Politics-Free Pandemic/COVID-19 Discussion

Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs/Sox, & general discussion

Moderator: wab

User avatar
mmmc_35
Hall of Famer
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:25 am
Has thanked: 105 times
Been thanked: 98 times

So I get these tests are supposed to be 70% accurate. But who knows. I assume its known here I'm not to dumb. While I spell and write like a moron, that is generally not who I am. I cant explain everything about this but know it's really wierd.. The effectiveness is not their reason. I cant get much into some of that but its wierd.

Side note. Last night we dealt with riots. It was crazy. I'm fucking wierd, but for some reason chaos and I are bed fellows. Its really unique though watching things talked about on tv happen. Then watching tv and realize how wrong they are. I've known this for a while but a news crew right behind me literally told the story about 125° from the truth.

My employer blew the budget on the Rona... so we will see how they handle tonight.
User avatar
IE
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12500
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 8:46 am
Location: Plymouth, MI
Has thanked: 523 times
Been thanked: 700 times
Contact:

Nobody said you weren't smart, dude. I actually assume people are until they prove otherwise.

I can relate to the tendency to read a lot into things, and over-analyze. So I try to use Occam's Razor to keep focused. Remember literally nobody can keep secrets. So anything you're concerned about that requires many people keeping their mouth shut... it basically doesn't happen. Especially if the number gets higher than just a handful.

I had a girlfriend in college that lived by the philosophy that you should assume everyone you meet is insane until they prove otherwise... but that was just too cynical for me. I mean, it does prove to be true sometimes - but I just can't operate like that. I shouldn't have broken up with her that 3rd time. She's a billionaire now. lol
2023 Chicago Bears... emerging from a long hibernation, and hungry!
User avatar
mmmc_35
Hall of Famer
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:25 am
Has thanked: 105 times
Been thanked: 98 times

I operate like your college girlfriend.
User avatar
thunderspirit
Head Coach
Posts: 3829
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:51 pm
Location: Greater Chicagoland, IL
Has thanked: 605 times
Been thanked: 603 times

I'm no expert in any fashion, I just read a fair bit about COVID. To me the concerning thing is less the (roughly) 1 in 10 who are symptomatic that have to be hospitalized -- though that's certainly sobering -- and more the long-term damage that seems to afflict a good chunk of those who contract and recover without hospitalization.

My wife called it our generation's polio, and she has a point (despite some obvious dissimilarities).
KFFL refugee.

dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
:shocked:
User avatar
IE
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12500
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 8:46 am
Location: Plymouth, MI
Has thanked: 523 times
Been thanked: 700 times
Contact:

It is false that the uptick in cases is related to a dramatic increase in testing. Testing did increase a while back - but since mid May has stayed at a relatively stable 450-500K/day average.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
2023 Chicago Bears... emerging from a long hibernation, and hungry!
User avatar
dplank
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12025
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:19 am
Has thanked: 1201 times
Been thanked: 2138 times

Hospitalizations are exploding here in south florida....fucking morons just couldn't deal with the lockdown and pushed it too fast. The hospital closest to my home is reaching capacity (and the Covid sectored off section is over capacity and leaking over into the non-covid areas of the hospital, increasing risk of cross contamination).

All the jokes you hear about Florida are true. it's a shit show down here. You are equally likely to get fucked with if you are wearing a mask (by aholes on one side) or not wearing a mask (by aholes on the other side). Why can't everyone just do what's right and stop bickering about every goddamn thing all the time. 120K people are dead and all we can do is argue and point fingers at one another. Health isn't political and I'm glad this thread isn't political, thx again to the mods for keeping this place politics free!

So I'll use this small platform to shout out to the nurses and others working in those hospitals. They are taking their lives in their hands to help others, I can't think of anything more noble than that. I overheard two nurses talking while I was waiting to pick up my wife yesterday from the hospital and it was heart breaking - they were basically counting the days until they were rotated back into the "covid ward", figuring out how to distance from their families during that stretch, and scared to death about catching it. God bless them.
User avatar
IE
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12500
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 8:46 am
Location: Plymouth, MI
Has thanked: 523 times
Been thanked: 700 times
Contact:

Article from some SF web site. I wouldn't normally share something like this because who knows how credible or well-researched the site is. But I will share it because the theme is consistent with what I've heard from my wife's experience at Sinai Grace in the D. And also from a friend of mine who is a cardiovascular surgeon and tenured professor at U of Michigan Med School/Hospital. What he's related publicly is Covid acts more like a cardiovascular disease than respiratory. Even though the transmission and symptoms are respiratory in nature. It causes serious permanent damage and does cause heart attacks and strokes even with some younger people. This is not something that "young healthy sports stars shouldn't worry about". This is something everyone should care about.

https://www.sfgate.com/news/editorspick ... 347792.php
2023 Chicago Bears... emerging from a long hibernation, and hungry!
User avatar
mmmc_35
Hall of Famer
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:25 am
Has thanked: 105 times
Been thanked: 98 times

So my work did the antibody tests. Those who already had a positive viral test didnt participate and those on their days off did not participate. The tests are supposed to be 70% accurate.

