OT: Coronavirus XXV: Cases Soaring in Many Parts of North America

[Drivesaitl]

I would agree. There is a shared responsibility between our health care system and the public, but our health care system has finite resources. At the rate we’re going it’s definitely unreasonable to think that there will be an ICU bed, trained medical personnel and a Ventilator for every single case that potentially needs it.

Our hospital care system, particularly, in urban centers is not capable of handling even a moderate pandemic, and is running near 100% at the best of times. Our system of health care not being nearly as good as we tend to think it is.
One specific problem in Alberta is we experienced decades of pandering to rural or town or smaller pop regions providing inordinate hospital provision while our cities lacked appreciable expansion of facilities. In urban areas. for decades, in Alberta beds per capita has gone down in urban regions of the province.

I will say though that to the credit of the current govt they attempted every initial precaution and response they could muster. It was known from the beginning, in Canada, in Alberta, that we were not at all adequately prepared for a pandemic. Which is sad, because as recently as 2003 we arguably were.

 

[MaxR11]

COVID’s Impact in Real Time: Finding Balance Amid the Crisis

But the recession was also largely driven by people voluntarily refraining from social interactions as they feared contracting the virus. Therefore, lifting lockdowns is unlikely to lead to a decisive and sustained economic boost if infections are still elevated, as voluntary social distancing will likely persist.

Lockdowns impose short-term costs but may lead to a faster economic recovery as they lower infections and thus the extent of voluntary social distancing.

countries that adopted lockdowns when COVID-19 cases were still low experienced much better epidemiological outcomes relative to countries that intervened when cases were already high.

The effectiveness of lockdowns in reducing infections, coupled with the finding that infections can considerably harm economic activity because of voluntary social distancing, calls for re-considering the prevailing narrative about lockdowns involving a trade-off between saving lives and supporting the economy.

effective lockdown measures taken early during an epidemic may lead to a faster economic recovery by containing the virus and reducing voluntary social distancing. These medium-term gains may offset the short-term costs of lockdowns, possibly even leading to positive overall effects on the economy.

 

[MaxR11]

Big issue, with lack of contact tracing. Lead to many people unaware they have been in contact with covid pos person... leads to more spread.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-ahs-craig-jenne-deena-hinshaw-covid-19-1.5791839

"Over the last two weeks, we've essentially tripled our cases," said Craig Jenne, an associate professor at the University of Calgary in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases.
"So not only is each case taking a lot of time, but we have three times as many cases to contact trace. And simply, the manpower cannot keep up with it."

Cases are so high in Alberta that contact tracers will no longer notify people who have been found to be in close contact to an infected person, unless they are deemed to be linked to a "high-priority setting."

"People may not be aware they've been exposed. They may continue to go to work and spread the virus even further," Jenne said.
"So when we're trying to bring numbers back under control, this is really not an optimal situation at all."

Jenne said that any reduction in contact tracing handcuffs the province's ability to control outbreaks — and the rise in cases is happening at a critical time with flu season approaching.
"We're only realistically six weeks or so from the holiday season, where we know people will gather with family, and we'll have a very high viral load … it's the perfect storm for further problems," Jenne said.

"It's time to take recommendations very seriously or be prepared for closures. We are getting to the point where this will likely not be manageable for too much longer."

"I think, at this point, Alberta needs a short, hard lockdown to circuit break, to be perfectly honest," Tan said. "Because this is getting out of control. But without contact tracing, it will never be able to get to a point of being managed."

 

[Drivesaitl]

They say a picture tells a thousand words. Or whatever they say, i forget..

This is Stephen Avenue this week at lunchtime on a work day.

This picture shows something that is there, but is not there. It shows excellent outdoor spacing, it shows a roadway closed so that this could be furthered by pedestrians.

What it also exhibits is so few people outdoors, in safe areas, instead of in enclosed office spaces, eating lunch or spending it indoors when they should be outside. This was beautiful weather this week. the right pandemic response is to be outside for lunch break, not inside.

 

[yukoner88]

Interesting how roughly 9 months ago was the start of COVID

It's suspiciously close to Valentine's day lol.

 

[LaGu]

If there was any doubt out there that the 2nd wave has hit Europe.

