Coronavirus

[Coriolis]

That’s funny because i was wearing a (n95) mask while the CDC was telling everyone who s not a doctor not to and that cloths masks don’t work. So i guess you reversed your opinion 180 degree since march/april?

I am going to keep wearing a mask.

I guess you misread what I wrote.

 

[Tater]

I guess you misread what I wrote.

This has a very Typology Central circa 2011 vibe to it. I love it.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Would anyone here happen to know about the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program's current status?

I did try applying for it as a freelancer / self-employed person back in the spring, but other than a formal acknowledgment of my claim, got no follow-up; I don't think I need to say anything more regarding the shortcomings of that whole system. The PUA program was allegedly intended to provide assistance to those who wouldn't ordinarily meet the criteria to be eligible for traditional unemployment benefits, is what I was hearing when this was rolled out... I fall into this category. Theoretically I may qualify, but again, haven't been receiving it (or any gov't assistance for that matter).

Also, does anybody know what the funding source for the PUA program is? Are we talkin' the federal gov't, the individual state governments, or one's previous employer(s)? I really doubt the latter, because as a freelancer or self-employed worker, you're your own employer.

I tried to look all this information up, but it's clear as mud. Please help!

 

[Coriolis]

This has a very Typology Central circa 2011 vibe to it. I love it.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

NYT: Splitting 5 to 4, Supreme Court Backs Religious Challenge to Cuomo’s Virus Shutdown Order

Justice Amy Coney Barrett played a decisive role in the decision, which took the opposite approach of earlier court rulings related to coronavirus restrictions in California and Nevada.


​

It should also be legally available for medical facilities to refuse medical assistance to people who choose to participate in high risk situations. At the very least, they should be instantly cut from ICU priorities when local facilities reach capacity (or even near capacity). People get kicked off organ transplant lists for drinking, and this is even worse (because drinking only physically harms oneself, it doesn't amplify health risk for medical staff).

I would genuinely love to hear ACB's ruling on this^, on whether or not she'd agree that people should absorb the potential negative consequences - for the freedom they want - entirely on their own, or if the medical community should be expected to help pay for it (with their own health/lives).

 

[Mole]

There is something juvenile about politicising public health and the corona virus. Public health is a result of evidence based medicine. It is about medical facts not medical opinion. But the narcissists value their opinion more than the facts. The result is millions infected, and thousands dying.

 

[Maou]

A closer look at U.S. deaths due to COVID-19 - The Johns Hopkins News-Letter

John Hopkins released a study (that was removed mysteriously) so here is a web archive.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

A closer look at U.S. deaths due to COVID-19 - The Johns Hopkins News-Letter

John Hopkins released a study (that was removed mysteriously) so here is a web archive.

That is an interesting article and worth reading, but why is there also this information available?

"Overall, an estimated 299,028 excess deaths occurred from late January through October 3, 2020, with 198,081 (66%) excess deaths attributed to COVID-19."
Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19, by Age and Race and Ethnicity — United States, January 26–October 3, 2020 | MMWR

Different sources report different information about total number of deaths occurring in the U.S. during this time period. Genevieve Briand is an economist, not a medical professional, but why does she have data that says there are no excess deaths and then there is data that says there are 299,028 excess deaths since January through October 3? Which number is correct?

Edit: Being an economist does imply an agenda to value the best economic outcomes which requires dismissing shut-downs. This data does need to be corroborated by others outside economics.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Here is more on the issue of attribution of COVID-19 as cause of death.

Information by epidemiologist Justin Lessler

Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Justin Lessler emphasizes that these findings are not surprising. COVID-19 deaths are not easy to predict or prevent based on comorbidities, he says, and the virus is not only a concern for those with medical problems.
"[The report] surely includes some new data, but the general finding—that comorbidities increase your risk of dying from COVID-19—is not a surprise at all," Lessler says. "This would be true for the flu or cancer or chicken pox. Really almost any disease you can name, your risks for death increase if you have other diseases and other conditions that make you sick."

But it's important to understand that some of the comorbidities listed are actually downstream effects of COVID-19—meaning they are symptoms. For example, respiratory failure. Someone could have on their death certificate that they died of both COVID and respiratory failure, but that probably means that COVID-19 caused the respiratory failure, which caused them to die. It's impossible for us to know the individual scenarios from death certificates, but the prevalence of respiratory factors [in the CDC findings] are consistent with being downstream conditions.

Looking at 2020 since March, the raw number of excess deaths is 200,000 more people than a normal year. When we try to understand that, COVID-19 is the most rational and likely explanation. If you don't believe it's COVID-19, try to pinpoint why this year has been so different than any other. Why would a new disease that kills people not be the cause?

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

By October 20 we have

Amid pandemic, U.S. has seen 300,000 ‘excess deaths,’ with highest rates among people of color

Excess mortality during COVID-19: Raw number of deaths from all causes compared to previous years - Our World in Data

 

[Maou]

That is an interesting article and worth reading, but why is there also this information available?

"Overall, an estimated 299,028 excess deaths occurred from late January through October 3, 2020, with 198,081 (66%) excess deaths attributed to COVID-19."
Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19, by Age and Race and Ethnicity — United States, January 26–October 3, 2020 | MMWR

Different sources report different information about total number of deaths occurring in the U.S. during this time period. Genevieve Briand is an economist, not a medical professional, but why does she have data that says there are no excess deaths and then there is data that says there are 299,028 excess deaths since January through October 3? Which number is correct?

