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What Condition is Your Condition In?

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Posted by Paul of Covington on Monday, March 30, 2020 11:19 AM

BaltACD

In the world of covid-19 I have been shingled, at least that is what my doctor says.  Aggrivating, not debilitating.

 

   Does that mean you now shed water?

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Posted by Paul of Covington on Monday, March 30, 2020 11:17 AM

   Semper, that reminds me:  a few years ago, I was reading the instructions for a new digital thermometer, and it listed "normal" readings for different locations (under tongue, armpit, etc.) and they were all one or two degrees lower than 98.6°.  This surprised me since I remembered reading 98.6° consistently under my tongue back in my thirties and earlier.  Lately, I have been reading lower temps, so maybe it's as you suggested, I'm sinking slowly into the crabgrass.

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, March 30, 2020 11:04 AM

In the world of covid-19 I have been shingled, at least that is what my doctor says.  Aggrivating, not debilitating.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Monday, March 30, 2020 10:01 AM

Lithonia Operator
 Semper Vaporo

I have 3 thermometers... one digital and 2 glass bulb/mercury types... they all read within .2 ° of each other, but I can't get any of them up over 97.2°... how would I know if I need to contact my dorktor. 

 
Do you mean that if you stick them into a pot of hot water on the stove, none would read above 97.2? I find it hard to believe you would have three bum thermometers, all similarly wrong.
 
So I'm guessing you are referring to your own temp. Which must be around 97.2. Don't know why you'd have a low temp, but I'm pretty sure if it was Covid or flu, your temp would be above 98.6, not below.

 
In my mouth, either separately or combination. If I put them under the hot water faucet they can get up to well over 105 and match my kitchen meat thermometer within a couple of tenths of a degree when in the same stream of water.
 
I have never registered 'normal' (98.6°) on any thermometer, but the older I get the lower the max number I can get on any of them.
 
Oh, I also tried one of my remote non-contact thermometers, pointing it at my forehead, my temple, behind my ear and under my tongue...
 
Forehead -- 94°
Temple  --  94°
Behind ear -- 96°
Under tongue -- 96.6°
 
I think the condition of my condition is that I have one foot in the grave and I am digging furiously to make the hole deeper.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by MMLDelete on Monday, March 30, 2020 9:41 AM

Semper Vaporo

I have 3 thermometers... one digital and 2 glass bulb/mercury types... they all read within .2 ° of each other, but I can't get any of them up over 97.2°... how would I know if I need to contact my dorktor.

 
Do you mean that if you stick them into a pot of hot water on the stove, none would read above 97.2? I find it hard to believe you would have three bum thermometers, all similarly wrong.
 
So I'm guessing you are referring to your own temp. Which must be around 97.2. Don't know why you'd have a low temp, but I'm pretty sure if it was Covid or flu, your temp would be above 98.6, not below.
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Posted by SALfan on Sunday, March 29, 2020 8:36 PM

blue streak 1

SAL.  Unconfirmed rumors that Albany hot spot came from attendance at a funeral ?

 

Came from looking at the Johns Hopkins University map of where cases are happening.  Three or four counties in the Atlanta area are bright red, so is Dougherty County (where Albany is located).  Those counties in/near Atlanta and Dougherty County are the only ones in GA with that high an incidence of corona virus. 

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Posted by Overmod on Sunday, March 29, 2020 7:44 PM

If you look at 'coronavirus' you will get an idea of the type and structure involveed.  It is similar to some of the viral types causing 'common colds'.

The immune responses to viral infection are interesting and complex; many of them involve a generation of 'recognition' of features on the viral 'envelope' and then creation of ways to attack something displaying those features.  A 'novel' virus is one whose envelope is not recognized yet by the immune system, and against which the natural process of defense will be ineffective for some period of time.

The novel coronavirus in Wuhan differs from other similar coronavirus species in 8 key places, one of which is a spike protein highly specific to the human ACE2 receptor on many cell types.  This receptor is a key part of what is called the RAAS system, and effective selective infection of cells relatively rich in these receptors may be a key inducer of the cytokine storm (see interleukins 6 and 11) that is the current leading theorized cause of ARDS (which is the actual thing killing many of the victims)

When the virus was originally isolated and sequenced it was preliminarily called nCoV-2019, for 'novel coronavirus found in 2019'.  Upon further research this was deemed structurally similar to the coronavirus isolated in SARS, from 2003, and the designation was changed to SARS-CoV-2.  As of a couple of weeks ago there were two distinguishable strains of this (designated S and L for different amino acids in key locations on an envelope protein) but I don't think there is a formal naming convention to reflect that yet.

