OT: Coronavirus XVI: Hey Covid-19, Piss Off Already

[bellagiobob]

A thread by Dr. Deena Hinshaw

Here is a summary thread of today’s #COVID19AB update.

6,961 Albertans have recovered leaving 512 active cases. 39 people are hospitalized with 6 in ICUs. There are 46 new cases out of about 9,000 new tests. We’ve now completed 373,724 tests. There have been no new deaths.(1/x)

The most common question I hear is: ‘Why have active cases numbers have gone up?’ We have about 173 more cases than two weeks ago – many in Edmonton/north zones. Hospitalization rates have remained steady & gone down slightly in the past 2 weeks. (2/x)

We did expect, potentially, an increase in cases in stage 2 as more Albertans began interacting in their communities. We continue to monitor cases & hospitalization rates carefully. (3/x)

Data shows positive trends: most active cases in Alberta are from a known source. Only 26 active cases are in continuing care facilities & 708 recovered cases. So far, no outbreaks/significant transmission are from outdoor activities. (4/x)

Other trends remind us to be vigilant: active cases in all age groups, Edmonton zone has close to same # as Calgary, location of new cases has shifted from continuing care to community settings like workplaces and large gatherings. (5/x)

Two funerals led to 24 new cases with many more close contacts potentially exposed. An apartment building had 12 cases, likely through common high-touch surfaces. Social gatherings where distancing & masking are not in place are higher risk. (6/x)

Anywhere people are gathered, not distanced or wearing masks, #COVID19AB can easily pass from one person to many. In some recent examples, the person who was the source of the infection did not have symptoms at the time. (7/x)

There have been outbreaks in 3 long-term care & supportive living sites in Edmonton. These populations are at high risk. There is an outbreak at the Materials Recovery Facility in the Edmonton Waste Management Centre. AHS is monitoring & providing testing/support as needed.(8/x)

Even if we are feeling healthy and symptom-free, we all need to continue as though we could spread the virus and catch it from others. We remain each others’ best defense against the virus. (9/x)

 

[MaxR11]

As someone who now knows like four people my age who now appear to have permanent, chronic lung damage, I'm going to go ahead and vote against "just opening it up" for the time being.

That's terrible, sorry to hear. I'm guessing your age group is somewhat young? Edmonton area?

 

[belair]

Anyone else get the stupid loud ads on here that you can only escape by exiting? Jeez

Click on the site that creates them and opt out. If that doesn't work, run the site without Java. Mandatory is a cesspool.

 

[syz]

That's terrible, sorry to hear. I'm guessing your age group is somewhat young? Edmonton area?

All late 20s/early 30s, also all acquaintances in the New York area so nothing local. The worst 2 are/were smokers which I imagine didn't help them.

 

[bellagiobob]

No offence to Edmonton, but it's far from a tourist destination. Outside of rural Albertans & Sask folk, who decides on Edmonton as a tourist destination? "Can't wait to go see the 2nd largest mall in the world!" isn't much of a draw anymore...

Seven million people visit Edmonton annually

Article is five years old, so assume numbers have been growing each year since then. Tourism is a good chunk of our economy. Just cut the damn grass.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

46 new cases, but with 9000 tests though.

 

[AM]

What a sour, callous way to look at human life.

Not going to respond to this train of thought.

Sticking your head in the sand won’t help.

 

[CupofOil]

It's not self-centered. You don't know me, for all you know I am 90 with an illness. I am not, but in fact, my dad is immunocompromised. This is a reality of looking at the numbers. There is no evidence that lockdown work. People that are vulnerable are no better of if every one isolates. 80% of deaths in Canada are in extended-care facilities. The lockdown are not stopping this. People who are vulnerable need to isolate and wear masks etc. This is just weighting the realistic pros and cons. The costs to society are way too high at this point. It is people like you who are not updating their priors with data. Covid is very contagious, to the point locking down is not stopping it. It is also very mild for most. For all we know the best thing we can do for the vulnerable is let them isolate while everyone else gets Covid and gets immunity. We have no idea what is actually best for the vulnerable, we are just beginning to realize the huge costs for everyone else from lockdown.

I can just as easily say you are being self-centered, that argument is just posturing.

The curve flattened here, and was destroyed in Europe, after the lockdowns. The places that are reopening are seeing spikes. The lockdown clearly worked to control the spread and was needed back in March because it was a "novel" virus that we had very little knowledge of, no idea how to combat it, didn't have capable testing and had a short supply of masks.

