Life Under Coronavirus

[_Dr Exiled]

Just finished the first episode of Ozark. It's definitely binge-watchable.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

[quote="Dr Exiled" post_id=1221520 time=1586715499 user_id=18909]
Just finished the first episode of Ozark. It's definitely binge-watchable.
[/quote]

Yeah, man. Keep going.

[_moksha]

I hope COVID-19 has passed over the chosen of this board while it was down.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

“Anybody that wants a test, right now, can get a test.”

I called my PCM, quoted President Trump above, and was met with a snicker and polite explanation that’s not the case. Has anyone here been tested for the virus?

- Doc

[_EAllusion]

[quote="Doctor CamNC4Me" post_id=1221575 time=1586742550 user_id=3779]
“Anybody that wants a test, right now, can get a test.”

I called my PCM, quoted President Trump above, and was met with a snicker and polite explanation that’s not the case. Has anyone here been tested for the virus?

- Doc
[/quote]Testing availability varies by state and location, but in my neck of the woods, it's still incredibly hard to get a test unless you are already in a dire situation. I'm a high probability candidate for having had COVID, and I ultimately was turned down even though I was set to get a chest x-ray before my symptoms improved. Chest x-ray? Yes. Coronavirus test? No.

[_MsJack]

They wouldn't test my son with his intermittent fever a few weeks ago, even though my medical group developed its own in-house testing. They said they'd test me if I developed symptoms because I'm pregnant, and they'd test my 13yo daughter if she developed symptoms because she's 22q, but I guess the males in my house can go pound sand.

We will not be able to reopen the economy without widespread, freely available testing. People are not going to be able to "presume positive" and go quarantine themselves for 2-3 weeks every time someone in the household has what could be a mild symptom.

[_EAllusion]

[quote=MsJack post_id=1221581 time=1586749551 user_id=1515]
They wouldn't test my son with his intermittent fever a few weeks ago, even though my medical group developed its own in-house testing. They said they'd test me if I developed symptoms because I'm pregnant, and they'd test my 13yo daughter if she developed symptoms because she's 22q, but I guess the males in my house can go pound sand.

We will not be able to reopen the economy without widespread, freely available testing. People are not going to be able to "presume positive" and go quarantine themselves for 2-3 weeks every time someone in the household has what could be a mild symptom.
[/quote]

One of the things I (and, well, lot of people) have noticed with the "reopen the economy" rhetoric is that its often portrayed as if that's a politician's decision. And, sure, on one level state and local authorities can rescind orders that have shut things down. (The President, not so much.) But they can't make people resume economic activity like it was a year ago. If the movie theaters open back up, I sure as heck am not going to a movie. I'm going to continue avoiding public gatherings where I can and spend my money cautiously given the prevailing Depression-like conditions. So you'll have a bunch of businesses open, but with significantly less demand that will crater them unless almost all people feel relatively safe. And the best way to make people feel safe is going to be to actually make them safe.

There's a couple variations on plans to do that - one of which is testing on a scale about two orders of magnitude above what we're doing now that people are mandated to take - backed up by a strong quarantine apparatus. We seem no where near being able to do that, though.

There's no normal here until we get an effective vaccine or one or more treatments that significantly reduce the risk the virus presents to people.

[_EAllusion]

One of the interesting things that has come into relief as more data has come in is that COVID is more dangerous to males than females. In America, you're about twice as likely to die from a serious COVID-19 case if you are a male than if you are a female. That was apparent in the initial data from China, but there was no way to tell if that was the result of cultural factors or something related to sexual dimorphism. Then the same pattern showed up in Italy, but, again, it was hard to disentangle cultural factors from heritable factors. The pattern has persisted through many countries now with large variations in cultural attitudes that would theoretically impact environmental factors. It's probably a heritable issue, but no one knows specifically why at this point.

Being a man is a risk factor for the disease.

[_Icarus]

Being black is a risk factor too.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

[quote=Icarus post_id=1221602 time=1586778853 user_id=19355]
Being black is a risk factor too.
[/quote]

To piggyback on that statement. From CNN:

“If few black Americans are getting tested for HIV or the coronavirus, you could potentially have infected people unknowingly spreading both diseases through the community.

Says Allen, "It creates the perfect storm of disproportionate numbers."”

CNN also suggests since Blacks are more likely to be in the service industry they’re at risk of catching the CV. Whatever the case may be, whether it’s lifestyle-induced issues like sexual behavior, diet, or ignoring social distancing, I’m not sure how they, or anyone, can get tested. Even people who, like CNN suggests, have magically risen out of poverty can’t get tested even though PRESIDENT Trump SAID TESTS ARE AVAILABLE AND ANYONE WHO WANTS ONE CAN GET TESTED.

I’m starting to believe the Right actually enjoys being lied to. Like. I’m not being facetious. I think it makes them feel good. It’s a sort of coping mechanism they enjoy. It’s the oddest thing...

- Doc