Covid-19 Rules the continental USA

[asu66]

Rossen Reports: Stay-at-home orders coming...again? (Via Hearst TV Corp)

THE LATEST: STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS COMING…AGAIN?

The United States continues to reach bleak milestones in this pandemic. In a single day, the country reported 50,000 cases of coronavirus, causing many people to wonder if more stay-at-home orders were coming from their state governments. At least 24 states have paused or rolled back reopening plans as coronavirus cases continue to rise. We asked Dr. Amesh Adalja with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security his thoughts. He doesn’t think national or state-level stay-at-home orders will happen again. “What I think will happen is we’ll see targeted interventions based on epidemiology,” he says. Dr. Adalja believes health experts will look and see what’s driving the spread in a given area and government guidance will then be focused on that area, those businesses and the people in that community.
THE LATEST: STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS COMING…AGAIN?
The United States continues to reach bleak milestones in this pandemic. In a single day, the country reported 50,000 cases of coronavirus, causing many people to wonder if more stay-at-home orders were coming from their state governments. At least 24 states have paused or rolled back reopening plans as coronavirus cases continue to rise. We asked Dr. Amesh Adalja with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security his thoughts. He doesn’t think national or state-level stay-at-home orders will happen again. “What I think will happen is we’ll see targeted interventions based on epidemiology,” he says. Dr. Adalja believes health experts will look and see what’s driving the spread in a given area and government guidance will then be focused on that area, those businesses and the people in that community.

How can we find out where someone got the virus?

Medical experts have told us there’s a lag time for the virus to incubate in our system, so how can we even figure out where we get it from? Dr. Adalja says it’s all about having robust contact tracers at the state level. They do the interviewing of people who’ve contracted the virus. They know how to ask them where they’ve been and plot it out on a timeline to try to figure out what factors might be in common with certain people. He says this is the bread and butter of public health and epidemiology. They do it all the time for measles, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections. That’s why it’s so important that states have robust contact tracing efforts and resource their health departments to hire those people quickly.

WHAT ELSE WE’RE LEARNING...Is coronavirus seasonal or year-round?

There was a lot of talk about how the heat might help to kill the virus, giving us a summer reprieve. But hot-weather states like Florida, Arizona and Texas are seeing cases spike. Dr. Adalja says when it is hotter or more humid, you’re going to get less surface transmission. But, he says, weather doesn’t impact person-to-person transmission. He thinks that’s something that most people don’t realize — it’s really viability on surfaces that’s impacted by the weather and not necessarily how we get the virus from person-to-person transmission.

Could we reach 100,000 cases per day in the U.S.?

Dr. Anthony Fauci believes this could happen. Dr. Adalja agrees and believes we could already be there because he says we’re still undercounting cases — maybe by a factor of 10. But the fact is, this virus has established itself in the human population. He wants you to be prepared for this to infect a lot of people. Think back to 2009’s H1N1. About 61 million Americans got infected with it and that’s a virus that spreads very similarly through the respiratory routes. H1N1 killed approximately 12,000 people — which is why COVID-19 is even more dangerous.

YOUR PANDEMIC QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Is a second stimulus payment coming?
With Congress on recess for the next two weeks, many of you want to know where the second stimulus payment stands. Right now, it’s still on the table but no decisions have been made. We won’t know anything specific until a relief bill is made official. Earlier drafts have included the same $1,200 for Americans and have closed the gap on some of the people that weren’t included on the first relief bill, such as college students and adult dependents. Here’s what we’re expecting: Congress will put pen to paper late into the month when they come back on July 20. They’ll have about 15 workdays to make a decision on a bill that would or wouldn’t include the second stimulus check before their next recess in August. But you won’t be seeing that money this month, that’s for sure. Best case scenario? Maybe late August or September.

