Fear and Loathing, a Rat Flu Odyssey

[old goat]

Sac Bee reports that Tehama County (CA) sherriff has made mask wearing optional for his deputies, in defiance of Governor's order. He cites "claustrophobia" and " anxiety" as a reason. Anyone who is so claustrophobic or anxious that they can't wear a mask shouldn't be an LEO. He also cites "inability to smell chemicals". IME a mask does not in any way prevent you from smelling gangrene, dead bowel, shit, pseudomonas infection, or over-perfumed OR nurses, so I suspect that it will not interfere with smelling meth cooking, which is probably the chemical most encountered by LE in Tehama County.

"He cooks that crystal meth because the shine don't sell
You know he likes his money he don't mind the smell"--James McMurtry, "Choctaw Bingo"

[bodywhomper]

Here’s the California hospital data. You can drill down to the county level. It typically lags a few days behind real-time. The fired Florida public health statistician has a good site for FL.


https://public.tableau.com/views/COV...showVizHome=no

[gretch6364]

So of everyone on TGR who posts regularly, besides Nutmeg and her bf, who has gotten this thing? Not asking if you know somebody, but who here has had it?

As mentioned by Redacted with his "blah blah blah," it is hard to tell who has actually really had it without a positive test. However, I am almost 98% sure my wife and I had it and then our 4 and 2 yo. The kids showed almost no symptoms and only spiked a low fever for 1 or 2 days, however, the wife and I both had pretty bad coughs and had lung burning when breathing deeply that lasted 3 or 4 weeks. Then she had the "COVID Toes" thing that basically felt like athletes foot and I had pretty strong sensitivity in my teeth. Those were the two weird ones that have been common among a certain percentage of people. Neither of us had any fever and had some muscle aches and tiredness...but nothing more then one would normally have after long hikes and time chasing two young kids around. This was in March and early April. She tested negative for the flu.

[huckbucket]

[altasnob]

The headline is misleading but your description is worse. It's explicitly stated that 68% of those tested were positive, NOT 68% of the neighborhood.

Ya, sorry, tried to make that clear on my next sentence. But yes, should have said those tested, and not entire community, to make it clear. And the article doesn't discuss false positives and such. But the article does state, “Some communities might have herd immunity,” said Dr. Daniel Frogel, a senior vice president for operations at CityMD, which plays a key role in the city’s testing program." Obviously there are caveats but I think the point the doctors/scientist are making is that it is possible that during the next wave, those communities with high presence or antibodies may be affected less than those with low presence of antibodies.

Based on the same logic, it is possible that a few months (or year) down the road places like Canada will be the worst COVID hot spots on earth while places like Texas, Florida, NY are not as bad. Sure, the US killed a lot of people to get there. But I don't think other countries that are doing "well" right now should be cocky.

[huckbucket]

So of everyone on TGR who posts regularly, besides Nutmeg and her bf, who has gotten this thing? Not asking if you know somebody, but who here has had it?

With 3M confirmed positives (maybe some of those are repeat tests), you should have less than a 1% chance of knowing someone in the US who has tested positive.

[CarlMega]

I hear ya brotha....kids worked hard for these “4 years”....and half of it will be gone because of a pandemic.....awful.

At this time last year....preparing to send daughter away for the “best years of her life”...we never had any thought in the world that this was all coming. Now as we prepare to send our other daughter away......what should be an exciting time for all of us.....has turned very stressful wondering what the future really holds for them.

I don't mean to take you to task for this but rather to make a broader point. I've read and heard from American parents that the pandemic's interruption to their children's routine and stability is going to leave an indelible mark on their psyche, outlook and all the rest. For a minute, let's pretend that's true - can you imagine being in a nation that is subject to invasion or bombing or occupied? Their stability is non-existent, their friends, their parents and other adults in their life may suddenly be killed or uprooted. If we grant that our kids missing some school for a few months with a bit of uncertainty is bad & impacting, then maybe we can find a little compassion for regions where their children find no sanctuary, no stability and avoid being cavalier about their plight and maybe our policy that adds to that instability. Hopeful that maybe our hardships with the pandemic can lead to more empathy for people that have so much less than we take for granted.

[Benny Profane]

X

[gretch6364]

X

As mentioned before, we really need to stop focusing on infections/case counts. This virus has shown that what really matters are hospitalizations and deaths.

[Benny Profane]

Well, that wouldn't work in a country where millions are scared of hospitals due to lack of insurance or under insurance.

[jono]

With 3M confirmed positives (maybe some of those are repeat tests), you should have less than a 1% chance of being someone in the US who has tested positive.