We had 20% of the approximately 350 tests come back positive. I included the viral positives in the group also. We had 1 hospitalization, a guy with major lung issues previously.

I find this suprising. I figured it would be closer to 50%. A work group whom has not stayed home and has a ton of contact with large swaths of the populace. While cleaning and PPE have obviously helped, but I still find 20% strange.

My conclusion is it may not be as transmittable as suggested. I have personally dealt with a couple of active positive viral people. 2 OD's and 2 work people, that I know of. I do not have the antibodies even though I had no PPE on any contact. I got in trouble for not putting on PPE before CCR on the 2 ODs. 1 lived 1 did not. Seemed wrong to stop go out to my car and get gear while someone's dead.

Just some info for you all.
User avatar
dplank
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12025
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:19 am
Has thanked: 1201 times
Been thanked: 2138 times

mmmc_35 wrote: Fri Jul 03, 2020 5:55 am So my work did the antibody tests. Those who already had a positive viral test didnt participate and those on their days off did not participate. The tests are supposed to be 70% accurate.

We had 20% of the approximately 350 tests come back positive. I included the viral positives in the group also. We had 1 hospitalization, a guy with major lung issues previously.

I find this suprising. I figured it would be closer to 50%. A work group whom has not stayed home and has a ton of contact with large swaths of the populace. While cleaning and PPE have obviously helped, but I still find 20% strange.

My conclusion is it may not be as transmittable as suggested. I have personally dealt with a couple of active positive viral people. 2 OD's and 2 work people, that I know of. I do not have the antibodies even though I had no PPE on any contact. I got in trouble for not putting on PPE before CCR on the 2 ODs. 1 lived 1 did not. Seemed wrong to stop go out to my car and get gear while someone's dead.

Just some info for you all.
Are you an emergency responder? If so, god bless and thank you.
User avatar
mmmc_35
Hall of Famer
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:25 am
Has thanked: 105 times
Been thanked: 98 times

Thanks, yeah a deputy for a moderate sized department. Most our staff works the jail, court, conveyance. Right around 20% work patrol like I do now. The jail generally houses 1000 inmates. We had something like 30 positive viral inmate tests. Social distance, masks, etc are kind of out the window. While Deputies have masks Inmate's don't. Most Deputies dont wear them because you live with these people 8-12 hrs a day. The jail the general contact with numerous people is off the charts.

The numbers just dont show what I thought they would. Not positive or negative.
User avatar
mmmc_35
Hall of Famer
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:25 am
Has thanked: 105 times
Been thanked: 98 times

The administration just reposted the numbers and its actually 33% of the department that has the antibodies.
User avatar
IE
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12500
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 8:46 am
Location: Plymouth, MI
Has thanked: 523 times
Been thanked: 700 times
Contact:

Hey - curious if there has been any special policy established for the antibody-positive folks. Are they operating as if that means not at risk or risk to others? Or still same policy around PPE and such?
2023 Chicago Bears... emerging from a long hibernation, and hungry!
User avatar
mmmc_35
Hall of Famer
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:25 am
Has thanked: 105 times
Been thanked: 98 times

IE wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:16 am Hey - curious if there has been any special policy established for the antibody-positive folks. Are they operating as if that means not at risk or risk to others? Or still same policy around PPE and such?
No there isn't. One would think admin would but there hasn't been. If admin was truely worried positive folks would work in covid areas or calls.

The county just put a mask order in effect and it applies to everyone. Honestly I am not directly obeying. I ask people if they want me to have it on. But facial expressions are so much of language. Convincing a suicidal chick you care, (weather you do or dont) is hard without human interaction. Or 94 year old deloris that a man didn't break into her house she was dreaming.
User avatar
IE
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12500
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 8:46 am
Location: Plymouth, MI
Has thanked: 523 times
Been thanked: 700 times
Contact:

mmmc_35 wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:52 am
IE wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:16 am Hey - curious if there has been any special policy established for the antibody-positive folks. Are they operating as if that means not at risk or risk to others? Or still same policy around PPE and such?
No there isn't. One would think admin would but there hasn't been. If admin was truely worried positive folks would work in covid areas or calls.

