Thoughts on Covid 19

[Mr. Calderon]

Here we are kinda going out the first wave and we are having elections for mayor today. Ppl are talking about the second wave after it. Because? Because its all about politic$. Im not saying theres no chinese virus.

Meanwhile the sao paulo state governor wants to buy chinese vaccine without testing enough, just because he want$ save ppl. And will jump into local supreme court to make mandatory to whole state ppl and possibly after the supreme approves this idea, they will make it mandatory in each state of the country. Great reset, same strategy here and in other countries. Too much coincidence? Nah, just few rich globalists trying to make money and destroy the world economy with china

 New normal, wear a mask, sanitizer, and widespread terror, fake pandemics data by the media and unemployment. They are trying to dont fail the 2nd wave to achieve their goals. I see many ppl talking bad about the president but...what do you expect he could do? I want to see you talk about the chinese government. Specially, in china, to see what will happen to you. Im sorry about the ones who had family hit by this plague.

Trying to be less political as possible here, but comtroversial as ever.

[Ferrariman]

Vaccines are making progress. Both Pfizer and Moderna are supposedly in final stages and ready to seek emergency authorization to distribute them. Pfizer in particular is claiming 90% effectiveness. With specialists like Dr. Fauci and Dr. Gupta hoping for at least 50% this seems pretty incredible.  My fear is once again with my favorite "stupid people".  You just know that once they get the shot they'll think "hey, I'm vaccinated, no need for this mask anymore" WRONG  It's going to take a while for it to work (if it works cause everyone is different) and the experts have said that masks and distancing will still be necessary for a while.  Plus this will raise a new bunch of questions.  Will it create immunity?   How long will that immunity last?  Can I get the virus a 2nd time?   And perhaps the biggest question, will people be willing to take it?

 Things are looking better but we are just at the beginning of a long long journey.

[pahonu]

17 hours ago, miamijimf said:

  There is no solid evidence that recovery from covid leads to permanent medical problems.  One or two cases of lasting problems, if they are verified, are not sufficient evidence.  It will take a long time to know for certain, remember this is a new disease.

Jim, I will respectfully say that “one or two cases” is inaccurate.  My wife’s friend’s symptoms are going on 8 months, which isn’t like any flu, and she is not alone.  There are many thousands of cases of these long-term, lingering symptoms.  Researchers are finding as much as 10% of cases display this pattern.   Whether these symptoms remain for even longer periods we obviously cannot know until more time passes, but these cases have entered a category that is not considered typical of a short term recovery.

Here is an article from UC Davis about it:

https://health.ucdavis.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-information/covid-19-long-haulers.html

 

[Robbie C.]

In some respects it acts more like adult-onset mono. What I think isn't clearly understood is if the lingering symptoms result from COVID or underlying conditions. Let's be honest: science is inexact no matter what they want to tell you, and this hasn't been around long enough for there to be any serious, long-term studies of anything. That doesn't mean you ignore science, but you acknowledge it's imperfect (as it always is in the early stages of anything).

[jpaul1]

1 hour ago, Robbie C. said:

In some respects it acts more like adult-onset mono. What I think isn't clearly understood is if the lingering symptoms result from COVID or underlying conditions. Let's be honest: science is inexact no matter what they want to tell you, and this hasn't been around long enough for there to be any serious, long-term studies of anything. That doesn't mean you ignore science, but you acknowledge it's imperfect (as it always is in the early stages of anything).

so if i follow you way of reasoning, a gunshot shouldn't be called a gunshot, but an haemorragia, or an heart failure. and the gun shouldn't be talken into consideration into the deadly equation

[Robbie C.]

4 hours ago, jpaul1 said:

so if i follow you way of reasoning, a gunshot shouldn't be called a gunshot, but an haemorragia, or an heart failure. and the gun shouldn't be talken into consideration into the deadly equation

If you'd like to think that way, you're more than welcome to. But it shows you totally missed the point of what I said. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[Ferrariman]

7 hours ago, pahonu said:

Jim, I will respectfully say that “one or two cases” is inaccurate.  My wife’s friend’s symptoms are going on 8 months, which isn’t like any flu, and she is not alone.  There are many thousands of cases of these long-term, lingering symptoms.  Researchers are finding as much as 10% of cases display this pattern.   Whether these symptoms remain for even longer periods we obviously cannot know until more time passes, but these cases have entered a category that is not considered typical of a short term recovery.

