Covid-19?
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I found 5 unused N95 masks in my garage. I don’t know who left them there or how long they’ve been there. They were in a stapled plastic bag. Now here’s the sad part. My younger dd’s friend ( they’ve known each other since about age 12) is an EMT. She has been reusing the same mask for several days and no new ones are available. She is more than happy to take the 5 I have even though they may be a bit old. We live in Santa Clara Co.the heart of Silicon Valley, with a high infection rate. How the heck do we not have basic equipment for our first responders? Thrilled that I could help in some small way but furious that this dedicated professional, and all round lovely young woman, who willingly puts herself in harms way daily, can’t be supplied with proper equipment.
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Some good news
A 102-year-old Italian woman has recovered from coronavirus
From CNN's Livia Borghese in Rome
Italica GrondonaA 102-year-old woman has recovered from coronavirus in the northern Italian city of Genoa after spending more than 20 days in hospital, doctors who treated her and her nephew told CNN.
"We nicknamed her 'Highlander' – the immortal," said doctor Vera Sicbaldi, who treated Italica Grondona in the San Martino hospital in Genoa.
"Italica represents a hope for all the elderly facing this pandemic."
The average age of those who have tested positive for coronavirus and subsequently died in Italy is 78, according to the country's National Health Institute.
Grondona was hospitalized at the beginning of March for "mild heart failure," Sicbaldi told CNN.
"She only had some mild coronavirus symptoms, so we tested her and she was positive, but we did very little, she recovered on her own," Sicbaldi added.
Doctors say her case impressed them so much that they decided to study it deeper.
"We got serological samples, she is the first patient we know that might have gone through the 'Spanish flu' since she was born in 1917," Sicbaldi explained, referring to the 1918/1919 flu pandemic that killed at least 50 million people worldwide, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Grondona left hospital on March 26 and is now in a care home. "I don't know what her secret is, but I know she is a free and independent woman," her nephew Renato Villa Grondona told CNN.
Her only son died in the US decades ago. "But she loves life, dancing and music, she loves Freddy Mercury and Valentino Rossi," Villa Grondona said, referring to the multiple MotoGP World champion.
"The virus surrendered in front of her."
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I wish people wouldn't post HEALTH INFO PERTAINING TO COVID-19 unless it's from WHO or the CDC. People could easily die from misinformation. Now is not the time to post things like herbal remedies that could cause more harm than good, or purported remedies from spurious sites. New coverage from various sources is fine, but not medical advice.
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Positive news:
From Forbes online, this article says the test can confirm positive results in 5 minutes and negative results in 13. We need this. Abbott Labs said the test will be available next week and they can deliver 50,000 a day.
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U.S. Approves Abbott Labs Five-Minute 'Rapid' Coronavirus Test
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Abbott Laboratories won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for its molecular test for the Coronavirus strain COVID-19, which the company says can deliver "positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes."
The FDA's "emergency use authorization" awarded to Abbott's ID NOW COVID-19 test is the latest in a growing number of agency approvals for more rapid molecular "point-of-care" diagnostic tests that can be used in temporary screening locations, doctor's office labs and nursing homes to detect the Coronavirus strain COVID-19 within a half hour.
"With rapid testing on ID NOW, healthcare providers can perform molecular point-of-care testing outside the traditional four walls of a hospital in outbreak hotspots," Abbott president and chief operating officer Robert Ford said.
In less than a week, the FDA has escalated approvals of rapid "point-of-care" diagnostics made by other companies including Mesa Biotech and Cepheid which are also ramping up production to meet unprecedented demand. In Abbott's case, the company said it will be making ID NOW COVID-19 tests available next week with the ability to deliver 50,000 tests per day.
