I had chickenpox as a kid (when I was 12) not severe, but not pleasent either. I probably should get a shingles vaccine. I've known two people who suffered from it greatly. One for over two years and eventually scummed.
I never had mumps as a kid, I probably should also get vaccinated for that, as it is probably one of the worst childhood diseases a male can get as an adult. I'm probably overdue for a tetanus shot as well.
I'm tossing up whether or not to get a flu vaccine this year. Our company offers them for free. I've only ever had one once, and that year I was constantly sick for the entire winter, worse than any time in my life. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, funny thing is my wife also has only ever had one flu shot (a different year) and had the same thing happen to her). So its a case of once bitten twice shy for me when it comes to flu shots.
I think I have had a nasty case of the flu once in the last 40 years. I get a cold pretty much every year.
Tony.
I never had mumps as a kid, I probably should also get vaccinated for that, as it is probably one of the worst childhood diseases a male can get as an adult. I'm probably overdue for a tetanus shot as well.
I'm tossing up whether or not to get a flu vaccine this year. Our company offers them for free. I've only ever had one once, and that year I was constantly sick for the entire winter, worse than any time in my life. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, funny thing is my wife also has only ever had one flu shot (a different year) and had the same thing happen to her). So its a case of once bitten twice shy for me when it comes to flu shots.
I think I have had a nasty case of the flu once in the last 40 years. I get a cold pretty much every year.
Tony.
Demian -- the lab test is based on rt-PCR (reverse transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction), which as a nuts and bolts procedure is very mature (within each company's set, although there's tons of crossover here), provided you have the appropriate primers.
FAQs on COVID-19 Testing at Laboratories | CDC
The list of reagents and preps kits listed above are something I can walk 50 yards over to grab within my lab here at an academic hospital. We design new primers for rt-PCR on a almost-daily basis depending on what cell culture we're looking at (specific to my lab), so an organization that wants to make a test for COVID-19 and do it NOW can shotgun cover the best target sites, primer length to hit a sweet spot on sensitivity/selectivity and get results awfully quick, easily within a month. I haven't done the deep dive to find out what went wrong with the CDC's test, but I believe it had something to do with the synthetic positive control for QC. I haven't looked at the data we have on the ROC (receiver operator curve) of the WHO test, which would answer your positive predictive and negative predictive values, which gives your error rates.
If I run across it, I'll add the data and interpretation to this thread.
FAQs on COVID-19 Testing at Laboratories | CDC
The list of reagents and preps kits listed above are something I can walk 50 yards over to grab within my lab here at an academic hospital. We design new primers for rt-PCR on a almost-daily basis depending on what cell culture we're looking at (specific to my lab), so an organization that wants to make a test for COVID-19 and do it NOW can shotgun cover the best target sites, primer length to hit a sweet spot on sensitivity/selectivity and get results awfully quick, easily within a month. I haven't done the deep dive to find out what went wrong with the CDC's test, but I believe it had something to do with the synthetic positive control for QC. I haven't looked at the data we have on the ROC (receiver operator curve) of the WHO test, which would answer your positive predictive and negative predictive values, which gives your error rates.
If I run across it, I'll add the data and interpretation to this thread.
From what I have read, many false results from good RT-PCR kits with this virus are due to improper swab technique.
My professional world is sample preparation and pipe-lining procedures, so I'm completely not surprised. I read about the CDC's positive controls issue, but in every test I see in action reminds me why I do what I do, namely how to get human beings out of scientific/diagnostics procedures (for lab and clinical, respectively).
Thanks for your input Rafsky, I wish you and your people the best in this horrific state of affairs.
This interview with Michael Osterholm, an internationally recognized
infectious disease expert is well worth watching. We need to take this very
seriously.
YouTube
TCD
My read on this is that my Mother living in a senior citizen condominium being well into her nineties is at high risk. I have inquired as to her preparedness and she is depending on the management. They have their own dining facilities and even an inhouse nursing home wing.
