Semi-OT: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Discussion Thread III (Info. Post 1)

[chrismikayla]

So apparently Bayer is getting ready to donate Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, to the United States to use to combat the virus. This is great news if true. In desperate times it needs to be given to patients sooner rather than later.

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/bayer-preps-u-s-donation-malaria-med-chloroquine-to-help-covid-19-fight-report

[madmaxmedia]

How are we doing compared to Italy? Are we doing better than they were at this point? Worse? The same?

In terms of total cases, we are tracking very similarly on a daily basis if you compare the 2 countries starting on 2/23 in Italy (157 cases at that point), and 3/3 in the USA (158 cases at that point.) Someone posted a chart in one of the older threads (I think II) where the totals were very close and the curves looked almost identical. I believe the curves still match as of March 18th.

If I can find the chart I'll post it here, someone else will probably remember it too. Or just look at the data here:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/

Also, Italy started their lockdown on March 9, if you go forward 10-11 days to our timeline that would mean a lockdown at same point on March 19-20. The populations of Italy and USA are 60.5 and 327 million, respectively, but I 'm not sure how that would actually factor in in the early stages of a virus spreading.

We have 6 times the population though so isn’t it good that total cases are similar?

If we are tracking something like the number of heart attacks, obese people, etc. then definitely you would need to take into account population sizes.

Since we are tracking growth of a virus starting with very small numbers, what it means to me is that if we don’t act sufficiently, the rate of infection will continue to increase like Italy and over the long run the numbers for infected people would be proportional- over the mid to long term. Because starting at those 2 dates, our rates of growth have been very close.

Since we are not at that point, then hopefully we can try to flatten the curve as much as possible. If our curve flattens on the same timeline as Italy’s eventually does, then the total impact in our country will be proportionally much less. Also, our hospitals would not be overloaded in the same way as Italy.

So I think what the curves tell me is that we have to act now, and if we do we can avoid the catastrophe that is happening in Italy- but only if we take proper measures.

What do you think?

[OkcSinceSGA]

So apparently Bayer is getting ready to donate Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, to the United States to use to combat the virus. This is great news if true. In desperate times it needs to be given to patients sooner rather than later.

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/bayer-preps-u-s-donation-malaria-med-chloroquine-to-help-covid-19-fight-report

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41421-020-0156-0

[BladeDaywalker]

Also, if you have been watching the news today, you will have noticed that Florida Governor Ron Desantis still hasn't closed the beaches.

There are literally thousands of people even today at multiple beaches in close contact with one another.

When they leave to go back home once Spring Break end, they are going to spread the virus in multiple states, not just in Florida.

[steger_3434]

In terms of total cases, we are tracking very similarly on a daily basis if you compare the 2 countries starting on 2/23 in Italy (157 cases at that point), and 3/3 in the USA (158 cases at that point.) Someone posted a chart in one of the older threads (I think II) where the totals were very close and the curves looked almost identical. I believe the curves still match as of March 18th.

If I can find the chart I'll post it here, someone else will probably remember it too. Or just look at the data here:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/

Also, Italy started their lockdown on March 9, if you go forward 10-11 days to our timeline that would mean a lockdown at same point on March 19-20. The populations of Italy and USA are 60.5 and 327 million, respectively, but I 'm not sure how that would actually factor in in the early stages of a virus spreading.

We have 6 times the population though so isn’t it good that total cases are similar?

If we are tracking something like the number of heart attacks, obese people, etc. then definitely you would need to take into account population sizes.

Since we are tracking growth of a virus starting with very small numbers, what it means to me is that if we don’t act sufficiently, the rate of infection will continue to increase like Italy and over the long run the numbers for infected people would be proportional- over the mid to long term.

Since we are not at that point, then hopefully we can try to flatten the curve as much as possible. If our curve flattens on the same timeline as Italy’s eventually does, then the total impact in our country will be proportionally much less. Also, our hospitals would not be overloaded in the same way as Italy.

So I think what the curves tell me is that we have to act now, and if we do we can avoid the catastrophe that is happening in Italy- but only if we take proper measures.

What do you think?

Sounds legit. While people get on me for not panicking enough I’ve done my part. Besides work, I havnt left my house except once to go to the grocery store. Bored as hell beyond belief, but I’m doing my part.


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[Richfield]

We keep hearing about corporations stepping up to try to help.

That's great, but it just underscores how lacking the government's response still is.

Anybody here can get a test?

It's March 18th now.

