Just the Facts, the Crown virus.

[doctorb]

Tested Day 8.  Negative result returned Day 10.  No symptoms.  

Back to "normal", whatever that is, and I'm on call this weekend.

[Ed_K]

 Having a negative result is wonderful but having to go back working in it must suck. Did they recall you to work because of the virus?

[Don P]

Our largest christmas tree grower brought up about 400 workers this past week, 102 new cases. Luckily he caught it immediately on arrival, seperated, quarantined and got the health dept involved. He has enough quarters to keep them isolated and will do frequent checks. Sad thing is it has apparently caused some problems in a few local stores not wanting to let any of them in.

I heard the US has 4% of the world population and 25% of the worlds deaths, not exactly the position of world leadership we should have.

[doc henderson]

some places are nearly spared.  and some places the people have no rights, so no debate over staying at home, social distancing, or wearing a mask.  i am sure that communist countries with dictators can nip stuff in the bud, much better than we can.  Freedom comes with responsibility. 

[Sedgehammer]

WoW, awesome reply @doc henderson 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[doc henderson]

Thanks sedge,  We are seeing lots of positive patients now.  just finished a 11 out of 13 day stint at 12 hours plus each shift.  I am having a Fear Movie Lions double IPA.  you would not like it.  thank you for the comment.

[Ianab]

Our largest christmas tree grower brought up about 400 workers this past week, 102 new cases. Luckily he caught it immediately on arrival, seperated, quarantined and got the health dept involved. He has enough quarters to keep them isolated and will do frequent checks. Sad thing is it has apparently caused some problems in a few local stores not wanting to let any of them in.

Locally, if you had close contact with someone that had the virus, you had to quarantine yourself for 14 days. Too much risk of spreading the virus before symptoms show up. 
Basically everyone involved should isolate until they either recover or test clear. If it's spread to 100 out of 400, there are sure to be more cases showing up in the group. 

[Don P]

He has the rest of that group that tested clear away from the other crews and working on different plots. That group will spike. Its a large enough operation that if everyone cooperates they can keep isolated. From what I understand they were all asymptomatic. Our nearby town of 6000 has become the hottest spot in the state. Being rural does not matter at this point.

[nativewolf]

He has the rest of that group that tested clear away from the other crews and working on different plots. That group will spike. Its a large enough operation that if everyone cooperates they can keep isolated. From what I understand they were all asymptomatic. Our nearby town of 6000 has become the hottest spot in the state. Being rural does not matter at this point.

Good on him for moving so quickly, that's great.  
Sorry to hear about the town, is that Damascus or ?

[doc henderson]

that is of course true.  and the clusters in Ks are in big cities, or little towns with meat packing facilities, and many of the workers live together with many in the same home.  and nursing homes.

[Don P]

He has the rest of that group that tested clear away from the other crews and working on different plots. That group will spike. Its a large enough operation that if everyone cooperates they can keep isolated. From what I understand they were all asymptomatic. Our nearby town of 6000 has become the hottest spot in the state. Being rural does not matter at this point.

Good on him for moving so quickly, that's great.  
Sorry to hear about the town, is that Damascus or ?

Galax. They cancelled the fiddlers convention several months ago. Hillsville was planning to go ahead with the Labor Day gun show and flea market, usually ~400,000 people come but the state just told them to cancel. I suspect the town will officially cancel but it'll still happen. I heard Sturgis is going on. We're still misbehavin  :

[doctorb]

Posted by: Ed_K
 « on: Yesterday at 03:04:31 PM »


 Having a negative result is wonderful but having to go back working in it must suck. Did they recall you to work because of the virus?


I decided to work another year before all this happened.  I love to teach residents, I love surgery, and I love taking care of patients.  Many of my friends have asked me why I continue, and, even as recently as this past week, asked me why I don't quit.  I made a commitment to them, and I'm going to fulfill it.  No one "recalled" me.  Loving what you do is a powerful motivator.  I have insulated myself very well from the Covid risk.  Just didn't see it coming from my office.  Obviously, things are a lot different there now.  

[Sedgehammer]

WoW @doctorb ! What a testament ! You're a very fortunate man indeed ! You're ❤ is sure in the right place, wish many more had that location. 

[Sedgehammer]

me bride all ppe'd for a potential nCov patient.   That's all she gets. 




