2020 Dumpster Fire (Enter at your own risk)

[iramurphy]

Just now, NDSU grad said:

Regarding the South Korea cases, are they testing positive and showing symptoms or testing positive and asymptomatic?  The latter would not surprise me at all.  But that would probably mean they have the possibility of infecting others.

From what I read, some are showing mild symptoms. Questions raised included the question of false positives or incomplete recovery. It underlines the importance of finding a treatment and vaccine. 

[Sioux>Bison]

2 hours ago, dynato said:

We need a link showing sample size and confidence intervals in their estimate of 85 times higher. If the range is 2 to 85 times higher, and you are using the 85 times higher to fit your narrative, that needs to be stated. If it is an educated guess, that needs to be stated. Establish credibility and people will change their mind and believe you.

There is no doubt that the infectious rate is likely higher than what is being reported. To say this though you would also have to admit there is a possibility of deaths being missed as well. The only way to definitively prove this is widespread testing. Based on current reporting trend, the USA simply does not have capacity to run more than 30k tests a day. This is our limiting factor. 

The IHME are projections based on assumptions and current data (within several days recent). The "maybe possible" bit about opening up has always been tacked on there, so do not get angry that you are finally getting around to reading the model in detail. This is why I said lobby your governor, because he makes the final call. They will only make the call if enough people with valid concerns pressure them. 

I said before that ND will be one of the last to get hit. LM Windpower just faced an outbreak and Altru is already worried about their capacity. If Grand Forks community members need to be shipped down to the Fargodome for care, the sentiment will likely change.

This just in: Wyoming had zero covid deaths last year and zero covid deaths this year. This obviously can only mean one thing. They are immune to dying from the virus! 

I think WY has 2 deaths with 300 cases and 200 recovered. Traffic is still busy here in the morning.....

[NDSU grad]

1 minute ago, iramurphy said:

From what I read, some are showing mild symptoms. Questions raised included the question of false positives or incomplete recovery. It underlines the importance of finding a treatment and vaccine. 

I've read about the instances of false negative, particularly with the rapid tests, but nobody has ever talked about the possibility of false positives.

[FSSD]

15 minutes ago, iramurphy said:

Well, we went went for an hour or two before someone felt the need to inject politics. 

Sorry, didn't see the post.  I was behind on the thread ... 

[iramurphy]

2 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

So I have read on this thread the infectious positive testing....... inaccurate. The antibody testing..... inaccurate. Any model one can review is bipolar.... inaccurate. Yet unemployment is around 13%. When do kids get to be kids again? When do they go back to school? When is the unemployment rate going to go down into single digits instead to climbing to 20%? 

Your questions are valid and frankly, critical. I would guess return to work and other activities are going to be as much trial and error as what the medical professionals are trying with our treatment protocols. I’m not Yogi Berra, but he might say we don’t know until we know. Whomever is first to send their citizens back to work will have to accept the responsibility of the consequences, just as those who keep their citizens home. We all know regardless, they will be criticized and likely thrown under the bus by the media. 

[hky]

1 hour ago, keikla said:

This is spot on.  Our anesthesiologists have been primarily limited to succinylcholine for intubations since all other paralytics have been needed to make drips for vented patients.  I never thought I'd see the day where we used titrating rocuronium continuous infusions, but when you run out of nimbex, vecuronium, and atracurium you don't really have a choice.  Precedex is a major shortage item.  Propofol is a HUGE shortage item - we've actually had to purchase and/or borrow some from local am surg centers that are closed.  These meds all come from national distributors with limited supply.  If people are doing elective surgeries in Minn or ND, that would affect our supply in NY.

Thanks for this perspective.  When major health providers are losing millions of dollars and laying off people (like Avera), it's easy to forget that the entire country is connected to the same supply chains.  By the way, keep posting.  I appreciate your view from the front lines, and when your name comes up we know you're doing OK.

[Redneksioux]

This is no longer just a big city problem. Grand forks county has an infection rate per capita three times that of Hennepin county. And this could get much worse over the next several days.

 

 

[Kab]

A few days ago,I asked how,long before they use dogs to sniff this out

I see they are training dogs in Europe to do this with some success

could screen many people in a short time doing this

 

 

[iramurphy]

1 hour ago, NDSU grad said:

I've read about the instances of false negative, particularly with the rapid tests, but nobody has ever talked about the possibility of false positives.

They were referring to retesting. The theory was the false positive test could be due to dead virus or residual weak virus. I would defer to the microbiologists or others who have a thorough understanding of the test and how this would affect the results. 

[iramurphy]

1 hour ago, keikla said:

Well, I'm alive anyway.  Been home sick since last Monday.  It's been many years since I've missed more than one consecutive day of work due to illness.  My covid test came back negative (yes that test is as awful as the pictures make it seem), but I'm not sure what else is going around to cause constant shortness of breath, chest pain, low grade fever, headaches, dizziness, and extreme fatigue in otherwise healthy 30-somethings.

Withdrawal from Sioux hockey when we had a great shot at #9?  

