Updates on COVID 19

[harllee]

Supposedly, all counties in Washington state have dropped to slightly below 1.0 in terms of the transmission rate.

Note: this is different from rt.live. I have no idea why. Maybe I am comparing apples to oranges?

What I do see is lots of people masking up even when outside in relatively uncrowded situations where prolonged exposure at less than 6 feet (Even less than 12 feet) would required a conscious effort on the part of an individual. So maybe people are taking this seriously again.

I have gotten so use to wearing a mask that I sometimes forget I have it on--I am sure people seeing me walking by myself or driving my car wonder why is she wearing a mask while doing that? I had to go to the dentist and of course had on my mask and was sitting in the chair and and the dentist came in and finally said to me that I had to take of my mask for him to look in my mouth--I had forgotten I had it on!

 

[harllee]

Just saw on the news that a recent poll showed that over 60% of Americans now know at least one person that has Covid (or has had it in the past). This is a big jump from over a month ago.

 

[rodi]

IIRC correctly, at least one member of e-r.org was planning on attending the Sturgis Rally... Hope he wasn't in the "One Eyed Jack" saloon on 8/11 between noon and 5:30pm. Confirmed case of someone who was there and likely contagious in that timeframe.

Also looks like it was more than 500k attendees of the rally (460k vehicles).

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/08/19/sturgis-rally-health-department-covid-19-exposure-one-eyed-jacks-saloon/5605880002/

 

[cathy63]

Though HI numbers are (IMHO) still quite low (a bit over 5000 positives and IIRC fewer than 40 deaths - Total pop. 1.4 mil) we have had a SHARP increase in positives of late. From 10 to 15 per day to a couple of hundred per day (for quite a while now.) Bad times are ahead, I fear - but that's another story.

With this as background, I was quite stunned to see a report in the local paper, breaking down our ethnic background vs cases. I believe that HI is one of the few states which keeps such detailed and accurate records on ethnicity (actually, it's more of a "where did you or your ancestors originally come from in the world" as well as "ethnicity.") ONE group which represents 4% of the population accounted for 24% of the cases (IIRC). Most other groups (8 or 10 groups as I recall) were well within what I would have expected (perhaps a 10% group got 8% of cases and a 12% group got 15% of cases, etc.)

I don't know if the study is available on line at Honolulu Star Advertiser, but I was quite surprised. I won't mention the group because I don't believe it is instructive to us laymen. Still, there must be some valuable insight available to our professionals from this data. YMMV

I'm not sure if it's quite as granular as Hawaii's data, but California also tracks cases and deaths by ethnicity vs percent of population. If you're interested in comparing, you can find the CA charts here: https://public.tableau.com/profile/ca.open.data#!/vizhome/COVID-19WebNarrative/Dashboard3

 

[audreyh1]

IIRC correctly, at least one member of e-r.org was planning on attending the Sturgis Rally... Hope he wasn't in the "One Eyed Jack" saloon on 8/11 between noon and 5:30pm. Confirmed case of someone who was there and likely contagious in that timeframe.

Also looks like it was more than 500k attendees of the rally (460k vehicles).

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/08/19/sturgis-rally-health-department-covid-19-exposure-one-eyed-jacks-saloon/5605880002/

250,000 attendees were expected, and 460,000 motorcycles showed up? Dang.

I expect that is the first of many warnings of Covid positive folks hanging out in bars - that is, if they bother to get tested, and even admit it to local health authorities.

 

[Chuckanut]

I figure it's more efficient and less touching of the face to just keep the mask on rather than taking it on and off. (Although I sometimes drop it to my chin if I have a long stretch with no other pedestrians around.)

My understanding is that the people who pull their masks up and down risk contaminating the mask via their hands. From what I have read (and this may not be true) pulling the mask up and down is riskier than no mask and avoiding getting nearer than 6 feet for more than a few seconds. Science? I know of no definitive science in this area.

Usually, I turn up a driveway or step into the street. I try very hard to do the 6 Foot Shuffle and Dodge if at all possible. Often the other person beats me to it.

 

[audreyh1]

My understanding is that the people who pull their masks up and down risk contaminating the mask via their hands. From what I have read (and this may not be true) pulling the mask up and down is riskier than no mask and avoiding getting nearer than 6 feet for more than a few seconds. Science? I know of no definitive science in this area.

This would depend. If you are out for a walk and not touching anything except your own personal belongings, then handling your mask shouldn’t matter.

If you are out shopping - then it’s a whole different story.

 

[rodi]

Usually, I turn up a driveway or step into the street. I try very hard to do the 6 Foot Shuffle and Dodge if at all possible. Often the other person beats me to it.

I joke that I am the frog in frogger - jumping back and forth to keep space from other people. Jumping across the street, into driveways, etc.

 

[donheff]

My understanding is that the people who pull their masks up and down risk contaminating the mask via their hands. From what I have read (and this may not be true) pulling the mask up and down is riskier than no mask and avoiding getting nearer than 6 feet for more than a few seconds. Science? I know of no definitive science in this area.

I think the consensus is running the other way. Fomites (surface contaminants), touching your face, etc were initially viewed as a primary source of infection. Now, it’s all aerosols and viral load. Sharing air for extended time is dangerous. Displacing a few viral particles from the outside of your mask is NBD. It’s much more important to wear a mask than to keep it pristine

 

[Lsbcal]

I think the consensus is running the other way. Fomites (surface contaminants), touching your face, etc were initially viewed as a primary source of infection. Now, it’s all aerosols and viral load. Sharing air for extended time is dangerous. Displacing a few viral particles from the outside of your mask is NBD. It’s much more important to wear a mask than to keep it pristine

I hope that this is right for my exercise in the park. I wear a bandana for that and pull it up when I pass adjacent to someone. That person is either cycling, running or walking. I do this for my walking and running. My guess is that the air flow across my bandana would move the particles across the surface very quickly so any contaminated air would be a very short exposure. I've been doing this daily for months now.

