July 5, 20205 yr 1 hour ago, PoconoDon said: Newsflash - Trump is our servant, not our ruler...thank God. I'm shocked they haven't gone after this post yet
July 5, 20205 yr https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/05/politics/trump-medical-advisers-fda-commissioner/index.html This is beyond disgusting. All because we have a big freakin' baby who will fire anyone and everyone if they don't agree with his ridiculous statements. Quote On Saturday night, President Donald Trump made the dangerously inaccurate claim that 99% of coronavirus cases are "totally harmless." On Sunday morning, one of his top health experts failed to correct the assertion, a stunning breakdown of the government's core duty to keep Americans safe and protect the public health. CNN's Dana Bash pressed US Food and Drug Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn repeatedly Sunday morning to explain the President's false statement in his Fourth of July speech from the South Lawn of the White House, one that minimized the devastating effects of the virus and seemed to encourage Americans to ignore the deadly risks of a pandemic that has so far claimed more than 129,000 American lives. "I'm not going to get into who is right and who is wrong," Hahn, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, told Bash during CNN's "State of the Union" when she asked him to explain the basis for the President's claim and why he would be pushing the narrative that most Covid-19 cases are harmless when his public health experts are saying the opposite. I want to say so many things on Twitter, but I don't want to get arrested for threats.
July 5, 20205 yr 21 minutes ago, SPIDER-MAN said: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/05/politics/trump-medical-advisers-fda-commissioner/index.html This is beyond disgusting. All because we have a big freakin' baby who will fire anyone and everyone if they don't agree with his ridiculous statements. I want to say so many things on Twitter, but I don't want to get arrested for threats. Of all the outrageous and awful lies he’s spewed over the last 3 and a half years, this one is certainly up there.
July 6, 20205 yr So the CDC admits to combining positive viral tests and the anti body tests results. So anyone that had tested positive for antibodies was counted in the positive covid case number, meaning that the numbers are all sorts of FUBAR and it’s skewing the percentage of positive tests big time. This is such a huge clusterF of a mistake. Especially since the guidelines for reopening depend on these to be accurate. New adjusted numbers should be posted in the coming weeks.
July 6, 20205 yr 19 minutes ago, DBW said: So the CDC admits to combining positive viral tests and the anti body tests results. So anyone that had tested positive for antibodies was counted in the positive covid case number, meaning that the numbers are all sorts of FUBAR and it’s skewing the percentage of positive tests big time. This is such a huge clusterF of a mistake. Especially since the guidelines for reopening depend on these to be accurate. New adjusted numbers should be posted in the coming weeks. I agree. It’s asinine that we are counting people who had COVID-19 with people who had COVID-19.
July 6, 20205 yr 10 minutes ago, Bill said: I agree. It’s asinine that we are counting people who had COVID-19 with people who had COVID-19. You missed the point. It’s not allowing for accurate depiction of new cases because if you had it 3 months ago and just got an antibody test that came back positive, you get counted in the "new daily case” Count. So tomorrow when they say 50,000 new cases and it’s spiking everywhere, it’s really not because 60% of that may be antibody tests. They originally lumped it all together because the antibody tests weren’t as available, but now they’re doing as may antibody tests as viral tests.
July 6, 20205 yr 37 minutes ago, DBW said: So the CDC admits to combining positive viral tests and the anti body tests results. So anyone that had tested positive for antibodies was counted in the positive covid case number, meaning that the numbers are all sorts of FUBAR and it’s skewing the percentage of positive tests big time. This is such a huge clusterF of a mistake. Especially since the guidelines for reopening depend on these to be accurate. New adjusted numbers should be posted in the coming weeks. This was reported and confirmed middle of May. And they said it would be fixed back in May
July 6, 20205 yr 6 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said: This was reported and confirmed middle of May. And they said it would be fixed back in May This time they mean it
July 6, 20205 yr 10 hours ago, JohnSnowsHair said: There have been various studies. This latest by the Henry Ford Health System is just one more. And it's no more valid or invalid than other similar studies performed by hospital systems. It's simply more data for healthcare providers to consider. Most of the studies do not show hydroxychloroquine to be effective. Like those studies, this needs to be peer reviewed and independently verified - its findings need to be able to be reproduced. The claims in this particular study are that when the drug is administered very early it shows correlation with lower fatality rates. Most studies, even those that claim they administered the drug early, did not find the same. It's not a slam dunk because ONE study showed what you want. Nor is it a slam dunk that because a dozen or so other studies didn't show effectiveness that the drug is ineffective. This was an observational study, not a randomized clinical trial. The conclusion from this observational study is that clinical trials are needed to test the effectiveness of the drug using the dosage parameters they used.