The county just put a mask order in effect and it applies to everyone. Honestly I am not directly obeying. I ask people if they want me to have it on. But facial expressions are so much of language. Convincing a suicidal chick you care, (weather you do or dont) is hard without human interaction. Or 94 year old deloris that a man didn't break into her house she was dreaming.
Yeah - I get that. Try a clear face shield... my wife sometimes uses those in treating folks (she's a rehab speech therapist). Her hospital in the D is mostly Covid free right now (which is amazing). But a positive case pops up now & again among the regular patients (one did yesterday), so they keep their guard up very carefully.

Interesting comment about the 94 year old. At my wife's work an 86 year old man with dementia had to get an enema one day, and then afterwards insisted he had been anally raped by a male nurse while other nurses held him down. 4 cops had to visit multiple times to "investigate" the claim... it was ridiculous. I'm not a "defund" guy - but I AM in favor of looking at the roles cops have to play and narrowing them. When social safety nets are taken away, it all falls on the cops to fix. That sucks.
2023 Chicago Bears... emerging from a long hibernation, and hungry!
User avatar
Otis Day
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8061
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:43 pm
Location: Armpit of IL.
Has thanked: 120 times
Been thanked: 306 times

Our office is going back to working in office every other day (half time). There has been a spike in out county and our director has had friends who have gotten the 'rona.

Kind of sucks. We just got back to full time in the office in June. Now we will be half time thru September.

Probation is not a job you can do over the phone. Just went out for a home visit today (said fuck it, have to make sure this person is actually a person) and was told by the occupants at that address that they don't know the people I was looking for. They further reported they had been in this home for over 2 months!!!! This was a case transferred from another county. (Knew it wasn't the kid's mom as we have pics of her and Facebook helps).
User avatar
Atkins&Rebel
Head Coach
Posts: 2177
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2016 3:56 pm
Has thanked: 32 times
Been thanked: 123 times

https://elemental.medium.com/a-supercom ... cb8eba9d63
According to the team’s findings, a Covid-19 infection generally begins when the virus enters the body through ACE2 receptors in the nose, (The receptors, which the virus is known to target, are abundant there.) The virus then proceeds through the body, entering cells in other places where ACE2 is also present: the intestines, kidneys, and heart. This likely accounts for at least some of the disease’s cardiac and GI symptoms.
But once Covid-19 has established itself in the body, things start to get really interesting. According to Jacobson’s group, the data Summit analyzed shows that Covid-19 isn’t content to simply infect cells that already express lots of ACE2 receptors. Instead, it actively hijacks the body’s own systems, tricking it into upregulating ACE2 receptors in places where they’re usually expressed at low or medium levels, including the lungs.
In this sense, Covid-19 is like a burglar who slips in your unlocked second-floor window and starts to ransack your house. Once inside, though, they don’t just take your stuff — they also throw open all your doors and windows so their accomplices can rush in and help pillage more efficiently.
The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) controls many aspects of the circulatory system, including the body’s levels of a chemical called bradykinin, which normally helps to regulate blood pressure. According to the team’s analysis, when the virus tweaks the RAS, it causes the body’s mechanisms for regulating bradykinin to go haywire. Bradykinin receptors are resensitized, and the body also stops effectively breaking down bradykinin. (ACE normally degrades bradykinin, but when the virus downregulates it, it can’t do this as effectively.)
The end result, the researchers say, is to release a bradykinin storm
By acting like a natural ACE inhibitor, Covid-19 may be causing the same effects that hypertensive patients sometimes get when they take blood pressure–lowering drugs. ACE inhibitors are known to cause a dry cough and fatigue, two textbook symptoms of Covid-19. And they can potentially increase blood potassium levels, which has also been observed in Covid-19 patients. The similarities between ACE inhibitor side effects and Covid-19 symptoms strengthen the bradykinin hypothesis, the researchers say.
ACE inhibitors are also known to cause a loss of taste and smell. Jacobson stresses, though, that this symptom is more likely due to the virus “affecting the cells surrounding olfactory nerve cells” than the direct effects of bradykinin.
As Jacobson and team point out, several drugs target aspects of the RAS and are already FDA approved to treat other conditions. They could arguably be applied to treating Covid-19 as well. Several, like danazol, stanozolol, and ecallantide, reduce bradykinin production and could potentially stop a deadly bradykinin storm. Others, like icatibant, reduce bradykinin signaling and could blunt its effects once it’s already in the body.
Interestingly, Jacobson’s team also suggests vitamin D as a potentially useful Covid-19 drug. The vitamin is involved in the RAS system and could prove helpful by reducing levels of another compound, known as REN. Again, this could stop potentially deadly bradykinin storms from forming. The researchers note that vitamin D has already been shown to help those with Covid-19.


