES the amount of positive cases than Missouri has. 

[DramatistDreamer]

There are poorer countries where people also live in dense areas that don't have anything near the alarming rates of transmission that even most U.S. suburbs now have.  These countries have their people wear masks. In some countries, their seamstresses are literally sewing masks for medical workers and their average citizens.

I've been looking at countries in the Caribbean and most, except for The Dominican Republic have low rates of infection.  Anybody who has ever been to Kingston, Jamaica knows that there are densely populated areas where there is crushing poverty.  People have still been wearing masks and social distancing.  If you violate social distancing mandates, you can get a huge fine. Jamaica also tests as many people as they can frequently, which I believe is key.

 

The problem is that the U.S. started late because of an intransigent person in charge who denied the existence of this virus and continues to obfuscate and misinform.

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

I have a cousin who lives in the Cleveland area with his husband. I was wondering how Ohio was doing because not much is mentioned about the state but that might be a good sign. 

Edited April 10, 2020 by Soapsuds