Just the Facts, the Crown virus.

[Jeff]

Don't post it. Move on

[Claybraker]

WOW.

That's the level of misinformation that this thread is trying to counter. The whole "Alternative facts" sort of narrative. Where one internet post by an "expert" is suddenly taken as the truth.  
It's frustrating. Vaccinations started today in NZ, with the Health Dept workers that are going to be giving shots to the Border and Quarantine workers giving each other the first doses.

The numbers of people willing to take the vaccine can be skewed by how you ask the question?
"Will you be first in line to get the jab"?  will give a very different answer to "Will you get the shots later one once a few other people have?" Most of the 60% that said No to the first question will line up for the 2nd option. A bit like no one wants to the first wildebeest that crosses the possibly crocodile infested river. Once the first bunch get across safely there is a stampede.  :D
This I can understand, especially with the disinformation that's been going on, and is a common response locally. "Yeah, I'll get the jab, I just don't want to be first".  The first group getting the jab are Health Dept, military etc that probably have it in their employment contract.
They've been working for a year trying to keep the virus out, so them being vaccinated can only make their job easier, and the rest of us safer until the main vaccine roll-out gets done over the rest of the year.

That 60% number was for nursing home staff. including cooks, dishwashers housekeeping etc. Around here a good number don't have papers that stand up to more than a cursory examination. And to your point that article was dated Jan 12, the vaccine was first available Dec 14.

[doc henderson]

I do not want to belabor it more.  but that was the point, is that there are all different levels of understanding.  And that even I as a hospital leader, getting all information, I am still not an infectious disease doc, let alone a virologist, or even more a vaccine developer.  I got the vaccine on Dec. 16th.  I have faith in the system.  If I tended to not trust scientists or the government, or vaccines, I would have been less trusting.  Our nurses all get continuing education.  They are well educated and great nurses.  They look to me like a dad or grandpa, and agree with my assertions.  they are all smiling knowing that it is true and all in fun.  I am not trying to start up more of a conversation, but to make sure no one is offended by my comments.  My staff and I share a great mutual respect.

[Claybraker]

Here in Georgia the legislature is sorta working on the budget. One of the items is
 
$18 million in funding to replace and modernize the public health surveillance system, most notably the Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services (GRITS) which tracks vaccinations. 

Yep they are replacing GRITS in Georgia.

[doc henderson]

grits in the south, is a thing.  good for everyone!

[Claybraker]

grits in the south, is a thing.  good for everyone!

One of the sources I follow thinks it's long overdue. And increased funding to the local DPH. She's got a Phd in microbiology and immunology. Until recently she lived in Georgia then moved to Kansas for her husbands career. My medical training consists of binge watching several seasons of Scrubs. The writer of the WebMD article needed to fill space and resorted to PANOYA to gain the readers attention.My skepticism of that 60% number comes from decades of reading financial statements. here's one of Amber's latest posts   
She's not an MD but is very good at communicating really complex concepts to a simple mind like me.
Vaccine Q&A, 12Feb2012 - Georgia COVID-19 Updates

[Nebraska]

The state announced last night vaccination of the general population ages 50 to 64 should start  in about a months time then ages 16 to 49. 8)

[doc henderson]

@Claybraker that looks like a great link.  I have not read all of it, but seems reasonable.  

[firefighter ontheside]

My county is below a 10% positivity rate for tests for the first time since October.  I'd sure like to see it less than that, but we are on the right track.  When it went over 10 is when it started seeming really bad.  Strange how now we are used to that and it doesn't seem so bad.

[firefighter ontheside]

That's great for Nebraska @Nebraska .

[pigman]

My wife and I ( both over 75) got our second Pfizer shot two days ago. Wife had zero affects to shot and I had very slight headache yesterday. Today, no side affects. One month ago wife sat for two hours between two relatives that had covid and tested negative one week later. I thing she may be just immune to covid.

[Nebraska]

Some days I really regret my choice of handles.   :

[Jeff]

Which ones?

[Runningalucas]

I guess Georgia, and Tennessee are gonna get what amounts to crop dusted for Covid, and other states to follow.


https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210115005574/en/EPA-Awards-Section-18-Public-Health-Emergency-Exemption-to-Grignard-Pure%E2%84%A2-For-First-Antimicrobial-Air-Treatment-Solution-Proven-Effective-Against-COVID-19
""Today, we are approving the first-ever airborne antiviral product that will help fight the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "There is no higher priority for EPA than protecting the health and safety of Americans and I want to thank those – both within EPA and those outside – who have worked to achieve this important milestone.""

