*** OFFICIAL *** COVID-19 CoronaVirus Thread. Fresh epidemic fears as child pneumonia cases surge in Europe after China outbreak. NOW in USA (21 Viewers)

[Terminalxylem]

One of our best friends is in the hospital right now. She hasn't been doing good. Went there and had to wait 30 hours in a hallway with no pillow on a gurney (they ran out of pillows) before getting a bed because the hospital is over run. She is a nurse and said that about 80% of the patients there were COVID. No vaccination because she has responded poorly to vaccinations in the past but says she is going to get one now. On oxygen and says it is a fight. 

Her daughter got it, then she got it. Daughter recovered fine and quickly. Her husband is vaccinated and did not get it. 

Sorry about you friend.

Aside from the % of Covid patients, your hospital sounds a lot like the one at which I work. They keep creating “virtual rooms”, because the ER is eternally overflowing Basically they put patients in every hallway, closet, etc. until a legitimate bed is vacated - up to 12-24+ hours later. Patients have zero privacy, are exposed to all the typical ER craziness (trauma, intoxicated/psychotic patients) and overwhelmed staff. Blankets are folded over to sub as pillows, until the blankets run out. 

Plus if you're not already infected, I’m sure the ER is about the worst place you can be for Covid exposure - as evidenced by your friend being placed in the hallway.

To add insult to injury, when the bill arrives, you’re charged for a regular room. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the fees are higher for non-emergent services provided by ED staff, simply because there aren’t beds elsewhere in the hospital.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

If you're old and/or are susceptible to severe illness you just really need to fully isolate or prepare for getting this variant.(omicron).  Hoping for those around you to be vaccinated and/or not having it will not be good enough.  

I'm vaxed and personally don't care...so I'm playing hoops etc.  Barely phased me the first time I had it,  far less than the flu for me.(as it is for most in my demographic)

This is a very solid, rational take.  Appreciate you laying it out like this.  I’m debating whether to see my parents for Xmas.   Probably will have my wife, kids, me all get vaccinated beforehand.

 

[HellToupee]

Throw pullover I was wearing into a plastic bag in the trunk to be washed. Sanitize hands/arms/face. Jump in car and go.

What about shoes? I do pretty much the same as you but haven’t figured out the shoe game plan. I’ve seen people with those painters booties but Im not doing that

 

[[icon]]

What about shoes? I do pretty much the same as you but haven’t figured out the shoe game plan. I’ve seen people with those painters booties but Im not doing that

I kick them off in fhe garage at my parents house and they usually sit for 12-24 hours. 

Not bulletproof but I'm not super worried about that as a path of transmission as long as I don't touch them. 

 

[belljr]

Wait .... people are back to worrying about surface transmission on clothes?   I definitely didn't do any of that a week ago on my flight.

 

[Doug B]

What's the ruling on having the air blasting on you while in your seat on the flight?  Is it keeping the COVID away from my face or just blowing it straight onto it?

No studies specifically about this ... but if it were me: I want as much moving air on me and in my vicinity as possible.

 

[[icon]]

Wait .... people are back to worrying about surface transmission on clothes?   I definitely didn't do any of that a week ago on my flight.

Jacket coming off isn't critical and is IMO a very minor risk... but sanitizing hands/arms is a must do IMO. 

 

[Doug B]

Wait .... people are back to worrying about surface transmission on clothes?   I definitely didn't do any of that a week ago on my flight.

That's kind of my non-science woo indulgence: I pretty much act as though COVID can ONLY spread through inhalation of virions. I further act like fomites have no role in COVID spread at all, excepting that I keep my hands very clean (a carryover from childhood). Rather than sanitize "stuff" ... I just sanitize my hands a lot.
 

 

[belljr]

Jacket coming off isn't critical and is IMO a very minor risk... but sanitizing hands/arms is a must do IMO. 

Oh. Definitely wash/sanitize the hands a lot. That's about as far as I go anymore

 

[Chadstroma]

Sorry about you friend.

Aside from the % of Covid patients, your hospital sounds a lot like the one at which I work. They keep creating “virtual rooms”, because the ER is eternally overflowing Basically they put patients in every hallway, closet, etc. until a legitimate bed is vacated - up to 12-24+ hours later. Patients have zero privacy, are exposed to all the typical ER craziness (trauma, intoxicated/psychotic patients) and overwhelmed staff. Blankets are folded over to sub as pillows, until the blankets run out. 