They have been given the name "Long Haulers" and you are correct, it's much more than a few cases. People have complained of numerous symptoms.   One specific article I read told of an autopsy done on a covid patient that found blood clots in almost every organ.   Another. person interviewed on TV used to be a runner and now can hardly walk around the block without becoming exhausted.  Headaches, body pain and trouble concentrating are just a few symptoms that continue to plague covid survivors.

[Robbie C.]

1 hour ago, Ferrariman said:

They have been given the name "Long Haulers" and you are correct, it's much more than a few cases. People have complained of numerous symptoms.   One specific article I read told of an autopsy done on a covid patient that found blood clots in almost every organ.   Another. person interviewed on TV used to be a runner and now can hardly walk around the block without becoming exhausted.  Headaches, body pain and trouble concentrating are just a few symptoms that continue to plague covid survivors.

Once again, this is very similar to adult-onset mono. It can take six months or more for someone to recover outside of the relapse window, and even then the impact on the immune system remains for years.

[Christine]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb Robbie C.:

Once again, this is very similar to adult-onset mono. It can take six months or more for someone to recover outside of the relapse window, and even then the impact on the immune system remains for years.

You should know that Covid does not only infest adult people. First they thought that only elderly and old people are endangered, but now they know that children can get it. It usually does not take the severe course in children as it does in adults, but the assumption that it is only dangerous for adults is not true. About the immunity: I think it could be similiar to the flue because both are triggered by a virus. 

[Robbie C.]

3 hours ago, Christine said:

You should know that Covid does not only infest adult people. First they thought that only elderly and old people are endangered, but now they know that children can get it. It usually does not take the severe course in children as it does in adults, but the assumption that it is only dangerous for adults is not true. About the immunity: I think it could be similiar to the flue because both are triggered by a virus. 

I know that. But some of the additional symptoms and impacts are not flu-like. And mono works the same way in regard to children and adults. This acts more like flu combined with mono. 

[Christine]

vor 44 Minuten schrieb Robbie C.:

I know that. But some of the additional symptoms and impacts are not flu-like. And mono works the same way in regard to children and adults. This acts more like flu combined with mono. 

That's right. Some of the Covid symptoms are very different to flue symptoms. That makes it so hard to find out whether someone ist nfected or not. A friend suffered only from symptoms of exhaustion in March. Since she worked 300 hours overtime, no one was surprised. In May she still didn't feel better and the doctor did a Covid test. It was negative, but the antibody test was positive. She still can't work, has organ damage and nobody knows whether she will ever be able to work again. She is 59.

[timm525]

Having had some experience with viruses a few years back that about took me out permanently, I will say they attack you when your body is at it’s weakest. I was totally run down from working a very high stress job and a ton of hours combined with poor diet and no exercise. Perfect recipe for the little viral critter to take hold and not want to let go. 

Getting lots of sleep, moderate exercise and a good diet will go a long way to keeping you healthy.

Not an exact science and doesn’t ensure you won’t get sick but it sure does help a lot.

Stay safe!

[Eillio Martin Imbasciati]

 I was off to a poor start this year due to the family home (since 1993) being condemned and I had to move out this past February, so I began the year scrambling. A month later, the COVID-19 announcement...tough stuff. As it is, I prefer to err on the side of caution, so as soon as we were told to wear masks, that's what I do. I've wore all kinds: started with a bandana, switched to surgical masks, then purchased a twin bill of cloth masks from Wal-mart: Neighborhood Market, and now I'm back to surgical masks (i applied for a janitorial job at a dementia care facility, and they wanted my mask to be surgical and not full cloth, so I went back to the surgical). 

This whole event troubles me, and I truly worry about others, and am also concerned about those who think it's a hoax (a WORLDWIDE hoax? unlikely) and based on subverting the economy (?). As for social distancing, I've always tried to stay out of the way in public (and in Publix:-), so that's been fine I guess. I suppose this is better than the end of our world as we know it, but I've never seen or expected anything like this. Also, it's like anything else when it comes to the majority: some will follow the guidelines, others will think it's a snow job and decide that approach is not for them. Even though I'm a pretty strong non-conformist, I just think it's best to ride this out, even though it's terrible. I do believe that anything that a person doesn't understand fully and is being told is a threat that they should take certain precautions seriously. It's like how some people have certain problems others don't have: just because they don't have that problem, that doesn't mean the problem doesn't exist. This COVID deal, to me, is everyone's problem, even if they or those they hold most dear aren't affected; it affects us even if we're not infected, touching us all. STAY SAFE EVERYONE!!!

[AndrewRemington]

22 minutes ago, Eillio Martin Imbasciati said:

 I was off to a poor start this year due to the family home (since 1993) being condemned and I had to move out this past February, so I began the year scrambling. A month later, the COVID-19 announcement...tough stuff. As it is, I prefer to err on the side of caution, so as soon as we were told to wear masks, that's what I do. I've wore all kinds: started with a bandana, switched to surgical masks, then purchased a twin bill of cloth masks from Wal-mart: Neighborhood Market, and now I'm back to surgical masks (i applied for a janitorial job at a dementia care facility, and they wanted my mask to be surgical and not full cloth, so I went back to the surgical). 

This whole event troubles me, and I truly worry about others, and am also concerned about those who think it's a hoax (a WORLDWIDE hoax? unlikely) and based on subverting the economy (?). As for social distancing, I've always tried to stay out of the way in public (and in Publix:-), so that's been fine I guess. I suppose this is better than the end of our world as we know it, but I've never seen or expected anything like this. Also, it's like anything else when it comes to the majority: some will follow the guidelines, others will think it's a snow job and decide that approach is not for them. Even though I'm a pretty strong non-conformist, I just think it's best to ride this out, even though it's terrible. I do believe that anything that a person doesn't understand fully and is being told is a threat that they should take certain precautions seriously. It's like how some people have certain problems others don't have: just because they don't have that problem, that doesn't mean the problem doesn't exist. This COVID deal, to me, is everyone's problem, even if they or those they hold most dear aren't affected; it affects us even if we're not infected, touching us all. STAY SAFE EVERYONE!!!

I’m so sorry you lost your family home, that is horrible!

I’ve had a three relatives get COVID, but they have all recovered. However, one of my coworker’s brothers just died from the virus, and he was only 30 something. Very scary!

I am still working at home. I don’t have much exposure to the outside world. Even for Thanksgiving, only spent it with a group of four who also hardly leave the house and we see each other regularly (my wife’s parents). Some people may say we shouldn’t see each other, but we only visit with each other and no one else.

I do appreciate being home, myself. I’ve been feverishly working on recording music and working on art (drawing and painting).

[Ferrariman]

34 minutes ago, Eillio Martin Imbasciati said:

 I was off to a poor start this year due to the family home (since 1993) being condemned and I had to move out this past February, so I began the year scrambling. A month later, the COVID-19 announcement...tough stuff. As it is, I prefer to err on the side of caution, so as soon as we were told to wear masks, that's what I do. I've wore all kinds: started with a bandana, switched to surgical masks, then purchased a twin bill of cloth masks from Wal-mart: Neighborhood Market, and now I'm back to surgical masks (i applied for a janitorial job at a dementia care facility, and they wanted my mask to be surgical and not full cloth, so I went back to the surgical). 

