COVID-19, Flu Comparison, Exponential Spread Explained

[Uncle Phil]

In that case, you rolls the dice and you takes the chances - but would you make that same choice if it was open heart surgery?
I sure don't want my highly qualified ortho doc replacing my faulty heart valve!

I believe if you dig a little bit, you'll find the majority of deaths are those that have compromised immune systems or respiratory problems already.
And I completely understand that risk having already had a near fatal bout with pneumonia and the need for precautions in those cases.

But contrary to current popular belief, you don't die if run out of toilet paper - corn cobs (preferably white), newspaper and catalogs will also work.
The sad side of the story that comes of this is like a single lady (a friend of one of our employees) who holds down 2 server jobs to support her kid here in Nashville. She just got laid off because of both of the restaurants where she works are being shut down. Her question is 'What do I do now? My rent and car payment still come due. And my son still has to eat.' And the small businesses that are on the edge of making it and now they probably won't - and more folks will be out of a job. In all things, finding a proper balance is the correct answer and that is not what I am seeing for the most part. It's a knee jerk reactions to the regular media and the social media fanning the flames because it's just good business. YEMV and YOMV.

 

[Erdoc48]

I never in my near 56 years of life thought I would ever see what’s going on now. We’re trying our best at the office to screen patients to determine risk for COVID, but in truth, as we all know, the travel history has become much less relevant over time (since it’s now in multiple populations, it’s difficult to determine how a patient got it, even if they state they were not out of the US or on a cruise ship and did not contact anyone who was). We’re encouraging people to use the telemedicine service we have, as we cannot test in the office at this time and any treatments would be likely restricted to those sicker patients (in the event we treated anyone with symptoms, even if not severe, there would be medication shortages no doubt, and I’ve seen this in years past with the flu medicine Tamiflu). Anyway, the pain is far from over, and as draconian as the Chinese were in regional shutdowns, I think it might not be too terrible an idea. A short period of containment to let this burn itself out vs. less containment and a longer time to contain it, with a potential for a lot more economic damage from which recovery may take a very long time. I’m not an alarmist at all, but we’re really dealing with the unknown in this case. I would recommend that unless you are out of breath with fever, just a fever and some aches requires no acute care and you can self treat at home (unless you’re high risk, and then it still might be reasonable to get a flu test since there is treatment for that). Also, some have outright lied in order to get in the office telling us they are afraid they might have it (after they gain entry to an exam room), thereby contaminating the office and the workers within. Our supplies are limited as well, including masks and gloves.

What is truly unbelievable is how all this occurred in the first place. We, as humans, created this problem. Watch these videos as they are really eye opening:

We’re seriously messing with nature and it’s most definitely biting back. I would hope after all this is over, those ‘wet markets’ in China would be abolished, but as usual, those who don’t learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them. Good luck to all.

 

[Mellow]

Yeah... will be interesting... everyone with the common cold or flu will probably be clogging up the system... but, the common flu can kill you so it's not something you can ignore.

I know folks that run to the dr as soon as they sneeze once. Some do have underlying issues like asthma or other things that do make it more serious but some are healthy and should stay home and let their own immune system fight and beat whatever is after them. I try to avoid the Dr unless I'm bleeding out my eyes.

 

[Erdoc48]

Yeah... will be interesting... everyone with the common cold or flu will probably be clogging up the system... but, the common flu can kill you so it's not something you can ignore.

I know folks that run to the dr as soon as they sneeze once. Some do have underlying issues like asthma or other things that do make it more serious but some are healthy and should stay home and let their own immune system fight and beat whatever is after them. I try to avoid the Dr unless I'm bleeding out my eyes.

Well, the bleeding out the eyes thing is Ebola (or maybe stigmata), but in either case, probably don’t wait that long...

 

[drrod]

"....but would you make that same choice if it was open heart surgery....."
If it was that or dying?! I guess I don't see it as a choice.

 

[Uncle Phil]

"....but would you make that same choice if it was open heart surgery....."
If it was that or dying?! I guess I don't see it as a choice.

If the doc does not have skills in that area, why hurry up your demise at a surgeon's hands?
I guess you would be knocked out and never know ...

 

[drrod]

"...If the doc does not have skills in that area, why hurry up your demise at a surgeon's hands ...."

To bring the discussion back full circle.....all the docs have the skills necessary to assess and treat someone who is exhibiting overt signs of Covid-19.

 

[Uncle Phil]

"...If the doc does not have skills in that area, why hurry up your demise at a surgeon's hands ...."

To bring the discussion back full circle.....all the docs have the skills necessary to assess and treat someone who is exhibiting overt signs of Covid-19.

You have far more faith in 'all the docs' than I do and if I was a 'betting feller' I have might have a bit more experience in that area. But my original points before we wandered into the 'rabbit hole' about treatment was -

Due to the nature of the disease, I'm really interested in what pulmonary doctors and virologists have to say since it's their wheelhouse that will have to deal with it and be overwhelmed.

