COVID-19 Health and Preparedness - Strictly Moderated

[Another Reader]

You would think, but not necessarily. Hopefully most everyone here gets annual blood work done, so they know for themselves. I'm also in FL, outside most days, sun-screened less than I should be, and my D is borderline deficient! But a good multi-vitamin or supplement should work.

Thank you for reminding me to have that tested. A small amount of sun exposure and milk in my coffee probably do not not provide enough and I was borderline a couple of years ago.

 

[explanade]

Subscribing.

 

[EveryLady]

Seems high. The CDC website for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) says:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/home/cleaning-disinfection.html

I've seen it state the 60% figure in multiple locations on the CDC website.

WHO appears to contradict both the CDC and my recollection of the Chinese recommendation. This is from the underlying research (March 2017) that I think forms the basis for the Journal of Hospital Infection article that Bongleur's attached:

The comparative inactivation analyses of all viruses tested revealed that the CoVs, in particular SARS-CoV, were the most susceptible viruses to WHO formulation treatment. ... The degree of susceptibility of the different viruses to the WHO formulation likely depends on the specific surface properties of the lipophilic envelope of the respective virus. ... Interestingly, WHO formulation I was superior compared with WHO formulation II in inactivating these nonenveloped viruses, whereas in this study the opposite effect occurred, with WHO formulation II showing a higher virucidal activity against enveloped viruses. This discrepancy can be explained by the presence of the virus envelope, which likely renders enveloped viruses more susceptible to the isopropanol-based WHO formulation II compared with the ethanol-based WHO formulation I .
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5407053/

SARS-CoV-2 (that causes Covid-19) is, of course, an enveloped virus.

The active ingredient in WHO Formulation I is ethanol 80%
The active ingredient in WHO Formulation II is isopropyl alcohol 75%
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK144054/

The WHO video attached by another poster provided instructions for making WHO Formulation II.

Based upon my recollection of the Chinese recommendation (75 percent ethyl alcohol) I unfortunately bought additional ethyl alcohol to mix into some GERM-X sanitizer. Based upon WHO, I'm wondering if I should now plan on using IPA. On the other hand, the Chinese have the best experience with SARS-CoV- 2.

It would be good to locate a specific well-sourced recommendation from the Chinese CDC. I've spent about 30 minutes attempting to find one but cannot.

As for the US CDC, my concern would be their recommendations are general with efficacy depending upon the time the user can keep their hands saturated. The lower the alcohol content the longer the time required - with that varying by virus.

 

[Boho]

I don't remember if this was the thread with the pictures of empty shelves except for Angle Soft toilet paper, but that's the situation in my local toilet paper section too. Maybe it's worth investing in Georgia Pacific. Or maybe people just don't want double rolls these days.

 

[Dtail]

You would think, but not necessarily. Hopefully most everyone here gets annual blood work done, so they know for themselves. I'm also in FL, outside most days, sun-screened less than I should be, and my D is borderline deficient! But a good multi-vitamin or supplement should work.

I hear ya. My HDL just rose to the low 40's despite all this exercise, so sometimes it is just in the genes too.

 

[gwraigty]

Gov. DeWine issues order limiting visitors to nursing homes, assisting living facilities

At a news conference Wednesday, DeWine said the order will limit visitors to one per day per resident. The order will limit these facilities to one point of entry, and everyone who passes through them will be screened for their temperature and potential illness.

DeWine said logs of all visitors, vendors and other people entering and exiting the facilities must be kept.

The next step will be to ban all visitors, but DeWine said: “We’re not there yet.”

As an FYI, if you have someone in a facility, the best thing is to check directly with the facility to make sure they're not implementing more stringent measures than mandated by the authorities, which they are allowed to do. Effective yesterday, DS's employer has banned visitors with the exception of end-of-life situations or when the visitor is essential for the resident's emotional well-being and care. The Administrator and Director of Nursing will make the latter determination.

