Just the Facts, the Crown virus.

[doc henderson]

we are a hotspot.  yes I do not want to get it and take my chances, but would be a relief to have had it already.  I was neg. after giving blood.  now my MIL and one Doc has had it.  we see + cases each day, but no one so far is thought to have gotten it at work.  My MIL is 76 and was mad untill see could go back to work.  

[Sedgehammer]

we are a hotspot.  yes I do not want to get it and take my chances, but would be a relief to have had it already.  I was neg. after giving blood.  now my MIL and one Doc has had it.  we see + cases each day, but no one so far is thought to have gotten it at work.  My MIL is 76 and was mad untill see could go back to work.  

I don't think you have too much to worry about, but i know what you mean. The part about your MIL made me laugh. 

[kantuckid]

I'm same age as yer MIL and work is part of my makeup as a human. My current cabin project is an e.g. of me proving to myself "I still got "it" in me, to make stuff happen, even vigorous stuff. 
Today's a mix cement and fill pier forms day as the rains have let up from gulf storms. My helper is 28 and keeps me humping harder than I like. That's good since this part of the build is hourly but my back & knees say otherwise.  :D
I've never forgotten my meat packing days when I worked with Hunter Blair who'd retired from Hills Packing Plant in Topeka and was our boning room foreman at age 75. Back then we all wondered why he was there doing long hard days. As you'd suspect, now I know the whole story on why Hunter showed up there in the wee hours 6 days a week.
In a VERY MUCH! covid-19 related way, work, meaning the lack of it is a serious issue in our world now. 
My KY newspaper today has sad letter to the editor from a guy who lost his job on June 5th and finds the KY gvmnt not answering the phones (FWIW, they've done several multi million dollar private contracts to jump start the outdated puter system but people still often get no money) nor has he seen a dime of unemployment from them so far. No money, no answers, he says. Some drive miles to capitals locked doors after web efforts that yield zilch. meanwhile it takes a mental toll that exceeds even the money thing!  Sad indeed. 

[doc henderson]

yes in addition to respiratory illness, a big uptick in psychiatric, drug and alcohol related illness.  We were ranked #5 in the nation for cities with the fastest rise per capita in new cases in a NYTs article.  It is finally here.

[Sedgehammer]

yes in addition to respiratory illness, a big uptick in psychiatric, drug and alcohol related illness.  We were ranked #5 in the nation for cities with the fastest rise per capita in new cases in a NYTs article.  It is finally here.

That's kinda expected since it got there late i suppose. That's not all bad, just as long as it doesn't swamp the hospitals.

1.3% increase dod today here. Varies some, but stays around there. The panic has worn off  here for the most part.

Wife sees a few patients a week with it. Most of the staff caught it, cept my bride and the other provider.

[samandothers]

Happy Birthday Doc Henderson!

[doc henderson]

thanks!  born 26 miles from here, 60 years ago.  been busy, but no plans for the day today so far.  that is a nice day!

[Nebraska]

Happy Birthday and many more! 8) I hope you can spend today doing exactly what you want to.

[SwampDonkey]

Indirectly related, here is a recall list on hand sanitizer in Canada.

Recall of certain hand sanitizers that may pose health risks - Recalls and safety alerts

[doc henderson]

thanks.  went to a diner for breakfast with "sawdust Jimmy"  and my wife.  he is a woodturner, but still a nice guy!   then got a haircut by frank.  i will try to do things unrelated to covid today.

[Sedgehammer]

thanks!  born 26 miles from here, 60 years ago.  been busy, but no plans for the day today so far.  that is a nice day!

That's really nice! Wish at times I was back where I grew up.... Oh well, home is where you make it I suppose...
Happy Birthday! Hope you enjoy your day and hopefully many more to come. 

[Walnut Beast]

Happy Birthday Doc. Hope you have a great day 🎂 

[doc henderson]

I guess we are number 3 in the nation now, we will happily give up that honor as soon as possible.

