Topic: Coronavirus: OFFICIAL Updates/ Health Info/Travel Info

[SuperTux]

The number of COVID-19 daily cases in Xinjiang, China has been over 100 recently.

[claude_24hrs]

This is for Bourkie:

Australia has in steadily rising numbers of COVID-19 infections to almost 17,000 with Victoria had reached its 10,000 case mark in the past 24 hours.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-31/victoria-coronavirus-cases-climb-as-dan-andrews-gives-update/12510618

[MrDS]

Latest updates from the UK... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53609467

The government last night imposed restrictions in certain parts of England (including where I am - yay!) that people from different households cannot meet indoors or in private gardens and can only meet outside in your bubble (bubble here is defined as your own household or in the case of a single adult household it's your household plus one other household of any size). This after the first local lockdown in Leicester is beginning to be eased as the cases per 100,000 number now falls in line with those areas under the new restrictions. Additionally, further lockdown easing including the reopening of casinos, beauticians, and bowling alleys have been postponed until at least the 15th August, with Chris Whitty (chief medical officer for the UK) citing that we may have reached the limit in terms of easing restrictions.

In the UK, each of the four constituent countries are allowed to ease restrictions independently of the other 3, with Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon advising people from Scotland to not travel to the north west of England. The tightening of lockdown restrictions in parts of the UK have come under fire as they were announced both late at night and on Twitter with little clarity (running theme here in the UK) as to what the restrictions exactly entailed.

[HavaDrPepper]

My county of approximately 45,000 has seen an increase of 127 cases in 31 days.  Took us 95 days to get to 101 cases (March 27th to June 30th).

And the locals are in an uproar that they have to wear a mask in Wal-Mart and Lowe's or the other grocery store in town not to mention the small shops that are just trying to stay afloat.  The entitlement attitude  of "you can't tell me what to do" is strong around here and it is ticking me off. 

Totally understandable why Ohio has had a uptick in cases this month especially in the more rural areas of the state (like where I am).

The governor made the decision to let county fairs happen with strict guidelines.  Well, guess what, those guidelines were not followed by many attendees and some of them have come down with COVID.  So he pulled back on those guidelines and only the junior fair (animal showing and 4-H projects) will be allowed with some food vendors for our fair that starts August 2nd. No entertainment or carnival rides/activities.  The fools around here instead of getting upset with those who didn't follow guidelines at those earlier fairs are blaming the governor.  It's not his fault people don't follow the rules.

I'm sick of those that don't take it seriously which does include extended family members.  Needless to say I have avoided them.

[Alenaveda]

Update from Argentina:

The current phase of the quarantine in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires will extend until August 16th; was announced this noon. In the rest of the country, as some of the number of cases have increased again, the local goverment are the ones who will decide if they return to previous phases o continue with the current ones.

Also - and as it was told in the article I posted previously - the ammount of cases in the city of Buenos Aires are in an average of 1.000/1.200 cases daily (what is still a high number); but the good news - according to the local authorities - is that the R0 number is now 1.03, what apparently reflects a steady descend in the last weeks.

[georgiapeach]

Latest updates from the UK... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53609467

The government last night imposed restrictions in certain parts of England (including where I am - yay!) that people from different households cannot meet indoors or in private gardens and can only meet outside in your bubble (bubble here is defined as your own household or in the case of a single adult household it's your household plus one other household of any size). This after the first local lockdown in Leicester is beginning to be eased as the cases per 100,000 number now falls in line with those areas under the new restrictions. Additionally, further lockdown easing including the reopening of casinos, beauticians, and bowling alleys have been postponed until at least the 15th August, with Chris Whitty (chief medical officer for the UK) citing that we may have reached the limit in terms of easing restrictions.

In the UK, each of the four constituent countries are allowed to ease restrictions independently of the other 3, with Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon advising people from Scotland to not travel to the north west of England. The tightening of lockdown restrictions in parts of the UK have come under fire as they were announced both late at night and on Twitter with little clarity (running theme here in the UK) as to what the restrictions exactly entailed.

The only way we are going to get control of this in the US is to also institute some restrictions as well.

But with NO effective leadership right now it won't happen. So more will die.

If you have some restrictions, be glad...you are saving lives.

[HavaDrPepper]

Unfortunately Peach, even with restrictions, people aren't doing what is needed.  Instead they call all levels of leadership "morons" and blow them off.

