# Concerned with Hospital Prepareness



## geist1223 (Mar 12, 2020)

I am concerned with how prepared our local Hospitals are to handle the influx of Coronavirus Patients. Patti's sister is a Nurse at a Hospital in Vancouver Washington. The Hospital does not have sufficient N95 Masks and other equipment for the Staff. So only the Charge Nurse in each Unit/Floor is properly equipped. Yet all the Staff are interacting and dealing with Patients. Some of which are developing symptoms.


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## Panina (Mar 12, 2020)

I got notices from my local hospital they are prepared.  Hopefully they are.


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Mar 12, 2020)

geist1223 said:


> I am concerned with how prepared our local Hospitals are to handle the influx of Coronavirus Patients. Patti's sister is a Nurse at a Hospital in Vancouver Washington. The Hospital does not have sufficient N95 Masks and other equipment for the Staff. ......Yet all the Staff are interacting and dealing with Patients. Some of which are developing symptoms.



The Hospital will inevitably have staffing shortages due to 14 day quarantine  requirement for those who get sick with Covid 19.

Toronto area went through this 17 years ago with SARS / Nurses & staff became sick and spread SARS to others .
[ added - eventually - the hospitals  & public health got it right - and spreading stopped ]

FYI - you can sew your own “self contamination” mask

- that will protect anyone from touching their own nose and mouth . A  modified wash cloth & string will likely work . Take a look at pictures from the Spanish Flu 1918-19. That is what people used for protection .


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## geekette (Mar 13, 2020)

The best we all can do is stay healthy as long as possible and then have some optimism that if you need treatment, you will get it.  We have a lot of hospitals here so there are choices, and I think if we got to the stuffed to the gills situation, local media would be on it, telling us which are accepting patients.

The most important thing is to not clog the process if you haven't progressed into serious sickness.  I think it is quite likely that I will get it, not need medical attention, and be part of herd immunity.  If at that time there is simple testing, I'll do it just to know and to be counted.   Otherwise, being generally healthy, I will stay out of the way.


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 13, 2020)

Hospital bed shortages amid COVID-19 expose the deadly cost of a lack of vision.










						Opinion: Hospital bed shortages amid COVID-19 expose the deadly cost of a lack of vision
					

Governments had their chance to fight pandemics through investing in intensive-care beds, years ago. But even as the coronavirus rages on, it’s not too late to change their ways




					www.theglobeandmail.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 14, 2020)

As The Pandemic Spreads, Will There Be Enough Ventilators?










						As The Pandemic Spreads, Will There Be Enough Ventilators?
					

In severe cases of COVID-19, as lungs become inflamed, membranes that transfer oxygen into the blood can become blocked. Some hospitalized patients need mechanical breathing support to recover.




					www.npr.org
				



.


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 14, 2020)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DELIVERS A FRACTION OF NEW JERSEY'S REQUESTS FOR MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT - AND NO VENTlIATORS.










						Federal Government Delivers a Fraction of New Jersey’s Requests for Medical Equipment — and No Ventilators
					

The state asked for 1,065 ventilators, which it said would amount to 15 each for New Jersey’s 71 hospitals. None are yet marked as shipped.




					theintercept.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 14, 2020)

Ventilator Maker: We Can Ramp Up Production
Five-Fold - Forbes.










						Ventilator Maker: We Can Ramp Up Production Five-Fold
					

The U.S. could be on a crash course of increasing ICU capacity--if it had the will.




					www.forbes.com
				






Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 17, 2020)

A Top Cancer Hospital Faces Mask Shortages As COVID 19 Cases Show Up in Staff And Patients 









						A Top Cancer Hospital Faces Mask Shortages As COVID-19 Cases Show Up In Staff And Patients
					

According to internal emails and a transcript of a staff meeting, at least three patients and five staff members have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. The hospital has a one-week supply of masks. Other hospitals around the country are facing similar circumstances.




					www.buzzfeednews.com
				





Richard


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## geekette (Mar 17, 2020)

I'd like to see someone put out a call for mask hoarders to drop them off at hospitals.  Those guys in TN that bought all the sanitizer also had masks of various kinds.  I hope if Amazon has noticed other listings of lots of masks, that they remove the ad, call the cops, masks confiscated and taken to health care workers.

I am deeply concerned for our front line workers.


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## turkel (Mar 17, 2020)

At the hospital I work at I was told we have plenty. They are under lock and key .


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## CaliSunshine (Mar 17, 2020)

We need the Army Corps of Engineers to step in. We need the administration to coordinate the distribution of supplies. That's clear now and will be even clearer in 2-4 weeks.


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 17, 2020)

These Good Samaritans with a 3D printer are saving lives by making new respirator valves for free 










						These Good Samaritans with a 3D printer are saving lives by making new respirator valves for free
					

As Italy’s hospitals have run out of equipment, one hospital is making its own using 3D printers and local expertise.




					www.fastcompany.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 17, 2020)

Are U.S. Hospitals Ready?










						Are U.S. Hospitals Ready?
					

Here's what it will take for medical facilities across the nation to handle the coming surge of COVID-19 patients.




					www.npr.org
				



.


Richard


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## Ski-Dad (Mar 17, 2020)

Our local hospital (Canada) is "_decanting beds".  _I have worked in healthcare labour relations for years and had never heard that term.   In essence they are doing everything reasonable to clear  bed spaces by discharging patients to nursing homes or home and canceling elective surgeries to keep beds available.   They normally run at close to 100% bed capacity, and their goal to to clear empty 25% of their bed space in case they need it.


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## rickandcindy23 (Mar 17, 2020)

A 3D printer is at work in Italy as we speak, making valves that were in short supply in Italy hospitals.  That is incredible to me.  Sounds like a way to make other things that hospitals need.  Maybe that will be a new business that will come of this disaster.


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 18, 2020)

U.S. Navy Hospital Ships To Deploy To New York,
West Coast : Coronavirus Live Updates : NPR.










						U.S. Navy Hospital Ships To Deploy To New York, West Coast
					

The pair of ships, the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy, will help local medical workers grapple with an influx of patients. But it remains unclear precisely when they will be ready to go.




					www.npr.org
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 18, 2020)

We need more ventilators. Here's what it will take to get them.










						We need more ventilators. Here’s what it will take to get them.
					

Manufacturers need fast-track regulatory approvals and government contracts. STAT.




					www.technologyreview.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 19, 2020)

App predicts hospital capacity.










						Tool to help decision-makers during the coronavirus outbreak
					

Harvard’s Global Health Institute puts its research expertise into motion, helping hospitals assess capacity and quality of care so they can prepare for COVID-19 patients appropriately.




					news.harvard.edu
				





Richard


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## geekette (Mar 19, 2020)

rickandcindy23 said:


> A 3D printer is at work in Italy as we speak, making valves that were in short supply in Italy hospitals.  That is incredible to me.  Sounds like a way to make other things that hospitals need.  Maybe that will be a new business that will come of this disaster.


heck, I'd join our war effort on that.  I could print all day every day, here at home, if someone else bought the printers and "ink".


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## pedro47 (Mar 19, 2020)

Before the Coronavirus  there were a shortages of physicians, RN Nurses and hospital beds. Please explain now, how hospital are ready and prepared for this Coronavirus?


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## pedro47 (Mar 19, 2020)

Question. Does anyone feel rural hospitals, physicians and nurses are ready and prepared for the Coronavirus ? IMHO. *No.*


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## JanT (Mar 19, 2020)

I honestly cannot understand how our country is so ill-prepared for a pandemic.  We're so much more technologically advanced than ever and should have been looking at the future with an eye for something of this magnitude.  I'm not blaming any one government administration - all of them failed in not ensuring our country was prepared.



MULTIZ321 said:


> Hospital bed shortages amid COVID-19 expose the deadly cost of a lack of vision.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## geekette (Mar 19, 2020)

pedro47 said:


> Question. Does anyone feel rural hospitals, physicians and nurses are ready and prepared for the Coronavirus ? IMHO. *No.*


What rural hospitals?   Folks in our outlying cities will be coming to the big city.


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## heckp (Mar 19, 2020)

We need the cooperation of everybody to slow down the transmission so that healthcare can keep up. We can't all be sick all at once, if we do, of course healthcare system can't accommodate everyone. A lot of people think it's overblown but if you look at Italy's situation, that is what we don't want to happen. Today, they have around 5300 new cases and 41000 total  cases. Today only, USA registered 4606 new cases. I think we should take this seriously rather than be nonchalant about it.


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## bluehende (Mar 19, 2020)

JanT said:


> I honestly cannot understand how our country is so ill-prepared for a pandemic.  We're so much more technologically advanced than ever and should have been looking at the future with an eye for something of this magnitude.  I'm not blaming any one government administration - all of them failed in not ensuring our country was prepared.


 

IMHO it is pure profit motive.  Like every other business inventory costs money.  Keeping the beds, ventilators and staff on hand to handle this situation would cut into profits.  Even non profit hospitals are always being asked to save money. Having equipment on hand that may be used once a decade or less was not going to happen.  It will be interesting to see how these type of issues will be addressed in the future.


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## Laurie (Mar 19, 2020)

One of the grimmest predictions I've read:









						The fatalistic view from an ER Nurse on what's ahead.
					

