Novel Coronavirus

[Mendalla]

Its obvious that living in close quarters increases the spread of Corona. I am just wondering why we are not hearing anything from the military? Did they sent everybody home?

They're too busy working in longterm care homes in Ontario and Quebec to get sick. The US had some outbreaks on naval vessels (still can't figure out how you fit an aircraft carrier into a navel ) but I haven't heard of any major outbreaks among the Armed Forces here.

 

[Waterfall]

They're too busy working in longterm care homes in Ontario and Quebec to get sick. The US had some outbreaks on naval vessels (still can't figure out how you fit an aircraft carrier into a navel ) but I haven't heard of any major outbreaks among the Armed Forces here.

Which is interesting because during the Spanish Flu it was a major cause of outbreaks.

 

[Waterfall]

They're too busy working in longterm care homes in Ontario and Quebec to get sick. The US had some outbreaks on naval vessels (still can't figure out how you fit an aircraft carrier into a navel ) but I haven't heard of any major outbreaks among the Armed Forces here.

Listening to a high ranking official on CBC the other day and was surprised to learn there are not as many "medics" being sent that we assumed to be the case.....therefore it was stated that they are not doing much personal care for the residents and leaving that to qualified trained staff....which is much of the care.

 

[Mendalla]

Which is interesting because during the Spanish Flu it was a major cause of outbreaks.

Though circumstances were different there because the troops were returning from the war. Right now, we don't have large numbers of troops coming home from overseas. In fact, I don't think we have many overseas operations happening.

 

[Waterfall]

Though circumstances were different there because the troops were returning from the war. Right now, we don't have large numbers of troops coming home from overseas. In fact, I don't think we have many overseas operations happening.

It is still not known where the 1918 Spanish Flu originated...some said China, Spain, France, Britain, and the USA.
I believe the first case in the USA was said to have come from a Private Albert Gitchell within the barracks of Fort Riley army base in Kansas . This first case was March of 1918.
I can't seem to find out whether anyone from Fort Riley had been deployed overseas yet, although the US had entered into the war late 1917. The troops sent to Europe, were initially minimal in numbers. Curious to know if any had already returned to Fort Riley by March 1918.

 

[Mendalla]

Good update on the various vaccine research projects. Basically, things are moving along well but nothing is imminent. The good news is that at least two candidates have large scale production deals already worked out. By large scale, I'm talking of ten of millions of doses to start and hundreds of millions once they are fully ramped up. So if and when they succeed and are approved, things will be ready to roll fairly quickly. But that "if" is still fairly big and that "when" is still unknown.

Front-Runners Emerge in the Race for a Covid-19 Vaccine

Two leading candidates are headed for mass clinical trials, and everything’s on the table—including deliberately infecting healthy vaccine volunteers.

www.wired.com

 

[Ritafee]

 

[ChemGal]

Hygiene is a big factor too. I would imagine those in the military are probably good about practicing hand washing and things like that when there are orders about doing so.

 

[Ritafee]

Good update on the various vaccine research projects. Basically, things are moving along well but nothing is imminent. The good news is that at least two candidates have large scale production deals already worked out. By large scale, I'm talking of ten of millions of doses to start and hundreds of millions once they are fully ramped up. So if and when they succeed and are approved, things will be ready to roll fairly quickly. But that "if" is still fairly big and that "when" is still unknown.

Front-Runners Emerge in the Race for a Covid-19 Vaccine

Two leading candidates are headed for mass clinical trials, and everything’s on the table—including deliberately infecting healthy vaccine volunteers.

www.wired.com

I'm confused ... laying the groundwork (conspiring?) to get approval by demonstrating to legislators and regulators that the idea has public support that trials be adopted for a design that includes intentionally infecting participants ?

 

[EasternOrthodox]

Children are getting sick from an illness experts think may be related to COVID 19:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/06/kawasaki-disease-coronavirus/

COVID-19: U.K. says kids with no underlying conditions have died from syndrome linked to virus

Experts are investigating a possible link between the coronavirus and clusters of severe inflammatory disease among infants

nationalpost.com

And in Quebec, Montreal's first Covid outbreak in a daycare:

16 infected north of Montreal in Quebec's first COVID-19 outbreak in a daycare

Quebec has now seen its first COVID-19 outbreak at a daycare — at a facility in Mascouche, in the Lanaudiere region just north of Montreal. Twelve children and four staff have tested positive.

montreal.ctvnews.ca

Alarming about the daycare. Although young children are largely spared, they will pass it on to their parents.

 

[EasternOrthodox]

Australia might be a sparsely populated island - but not so, Sydney -where I am.
Australia and New Zealand are considering taking tourists again - but only from each other and not for a few months yet.

Under lockdown, many can't travel to other states -can Canadians travel to different provinces under lockdown?

We're cautious because we're now heading into our winter. This month our states are considering independently going to level1 of opening up from lockdown.
We've been told to expect that there will be increasing numbers - but our health system has been prepared.