I'm seeing it in my area.  There is no reason we needed to have as many cases as we've got because in the beginning we were doing good.  But more than doubling the number of cases in 31 days is not acceptable.  Restrictions are still there although people seem to forget that the mass gathering order still exists in Ohio.

Not to mention that people think it is OK to go to the hot spot of the nation for vacation. (my neighbors who are now home)  Contact tracing has shown in Ohio that many cases have been because of travel or gatherings of more than 10 people.  A school in a county in the eastern part of the state still sent 40-some students/chaperones on a school sponsored trip in June to South Carolina.  28 of them contracted COVID.    A funeral for an individual in a county near me has spawned over 20 cases in multiple counties.

[claude_24hrs]

South Africa became the fifth country to hit a half million mark of rising coronavirus cases.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53625789

[BourkieBoy]

Russia has found a coronavirus vaccine?

I don’t trust Russia. Do we believe it works?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/11/russia-approves-coronavirus-vaccine-despite-testing-safety-concerns-vladimir-putin

[ZBC Company]

Russia has found a coronavirus vaccine?

I don’t trust Russia. Do we believe it works?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/11/russia-approves-coronavirus-vaccine-despite-testing-safety-concerns-vladimir-putin

Russia act like it cold war

[theschnauzers]

From what I’ve seen in news feeds, Russia has approved a vaccine before finishing the various clinical trials that are necessary before vaccines are to be approved for use.
What increasingly looks likely is a number of vaccines are going to be approved around the world once early results are known for the third set of trials, once there enough data to assess the risk of a vaccine not working, the size of the dosage, and to length of its effectiveness, I.e. whether the immunity response lasts.

[Alenaveda]

Update from Argentina:

Announced this noon, quarantine in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires extended until the end of the month in the same currently conditions. Some sports activities banned since the beginning of the isolation are going to be allowed again with restrictions.

Some jurisdictions in the rest of the country are returning to Phase 1 due to the sudden increasing of cases. President added today that "the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires" is no longer the main problem because of that situation.

Also announced that the vaccine that's going to be produced here (the Oxford one) will be ready for the first semester of next year (probably January/March).

[georgiapeach]

Russia has found a coronavirus vaccine?

I don’t trust Russia. Do we believe it works?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/11/russia-approves-coronavirus-vaccine-despite-testing-safety-concerns-vladimir-putin

There is no evidence of true scientific testing of this. TESTING of any new virus will take months. Not weeks.

[theschnauzers]

While at the moment there is continued uncertainty about some of the extent of community spread due to reopening schools and the degree of voluntary compliance with masks in public spaces, indoor and outdoor, many regional and national businesses have implemented policies requiring masks be worn in their businesses. On the other hand we have a county sheriff in the Ocala Florida area who has issued a directive prohibiting the wearing of masks in the two sheriffs’ offices in that county by anyone, even as the city of Ocala adopted a mandatory mask ordinance.

Some schools and school districts have seen rapid increases in cases in as little as a day after reopening in person classes. More schools are reopening over the next week or two, so there may be a rapid outbreak across the country.

There’s also the question of colleges and universities. Many have chosen to have virtual classes only, others have gone to a hybrid model, others are allowing students to choose, but a few are requiring in person classes. No idea how all of that will play out, but some universities with strong health care systems associated with them are reopening under strict guidelines that limit social contact with mandatory mask wearing, mandated social distancing, and frequent COVID-19 testing of students, faculty, and staff who are on campus. The University of Miami introduced a new wrinkle last week in directing that all students must submit a negative test result before they can even come onto campus if they reside off campus, and all residents sharing an off campus residence must comply with the same rules, including a curfew that they must self enforce. There is a zero tolerance policy for any violations of social distancing, mask wearing, or testing.

They’re in an athletic conference for sports that has chosen to proceed with their fall sports including football. The team has been on campus for weeks and are being tested daily. That conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference, as well as the Southeastern conference and the Big 12 conference are all currently planning to proceed with their fall sports, although with revised mostly in conference matchups. The other two of the five bowl championship conferences, along with virtually every other conferences at all levels have either cancelled outright or postponed their fall sports until the spring semester (which start in January). Professional sports have resumed or will be starting their revised schedules. The NFL cancelled preseason games but are planning to play the season as scheduled. Still unknown is whether whether fans will be allowed in the stadiums.

