General Discussion/Q&A on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[OZDUCK]

W.A is to ease some of our isolation rules from tomorrow following another Nil infection result. Groups of 10 allowed in non-work environments etc. Qsld is to do similar on Saturday. As per ABC News updates

Edit: Sorry couldn't put the link in earlier.

WA eases coronavirus restrictions to allow 10-person gatherings

Premier Mark McGowan says some restrictions in low-risk areas can be relaxed, including indoor and outdoor non-work gatherings of up to 10 people.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Fifa]

QLD from 2 May we can:
- Go for a drive (within 50km of home)
- Ride a motorbike, jetski or boat for recreation
- Have a picnic
- Visit a national park
- Shop for non-essential items

 

[Princess Fiona]

It appears that Prone positioning is just as effective as ECMO as a treatment arm after failure of normal ventilator treatment.

Also being used in awake patients not on a ventilator.

ECMO ( heart lung machine ) has been used for COVID a few times now.It is in the hopefully not needed list of possible treatments in Australian hospitals as results are not wonderful and there is the possibility of making things worse as explained in this Lancet article.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30119-3/fulltext

I am aware of at least one NSW Covid-19 case where ECMO was used.
Do not know the outcome.

 

[mrsterryn]

I did think some very clever people out there

 

[p--and--t]

I bought one a while back as I have watched Chris Cuomo (The Governor's brother) on CNN who is a CV19 Victim (as is his wife now) who has continued broadcasting including documenting his struggles with CV 19. He got one on the recommendation of Dr Sanjay Gupta and they have had some discussions on monitoring safe oxygen levels yourself.

I also saw another interview where a doctor was suffering at home and realised on checking herself with the device that her levels had dropped below safe levels and so went to hospital.

A mica friend of mine told me one of the first things she did was to buy one and checks the entire family once per day! The next door neighbour sent me an article and asked whether he should buy one as he already has to use a cpap machine.

So it is something taking off.

 

[Pushka]

A mica friend of mine told me one of the first things she did was to buy one and checks the entire family once per day! The next door neighbour sent me an article and asked whether he should buy one as he already has to use a cpap machine.

So it is something taking off.

Well, I must admit I have one coming in the mail. This arvo MrP was telling me of a podcast of a similar story to the one posted earlier about a medical person not recognising things were going awry until he tested. And other of a female who died as she tested her O2 levels but much too late, they were very poor, took herself to hospital but died.

SA really hasn't gone to extreme restrictions. We were able to have 10 people at a gathering all through, could travel around the state, schools never closed, beaches never closed, ok to sit on a bench, be in your car - as long as social distancing was practised. . But with the caveat that it was strongly encouraged not to travel to the country over Easter.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Covidsafe App
The tracker app is now available for download on the App Store and Google.
I am not going to debate the privacy issues, I just want us all to get back to whatever normality we can.
Please download and share

 

[Pushka]

Covidsafe App
The tracker app is now available for download on the App Store and Google.
I am not going to debate the privacy issues, I just want us all to get back to whatever normality we can.
Please download and share

Totally share your sentiments. Already downloaded and registered!

 

[Quickstatus]

You can use a pseudonym - I used Quickstatus
DOB is not even collected - just an age range.
It asks for a postcode not an address. I put in my work postcode
It’s complete voluntary
If you don’t download it there are no penalties
It does not track or record location of any user
Just who you have been near.
Data will be automatically deleted after 21 days after Bluetooth contact with another app user.
And you can delete the app at anytime - again without penalty.

It’s a no brainer

I suspect the battery life of the phone would be impacted

 

[Pushka]

The Oxford Study into the Vaccine seems to be getting more traction. It's based on MERS so being repurposed means that of by some miracle it's effective, it may save some time.

Coronavirus Briefing: A Vaccine by Fall?

 

[Flashback]

While social distancing is a bit of the norm these days, it's crazy to see that this has been able to happen: Telstra removes overseas call centre workers from onsite accommodation

 

[mrsterryn]

Just curious as to whether hospital ERs have had an increase in non covid patients ?
Yesterday I had a small accident (no no ladders were involved ) at home during tidying cleaning and furniture moving. I wondered if others who are doing a stack of in house renovations and updates are causing an increase in the home accidents side of things. I am fine but.. all due to covid isolation

 

[Pushka]

Just curious as to whether hospital ERs have had an increase in non covid patients ?
Yesterday I had a small accident (no no ladders were involved ) at home during tidying cleaning and furniture moving. I wondered if others who are doing a stack of in house renovations and updates are causing an increase in the home accidents side of things. I am fine but.. all due to covid isolation

Speaking for Adelaide, my SIL is a casual at a large Public hospital. Her shifts have been cut back significantly. I have not heard of any ambulance ramping in a month nor the codes for full casualty. GP appointments are down significantly.

 

[blackcat20]

Just curious as to whether hospital ERs have had an increase in non covid patients ?
Yesterday I had a small accident (no no ladders were involved ) at home during tidying cleaning and furniture moving. I wondered if others who are doing a stack of in house renovations and updates are causing an increase in the home accidents side of things. I am fine but.. all due to covid isolation

I think they're a lot quieter than normal. Certainly the one I went to was deserted at 8am this morning.

 

[drron]

Definitely not quieter in Launceston.But the we are admitting local patients plus all from the North West.
I am on duty this weekend and expecting to be working all day just seeing new admissions.
My ward had 14 new admissions on Monday.

 

[k_sheep]

Quieter in Sunshine Coast for sure. I was expecting more gardening and tool injuries but not too bad.

People aren't going to ED just 'because it's free' for their sore toe now it seems. Plus some therapies (chemo, radiation therapy etc) is being scaled back, so their are less presnetations with complications from that.

 

[Flashback]

UK has now surpassed 26,000 deaths related to COVID-19. The reason it's shot up so much higher though is the total includes deaths out in the community as well as aged care homes now.

 

[blackcat20]

Miss TC was tested yesterday as a precaution as I took her to emergency (for something else), result came back late evening (negative) which was a nice quick turnaround.

 

[Flashback]

I think this is a good indication of the timeline to start releasing lockdowns. Singapore is talking about 'very soon' but even the first stage is 2 weeks ago and it's very few of the restrictions being relaxed.

Singapore to ease some coronavirus curbs over next few weeks

Singapore will start easing coronavirus restrictions over the next few weeks, authorities said on Saturday, as the city-state takes the first tentative steps towards reopening its economy.

www.reuters.com

 

[p--and--t]

I think this is a good indication of the timeline to start releasing lockdowns. Singapore is talking about 'very soon' but even the first stage is 2 weeks ago and it's very few of the restrictions being relaxed.

Singapore to ease some coronavirus curbs over next few weeks

Singapore will start easing coronavirus restrictions over the next few weeks, authorities said on Saturday, as the city-state takes the first tentative steps towards reopening its economy.

www.reuters.com

\
Hopefully it works for them. They have had two go's at it now and the second time round more severe restrictions than in AU. Will be interesting to see the outcome (realistically not for 3-4 weeks).