At what point did you / will you take the coronavirus epidemic seriously?

[wapiti]

That's really quite remarkable. I assume that's a function of all the social distancing, mask wearing, and other precautions we've been taking. Which leads me to wonder what sort of precautions we should continue through the winter months moving forward.

I've really had it with the social distancing though. I don't know how much more I can take.

My wife and I were talking about how this is the healthiest our family has ever been, at least in terms of cold and flu type bugs. I think there are some things we can carry forward out of the pandemic to keep us healthier.

Also, does the lack of flu and the prevelence of Covid demonstrate that Covid is not like the flu? It has to be more contagious as well as more deadly.

[Clark Addison]

Yeah, this is the first year I haven't gotten the flu shot in years. I meant to originally, but it wasn't as easy (I usually get it at a work event), and given the lack of flu cases and my lack of human contact, I figured "screw it"

[Jarid in Cedar]

I will try to give a thumbnail description to why Influenza cases are so low in the US (and around the world for that matter).

1. The lack of air travel from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere in March-June 2020. Influenza is much more active during colder months, due to more people being inside, and the viral capsule being more fragile in higher temperatures (this results in less spread from infected people to others during the summer). Usually, Influenza migrates from North to South from February to about May. It then runs through the southern hemisphere during their winter (June to August) when they have the majority of their influenza cases. Then it migrates from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere from August to November, starting our winter influenza season that typically runs through March. The cycle then repeats itself.

But the onset of the pandemic, and the dramatic global decline in international travel during the months of March to May disrupted this usual cycle. This resulted in one of the mildest influenza seasons in the Southern hemisphere in decades. In Chile, South Africa, and Australia from April to July 2020, only 0.06% (51 out of 83,307) influenza tests performed were positive. By comparison to the same time period in 2017-2019 where 13.7% (24,512 out of 178,690) were positive. These countries still tested relatively frequently for Influenza during their season, but there just wasn’t that many cases out there to be found. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/...a6.htm#F1_down

I want to focus on Australia, because they have had very few cases of COVID, 28,402 as of today ( roughly 11% as many as Utah with 8 x the population). They had one of the most aggressive inbound travel restrictions, requiring a mandatory 14 day quarantine for all travelers coming from other countries. They did so in response to COVID, but in doing so, they also completely blocked any traveler who may have been carrying influenza from interacting with their population, almost eliminating the seasonal influx of that virus to their country. In addition, this report shows that very few people even presented to their Doctor of hospital with complaint of fever, cough, or absence from work due to infectious symptoms. https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/03943F9CD20D2CCCCA2586410078F296/$File/National-Influenza-Season-Summary2020.pdf

Finally, the lack of cases in the Southern Hemisphere this year will undoubtedly result in a minimal influenza season in the US, even if international travel volumes increase over the next few months.

2. The use of masks, social distancing, etc impacts the spread of all viruses that are spread by droplets. One question I am routinely asked is why haven’t we required masks to prevent influenza, My answer is “Who says that wouldn’t be a good idea?” And while COVID seems to spread much less in school age kids, the elementary schools are well established as the spreading ground for almost every other respiratory virus, especially influenza. I have 8 kids and 1 grandchild living with me, and I can say with all honesty that the last 8 months have been by far the healthiest time our family has seen since our first daughter went to kindergarten. And this is the longest I have gone without a cold since I have been working as a physician.

[Bo Diddley]

Great info as always. Thanks, JiC!

[YOhio]

Interesting stuff, JIC. Any thoughts on this?

Asmany as 14.4 percent of people hospitalized with severe covid-19developed diabetes, according to a global analysispublished Nov. 27 in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. The international group of researchers sifted through reports of uncontrolled hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, in more than 3,700 covid-19 patients across eight studies. While those diagnoses might be the result of a long-observed response to severe illness, or to treatment with steroids, the authors wrote, a direct effect from covid-19 “should also be considered.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/02/01/covid-new-onset-diabetes/

[Bo Diddley]

Utah's numbers have been going down quite a bit lately. Only 584 new cases today. That's awesome.

[PaloAltoCougar]

The vaccination roll-out in California is, to no one's surprise, a hodgepodge. We've been scouring cyberspace looking for opportunities and this morning my wife got her first shot (mine is scheduled for Friday). We immediately booked a flight for her in March (two weeks after her second shot) to NYC where she'll get to see her newest grandson who was born New Year's Eve. She was shedding tears in the car on the way home this morning, being so happy this thing might actually be coming to an end. We'll continue to mask and take precautions in the months ahead, but this opens a new world, or at least one that hasn't existed for a year.

There's has to be a huge pent-up demand from grandparents and others who have missed human contact for so long.

[Bo Diddley]

Very cool, PAC!

[Jeff Lebowski]

The vaccination roll-out in California is, to no one's surprise, a hodgepodge. We've been scouring cyberspace looking for opportunities and this morning my wife got her first shot (mine is scheduled for Friday). We immediately booked a flight for her in March (two weeks after her second shot) to NYC where she'll get to see her newest grandson who was born New Year's Eve. She was shedding tears in the car on the way home this morning, being so happy this thing might actually be coming to an end. We'll continue to mask and take precautions in the months ahead, but this opens a new world, or at least one that hasn't existed for a year.

There's has to be a huge pent-up demand from grandparents and others who have missed human contact for so long.

Congrats. How did you pull that off?

I was looking at how it will work in Utah. Right now it looks like my wife and I aren't eligible until March. Boo.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Was talking with my doctor son about the vaccines yesterday. He said people don't appreciate how incredibly effective these vaccines are. For the small subset of people that get COVID after taking the vaccine, the symptoms are very mild and zero deaths (so far).

[wapiti]

Was talking with my doctor son about the vaccines yesterday. He said people don't appreciate how incredibly effective these vaccines are. For the small subset of people that get COVID after taking the vaccine, the symptoms are very mild and zero deaths (so far).

And that's true for all 5 versions so far. Even the J&J one that is "only" 70% effective didn't have a single death in the trial. The effective rate at preventing covid and the effective rate at preventing death are two different things.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Congrats. How did you pull that off?

I was looking at how it will work in Utah. Right now it looks like my wife and I aren't eligible until March. Boo.

In a sense, I have this board to thank. I signed up for Next Door because of the hilarious posts others here had posted from the site. And while ND has been a source of entertainment, occasionally there's some good info, including a link late last week to a particular, relatively obscure, health care provider that was taking signups. We jumped on it, and voila! It's the Moderna vaccine, btw.

[Uncle Ted]

Utah's numbers have been going down quite a bit lately. Only 584 new cases today. That's awesome.

Yeah, the Harris Administration only killed about 1,875 people in the US yesterday. Maybe we are turning the corner.

[Bo Diddley]

Yeah, the Harris Administration only killed about 1,875 people in the US yesterday. Maybe we are turning the corner.

[Pelado]

I heard from some people recently that there's a local Albertson's administering the Pfizer vaccine. Apparently, if they end up with any extra doses at the end of the day (someone cancels or otherwise is unable to keep their appointment), then they'll give the doses to anyone who wants them (even if a person is not currently eligible based on the priority list) so that the doses don't go bad.