I hope this becomes available soon. Could be a major help. Part of the problem with PPE supplies is we are burning through masks, gowns, etc waiting days for the current test to return. If we can get an answer in 45 minutes? SWEET!

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/21/politics/fda-coronavirus-test/index.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-020-0282-0?fbclid=IwAR3c5iy9h65X1cnkrL6i6fJcWwi0ygN1LtI67SkcgREM4DyxxAcPauRuf5w

Research continuing based off original article. Test first then trials.

You do realize this is how new drugs are tested for effectiveness before human trials?

Guys they just called a curfew here starting tomorrow morning!

I wonder if the Muslims in Iran will go back to their gatherings. Knowing how I hated to go to church, surely some of these guys would rather stay home, as well.

5 year old friend of the family in critical condition with the Virus and on a Ventilator in Tampa.
Praying for her recovery. The Virus does not care about age.

Dirtbag is that you? I knew you had an alter ego.

It’s actually a pretty decent vodka too.

8BF79271-CB97-4D7C-A683-E81798453DFF (resized).jpeg

There are several human clinical trials going on now regarding chloroquine. The one that was done in China had some issues with one of the groups that received both drugs, the '100%' group. It wasn't really 100%.

I am as hopeful about it as anyone and hope that it works. When a doctor (like Fauci or similar) gets excited about this, then I am ready to get excited about it. Until then, it is unnecessary hype that can lead to problems.

Exactly. When a doctor I trust expresses optimism I will be willing to share in that optimism.

When the source is someone who has been lying about this entire situation for his own gain for months, forgive me for not thinking a cure is around the corner.

We all know the only trustworthy source of info from the top these days is Faucci and he isn’t buying into the chlorine snake oil bullshit.

Dr John Campbell (youtube) figures the UK has 40-80k cases due to limited testing and results, South Africa's health minister expects 80% of population will be infected. Look at the situation in Italy and Spain, when is the majority going to wake up and take this seriously? I feel like you're playing Russian Roulette just going to the store even with proper ppe.

My store shopping attire
FB11BD2D-6737-4836-AB19-969F2D172E68 (resized).jpeg

I wouldn't put so much stock in Faucci. I personally don't trust him anymore than the person standing behind him when he talks. He said "Not everyone needs to get tested. I don't see how testing everyone would help prevent the spread".

Obviously if you test everyone you can isolate the people who are not showing symptoms and spreading the virus. Also look at South Korea.. They tested like mad and are the only country to flatten the curve.

I’m grading on a Curve here. Faucci is doing the best he can within the constraints he has. He’s probably already this close to being fired and replaced by an old football coach, former apprentice contestant, or pharma exec.

We need to enjoy Faucci while we can.

Everyone who can, please consider parting with some of your mask stockpile. If you work construction, see if your bosses are interested in donating their masks. Not doing much with them right now anyway.

Check your local news, nurses association, local hospital webpages to see where they have drop off sites and what the hours are.

Help your local health care workers help you.

Something like:

https://www.kare11.com/mobile/article/news/health/coronavirus/minnesota-nurses-association-asks-for-community-to-donate-protective-masks/89-5c5ec974-cd87-4ac4-87db-d66ae7de5f45

Came across my feed today (a bit depressing):

“””””For those of you thinking this is just the flu and no big deal VS all the people that die from the regular flu, and don’t understand how this all started...this is a GREAT explanation and a must read:

From an immunologist at Johns Hopkins University...

Feeling confused as to why Coronavirus is a bigger deal than Seasonal flu? Here it is in a nutshell. I hope this helps. Feel free to share this to others who don’t understand...

It has to do with RNA sequencing.... I.e. genetics.

Seasonal flu is an “all human virus”. The DNA/RNA chains that make up the virus are recognized by the human immune system. This means that your body has some immunity to it before it comes around each year... you get immunity two ways...through exposure to a virus, or by getting a flu shot.

Novel viruses, come from ANIMALS....the WHO (World Health Organization) tracks novel viruses in animals, (sometimes for years watching for mutations). Usually these viruses only transfer from animal to animal (pigs in the case of H1N1) (birds in the case of the Spanish flu). But once one of these animal viruses mutates, and starts to transfer from animals to humans... then it’s a problem. Why? Because we have no natural or acquired immunity. The RNA sequencing of the genes inside the virus isn’t human, and the human immune system doesn’t recognize it so, we can’t fight it off.

Now sometimes, the mutation only allows transfer from animal to human. For years it’s only transmission is from an infected animal to a human, before it finally mutates so that it can now transfer human to human. Once that happens, we have a new contagion phase. And depending on the fashion of this new mutation, that’s what decides how contagious, or how deadly it’s gonna be.

