Thursday, March 19, 2020

There is no excuse for SWAB shortages. To the left is a STREP test. The test comes with it's own swabs. It is a matter of design and any patent rights in an emergency. There are plenty of manufacturers in the USA that can produce these products.

THE CUE-TIPS AND STORE BRAND SWABS ARE STERILE. BUY THEM OFF THE SHELVES. THERE IS NO HOARDING OF THESE SWABS THAT MADE THE NEWS.



"Can Do" Michiganders.

March 17, 2020
TRAVERSE CITY – Two Traverse City companies (click here) are working together to offer drive-through COVID-19 testing centers that would include the tent to house staff and the software that would facilitate testing and samples that would be sent to laboratories to determine if the person tested has coronavirus.
Russell Schindler, CEO of SampleServe, has spent more than a decade developing a digital environmental sampling app that includes a Bluetooth label printer, barcoded and QR coded labels to track all the sample details.
Eliminating the paperwork normally associated with lab sample data login reduces processing from about 30 – 45 minutes to just seven seconds, with no typos, Schindler said.
“We’re not just collecting data, we’re facilitating sampling and printing labels via Bluetooth,” he said. “We have separate lab app designed for the lab to receive these sample and data. We have the mobile field app to collect the data and label the bottles and a separate lab app to receive the bottles and data upon arrival at the lab. Our apps combined create a digital chain-of-custody.”
Schindler said the finishing touches on pivoting from an environmental testing kit to a healthcare testing kit should be concluded within a week or so, depending on demand. Then he wants to sell the software services for just $3 per patient or lower to help healthcare and government officials determine exactly how many people in their jurisdictions have contracted COVID-19....
Most American's don't know the "Epoch Times" has been selling the Trump's Deep State conspiracy. It has increased it's subscribers by doing so.

I am worried about the HATE propaganda this rag publishes like the upside of a deadly virus.

CLUE: THERE IS NO UPSIDE TO A DEADLY VIRUS. ENOUGH OF THIS DISASTER OF A SO-CALLED NEWS RAG!


March 18, 2020
By John Robson


It’s real, all right. (click here) The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, may not be “the big one” we’ve been fearing but it’s the biggest one since the Spanish flu. It’s already proving very disruptive and dangerous to vulnerable people. And here in Canada we’re stockpiling toilet paper because when you’re out of food and water you… that is… You do know you can’t eat that stuff, right?
I’m not trying to make light of the situation. At least not that kind of light. There are some bright spots, including positive stories out of hard-hit places like Italy about the ways people are pitching in and helping one another despite the difficulty of doing so while maintaining social distancing. But let me talk for a minute about the upside of buying heaps of toilet paper.
See, the good news is that we haven’t had a pandemic or other major disaster in Canada for so long that we don’t even know how to hoard. Plus being infamously polite we wouldn’t punch one another over cans of soup anyway which, if you want my advice, will prove more useful if things go really bad than excess paper products. (Confession: at my house, for complex logistical reasons, we already had lots. And about a year’s supply of paper towel. Don’t ask. I said it was complex.)
In large parts of the world they know from bitter experience all about grabbing everything that might prove useful if a famine, civil war, or outbreak of disease disrupts normal production and distribution. Regrettably they don’t have much to grab because “normal” production and distribution in those places means there isn’t much to hoard anyway. In a land wracked by famine what’s the use of knowing which food you’d stockpile if you could get any?...

When can hospitals expect the ventilators to roll off the assembly line?

These are the heroes in the USA. This is a heritage GM has from the time of WWII when they produced military vehicles for the war effort.

March 18, 2020
By Jordan Fabian and David Welch

Tesla Inc. joined General Motors Co. (click here) in offering to manufacture hospital ventilators in auto factories shuttered by the coronavirus outbreak, an effort that would echo Detroit’s contribution to Allied powers during World War II.
Responding to Pakistan’s Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry and a tweet from a Tesla customer, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said the company would make ventilators if there is a shortage. GM CEO Mary Barra also floated the idea, top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters Wednesday. On Fox News earlier, he described an unidentified auto executive’s offer to call back workers to idled plants to make the medical devices needed to treat critically ill virus patients, and said it was made “on a voluntary basis for civic and patriotic reasons.”
Barra, 58, suggested ways the company could help during the crisis, a person familiar with the matter said. GM could use some of its excess factory space to build ventilators and has people looking into how that would be done, said the person, who asked not to be identified describing a private conversation....
"...more akin to the 1918 pandemic...may have to alter travel...to Europe"

March 19, 2020

A secret recording (click here for recording) taken of Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr shows him warning a private audience three weeks ago about how the Coronavirus would have dire effects on the U.S.