Being an ER Nurse, a lot of people have asked me what I think about COVID-19. I almost inevitably tell them- first and foremost- that I really can't overstate how much of a problem it is that we don't have enough personal protective equipment (PPE)....




					www.dailykos.com


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Mar 19, 2020)

JanT said:


> I honestly cannot understand how our country is so ill-prepared for a pandemic.  We're so much more technologically advanced than ever and should have been looking at the future with an eye for something of this magnitude.  I'm not blaming any one government administration - all of them failed in not ensuring our country was prepared.


way too many SILOS  / and I am  not talking the farm kind .

also the world is  focused on the Maginot Line of social distancing . Once that barrier is breached 
by overwhelming numbers - if hospital ICU & ventilator capacity has not been increased - sayonara to those who don’t get a ventilator. 

China did 3 things ( once upper management woke up)
1) - hard shut down of Wuhan area of 50+ million from the rest of the country ( 1.4 billion) 
in a max. social distance manner / with no travel .

2) built some extra capacity / the 9 day hospital 

3) added medical staff capacity through volunteers from non Covid 19 affected areas within China .

and probably / absolutely did #4 - fudge the numbers & control the media & social media .( probably primarily to prevent domestic unrest ....) 

Yes - many jurisdictions are now looking at (# 2 & 3 ) - sooner than unfortunate Italy-
but unlikely soon enough . ( see SILOS).

as the saying goes - “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it’s mistake “


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## geekette (Mar 19, 2020)

Korea rocked it - got some titans of industry together, said, we need this.  Off they go.  pretty soon, entire hospital(s) were built, in came equipment, in came patients.  They also TESTED EARLY, confining the virus.  Confining the people.  We did not do that. At All.  Pandemic was foreseeable, there was even a plan, from Ebola lessons.  

Apparently, too many ignored it, for far too long, thinking it couldn't happen here.  It is happening here.  

It has not been a mystery that our health care system has big problems.  We are going to see the consequences of that.  For some of us, it will be up close and personal.   We are tracking to be worse than Italy.


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 20, 2020)

As Covid-19 Spreads, Truckers Need to Keep
on Trucking.










						As Covid-19 Spreads, Truckers Need to Keep on Trucking
					

The demand for hospital equipment, groceries and, yes, toilet paper has big rigs rolling and truck stops adapting.




					www.wired.com
				





Richard


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## geekette (Mar 20, 2020)

Truckers do need to keep trucking, but, big problem - lots of rest areas are closed!  Truckers need sleep and bathrooms.  Rest areas are the easiest, quickest and safest.   I hope states reverse course and open those puppies up again.  Someone has to clean, that is why they closed, to keep their employees safe.

My brother has been a trucker for about a year, hates truck stops, says they are dangerous, people driving all over the place.  He much prefers the easy in, easy out rest areas.  I hope if they are closed, they aren't barricaded.


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 20, 2020)

Here's Why Florida Got All the Emergency Medical SuppliesIt Requested While Other States Did Not.










						Here’s Why Florida Got All the Emergency Medical Supplies It Requested While Other States Did Not — ProPublica
					

The Department of Health and Human Services has come under fire as several states’ requests for supplies from the emergency medical stockpile go unfulfilled. A chaotic distribution plan is buckling under a big problem: Nobody has enough.




					www.propublica.org
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 21, 2020)

'Totally Unheard Of': Doctors And Nurses Aghast at Coronavirus Gear Fiasco.










						One Mask Only: Coronavirus Docs and Nurses Forced to Make Terrifying Compromises
					

“I would feel terrible if I found out I was the person who brought it into three different nursing homes.”




					www.thedailybeast.com
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 21, 2020)

Oakland Hospital Took in Coronavirus Cruise Patients. Now, Low on Supplies, Nurses Asked to 
Reuse Disposable Masks 









						Oakland Hospital Took in Coronavirus Cruise Patients. Now, Low on Supplies, Nurses Asked to Reuse Disposable Masks.
					

“I don’t mind caring for people and being in the front line of this,” a nurse told The Intercept. “But being grossly unprotected is not acceptable.”




					theintercept.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 22, 2020)

Coronavirus in the UK: 4,500 retired doctors and nurses will return to work to help fight Covid-19.










						4,500 retired doctors and nurses will return to work to help fight coronavirus
					

Thousands of retired health professionals have signed up in the first 48 hours of the government's call to action




					inews.co.uk
				



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Richard


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## capjak (Mar 22, 2020)

Remember when looking at number of infections, Italy is 1/5 the population compared to the US (60 Million vs 330 Million).


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 26, 2020)

750,000 medical masks sit in Houston warehouse due to price-gouging allegations 










						750,000 medical masks sit in Houston warehouse due to price-gouging allegations
					

The masks were up for auction until a stop was placed on their distribution due to price-gouging allegations.




					www.khou.com
				





Richard


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## TUGBrian (Mar 26, 2020)

someone pointed out that in the US...there are approximately 2 hospital beds per 1000 people, with a tiny fraction of that being ICU beds.

I think the point many are trying to make is that there are simply not enough beds to go around to cover even if it only impacts half a % of the population...and thats even if every hospital across the country was completely empty and waiting for new patients.  We all know that is not the case as nearly all hospitals run at a very high capacity if they are even remotely able to maintain profitability in this day and age.


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Mar 26, 2020)

TUGBrian said:


> someone pointed out that in the US...there are approximately 2 hospital beds per 1000 people, with a tiny fraction of that being ICU beds.
> 
> I think the point many are trying to make is that there are simply not enough beds to go around to cover even if it only impacts half a % of the population...and thats even if every hospital across the country was completely empty and waiting for new patients.  We all know that is not the case as nearly all hospitals run at a very high capacity if they are even remotely able to maintain profitability in this day and age.


Canada is similar
even though hospitals are all non profit with a single payer ( the province the hospital is located in) 
there are always cost constraints and a focus on running close to capacity [ by having fewer (unused) beds]


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## Conan (Mar 26, 2020)

*Hospitals consider universal do-not-resuscitate orders for coronavirus patients*


			https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/25/coronavirus-patients-do-not-resucitate/


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 27, 2020)

In Just 10 Days, Dyson Designed a Completely New
Ventilator Specifically for Covid-19 Patients.









						In Just 10 Days, Dyson Designed a Completely New Ventilator Specifically for Covid-19 Patients
					

The company famous for vacuums and hand dryers is moving remarkably fast to help fight the current pandemic.




					www.inc.com
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 27, 2020)

Test kits pour off South Korean production line.










						Test kits pour off South Korean production line
					

Every few seconds, a batch of white plastic cases shoots along a conveyor belt in a South Korean factory – coronavirus test kits destined for export around the world as the global pandemic sends de…




					asiatimes.com
				





Richard


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## Tank (Mar 27, 2020)

geekette said:


> I'd like to see someone put out a call for mask hoarders to drop them off at hospitals.  Those guys in TN that bought all the sanitizer also had masks of various kinds.  I hope if Amazon has noticed other listings of lots of masks, that they remove the ad, call the cops, masks confiscated and taken to health care workers.
> 
> I am deeply concerned for our front line workers.



This is from the Cleveland Clinic today where my wife works. 






						COVID-19
					






					give.ccf.org
				




My beef is get our front line the protection needed! 

My nephew is a new Dr in Alabama, his wife is a RN
Asked about protection 

No. Reusing masks and things trying to make them stretch. Rachael not getting even a mask 

Reality 

Dave


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## geist1223 (Mar 27, 2020)

Five/ten years go many Experts warned Governments around the World that they needed to Stock Pile Medical Equipment to be ready for the next pandemic. Every Government from City/County/State/Federal levels ignored the advice and recommendations. They all got caught with their pants down. They are screaming up to the next level to be rescued from their piss poor or no planning.


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 27, 2020)

They used to be oil tankers. Now they're hospital ships deployed tohelp during the coronavirus
pandemic.










						They used to be oil tankers. Now they're hospital ships deployed to help during the coronavirus pandemic | CNN
					

Two US Navy hospital ships sent to ports in California and New York will help ease the burden of hospitals immersed in treatment of coronavirus patients.




					www.cnn.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 27, 2020)

Health officials confront new threat to speed of testing.










						Health officials confront new threat to speed of testing
					

Public health officials are warning that a massive ramp-up in the number of tests for the coronavirus coupled with disruptions to the global supply chain are creating new shortages of some of the chemicals needed to process those tests.




					thehill.com
				



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Richard


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## Rolltydr (Mar 27, 2020)

New York hospital now having 2 patients share a ventilator. “There’s no physician, including myself, who believes this is ideal. This is a doomsday idea,” 




			https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/a-new-york-hospital-desperate-for-ventilators-is-treating-two-patients-on-a-device-intended-for-one/2020/03/27/21c8ae7c-702a-11ea-aa80-c2470c6b2034_story.html
		



Harry


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 29, 2020)

This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come.










						This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come
					

Public health officials are just beginning to grapple with fallout from CDC's early bungling of coronavirus testing




					www.salon.com
				





Richard


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Mar 29, 2020)

MULTIZ321 said:


> This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 Thank you Richard for your regular  news story additions and updates .

 your postings - rank as one of my primary info sources on Covid 19 updates .


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 29, 2020)

T-Dot-Traveller said:


> Thank you Richard for your regular  news story additions and updates .
> 
> your postings - rank as one of my primary info sources on Covid 19 updates .


Thanks for your kind words. Glad too help keepjng the Tug Community informed.
Best Regards.

