Corona Virus Now Spreading

Katie M

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For those who have gone to a dentist during the pandemic how did it go? I think I really need to get to a dentist (once I find some money and all). I sat up with more pain last night. Brainwaves and sipping on water helped but that's only going to last so long especially when I have an elderly mother and these cats to take care of. What precautions did you and the dentist use? I'm more scared of contracting something at the dentist office then suffering from this pain to be honest.
I called from the parking lot to let them know I was there, and they took my payment info over the phone. They told me to come in through a certain door. I had my temperature taken, and I wore my mask up until the exam started.
 

MoonstoneWolf

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I called from the parking lot to let them know I was there, and they took my payment info over the phone. They told me to come in through a certain door. I had my temperature taken, and I wore my mask up until the exam started.
Ugh see that's the problem. I don't have the money either. And my normal body temp is 100. I know this because of years past. What a tragedy this is.
 

Leomc123

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I think this is from this article:
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or at least it's from that press release. It's actually just part of an incomplete study and is not saying 500,000 people are spreading infection, just that many may have or have had the virus, nationwide, not just NSW. She said:

Preliminary results of studies to discover how many people are naturally immune to COVID-19 suggest between 250,000 and 500,000 Australians may have already been infected, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant says.

"If we look at how many people in the community that have been exposed and infected, and we are doing serological surveys, so this is not absolute, we would probably estimate that it may be around 1 to 2 per cent of the population has been exposed to COVID," Dr Chant said.


and Professor Esterman added:

"They often don't go and get tested so there's this hidden pool of people out there. Having said that, those who are asymptomatic often are probably less infectious and less likely to spread it
if you read what I wrote, I used the word "estimates "that there are 500000 people walking around infected.
 

Willowy

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if you read what I wrote, I used the word "estimates "that there are 500000 people walking around infected.
"Infected" isn't quite the same as "has antibodies". If you say "infected" it implies they have an active infection. If they have antibodies it means they had the virus at some point but not now.
 

denice

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I couldn't find any definitive info on B blood types, it seems they are not more or less at risk. But who knows, it could just be because B blood types are rarer (than O and A) and so the pool for study isn't great.
I think it is because Type A and O are the most common types at least in the U.S. Type B does have the anti-A antibody and Type AB has neither the A or B antibody. I don't know but I have felt from the first firm patient data that there is something genetic involved with susceptibility to this or at least to developing the severe form of it. It goes beyond just age and general health. The elderly being particularly susceptible really isn't part of it. The elderly can end up dying from something that started as a common cold. That doesn't mean that I believe they are somehow 'throw away' or 'disposable'. They should be protected and treated when they get sick but they don't really figure into the why and how of this virus.
 

Twylasmom

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For those who have gone to a dentist during the pandemic how did it go? I think I really need to get to a dentist (once I find some money and all). I sat up with more pain last night. Brainwaves and sipping on water helped but that's only going to last so long especially when I have an elderly mother and these cats to take care of. What precautions did you and the dentist use? I'm more scared of contracting something at the dentist office then suffering from this pain to be honest.

I went. They came to my car, asked screening questions, took my temp and gave me hand sanitizer. Once inside I also had to use a mouth rinse for 30 seconds and was given protective glasses. Everyone wore masks and gloves and those working directly on me also wore gowns and face shields. My dentist has a semi- open plan office but patients were widely spaced. It also looked like they had removed unnecessary clutter. I wore a mask until I was in the chair and put it on when finished and used hand sanitizer once I got to the car.
 

MoonstoneWolf

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I went. They came to my car, asked screening questions, took my temp and gave me hand sanitizer. Once inside I also had to use a mouth rinse for 30 seconds and was given protective glasses. Everyone wore masks and gloves and those working directly on me also wore gowns and face shields. My dentist has a semi- open plan office but patients were widely spaced. It also looked like they had removed unnecessary clutter. I wore a mask until I was in the chair and put it on when finished and used hand sanitizer once I got to the car.
Thanks. What do they do if a root canal or extraction is needed because of the spray?
 

denice

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A face shield would protect them. You see them a lot in videos from testing sites and also in emergency rooms and COVID wards.
 