Australia seems to be doing better than Canada to go by the numbers I’ve seen. There are some travel restrictions. The bridge to Quebec at Ottawa has been closed. I do not know about other provinces.

Quebec has had a particularly bad time. Lots of care home cases.

 

[EasternOrthodox]

Without reading it, I would guess it's because people are working and living in close quarters with people who travelled, or whose families and housemates travelled or know someone who did and came into contact with them....who can't quarantine properly due to their socioeconomic circumstances. Through word of mouth, people who know each other get jobs in the same industry... Viruses always spread in closed conditions packed with people. And, at Cargill it sounds like the employer didn't employ good safety measures and equipment to protect the staff.

I think you’re right. I just a report today. Close quarters are a big part of the problem. It does not seem that the animals have it. I wondered about that too.

The virus has been detected in house cats, lions and tigers (the last two were at the Bronx Zoo in NYC. It does seem to make the cats ill.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I think you’re right. I just a report today. Close quarters are a big part of the problem. It does not seem that the animals have it. I wondered about that too.

The virus has been detected in house cats, lions and tigers (the last two were at the Bronx Zoo in NYC. It does seem to make the cats ill.

Can it go from pets to humans, or the other way around? My landlords have indoor/ outdoor, mostly outdoor, very independent minded cats. They're not allowed in my suite but they do try to sneak/ run in if the door is open.

 

[Mendalla]

I don't think it has been established either way. We know it needs an intermediary to get from bats to humans but they have never established what that intermediary is beyond a doubt. Pangolins were mentioned but I have never seen anything from the science community to back up that hypothesis.

My wife had the same concern since my son and his roommate have an adopted cat but the cat is currently with the roommate at his family's place and Uly is (or was as of last Monday) at his girlfriend's place so it's not really an issue right now.

 

[Mendalla]

This is tentatively good news. Tentatively because I haven't seen anything on the accuracy. If it is less accurate and reliable than the current tests, it's kind of useless. This is a case where speed isn't everything.

U.S. approves new coronavirus antigen test with fast results

Test can rapidly detect fragments of virus proteins in samples collected from swabs swiped inside nasal cavity

www.theglobeandmail.com

 

[PilgrimsProgress]

Last night on radio I heard an overseas Canadian programme - I think it was called "Spark"? An architect linked the pandemic to class discrepancies.
He made a lot of sense -and it would explain why deaths from the pandemic were mistakenly in his opinion seen as racial.
Using New York as an example - but it applies to large cities everywhere - the poor tend to live in outlying suburbs and have to rely on public transport for often long commutes. They are also less able to work from home - thus increasing their risk from the coronavirus. Many low-paid jobs are also necessary -garbage collection, retail grocery, cleaners, etc.

In a sense, you could say they are being sacrificed for the benefit of the more affluent amongst us. (Hospital doctors are a notable exception).

It would seem to me that, when we get through this pandemic, we'll have to give more thought to the equalisation of incomes.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

Last night on radio I heard an overseas Canadian programme - I think it was called "Spark"? An architect linked the pandemic to class discrepancies.
He made a lot of sense -and it would explain why deaths from the pandemic were mistakenly in his opinion seen as racial.
Using New York as an example - but it applies to large cities everywhere - the poor tend to live in outlying suburbs and have to rely on public transport for often long commutes. They are also less able to work from home - thus increasing their risk from the coronavirus. Many low-paid jobs are also necessary -garbage collection, retail grocery, cleaners, etc.

In a sense, you could say they are being sacrificed for the benefit of the more affluent amongst us. (Hospital doctors are a notable exception).

It would seem to me that, when we get through this pandemic, we'll have to give more thought to the equalisation of incomes.

Yep, except for: not everyone in a nursing home is poor. Once its in a place with a lot of people, there is no stopping it quickly.

 

[Mendalla]

Yep, except for: not everyone in a nursing home is poor. Once its in a place with a lot of people, there is no stopping it quickly.

Staff are generally underpaid and overworked, though, which has certainly been part of the problem in Ontario and Quebec homes. So they fit that pattern to a tee, even if residents don't necessarily. Though, let's face it, the wealthy are more likely to be able to afford 24-hour home nursing care (which is available privately, at least in Ontario) and other services that would keep them out of LTCFs so I would actually be interested in seeing some statistics on that. And even in LTCF, they would be able to get private rooms, better quality homes, etc.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

Staff are generally underpaid and overworked, though, which has certainly been part of the problem in Ontario and Quebec homes.

Yes, and add to it the amount of people coming to work sick, because they know otherwise the others are working short or someone will give them a hard time. Happens in LTC, hospitals and home care. You can bet that the staff that had the first symptoms likely came to work to work through it. Same with ER doctors. It took a while until they officially said nobody should come to work with symptoms and made people take their temperature on a twice daily. I am wondering how long this will last.

 

[Mendalla]

You can bet that the staff that had the first symptoms likely came to work to work through it.

Not to mention worked at multiple facilities so spread it from one place to another. Ontario has put a stop to that practice now.