Up to the Minute Coronavirus Information

[VUGrad1314]

Saw this on another board and thought it should be posted here. For anyone who needs information on the spread or what to do if somebody catches the Coronavirus and precautions to take etc. Here's information from the CDC updated as new information comes in.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

[VUGrad1314]

WHO Info.

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/

[VUGrad1314]

CDC Quick Links

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

[VUGrad1314]

Some thoughts:

Maybe this is good for society. It's a chance for us to reassess our priorities as a society reinvent ourselves as individuals and discover passions and talents we never knew we had. Further more we can take stock of where we want to go as a society. Think about how we're beginning to band together and make accommodations for others who need help. We can carry that forward. Taken correctly this is a moment of great opportunity for the human race that can inspire tremendous social change and make the human condition and experience richer and better for everyone. As bummed as I am that there won't be any sports on TV I'm also excited. It feels like a new beginning for us all if we want it. So what are you going to do with this time? Ask yourselves and then make it happen! Sports will return and when they come back we can emerge and embrace them as better people!

[FWalum]

Some thoughts from a COVID survivor:

I am in my early 60's, I took no medication prior to COVID, my pre-existing condition would be that I am overweight, but other than that in good health. My wife is the Chair of a Life Sciences department for a local college and one of my daughters is a doctor at a Washington DC hospital. In other words as a family we took this rather seriously. On December 5th, in hindsight, I had my first symptom of the virus, I came home from work with a bad headache and took some Advil and a nap.  On Sunday things weren't too bad, we actually got our tree, but I was very fatigued and went to bed early. On Monday is when the fever started and remained in the 101.5 - 103.5 range. My daughter insisted that we get a blood Oxygen meter and on the 13th my blood Ox started to go down. On the 15th I was in the hospital and received treatment which included the Lily monoclonal antibody infusion bamlanivimab and was sent home as my Ox levels had improved. Within 2 days my temp was back to normal and blood Ox was back in the mid 90's. On Dec 21st the hospital called to tell me that there were some irregularities in my blood tests and asked whether I was on any antibiotics, which I was not, because everything is now on the internet my daughter was able to look at my chart and insisted that I talk to my doctor and get retested. The retests were done along with a new test for the D-Dimer protein. Since one of the affects of COVID results in blood clotting problems a test for the D-Dimer protein will indicate if you have experienced any clotting issues. At 8AM the following morning my doctor called and told me to get to the emergency room immediately where there it was discovered that I had a Saddle Pulmonary Embolism. Needless to say this was very scary and life threatening, but because of the diligence of my daughter and my physician (a Concordia Lutheran High School grad who also had my wife for chemistry) the embolism was caught early and I was tolerating it well. I was given several Heparin injections and placed on a Heparin IV for about 48 hours. I was able to go home on Christmas evening.  Things are looking up now, I still have the COVID cough for which I take a prescription and I am on a fairly high dose of Apixaban blood thinner. The fatigue and coughing are still very much a part of my day, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have been told to continue isolating, not because of the virus, but because they don't want me exposed to a secondary infection.

I am not trying to preach to anyone about taking this pandemic seriously, wearing a mask or personal freedom, I just want you to be aware that this can happen to you.
P.S. Just this morning I found out that the daughter of a friend has MIS-C, Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, a very serious and potentially fatal condition caused by the inflammation and clotting brought on by COVID. Her mother did not even know that she had had COVID because initially she was asymptomatic.

[valpo84]

Glad to hear you are doing better FW.  Stay healthy!

[vu72]

Glad to hear you are doing better FW.  Stay healthy!

Absolutely!  You are not alone.  I had it too.  It does help to have doctors in the family, in this case my nephew, who is a Valpo grad as well.  My case was not as severe.  It started with really bad headaches and significant exhaustion, like it could barely get out of bed.  I also was told to get an oxygen monitor.  The cough was there as well.  I could feel pressure building in my chest so I drove to an emergency room. They gave me a breathing treatment and took an x-ray and discovered pneumonia (about a week after onset.  I was given a prescription for an antibiotic, steroids, and inhaler and sent home. Fortunately, in a week or so things got much better and now I am back at full strength (for a guy my age!)with no residual issues.

Be safe, this isn't over!

[vu84v2]

FWAlum and vu72 - Nothing more to say than I am very glad to hear that both of you are doing much better.

[justducky]

I am not trying to preach to anyone about taking this pandemic seriously, wearing a mask or personal freedom, I just want you to be aware that this can happen to you.