Willowy

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Both Petco and Petsmart are requiring masks, I don't think I saw that one any lists. This was the first time I've been to those stores since this began. Petsmart had a nice table at the front with hand sanitizer and a basket of masks. Petco also had a table at the front with hand sanitizer, but if they had masks before they didn't when I was there. Things are getting worse for the mask deniers, they won't have anywhere to shop soon!
 

Lari

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I think it is because Type A and O are the most common types at least in the U.S. Type B does have the anti-A antibody and Type AB has neither the A or B antibody. I don't know but I have felt from the first firm patient data that there is something genetic involved with susceptibility to this or at least to developing the severe form of it. It goes beyond just age and general health. The elderly being particularly susceptible really isn't part of it. The elderly can end up dying from something that started as a common cold. That doesn't mean that I believe they are somehow 'throw away' or 'disposable'. They should be protected and treated when they get sick but they don't really figure into the why and how of this virus.
I feel like that came out of China first, when they were testing those who had died or had more severe reactions, a higher percentage had A type blood and less had O type, I assume based on the normal distribution throughout the population.

Sitting over here all b-, and everything I found says I have no advantages or disadvantages. But I saw something this morning about how miscarriages and stillbirths are up, so that's great. Some might be because people are afraid to go to the hospital when they're afraid domething is wrong and not Corona related per se, but it's kind of a scary time to be pregnant. If things start exploding here again in the fall, especially if schools decide to open in person (I know some are at least starting remote), I'll definitely be signing up for grocery delivery rather than going to the store. I'm also seeing suggestions to start quarantining around 38 weeks, which would cover Christmas, but even without Covid, I'm not sure how much Christmas stuff I'd want to do at 39 weeks anyway, so we'll see.
 

Jem

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It goes beyond just age and general health. The elderly being particularly susceptible really isn't part of it. The elderly can end up dying from something that started as a common cold. That doesn't mean that I believe they are somehow 'throw away' or 'disposable'. They should be protected and treated when they get sick but they don't really figure into the why and how of this virus.
Totally agree. The elderly, as you said are susceptible from passing from complications of anything. That's why I wish "they" would disclose weather someone passes form Covid 19 specifically or a secondary complication.
Had they gotten a flu instead of Covid, would they have passed regardless, simply because their bodies could not handle any infection?
Although at this point they may not know the difference in many cases due to the wide range of symptoms this disease (covid 19) causes. If someone has a history of stroke, and passes from a stroke and had covid 19, would they have had the stroke anyway? Or was this stroke cause by the virus???

I spoke with my grandmother yesterday, she's 88 and has advanced COPD and asthma, and also has diabetes, Type 2, but it has been very difficult for her to manage in the last couple of years. She's on the list to go into a nursing home...although I'm not sure how I feel about that right now if she gets the call.
Even though we are allowed to visit now that the rules have been lifted, I still won't go visit her. I apologized to her about that, but now that I'm working again, I feel like I'm high risk of transmission simply due to my job...even with all the precautions. I'm not really visiting with anyone right now...I want to see how things go after a few more weeks of our city opening up.
She just laughed when I said I was sorry for not coming to see her, and responded. "Oh honey! Don't worry...I love you very much but I would rather you stay away! LOL!" Grammy was never one to mince words..she's a hoot!
I would not be able to live with myself if I knew I was the reason for her demise. She will not survive if she contracts this...or a regular flu for that matter.

Sitting over here all b-, and everything I found says I have no advantages or disadvantages. But I saw something this morning about how miscarriages and stillbirths are up, so that's great. Some might be because people are afraid to go to the hospital when they're afraid domething is wrong and not Corona related per se, but it's kind of a scary time to be pregnant. If things start exploding here again in the fall, especially if schools decide to open in person (I know some are at least starting remote), I'll definitely be signing up for grocery delivery rather than going to the store. I'm also seeing suggestions to start quarantining around 38 weeks, which would cover Christmas, but even without Covid, I'm not sure how much Christmas stuff I'd want to do at 39 weeks anyway, so we'll see.
I'm B- too! But my mom is AB- and my sister is A-, so the blood type thing really interested me...Dad's O-...so he's good. ;) LOL!

From everything I've read with what is known so far, so things could change of course...but because this does cross the placenta (which not all viruses can do) and because it can cause vasculitis and blood clotting, depending on how far along you are, if the placenta gets too damaged...well, that would cause miscarriages.
It would be nice if they specified if all the numbers are up due to Covid, or like you said, people just not seeking proper prenatal care.