Richard


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## Rolltydr (Mar 29, 2020)

MULTIZ321 said:


> This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very difficult to understand this decision. I don’t know who was responsible but this was a major screwup! Assuming someone high up in the CDC had to sign-off on it and the director, at the very least ,should have been in the line of communication. Someone should be held accountable. Does that mean someone should be fired? After completion of a thorough fact-finding review, yes, absolutely someone should be fired for this mistake so they can’t make it again.


Harry


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## Karen G (Mar 29, 2020)

Rolltydr said:


> absolutely someone should be fired for this mistake so they can’t make it again.


Harping on past decisions and trying to place blame on someone in this very fluid atmosphere serves no one. Instead of that attitude, I think it would be better if everyone tries to work together to solve the current problems going forward. No one had a crystal ball a few months or weeks ago.


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## Rolltydr (Mar 29, 2020)

Karen G said:


> Harping on past decisions and trying to place blame on someone in this very fluid atmosphere serves no one. Instead of that attitude, I think it would be better if everyone tries to work together to solve the current problems going forward. No one had a crystal ball a few months or weeks ago.



So, just have the same people keep making the same mistakes? No, thank you. Would you keep taking your car to the same mechanic if he broke something else every time you took it in for repair? Of course, you wouldn’t. 


Harry


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 30, 2020)

Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Arrives in New York To Ease Coronavirus Pressure.











						Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Arrives In New York To Ease Coronavirus Pressure
					

The Comfort will use its roughly 1,000 beds to treat patients who do not have the coronavirus disease COVID-19 but who urgently need other care.




					www.npr.org
				



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Richard


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## dgalati (Mar 30, 2020)

Karen G said:


> Harping on past decisions and trying to place blame on someone in this very fluid atmosphere serves no one. Instead of that attitude, I think it would be better if everyone tries to work together to solve the current problems going forward. No one had a crystal ball a few months or weeks ago.


What I find most disappointing is the amount of companies staying open claiming to be essential. When will many stay home that are using this false pretense of being essential? Health and safety is being ignored for financial gain by nonessential workers and their employers. This lack of judgement is helping to spread COVID-19. It is also responsible for overwhelming hospitals and jeopardizing the care givers that are putting their life's on the line daily.


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 30, 2020)

Retailers agreed to coronavirus testing in their
parking lots. Then they hit hurdles.




			https://www.bradenton.com/news/coronavirus/article241618566.html
		

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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 31, 2020)

As U.S. Hospitals Face Shortages, Trump Vows to Send Ventilators - to Europe.










						As U.S. Hospitals Face Shortages, Trump Vows to Send Ventilators—to Europe
					

Trump is claiming that ventilator production will “outpace” demand—even as governors beg for help.




					www.vanityfair.com
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Mar 31, 2020)

FDA approves two-minute novel coronavirus antibody testing kit.










						FDA Reportedly Approves Two-Minute Coronavirus Antibody Testing Kit [Update: Hoax?]
					

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a coronavirus testing kit from Bodysphere, one that can detect antibodies related to the virus in only two…




					www.slashgear.com
				





Richard


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## Panina (Mar 31, 2020)

MULTIZ321 said:


> FDA approves two-minute novel coronavirus antibody testing kit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hopefully this will be made available to the public sooner rather then later.


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 1, 2020)

Millions of N95 masks keep surfacing. So why is there still a shortage?










						Millions of N95 masks keep surfacing. So why is there still a shortage?
					

Donations alone won’t be enough to address the respirator shortage.




					www.vox.com
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 1, 2020)

The State of Coronavirus Testing in the US.










						The State of Coronavirus Testing in the US
					

Many Americans who may need a Covid-19 test still can't easily get one. What's going on?




					www.wired.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 1, 2020)

To win the long game against coronavirus, scientists race to roll out a different kind of test.










						To win the long game against coronavirus, scientists race to perfect a different kind of test
					

Some serologic tests are being marketed as an easier alternative to molecular tests, but people should be wary of using any blood test to diagnose an infection.




					qz.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 2, 2020)

The Guy Who Helped Invent the N95 Mask Thinks He's Found a Way to Clean and Reuse Them.










						The Guy Who Helped Invent the N95 Mask Thinks He’s Found a Way to Clean and Reuse Them
					

“We should get the results in one or two days.”




					www.vice.com
				



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Richard


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## pedro47 (Apr 2, 2020)

Richard, I also feel, You are doing an Outstanding Job with your regular updates on the Covid-19 virus.

Please be Safe and Stay at Home


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 2, 2020)

pedro47 said:


> Richard, I also feel, You are doing an Outstanding Job with your regular updates on the Covid-19 virus.
> 
> Please be Safe and Stay at Home


Thanks.  My wife and I are well and are self-quarantining.  We still have a good stock of supplies.

Best Regards.

Richard


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## pedro47 (Apr 2, 2020)

MULTIZ321 said:


> This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



This is an outstanding article and this one I want to share with lots of people.


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## bccash63 (Apr 2, 2020)

The hospital I work at is very prepared. We have cancelled elective surgeries and our census is running at approx 60% right now. We have staff staying at home d/t not enough work to do. We have relocated pt populations within the hospital to open up an additional 30 neg pressure rooms for r/o COVID pts. They are cross-training OR staff to work on the ICU’s. I work in RN case management and have offered to go back to the ICU if needed to staff. We have staff, supplies, and beds. Granted I live in the Midwest and we really have not had a large influx of pts yet. They predict mid April-mid May. So I guess it’s wait and see. But at this point my hospital is very well prepared.


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 2, 2020)

Feds distribute thousands of masks, other
supplies seized from hoarders ... - Fox News.










						Feds distribute thousands of masks, other supplies seized from hoarders during coronavirus pandemic
					

The Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services are distributing nearly 200,000 N95 respirator masks and other medical supplies to New York and New Jersey after confiscating them from individuals hoarding the materials.




					www.foxnews.com
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 3, 2020)

Nurse Quits Her Job in an ICU Filled With Coronavirus Patients Because She Wasn't Given Proper PPE.










						Nurse Says She Quit Her Job in an ICU Filled With Coronavirus Patients Because She Wasn’t Given Proper PPE in Viral Video
					

While we’re all trying to come to terms with the harsh realities of life during a global pandemic, the medical professionals on the frontlines don’t…




					www.health.com
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 3, 2020)

The 1,000-Bed Comfort Was Supposed to Aid New York. It Has 20 Patients.










						The 1,000-Bed Comfort Was Supposed to Aid New York. It Has 20 Patients.
					

“It’s a joke,” said a top hospital executive, whose facilities are packed with coronavirus patients.




					www.nytimes.com
				



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Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 3, 2020)

One Reason Caregivers Are Wearing Trash Bags: A U.S.Firm Had to Recall 9 Million Surgical Gowns.










						One Reason Caregivers Are Wearing Trash Bags: A U.S. Firm Had to Recall 9 Million Surgical Gowns — ProPublica
					

Cardinal Health withdrew the gowns just before the pandemic because a Chinese supplier failed to sterilize them properly. The recall has created what a hospital association official called a “ripple effect.”




					www.propublica.org
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 3, 2020)

Profiteers and Pool Noodles: The Mask Market is a Total Mess.










						Profiteers and Pool Noodles: The Mask Market Is a Total Mess
					

Hospitals, governments, do-gooders and hucksters are all competing. Scams and prices are soaring.




					www.nytimes.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 3, 2020)

MULTIZ321 said:


> The 1,000-Bed Comfort Was Supposed to Aid New York. It Has 20 Patients.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The vacant Comfort hospital ship is a symbol of
our coronavirus failure.










						The vacant Comfort hospital ship is a symbol of our coronavirus failure | Ross Barkan
					

The hospital ship docked in New York City is a sad representation of the federal and local response to coronavirus: too little and far too late




					www.theguardian.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 4, 2020)

Apple Supplier Targets Production of 30,000 Ventilators a Month 










						Apple Supplier Targets Production of 30,000 Ventilators a Month
					

Flex Ltd., a contract manufacturer known for making Apple Inc. computers, is starting to assemble thousands of ventilators to meet surging demand for the machines in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.




					news.bloomberglaw.com
				





Richard


----------



## bogey21 (Apr 4, 2020)

Karen G said:


> Harping on past decisions and trying to place blame on someone in this very fluid atmosphere serves no one. Instead of that attitude, I think it would be better if everyone tries to work together to solve the current problems going forward. No one had a crystal ball a few months or weeks ago.


I agree.  If people do something dishonest or make a ton of bad decisions, fire them.   If they make, or don't make, one decision that in hindsight was wrong, firing them may be an extreme reaction...

At one time I ran a large organization with 800 employees.  Was every decision I made correct?  Obviously not.  Fortunately I was judged on the preponderance of the correct decisions I made, not just on one bad one...

George


----------



## WinniWoman (Apr 4, 2020)

The Lakes Region General Hospital here just furloughed like 600 employees. This hospital was already in the red and struggling and for a long time has been trying to partner with another hospital.

There are barely any COVID19 patients in this hospital yet , for example, one woman's husband's surgery was postponed for 3 months! And that was for a cancerous tumor. The doctor wanted to do the surgery but the hospital said no.

Another woman's daughter was to have a feeding tube inserted at Mass. General and was denied, even though it was critical, and had to go to another hospital to have it done.

This morning I cut my thumb while I was cutting an english muffin. Had a hard time stopping the bleeding. I thought to myself- thank goodness it was not anything more serious because no one will treat me. It would be a nightmare.

As in a previous thread of mine- DON'T GET SICK! You don't have COVID19 no one will see you! At least here in the Northeast!


