Coronavirus (NO POLITICAL OR SOCIAL COMMENTARY PLEASE)

[Pondosinatra]

Border closure extended until Oct 21 (so far)...good.

Also, our province has announced that due to the very low numbers of Asymptomatic tests actually finding anyone with Covid, they're going to stop Asymptomatic testing going forward - with certain exceptions, front line workers etc.

[Lacit170]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Border closure extended until Oct 21 (so far)...good.

Also, our province has announced that due to the very low numbers of Asymptomatic tests actually finding anyone with Covid, they're going to stop Asymptomatic testing going forward - with certain exceptions, front line workers etc.

who exactly was getting tested when asymptomatic?

people were just randomly getting tested, to get tested?

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Oct 21

After hearing in the news yesterday vis-à-vis a report out of the New York Times that guidelines not written by CDC scientists with regards to testing guidelines were ‘dropped’ into the CDC’s website by outside interests and thusly objected to by CDC scientists, but to no avail , I’m a little fearful at this point these days that any otherwise ‘scientific’ process can be corrupted leading to good career scientists and doctors being steamrolled.

So, despite recent assurances by NIAID’s Dr. Fauci and others in leadership roles from the NIH and FDA promising to call out any outside meddling leading to a wrong decision, I am really hoping that there is definitive evidence of the efficacy and safety of any upcoming COVID-19 vaccine(s) so as to prevent the potential situation of despite the FDA advisory committee not recommending approval of a vaccine (due to poor or insufficient data), that the FDA (due to pressure from outside influences) overrules its own advisory committee and green lights a poor vaccine…or a vaccine that does not merit widespread use.

Also, I would like there to be complete transparency with regards to explanation of the FDA’s criteria on vaccine approval, with specificity rather than generality to decision making based on data, to avoid any upcoming *sliding-scale* decisions and that there be immediate, complete transparency as to the advisory committee’s breakdown of the actual votes (e.g. # in favor of as opposed to # against). I hope these issues are addressed to the public, doctors and scientists at the Oct. 22nd meeting - https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committ...t%20COVID%2D19.

[Pondosinatra]

Originally Posted by Lacit170

who exactly was getting tested when asymptomatic?

people were just randomly getting tested, to get tested?

For awhile anyone could go and get a test - whether they were experiencing symptoms or not. They were actually encouraging that as the data was being used for various studies.

[Pondosinatra]

Interesting read on mutations...

Good news, forthcoming vaccines actually work better on the dominant strain (more virulent version in Europe/North/South America).

Bad news, this virus is so close to perfect there's no need for it to mutate to a more benign version.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...changing-covid

[dublinbluray108]

I was looking up more official Covid-19 figures for Coronavirus in my area tonight. After doing some searching; I had found some figures from The Irish Times which were only published in the last few hours. I am pretty happy with them when I look at Covid figures for the past 14 days in my local area.

These are the latest figures which contains 16 local areas from Ireland in bold.

Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart (Dublin) 189 per 100k

Tallaght Central (Dublin) 175 per 100k

Celbridge (Kildare) 171 per 100k

Dublin South-West Inner City (Dublin) 162 per 100k

Limerick City North (Limerick) 127 per 100k

Connemara South (Galway) 56 per 100k

Dún Laoghaire (Dublin) 55 per 100k

Killiney/Shankill (Dublin) 55 per 100k

Stillorgan (Dublin) 39 per 100k

Tuam (Galway) 36 per 100k

Blackrock (Dublin) 35 per 100k

Galway City Central (Galway) 26 per 100k

Fermoy (Cork) 24 per 100k

Cork City South West (Cork) 21 per 100k

Limerick City West (Limerick) 17 per 100k

Skibbereen (Cork) 16 per 100k

My local area of Blackrock in Dublin is just outside of the top 10 areas in 11th place for displaying Covid per 100k rate over 14 days. I could not be any more happier in seeing these figures so far from tonight. I would have been thinking that over the past few months; they could have fared out much worse. I am so impressed with how people living around me have done their best in letting the virus keep below 50 per 100k over 2 weeks in my community to date. As these are only recent figures; I don't know how the per 100k rate over 2 weeks was actually doing in my local area since Ireland's Covid lockdown in March.

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by bruceames

I don't know how effective the vaccine will be, but if they say that you'll have to wear a mask and social distance even after getting vaccinated, then that's just going to give more ammo to the anti-vaxxers.

Yeah, continuing with wearing a mask after getting vaccinated would be the optimal way to wipe out this pandemic once and for all. But of course, people aren't going to do it. People will refuse to take the vaccine and will stop wearing masks (or continue not wearing them if they never done so). So I don't foresee any return to normality by Fall 2021. This will continue way into 2022, possibly longer. Though, I hope I am wrong.

[LordoftheRings]

What is it going to be this time, shampoo?
• https://globalnews.ca/news/7338851/s...avirus-crisis/

[rikraq]

I was at a Wal-Mart this morning and noticed they have taken down the line gates at the front entrance and have taken up the directional floor stickers from the aisles.