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Flashlight: "Did your primary doctor notify the state health department?" I was never even able to speak directly to my primary doctor, so no. I called the office, which was busy. Called again, busy. Called again, busy. Seriously, this was over the span of about an hour. The fourth time I called it went to an automated recording saying that if I were calling for COVID-19 concerns to press 1. I did and was put on hold. The music would stop every once in a while and say that I could instead leave a message. After 20 minutes I left a message explaining my symptoms and concerns. The call was never returned. I then tried to do a virtual visit. After filling out all of my information I got to the part where I could pick a time. All times were grayed out and there was a note saying, "Call the clinic". So I called a local clinic, not my primary care, that was in the same network as my primary. I was placed on hold. Stayed on hold for about 10 minutes and then was given the option to leave my number for a callback and I wouldn't lose my place in line. I did that. I then called an urgent care in town. They told me they had no tests nor any referral for tests and connected me to the COVID-19 hotline, which sounded exactly like the one I had called about an hour or two before. I left my number again, just in case. I then called a local hospital. They told me that even though it seemed that I had it there was no point in coming to the hospital because they weren't testing anyone who wasn't admitted with severe symptoms. 5 hours after I left my number to not lose my place in line I was called by a nurse who also agreed that I most likely had it and tried to get an appointment set up with my primary. She wasn't able to, and told me that even if I got an order from my primary I probably couldn't get tested because of the lack of tests available and that they were only really testing people who had traveled internationally, had proven exposure, or were admitted to the hospital. She told me to go to the ER if my symptoms got worse. That was my experience. (Oh, and I was called again a couple of hours later, showing that the hotline WAS calling back in the order they were receiving calls as I left my number twice. That's how many calls they were dealing with.) By that time I was so exhausted and frustrated I gave up. This was during one of the worst days where my temp was 102+ and I couldn't speak in complete sentences because of the shortness of breath.
"Where your daughter worked did they notify everyone she came in contact with?" She works in a pharmacy, so they all knew. Since she went out one of her colleagues has also gone out with illness. I'm not sure about the rest of the store, but I doubt it considering the reaction they had to her wearing a mask.
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SummerAngel- my feeling is that the response you got is going to be typical for the average person who does not have severe enough symptoms to be hospitalized. No matter what they say - there are not enough test kits to test everyone with symptoms. That’s why my doctor did not refer me for a test.
We should have accepted WHO kits from the beginning. It was foolish, short sighted and downright criminal not to do so
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A good friend of my daughter's boyfriend just died from the virus in Florida. He was 39. He had symptoms but was denied testing. Who knows how many people he needlessly infected before he sadly died. This is what we're up against.
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pup mom- I am sorry for your daughter’s boyfriend and the loss of his friend. It’s all just so tragic.
Summer-I hope you and your family are feeling better.
I work in an 21 bed ER and protocols and information changes so quickly. Just a week ago we were only able to do testing on critically ill patients and only if the state gave us the ok. We now can test through a private lab if the state declines and we feel they are in the high risk category. So we are testing people and sending them home. Results are taking anywhere from 2-7 days.
We have not had a surge of patients yet, but we are in the red for our PPE. We are reusing N95’s and surgical masks. All masks are locked in the manager’s office. A friend that works in an ICU in Indy has 28 intubated pts that are confirmed positive. That hospital is about 25-30 minutes from us. I am hoping we will somehow avoid a surge. But I feel our leadership is doing their best to have a plan.My coworkers have been worried about me going in these rooms to care for potential covid patients. I called my MO’s office with the intent that I could tell them I am not considered in the high risk category. The nurse did say that I am in the high risk category for complications. She also said that my last counts were fine and as long as I wear the proper PPE she thought I would be fine. I have bloodwork again next month. I had 4 follow up appointments in April but I don’t see me making those. I am with suspected or positive covid patients every shift, the last place I should go to is the cancer center! I don’t go around my parents or my sister and her family, as my sister is immune compromised.
I hope everyone is hanging in there during these really odd times.
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Thank you Dani! Wishing you well in your difficult job. You are a hero, especially considering you're a cancer survivor!
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SummerAngel, That was truly terrible. I hope you and your family are feeling better. I saw on the news where Denver is making the face shields.
Dani444, Thank you for all that you are doing. Stay safe.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/state-by-state-c... Information state by state on the covid-19 virus
If you think you have coronavirus, there are now seven sites to get tested in Delaware with a doctor's referral.