----------



## Miss Marty (Apr 5, 2020)

.
Concerned with Hospital Prepareness

Federal and State government should  pass a bill to create a _free no co_st one-year in hospital course to become a_ “practical nurse”_ an effort to address the nursing shortage the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 5, 2020)

How you could get your covid-19 test results faster.










						Why some covid-19 tests in the US take more than a week
					

The messy network of labs rushing to increase testing capacity has some big problems, but they’re fixable.




					www.technologyreview.com
				





Richard


----------



## geekette (Apr 5, 2020)

Miss Marty said:


> .
> Concerned with Hospital Prepareness
> 
> Federal and State government should  pass a bill to create a _free no co_st one-year in hospital course to become a_ “practical nurse”_ an effort to address the nursing shortage the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed.


I don't see how this is feasible.  This is not what hospitals do and I can't see them sparing a valuable nurse to be a OJT mentor for a year.  

I would not like to see this happen.  People that choose nursing already chose it.


----------



## Miss Marty (Apr 5, 2020)

.
During the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic - February 1919 
 Illinois passed a bill to create a one-year _course to become a “practical nurse_,”






						1918 Pandemic Influenza Historic Timeline  | Pandemic Influenza (Flu) | CDC
					

Everything you need to know about the flu illness, including symptoms, treatment and prevention.




					www.cdc.gov


----------



## geekette (Apr 5, 2020)

Miss Marty said:


> .
> During the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic - February 1919
> Illinois passed a bill to create a one-year _course to become a “practical nurse_,”
> 
> ...


Way different time than today.  How many women back then had non-nursing, non-teaching, non-secretarial jobs?  Darned few, right?  Even my grandmother, born in 1898, was not working outside the home because her husband would not "allow it".   

one would assume that only single women without children would have enrolled, but, how could they support themselves?   There wasn't "child care" back then for married with children women to go into training.  

Still very few men are nurses and I wouldn't expect that to change with "free career training".   I would also guess that most people cannot simply stop the career they have and volunteer for a year.   Who can go without pay for a year?  

Congress can pass any bill they want, but that doesn't mean that it would suddenly cause a rush into nursing, especially after seeing how little regard there is for front-line health care workers Right Now.  I would expect that most nurses never thought they would be left unprotected in caring for people sick with a deadly disease.  That's not going to motivate people to change to that career.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 5, 2020)

Hospitals Reject Trump's Claim They Are 'Really Thrilled' With Supplies.










						Hospitals Reject Trump's Claim They Are 'Really Thrilled' With Supplies
					

As hospitals warn of shortages, President Trump claims without offering evidence that he's hearing from administrators who are pleased with the current levels of supplies.




					www.npr.org
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 6, 2020)

N95 Masks Have Been Leaving The U.S. During The 
Coronavirus Pandemic When We Needed Them... 










						N95 Masks Have Been Leaving The Country During The Coronavirus Pandemic When We Needed Them Most - What Should Happen Next?
					

Reporting on N95 masks and other PPE being exported out of the U.S.—at a time when medical professionals desperately need them—continues to uncover new information and insights into why this has been happening as the pandemic continues.




					www.forbes.com
				





Richard


----------



## Pathways (Apr 6, 2020)

To keep sane, I try not to read 'news' articles and posts about the virus on a daily basis.   While an interesting read, the headline and sometimes entire sections of some of these articles is so misleading or outright false it is staggering.

Best 'factual' interview of the weekend:  CBS news Face The Nation.   Checkout the interview with the head of New York's largest health system, Northwell Health. Mostly Long Island hospitals, but also in the city, Staten Is. and some north of the city.

They are prepared, don't expect to be overrun, when 'baited' about the doomsday planning, he clearly expressed that it was not ever expected to be enacted, only a routine plan.  Supplies appear to be good, beds are easily converted to ICU beds if the need dictates.  

Biggest concern?  Staffing.  Yet talks about the thousands of staff coming in from other parts of the country so thinks they will be OK there.  

Even very lightly treads on the subject of what in hindsight may be considered the biggest waste of dollars and effort, the Javits Center and USNS Comfort.  

*Biggest takeaway* for all those (most of the country) fixated on the vents:   Once put on a vent, *survival rate is 20%.*

And he backs that up by confirming that is the rate most areas are seeing.  As someone in a previous post discussed, while not best practice, two patients can be on a single vent.  In fact, up to four can be on a single vent.  RT's in many hospitals around my area have recently been trained on the proper procedure to run 4 to a vent if triage conditions occur.

He also headlines the large numbers of patients recovering and leaving his hospitals every day.

Challenge to you:  Find his interview. CBS news clearly didn't find his factual and front line knowledge to be 'sensational' enough to place prominently with a headline touting 'death', 'failure', or some other clickbait grabbing word.  In fact, in most of the CBS News Face The Nation summaries, they don't even mention they interviewed him.  

What say you?


----------



## Pathways (Apr 6, 2020)

Second challenge - I assume in your home areas, as in mine, there are a multitude of of promos with peoples talking about staying home with ideas of activities and of course ending with 'we will all get through this together'.

Have you noticed that all of the aforementioned people still have jobs? 

I would love to hear about the person touting 'no matter how long it takes' who is now unemployed and facing bleak prospects in the coming months. (and many times people in the industries affected are both halves of a couple)

Good news:  (At least in my area)  Many restaurants are adapting quickly.  The waits at Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse are sometimes over an hour for takeout- and they are running a full kitchen staff.  A worker at one told us the takeout tips are up substantially.  (From many times $0 in the past to sometimes now 15-20%)

Fast food drive through lines are long at meal times. And Chick-Fil-A? Forget it!   (Funniest thing we saw this weekend: the four cars in the drive through at the Chick-Fil-A on Sunday.  The line just never seemed to move! )


----------



## Miss Marty (Apr 6, 2020)

.
_Concerned with Hospital Prepareness

Hospitals_ need to take extra precautions 
as _coronavirus_ fears mount _in New York.

April 6th New York_ State has surpassed 4,000 deaths from the _coronavirus._

Stay home, healthy or sick, all _New Yorkers_ must stay home unless they are essential workers or need urgent health care.

New York City to begin temporarily burying coronavirus victims in local parks
(yes you read that right). Trenches will be dug for "10 caskets in a line.”









						NYC may temporarily bury coronavirus victims on Hart Island
					

Some coronavirus victims could be temporarily buried in the Hart Island potter’s field — or even public parks — if New York’s morgues become overwhelmed by the number of dead, officials said Monday…




					nypost.com


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 6, 2020)

Pathways said:


> To keep sane, I try not to read 'news' articles and posts about the virus on a daily basis.   While an interesting read, the headline and sometimes entire sections of some of these articles is so misleading or outright false it is staggering.
> 
> Best 'factual' interview of the weekend:  CBS news Face The Nation.   Checkout the interview with the head of New York's largest health system, Northwell Health. Mostly Long Island hospitals, but also in the city, Staten Is. and some north of the city.
> 
> ...


Northwell Health President and CEO Michael Dowling on CBS FACE THE NATION INTERVIEW






Richard


----------



## louisianab (Apr 6, 2020)

MULTIZ321 said:


> How you could get your covid-19 test results faster.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I can comment directly on this - 
Even when devices are available, we as a lab still have to validate (confirm results and testing runs as it is supposed to), do quality control (in an interval defined by the manufacturer or the government or both - along with having QC materials on hand), train techs to run the test (with documentation), have written policies and procedures as to how the test works and how it works in our lab (don't even start if you go off label, extra extra documentation) and have the supplies to collect testing and run testing. Every lab.  They don't just deliver a case of tests and the results start running freely. We have some instrumentation that has to have all of this done over again if we move it. Even 3 feet.

Also, medical technologists and clinical lab scientists - the staff that run your testing for everything - has been a declining profession for years. Have a kid/adult that enjoys science and medicine but not patients? Go get your MT or MLT (associates or bachelors) the job demand is huge.


----------



## Pathways (Apr 6, 2020)

Miss Marty said:


> New York City to begin temporarily burying coronavirus victims in local parks
> (yes you read that right). Trenches will be dug for "10 caskets in a line.”



Wow.  What a headline.  Yet right in the article they admit they have no real plans to do that, and there is currently plenty of space.  And no one wants to point out the only reason they are temporarily doing anything different than the norm, is because the families are requesting it so they can have 'normal' services later when the group restrictions are not in place.

Anything to 'sell' a paper


----------



## Pathways (Apr 6, 2020)

louisianab said:


> have written policies and procedures as to how the test works and how it works in our lab



Spot on - Sometimes this part takes longer than all the rest put together.


----------



## louisianab (Apr 6, 2020)

Pathways said:


> Spot on - Sometimes this part takes longer than all the rest put together.


My technical specialist has pre-written as much of our covid stuff even though we have not gotten our testing yet, she's hoping to fill in the blanks, per se, and have it ready immediately. Within the legally measured margins of the paper and stuff obviously. (Yes. there are criteria for the physical margins of the procedures, whether on paper or a .pdf or .doc.)


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 7, 2020)

Crewmember on Navy hospital ship Comfort tests positive for coronavirus 










						Crewmember on Navy hospital ship Comfort tests positive for coronavirus
					

A crewmember aboard the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort has tested positive for the coronavirus.




					abcnews.go.com
				





Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 13, 2020)

Exclusive: South Korea to ship 600,000 coronavirus testing kits to U.S. on Tuesday - source.