COVID-19 is a different naming convention, and stands for COronaVIrus Disease (presenting first in 20)19.  [Technically this should be pronounced with a long 'i', like the I in "excimer", but don't hold your breath waiting for it].  This is not a virus; it's the disease resulting from the virus infection.  As the ARDS in particular is an immune-system overreaction ... much as in the 1918 influenza outbreaks, but perhaps different in induction ... and not a direct viral-infection result, this is a better term to describe the lethality.  But not the antiviral aspects per se.  This can be a harder distinction to make than some media people ... and politicians and such ... care to make.

Influenza is a separate disease, involving very different virus types with different immune responses.  These have a habit of exhibiting more or less novel antigen presentation while retaining the ability to infect effectively and then multiply rapidly in the human body.  In particular the H1N1 type has caused periodic epidemics (1918-20 and 2009 being two famous ones, and most of the 'death toll' in the current under-the-radar 'fly epidemic' I think attributable to H1N1 clones).  This has essentially NOTHING TO DO with therapies or even approaches for coronavirus, and indeed some default magic-bullet treatments for 'flu' in emergency rooms -- notably Tamiflu and prednisone -- have already been demonstrated to do more harm than good in cases that have progressed or promise to progress to ARDS.

A simple way to remember the difference is to ask how far you'd get with the manual for a 7.3 Powerstroke trying to repair an 8-71T.  Or if you intended to use special tools or parts in the repair.  

 

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Posted by Overmod on Sunday, March 29, 2020 7:40 PM

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, March 29, 2020 3:49 PM

Semper Vaporo
If "the Flu" is worse than "COVID-19", then how come the hospitals have not been overrun until now?  

They have.  Our local hospitals have gone on "diversion" a number of times this winter.  That means they don't have any available beds.

From the University of Minnesota:  "In its latest estimates on flu impact today, the CDC said the disease has sickened from 36 million to 41.3 million people this season through Apr 13, of whom 16.7 million to 19.4 million sought medical care. In addition, the disease has hospitalized 502,000 to 610,000 patients and killed 34,400 to 57,300."

From the same source: "The percentage of deaths due to pneumonia and influenza dropped to 6.6%, down from 7.0% the week before and below the epidemic threshold of 7.0% for the week."

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2019/04/us-flu-still-elevated-dropping-deaths-high-57000

A couple of weeks ago I checked the current reported flu cases for my county.  It was over 200.  Right now just five have been officially confirmed to have the virus.

Right now, per statistics on worldometer, the US death rate is 1.75%.

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Posted by MikeF90 on Sunday, March 29, 2020 3:46 PM

Semper Vaporo
So what is the difference between "Corona virus", "Novel Corona Virus", "COVID-19", "SARS-CoV-2" and "the flu"?

Corona virus = generic description, Novel = NEW, COVID-19 = the illness caused by the virus, SARS-CoV-2 = medical term for the new CV,  "the flu" = influenza virus that has been studied for >100 years

Semper Vaporo
If "the Flu" is worse than "COVID-19", then how come the hospitals have not been overrun until now?

SV, please turn off your TV/Cable and search the Google News feed for starters. NYC, the largest hot spot in the US, has skyrocketing number of cases that are filling or have filled their hospitals. That's why people are leaving NYC if they can.

These arm waving comparisons of influenza to COVID-19 are a bit shocking and disingenuous. We know that there are many influenza strains, some mild and a few really nasty. We have built up 'herd immunity' and so mostly the weak, elderly, unvaccinated wind up in hospital.

OTOH the SARS-CoV-2 virus is new with no effective treatments yet. The victums may end up with chest tubes during a long hospital stay, reads like end stage COPD. If we don't do everything we can especially (relatively easy) shelter-in-place it could wind up like the Spanish Flu that impacted a quarter of the worlds population: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu

 

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, March 29, 2020 2:45 PM

So what is the difference between "Corona virus", "Novel Corona Virus", "COVID-19", "SARS-CoV-2" and "the flu"?

If "the Flu" is worse than "COVID-19", then how come the hospitals have not been overrun until now?

 

(I do wish everybody, including the news media, would settle on just one name for the present panic pandemic.)

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, March 29, 2020 2:23 PM

tree68
 
Bruce Kelly
...it should make you wonder why this level of concern, panic, politicizing, and economic downturn hasn't happened during winter/flu seasons in almost every previous year, when far, far more people were being infected and killed. 

Exactly.  Using the logic being applied to SARS-CoV-2, the country should have been in lock-down throughout the holiday season...

We 'think' we have effective treatment for 'the flu'.  We 'know' we don't have effective treatment for Covid-19.

