Emergence of a Deadly Coronavirus

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Once we now the virus spreads by droplets not single viral specimen, anything that stops droplets would work.
That said, I never was able to fit any mask in a way that it wouldn't let the air sideways.

There are many different types of face mask. The best ones are called N95s. They are like the gold standard for face mask because they are specifically designed to stop viruses. The coronavirus is spread not only by droplets but also by aerosols. Most face masks will not protect against aerosol transmission. There was a study by Duke University that rated the effectiveness of various face masks. They found that N95s were the most effective. Surgical masks were an order (logarithmic scale) less effective than N95s and cloth face masks were an order less effective than surgical masks.

Researchers at Duke University compared 14 commonly available masks and face coverings to see which was most effective at stopping the spread of respiratory droplets. The best face coverings for preventing droplet spread were N95 masks without valves, they found, while fleece coverings and bandanas were shown to be "counterproductive."



The quantitative results are show in Fig. S1 of the following report:

Low-cost measurement of facemask efficacy for filtering expelled droplets during speech

In general, the N95s are designed with a filter matrix fine enough to stop virus aerosols from passing through it. They have two sets of elastic straps that fit over the head (not the ears) that hold the mask tightly against the face. They have a soft metallic nose strip that allows the mask to conform to the area around the nose effectively to prevent air from escaping.

COVID-19 Progression

After the initial exposure, patients typically develop symptoms within 5-6 days (incubation period). SARS-CoV-2 generates a diverse range of clinical manifestations, ranging from mild infection to severe disease accompanied by high mortality. In patients with mild infection, initial host immune response is capable of controlling the infection. In severe disease, excessive immune response leads to organ damage, intensive care admission, or death. The viral load peaks in the first week of infection, declines thereafter gradually, while the antibody response gradually increases and is often detectable by day 14.



Source: Every Picture Tells A Story: The Disease Course Of COVID-19

IMHO, if you are in the vulnerable group (elderly, comorbidities) then it is really important to aggressively treat the disease early in the progression. Do not wait until you are at death's door. One of the tools available to assess the threat is an inexpensive pulse oximeter. If your oxygen levels drop then it is time to be immediately tested for the virus and start a regiment of treatment if you are found to have COVID.

Public Transportation

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen a massive swing in drivers shunning public transport, according to the Royal Automobile Club (RAC), as growing numbers say having access to a car is more important than ever. The study also found that 57 per cent of drivers felt having access to a car was more important now than before the pandemic began, rising to two-thirds among some groups, including young and inexperienced drivers and those living in London. Among the key reasons were being able to transport shopping and visit family members in other parts of the country. Fifty-four per cent also expressed a belief that a car was a safer way to travel during the ongoing pandemic.

Source: Covid brings "seismic shift" away from public transport

With North Dakota hospitals at 100% capacity, Burgum announces COVID-positive nurses can stay at work

New study reveals the locations at highest risk of spreading COVID-19

COVID-19 Male fertility link?

Pfizer's Coronavirus Vaccine

There were several articles in the news about this vaccine. One was from a vaccine volunteer, Deshields, who was part of the trials. The company reported that its vaccine has been found to be 90% effective against COVID-19 with more than 43,000 people being tested around the world. "I had some side effects," Deshields said. "A lot of injection site pain." "Basically, I had a headache and a lot of fatigue, injection site pain ... maybe three to four days," he said. "The second one [immunization shot], it was similar but it was much more muted. It wasn't as strong. I think I took some Advil and they basically cleared up." Deshields recommends people get it as soon as possible.

In another article, BioNTech founder and CEO Ugur Sahin said the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine could protect patients from the virus for a year.

Another article talked about the handling requirements of this particular vaccine may pose a logistical nightmare. The vaccine must be stored at temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94 F) or below. Breaking the cold chain could render the vaccine useless. In countries with intense heat and in regions with spotty electricity, these requirements will prove problematic. “Ultra-cold vaccine may be shipped from the manufacturer in coolers that are packed with dry ice,” the Oct. 29 interim guidance said. “These coolers should be repacked with dry ice within 24 hours of receipt of shipment (day 0), and repacked again every five days to maintain required temperature. On day 15, the vaccine should be moved into the refrigerator, stored at 2 degrees C to 8 degrees C and used within five days (120 hours)." The technology Pfizer is using is new technology. The messenger RNA technology used by Pfizer requires ultra-cold storage.

Sources:
* Pfizer coronavirus vaccine volunteer describes side effects, urges others to 'get it' ASAP
* Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine low-temperature storage requirement could be logistical snag
* Pfizer coronavirus vaccine expected to protect patients for a year: BioNTech founder

Many Infected Young People DO NOT show Symptoms

“Young, healthy persons can contribute to community spread of infection, often silently,” Dr. Nelson Michael of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research wrote in a commentary. This is a really infectious virus. Temperature and COVID-19 symptom checks like the ones used at schools and doctor’s offices have again proved inadequate for spotting coronavirus infections and preventing outbreaks.

One study was conducted by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and the Naval Medical Research Center. It involved 1,848 Marine recruits, about 90% of them men, who were told to isolate themselves for two weeks at home, then in a supervised military quarantine at a closed college campus, The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, for two more weeks. The recruits were tested for coronavirus when they arrived for the military quarantine and 7 and 14 days afterward. Sixteen, or about 1%, tested positive on arrival and only one had any symptoms. Another 35 -- an additional 2% -- tested positive during the two-week military quarantine and only four had symptoms.

A separate study published Wednesday in the New England journal reports on an outbreak last spring on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Among the crew of 4,779, mostly young people, 1,271 became infected; 77% did not show symptoms when diagnosed and 55% never developed any.

Source: Fever, symptom screening misses many coronavirus cases

Biden COVID-19 adviser suggests potential lockdown lasting over a month

Chicago issues stay-at-home advisory and tells residents to cancel traditional Thanksgiving celebrations


Montana emergency doctors warn Covid-19 has their community on 'the brink of disaster'


New Jersey sees COVID-19 surge as positivity rate hits 12%

First in line for COVID Vaccination Shot!

As the search for a COVID-19 vaccine continues, we also continue to ponder who will be in the front of the queue. If we wish to restore our economy, we must undoubtedly consider vaccinating essential workers early on. But who exactly are they?



50% of our adult population is at increased risk for a severe case of COVID-19 if they become infected. Many of our adult population are considered essential workers and are not able to shelter at home. If we are to return to our old economy, these workers and their families will need to be vaccinated. These essential workers can act as superspreaders in the community at large, but more importantly, in their households, and in turn, household members can share the virus with their friends and contacts. The take-home lesson is two-fold. Our society and economy are intimately integrated; most of us have essential roles. In protecting the essential, we must, at the same time, protect their families, not just from the viewpoint of social justice, but because it is the right move for the public's health.

Source: Vaccinating Essential Workers: But Who Are They?

I guess from my perspective, vulnerable people (elderly, co-mordities) should be in front of the line. The immunization shot could be looked at as a hall pass. If you have been immunized against COVID and the vaccine is 90 percent effective, then it follows that you are generally not in danger of contracting the virus or a threat to the safety of other persons. The shot allows great freedom. If you want to travel overseas and visit relatives or go on a cruise, it provides documentation that support your travel. That approach will also minimize the deaths in nursing homes and long term facilities.

More than 80% of all COVID-19 deaths in Canada are from long-term care facilities and retirement homes, according to a new analysis from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. In comparison, long-term care-related deaths in 16 other countries, including the United States and United Kingdom, account for about 42% of all COVID-19 related deaths on average.

Source: 81 percent of COVID-19 deaths here are nursing home-related — double the average; global rates ‘both shocking and avoidable’

Oregon business restrictions

The COVID-19 End Game

This coronavirus will be around for a long, lone time. It will eventually merge in with the annual flu threat.

There are three major reasons why SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus, will never be eradicated.

Coronavirus can be present in asymptomatic carriers. Some infectious diseases, like smallpox, have few if any people who are asymptomatic carriers -- that is, people who are infected but don't show any symptoms. The problem with asymptomatic carriers is that they make it very difficult to hunt down the microbe when it can essentially "hide" inside of certain people. The most classic case of an asymptomatic carrier is that of "Typhoid Mary," who was chronically infected (but symptom-free!) with Salmonella. She was a cook, so everywhere she went, she inadvertently poisoned and killed people. The same is true of SARS-CoV-2. Far too many people can be asymptomatic carriers, making the virus tough to track down.

