Coronavirus outbreak

[thedestroyerofworlds]

Saw this.  With all the variants popping up, a universal vaccine would be a tremendous development.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-vaccine-variant-universal-nottingham-scancell-b1801966.html?utm_source=reddit.com

‘Universal Covid vaccine’ could be developed within a year, scientists say

 

Second-generation jab may work against all variants of coronavirus

 

 

And yes, there is research going into a universal flu vaccine.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/innovative-universal-flu-vaccine-shows-promises-it-first-clinical-test

Innovative universal flu vaccine shows promise in first clinical test

 

[Gurn]

By sometime tomorrow the U.S. will go over 500,000 covid deaths, but the daily new cases is definitely trending downward.

https://www.us-covid-tracker.com/?per100k=0

 

https://www.covid-19canada.com/

US deaths 496,421 with 9,557,221 current cases

Canada        21,283   and     36,137 current cases.

[thedestroyerofworlds]

11 minutes ago, gurn said:

By sometime tomorrow the U.S. will go over 500,000 covid deaths, but the daily new cases is definitely trending downward.

https://www.us-covid-tracker.com/?per100k=0

 

https://www.covid-19canada.com/

US deaths 496,421 with 9,557,221 current cases

Canada        21,283   and     36,137 current cases.

So, half a million deaths over the roughly calendar year of recorded deaths due to Covid-19 in the US.  The first officially recorded death (although studies have indicated that perhaps Covid was in the US earlier) occurred at the end of Feb. last year.  Over the past decade, flu averaged between 12,000 and 61,000 deaths per year.  The data has thoroughly trashed the Covidiot talking point that it isn't a big deal.  

[coho8888]

10 minutes ago, thedestroyerofworlds said:

So, half a million deaths over the roughly calendar year of recorded deaths due to Covid-19 in the US.  The first officially recorded death (although studies have indicated that perhaps Covid was in the US earlier) occurred at the end of Feb. last year.  Over the past decade, flu averaged between 12,000 and 61,000 deaths per year.  The data has thoroughly trashed the Covidiot talking point that it isn't a big deal.  

yep and add to the fact that its only 500K because of restrictions and lockdowns to prevent people from getting it (something we don't do with the flu).  

[thedestroyerofworlds]

 

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/14/health/who-mission-china-intl/index.html

CNN Exclusive: WHO Wuhan mission finds possible signs of wider original outbreak in 2019

[Wolfgang Durst]

21 hours ago, gurn said:

By sometime tomorrow the U.S. will go over 500,000 covid deaths, but the daily new cases is definitely trending downward.

https://www.us-covid-tracker.com/?per100k=0

 

https://www.covid-19canada.com/

US deaths 496,421 with 9,557,221 current cases

Canada        21,283   and     36,137 current cases.

Real test upcoming for the United States because the B.1.1.7 which has been identified there is about 30-50% more infectious than the original version of COVID 19. All three variants (UK variant, South African variant & Brazil variant) have been identified in the United States.

[The Lock]

19 hours ago, thedestroyerofworlds said:

 

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/14/health/who-mission-china-intl/index.html

CNN Exclusive: WHO Wuhan mission finds possible signs of wider original outbreak in 2019

My parents are actually convinced they got covid when they went to the Dominican Republican last January (2020). They had the exact same symptoms as the virus basically and it took about the exact same amount of time, and there were lingering issues afterwards.

[Cerridwen]

6 hours ago, The Lock said:

My parents are actually convinced they got covid when they went to the Dominican Republican last January (2020). They had the exact same symptoms as the virus basically and it took about the exact same amount of time, and there were lingering issues afterwards.

It wouldn't surprise me if that was the case.

 

The coworker of a friend went to China last December and ended up spending 6 weeks off work when he got sick upon his return. He had spent time in the office here when he returned, before he got sick and was at home. 9 of the 12 people in the office got sick (including my friend) with similar symptoms. Some were sicker than others...some were off work for almost 8 weeks. In hindsight, all the symptoms everyone had were the same as COVID 19. People just felt they'd come down with a really bad flu...right down to the loss of taste and smell which they just assumed were part of the cold/bronchitis/pneumonia symptoms. For some people, it's been up to 6 months before feeling their last December selves again.

