Coping with Covid-19

So yesterday’s “coping” was the usual morning coffee and pills, followed by reading social media and laughing at most of it, followed by getting inspired to spend the 3.5 hours of cook time to make cowboy style homemade dirty rice. And then a cookie.

Karen picked up the groceries and we did the conga line to the pantry and fridge and such. She wipes stuff, I bring it in and organize it.

Typical Saturday.

I did put the outdoor lights back into the circadian module of the home automation server. I like them following the sun color and dimming to almost off at midnight.

Also patched that thing to the latest versions of everything over the last couple of days, and fixed some breakage caused by a code change that affected the integration with the home alarm system. Had to disable one automation that’s misbehaving.

We bought too much bread.

And since I experimented to make the batch of dirty rice smaller, next time I’ll make more rice. It was delicious, but I like it a little higher rice ratio. No big deal.

Went for a mile walk. The usual.

Watched a video about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff before bed. Been back in a naval history kick lately.
 
Oh. The rice.

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Recipe:

 
X3 Skier said:
Other than really missing Restaurants, no big deal for me. I would also like a haircut but last time I checked after the Barbershops opened Friday, the typical waiting time is 1:30.

Cheers

PS, Correlation doesn't not necessarily mean causation.
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True, but the suggestion was apparently being made that low hospitalization numbers indicated that public health restrictions were unnecessary, which is equally fallacious. We may not know the answer for some time, if ever.
 
"Man falls from fourth floor window; cause of death-COVID-19."

The poopoo heads on Reddit got all pi$$y when I posted that...
 
Ted DuPuis said:
A number of people have even died taking their chances with a heart attack or stroke vs. seeking medical attention for fear of going to the hospital.

That, I simply do not understand. I'm just as willing to call 911 today as I was a year ago.
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I heard directly from an ER doctor that this is exactly what's happening. People have been convinced that stepping foot inside an ER will instantly infect you with some type of death-virus, so they're not going in for the typical things that are due an ER visit - strokes, appendicitis, etc. Now when people come in for those conditions which were previously relatively benign events, they are major catastrophes for those involved.

He also said that there are a lot of hospitals across the country that are running at such low usage rates that they are furloughing doctors and nurses. Part of me wants to say "Well, then maybe they were overstaffed to begin with and maybe people are learning not to go to the hospital every time they get a splinter" which is a good thing, but then part of me wonders what kind of effects this is going to have over the next few years for people put off truly necessary medical care and it becomes a chronic issue for them.
 
CJones said:
I heard directly from an ER doctor that this is exactly what's happening. People have been convinced that stepping foot inside an ER will instantly infect you with some type of death-virus, so they're not going in for the typical things that are due an ER visit - strokes, appendicitis, etc. Now when people come in for those conditions which were previously relatively benign events, they are major catastrophes for those involved.

He also said that there are a lot of hospitals across the country that are running at such low usage rates that they are furloughing doctors and nurses. Part of me wants to say "Well, then maybe they were overstaffed to begin with and maybe people are learning not to go to the hospital every time they get a splinter" which is a good thing, but then part of me wonders what kind of effects this is going to have over the next few years for people put off truly necessary medical care and it becomes a chronic issue for them.
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Been saying the above for a month here.

Karen’s ER doc she works with has been gravely concerned about their heart attacks and strokes disappearing. They’re simply dying at home.

You don’t hear a single talking head telling people that hospitals are safe, get your ass to one if you’re having a heart attack.

The good news is, they’ve started to rebound here to normal ER levels. The ER is significantly busier than the Covid ward. Has been for about four weeks.

As far as the other departments, Karen’s never saw more than a five day decrease in patients almost two months ago. She got one extra day off since this started.

Our area wasn’t utterly stupid and didn’t attempt to regulate the rest of the medical businesses, by service type, and they weren’t ever closed by mandate. Any place doing that is both stupid and dangerous and folks should fight it.

There’s no need. The medical folk figure out protocols and kept providing services, just like they can anywhere. It’s literally their job and they’re the experts.

Usually where you’re seeing furloughs, some politician decided they know how to operate a medical facility better than the Docs and Nurses.

Keep that in mind ... as you start to hear that the facility “failed the community”... coming soon!

Left alone, at her place — the outpatient and elective stuff stopped for exactly one week, except outpatient that would keep people out of the ER (her specialty, thus no closure at all), and they had the building completely split and ready to go.

The hospitals in trouble are where politicians forced their elective and outpatient departments closed.

Keep in mind when we hear “elective” we think silly stuff. But my surgery to get a correct diagnosis for something far worse than Covid was “elective”.

