US STOPPING ALL FLIGHTS INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM EUROPE FOR 30 DAYS.

[mousefan73]

What the heck CDC only tested 8 on march 10th! I am not a praying type, but dear God, I am praying for you guys now.

 

[pryncess527]

From an individual perspective, once the WHO has declared a pandemic, are tests important? If one becomes ill, will it make any difference to recovery (or otherwise) that one knows the specific name of the virus?
I understand that health officials/scientists need to monitor and research how the virus is spreading and evolving, but does it matter to the sick person?

For the sick person, the WHO classification as a pandemic isn’t really relevant either.

But the tests are critical for officials trying to make decisions about closing schools & canceling events to limit spread, without data we can trust officials have to assume the worst, making the economic fallout potentially worse than necessary

 

[mousefan73]

For the sick person, the WHO classification as a pandemic isn’t really relevant either.

But the tests are critical for officials trying to make decisions about closing schools & canceling events to limit spread, without data we can trust officials have to assume the worst, making the economic fallout potentially worse than necessary

Also gives us an indication on how bad this is and patterns of outbreak, important in the early phase, which the US has missed this window as many experts have said. As one expert said we have all excepted the risk of the common flu. Many have said until a vaccine or treatment is made it could be that that this risk will simply be integrated society.. But we need more numbers. Death rate is about 3%. If more are tested with little or no symptoms that that is a good sign for the masses..

For those that get sick, this data is helpful too. Then institutions can plan better crisis response if they know how serious the situation is.. Ex. do we cancel all planned elective surgeries ( knees, hips etc) for the time being to open hospital beds.

 

[mousefan73]

On a positive note, the Olympic Flame has been lit in Greece today……… always good to think positive

 

[Meglen]

Ex. do we cancel all planned elective surgeries ( knees, hips etc) for the time being to open hospital beds.

This is also a good point no matter the shut down of places medical will always be open. So Hospital workers can get it along with workers who cant take time off of work. People cant just stay home for 2 weeks from work they will get fired. Its going to spread and people are going to be sick. Take care of yourself the best you can. Only go to the ER if your in danger. (more than just stuffy nose or fever) We will all get through this and be ok. Just take care and be mindful.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

This is also a good point no matter the shut down of places medical will always be open. So Hospital workers can get it along with workers who cant take time off of work. People cant just stay home for 2 weeks from work they will get fired. Its going to spread and people are going to be sick. Take care of yourself the best you can. Only go to the ER if your in danger. (more than just stuffy nose or fever) We will all get through this and be ok. Just take care and be mindful.

There was an article today which had advisories for anyone in a vulnerable group to consider cancelling all non-essential doctor visits now. This mostly to protect the vulnerable from possible infection at those locations.

 

[DLgal]

Yep, I saw that happen when NYC got their first 3 suspected cases. Then the next day 2 more cases were added. The test itself only takes 4 hours. We have 8.5 million people here, in which the cases could have multiplied like crazy while we waited FOUR DAYS for all 5 tests to come back negative.

What I don't understand is, the CDC is responsible for doing one thing, researching & testing diseases, controlling them to keep us safe. They've had DECADES to come up with protocols to put in place in case of a pandemic like this happens. Yet, the don't seem to have ANY procedures thought up ahead of time. Go with Plan A! Go with Plan B! B didn't work. Go with Plan C!

Sci-fi movies had many, many, many stories about pandemics, zombies, etc., taking over and decimating humanity. But the CDC, like what happened with 9/11, the organizations that were supposed to keep us safe, "had a failure of imagination" to think up scenarios ahead of time, and what to institute. In this case how to test and eradicate a fast growing disease and keep all of us safe.

That's what happens when the President determines that the CDCs Pandemic Response Team is expendable and fires them all. 2 years ago, that's exactly what took place. The positions were eliminated because they were deemed "non essential."

 

[pryncess527]

That's what happens when the President determines that the CDCs Pandemic Response Team is expendable and fires them all. 2 years ago, that's exactly what took place. The positions were eliminated because they were deemed "non essential."