It is difficult to define Richard Burr. As of late, his conscience is bothering him.

February 28, 2020
By Andrew Desiderio

Richard Burr’s discussion (click here) with Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley highlights the divide among Republicans over the Biden investigation.

...In a Dec. 5 meeting, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) told the leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Finance committees — Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, respectively — that their probe targeting Biden could aid Russian efforts to sow chaos and distrust in the U.S. political system, according to two congressional sources familiar with the meeting....

A year ago this was his position as Trump leaned on other officials for information about the Russian probe.

April 18, 2019
By Allan Smith

Richard Burr, (click here) the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, apparently provided the White House with information on the Russia investigation after a private briefing with then-FBI Director James Comey, according to special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted report.

Within a week of Comey briefing the "Gang of Eight" congressional leaders about the FBI's Russia probe in March 2017, Mueller wrote that then-White House Counsel Donald McGahn's office was in contact with the North Carolina Republican "and appears to have received information about the status of the FBI investigation."

As Mueller notes, it's unclear if Trump was aware of the briefing at the time. But Annie Donaldson, who served as McGahn's chief of staff, wrote then that "POTUS in panic/chaos ... Need binders to put in front of POTUS. (1) All things related to Russia."...

I think he has a backbone though. He went forward with Don, Jr.'s closed-door hearing when it was opposed by Trump, St. An interesting note, COVID-19 didn't stop a birthday party for Don, Jr.'s new girlfriend. It was funded by his father's campaign donors.

Do the Trump's pay for anything themselves?
We are in trouble. Employees are not being sent home to stay home with employers being told to only use 50 percent of their employees. At least one employer as stated on a message board is splitting the work week and all employees are working but only every other day. That is not legal. The conversation did not mention the employer but only the work pattern.

The reason employers are to send 50 percent of employees home on Lay-Offs is to reduce exposure. The division of work hours is going to disrupt unemployment benefits and will not bend the curve down.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

PPE emergency.

Do these American WWII gas mask block viruses?

Seriously.

I can't believe it necessary to post this idea.

I have no idea if these canister masks can prevent inhalation of viruses. They prevent inhalation of gas. I think gas is more liquid than virus, no?

They used to be found all over the country in Army-Navy stores.


All this is a matter of ETHICS!

Boycott any online business with states not observing efforts to flatten the curve, but, adding to it Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Idaho, and Wyoming.

If anyone listens to Fox News for the truth regarding the virus they don't respect their own lives.

FOX wants to PICK A MEDIA FIGHT over the words Trump used, "It is a Chinese virus." FOX REALLY WANTS THIS FIGHT. It is a racist comment and should not be repeated.

Engel is correct. It is a bat virus that bats do not die from. But, when the wildlife food markets reopened in Wuhan the virus crossed species line to infect people.

...NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel (click here) seemed to reject President Trump's repeated attempts to tie coronavirus to China -- where the virus originated, declaring on Wednesday that "this is a bat virus, not a China virus."

During a White House press briefing, Trump was repeatedly asked about his reference to the pandemic as the "Chinese virus," which he defended by stating that the virus came from China; he dismissed claims that his label was racist.

Engel took it a step further, insisting the blame belongs to the animal the illness came from -- not the country the illness originated in....

If you value your life IGNORE FOX NEWS! 

IT IS VERY WRONG TO POLITICIZE COVID-19 AND THAT IS WHAT FOX IS ACTIVELY DOING.

Really. 

They are both 63 years old?

They have been released from the hospital and feel well. They are still self-isolating in a hotel in Australia.

I am quite sure they are recognized.
The prediction of the trajectory of the USA in regard to COVID-19 is that of Italy. If the USA is to have that same trajectory Americans should be grateful to be home, not to just flatten the curve, but, it might just be the way to survive.

STAY AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE.

Really.

Warren Buffet was worth $73.3 billion before all this mess started.

Of Warren Buffet, it has been my observation that his investments are rock-solid infrastructure. He isn't the most exciting investor, but, he tends to be a safe investor.