So far, no sporting event is allowing spectators at their games or events. The Indianapolis 500 which is being held this weekend is also operating on a limited capacity at the track. Most of these events are being televised.
I did notice that in Florida, high school sports, especially football will play their normal schedules. Don’t know if if the number of spectators will be limited or masks, social distancing, etc., will be observed.

So in other words, the United States has no national plan and no nationally mandatory elements.

[HavaDrPepper]

A friend of mine in Michigan has posted that the Michigan organization governing high school sports is only allowing those sports with have no contact with other individuals, such as swimming, cross country running or golf.  Any other sport with multiple players on the field will not be held this fall but in the spring.

Locally, the athletic conference my town school is in has gone to a 6 game schedule this year with no season championship since all teams will not play each other.  They tried to keep close rivalry games on the schedule.  Each team has 3 home and 3 away games. Games are running from Aug 28 to Oct 2.  The local team's first home game isn't until Sept 11 which actually is good since a new stadium is being built. More time to get things done right!  What concerns me though is the first game of the season the local team travels to a school that is within the county in the state with the highest number of cases per 100,000 population and the city where the game is being played is the hot spot for the county.

However, my county is not faring well at all these days.  Just since July 1st we have added 126 cases. And on the state list of case rates per county, we are at 11th as of Aug 12th.  From July 29 to Aug 11 we had 52 new cases. The above mentioned county that sits at #1 has 123 cases.  Both these counties are less than 50,000 in population so considered rural counties.  Again these case rates are extrapolated according to county population so other counties may have had a larger number of cases but due to county population their case rate is lower.

The state put out a map of what they know about the 611 school districts plans to return to school. Basically, the large metropolitan areas are choosing to go fully remote (61 districts).  172 districts are choosing a hybrid model with some being in the metro areas, others in the rural areas.  340 of the districts are choosing to go a regular schedule with the majority of these being in the rural counties (including my local school).  39 districts had not made a decision yet.  A cousin lives in one of them and their decision came out Wednesday night.  2 days a week in school for several weeks with a reevaluation done at that time as to what they will do going forward.  Many in our area fully expect our local rural schools to shut down within the first month since the rates of infection are going up not down.

And, honestly, I am just waiting to see how many COVID cases end up popping up from those teams on the collegiate level that do continue with their plans to play.  College players have not always followed the rules in place by the NCAA and schools in the past, why would they do it now?  Heck, even adult professional athletes don't follow the protocols and look at what has happened in professional baseball.

Yes, I'm sad I can't see my alma mater play this fall nor will I see the Buckeyes play, but it is just not meant to be right now.

[BourkieBoy]

The federal government has secured a promising vaccine being developed at Oxford University after brokering a deal with a UK-based drug company.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed every Australian would gain "early access" to the drug for free should trials prove successful.

“The Oxford vaccine is one of the most advanced and promising in the world and under this deal, we have secured early access for every Australian,” Mr Morrison said.

“However, there is no guarantee that this, or any other, vaccine will be successful, which is why we are continuing our discussions with many parties around the world while backing our own researchers at the same time to find a vaccine.”

The agreement with pharma-giant AstraZeneca would see the vaccine likely manufactured in Australia by Melbourne-based biotech business CSL.

A separate $24.5 million contract was also signed for 100 million needles and syringes while distribution, timing and purchase price for the drug itself are yet to be disclosed.

In Australia, the University of Queensland was in phase one in the development of its most promising vaccine as the government worked on building a portfolio of vaccine investment should the Oxford trials fail.

The government also canvassed the possibility of distributing vaccines to other Pacific Island nations as a gesture of goodwill.

Up to 167 possible vaccines are under development globally.

https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6182254443001

 

[theschnauzers]

I have a suspicion that the ultimate vaccine will be a cocktail of the ones that show sufficient success in the phase three testing worldwide.

Meanwhile, issues with student noncompliance with Covid-19 protocols has caused three universities that had resumed in person learning to temporarily shift back to all online learning. And the uproar over the actions of the United States Postal Service Postmaster General to reduce delivery capacity of mail, remove mailboxes and automated sorting equipment intensified because of its impact on voting by mail, including absentee ballots, and ballot requests in a number of states, which would lead to voter suppression. This being the case where a number of states held primary election with most voting by mail with notable increases in voter participation using mail in or drop off options, depending on state laws. At least twenty states are planning to sue over the USPS plans, because even though a 90 days moratorium was announced, it does not undo the removal of sorting machines and mailboxes, the removal of overtime, or a decision not to continue treating election related mail as first class. Committees in both house of Congress are scheduled for Saturday and Monday, and the US House of Representatives has been recalled from a recess to consider legislation beginning on Saturday.