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, March 29, 2020 1:26 PM

Bruce Kelly
...it should make you wonder why this level of concern, panic, politicizing, and economic downturn hasn't happened during winter/flu seasons in almost every previous year, when far, far more people were being infected and killed.

Exactly.  Using the logic being applied to SARS-CoV-2, the country should have been in lock-down throughout the holiday season...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Bruce Kelly on Sunday, March 29, 2020 12:22 PM

The page linked below is updated daily. Scroll down to Infections and Deaths, where the stats for COVID-19 are compared to those for average flu seaons. Granted, COVID-19 has only been in the U.S. (officially) for just over two months, so its figures will undoubtedly increase exponentially before the current season is over. And its rate of mortality is estimated to be higher than flu. But looking at the numbers where they stand so far, with COVID-19 infections and deaths being a small fraction of average flu infections and deaths, it should make you wonder why this level of concern, panic, politicizing, and economic downturn hasn't happened during winter/flu seasons in almost every previous year, when far, far more people were being infected and killed.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-flu

 

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, March 29, 2020 11:36 AM

York1
Tree, I hope you don't mind me answering a question put to you!

Not a bit.  Actually, I've seen death numbers from 17,000 to over 40,000 attributed to the flu.  I've been sticking to the 22,000 simply because I have.  I should revise that upward.

It angers me that even with that significant number, many people say that SARS-CoV-2 can't be compared to the flu.  The death rate may be slightly higher for SARS-CoV-2 (it's been dropping since testing has been available and more accurate numbers are available) but otherwise it's little different.  

It also pains me that in their efforts to preach doom and gloom, that the MSM neglects to mention that some 98% of those who contract SARS-CoV-2 recover...

 

LarryWhistling
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Posted by York1 on Sunday, March 29, 2020 11:00 AM

Semper Vaporo
@ Tree68: From whence did you get that ~22,000 number?

 

Tree, I hope you don't mind me answering a question put to you!

"CDC estimates that so far this season there have been at least 39 million flu illnesses, 400,000 hospitalizations and 24,000 deaths from flu."

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm#ILIActivityMap

 

York1 John       

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, March 29, 2020 9:44 AM

@ Tree68: From whence did you get that ~22,000 number?

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Sunday, March 29, 2020 9:23 AM

SAL.  Unconfirmed rumors that Albany hot spot came from attendance at a funeral ?

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Posted by SALfan on Saturday, March 28, 2020 9:55 PM

blue streak 1

Noticed that for a while that deaths by county were reported nationally.  Suddenly about 5 (?) days ago no longer deaths by county are posted.

As of Monday evening about 800 cases in Georgia.  300 of them are in the Atlanta metro area.  Do not believe that is a true vision of total cases as testing persons in rural area are probably behind urban areas ?  Or rural areas may just be a couple weeks behind because of their being more isolated ?

 

 

Albany in SW Georgia is the other hot spot in the state.  As for here in almost-Georgia (Tallahassee), about a dozen cases, no deaths as far as I know. Lady in my office (who I have little contact with, thank goodness) was tested 3/26, but won't know the results for about a week.  Reason given for the delay was testing for first responders and medical people is taking priority.  I'm pretty healthy, so I'm not really worried for myself, but my wife's immune system is severely compromised, and I REALLY hope I haven't brought it home to her.  On the bright side, she has taken hydroxychloroquine for years for some of her other medical issues, and was recently prescribed azithromycin for a non-corona virus lung ailment.  Guess she will be a good test for whether that cocktail wards off corona.

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, March 28, 2020 5:40 PM

SD70Dude
Without precautions, the virus would quickly spread and infect pretty much everyone.  Within a couple weeks all those most vulnerable would be dead or dying.  Leaving the rest of us to continue living freely, whether we contracted the virus or not (#boomerremover).

This seems to be the logic applied to the seasonal flu.  This outbreak has a ways to go to reach the ~22,000 who died of that so far this season in this country.  

LarryWhistling
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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, March 28, 2020 5:38 PM

BaltACD

Went to Walgreen's for a thermometer - not that I currently need one; I just don't have one.  Sold Out!

Have you got one of those infrared thermometers with the laser pointer?  You're in business, and nobody has to touch anybody.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by York1 on Saturday, March 28, 2020 4:58 PM

BaltACD
Went to Walgreen's for a thermometer - not that I currently need one; I just don't have one.  Sold Out!

Balt, our Walgreen's was the last place in our town that had TP.  They are now out.  I didn't check the thermometers.  We may have to start using the bathroom at the gas station.

