Medical Discussion of Coronavirus

[Sampter]

we still have a testing problem. you need to test early to get the pfizer drug while its most effective and that can be a problem. i'm not optimistic about hospitalizations in january. can't believe this is still going to be a problem a year after jabs came out

US is 67th on the list of countries in terms of % vaccinated.....so terrible.

[StarTrekDoc]

our turn around is <12 hours for PCR; rapid is 15minutes for healthcareworkers.


The hard part we're running into is Influenza A is starting to pickup and testing covid neg, but the swabs we're using doesn't reflex to Influenza A/B since only running PCR covid This is resulting retesting and delay in tamiflu or other isolation efforts for flu.

[Lordosis]

our turn around is <12 hours for PCR; rapid is 15minutes for healthcareworkers.


The hard part we're running into is Influenza A is starting to pickup and testing covid neg, but the swabs we're using doesn't reflex to Influenza A/B since only running PCR covid This is resulting retesting and delay in tamiflu or other isolation efforts for flu.

We have been seeing some flu A out hear as well. Ours also does not reflex. I order it when they seem fluey. I have had a good hit rate so far but I am not sure how many I missed.

We have been doing Regeneron but it is now in very short supply. Not good.. Not good...

[StarTrekDoc]

We're pivoting and ramping up supplies of GSK's monoclonal sotrovimab for Omicron as it appears to be a bit more effective; planning a side-by-side observational as we anticipate supply to be outstripped anyways with a surge.

[CordMcNally]

We run a COVID/flu A/flu B test and we are seeing a decent amount of flu A. Given how many meds have fallen out of favor for COVID maybe Tamiflu can be the next one for the flu.

[Shant]

From Cornell's COVID dashboard roughly 3% of the students are unvaccinated, and 3.4% of all the students tested positive for COVID this week. Wow.

[Kamban]

From Cornell's COVID dashboard roughly 3% of the students are unvaccinated, and 3.4% of all the students tested positive for COVID this week. Wow.

I don't find that surprising. Even if we had 100% vaccination rate there I would expect 2-3% positive rate

1. Asymptomatic infection
2. Mild infection in people with falling immunity levels.
3. Delta and now Omicron will still infect vaccinated people. Especially if very few have had booster doses

What I would be supervised would be if any vaccinated student was in ICU, intubated or died of COVID

[StarTrekDoc]

That is a relatively high positive rate for a 97%+ vaccinated population; and that's a recent spike from weeks prior too. Our vaccinated + rate in the hospital and university is relatively low with the weekly swabs that the university does.

3.4% positive is what we've been getting at county level with ~80% fully vaccinated.

[snowcanyon]

My health system is not enforcing a vaccine mandate AND mandating that patients be treated by unvaccinated caregivers.
If they are allowing cuckoo religious exemptions for nurses and docs, shouldn't they be allowing patients to select vaccinated caregivers?

[StarTrekDoc]

My health system is not enforcing a vaccine mandate AND mandating that patients be treated by unvaccinated caregivers.
If they are allowing cuckoo religious exemptions for nurses and docs, shouldn't they be allowing patients to select vaccinated caregivers?

When it comes to admin decisions....The axiom of What's good for the goose is NOT good for the gander

[Tim]

https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covi...ace-ethnicity/

I find it amazing that political organizations can identify by the house exactly what message might work in pitching votes. It is down to the profile of the individual household.
https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covi...ace-ethnicity/
But our government can't. They rely on "messaging", classifying one as a identifying group or an ill defined anti/pro for an anecdotal undefined group.
Some of the demographics seem to contradict some of these anecdotal groups. But you can't analyze it because the anecdotal groups are not identified.
It is possible to deliver the story to those that need to hear it in a manner that appeals to them. No guarantee, but more efficient.

Data is available down to the county and population densities and demographic profiles. A little help from the political databases and you can design a tailored campaign.
Advertisers and political parties do it all the time. Target marketing is a reality. Not being used.

[Kamban]

If they are allowing cuckoo religious exemptions for nurses and docs

Are you against religious exemptions as being cuckooish or only against cuckoo religions. Who are we to say that this religion gets a right and a pass on religious exemption whereas another one is a "cuckoo" and does not.

BTW, I am against all religious exemptions. If we allow it, then given to Satanism and pastafaranism as well as to Christianity and Hinduism.

[Tim]

Are you against religious exemptions as being cuckooish or only against cuckoo religions. Who are we to say that this religion gets a right and a pass on religious exemption whereas another one is a "cuckoo" and does not.

BTW, I am against all religious exemptions. If we allow it, then given to Satanism and pastafaranism as well as to Christianity and Hinduism.

I agree with the sentiment. There is a way to fix this. First amendment protects religious practices. Some "religious practices" are in themselves illegal. Good luck getting a clarification for ONLY covid vaccines. Or is it boosters, or is it and update for variants?
Some people say "requiring boosters" from the federal level is illegal. Should "illegal acts" be punished?

I think this whole legal mandate and resistance is political. Absolutely NUTS that covid was politicized. Hang em! I'll let you decide who "em" is. Just funning, this is NUTS.

[StarTrekDoc]

IMHO - Medical and first responders have higher public standards and cannot be compromised. Religious exemption can only go so far - a mandate to basic requirement is just that. Basic requirement.

In the draft there was religious exemptions to bear arms -- you became a medic -- higher rate of casualty on the frontlines, but not exempted from the basic requirements of service.

If one chooses a profession of assist mankind, there are basic requirements to that -- something along the line of first do no harm and carry potential pathogen to those you help makes basic sense.

[StarTrekDoc]

So back to medical: It's now three weeks since holiday and we have seen only a small blip upwards covid in the county. Typically 300-500 per day over the preceeding months and now off the 1 week post peak for 800-1000 to 500-700 range.

This doesn't appear to have household spread ongoing which is important to see as dead-end infections from a point of contact. ie R0 is doing relatively okay at this time. Hopefully Omicron doesn't change that. College students all return this week in full force so holding our collective breath..