Stopping things like that is very harmful to people. No reason whatsoever not to leave medical people in charge of what they’ll open and can do, and what they won’t.
 
I never heard any type of 'official' advice saying that if you were having a heart attack or other medical emergency, not to go to the ER. Maybe I missed it. So these people made the decision themselves.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Yes, Covid induced cancer.

More seriously, I wonder how many will die because they put off cancer screenings and other routine preventative actions?
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No deaths yet, but I screened 7 last week at my imaging facility ... several look to be stage 4

Ryanb said:
Yeah, seriously... after the surgery she was placed in a nursing home, and less than a week after surgery she had a stroke due to a blood clot in her leg and passed away. She did NOT have coronavirus - this makes me fully believe that the actual number of COVID-19 cases are much lower than the reported number.

Thank you - I didn’t know her very well, but saw her a few times over the years. Sad nonetheless...:(
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Sorry for your loss. I work directly with a lot of DVT patients. The result is pulmonary embolism if it breaks loose out of hte leg traveling to the lungs NOT the brain ... only way for a stroke to occur with DVT is if patient has a birth defect ventricular septal defect that allows the clot to pass from the right side heart to the left side and eject to the head. Pulmonary embolism is lethal also, just not a stroke.
 
Everskyward said:
I never heard any type of 'official' advice saying that if you were having a heart attack or other medical emergency, not to go to the ER. Maybe I missed it. So these people made the decision themselves.
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Maybe it differs based on area, but around here, most people don't even want to go to the ER during normal cold/flu season because nobody wants to get sick. But they also aren't so afraid of the cold/flu/bug going around that they will not go for a heart attack, etc. I agree there hasn't been anyone saying that heart attacks, etc., shouldn't go in. But everything in the news has been how you shouldn't go anywhere and if you do, wear a mask, and don't touch anyone, and sanitize yourself when you get back, because you might get COVID, and heaven knows, that would be a fate worse than death. In other words, they have freaked people out so bad, people are thinking COVID is scarier than a heart attack. So, indirectly, media and/or politicians are causing people to not go in to the ER for legitimate medical concerns over fear of a comparatively unconcerning possibility of contracting COVID.
 
SkyChaser said:
Maybe it differs based on area, but around here, most people don't even want to go to the ER during normal cold/flu season because nobody wants to get sick. But they also aren't so afraid of the cold/flu/bug going around that they will not go for a heart attack, etc. I agree there hasn't been anyone saying that heart attacks, etc., shouldn't go in. But everything in the news has been how you shouldn't go anywhere and if you do, wear a mask, and don't touch anyone, and sanitize yourself when you get back, because you might get COVID, and heaven knows, that would be a fate worse than death. In other words, they have freaked people out so bad, people are thinking COVID is scarier than a heart attack. So, indirectly, media and/or politicians are causing people to not go in to the ER for legitimate medical concerns over fear of a comparatively unconcerning possibility of contracting COVID.
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In some ways, it's a good thing that people aren't using the ER for non-emergencies. Isn't that what we wanted in the past? I can't imagine someone allowing themselves to be so scared of Covid-19 that they wouldn't use the ER in a real emergency. The media hasn't been giving this advice, and neither have politicians. On the other hand, even before this started, people sometimes discounted the symptoms they were having, and didn't think whatever it was was serious enough to go to the ER. People shouldn't blame the media or politicians, just themselves.
 
Everskyward said:
In some ways, it's a good thing that people aren't using the ER for non-emergencies. Isn't that what we wanted in the past? I can't imagine someone allowing themselves to be so scared of Covid-19 that they wouldn't use the ER in a real emergency. The media hasn't been giving this advice, and neither have politicians. On the other hand, even before this started, people sometimes discounted the symptoms they were having, and didn't think whatever it was was serious enough to go to the ER. People shouldn't blame the media or politicians, just themselves.
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I don't think people should be blaming the media or politicians for their own decisions. Everyone should be responsible for what they do and say. However, I do know several people naive (or stupid?) enough that they trust what the media and politicians are saying. And that is - COVID is so scary, we have got to close everything down and disrupt everything! If you don't follow the guidelines, the whole town/hospital system/state is going to collapse under the strain and if you get it, it will be SO bad!

I guess my point is - people are being scared by this representation of COVID. Big time. Scared enough to do stupid things like avoid the ER when having serious medical problems. Maybe it's not reasonable, but a lot of human reaction isn't, especially ones based on fear. Most of it is caused by media hype, based on personal conversations with freaked out coworkers and friends. I don't really know anything beyond my own little world, so I may be incorrect. But I think that a little more factual information and a little less fear-mongering would go a long way in helping people have more moderate reactions, which would reduce the amount of people who prefer to die a certain death at home rather than taking a risk and going to get help.
 
