12 votes

Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of March 22

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Tags: ask.survey, recurring.weekly, coronaviruses.covid19, coronavirus

This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

9 comments

  1. [2]
    spit-evil-olive-tips
    Link
    Here in Washington state: Cautious optimism: Washington enters Phase 3’s loosened COVID-19 restrictions with hope, anxiety Covid cases up 31% in Seattle area as reopening continues We seem...

    Here in Washington state:

    Cautious optimism: Washington enters Phase 3’s loosened COVID-19 restrictions with hope, anxiety

    Many welcomed the rule changes, which will allow live attendance at sporting events and will boost indoor capacity at restaurants, retailers, fitness centers and other indoor spaces to 50%, as signs of progress against COVID-19 and critical steps for a battered economy.

    Covid cases up 31% in Seattle area as reopening continues

    Cases are up 31% from where they were two weeks ago, according to new data released over the weekend. That's up from the increase KUOW noted on Friday, which was 18% at the time.

    The week of March 1 - 7, there were, on average, 134 new Covid cases in King County every day. This past week, there were 175 new cases every day, a number that's likely to increase when testing sites finish reporting their results from the past few days.

    We seem hellbent on throwing away our umbrella in the middle of a rainstorm because we're not getting wet.

    8 votes
    1. FrankGrimes
      Link Parent
      Amazing, isn't it? My state is doing the exact same thing - continuing to relax restrictions while we watch the numbers go back up. The goal posts have been moved...summer peaks are the new...

      We seem hellbent on throwing away our umbrella in the middle of a rainstorm because we're not getting wet.

      Amazing, isn't it? My state is doing the exact same thing - continuing to relax restrictions while we watch the numbers go back up. The goal posts have been moved...summer peaks are the new normal, and are appartently totally acceptable. It's incredibly frustrating to watch.

      8 votes
  2. [2]
    kfwyre
    Link
    More and more people I know are getting vaccine appointments as vaccine propagation is starting to reach broader populations in the US. It is no longer just the elderly and high risk populations...

    More and more people I know are getting vaccine appointments as vaccine propagation is starting to reach broader populations in the US. It is no longer just the elderly and high risk populations who are eligible, though the criteria still varies by area.

    It's genuinely heartening to see, and I hope users in other countries get to experience the same thing soon. It's hard to put into words how good it feels to see the end of this pandemic slowly starting to take flight.

    5 votes
    1. Akir
      Link Parent
      Yes! I got my first shot last weekend, my boss got his yesterday, and his wife is getting hers tomorrow! Sadly my fiance isn't in any priority group, so he's still got a long wait.

      Yes! I got my first shot last weekend, my boss got his yesterday, and his wife is getting hers tomorrow!

      Sadly my fiance isn't in any priority group, so he's still got a long wait.

      1 vote
  3. [3]
    vektor
    Link
    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/world/europe/astrazeneca-vaccine-stockpile-italy.html Looks like AZ is fucking over the EU, quite possibly intentionally. 29 million doses, much more than it has...

    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/world/europe/astrazeneca-vaccine-stockpile-italy.html

    Looks like AZ is fucking over the EU, quite possibly intentionally. 29 million doses, much more than it has delivered, and a crucial step towards fulfilling their contractual obligations, just sitting there.

    EU is finally moving towards export bans. I get and support the selflessness, but you can't keep that up when you're actively being fucked over.

    3 votes
    1. vektor
      Link Parent
      Also, the crisis management in germany is so much worse than last year. Like what the fuck? Few weeks ago, the policy changed to allow tourist trips to Mallorca without any restrictions - a very...

      Also, the crisis management in germany is so much worse than last year. Like what the fuck? Few weeks ago, the policy changed to allow tourist trips to Mallorca without any restrictions - a very popular destination, and about as much of a potential petri dish for viruses as Ischgl was last year.

      Now they are considering completely banning tourist travel to abroad destinations. Make up your mind, maybe?

      We were contemplating having a 5-day lockdown-holiday over easter (thursday to monday). Now that's already been scrapped.

      We've had a good bit of success in dec/jan when coming off the second wave, but we immediately relaxed restrictions around schools and other stuff. Now? Cases plateaued at a high level, and are actually rising again already.

      Anyone remember the "Hammer and Dance Strategy"? Yeah, Pepperidge farm does.

      [Sorry for the double self-comment, but these topics kind of belong together because EU/Germany but also are different topics. That frowned upon?]

      3 votes
    2. vektor
      Link Parent
      To expand on AZ, I've today listened to parts of the coronavirus update broadcast by german state broadcaster NDR. You can read it here. unfortunately in german. Use deepl.com for a translation...

      To expand on AZ, I've today listened to parts of the coronavirus update broadcast by german state broadcaster NDR. You can read it here. unfortunately in german. Use deepl.com for a translation service, should work well. But basically, we are developing a mechanism for how AZ causes Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). The gist of it seems to be that Heparin causes a very similar condition - HIT. And one form of HIT is caused by abnormal antibodies. This opens a mechanism for treating CVST. And in my opinion further bolsters the case for this being an actual side effect of the vaccine, beyond the previously quite solid statistical case.

  4. boredop
    Link
    Last week with the last round of vaccine expansion in New York, all of my co-workers became eligible to be vaccinated. Then today we were told that the company is beginning to plan for a phased...

    Last week with the last round of vaccine expansion in New York, all of my co-workers became eligible to be vaccinated. Then today we were told that the company is beginning to plan for a phased reopening of our offices and studios in September. Things are looking up.

    I'm approaching two weeks since my first vaccine dose. My wife is already fully immunized, and I will be in the clear by mid-April. I am anxiously watching the concert calendar as venues start to announce their reopenings. I even bought tickets for a small jazz show in May, and I am PSYCHED.

    2 votes
  5. Gaywallet
    Link
    HEROES Research Publication Highlights the Early Phase Impact of the Pandemic on Healthcare Workers Direct link to study cited

    HEROES Research Publication Highlights the Early Phase Impact of the Pandemic on Healthcare Workers

    Results showed that 43.7% of participants reported exposure to someone with COVID-19, and 91.3% of those individuals were exposed at work.

    Black/African-American and Hispanic/Latino healthcare workers were twice as likely as Whites to experience COVID-19 illness, even after controlling for other demographic characteristics, including geographic region of residence, features of the work environment, and professional role.

    Overall, 41% of participants responded that they were experiencing job burnout. The results show that healthcare workers reported some type of stress during the study period (53% of participants reported feeling tired a lot of the day, 51% stress, 41% trouble sleeping, 38% worry, 21% sadness, 19% physical pain, and 15% anger).

    Direct link to study cited

    1 vote