As for if you're closer to full term..I wonder if they are suggesting quarantining to protect you from complications if you have to give birth while being sick, more so than the worry of losing the baby. From what I read, it seems the risks of loss of child are in early and mid term pregnancies not full term. There has been a case already of a baby being born with Covid-19, I wonder how the baby is doing? The other thing I've read was that most babies born, who's mothers had Covid, were fine. Again though...that could have changed from when I read it last. And it was a little earlier in this pandemic, so the pool of case studies was small.
 

artiemom

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Thanks. I just need to find a dentist that I can trust and come up with a way of paying them.
I went to the dentist last week... I think I posted my experiences.

I felt very safe... lots of precautions... I had to wait in my car until they called me to come in.. They were waiting for me. Everything covered in plastic, air cleaners everywhere! Gowns, masks, face shields, gloves... yum... very safe...
 

pearl99

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I donated blood today, and they do a covid antibody test as part of it. Curious to see the result, but the antibody results take 2-4 weeks from now. They are backed up with that because so many are donating blood, which is great.
 

LTS3

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For those who have gone to a dentist during the pandemic how did it go? I think I really need to get to a dentist (once I find some money and all). I sat up with more pain last night. Brainwaves and sipping on water helped but that's only going to last so long especially when I have an elderly mother and these cats to take care of. What precautions did you and the dentist use? I'm more scared of contracting something at the dentist office then suffering from this pain to be honest.

I just had a dental cleaning last week. There was a bunch of online forms to fill out ahead of time asking about any symptoms, if you traveled recently, etc. On the door to the office there was a sign asking patients to call. So you call to let them know that you are there and you're asked to wait outside until they call you back with the ok. The dentists and assistants are wearing full PPE with face shields and N95 respirators. For my cleaning, it was just scaling. No polishing with toothpaste.

So I was waiting for the bus today. A woman I occasionally see walked over from the subway station. She approached a bench that was already occupied. The woman is wearing a face mask and starts coughing as she approaches the bench. The people sitting on the bench look at her warily. The woman literally squeezes herself in between the people and keeps coughing. The people promptly left. And the woman stops coughing once the people leave. Seriously? :rolleyes3: There are other benches the woman could have sat at to wait for a bus.
 

MoonstoneWolf

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Sam Page in St Louis is making an announcement today. Says he's cracking down and putting new restrictions. Not sure what that means and I sure hope it doesn't mean what I think it does but I'm going to have to go and buy Dollar General's brand cat food this morning as I'm short of getting the 9 lives. Cats are almost out of food.

I guess that visit to the dentist is off for awhile. :(
 

denice

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I know here anyway when things were shut down dentists still took emergencies. Pain is an emergency, the most common one that dentists get.
 

MoonstoneWolf

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So I made a decision to wait. I'm well at the moment except for pain which I noticed is controllable by this baby aspirin. Two of our dentists tested positive for COVID and since I don't have a dentist, I"m not trusting enough during this time to look for one. I've lived with pain before I can do it again and I have Mom and the cats to think about. If something happens to me or I get this virus from visiting a doctor who will care for them? I don't have money for a lawyer or anything for a living will and Mom is so stubborn she will not let anyone come and watch her. Last I checked Pain is not contagious so this will have to wait I suppose. Sadly.
 

Talien

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So I made a decision to wait. I'm well at the moment except for pain which I noticed is controllable by this baby aspirin. Two of our dentists tested positive for COVID and since I don't have a dentist, I"m not trusting enough during this time to look for one. I've lived with pain before I can do it again and I have Mom and the cats to think about. If something happens to me or I get this virus from visiting a doctor who will care for them? I don't have money for a lawyer or anything for a living will and Mom is so stubborn she will not let anyone come and watch her. Last I checked Pain is not contagious so this will have to wait I suppose. Sadly.
Infections in the mouth can cause very serious health problems and a persistant toothache is most often caused by infection. I learned the hard way not to screw around with that sort of thing, I went for a month with an infected tooth and I ended up with permanent nerve damage on the left side of my face from it. I consider myself lucky considering what could have happened if I had let it go on.

 
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