If nothing else, stock up and start taking some vitamin D supplements (not a fricken multivitamin), and it will help lessen any symptoms if you do catch the virus.
I will kill you if you cut me at the knees. You will drink with me when invited and stay til I say so. We only listen to American Music. I make men nervous with just my presence. I expect an apology if you hold. I throw linemen at QB's. Believe the Lore!
User avatar
Otis Day
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8061
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:43 pm
Location: Armpit of IL.
Has thanked: 120 times
Been thanked: 306 times

Anyone on the board had Covid? 6 months into it and it finally hit my place of employment. 4 women on the first floor have it. I know a couple of firemen that had it in the summer as well. They report not having a bad case of it. They both stated allergy like symptoms.

Nothing in my family yet. I have decided to live. Been to a few bars, stayed out in beer garden as much as possible. Been to some restaurants as well. Doing a lot more outdoor activities though.

Mask up and wash your hands.
User avatar
thunderspirit
Head Coach
Posts: 3829
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:51 pm
Location: Greater Chicagoland, IL
Has thanked: 605 times
Been thanked: 603 times

To the best of my knowledge, no. (I say this because my entire household was sick at the beginning of March, went through the house like wildfire -- for me it felt like a bad flu, including chills where I couldn't get warm, and three weeks later my wife was still coughing and weak...so, maybe...? We don't know.)

I had one person at my office test positive, and I've known at least three people in my circle of friends who have also had it (one appears to have had it twice, with about a month in between -- a little alarming).
KFFL refugee.

dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
:shocked:
User avatar
UOK
Site Admin
Posts: 25147
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2008 11:07 am
Location: Champaign, IL
Has thanked: 108 times
Been thanked: 926 times

I was really, really sick back in February or March also. Wife was too. Fever, chills, cough. We totally both thought we had some early form of COVID, but we both returned negative for antibodies.

We had a scare w/ a coworker but it turned out to be an unrelated lung infection.
Image
User avatar
Xee
Site Admin
Posts: 3866
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 8:47 pm
Location: Hoffman Estates, IL
Has thanked: 66 times
Been thanked: 129 times

Thankfully nobody I know personally. A coworker of a family-member caught it long after they had shut the office down and unfortunately ending up passing away from complications from it at 35.
User avatar
Boris13c
Hall of Famer
Posts: 15958
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 11:30 am
Location: The Bear Nebula
Has thanked: 38 times
Been thanked: 103 times

Otis Day wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 4:10 pm Anyone on the board had Covid? 6 months into it and it finally hit my place of employment. 4 women on the first floor have it. I know a couple of firemen that had it in the summer as well. They report not having a bad case of it. They both stated allergy like symptoms.

that's really the problem with this Covid stuff ... for many, it seems like what they've had in the past, such as seasonal allergies ... so many who get it might ignore it until it gets more serious

the only message that has been consistent from the medical folks is that if you have a fever with whatever other symptoms you have, it is likely you may have Covid ... some folks have reported just a fever with fatigue and they were positive for it

the fact this thing is insidious enough to be dismissed as something routine, allowing it to fester and develop into more severe and potentially life threatening damage, is why this is so damn scary
"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things."
George Carlin
User avatar
Moriarty
Hall of Famer
Posts: 6806
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 1:22 pm
Has thanked: 384 times
Been thanked: 688 times

Haven't had it that I know of.
Tempted to try an antigen test, though.

  • Had a bout of what is consistent with regular fall allergies and wife at same time. Pretty confident it was just the usual.
  • Was really sick in March. Called everywhere, trying to get a test, and just got the runaround. Convinced they either had absolute zero or extremely limited supplies. I was knocked on my ass for about 48 hrs, then suddenly completely fine. Similar to what wife + child had in February. Could have been, but a regular flu seems more likely (had had the shot, but the effectiveness isn't all that great).
  • Mother in law was in the hospital with it for week and a half. Fortunately wasn't around near the time where she came down with it.
1999-2002: Mouth Off Sports Forum (RIP)
2002-2014: KFFL (RIP)
2014-2016: USAToday Fantasy Sports Forum (RIP)

Hello, my name is Moriarty. I have come to kill your website, prepare to die.
User avatar
AZ_Bearfan
MVP
Posts: 1492
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:49 pm
Location: Mesa, AZ
Has thanked: 132 times
Been thanked: 77 times

