# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2020 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [February 11, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758 "2020-02-11T01:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 177
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3531 "2020-06-16T16:29:56Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Corticosteroids have been commonly used outside of the UK to treat coronavirus patients in the ICU, with promising results. In some countries they are pretty much standard of care already. For example, a South Korean study of ICU mortality from last month showed that they’d been given to 80% of ICU patients. It’s astonishing that they’ve only been available in the context of a randomized controlled trial in the UK. > > Also, the 25% baseline mortality rate amongst hospitalized patients requiring supplemental oxygen is very high compared with other studies. > > Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk A friend told me months ago it was standard treatment in China on day X of the infection. I forget what “X” was, but the point was that early in the run of the infection they can reduce the immune response when it’s being helpful. However later in the infection, if you are sick enough to hospitalized, an overblown immune response is a common complication and steroids help manage that. this source agrees > **[Management of COVID-19 patients admitted to stepdown or ICU](https://emcrit.org/ibcc/covid19/#steroid_for_severe_hypoxemic_respiratory_failure)** > > CONTENTS Rapid Reference 🚀 Initial tests to guide management Chest CT findings Organ support Cardiovascular Respiratory Noninvasive respiratory support Invasive mechanical ventilation Infectious disease – antibiotics Renal Hematology Neurology... > [@](#): > > … > Currently, the best evidence with COVID-19 comes from Wu et al 3/13/20. > Retrospective, single-center study describing 201 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. > Among patients with ARDS, the use of methylprednisolone correlated with reduced mortality. > Typically steroid is used in the sickest patients, so this will create a bias towards seeing worse outcomes in patients treated with steroid. A correlation in the opposite direction is surprising, suggesting that steroid could be causing benefit. > Thus, it may be sensible to use low-dose corticosteroid in patients with substantial hypoxemia and elevated inflammatory markers (e.g. C-reactive protein). > Regimens used in China were typically methylprednisolone 40-80 mg IV daily for a course of 3-6 days, which seems reasonable (Shang et al. 2/29). Equivalent doses of dexamethasone (7-15 mg daily, typically 10 mg daily) could have an advantage of stimulating less fluid retention, since dexamethasone has less mineralocorticoid activity. Notably, this dose of steroid is consistent with doses used in the DEXA-ARDS trial. > … ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3532 "2020-06-16T17:00:13Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Corticosteroids have been commonly used outside of the UK to treat coronavirus patients in the ICU, with promising results. In some countries they are pretty much standard of care already. For example, a South Korean study of ICU mortality from last month showed that they’d been given to 80% of ICU patients. It’s astonishing that they’ve only been available in the context of a randomized controlled trial in the UK. > > Also, the 25% baseline mortality rate amongst hospitalized patients requiring supplemental oxygen is very high compared with other studies. > > Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk A friend told me months ago it was standard treatment in China on day X of the infection. I forget what “X” was, but the point was that early in the run of the infection they can reduce the immune response when it’s being helpful. However later in the infection, if you are sick enough to hospitalized, an overblown immune response is a common complication and steroids help manage that. this source agrees > **[Management of COVID-19 patients admitted to stepdown or ICU](https://emcrit.org/ibcc/covid19/#steroid_for_severe_hypoxemic_respiratory_failure)** > > CONTENTS Rapid Reference 🚀 Initial tests to guide management Chest CT findings Organ support Cardiovascular Respiratory Noninvasive respiratory support Invasive mechanical ventilation Infectious disease – antibiotics Renal Hematology Neurology... > [@](#): > > … > Currently, the best evidence with COVID-19 comes from Wu et al 3/13/20. > Retrospective, single-center study describing 201 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. > Among patients with ARDS, the use of methylprednisolone correlated with reduced mortality. > Typically steroid is used in the sickest patients, so this will create a bias towards seeing worse outcomes in patients treated with steroid. A correlation in the opposite direction is surprising, suggesting that steroid could be causing benefit. > Thus, it may be sensible to use low-dose corticosteroid in patients with substantial hypoxemia and elevated inflammatory markers (e.g. C-reactive protein). > Regimens used in China were typically methylprednisolone 40-80 mg IV daily for a course of 3-6 days, which seems reasonable (Shang et al. 2/29). Equivalent doses of dexamethasone (7-15 mg daily, typically 10 mg daily) could have an advantage of stimulating less fluid retention, since dexamethasone has less mineralocorticoid activity. Notably, this dose of steroid is consistent with doses used in the DEXA-ARDS trial. > … ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3533 "2020-06-16T18:36:53Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > IIUC, they think an injection of a live virus NOW might “jump-start” the immune system. Residual poliovirus antibodies from a years-ago vaccination will have no effect on Covid-19. Right- apparently getting a live virus vaccine (i.e. weakened/attenuated virus) induces a general immune response AND trains the body to produce specific antibodies against that virus. They’re saying that the general immune response might be helpful against COVID-19, and proposing the old-style polio vaccine as a mechanism for generating that general immune response. In the article, one of the researchers points out that catching a cold would accomplish the same thing, and they also point out that people who’ve already had that specific polio vaccine might not derive any benefit from it, as it probably wouldn’t induce that general immune response. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3534 "2020-06-17T02:01:36Z")