Everskyward said:
People shouldn't blame the media or politicians, just themselves.
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Humans are irrational, easily frightened creatures. This feature is routinely used to control us. When every time you drive past your local hospital you see a huge triage tent (which we had here for over a month), it doesn't do anything to calm fears of contracting a deadly virus should you need to venture there in an emergency. If there is no resounding voice telling people "all is well, remain calm", most will default to remain in a state of fear.
 
Jeff Oslick said:
Humans are irrational, easily frightened creatures. This feature is routinely used to control us. When every time you drive past your local hospital you see a huge triage tent (which we had here for over a month), it doesn't do anything to calm fears of contracting a deadly virus should you need to venture there in an emergency. If there is no resounding voice telling people "all is well, remain calm", most will default to remain in a state of fear.
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Maybe, but as I said before, I have not heard any media or government advice saying not to go to the ER if you need to do so.

As far as fear is concerned, I find it interesting that most arguments for and against the actions of institutions regarding Covid are based on fear. The ones who are saying we shouldn't be irrationally afraid of the virus are using the argument that we should be afraid of missing out on routine screenings just in case we might have developed cancer in the past two months, and getting hypoxia from masks. Same tactic, different side of the argument.
 
Everskyward said:
In some ways, it's a good thing that people aren't using the ER for non-emergencies. Isn't that what we wanted in the past? I can't imagine someone allowing themselves to be so scared of Covid-19 that they wouldn't use the ER in a real emergency. The media hasn't been giving this advice, and neither have politicians. On the other hand, even before this started, people sometimes discounted the symptoms they were having, and didn't think whatever it was was serious enough to go to the ER. People shouldn't blame the media or politicians, just themselves.
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That’s fine if the area hasn’t closed down the General Practitioners or scared people so bad they won’t go to one.

Or the GP isn’t a chicken and is pretending to be open while doing “telemedicine” due to overblown fearmongering on the TV convincing them they shouldn’t be working.

Certainly if one has time to hold a daily press conference babbling about joining state “pacts” and such, there’s a minute or two in there to say, “Hey, we are hearing ERs report a five fold decrease in heart attacks and strokes and we are concerned you’re getting the wrong message from us...”

Manage the new emergency you’re causing perhaps, instead of “pacts” and such silliness?

Using the populist argument for a moment... nobody is going to DIE if the talking heads stop their politics for a minute and tell people hospitals are safe. But they do die if they don’t. If that’s the measure of “emergency” management.
 
Everskyward said:
I never heard any type of 'official' advice saying that if you were having a heart attack or other medical emergency, not to go to the ER. Maybe I missed it. So these people made the decision themselves.
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We had official limitations of "elective" medical procedures here. They have since lifted within the past couple of weeks.

Other than that, I think the non-stop stream of info saying "Don't go to the hospital unless absolutely critical - we don't want to overwhelm them for the people who REALLY need help (COVID patients)" has fed the natural tendency of people to try to 'tough it out' rather than seek help. Not to mention the non-stop suggestions that hospitals are chocked full of these highly-contagious carriers of this instant-death COVID virus would make most people wary of going in. I agree that the final decision lies with the individual person, but it's hard to believe that the constant barrage of misinformation - even if well-meaning - hasn't impacted folks' normal decision making processes.
 
CJones said:
We had official limitations of "elective" medical procedures here. They have since lifted within the past couple of weeks.
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Same here. In fact I'm going to a totally non-essential eye doctor's follow-up appointment today that was scheduled months previously. I'm even taking the bus.

CJones said:
Other than that, I think the non-stop stream of info saying "Don't go to the hospital unless absolutely critical - we don't want to overwhelm them for the people who REALLY need help (COVID patients)" has fed the natural tendency of people to try to 'tough it out' rather than seek help. Not to mention the non-stop suggestions that hospitals are chocked full of these highly-contagious carriers of this instant-death COVID virus would make most people wary of going in. I agree that the final decision lies with the individual person, but it's hard to believe that the constant barrage of misinformation - even if well-meaning - hasn't impacted folks' normal decision making processes.
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If someone had been following their local news, they would have known if the hospitals were being overrun, though. If they were viewing footage from NYC, maybe not. I always knew that the hospitals here were far from being full, and that there are not many cases here, given that it's a city.
 
Everskyward said:
Maybe, but as I said before, I have not heard any media or government advice saying not to go to the ER if you need to do so.