What about loans for small businesses?
Good news for small business owners! Congress passed an extension on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The original deadline to apply for the PPP was last week but $130 billion still remained in the fund, out of $660 billion allocated. You now have until August 8 to apply for the loan. The program is to help businesses keep employees paid so they can keep their doors open as the country reopens. The PPP lets businesses get direct government subsidies for payroll, rent and other costs. If all of the requirements are fulfilled, that business is then eligible to get the loan forgiven. If you’re a small business owner, you can apply by heading to the Small Business Administration’s website.

Are colleges bringing students back on campus this year?
Harvard University just announced they’re going to move all classes for the 2020-21 school year online. While they’ll bring 40% of the undergraduates back on campus, no matter where you’re living, your classes will be taught online.

Other universities, like Notre Dame, will start earlier in the year and will then end their terms before Thanksgiving. Many administrations worry about bringing students back on campus after they could have been exposed to the virus while at home. The University of Michigan says students will go home for Thanksgiving and the rest of the semester will continue online.

Many universities are coming up with their plans now and will incorporate online learning in some capacity for the next school year. We’re expecting to hear a lot more about it as the month continues and students gear up for classes to start next month.

JEFF ROSSEN
Chief National Consumer Correspondent
Hearst Television

[HighPointApp]

https://www.dailywire.com/news/amid-per ... mic-status

[BeauFoster]

The severity of the outbreak (not the symptoms, only referring to the overall rates of infection) remains in flux. Depending on where one gets their news, it’s either still an immediately dire situation, or somewhere lower along the spectrum. One of the problems is really no one in the public has any idea what is going on, because the news has been sensationalized in order to catch eyeballs. Basically, I look at the daily infection rate, hospitalization rate, and death rate as pure numbers. I don’t read many (if any) opinion pieces, because they’re all biased in whatever direction.

[Capt. Ed]

I hope things are getting better. Personally, with flu deaths averaging 60,000 a year and Covid-19 already at 130,000 deaths and counting, I hope everyone takes this seriously, wears masks, and practices social distancing. The virus wants to kill you.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I think the biggest thing to watch is hospitalization rates. If hospitals fill up that's not good.

[ArmantiWaterSafety]

I hope things are getting better. Personally, with flu deaths averaging 60,000 a year and Covid-19 already at 130,000 deaths and counting, I hope everyone takes this seriously, wears masks, and practices social distancing. The virus wants to kill you.

Agreed with everything except the virus wants to kill you. No virus wants to kill you, it wants to keep the host alive so it can stay alive. It (should) eventually mutate into a virus that has a lower mortality rate. Although the current mortality rate isn't exceptionally high, it's still higher than a "normal" virus.

I am still wondering why nobody is asking or answering "when will this end?" It 100% will not be eradicated, ever. It's here to stay. When do we start again? It started with flatten the curve, then it's a 10 day decline in cases, then it's when we get a vaccine, and I'm sure it'll change again when it's proven the vaccine is only 50% effective just as the flu vaccine is. We've driven so much fear into the world that I think people are forgetting we can't live under a rock forever. As you said, wear masks and practice social distancing, but we have to open up at some point in life.

[BeauFoster]

I hope things are getting better. Personally, with flu deaths averaging 60,000 a year and Covid-19 already at 130,000 deaths and counting, I hope everyone takes this seriously, wears masks, and practices social distancing. The virus wants to kill you.

Agreed with everything except the virus wants to kill you. No virus wants to kill you, it wants to keep the host alive so it can stay alive. It (should) eventually mutate into a virus that has a lower mortality rate. Although the current mortality rate isn't exceptionally high, it's still higher than a "normal" virus.

I am still wondering why nobody is asking or answering "when will this end?" It 100% will not be eradicated, ever. It's here to stay. When do we start again? It started with flatten the curve, then it's a 10 day decline in cases, then it's when we get a vaccine, and I'm sure it'll change again when it's proven the vaccine is only 50% effective just as the flu vaccine is. We've driven so much fear into the world that I think people are forgetting we can't live under a rock forever. As you said, wear masks and practice social distancing, but we have to open up at some point in life.