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Yes, thank you Dani! Your first account news from the front lines helps us understand what health care workers are truly experiencing.
Here’s what I find anxiety producing: all the bitter comments on social media people hurl at each other regarding the simplest news. Our county health department facebook page updates daily the number of positive cases locally (5 so far). Regardless if you are a Democrat or Republican, someone insults someone else in the comment section. I cannot believe the viscousness of people. I open comments to see if anyone is offering additional information on the positive cases because local people often have the inside scoop and will share. I’m greeted with this person attacking another person blaming them for anything you can imagine.
All the fighting online. I hate it. Why can’t people just stick to civil discussion. I don’t care what political party you affiliate with. People on both sides must stop. But I know they won’t.
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Following everyone's posts. I am going through radiation and on kadcyla. My biggest concern is trying to figure out my dad who is 80+ living alone in another state. Does he fly here and stay in our basement under quarantine for two weeks? My husband and kids says just let him into the house with the rest of us , but I am scared that he has been exposed as he is probably not following all the rules so well. Do I find him another place to stay? I hate to leave him alone in his house but I am afraid for both of us if he stays with me. Not necessarily looking for am answer (cause who knows what to do!?) Thanks for letting me share my anxiety.
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Flowerkid - Vent away. what does your Dad want to do? If he still has most of his marbles, maybe he should have the majority vote about the quality of his life. Even during this heath crisis. BTW - my Dad at 95 refused to move out of his home state.
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If your dad really wants to come and if you have a basement where he could stay quarantined, that seems like a super reasonable option. This seems like a long haul thing, and 14 days at the beginning will be a drop in the bucket for the long term benefit.
I would be very alarmed by your husband's carelessness here, and what it implies in terms of the precautions that he is taking. If your father comes and you cannot get everyone (father, husband, children) fully on board with being careful here, you might consider moving to the basement - or some other housing - yourself.
That said, I do agree with MinusTwo that there's no need to pressure your dad if he isn't wanting to come. And if he is wanting to come, you're not under an obligation to accommodate, especially if you don't have the full support of and confidence in everyone involved to share the load.
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Thank you, Dani, for your work! It's so difficult for health care workers right now. My mother was an RN and my grandfather an MD, and my daughter (the pharmacy tech) is applying to med school soon. Health care workers are the true angels in this fight.
Things in my state, Colorado, ARE getting better. There were 1,600 tests performed yesterday, up from 100 cases/day at the time I tried to be tested. I'm still running a 101.7 degree fever but my other symptoms are getting better, and two members of my family (the youngest) are below 100 for the second day in a row. I see a light at the end of the tunnel!
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I'm still staying away from the city. I have considered going home but if I were not here then my 70 year old mother would be running around town like usual and surely become infected. I have had a difficult time convincing her to stay home. Though she has the news on constantly, she has some neurological issues and does not seem to be able to really comprehend the danger the virus poses to her or follow proper safety protocols. The family has had multiple talks with her but it doesn't seem to hit the right nerve and I have had to talk her out of going out on more than one occasion.
We are unable to get grocery delivery here due to the high demand and the markets here don't offer curbside pick up. Instacart gives me no delivery times, Amazon Fresh/Pantry/Wholefoods was delivering a week out yesterday and has stopped taking orders today, so I am forced to do the shopping.
One of my mother's arguments for going out was that she has a healthier immune system than I do. This is true on paper but she is frail in other ways...she was hospitalized with influenza (confirmed) a few months ago, and frankly I am a germophobe and have clean room experience so I am more confident in my abilities to protect myself than I am of her ability to protect herself.
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Asia may have been right about coronavirus and face masks, and the rest of the world is coming around
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/01/asia/coronavirus-ma...
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Experts warn as many as 1 in 3 coronavirus test results may be incorrectly negative
11:05 a.m.
Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesAn alarming new report by The Wall Street Journal suggests that nearly one in three patients who are infected with COVID-19 receive incorrectly negative test results. "A false negative is problematic because it tells the patient they don't have the virus," Dr. Craig Deligdish explained to the paper.