 

[wesdor]

Doc Henderson, hope you are still healthy and soon to be out of quarantine.  I'm posting this in hopes during your quarantine you might have time to read it and give your reactions.  This is from a Swedish doctor in Stockholm.  I know that outside links are not approved at FF (and I understand and agree) but hope Admins will allow the link for at least a short time.

How bad is covid really? (A Swedish doctor?s perspective) ? Sebastian Rushworth M.D.

Here is my synopsis of the article:
•Covid hit hard in Stockholm in mid-March
•Nearly everyone appearing at hospital tested positive for covid
•Four months later he has not seen a single covid patient in over a month
•Most tests now come back negative
•Three months back 100 people per day were dying (10 million population in Sweden)
•Currently about 5 die per day and the number continues to drop
•Infection rate is 1 in 10,000.  Death rate of those infected is 1 in 200
•6,000 people have died.  70% of people dying are over 80 years old and many of them would have died of other causes in a normal year. Covid is small blip in terms of mortality.
•Antibodies may not be the real identifier of immunity - T-Cells are hard to test for but a better marker
•Covid is awful for those who get sick, but the world response has been disproportionate
•Covid is largely over in Sweden and number of deaths is unlikely to go beyond 7,000
•Swedish case fatality rate is likely 0.12%

These are very challenging times and I'm looking for some "truths".

Now back to working with trees and wood.

[SpaceBus]

Doc Henderson, hope you are still healthy and soon to be out of quarantine.  I'm posting this in hopes during your quarantine you might have time to read it and give your reactions.  This is from a Swedish doctor in Stockholm.  I know that outside links are not approved at FF (and I understand and agree) but hope Admins will allow the link for at least a short time.

How bad is covid really? (A Swedish doctor?s perspective) ? Sebastian Rushworth M.D.

Here is my synopsis of the article:
•Covid hit hard in Stockholm in mid-March
•Nearly everyone appearing at hospital tested positive for covid
•Four months later he has not seen a single covid patient in over a month
•Most tests now come back negative
•Three months back 100 people per day were dying (10 million population in Sweden)
•Currently about 5 die per day and the number continues to drop
•Infection rate is 1 in 10,000.  Death rate of those infected is 1 in 200
•6,000 people have died.  70% of people dying are over 80 years old and many of them would have died of other causes in a normal year. Covid is small blip in terms of mortality.
•Antibodies may not be the real identifier of immunity - T-Cells are hard to test for but a better marker
•Covid is awful for those who get sick, but the world response has been disproportionate
•Covid is largely over in Sweden and number of deaths is unlikely to go beyond 7,000
•Swedish case fatality rate is likely 0.12%

These are very challenging times and I'm looking for some "truths".

Now back to working with trees and wood.

I do not think this Urologist should be trusted on his experience with seeing covid patients. I fact, he shouldn't be seeing any covid patients at all, but not because it's "over". I haven't seen any covid patients in my whole life, yet there are places in this country ready to bring in refrigerator trucks for the dead. Just because elderly folks are at the end of their life anyway doesn't make their death's any less tragic. I think the death toll from Covid in this country is double that of US Soldiers killed in Vietnam, but that took ten years. Covid has only been killing folks in this country for six months. 

[doc henderson]

Wesdor your summary seems about right.  We have the issue of the virus being new.  So it is hard to get the case infection and death rates for the country and world.  we think some countries are low balling the numbers like China.  We also know that if you die of anything in this country, and happen to have covid, it is listed as a covid fatality.  The goal was to not overwhelm our health system.  I agree now we have rural areas that are viral naïve and at risk of further outbreaks.  This is great for Sweden but could have been terrible.  Even though they did not shut down, people may have done protective measures on there own.  The concept of medicine in that country I am told, is different.  it is socialized, and people do not look to the Doctors and government as the end all to their health.  The doctor is seen as a helper, and not held as responsible for bad outcomes.  I am hopeful this virus does not have the propensity to mutate quickly like flu, so this can be a one and done.  Maybe we should have pulled the band aid off quickly, but might have then looked back and wondered if unnecessary people may have died.  most socialized medicine countries do not spend the money and effort to keep people alive beyond there years, so fewer vulnerable people around to get sick and die then anyway of this infection.  In Europe, people over 55 do not typically get dialysis as an example.  nice article.

[wesdor]

Thanks for your excellent reply. I didn't check his specialty - Urologist.  Lots of good observations from you.  
My wife and I are on day 148 of mostly isolation. We wear a mask if / when we go out for necessities. 
Stay safe. 

