COVID-19/Coronavirus Information and Support Thread (see OP for useful links)

[McLaren]

No, but considering everything I've said I wouldn't be surprised.

Then, you can't actually say if you have or not. You realize being asymptomatic doesn't stop how the virus works or affects you, right?

After wearing that when I have to, a mask is the last thing I want to see.

You're continuing to miss the irony of your posts; the people who are recommending masks are typically people who also wear them 6-9 hours a day in the medical field.

Ok.

Suggest you read this link and the testimonies it gathered for future reference.
https://www.chron.com/news/medical/article/What-they-don-t-tell-you-about-surviving-15356605.php

 

[ryzno]

Effective at...

Preventing getting the flu or preventing it from being severe?

Well if you get the flu after getting "immunized" severe or not, it didn't work.
The CDC admits almost every year the past few...that they didn't figure out the "common strands" predicted for the year.

The CDC also makes me wonder how they know about a virus created allegedly on the other side of the world and no one starts doing a thing about it till it really became a problem.

Take a look at my sig.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Take a look at my sig.

Even more irony.

 

[Danoff]

Well if you get the flu after getting "immunized" severe or not, it didn't work.
The CDC admits almost every year the past few...that they didn't figure out the "common strands" predicted for the year.

The CDC also makes me wonder how they know about a virus created allegedly on the other side of the world and no one starts doing a thing about it till it really became a problem.

Take a look at my sig.

Vaccine reduces the severity of the illness. So even in cases where you it doesn't prevent you from getting flu (effectiveness), it can still prevent you from being hospitalized. So the presence of a vaccine changes the landscape of the illness significantly.

Also, I think it was January or February when the first COVID-19 vaccine was developed in a lab.

 

[Famine]

Well if you get the flu after getting "immunized" severe or not, it didn't work.
The CDC admits almost every year the past few...that they didn't figure out the "common strands" predicted for the year.

The CDC also makes me wonder how they know about a virus created allegedly on the other side of the world and no one starts doing a thing about it till it really became a problem.

Flu is a rather broad term covering a group of symptoms for a disease caused by any one of a number of different types of an entire family of viruses called "influenzavirus", each with tens of different subtypes, each with hundreds of different strains (not "strands"). Influenza vaccine typically has three of the most common types - one Influenza A virus of H1N1 subtype, one Influenza A virus of H3N2 subtype, and one Influenza B virus - and it is effective at vaccinating against those viruses. It doesn't vaccinate against any of the others, so you can still get "the flu" from them.

A immunisation doesn't work against viruses that are not the specific strain immunised against. You can pick up flu from Influenzavirus A/H1N1/09 if you were vaccinated against Influenzavirus A/H1N1/NA. That doesn't mean that the vaccine didn't work, it means you caught a disease from a different virus....


It's very odd to link flu vaccines to a putative COVID-19 vaccine, because COVID-19 is a disease caused by a single virus, called SARS-CoV-2. If a vaccine is created for SARS-CoV-2, it will vaccinate against SARS-CoV-2, and if it's effective you won't get COVID-19.

 

[TexRex]

Now it's your turn to shine, show me how much better a mask is than not.

Cut two cheeks off of a lime.

Hold one cheek six inches from your face, the juicy flesh pointed directly at your eyes, and place your other hand in front of it, cupped slightly with your palm facing away, then, with your eyes open, squeeze the lime cheek by folding it onto itself. Your hand, acting like a mask, prevented the spray of acidic lime juice from making contact with your vulnerable eyes.

Now take the other lime cheek and repeat the exercise, again with your eyes open, only this time leave your free hand down at your side. Without a "mask", the lime juice easily makes contact with your eyes. Now, in addition to being a complete moron, your eyes burn.

Imagine going full-blown snowflake over a ****ing mask mandate. Covidiots need to put their big boy pants on, put their mask on...and shut the **** up.