[HavaDrPepper]

As the news anchor was summarizing Gov DeWine's news conference, she made a comment that a university in their city had put out information about a change in status for the university. Researching I have found that university has a level system and are updating the number of cases associated with the university on a daily basis.  The news anchor indicated the change was on the level status and that they were seeing more cases from students not following protocols (safe distancing and masks). More information will come in their news cast later today.

My county is not doing so great. We are in the top 10 of case rates per county (#8).  All of the top 10 are counties with rural populations with the largest county population in the list at 74,000.  The average population for the 10 counties is around 48,000.  The news station I watch out of Dayton covers an area called the "Miami Valley". 5 of the top 10 are in this area.

A lead story on that news station website is about a 9 year old girl that has been in and out of the hospital the last several months dealing with inflamed blood vessels, a brain bleed and coronavirus.  Upon showing medical issues in May she was taken to the hospital and her COVID-19 test was positive.  This 9 year old girl has now passed away.

Little update on the state population percentages:

1 state has broken the 3% number (Louisiana)

9 states are above the 2% number (Florida, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina and Nevada)

Placements 11th through 38th are above the 1% number (Tennessee knocking on 2%, Rhode Island, Texas, District of Columbia, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, California, Nebraska, Idaho, Utah, Connecticut, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia, Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Michigan, Pennsylvania)

Placements 39th through 52nd are still below 1%: Ohio, Puerto Rico, Colorado, Kentucky, Washington, Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Hawaii, Maine, Vermont.

[theschnauzers]

My home state has now confirmed a data discrepancy generated by a data error whereby if an individual tests negative, but later tests positive, that result is incorporated for that person on the date of the earlier negative test. This suppresses the actual number of positive cases and the positivity rate, and provides data that is lower than it should be. (A poster I am familiar with advised that California had the same problem, and it was finally fixed this past week.)
For this state, this data issue is a problem because many public schools and colleges and universities are in the midst of finalizing their COVID-19 reopening plans.

[Alenaveda]

Short update from Argentina:

The Health Minister of the City of Buenos Aires informed today that the R0 index is for the first time under 1(0,95), in what seems to be the first sign that the contagion curve could be starting to decrease. Howevever he told to the residents of the city that this is still far from be over.

[theschnauzers]

In spite the strictest possible protocols and standards of behavior in order to be on campus, two floors of a high rise freshman dorm were put under isolation (four positive cases, several symptomatic cases) and quarantine (the remaining students living on two adjacent floors (about 50 others) due to violations of the COVID-19 social protocols. In an email released on Tuesday to all students and later to the media, the university identified two specific AirBnBs, one in Miami Beach and another in the Florida Keys, rented by undergraduate students where students deliberately gathered without masks, without social distancing, without observing curfew and with more people in attendance that permitted under local mandates.
The entire group was to be tested on Friday. Meanwhile student athletes who have been on campus since mid summer continue to test 100% negative. Both university president Dr. Frenk and head football coach
Manny Diaz issued video statements about this incident and warned of the consequences of noncompliance with the university’s Covid-19 protocols. Earlier university statements made clear that there would be zero tolerance for violations and students could be suspended for the semester or indefinite for noncompliance. I would suspect the instigators of this incident, will probably have more serious sanctions.

[BourkieBoy]

In spite the strictest possible protocols and standards of behavior in order to be on campus, two floors of a high rise freshman dorm were put under isolation (four positive cases, several symptomatic cases) and quarantine (the remaining students living on two adjacent floors (about 50 others) due to violations of the COVID-19 social protocols. In an email released on Tuesday to all students and later to the media, the university identified two specific AirBnBs, one in Miami Beach and another in the Florida Keys, rented by undergraduate students where students deliberately gathered without masks, without social distancing, without observing curfew and with more people in attendance that permitted under local mandates.
The entire group was to be tested on Friday. Meanwhile student athletes who have been on campus since mid summer continue to test 100% negative. Both university president Dr. Frenk and head football coach
Manny Diaz issued video statements about this incident and warned of the consequences of noncompliance with the university’s Covid-19 protocols. Earlier university statements made clear that there would be zero tolerance for violations and students could be suspended for the semester or indefinite for noncompliance. I would suspect the instigators of this incident, will probably have more serious sanctions.
This seems t

