Corona Virus Now Spreading

Willowy

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The city cancelled Riverboat days so now somebody on Facebook is trying to organize a "scr*w the city anti-Riverboat Days party" instead. 800 people have said they're interested. Idk, people are just being stupid now.

The bikers going to Sturgis say they risk their lives every day on their motorcycles, so why should they care about a virus. Which, well, yeah, biking is dangerous but still.
 
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pearl99

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I just saw the headline. He does wear a mask except when he is at the podium speaking and no one is around. He is older but he isn't overweight. I don't know about underlying conditions but most people his age have something.
And it says he has no symptoms...at the moment anyway.
 

Willowy

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Alyssa Milano says she was really sick, but tested negative several times. And then later tested negative for antibodies, using the fingerstick test. But then she had a proper full blood test, and that one showed antibodies. Can't really trust testing entirely either.
 

denice

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On a second test DeWine tested negative as did his wife and staff. The positive test was before he met with Trump I wonder if it was the machine that the White House uses. That test is for the actual virus but gives also gives quick results, it also has a very high incorrect results percentage. The test that the governors have banned together is the antigen test which is like the swab used in doctor's offices for strep throat. It it has the same type results the strep throat test does there can be false positives but not false negatives. The positives go on and have the test that takes longer to get the positive confirmed.
 

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denice

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We need to start using antigen tests in some form for the majority of testing in this country. The test used now simply can't be done on the scale that needs to be done. A test that is less sensitive but widely available is a much better option. The other test can be used only to verify positives from the antigen test. That is what is done with strep throat. The swab done in the doctor's office with quick results is an antigen test.
 

denice

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DeWine's first test was an antigen test. They have false positives but not false negatives. A positive result should be followed with the PCR test to confirm. It is quick and would take the pressure off the system for the PCR test because it would only be used for positive antigen tests.
 

Lari

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Interesting! I'd be willing to test myself every other day if it was available. But you're right that a lot of people would refuse. Still, anything that could bring testing numbers up at all would probably be a good thing.
 

WillowMarie

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Just an updated article that the student who shared the photo from this school was suspended. Still many more questions I have that are not answered in the article like what codes of conduct were broken and what changes, if any, are being made to make it safer, but it makes me wonder how many other places this is happening, but students fear reprimanding if they share what it is like and speak up. Not to start a discussion about this since it is not IMO, but wanted to follow up with this article since I posted the original in this thread.

Georgia student suspended after posting photo of crowded hall
 

denice

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I just saw a headline that said a 7 year old in Georgia has become the youngest victim of COVID in that state. Kids are not invulnerable to this along with them carrying it home to older relatives. They need to be paying attention to what the picture shows rather then punishing the kid who took it.
 

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I have a friend who is starting a job as a middle school counselor. It's not a huge school, but out of about 200 kids who have registered for this year (about half the school) only 10 are doing virtual learning. I was really surprised by that, seeing as how middle school kids can stay home alone so parents wouldn't have to worry about babysitters if they needed to work. My mother pointed out, though, that many are probably going back so that they can do sports.

I so, so badly want to go on a vacation. I want to go with my dog who is reactive, and therefore a great social distance enforcer (he prefers strangers to stay about 30 ft away :lol: ) so I've been looking at cabins that are set on acreage where the caretaker lives somewhere else and it would literally just be us. Most aren't available until late September/October anyway, so we'll see.
 

klunick

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My husband, two boys, and I have all been exposed to somebody with Covid19 (not the same person). None of us has gotten it. We only found out they had it AFTER we were around them!!

What shocks me is stuff I hear on this forum. About how vets aren't open or other "essential" businesses aren't open. I had no idea that some countries or US states were dealing with this. I can't imagine not being able to go take my cats to the vets in an emergency. Or not being able to be seen by a doctor. In Maryland where I live, we only have a couple "hot" spots and they are no where near me. In my community, we come and go as we please pretty much. You'd never know anything was going on except for the masks and even then, if somebody isn't wearing one, nobody says anything.
 

jcat

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klunick klunick It shocks me that your state is being that careless. Maryland is so small that no place is far from a hot spot, and the population is what, about 6 million? Both the infection rate and the death toll are high: 96,843 confirmed cases, and 3,604 deaths as of today, according to Johns Hopkins. :eek: The test positivity rate is still above 5%, too.
 

klunick

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klunick klunick It shocks me that your state is being that careless. Maryland is so small that no place is far from a hot spot, and the population is what, about 6 million? Both the infection rate and the death toll are high: 96,843 confirmed cases, and 3,604 deaths as of today. :eek: The test positivity rate is still above 5%, too.
Not the whole state. Just my area are the restrictions lax. Maryland is bigger than you think especially to those of us in rural areas. The hot spots are well over two hours or more away and nobody from my area goes to them nor do people from there come to us. I'm not saying that people aren't wearing masks where I live. Just saying that I've seen a few people (employees and customers) in various stores without one and nothing is said. All those confirmed cases and deaths are mostly in Baltimore, PG County and Montgomery Co. The rest of the state has low numbers.
 

denice

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Vets are open here it is just the people can't go in just the pets. The vet calls the owner during the exam and talks to them the same as before it is just that the owner is outside in their car. Doctors and dentists remained open for emergencies. Again people stayed outside and were called in when they were ready to see them. People with possible COVID were advised to call their health care provider for instructions rather then just showing up at an emergency room or urgent care unless they were short of breath which is considered an emergency. Telehealth has gotten a lot bigger through this.
 

klunick

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Vets are open here it is just the people can't go in just the pets. The vet calls the owner during the exam and talks to them the same as before it is just that the owner is outside in their car. Doctors and dentists remained open for emergencies. Again people stayed outside and were called in when they were ready to see them. People with possible COVID were advised to call their health care provider for instructions rather then just showing up at an emergency room or urgent care unless they were short of breath which is considered an emergency. Telehealth has gotten a lot bigger through this.
Same with us. Pets go in and owners stay out in the car. Appointments seem to go faster that way.
 

Willowy

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The town my parents live in has issued an emergency resolution "encouraging" mask use. They provided all businesses with a sign saying: "Masks expected
by city resolution
out of respect for your
health and others"

I'm not at all sure what "expecting" mask use will do if it's not required. You can expect whatever you want, doesn't mean it'll happen.

Anyone else have experience with a "masks expected" but not required policy? It sounds kind of uniquely South Dakotan, lol.
 

Joan M

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In PA, pets go in and we stay in the car, too. We have a mask requirement in our state; all the stores have signs that say you have to have a mask to come in. I've seen a few people in the grocery store with their masks pulled down all the way, exposing their whole face. Annoying, but everyone just seems to give them a dirty look and steer clear. Me too, I'm not about to get into an argument with them in the produce aisle.

I just had to cancel my flight to my son's wedding in St. Louis :( because Missouri is a quarantine state for PA (you are supposed to stay home for 2 weeks when you get back); some of my family who have jobs that would require that also have to miss it. I have allergies and a bad cough and wouldn't make it into the plane without being turned away. My ENT doctor last week basically told me to stay home in a nice way (without actually saying you idiot, you want to add COVID on top of what you have?) so I cancelled my flight. They actually got married last April which was their original date, but no one could come and she wanted a normal wedding so they are doing it again. I don't know how many people will actually show up. I feel bad for everyone whose plans have been shattered because of this pandemic. And for everyone who has gotten sick with it.
 
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