H1N1 was deadly, but it did not mutate in a way that was as deadly as the Spanish flu. It’s RNA was slower to mutate and it attacked its host differently too.

Fast forward.

Now, here comes this Coronavirus... it existed in animals only, for nobody knows how long...but one day, at an animal market, in Wuhan China in December 2019, it mutated and made the jump from ANIMAL TO PEOPLE. At first, only animals could give it to a person... But here is the scary part.... in just TWO WEEKS it mutated AGAIN and gained the ability to jump from human to human. Scientists call this quick ability, “slippery”

This Coronavirus, not being in any form a “human” virus (whereas we would all have some natural or acquired immunity), took off like a rocket!! And this was because humans have no known immunity...doctors have no known medicines for it.

And it just so happens that this particular mutated animal virus, changed itself in such a way that it causes great damage to human lungs.

That’s why Coronavirus is different from seasonal flu, or H1N1 or any other type of influenza.... this one is slippery AF. And it’s a lung eater...And, it’s already mutated AGAIN, so that we now have two strains to deal with, strain s, and strain L....which makes it twice as hard to develop a vaccine.

We really have no tools in our shed, with this. History has shown that fast and immediate closings of public places has helped in the past pandemics. Philadelphia and Baltimore were reluctant to close events in 1918 and they were the hardest hit in the US during the Spanish Flu.

Factoid: Henry VIII stayed in his room and allowed no one near him, till the Black Plague passed...(honestly...I understand him so much better now). Just like us, he had no tools in his shed, except social isolation...

And let me end by saying....right now it’s hitting older folks harder... but this genome is so slippery...if it mutates again (and it will). Who is to say, what it will do next.

Be smart folks... acting like you’re unafraid is so not sexy right now, and frankly stupid and selfish.

#flattenthecurve. Stay home folks... and share this to those that just are not catching on.

FEEL FREE TO SHARE“””

Some fun for Seniors during Lockdown.....Just think, one day it will be us!

Hungry Hungry Hippos

Not me. If I live that long I’m taking my pins to the retirement home with me.

Yep. They should be testing as much as possible for that exact reason.

One of the reason I've stopped listening to all the experts and am taking my own precautions around mail, packages, takeout, etc.

I don't think that Faucci gets to say everything he would like to say. I suspect his testing comments were more related to the follow up after testing, how badly we had already screwed up testing, and the reality that S Korean methods would not/could not be duplicated in the US for logistical and political reasons.

S Korea's testing program was only part of a comprehensive integrated plan - very early and widespread testing, monitored quarantine, tracing the contacts of the infected person, electronic (cell phone) monitoring of the infected, sharing of information across the country, re-testing contacts, follow up of everyone, and a very strong single payer healthcare infrastructure with which to carry it out.

Meanwhile we were having a hard time figuring out toilet paper distribution and allowing private individuals to buy up all the available masks and hand cleaner.

That’s funny! My mom has late stage Alzheimer’s. A few moths ago I was visiting her and the staff had set up an inflatable goal post. The residents were taking turns trying to throw a foam ball through it. Great place, I’m so glad my mom is somewhere like that. Of course, should the virus find its way into there, it’s game over for many of them.

I’ve often joked that I’ll be buried in my TZ. I’ve owned it for well over 20 years and it’s still my go to game. Didn’t see much arcade time.

Nah, I think Jared kushner is next in line,

Germany bans gatherings of over 2 people. Those sharing homes excluded of course.

Good policy.

Sorry man, hate to ruin your political narrative but I've been taking this seriously and warning people it isn't the flu for over two months now. We've been stocking up on food for 5-6 weeks.

Sorry that doesn't fit your narrative that criticizing Deblasio for his incompetence equates to denying the seriousness of the virus. Incompetence and negligence aren't traits exclusive to Republicans or Democrats. There are incompetent fools on both sides.

Still waiting for the answer to the question of who is responsible for deciding when school closures restaurants, etc take place? The feds or state and local leaders?

Since they're probably all closed for the immediate future, I hope local area businesses are stepping up and donating their supplies of masks and gloves.

Vets, Dentists, Tattoo parlors... Who else am I missing?

Hey Doc:

Serious question: Just got a call from a close friend who up til now thought this is all overplayed.

His wife is extremely sick with flu like symptoms out of nowhere

He says she has the exact same symptoms described by others with the VID (can we call it that?)

He said she went to the doctor and "they tested her for 2 flus." (Presumably A and B,) but not Covid19.

He says that they told her she tested negative for both flu test and "she had a virus but not Covid and go home."

My question is: with these symptoms and negative results on both flu strains and no Covid test... I feel like he should assume she has Covid for his family's sake no?

