Covid-19?
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Question please. If you get laid off due to the fact that you cannot work from home, and you file unemployment, do you also lose your insurance? I've emailed HR - no response yet. Thank you kindly. The day is coming sooner than later, I can see the writing.
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That’s a great question! Noone should lose their insurance at this time. There is a place to ask questions at CNN Live updates.
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Oh, thank you, Marijen, I will go and look for that. I appreciate that! Best wishes to you, be safe, hugs, Lisa
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Fox News is also taking questions at Instagram and facebook and passing them on to the experts. Anyways, you’re welcome.
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Scientists say they've developed a coronavirus test that can give results in 30 minutes
From CNN's Augusta Anthony in London
Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a rapid testing technology for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, according to a press release from the university on Wednesday.
The new test takes just half an hour, over three times faster than the current method, the university said. Previous tests took up to two hours to give a result, according to the press release. The test was validated with real clinical samples at Shenzhen Luohou People's Hospital in China, the university said.
The research was initiated by the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research in China and experiments carried out in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford.
The scientists are working to develop an integrated device that can test at clinics, airports and at home. They plan to run validations in the United Kingdom and explore how to produce test kits.
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SerenitySTAT, thanks for sharing that article. I hadn't heard that story. It's both inspiring and deeply troubling.
Missouricatlady - if you lose your job, you are eligible for COBRA, which can maintain your old health insurance. You are also eligible to get health insurance on your state marketplace within (I believe) 30 days.
You should find out how much cobra would be for you and how much marketplace insurance would be for you. Cobra is usually more expensive, but the difference might be worth it depending on the details of the plans available to you. Whatever you do though, act with speed because deadlines can slip by.
Unemployment insurance and medical insurance are completely separate.
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Thank you, Salamandra. Love your coffee cup! I did also submit my question to CNN. HR does not call me back. For those old folks, it must be an "ancient Chinese secret" - pun intended. Stay well!! Lisa
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I believe Cobra is not availabe for companies that have less than 20 employees.
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That is correct marjen. COBRA is expensive though and when I was laid off the end of 2018 my employer covered me for a month on their insurance since we paid premiums in arrears or something in our paychecks and I was able to get on the State insurance plan which is on an income based sliding scale so I had to no lag time during that time so one took over when the other ended.
I now have good coverage on a State plan with BCBS with a very low affordable premium. If you qualify though you may be able to even get Medicaid assistance. It may limit who you can see for doctors though.
I went through someone we knew who was a local independent health agent. If you know of anyone there who can help or can find out they will do the leg work for you and help you at no cost to you get set up. Insurance can be confusing and you need to be covered with cancer.
Best wishes to you.
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Estrogen related....
Hand washing habits or hormones? With nearly 50% more men than women dying from COVID-19, researchers are looking for answers
LONDON, March 4 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Chinese authorities released data on coronavirus deaths, one striking trend emerged - fewer women were dying than men.
Researchers looked at 44,672 confirmed cases of coronavirus in China from late 2019, when the virus first emerged, to Feb. 11. Most experienced only mild symptoms but 1,023 died - an overall death rate of 2.3%. Of these, 653 were men. Despite the fact that roughly equal numbers of men and women in China caught COVID-19 - which is now confirmed to have killed more than 3,000 people globally - the death rate among male victims was significantly higher, at 2.8% compared to 1.7% for women. That represents a 48.89% difference.
Should we be surprised by this? It's hard to say. While no two viruses are the same, looking at similar outbreaks can offer some insights. Other major coronavirus outbreaks - including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which originated in China in 2003, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012 - also killed more men than women. Research on mice also suggests males may be more vulnerable to these viruses.
In depth: Coronavirus and its impact on people, cities, and economy
One theory behind this difference is hormones. Research by Stanley Perlman, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Iowa, showed female mice were less susceptible to the SARS virus than males. But when the female hormone estrogen was blocked, or their ovaries were removed, the female mice were more likely to die.
"Our results would suggest it's probably something intrinsic, and it may be hormonal," said Perlman.
Although the sample is quite large, it is still hard to draw any firm conclusions. Scientists say a number of environmental factors could have played into the statistics, from differences in how male and female patients were treated to lifestyle factors. For example, Chinese men are more likely than women to be regular smokers.
Separately, studies have found that men — even health care workers — are less likely to wash their hands or to use soap than women, a practice that could limit the spread of the virus.
The implications are probably limited at this stage. Perlman said that all else being equal, if two people came down with the disease he "might be a little more worried about the male".