[Ianab]

News article this week concerning an Australian Dr that had Covid19 and although he survived he's suffering from serious consequences relating to heart damage and epilepsy. He's 50 years old, was fit and healthy, but chances are he won't fully recover from the infection.  He's well enough to return to work, but can't drive a car / ride a bike, and isn't allowed to do any strenuous exercise. 

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/08/covid-19-kiwi-born-sydney-doctor-gives-stern-warning-after-contracting-coronavirus.html

So it's not just the old and already sick that are affected, and the death toll is only part of the problem. 

[Jeff]

He didnt already have epilepsy or a heart issue? Nothing I read there is anything but anecdotal and tells me nothing other than he got the virus and may very well have had previously undiagnosed problems OR the virus was the issue. Nothing there says fact to me but fear, yea.

[Stephen1]

Wesdor your summary seems about right.  We have the issue of the virus being new.  So it is hard to get the case infection and death rates for the country and world.  we think some countries are low balling the numbers like China.  We also know that if you die of anything in this country, and happen to have covid, it is listed as a covid fatality.  The goal was to not overwhelm our health system.  I agree now we have rural areas that are viral naïve and at risk of further outbreaks.  This is great for Sweden but could have been terrible.  Even though they did not shut down, people may have done protective measures on there own.  The concept of medicine in that country I am told, is different.  it is socialized, and people do not look to the Doctors and government as the end all to their health.  The doctor is seen as a helper, and not held as responsible for bad outcomes.  I am hopeful this virus does not have the propensity to mutate quickly like flu, so this can be a one and done.  Maybe we should have pulled the band aid off quickly, but might have then looked back and wondered if unnecessary people may have died.  most socialized medicine countries do not spend the money and effort to keep people alive beyond there years, so fewer vulnerable people around to get sick and die then anyway of this infection.  In Europe, people over 55 do not typically get dialysis as an example.  nice article.

I am north of you and we have socialised medicine. I believe we keep people alive. I am not sure if it is beyond their time or not. I do not have any facts on that. 
I am a firm believer when it's your time to go , it's your time. It might be the bus, a car accident who knows. It might be Covid.

[doc henderson]

@Stephen1 not meant as a slight to your great country, quite the opposite.  we treat 95 y/o people with severe dementia for cancer if the family wants it, and spend a fortune on people at the end of there lives, even when they are ready to go.  We spend more than most countries to keep the option in the hands of the people.  although the insurance companies have a thing or two to say about that.  then for bad outcomes (mistakes), some blame the doctor, and or healthcare system.  cannot live forever.  carry on!

[Ianab]

He didnt already have epilepsy or a heart issue?

No history of epilepsy or heart disease. He was apparently fairly fit and a regular road cyclist, with none of the recognised risk factors. 
It's of course possible that those conditions had been sneaking up on him and the virus was only the last straw that triggered them. He's a sample of one, not a full study. 

But Drs studying the disease have noticed a strange symptom of excess blood clots. This naturally makes the damage to lungs worse but can also affect the brain / heart / kidneys etc. Also explains one reason the disease is worse in people with existing health issues. If you are at risk of blots clots  / heart attack / stroke already, it's more likely to push you over the edge.  

It also explains why many people are reporting slow recoveries and ongoing symptoms after they are clear of the virus. 

[Ianab]

Well (words that will get me sent to the woodshed)

4 cases of community transmission in an Auckland family. Source unknown. 

This wasn't unexpected, as no border quarantine is 100% effective. Auckland city is back to L3 (Schools, restaurants etc closed). Rest of the country is L2, which is be careful, and restrictions on large gatherings. 

Govt has gone hard on it again, because the economic damage of the virus is being unchecked is worse than a short lock-down. 

103 days with NO community transmission... 

(More words that I can't type here)

[Stephen1]

@Stephen1 not meant as a slight to your great country, quite the opposite.  we treat 95 y/o people with severe dementia for cancer if the family wants it, and spend a fortune on people at the end of there lives, even when they are ready to go.  We spend more than most countries to keep the option in the hands of the people.  although the insurance companies have a thing or two to say about that.  then for bad outcomes (mistakes), some blame the doctor, and or healthcare system.  cannot live forever.  carry on!

Doc, I realise it wasn't a slight. And none taken. I just find we also do close to the same thing as what you mention. You actually get to see the reality of what does happen, I will defer to you.