If we both don't wear pants I can piss on you and you can piss on me. If I wear pants you can piss on me but I no longer can piss on you. If we both wear pants, we are protected from each others piss.

Just in case I needed another reason to stay away from pantsless @Dennisch.

 

[Joey D]

Now it's your turn to shine, show me how much better a mask is than not.

Ok.

Here's a paper published by professors from the University of New South Wales:
A rapid systematic review of the efficacy of face masks and respirators against coronaviruses and other respiratory transmissible viruses for the community, healthcare workers and sick patients

Here's a paper on a research study funded by the WHO:
Physical distancing, face masks, and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This paper comes from professors at several prominent universities in the UK:
Rational use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic

Here's a paper published in 2009 about mask effectiveness during the emergence of a new respiratory virus that doesn't have a pharmaceutical treatment of a vaccine:
Face Mask Use and Control of Respiratory Virus Transmission in Households

Even if masks only decrease your chances of passing on COVID-19 by 5%, it's still worth it to wear a mask.

 

[CodeRedR51]

It's great here in AZ with the 105+ degree heat and said face masks. I have coined a new term: Swamp face. It's rather fantastic.

 

[DesertPenguin]

It's great here in AZ with the 105+ degree heat and said face masks. I have coined a new term: Swamp face. It's rather fantastic.

It's worse with a beard. Ugh...

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I would imagine it's also worse in places with humidity.

 

[CodeRedR51]

I would imagine it's also worse in places with humidity.

It's monsoon season here. Humidity the last couple days has been a bit higher than normal. Definitely not helping.

 

[Blitz24]

I would imagine it's also worse in places with humidity.

See anywhere on the east coast during the summer. Due to this, I will probably be adjusting my walks to early mornings (around 5 to 6 AM).

 

[ryzno]

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/wh...i-says-it-may-speed-the-spread-of-coronavirus

 

[TexRex]

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/wh...i-says-it-may-speed-the-spread-of-coronavirus

The country’s top infectious disease expert said Thursday that the novel coronavirus has mutated in a way that might help it replicate better and spread more easily.

Sounds like a good reason to wear a mask in public, as if there wasn't good reason already.

 

[Joey D]

The study comes from a paper published in the Cell medical journal:

Tracking changes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike: evidence that D614G increases infectivity of the COVID-19 virus

From what I understand, it's possible that this mutation has made it easier for the virus to spread among certain people and/or regions, but it has not made the virus any more deadly. There's even a thought that it might've made the virus less deadly, which I could see being an evolutionary benefit for a virus. If the virus kills its host then it's unable to spread as much as it normally would.

 

[Blitz24]

The study comes from a paper published in the Cell medical journal:

Tracking changes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike: evidence that D614G increases infectivity of the COVID-19 virus

From what I understand, it's possible that this mutation has made it easier for the virus to spread among certain people and/or regions, but it has not made the virus any more deadly. There's even a thought that it might've made the virus less deadly, which I could see being an evolutionary benefit for a virus. If the virus kills its host then it's unable to spread as much as it normally would.

Depends what the aim of the virus is (if it actually has an aim).

 

[Joey D]

Depends what the aim of the virus is (if it actually has an aim).

If I was SARS-CoV-2 my goal would be to infect anyone that goes to a restaurant, bar, whatever and says "I'll have a Corona, hold the virus" while laughing like they're the funniest person in the room.

But since I'm not SARS-CoV-2, I think from an evolutionary point the aim of a virus is to be contagious enough to jump from host to host with ease while killing as few people as possible. Basically, it just wants to make humanity miserable, not kill them.

 

[Blitz24]

If I was SARS-CoV-2 my goal would be to infect anyone that goes to a restaurant, bar, whatever and says "I'll have a Corona, hold the virus" while laughing like they're the funniest person in the room.

But since I'm not SARS-CoV-2, I think from an evolutionary point the aim of a virus is to be contagious enough to jump from host to host with ease while killing as few people as possible. Basically, it just wants to make humanity miserable, not kill them.

