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

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Texas Star Telegram reports six straight days of hospitalization records statewide. I knew we had just surpassed 2,000 around 4-5 days ago, but the report says we now have 2,287. 728 in DFW, 696 in Houston. Percentage of DFW hospital beds/ICU/Vent in-use doesn't appear to be out yet, but the 2 main testing sites in the city closed before noon due to capacity limits being reached. Looks like they're only allotted 500 tests/day for each site.

To inject some humor, The Onion used us as a base for a new story.
DALLAS—Saying the city remained on track for progressing into the final stage, Mayor Eric Johnson told Dallas residents Friday that they would soon officially be entering Phase 4 of pretending the coronavirus was over. “Thanks to the efforts of municipal employees, I’m happy to say we’ve reached the final phases of completely deluding ourselves into thinking that this pandemic has somehow stopped spreading and that we’re safe,” said Johnson in a press conference, in which he applauded the city for bringing them to this stage by successfully disregarding the virus in previous phases. “In order for this to be effective, however, we’re instituting guidelines requiring all residents to convince themselves that they can no longer contract or spread this disease, and that despite virtually no changes in the situation, we will no longer need to use hand sanitizers or observe social distancing. Phase 4 will also need all of you to start going into restaurants and stores without masks and pretending that this is endangering absolutely no one. Thank you all.” At press time, Johnson added that he hoped successful observance of protocols would allow the city to soon move into the outright panic and citywide devastation that would characterize Phase 5.
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https://local.theonion.com/city-enters-phase-4-of-pretending-coronavirus-over-1844037065
 
McLaren
Texas Star Telegram reports six straight days of hospitalization records statewide. I knew we had just surpassed 2,000 around 4-5 days ago, but the report says we now have 2,287. 728 in DFW, 696 in Houston. Percentage of DFW hospital beds/ICU/Vent in-use doesn't appear to be out yet, but the 2 main testing sites in the city closed before noon due to capacity limits being reached. Looks like they're only allotted 500 tests/day for each site.
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So the good thing is Texas has a ton of hospital beds. And going by my dashboard, which aggregates data from organizations and puts it through some algorithm to figure everything out, it looks like Texas is currently using about 10% of its COVID-19 ICU beds, which is good. At the current rate, Texas wouldn't run out of room in the ICU until mid-September. The data lags behind sometimes, but it should be fairly up to date. So while you're seeing an uptick in cases, Texas is pretty well equipped to handle it, at least for a few months, unlike say, Florida which is knocking on the door of 35% of its ICU beds in use.
 
Joey D
So the good thing is Texas has a ton of hospital beds. And going by my dashboard, which aggregates data from organizations and puts it through some algorithm to figure everything out, it looks like Texas is currently using about 10% of its COVID-19 ICU beds, which is good. At the current rate, Texas wouldn't run out of room in the ICU until mid-September. The data lags behind sometimes, but it should be fairly up to date. So while you're seeing an uptick in cases, Texas is pretty well equipped to handle it, at least for a few months, unlike say, Florida which is knocking on the door of 35% of its ICU beds in use.
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True, but Texas is a huge state as well. When our state is touting how we have 15,000 hospital beds, I'm not sure an East Texas resident is all that relieved knowing that if Houston or Dallas reaches high levels, there's always a couple thousand open beds in west Texas. I understand it's probably not anywhere out the realm for a patient of any illness, to be transported out of their current state to receive care, I personally just don't find comfort in the fact that I or a loved one may end up hospitalized such a distance away.

In the grand scheme of things, I'll concede that it's good we have more than enough resources. In the case of immediate care available though, I still find concern in reading that DFW is now a top 5 hotspot in the country or Judge Jenkins reporting 400 total covid hospitalizations today. It feels rough juggling between your expertise of the overall situation, and reading local reports that trend the other way. :indiff:

It hasn't helped that there's leaks coming out that a few bars/restaurants have employees testing positive, but the owners aren't telling other employees or patrons that someone has tested positive.
 
William Hague, former Conservative party leader and senior Conservative peer (House of Lords) writes in today's ToryTelegraph...

"This disastrous lockdown can never be repeated, even if the virus returns" and "There can be no second lockdown."

So much for following the science. He argues, correctly, that lockdown has caused tremendous harms already... but I'm disturbed by the fact that he seems to think that the UK is now, somehow, in a position to control the virus without a future period of lockdown or even social distancing.

