To flog this deceased equine: Reports that “Hospitals are at the breaking point.” No - they’ve passed the breaking point. The breaking point is now a just dot in the rear view mirror.
This post says it much better than I can.
Y’know we’ve discussed this before about people refusing to believe it’s as bad as it can be. The common trope we use is that there’s a bunch of people out there who think that if the bodies aren’t piling up and blocking their driveway, “it’s not that bad”.
It just may be, that the impact of the early-2020 situation in Northern Italy and in the NY-area nursing homes, created a psychological imprint that can’t be shaken. That became what people thought of when hearing about “overwhelming the system”. Personnel with no PPE, parking decks redone as wards, improvised ventilators, fridge trucks for bodies. The more prosaic meaning, that it would just fill up all the space and occupy all resources and wear down the personnel, so that it all added to staff being unable to work and service becoming unavailable to everyone, regardless of dramatic visuals, did not stick.
Agree. And I’ve mentioned before – the news media is doing a TERRIBLE job.
US health insurers must cover home Covid-19 tests starting Saturday
From CNN’s Katherine Dillinger
US health insurers must cover over-the-counter home Covid-19 tests starting Saturday, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday.
“Beginning January 15, 2022, individuals with private health insurance coverage or covered by a group health plan who purchase an over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be able to have those test costs covered by their plan or insurance,” HHS said in a news release.
No doctor’s order, prescription or office visit will be required, and the tests won’t be subject to copays or deductibles. Insurers will be required to pay for eight tests per covered person per month, either by covering the cost up-front or by reimbursing the insured person through a claim. There’s no limit on the number of tests that will be covered if a doctor or other medical professional orders or gives them after an office visit.
“This is all part of our overall strategy to ramp up access to easy-to-use, at-home tests at no cost,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the release.
I got COVID (Omnicron) and am curious when I should return to work.
They say “5 Days Without Symptoms” but I’m confused what they mean by without symptoms.
Basically I got into contact with someone on New Years who had COVID. I took a test PCR test Wednesday January 5th but by next day on the 6th I had full on runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, etc. The 7th I was similarly feeling bad. But by the 8th 9th and 10th (today) I just have a stuffy nose but that’s it. According to CDC guidelines I am ready to return to work on “Day 6” which would be the 12th. But if I still have a stuffy/congested nose, does that count as symptoms?
Congestion and constant nose blowing was about the only symptom I had with Delta, so yes, I would count it if I was you.
From the CDC website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#isolate
So first day with symptoms is day 0. No fever plus other symptoms “improved.” Wear a mask for another 5 days.
Personally, I would just isolate for 10 days. Some experts are challenging the CDC guidance on this as being too lax, and not sufficiently supported by the science.
I think they say this because we haven’t really ever heard medical spokespersons discuss what happens beyond that point. What does “actively collapsing” look like? If there’s no description of beyond the brink, being “on the brink” is all stories will continue to talk about until there’s literally no one getting treatment anymore because there are no doctors or nurses still fighting the good fight.
The person tweeting is a New York Times writer. Comparisons in the linked Twitter thread of the impact of omicron on vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. A note on the deaths comparison – as everyone knows, it lags, so this may not be a very good picture yet, but relevant even if it’s showing primarily delta numbers plus some omicron at that point.
I expected that there would be a lot more chit-chat about the recent Supreme Court decision regarding employer mandates. I expected to see a couple of threads opened on it.
After reading this article, I’m very confused:
What constitutes a “loosely woven cloth mask”? Is the CDC referring that the gaiters I see people wearing? They look like a - scarf. Are there “tightly woven cloth masks”?
Are there “tightly woven cloth masks”?
Yes…
“cloth masks” range from completely useless to nearly as good as an N95 mask.
Take the extreme cases. Imagine a mask that is made from a single layer of a fabric that, when held up to the light, has visible space between the threads. I.e., a fishnet type of appearance. Compare that to, say, three layers of tightly woven fabric like a high thread count sheet. Obviously the latter would be much more effective than the former.
One thing to keep in mind is that tighter weave fabrics will be harder to breathe through. If there are any gaps along the edges, the air will come in through the gaps rather than through the dense fabric. Someone may think they are being safer by having a thicker cloth mask, but they may really be less safe if they end up breathing more unfiltered air around the sides. Since cloth masks typically fit poorly, are loose, and have large gaps, the actual filtration of the fabric may not really matter all that much if the inhaled air is going around the mask.
Not everyone is aware, but the *95 masks are made with a special meltblown fabric which has a static charge. The charged fibers attract virus particles while allowing air to pass through freely. This allows the N95 mask fabric to be less dense than the filtration level would otherwise need to be to provide that level of protection. This allows the N95 mask to be more breathable while still providing a high level of protection.
Just as an aside: As the Vogmask link above shows, a “cloth mask” does not necessarily have the qualities you mention. Though I concede that out there in meatspace … poor cloth masks far outnumber great ones.
My work ordered a bunch of tight-fitting, filtered cloth masks that seal on all four sides with no gaps or bunching. They don’t have as polished and stylish appearance as the Vogmasks, but they’re very similar in functionality.
Thanks all.
A moot point now because I hear that there was a run on the N95 masks. I guess I’ll have to double-up on the cloth masks until they are back in the stores.
I suggest wearing a surgical mask with a tight cloth mask on top of it to seal gaps. That set up is more protective and breathable than two cloth masks.
I’ve used Grainger.com to order N95s. I know they are legit masks if I get them there. I checked, and they have a few options listed as in stock and ready to ship.
And I have had good experiences ordering KN95 masks from this supplier. The NY Times investigated them and confirmed they are genuine, not counterfeited as so many masks are. The ones I get fit well and securely, no gaps.