Just the Facts, the Crown virus.

[doc henderson]

probably a HEPA filter, trying to filter even viruses out of the air.  lots of new equipment and growth of companies that facilitate keeping things open.  we just got a machine in the entrance to scan out badge, ask the questions, and take our temp.  it records this all and shows the insurance industry that we are complying with recommendations.  they could otherwise reduce Medicare reimbursement.

[woodroe]

Re dentist
Got a message from my dentist recently saying they hadn't heard from me in awhile.
Nor had they scheduled a cleaning since the virus break out.
So I am curious if it is safe to go in or not, or if its worth the risk.  
Plan on giving them a call to see what safety measures they have put in place.

[kantuckid]

I have been in 5 dental offices in past couple of months. Lucky me.
They all still wear a mask as they always have before covid. The dental visit to a part of a regional hospital required a covid test within 48 hours of my visit, so a double trip of 60 miles each.
At the U of KY Dental College they were closed like most medical was early in the pandemic. They wear a mask and a face shield that hangs from their necks upside down from a shop style masks.
I have 2 dental visits next week, Oral/maxillofacial Surgery(several months waiting as they are covid behind-ness) and then my student dentist few days later.
The oral surgery is staffed with residency docs. They co=ordinate with the dental college down several floors. The dental college has a hospital desk you walk up to and answer the covid questions on travel, symptoms, etc. then at the sign in your monitored for spacing and temp taken and they collect your question permit.
The student lab was once mostly an open series of two rows of dental suites but pre-covid they modernized and each is separated by cabinets visually.
I am of the opinion that I may be the violator of giving opinions here and above ;D but on this one I'm probably safe to say you should do what's best for your health, covid or not. My school dentist they went to the every 6 months a cleaning regimen ~ 2 years back, they seem to have backed off that one, plus I told my student to place in my record that I will only accept one cleaning per year. Seems counter-intuitive to them telling me to use a soft toothbrush, flouride Rx toothpaste each day and also avoid certain flosses then turn around and clean them twice a year. IMO it's more about money.  
I don't go in any retail unless it is sort of a must do but I doubt Walmart is as safe as a dental office?  

[Raider Bill]

Avoid what flosses? Just curious.

[Tacotodd]

Me too.

[kantuckid]

They seem to dislike the plastic flossers. I use em anyway... :D They do recommend the water-pic as long as they are adjustable so as to do no harm. 
One useful aspect of my dental college visits since 2009 has been the reality that the college has all dental disciplines under one roof. I've had any number of times when i got a consult from any dental specialty you can name while there. At my age it's common to have a multiple of dental things going on. Maybe I have more than others but also common stuff. 
I visit the 5th floor-Oral Maxillofacial, every year for a professional look/see at an area of my gums that is pre-cancerous. They look, take a new picture and often the resident calls in a staff doctor to ask questions. From 1965 to 1989 I dipped snuff-Copenhagen and Key from daylight until my head hit the pillow. I quit cold turkey in March 1989 as I was simply tired of being addicted to nicotine. The reality is that it abrades your gums which is compounded by my age and normal gum recession. That gum recession also make implants a much different prospect, I'll call it, than for a younger person. I would not be surprised to learn that many on this forum use dip or chewing tobacco. The chew versions are actually even worse as laden with sugar. 
The 5th floor also does gum preparation for implants and likely will do my implants rather than my dental student downstairs. I have had more routine implants done by the doctoral dental students in the past though and they always do the crowns and most other things any street dentist does. They don't do molar extractions or gum grafts or gum enhancements to prep for implants.
The cost is far below any street dentist, even cheaper than any Mexican dentist as well. 

[Raider Bill]

Wonder why? I use 3-4 of them a day. Use the twin line ones. Sure is a lot easier than string.
Heck I floss with them while riding the bike, have them stashed everywhere.

[Chuck White]

Just got a card in the mail today from the area VA Clinic!

