Coronavirus

[Meh]

It's reported that California had more than 670+ deaths in one day. It's been numbing to listen to people all chant "wash your hands" and "wear masks" as if that is doing anything at all. News was broadcasting one male airplane passenger complaining about other passengers not wearing masks, if that one guy was so concerned with the pandemic however he wouldn't be on an airplane at all. There are so many layers of nonsense. So many airplanes being allowed to constantly zip around the world is part of what has helped spread this virus from continent to continent, airline travel in general certainly has not been helping in anyway.

A local TV station broadcasts a dull board of commissioner meeting which I sometimes watch because it can be an antidote away from the slanted massive media broadcasts, problem is the board of commissioners have spent 3+ weeks slowly discussing possible fines and fees associated with breaking covid restrictions. It's very slow and watching it all makes me question the ineffectual paper-pushing vibe these government employees have. Sitting in their home offices just discussing things which are not even guaranteed to be implemented in a consistent enforced way. In the interim the vaccine process has been slow and sluggish. It's understandable that there are a limited amount of healthcare workers. What I don't get is why there are no statements about planning strategic drive through vaccine centers. In this state there is apparently an honor system for vaccine tiers. The lack of strategy feels a lot like Hurricane Katrina except that the pandemic has been slowly ramping up for a very long time now. In the end it doesn't matter anymore they are lucky if they can get anybody vaccinated. No doubt the wealthiest have already received private vaccines as billionaires are ultra VIP essential workers.

January 20, 2020 was the date someone in this state was first diagnosed with Covid19. Now it's January 9th, 2021. 

I guess it's good that there are vaccines and medications yes but the process is so slow (as expected) it's just dragging on.

[Dr. Richard Grossman]

Hi everyone,

Such times we are living in!  Children are certainly being deeply affected as well.  See below:

https://khn.org/news/article/childrens-hospitals-grapple-with-wave-of-mental-illness/

Take care,

Richard

[Hopalong]

This state's governor just updated vaccine criteria to include every person over age 70, no specific health conditions required. Just went on the dept of health's website and signed up to receive a text message with my vaccine appointment.

Hope it's soon. It's encouraging.

Nothing changes with regard to masking and social distancing and similar behavior, and I won't go into public places for months more....we don't know quite enough about the immunity yet. But I'll feel more comfortable having also-vaccinated close friends into my house now and then, I think, which'd be a great relief.

Even going out and about will feel safer *in about a month (depending when my appointment is).

Trusting that all of us will very soon be in the vaccination pipeline. dig deep for the patience we'll need! (I was too optimistic in my first draft of this.)

hugs
Hops

PS *A friend volunteering in the front-line vaccines rollout sez not to get my hopes up about "soon" -- given chaos in current rollout, limits to availability, and the huge size of the demographic I'm in, it could be summer or even later. Paaaaatience.

[Twoapenny]

Hi everyone,

Such times we are living in!  Children are certainly being deeply affected as well.  See below:

https://khn.org/news/article/childrens-hospitals-grapple-with-wave-of-mental-illness/

Take care,

Richard

It is so sad, Dr G, I'm just hoping that more people realise that no-one is immune to health problems or just a run of bad luck/unexpected change of circumstances and that we all need well run, well funded public services all the time - even if we're not using them personally.  It really has been a lesson in how important it is to work together and how quickly situations can change.  Hope you and your family are all doing okay xx

[Twoapenny]

This state's governor just updated vaccine criteria to include every person over age 70, no specific health conditions required. Just went on the dept of health's website and signed up to receive a text message with my vaccine appointment.

Hope it's soon. It's encouraging.

Nothing changes with regard to masking and social distancing and similar behavior, and I won't go into public places for months more....we don't know quite enough about the immunity yet. But I'll feel more comfortable having also-vaccinated close friends into my house now and then, I think, which'd be a great relief.

Even going out and about will feel safer *in about a month (depending when my appointment is).

Trusting that all of us will very soon be in the vaccination pipeline. dig deep for the patience we'll need! (I was too optimistic in my first draft of this.)

hugs
Hops

PS *A friend volunteering in the front-line vaccines rollout sez not to get my hopes up about "soon" -- given chaos in current rollout, limits to availability, and the huge size of the demographic I'm in, it could be summer or even later. Paaaaatience.

I will keep my fingers crossed that it's sooner than summer, Hopsie.  It seems pretty chaotic here as well; son's expected date has been pushed back from March to anytime between April and June and I've been told for me it could be anywhere between August and November.  In my mind I've assumed it's going to take a year and then if it's quicker it will be nice   Hopefully not slower!  Dear God, that doesn't bare thinking about.

In other news, possibly interesting, I've been invited to take an antibody test.  They're testing random groups of people to see how prevalent asymptomatic Covid is and they're wanting to get an idea of how many people might have had it without knowing.  It's apparently a pin prick test I can do at home (they send me a kit) and then I upload the results onto their survey.  It will be interesting to see. Son is very excited that we're doing science at home lol.  I'll let you all know!  But meantime, Hopsie, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an earlier jab for you.  Are your vaccines in two doses or one?  I think they've approved several different ones here now, I've lost track a bit but I know at least a couple of them require two shots.

