PlagueWatch 2020-23 - Coronavirus

[camion]

The story linked below in USA Today gives data on how the anti-coronavirus measures (and more flu shots) have pretty much knocked out the early flu season. My take is that the anti-coronavirus measure work for both flu and coronavirus, but we are much less protected from coronavirus than from flu at this point (no widely available vaccine and no herd immunity).

Key data from the story: "During the 2019 flu season from Sept. 29 to Dec. 28, the CDC reported more than 65,000 cases of influenza nationwide. During the same period last year, the agency reported only 1,016 cases."

Much lower flu numbers despite significantly more flu testing.

Linky

[budwom]

The story linked below in USA Today gives data on how the anti-coronavirus measures (and more flu shots) have pretty much knocked out the early flu season. My take is that the anti-coronavirus measure work for both flu and coronavirus, but we are much less protected from coronavirus than from flu at this point (no widely available vaccine and no herd immunity).

Key data from the story: "During the 2019 flu season from Sept. 29 to Dec. 28, the CDC reported more than 65,000 cases of influenza nationwide. During the same period last year, the agency reported only 1,016 cases."

Much lower flu numbers despite significantly more flu testing.

Linky

that's why we're wondering what my wife just had...very flu-like symptoms (3 days of fever, fatigue, no congestion)...but she had a flu shot (not sure how effective this year)...no respiratory problems, so maybe a rogue flu, maybe The Covid (she's been ultra careful).

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

The story linked below in USA Today gives data on how the anti-coronavirus measures (and more flu shots) have pretty much knocked out the early flu season. My take is that the anti-coronavirus measure work for both flu and coronavirus, but we are much less protected from coronavirus than from flu at this point (no widely available vaccine and no herd immunity).

Key data from the story: "During the 2019 flu season from Sept. 29 to Dec. 28, the CDC reported more than 65,000 cases of influenza nationwide. During the same period last year, the agency reported only 1,016 cases."

Much lower flu numbers despite significantly more flu testing.

Linky

This is what I assumed would happen. Folks were worried about the double whammy of COVID and the flu, but considering how careful most people are being this winter - staying home, not eating out, working from home, wearing masks, washing hands, not congregating, etc - the flu doesn't really have much to work with.

Also, those numbers alone should show that any comparison of COVID and the flu is a false equivalency.

[JasonEvans]

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey has tested positive for Covid after she sheltered in the bowels of the capitol on Wednesday. She was in a room with several GOP Reps who refused to wear masks. Coleman is 75 years old and says she is experiencing some flu-like symptoms. She is currently resting at home.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/congr...b6c77d85e8fc1a

[Lord Ash]

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey has tested positive for Covid after she sheltered in the bowels of the capitol on Wednesday. She was in a room with several GOP Reps who refused to wear masks. Coleman is 75 years old and says she is experiencing some flu-like symptoms. She is currently resting at home.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/congr...b6c77d85e8fc1a

Outrageous. Pure selfishness.

[PackMan97]

Also, those numbers alone should show that any comparison of COVID and the flu is a false equivalency.

...and just how much more contagious COVID-19 is than the flu.

Can you imagine what numbers would be like without masks and social distancing?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

...and just how much more contagious COVID-19 is than the flu.

Can you imagine what numbers would be like without masks and social distancing?

That was my point exactly.

[wavedukefan70s]

Economy's wise tbrough covid the south east U.S is doing better .
Loaded imports were up 14.4% and loaded exports were up 8.6%, highlighting a strong balance for ocean carriers and a thriving Southeast market.
Thats about all the good news i have for the pandemic.

[rsvman]

Shot number two uneventfully completed this morning at about 10 a.m. I took two Tylenol right afterward and 400 mg of Motrin after lunch. Didn't feel the need but I've been told by colleagues to "get ahead of it."

Just so happy to have completed the vaccine series. Looking forward, in a couple of weeks, to becoming a little bit less worried about things like grocery shopping, playing the organ at church, and the like. I will still be wearing a mask, social distancing, and all the rest, but it will take a burden off my shoulders that I have been carrying for quite some time. Given that there are only three physicians in my subspeciality here, one of whom is new and the other of whom is leading the committee that makes all decisions about the pandemic for the health system, runs the micro lab, runs infection control, and is filling out case report paperwork for every single positive test in our area (100+ over the weekend, by the way), I have been trying REALLY HARD not to get it or even be exposed, because if I had to quarantine our division would be in a world of hurt.

It is going to feel really great to have some of that burden lifted.

[-jk]

Shot number two uneventfully completed this morning at about 10 a.m. I took two Tylenol right afterward and 400 mg of Motrin after lunch. Didn't feel the need but I've been told by colleagues to "get ahead of it."

Just so happy to have completed the vaccine series. Looking forward, in a couple of weeks, to becoming a little bit less worried about things like grocery shopping, playing the organ at church, and the like. I will still be wearing a mask, social distancing, and all the rest, but it will take a burden off my shoulders that I have been carrying for quite some time. Given that there are only three physicians in my subspeciality here, one of whom is new and the other of whom is leading the committee that makes all decisions about the pandemic for the health system, runs the micro lab, runs infection control, and is filling out case report paperwork for every single positive test in our area (100+ over the weekend, by the way), I have been trying REALLY HARD not to get it or even be exposed, because if I had to quarantine our division would be in a world of hurt.

It is going to feel really great to have some of that burden lifted.

Congrats! Breathe easier...

-jk

[aimo]

Shot number two uneventfully completed this morning at about 10 a.m. I took two Tylenol right afterward and 400 mg of Motrin after lunch. Didn't feel the need but I've been told by colleagues to "get ahead of it."