						Exclusive: South Korea to ship 600,000 coronavirus testing kits to U.S. on Tuesday - source
					

South Korea plans to send 600,000 coronavirus testing kits to the United States on Tuesday in the first such shipment following a request from U.S. President Donald Trump, a Seoul official told Reuters on Monday.




					www.reuters.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 13, 2020)

As we await ventilator production, Foxconn's Wisconsin offices still empty.










						As we await ventilator production, Foxconn's Wisconsin offices still empty
					

Foxconn's Wisconsin offices remain empty a year after the company said it would 'correct' statements about them being unoccupied, says a new report today ...




					9to5mac.com
				





Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 16, 2020)

Nurses Suspended for Refusing COVID-19 Care Without N95 Mask.




			https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-04-16/nurses-suspended-for-refusing-covid-19-care-without-n95-mask?src=usn_fl
		

.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 16, 2020)

Elon Musk's promised ventilators never
delivered to California hospitals, governor's office says.










						Elon Musk's promised ventilators never delivered to California hospitals, governor's office says
					

Elon Musk said last month he had obtained more than 1,000 ventilators to help California hospitals treating patients infected with the coronavirus, an effort California Gov. Gavin Newsom hailed as "heroic."




					www.cnn.com
				





Richard


----------



## geekette (Apr 16, 2020)

MULTIZ321 said:


> Elon Musk's promised ventilators never
> delivered to California hospitals, governor's office says.


This doesn't surprise me.   He seems to be a bit of an egotistical flake.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 16, 2020)

The Trump administration paid a bankrupt company with zero employees $55 million for N95 masks, which it's never manufactured.










						The Trump administration paid a bankrupt company with zero employees $55 million for N95 masks, which it's never manufactured
					

FEMA told Insider it "does not enter into contracts unless it has reason to believe they will be successfully executed."




					www.businessinsider.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 17, 2020)

THE TESTING PARADOX 










						The Testing Paradox
					

As the number of coronavirus cases spike, the call for more testing has gotten louder, especially as it becomes a key part of how we reopen the country. But the reality is we're not doing enough testing now and the process can be confusing to many. Plus, can an antibody serology test determine...




					amp-flipboard-com.cdn.ampproject.org
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 19, 2020)

The White House Has Erected A Blockade
Stopping States and Hospitals From Getting
Coronawrus PPE.










						There Is A White House Blockade Stopping States From Getting Coronavirus PPE
					

The NEJM has published a horrifying account of a health-care executive trying to evade what appear to be mafia tactics by the federal government.




					nymag.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 22, 2020)

As pressure grows to reopen economy, a scramble to make nasal swabs for coronavirus testing leads to 3D printers.










						As pressure grows to reopen economy, a scramble to make nasal swabs for coronavirus testing leads to 3D printers
					

Some hospitals and government agencies have struggled to get more nasal swabs, so they can ramp up coronavirus testing and decide when or how to loosen lockdowns.




					www.cnbc.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 22, 2020)

Coronavirus saliva tests could be as accurate as or
better than nasal swabs, Yale researchers say.










						Coronavirus saliva tests could be as accurate as or better than nasal swabs, Yale researchers say
					

Testing saliva for coronavirus infections gives results that are at least as accurate as nasal swabs, the current gold standard for Covid-19 screenings, a Yale study found.




					www.cnbc.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 23, 2020)

How USNS Comfort went from a symbol of hope with the president blessing, to heading back from NYC having treated fewer than 180 patients.










						How USNS Comfort went from a symbol of hope with the president's blessing, to heading back from NYC having treated fewer than 180 patients
					

The Navy hospital ship arrived in New York City to great fanfare. Less than a month later, it is being sent home to Virginia.




					www.businessinsider.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Apr 26, 2020)

USNS Comfort Discharges Last COVID-19
Patient, Leaves NYC - Newsy.










						USNS Comfort Discharges Last COVID-19 Patient, Leaves NYC
					

The U.S. Navy hospital ship docked in New York last month to help alleviate overcrowding hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic.




					www.newsy.com
				





Richard


----------



## Sea Six (Apr 26, 2020)

You all need to slow down and get a grip on reality.  The number of cases, beds required, ICU beds required, incubators required  are all OVER ESTIMATED.  The hospitals are WAY under utilized.  What we need is to OPEN UP the hospitals and get people back to normal.


----------



## Rolltydr (Apr 26, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> You all need to slow down and get a grip on reality. The number of cases, beds required, ICU beds required, incubators required are all OVER ESTIMATED. The hospitals are WAY under utilized. What we need is to OPEN UP the hospitals and get people back to normal.



Do you mean the “normal” before 55,000 people (that we know of) died in the last 2 months from a virus that has no proven treatment or vaccine? That may take a couple of days. Or weeks. Or months.


----------



## Sea Six (Apr 26, 2020)

Rolltydr said:


> Do you mean the “normal” before 55,000 people (that we know of) died in the last 2 months from a virus that has no proven treatment or vaccine? That may take a couple of days. Or weeks. Or months.


Or the normal where hospitals are 70 % EMPTY and can CLEARLY handle more cases, including those elective surgeries that have been put off.  Time to get those EMPTY ROOMS back to USE!  There is NO NEED to keep hospitals at less than 50% efficiency.  Even the surgeries that were pushed back can be done now, and give the hospitals back their revenue and occupancy.  Did you really need your gall bladder surgery pushed back indefinitely??  Your hip replacement?   Your knee??  GET A GRIP!  These so called "ELECTIVE" surgeries are piling up, and need to get done NOW while the hospitals are EMPTY!


----------



## Rolltydr (Apr 27, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> Or the normal where hospitals are 70 % EMPTY and can CLEARLY handle more cases, including those elective surgeries that have been put off. Time to get those EMPTY ROOMS back to USE! There is NO NEED to keep hospitals at less than 50% efficiency. Even the surgeries that were pushed back can be done now, and give the hospitals back their revenue and occupancy. Did you really need your gall bladder surgery pushed back indefinitely?? Your hip replacement? Your knee?? GET A GRIP! These so called "ELECTIVE" surgeries are piling up, and need to get done NOW while the hospitals are EMPTY!



Hey, you’re pretty good with that CAPS key? How long did you go to school for that? As long as your medical training?


----------



## Sea Six (Apr 27, 2020)

Rolltydr said:


> Hey, you’re pretty good with that CAPS key? How long did you go to school for that? As long as your medical training?


Who are you, the posting police?


----------



## geekette (Apr 27, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> Or the normal where hospitals are 70 % EMPTY and can CLEARLY handle more cases, including those elective surgeries that have been put off.  Time to get those EMPTY ROOMS back to USE!  There is NO NEED to keep hospitals at less than 50% efficiency.  Even the surgeries that were pushed back can be done now, and give the hospitals back their revenue and occupancy.  Did you really need your gall bladder surgery pushed back indefinitely??  Your hip replacement?   Your knee??  GET A GRIP!  These so called "ELECTIVE" surgeries are piling up, and need to get done NOW while the hospitals are EMPTY!


You might have EMPTY hospitals, but that is not the case everywhere.  Is the hospital you direct empty?  If so, why aren't you doing elective surgeries?

Why not lobby in your area for these things vs tell people here to "get a grip"?  Why aren't you in charge, if your answers are the obvious solutions?


----------



## Passepartout (Apr 27, 2020)

Whoa! Let's let hospital boards and administrators make the decisions on utilization of THEIR facilities. While I was in the CICU and cardiac unit last week, there was a time when there were just 3 patients on a whole floor, and other floors were empty. I was told that they were being held 'in reserve' awaiting a crush of Covid-19 cases. Those resources, personnel, equipment, cleaners, nutrishionists, supplies, are just waiting for an apocalypse.

I drew the comparison of being in Florida, all prepared for a major hurricane, All the windows are boarded, you've layed in the batteries, generators, bottled water, food, toilet paper and all, and you know it's going to hit somewhere at some time. You just don't know where or when. The hospitals feel the same. There is NO TREATMENT or VACCINE for this deadly virus. They will be expected to treat a mssive number of potential patients when all they can do is provide symptomatic care. THEY CAN'T TREAT THE DISEASE!

People who get lax in slowing the spread run the risk of taking a bed from someone who won't survive without it. 

Stay in. Stay safe. This virus is- and will continue to stalk humanity until treatment and vaccine have been developed.

The life you save by staying home might be mine. THANK YOU!

Jim


----------



## geist1223 (Apr 27, 2020)

Rolltydr said:


> Hey, you’re pretty good with that CAPS key? How long did you go to school for that? As long as your medical training?



Can we knock off the personal attacks.


----------



## Rolltydr (Apr 27, 2020)

geist1223 said:


> Can we knock off the personal attacks.


So, someone can rant and rave (yell in all caps) and demand hospital administrators and cities do exactly what he wants them to, which could result in putting many more lives in danger and that is okay. But, if I call out his yelling and apparent lack of knowledge and training to make those demands, I get chastised? 

And besides, I consider that a snide remark, not a personal attack. I actually complimented him on his use of the CAPS key.


----------



## Sea Six (Apr 27, 2020)

Any chance you can just go away?


----------



## Rolltydr (Apr 27, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> Any chance you can just go away?


Not now! How about you?


----------



## Sea Six (Apr 27, 2020)

I've never encountered one as annoying as you on this site before.  They don't usually have such little kids on here


----------



## Rolltydr (Apr 27, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> I've never encountered one as annoying as you on this site before.  They don't usually have such little kids on here


I wasn’t the one throwing the TANTRUM!