The World Health Organization (WHO) does not distinguish between the sexes in advice on its website, which says only that "older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes) appear to be more vulnerable".
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Almost half of coronavirus patients have digestive symptoms, study finds
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I am supposed to start radiation next week at a major hospital in a major city. They are testing and treating Covid-19 at that hospital. They say they are not going to postpone me I am wondering if I should go, change locations or postpone. My work is closed and I have been staying home in a small rural town and there are only 5 cases last I heard in my county. There are many more cases in the city. Should I risk going into the city? The support services for cancer patients have all been suspended - so nothing to help make it a little easier. They might be starting up again as soon as I am scheduled to finish. If I postpone, how much worse will the virus be latter or how much of a backlog of patients will there be? I have a skin expander that has been in since Oct. How long can that stay in me? Any advice?
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Breast cancer survivor, single mother of 6 dies from coronavirus
https://fox8.com/news/coronavirus/breast-cancer-survivor-single-mother-of-6-dies-from-coronavirus/
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Askmissa,
I understand why you posted that story, but truly -- it's not helpful to scare people by posting such a thing. Clearly the woman didn't pass any because of her breast cancer, but because of the coronavirus.
Others my different with my comment, but I don't think anyone needs to be any more scared than they already are at this point in time.
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padug it is likely to be worse later, so it might be wise to do it now. Wear gloves and glasses to remind yourself not to touch your face.
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padug, Honestly, I would be concerned also.You should ck with your RO and maybe the NCCN guidelines to see how long you could wait for Radiation.You didn't mention if you had chemo. Chemo can weaken your immune system. Best wishes:).
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Moving this to a new forum "All things COVID-19".
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Hi Padug,
I hope you are able to share your concerns with your doctor or someone in your doctor’s practice who is familiar with your file. I think the question boils down to the risks of waiting versus the risk of moving forward, and there is indeed a risk to waiting in the absence of pandemic conditions affecting your area. I don’t know your exact diagnosis and couldn’t advise you if I did - but your question is an excellent one and no one in your doctor’s practice will think less of you for asking. The fact that they are moving forward suggests that they have weighed the risks already, but you are entitled to be a participant in the decision.
Meanwhile, if you surf the radiation boards you will see that feeling under the weather is a common side effect, so expect it if you do move forward and don’t be afraid it means you’re coming down with something. Try to eat well and sleep as much as you need to.
I had an expander in for several months for my initial recon (not intentionally but due to other circumstances) and it was fine, but if you are worried check with your surgeon.
All the best to you,
Yuuki
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I’m sat at home worried out of my brain. I over think most of the time regardless. I finished 23 sessions of radiotherapy last Wednesday and wondering if I should go to work on sat. I work in a care home that looks after over 30 residents and I will have contact with at least 10 other staff memobers when the shifts change over and with my work tea
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Askmissa
Thanks for posting this. I was going to do the same. Donated to their GoFundMe page.
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Hey PinkBean,
First, ask your doctor about your own risk level/white blood cell count. Then, consider the risk levels of anyone you live with.
Some other things I'd be considering in your shoes:
- How urgent is your work? Is it more like life-sustaining care, or more like enrichment and management?
- How fragile is the population? Is it a care home for medically vulnerable seniors, physically healthy young people with other disabilities, or where along the spectrum in between?
- How much do you trust the other staff and residents to take precautions and fully observe social distancing?
I wonder whether your treatment center has a social worker you could speak with to help you think through this. It's not an easy decision at all - and I don't blame you for being worried about it. I also think it's totally fine for your default to be calling out until/unless you are able to make a fully informed and confident decision to go back in.Congrats on finishing the radiation treatment!
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Salamandra Thankyou for the reply. The news keeps including radiotherapy and it panicked me. The oncology/radiotherapy department isn’t open now until Monday. The residents are elderly and frail. After sunday(not Saturday) I’m not I’m again until Friday so I think I’ll express my concerns to management.
The whole nation is On edge
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I absolutely hate this damn virus. I had a mastectomy on Feb 27th with TE. My drain was removed last Monday, and all of my 6 TE appointments were scheduled to begin today. I received a call Monday that all my appointments were cancelled indefinitely as the clinic was limiting exposure. Then today our governor (Michigan) signed an executive order that all non-essential medical appointments were to be postponed until further notice. I get it, TE is not medically necessary, but it IS mentally necessary to ME. I bawled my eyes out when I got the news. I so much want to have this behind me and the TE fills are the next step to that process.
I also feel like I have been left hanging with my follow-up visits. My appointment that was to be today was to also discuss when restrictions would be lifted and potential return to work date. I am so frustrated!