Be safe, this isn't over!

My worst fear has been that some of us will be consciously relegated to the scrap heap knowing that we could have been saved had our medical infrastructure not been so severely overtaxed. We are at that point now and our turns for vaccination seem further off now than they were a month ago

Meanwhile I'm now hoping to see all of you in the ARC during the 21-22 season 

[valpo04]

Let me chime in to add that I too am glad to hear you both are on the mend, and thank you for sharing your experience.

Stay safe everyone.

[may know]

Glad to see FWAlum and vu72 are well. Learned some useful things reading those posts too.

[bbtds]

Glad to see FWAlum and vu72 are well. Learned some useful things reading those posts too.

My biggest take is that I really don't want to suffer the symptoms of the Covid-19 virus.

[justducky]

Maybe Indiana has announced too simple of a priority system but I didn't argue and will get my first shot next week. If you are 70 or older you fall in the same category as first responders and medical professionals. Details and signups are on an Indiana covid vaccination website.

[justducky]

As of tonight (Jan 22) we stand at 19 million national doses administered and I've made it in to this group. Vaccine supply is now the main bottleneck but facilities and staffs are getting their operational mechanics down to a science. I waited about 10 days between online registration and my opening but was only in line for 12 minutes, the shot might have taken another 3 then I sat another 20 to monitor for any side effects.

Out of respect for some with differing opinions I spent several hours looking at some of the logic and cautions of their position. Interesting stuff and I learned from the process but I remain convinced that this (vaccination) is the best answer for most of the population.

My advice-----Get er done!

[valpo95]

It was a year ago this week that the USA had its first confirmed case of COVID-19.

The illness, deaths and economic disruptions are serious and tend to get the headlines. Yet we should acknowledge the good news.

It is simply remarkable that we have two approved vaccines that are now getting wide distribution. As of Friday, 39.8M doses have been distributed in the USA, and 19.1M have been administered. Probably, by the end of next week we will have about the same number of people vaccinated as confirmed cases.

[JD24]

About a million a day are being vaccinated. We're moving forward.

[VUGrad1314]

We need to be faster though. At this rate it will take us months and with new variants already popping up we may not have that kind of time. We really were put behind the eight ball from some previous missteps earlier on. I hope the costs of those missteps can be mitigated.

[justducky]

Fed Chair Powell spoke today with no surprises to those of us who typically watch. When asked about vaccinations he responded that yes he has received his first dose and that yes it is important for the economic recovery particularly for those employed in the bar and restaurant sectors which is where he indicated the largest pocket of unemployment remains. He didn't quote my "Get er done" phrasing exactly but he left no doubt on his position. 

.

[vu72]

Curious as to why this is posted on the basketball page?  Was Powell a point guard? 

[NativeCheesehead]

Why is it on the basketball page?  Been to a game at the ARC recently?

[justducky]

Was Powell a point guard? 

Because he has flooded the nation with liquidity I will assume that his strongest sport was swimming. 

Why is it on the basketball page?  Been to a game at the ARC recently?

Glad Cheesehead brought this up. Reopening debates are already heating up so are we formulating a plan yet? In theory I would be safe for the very end of basketball and MVC tournaments as well as volleyball and football. Others will also have finished their vaccinations or will have proof of Covid recovery. With proper proofs and ID's why couldn't a few tickets be sold for a special section where the likes of myself, FWalum and vu72 could huddle together and in our youthful exuberance cheer the team, boo the refs, and collectively group moon Matt  if we decide it is appropriate? It would be a great honor to be ejected from the ARC with gentlemen like that. 

[VUGrad1314]

I don't know if Powell used to play but I'm pretty sure Fauci did.

[bbtds]

I don't know if Powell used to play but I'm pretty sure Fauci did.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/10-things-to-know-about-jerome-powell-1510001133

Mr. Powell graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School, a Jesuit high school, where he played football.

[FWalum]

With proper proofs and ID's why couldn't a few tickets be sold for a special section where the likes of myself, FWalum and vu72 could huddle together and in our youthful exuberance cheer the team, boo the refs, and collectively group moon Matt   if we decide it is appropriate? It would be a great honor to be ejected from the ARC with gentlemen like that. 

I don't know about the "mooning" part, but would love to sit together with the two of you!

[NativeCheesehead]

I'd probably feel ok going to a socially distanced game. But again, this is where our facility is limiting. Lack of space in bathrooms, hallways, and around the expanded team benches probably equals no fans this season.