Edit: Being an economist does imply an agenda to value the best economic outcomes which requires dismissing shut-downs. This data does need to be corroborated by others outside economics.

I was just sharing what I found. Make of it what you will.

I still firmly believe that hospitals were upscaling deaths as covid instead of what actually killed them to get government money. All they had to do was have a positive test even if they didn't die of covid itself. This, combined with the high number of false positives the tests pump out would would result in higher covid death rate, and lower death rate of other diseases.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Death by heart disease is declining, so the projections except fewer deaths from heart disease, so assuming the same number from the previous years misattributed to COVID-19 looks like a misstep.

I typed up the attached image of monthly comparisons of total deaths in 2019-2020 taken from this site. Data not available for 2020 July onwards
State and National Provisional Counts

 

[Virtual ghost]

First of all COVID is killing people across the globe and in some places it even more than in US. Therefore trying to present the pandemic as any kind of internal US scam is kinda short-sighted, because in the big picture the virus is fundamentally dangerous. Especially since it seems that even if it doesn't kill you is can leave certain permanent damage. So the debate around did it kill 200 000 or 220 000 thus far doesn't really change the bottom line.



Also regarding the deaths from other diseases while being COVID positive is a tricky issue that can be quite related between each other. Since claiming that these people didn't die from COVID is kinda like claiming that HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is harmless. Since HIV virus basically wrecks you immune system and then you die from something much more "trivial". While the source of your death is basically in HIV infection. Kinda similar is with COVID which has much higher chances of killing those with already damaged health. Because it is the disease that simply tends to push things over the edge and spill the glass. Therefore even if officially the cause of death is something else that doesn't mean that the real trigger of death isn't COVID. Those that are professional doctors are free to correct me in this argument.

 

[EcK]

Death by heart disease is declining, so the projections except fewer deaths from heart disease, so assuming the same number from the previous years misattributed to COVID-19 looks like a misstep.

I typed up the attached image of monthly comparisons of total deaths in 2019-2020 taken from this site. Data not available for 2020 July onwards
State and National Provisional Counts

Just you wait until they get off their couch now 20 pounds heavier to get that vaccine. I expect a sharp uptake.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Just you wait until they get off their couch now 20 pounds heavier to get that vaccine. I expect a sharp uptake.

Especially if they take to the streets on January 20th to attack Sleepy Joe's terrifying followers who only gained 10 lbs eating tofu.

 

[Jaguar]

Anyone can run or bike the streets - lockdown or no lockdown.

 

[EcK]

Especially if they take to the streets on January 20th to attack Sleepy Joe's terrifying followers who only gained 10 lbs eating tofu.

Yeah but the soy melted their muscle mass even further. Leaving them defenseless babes ready to be sat on to death.
:-{

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Anyone can run or bike the streets - lockdown or no lockdown.

It is unclear to me what effect the social isolating has had on people's physical health. There probably is some large-scale weight gain issues, but if U.S. unemployment is at 6%, then most people are still doing their regular jobs. People are also walking their dogs more, and anecdotally I saw a lot more people going on walks and bike rides since the lockdowns. I'm not even clear on how much is locked down because people are driving a lot and it seems like many work environments are still functioning.

Yeah but the soy melted their muscle mass even further. Leaving them defenseless babes ready to be sat on to death.
:-{

It's 2020. It could happen.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Locally I know that beauty salons, spas, gyms and restaurants have suffered from fewer customers. I think the bars are going strong, and right now everything is open in my state and has been since that original April quarantine. Freelancers took a hit, including me. I lost half my music studio, but have built a little back, so it could be worse, but it is strange to consider unemployment is only at 6%. I think some states closed restaurants, but I'm not sure that happened here, but anecdotally people have said customers are fewer. Schools go partially online, but still function and the same with churches.

I might be oblivious because I've been isolated myself since March working 100% online, but after that initial quarantine, I don't think anything was closed. I couldn't find any info online either. People were mostly just complaining about taking precautions and they were not wearing any PPE for quite a while.

 

[Jaguar]

A closer look at U.S. deaths due to COVID-19
By YANNI GU | November 27, 2020

Editor’s Note: After The News-Letter published this article on Nov. 22, it was brought to our attention that our coverage of Genevieve Briand’s presentation “COVID-19 Deaths: A Look at U.S. Data” has been used to support dangerous inaccuracies that minimize the impact of the pandemic. We decided on Nov. 26 to retract this article to stop the spread of misinformation, as we noted on social media.

Briand was quoted in the article as saying, “All of this points to no evidence that COVID-19 created any excess deaths. Total death numbers are not above normal death numbers.” This claim is incorrect and does not take into account the spike in raw death count from all causes compared to previous years. According to the CDC, there have been almost 300,000 excess deaths due to COVID-19. Additionally, Briand presented data of total U.S. deaths in comparison to COVID-19-related deaths as a proportion percentage, which trivializes the repercussions of the pandemic. This evidence does not disprove the severity of COVID-19; an increase in excess deaths is not represented in these proportionalities because they are offered as percentages, not raw numbers.