We are deep diving into the desires of a virus.

 

[Northstar]

Basically, it just wants to make humanity miserable, not kill them.

So basically it wants to be Piers Morgan?

 

[Touring Mars]

The study comes from a paper published in the Cell medical journal:

Tracking changes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike: evidence that D614G increases infectivity of the COVID-19 virus

From what I understand, it's possible that this mutation has made it easier for the virus to spread among certain people and/or regions, but it has not made the virus any more deadly. There's even a thought that it might've made the virus less deadly, which I could see being an evolutionary benefit for a virus. If the virus kills its host then it's unable to spread as much as it normally would.

I've met one of the authors of this paper, Erika Ollmann Saphire. I believe she was offered the top job at my old department but she politely declined. She's one of the world's top names in cryogenic electron microscopy/structural virology, and she lives and works in La Jolla, CA - but she could have swapped that for Glasgow. One is an idyllic sun-soaked, wealthy coastal playground home to some of the world's top research facilities and scientists, legendary breweries and incredible local beers - but she preferred San Diego.

 

[McLaren]

Think this is the first big name I've heard of (that I can recall, besides MMA fighter Kahbib's father) passing away. This poor man went through so much.

Nick Cordero, the charming Tony-nominated actor known for his work in Bullets Over Broadway, Waitress and A Bronx Tale the Musical, died Sunday after a grueling battle with the coronavirus, his wife announced. He was 41.

Since being diagnosed with what was thought to be pneumonia in late March, the Canadian actor spent weeks in intensive care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, had his right leg amputated, lost more than 60 pounds and was hoping to receive a double-lung transplant.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/n...ullets-broadway-waitress-actor-was-41-1301841

 

[Joey D]

Here's some research that might explain why children don't pass COVID-19 onto others as easily.

Low Exhaled Breath Droplet Formation May Explain Why Children are Poor SARS-CoV-2 Transmitters

The gist of it is that since children have less lung capacity and, typically, a lower respiration per minute volume, they spread less of a viral load.

This goes along with an emerging idea that COVID-19 could be airborne, or at least have airborne properties. It's a pre-print, so as always take it with a grain of salt.

Is there an airborne component to the transmission of COVID-19? : a quantitative analysis study

 

[GBO Possum]

I saw reports that in densely populated Hong Kong, mask wearing in public has been about 97%. They've seen dangerous diseases many times, and know what to do, not just the wearing of masks.

Let's compare death rates per million

Hong Kong = 0.9
USA = 400 *

I know, "correlation is not causation".

* AND RISING...
There are only 8 countries in the entire world which today exceed 400 deaths per million.
They include two tiny ones, San Marino and Andorra, and then there's...
Sweden, which went full "let's leave behavior as a personal choice", and
Belgium, where they count any death which just might be COVID-19 as the cause, so it's apples and bicycles.

Bottom line, 96% of the world's countries have done better than us.

Masks alone won't save us, but when things are this dire, I'm thinking it's time to TAKE EXTREME ACTION and put up with a little inconvenience and discomfort, even if we ARE Americans and inconvenience is unacceptable.

PS I listened to a fiscally conservative podcast the other day and these words jumped out - "No Masks, No Economy"

 

[Danoff]

Florida and California are flirting with New York type peak numbers from the original outbreak. Taking the US as a whole, the situation is basically as bad as it has ever been.

 

[CTznOfTime]

Once again as I said before, the Thing is proving that the USA is more idiotic and has more idiots than it thinks it has...

China and the communists are dangerous, but no more dangerous than following the orders of the idiots in our own house....

Let's first protect ourselves and stop the spread... Control it first then we can decide out to best reopen...

It does no one good if everyone is sick and dies...

We are about 4 months late... Starting from zero again.

Those cities who opened up too soon... It's on you!

Jumping the gun is what got you here...

 

[Blitz24]

Once again as I said before, the Thing is proving that the USA is more idiotic and has more idiots than it thinks it has...