When is a reasonable date to expect to be able to get a test? (besides "yesterday" obvious answers).

[Catchall]

Before rushing to rip on dumb young people. I'll add that literally every single older person I've spoken with(that's not hyperbole) have all said "it's just the flu and the media is overreacting, this is no big deal". Most recent one was about 3 hours ago.

There are going to be A LOT of dead people in the villages in Florida.

If you know what that is, you know it's all old people

I wonder how bad it is in florida. They have disney and that attracts tons of people (I know disneyworld is closed now but it was open just a few days ago)

I only really hear about NY, seattle, Bay area right now.

Florida currently reports a total of 7 deaths attributed to Covid-19, with 314 who have tested positive from a base of 2,500 people tested. Florida has a population of 21 million. These kids should be immediately concerned with STDs, imo, but they're risking a Covid outbreak.

Seattle, Bay Area and New York had a relatively high number of people who traveled home to China during Lunar New Year and returned infected, which puts them ahead of the curve relative to other areas.

[madmaxmedia]

We have 6 times the population though so isn’t it good that total cases are similar?

If we are tracking something like the number of heart attacks, obese people, etc. then definitely you would need to take into account population sizes.

Since we are tracking growth of a virus starting with very small numbers, what it means to me is that if we don’t act sufficiently, the rate of infection will continue to increase like Italy and over the long run the numbers for infected people would be proportional- over the mid to long term.

Since we are not at that point, then hopefully we can try to flatten the curve as much as possible. If our curve flattens on the same timeline as Italy’s eventually does, then the total impact in our country will be proportionally much less. Also, our hospitals would not be overloaded in the same way as Italy.

So I think what the curves tell me is that we have to act now, and if we do we can avoid the catastrophe that is happening in Italy- but only if we take proper measures.

What do you think?

Sounds legit. While people get on me for not panicking enough I’ve done my part. Besides work, I havnt left my house except once to go to the grocery store. Bored as hell beyond belief, but I’m doing my part.


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Ultimately what we post here will have little influence in the big picture (but can still on an individual basis, Clipperfan posted a twitter post from a COVID victim with exercise-induced asthma that I immediately sent to my bro-in-law who has the same). Our personal actions and responsibility are more important, so kudos for doing your part.

[Catchall]

Nonsense - testing could have been ramped up 4-6 weeks earlier. The administration just refused to take this seriously. H1N1 testing was ramped up much, much more quickly

I personally know 2 ER docs who have been warning me about this since late January.

We could have been more like SK or Singapore... instead we made the choice to be Italy

Not true, the CDC bungled the tests, it delayed companies scaling it and then the FDA emergency policy was enacted (because of state of emergency) before the problems were resolved which added an extra layer of bureaucracy, which has since been lifted a few weeks ago.

Should have said yes to the who kits

But they didn't, because they don't want the number to be high

They're claiming the WHO tests were limited in number and of low reliability.

[chrismikayla]

So apparently Bayer is getting ready to donate Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, to the United States to use to combat the virus. This is great news if true. In desperate times it needs to be given to patients sooner rather than later.

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/bayer-preps-u-s-donation-malaria-med-chloroquine-to-help-covid-19-fight-report

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41421-020-0156-0

Thanks. It's interesting to note in the article that cytokine storms were a possibly dangerous effect of the virus.

[LKN]

We keep hearing about corporations stepping up to try to help.

That's great, but it just underscores how lacking the government's response still is.

Anybody here can get a test?

It's March 18th now.

When is a reasonable date to expect to be able to get a test? (besides "yesterday" obvious answers).

One of the biggest issues is that there are doctors and nurses all over the country who are self-quarantining and CAN NOT treat patients until they are tested. Just in CT alone there are something like 200.

This is a huge, huge problem.

Testing needs to be reserved for people in hospitals, medical workers and first responders before everyone else.

The fact that all these NBA players have been getting tested (not to pick on them - it's not their fault) is ridiculous when we need these tests for our doctors

[LKN]

Not true, the CDC bungled the tests, it delayed companies scaling it and then the FDA emergency policy was enacted (because of state of emergency) before the problems were resolved which added an extra layer of bureaucracy, which has since been lifted a few weeks ago.

Should have said yes to the who kits

But they didn't, because they don't want the number to be high

They're claiming the WHO tests were limited in number and of low reliability.

Which is not true at all. The WHO test regime works.

[Pharmcat]

Should have said yes to the who kits

But they didn't, because they don't want the number to be high

They're claiming the WHO tests were limited in number and of low reliability.