Otis Day wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 4:10 pm Anyone on the board had Covid?
@Wounded Bear mentions his experience with covid back on page 2 of this thread.
Image
User avatar
AZ_Bearfan
MVP
Posts: 1492
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:49 pm
Location: Mesa, AZ
Has thanked: 132 times
Been thanked: 77 times

That was probably the first personal covid story I saw from a person who I kind of know..... or whatever. One of my internet friends.
Image
User avatar
Otis Day
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8061
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:43 pm
Location: Armpit of IL.
Has thanked: 120 times
Been thanked: 306 times

Well, the wife has it. She tested Tues and got the results yesterday. Nothing serious at this time. She has had a low grade temp, aches/pains, headache, some sinus stuff (which I think is just here normal fall sinusitis. It will be an interesting 14 days of quarantine since the daughter is home as well. Another 3-4 days it will be like a WWE cage match in the house.
User avatar
Ormazd
MVP
Posts: 1492
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:08 pm
Location: Peoples Republic of Virginia
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 5 times

Otis Day wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 12:00 pm Well, the wife has it. She tested Tues and got the results yesterday. Nothing serious at this time. She has had a low grade temp, aches/pains, headache, some sinus stuff (which I think is just here normal fall sinusitis. It will be an interesting 14 days of quarantine since the daughter is home as well. Another 3-4 days it will be like a WWE cage match in the house.
I'm sorry to hear that. Hope she recovers quickly.

This is the first time I've stumbled across this thread. I'm retired so thankfully don't have to go out much. I actually haven't been ANYWHERE since Oct 15. My wife is diabetic and high risk. We go to the grocery store and Costco. That's about it.

The good things about it? I'm saving a ton of money this year. We usually take a trip to Europe and a couple in the US. Also saving a lot because we don't go out to eat at all.

Maybe next year!
Image
User avatar
southdakbearfan
Head Coach
Posts: 4600
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 11:23 pm
Location: South Dakota
Has thanked: 763 times
Been thanked: 328 times

Just going through my last day of quarantine.

Tested positive 13 days ago along with my 11 year old son. Fever, massive joint and body aches, night sweats the first 4 days. Got a little tickle/horseness in the back of my throat but finally feeling better now. Also had bad muscle cramps at night too, one so bad in my thigh I got a huge black and blue mark from it.

My son was down for about 2 days and pretty much back to normal.

Lost 22 lbs, but I do not recommend it as a diet plan.
User avatar
thunderspirit
Head Coach
Posts: 3829
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:51 pm
Location: Greater Chicagoland, IL
Has thanked: 605 times
Been thanked: 603 times

Otis Day wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 12:00 pm Well, the wife has it. She tested Tues and got the results yesterday. Nothing serious at this time. She has had a low grade temp, aches/pains, headache, some sinus stuff (which I think is just here normal fall sinusitis. It will be an interesting 14 days of quarantine since the daughter is home as well. Another 3-4 days it will be like a WWE cage match in the house.
southdakbearfan wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 7:52 pm Just going through my last day of quarantine.

Tested positive 13 days ago along with my 11 year old son. Fever, massive joint and body aches, night sweats the first 4 days. Got a little tickle/horseness in the back of my throat but finally feeling better now. Also had bad muscle cramps at night too, one so bad in my thigh I got a huge black and blue mark from it.

My son was down for about 2 days and pretty much back to normal.

Lost 22 lbs, but I do not recommend it as a diet plan.
Sorry to hear this, guys. Hope things are as well as can be and people recover well.
KFFL refugee.

dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
:shocked:
User avatar
Ormazd
MVP
Posts: 1492
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:08 pm
Location: Peoples Republic of Virginia
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 5 times

southdakbearfan wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 7:52 pm Just going through my last day of quarantine.

Tested positive 13 days ago along with my 11 year old son. Fever, massive joint and body aches, night sweats the first 4 days. Got a little tickle/horseness in the back of my throat but finally feeling better now. Also had bad muscle cramps at night too, one so bad in my thigh I got a huge black and blue mark from it.

My son was down for about 2 days and pretty much back to normal.

Lost 22 lbs, but I do not recommend it as a diet plan.
Glad to hear you and your son are both feeling better, SoDak. I could stand to lose 22 pounds, but I'll try to avoid your diet plan.
Image
User avatar
southdakbearfan
Head Coach
Posts: 4600
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 11:23 pm
Location: South Dakota
Has thanked: 763 times
Been thanked: 328 times

I was surprised it hit me as hard as it did. Being in good shape from working out and many many miles of walking this time of year for hunting.

Maybe it did make a difference and it could have been worse. It’s weird how it attacks different people so differently.

Stay safe, it’s no fun for sure.
Post Reply