July 6, 20205 yr 12 hours ago, Ace Nova said: The few "actual studies” that were done showed that it was an effective treatment (for the most part). The media instead ran with random reports from hospitals, etc saying that it was increasing death rates. This is false. There are over 100 clinical trials world wide testing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine. Some were halted due to patients developing cardiac related side effects. Ones that were carried through showed no benefit from hydroxychloroquine. The only studies that showed benefits were observational studies, which do NOT prove effectiveness. When you are hand selecting who receives treatment and who doesn’t, you can not then conclude that the drug works. Randomized blind clinical trials are then needed to validate the findings from the observational study. And so far, those clinical trials have shown no benefit from the drug in combatting COVID-19. 12 hours ago, JohnSnowsHair said: when he says "fewer beds", that's good right? he means "fewer beds in use" not "fewer beds available"? Correct.
July 6, 20205 yr 2 hours ago, Phillyterp85 said: This is false. There are over 100 clinical trials world wide testing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine. Some were halted due to patients developing cardiac related side effects. Ones that were carried through showed no benefit from hydroxychloroquine. The only studies that showed benefits were observational studies, which do NOT prove effectiveness. When you are hand selecting who receives treatment and who doesn’t, you can not then conclude that the drug works. Randomized blind clinical trials are then needed to validate the findings from the observational study. And so far, those clinical trials have shown no benefit from the drug in combatting COVID-19. A recent, peer-reviewed study: Treatment with Hydroxychloroquine Cut Death Rate Significantly in COVID-19 Patients, Henry Ford Health System Study Shows July 02, 2020 DETROIT – Treatment with hydroxychloroquine cut the death rate significantly in sick patients hospitalized with COVID-19 – and without heart-related side-effects, according to a new study published by Henry Ford Health System. In a large-scale retrospective analysis of 2,541 patients hospitalized between March 10 and May 2, 2020 across the system’s six hospitals, the study found 13% of those treated with hydroxychloroquine alone died compared to 26.4% not treated with hydroxychloroquine. None of the patients had documented serious heart abnormalities; however, patients were monitored for a heart condition routinely pointed to as a reason to avoid the drug as a treatment for COVID-19. The study was published today in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, the peer-reviewed, open-access online publication of the International Society of Infectious Diseases (ISID.org). Patients treated with hydroxychloroquine at Henry Ford met specific protocol criteria as outlined by the hospital system’s Division of Infectious Diseases. The vast majority received the drug soon after admission; 82% within 24 hours and 91% within 48 hours of admission. All patients in the study were 18 or over with a median age of 64 years; 51% were men and 56% African American. "The findings have been highly analyzed and peer-reviewed,” said Dr. Marcus Zervos, division head of Infectious Disease for Henry Ford Health System, who co-authored the study with Henry Ford epidemiologist Dr. Samia Arshad. "We attribute our findings that differ from other studies to early treatment, and part of a combination of interventions that were done in supportive care of patients, including careful cardiac monitoring. Our dosing also differed from other studies not showing a benefit of the drug. And other studies are either not peer reviewed, have limited numbers of patients, different patient populations or other differences from our patients.” Zervos said the potential for a surge in the fall or sooner, and infections continuing worldwide, show an urgency to identifying inexpensive and effective therapies and preventions. "We’re glad to add to the scientific knowledge base on the role and how best to use therapies as we work around the world to provide insight,” he said. "Considered in the context of current studies on the use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19, our results suggest that the drug may have an important role to play in reducing COVID-19 mortality.” The study also found those treated with azithromycin alone or a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin also fared slightly better than those not treated with the drugs, according to the Henry Ford data. The analysis found 22.4% of those treated only with azithromycin died, and 20.1% treated with a combination of azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine died, compared to 26.4% of patients dying who were not treated with either medication. "Our analysis shows that using hydroxychloroquine helped saves lives,” said neurosurgeon Dr. Steven Kalkanis, CEO, Henry Ford Medical Group and Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Henry Ford Health System. "As doctors and scientists, we look to the data for insight. And the data here is clear that there was benefit to using the drug as a treatment for sick, hospitalized patients.” Overall, hospital system patients in the study experienced an 18.1% in-hospital mortality rate. Regardless of treatment, mortality was highest in: Patients older than 65, Patients who identified as Caucasian, Patients admitted with reduced oxygen levels, Patients who required ICU admission. Patients who died commonly had serious underlying diseases, including chronic kidney and lung disease, with 88% dying from respiratory failure. Globally, the overall mortality from SARS-COV-2 is estimated to be approximately 6% to 7%, with mortality in hospitalized patients ranging between 10% and 30%, according to the study. Mortality as high as 58% has been seen among patients requiring ICU care and mechanical ventilation. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, hydroxychloroquine (also known as hydroxychloroquine sulfate) is a U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved arthritis medicine that also can be used to prevent or treat malaria. It is available in the United States by prescription only. The drug is sold under the brand name Plaquenil and it is also sold as a generic medicine. It is commonly used by patients with arthritis, lupus or other rheumatic conditions. Dr. Zervos also pointed out, as does the paper, that the study results should be interpreted with some caution, should not be applied to patients treated outside of hospital settings and require further confirmation in prospective, randomized controlled trials that rigorously evaluate the safety and efficacy of hydroxychloroquine therapy for COVID-19. "Currently, the drug should be used only in hospitalized patients with appropriate monitoring, and as part of study protocols, in accordance with all relevant federal regulations,” Dr. Zervos said. Henry Ford Health System, as one of the region’s major academic medical centers with more than $100 million in annual research funding, is involved in numerous COVID-19 trials with national and international partners. Henry Ford Health System is currently also involved in a prophylactic hydroxychloroquine study: "Will Hydroxychloroquine Impede or Prevent COVID-19,” or WHIP COVID-19. The study is a 3,000-person, randomized, double-blinded look at whether hydroxychloroquine prevents healthcare and frontline workers from contracting the COVID-19 virus. The WHIP COVID-19 team is working on expanding study sites while there is a lull in the number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Michigan. This is in preparation for a potential increase of COVID-19 cases as Fall flu season approaches, with additional sites available for convenient enrollment of healthcare workers and first responders. The WHIP COVID-19 team is also taking this gift of time to reach out to other areas of the world that are seeing a blossoming of cases: Brazil and Argentina. There are currently 619 people enrolled in the study, out of a target of 3,000. https://www.henryford.com/news/2020/07/hydro-treatment-study And another: Early treatment of COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin: A retrospective analysis of 1061 cases in Marseille, France Abstract Background In France, the combination hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZ) is used in the treatment of COVID-19. Methods We retrospectively report on 1061 SARS-CoV-2 positive tested patients treated for at least three days with the following regimen: HCQ (200 mg three times daily for ten days) + AZ (500 mg on day 1 followed by 250 mg daily for the next four days). Outcomes were death, clinical worsening (transfer to ICU, and >10 day hospitalization) and viral shedding persistence (>10 days). Results A total of 1061 patients were included in this analysis (46.4% male, mean age 43.6 years – range 14–95 years). Good clinical outcome and virological cure were obtained in 973 patients within 10 days (91.7%). Prolonged viral carriage was observed in 47 patients (4.4%) and was associated to a higher viral load at diagnosis (p < .001) but viral culture was negative at day 10. All but one, were PCR-cleared at day 15. A poor clinical outcome (PClinO) was observed for 46 patients (4.3%) and 8 died (0.75%) (74–95 years old). All deaths resulted from respiratory failure and not from cardiac toxicity. Five patients are still hospitalized (98.7% of patients cured so far). PClinO was associated with older age (OR 1.11), severity of illness at admission (OR 10.05) and low HCQ serum concentration. PClinO was independently associated with the use of selective beta-blocking agents and angiotensin II receptor blockers (p < .05). A total of 2.3% of patients reported mild adverse events (gastrointestinal or skin symptoms, headache, insomnia and transient blurred vision). Conclusion Administration of the HCQ+AZ combination before COVID-19 complications occur is safe and associated with a very low fatality rate in patients. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893920302179
July 6, 20205 yr Tony Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero, 41, has died after a battle with the coronavirus that stretched for months, his wife announced Sunday night. Cordero entered the intensive care unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on March 31 and had been on a ventilator and unconscious after contracting COVID-19. His fight had consisted of a leg amputation and multiple mini-strokes while battling several other ailments. Kung Flu gets the hospital a surcharge guess who just got added to stats.........