This is the question we should all be asking-what is the criteria? We can’t continue in this manner-closings, low capacity, cancellations-without more significant impacts to society in both economic and emotional/educational terms. At some point, we have to accept that there are some inherent risks to living our everyday lives. Does that mean we get 100% back to pre-COVID life? Probably not (at least for a long, long time), but continuing to just wing it for the long term is not a plan.

[roachgone]

A couple of weeks ago the total deaths in NC were around 1150. If you eliminate deaths in nursing homes, other assisted living venues and prisons there were 345 deaths in the general population of 10,500,000 in NC. That is a death rate of .003%. Three one thousandth of one percent. Your are much more likely to die in a car accident. You decide.

[roachgone]

A couple of weeks ago the total deaths in NC were around 1150. If you eliminate deaths in nursing homes, other assisted living venues and prisons there were 345 deaths in the general population of 10,500,000 in NC. That is a death rate of .003%. Three one thousandth of one percent. Your are much more likely to die in a car accident. You decide.

[AtlAppMan]

The CDC official site has said that now that full season numbers are in the total for COVID fatalities is within the margin range of a high flu season. Therefore based on those seasonal numbers this is just like a bad flu year.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

A couple of weeks ago the total deaths in NC were around 1150. If you eliminate deaths in nursing homes, other assisted living venues and prisons there were 345 deaths in the general population of 10,500,000 in NC. That is a death rate of .003%. Three one thousandth of one percent. Your are much more likely to die in a car accident. You decide.

I take it you're not an All Lives Matter advocate?

[PBR1893-BEER-HAT-GUY]

A couple of weeks ago the total deaths in NC were around 1150. If you eliminate deaths in nursing homes, other assisted living venues and prisons there were 345 deaths in the general population of 10,500,000 in NC. That is a death rate of .003%. Three one thousandth of one percent. Your are much more likely to die in a car accident. You decide.

That’s really not a fair assessment. You should base that on the total positive cases and not the total population. Also, a death is a death...no one is more or less relevant. Cherry picking statistics is a no no. And for the record I hated stats class. just wear a mask.

[Bootsy]

I always believe 100% of what I see/hear/read about COVID from Fox, CNN, Drudge, MSNBC, the Watauga Democrat, Wall St Journal, People Magazine and Archie Comics. They don't want me to be scared $hitless about COVID, right?

And it's preposterous to think reporters/media outlets have any desire/rationale to bend facts around COVID in order to support their narrative. That goes double for politicians, even triple because it's a presidential election year. Those selfless servants of the masses, they're always looking out for our best interests.

I'll rest easier tonight knowing all of these media outlets are out there fighting the good fight so that I can have the pure, unadulterated truth!

[Thor58]

I suggest that everyone watch this video from Collins County Texas. The important part begins around the 15 minute mark and lasts for about 30 minutes. It is an interesting description of how the COVID counting has been changed. I am not offering commentary....you can decide for yourself what is being said. I would say pay attention to their concerns.

https://collincountytx.new.swagit.com/videos/62477

[AppfaninCAALand]

https://www.dailywire.com/news/amid-per ... mic-status

I read this today in another source. I didn't read your link (other than the headline), but I thought the similar story I read today was an interesting take. The death rate has fallen at a pretty constant rate for 10 weeks now. At this point, the daily death count is 98% lower than the peak. There were about 200 deaths "with" Covid reported nationwide yesterday. I suspect a lot of that reduction is due to greater awareness for early and asymptomatic testing, better treatment, summer humidity, and the regular virus weakening behavior. The virus does not want to kill you, it (like all life) wants to survive. The most threatening strands die out when they kill their hosts, while the weaker strands survive to get passes on to other hosts.

Last week, Covid accounted for just over 5% of all deaths in the US, and if the figure drops again even a few tenths of a percentage to just under 5%, it would no longer be considered an epidemic under CDC definitions.