So...who knows? I've always believed that COVID 19 (before it mutated to what it is today) was here long before they announced the 'first' case...they just didn't test for it. People just died of pneumonia or influenza or they 'recovered'.

[The Lock]

5 minutes ago, Cerridwen said:

It wouldn't surprise me if that was the case.

 

The coworker of a friend went to China last December and ended up spending 6 weeks off work when he got sick upon his return. He had spent time in the office here when he returned, before he got sick and was at home. 9 of the 12 people in the office got sick (including my friend) with similar symptoms. Some were sicker than others...some were off work for almost 8 weeks. In hindsight, all the symptoms everyone had were the same as COVID 19. People just felt they'd come down with a really bad flu...right down to the loss of taste and smell which they just assumed were part of the cold/bronchitis/pneumonia symptoms. For some people, it's been up to 6 months before feeling their last December selves again.

So...who knows? I've always believed that COVID 19 (before it mutated to what it is today) was here long before they announced the 'first' case...they just didn't test for it. People just died of pneumonia or influenza or they 'recovered'.

Yeah that exact thing happened to our neighbours actually. She works in health care as is and someone from China came back with something.

[Gurn]

Alberta beef may get a bit more expensive for a bit:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/alberta-slaughterhouse-to-close-temporarily-amid-growing-covid-19-outbreak-that-has-claimed-one-life/ar-BB1dHSzL?ocid=msedgdhp

 

"

Darwin Doloque's friends describe him as an eternal optimist, one who couldn't say no to anyone who needed help.

On Jan. 28, the 35-year-old permanent resident who immigrated to Canada from the Philippines was found dead at his home in Red Deer, Alta. The cause of death was attributed to a case of COVID-19 linked to his work at the city's Olymel meat-processing plant.

Late Monday — nearly three weeks after Doloque's death and in an abrupt change of position hours after telling CBC News it planned to remain open — Olymel said it will temporarily shut down the plant, due to the rapidly growing COVID-19 outbreak at the facility.   

As of Monday, 326 employees at the plant had tested positive for COVID-19, nearly double the count of 168 on Feb. 6. Of those, 192 remain active.   

 

CBC News spoke to six employees of Olymel for this story and agreed to withhold their names because they fear they could lose their jobs if they are identified.

During the interviews, workers said they were afraid to go to the plant, fearing for their own health and the health of their families. Several described negative effects on their mental wellbeing, as the outbreak continued to spread.

The company said Monday that management now believes the plant can no longer continue normal operations in a safe and efficient manner. 

Operations will cease over the next few days, Olymel said, and the company will continue to investigate how the outbreak grew so large. 

Less than four hours earlier, company spokesperson Richard Vigneault had said neither Alberta Health Services (AHS), the provincial government, nor the company, itself, had yet come to the conclusion that the Red Deer plant should temporarily close. The company's statement Monday evening did not state the reason for the change, but Vigneault said an assessment of the situation that afternoon led the company to a new conclusion.

The rapid increase in cases had drawn a warning from AHS, which on Thursday sent a letter to the company cautioning the outbreak "has become a concern for public health."

© CBC The Olymel pork-processing plant in Red Deer, Alta. A COVID-19 outbreak at the site has infected as many as 1 in 5 workers, Alberta Health Services says.

In the letter, which was obtained by CBC News, AHS said around one in five workers was believed to be infected and spreading the virus.

The plant has a workforce of close to 1,850 and about 60 per cent of the staff hold at least one other job outside the slaughterhouse.

A spokesperson for Alberta's labour minister said Sunday that occupational health and safety officials had inspected the facility 14 times, remotely and in-person, since the outbreak began in mid-November, deeming the plant safe to remain open. 

Struggling to breathe

One worker, who has tested positive for COVID-19, struggled to gather the breath to share his story between bouts of coughing.

"We workers, we feel insecure. We feel unsafe inside the plant," he said over the weekend, before Monday's announcement. "We are hoping that they will close temporarily."