July 6, 20205 yr 42 minutes ago, Saltpeter said: I was driving up to visit family back in PA and decided why not take a detour and check out the Smokies in TN. I booked a hotel in the closest city with a major hotel chain -- Gatlinburg (For some reason I trusted that the larger chains would police themselves better with the COVID-19 cleaning than regional lodging).. I went out the first night to pick up some essentials and was shocked by the number of people walking tightly together down a busy street with no facial covering. Legit, it was like COVID-19 did not exist to 90% of the people there. There were hardly any stores nearby, only a Walgreens. The Walgreens was absolutely packed. almost shoulder-to-shoulder. I went in, thought about it briefly, and went out the door. But delivery options are limited there so I decide to go to Subway for food. Again, no facial coverings. Folks looked at me like I was a moron for wearing mine. Every gas station there and on the way there (from the south) was the same, no facial coverings. I don't like to stereotype, but in this case, I made the wrong assumptions. I didn't assume widespread ignorance, but a competent-ish local government that enforced common sense health regulations. I assumed by doing something outdoorsy -- hiking the Appalachian trail -- I would be taking a COVID-19-friendly excursion detour. To say I feel like an idiot typing that would be selling the feeling short. So now I don't know what to do. Should I turn around and head back home? Will I be reasonably safe wearing a mask indoors? I'd be staying for 5 days with 2 family members, both in 55+ with some health risk factors. What reasonably are the chances of my picking it up at a Subway restaurant, a few gas station bathrooms, or from passersby on the street? My gut tells me that if I socially distance and wear a mask indoors, I'll be safe. The research I've seen says there's about an 80% chance that even if picked up the virus there (or at some point before during work or grocery shopping) that I wouldn't spread it with SD/mask wearing. So there's probably a less than 50% chance I have it, and, even if I do, an 80% chance I won't spread it if I'm wearing a mask indoors. Still, the risk would be non-existent if I decided not to visit. What would you all do? Didn’t pa issue a 14 day quarantine order for anyone coming from heavily impacted southern states? better turn around
July 6, 20205 yr 2 hours ago, lynched1 said: Tony Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero, 41, has died after a battle with the coronavirus that stretched for months, his wife announced Sunday night. Cordero entered the intensive care unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on March 31 and had been on a ventilator and unconscious after contracting COVID-19. His fight had consisted of a leg amputation and multiple mini-strokes while battling several other ailments. Kung Flu gets the hospital a surcharge guess who just got added to stats......... The leg amputation and strokes were direct results of COVID-19 and the subsequent treatments. But, yeah, keep thinking it's all a conspiracy to make Trump look bad.