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The UK has made a lot of progress, but IMHO we are not ready for relaxation of social distancing and some other lockdown restrictions.

Here's a plot of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people (rolling 3-day average) for (most) European countries:

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/...P~AUT~DNK~CZE~FIN~HUN~IRL~NLD~POL~ROU~SWE~GBR

This shows a few things, notably that Sweden's relaxed approach is increasingly looking like a bad idea. But... take Sweden out and you can see that the UK's average is stubbornly high compared to the rest of Europe.
 
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Gov. Abbott had an conference today, highlighting that there is an abundance of beds available. One of his points being brought up is that there's less than 10% patients admitted for Covid, & that as non-Covid patients recover, their beds become available as well. Some pushback to this was whether or not that argument was hinged on the hope that lower amounts of people don't get admitted for non-Covid issues altogether, otherwise, those beds will still be in use regardless what the patient has. He also took a minute to attack Dallas' judge for not looking into other measures to enforce masks like fines even though he immediately answered a reporter that the judge can't actually fine people, either.

Whatever else was said in the conference obviously did not sit well, as 9 mayors including the 3 major hubs in Texas, all sent a unified letter asking for the authority to enforce mask usage. TMC in Houston says their ICU could be exceeded in 2-weeks, down from previously 5.
 
Dotini
It's hard to know exactly what is going on in China. But it seems evident they're dealing with a 2nd wave in Beijing. No real end is in sight anywhere.

https://news.trust.org/item/20200616105236-vtb5c
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Beijing has a massive mask-going population due to smog, so you'd think they'd be extra good at avoiding airborn coronavirus particles. However, they also have tons of lung problems, and rely heavily on crowded public transportation. They also live very closely packed together and supermarkets are jammed.
 
Touring Mars
.....and you can see that the UK's average is stubbornly high compared to the rest of Europe.
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Do you think this is because the UK is being more transparent with its figures (realising that no government is truly honest) than other European countries? Or simply we're a bunch of selfish little islanders with no idea of personal responsibility?
 
DG_Silva
Do you think this is because the UK is being more transparent with its figures (realising that no government is truly honest) than other European countries? Or simply we're a bunch of selfish little islanders with no idea of personal responsibility?
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I don't think it has much to do with our behaviour... thus far at least. That said, behaviour will come more and more into play as lockdown restrictions are lifted.
 
R1600Turbo
And there won't be until a vaccine is made public. People can hope all they want for a downturn but it's never going to happen without it.
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Oh there possibly could be a downturn, if you know what I mean... Give it time. ;)
#populationcontrol
 
CNBC headline reporting our state surged 11% in hospitalizations, now up 84% since Memorial Day. Abbott said today he will allow San Antonio to issue an order that fines businesses for not requiring masks, and took partial "credit" claiming his original order allowed them to do that. Pretty gutsy stance considering he'd been pretty much against any city trying to enforce harsher punishments when he had been against such things.

Edit*
You Kiwis aren't messing around.
Coronavirus: Military takes over New Zealand border checks after ‘unacceptable failure’ that allowed in two infected travellers from UK
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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...da-ardern-a9569911.html?utm_source=reddit.com
 
ryzno
Oh there possibly could be a downturn, if you know what I mean... Give it time. ;)
#populationcontrol
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I keep saying that the easiest way to eliminate the virus is to eliminate people but nobody seems to like this idea.
 
Blitz24
I keep saying that the easiest way to eliminate the virus is to eliminate people but nobody seems to like this idea.
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Didn't it come from bats? So at least one problem with your idea is that it wouldn't work. And that's just off the top of my head for things wrong with this idea. I bet if I thought longer I could come up with another one.
 
McLaren
...You Kiwis aren't messing around.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...da-ardern-a9569911.html?utm_source=reddit.com
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Yeah there are a lot of unhappy people here right now...

2 people arrive here, go into managed isolation, apply for exemption on compassionate grounds, gets approved and leave on a approx. 9 hour drive from Auckland to Wellington without a test being done .... Looks like the couple lied about not having any symptoms, told authorities that they drove straight from AK to WGTN without stopping (looks to be a flat out lie too...Who drives for 8-9 hours without needing any gas, food, or toilet breaks ?).