Plus if you're not already infected, I’m sure the ER is about the worst place you can be for Covid exposure - as evidenced by your friend being placed in the hallway.

To add insult to injury, when the bill arrives, you’re charged for a regular room. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the fees are higher for non-emergent services provided by ED staff, simply because there aren’t beds elsewhere in the hospital.

I don't know but she is a nurse and actually use to work there a while back and said she never had seen anything like it. 

I am just relaying what she told me. 

My couple of trips to the ER over the years in the area (car accident, and two for kidney stones) were at a different hospital. The car accident I was brought in by ambulance and could not get up or anything so there was no waiting or anything. I didn't see anything but the ceiling so I have no idea. 

The first gout, they got me in pretty quick. Basically no wait. The second, they got me some meds (whatever normal pain for stones and also the hard stuff) and I waited... prob 20 min? And then went in. 

Different hospital so I don't know. 

 

[tonydead]

People are still doing the clothes thing?  I had a co-worker, at the start of the pandemic, whose wife would make him strip down in the garage before she would let him in the house.   We never did miss a day of work.  I'll have to ask him if she's still making him do that.  

 

[jamny]

Yeah, kinda surprised at some of the things people are still doing like its March 2020.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Oh. Definitely wash/sanitize the hands a lot. That's about as far as I go anymore

I wash/sanitize my hands a lot because of other diseases.  But not really because of covid.

 

[Judge Smails]

Rockettes cancelled all shows. It’s on

 

[beer 30]

Rockettes cancelled all shows. It’s on

#### just got real

 

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To be clear... I don't sanitize anything day to day and up until this week I hadn't even worn a mask indoors unless required or it was really crowded. Hell I was flying with basic cloth mask. 

Flying at bad times (extreme spread / vax trust less than ironclad), I def do pay more attention when in airports and planes. . 

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

This jibes with what I heard from my friend last night, and also the YLE post above -- in a tight Twitter thread. 

For me it's easy to let someone else find out if the hospital can handle them three weeks from now.  And by ~April or so the Omicron surge is likely to be over and the Pfizer pill/treatment will start to be available.  I'm flipping the caution switch again for a couple months.

 

[GoBirds]

What about shoes? I do pretty much the same as you but haven’t figured out the shoe game plan. I’ve seen people with those painters booties but Im not doing that

I usually just hit them with some Clorox wipes. 

 

[Judge Smails]

Man I haven’t done surfaces or clothes in over a year

 

[IC FBGCav]

Man I haven’t done surfaces or clothes in over a year

Can you unpack this please.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Daughter has a cough, low grade fever, and is really tired. Gave her a rapid test and it was negative. We’ll see how she’s feeling tomorrow and re-assess.

 

[IC FBGCav]

To be clear... I don't sanitize anything day to day and up until this week I hadn't even worn a mask indoors unless required or it was really crowded. Hell I was flying with basic cloth mask. 

Flying at bad times (extreme spread / vax trust less than ironclad), I def do pay more attention when in airports and planes. . 

I agree.  This is not a surface contact thing, I thought.  Airborne.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Philadelphia advises that large gatherings in the city be canceled.

My office, just outside of Philly in the NJ suburbs, is still planning on having its holiday party (attendance optional), but we’ll see if that holds.

And today the holiday party was moved to fully virtual. 

And our in-office work arrangements (which are individual to each person) are suspended until Jan. 15. People can still come into the office on their planned in-office days if they want to, but they don't have to. 

 

[[icon]]

Anyone heard of this blogger? 

https://emilysmith.substack.com/p/this-is-why-we-need-to-take-omicron

i feel like I'm at YLE's cousins house. 

 

[tonydead]

To be clear... I don't sanitize anything day to day and up until this week I hadn't even worn a mask indoors unless required or it was really crowded. Hell I was flying with basic cloth mask. 

Flying at bad times (extreme spread / vax trust less than ironclad), I def do pay more attention when in airports and planes. . 

You just put clothes in a bag dude. 

Basic clothe mask.  Wat?  

 

[Biff84]

I'm starting to wonder "Is there any good reason not to sanction quarterly booster shots for the duration?"