Which is not true at all. The WHO test regime works.

It's horse you know what .

The federal govt sold us down the river . Next 2 weeks will be ugly

[Pharmcat]

So apparently Bayer is getting ready to donate Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, to the United States to use to combat the virus. This is great news if true. In desperate times it needs to be given to patients sooner rather than later.

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/bayer-preps-u-s-donation-malaria-med-chloroquine-to-help-covid-19-fight-report

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41421-020-0156-0

Thanks. It's interesting to note in the article that cytokine storms were a possibly dangerous effect of the virus.

That's what's getting a subset of patients : crs. These patients should be given toclizumab (actemra)

[steger_3434]

If we are tracking something like the number of heart attacks, obese people, etc. then definitely you would need to take into account population sizes.

Since we are tracking growth of a virus starting with very small numbers, what it means to me is that if we don’t act sufficiently, the rate of infection will continue to increase like Italy and over the long run the numbers for infected people would be proportional- over the mid to long term.

Since we are not at that point, then hopefully we can try to flatten the curve as much as possible. If our curve flattens on the same timeline as Italy’s eventually does, then the total impact in our country will be proportionally much less. Also, our hospitals would not be overloaded in the same way as Italy.

So I think what the curves tell me is that we have to act now, and if we do we can avoid the catastrophe that is happening in Italy- but only if we take proper measures.

What do you think?

Sounds legit. While people get on me for not panicking enough I’ve done my part. Besides work, I havnt left my house except once to go to the grocery store. Bored as hell beyond belief, but I’m doing my part.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Ultimately what we post here will have little influence in the big picture (but can still on an individual basis, Clipperfan posted a twitter post from a COVID victim with exercise-induced asthma that I immediately sent to my bro-in-law who has the same). Our personal actions and responsibility are more important, so kudos for doing your part.

The supposed lasting side affect has me the most worried. I do Ironman events. I run 30 miles a week and bike 200 miles a week while also swimming and lifting weights. If I get it and my lungs are screwed I’m ****. I’m 39 so not old, but not a young either


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[Pharmcat]

We keep hearing about corporations stepping up to try to help.

That's great, but it just underscores how lacking the government's response still is.

Anybody here can get a test?

It's March 18th now.

When is a reasonable date to expect to be able to get a test? (besides "yesterday" obvious answers).

One of the biggest issues is that there are doctors and nurses all over the country who are self-quarantining and CAN NOT treat patients until they are tested. Just in CT alone there are something like 200.

This is a huge, huge problem.

Testing needs to be reserved for people in hospitals, medical workers and first responders before everyone else.

The fact that all these NBA players have been getting tested (not to pick on them - it's not their fault) is ridiculous when we need these tests for our doctors

If this blows up, we are going to have to call out doctors from retirement and give more responsibility to medical students / interns

[LKN]

They're claiming the WHO tests were limited in number and of low reliability.

Which is not true at all. The WHO test regime works.

It's horse you know what .

The federal govt sold us down the river . Next 2 weeks will be ugly

I'm worried about the next 2-8 weeks. Supposedly the peak in NYC is 40-45 days away

[OkcSinceSGA]

Read on Twitter

Me right now. I much prefer to be with friends, but as a lifelong gamer, I kinda like bunkering down with hundreds of games and movies lol. Plus I'm getting to do more of the little things I miss out on like help my daughter with baths, brushing teeth etc. I think my work will be shut down any day now. Unfortunately it's looking bleak. Rumors of a couple positive tests in our dealerships, it's slow as ****. Customers for good reason aren't coming in.

What I'm worried about is my "nut" per month is about $2800 ish in bills. Unemployment for California is only $1800 a month tops. How do you make up the $1000 if laid off??? I mean it's pathetic that California unemployment= minimum wage, even though I was making 5k-7k a month prior.

[Pharmcat]

Which is not true at all. The WHO test regime works.

It's horse you know what .

The federal govt sold us down the river . Next 2 weeks will be ugly

I'm worried about the next 2-8 weeks. Supposedly the peak in NYC is 40-45 days away

They have like 2k cases and it still hasn't peaked ? Yikes

[steger_3434]

It's horse you know what .

The federal govt sold us down the river . Next 2 weeks will be ugly

I'm worried about the next 2-8 weeks. Supposedly the peak in NYC is 40-45 days away

They have like 2k cases and it still hasn't peaked ? Yikes

Your surprised by that? If this thing is as fast and easy spreading as it looks like currently only .02% of nyc has it officially


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