Not-so-good news: A Belgian study of coronavirus infections among medical personel finds only [6% with antibodies](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2767382). This is only a single-hospital study, but I find this amazingly low considering how hard-hit Belgium has been, and that this is a hospital, where I would have thought that infection rates were likely to be higher ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3535 "2020-06-17T03:35:25Z")
Late last night (China Standard Time), Beijing’s municipal government ordered all primary (K~6) and secondary (7~12) schools to close to students and resume online classes effective today, 17 June 2020. My school, a boarding school, has staggered the departure times for the students so the parking lot will not be jam-packed and it will be more manageable for the school staff to supervise the students’ departure. The school leadership is confabbing now so they can announce a few things after the students have all departed campus safely. Those few things are: [ol][li]How online classes will be handled this time.[/li][li]If the foreign teachers must have classes in the identical method as the Chinese teachers (for the beginning of this semester, during lockdown, that was not the case).[/li][li]If the staff, including teachers of course, must remain on campus during the workday as usual, thus providing online courses from empty classrooms, or if we must do the job from home as we did at the beginning of the semester.[/li][li]If the school will still hold a summer school over the summer break between semesters. They’ve never had summer school before, and the reason it was laid on this time is the parents and a number of students complained about online classes not being as good as in-person classes. Given that the municipal government has ordered students off campus again, holding online classes over the summer to replace online classes doesn’t strike me as what the parents are requesting–_and paying for_.[/ol][/li] It’s only 11:35 a.m. here now. I will update more after the school leaders’ announcement which is expected shortly after 3:00 p.m. today. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3536 "2020-06-17T04:12:36Z")
8,263,725 total cases 446,122 dead 4,321,390 recovered In the US: 2,208,400 total cases 119,132 dead 903,041 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 8,118,570 total cases > 439,195 dead > 4,216,284 recovered > > In the US: > > 2,182,950 total cases > 118,283 dead > 889,866 recovered ---
**Author:** ![Grim\_Render](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@Grim\_Render](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grim_Render)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3537 "2020-06-17T11:30:36Z")
I believe the US lost some 116 000 people during World War One. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3538 "2020-06-17T11:31:20Z")
Okay. We’ve had the slew of meetings. Here’s the lowdown. I’m not going to use the quote funciton since, after all, it’s my post and I’m not altering anything anyway, just merely posting answers. [ol][li]How online classes will be handled this time.[/li][ul][li]All classes, those conducted by Chinese teachers and also those conducted by us foreign teachers, will be online, following the normal class schedules. The online platform is someting call “Weishir” and, to be charitable, is worthless. The teacher will go to an empty classroom–that would be the classroom they’d be entering anyway–and log into Weishir. The students are supposed to log into Weishir from home. The students can see and hear the teacher; however, the teacher cannot see or hear the students. That means each teacher has to move from task-based education to 45-minute lectures without knowing what the students are doing during the class.[/ul][/li][li]If the foreign teachers must have classes in the identical method as the Chinese teachers (for the beginning of this semester, during lockdown, that was not the case).[/li][ul][li]Answered above. Yes.[/ul][/li][li]If the staff, including teachers of course, must remain on campus during the workday as usual, thus providing online courses from empty classrooms, or if we must do the job from home as we did at the beginning of the semester.[/li][ul][li]Well, the school administration sent out the word in Chinese at a few minutes before 5:00 p.m. and in English at 5:29 p.m. Note that quitting time is 5:30 p.m. As it turns out, the municipal government has ordered all schools in the city to shut down except for staff who reside on campus and staff involved in “pandemic prevention and control procedures”. Oh, yeah. This is going to be fun.[/ul][/li][li]If the school will still hold a summer school over the summer break between semesters. They’ve never had summer school before, and the reason it was laid on this time is the parents and a number of students complained about online classes not being as good as in-person classes. Given that the municipal government has ordered students off campus again, holding online classes over the summer to replace online classes doesn’t strike me as what the parents are requesting–_and paying for_.[ul][\*]This is actually still unclear at the moment. On one hand, having the summer school is good for the teachers because that means we get our full salary during what would have been the summer break between semesters; however, on the other hand, it’s nice to have a break, plus replacing online classes the parents and students did not like with yet more online classes is not likely to go over well.[/ul][/ol][/li] I just checked _China Daily_ online. [Here is their article about the students leaving](http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202006/17/WS5ee9ad58a310834817253a9b.html). ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3539 "2020-06-17T23:23:06Z")
