Can we go to Coz yet?

[ggunn]

Overwhelmed is a media sensational stretch. Texas set a record high of 2200 hospitalizations, up from 1900 on May 5, with 14,000 more available beds. I'm not saying the virus isn't serious. I'm saying we cannot and will not endure another lockdown, no matter what. Not even if all beds are filled.

I think if it were to get to the point where every hospital bed in Texas was filled with COVID-19 patients, there will be another lockdown, hopefully well ahead of that eventuality. If/when doctors have to be deciding who they are just going to have to let die because there are no available facilities to treat them, the repercussions would be horrific. Rock and a hard place.

 

[Jcp2]

Been there, done that. It’s really unpleasant for all parties involved.

 

[Pillpusher]

Curfew has been extended to 9pm, starting tomorrow.

 

[RayfromTX]

Overwhelmed is a media sensational stretch. Texas set a record high of 2200 hospitalizations, up from 1900 on May 5, with 14,000 more available beds. I'm not saying the virus isn't serious. I'm saying we cannot and will not endure another lockdown, no matter what. Not even if all beds are filled.

If you don't like the risks with diving and decide not to go on a dive trip, you find something else to do and save a ton of money. It's not economically painful or a threat to your standard of living. If you lock down again, millions more will lose their incomes, many of them permanently. People are losing their jobs and businesses and the things in their life that they provide.

Here's an example of the sensationalization. "There were 2,326 coronavirus patients in Texas hospitals Monday, the Department of Health reported—an increase from the 2,287 reported on Sunday, which had been the old record." So 39 more people went to the hospital than left yesterday. That is a slight increase, what is 39/2287? 0.017%? Hardly a "spike". And if 10 more go than leave today, tomorrow they will throw up headlines about Texas setting another new record.

In early April it was around 800. now 2,300. Total hospital beds isn't the issue The threat of our ERs being overwhelmed is real.

"On Friday as on Wednesday, the number of COVID-19 cases hit its high-water mark of 71 at Harris Health System, up from around 50 three weeks ago. At Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital’s intensive care unit, occupancy rate Friday was 104 percent; Ben Taub’s was 93 percent, according to officials."

Here's a link to the story in the Houston Chronicle. A scramble is underway to handle a spike in Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations

 

[morecowbells]

I know stats vary immensely between different states. I work in a hospital in St. Louis. Outside our ER we had multiple tents( my assignment would deploy me to either the nicknamed 'Beer Tent or 'Corona Club'). These tents were helpful in screening patients going to the ER and keeping Covid symptomatic patients separate from the non symptomatic patients. The overflow anticipation/planning of these tents never came to fruition. While the Covid unit and ICU were busy, there was never any overflow. After approximately 6 weeks, the tents were dismantled. One worthy note, the number of psychiatric patients and those in crisis mode were maxed out. Fast forward to today, now we have a system which has layed off and furloughed thousands of staff. The healthcare system is now trying to reconcile their loses at a painful, if not unethical cost. Even the most educated and esteemed economists in my country have no idea how the long term damage will be remedied.

Now I try to imagine the effects in Mexico. Personally, I feel that an impoverished, crippled economy is more destructive to the health of it's inhabitants than the pandemic. My 2 pesos tells me that in July, herd immunity is crucial in producing immunity and reducing the double jeopardy situation of people sick with influenza A or B, coupled with Covid 19 during flu season. Numbers will spike, and there will be deaths, but I do not feel drawing out the disease is beneficial either. Data from Italy has shown that recent Covid cases have been milder and not resulting in hospitals overflowing. Everybody has personal feelings and anecdotes of how this whole pandemic has affected them. I respect all points of view. I feel that an economy going forward has more benefit than one shutting down which is vacant of any bail outs or assistance from the government.

 

[ggunn]

Curfew has been extended to 9pm, starting tomorrow.

Starting later, is that what you mean?

 

[Pillpusher]

Starting later, is that what you mean?

I could have worded it better, but I’m sure you understood what I meant.

 

[ggunn]

I could have worded it better, but I’m sure you understood what I meant.

I do now.

 

[ggunn]

...opening for business doesn't have to be as dangerous as many people are making it. I went to Home Depot this morning. 90% of staff and 80% of customers were not wearing masks and I saw hand shakes and close long face to face conversations throughout the store. Opening for business can happen with caution of without but without is more likely to result in another shutdown. Houston is overwhelmed with people acting foolishly...

We are seeing that in Austin as well.

 

[tridacna]

In NJ, you’re not getting into HD without a mask. We have a Superstore near us and I have yet to see anyone without a mask in that store. In fact, ALL stores require a mask here. PITA but we’re on the decline here so worth it I suppose.