So yeah somewhere somehow some systems failed... But at the same time looks like this couple flat out lied to get what they wanted and are still lying about what exactly they did.

I am definitely 🤬'd off about it, we all worked hard to play by the rules and get back to a normal life, and these 2 selfish pricks can potentially undo all the hard work we have done. We were talking about at work today, our consensus is we should name and shame and also bring back a good old fashioned stoning for these 2 :censored:heads.
 
Danoff
Didn't it come from bats? So at least one problem with your idea is that it wouldn't work. And that's just off the top of my head for things wrong with this idea. I bet if I thought longer I could come up with another one.
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I thought it came from pangolins? Either way, getting rid of people won't get rid of coronaviruses.
 
noshog
Yeah there are a lot of unhappy people here right now...

2 people arrive here, go into managed isolation, apply for exemption on compassionate grounds, gets approved and leave on a approx. 9 hour drive from Auckland to Wellington without a test being done .... Looks like the couple lied about not having any symptoms, told authorities that they drove straight from AK to WGTN without stopping (looks to be a flat out lie too...Who drives for 8-9 hours without needing any gas, food, or toilet breaks ?).

So yeah somewhere somehow some systems failed... But at the same time looks like this couple flat out lied to get what they wanted and are still lying about what exactly they did.

I am definitely 🤬'd off about it, we all worked hard to play by the rules and get back to a normal life, and these 2 selfish pricks can potentially undo all the hard work we have done. We were talking about at work today, our consensus is we should name and shame and also bring back a good old fashioned stoning for these 2 :censored:heads.
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I'm surprised exemptions are even a thing, beyond maybe an immediate death/near-death in the family.
 
McLaren
I'm surprised exemptions are even a thing, beyond maybe an immediate death/near-death in the family.
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Yeah that's the only reason for exemptions... Wouldn't be surprised if these 2 :censored:heads lied about that too. Mind you heads should roll too for no test being done before they got an exemption.

Edit... Oh yeah, compassionate exemption requests have now been cancelled for everyone because of this... What's that saying about bad apples again.
 
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noshog
Yeah that's the only reason for exemptions... Wouldn't be surprised if these 2 :censored:heads lied about that too. Mind you heads should roll too for no test being done before they got an exemption.

Edit... Oh yeah, compassionate exemption requests have now been cancelled for everyone because of this... What's that saying about bad apples again.
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Our last two cases here in Sth. Australia have been under similar circumstances

SA Health said the woman, aged in her 50s, had travelled from the United Kingdom to Victoria where she had been quarantined in a hotel for less than a week, before travelling to South Australia.

She was given an exemption to fly to South Australia for "compelling family reasons" and was tested on arrival at Adelaide Airport.

Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said the woman is now isolated and there is "no further risk" to anybody in South Australia.

Dr Spurrier said the woman had a "significant number" of contacts in South Australia, who would be followed up on.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-26/south-australia-records-new-coronavirus-case/12287142

And the most recent (yesterday) was allowed to board a plain from Pakistan while infected, although this one has now been put on the Victorian total.
The 35-year-old Australian man was tested by a nurse on arrival at Adelaide Airport on Tuesday morning

He had travelled from Pakistan to Melbourne on June 6 and was quarantined in a hotel, where he tested positive for COVID-19 on June 9.

He was given the all clear to emerge from quarantine after eight days because he had first developed his symptoms in Pakistan on May 26.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-17/coronavirus-case-arrives-adelaide-sa-health-confirms/12365536

I don't understand how nearly all of the new Australian cases are being allowed to travel into the country while infected, and most don't seem to be Australian citizens but are instead extended family members. It's also odd that we're picking up the tab for this.
 
FPV MIC
Our last two cases here in Sth. Australia have been under similar circumstances


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-26/south-australia-records-new-coronavirus-case/12287142

And the most recent (yesterday) was allowed to board a plain from Pakistan while infected, although this one has now been put on the Victorian total.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-17/coronavirus-case-arrives-adelaide-sa-health-confirms/12365536

I don't understand how nearly all of the new Australian cases are being allowed to travel into the country while infected, and most don't seem to be Australian citizens but are instead extended family members. It's also odd that we're picking up the tab for this.
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Yeah it makes no sense these kinds of things, I mean we all know just how quickly and easily it spreads.
I don't want to sound mean or cold hearted but I'm not sure exemptions should be made for any reason, it just puts too many at risk, I know it wouldn't be easy to say no to someone who wants to see a dying relative or something but the needs of the many should outweigh the needs of a few at the end of the day.
 