Exactly. The CDC used to be more prepared for this scenario. People were fired, positions were eliminated and here we are. Just the reality

 

[DLgal]

From an individual perspective, once the WHO has declared a pandemic, are tests important? If one becomes ill, will it make any difference to recovery (or otherwise) that one knows the specific name of the virus?
I understand that health officials/scientists need to monitor and research how the virus is spreading and evolving, but does it matter to the sick person?

It actually does make a difference for a few reasons.

1. If an individual and their doctor are aware that they are positive for this virus, the doctor can give more specific at home care guidance, to include symptoms that would indicate that emergency care is needed, guidance for caregivers regarding keeping themselves safe, etc. This virus has a tendency to go from mild to severe VERY quickly, unlike flu whose complications sort of creep in slowly and gradually.

2. Knowing a patient has a positive test makes it easier for health care providers to use proper precautions before treating them, to reduce exposure. This is unnecessary with influenza (the over the top PPE and isolation is not utilized with influenza patients) but absolutely critical with Covid-19.

 

[JaxDad]

That's what happens when the President determines that the CDCs Pandemic Response Team is expendable and fires them all. 2 years ago, that's exactly what took place. The positions were eliminated because they were deemed "non essential."

Do you have a source? Do you mean the National Security Council global health security team?

 

[pryncess527]

.

 

[DLgal]

Do you have a source? Do you mean the National Security Council global health security team?

It was more than just the NSC global health security team.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/3...ited-states-public-health-emergency-response/

 

[okeydokey]

What the heck CDC only tested 8 on march 10th! I am not a praying type, but dear God, I am praying for you guys now.

The CDC has been gutted these last few years.

 

[JaxDad]

It was more than just the NSC global health security team.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/3...ited-states-public-health-emergency-response/

Yes, that was the National Security Council global health security team.

 

[wgeo]

Yes, that was the National Security Council global health security team.

Yeah it was Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer from the NSC and around that time Tom Bossert - the homeland security advisor was fired too - one of the things that Bossert had been pushing for was a strategy against pandemics and biological attacks.

 

[rsimon]

They are still a part of Europe, just not the European Union.

Not really part of Europe technically..

The most common definition of continental Europe excludes continental islands, encompassing the Greek Islands, Cyprus, Malta, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Balearic Islands, Great Britain and Ireland and surrounding islands, Novaya Zemlya and the Nordic archipelago, as well as nearby oceanic islands, including the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Svalbard.

 

[DLgal]

Yes, that was the National Security Council global health security team.

Did you miss this part?

In the spring of 2018, the White House pushed Congress to cut funding for Obama-era disease security programs, proposing to eliminate $252 million in previously committed resources for rebuilding health systems in Ebola-ravaged Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. Under fire from both sides of the aisle, President Donald Trump dropped the proposal to eliminate Ebola funds a month later. But other White House efforts included reducing $15 billion in national health spending and cutting the global disease-fighting operational budgets of the CDC, NSC, DHS, and HHS. And the government’s $30 million Complex Crises Fund was eliminated.

 

[JaxDad]

Did you miss this part?

In the spring of 2018, the White House pushed Congress to cut funding for Obama-era disease security programs, proposing to eliminate $252 million in previously committed resources for rebuilding health systems in Ebola-ravaged Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. Under fire from both sides of the aisle, President Donald Trump dropped the proposal to eliminate Ebola funds a month later. But other White House efforts included reducing $15 billion in national health spending and cutting the global disease-fighting operational budgets of the CDC, NSC, DHS, and HHS. And the government’s $30 million Complex Crises Fund was eliminated.

I didn't miss that at all. You said the "CDC Pandemic Response Team" was fired. I had not heard of such a team, so I was trying to figure out what you meant.

 

[declansdad]

Not really part of Europe technically..

The most common definition of continental Europe excludes continental islands, encompassing the Greek Islands, Cyprus, Malta, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Balearic Islands, Great Britain and Ireland and surrounding islands, Novaya Zemlya and the Nordic archipelago, as well as nearby oceanic islands, including the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Svalbard.

LOL.

That's like saying Alaska and Hawaii aren't part of the USA.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

So Primeminister has just announced... UK now has a recommendation to isolate/stay at home for 7 days if fever or cough, school trips overseas banned and over 70s advised not to cruise. Far less than I thought. Interesting.