Our hospital is now required to report not only confirmed cases but “probable” cases - no doubt, these make the # of cases even more disturbing.
I didn’t say it was good news or bad news. That is what epidemiologists do. They complied their data and make reliable conclusions with testing that yields 10% positive. My understanding is that they have methods to make informed decisions with 10% rate.
What is the positive rate? If it is 10% or lower, I doubt they will relax testing standard.
@3SailAway I hope your husbands test comes back quickly and he has had Covid. Thank you again for the useful information!
I find that you’re required to report “probable” cases disturbing. I thought we wanted to deal in facts, not guessing. What’s the purpose? If the numbers are combined then what do we believe? This starts to crossover into the propaganda/conspiracy theory world.
I agree. I saw a stat for Ohio that stated that 10% of those tested were coming back positive. The only people who were being tested were those who were thought to have the virus. The number of infected would be inaccurately inflated if the other 90% were included in the numbers.
The #'s are broken down - confirmed and probable.
In our area - having talked with our neighboring ER nurse yesterday - no one is in our local hospital with it. It’s why I think our “island” is remaining one where the virus isn’t present more than the 7% (give or take) testing positive.
It’s also why I’m tending to look at deaths per capita instead of cases. That’s not perfect either when some states aren’t counting (or perhaps testing) some who die in nursing homes or at home and have had the symptoms. Their numbers are likely low - but who knows for sure without tests? With the flu and colds, we shouldn’t be saying yes, but with the virus we shouldn’t be saying no. We should be testing to find out - esp for those still alive.
I think each healthcare professional can and should make appropriate individual decisions about whether or not to return to work for truly elective procedures, such plastic involving breast enhancements and liposuction.
My healthcare providers aren’t sure when they will be seeing any of their routine cases. One of them is in SF and the rest are in Honolulu.
Honolulu has much lower numbers than most of the US and has done a lot of testing. As we rely heavily on tourism, reopening the tourism industry needs good, reliable, prompt result testing to identify and isolate people who may be low to no symptom spreaders.
So…I contacted both my daughters (both of whom are physicians) to ask if I ought to keep my appointment tomorrow to get my second Shingrix vaccination. My appointment is at the local Walgreens, and not at physician’s office.
D2: You should get it
D1: You should get the shot.
We’re telling people it’s ok to go out to get household supplies, groceries, and to drug stores for medicine
And doctors appointments
A vaccine is medicine
You don’t want shingles because of the epidemic
Unanimous decision.
I guess I’ll go, but will wear a mask out in public.
(Not looking forward to the vaccination. The first one made me sick for 3 days. But my FIL spent a week in the hospital with shingles and my SIL is now more than 6 months into post-herpetic neuralgia syndrome and still in considerable pain.)
@WayOutWestMom My husband (a physician) and I decided not to get our 2nd Shingrix. The earliest we could have had it was March 17, so we have a while before we need the second. The only reason I am waiting is the fear of getting sick from the shot, and not knowing if I have COVID, or getting COVID while having a mild reaction to the shot.
I didn’t have any trouble with the first other than a headache, which may not have had anything to do with the Shringrix, and a bit of a sore arm. My plan was to wait until May and get it. That said, it would make more sense to get it now while I am furloughed from work; sure don’t want to take any unnecessary sick days once back!
Regarding opening elective surgery - have we gone back to using disposable PPE at 1 per patient (rather than 1/day or 1/week)? If not, we shouldn’t open elective surgeries and deplete a precarious PPE supply.
@WayOutWestMom — would it help you to take Tylenol or similar to help you weather side effects from shingrex shot? some have found taking a pain reliever helpful, before or after the injection.
I did take Tylenol before the last shot and every afternoon/evening when I ran a low grade fever, had fatigue, malaise and a terrible headache.
I’ve been told by several physicians (and not just my kiddos) that just because I experienced a mild adverse reaction to the first injection that doesn’t mean I will with the second one.
Get the second shingles shot. My reactions to the two shots were totally different ones. You might hit it lucky and not have any reaction at all to this one.
I have a PCP physician appointment the first week of May. They called me today to say my blood work was fine. I don’t think I should need to appear in person for this visit. Guess I should call and ask.
And today, the number of new cases in Michigan fell again - 576 new cases. That’s the lowest daily total in over three weeks. Cautiously optimistic!
Mine was different, too.
First shot my arm hurt like heck. The second one didn’t. But, I used ice on my arm for a bit on the second one (someone told me to do that.) Also, the PA told me to move my arm around a lot after, which I did.
I didn’t have any other side affects.
Well, my sister who has mom sleeping at her place is tired of mom being with her 24/7. She’s like a shadow and panics when sis is out of sight. For some reason she’s not panicking at our place, even if I’m out of sight. Oh well, I am watching mom now and on Wednesday. It would be good if other family members stepped up, but that doesn’t seem to be occurring.
According to worldometers, Rhode Island, New York, and Louisiana have tested the most, from 3.0 to 3.5% of their populations. I’d love it if we catch up to Iceland and test more than 10% of the whole country. That would be very useful info.
Our state (PA) just put zip code info into their map (or I just discovered it anyway). Interestingly enough, our ER neighbor was incorrect saying there aren’t any cases around us. I can believe he’s not seeing them in the local hospital as many people go to a neighboring county for even regular hospital issues, but if the state is to be believed, yes, there are positive tests nearby.
The site even says these are tested positive cases and not presumed positive numbers.
If would be nice, but let’s remember Iceland’s population is only 350,000 people.