The estimate about the incorrect results is based on limited data, but the implication that tests may be far from accurate is worrisome. As Deligdish observed, it means that people who've been reassured they are not contagious are likely going forth and spreading the disease to others.
Health care experts additionally told The Wall Street Journal that part of the problem with the tests is how fast they've been approved. "The thing that is different this time is most of these tests are going through a really rapid validation process," said Ohio State University epidemiologist Bill Miller. "As a result, we can't be completely confident in how they will perform." Other doctors have already picked up on the faulty results; in New York City, the center of the U.S. outbreak, "a negative is not clearing anybody who is symptomatic," one emergency room doctor said.
New guidelines to sick Americans asks that if you have coronavirus symptoms, assume you have COVID-19. "Research coming out of China indicates that the false-negative rate may be around 30 percent," writes The New York Times' Harlan M. Krumholz. "Some of my colleagues, experts in laboratory medicine, express concerns the false-negative rate in this country could be even higher."
Curiously, it doesn't seem to go the other way. The Times adds, "the tests appear to be highly specific: If your test comes back positive, it is almost certain you have the infection." Jeva Lange
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Or no to everyone wearing masks at this point.
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CDC may be recommending that everyone wear face masks outside. But, following WHO's current recommendation, putting on a mask is not a simple procedure. So what's a lay person to do?
When and how to wear medical masks to protect against coronavirus (WHO)
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I have no hope at all, none. We will never open the country and we will all lose all jobs, money, health, houses, and 'living'. And it seems like all leaders and experts on every level are happy that we are all losing everything we have, all of our security and hope. Do you ever hear anything from a leader that gives hope? No. Clearly we shouldn't have hope then. Instead they all outdo each other with doomsday predictions and propaganda. I truly believe America is done, we have spiraled into an abyss of economic destruction we will never get out of because we are locked inside forever, which will cause the end of everything. And I think all the leaders and experts will still be arguing and not even notice. I spend my days keeping hope in my kids so they can be happy like kids should be. It's all lies, they'll realize our doom soon enough. Has anyone heard any different? I can prove all my opinions with article after article. That is where we are. IMO
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Hogwash. It's not just the United States going through this, it's everywhere. And even with incompetent leadership, there are plenty of people in positions of power (like some excellent governors), and on down the line to average people working their asses off to see that this disease affects as few people as possible, and that as many as possible recover from it. You children will pick up on your negativity whether you think they will or not, and that's what they'll remember about you when they're older.
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No system survives first contact with the enemy (to paraphrase), especially not one like this. Too many years of too many powerful types in too many countries stripping funding for health care or national preparedness. Its not just the US - the UK govt is a goddamn joke right now (but pretty par for the course), and you have the same in other countries where years of underinvestment and funding their buddies are coming home to roost, even in the supposed best-in-class Scandinavia. Remember that in November at the ballot box.
Everyone thought 2008 was the end times and we all got out of that eventually. Same thing will happen here. Right now every day feels like a week with constant bad news, but once proper testing comes online that is actually accurate, more is learned about the disease, and as soon as some of these bellweather countries like Spain and Italy turn a corner, the mood will lift, people will go back to work, systems will adjust, and life will return, just at a new normal. Consumer demand is being built up - Ive been waiting 9 months to book vacations - you better damn well believe Im booking one as soon as I can to see my family. Or the furniture shopping I need to do. The celebratory drinks/dinners with friends I haven't seen in weeks. New businesses will be formed supporting new innovations as a result of this illness which, lets face it, isn't just going to never come back again. It will be sweeping away old businesses that were untenable zombies - unproductive and living on cheap cash. New leadership will evolve and be recognized as the old guard are also swept away, either through impotent response or the virus itself. There is also a good chance for social reform and rebalancing of equality in some countries if people get pissed off enough.
Economics is typically called 'the dismal science' - I work in long-range strategic planning and have an economics background AND terminal cancer and even I have hope. Turn off the news and play with your kids, learn a new hobby or skill, take a daily walk. Check back in at the end of the month.