"We don't know what to do.… We are hoping the government will help us."

His illness started with a headache. Before he realized he was symptomatic, he had spread the infection to his entire family. 

With everyone sick, he said he worries how they will make rent.

"We are all positive and now we don't have work," he said. "We have a big problem."

 

The union that represents employees at the plant said more than 90 per cent of approximately 600 workers it surveyed through a text-message poll said they wanted the plant to close temporarily, and that 80 per cent of respondents reported feeling unsafe at work.

© Radio-Canada A production line at a Quebec-based Olymel facility is shown in this file photo from October 2020. Workers at the Red Deer Olymel facility interviewed by CBC News said they're afraid to go back to work, fearing for their health and the health of their families.

Tom Hesse, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401, said Sunday the union had been in contact with the provincial government and the company to discuss concerns the workplace had become dangerous, but both had been largely unresponsive.

"We've been very disappointed that, even at this stage, we haven't seen big corporations and the government of Alberta be responsive to what's become the terror of Albertans," Hesse said.

The union had called for a temporary shutdown of the facility on Feb. 5.

Vigneault said earlier on Monday that Olymel has fully co-operated with AHS "to support various actions on our site to control the outbreak."

Those actions included COVID-19 testing, regular information updates provided to employees, and maintaining a list of employees' close contacts, he said.

These are in addition to a variety of other measures "already in place since the beginning of the pandemic," Vigneault said.

The company said the union and its hog suppliers have been informed of the pending closure. 

Concerns over swab testing

Other workers said they felt the procedures surrounding testing were insufficient given the numbers of their co-workers who have tested positive for the virus.

When Doloque died, people "started to get paranoid," said one worker.

© CBC A sign outside the Olymel pork plant in Red Deer, Alta., thanks the company's essential employees. The union says it surveyed employees, and the majority were scared to report to work due to the growing COVID-19 outbreak.

Another worker also raised concerns about swab tests.

"They send the people back inside without the result, and they get the result and they end up tested positive. So it's already inside," the worker said, who has also tested positive for COVID-19.

"After that man passed away, there were a lot of people who were a close contact, and then of course they went to work and they didn't get tested," the employee said. "The next thing you know, they tested positive. It's all over the place."

Before Monday's announcement, Vigneault said Olymel's policy dictates employees showing or declaring symptoms are not allowed to work.

Close contacts who chose not to be tested would have to complete the 14-day isolation as a minimum, he said.

'We feel unsafe'

One worker said he feared he'd bring the virus home to his daughter, who is immunocompromised.

He said while Olymel has provided workers with face shields and encourages hand washing, there are areas of the workplace where those measures didn't feel like enough.

"Our cafeteria is very congested," he said.

"When we get a break we take off our mask, right? So that we can eat." 

In a recent email to staff, employees were warned they could face $1,200 fines for violating public health orders and expect discipline, even termination, should they not comply with company's COVID-19 policies.

Vigneault said the company's surveillance in terms of sanitary measures in place at the plant may reflect "the quality of information and honesty," of the employee.

"We have strong controls to know where a worker was during the work shift but our weakness is how an employee behaved in private," Vigneault said. "So we rely on the employee's honesty to help us." 

AHS said its inspectors had been in daily contact with the company and visited the site on multiple occasions since the start of the outbreak to identify areas for improvement, should those arise.

The company remains compliant with public health orders, AHS said.

"Many measures were previously undertaken early on in the pandemic, and the site continues to take proactive steps to enhance their practices and mitigation measures," AHS said.

It said health workers provided a second round of on-site testing for COVID-19 between Feb. 3 and 5.

Other meat plants battle outbreaks

Meat plants have been home to many of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic. 

There are currently eight outbreaks at meat processing or packing facilities in Alberta, including one at Cargill in High River, where 950 workers tested positive.  A class-action lawsuit and police investigation are underway in that case.

Workers at Cargill told CBC News at the time they were instructed to return to work after testing positive for COVID-19 and while symptomatic.