My conversations on the subject lead me to believe she is comfortable with the risks. I have been unable to get her in the past to make simple changes like carpet to reduce her injuries when she falls. (Familia issue.)
She thinks that instead of dining in public they will deliver to all the units. That would reduce infections as long as the service folks stay clear, but I suspect that may be a low probability. I also suspect being in Florida her unit may rely on a central air conditioning system, so that isolation may only be partial.
My older brother has a condo down the road that he uses part time. He keeps closer tabs on her than I or my other brother. But he is also at greater risk.
For myself I normally have N95 filter masks at my shop, live in a house alone and have stocked up on food. I do still intend to increase the amount of some items, mostly books and wine.
With the infection rate expected by some to reach 70% and the mortality rate for what are called the "Very Old" (85+) probably above 15%, there is going to be a lot of misery.
I can tell you the upside, but that gets to be "Gallows Humor."
Guys let's steer clear of even obliquely political comments and stick to one of the several related topic threads here.
For the flu vaccine this year, there is a either a double dose or else an augmented dose version
of the shot for 65+. Same type though.
I was not aware, thanks all, that helps. Good to fight against myths... I was swimmig inside here about flu vaccin and oldest people!
@simon7000 : in some countries they advised to stay the most possible at home when reaching 70 ! NP95 masks last 4 hours from what I readed and are mostly for contaminated personns to avoid transmission and for medical staffs which need close and repeated contacts. Notice gloves can transmitt cause you can not wash it, so not usefull in shop for you and customers but if you haves cuts and need to go outside and touch things : better to wash hands often - two long minutes with insistance is what I read- Close environment is a risk : vehicles, small office, reunion rooms I assume ! So profilaxis is evertone duty imho for all of us. Our italian fellow also testimonied it's not only for "old" people : everyone can be strongly touched... better not to play with dices... In many countries old people residents houses are closed for visits...
Yup ask myself about sealed cooling system because of the cold & vented (even if there is a drying behavior) + humidity in some areas according the season. Much more fragile than a bacterias as legionellosis in non cured air cooling system but virus still last several hours (try to have the information for such virus without sucess), so basicly a risk when vented through the face in humid environment ???
@simon7000 : in some countries they advised to stay the most possible at home when reaching 70 ! NP95 masks last 4 hours from what I readed and are mostly for contaminated personns to avoid transmission and for medical staffs which need close and repeated contacts. Notice gloves can transmitt cause you can not wash it, so not usefull in shop for you and customers but if you haves cuts and need to go outside and touch things : better to wash hands often - two long minutes with insistance is what I read- Close environment is a risk : vehicles, small office, reunion rooms I assume ! So profilaxis is evertone duty imho for all of us. Our italian fellow also testimonied it's not only for "old" people : everyone can be strongly touched... better not to play with dices... In many countries old people residents houses are closed for visits...
Yup ask myself about sealed cooling system because of the cold & vented (even if there is a drying behavior) + humidity in some areas according the season. Much more fragile than a bacterias as legionellosis in non cured air cooling system but virus still last several hours (try to have the information for such virus without sucess), so basicly a risk when vented through the face in humid environment ???
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Yes, a good interview for sure. I hope that we start getting Phase III data from China and South Korea soon. The sooner we can find even a moderately effective antiviral the better. If it's safe enough, especially if it's in oral form, it could really change the course of the outbreak by minimizing the number of cases that need hospitalization.
Today was quite a tipping point. The province issued new guidance about CoVid 19, basically about cancelling large gatherings and avoiding all travel. The surprise was that every single organization we have involvement with sent an email with their own response. Email after email. I would think there was something behind such a concerted effort, such as their insurers demanding it.
The panic buying at the supermarkets cranked up a notch here as well today.
The panic buying at the supermarkets cranked up a notch here as well today.
