OT: General OT Thread [NO POLITICS OR RELIGION]

[crkone]

Why does it seem to me that we have such a high negative rate? Is this consistent with other states? Or is this just the standard that all people who had contact with a positive test get tested?

If you take the numbers as is, we aren't testing as positive as most states. Either we test more negative people than everyone else, we are lagging behind time-wise (we arrived later than most to the ball), we've done better at flattening the curve, or we just didn't have the ability to have that many positive cases with our poor public transportation/limited public gatherings.

[paulpressey25]

we've done better at flattening the curve, or we just didn't have the ability to have that many positive cases with our poor public transportation/limited public gatherings.

I think this is a feature and not a bug of Wisconsin. We've got a lot of space and even downtown we don't have nearly the density NYC does. And that density is where heavy public transportation is needed (subway, trains, etc.) such as NYC or Chicago.

You can probably also refer to California. Their caseload is a fraction of NYC's. Again perhaps because they aren't densely packed, even though a very large population.

[emunney]

Guess I reverse jumped the gun on this

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/health/usa-coronavirus-cases.html

[emunney]

673 new positive tests (36% jump in cumulative positive tests) and 7 new deaths here in Illinois in the past 24 hours. Getting real out here, folks.

[Pachinko_]

USA now tops the world in reported COVID cases.
Reported is the key word here, who knows how valid are the numbers other countries are reporting.
If I want to see a deceased rate I look at Singapore and Australia, those are two countries I know are anal about their statistics.

[MickeyDavis]

Read on Twitter

[MickeyDavis]

FWIW, I’m hearing that deaths are well under reported here in the US.

Absolutely. Other countries are certainly under reporting and it's also happening here. Big time. Lots of COVID deaths being chalked up to the regular flu or pneumonia. Because they were never tested. And in some cases the numbers are being suppressed. There are some hospitals refusing to report (deaths and/or positive tests) due to "patient privacy". Which is b.s.

[Pachinko_]

FWIW, I’m hearing that deaths are well under reported here in the US.

Absolutely. Other countries are certainly under reporting and it's also happening here. Big time. Lots of COVID deaths being chalked up to the regular flu or pneumonia. Because they were never tested. And in some cases the numbers are being suppressed. There are some hospitals refusing to report (deaths and/or positive tests) due to "patient privacy". Which is b.s.

Also, collateral damages. For example the US last year had 400,000 people hospitalised because of the common flu, and the vast majority recovered because it's just the common flu, but they did need some hospital care. This year if all beds/ventilators/doctors are gone because of COVID, how many of them will recover?

[jute2003]

673 new positive tests (36% jump in cumulative positive tests) and 7 new deaths here in Illinois in the past 24 hours. Getting real out here, folks.

I knew something seemed off with you.

[midranger]

Why does it seem to me that we have such a high negative rate? Is this consistent with other states? Or is this just the standard that all people who had contact with a positive test get tested?

I don’t know who the hell they’re actually testing.

I know people who clearly have the virus. Fevers, cough, GI upset, anosmia and they can’t get tested.

I’m not sure how we’re selecting to test a population where 90% are negative when it’s so limited.

[midranger]

Having people die of COVID in your hospital is bad PR. I guarantee the numbers are off by at least 100%.

[Kerb Hohl]

Italy is the anomaly that is slightly over reporting deaths. Midranger said it may not be a significant amount but they are the weird case.

100% over reporting in the US, though? Damn. I trust you but that seems out there.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Why does it seem to me that we have such a high negative rate? Is this consistent with other states? Or is this just the standard that all people who had contact with a positive test get tested?

I don’t know who the hell they’re actually testing.

I know people who clearly have the virus. Fevers, cough, GI upset, anosmia and they can’t get tested.

I’m not sure how we’re selecting to test a population where 90% are negative when it’s so limited.

I've been wondering this exact thing.

I feel like years from now multiple books will be written with how **** this whole thing has been on multiple levels.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

[MickeyDavis]

It's ridiculous that we still don't have enough test kits. Now we're being told that there will be enough by the middle of next week. Pathetic.

[Kerb Hohl]

Illinois was hitting somewhere in the 15% range of positives and to emunny’s post about the jump, they had a nearly 50% positive rate last night.

[Kerb Hohl]

It's ridiculous that we still don't have enough test kits. Now we're being told that there will be enough by the middle of next week. Pathetic.

The more disappointing thing to me was how quickly we got on board. We’re testing at a Korea rate per capita pretty much but instead of trying to contain a handful of cases, we are drinking from a firehose.

We need more tests but we may never have enough to monitor this now.

[MickeyDavis]

Read on Twitter

[stellation]

When I pour some granola into a bowl I say "Good lord!"

[humanrefutation]

The lack of testing is certainly unconscionable. But I'm much, much angrier about the snails pace in which you're seeing production and distribution of medical equipment and PPE. I know of an MD who is trying to 3D print respirators and test them out because his hospital in Wisconsin is ALREADY OUT OF MASKS. I mean, tf is wrong with this **** country?

[MrHoneycutt]

The lack of testing is certainly unconscionable. But I'm much, much angrier about the snails pace in which you're seeing production and distribution of medical equipment and PPE. I know of an MD who is trying to 3D print respirators and test them out because his hospital in Wisconsin is ALREADY OUT OF MASKS. I mean, tf is wrong with this **** country?

So much this. Even at a major hospital, they aren't even telling the EMPLOYEES what the numbers of our PPE reserves are, other than to say "we're OK for now." I've had multiple patients I couldn't see because there were no masks available, and all the triage tents are being erected awaiting hospital staff to be redeployed to them. Colleagues are worrying about how they have to reuse their masks all day, which is a major risk for aerisolized droplets in the room of any patient that is not yet COVID-19 negative. It's so unbelievable, and looms extremely large over flattening the curve.