As far as fear is concerned, I find it interesting that most arguments for and against the actions of institutions regarding Covid are based on fear. The ones who are saying we shouldn't be irrationally afraid of the virus are using the argument that we should be afraid of missing out on routine screenings just in case we might have developed cancer in the past two months, and getting hypoxia from masks. Same tactic, different side of the argument.
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As far as I know, "Don't go to the ER" has only been said to people who think they've got COVID but aren't in medical distress. What I was trying to say was that how the media and company are portraying this virus is affecting people, whether it is meant that way or not. One of the side effects of saying COVID is so scary is people thinking the known things - heart attacks or strokes or what have you - are less scary or dangerous than COVID. Or somehow less important than COVID.

Playing to peoples' fears, whether they be of COVID or cancer, is by far the easiest way to sway opinions. I personally think it is too bad that emotional appeals have become the norm instead of hard facts. I want to know that yes, case numbers are up, but number of tests are also way up. I want to know that yes, deaths are climbing, but 97% are cases over 65 years old with at least one co-morbidity and most in a nursing home. I do not care for the scare tactics used to open states any more than I care for the scare tactics used to shut them down. Unfortunately, no one cares what I think. ;)
 
Everskyward said:
Maybe, but as I said before, I have not heard any media or government advice saying not to go to the ER if you need to do so.
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I believe everyone has acknowledged that such advice was never given. The advice that is given is that a Corona is gonna get you if you go out and then you’ll die. My son is 19 and maybe the lowest risk there is. He is irrationally acting on what he was told at college.

But that does not change the fact that the number of heart attack cases in hospitals is way down and while less activity may have reduced cases some, nobody believes they’ve dropped 38%. Cancer diagnoses are down, but people are still getting cancer. People are/will die from preventable things because of the panic created by the information being broadcast.

It is probable based on these that we’ve gone overboard on the message.
 
bflynn said:
I believe everyone has acknowledged that such advice was never given. The advice that is given is that a Corona is gonna get you if you go out and then you’ll die. My son is 19 and maybe the lowest risk there is. He is irrationally acting on what he was told at college.

But that does not change the fact that the number of heart attack cases in hospitals is way down and while less activity may have reduced cases some, nobody believes they’ve dropped 38%. Cancer diagnoses are down, but people are still getting cancer. People are/will die from preventable things because of the panic created by the information being broadcast.
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People should take whatever they hear with a grain of salt, then make their own choices about decisions like going to the ER.

There are many conflicting opinions around by people purporting to be experts.

Not everyone is panicked about this. I witnessed two (actually more than two) different reactions yesterday. We are supposed to be wearing masks on the city bus. Some people took that to mean that masks around their neck was enough. :rofl:

Then, I was about to get into an elevator with another woman. She turned to me and asked if she could ride alone. :rolleyes2:
 
So, from my daughter...drownings in Floria have doubled since the lockdown over the same time period last year. :(
 
Everskyward said:
People should take whatever they hear with a grain of salt, then make their own choices about decisions like going to the ER.

There are many conflicting opinions around by people purporting to be experts.

Not everyone is panicked about this. I witnessed two (actually more than two) different reactions yesterday. We are supposed to be wearing masks on the city bus. Some people took that to mean that masks around their neck was enough. :rofl:

Then, I was about to get into an elevator with another woman. She turned to me and asked if she could ride alone. :rolleyes2:
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Perhaps the most annoying thing about this pandemic other than the deaths is strangers who now seem to feel empowered to engage other strangers. Even "I'm glad to see you're wearing a mask" is more interaction than I want with self-appointed hall monitors. It's one of the reasons I'm doing almost all my shopping close to home these days. The unwanted conversations seem to be more of an urban phenomenon.

I've taken to signing "You are very pretty" (one of the few things I know how to say in ASL that's not profane) to the intruders in the hope that they think I'm a deaf mute and leave me alone. It works out okay because so far, all of the hall monitors have been women (although generally not pretty ones); so on the odd chance that they do understand it, at least it's a compliment.

I should look up how to sign "Mind your own damn business and leave me the hell alone."

Rich
 
@zeldmam

Since you normally talk out of your a**, I guess that is appropriate.

Tim (could not resist)

Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk
 
RJM62 said:
Perhaps the most annoying thing about this pandemic other than the deaths is strangers who now seem to feel empowered to engage other strangers. Even "I'm glad to see you're wearing a mask" is more interaction than I want with self-appointed hall monitors. It's one of the reasons I'm doing almost all my shopping close to home these days. The unwanted conversations seem to be more of an urban phenomenon.