K-12 cancelled starting Monday here in Oregon. Given the not-awesome response (to put it mildly) at the Federal level, much of the response has to come at the state level and it looks like we're going full bunker down here to (hopefully) slow the onrush. Downtown Portland was pretty empty, here we go.
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Absolutely all meetings cancelled effective immediately, a list of "critical work groups" that are excempt from the school and kindergarden ban DO NOT include cleaners... Most underrated work group _again_.
Everyone else is expected to do the "home office" thing 😀
Not possible! 😀
Like in Italy, a huge number of small businesses are already feeling the economical load, a vast number are likely to fold within a month. Despite getting a mortgage on private property they are likely to go bankrupt... Very sad.
Everyone else is expected to do the "home office" thing 😀
Not possible! 😀
Like in Italy, a huge number of small businesses are already feeling the economical load, a vast number are likely to fold within a month. Despite getting a mortgage on private property they are likely to go bankrupt... Very sad.
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I have a close friend that lives in Portland. She is showing symptoms as of today and hasn't been in contact with anyone known to be sick. Fever and cough so far. I am sure there are more cases in Portland than are reported, so not a bad idea. Of course, there is no testing so it's hard to confirm. She's isolating at home for now.
Suspected child infection in the grammar school, adjacent to the high school my son attends. This is easy bicycle riding distance from where I live.
Hopefully someone has the sense to close the next-door high school tomorrow. Or you can have everybody come in for a handwashing demo - then all go home and repeat.
Been looking at oxygen concentration units on ebay tonight. Maybe makes a difference for me and mine in an upcoming situation.
Hopefully someone has the sense to close the next-door high school tomorrow. Or you can have everybody come in for a handwashing demo - then all go home and repeat.
Been looking at oxygen concentration units on ebay tonight. Maybe makes a difference for me and mine in an upcoming situation.
Excuse me for asking, but seeing as there's very little ACTUAL information... And my wife is showing strong symptoms now, she is working in health sector, but in a work group that are not prioritized for testing(!). They've said outright that only doctors and nurses will be tested ON SUSPICION (so probably only after they've infected lots of people...). There's not enough kits or workforce.
So with that said, I cannot document that me, my kids, my wife got it, because they refused to test me early on when it was possible to get tested... Do you think we might have gotten the COVID-19?
Regardless of what we got, it's been quite severe. Worst I've had for a very long time. I was out for many days with heavy fever (I'm not important enough for my wife to be measured apparently 😀), slept more or less for 48 hours straight, with only short trips to get water or "the necessary". My kids spiked at 41.2ºC and 40.6ºC, all of us had 4-5 straight days of fever. I expect my wife will get the fever this weekend.
Nothing to do but show love to those that need it.
If I didn't have it yet, then I'm not looking forward to the real thing. No way to know for sure.
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And how fast was the onset of the illness (respectively)? Did one catch it then everyone else follow suit shortly thereafter? Fast onset and everyone getting sick after the first person is clearly sick points away (but not definitively) from COVID-19 and towards the flu.
Wishing you and your family the best KaffiMann
Wishing you and your family the best KaffiMann
Home now after a week at the medical center. My relative patient was in for unusual infection and seems ok now. Culture still running.
I'm really happy to get out of there. No covid19 cases were at my hospital.
The patient has chemo in two weeks and a quarantine lock-down would have delayed the cancer treatment.
I'm really happy to get out of there. No covid19 cases were at my hospital.
The patient has chemo in two weeks and a quarantine lock-down would have delayed the cancer treatment.
Flatten the curve
#flattenthecurve #washyourhands... - Christoforos Anagnostopoulos | Facebook
George
>Edit (2012 data)
The variability of critical care bed numbers in Europe | SpringerLink
#flattenthecurve #washyourhands... - Christoforos Anagnostopoulos | Facebook
George
>Edit (2012 data)
The variability of critical care bed numbers in Europe | SpringerLink
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