Hawaii - We can now fly inter-island without quarantine restrictions. IMHO we could have done that several weeks ago but so far we’re ahead of the mainland in keeping cases/deaths/spread low. Of course, you unclean, unmasked heathens from the mainland still have to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. So unless you’re planning a three week vacation - don’t come - yet. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3540 "2020-06-17T23:25:48Z")
dup from server delay. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3541 "2020-06-18T04:07:38Z")
8,405,632 total cases 451,383 dead 4,415,785 recovered In the US: 2,234,471 total cases 119,941 dead 918,796 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 8,263,725 total cases > 446,122 dead > 4,321,390 recovered > > In the US: > > 2,208,400 total cases > 119,132 dead > 903,041 recovered ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3542 "2020-06-18T04:41:03Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > replacing online classes the parents and students did not like with yet more online classes is not likely to go over well.[/list][/list] Well, this offers a different explanation for why the Chinese press has warned students not to go to ‘racist’ Australia. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3543 "2020-06-18T05:22:46Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > Well, this offers a different explanation for why the Chinese press has warned students not to go to ‘racist’ Australia. Yeah, when the original announcement about summer school was made, I thought about asking, “Can we do that onlilne?” But then I decided I already get into enough trouble doing what I’m actually supposed to be doing, so I better not do stuff I’m not supposed to do. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3544 "2020-06-18T10:31:05Z")
In Tennessee, the darn fools swarm. With no masks on. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3545 "2020-06-18T10:53:37Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > In Tennessee, the darn fools swarm. > With no masks on. What’s interesting is that, from the beginning, Tennessee’s inaction with respect to a COVID prevention response was often contrasted with Kentucky’s immediate response. And yet, 2 months later, their stats are pretty much equal. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3546 "2020-06-18T16:27:53Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > What’s interesting is that, from the beginning, Tennessee’s inaction with respect to a COVID prevention response was often contrasted with Kentucky’s immediate response. And yet, 2 months later, their stats are pretty much equal. Which you would expect if there were a great deal of travel between the two. Is there? I mean, I know they share a long border, but I don’t know how frequent it is for KY folks to go to Memphis or if some of the metropolitan areas straddle the border. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3547 "2020-06-18T22:30:44Z")
Gavin Newsome has issued a mandatory mask order for all indoor spaces, with a few limited exceptions. (PDF file) [https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/COVID-19/Guidance-for-Face-Coverings\_06-18-2020.pdf](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/COVID-19/Guidance-for-Face-Coverings_06-18-2020.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3548 "2020-06-18T22:59:40Z")
Well, [this](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-genes/blood-type-genes-tied-to-risk-of-severe-covid-19-european-study-idUSKBN23P38C) is interesting. (Reuters) > [@](#): > > At the peak of the epidemic in Europe, researchers analyzed the genes of more than 4,000 people to look for variations that were common in those who became infected with the coronavirus and developed severe COVID-19. > > A cluster of variants in genes that are involved with immune responses was more common in people with severe COVID-19, they found. These genes are also involved with a cell-surface protein called ACE2 that the coronavirus uses to gain entry to and infect cells in the body. > > The researchers, led by Dr. Andre Franke from Christian-Albrecht-University in Kiel, Germany, and Dr. Tom Karlsen, from Oslo University Hospital in Norway also found a relationship between COVID-19 severity and blood type. > > The risk for severe COVID-19 was 45% higher for people with type A blood than those with other blood types. It appeared to be 35% lower for people with type O. I know blood type has been discussed before, but I hadn’t seen any definite figures. Apologies if this information is already here, but I think it’s important. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3549 "2020-06-22T04:06:28Z")
9,046,215 total cases 470,703 dead 4,838,359 recovered In the US: 2,356,657 total cases 122,247 dead 980,355 recovered The last I was able to post numbers was 4 days ago on 17 June; here they are for comparison:[quote=“Snowboarder\_Bo, post:3541, topic:847758”] 8,405,632 total cases 451,383 dead 4,415,785 recovered In the US: 2,234,471 total cases 119,941 dead 918,796 recovered[/quote] ETA: That was quoted from the previous post using the quote feature in the new software; no idea why it’s all fucked up format-wise. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3550 "2020-06-22T12:43:43Z")
Thanks, Bo. Temporarily messed up quoting or not, I’m glad to see you here on the other side, continuing your tallies. Odd coincidence that our hiatus occurred during a significant increase in US cases. Here in our small Wisconsin city, it’s been a lot of 20-30-year-olds getting infected. Many have to work (including in restaurants and the like), but there has also been an increase in risky behavior, like going to bars and in general not wearing masks indoors. The state overall is in the “not great trend, but not terrible” category. I hear Florida has seen a major increase, and several southern states. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=176) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=178)