 

[sengsational]

I like vitamin D as much as the next guy, but to suggest that it will save you from ARDS probably falls under the description of "unfounded medical analysis or advice". The facts strongly indicate that the virus can attach easier to the lung cells of older people than younger people for some reason. Older people have more senescent cells, maybe that's it. But there's basically nothing one can do, short of finding the fountain of youth to reverse senescence as we age. Trying to get people to live through ARDS is not new, and there are lots of clinical studies on various protocols, but zero silver bullets.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I like vitamin D as much as the next guy, but to suggest that it will save you from ARDS probably falls under the description of "unfounded medical analysis or advice". The facts strongly indicate that the virus can attach easier to the lung cells of older people than younger people for some reason. Older people have more senescent cells, maybe that's it. But there's basically nothing one can do, short of finding the fountain of youth to reverse senescence as we age. Trying to get people to live through ARDS is not new, and there are lots of clinical studies on various protocols, but zero silver bullets.

There's a well established body of research that some deficiencies make people more susceptible to infections.

"Newer evidence suggests that it also plays a major role regulating the immune system, perhaps including immune responses to viral infection. Interventional and observational epidemiological studies provide evidence that vitamin D deficiency may confer increased risk of influenza and respiratory tract infection."
Vitamin D and the anti-viral state

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3308600/

I didn't claim there was a silver bullet. I'm trying to be as resilient as I can so if I get the virus maybe I can on the less severe symptom end. Getting enough vitamin D is something that is a good idea, coronavirus or not.

 

[sengsational]

I'm right there with you on keeping my serum D levels in range, and they are, and I do think that it helps immune function. I just wish the mechanics of ARDS from Covid19 was more like standard respiratory tract infections. I looked specifically at ARDS studies, and the way those cases hit and what they do, how they do it, wow! This ain't Kansas any more.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I found this on the ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) Foundation web site:

Vitamin D Levels Severely Deficient in ARDS Patients
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to more than a few diseases, and the latest is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Deficiency was widespread say researchers after looking at more than 100 patients with, or at risk of getting, ARDS. And using mouse models, they also concluded that vitamin D deficiency appears to contribute to the development of ARDS.
They published their findings on April 22 in Thorax."

https://ardsglobal.org/vitamin-d-levels-severely-deficient-ards-patients


ETA:

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systemic review and meta analysis of individual participant data
Conclusions Vitamin D supplementation was safe and it protected against acute respiratory tract infection overall. Patients who were very vitamin D deficient and those not receiving bolus doses experienced the most benefit.
Source: https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583

 

[NW-Reader]

Here is a link from the King County (Seattle) Public Health Department, updated daily with newly confirmed case numbers. It may be helpful for those in other locales to get an idea of what kinds of measures may be put in place when the virus does increase in your area. Although things do seem to be reaching a tipping point as far as national awareness in just the past day.

https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/news/2020/March/11-covid-19-updates.aspx

 

[W2R]

I posted before in one of these threads about how there was no crowd at the grocery store (on Tuesday, the 3rd) when I went to get what I needed for either coronavirus or hurricane season. They had plenty of everything I needed, so I bought everything on my list and I haven't been to the grocery store since.

Well, things have changed around here! Here's Walgreen's, today. Look at all those empty shelves! I sure lucked out.

This is probably why:

March 8th: 0 coronavirus cases in Louisiana
March 9th: 1 coronavirus case in Louisiana
March 10th: 3 coronavirus cases in Louisiana, then 6
March 11th: 13 coronavirus cases in Louisiana
(11 of the 13 in New Orleans)

 

[Bongleur]

Spirometer to monitor your breath

Shortness of breath is the symptom that they are saying should send you to the doctor. Before that, stay at home (THUR 12MAR 4:45AM ABC network news show).

So one of those clear plastic "challenge" devices might be good to have.

 

[MichaelB]

Some posts were moved here https://www.early-retirement.org/fo...d-other-impacts-ii-102347-18.html#post2385534, which is more of a general purpose Coronavirus discussion.

 

[Nemo2]

I am not overweight, and have no problem with diabetes

Moi aussi....I'm on a daily 1/4 tablet of Chlorthalidone (a mild diuretic) for borderline hypertension......as mentioned here sometime previously, my BP was higher than 'anticipated' in my 30s when I was running 70 miles a week.....likewise a few years later when marathon training.