Said they will soon be receiving COVID-19 vaccine and in accordance with CDC guidelines they will vaccinate front line health care people and at-risk veterans, then they will administer to all interested Veterans!

They expect to begin the process in early January!

They will be contacting veterans to determine their interest in receiving the vaccine and schedule an appointment.

So, it doesn't look like it'll be much longer!

[kantuckid]

Wonder why? I use 3-4 of them a day. Use the twin line ones. Sure is a lot easier than string.
Heck I floss with them while riding the bike, have them stashed everywhere.

I think it's -maybe- the fact that the toothpick aspect is hard on the gums when poked between teeth. Opinions are aplenty huh?
 We have them stashed at our nightly news positions in the LR. 
They have dosed ~ 10k of the 50k long term care residents and staff in KY. No mention of Vets in the article but much discussion on prison populations. Supposedly, all health care will be vaccinated here by end of Jan., 2021 and then they do: K-12 teachers, First Responders and my group the over 70's in February.

[Don P]

I heard today that they did some autopsies on the brain of deceased covid patients. They found leaky blood vessels that apparently explain some of the ongoing problems some folks have had with brain fog, heart flutters, etc. This might be behind the lack of taste and smell and might have implications on Alzheimers in the future.

They've used 20% of the vaccine we've gotten in my state thus far. I hope they can get that straightened out soon.

[Texas Ranger]

Got the call today we will get our shots Monday next.  We signed up about 3-4 weeks ago, had a friend call us and say they were taking signatures at the local pharmacie, so we signed up and called all our friends.  the friend that notified me is an hour ahead of me in the shot line, the first friend I notified is one hour behind us.  The place said they have finally gotten through the first responders and are finally getting larger amounts of the Madera.

Thank you warp speed.

[kantuckid]

Given that we are on the FF, "madera"-That's a cute misnomer for "Moderna" :D 

[woodroe]

Got a notice via e mail that Maine VA is having a virtual town hall style meeting Thursday to discuss the
vaccination process for staff and veterans.  
Good news no doubt but i expect it will be at least a month or two before my place in line comes up.

[Texas Ranger]

Given that we are on the FF, "madera"-That's a cute misnomer for "Moderna" :D

As W. C. Fields would say, "A little Madeira, my dear?"

[petefrom bearswamp]

Wife and I went monday for the 6 month cleaning.
Small office one dentist one hygienist.
Temp checked and they were masked up.
Hope the 14 days goes OK.
Plastic flossers and tooth picks next to our chairs and in both of my vehicles.
Just started a water pic after not using it for several years.

[kantuckid]

Given that we are on the FF, "madera"-That's a cute misnomer for "Moderna" :D

As W. C. Fields would say, "A little Madeira, my dear?"

In Tejas it's la madeira?  :D

[kantuckid]

I bought a water pic based on a cute dental professors lecture as to how great hers was, but actually too lazy to use it. My wife does as she's far more into various ways to maintain her body parts, such as dermabrasion. It works for her cause she's still cute but me, there no hope? 
 My form of dermabrasion is more like doing "abrasions"  :D 
Monday, wallering in mud while pretending I was sawmilling, I slid about 4-5' then busted my ass hard. I must still be hard to break cause I shook it off.
Our guv is complaining that the feds only give them a weeks notice on vaccine deliveries so hard to set up shots. Why is it hard to set up a shot for someone in a facility? or a hospital which does have work schedules me thinks? Not like they clock out at nursing homes...

[SwampDonkey]

Numbers jumped here a little since New Years, not huge numbers, but it has the Premier Blaine "Higgie Baby" Higgs ;D pounding the pulpit and preaching of late. Put us into orange phase, stay within your own home, no visits. Essentials only: work, food, appointments, pharmacy and so forth.

Some details on the orange phase for us.