Yep, I know how you feel! People at one of Melbourne's biggest universities threw a massive party on Friday/Saturday night. It's very interesting to see that these people think it's OK to throw a massive party, yet, I'm not allowed to leave my house after an 8pm curfew and I'm not allowed to more than 5 kilometres from my house, or, I'll receive a $1652 fine from the police! Complete filth

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-victoria-man-who-got-bored-at-home-among-199-fined-for-breaching-covid19-regulations/b2157783-da9d-45db-84df-e11af4a26da9

[HavaDrPepper]

My alma mater has positive cases (45) stemming from an off campus gathering. (University of Toledo).

Also, in Ohio the following universities have positive cases:
University of Dayton (240 active cases with 262 cases since 6/23/20)
Miami of Ohio (125 students, 3 employees) 27 of the positives are student athletes that are now in quarantine. Some can be linked to an off campus gathering in early August.
Ohio State University (80 students during the testing period of 8/14-22, 12 employees in the testing period of 8/1-22)

Another university was mentioned by a reporter in a press conference but I can't find any news on it online.
Another university had 8 student athletes test positive during a proactive screening of all athletes before coming to summer workouts in early July. I haven't seen any news on any current cases at this school.

Then there are the other schools elsewhere in the country with cases, big name schools included.

[Alenaveda]

Update from Argentina:

President announced today that the quarantine wil follow until September 20th. This is because of a new increase on the confirmed cases in the whole country (today's number reached 11.717, with the highest concentration in the province of Buenos Aires).

However, it was given authorization for having social meetings in open spaces until 10 persons (this is a clear consequence of being revealed through a photo on Tuesday that the President itself haven't complied his own order of not doing this kind of reunions) and in the city of Buenos Aires bars and restarants were allowed to give customers service via tables in the sidewalks.

[theschnauzers]

The University of Miami has started a publicly accessible COVID-19 dashboard tracking testing, positivity numbers and rates and hospitalizations in the university community, separately tracking students and faculty/staff. There were about 160 positive tests, but very few were put in isolation with most going in quarantine for two weeks. Faculty/staff had one noticeable day of positive tests during that week.

As Hard Rock Stadium, where both the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, the the Hurricanes play their home football games, has set a maximum attendance level, for now, of 13.000 attendees, the University has set its policies for attendance. The University has decided that students will not be allowed to attend the two home games in September in person. Certainly sends a message to students about the need for strict compliance with all the health protocols in place, given that one of the games is a nationally known rivalry with Florida State. Both the Dolphins and the Hurricanes have set plans in place to allocate available seats to season ticket holders.

Meanwhile in Iowa, this past week has been terrible on the COVID-19 front. Positive tests have gone up dramatically even with problems with accurate reporting of results statewide and some tracking issues due to a derecho that stormed through the central and eastern parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana Plus a small corner of the southwest corner of lower Michigan on August 10, with winds notably above gale force (39 mph) and gusts over hurricanes force (75 to 100 mph), yes I was in that area, did not lose power but my internet service was affected at tim s for a week thereafter. Nursing homes and care facilities with COVID-19 cases had to transfer these cases to hospitals until power could be restored. Areas near Cedar Rapids (state’s second largest city) still have areas without power, internet/phone service or both, Several major fiber optic cables were heavily damaged and some of that infrastructure needed to be replaced.

The testing rate result increases seem to coincide with the reopening of schools and coolers and universities across the state. In fact Iowa currently has the highest positive rate of new cases in any state in the country. Something I had openingly feared would happen, as the governor still refuses to impose a mask requirement or mandate social distancing, even as an increasing number of national, regional, and local retailers are imposing such requirements within their facilities.  Many people are still refusing to wear masks at all times outside their residences, which is why I take Edele out after dark in the overnight.

Edit: I saw a notification from my building management this a.m. (Monday) that the residents in one apartment tested positive for COVID-19 and are in quarantine. This is the first such test result since the lockout took place in mid-March, needless to say it confirms what I have felt all along.