Month: August 2020

How Some People Pass the Time While Waiting for Covid-19 Test Results

/ SupremeCmdr / 1 Comment

With long testing delays in other states, some learn they tested positive after starting vacations in Maine.

The proportion of COVID-19 tests from out-of-staters that are coming back positive in Maine has increased throughout July, with nonresidents now testing positive in Maine at a rate more than four times that of residents. Though the numbers are small – about 2.8 positive tests a day – they account for over 11 percent of recent new cases in the state.

Bar Harbor hospital sounds warning on undetected COVID-infected visitors

HT – https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/

We are doomed.

Mask resistance during a pandemic isn’t new – in 1918 many Americans were ‘slackers’

/ SupremeCmdr / 1 Comment

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

George Santayana

 

It is difficult to ascertain the effectiveness of the masks used in 1918. Today, we have a growing body of evidence that well-constructed cloth face coverings are an effective tool in slowing the spread of COVID-19. It remains to be seen, however, whether Americans will maintain the widespread use of face masks as our current pandemic continues to unfold. Deeply entrenched ideals of individual freedom, the lack of cohesive messaging and leadership on mask wearing, and pervasive misinformation have proven to be major hindrances thus far, precisely when the crisis demands consensus and widespread compliance. This was certainly the case in many communities during the fall of 1918. That pandemic ultimately killed about 675,000 people in the U.S. Hopefully, history is not in the process of repeating itself today.

  Mask resistance during a pandemic isn’t new – in 1918 many Americans were ‘slackers’

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SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Infection Among Attendees of an Overnight Camp — Georgia, June 2020

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A total of 597 Georgia residents attended camp A. Median camper age was 12 years (range = 6–19 years), and 53% (182 of 346) were female. The median age of staff members and trainees was 17 years (range = 14–59 years), and 59% (148 of 251) were female. Test results were available for 344 (58%) attendees; among these, 260 (76%) were positive. The overall attack rate was 44% (260 of 597), 51% among those aged 6–10 years, 44% among those aged 11–17 years, and 33% among those aged 18–21 years (Table). Attack rates increased with increasing length of time spent at the camp, with staff members having the highest attack rate (56%). During June 21–27, occupancy of the 31 cabins averaged 15 persons per cabin (range = 1–26); median cabin attack rate was 50% (range = 22%–70%) among 28 cabins that had one or more cases. Among 136 cases with available symptom data, 36 (26%) patients reported no symptoms; among 100 (74%) who reported symptoms, those most commonly reported were subjective or documented fever (65%), headache (61%), and sore throat (46%).

SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Infection Among Attendees of an Overnight Camp — Georgia, June 2020

Citation for this article: Szablewski CM, Chang KT, Brown MM, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Infection Among Attendees of an Overnight Camp — Georgia, June 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 31 July 2020. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6931e1external icon.

This quoted material comes directly from the MMWR article.  The attack rate is impressive but we need to see follow up for all of the campers who tested positive.  Are we looking at merely mild symptoms as reported in the article or will we see more severe presentations of Covid-19 infection?

Statin Usage is Linked to a Lower Death Rate in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

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A new study led by Chinese researchers in collaboration with UCLA’s Dr. Yibin Wang, PhD, has shown that people hospitalized with COVID-19 who took statin drugs were less likely to die and less likely to need mechanical ventilation than those who did not take the cholesterol-lowering drugs. Hospitalized patients taking statins had a 5.2% mortality rate, compared to a 9.4% mortality rate in patients not taking statins from two groups of COVID-19 patients with matching clinic characteristics except statin usage. Statin use also was linked to lower levels of inflammation, and a lower incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome and admission to intensive care units.

The researchers looked back at the records of 13,981 COVID-19 patients admitted to 21 hospitals in the Hubei Province, China. Of those patients, 1,219 were given statins for an average of 25 days during hospitalization. Among patients with hypertension, 319 used statins combined with ACE inhibitors or ARBs, and 603 used statins combined with other antihypertensive drugs. Researchers analyzed mortality rates as well as secondary outcomes, including the need for mechanical ventilation, admission to intensive care units and acute respiratory distress syndrome. They also measured the levels of three inflammation biomarkers – circulating C reactive protein, interleukin 6 and neutrophil counts – selected to represent the overall status of systemic inflammation in the body.

  Statin Usage is Linked to a Lower Death Rate in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients