Coronavirus

[RedLED]

That is awful, Fixer.

 

[tech25]

I was talking with a friend; shes a nurse in the ER at a local hospital. I was curious on her take from her experiences and what the doctors in her ER are saying. Something she said, I found interesting. She said that right at first they were trying to test everyone with symptoms but very quickly started running out of supplies for it (a familiar refrain across the nation). For the past two weeks or so they have basically only been testing the very sickest individuals, the ones hospitalized. Those with milder symptoms are simply sent home and told to quarantine while they recover. She says this current testing attack significantly skews the data, making it look like a much higher percentage of positive cases are requiring hospitalization or leading to death than is accurate, since loads of people are likely positive but never tested. Once fast and accurate tests are widely available in quantity the models have a chance at being accurate. This isn’t what is reported though because it is advantageous to the healthcare system for people to believe the worst as it keeps them home and not interacting with others, which eases the burden on healthcare resources. So her take is: Yes, it is serious and it is good to stay home and stay healthy, but this thing is definitely not as brutal as the current models would portray.

Same here as far as data goes, lately my hospital has been only testing admissions, others only test ICU admissions. Another thing that can skew the data, my hospital is more centrally located and we tend to have more patients from surrounding areas (bypassing a couple of smaller hospitals) so positive results will be higher in the hospitals zip code vs. one to two zip codes away.

As far a how bad this is, I can’t talk for statistics but in hospital we see the worst cases come in. We are seeing all ages some with comorbidities, some without. The progression can be really fast from talking to being intubated and placed on a vent in minutes.
Census might be down a bit but the patients admitted tend to require critical care and airway equipment. So many pts on ventilators mean that we are running low on vents, ancillary supplies and meds as well (monitors, high flow oxygen and meds to keep pts asleep)

 

[markr6]

Clinton was prossibly the best politician to ever live in the white house.

I miss slick willie! Anyone who can seriously ask "that depends on what the meaning of the word is, is" instantly wins.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Got a text yesterday that they are closing NCHS (North County Healthcare Services) clinics in my area due to corona virus. I would think they would count as an essential service, but I guess they're afraid patients are going to show up and get the doctors and people in the lobby sick. I'll have to go to the hospital or ride this out and wait for things to get back to normal in order to see a doctor. Other than going to the emergency room or seeing one of my specialists, I don't see how I can even contact my primary care physician if the place they work is closed down. Telemed won't even work in this case. I wonder if they're recalling those doctors and nurses to work with corona virus patients at the hospitals?

 

[Devildude]

Red, I work for a pyramid scheme where the base area has been crumbling for some time. So they have chosen the crisis to make a bunch of changes. Myself and those around me are safe but we just have to hang on during the shake up. Mid level managers are making up rules trying to save their jobs.

That sounds so familiar. Over the years at my current job I have seen a great many talented people quit or get forced out as middle management makes up new rules to make themselves look better. It can get disheartening at times to see the slow steady decline of a once proud company, with the hope that they pull up before it hits the ground.

 

[bigburly912]

First confirmed case in my little area.

 

[RedLED]

That sounds so familiar. Over the years at my current job I have seen a great many talented people quit or get forced out as middle management makes up new rules to make themselves look better. It can get disheartening at times to see the slow steady decline of a once proud company, with the hope that they pull up before it hits the ground.

What about senior management?

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!

 

[bigburly912]

Good thing about sitting outside at work........

 

[RBR]

It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!

No problem, on 100% short hours now...:duh2:

 

[RedLED]

One of our outdoor cats passed away this morning. I could tell he was not well yesterday, and worse today. I took him to the Vet., however, he was too far gone to save.

 

[bigburly912]

Hate to hear that red. I lost my little buddy a couple weeks ago. He was affectionately known as boycat. He was a rabbit slayer but he loved dogs and hated other cats. He would follow my daughters all over the yard and holler for us when we came home. Never had a cat like him and I’m not really a cat person. He was literally more like a buddy. I feel for ya brother.

 

[BVH]

Sorry for your loss RedLED. We've lost three in the last 2 plus years and I still miss them all terribly.

 

[RedLED]

Thanks, Guy's. He was a real nice cat.