[Hopalong]

Wow, that'll be interesting, Tupp, to find out if you have antibodies. Nice!

I'm not certain, but believe it'll be the two-dose one.

Of late it's wearing on me more than it had before, I'm sure because of the combo of bad news + isolation. But I think spring and warmth will fix the latter and meanwhile, I'm lucky to be safe, warm, and with people I can call if I can't stand it any more.

Hanging in and hope you are too.

hugs
Hops

[Twoapenny]

Wow, that'll be interesting, Tupp, to find out if you have antibodies. Nice!

I'm not certain, but believe it'll be the two-dose one.

Of late it's wearing on me more than it had before, I'm sure because of the combo of bad news + isolation. But I think spring and warmth will fix the latter and meanwhile, I'm lucky to be safe, warm, and with people I can call if I can't stand it any more.

Hanging in and hope you are too.

hugs
Hops

It will be interesting, I'm just curious about that sort of thing - not that I think there's much chance I've had it as we were staying in before we were told to and we've really been careful so less chance to catch it plus no symptoms seems unlikely to me, but interesting non the less!

I have found it more wearing just lately as well, Hopsie, and I think you're right - lack of daylight and warm sunshine, further restricted social activities and all sorts of things going on in all sorts of places as well.  But - there are videos of dolphins surfing on YouTube   So that makes me smile.  I will be glad to see the sunshine again and to be able to go out without having to calculate the risk and decide whether or not it's worth it.  Keep on hanging on in there xx xx xx

[Twoapenny]

Just had word from my sister that my aunty has died from Covid.  It seems that she was unwell for a mercifully short period of time so I'm hoping that it wasn't horribly painful - as far as I'm aware she was at home and heavily sedated so I'm hoping she just went to sleep and didn't know any more about it.  This is the first time someone I know really well has been affected - friends have lost relatives and/or work colleagues and so on but this is the first in my immediate circle.  My sister said it really brought home to her how dangerous it could be for our mum.  I feel like I was aware of that, which is why I've reached out to her a couple of times since this started.  She's not responded so I think best for me to leave well alone - I'll send condolences to my cousins and check in on my other aunty (the other sister) but I'll leave mum be.  I do think it's so sad that as a family we can't even comfort one another during difficult times but there we are.  That's an aunt, and uncle and a cousin all gone in the last year.  It's very sobering.  Anyway, sorry to be posting negative news.  I really can't wait for a time when this is all over.

[Hopalong]

I'm really sorry about your aunty, Tupp.

One thing I think about is that dying from Covid-19 is essentially dying from pneumonia, which used to be called "the old man's friend" as a gentle way to go. I wonder if the medical "fights" with multiple drugs plus mechanicals makes it tougher than it needs to be. That's maybe partly our medical model--death must be defeated. Hmmm.

I don't know, but I wonder if being in the ICU with all those medical interventions plus the trauma of intubation isn't a way worse way to go (and only 65% of those intubated survive anyway). If at-home morphine and sedation and supplemental oxygen (without intubation) can make the discomfort bearable, I'd opt for that too.

All I can compare it to is my Ngent I worked for -- the night before he died we visited and talked and he was gone of pneumonia in the morning.

I hope it was gentle and unaware for her, in peace at home.
(Wise call about your Nmum, too. She'll find her own peace when her time comes.)

hugs
Hops

[Twoapenny]

Thanks, Hops.  As I understand it there was no intervention, she was made comfortable at home and I'm hoping that does mean it was relatively peaceful.  She lost her husband a few years ago and I know she missed him very much so hopefully they're together again now.  I think those 'what happens after we die' threads can be comforting even when none of us know for sure.  I do feel bad for people not being able to have funerals.  I think the limit here at the moment is ten people which will only allow for her children and grandchildren to attend.  Very hard for other loved ones not to be able to say goodbye in person (although I understand the need for restrictions).  And yes, I'll leave mum to it - she knows where I am (as she's fond of making sure I know when she sends my son stuff each time we move) so she can reach out if she wants to.

In (hopefully) slightly better news, case numbers have started to drop.  They're still very high but they are going down.  Doctors are still swamped and awful pictures are emerging of ambulances queuing outside hospitals and Covid patients being treated in corridors but it seems admissions have stabilised so although the death rate will still climb for a while hopefully that will start to drop soon as well.  As always I am very grateful to have all of you here during this mad and crazy time xx

[Hopalong]

It's amazing what we've all acclimated to this year, isn't it?

BTW, I mis-typed (ADD brain) that statistic. It's only 35% of those intubated who survive. And many with lasting damage. Motivation not to get Covid in the first place is very high. On the brighter side, locally there is a large plan underway to set up a massive vaccine center in the space of an old "KMart" -- the big discount store pre-WalMart. Huge place with ample parking. Dunno when my appointment will be but even if it's months away I'm grateful.

M lost an old friend (secretary for years) to Covid and was distraught about it last night. Second person he's known personally. I know a couple of people whose relatives in other places have contracted it.