The billions Trump wants to give to the airlines? It is a bailout for the MAX (click here). The MAX failure occurred because CEOs were allowed to self regulate. Just that simple. Gee, Federal Regulations are actually good for industry, huh?

Regulations are necessary because the private sector and its business practices are directly in opposition to "being a human being."

My favorite Warren Buffet observation was when he said, "Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked." It is so Warren.

March 18, 2020
By Andy Serwer

Warren Buffett’s (click here) Expensive Bet: Coronavirus Impact on Airlines Will Be Temporary

If you’re wondering what ultra-low (click here) or even negative interest rates will do to the financial markets, you are not alone. Warren Buffett is wondering too. To be clear though, he’s not particularly freaked out. Vexed, but not freaked.

As yields on U.S. Treasury securities fall to record lows — the 10-year Treasury yield (^TNX) dropped to 0.398% at one point this week — many worry that negative interest rates, already prevalent in Japan and Europe, will soon arrive on our shores. If that were to be the case, what the heck would it mean?

I asked Warren Buffett about negative rates last week during an interview at Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A, BRK-B) headquarters in Omaha.

First, Buffett conceded that in general the bond market with its super low rates, and wildly swinging yield curve, “is really crazy.” But then he made it clear that neither he nor his partner Charlie Munger have any expertise or any interest in predicting where interest rates are headed.

Charlie and I focus on what's knowable and important,” he said. “Now, interest rates are important, but we don't think they're knowable.”...

Hosptial beds were reduced when the health care went from community hospitals to "health care systems." I remember New York was livid at the closings of hospitals after mergers were being carried out. There were a lot of beds closed at that time in NY.

The statistics to the left overlap somewhat.

Number of all hospital beds in the U.S. from 1975 to 2017 (click here)




It has been my very strong opinion for some time as a person with experience with the health care system, that
alloying hospitals to merge 
with CEOs taking charge of 
the USA "health care systems" is completely wrong.

It has always been my opinion that the Hill-Burton Grant Act (click here) was the greatest legislation that believed in the health of Americans. It was a HUGE mistake to allow hospitals to deteriorate over time while handing them to "so called" business principles.

HEALTH CARE IS NOT EFFICIENT. 

OBVIOUSLY!
March 18, 2020
By Ed Carson

Dow Jones futures rallied (click here)solidly late Wednesday, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures, after the European Central Bank announced its own big quantitative easing program, joining the Federal Reserve. On Wednesday, the coronavirus stock market crash tumbled to new lows. Covid-19 cases continue to soar in the U.S. and worldwide. Major automakers — but not Tesla (TSLA) — closed down their North American plants, as coronavirus recession fears intensify....

I think the financial markets are going to be fine. They might have to shop Walmart for shirts, but, I am NOT worried about them.

Dallas has extended its emergency declaration to April 29. The current timeline is two weeks nationally. At that point, the outbreak will have a better definition in the USA. I think two weeks is reasonable to reassess. Actually, the reassessment is occurring every day nationally so in two weeks it will be easy to know where the USA is headed.

March 18, 2020
By Eric Johnson

That is the top question (click here) my office has received after I issued emergency regulations that limited community gatherings and service in restaurants and temporarily shut down bars, gyms, theaters, nightclubs, entertainment venues and other types of businesses.

What I say in response is that these steps were necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of our people. But, of course, Dallas residents, businesses and workers alike are wondering when this will all be over.

Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer yet....

Missouri reported its first death. Wow, Washington State is reeling in reality faster than it ever expected.

March 18, 2020
By Josephine Peterson

The state Department of Health (click here) reported 175 new cases of coronavirus and 15 additional fatalities attributed to the disease it causes Wednesday.

The total number of cases reported by the Department of Health statewide now is 1,187 with 66 deaths. That number did not include Pierce County’s first reported death, that of a woman in her 50s with underlying health issues.

Pierce County has a total of 56 reported cases, which is the third highest in the state....

March 18, 2020
By James Drew

Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday (click here) announced a statewide moratorium on evictions of residential tenants for the next 30 days, along with several other measures to help businesses, workers, and residents who are facing the loss of income during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“These are unprecedented times. We must do everything we can to support the resiliency of Washington workers and employers,” the governor said.