Somebody has to give all the shots and leaning on community pharmacies is a model on the verge of collapsing. We’ve maxed out our appointments for months and still not close to getting everyone boosted. Yearly with the flu shots we might be able to handle but even every 6 months will crush us. We need to fire up the mass vaccination sites everywhere.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

The entire school district where I’m student teaching just went virtual until at least MLK Day.

 

[rockaction]

I was looking forward to Christmas with company without having to worry about my parents catching it. It seems like that's a bridge too far these days. This is awful. When do we return to any sort of normalcy? 

Asking for an impatient friend, I guess. 

So sad, this unfortunate two years. 

 

[Sputnikv8]

We just cancelled out trip from Seattle to Indiana.  3 out of 4 of us are vaxxed.  I had some home tests for the vaxxed to take before the flight and scheduled a rapid test for my unvaxxed son yesterday.  
 

Well he tested positive and is now grounded to his room.  We nixxed the trip to see my folks and we plan to test ourselves in 3-5 days.  Everyone remains asymptomatic so far. 
 

Getting a test prior to travel even with no symptoms is highly recommended.  We would have had no idea and taken the bug to my 73yo parents house. 
 

edit:  Oh ya, forgot to add:  ####!!!

 

[Dezbelief]

On a lighter note, we have acquired a ton of chopsticks and plastic utensils from ordering delivery so far during the pandemic. Any ideas on what to do with all of this besides trash it? I assume it would be useful if we ever return to the office. Got an entire drawer of this crap now.

Call a homeless shelter and see if they will accept them?

The entire school district where I’m student teaching just went virtual until at least MLK Day.

Email from my kids school district yesterday after school released for Christmas break.

At the beginning of the 20-21 school year, **** implemented procedures limiting visitors in our schools. This decision was made to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and in the interest of staff and student health. As we near the end of the fall semester for the 21-22 school year, we are encouraged to see the number of COVID-19 cases declining in our schools and in our community. Due to these declining numbers, **** will be transitioning back to "pre-COVID" protocols beginning January 5, 2022. 

Texas

My head hurts thinking about the level of stupidity. The previous strains took about 6 months to start running rampant through our city after being identified in the US. Omicron hasn't hit yet, but it will. smh 

There is no virtual option this year in the school district. 

 

[gianmarco]

We had gotten to a point a few months ago, I believe, when we were down to just 300-400 deaths/day in the US.  Well, yesterday, we just hit over 1650 dead and over 160,000 new cases yesterday alone.  And that's with vaccinations and boosters ramping up again along with new treatments and better understanding of how to manage Covid.

We are at 826,000 deaths in less than 2 years in the US alone (and over 5M worldwide).  We are likely to hit 1,000,000 dead in this country around March, or roughly 2 years from the start. 

I know we are all tired of this, but it isn't tired of us.  Please take care of yourselves, be safe and smart, and please think of others when deciding what you do as this new surge hits us again.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

So, back to semi (but mostly voluntary) lockdowns and remote school January until March?

 

[KarmaPolice]

So, back to semi (but mostly voluntary) lockdowns and remote school January until March?

My goodness, I hope not.   

 

[KarmaPolice]

I was looking forward to Christmas with company without having to worry about my parents catching it. It seems like that's a bridge too far these days. This is awful. When do we return to any sort of normalcy? 

Asking for an impatient friend, I guess. 

So sad, this unfortunate two years. 

I hear you, I just had to have this talk with my mother yesterday.   We were going to go over there on Christmas Eve, but naturally cases are popping up all around us.   I think 2 kids on my sons team tested positive, another was out for last night's game b/c his mom tested positive and he was going to get a test.   We just had one manager at the store get out of the hospital and now another posted a couple days ago she lost her sense of taste/smell.   Of course she dates, lives with, or hangs out with 4-5 other employees in the store so that could get interesting.   

I told her the best we could do is update her on those things, tell her if any of us have symptoms, and if she wanted me to, we could get tested a couple days before.   

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

My goodness, I hope not.   

Unfortunately, I think it is inevitable. That and working from home are two “easy” things, along with indoor mask mandates. I don’t think any businesses will be shut down, but I expect some restrictions may be coming. 
 