I have my days when I'm a bit crazed by it all, but overall I feel very grateful and also fairly safe. Biggest danger to me is lack of exercise and my inner ADD stuff, but there is still time to make this winter about getting healthier.

I'm so grateful for you too, Tupp--always will be.

Big hugs,
Hops

[Twoapenny]

It's amazing what we've all acclimated to this year, isn't it?

BTW, I mis-typed (ADD brain) that statistic. It's only 35% of those intubated who survive. And many with lasting damage. Motivation not to get Covid in the first place is very high. On the brighter side, locally there is a large plan underway to set up a massive vaccine center in the space of an old "KMart" -- the big discount store pre-WalMart. Huge place with ample parking. Dunno when my appointment will be but even if it's months away I'm grateful.

M lost an old friend (secretary for years) to Covid and was distraught about it last night. Second person he's known personally. I know a couple of people whose relatives in other places have contracted it.

I have my days when I'm a bit crazed by it all, but overall I feel very grateful and also fairly safe. Biggest danger to me is lack of exercise and my inner ADD stuff, but there is still time to make this winter about getting healthier.

I'm so grateful for you too, Tupp--always will be.

Big hugs,
Hops

I'm sorry about M's friend, Hopsie.  It is all very close to home now.  I was talking to a friend yesterday - she has a friend whose son has caught it, her partner has a relative who has it, another friend has a friend who's on a ventilator.  It feels like it's changed from many saying 'no-one I know has caught it' to many saying the opposite now.  And it's very sobering.  But yes, like you, I have days when it all catches up with me, but on the whole we're getting on with what we can and very grateful for the time, actually.  I'd never have taken an extended period like this just to stay home and not rush about all the time so it's given me opportunities to think about a lot of things.  And to think about the future.  I don't want it to be like the past.  I'm working to change that.  And I hope they get that big vaccine centre up and running so you can get your jab soon!  I think they've given first doses to about four million people here now.  I can't fathom the logistics for having to vaccinate an entire population twice and then having to do it all again because it needs to be done yearly?  But I guess greater brains than mine are working on it so there must be a way xx

[Meh]

I go from being super worried about Covid to forgetting about it entirely at moments because I'm doing something else.

Start of this month I had a week straight of covid dreams and nightmares.

It feels like THE PANDEMIC will never end. At some point maybe there will be a low sickness rate and someone with authority might announce an end to the pandemic whatever that means. It does seem likely the virus will just continue to mutate and mutate and mutate until everybody with underlying diseases are dead from either the disease or covid. Who knows. I'm always grim. I will self identify as a gloomy and negative person.

Sometimes I feel a bit angry in knowing the disease may have been prevented, I mean it's arguable like EVERYTHING is arguable. Still it all comes into crisp focus when a person becomes sick or dies. I dislike the abstract numbers of deaths they don't make any sense to me. Some commentators say the numbers of deaths are not high enough to justify social distancing. There are so very many many commentators and opinions.

[Hopalong]

Sometimes I think that humanity is getting its overdue lesson from nature.
We wouldn't rein in our selfish ways to protect the earth or animals, so she's reminding us who's in charge.

That's too apocalyptic to last long in my head, but it does occur.

hugs
HOps

[Twoapenny]

I go from being super worried about Covid to forgetting about it entirely at moments because I'm doing something else.

Start of this month I had a week straight of covid dreams and nightmares.

It feels like THE PANDEMIC will never end. At some point maybe there will be a low sickness rate and someone with authority might announce an end to the pandemic whatever that means. It does seem likely the virus will just continue to mutate and mutate and mutate until everybody with underlying diseases are dead from either the disease or covid. Who knows. I'm always grim. I will self identify as a gloomy and negative person.

Sometimes I feel a bit angry in knowing the disease may have been prevented, I mean it's arguable like EVERYTHING is arguable. Still it all comes into crisp focus when a person becomes sick or dies. I dislike the abstract numbers of deaths they don't make any sense to me. Some commentators say the numbers of deaths are not high enough to justify social distancing. There are so very many many commentators and opinions.

True that there are so many opinions, Posh, and also so much speculation.  Very difficult to be sure about anything just now, I think.  I've just taken the approach that my son's risk is high (and although mine isn't high medically, I don't even like having a cold - I definitely don't fancy catching this so I'd rather not), so we're avoiding as many people as we can, as much as we can.  I'm like you, sometimes I forget all about it, then other things catch me and it comes into stark focus again.  There was a man in the supermarket the other night wearing a gas mask; that did make me smile We have been advised here to get medical grade masks now, which of course means you can't because they all sold out within a matter of hours.  I was just talking to a friend who's had to work through it (school teacher) and we were talking about how stressed everybody is now, whatever their situation in life.  It's a leveler, I think, a situation like this.  Reminds us all that none of us are infallible.  I'll be glad when it's at least down to a level where your risk of catching it is the same as getting any other kind of illness that might be a bad thing.  We do all live with risk every day, it just feels a bit like this is swimming with sharks xx