[Sedgehammer]

I guess we are number 3 in the nation now, we will happily give up that honor as soon as possible.

 how are the hospitals doing though? Numbers really don't mean much, it's those going to the hospitals that really matter.

[doc henderson]

we are doing ok.  we have 4 pulmonologists managing vents.  we are trying to keep the doors open, as our referral centers in Wichita, KC ect. are in the same boat.  some staff is out, nurses on orientation about to start working independently.  staffing/bed meeting every 4 hours, daily meeting for the hospital, and Weekly covid meetings with clinics and the health department.  everyone was tired of covid before it really got here, as we began preparing in march.  So we are OK.  We, like everyone else, will power through.  thanks!

[Don P]

Happy Birthday Doc,
That little bounce in your step this morning was the hill, you've crossed over  :D

Well, my clients came over this afternoon to let us know they had been exposed Fri and so we have potentially been exposed through them. We were in relatively close, unmasked contact this morning. Odds are very remote IMO but not zero. My wife is working in an environment that has pretty stringent self quarantine guidelines. I'm thinking I should be "ripe" for testing Monday? If clear do I still quarantine for 2 weeks or is that a clean bill of health?

[doc henderson]

We are exposed every day we work.  and 12 hours a day with a mask and washing hands, taking off things to eat and drink (and yes we are still mostly human  )  I think you should be ok.  If exposed we just continue to use ppe, go to work ect.  if a fever or symptoms we get tested.  if positive, 10 days from onset of symptoms with the last 3 days symptom free.  there can be a 5 to 11 day incubation period, meaning no symptoms and poss. neg. test.  you have prob. been in contact with many.  if they were exposed and not symptomatic, they are very likely not contagious if it was just 4 days ago that they were exposed.  If you feel bad or it makes you feel better, get tested.  if too soon, it will be negative even if you are about to turn positive.  I bet and hope you will do well.  in some ways it is better to get it over with, and get it.

[samandothers]

 born 26 miles from here, 60 years ago.  

Real home body!  good for you!

[Ianab]

Well, my clients came over this afternoon to let us know they had been exposed Fri and so we have potentially been exposed through them.

So the client hasn't actually tested positive or had symptoms yet, just been around someone that has?

In that case the chances of you being infected is pretty remote, unless your client tests positive in the next couple of days. I'd say check with your client Tomorrow, and make sure they are still OK. If they are coughing tomorrow, they might have been infectious yesterday, so isolate yourself until you know. 

There seems to be that sneaky stage early in the infection where someone can be contagious but not yet have symptoms. That only lasts a day or so, but that's enough for someone to go to work and unknowingly infect a couple more people. That's probably something that's making the virus harder to pin down. 

With the small number of cases that have slipped through quarantine here and been tracked we have been getting a better idea of how it spreads.  So for example one guy caught the virus in quarantine (from a new arrival that hadn't yet developed symptoms). He passed the final isolation test as it was incubating, and flew home on a domestic flight with other folks that had completed isolation, but must have been infectious at that time. But he only passed it on to one other person out of the 100+ on the flight. (they tested everyone on the flight again to be sure) First patient then felt sick the next day, stayed home, arranged a test. It had passed on to 2 close family, but they all isolated and it didn't go any further  The 2nd patient spent the weekend with extended family, but must have been incubating at that time, and not infectious. Next week he felt ill, and again stayed home / got tested. Again 2 close family caught it, but they had isolated by that time, and again the outbreak died down. So only 6 community cases from that quarantine slip up, and none needed hospital care. 

So guidelines here are to isolate if you have had "close" contact with a known case. "Casual" contact like being at the same supermarket, the risk is very low, so carry on normally, but watch for symptoms. 

[DbltreeBelgians]

Happy Birthday doc.
Thanks for all you do.