In all things, finding a proper balance is the correct answer and that is not what I am seeing for the most part. It's a knee jerk reactions to the regular media and the social media fanning the flames because it's just good business. YEMV and YOMV.

And I'm still interested in the viewpoints of pulmonary doctors and virologists as to what they see but so far I can't seem to find any of them saying much. Either they are up to their elbows in alligators at this point or there is another reason. I thought the 'interchange' between the 'head' docs and Congress was quite interesting -

Dr. Fauci and Other CDC & NIH Officials Testify on Coronavirus - March 11 | Rev Blog

Dr. Fauci, Dr. Redfield, Dr. Kadlec and other key CDC and NIH officials testified to Congress today on the coronavirus, or COVID-19, and the Unites States' response to it.

www.rev.com

It's shame some of the participants were more interested in throwing political brickbats and casting blame than resolving issues.

 

[Shuey]

move along, move along . . . these aren't the droids you're looking for.

Shuey

 

[Coop]

Sent to me by a senior USAF flight surgeon. Best update and explanation I've seen yet of how things work and will probably progress, to include . . . a comparison between COVID-19 and Flu and a great description of “exponential spread”.

Shuey

This should eliminate the housing shortage in Florida then?

 

[Shuey]

This should eliminate the housing shortage in Florida then?

Don't know about housing, but are there any beer shortages in the Tropical Island Nation of Lubbock yet? There seems to be a rumor going around the beaches here that disinfecting internally with alcohol is an effective treatment to ward off COVID-19. Shortages expected soon here as health conscious Spring Breakers chug down anything they can get their hands on.

Shuey

 

[Coop]

Don't know about housing, but are there any beer shortages in the Tropical Island Nation of Lubbock yet? There seems to be a rumor going around the beaches here that disinfecting internally with alcohol is an effective treatment to ward off COVID-19. Shortages expected soon here as health conscious Spring Breakers chug down anything they can get their hands on.

Shuey

Most of the native population are stockpiling tequila because it is so convenient since it comes in a bottle with wheels and a straw. I saw where in Miami a group is limited to ten people. Is that one guy with nine women? I am running a little low on beer. Just two cans left out of the twenty pack I bought in 2018. The panic has set in on the island.....no bread or peanut butter to be had anywhere. Times are tough.

 

[ad.hom]

would you make that same choice if it was open heart surgery?

If the doc does not have skills in that area, why hurry up your demise at a surgeon's hands?
I guess you would be knocked out and never know ...

I think you answered your own question there.

I'm a strange sort, and genuinely would like to be told "this is my first time on a person, do you mind?" My answer, without hesitation has always been "feel free, better I get into it with my eyes open, than someone else has no option."

A while back, I was due to undergo a CT scan on my shoulder, but they needed to put dye into the joint. A student nurse asked if I objected to her doing it, I told her to knock her socks off.

After what felt like an eternity with the needle buried under my collar bone, she said she was going to fetch the doctor, and she admitted to struggling. Her rummaging was pretty darn painful too, but I still insisted that the doc talked her through it & she complete the job, as I figured the experience was worth it for her & her future patients.

The only thing stopping me from pre registering for covid-19 trials is the amount of earache the wife would give me.

Sure medical folk mess up, and lives are on the line, but if they never practice, they can never become a specialist.

 

[drrod]

From the New England Journal of Medicine.
Compares Covid-19 to Sars as far as stability outside of the body goes. No mention of the influenza virus but it Covid appears to be more stable outside the body and is able to survive a bit better than influenza which usually can last about 48 hrs on hard surfaces (factor dependent).

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973

 

[Coop]

One simple sign is usually a lot of 'heat' like most infections, tenderness and pain.
If a replacement gets infected (and they do tend to 'draw' infections), they sometimes have to remove the implant, get rid of the infection and then 'reinstall' - not a pleasant procedure to say the least!
If you do an annual health checkup, normally infections should show up in your blood work.
But then again, I'm not a doctor though I have slept at a Holiday Inn Express - and had 15 orthopedic surgeries.

Dang, Phil! Why don't you have a reality tv show? The Nashville Rebuild, nice title huh?

 

[Uncle Phil]

Dang, Phil! Why don't you have a reality tv show? The Nashville Rebuild, nice title huh?

Coop - Now that's a thought but I would have to be able to sing country music since it would be in Nashville.
And when I sing, the angels put their wing tips in their ears and say 'Is he never gonna finish?'

 

[Uncle Phil]

Sure medical folk mess up, and lives are on the line, but if they never practice, they can never become a specialist.

Trust me - I've provided lots of 'practice' for the medical community over the years!

 

[Coop]

Coop - Now that's a thought but I would have to be able to sing country music since it would be in Nashville.
And when I sing, the angels put their wing tips in their ears and say 'Is he never gonna finish?'

Would that be the first time a person was held back for poor singing? Maybe you should move to Austin, Willie had trouble in Nashville too.