To add to anxiety, I am still awaiting oncotype results. Then I will know whether I will have chemo. I am SO scared to start chemo during this mess. I fear we will be reaching peak of the virus cases here in Michigan around the time I would expect to start (mid April).
I am also stir crazy which isn't helping my anxiety levels. I began working from home 2 weeks before surgery to protect myself from illness. 3 weeks post surgery (today) was the date of restrictions to be lifted. Now we are stuck since everything is closed in Michigan.The weather stinks here so it is hard to even get outside.
I will repeat. I hate this virus!
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I absolutely hate this damn virus. I had a mastectomy on Feb 27th with TE. My drain was removed last Monday, and all of my 6 TE appointments were scheduled to begin today. I received a call Monday that all my appointments were cancelled indefinitely as the clinic was limiting exposure. Then today our governor (Michigan) signed an executive order that all non-essential medical appointments were to be postponed until further notice. I get it, TE is not medically necessary, but it IS mentally necessary to ME. I bawled my eyes out when I got the news. I so much want to have this behind me and the TE fills are the next step to that process.
I also feel like I have been left hanging with my follow-up visits. My appointment that was to be today was to also discuss when restrictions would be lifted and potential return to work date. I am so frustrated!
To add to anxiety, I am still awaiting oncotype results. Then I will know whether I will have chemo. I am SO scared to start chemo during this mess. I fear we will be reaching peak of the virus cases here in Michigan around the time I would expect to start (mid April).
I am also stir crazy which isn't helping my anxiety levels. I began working from home 2 weeks before surgery to protect myself from illness. 3 weeks post surgery (today) was the date of restrictions to be lifted. Now we are stuck since everything is closed in Michigan.The weather stinks here so it is hard to even get outside.
I will repeat. I hate this virus!
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Hey PinkBean,
I think radiotherapy of the lungs probably could make this much riskier. And likely of other organs too, since if the pneumonia advances it taxes all organs. But it seems plausible that radiotherapy just to breast tissue wouldn't increase risk.
I nagged my RO at the time and he swore up and down to me that I would not have radiation hitting my lungs. But first of all, that probably depends on the exact angle/location of radiation, and second of all, I'm still not 100% I believe him, though I'm proceeding as though it's true.
I hope you'll be able to get through to your doctors and get some information ASAP. It seems reasonable to me to wait to go back to work until you hear from them, and maybe even to quarantine yourself for 14 days before going back to work for the sake of the people you care for. If you've just been getting radiation treatment, it means you've been spending a lot more time around hospitals and medical care that might increase the chance you've already got it. If the care facility has been managing without you for now, can they manage a while longer?
Onlygirl,
What terrible timing for you to be dealing with this! I wonder whether you can at least get one of your doctors (any one!) to call in a prescription for you for anxiety. Buspirone is very safe and well-known, or maybe even something in the benzo family like ativan or valium. Sitting and waiting always sucks, and having to do it homebound is just another layer of shitty cake. I'm sorry.
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All of my fill appointments have been cancelled as well... I'm counting my blessings that I made it this far before the virus spread. I made it thru chemo and bilateral mastectomy w/ TE... and even had one fill. I'm bummed that my reconstruction timeline won't happen...but thankful I'm this far. I also wish, that after this, the world would focus on a cure for breast cancer with the intensity that they are focusing on the seriousness of this virus.
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Wulfgirl4 that's a good way to look at it. At least the cancer is out! I know they won't delay chemo, if it is decided I will need it. I am very bummed about the reconstruction timeline as well. But we aren't supposed to self-pity, at least not more than momentarily
Hang in there. We will get through this!
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So if I get a cough, upper respiratory symptoms and shortness of breath it could be COVID-19. Or it could be the side effects of Herceptin/Perjeta treatment.
Anyone on Herceptin (and other treatments) experiencing symptoms that are similar to the coronavirus? I've had a runny nose for almost a year from it
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OnlyGirlof5, THANKS! We got this!
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My RO said the rays wouldn't hit the heart or lungs and I had nothing to worry about. Then, about seven months later, I had an appointment with a cardiothoracic surgeon because of a possible problem that appeared on a scan for an unrelated issue. When I mentioned that I'd had radiation (thinking skin issues, should I need surgery) he thanked me for mentioning it because he said there would be some heart damage from it. When I told him what the RO said, he just shook his head, then said there is ALWAYS some damage from radiation. Then I had another scan in October, and that showed a new smudge on my left lung that the radiologist who read it noted was scarring from radiation. So my particular MO, at least, lied through his damn teeth.
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