York1 John       

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, March 28, 2020 4:56 PM

I have 3 thermometers... one digital and 2 glass bulb/mercury types... they all read within .2 ° of each other, but I can't get any of them up over 97.2°... how would I know if I need to contact my dorktor.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by SD70Dude on Saturday, March 28, 2020 4:52 PM

zugmann
tree68
Left to ourselves, this outbreak would be a non-issue here in a week or two. 

I really doubt that.  Don't take my word for it, though- puruse some thoughts from doctors and other medical folk. 

Actually, I agree with Larry. 

Without precautions, the virus would quickly spread and infect pretty much everyone.  Within a couple weeks all those most vulnerable would be dead or dying.  Leaving the rest of us to continue living freely, whether we contracted the virus or not (#boomerremover).

So, technically, the outbreak probably would pass more quickly if we all kept going about our business normally.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, March 28, 2020 4:50 PM

Went to Walgreen's for a thermometer - not that I currently need one; I just don't have one.  Sold Out!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by AgentKid on Saturday, March 28, 2020 3:40 PM

Hello everyone,

As to what condition my condition is in, my condition is still pretty much normal for what my condition is.

My local grocery store has customer appreciation days near the start of the month, and at the start of March I did a major restocking just because I needed to. That has been a big benefit in these times of increasing restrictions.

At this time neither me, my extended family, my neighbours, nor any of my friends have been afftected by the virus.

I live in a popular entertainment area of Calgary, and it has been quieter than 5 AM on a Sunday, which is my benchmark guide for quiet, all of the time lately. Living in the area for almost 30 years, I know many of the business owner to see them, even if I no longer frequent their businesses, and I feel bad for them during these trying times. After this is over I am afraid my neighbourhood is going to look very abandoned.

I guess that is all I have for now.

Bruce

 

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Posted by SFbrkmn on Friday, March 27, 2020 9:41 AM

I live in Wichita where Sedgwick County has a shelter-in-place in effect for 30 days. While we are not a "hotspot", most of us here are taken the recomindations to stay safe and lower the virus spread. Most issues from this region have centered around Kan City metro. One case was confirmed from the college of which the rr training center in housed while an employee at the diesel shop has tested for it.                                                                                                      If I were to become ill, chances are it would be from work or the hotel. Little is being done to sanitize the locomotive cabs. We are all left on our own to fend for ourselves. It is also frustrating when one climbs aboard @ a crew change point w/empty water bottles not trown away, the trash bag almost full, a water bottle full of tobacoo juice, which totally grosses me out. You would think in these critical times, folks would be a little more aware of their surroundings but I guess not. It takes two, if not, three hand wipes on most occassions to clean the work area before higballing from town. Not fun.                              

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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, March 27, 2020 8:49 AM

Thank you, Sam. So far as I know, I am facing no further "procedures:" both eyes have been renewed. I understand that the next step is checking the vision in both eyes and then glasses that truly fit my need for close work. Bifocals with clear vision for distance and prescription for close work?

I so not have glasses on as I work with my computer. My keyboard and screen are both clear in my vision.

Johnny

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Posted by alphas on Thursday, March 26, 2020 11:52 PM

Mike F90:   A GOOD retina surgeon should be able to handle your problem while removing the cataracts-they do retina attachments as part of their services.    But you need to do some research and find out who is really qualified in your area.    Then make an appppointment with him/her and have them check your eyes.     However, you will probably have this done as an out-patient in a hospital setting since it could be more than simple cataract removal.   

I  just had Lazer surgery on both my eyes last Fall [I'm now 75] with the best eye surgeon in my area.    I don't need glasses at all for distance vision while all I need for reading is $9.95 Walmart reader glasses at only 1.25 magnification.    My friends who have had just lazer removal of cataracts from the same surgeon have nothing but praise for him.   It is a very short operation.     Cataract removal is covered by medicare if you have it.

I don't understand why your optometrist wouldn't want you to be checked out by a retina surgeon before declaring it wouldn't be a good idea.    The surgeon is the expert as to what is possible.   And if a local retina surgeon can't do it, he possibly could refer you to an Eye hospital in one of the major cities which specializes in more difficult cases.

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, March 26, 2020 8:57 PM

Paul_D_North_Jr

Here's a thought to get kids (and some adults) to wear a mask:

[mischief emoji] Put it inside a Darth Vader helmet! [sounds of heavy breathing]

- PDN. 

Indeed.  Two layers of knit fabric (think t-shirt) aren't N95, but they're still pretty good.  The key is to be able to breathe through them.

That said, there are plenty of kid friendly knits available, if your fabric outlet is still open.  There are also team prints for the sports fans.  And appliques aren't out of the question for the craft-minded.

Our local Joann's has pre-cut kits they are giving away.  And there are plenty of patterns available.  

 

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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