I've taken to signing "You are very pretty" (one of the few things I know how to say in ASL that's not profane) to the intruders in the hope that they think I'm a deaf mute and leave me alone. It works out okay because so far, all of the hall monitors have been women (although generally not pretty ones); so on the odd chance that they do understand it, at least it's a compliment.

I should look up how to sign "Mind your own damn business and leave me the hell alone."

Rich
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Spoken like a New Yorker! :rofl:

As far as engaging strangers is concerned, I grew up in NJ, so I had more of your attitude. Then I moved to various places in the midwest, mostly Colorado, where engaging strangers and being friendly was more common. I got used to it. Finally I moved to the left coast big city (San Francisco) and considered that people weren't nearly as friendly as people in the midwest, but friendlier than in NY. Of course I'm making generalizations here. Since Covid, it seems as if people are somewhat friendlier. This woman in the elevator was an exception, and she wasn't so much unfriendly as nervous. I have never gotten lectured by strangers for not wearing a mask, or congratulated because I did.
 
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Everskyward said:
Spoken like a New Yorker! :rofl:

As far as engaging strangers is concerned, I grew up in NJ, so I had more of your attitude. Then I moved to various places in the midwest, mostly Colorado, where engaging strangers and being friendly was more common. I got used to it. Finally I moved to the left coast big city (San Francisco) and considered that people weren't nearly as friendly as people in the midwest, but friendlier than in NY. Of course I'm making generalizations here. Since Covid, it seems as if people are somewhat friendlier. This woman in the elevator was an exception. I have never gotten lectured by strangers for not wearing a mask, or congratulated because I did.
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I just haven’t figured out why “social distancing” has to reduce the size of my personal bubble that much. :(
 
The employees of an Asian grocery chain near me started wearing masks much sooner than everyone else. (I think they had a better idea of what was coming than the rest of us.) There's also a convenience store a few blocks from me that's owned by an Asian couple. On one of my recent trips there, the lady behind the register expressed appreciation for my wearing a mask. It didn't bother me, especially because store personnel are more exposed to viruses that most people.
 
I dug through this a few days ago using the data in the links presented.

Per the website, it takes about two weeks for data to be added so can't go directly from (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm) which shows nominally 4% over.

If starting from 1FEB(I.E. first CV recorded death) and stopping at 9MAY2020, roughly 9% over, about 75K.
 
bdtaz said:
I dug through this a few days ago using the data in the links presented.

Per the website, it takes about two weeks for data to be added so can't go directly from (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm) which shows nominally 4% over.

If starting from 1FEB(I.E. first CV recorded death) and stopping at 9MAY2020, roughly 9% over, about 75K.
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I've been watching that site for quite some time now. It turns out that it can take more than a few weeks for some data to make it. For example, between 27 May 2020 and 29 May 2020, the number of Pneumonia deaths for week ending 1 Feb 2020 changed from 3,717 to 3,721. And the number of deaths from all causes changed for each reporting week.

btw - the page indicates "This delay can range from 1 week to 8 weeks or more, depending on the jurisdiction, age, and cause of death."
 
Half Fast said:
"There's a stairway over there, ma'am. Feel free to walk alone. The exercise will probably be good for you."
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I would have said, sure, feel free to step out and take the next one. Seriously. If you want to be special, put yourself out, not someone else.
 
Salty said:
I would have said, sure, feel free to step out and take the next one. Seriously. If you want to be special, put yourself out, not someone else.
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Yeah, but you're less of an ****ole than I am. :)

It might have been fun to say something like, "Oh, thank you, but don't worry about me. ....(elevator doors close)..... I'm already infected."
 
I've gained 10 pounds since this all started. When it first started the stress was astronomical, and boy did I drink more. Not walking to work since I'm working from home. Lots to eat around the house. Glad I never picked up the cigar habit, I'd be smoking those too. Lost a grandfather that way.

I had to go out yesterday to the Hardware store and grocers. I was appalled by what I saw. Loads of people without masks, and I had to dodge and weave about to keep any kind of distance from anyone. If my little microcosm is typical we're going to see one hell of a peak soon.
 
Bob Noel said:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/excess_deaths.htm

Be aware of the delays in getting all the data to the CDC and processed.
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Out of curiosity, I downloaded the 29MAY data and compared it to the 27MAY data I captured earlier.

Over the same 1FEB to 9MAY2020 time period, they added 3078 CV deaths and 13649 total deaths(so 10570 non-CV related deaths).

This would reduce the excess percentage due to CV deaths from what was shown in the data a few days ago.

More than 80% of the delta was in the data from 18APR on so about 5 to 6W for their data to settle out.
 
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