Europe’s Hospital Crunch Grows More Dire, Surpassing Spring Peak

 

[LaGu]

IIRC in especially hard hit areas like in NYC earlier this year they were calling in retired Drs. and nurses and hoping that they would heed the call. Unprecedented times in our lifetime for sure.

In Italy in April they made a call for 600 retired nurses and doctors to help out, they got 3000 volonteers. Unfortunately in the end some of those who came in to help ended up dying from Covid.

There was an Italian doctor in his 70ies, who had volonteered and helped for a couple of months, who said ,when he was about to be put in an ICU, that he was happy he could help and that risks came with the calling to be a medic. He passed away a week later.

Heroes of our generation if you ask me. Yeah, I bet it was the same in NYC and other hard hit areas.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I have moved my bed to the window and opened the window.

Thats all I got.

 

[MaxR11]

Bonus media avail today with Hinshaw.... and Kenny. More stern scolding? Or hammer dropping?

Kenney to join Hinshaw in Friday COVID-19 update

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Bonus media avail today with Hinshaw.... and Kenny. More stern scolding? Or hammer dropping?

Kenney to join Hinshaw in Friday COVID-19 update

 

[MaxR11]

These two families watched loved ones die of coronavirus in overwhelmed Utah hospitals

 

[MaxR11]

It'll probably be something like limit gathering to 6 people. Kinda useless because noones's following the current gathering guidelines now anyhow. Hate to say it but some targeted temporary shutdowns may be necessary. Send a real message.

 

[MaxR11]

609 new cases today

802 cases yesterday.

 

[MaxR11]

They're estimating ~300 hospitalizations in the next few weeks.

 

[MaxR11]

Kenny is asking Albertans to stop any social gatherings at home.

Other gatherings only 15 person limit.

Limit to only 3 cohorts.

Only play on one sports team.

Daily reporting of case numbers starting this weekend.

Still technical issues with data.

 

[DaGap]

Either People Die from Covid or they Die from not getting medical attention because of service suspensions. Pick your poison seems like people just don't wanna die from covid. Everything else is fine.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Either People Die from Covid or they Die from not getting medical attention because of service suspensions. Pick your poison seems like people just don't wanna die from covid. Everything else is fine.

If we could keep the cases under control, we wouldn't be in the position of needing to choose between those two options.

 

[MaxR11]

Either People Die from Covid or they Die from not getting medical attention because of service suspensions. Pick your poison seems like people just don't wanna die from covid. Everything else is fine.

People are not getting other medical service because the hospitals are getting too busy dealing with covid.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Alberta adds 23,400 jobs in October, keeping six-month streak alive | Edmonton Journal

"Janet Riopel, president and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, said in an email the city’s slow employment growth is a major cause for concern.
“We still have the highest unemployment rate of any major city in Canada and our members are telling us they’ve only had a trickle of customers returning,” she said....

..."We continue to urge Edmontonians to wear a mask and support our job creators by shopping safely at your favourite local retailers and service providers. It’s the best thing you can do to help boost our economic recovery.”"

 

[bellagiobob]

It'll probably be something like limit gathering to 6 people. Kinda useless because noones's following the current gathering guidelines now anyhow. Hate to say it but some targeted temporary shutdowns may be necessary. Send a real message.

Sounds like restaurants are doing a great job and spread there is minimal, so makes no sense to punish those bushiness. The problem is people in their homes, and unfortunately that's the hardest area to control. I would suggest the GOT Public Walk of Shame for those who don't give a shit.

 

[DaGap]

If we could keep the cases under control, we wouldn't be in the position of needing to choose between those two options.

One day people will learn that this virus isn't controllable

People are not getting other medical service because the hospitals are getting too busy dealing with covid.

No people aren't getting help because the gov has decided Covid deaths are more important to prevent the any other death.

 

[MaxR11]

171 hospitalizations, 33 in ICU and 8 deaths.

 

[DaGap]

Sounds like restaurants are doing a great job and spread there is minimal, so makes no sense to punish those bushiness. The problem is people in their homes, and unfortunately that's the hardest area to control. I would suggest the GOT Public Walk of Shame for those who don't give a shit.

I'd suggest you and the Gov stay out of my house

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

171 in Hospitals
33 in ICU
351 deaths

 

[Skar]

I'd suggest you and the Gov stay out of my house

I see you haven't noticed me in your attic yet.