Under Inslee’s order, law enforcement may not enforce eviction orders based solely on non-payment of rent. The step will protect state residents from losing their homes during the pandemic, said Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

In regard to PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), someone needs to investigate the sales trend of PPE and Medical Asceptic Supplies for hospitals. I am astounded at this point in the national emergency the medical sector is so short on supplies. Did HHS loosen regulations regarding insolation in the hospital and the supplies needed FOR MEDICAL STAFF? I am wondering if the PPE was shifted from the hospital's responsibility to the hospital personal's responsibility? Does the staff have to provide their own PPE? Ask the unions. All this doesn't make sense to me. There are millions of gloves used every day in the USA. Where did they go?

The other side of this mess is mismanagement by HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. One of the reasons the mergers of hospitals happened some time ago into hospital systems was that several hospitals in close proximity could SAVE MONEY by stockpiling supplies together. WHAT CAUSED THIS SHORTAGE? Whatever caused this shortage has to be ended. There are not SO MANY PATIENTS YET THAT THIS SHORTAGE SHOULD EXIST. I have great sympathy for New York and I am happy the USA Hospital ship is headed for that city, but, there are not so many patients yet that these supplies should be so short. There is something very wrong here and it has to do with profits.

I appreciate the media screaming about PPE, but, there has to be some underlying issue that has to be done away with. Denying this emergency nationally was a huge mistake, but, what happened with supplies? It doesn't make sense to me. I supposed there is a lot that doesn't make sense to me, but, then a lot of what Trump considers important doesn't make sense to me.

To be honest, trying to understand Trump is a waste of time for me and I was tuning him out. The last two days have been the best days of his presidency. He is finally making sense.

March 18, 2020

Reported cases of COVID-19 (click here) in Clark County have increased by 27, from 42 to 69, the Southern Nevada Health District announced on Wednesday.

It provided no information about the new cases, which bring the total in the state to 83.

There has been one death in Nevada attributed to the disease, that of an unidentified man in his 60s.
This is a study about SARS and it was viable up to 72 hours on cardboard.

SARS-CoV-2 (click here) was more stable on plastic and stainless steel than on copper and cardboard, and viable virus was detected up to 72 hours after application to these surfaces (Figure 1A), although the virus titer was greatly reduced (from 103.7 to 100.6 TCID50 per milliliter of medium after 72 hours on plastic and from 103.7 to 100.6 TCID50 per milliliter after 48 hours on stainless steel). The stability kinetics of SARS-CoV-1 were similar (from 103.4 to 100.7 TCID50 per milliliter after 72 hours on plastic and from 103.6 to 100.6 TCID50 per milliliter after 48 hours on stainless steel). On copper, no viable SARS-CoV-2 was measured after 4 hours and no viable SARS-CoV-1 was measured after 8 hours. On cardboard, no viable SARS-CoV-2 was measured after 24 hours and no viable SARS-CoV-1 was measured after 8 hours (Figure 1A).

A study performed on COVID-19 shows shorter times. That bothers me. I believe there needs to be peer review of the outcomes with COVID-19 when it comes to transmission and viability on fomite. If there are several labs stating the same results that would be best.

These are both coronavirus and their characteristics are the same, however, when it comes to the viability of the virus there needs to be replicated outcomes for COVID-19.

One thing to remember is that MATERIALS are different today. I would like to know the tests are on current materials as well as the standard materials.

Thank you.

I am also not used to reading about this in "Wired" either. I am glad the information is in publication to the public, but, it worries me when the actual study is difficult to find. Don't get me wrong, I like the public having this information, but, I rather the original study(ies) were linked to it. Thank you.

Potentially several hours, (click here) or even days, according to a preprint published this week by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, Princeton, and the University of California, Los Angeles. The researchers exposed various materials to the virus in the lab. They found that it remained virulent on surfaces for a lengthy period: from up to 24 hours on cardboard to up to two or three days on plastic and stainless steel. It also remained viable in aerosols—attached to particles that stay aloft in the air—for up to three hours. That’s all basically in line with the stability of SARS, the coronavirus that caused an outbreak in the early 2000s, the researchers note.
The good news coming out of local economies is incredible.

A couple that tested positive were treated was released to home in Chicago.

Acts of kindness and really smart social distancing are numerous, too.
       Virtual counseling for students, parents and others are being provided to help with the adjustment.
        People are donating blood, hopefully with full precautions.