It is going to feel really great to have some of that burden lifted.

Ditto, mine was this afternoon. I have been told to lift weights and do pushups to help with arm pain. I will take Tylenol later. My mom is 76, and trying to get through to Duke to get scheduled for hers is proving to be a nightmare, so since I am the only one in direct contact with her, I consider my vaccine partially hers as well. Hopefully, she can get hers soon and feel safe enough to venture out for the first time since March.

[CDu]

Up to 9 million vaccinated with at least one dose as of this morning per CDC. That's up from ~6.7 million as of Friday morning. That's a weekend increase of about 2.3 million, or about a 23 million person per month rate if held. So we seem to be making progress, albeit delayed. I would have liked this to be the pace as of mid/late December, not mid January.

Still, at least it seems we're going in the right direction.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

New York has been a big mess but seems to be turning the corner. Initial vaccinations were limited primarily to hospital personnel and elderly in nursing homes and anecdotally I have heard that has gone fairly well. Governor Cuomo was threatening lawsuits for those who gave it to unauthorized recipients, so there were stories about lots of vaccines going to waste. And as always, there was lots of bickering between the mayor and governor about this (both Democrats).

So today they opened it up to teachers, those over 75, first responders, transit workers, and several other groups, and they are actively trying to open up a lot more places to give the vaccine. So hopefully the numbers here will improve rapidly and we might flip to the problem other places have of too many people, not enough vaccine. The high school across the street from the elementary school my kids attend was just announced as a vaccination site, so I am hoping all of the teachers from their school (they are in hybrid mode) get their shots asap.

[PackMan97]

New York has been a big mess but seems to be turning the corner. Initial vaccinations were limited primarily to hospital personnel and elderly in nursing homes and anecdotally I have heard that has gone fairly well. Governor Cuomo was threatening lawsuits for those who gave it to unauthorized recipients, so there were stories about lots of vaccines going to waste. And as always, there was lots of bickering between the mayor and governor about this (both Democrats).

I had heard that in one city (or maybe statewide), hospitals were being threatened with fines if they gave the vaccine out of order, but then also being threatened with fines if they let any vaccine go to waste.

*boggle*

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I had heard that in one city (or maybe statewide), hospitals were being threatened with fines if they gave the vaccine out of order, but then also being threatened with fines if they let any vaccine go to waste.

*boggle*

Exactly. Here's a NY Times article from a few days ago describing the situation - everyone was afraid to do anything. Key anecdote - the vaccines come in vials that can be used for ten shots and go bad after six hours. A health center set a time to give them out and initially had twelve people. They decided to open the second vial and initially found three more qualified people to get to five. A nurse literally started walking down the street looking for people to use the other five doses on but was only able to find one more eligible person under the rules at the time, so she had to throw out four doses.

Face Palm

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/n...ne-delays.html

[devildeac]

Shot number two uneventfully completed this morning at about 10 a.m. I took two Tylenol right afterward and 400 mg of Motrin after lunch. Didn't feel the need but I've been told by colleagues to "get ahead of it."

Just so happy to have completed the vaccine series. Looking forward, in a couple of weeks, to becoming a little bit less worried about things like grocery shopping, playing the organ at church, and the like. I will still be wearing a mask, social distancing, and all the rest, but it will take a burden off my shoulders that I have been carrying for quite some time. Given that there are only three physicians in my subspeciality here, one of whom is new and the other of whom is leading the committee that makes all decisions about the pandemic for the health system, runs the micro lab, runs infection control, and is filling out case report paperwork for every single positive test in our area (100+ over the weekend, by the way), I have been trying REALLY HARD not to get it or even be exposed, because if I had to quarantine our division would be in a world of hurt.

It is going to feel really great to have some of that burden lifted.

Ha! I thought about prophylactic acetaminophen or a NSAID and our son kinda sorta talked me out of the latter, reminding me of the anecdotal "evidence" of NSAIDs possibly inhibiting the immune response. Well, after a couple non-business related "wake-up" calls overnight Saturday and some more discomfort at the injection site, I took 500 mg of acetaminophen Sunday AM and Sunday night. Felt "off" today with a bit of flushing and eye discomfort but finally think I'm back to baseline. One of the EP guys in my group had minimal symptoms after dose 1 and felt awful for 24-36 hours after dose 2, sitting in the EP lab at times and shaking/shivering almost uncontrollably.

It is indeed a very comfortable feeling.

[aimo]

My second dose was about 2:45 yesterday afternoon. Took Tylenol last night for mild arm pain. Woke up around 4am with chills, alternating with burning up. Fever this morning. Gonna take something once I get food into me. Bleah, but totally worth it.

[Tooold]

My second dose was about 2:45 yesterday afternoon. Took Tylenol last night for mild arm pain. Woke up around 4am with chills, alternating with burning up. Fever this morning. Gonna take something once I get food into me. Bleah, but totally worth it.

Y’all are scaring me. I get my first dose tomorrow...

[jv001]

Y’all are scaring me. I get my first dose tomorrow...

Me too. I get chills thinking about chills.

[aimo]

Y’all are scaring me. I get my first dose tomorrow...

Me too. I get chills thinking about chills.

I'm feeling a little better. Ate some oatmeal, drank some hot tea, took some Advil. Fever is coming down. Still a bit sluggish. Kind of surprised since I had nothing but arm pain the first dose, but I have spoken with quite a few people now who have had similar experiences. STILL WORTH IT! My mom called into Duke this morning. After 30 minutes, she got through, only to be told she was on a "waiting list" and that someone would call her back. She's not feeling very optimistic.