Workers at both plants describe similar environments — a majority- immigrant population working a fast-paced, high-stress job in close quarters and feeling like they have little recourse.

"I find that we are here again a giant failure of public policy," said Sheila Block, with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. 

"We've learned a lot about this disease over the last 11 months and it seems like the lessons that we've learned aren't applied equally … those people who have more access to power and privilege seem to get better protections than those who do not."

Block said the prevalence of outbreaks in low-wage, marginalized communities shows a need to look at instituting further supports both in and outside of the workplace — ensuring people have safe ways to travel to and from work, widespread access to workplace testing and income supports that allow them to stay home if sick.

© The Associated Press In this 2006 file photo, hog carcasses are moved through a series of flame units to burn off hair as they are processed at a Triumph Foods plant in the United States.

In the letter sent by AHS to the company, it largely focuses on staff responsibility — reminding workers to self-isolate, notify all employers of a positive test, or risk a fine. 

The letter makes two requests of management: that employees be required to be tested if they have previously not been swabbed or have tested negative, and that management monitor breaks to ensure employees keep distance from one another. 

Block said, in her view, it's immoral to lay blame at the feet of individual employees. She said it's the government's responsibility to set and enforce baseline rules to keep workers safe.

"These are the workers that allow those of us, who have the privilege to do so, to continue to work from home and be safe," she said. "We absolutely have to have government step up and value these workers' lives as much as they value the lives of people who can afford to protect themselves," she said.

 Olymel is currently hiring, and the union had said that prior to Monday's late-day announcement, the plant had been ramping up production"                                                              

[RUPERTKBD]

Finally, some good Covid news:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/us/san-diego-zoo-covid-19-gorilla-recovery-trnd/index.html

 

Quote

 

Several gorillas are back in public view for visitors at the San Diego Zoo after making a full recovery from Covid-19, according to an update from the zoo.

Eight western lowland gorillas caught the West Coast variant of the virus, despite employees adhering to all recommended biosecurity precautions, zoo officials said.

A surge of Covid-19 cases in California in December and January included the variant that experts say may be more contagious than other strands of the virus.

All eight gorillas at the zoo were secluded after the diagnosis on January 11, with some showing symptoms that included "mild coughing, congestion, nasal discharge and intermittent lethargy," the zoo said in an online update.

"The gorillas were infected with the B.1.429 lineage of the coronavirus, which has been prevalent in California and may be more contagious than other strains," according to the zoo.

Zoo officials credit the gorillas' recuperation to "the highest standard of care" offered by the zoo's veterinary team, wildlife care professionals, and a collaboration with a wide array of colleagues and partners.

Winston, an elderly silverback gorilla, received monoclonal antibody therapy among his treatments. Due to concerns over Winston's age and underlying medical conditions, veterinarians performed a diagnostic examination and were able to confirm he had pneumonia and heart disease, San Diego Zoo Safari Park said in a news release.

From a supply not permitted for human use, Winston received monoclonal antibody therapy, heart medications and antibiotics.

"We're so grateful for the outpouring concern and support we've received while the troop safely recovered," said Lisa Peterson, executive director of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. "We're thrilled to share the joy that this beloved troop brings to our community and to our guests."

The zoo is sharing documentation of the coronavirus in its gorillas with hopes that it will help "provide important information regarding scientific understanding of the virus and its effects on great apes."

The zoo listed 10 state and federal government agencies and four private organizations that assisted with gorillas' recovery.

"There's a such a warm camaraderie felt with our colleagues as we continue to share knowledge," Peterson said. "We're incredibly thankful for the collaboration across various areas of expertise to ensure the best health for our troop and a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all living things."

 

Hopefully those gorillas will think twice next time, about that Spring Break trip to Cabo...

[Smashian Kassian]

Just a question; Has it been established what exactly the cause of this was? 

 

Is it still wet-market? Is that confirmed? Is the thought it could've come from the Wuhan lab valid, or is that a Trumpist QAnnon theory? 

[Gurn]

7 minutes ago, Smashian Kassian said:

Just a question; Has it been established what exactly the cause of this was? 