Brent

[Sedgehammer]

CDC tonight clarified that at no time have they suggested that a mask will protect the wearer. This was because people were reporting that the CDC said in July 85% of those that caught the covid wore a mask (15% part of, 70% all the time) when out. :D :D :D just can't make this crap up

[Ianab]

Not sure why this has been a surprise? At NO time have we been told to wear a mask as protection for ourselves. In the initial outbreak we weren't even advised to wear them at all because the research was "conflicting".  Now it's suggested because it gives "some" protection to others around you if you are unknowingly infectious. (See the comment about the infectious before symptoms period) 

How do you know you are infectious before symptoms develop?  You don't. So you wear the mask in case you are infectious, to help protect the people around you. It wont magically stop the pandemic, but it appears useful in reducing the spread. 

[Sedgehammer]

Not sure why this has been a surprise? At NO time have we been told to wear a mask as protection for ourselves. In the initial outbreak we weren't even advised to wear them at all because the research was "conflicting".  Now it's suggested because it gives "some" protection to others around you if you are unknowingly infectious. (See the comment about the infectious before symptoms period)

How do you know you are infectious before symptoms develop?  You don't. So you wear the mask in case you are infectious, to help protect the people around you. It wont magically stop the pandemic, but it appears useful in reducing the spread.

85% people that caught it wore a mask (15% most, 70% always) when out, so they still caught it when most likely those that were spreading it were wearing a mask (see above 85%).

There are also reports of people catching legionaries disease from wearing masks all the time.

[kantuckid]

Politics are difficult to keep out of any Covid thread other than to entirely avoid many of the realities we see and hear information wise that are in conflict! 
That seems to get worse all the time so far as masking when we hear the very sources for info not saying giving us consistent info.. It's understandable that with a corona virus that info will change but maybe not so understandable when it's not so much evolving as simply not always in agreement within the moment! My wife and I like many others who try to be well informed see much info that simply doesn't wash out. 
Sad but a reality of a corona virus I suppose.

Yesterday I called my local, rural medical clinic, operated by a nearby hospital,  to get a seasonal flu shot. They are out of the high dose senior vaccine and said they have no idea when they will get more. My memory tells me I get that same message every year I call, not just in covid times.
 I then called the Co. health dept who asked if I wanted an appointment. FWIW, while I'm OK with doing it appointment style, reality is there's never anyone in that place except who works there no matter what year it is. For many years they even had two receptionists yet almost zero actual clients. My SIL, a dietician doing school & lactating mothers duty, worked for them for years BTW...
Here's the part that got my attention: I was asked if I was OK with actually coming in or not, to which I said yes but why did you ask me? She said they would come to me if I was afraid to leave my home. I know the RN to whom I was talking and conversationally said that it's sad that many folks are afraid to leave their homes, even when they live in a non-hotspot, rural locale. Her comment was to say many feel that way and stay home always right now. 
We hear so often now that many have been forced to postpone medical care but seems the reality is that even with the care facilities open, some folks still stay locked in? We have greatly curtailed our own running around even for groceries which take us a 50k RT by keeping more stuff on hand but not in total lockdown mode... ??? Sad stuff huh?

[kantuckid]

thanks!  born 26 miles from here, 60 years ago.  been busy, but no plans for the day today so far.  that is a nice day!

That's really nice! Wish at times I was back where I grew up.... Oh well, home is where you make it I suppose...
Happy Birthday! Hope you enjoy your day and hopefully many more to come.

Me too! After I left KS after 30 years there, now been gone almost 47 years. For a very long time I'd tell people that I missed "the people" far more than "the place". As we age and manage to outlive others I find that I miss the place more than once was the case. Such is life I guess. 
Here in rural KY as one who's never going to be thought of as "from here", as is common in rural places, I was often asked how I got here, etc.. 
My patent answer was "in a 1962 Chevy Apache 10 pickup truck, which is true.
 If I'd left some nasty ghetto somewhere they'd have maybe never asked me.  :D
Obviously Doc didn't marry a hillbilly... ;D