This whole event troubles me, and I truly worry about others, and am also concerned about those who think it's a hoax (a WORLDWIDE hoax? unlikely) and based on subverting the economy (?). As for social distancing, I've always tried to stay out of the way in public (and in Publix:-), so that's been fine I guess. I suppose this is better than the end of our world as we know it, but I've never seen or expected anything like this. Also, it's like anything else when it comes to the majority: some will follow the guidelines, others will think it's a snow job and decide that approach is not for them. Even though I'm a pretty strong non-conformist, I just think it's best to ride this out, even though it's terrible. I do believe that anything that a person doesn't understand fully and is being told is a threat that they should take certain precautions seriously. It's like how some people have certain problems others don't have: just because they don't have that problem, that doesn't mean the problem doesn't exist. This COVID deal, to me, is everyone's problem, even if they or those they hold most dear aren't affected; it affects us even if we're not infected, touching us all. STAY SAFE EVERYONE!!!

Agree 100%.  As I said in my initial post, I blame stupid, selfish people for the situation we're in. How the hell can you look at the numbers of people who are infected or have died and call this a hoax! It just boils my blood when I hear things like that!   People were advised to refrain from traveling for Thanksgiving and what do I see on TV? Over 9 million of those stupid, selfish people passed through airports for the holiday. How many do you think will actually quarantine themselves when they travel back home?  I guess we'll find out in 2 or 3 weeks. Just in time for a repeat for Christmas. We are truly our own worst enemies.

Now, thankfully, vaccines are just a few weeks away. The fact that what usually takes years was done within a year is truly amazing!  And I'm sure the conspiracy theories about that will begin to fly soon enough.  

There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel, just hang in there!

[Eillio Martin Imbasciati]

That's good that you've been able to work at home, AndrewRemington, but I believe what you said about your brother's coworker dying at the age of 30 from the virus illustrates that even the young aren't immune (anyway, I don't like it when it's been said that mostly only older people are dying from COVID. Even if that was the case...them being older makes it okay that they died? Talk about self-interest).

Yeah, I knew the house deal was going down, but in any other year I would've just stayed in and minimized public contact. Oh well, I've been getting by, even when everything was closed. Easily my highlight was spending a few days with my best friend in Gainesville in late September; it gave me a respite from the madness and also a great person to spend time with, considering that we're both writers and the ideas kind of poured out at times (she's an all-around cool gal anyways). I definitely treasure those few days:-).

[Tom]

vor 3 Minuten schrieb Ferrariman:

Now, thankfully, vaccines are just a few weeks away. The fact that what usually takes years was done within a year is truly amazing!  And I'm sure the conspiracy theories about that will begin to fly soon enough.  

There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel, just hang in there!

I don´t want to be a spoiler (and I also think the vaccine will be helpful), but: the vaccine will only protect you from getting sick with the virus, it will NOT prevent you from getting the virus and infecting others. It will not shut out the home invader, it will "only" help to cuff him faster when he enters. That´s how all vaccines work. They train the immune system to detect and fight the virus asap, but in order to do that you have to catch it first and that also means that you can infect others even if you are safe through the vaccine.

And, that is exactly the catch as you talked about selfish people: how many of them will think after they had their shots they can go out to parties as before because they´re "immune"? I think most of them. Don´t get me wrong. The vaccine is a good thing, but it will only work if most people on earth get it and it will not prevent infection of others by selfish covidiiots.

[Eillio Martin Imbasciati]

For sure Ferrariman, and I completely understand your aggravation (I especially feel the conspiracy theories are daft): what I don't understand is why some people couldn't look at the big picture and just rein themselves in throughout this year. It's like in regular life sans COVID, when there are things we'd like to do but we don't have the time or resources for them, so we have to wait or look forward to such things. Well, unfortunately this year many things were put on hold regardless if we liked it or not, so the only thing to do was to try our best to stay healthy, and look forward to better days. Maybe that's hokey, but sometimes that's all there is.

[Tom]

vor 19 Minuten schrieb AndrewRemington:

I’ve had a three relatives get COVID, but they have all recovered. However, one of my coworker’s brothers just died from the virus, and he was only 30 something. Very scary!

Good point. 

Here in our ICUs the youngest patient is a 19 year old girl without prior health conditions. ICU doctors told us they have seen 80 year olds being rushed to the hospital in critical condition but leaving it 3 days later by foot and with a smile, but at the same time they have mid 30 year old patients with triathlon track record in intensive care who can hardly breath. This virus is fully unpredictable. It´s Russian roulette.

