Novel Coronavirus

[ChemGal]

I'm confused what's going on with Paxlovid. I thought it had arrived last Thursday (provincially), but apparently we don't even have it yet. Maybe I got confused which which Thursday? But now they are saying the 31st. Why has the federal government just been holding it?

ETA - It will be used starting on the 31st. It is being reported as 'will arrive' but I assume it has arrived already, unsure of the specific date.

Not much difference in terms of treatment criteria, primary immunodeficiencies still aren't included SMH.

 

[Waterfall]

I'm confused what's going on with Paxlovid. I thought it had arrived last Thursday (provincially), but apparently we don't even have it yet. Maybe I got confused which which Thursday? But now they are saying the 31st. Why has the federal government just been holding it?

It's a prescription only medication, it won't be found in the hospitals from what I understand. You take it at home, so you need to talk to your doctor and possibly a pharmacist down the road.
That being said, this is an American Womans account of trying to find an anti viral for her mother. It will probably be in short supply in Canada also because of it being so new. (shades of trying to get free Rapid tests)

When My Mom Got Covid, I Went Searching for Pfizer’s Pills (Published 2022)

The experience showed how hard it is for many people to get potentially lifesaving treatments.

www.nytimes.com

 

[ChemGal]

It's a prescription only medication, it won't be found in the hospitals from what I understand. You take it at home, so you need to talk to your doctor and possibly a pharmacist down the road.
That being said, this is an American Womans account of trying to find an anti viral for her mother. It will probably be in short supply in Canada also because of it being so new. (shades of trying to get free Rapid tests)

When My Mom Got Covid, I Went Searching for Pfizer’s Pills (Published 2022)

The experience showed how hard it is for many people to get potentially lifesaving treatments.

www.nytimes.com

Yeah, no different than Sotrovimab for what makes someone eligible although some things would make someone ineligible for Paxlovid.
3200 courses for the entire province.

It was the comment about delivery last week vs. this week that was odd.

 

[KayTheCurler]

I couldn't open the article - no doubt they want some money.
I believe the system here is "Phone the province wide Health Line and you will be told if you qualify for for the meds. Your doctor/Emergency Dept. will not be able to give you a prescription for it". Most of the people I know who have dialed the Health Line gave up after being on hold 'forever'.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

Austria holds the record for most PCR tests per resident.17 per resident per year. Austria has roughly 9 Mio residents.

 

[ChemGal]

Austria holds the record for most PCR tests per resident.17 per resident per year. Austria has roughly 9 Mio residents.

Wow, sounds like they are using PCR testing as a screening tool in general, not just symptoms/close contact style testing as used to be done here when it was manageable.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Well, my sister (who has had at least two shots, I'm not sure about the booster), has come down with COVID. She's shielded by an acrylic screen, masked, and transit passengers must mask as well, so it's not looking good for me to escape it either. Fortunately, I haven't seen her recently; in fact, although we text and message pretty regularly, I haven't seen her since our Xmas dinner on Boxing Day.

 

[ChemGal]

Well, my sister (who has had at least two shots, I'm not sure about the booster), has come down with COVID. She's shielded by an acrylic screen, masked, and transit passengers must mask as well, so it's not looking good for me to escape it either. Fortunately, I haven't seen her recently; in fact, although we text and message pretty regularly, I haven't seen her since our Xmas dinner on Boxing Day.

Unless the screen is closed in, there's a good chance those actually make the issue worse, not better. I wish retail would drop them. You do not seem them at clinics, hospital screening, etc. Some of the clinics within the hospital have them but they were always there and moreso intended to be a privacy barrier ie. you can't lean over to look at a computer screen or papers lying in the desk, etc.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Unless the screen is closed in, there's a good chance those actually make the issue worse, not better. I wish retail would drop them.

I don't really understand this. Isn't a barrier better than not? You mention retail, but I was thinking of my bus driver sister, just as much. I mean, what are the acrylic face shields that hospital personnel wear as well as masks?

 

[ChemGal]

I don't really understand this. Isn't a barrier better than not? You mention retail, but I was thinking of my bus driver sister, just as much. I mean, what are the acrylic face shields that hospital personnel wear as well as masks?

Those anti-Covid screens that shops and bars use? They may make things worse

Erected as coronavirus precautions, the barriers may redirect germs to others, research suggests

www.irishtimes.com

Sorry this is what I found now but this information has been around for over a year. The same is being said for face guards. Certain medical settings are different as they work as splash guards to prevent large droplets or much bigger from hitting respirators. If someone is only wearing a surgical mask they shouldn't be wearing a face guard/shield - or at least evidence there is really conflicting. If splash/spray is a concern respirators really should be used.

 

[Northwind]

I've wondered about those barriers. If I were smoking on one side the smoke would go up and around and hit someone else. At best, I would think it's a harm reduction tool in certain places that are larger. I'm thinking grocery stores and some restaurants.

Face shields with masks under some circumstances protect the wearer's eyes. Glasses or goggles would do the same thing.