(Bad) Luck of the draw.

 

[Sunset]

Tests show Covid-19 can live in the air.

https://time.com/5801278/coronavirus-stays-on-surfaces-days-tests/

"The new coronavirus can live in the air for several hours and on some surfaces for as long as two to three days, tests by U.S. government and other scientists have found."

"
The found that viable virus could be detected up to three hours later in the air, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.
Similar results were obtained from tests they did on the virus that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak, so differences in durability of the virus do not account for how much more widely the new one has spread, researchers say."

So the good news is deliveries and mail only need to be quarantined for 24 hours

 

[Bongleur]

Thanks for the link. The 5 micron particle size seems small to me. They really need a mixed size replicating sneezes & coughs. Hang time depends totally on size, density, and how they change with evaporation. So I don't know if this test is real-world.

 

[GenXguy]

So the good news is deliveries and mail only need to be quarantined for 24 hours

Or just put it in the oven for a while at 160+ degrees, as mentioned in the closed health thread.

 

[Sunny]

Is there a good site that shows the daily new cases of areas compared to other areas?

It wouldn’t be perfect as countries and responses are different, but it’d be interesting to compare at day X in Italy vs day X in Seattle vs X-Y where I am to kinda gauge perhaps when cases may skyrocket.

 

[GenXguy]

Is there a good site that shows the daily new cases of areas compared to other areas?

It wouldn’t be perfect as countries and responses are different, but it’d be interesting to compare at day X in Italy vs day X in Seattle vs X-Y where I am to kinda gauge perhaps when cases may skyrocket.

You can view some daily graphs of different countries here:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

https://covid19info.live/

 

[NW-Reader]

Keep in mind case numbers are completely dependent on how many people are getting tested in the first place. A more useful number might be percent positive, until we catch up with other countries in our testing capacity.

 

[Mdlerth]

Question for the Epidemiologists

Understanding how to analyze is what transforms data into information.

Is there a good site that shows the daily new cases of areas compared to other areas?

It wouldn’t be perfect as countries and responses are different, but it’d be interesting to compare at day X in Italy vs day X in Seattle vs X-Y where I am to kinda gauge perhaps when cases may skyrocket.

Excellent question, and it prompts the analogous question: Is the progression of this disease similar to other epidemics? More specifically, is there a general, repeatable pattern for the graphs of new cases and active cases?

You can view some daily graphs of different countries here:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

https://covid19info.live/

Very interesting presentations of the data. Consider China as the COVID-19 template, since it has both the largest number of individual points and the most fully developed curves. Once begun, the number of new cases accelerates for some weeks before reaching a peak. After the peak, new cases decline with increasing rapidity until gradually slowing to zero in a relatively symmetric bell-shaped curve. (The South Korea curve has a similar shape, but no other country's curve exhibits a clear peak yet.)

The still-active cases decline more linearly until eventually the epidemic subsides. This manifests as more of a skewed bell curve. (Only China's curve is far enough along to show a decline.)

Are these patterns typical of infections in general? If so, it will not predict how deep or lengthy the US experience will be, but it would be helpful in other ways.

 

[harllee]

I use Walmart pick up for my grocery shopping (love it). Today for the first time I got a call from Walmart and the lady said my groceries will not be ready at my designated pick up time because they were "slammed." The Walmart lady said she did not know what the heck was going on--I guess some people never look at the news.

 

[sengsational]

What is a good site to see ones immediate area in the US (state, city)? I know the triangle (harlee's area) had more than Charlotte. I guess the John's Hopkins map is the best source? The reason I ask is DW just went out to lunch at a restaurant. I think it's still pretty low chance of acquiring the virus here, so just treated her decision normally. On the way out the door, I said "Enjoy your restaurant experience" and she said emphatically "I Know!", So she's on the same page as I am... might need to curtail these kind of outings soon.

 

[braumeister]

What is a good site to see ones immediate area in the US (state, city)?

This NY Times site is the best I know of:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html