N.B. COVID-19 roundup: One-day record of 31 confirmed cases | CBC News

[SwampDonkey]

My school dentist they went to the every 6 months a cleaning regimen ~ 2 years back, they seem to have backed off that one, plus I told my student to place in my record that I will only accept one cleaning per year.

I was asked last January when I wanted to make the next visit for, after I seen a charge for 20 mins work with water, air and paste was $160. Oh, 20 years, I responded. Since it was about 20 years before this one. ;D A lot more politely put than what I was thinking after forking over a day's wage. :D Back then was $60, I didn't mind that, but $160 is over the top. ;D Nope, dental insurance is probably $900 a year up here unless your drawing a government cheque. They know where the sun don't shine. ;D

[Ianab]

Put us into orange phase, stay within your own home, no visits. Essentials only: work, food, appointments, pharmacy and so forth.

Interesting to compare the different levels of response. 

Your RED level would roughly correspond to Level 3 here. Level 4 is even stricter than that, but was only used during the initial outbreak. A Level 3 response in the Auckland province was enough to shut down the later outbreak. During that the rest of the country was Level 2, similar to your Yellow, and we actually got in a 2 week road trip around the South Island doing all the regular tourist stuff. 

But the response level here is based on there being community transmission occurring. not hospital capacity. The strategy has been to eliminate the virus, not simply slow it's spread. 

[doc henderson]

got my second Pfizer immunization today.  feel fine.  

[kantuckid]

My school dentist they went to the every 6 months a cleaning regimen ~ 2 years back, they seem to have backed off that one, plus I told my student to place in my record that I will only accept one cleaning per year.

I was asked last January when I wanted to make the next visit for, after I seen a charge for 20 mins work with water, air and paste was $160. Oh, 20 years, I responded. Since it was about 20 years before this one. ;D A lot more politely put than what I was thinking after forking over a day's wage. :D Back then was $60, I didn't mind that, but $160 is over the top. ;D Nope, dental insurance is probably $900 a year up here unless your drawing a government cheque. They know where the sun don't shine. ;D

When I was a state employee in Vo-tech schools, we could buy Delta Dental insurance. Our local street dentist works out of a provided dental suite by the regional hospital in Morehead, KY, same building as the their health clinic we go to. A crown for an e.g. was cheaper there than what the insurance covered when you factored in the insurance it was a pure waste unless you were looking at braces on a house full of kids, i.e. more than a typical families needs, ever. 
My student dentist cleaned my teeth for years then they decided the hygentist they sometimes assigned to the students when a task took two people was reason to use them and more often too. Interestingly, my student is newly married, a covid wedding while the school was closed this summer, to another student from AK. They schedule them so as to permit her and him to assist each other. He's a hillbilly, she's a cutie from Anchorage, AK. I told her she needs to tell KY folks shes from the town by that name in AK, not KY, as we have one too.  I teased them that I can see a dental office with MR. and MRS on the door. 
I "draw" three guvment checks 8) in USD!
 

[firefighter ontheside]

Good deal, Doc.

[Dan_Shade]

Off topic, but we have one of these:

  H2oral Irrigator Floss Do You Hate to Floss? are You not Wanting to Spend A Fortune On A Water Flosser 

Amazon.com: H2oral Irrigator Floss Do You Hate to Floss? are You not Wanting to Spend A Fortune On A Water Flosser: Health & Personal Care

[SwampDonkey]

I "draw" three guvment checks 8) in USD!

The ones that gets you a 'free' card here is the federal 'income supplement' and provincial 'social assistance' and provincial government union group rates on dental is extremely low compared to self employed on an Engineers group plan. Working man always pays, in full. Plus these schemes always drive up costs. Dad found that out on hearing aids. $2000 if no insurance, $8,000 if paid by workers comp insurance, same device. A device worth about $150 to begin with, been improved since the 70's. :D Heck if TV's was priced that way, I'd have to mortgage the house and they are 20x more powerful now than 1960 with built in computer and internet capable. Rome fell to, it will happen again when the have nots stand up. :D