 

[ChemGal]

It's complex. There's things to consider like how they direct air flow, liquid splash creating aerosols (moreso the issue when others are not wearing masks like a sneeze or when performing certain medical procedures on someone and air exchange where virus can actually leave a room/building or be filtered/destroyed. One of the first concerns where I saw this come up was with intubations that included a barrier and it was thought it could be making things worse, not better. With variants that weren't as transmissible it was a bit simpler outside of healthcare, as masking and distancing was generally working fairly well. So the barriers were mostly for show. with how easily some of the variants transmit, without accounting for the air flow and exchange in a room there's potential it's causing harm. I highly doubt retail business are factoring that in when setting them up. Ditto for the busses - is there fresh air intake for the driver behind the barrier? Or is it allowing stuff in the air to slowly concentrate where the bus driver is, or really over time not having any effect?

 

[ChemGal]

Having a tough time with this headline today -

COVID-19 in Alberta: 22 more deaths as hospitalization records continue to fall​

I'm not feeling great, a lot of lightheadedness so maybe it's just brain fog. I kept taking this to mean hospitalizations continue to fall. Hospitalization is at an all time high though, every day it's breaking a new record. So maybe that's what it means? The past records are being broken each day?

 

[Northwind]

BC had 21 more deaths in the past 24 hours. 949 covid positive people are in hospital and 136 are in intensive care. BC has started testing patients who are in the hospital for other things so I'm not sure whether those are people who are hospitalized specifically for covid or if that number includes those with covid as well.

 

[ChemGal]

BC had 21 more deaths in the past 24 hours. 949 covid positive people are in hospital and 136 are in intensive care. BC has started testing patients who are in the hospital for other things so I'm not sure whether those are people who are hospitalized specifically for covid or if that number includes those with covid as well.

Alberta is trying to separate the 2 out, most of the data has it combined.
BC seems to have a high ICU rate to hospitalization rate compared to here. 109 ICU, 1400 something in hospital total 1418 is the current official number but is expected to be updated higher.
The deaths seem to fluctuate a lot, some require investigations - 23 in the last 24 hours, 76 over the last week.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

I bought myself and my friends these masks,triple layer, with a fabric that kills germs, they finally arrived after one month. Very comfortable, I will use when shopping. My sister, a Physio in Germany, has recommended them to me and they were on sale the end of December.
I used to just wear my medical mask from work after work as well, but with covid so widespread, I don’t feel that comfortable anymore. We are also now getting N95s at work. Don’t mean to do advertising- what do you think about their claim to kill germs?

Livinguard technology proven to kill >99.9% of COVID Delta variant - Livinguard - Permanent hygiene

livinguard.com

 

[Luce NDs]

It's baffling how sick we are ... a broken people that can no longer process information into just, virtue and misinformation because of how little we know ... it is an experience to gain this sentient quality: "that alone we know next to nothing"!

Yet still can we get our mines together? Not likely because of hubris about what we believe we know ... often by indoctrination by folks that don;t know either and haven't hit apocalypse and old word about investigating man made laws requiring an extant vision ... and thus some drifting off to look back ... some permanently when experiencing how corrupt laws are ... except nature's that ensures recycle!

Top rule; be careful of how you address virtue ... the gods of mortal justice don't like it ... seems too similar to sentient nature that drifts into sapience ... there it gets complex as Sophia ... thus the powers forestalled her too as Hoo Doo ... wise crap?

Something more like Sisyphus to get over ... like as in a strange Wahl ... another field of study ... might explain all the neins cat tails or caterwauling ... about nothing ... a place of rest? Like the perfect tome ... as booked in past times ... Boehme Steer ...

 

[ChemGal]

I bought myself and my friends these masks,triple layer, with a fabric that kills germs, they finally arrived after one month. Very comfortable, I will use when shopping. My sister, a Physio in Germany, has recommended them to me and they were on sale the end of December.
I used to just wear my medical mask from work after work as well, but with covid so widespread, I don’t feel that comfortable anymore. We are also now getting N95s at work. Don’t mean to do advertising- what do you think about their claim to kill germs?

Livinguard technology proven to kill >99.9% of COVID Delta variant - Livinguard - Permanent hygiene

livinguard.com

It probably can, especially as the virus isn't that difficult to inactivate. Not sure about other things what works for one thing may not work for something else. Would have been nice to see information about how it works.

Ultimately the bigger issue with masks is how well does it filter and how well does it fit. The inactivation aspect can help with reuse between washes a bit safer. Plus it may have be better when it comes to acne or other skin infections especially for those who reuse between washes.

Confused, if I DP this sorry. It was sitting on my computer when I opened this thread. So not sure if it's upthread like I had intended to post already.

 

[ChemGal]

Omicron subvariant BA.2 being watched 'very closely' in Canada: Tam

Canada's top doctor says the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has detected more than 100 cases of a new Omicron subvariant known as BA.2, doubling the number of infections from the virus lineage that were reported earlier this week.

www.ctvnews.ca

Dr. Theresa Tam said during Friday's federal COVID-19 update that the BA.2 subvariant was first detected in Canada in November 2021, and has since been "closely" monitored by experts.

BS. I am sure they are trying to monitor it, but with cases as high as they are, testing as limited as it is - particularly PCR testing, they are at best capturing portion. It's monitored, sure. Closely? No.

 

[Waterfall]

As per N95 masks....they're saying they can be worn up to 3 times if they're still in good condition. Not so sure about that, always thought they were to be worn once.