For shopping I use an N95 mask and cycle between 3 during the week.

 

[harllee]

My masks ( I have many) are the cloth kind with the elastic that goes behind the ears. When I need to remove the mask or adjust it I touch it using the ear straps--I never touch the mask itself.

 

[audreyh1]

My masks ( I have many) are the cloth kind with the elastic that goes behind the ears. When I need to remove the mask or adjust it I touch it using the ear straps--I never touch the mask itself.

Same here.

 

[Lsbcal]

My masks ( I have many) are the cloth kind with the elastic that goes behind the ears. When I need to remove the mask or adjust it I touch it using the ear straps--I never touch the mask itself.

I use hand sanitizer liberally and strategically when out and consider my hands suspect until I get home and wash them. So after buying groceries I'll use hand sanitizer before opening the car and storing the groceries in the back. Then yes, I will use the straps to remove the mask. Then I use sanitizer again after shutting the back door and before touching the steering wheel.

But I think, based on stories I hear here and read elsewhere, that this is a low probability transmission issue. Still best to play it safe.

 

[Dtail]

I use hand sanitizer liberally and strategically when out and consider my hands suspect until I get home and wash them. So after buying groceries I'll use hand sanitizer before opening the car and storing the groceries in the back. Then yes, I will use the straps to remove the mask. Then I use sanitizer again after shutting the back door and before touching the steering wheel.

But I think, based on stories I hear here and read elsewhere, that this is a low probability transmission issue. Still best to play it safe.

Fairly close to what I do too.

 

[audreyh1]

Well, today Texas passed Florida and took 2nd place in total cases. It had already been ahead in total fatalities, having crossed 10,000 last week.

 

[davebarnes]

Among, not between

 

[Koolau]

I'm not sure if it's quite as granular as Hawaii's data, but California also tracks cases and deaths by ethnicity vs percent of population. If you're interested in comparing, you can find the CA charts here: https://public.tableau.com/profile/ca.open.data#!/vizhome/COVID-19WebNarrative/Dashboard3

I guess I don't see the "vs percent of population." Without that, you can't tell if one group is over represented as it was in the Hon. Star Adv. article. In that article, it fairly leaped off the page. Once again, not sure how instructive that is, but is certainly caught my attention, but YMMV.

 

[TrvlBug]

I guess I don't see the "vs percent of population." Without that, you can't tell if one group is over represented as it was in the Hon. Star Adv. article. In that article, it fairly leaped off the page. Once again, not sure how instructive that is, but is certainly caught my attention, but YMMV.

% of population is the gray line.

 

[Dtail]

Well, today Texas passed Florida and took 2nd place in total cases. It had already been ahead in total fatalities, having crossed 10,000 last week.

Kind of a race to the bottom.

 

[JoeWras]

I don't know if the study is available on line at Honolulu Star Advertiser, but I was quite surprised. I won't mention the group because I don't believe it is instructive to us laymen. Still, there must be some valuable insight available to our professionals from this data. YMMV

Everything these days is so touchy with regard to race, origin or whatever. I disagree, laymen need to know too.

In NC it has been discussed, and it is instructive to laymen. I'll put it out there for you. In NC, the Hispanic population is way over-represented in Covid cases. The reasons are varied, but include language barrier and crowded living and working conditions. Here's where it can trickle down to the layman. If you run a business, are you properly giving your service staff the PPE and space they need? Construction managers: are you crowding your workers in one truck without PPE? And so on. It comes down to knowing the problem, and finding out what we can do to help the vulnerable population.

 

[Bongleur]

Dept Homeland Security master-question-list-covid-19

This has nothing to do with infection statistics, so I don't know why the mods moved it here.

updated weekly:
https://www.dhs.gov/publication/st-master-question-list-covid-19

the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) developed the following “master question list” that quickly summarizes what is known, what additional information is needed, and who may be working to address such fundamental questions as, “What is the infectious dose?” and “How long does the virus persist in the environment?”

The Master Question List (MQL) is intended to quickly
present the current state of available information to government decision makers in the operational
response to COVID-19 and allow structured and scientifically guided discussions across the federal
government without burdening them with the need to review scientific reports, and to prevent
duplication of efforts by highlighting and coordinating research.

 

[audreyh1]

Among, not between

Thank you - maybe one of the moderators will fix the title.

 

[audreyh1]

Kind of a race to the bottom.

Well, for sure!

 

[MichaelB]

updated periodically:
https://www.dhs.gov/publication/st-master-question-list-covid-19

Threads merged. The FAQ will also be updated with this link.

 

[cathy63]

I guess I don't see the "vs percent of population." Without that, you can't tell if one group is over represented as it was in the Hon. Star Adv. article. In that article, it fairly leaped off the page. Once again, not sure how instructive that is, but is certainly caught my attention, but YMMV.

% of population is the gray line.

Here's the actual chart. Those small vertical gray lines show how long the bar would be if it matched the population distribution. Both Latino and Other have more cases than would be expected. (But I suspect that "Other" is often used because there's no option for "we didn't ask".)