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I bet my kids have picked up on negativity from every single leader. Every single one. Doing nothing but telling us there is no hope. Every single word on tv or word online is that we are never getting out of lockdown. And because of that endless lockdown we are all going to be devastated in many ways. I just spelled out what would happen based on their own words. My point was that the leaders want us to lockdown forever without considering the devastating consequences. They don't realize when they don't give us hope we then have none ourselves. If you follow their doomsday scenarios, it leads to total destruction. So why don't they change the narrative? Or at least think through what they are screaming at us 24/7? Oh and in my state, calls to the state suicide line went from 1000 to 25000 daily calls - this epidemic of hopelessness needs to stop. That was my point as the topic is thoughts on the virus - we are at a dangerous level of hopelessness. That concerns me more than any virus. I can't lose another student to suicide. No one will hear the hope I have, I'm not a leader . But somehow everyone needsto hear that there IS hope!
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Together, I'm so sorry you feel such hopelessness and despair. Please know that I have no doubt whatsoever the U.S. will rise above this pandemic. We will be a changed nation, but I believe in the American spirit 100%.
I think of the medical workers on the front lines. What sheer goodness. I think of the medical teams racing, racing to create a vaccine. Many people still do the right thing in the midst of upheaval.
I won't get too political here—there's a thread on this forum for that—-but I do agree that our leadership at the top is lacking. That said, there are still plenty of people in power doing the right thing, like Alice said.
To me, there's a difference in what the government leaders must tell us, like the statistics and projections—that’s their job—and then there are countless others from all walks of life shining lights on people helping people during this crisis. It is a better idea to expose yourself to more of the positive stories because there are a gazillion of them out there and limit the intake of the statistical side of this.
I've had the rug pulled out from under me so many times in my life. Financially, relationship wise, health wise and more. The proverb “Fall down seven times, stand up eight." has got me through a lot.
When I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, I had to dig deep, deep down inside myself to find out if I had it in me to deal with the most devastating thing that ever happened to me...and if I couldn't find it within me, I had to create it.
Americans. They will be the same way. We really are in this together, Together. My thoughts are with you.
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I don't want to get political here as well, but I think most of our leadership at the top are doing an impossible job, in uncharted times. If only we could set term limits and age limits in congress, but I digress. I am thankful to learn how people/companies, big and small are coming together to help solve some of these shortages...no one ever would have thought we would see. Most people outside of Wash don't care what political party you embrace they just want to help. There are 150 countries going through this. People helping people is a boost and it is uplifting during these boring, trying times. Your kids should be listening to what they are doing to help us get through this. Even My Pillow guy had a great message about what he is doing and about his staff. How about the firefighters cheering the nurses as they finished their shift? Or about the dog taking a bag of groceries to the elderly neighbor. Or how Jack Daniel's is now making hand sanitizer! There are many uplifting stories out there if you care to look.
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together,
I too am sorry that you feel so hopeless. These certainly are anxious times. I can't say I agree with you regarding leaders being negative or telling us there is no hope. Telling us the facts is not negative as a matter of fact it's very important that we know the facts! I can't say that I am happy with how all of our leaders have dealt with this, but I do appreciate those who have been honest and pragmatic. As a nation, I believe we will recover from this pandemic and it's far reaching consequences. It won't be easy and it won't be fast. It will change all of us in one way or another but we will recover. These are unprecedented times and none of us can rely on prior experience to see us through. We have waded into uncharted waters mentally, emotionally and physically but we will find our way.
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So yesterday I was watching the Whitehouse briefing on coronavirus. Everyone was standing far apart but each of the group came to the one podium and talked over it. Then I watched as many of them put their hands on the podium, That did not seem very smart to me. Maybe they should all talk from their places. Or have six podiums.
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I’m one of the most pessimistic people around and even I don’t think it’s the end of times. I will get political and say that I would feel better about the eventual outcome of all of this if we had a better leader in the WH. But I won’t go into all of that. People have gone through events this bad and worse. We will survive. The real question is - will we/can we change enough that we won’t go through this (at least this bad) again
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