Now, 3 months later, we have more capability to battle the virus IF people are smart about it and follow basic guidelines to protect themselves and others (I have my doubts based on what I'm seeing in New York) so it's feasible to gradually reopen but make no mistake, the lockdown is the reason why the spread was contained and allowed us to get to the point when he can realistically reopen again SAFELY.
From now on, we're going to have to assume some risk BUT only if people do what's needed to protect themselves. If people get lackadaisical and go on as if the virus doesn't exist anymore then it's going to get really bad again and the government will be forced to enforce lockdown measures because people don't have the ability to govern themselves.

 

[CupofOil]

I wonder if the NHL will just cancel the 2020 season after hearing about Matthews testing positive for Covid 19

Um, no.
The positive tests today changed nothing in regards to the restart.
The season restarting was always in danger, everything opening in society will always be in danger because this virus was, is and will be for a long time everywhere. The danger won't subside until there's no danger anymore (vaccine).

Some players testing positive 6 weeks before a potential restart (even a prominent one) hasn't changed any of that because the danger, in public, will always be there.
Now, if there's an outbreak within the bubble (where it's presumed to be a lot safer) then that will be a much bigger problem.

 

[Senor Catface]

Sticking your head in the sand won’t help.

Ok

 

[Barrsy]

Wtf? Is this serious? I'm sure there are a significant number of people who have died from covid that had waaay more "than a month or so" left in the tank.

Its frightening how uneducated some are on the subject. Yet they speak as if they are educated.Because it suits their ideology.
Reminds me of those who were Trumpeting those Bako doctors. Yet a 1st year marginal U science student could tell you that they were spewing shit.But it suited ones ideology so it was gospel.
Thinking is always a good idea.
The times we live in.

 

[AM]

Its frightening how uneducated some are on the subject. Yet they speak as if they are educated.Because it suits their ideology.
Reminds me of those who were Trumpeting those Bako doctors. Yet a 1st year marginal U science student could tell you that they were spewing shit.But it suited ones ideology so it was gospel.
Thinking is always a good idea.
The times we live in.

Thanks for the great example!

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[KingKhron]

Did the city fire everyone that cuts grass this year? Bad enough that we need to drive around a depressed ghost town, with places boarded up all over, and roads that look like they've been bombed out, but to look at public areas and see public grass disguised as wheatfields that look like they haven't been touched since the 2nd week in May, is disgusting.

A global pandemic with half a million dead and just warming up into Great Depression 2 and unkept grass is what grinds your gears? Surely the UN sees the horror happening in our city...

 

[Senor Catface]

Goddamn it, where else am I going to buy pop and popcorn for 20 bucks!?!

 

[Drivesaitl]

Seven million people visit Edmonton annually

Article is five years old, so assume numbers have been growing each year since then. Tourism is a good chunk of our economy. Just cut the damn grass.

This is a case of misattribution. While it may be true that there are 7M visits beause Edmonton is a service community serving half a province and also an Oil and Gas and industry hub, these are not 7M tourists.

Banff has just over 4M tourists and its the most popular tourist visited place in Canada between Toronto and Vancouver. Banff has more tourism visits than Calgary. Its the top tourist destination in the province in any list since they built roads to the place. Before that it was the top tourist destination by rail.

Edmonton in recent years typically sees just over 3M overnight stay visits and a number that more typically reflects what tourism is. Tourism is not coming into the city from Redwater, stocking up on groceries, hardware, and driving back. The 7M figure counts a lot of what isn't tourism. Lastly the 7M figure isn't based on anything that I can see, and is not substantiated by any data I could find.

 

[Nostradumbass]

This line of thinking is incredibly self-centered. I want to protect my parents so if I have to inconvenience myself for a bit to ensure their safety I'll do it.

It’s the “me first” movement.

 

[Drivesaitl]

A global pandemic with half a million dead and just warming up into Great Depression 2 and unkept grass is what grinds your gears? Surely the UN sees the horror happening in our city...

The city allowing one foot high growths of grass, dandelions and any noxious weeds is not exactly disconnected from health concerns during a pandemic. Many people are effected, have allergies, have pronounced reactions this season because the city despite what it might state isn't even monitoring. The amount of dandelion puff in the air alone this year is incredible. The city is growing this in a never seen before scale.