At this point, it is pretty clear those who thought it was just a bad flu were overly optimistic, but they were much closer to the mark than those pushing massive killer panic. However, the panic pushers were very useful to spur us to action on testing and treatments.

The way I see things, it is pretty clear that it's time get back to life as normal, just with more face coverings and hand washing. It's possible that was all we ever needed, but we will never know.

*-In case any of the Karens on this board show up, yes I always wear a mask when I go out. While I agree with WHO, CDC, and my nurse sister that masks are almost totally symbolic, they don't bother me at all and I am supportive of the symbolism. If mask wearing will help the zero risk paranoids get back to normal, I'm ready to do my part.

[AppfaninCAALand]

I suggest that everyone watch this video from Collins County Texas. The important part begins around the 15 minute mark and lasts for about 30 minutes. It is an interesting description of how the COVID counting has been changed. I am not offering commentary....you can decide for yourself what is being said. I would say pay attention to their concerns.

https://collincountytx.new.swagit.com/videos/62477

To sum up the video (a recorded feed of a government meeting), everyone who lives in Texas and has a cough can be counted as a Covid-19 case even without testing. Also,everyone who came into close contact with someone with a cough can also be counted as a new case.

Also, antibody positive tests count as new cases, even if the patient is not actively sick and hasn't been for months. And if you have been in close contact with that positive antibody person within 14 days of the positive antibody test, you can also be counted as a positive case.

This matches what my sister who is a lead nurse in the statistics dept at NC's largest hospital has said about NC's rising numbers as well.

Even if original poster will not, I will provide commentary -- the case numbers are, as they say in Texas, a load of cow pies.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I suggest that everyone watch this video from Collins County Texas. The important part begins around the 15 minute mark and lasts for about 30 minutes. It is an interesting description of how the COVID counting has been changed. I am not offering commentary....you can decide for yourself what is being said. I would say pay attention to their concerns.

https://collincountytx.new.swagit.com/videos/62477

To sum up the video (a recorded feed of a government meeting), everyone who lives in Texas and has a cough can be counted as a Covid-19 case even without testing. Also,everyone who came into close contact with someone with a cough can also be counted as a new case.

Also, antibody positive tests count as new cases, even if the patient is not actively sick and hasn't been for months. And if you have been in close contact with that positive antibody person within 14 days of the positive antibody test, you can also be counted as a positive case.

This matches what my sister who is a lead nurse in the statistics dept at NC's largest hospital has said about NC's rising numbers as well.

Even if original poster will not, I will provide commentary -- the case numbers are, as they say in Texas, a load of cow pies.

Why have the hospitalization rates increased?

[Yosef84]

I suggest that everyone watch this video from Collins County Texas. The important part begins around the 15 minute mark and lasts for about 30 minutes. It is an interesting description of how the COVID counting has been changed. I am not offering commentary....you can decide for yourself what is being said. I would say pay attention to their concerns.

https://collincountytx.new.swagit.com/videos/62477

To sum up the video (a recorded feed of a government meeting), everyone who lives in Texas and has a cough can be counted as a Covid-19 case even without testing. Also,everyone who came into close contact with someone with a cough can also be counted as a new case.

Also, antibody positive tests count as new cases, even if the patient is not actively sick and hasn't been for months. And if you have been in close contact with that positive antibody person within 14 days of the positive antibody test, you can also be counted as a positive case.

This matches what my sister who is a lead nurse in the statistics dept at NC's largest hospital has said about NC's rising numbers as well.

Even if original poster will not, I will provide commentary -- the case numbers are, as they say in Texas, a load of cow pies.

Thank you! I agree that hospitalization rates are the single most meaningful metric. Deaths would be second, but those metrics would be on a time lag basis (while the disease runs its course). I am hopeful that the death rates don't jump up following the recent increase but I absolutely don't think we're done with this pandemic yet.

Why have the hospitalization rates increased?