Thanks much!

Is there any criticism for the countries second state Texas, and no shutdown at all yet from the Governor until Friday? Or just NY?

arcademojo How practical would it be for your grocery store to close it's doors to the public, and ONLY take online orders and have grocery pick-up or delivery?

My local Woodmans grocery store has grocery pickup and it's a pretty nifty service, but as expected the wait times are a week or longer for pick-up.

I think once you get people hooked on online grocery ordering and delivery/pickup... you might really change how the grocery business operates.

I worked in a grocery store throughout school, and I personally love wandering the aisles looking at all the different choices. I sometimes still "face" the items while no one is looking or I wander around the store returning items that people randomly ditched from their carts. My Pet Peeve is when someone leaves a frozen or refrigerated item on a regular shelf to just spoil. I know from experience that potentially spoiled food probably has to just be thrown in the garbage at that point, and it's such a waste. That should be considered on par with shoplifting IMHO.

Stay safe, and thank you for your service!

If that is indeed the case, there should be. The politicalization of this crisis is getting us no where. Slow indecisiveness and poor decisions are being made by politicians on both sides of the aisle

That is the point I'm trying to make but there are some partisans that have a difficult time admitting that

Don't mess with Texas!! Just kidding, but seriously Florida has not had their shit together either IMHO.

It was political the day someone who runs the country tried to downplay it. There is no getting around it. We can politicize it all we want because we can't do anything about it other than sit in our houses and rant about it on the internet. We aren't hurting anything as we have zero power in what happens now.

Things should have been swifter everywhere. Florida included.

I'd like to remind people that 11-16% of people in Florida are actually born here. The rest is filled with retirees, springbreakers or general F-ups who wore there welcome out back home and said "F-it," I'm moving to Florida.

That’s disturbing and wholly irresponsible of the partakers and govt officials.

We have a beach vacation scheduled in July. Hopefully things are back to normal by then.

Germanys Chancellor Merkel goes into quarantine, she had contact to a doctor that was now tested positive.
She got a pneumococcal vaccine that could help to prevent bad course of the corona disease, and the doctor who gave the vaccine had corona disease.

This is how I feel but he said they told him it wasnt Covid and it was some other virus.

Negative on both Influenza test.

No Covid test given. Wtf.

At this point I wonder if he should call ahead and bring her in elsewhere?

Florida is the only state to get 100% of their medical request filled by the government. They should be able to test her no?

Shit

I would be calling anywhere I could to try to get her the test.

well if they can't test for it, they can't call it it....

Unless she’s in some kind of seriously ill situation she should stay home. Everyone should. Don’t go to the doctor because you “think you might” have it. Stay home. People need to be responsible and not place an undue load on the hospital system.

If something gets really bad, call your Doctor or 911 and let them decide.

What happens when you test positive? Nothing except they tell you to go home and stay home. At this point, people shouldn’t need a test to tell them that.

If they are adamant on getting tested definitely call ahead first. Don’t just show up.

Honestly though, not a whole hell of a lot they can do for her even if she does test positive unless it gets serious enough for hospitalization. There is nothing to prescribe. The recommendations are the same. Quarantine for at least 2 weeks.

Running around trying to score a test is just going to cause potential spread.

It sucks not knowing, but people need to just stay home until they medically can’t.

Oh my, how will they spin this?

Rand Paul tests positive for coronavirus.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/22/politics/rand-paul-coronavirus/index.html

"Kentucky Republican Rand Paul is the first US senator to test positive for coronavirus, according to a statement on Twitter.

"He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. "
======================

This last sentence is spooky.
=========================

"He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person," the post said."

My store and all in its chain have been doing online orders with local delivery and parking lot pickup for several years now. We also have one or two stores that are closed to the public and solely online ordering. We are booked for at least a week or loner for deliveries and days out for pickup. We've recently had 2 competitor stores in our local area close down with the last closing first of this year and was right across the street from us so have already been hit with hundreds if not a thousand new customers. Any thought of closing the store would be mass panic in our area. Probably the same with everywhere though. We are now doing around 200 to 300 people in our stores at any given hour. To even try to close to the public we would still need a workforce of at least 100 people just pulling orders. I just went to pickup a few things we forgot and only saw one other person wearing a mask. People bunched up together in the isles. This whole social distancing thing is pretty much thrown out the window when it comes to grocery stores. My area is still in the 0 confirmed cases so people are not taking it seriously. On the other hand, I have friends that are afraid to open their window or walk outside in their own backyard.

cottonm4 the spin is that if he has no serious outcome then that is proof that this whole thing is just the common cold.

Lord Have Mercy.

US just posted 14,000 new cases today. Probably due to expanded test results coming back.