Is it bad there??

[disneysteve]

My local news in Los Angeles said today they recorded the highest rate of new cases at 1875 today, and 47 new deaths today.

The other important number is hospitalizations. A number of states are seeing that number rise (Texas, North Carolina, etc.). You can chalk up some increased cases to more testing but that doesn't explain more hospitalizations.

[QuarterMillionMan]

The other important number is hospitalizations. A number of states are seeing that number rise (Texas, North Carolina, etc.). You can chalk up some increased cases to more testing but that doesn't explain more hospitalizations.

Los Angeles may run out of ICU beds in 2 to 4 weeks according to our public health director.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/los-angeles-coronavirus-model-predicts-215713539.html

[QuarterMillionMan]

A young black man was found hanging from a tree in a park in Palmdale, CA. Sheriffs & coroner said he died by suicide. Family & community in Palmdale said not suicide. I have no idea. In this crazy times anything is possible.

[QuarterMillionMan]

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/community-members-question-initial-finding-of-suicide-after-black-man-found-hanged-at-palmdale-park/

[mumof2]

The big problem is this has largely become a political issue rather than a scientific/medical/public health issue. Decisions are being made based on what politicians perceive will benefit their campaigns the most, not what fits the best available medical data.

Here some of the politicians are trying the same thing as they have big tourist spots in their states who want to reopen..they are trying to take it to federal court but it really is a state matter and most states are like no your states are still having cases and we aren't so why would we want you in our state....obviously what they are doing isn't working...and what we are doing is working..glad our politicians are sticking to their guns and saying no

[QuarterMillionMan]

University of Cal system requiring students get the flu vaccine in November.

[kork13]

Lol .... That's gonna make some poor kids' brains explode, with all the hipster anti-vaxxers that attend UC schools....

Interesting timing to do that though, is the belief that flu vaccine will somehow have an impact on COVID? Or simply that the school system realized that it's a public disservice to tacitly endorse the anti-vaccine crowd?

[disneysteve]

Interesting timing to do that though, is the belief that flu vaccine will somehow have an impact on COVID? Or simply that the school system realized that it's a public disservice to tacitly endorse the anti-vaccine crowd?

The flu shot won't do anything for COVID, but having a large vulnerable population protected from neither would be doubly hard. If they can at least protect as many as possible from flu, it won't be quite as bad.

The fall is going to be an absolutel s**t show once kids are back in school. There shouldn't be in-person school this year. There just shouldn't. Even here in NJ, where I happen to think the governor has done a good job with the whole situation, he said today that it is not safe to resume indoor restaurant dining, and yet it's okay for schools to go back to in-person classes. There's a problem with that. If one isn't safe, neither is the other.

Those of us in frontline healthcare are terrified about what the next few months will look like. We expect it to be even worse than the spring was.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Lol .... That's gonna make some poor kids' brains explode, with all the hipster anti-vaxxers that attend UC schools....

Interesting timing to do that though, is the belief that flu vaccine will somehow have an impact on COVID? Or simply that the school system realized that it's a public disservice to tacitly endorse the anti-vaccine crowd?

Kork I'm not sure what the reasoning was but I saw it on the news today, this.

https://abc7news.com/6361850/

[QuarterMillionMan]

Another article about the flu vaccine requirement.

https://www.kalw.org/post/university-california-mandates-flu-vaccinations-0#stream/0

[disneysteve]

Kork I'm not sure what the reasoning was but I saw it on the news today, this.
https://abc7news.com/6361850/

As the article says, it's in part to help keep the healthcare system from being overwhelmed by the combination of flu and COVID at the same time. Since one is at least partly preventable, we should do what we can.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Avian flu in 1968 which originated in Hong Kong killed 1 to 4 million people in 1968 worldwide. Can someone explain to me how, why, and what makes COVID in 2020 so much more dangerous? In 2020 the worldwide deaths from COVID 19 is currently 735,000. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_flu

[Like2Plan]

Avian flu in 1968 which originated in Hong Kong killed 1 to 4 million people in 1968 worldwide. Can someone explain to me how, why, and what makes COVID in 2020 so much more dangerous? In 2020 the worldwide deaths from COVID 19 is currently 735,000. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_flu

Here is what Wikipedia says about the mortality :
"The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that in total, the virus killed one million people worldwide^[14] from its beginning in July 1968 until the outbreak faded during the winter of 1969–70.^[15] The CDC estimated that about 34,000 to 100,000 people died in the U.S; most excess deaths were in those 65 and older.^[16][17] However, fewer people died during this pandemic than in previous pandemics for several reasons:^[14]

1. Some immunity against the N2 flu virus may have been retained in populations struck by the Asian Flu strains that had been circulating since 1957.
2. The pandemic did not gain momentum until near the winter school holidays, thus limiting the infection's spread.
3. Improved medical care gave vital support to the very ill.
4. The availability of antibiotics that were more effective against secondary bacterial infections.

For this pandemic, there were two geographically-distinct mortality patterns. In North America (the United States and Canada), the first pandemic season (1968/69) was more severe than the second (1969/70). In the "smoldering" pattern seen in Europe and Asia (United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Australia), the second pandemic season was two to five times more severe than the first.^{[18] "}

I think what makes covid a bigger deal is that it is considered a novel virus which has not been circulating and no one had any immunity to it when it.

[disneysteve]

Avian flu in 1968 which originated in Hong Kong killed 1 to 4 million people in 1968 worldwide. Can someone explain to me how, why, and what makes COVID in 2020 so much more dangerous?

I'm not old enough to remember the 1968 flu but I've been a doctor for 30 years and can tell you that I've never seen anything even remotely close to COVID.

First of all, it's a totally new virus that we've never seen before, hence the term "novel". It's not just a variation or mutation of something we've dealt with previously.

It is much more contagious than a lot of other viral illness, meaning it spreads around more easily. There are also a lot of asymptomatic carriers so people who have no idea they have the virus are out and about spreading it to friends, family, and coworkers. Basically anybody you come in contact with could make you sick just by being near them (without masks, and even with masks but to a far lesser extent).

The impact it is having on those who do get sick is significant, and it isn't just old and frail people. I have several young friends (30s and 40s) who were seriously ill, even hospitalized, from COVID. The number of people who have other health conditions that make them more prone to serious illness is high. One condition that is far more prevalent today than in 1968 is obesity. About 70% of the US population is overweight or obese today and that group is suffering more from COVID. There's also growing concern that any vaccine may have limited efficacy in the obese population which will also be a huge problem if that holds true. COVID is having a much greater impact on the poor and minorities for various reasons.

It's hard to articulate how this disease has totally upended the healthcare system. We've had to completely redesign our approach to patient care from the time they walk in the door (and even before that) to the time they walk out (and even after that). And I think all of us are well aware of the impact it has had on the economy.

[kork13]

I came across this article from the Washington Post, talking about the asymptomatic carriers, as well as the variety of avenues of research ongoing. Partly encouraging, partly intriguing (as someone unfamiliar with the nuances, breadth, and potential of medical research). I'll warn you, it's a largely optimistic perspective, so I'm sure it'll be roundly discredited. In fairness, though, much of the research (as is the case everywhere with COVID) is still underway, and not conclusive. It's mostly just talking about some of the working theories, and the justification behind them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...navirus-covid/