The NHS is basically cancelling final placements for nurses, doctors and AHPs, and giving them their registrations so they can start work in hospitals now.
We are both back office NHS, although as Mr Dragon's doing project work that's stopped with a change freeze, and the screening programme I help run has closed for several months, we don't have a lot to do. He's WFH and I'm in a vulnerable group so we'll be at home, which is one less child having to be looked after.
We have put in a click and collect order for a lot of stuff we need, to pick up tomorrow, but the only place with slots available is half an hour in the car!! I'm counting on getting the rest of the bits in the local small shops.
The government seems to be getting its act together over support for individuals. I suppose the PAYE system can be tweaked to pay out rather than receive tax payments. And the strengthening of self isolation was necessary. We'll see from the stats in due course how effective this gradual tightening of the screws has been.
I received my invitation from the Nursing and Midwifery council to re-register again as a nurse without having to meet the normal criteria (my reg expired about 2 years ago). my mental health (bipolar disorder) obviously means I won’t be doing that but it shows they are actively pursuing staff.
So, as I'm out of fresh veg and almost out of spuds, as I went to collect the children I stopped at our bigger edge of town Sainsbury's.
A large part of this variability is down to supermarkets having repurposed most of their stock areas and swapped to restocking their shelves directly from delivery lorries -- it's why a lot of them gained concession areas/cafes over the last few years without having altered their exterior.
I’m sure they’d welcome someone with antibodies!
My students all work in healthcare and some of them are already finding themselves overworked, I expect a lot will defer their final assessment.
Between suppression and mitigation, the differences seem stark. With the former, infections are reduced, and health systems can cope. With the latter, infections run out of control and many patients receive no treatment, and die. I can't calculate exact figures, but a difference between thousands of deaths and millions, for the US.
I suppose a lot of people have been skeptical about this, and say it's exaggerated and so on.
The UK govt seemed nervous about suppression, but seem to have bitten the bullet .
The UK govt seemed nervous about suppression, but seem to have bitten the bullet .
They were nervous up to the point someone slapped a report on the table and asked them if half a million dead was better or worse than feeling a bit squeamish about telling people to social distance.
Between suppression and mitigation, the differences seem stark. With the former, infections are reduced, and health systems can cope. With the latter, infections run out of control and many patients receive no treatment, and die. I can't calculate exact figures, but a difference between thousands of deaths and millions, for the US.
I keep looking up the definitions of suppression vs. mitigation, and earlier, containment vs. delay, but the definitions just vanish from my mind and I find it impossible to keep the differences in mind. (I'm not entirely sure it really matters for me to understand these; in my state we have a reasonable governor and a reasonable state director of CDC, so I'm listening to their recommendations and declarations.)
Thanks @Barnabas62 . So mitigation is trying to keep the particularly vulnerable from getting sick, and suppression is trying to keep everyone from getting sick?
Yes, that does rather seem to be the fundamental problem with any plan that assumes a lack of dickishness. Everyone always has a reason why they are a special case.
Just got a call from niece wanting to be tested--no fever, though, which is necessary to get tested here. IMHO it's probably allergies, for her and her son, as the trees are budding nicely and the pollen is in the air. But she's worried because she did a manicure for a recent traveller from Italy. Sucky, sucky sucky suck.
Her husband has moved to Arizona for a job and wants to fly them out immediately (not that I'm sure the aiport would let them, but still). I asked her what she would do if they did indeed come down with it and she was in a city a thousand miles away all alone with two kids and her husband far away working on the rez? She got very quiet and ended the call soon after that.
The mean incubation period for COVID-19 is apparently just over 5 days. This means, among other things, that we're not seeing the effect of social distancing that started at the weekend yet. In these parts, we suspended church services starting last weekend, people who could started working from home, and schools closed starting Monday. We won't know for another week whether any of that made a difference or not.
I posted above about the woman who did not self isolate after returning from Hawaii. The state of emergency here now includes an emergency order that fines $2000 for not self isolating when you are ordered to do so, with it being the equivalent of parole. Everyone who has travelled is under this order. The announcement stated: you don't shop for groceries, you don't get gas, you go home and stay there, or police will arrest you. It's not voluntary.