July 6, 20205 yr 7/5 update from the doc RESURGENCE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REOPENING AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH PEOPLE ACTING IRRESPONSIBLY. THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE COUNTRY SUFFERS BECAUSE TOO MANY CHOOSE TO IGNORE PROPER DISTANCING OR WEARING MASKS AND AVOIDING ACTIVITIES THAT DON'T ALLOW ONE OR THE OTHER. THE VIRUS IS UNMOVED BY MACHO, EGO OR FREEDOM. IRONIC THAT FREEDOM OF IDEA AND FREEDOM TO SPEW MISINFORMATION HAS RESULTED IN A STATE OF CONFINEMENT WITHIN OUR OWN BORDERS. RECENT EVENTS The significant climb in cases of Covid-19 in communities around the country that ignored distancing and wearing masks in public are sobering. These events occurred rather rapidly, have been extremely disruptive and costly, and should cost some folks their jobs. Clearly not wearing masks or distancing is unsustainable, but so is locking down. The happy medium is distancing and wearing masks. Hopefully more people will learn from the recent events, learn also to ignore the politicians and others with agendas that do not include the public good. Distancing and masks are not perfect, but America would look totally different now if more people would adopt safe living practices. Restaurants and bars could have remained open if owners had been more responsible. Younger people, the 10 to 44 age group are less affected by the disease. (about 2.58% of the total deaths, 3345 as of yesterday) They are still capable of carrying the disease to those more vulnerable, as occurred in some very sad incidents over Father's Day weekend. They do die, although in smaller numbers, especially smokers and the obese. I have been outspoken about resuming football this fall because the risk to linemen is increased. The number, 2.58% is real, if you are a smoker or overweight it is realer, and for those individual inflicted, it is 100%. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, PhD, MPH, University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, National Science Advisory Board on Bio-Security JAMA Network Questions and Answers with Dr. Bauchner, Editor June 24, 2020 The overall preparation of the Government to respond to a pandemic was disappointing and dates back probably at least 15 years. I am also disappointed, but not so surprised. Amid what appears to be unprecedented partisanship and gridlock, government appears incapable of delivering results. People tend to think of the American political system as a public institution based on high-minded principals and impartial structures and practices, it is not. High-mindedness and impartiality are rare commodities.. Politics behave according to the same kinds of incentives and forces that prevail in private industry. The dysfunction of the politics industry are perpetuated by unhealthy competition and barriers to entry that secure the duopoly. In this instance the dysfunction has been particularly devastating. Going forward, we need to build very strong support for distancing and wearing masks. All masks are not created equal. Face coverings, surgical masks and N95 are our choices. Not long ago, face coverings were needed because of the shortage of better masks. That is no longer true. Better performing surgical masks are easily obtained today and should replace face coverings as it appears we will be dealing with this virus for some time Surgical masks can be reused. My "car" mask (the mask I use to go in and out of the hospital or public buildings) is two months old, I don't wash it, it just sits in the car, after three or four hours any virus that may have been on the mask has become non-infectious Climate has proved to be a non-issue in transmission and a second wave is unlikely. Rather we are seeing a continuation of the spread, with hills and troughs related to compliance with safe living practices. The virus is here to stay and WILL infect those who choose to ignore safe living practices. Children remain significantly underrepresented in the pandemic statistics, with fewer children dying from Covid than influenza so far this year. The FDA has struggled throughout the crisis to perform, getting initial testing wrong and more recently licensing PCR tests (rapid result) with poor performance and Antibody tests with false positives of 30% to 50% with no scientific value at all. Dr. Osterholm made several comments on vaccines but his comments and concerns will be covered in the following articles on vaccines. VACCINES - THAT WE DO NOT YET HAVE Adverse Consequences of Rushing a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine: Implications of Public Trust JAMA 6/24/20 "Operation Warp Speed" a coin termed to refer to the optimization of the delivery of a vaccine to the public, (for those interested in learning more look to Wikipedia) is being misinterpreted by the lay press and many scientists. (as does the author of this paper) "Operation Warp Speed" refers to the mass production of the vaccine by manufacturers prior to final safety and efficacy testing, to provide for scaling a vaccination program should one of the vaccines prove to be safe and effective. Speeding up the delivery to a hesitant public. Obviously monetarily wasteful. The money spent could have funded the purchase of several surgical masks for each person in our country. Long before Covid-19, vaccine hesitancy and refusal were increasing. Pediatricians frequently encounter resistance to childhood vaccines and as a result outbreaks of measles and pertussis have occurred. Much of the distrust for vaccines is driven by misinformation from various sources. This articles negative inference to "Operation Warp Speed" is a good example of misinformation. Proper research and development protocols need strict adherence. The country does not need a repeat of the debacle that followed the release of the Salk Polio vaccine.