Corona Virus #7

[dragoneggs]

Anyone hear of the train locomotive at full clip heading to Mercy Hospital Ship skidding across the parking lot?

Engineer intentionally derails train near Navy hospital ship, says ‘USNS Mercy was suspicious’

At first I thought April Fools?

Port of Los Angeles engineer suspected of intentionally derailing train near USNS Mercy

Just saw that on the news... WTH?

 

[rswyan]

An hour ago, a team of 40+ medical experts & engineers from Israel released the #opensource blueprints for @AmboVent - a low-cost, medically tested #COVIDー19 ventilator device, made from off-the-shelf components, to answer worldwide #Coronavirus shortages

Twitter

GitHub - AmboVent/AmboVent: AmboVent 1690.108

:thumbsup:

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I'm glad the track ended when it did. Hoping for better news from all fronts in this war against this Corona dude.

 

[California]

Neurologists around the world say that a small subset of patients with Covid-19 are developing serious impairments of the brain. Some don't even have more typical symptoms like fever or shortness of breath.

Oh J.... . Not what you want in a locomotive engineer.

 

[rswyan]

Oh J.... . Not what you want in a locomotive engineer.

Not what you want in any significant amount in a population ...

 

[IslandTractor]

Malaria Drug Helps Virus Patients Improve, in Small Study
Malaria Drug Helps Coronavirus Patients Improve, in Small Study - The New York Times

Although small, this study of hydroxychloroquine, done with appropriate control group, shows benefit for mildly ill patients with Covid-19 pneumonia. 25 of 31 in experimental treatment group improved compared to 17 of 31 in the control group. More importantly none of the treated group progressed to “severe” while 4 of the control group patients did. I’ve only seen the NYT write up but Bill Schaffner, a straight shooter like Tony Fauci, seems to think it’s action fits with theory that it modulates the overwhelming immune response which causes damage (cytokine storm). Good news especially if larger studies confirm the effectiveness. Of note this was studied only in mildly ill patients so not clear it will help in those who have progressed to serious pneumonia before treatment.

I hope there isn’t any serious shortage because “worried well” have convinced their doctors to write prescriptions and non infected people have stashed it at home. This should be reserved for those with documented infections at this stage until adequate supplies and further evidence is available on prophylaxis.

One more point: this was a Chinese study so those of you who routinely have knee jerk instincts to bash the Chinese might reconsider your biases.

 

[rswyan]

That’s some promising news Doc ... good to hear ...

 

[IslandTractor]

One element of the pathogenesis of Covid-19 that I find odd is that there is clearly more risk of severe disease in older patients and those with preexisting chronic disease, a group that in general would be expected to have weaker immune systems, but it also seems increasingly like immune overreaction (cytokine storm) is responsible for a lot of the severe pneumonia. Odd. Usually with poor immune function you’d expect overwhelming infection where viral growth cannot be stopped and virus spreads to involve other organs. In Covid-19, virus seems largely limited to the respiratory tract even in older patients with preexisting conditions. However if damage is done largely by overreacting or poorly controlled immune response (again cytokine storm), then why would an age group with declining immune function be the group at highest risk. ???

 

[Wagtail]

Hmm. A disease specialist (Dr Stephen Smith) tonite said that Diabetes is one of the highest risk factor. Diabetics and pre-diabetics with a high Body Mass Index have the greatest chance of going on the vent.

Well, well.. Not only do I have Diabetes, and I don't know what my BMI is, but I am pretty porky. Oh, I have respiratory issues too. I am a goner....:shocked:

Mate, I have Type II diabetes and was 'hefty' practically all of my life. Two years ago the endocrinologist specialist put me on "Bydureon" (once a week, self administered injection). I gradually dropped from 101kg. to 75kg. and have stayed there. That's waist size 40/42 to 34.

"Ask your Doctor", as the commercial's in the US say...

 

[rswyan]

One element of the pathogenesis of Covid-19 that I find odd is that there is clearly more risk of severe disease in older patients and those with preexisting chronic disease, a group that in general would be expected to have weaker immune systems, but it also seems increasingly like immune overreaction (cytokine storm) is responsible for a lot of the severe pneumonia. Odd. Usually with poor immune function you’d expect overwhelming infection where viral growth cannot be stopped and virus spreads to involve other organs. In Covid-19, virus seems largely limited to the respiratory tract even in older patients with preexisting conditions. However if damage is done largely by overreacting or poorly controlled immune response (again cytokine storm), then why would an age group with declining immune function be the group at highest risk. ???

That does seem rather odd.

If that mystery is ever unraveled, it might provide some hitherto unknown insights into both aging and the human immune system I guess ... :confused3:

 

[shooterdon]

One element of the pathogenesis of Covid-19 that I find odd is that there is clearly more risk of severe disease in older patients and those with preexisting chronic disease, a group that in general would be expected to have weaker immune systems, but it also seems increasingly like immune overreaction (cytokine storm) is responsible for a lot of the severe pneumonia. Odd. Usually with poor immune function you壇 expect overwhelming infection where viral growth cannot be stopped and virus spreads to involve other organs. In Covid-19, virus seems largely limited to the respiratory tract even in older patients with preexisting conditions. However if damage is done largely by overreacting or poorly controlled immune response (again cytokine storm), then why would an age group with declining immune function be the group at highest risk. ???

That is an excellent observation. I hope that in our rush to grasp at straws we do not get fooled. So I await the results of the testing being done here in the US.

If the stuff does work, I hope they "delay" the full report until there is enough for those on the front lines of this battle. Like the way we were told not to use N95's....it appears the real reason was to insure a supply for the those who would need them most.

BTW, keep posting IT! You make us think and that is a good thing.

 

[daugen]

Wells Fargo announces:

Suspension of residential property foreclosure sales and evictions.

Suspension of involuntary automobile repossessions.

Mortgage customers: If you’re unable to make your payment due to COVID-19 related hardships, we’re offering a 90-day payment suspension.

 

[daugen]

Perhaps it's good we have only seen several crazy acting outs in this pandemic. First the lady coughing all over the food in the supermarket such that 35 grand of food was thrown out, and now a totally insane railroad engineer. Folks who are on the borderline of coping already seem to be pushed over the emotional limit.
I worry about all the depressives.
We've got at least another month of this, maybe two and likely to get worse before it gets better.
If you know anyone who suffers from depression, good time to cheer them up...really.

 

[riptides]

The administration should put pressure on the banks to suspend all credit payments on those out of work for at least 30 to 90 days.

Wells Fargo announces:

Suspension of residential property foreclosure sales and evictions.

Suspension of involuntary automobile repossessions.

Mortgage customers: If you’re unable to make your payment due to COVID-19 related hardships, we’re offering a 90-day payment suspension.

 

[Jstpssng]

At least you can still play golf in Ohio. Coronavirus: Ohio golf courses can stay open, state health department says

I have never played the game, but it obviously has a lot of followers.

 

[Diggin It]

The administration should put pressure on the banks to suspend all credit payments on those out of work for at least 30 to 90 days.

The States that ordered businesses to close should make those payments for the people they deliberately put out of work. I would prefer to see that than the general 1200 buck freebee or the extra 600/week UI which could keep at least some people from even seeking work.

 

[Diggin It]

At least you can still play golf in Ohio.

I have never played the game, but it obviously has a lot of followers.

Gee, I wonder who pushed that through?

 

[rswyan]

At least you can still play golf in Ohio. Coronavirus: Ohio golf courses can stay open, state health department says

I have never played the game, but it obviously has a lot of followers.

I have a friend who will appreciate that greatly I suspect ... he plays regularly.