[Southside]

Wow, so much for consent. 

[firefighter ontheside]

Right.  We won't make vaccine mandatory, but we can force everyone to breathe a chemical that kills microbes.  Most things that kill microbes aren't good for breathing either.

[Runningalucas]

Right.  We won't make vaccine mandatory, but we can force everyone to breathe a chemical that kills microbes.  Most things that kill microbes aren't good for breathing either.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this unfolds.  I doubt too many folks in either Georgia, or Tennessee are aware of this.  Honestly, I worry about people having panic attacks; I'd think it will be a very vapor 'thick' type of spray, which could cause concern, and other emotions to come forth from those caught unaware.

Those are just the 2 roll out states, and looks like in short order other states will follow suit. 

[firefighter ontheside]

I did read that it is only for use in specific indoor areas and must be posted at points of entry to let people know it may be in use.  We have our fire stations sprayed every few weeks by a mitigation company.  It is a citrus based product that smells pretty strong for a while.

[btulloh]

I'm glad you clarified that ffots. Indoor is one thing, and if there are signs and notifications it starts to seem a little more ok. But still a bit concerning without knowing specifics.  

When I first saw "airborne" i went right to "sprayed from airplanes"! I guess I had an Art Bell flashback.   :D   CHEMTRAILS!!   air_plane

[jtmccallum]

I just got an appointment to get the Pfizer shot next week. My wife got her second dose yesterday.  So far no side effects. Future DIL got a case of Covid arm with her second dose. 

[firefighter ontheside]

That was what I imagined at first too @btulloh until I googled some other info about it.  

[Runningalucas]

I did read that it is only for use in specific indoor areas and must be posted at points of entry to let people know it may be in use.  We have our fire stations sprayed every few weeks by a mitigation company.  It is a citrus based product that smells pretty strong for a while.

They list off just about every space you could think of.  This will be used a lot on most buildings, and I think they said transportation. 

[Southside]

Transportation, food processing, restaurants, govt buildings, etc.  Just read an article the other day that medical care facilities are actually moving away from using anti-microbial surfaces due to unforeseen consequences of their use.  

[azmtnman]

  I have faith in the system.  If I tended to not trust scientists or the government, or vaccines, I would have been less trusting. 

Doc, your influence is what convinced me to get the vaccine when it was available to me. 
If this pandemic has only taught me one thing, it's that I can find "evidence" on the internet to believe anything I want to believe.   

[Ianab]

NZ's latest outbreak seems to have been shut down with minimal disruption. 

This is a run down of what we know so far, and how the trace and isolate works.  The exact source of the infection isn't known for sure, but one of the first cases worked for an airline catering company. Not air-side at the airport, but back in the depot doing laundry and prepping meals, so considered low risk, but was still in the companies routine testing process. No other cases found at the workplace (they all got an extra test) 

Anyway they, and 2 other family members came down with symptoms, got tested and quarantined.  Before becoming symptomatic they have travelled to my province, and been to work / school normally. So the Health Dept publishes a list off all the places they have visited, what the risk level was, and what you need to do depending on the exposure risk. 
Isolate and Get tested ASAP
Get tested if you have symptoms. 
Etc. 

Country goes to Level 2 that night, and Auckland city to Level 3, with only essential travel in or out. This is because the source of the infection isn't known, so there could be 10 more cases wandering around undetected. The drive in testing stations open up again.

Now as it turns out, the teenager did pass the virus on to one classmate (The whole school was tested over 2 days), and they then passed it on to a younger brother and a parent. So I think that settles the "Can teenagers spread the virus?" argument, they can. That positive result meant test and isolate all that families close contacts, but no further spread has been found. All the positive samples are genetically tested by the next day to confirm they are the same strain, hence chain of infection, and to try and match it back to a case found in quarantine (to check for "leaks" there). The higher alert was cancelled after 3 days after no more "random" cases were found. 

While the virus seems to be mostly spread by airborne droplets or direct contact, NZ is picking up the "weird" transmissions. Ones like the only link they can find is an elevator or rubbish bin used at different times. Hence looking at the link between the airport and the first case. Those unusual transmissions would get lost in the noise of 100 other cases when the virus is out of control 

Like I said earlier, the trace / test / isolate only works if you have a handful of cases. Once you get 100s every day it's impossible.