----------



## Passepartout (Apr 27, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> I've never encountered one as annoying as you on this site before.  They don't usually have such little kids on here


That poster earned a cherished place in my 'ignore' file months ago. Life's too short. . .


----------



## geist1223 (Apr 27, 2020)

Rolltydr said:


> I wasn’t the one throwing the TANTRUM!



Good bye. One more for the ignore list.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (May 16, 2020)

New York's safety-net hospitals were the front lines of the coronavirus. Now they're facing ruin.










						New York’s safety-net hospitals were the front lines of the coronavirus. Now they’re facing ruin.
					

The state’s 29 non-profit safety-net hospitals are primarily located in low-income neighborhoods and treat a disproportionate number of minorities.




					www.politico.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (May 19, 2020)

Spine and joint procedures have taken a dive during the pandemic.










						Medical procedures that have fallen the most during the pandemic
					

The most pronounced drops have come in eye and orthopedic surgeries.




					www.axios.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (May 19, 2020)

Two California border hospitals hit by surge in COVID-19 cases from Mexico 










						California border hospitals hit by surge in COVID-19 cases from Mexico
					

(This May 19 story corrects name to Pioneers Memorial Hospital, from Pilgrims Memorial Hospital, in paragraphs 3 and 7)




					www.reuters.com
				





Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (May 27, 2020)

Federal agencies turn to untested suppliers for big PPE contracts.










						Federal agencies turn to untested suppliers for big PPE contracts
					

Facing a supply crunch for sorely needed medical equipment like masks and gowns, the federal government has turned to a long list of untested suppliers -- some of which have failed to deliver.




					www.cnn.com
				





Richard


----------



## bogey21 (May 27, 2020)

MULTIZ321 said:


> New York's safety-net hospitals were the front lines of the coronavirus. Now they're facing ruin.



Baylor, Scott & White hospitals just laid off 1,200 employees...

George


----------



## Monykalyn (May 27, 2020)

bogey21 said:


> Baylor, Scott & White hospitals just laid off 1,200 employees...
> 
> George


Mercy hospital (big in our area) cutting 700. Still waiting for the surge. Meanwhile it is now going to take months for me to get back into my PCP-guess I will just keep using urgent care when I can't breathe instead of being preventative by seeing my PCP!
All we've done with this extreme panic driven lock down is make it HARDER to treat any surge of CV19 patients now as hospitals will now have LESS revenue and LESS staff...








						As Hospitals Lose Revenue, More Than A Million Health Care Workers Lose Jobs
					

Faced with lost revenue from canceled elective procedures, hospitals laid off 1.4 million health care workers in April, including nearly 135,000 from hospitals.




					www.npr.org


----------



## SmithOp (May 27, 2020)

Our PCPs in CA are doing video appointments, no problem receiving preventive care.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## geekette (May 27, 2020)

....All we've done with this extreme panic driven lock down is make it HARDER to treat any surge

No, we prevented a larger surge resulting in more death than we have already experienced.  I would not use the term "panic driven".  It was last resort to stop the spread and complete overrun.   We were out of options.  Watching Italy, we saw this coming. 

Yes, there have been side effects.  Serious side effects.  The next surge will indeed be more problematic, and, deadly.  We definitely agree on that.   I am maintaining low profile to not be part of any surge.


eta....   some of the hospital layoffs have to do with lack of federal funds coming into the states.  States have to balance their budgets and are not receiving same level of pre-pandemic revenue.  Cuts must be made.  Of course hospitals suffered their own significant revenue reductions.  It's the same issue - without revenue, bills cannot be paid, cuts must be made.  I am very curious as to insurer reimbursements to hospitals, if, indeed, insurers are making CV treatment free to consumers.  We know it can't be free.  We just don't yet know how much hospitals will be getting from insurers, or patients that are not members of the benevolent ins cos.   (I had to use the word benevolent, I am very happy that many insurers are saving their policy holders from financial ruin).


----------



## Monykalyn (May 27, 2020)

SmithOp said:


> Our PCPs in CA are doing video appointments, no problem receiving preventive care.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


I need pulmonary function tests and allergy tests. Kinda hard to on myself


----------



## Monykalyn (May 27, 2020)

geekette said:


> eta.... some of the hospital layoffs have to do with lack of federal funds coming into the states. States have to balance their budgets and are not receiving same level of pre-pandemic revenue. Cuts must be made. Of course hospitals suffered their own significant revenue reductions. It's the same issue - without revenue, bills cannot be paid, cuts must be made. I am very curious as to insurer reimbursements to hospitals, if, indeed, insurers are making CV treatment free to consumers. We know it can't be free. We just don't yet know how much hospitals will be getting from insurers, or patients that are not members of the benevolent ins cos. (I had to use the word benevolent, I am very happy that many insurers are saving their policy holders from financial ruin).


Rural hospitals were already closing or in financial distress, now there will be very few left standing. And yes-it was a panic driven lock down. We didn't have a functioning team to make surgical strike lock downs necessary for places that were going to be hit harder using good old fashioned common sense at least to start: high population density cities, public transports, nursing homes-ya know the same places where other diseases like flu are spread like wildfire too.  The "cure" of lockdown will show to be much much worse than the disease for the majority of the country -well actually the globe. I guess 300,000 dying each month now from hunger. It is why people are fed up and no longer wanting to listen to CDC-they are seeing so much collateral damage now, food banks can't keep up, soon the homeless population is going to explode (the ceasing of eviction for non payment of rent won't last forever). Understandably if you are in a hard hit area the outlook and adjustment will be different.  It made no sense to treat Montana like New York. Instead we have hospital layoffs, hospital closing. Making it more difficult now to get basic care, or necessary surgeries, which will compound problems down the road...
States have lost huge amounts of revenue-cuts to healthcare, schools etc does NOT bode well for future generations either. The hole dug here is going to take decades to dig out of. But the experts warning of collateral damage at beginning were...not listened to or outright dismissed or called names...
"If global GDP declines by 5% because of the pandemic, another 147 million people could be plunged into extreme poverty, according to estimates by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute. There's "a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself," Beasley said."

Of course it is easier to Monday morning quarterback, but this is why ALL sides need to be listened to, considered and formulate a policy going forward. That didn't happen unfortunately.


----------



## Brett (May 27, 2020)

Monykalyn said:


> Rural hospitals were already closing or in financial distress, now there will be very few left standing. And yes-it was a panic driven lock down. We didn't have a functioning team to make surgical strike lock downs necessary for places that were going to be hit harder using good old fashioned common sense at least to start: high population density cities, public transports, nursing homes-ya know the same places where other diseases like flu are spread like wildfire too.  The "cure" of lockdown will show to be much much worse than the disease for the majority of the country -well actually the globe. I guess 300,000 dying each month now from hunger. It is why people are fed up and no longer wanting to listen to CDC-they are seeing so much collateral damage now, food banks can't keep up, soon the homeless population is going to explode (the ceasing of eviction for non payment of rent won't last forever). Understandably if you are in a hard hit area the outlook and adjustment will be different.  It made no sense to treat Montana like New York. Instead we have hospital layoffs, hospital closing. Making it more difficult now to get basic care, or necessary surgeries, which will compound problems down the road...
> States have lost huge amounts of revenue-cuts to healthcare, schools etc does NOT bode well for future generations either. The hole dug here is going to take decades to dig out of. But the experts warning of collateral damage at beginning were...not listened to or outright dismissed or called names...
> "If global GDP declines by 5% because of the pandemic, another 147 million people could be plunged into extreme poverty, according to estimates by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute. There's "a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself," Beasley said."
> 
> Of course it is easier to Monday morning quarterback, but this is why ALL sides need to be listened to, considered and formulate a policy going forward. That didn't happen unfortunately.



I don't think 300,000 people are going to die every month from "hunger" because of the coronavirus  --  and I doubt the homeless population will "explode"

sure, a faster national response to the coronavirus could have helped avert economic consequences.  The stock market seems to be saying the economic recovery could be shorter than what was originally forecast.


----------



## PigsDad (May 28, 2020)

Brett said:


> I don't think 300,000 people are going to die every month from "hunger" because of the coronavirus  --  and I doubt the homeless population will "explode"



The UN's World Food Programme would disagree with you:









						The Population Living In Acute Hunger May Double This Year Due To Coronavirus
					

Some 135 million people globally lived on the edge of starvation last year. The World Food Program fears the effects of the virus could balloon that number to a staggering 265 million this year.




					www.npr.org
				












						'Biblical' famines could double global hunger as a result of the coronavirus crisis, UN warns
					

Famines of "biblical proportions" are becoming a serious risk as the coronavirus crisis threatens to double the number of people nearing starvation, a U.N. body has warned.




					www.cnbc.com
				




Kurt


----------



## Brett (May 28, 2020)

PigsDad said:


> The UN's World Food Programme would disagree with you:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I did not take into account the hungry and homeless people in Africa 

also the locust swarms
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/world/2020/05/05/locusts-africa-swarms-kenya-ethiopia/


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## MULTIZ321 (May 28, 2020)

The Coronavirus leas Wrecked Hospital Budgets. A Trump Administration Plan Could Leave Them in A Bigger Hole.










						The Coronavirus Has Wrecked Hospital Budgets. A Trump Administration Plan Could Leave Them In A Bigger Hole.
					