Same fine for more than 25 people in a group. Virtually everything is now closed.
OK I don't know if the government was right or wrong to delay the closure of schools and nurseries, but the way they've gone about it is a SHAMBLES.
If I was the only potential key worker in the house, and relied on nursery for more than one day's childcare, I would be shitting bricks.
I think a big problem is that the capacity of the state has been allowed to decay to the point where there isn’t the slack and expertise that allow it to pivot to doing things like this quickly - partly because many things have been subcontracted out.
And the issue is that the all of those ideologically committed to a smaller state have no incentive to fix this.
While I am all but self-isolating (it has not yet been so ordered by the governor in my part of the state), I did venture out to the Hardware Brewery in a neighboring town to pick up a growler. The owner was on the verge of tears. She did not know how long she could keep open this way. While she is the owner, I did give her an extra $5. I am telling people if they can to order out from local establishments--it is still allowed here.
If you are on Facebook, I encourage you to like Spirit Alive! Church in Kenosha WI. This is my son's church. He and his wife have been putting out some videoes as a way of helping their people cope with the anxiety around the virus.
While I am all but self-isolating (it has not yet been so ordered by the governor in my part of the state), I did venture out to the Hardware Brewery in a neighboring town to pick up a growler. The owner was on the verge of tears. She did not know how long she could keep open this way. While she is the owner, I did give her an extra $5. I am telling people if they can to order out from local establishments--it is still allowed here.
You used the wrong terminology. If you went out in a car to a neighbouring town to get a growler full of beer, you're not self isolating. It's like being all but pregnant. It doesn't exist.
If you are contagious you just spread the contagion, which is a purpose of self isolating. I get that you're not contagious yourself but are trying not to get the virus. You are limiting social contact, which is called "social isolation".
I feel sorry for Dr. Fauci. He actually face-palmed today, while T was running off at the mouth.
(:votive:)
People around Trump need a new gesture which doesn't involve touching their face with the hands - like the WuhanShake, but invoking frustration and disappointment rather than warmth and human solidarity. Best suggestion (and a name for it) wins £5
How about the "Trump Tarantella"? A tarantella is a type of Italian folk dance. There are various origin stories. The one I've heard most is that it's a traditional remedy for a tarantula bite, and drives the venom out of a person.
So perhaps it could drive away the venom T puts out?
OK I don't know if the government was right or wrong to delay the closure of schools and nurseries, but the way they've gone about it is a SHAMBLES.
If I was the only potential key worker in the house, and relied on nursery for more than one day's childcare, I would be shitting bricks.
I think a big problem is that the capacity of the state has been allowed to decay to the point where there isn’t the slack and expertise that allow it to pivot to doing things like this quickly - partly because many things have been subcontracted out.
And the issue is that the all of those ideologically committed to a smaller state have no incentive to fix this.
... plus, anyone who understands contingency planning is working on Brexit.
There are so many Virus topics everywhere, that I have not managed to follow this one too, but have read this last page. For those in the 'Cancer sucks' topic, it must be so worrying. I still tick a lot of vulnerability boxes, but not that one luckily. I do hope everyone here stays clear or, if unlucky enough to be infected, recovers well and completely.
Got up early, and shopping is better, plenty of bread, although no spuds. We managed to get 4 meals together. Tons of old people around, well, of course there are. You are not going to ring up a charity and hope for a food delivery. Most of our neighbours have multiple kids, they have enough problems.
Between suppression and mitigation, the differences seem stark. With the former, infections are reduced, and health systems can cope. With the latter, infections run out of control and many patients receive no treatment, and die. I can't calculate exact figures, but a difference between thousands of deaths and millions, for the US.
I keep looking up the definitions of suppression vs. mitigation, and earlier, containment vs. delay, but the definitions just vanish from my mind and I find it impossible to keep the differences in mind. (I'm not entirely sure it really matters for me to understand these; in my state we have a reasonable governor and a reasonable state director of CDC, so I'm listening to their recommendations and declarations.)