“TechDirt” is a 3D printing company that manufactured a vital part to a ventilator in Italy. Smart thinking by Italy. The ventilator is manufactured by Bescia and the manufacturer could not supply the $11,000 part. Now, Bescia is suing the 3D manufacturer of the vital ventilator part. Such lawsuits has to be suppressed. “TechDirt” is a hero company.

I have necessary errands for the nest 30 minutes. Then I plan to sit at the laptop for about two weeks. 
Chinese billionaire Jack Ma is sending mask and test kits all over the world. That is fantastic, but, I hope this is from standing inventory and not new production. They can be contaminated with virus.

I am surprised though because China has a mask shortage. There are masks currently in use in China known to be effective against bacteria and not necessarily COVID-19. China must resolve its problems with this virus. The report regarding the mask shortage in China and the use of bacterial masks was from “China Daily.”

Trump loves writing checks with taxpayer money.

If jobs aren’t necessary because of economic failure the people involved need to first seek unemployment. During the recovery of 2009 President Obama helped support state unemployment programs. Additionally, the food stamp program needs to expanded. Any state direct payment programs need to be expanded, the work requirements removed and along with expanded Medicaid supported by federal government WHERE needed.

COVID-19 timeline is currently June or July of this year. Reasonable short term changes will suffice. Medicaid should already be expanded to ALL victims of COVID-19 immediately upon diagnosis. It is important people do not delay their diagnosis and receive treatment to FLATTEN the curve.

Of URGENT need is support of all medical professionals, especially, those providing bedside care and all those directly involved with diagnosis. They IMMEDIATELY need personal protection equipment to prevent shutdown of hospitals.

Any monies spent must be prioritized to first support hospitals and then support Americans through an obvious failure of the economy. If the national emergency goes beyond July then the status of available work needs to be assessed as state unemployment programs will be coming to an end of benefits. State programs will have to be expanded to at least 28 weeks. The work requirements will have to be loosened because CONTACT between people has to be safe. But, safe jobs., where they exist, should be filled.

All Americans will not need assistance. 

The global economy will look different after COVID-19 is contained in the USA.

This is not a surplus to be spent it is a time of national need. One time payments will not accomplish economic stability for a three month economic crash. Government programs may needed in the long term if the USA economy has permanently shed jobs, but, there is no indication of that. Brick and mortar  are still standing. This is a NATIONAL lay-off and nothing more.

In January 2017 the financial markets were given enormous amounts of money by a generous tax cut bill that should help them through, along with recent programs of the Federal Reserve.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Orbits

Thinking about the anxiety people may feel as this national emergency unfolds, I find the idea of having a strategy can be fun. Personally, I think of chores in shopping as orbits. Not planetary orbits, but, the stops I am going to make and the items I will be purchasing. I got into that habit some time ago when saving fuel for a vehicle. The shorter the distance the less fuel is used. I just kept that habit.

So what I am trying to say is that the number of DIFFERENT people I come in contact with are somewhat limited. I shop at a Non-GMO and know most of the employees. Not personally but by recognition. Then there is the pharmacy, clothes cleaners, fuel stop and at times library, bookstore, etc. 

It is a matter of planning. I see the same people and frequent the same stores and have the same orbit most of the time when doing chores. Life is about to get real simple for many people so any orbits will be predictable. I think when people have predictability they feel and are safe. 

Know the neighborhood, simplify life and remain aware of social distance. If masks are available, use them. This will get easy and routine. It is interesting how many people one actually has contact with.
Amazon and others need to label products from China. It is not an issue of hate. It is about being safe from infection.
University of Michigan cancelled non-emergency appointments to minimize the exposure of people to each other. They are taking the virus seriously.

I was suppose to have a dental appointment on Thursday at a local dentist. The town has one positive test. That person is in isolation and in treatment at the local hospital. I was surprised but my dentist cancelled all appointments. There were phone numbers provided for any dental emergency.

All the medical professionals I know are taking this very seriously. 

Hospitals do have overflow plans and they may have to institute them to help other hospitals if their census reaches maximum levels. We still need to flatten the curve and carry out the directives of the national health emergency. 

We can over come this terrible emergency. Kindly think about being safe. Accidents complicate the picture for hospitals. Please take really good care of yourselves. Everyone is important. Everyone matters.