The Trump administration has been fighting in court with public and nonprofit hospitals since 2017 over a plan to slash the reimbursement rates for drugs prescribed to Medicare patients.




					www.buzzfeednews.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (May 28, 2020)

COVID-19 Has Killed Close To 300 U.S. Health Care Workers, New Data From CDC Shows.










						COVID-19 Has Killed Close To 300 U.S. Health Care Workers, New Data From CDC Shows
					

More than 60,000 health care workers have contracted the coronavirus, up from 9,000 in April. Workers say they face unnecessary risks because of ongoing shortages of protective gear like masks.




					www.npr.org
				



.


Richard


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## Conan (May 28, 2020)

Monykalyn said:


> But the experts warning of collateral damage at beginning were...not listened to or outright dismissed or called names...
> "If global GDP declines by 5% because of the pandemic, another 147 million people could be plunged into extreme poverty, according to estimates by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute. There's "a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself," Beasley said."


I was curious about the 147 million statistic. Apparently it originated here, in World Net Daily





						Death by starvation, or death by COVID-19?
					

Michael Brown: 'Let us factor in the implications for the impoverished worldwide'




					www.wnd.com
				




Per Wikipedia:
_*"WorldNetDaily*_ (_*WND*_) is an American news and opinion website and online news aggregator which has been described as "fringe" and far right[6] as well as politically conservative.[7] The website is known for promoting falsehoods and conspiracy theories.[15]





						WorldNetDaily - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org


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## bluehende (May 28, 2020)

Monykalyn said:


> Rural hospitals were already closing or in financial distress, now there will be very few left standing. And yes-it was a panic driven lock down. We didn't have a functioning team to make surgical strike lock downs necessary for places that were going to be hit harder using good old fashioned common sense at least to start: high population density cities, public transports, nursing homes-ya know the same places where other diseases like flu are spread like wildfire too.  The "cure" of lockdown will show to be much much worse than the disease for the majority of the country -well actually the globe. I guess 300,000 dying each month now from hunger. It is why people are fed up and no longer wanting to listen to CDC-they are seeing so much collateral damage now, food banks can't keep up, soon the homeless population is going to explode (the ceasing of eviction for non payment of rent won't last forever). Understandably if you are in a hard hit area the outlook and adjustment will be different.  It made no sense to treat Montana like New York. Instead we have hospital layoffs, hospital closing. Making it more difficult now to get basic care, or necessary surgeries, which will compound problems down the road...
> States have lost huge amounts of revenue-cuts to healthcare, schools etc does NOT bode well for future generations either. The hole dug here is going to take decades to dig out of. But the experts warning of collateral damage at beginning were...not listened to or outright dismissed or called names...
> "If global GDP declines by 5% because of the pandemic, another 147 million people could be plunged into extreme poverty, according to estimates by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute. There's "a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself," Beasley said."
> 
> Of course it is easier to Monday morning quarterback, but this is why ALL sides need to be listened to, considered and formulate a policy going forward. That didn't happen unfortunately.




I do not know how you can ignore the effect of the virus itself.  While I agree that the lockdowns probably made the downturn worse there is no way if they had not done it the economy would be booming.  Not a very good control , but Sweden's economy is hurting every bit as bad as the rest of Europe.  We were in for a troubled economy no matter what we did.  We can argue degrees but certainly cannot say the SAH orders were the only cause.  I still believe (personal opinion here) that if we did nothing and had many more deaths the fear would have lasted a lot longer and the effects on the economy would have been even worse.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (May 29, 2020)

Coronavirus care in hospitals will be different come fall - here's how.










						Coronavirus care in hospitals will be different come fall -- here's how
					

After hard lessons learned, health experts expect hospitals will be better prepared if a second wave of the novel coronavirus arrives.




					abcnews.go.com
				



.


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (May 29, 2020)

Exclusive: White House kept FDA in the dark on Russian ventilators for New York and New Jersey.










						Exclusive: White House kept FDA in the dark on Russian ventilators for New York and New Jersey
					

When U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to accept a shipment of ventilators from Russian President Vladimir Putin at the height of the coronavirus outbreak, the White House did not alert the FDA as it headed to New York and New Jersey, Reuters has learned.




					www.reuters.com
				



.


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 15, 2020)

Chinese Regime Hoards Global Inventory of Medical Supplies, Leaving Little for Virus-Hit 
Nations 









						Chinese Regime Hoards Global Inventory of Medical Supplies, Leaving Little for Virus-Hit Nations
					

As the pandemic has spread throughout the world, hospitals have become overwhelmed by CCP virus patients. N95 masks, ...




					m.theepochtimes.com
				




Might be behind a paywall

Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 16, 2020)

Why the U.S. didn't run out of hospital beds for 
coronavirus patients.










						Why the U.S. didn't run out of hospital beds for coronavirus patients
					

The hospitalization rate for the virus was much lower than first predicted.




					www.axios.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## Miss Marty (Jun 17, 2020)

PBS  Documentary

The Virus: What Went Wrong?









						Saying Goodbye During the Coronavirus Pandemic in “The Last Call” | FRONTLINE
					

A story of a family devastated by NYC’s COVID-19 outbreak. Illness swept through Jessica’s family during the coronavirus crisis. Then her mom fell sick.



					www.pbs.org


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 17, 2020)

Post-COVID Supply Chain Changes Probably Won't Be What You Think - Forbes.










						Post-COVID Supply Chain Changes Probably Won’t Be What You Think
					

Because of the pandemic, and for other reasons, there will be changes to where America does its manufacturing. But a lot of the current hype about it is overblown.




					www.forbes.com
				





Richard


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## SusanRN (Jun 17, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> You all need to slow down and get a grip on reality.  The number of cases, beds required, ICU beds required, incubators required  are all OVER ESTIMATED.  The hospitals are WAY under utilized.  What we need is to OPEN UP the hospitals and get people back to normal.


   I'm wondering, Sea Six, if "open up" and "get people back to normal" is still your advice now that Florida is seeing a huge rise in infections [thanks to being open]?  How are the ICU beds at your local hospital?  Any concerns?  Perhaps your views are changing as the virus strikes closer to home [Florida]?  It was close to home for others two months ago.


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## Sea Six (Jun 17, 2020)

SusanRN said:


> I'm wondering, Sea Six, if "open up" and "get people back to normal" is still your advice now that Florida is seeing a huge rise in infections [thanks to being open]?  How are the ICU beds at your local hospital?  Any concerns?  Perhaps your views are changing as the virus strikes closer to home [Florida]?  It was close to home for others two months ago.


New cases in June are about triple what they were in May.  Primarily due to more testing.  While new cases are rising, hospitalizations and deaths are way DOWN!  The popular opinion seems to be that the virus is not as strong as it once was.  Most people testing positive don't even have symptoms.  Our hospitals were so empty there were threats of laying off the staff.  Now they are resuming elective surgeries and getting their occupancy rates back up again.  My concern is people just ignoring the whole situation and not wearing any protection, even in grocery stores.  5 deaths per day (considering how they count every death as COVID, regardless what the patient had)  is not serious enough to shut everything down again, and governor DeSantis  has said the same.  When I was in the hospital mid-April, the hospital had a wing quarantined off for COVID, and only had 6 rooms occupied.   I was on a floor with no COVID patients, and practically had private duty service.  The hospitals have plenty of room, even now, as the Doctors aren't even seeing patients in their offices.   My appointments are video conferences.  How can a cardiologist evaluate a patient over a video conference?   I won't freak out until I see what happens after Universal, Disney, and Sea World all re-open.


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## bluehende (Jun 17, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> 5 deaths per day (considering how they count every death as COVID, regardless what the patient had)  is not serious enough to shut everything down again, and governor DeSantis  has said the same.



Wow I need to move to FL.  

5 deaths per day is 1825 a year
With a population of 21.5 million it will take 11781 years for them to die.


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## Brett (Jun 17, 2020)

bluehende said:


> Wow I need to move to FL.
> 
> 5 deaths per day is 1825 a year
> With a population of 21.5 million it will take 11781 years for them to die.




in Florida it's about the old and dying  ...  

Coronavirus Cases Spike Across Sun Belt as Economy Lurches into Motion
Arizona, Texas and Florida are reporting their highest case numbers

Florida sets records for new COVID-19 cases

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/l...ported-increase-with-2610-new-covid-19-cases/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-arizona-texas-set-records-new-covid-19-cases-n1231326
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/14/us/coronavirus-united-states.html


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## Country Roads (Jun 17, 2020)

bluehende said:


> Wow I need to move to FL.
> 
> 5 deaths per day is 1825 a year
> With a population of 21.5 million it will take 11781 years for them to die.



Just remember, once you're over the hill you begin to pick up speed.


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## Sea Six (Jun 17, 2020)

bluehende said:


> Wow I need to move to FL.
> 
> 5 deaths per day is 1825 a year
> With a population of 21.5 million it will take 11781 years for them to die.


That's about the rate that people die choking on chicken bones.


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## bluehende (Jun 17, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> That's about the rate that people die choking on chicken bones.


Cause of death.....covid 19


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## bluehende (Jun 17, 2020)

Sea Six said:


> New cases in June are about triple what they were in May. Primarily due to more testing.



  How do you explain that in the last 2 weeks the case rate is up about 250% while testing is in fact down about 10%,  Or the fact that the positive test rate has gone from 3 to 10%.  Here is the source of that data.



			http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/action/report_archive/state/state_reports_latest.pdf


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## Cornell (Jun 17, 2020)

I am going to say this about FL:  the amount of data & transparency available to the public is impressive.