 

Is it still wet-market? Is that confirmed? Is the thought it could've come from the Wuhan lab valid, or is that a Trumpist QAnnon theory? 

https://www.snopes.com/news/2020/04/01/covid-19-bioweapon/

 

" factual scientific studies concerning the origin of SARS-CoV-2 actually provide the strongest refutation to date of the claim the virus was “created in a lab.”"

Edited February 16, 2021 by gurn

[RUPERTKBD]

Anthony Fauci wins a million dollar Israeli prize for his work on Covid 19:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/us/fauci-wins-dan-david-prize-trnd/index.html

 

Quote

 

Dr. Anthony Fauci has been honored with a top international prize for his work combating the coronavirus and other infectious diseases.

He is one of the seven recipients of the 2021 Dan David Prize, a $1 million award endowed by the Dan David Foundation and headquartered at Tel Aviv University in Israel.

The annual prize is divided into three categories -- past, present, and future. Fauci won the prize for the present section, and is this year's only individual winner.

He was chosen because of his exceptional work with infectious diseases over his life, including HIV, Ebola, Zika, and most recently, Covid-19. "Dr. Fauci has been a global leader in control and research of infectious diseases that present a major public health challenge," Dr. Elizabeth Miller, the chair of the selection committee, said in the award announcement.

"Dr. Fauci's contribution has encompassed the basic laboratory and clinical research that has underpinned the development of effective treatments and vaccines for these diseases, but equally important his leadership has helped ensure that this basic research has been translated into a public health impact across the world."

Miller said Fauci's "courageous leadership," noted worldwide during the Covid-19 pandemic, was another reason he was selected for the prize.

 

Upon hearing of the award, Donald Trump immediately filed a lawsuit, claiming that voting machines switched millions of Scott Atlas votes to Anthony Fauci....

[Gurn]

3 minutes ago, RUPERTKBD said:

Anthony Fauci wins a million dollar Israeli prize for his work on Covid 19:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/us/fauci-wins-dan-david-prize-trnd/index.html

 

Upon hearing of the award, Donald Trump immediately filed a lawsuit, claiming that voting machines switched millions of Scott Atlas votes to Anthony Fauci....

Cue the republicans: " Fauci was acting as an agent of a foreign power" story.

[KoreanHockeyFan]

6 minutes ago, RUPERTKBD said:

Anthony Fauci wins a million dollar Israeli prize for his work on Covid 19:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/us/fauci-wins-dan-david-prize-trnd/index.html

 

Upon hearing of the award, Donald Trump immediately filed a lawsuit, claiming that voting machines switched millions of Scott Atlas votes to Anthony Fauci....

For a split second, I thought you weren't joking. Just reminds you how crazy those 4 years were 

[RUPERTKBD]

1 minute ago, KoreanHockeyFan said:

For a split second, I thought you weren't joking. Just reminds you how crazy those 4 years were 

Most sarcasm is effective because it contains a grain of truth...

 

If it were true, it wouldn't be close to the most outrageous thing Trump has done.....

[UKNuck96]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56082573
 

worrying that yet another variant found in the UK.

 

just goes to show if you don’t close the borders or have  decent travel and quarantine restrictions in place, and let the virus run wild in the community that bad things happen 

[stawns]

33 minutes ago, UKNuck96 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56082573
 

worrying that yet another variant found in the UK.

 

just goes to show if you don’t close the borders or have  decent travel and quarantine restrictions in place, and let the virus run wild in the community that bad things happen 

Based on the number of "I went to a sleepover", " we went to a hotel" etc I'm hearing today from kids about how they spent their long weekend, I'd say we might see a spike in a week or two.

 

Also "my dad is really sick and is going for a covid test today".........thanks for sending your ****ing kids to school then

[Silent Man]

2 hours ago, UKNuck96 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56082573
 

worrying that yet another variant found in the UK.

 

just goes to show if you don’t close the borders or have  decent travel and quarantine restrictions in place, and let the virus run wild in the community that bad things happen 

Virus will mutate, no matter what. That's why we have a new flu vaccine every year. The same will happen with Covid