I wonder what that's about?

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Lacit170

who exactly was getting tested when asymptomatic?

people were just randomly getting tested, to get tested?

no, but

1) At the start of July my niece went to a bar, a week later it was on the news that someone at the bar was positive. she went to get tested and it came back positive, her parents and siblings went to get tested. When se got tested she was asymptomatic, luckily the rest of the family did not catch it.

2) Greece is open to Canadian tourists and, This summer I know someone that went. Greece requires people visiting to show they are tested and negative (test done in the last 72 hours).

3) there are people that get tested before gatherings
https://www.today.com/health/should-...riends-t183695
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/20/peop...nging-out.html


I don't think anyone says "I am bored, let's go get tested" but there are many reasons why people can want to be tested even if they have no symptoms either for their own piece of mind or that of others.


The problem is that it means a lot of meaningless tests ( and I put it in every way, the person could be negative and catch it in the airport before leaving for greece. But more importantly the person can have covid-19 get tested too early, it comes out negative and then the disease evolves enough for the person to be able to register positive -be contagious and have symptoms)

[CyberpunkCentral]

Can someone please tell me how the coronavirus is scientifically more common on Latinos? Sorry to break it to you guys, but Hispanic/Latino is not a damn race, so how does that make sense?

[Batman1980]

I thought it was a group, hence being in the choices for demographics

[Himmel]

NYC restaurants can soon add a Covid-19 surcharge to customers' bills

[BucketheadPikes]

^^Recent studies led by CDC investigators highlight US transmission patterns of COVID-19 & show that close contact with confirmed cases & eating out at restaurants were linked to an increased likelihood of contracting the novel virus. Researchers found adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results were almost twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than those with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results. Researchers stated; "Participants with and without COVID-19 reported generally similar community exposures, with the exception of going to locations with on-site eating and drinking options." Dining at a restaurant included indoor, patio, & outdoor seating. They added; "Reports of exposures in restaurants have been linked to air circulation. Direction, ventilation, and intensity of airflow might affect virus transmission, even if social distancing measures and mask use are implemented according to current guidance. Masks cannot be effectively worn while eating and drinking, whereas shopping and numerous other indoor activities do not preclude mask use."

When the researchers restricted their analysis to participants without known close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19, case-patients were three to four times more likely to report dining at a restaurant or going to a bar or coffee shop than were control-participants.

Therefore, any restaurant implementing this COVID-19 surcharge is basically charging people for an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 regardless of what they say the extra cost is for.

[Hatter]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

What is it going to be this time, shampoo?
• https://globalnews.ca/news/7338851/s...avirus-crisis/

I don't even understand this. It was proven the first time around that there was always going to be enough for everyone. Just selfish a**holes taking more than they should have at the beginning out of fear of the unknown that caused shortages. Surely everyone has grownup somewhat in six months?

[dublinbluray108]

I watched a news report about the European Rugby match between Toulouse & Ulster this evening on BBC Newsline.

There was a big enough crowd allowed in to watch the match today in at Toulouse's home stadium in France. The stadium was not at full capacity, with every seat filled, it was partially full with everyone wearing their face coverings around the stadium. I can't tell you what percentage of the crowds that were allowed in at Toulouse today. But I thought the problem with this match was the crowds that turned up today.

There was no social distancing among them while they at their seats who were cheering on the teams when they scored their tries. A lot of the crowds were kept in pods or clusters in the stadium while placed at their seats. I would have thought that, with the recently sharp increases in Covid cases being recorded in France over the past few weeks, that no spectators were allowed into Stadia across France.

Can someone shed any light on this? TIA.

[Pondosinatra]

Originally Posted by Hatter

I don't even understand this. It was proven the first time around that there was always going to be enough for everyone. Just selfish a**holes taking more than they should have at the beginning out of fear of the unknown that caused shortages. Surely everyone has grownup somewhat in six months?

Well everyone just put out donations for the local food bank drive - basically everyone unloaded all the canned goods crap panic bought when we all thought we were going to starve to death. So good for the food bank - the amount of food they collected smashed all previous drives.

That said, with more and more stories warning about more supply issues over the winter, everyone will likely go out and stock up all over again.

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by Hatter

I don't even understand this. It was proven the first time around that there was always going to be enough for everyone. Just selfish a**holes taking more than they should have at the beginning out of fear of the unknown that caused shortages. Surely everyone has grownup somewhat in six months?

Well I'm already prepared and have plenty of toilet paper and hand sanitizer to last me a VERY long time. So if those fly off the shelves again, I'll be ok.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by MrHT

Well I'm already prepared and have plenty of toilet paper and hand sanitizer to last me a VERY long time. So if those fly off the shelves again, I'll be ok.

How's your stock of paper towels? Next item to be on the "endangered" list.

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

How's your stock of paper towels? Next item to be on the "endangered" list.

Not sure why people need to waste money panic buying paper towel. I have plenty of washable towels in my closet. I just wipe my hands there and throw them in the washing machine, and then re-use them. Paper towel is a waste of money.