There were cases in both kids’ schools this week, I know multiple adults that tested positive separately this week as well. This is all related to Thanksgiving probably still (booster should have been approved and recommended/required starting in October) and now with this enhanced spread, Omicron, and people not changing their plans, post-xmas and NYE is going to be a bit of a cluster. 

 

[Alex P Keaton]

We just cancelled out trip from Seattle to Indiana.  3 out of 4 of us are vaxxed.  I had some home tests for the vaxxed to take before the flight and scheduled a rapid test for my unvaxxed son yesterday.  
 

Well he tested positive and is now grounded to his room.  We nixxed the trip to see my folks and we plan to test ourselves in 3-5 days.  Everyone remains asymptomatic so far. 
 

Getting a test prior to travel even with no symptoms is highly recommended.  We would have had no idea and taken the bug to my 73yo parents house. 
 

edit:  Oh ya, forgot to add:  ####!!!

Good reminder.  My family is headed to see all the grandparents next week……and we really need to get tested beforehand.   Especially me…..I’ve been in NY twice in two weeks, on 4 flights, in multiple restaurants in NY…..and we had 3 people in our office test positive this week.   It’s a near certainty that I’ve been exposed.

Should have skipped this week’s trip.  Probably time to shut down my travel for the next 4-6 weeks.

(note:  triple-vax’d)

 

[matuski]

So, back to semi (but mostly voluntary) lockdowns and remote school January until March?

I'm so glad I live in Texas.  Not a chance in hell.

 

[jobarules]

Part of the reason I hate masks is its such theater. I went to the store and they asked me to put on a mask. Fine. Meanwhile one of the workers has the mask around his chin. Half the customers are wearing the masks below their nose. So basically I was asked to mask so they didn't get fined not for anyone's safety.

 

[top dog]

What a two weeks around me... Last week my unvaccinated mother-in-law and neice tested positive for COVID. On Monday I took my father to the VA to find out he has stage 3 lung cancer. He is an ex-smoker who quit smoking about 40 years ago.... This week my brother and his wife both tested positive for COVID. 

This morning my wife gets a call from the Hospital. She is positive. She went to the urgent care yesterday because she has been feeling under the weather and thought she had bronchitis.  Now she is all upset over Christmas. Her stepfather told her "Don't worry about it. We will still do Christmas. I don't care." His wife and granddaughter just had it. I told her I don't care what anyone else does, but my daughter and her husband live with my father who is battling cancer. They take care of him. His immune system is pretty much gone right now from the chemo. I don't want either of them around. She got pretty upset over that. She needs time to process all this. 

So far I'm negative. I slept downstairs since Wed. when she started not feeling well. We'll see how well my booster protects me.

 

[belljr]

Still going to Florida for Christmas

 

[The Z Machine]

Man... this thread is freaking me out. 

I'm in New Orleans with some friends I haven't seen in 2 years.  One of the guys (who went on a cruise last week) wasn't feeling well this morning with a sore throat and got a rapid test. Came back positive.

He didn't hang out as much as the other folks on the trip, since he's a bit of a strange bird, but he was definitely unmasked in hotel rooms and restaurants with the rest of the group, including me. 

Question: We have one day / night left.  What do we do? Isolate until we get on flights going back to where we came from? Can we at least eat outdoors together?

Question: Will a rapid or PCR test for the other group members tell us anything at this point?

Question: I flew here with a cloth mask over a well fitted surgical mask. I should get an N95, but where can I find them locally?

 

[BigJim®]

Part of the reason I hate masks is its such theater. I went to the store and they asked me to put on a mask. Fine. Meanwhile one of the workers has the mask around his chin. Half the customers are wearing the masks below their nose. So basically I was asked to mask so they didn't get fined not for anyone's safety.

Disappointing that many who are anti mask do stuff like that (JMHO) to thumb their nose at rules, supporting their own narrative that it's theater. People just need to get with the program.

My sons are both in intramural basketball and there was initially going to be no parent attendance. They changed their stance 3 weeks ago, but required all spectators to wear a mask. Well, 30% obliged and we just received email Thursday reminding of the rule. Fully expect to see 70% protest chin diapers from a bunch of grown up Karens next week.  

 

[parasaurolophus]

Man... this thread is freaking me out. 

I'm in New Orleans with some friends I haven't seen in 2 years.  One of the guys (who went on a cruise last week) wasn't feeling well this morning with a sore throat and got a rapid test. Came back positive.