Thank you so much for saying this. I was about ready to call 911 and add "can no longer understand the written word" to my symptoms.
I've had a cold for the last week, then yesterday afternoon my fever went to 99.5 which was a bit of a worry, but my breathing is still fine and my cough is only from the throat tickle that goes with a runny nose. Better this morning and back to waiting for the shoe to drop. I really don't want to be patient zero for my county, on the other hand my local hospital still has plenty of beds and ventilators.
Called my friend in West Virginia. We were talking about that state being the last one of the fifty to get a case. She said she saw a guy wearing a T-shirt saying, "You stay in your holler and I'll stay in mine."
The shopping spree has reached the South Asian supermarkets. There was hardly any rice or tinned beans, and a dearth of tinned tomatoes in our usual one, though the one over the road had some.
People around Trump need a new gesture which doesn't involve touching their face with the hands - like the WuhanShake, but invoking frustration and disappointment
If everyone understood American Sign Language, signing "Liar, liar, pants on fire" would do. Since not everyone understands ASL, they could have little placards inscripted with same that they could hold up.
Between suppression and mitigation, the differences seem stark. With the former, infections are reduced, and health systems can cope. With the latter, infections run out of control and many patients receive no treatment, and die. I can't calculate exact figures, but a difference between thousands of deaths and millions, for the US.
I keep looking up the definitions of suppression vs. mitigation, and earlier, containment vs. delay, but the definitions just vanish from my mind and I find it impossible to keep the differences in mind. (I'm not entirely sure it really matters for me to understand these; in my state we have a reasonable governor and a reasonable state director of CDC, so I'm listening to their recommendations and declarations.)
Thank you so much for saying this. I was about ready to call 911 and add "can no longer understand the written word" to my symptoms.
I've had a cold for the last week, then yesterday afternoon my fever went to 99.5 which was a bit of a worry, but my breathing is still fine and my cough is only from the throat tickle that goes with a runny nose. Better this morning and back to waiting for the shoe to drop. I really don't want to be patient zero for my county, on the other hand my local hospital still has plenty of beds and ventilators.
Called my friend in West Virginia. We were talking about that state being the last one of the fifty to get a case. She said she saw a guy wearing a T-shirt saying, "You stay in your holler and I'll stay in mine."
The directions we have are you do not go to a hospital or even leave your home but you call emergency services. Because if a suspected COVID19 person enters a hospital it may have to shut down until test results. Isolate all staff. So please check the instructions for your area.
I hope you've got a cold and it stops with your symptoms as you have them and improves.
If you are on Facebook, I encourage you to like Spirit Alive! Church in Kenosha WI. This is my son's church. He and his wife have been putting out some videoes as a way of helping their people cope with the anxiety around the virus.
No matter how technology marches on, when I read "putting out some videos" I immediately in my mind saw a pile of VHS tapes. "How is that going to help?" I wondered. Then I realized my mistake.
This is good news, the government have negotiated to get almost all private hospital beds and staff for the duration of the crisis - and to do so at cost with external auditing of the public money spent.
(I’m guessing having seen Spain just nationalise the lot has helped the government’s negotiating power.)
That’s 700 more relevant doctors, thousands of nurses and 8000 extra beds.
Our local restaurant is offering home delivery to keep staff from lay offs . Most everyone involved are friends and neighbors in our small community. I ordered burgers today to both support a local business and to get a break from cooking. You charge it on your credit card so no cash handling needed. In order to keep distance I asked the driver when he arrived to just sit the order down on the porch. I even had them add 2 cans of root beer. I think it might be the first soft drink we have had in over two years. I don't plan on doing this very often, not in our budget but it was a warm spring day so we ate on the back porch. It felt like a party. We could both eat only half our burger to we are going to use the other half of the meat for some ingredient for tomorrows meal. I am thinking some pasta and a tin of tomato sauce, some onion, and parsley mixed with the meat. I will have to make one trip out next week to pick up some meds from the pharmacy. I get 3 month refills so that is good. I will also stop by the store for milk, and bread if they have it. You can call ahead and they will do the shopping for you and bring it to the back door of your car. I love small town living. I have some herbs in pots in the garden, after this I plan on adding a lot more. Good to have your own green anything in a pot somewhere I now know. Of course you can always sprout dry beans as well.