Take care of yourself and get well soon. Prayers and positive thoughts your way. Are you going to do antibody testing when you get through this?  I had something similar in Feb and missed a day of work for illness for first time in 45 yrs. I assumed Influenza A cuz we had no Covid around the region back then but I’m going to do the antibody testing when the new more accurate test comes out. 

[iramurphy]

46 minutes ago, keikla said:

That's interesting. I've seen dogs used for warnings against impending seizures, low blood sugar, etc., but I dont think I've ever seen them used in association with infectious diseases.

We tried that in our lobby but when the German Shepard stuck his cold nose between the guys cheeks he lurched forward about 8 feet and broke his collarbone. The lady waiting to see her provider for fibromyalgia freaked out when the guy dropped his drawers in the waiting room and soiled herself. Needless to say I am dealing with the guys attorney and the lady’s minister. Both incidents have been recorded as Covid related trauma. 

[Redneksioux]

All LM Wind employees to quarantine for two weeks. It sounds like 110 tested positive and there's about 50 test left to process.

 

I'm curious what the plan is to prevent this from continuing to happen at these essential businesses. 

[Siouxphan27]

5 minutes ago, Redneksioux said:

All LM Wind employees to quarantine for two weeks. It sounds like 110 tested positive and there's about 50 test left to process.

 

I'm curious what the plan is to prevent this from continuing to happen at these essential businesses. 

It's not preventable.  

[SIOUXFAN97]

53 minutes ago, Siouxphan27 said:

It's not preventable.  

best response to a dumb question....congrats Siouxphan27

how do you stop car accidents rednecksioux?

[Cratter]

3 hours ago, Redneksioux said:

This is no longer just a big city problem. Grand forks county has an infection rate per capita three times that of Hennepin county. And this could get much worse over the next several days.

Which just means Grand Forks will be getting over Covid19 faster than Hennepin County.

Or GF just has a higher testing capacity per capita.

40 to 80% of us are eventually going to get the virus with or without stay at home orders.

 

[iramurphy]

25 minutes ago, keikla said:

More about the hypercoagualable state of covid patients.  

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/covid-19-patients-blood-clots/story?id=70131612

Like everything else...it's about finding that balance of helping but not harming when it comes to treatment protocols. 

I can’t remember if I learned from you or other research or both, but obese patients seem to be at higher risk for pulmonary emboli.  We have included d dimer testing and anticoagulants in our protocols. Your advice and experience over the past couple of weeks is appreciated. 

[Redneksioux]

1 hour ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

best response to a dumb question....congrats Siouxphan27

how do you stop car accidents rednecksioux?

If it’s not preventable then why test? Why close the business down?

[UND1983]

17 minutes ago, Redneksioux said:

If it’s not preventable then why test? Why close the business down?

That's pretty much what everyone is asking right now. The answer I've gotten is that they're trying to slow it down to keep the numbers down at the hospitals.

[iramurphy]

13 minutes ago, keikla said:

I'd recommend adding fibrinogen as well if not already being done.  Unless otherwise indicated or contraindicated because of underlying conditions, we're using prophylactic anticoag for d-dimer <3 and treatment dosing anticoag on patients with D dimer >3.  Most patients have also had elevated fibrinogen, but normal or lower fibrinogen levels have seemed to correspond with those at a greater risk for bleeding with aggressive treatment.  Just something to know in order to look at the entire picture.  We trend the d dimer and fibrinogen daily in order to make treatment changes as necessary.

We are using same d dimer parameters. I will add fibrinogen to my protocols. Thanks. Get well. 

[Siouxphan27]

19 minutes ago, Redneksioux said:

If it’s not preventable then why test? Why close the business down?

When essential businesses have a number of cases, they are shutting down to help slow down the number of cases at once. (Hint- the business is shutting down AFTER it has a number of employees testing positive.)

Or would you have preferred all essential businesses being shut down for the last month, resulting in no food, no power, no water,  no sewage plant operation, no emergency services available, etc?    

How would that have gone over?

[Cratter]

Walz: open the golf courses.

Newsom: put sand in the skateparks.

 

[Redneksioux]

37 minutes ago, Siouxphan27 said:

When essential businesses have a number of cases, they are shutting down to help slow down the number of cases at once. (Hint- the business is shutting down AFTER it has a number of employees testing positive.)

Or would you have preferred all essential businesses being shut down for the last month, resulting in no food, no power, no water,  no sewage plant operation, no emergency services available, etc?    

How would that have gone over?

I never said they had to be shut down. A little oversight to stop these outbreaks from happening would be nice though. But I guess they need to operate at either full capacity or not at all eh? Once again, how essential is it when it fully comes to a halt? 

[Cratter]

That meat package plant in Sioux Falls. 

Owned by a Chinese company.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

37 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Walz: open the golf courses.

Newsom: put sand in the skateparks.

 

A new spin on the old video game "Skate or Die."  "Skate and Die."

[bison73]

36 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Walz: open the golf courses.

Newsom: put sand in the skateparks.

 

The other day they were complaining they were running out of money. So they waste it on this? Not to mention that when this thing is all over they have to dig it out.