FIFY. We all know more than 1 person.

[huckbucket]

FIFY. We all know more than 1 person.

Thanks. You're absolutely right.

[sharcsplean]

So of everyone on TGR who posts regularly, besides Nutmeg and her bf, who has gotten this thing? Not asking if you know somebody, but who here has had it?

I don't post regularly, but I had it. So did my family. I live in Switzerland, and got it early March, most likely in Verbier.
Everyone in my family had different symptoms. and I am still having issues. it sucks. wear your mask. Ask any questions and I will be glad to answer.

[jono]

As mentioned before, we really need to stop focusing on infections/case counts. This virus has shown that what really matters are hospitalizations and deaths.

What really matters when? And where? If you're New Zealand case counts are absolutely the most important thing. If you're trying to predict what happens in a month they matter anywhere. Deaths are a measure of past failures and case counts are forward-looking and should inform present decisions like, is it safe to go to work in my community now?

[Core Shot]

With 3M confirmed positives (maybe some of those are repeat tests), you should have less than a 1% chance of knowing someone in the US who has tested positive.

I know a family of 5. Minimal symptoms

And an icu nurse, minimal symptoms

Anecdotes are easy

[DJSapp]

I agree, ICU (and to a lesser extent) hospitalization number are key numerics to follow. These and deaths show the severity of the pandemic.

Yup. Testing and statistics be damned, CA's hospitals are filling up and that's real. Patients are being transferred from SoCal to SF to handle overcrowding. AZ and FL hospitals are getting close to capacity too. Once the hospitals are full and new patients can't get in, the deaths will start spiking, just like NY/NJ. I heard from a very reliable source the local level 1 trauma ER is currently down 10 Dr.'s because of covid. This is bad. Even if you don't have covid, if you have a heart attack or get in a car wreck you're also screwed.

We don't learn. In another week we'll see the 4th of July spike hit.

[Benny Profane]

Yup. Testing and statistics be damned, CA's hospitals are filling up and that's real. Patients are being transferred from SoCal to SF to handle overcrowding. AZ and FL hospitals are getting close to capacity too. Once the hospitals are full and new patients can't get in, the deaths will start spiking, just like NY/NJ. I heard from a very reliable source the local level 1 trauma ER is currently down 10 Dr.'s because of covid. This is bad. Even if you don't have covid, if you have a heart attack or get in a car wreck you're also screwed.

We don't learn. In another week we'll see the 4th of July spike hit.

Fuck, the 4th will be nothing compared to Thanksgiving.

[happytimefunbox]

THIS

If I could find the HR fucker who first decided that vacation and sick time should be combo'd into PTO... that person deserves the 'Rona and the flu.

X eleventy fucking bazillion!!!!!!!

[DJSapp]

I know a family of 5. Minimal symptoms

And an icu nurse, minimal symptoms

Anecdotes are easy

4 people in the law firm I'm currently working with went down for 2-3 weeks with strong symptoms (only one officially tested positive, but they all had the same symptoms), but none were hospitalized. This was back in Feb when testing was hard to come by.

My Uncle's brother died from covid. Induced into a coma for the ventilator and they couldn't pull him back out from the coma. His wife was hospitalized and has recovered. Both admitted to the hospital at the same time.

Another Uncle's brother: his husband died from covid as well. They're trying to plan a memorial in FL sometime in August and it's tearing the family up because they want to do it, but they know it's a terrible idea.

Among my company's jobsites on the west coast, we've had 8 confirmed positive covid tests and they have been sent to self isolate.

If you don't know someone who has had this either second or third hand, you just don't know many people or you're not asking.

[KQ]

Somewhere in Oregon:

[happytimefunbox]

Agreed. Trump's only competition for most incompetent handling is Jair Bolsonaro.

As fucked up as that Brasiliero is he has 0 fucking chance of beating Mr Bigly Bonespurs for the win of the incompetence competition....

[Timberridge]

If you don't know someone who has had this either second or third hand, you just don't know many people or you're not asking.

I know people too. My original question was who here on TGR besides Nutmeg has had it.

[happytimefunbox]

I don't post regularly, but I had it. So did my family. I live in Switzerland, and got it early March, most likely in Verbier.
Everyone in my family had different symptoms. and I am still having issues. it sucks. wear your mask. Ask any questions and I will be glad to answer.

No questions just glad your still here and your family too. +++vibes friend

[sharcsplean]

me.

[The AD]

With 3M confirmed positives (maybe some of those are repeat tests), you should have less than a 1% chance of knowing someone in the US who has tested positive.

Your stat game is a little weak. Most people know more than a single person.