Further, you can bet that the city seeding dandelions and noxious weeds all over the city is related to home owners, property owners using MORE herbicides this year which also is noxious and creates concerns for anybody, and more effected people. Anything that cause respiratory aggravation is a concern during a pandemic. Its not disconnected, at all.

 

[Nostradumbass]

A global pandemic with half a million dead and just warming up into Great Depression 2 and unkept grass is what grinds your gears? Surely the UN sees the horror happening in our city...

Send in the troops! We need to preserve the tourist hotspots like West Edmonton Mall and the brand new downtown arena that’s not in use.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

Goddamn it, where else am I going to buy pop and popcorn for 20 bucks!?!

Uhhhh you don't. You smuggle candy pop and popcorn in from outside the theater.

So based on the fact 11 players have been tested positive yesterday its safe to say the season is dead. Dead as a door nail. Gone. Finished. RIP. 2020 will be forever remembered as the year that ruined not only the economy but everyone's lives!

 

[Drivesaitl]

So I'm not understanding the stipulations, guidelines, reopenings and how this is making sense. Hinshaw is attributing 24 new Covid cases to two indoor funerals. At the same time she is stating that no confirmed transmission is occurring outdoors. Anybody spot an obvious mitigating solution? Have some kind of outdoor funeral, hopefully on a nice day, or revise a bit so that a concept of funeral could be altered somewhat to visitation where anybody could visit or pay homage to the deceased any time in the day, thus to spread out the gathering and reduce numbers. With only immediate family at actual service. So many solutions to this, so obvious that no mitigating factors seem to be used that are being effective. This is further ball dropping.

No small quibble either as its quite clear the Covid virus doesn't heed staged reopening. Its going to hit wherever it can. We've continued to have all busses running, we're opening up rec centers soon, malls, movie theaters, indoor restos and pubs are open.

Malls seem to be a particularly bad choice. Especially food courts.

The prognosis isn't all that great that numbers won't just continue to increase.

2-3 weeks ago Edmonton had around 40 cases and with half of those in extended care facilities/hospitals. Not in community. We now have 200 more cases that are in community. In Edmonton.

Lately I keep hearing this false reassurance that things are well in hand, the opening is going well. This doesn't seem to be the clear cut case. The bottomline is Edmonton is doing far worse right now in active cases, 3X as many as it ever had prior.

 

[T-Funk]

Another option: don't allow funerals if people can't f***ing stand 6 feet apart. Or there are going to be more funerals. It's so f***ing easy. I think if there's a forced lockdown again, I'll just stay home and not go help people at work the whole time.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

A global pandemic with half a million dead and just warming up into Great Depression 2 and unkept grass is what grinds your gears? Surely the UN sees the horror happening in our city...

a global pandemic is going on with thousands dying every day and people wanting the grass cut so the city looks nice is what grinds your gears?

 

[bellagiobob]

This is a case of misattribution. While it may be true that there are 7M visits beause Edmonton is a service community serving half a province and also an Oil and Gas and industry hub, these are not 7M tourists.

Banff has just over 4M tourists and its the most popular tourist visited place in Canada between Toronto and Vancouver. Banff has more tourism visits than Calgary. Its the top tourist destination in the province in any list since they built roads to the place. Before that it was the top tourist destination by rail.

Edmonton in recent years typically sees just over 3M overnight stay visits and a number that more typically reflects what tourism is. Tourism is not coming into the city from Redwater, stocking up on groceries, hardware, and driving back. The 7M figure counts a lot of what isn't tourism. Lastly the 7M figure isn't based on anything that I can see, and is not substantiated by any data I could find.

3M overnight stays is still a lot, and is very important to our local economy. My initial point still stands.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

The city allowing one foot high growths of grass, dandelions and any noxious weeds is not exactly disconnected from health concerns during a pandemic. Many people are effected, have allergies, have pronounced reactions this season because the city despite what it might state isn't even monitoring. The amount of dandelion puff in the air alone this year is incredible. The city is growing this in a never seen before scale.

Further, you can bet that the city seeding dandelions and noxious weeds all over the city is related to home owners, property owners using MORE herbicides this year which also is noxious and creates concerns for anybody, and more effected people. Anything that cause respiratory aggravation is a concern during a pandemic. Its not disconnected, at all.

The mosquito and mice populations thank the city for giving them more areas to live in.