 

[bykfixer]

Latest compliance requirements in road construction during the pandemic:
Ensure that everybody on the project complies with A) coughs into elbow B) stays minimum 6 feet apart C) disinfected all surfaces before touching D) does not touch face E) is not running fever F) ensure covid-19 prevention meeting occurs three times per day while maintaining social distance techniques. If more than ten people must hold separate meeting(s) as necessary G) provide daily documentation with photographs of A-F policies adhered to. I am not kidding.

The oversight authority requires they provide X numbers of tests by their personnel of materials and procedures. Read "by their personnel".… The newest policy by our governor means they cannot provide their personnel for fear of violating policy. Here's the best part. We are still required to provide documentation of the tests performed. That means we are supposed to document testing that did not actually occur.

When my boss eluded to us being required to wear N95 masks I responded "shoot me, send me home or fire me 'cause I aint going to wear a mask that medical personnel should have while walking around outdoors 10' away from everybody". I used to be an inspector. Now I am a covid-19 policy compliance monitor. Yet all my reports are still due. All my inspections are required and all my regular documentation are still required. And because of budget cuts, no overtime even though the contractor works 60 hours a week. Years ago I used to smoke dope and drink whiskey for no reason. Here lately it seems like I may have good reason to resume.

I don't mean to moan and groan here as much as I just wanted to jot down what people still working in designated essential jobs are having to deal with. I cannot imagine the cya documentation doctors, nurses, police and ems are having to deal with right now. It's like you are behind enemy lines surround by enemy artillary while hunkered down in snow without a winter coat when you notice in the distance smoke signals by some officer scolding you because the daily form 5439/J has not been turned in yet. And it's only 9am.

 

[richbuff]

"How is everyone holding up?"

Physically, emotionally and mentally as good as can be expected in my mortal body made of ashes and dust, on the hostile surface of this planet, considering how evil the average person is, and with half the people eviler than that.

Business-wise: I am still operating my church property spiritual meeting hall building.

Allowed activities in Arizona:

Constitutionally protected activities, such as speech and religion.
Essential activity: such as religion.
Essential business: Human service operation: Behavioral health > Substance disorder > Recovery.
Essential service: Substance disorder > Recovery.

Thank God I am not in some other service activity, such as clothing sales, furniture, sporting goods, jewelry, bowling alley, gym/fitness, sports, gambling, books and/or music, theater, concert or sports venue.

Steppenwolf: "So let's just hope there is a promised land and hang on 'till then as best we can"

 

[RedLED]

All of my corporate projects are cancelled for this year, however, I do have many long time clients /companies that give me dates years out.

 

[knucklegary]

Good thing about sitting outside at work........
View attachment 12110

Burly, what crops are you growing?

 

[bykfixer]

Rich, our community is holding up well in this time of crisis. Folks seem to be relaxing some versus two weeks ago. I think spring temps has a lot to do with the mental wellness aspect. I see lots and lots of cars around where two weeks ago the streets were empty. Yet folks are more relaxed at intersections and places where a month ago it was like scenes out of Mad Max.

I suppose the vast population has a lot more time to get from point A to B now since there's nothing pressing. And stores having toilet paper now seems to put folks at ease. In a Wal Mart this afternoon there was a half truck load of toilet paper setting on shelves and hardly anybody was buying it. We bought some to leave on porches of some shut in elderly neighbors though. The panic buy today was DVD players. Mine gave out so we went to buy a replacement. The brand names were all gone. There was a vast space for a no name machine and there were 6 left, now 5.

Folks in the Wal Mart were all in good spirits and lots of "hello", "thank you" and the like were exchanged by perfect strangers. No carts full of food and shelves were well stocked.

One thing I miss at this time is church bells. But sooooooo many communities no longer ring them because of noise ordinance laws. My church dared to ring a digital one a couple years back and were forced to stop. That was sad. They even had to turn off our local version of Big Ben a few years back. Sad, sad, sad.

When I aint at work I'm golden. But work as I said above is annoying as heck but we're all getting used to that. Heck I'm even thinking of wearing my US flag bandana just for the heck of it. Why not, right? I bought it from a street corner peddler on 9/12 so it is kinda fitting right now.

 

[bigburly912]

Burly, what crops are you growing?

This is at my workplace. No crops growing here. Just national forest and a little valley between two mountains in Scott County Virginia. Very quiet little town.