Many restaurants here do not have eat-in dining, but you can phone in your order, giving a credit card number, and they will bring your order to your car
My wife and I decided to go to Kamiak Butte County Park for a hike today. It has a moderately steep trail up to a ridge that overlooks the surrounding area. The parking lot was PACKED. I had never seen so many cars in the main parking lot. Everyone was taking that upper trail, but we knew of a lower trail that goes along the base of the butte and is seldom used. We took that one instead. We only met a man with a dog and his two young boys.
We talked with the man a little bit. He said his wife works for Washington State University and is helping the faculty move to online courses. Seems like the younger faculty are much more resistant to moving to one line programs than the older faculty.
I remember when I was a sociology student (back when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth), my professor said it had been his experience that people in their mid-thirties to mid-fifties would often be the most resistant to change. He had thought older people had learned to roll with the punches, as it were.
Public health officer of county just stopped all outdoor gatherings, and sports. Closed down the local packed golf course thank goodness. It was getting out of hand. Parks also filled with parents and kids playing together. People just don't get it. It is not a holiday folks.
Absolutely bizarre to have a parking lot full. If one person on trail is infected,...The USA numbers show extreme concern 726% increase in one week. Go home and stay there. America's trajectory is to exceed every other country. https://twitter.com/GHS/status/1241154807391342594?s=20
Mandatory here re online univ. All educational faculties are closed. All restaurants, gyms, hardwares, government buildings, all stores which don't sell food or medications, everything really. There's now 44 cases, 3900 tested, 1.1 million people in the province. They're trying to get ahead of the curve. The case count was 18 yesterday. That's more than doubled.
Law here is now to quarantine for 14 days after crossing the border into Canada, or are told by a medical officer to go home and stay there, with fine of $2000 and arrest if you don't obey. Only out if "pressing necessity" which means threat of injury or death.
Comments
We are both back office NHS, although as Mr Dragon's doing project work that's stopped with a change freeze, and the screening programme I help run has closed for several months, we don't have a lot to do. He's WFH and I'm in a vulnerable group so we'll be at home, which is one less child having to be looked after.
We have put in a click and collect order for a lot of stuff we need, to pick up tomorrow, but the only place with slots available is half an hour in the car!! I'm counting on getting the rest of the bits in the local small shops.
A large part of this variability is down to supermarkets having repurposed most of their stock areas and swapped to restocking their shelves directly from delivery lorries -- it's why a lot of them gained concession areas/cafes over the last few years without having altered their exterior.
My students all work in healthcare and some of them are already finding themselves overworked, I expect a lot will defer their final assessment.
I suppose a lot of people have been skeptical about this, and say it's exaggerated and so on.
The UK govt seemed nervous about suppression, but seem to have bitten the bullet .
They were nervous up to the point someone slapped a report on the table and asked them if half a million dead was better or worse than feeling a bit squeamish about telling people to social distance.
The CMO reckons if suppression plus mitigation can keep the UK death rate down to 20,000 that would be a result.
China may yet have a second spike.
Both are about flattening the curve to avoid NHS overload.
The 'herd immunity' strategy was down for 510,000 dead. With luck, a following wind, and people not being dicks*, we might get away with 20,000.
*Narrator: people were indeed dicks.
Yes, that does rather seem to be the fundamental problem with any plan that assumes a lack of dickishness. Everyone always has a reason why they are a special case.
Her husband has moved to Arizona for a job and wants to fly them out immediately (not that I'm sure the aiport would let them, but still). I asked her what she would do if they did indeed come down with it and she was in a city a thousand miles away all alone with two kids and her husband far away working on the rez? She got very quiet and ended the call soon after that.