[Eillio Martin Imbasciati]

I agree with you Tom, there will definitely be those who think they're all clear once the vaccine arrives, and since some of those people are already playing it fast and loose as it is, that means that the vaccine will be most effective for those who keep themselves in check. But counting on the people who are feeling reckless to be conscientiousness is a tall order. I do understand the impulse that some people have in feeling they are indestructible and nothing can hurt them, but I'm reminded of getting sick in grade school when other kids didn't stay home. I think things out in the world are like that in a way, but more deadly.

[Eillio Martin Imbasciati]

That's why I think it's good to hear the insight of those who work in the health care field, as it demonstrates that the pandemic is hardly make-believe, or something that insults their intelligence and cramps their style.

[Ferrariman]

14 minutes ago, Tom said:

I don´t want to be a spoiler (and I also think the vaccine will be helpful), but: the vaccine will only protect you from getting sick with the virus, it will NOT prevent you from getting the virus and infecting others. It will not shut out the home invader, it will "only" help to cuff him faster when he enters. That´s how all vaccines work. They train the immune system to detect and fight the virus asap, but in order to do that you have to catch it first and that also means that you can infect others even if you are safe through the vaccine.

And, that is exactly the catch as you talked about selfish people: how many of them will think after they had their shots they can go out to parties as before because they´re "immune"? I think most of them. Don´t get me wrong. The vaccine is a good thing, but it will only work if most people on earth get it and it will not prevent infection of others by selfish covidiiots.

I'm well aware Tom. We've been told that even with the vaccine we still have to remain disciplined by wearing masks, distancing, etc.   I'd like to think people will follow that advice but that's just wishful thinking. 

[Tom]

vor 3 Minuten schrieb Eillio Martin Imbasciati:

I agree with you Tom, there will definitely be those who think they're all clear once the vaccine arrives, and since some of those people are already playing it fast and loose as it is, that means that the vaccine will be most effective for those who keep themselves in check. But counting on the people who are feeling reckless to be conscientiousness is a tall order. I do understand the impulse that some people have in feeling they are indestructible and nothing can hurt them, but I'm reminded of getting sick in grade school when other kids didn't stay home. I think things out in the world are like that in a way, but more deadly.

There is a second catch with the vaccine. 

Normally the approval process and the phase 3 study for new medicines for specific patients take 3-4 years on average .With Covid they (pharma companies and authorities) have rushed it through the process in 3 MONTHS and approved it for use for 7 billion people on earth.

As I do not assume that pharma companies and FDA wasted billions in last years for nothing on clinical trials, that can only mean that there is quite a risk that the vaccine will either have potential side effects or will not work properly. With a few hundreds of clinical probes over a few months it is definetely not possible to achieve the same safety standard than in 3-4 years.

[Eillio Martin Imbasciati]

That is definitely food for thought Tom, as there is an unknown factor & a risk included with the vaccine due to the rush to market. As life experience goes, we know ANYTHING rushed into public consumption has its drawbacks, so let's hope people (or at least the majority; and for the cynics throughout this pandemic, it's something else for them to react to) do keep that in mind:-).

[Tom]

vor 2 Minuten schrieb Eillio Martin Imbasciati:

That is definitely food for thought Tom, as there is an unknown factor & a risk included with the vaccine due to the rush to market. As life experience goes, we know ANYTHING rushed into public consumption has its drawbacks, so let's hope people (or at least the majority; and for the cynics throughout this pandemic, it's something else for them to react to) do keep that in mind:-).

Yep. I have learnt to rely only on myself -not media or politicians - when it comes to information that helps to keep my family safe. Experience with other viruses (HIV, Ebola, ...) indicates that viruses are very versatile and adaptable and are prone for sudden mutations. They are very smart. With Ebola it took them 30 years to find a vaccine that works. What baffles me with the Covid vaccine is how experts who hardly still understand how this completely new virus works exactly and why it affects some patients or body organs much stronger than others can understand the virus enough to build a really reliable vaccine against it. There is a lot of business interest behind this too which makes things blurry.