China and the communists are dangerous, but no more dangerous than following the orders of the idiots in our own house....

Let's first protect ourselves and stop the spread... Control it first then we can decide out to best reopen...

It does no one good if everyone is sick and dies...

We are about 4 months late... Starting from zero again.

Those cities who opened up too soon... It's on you!

Jumping the gun is what got you here...

Most of the cities/states that opened up too soon were the ones that never really closed in the first place. Florida and Georgia could have only done worse than presently constituted, it seems.

 

[Hayden]

Australia has been doing really well in case numbers, with nearly all states successfully putting a lid on it. I say nearly all states because Victoria is definitely in a bit of hot water...


As of last night, Victorians can no longer leave the state, while those in hotspot areas (300,000+) can’t leave their suburbs. Some residents in apartments cant leave their rooms, and now have police guards, after the private security guards put in place, started sleeping with quarantined residents.

Sports teams have fled Victoria, leaving family behind for an unknown amount of time. They’ve had some more panic buying recently too. People have attempted to sneak into South Australia, just to get bogged.

My concern here, is that people are calling this the “second wave” when, in all honesty, we never really had a first one.

Mask usage in South Australia is completely non existent. Shopping centres are packed, with very few people seeming to use the supplied hand sanitisers in store, or even attempting to keep distance from other shoppers. If you’d been in a coma for 12 months, and walked to the hardware store, you’d never know what’s going on around the world.

Basically I think most Australians are sick of hearing about it, and we haven’t even experienced it properly yet. If this outbreak takes hold in Victoria, which is looking likely; and makes it across the border with essential travellers, which is possible; I fear Australia could see some pretty severe numbers in the near future.

 

[Jezza819]

The county where I live here in Alabama goes under mandatory mask wearing in public places starting tomorrow at 5pm. Our number of positive cases has tripled since June 16th and hospitalizations are up 660%. It doesn't bother me as I've been wearing one in public for a long time now.

https://whnt.com/news/huntsville/fa...-in-madison-county-starting-tuesday-at-5-p-m/

 

[McLaren]

Florida and California are flirting with New York type peak numbers from the original outbreak. Taking the US as a whole, the situation is basically as bad as it has ever been.

Meanwhile, DeSantis is saying something else.

DeSantis said he doesn’t believe the situation in Florida is as dire as it was in New York at the height of the pandemic.

State data shows the rate of people testing positive in Florida is climbing and is now close to 15%. In mid-May, the positivity rate was about 2%.

“We want to get back to that for sure. I think we’ve stabilized at where we’re at,” DeSantis said.

https://www.wesh.com/article/stitch-bus-driver-becomes-teacher/33217993

 

[Blitz24]

Australia has been doing really well in case numbers, with nearly all states successfully putting a lid on it. I say nearly all states because Victoria is definitely in a bit of hot water...
View attachment 938250

As of last night, Victorians can no longer leave the state, while those in hotspot areas (300,000+) can’t leave their suburbs. Some residents in apartments cant leave their rooms, and now have police guards, after the private security guards put in place, started sleeping with quarantined residents.

Sports teams have fled Victoria, leaving family behind for an unknown amount of time. They’ve had some more panic buying recently too. People have attempted to sneak into South Australia, just to get bogged.

My concern here, is that people are calling this the “second wave” when, in all honesty, we never really had a first one.

Mask usage in South Australia is completely non existent. Shopping centres are packed, with very few people seeming to use the supplied hand sanitisers in store, or even attempting to keep distance from other shoppers. If you’d been in a coma for 12 months, and walked to the hardware store, you’d never know what’s going on around the world.

Basically I think most Australians are sick of hearing about it, and we haven’t even experienced it properly yet. If this outbreak takes hold in Victoria, which is looking likely; and makes it across the border with essential travellers, which is possible; I fear Australia could see some pretty severe numbers in the near future.

Looks like you have a lot of Americans who have relocated down under with that kind of stupidity.