He didn't hang out as much as the other folks on the trip, since he's a bit of a strange bird, but he was definitely unmasked in hotel rooms and restaurants with the rest of the group, including me. 

Question: We have one day / night left.  What do we do? Isolate until we get on flights going back to where we came from? Can we at least eat outdoors together?

Question: Will a rapid or PCR test for the other group members tell us anything at this point?

Question: I flew here with a cloth mask over a well fitted surgical mask. I should get an N95, but where can I find them locally?

The home Depot on Claiborne seems to have solid stock of N95 masks. 

Not sure if this link will save all the settings I selected, but hopefully. 

 

[jvdesigns2002]

Part of the reason I hate masks is its such theater. I went to the store and they asked me to put on a mask. Fine. Meanwhile one of the workers has the mask around his chin. Half the customers are wearing the masks below their nose. So basically I was asked to mask so they didn't get fined not for anyone's safety.

I think the theater is when people have a hard time wearing them for 10-15 minutes while shopping. It’s not that hard. Even if somebody believes that they don’t work—the sheer fact that wearing one for a few minutes might make other people feel a little more comfortable around them during the holiday season should be reason enough to do it.  God forbid people do something nice for the sake of it being nice. 

 

[belljr]

Disappointing that many who are anti mask do stuff like that (JMHO) to thumb their nose at rules, supporting their own narrative that it's theater. People just need to get with the program.

My sons are both in intramural basketball and there was initially going to be no parent attendance. They changed their stance 3 weeks ago, but required all spectators to wear a mask. Well, 30% obliged and we just received email Thursday reminding of the rule. Fully expect to see 70% protest chin diapers from a bunch of grown up Karens next week.  

Then they will ban parents. The parents will "protest" and games will be cancelled because the adults can't act like adults

 

[parasaurolophus]

I think the theater is when people have a hard time wearing them for 10-15 minutes while shopping. It’s not that hard. Even if somebody believes that they don’t work—the sheer fact that wearing one for a few minutes might make other people feel a little more comfortable around them during the holiday season should be reason enough to do it.  God forbid people do something nice for the sake of it being nice. 

I know you wear good masks (and have secured them for your employees as well) so this doesn't apply to you, but the real theatre is people that wear junk on their face and feel good about themselves because they think they are really helping. 

 

[[icon]]

You just put clothes in a bag dude. 

Basic clothe mask.  Wat?  

I'd ask if you were drunk when you posted this but 2am post time clarifies that. 

Yes, I'd wear a basic cloth mask much of this year because the vax was trustworthy vs existing strain, so I was cool with a less effective mask in exchange for comfort. 

Now that Omicron has an unknown degree of escape, and seems to be significantly more contagious, I'm back to wearing an N95 when flying. 

This isn't complicated.  

 

[BigJim®]

Then they will ban parents. The parents will "protest" and games will be cancelled because the adults can't act like adults

More likely the games will go on under the initial no-spectator prohibition, and I'll be deprived of watching my kids play because of the Karen crusade.

 

[[icon]]

Tennessee vs Memphis basketball game in Nashville cancelled due to 7 Memphis players (and the entire Pom squad) testing positive this morning. 

This game was a huge deal with welcome receptions last night, tons of folks coming in from out of town. Apparently the Memphis players were at some big reception last night... hate it for anyone who was there. Likely will be a super spreader event with everyone wanting to rub elbows and take pictures with the (infected) players 

 

[jvdesigns2002]

I know you wear good masks (and have secured them for your employees as well) so this doesn't apply to you, but the real theatre is people that wear junk on their face and feel good about themselves because they think they are really helping. 

Honestly—you are right. I go out of my way to wear good masks and I provide them to my co-workers—but I do not force them to use them. We do all wear masks though. With that said—-even though there is a mask mandate in California—there are customers that just refuse to wear them—and the owner of our store said that she no longer wants to be confrontational with customers about them. However—just last week—I had 2 customers walk out and we lost holiday sales because they were older customers that didn’t feel comfortable being in the store with a couple of other unmasked customers.  We are a small business that needs every piece of business that we could get—and literally—we lost a couple sales because a couple customers decided to put their “theater” of not wearing a mask ahead of our business. Not wearing a mask in a business where other people might feel uncomfortable about it is horribly selfish.