Coronavirus can infect many different kinds of animals. Smallpox only infected humans, which is why it was a disease that was relatively easy to eradicate. But microbes that can infect a wide range of animals will be nearly impossible to eradicate. Rabies, for instance, can infect any mammal, which means it will never be eradicated. It simply isn't possible to track down and vaccinate every raccoon or possum in the world. Similarly, SARS-CoV-2 or similar viruses can infect bats, pangolins, and possibly a whole host of other species, such as primates, rodents, and whales. Recently, we learned that the coronavirus can infect minks.

There is no highly effective vaccine or antiviral treatment for coronavirus. A disease that can be eradicated must be either preventable or curable. Smallpox is preventable with a vaccine. Hepatitis C is curable with certain antiviral drugs. (Because of this, some in the biomedical community are pushing for the eradication of hepatitis C.) But a highly effective vaccine for COVID is unlikely, given that humans probably don't develop long-lasting immunity to coronaviruses. Besides, some vaccines are unimpressive to begin with. The 2017-18 seasonal flu vaccine, for instance, was merely 38% effective.

Source: COVID: Why We Will Never Eradicate The Coronavirus

Unofficial Coronavirus Taste Test

One of the symptoms of COVID-19 is the loss of taste and smell. Russell Donnelly a 30-year-old from Jersey City, N.J., decided to experiment. When Russell Donnelly lost his sense of taste and smell, he figured it was the coronavirus. A positive rapid [COVID] test confirmed it. So he recorded on TikTok a simple test to prove he lost his sense of taste and smell. He ate a red onion, then drank lemon juice from a shot glass and then ate garlic paste.

Source: New Jersey man eats raw onion for TikTok’s ‘COVID taste test’ trend, goes viral

Donnelly has continued to make “COVID Taste Test” videos, which show him eating an Oreo with Wasabi in it, drinking orange juice after brushing his teeth with a huge glob of toothpaste, and drinking shots of vinegar.

Austria tightens COVID-19 lockdown: "Meet nobody," chancellor says

Covid surge spurs North Dakota's 1st mask mandate, New Mexico, Oregon partial lockdowns

Fauci: 'We're not going to get a national lockdown'

Pessimistic speculation to follow.
He is probably correct about local and state lockdowns being continuing to be at least attempted. There is so much pandemic fatigue how much much they will be abided by is questionable. Right now governments enforcement on some businesses has been successful because of fines and closures but governments have not even tried to enforce mass gatherings when they are protests. That is a combination of government officials agreeing with the protesters and breaking up the protests are practically impossible because what ever health benefits ensue are more then mitigated by exchanges of bodily fluids and injuries and deaths if you try and stop thousands of people doing what they want to do. The good news is that protests are outside but that is relative good news.

I am not as optimistic about the return to a kind of normalcy late next year because that is based on the assumption enough people will take the vaccine which is questionable to say the least. Every time something happens after a vaccine it will go viral. If you vaccinate hundreds of millions some really bad things will happen to some people.

Thus while probably not as bad as now COVID will still be a threat for the forseeable future. There will be three general groups of people.

Those that the say f**k it, enjoy life because you only live once.

Those that will continue to do some form of mask wearing and social distancing, not like now not but not enough to truly be like before. Localized partial lockdowns will continue but less restrictive and less often. Also mitigation will happen not only for COVID but for diseases such as the flu where people did not slow down prior to COVID-19.

The third group of people will be in partial to total self lockdowns for the remainder of their lives. Some of it will be paranoia but some of this will be legitimate fears of vulnerable people that will be put in danger by people social distancing and mask wearing less. There is all this talk of protect the vulnerable but free the rest of us. It’s mostly just talk. The vulnerable will not be protected since they will be hidden and forgotten about. Agism(and ableism) is still rampant. There is a hierarchy of caring and not caring about the aged. 1. Those that are old themselves(even then a lot of agism is internalized “I need to get out of the way for my kids”) 2. Those whose parents and grandparents are elderly. 3. Somebody else's relatives.