noshog
Yeah it makes no sense these kinds of things, I mean we all know just how quickly and easily it spreads.
I don't want to sound mean or cold hearted but I'm not sure exemptions should be made for any reason, it just puts too many at risk, I know it wouldn't be easy to say no to someone who wants to see a dying relative or something but the needs of the many should outweigh the needs of a few at the end of the day.
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I feel pretty much the same way. Many families have had to make sacrifices over the last couple of months so I'm not sure why certain people are getting what seems like preferential treatment... and some even while infected.
 
McLaren
You Kiwis aren't messing around.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...da-ardern-a9569911.html?utm_source=reddit.com
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I really hate to say this, and I am not condoning the behaviour of the people involved in any way, but the NZ authorities are fighting a losing battle with this... it's very probably not going to work - if it hasn't failed already.

I hope that NZ and other countries that have kept a lid on the virus can keep infection rates as low as possible and ride it out until more comprehensive treatments and/or a vaccine are generally available, but this is not going to be easy.

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If I were in NZ, I'd certainly be mad about this incident as well... while Scotland has seen far more cases than NZ, we have also made great progress in getting the virus contained. As such, any people and/or policies that undermine the progress that everyone else has worked very hard to achieve (and I really mean that) would be a devastating blow, and would not go down at all well.

The reality is, though, that for every idiot who lies or hides their symptoms, there will also be those who slip through the net unwittingly. Short of testing every single person on entry into the country, it's not going to be possible to completely stop the virus from coming back to some extent, hence why testing needs to be coupled with self-isolation and tracking.
 
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Touring Mars
I really hate to say this, and I am not condoning the behaviour of the people involved in any way, but the NZ authorities are fighting a losing battle with this... it's very probably not going to work - if it hasn't failed already.

I hope that NZ and other countries that have kept a lid on the virus can keep infection rates as low as possible and ride it out until more comprehensive treatments and/or a vaccine are generally available, but this is not going to be easy.
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The bizarre worship of NZ in some of our media over COVID-19 has been weird. It has the population of Yorkshire in the area of Italy - and 25% of them live in the one city. It is among the most naturally social-distanced developed nations in the world; more people travel through Heathrow Airport in a (normal) year than have ever lived in New Zealand. It'd only be newsworthy if NZ didn't have one of the lowest rates of infection and death per capita in the world.
 
Ohio seems to be hitting the plateau as far as hospitalizations. Most likely reasons are cited as testing being much more accessible across the state now, the gradual re-opening of businesses, and people largely just staying home (road traffic is still estimated about 25% less than the average for this time of year).

I personally think that a large part is that everything that would bring in out-of-state visitors, like casinos or sports stadiums, are still closed. Because let's be honest, aside from pro/college sports events or gambling there's really no reason to travel to Ohio. We're kind of a boring lot. :P
 
I'm amazed that we're this deep into this thing and there are this many athletes testing positive. Despite all of the warnings these very healthy (assumed) athletic types came down with it somehow. And this is probably only the tip of the iceberg. As more pro football camps open up and college football teams get back together, this number is assured to go higher. Now it probably won't affect these younger athletes like it would someone in the higher risk categories but it just goes to show how you could be walking around with it and possibly come into casual contact with a higher risk person whom it would affect badly.

University of Texas, 13 players
https://www.espn.com/college-footba...13-football-players-test-positive-coronavirus

At least 8 Alabama players
https://www.si.com/college/alabama/...a-football-players-test-positive-for-covid-19

3 Auburn players from first wave of tests
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2020/06/3-auburn-players-test-positive-for-coronavirus.html

Several Dallas Cowboy players including star running back Zeke Elliott
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/...st-positive-for-covid-19-nfl-insider/2388913/

Unknown number of Houston Texan players
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...oys-players-positive-COVID-tests-15340985.php

Kareem Jackson of the Denver Broncos
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...ety-kareem-jackson-tests-positive-coronavirus

And now Fauci has said that football needs to enter into a bubble like the NBA and NHL in order to play in 2020 which I can tell you isn't happening.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29328206/dr-anthony-fauci-football-needs-bubble-format-play-2020
 

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