Drug company seeks Boston blood donors who have recovered from coronavirus
Same fine for more than 25 people in a group. Virtually everything is now closed.
They were the best of people. They were the worst of people
I think a big problem is that the capacity of the state has been allowed to decay to the point where there isn’t the slack and expertise that allow it to pivot to doing things like this quickly - partly because many things have been subcontracted out.
And the issue is that the all of those ideologically committed to a smaller state have no incentive to fix this.
Having watched on tv the efforts of Alexander Johnson at his daily press conference, I am reminded of Dickens.
Waiting for something to turn up.
"God bless us, everyone!"
Some of the self-isolating doesn't bother me too much, because chronic illnesses already do that for me. But the rest is surreal.
I am glad, though, that we at least have Grownups in charge at city and state level, if not so much in DC.
I feel sorry for Dr. Fauci. He actually face-palmed today, while T was running off at the mouth.
(:votive:)
If you are contagious you just spread the contagion, which is a purpose of self isolating. I get that you're not contagious yourself but are trying not to get the virus. You are limiting social contact, which is called "social isolation".
People around Trump need a new gesture which doesn't involve touching their face with the hands - like the WuhanShake, but invoking frustration and disappointment rather than warmth and human solidarity. Best suggestion (and a name for it) wins £5
How about the "Trump Tarantella"? A tarantella is a type of Italian folk dance. There are various origin stories. The one I've heard most is that it's a traditional remedy for a tarantula bite, and drives the venom out of a person.
So perhaps it could drive away the venom T puts out?
... plus, anyone who understands contingency planning is working on Brexit.
Thank you so much for saying this. I was about ready to call 911 and add "can no longer understand the written word" to my symptoms.
I've had a cold for the last week, then yesterday afternoon my fever went to 99.5 which was a bit of a worry, but my breathing is still fine and my cough is only from the throat tickle that goes with a runny nose. Better this morning and back to waiting for the shoe to drop. I really don't want to be patient zero for my county, on the other hand my local hospital still has plenty of beds and ventilators.
Called my friend in West Virginia. We were talking about that state being the last one of the fifty to get a case. She said she saw a guy wearing a T-shirt saying, "You stay in your holler and I'll stay in mine."
Sensible man...
I think this will be an interesting study in how JIT focused the supermarket chains in different countries are.
If everyone understood American Sign Language, signing "Liar, liar, pants on fire" would do. Since not everyone understands ASL, they could have little placards inscripted with same that they could hold up.
I hope you've got a cold and it stops with your symptoms as you have them and improves.
No matter how technology marches on, when I read "putting out some videos" I immediately in my mind saw a pile of VHS tapes. "How is that going to help?" I wondered. Then I realized my mistake.
(I’m guessing having seen Spain just nationalise the lot has helped the government’s negotiating power.)
That’s 700 more relevant doctors, thousands of nurses and 8000 extra beds.
White House coronavirus task force gives update
A bit too long, actually. Should read: White House coronavirus task force gives up...…..
Each time I read the words "social distancing", my brayne stumbles and 'sees' "social dancing".
We talked with the man a little bit. He said his wife works for Washington State University and is helping the faculty move to online courses. Seems like the younger faculty are much more resistant to moving to one line programs than the older faculty.
I remember when I was a sociology student (back when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth), my professor said it had been his experience that people in their mid-thirties to mid-fifties would often be the most resistant to change. He had thought older people had learned to roll with the punches, as it were.
Mandatory here re online univ. All educational faculties are closed. All restaurants, gyms, hardwares, government buildings, all stores which don't sell food or medications, everything really. There's now 44 cases, 3900 tested, 1.1 million people in the province. They're trying to get ahead of the curve. The case count was 18 yesterday. That's more than doubled.
Law here is now to quarantine for 14 days after crossing the border into Canada, or are told by a medical officer to go home and stay there, with fine of $2000 and arrest if you don't obey. Only out if "pressing necessity" which means threat of injury or death.