(1955) Two companies, Wyeth and Cutter laboratories produced vaccines contaminated with live polio virus. Had proper procedures been followed this would have been discovered. The contamination resulted in 70,000 children with minor temporary partial paralysis, 164 were permanently paralyzed and 10 died after a little over one million doses. In response to past failures, vaccine development in the US is subject to strict regulatory control. Oversight and technological advances permit the rapid communication of adverse events in CLINICAL trials and after market use. We depend on the FDA to ensure that proper testing is accomplished. Frankly, the FDA has performed poorly during this crisis and I wish we did not have to hope for better. They have not inspired public trust. Equitable distribution of Covid-19 Therapeutics and Vaccines JAMA, June 24, 2020 Currently there are eight vaccine candidates in clinical trials some of which began in March. Plans are beginning to develop for the "equitable" worldwide distribution of successful vaccines. Experiences with the 2009 Influenza pandemic do not bode well for worldwide "equitable" distribution During the Covid-19 crisis some countries have imposed export controls on PPE and ventilators. This country has attempted to corner the supply of Remdesiivir, a drug of very limited therapeutic efficacy. (poor example to the world) So far, worldwide cooperation with research and development has been unprecedented but "equitable" distribution of an effective vaccine will be another matter. The potential socioeconomic advantage to a country with an effective vaccine are huge. I have little doubt that if an effective vaccine is developed, accusations and recriminations will follow no matter how "equitable" the process. I am equally doubtful that the process will be "equitable". Planning for a Covid-19 Vaccination Program JAMA, June 24, 2020 Reduction of morbidity and mortality from Covid-19 can be accomplished with a safe effective vaccine. (doubtful that a vaccine will be anymore effective than high compliance with distancing and masks at a fraction of the cost and fewer side effects) Unlike masks and distancing, those who are disinclined to accept vaccination hurt only themselves and others who have also refused vaccination. The author discusses herd immunity as a part of a successful vaccination program - I am not sure why herd immunity will matter if the vaccine is effective. There may be a very small subset of the population who cannot receive the vaccine for whatever medical reason and they will need to be protected. Resources should be allocated to ensure vaccination of those who are willing, protecting those who can't and "oh well" for those who refuse. The Covid-19 Experience in Brazil Questions and Answers with Dr. Bauchner, Editor JAMA Learning Network Dr. Flavia Machado MD, PhD, Intensivist Federal University, Sao Paulo Jorge I F Salluh, MD, PhD Director of the Institute of Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro June 26, 2020 Brazil has 26 states and a population of 210 Million. Despite the negative press of the Brazilian response to the virus, they appear to have experienced many of the same problems we in the US have. They utilized surge capacity, allocated some hospitals to completely Covid patients, increased their ICU capacity remarkably and struggled with getting appropriately trained staff. They also had to deal with the indiscriminate use of Hydroxychloroquine in the beginning. They were also encumbered by a difference in funding and capabilities of public versus private hospitals and their ability to use expensive modalities was far more limited than ours. As of July 1, 2020 USA has 1 infection for every 125 citizens and 1 death for every 2590 citizens. As of July 1, 2020 Brazil has 1 infection for every 156 citizens and 1 death for every 3691 citizens Despite the negative press and their limitations they seem to be doing somewhat better than the US. Ensuring Uptake of Vaccine Against SARS -CoV-2 NEJM June 26, 2020 This article discusses herd immunity and the ability to achieve vaccination rates high enough to achieve it. Several recent polls suggest that vaccination rates will be under 50%. There is a detailed discussion rationalizing the mandating of vaccinations. (I refer you to this article if you wish to read more on this subject) Since January, I have read several hundred articles in reputable journals on Covid-19 and not a single one has proposed mandating