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## bluehende (Jun 17, 2020)

Cornell said:


> I am going to say this about FL:  the amount of data & transparency available to the public is impressive.


Most state departments of health have very good dashboards.

The easiest way to find them is with this website









						United States COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer
					

United States Coronavirus update with statistics and graphs: total and new cases, deaths per day, mortality and recovery rates, current active cases, recoveries, trends and timeline.




					www.worldometers.info
				




One of the last columns has the source of their info with links to the individual states.  Most are DOH from the state.


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## Cornell (Jun 17, 2020)

bluehende said:


> Most state departments of health have very good dashboards.
> 
> The easiest way to find them is with this website
> 
> ...


I monitor state of IL data and we have a fraction of the data you have and much of it doesn’t get updated frequently. It’s been a big source of public complaint.


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 18, 2020)

Stockpile of emergency medical supplies moving back to health officials' control.




			https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/stockpile-of-emergency-medical-supplies-moving-back-to-health-officials-control/2020/06/18/089bf9e0-b0b7-11ea-856d-5054296735e5_story.html
		

.


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 20, 2020)

The Trump administration paid millions for test tubes. They got unusable mini soda bottles instead 










						The Trump administration paid millions for test tubes. They got unusable mini soda bottles instead
					

The plastic tubes supplied for coronavirus testing by Fillakit don’t even fit the racks used to analyze samples




					www.salon.com
				





Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 27, 2020)

Point of no return: COVID-19 and the U.S. healthcare system: An emergency physician's perspective.




			Point of no return: COVID-19 and the U.S. healthcare system: An emergency physician’s perspective | Science Advances
		

.


Richard


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## Conan (Jun 27, 2020)

Cornell said:


> I am going to say this about FL:  the amount of data & transparency available to the public is impressive.


Especially if you count the website created and maintained by the statistician whom Governor DeSantis fired. 






						Experience
					






					experience.arcgis.com
				












						Florida Governor Defends Firing Of Top Data Scientist
					

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lashed out about the firing of data scientist Rebekah Jones. DeSantis attacked Jones' claims that she created the state's highly praised COVID-19 dashboard portal.




					www.npr.org


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## bbodb1 (Jun 27, 2020)

Conan said:


> Especially if you count the website created and maintained by the statistician whom Governor DeSantis fired.



There seem to be questions about the authorship of the website.


----------



## Conan (Jun 27, 2020)

bbodb1 said:


> There seem to be questions about the authorship of the website.


Do you have any info about that?
Their mission statement and disclosures seem straightforward.








						Our mission
					

“Truth never damages a cause that is just.”― Mahatma Gandhi              About Us      Florida COVID Action LLC is a registered Florida social benefits corporation made of scientists specializing in public health research, data science, and data visualization. Founded by Florida scientist and whistl




					floridacovidaction.com
				











						Data definitions and details
					

For questions related to this documentation or the website, dashboards, and associated maps, data and applications, please email us at Contact@FloridaCovidAction.com. For the current data definitio…




					floridacovidaction.com


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## Cornell (Jun 29, 2020)

“We are seeing younger patients, we are seeing a shorter length of stay, we are seeing lower immortality, and we are seeing lower ICU utilization right now.” 










						Hospital CEOs from Houston’s Largest Hospital Systems Discuss Capacity and COVID-19 Surge Plans | Woodlands Online
					

Houston hospital CEO’s held a zoom conference June 25.




					www.woodlandsonline.com


----------



## DeniseM (Jun 29, 2020)

Cornell said:


> “We are seeing younger patients, we are seeing a shorter length of stay, we are seeing lower immortality, and we are seeing lower ICU utilization right now.”
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You can get immortality from C19??? Might be worth it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Cornell (Jun 29, 2020)

DeniseM said:


> You can get immortality from C19??? Might be with it!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That's hilarious -- great catch!  

Kind of like a viral fountain of youth.


----------



## Conan (Jun 29, 2020)

Houston-Based Texas Medical Center hit 100% ICU bed occupancy, then didn't report data for 3 days


			https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/28/coronavirus-live-updates-us/#link-2JA4NGLQFFHM7K34BA2K2PTIRY
		






						Error 404 Page
					

#left-column #right-column #action-items




					www.beckershospitalreview.com
				




Edited to add San Antonio to the mix:








						‘It’s going to last a while’: Influx of COVID-19 patients threatens to push San Antonio hospitals to the breaking point
					

The sharp upward trajectory of coronavirus cases in San Antonio has health care workers...




					www.expressnews.com


----------



## Conan (Jun 29, 2020)

Los Angeles County





https://abc7.com/hospital-beds-hospitals-coronavirus-covid19/6282080/


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Jul 2, 2020)

Federal COVID test supplies late, unsterile, Washington state says.










						Federal COVID test supplies late, unsterile, Washington state says
					

COVID-19 testing supplies distributed by the federal government have failed quality checks and are arriving late, Washington state's top health official said in a letter to a senior administration official, warning of problems as cases spike.




					in.reuters.com
				



.


Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Jul 6, 2020)

Number of local hospital beds already dwindling 
from new surge of COVID-19 patients.










						Number of local hospital beds already dwindling from new surge of COVID-19 patients
					

Local hospitals have already begun to put surge plans in place as it prepares for an onslaught of new COVID-19 patients from the latest surge of the virus.




					www.local10.com
				





Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Jul 8, 2020)

America is Testing For COVID-19 More Than Ever And it Still Isn't Enough.










						America Is Testing For COVID-19 More Than Ever — And It Still Isn’t Enough
					

Expert consensus was clear early in the pandemic: To control the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. needed to increase testing. Four months on, we are testing more –…




					fivethirtyeight.com
				





Richard


----------



## bbodb1 (Jul 9, 2020)

Conan said:


> Do you have any info about that?
> Their mission statement and disclosures seem straightforward.



Sorry @Conan - as I missed this question when you posted it.  
I had read a couple of stories where the idea this was a single person effort was discussed.  No one person anywhere can identify, produce, collect, analyze, and publish data in a timely manner we need at present.  This type of undertaking requires many people.  This is NOT to say the fired statistician did not play an important role in that process, rather to emphasize this was an effort involving much more than one person. 

I also recall there were some charges being bounced about suggesting political concerns were influencing the interpretation data - which we need to avoid.  

Sorry I did not reply sooner.


----------



## bbodb1 (Jul 9, 2020)

This post might take this thread in a slightly different direction, but I am opting to post it here as opposed to starting another COVID-19 related thread.....
@Ken555 - I am tagging you here thinking you might find this of interest....

I had a yearly appointment today with my doctor and while I was getting my blood drawn, the technician and I were discussing the testing machine they had in the lab. One of the current topics in Arkansas has to do with the growing testing backlog and if I understood all the points being made today, I can (more clearly) see where part of the problem comes from.  Among the points made were the following: 

More than one company produces testing hardware for COVID-19.  These tests may be done with entirely different machines (the point here being the machines are NOT interchangeable with each other).
The technician suggested these testing machines are (in all likelihood) single purpose machines.  This is to say when a company designs a machine to test for COVID-19, that machine is unlikely to be of use for any other testing.  I specifically asked her if we were to have COVID-22, could the same physical machine not be used?  Her answer was most likely not.  That caught my attention.  
Two (or more) different companies may need ENTIRELY DIFFERENT set of reagents to perform their tests.  Though it is likely that some of the needed reagents would be similar from company to company, a shortage of one reagent may impact one vendor's ability to test (if that vendor alone is dependent on that specific reagent).  Of course, if that reagent were more common, then it might impact the ability to test on more (different vendor) platforms.
One of the conclusions I drew from this is how expensive all of this will be *just to combat a single virus*. Additionally, what happens to the current testing procedures as the virus mutates? Will we have to move to different reagents (possibly)? Will the same testing hardware work with the mutated virus?
I found these points interesting..and a bit frightening.


----------



## Ken555 (Jul 9, 2020)

@bbodb1, yes it's interesting. My cousin works at one of the labs doing testing in the Bay Area and I've heard about this issue. You might think standardization would occur at times like this, but from what I understand (and perhaps someone here can clarify this point) the speed of development seems to impede that with various companies simply producing a solution as fast and as best they can.


----------



## Conan (Jul 9, 2020)

bbodb1 said:


> Sorry @Conan - as I missed this question when you posted it.
> I had read a couple of stories where the idea this was a single person effort was discussed.  No one person anywhere can identify, produce, collect, analyze, and publish data in a timely manner we need at present.  This type of undertaking requires many people.  This is NOT to say the fired statistician did not play an important role in that process, rather to emphasize this was an effort involving much more than one person.
> 
> I also recall there were some charges being bounced about suggesting political concerns were influencing the interpretation data - which we need to avoid.
> ...


Not a problem.
I did post recently what I've been able to learn about how Florida does (or doesn't) report deaths and ICU admissions. Much of the material is from that one person, as you say, but I've no reason to think she's not being accurate:








						Coronavirus Cases Are Accelerating Across U.S.
					

If we all had the exact same data, the reporting of it would still be different.    Journalism schools don't teach data analysis and I might suggest that those who choose a career in journalism lack the aptitude and skill to analyze data.  Honest journalists are not working for news...




					tugbbs.com


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Aug 14, 2020)

FDA releases first-ever list of medical supplies in 
shortage.










						FDA releases first-ever list of medical supplies in shortage
					

The list includes surgical gowns, gloves, masks, certain ventilators and testing supplies.




					www.axios.com
				



.


Richard


----------