masks. I fail to understand why none of the Editors or Academicians who supply these prestigious Journals with articles have not proposed mandating masks. I guess it is just too simple and expedient. WHEN NEW REALITIES PREVENT THE RESUMPTION OF OLD HABITS WE MUST ADAPT AND INNOVATE. NUMBERS I have stopped looking at test numbers, there is no doubt in my mind that the increased number of cases that we are seeing across the country is NOT related to increased testing but increased disease. I examined the relationship between tests and cases for five weeks, 120 calculations, and found two possible correlations. The data is out there for those interested. Comparing data from the week ending 7/4 to that of the week ending 6/27 Alabama - 22% increase in bed utilization, 47% increase in cases California - 22% increase in bed utilization, 33% increase in cases Connecticut - 153% increase in bed utilization, 8% decrease in cases Florida - Governor Desantis does not want us looking at his beds, 39% increase in cases Georgia - 47% increase in bed utilization, 57% increase in cases Illinois - 16% increase in bed utilization, 14% increase in cases Iowa - 2% increase in bed utilization, 25% increase ion cases Louisiana - 22% increase in bed utilization, 41% increase in cases Maryland - decreased bed utilization, 39% increase in cases Michigan - 2% increase in bed utilization, 34% increase in cases Mississippi - 25% increase in bed utilization, 2% decrease in cases New Jersey - decreased bed utilization, 7% increase in cases New York - decreased bed utilization, 2% increase in cases Ohio - 23% increase in bed utilization, 26% increase in cases Pennsylvania - decreased bed utilization, 47% increase in cases South Carolina - 31% increase in bed utilization, 40% increase in cases Texas - 43% increase in bed utilization, 36% increase in cases Wisconsin - decrease in bed utilization, 34% increase in cases 13 of the 17 states reporting bed utilization saw increases this week. The largest percentage increase was in Connecticut at 153%. The largest absolute increase in numbers belongs to Governor Abbott of Texas with 2367 more beds utilized. Sure hope he is proud! 16 of the 18 states tracked saw increased cases this week. The largest percentage increase belongs to Georgia at 57%, the largest absolute increase in number, 11,292, again belongs to Governor Abbott of Texas, he certainly is doing a fine job for the citizens of Texas. The elephant in the room that no one talks about is enforcement of the mandates that exist for wearing masks. Dozens of articles written this week and nary a mention. What good would speed limits do if there were no threat of a speeding ticket? We have become the laughing stock of the world. Happy Independence (?) Day Live Safely Be Well
July 6, 20205 yr 4 hours ago, Ace Nova said: A recent, peer-reviewed study: What you’ve cited here are observational studies, not randomized blind clinical trials. There is a difference. Observational studies don’t prove effectiveness. Observational studies show that a drug COULD be effective. A randomized blind (preferably double blind) clinical trial is required to confirm that the drug is actually effective. This is written in the discussion section of the Henry Ford study: "However, our results should be interpreted with some caution and should not be applied to patients treated outside of hospital settings. Our results also require further confirmation in prospective, randomized controlled trials that rigorously evaluate the safety, and efficacy of hydroxychloroquine therapy for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. ”
July 6, 20205 yr 37 minutes ago, Phillyterp85 said: What you’ve cited here are observational studies, not randomized blind clinical trials. There is a difference. Observational studies don’t prove effectiveness. Observational studies show that a drug COULD be effective. And? You said that my statement saying. "That studies at the time showed it to be an effective treatment (for the most part)" was false. Where did I ever say anything was "proven"? I actually went on to say that nothing is proven with this pandemic yet and it could be sometime until something is...and all we can go by is the limited information we have.
July 6, 20205 yr 32 minutes ago, Ace Nova said: And? You said that my statement saying. "That studies at the time showed it to be an effective treatment (for the most part)" was false. Where did I ever say anything was "proven"? I actually went on to say that nothing is proven with this pandemic yet and it could be sometime until something is...and all we can go by is the limited information we have. Yes, and that statement is false. Observational studies do not show that a drug is effective. Observational studies show that there is correlation. Clinical trials show causation/effectiveness. And so far, the clinical trials that have been conducted have shown hydroxychloroquine to have no benefit. not sure what you mean by your follow up question of "where did I say anything was proven”? If you are saying something is effective, aren't you saying it’s proven to be effective?
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