@bluebelle. Thanks for posting the interview with Garrett. She attended Harvard School of Public Health where I went. I share her view of health care in America including the CDC, that when it comes to the public health, we are a backward, third world country. She said she was surprised that America was the least of all countries able to handle the epidemic. Based on what she has said about our public health system, I don't see how she could have been surprised at all.
Excerpting the article here:
"Referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta [CDC] and its analogues abroad, she...said, 'I’ve heard from every C.D.C. in the world — the European C.D.C., the African C.D.C., China C.D.C. — and they say, ‘Normally our first call is to Atlanta [where CDC is located], but we ain’t hearing back.’ There’s nothing going on down there. They’ve gutted that place. They’ve gagged that place. I can’t get calls returned anymore. Nobody down there is feeling like it’s safe to talk. Have you even seen anything important and vital coming out of the C.D.C.?...
"Garrett recounted her time at Harvard. 'The medical school is all marble, with these grand columns,' she said. 'The school of public health is this funky building, the ugliest possible architecture, with the ceilings falling in.' “'That’s America?” I asked.“'That’s America,” she said."
My observation of Harvard: Harvard Medical School is rich because they get big buck grants from pharmaceutical companies who market and even pay teaching doctors to promote their drugs and market and pay research doctors to tout their drugs. It is scandalous. Perhaps that is why the greatest cause of disease in this country is medical treatment itself, e.g., doctors over prescribing.
@enkasongwriter I think we will. In the last set of Timeline readings, a couple of us, I think Bluebelle and I, both saw waves or tsunamis of outbreaks around the country. States that open too soon are going to see it come back. States that continue to hunker down will also be impacted by the states that opened too soon. We don't have any way to protect our borders from politically motivated and scientifically ignorant state governors like that ignoramus from Georgia. Texas' plan to take people's temperatures at the border is inadequate since science has shown that as many as half of all people infected are asymptomatic.
I doubt I'll be going to restaurants or stores or attending in-person gatherings for a year.
Good Almost afternoon guys!
I am new to the site and want to Thank you all for your open communication and being a safe place to try and understand. I apologize ahead of time if this is rambling. I don't know that this is the appropriate place to write this but I am feeling brave. I have always felt "lucky" and as I have gotten older (43 ? now) I feel like there is something more. I also have always had an almost gravitational pull of people to me. Strangers tell me their life story after just meeting. I used to laugh it off as just being a friendly person. I used to come home and watch feel good videos for long periods of time because of the release of emotion and felt like I was recharging my positive resolve. I now keep hearing in my head over and over "You are a light bringer". I have recently become more interested in trying to develop or at least understand what I am feeling with the arrival of COVID-19. It started in March, I could not control my emotions. Tears would fall from my face and the sadness in my chest felt like a hole when watching or reading anything about the victims and death. I would also have overwhelming moments of JOY when watching or reading about all of the GOOD that is being done by so many. One thing I have learned from you all is the power of walking and practicing in the light. I have started to try and direct my response in a positive way. My Mom has dementia and is in a Memory Care Facility in Henrico Va. Thankfully not the one that has lost so many lives but in the same town. I am unable to see her since the end of February. I envision myself standing in front of her facility and projecting light from my chest. I try to cover the whole facility but am unable but the light reaches her and surrounds her there. Thank you for listening guys ❤️ I am sending so much and light, love, and positive energy to us all.
Lani
Welcome @tbs! I adore NL! I was in Utrecht 2 years ago... loved it so much... such lovely people, and as an American it's one of the places I'd move to if I could, alas, not possible right now. My husband used to go to Amsterdam, Utrecht and the Hague several times a year, unfortunately he has a different job now.
Same trip we went to Munich and Heidelberg - which I would also not hesitate to live there, that's how much I loved it there too...
I guess my point is I'd love to be ANYWHERE else right now ?
And re: your P.P.S. - yes, many of us have seen an "ad hoc" breakup of the US. States can't legally leave the union, but many of our states are becoming as separate as they can without actually seceding, and forming alliances with neighboring like-minded states.
Wilkommen!
@Bluebelle @jeanne-mayell and Everyone:
For those who don't know, I'm in Southern California, San Diego. I remain appalled at the lack of consideration for strangers here. By my count (from the safety of my car), the compliance rate for mask wearing is holding at about 40%. It is now LAW here, but no one is enforcing it. Also, the city and county have reopened beaches. We are having a bioluminescence event in our ocean waters, and that's drawing evening crowds to the beaches.
I have nowhere to walk my [little, thankfully] dogs, I can't even walk to stores that are less then 100 yards from my house. Sidewalks remain packed (with 60% of people unmasked).
I went to my local farmers' market on Saturday. They are doing a great job of enforcing all the rules, BUT you have to queue up for each block of vendors and then queue up at each vendor (6 feet apart). They only let in 20 people at a time to each block. By the time I got to my desired vendors, there wasn't much left of what I needed and after 90 minutes I wasn't in the mood to get in line for the last block. I was told that if you try to get there when they open, you have to wait an hour anyway just to get into 1 block, the line is forming before 7am. So I'm done with that for now. Our meat vendor has their own retail outlet a car ride away, so we'll stick with that because I can order on email and prepay, they literally just put your bag in the trunk. I would love to give up meat altogether, but my husband refuses outright. At least I know it's local/humane.
Lastly (for now):
Learned 2 new CV things today-
1. Quest Diagnostic Labs has a blood test for SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies.
My primary MD has already mailed me an order for it, on May 21 I will get tested.
2. Pinkeye/eye inflammation/eyelid swelling that persist are a symptom!
I have been dealing with this in my right eye since my illness began in January. Going to my ophthalmologist later this week. Nothing she's tried so far has resolved the issue. Hmmm...
@laura-f There are important drawbacks to antibody tests you should be aware of. Some antibody tests have unfortunately confused antibodies created against other viruses with the real COVID-19 antibodies. This means they sometimes generate false positives. Antibody tests cannot tell you if you have the virus right now. They only tell you that you had it at some point in the past. I don't know how good the track record of that specific antibody test is. If you can get some information regarding its accuracy that would be good.
The nasal swab PCR test also has drawbacks. A PCR test is good for telling if you have the virus now. Unfortunately some people drawing nasal samples don't collect a large enough sample which leaves open the possibility that the virus might get missed even if present. Also the time it's drawn matters. If the sample is drawn when most of the viruses have already been destroyed by the immune system, it could cause a false negative because the virus might actually be too sparse to be detected at the time the sample was taken.
@bluebelle -- I live in Manhattan and I don't intend to resume normal anything until there's either a vaccine or herd immunity that can be scientifically proven. I feel I've been given a great gift of being able to work from home. I am so immensely grateful that I have that opportunity, and that I have a comfortable home to work from that I feel it would be selfish to contribute in any way to spreading the virus. My heart goes out to working class people of this city and country who don't have the same privilege as I do. How happy would they be not to have to risk their lives every day for minimum wage? So, I will stay home. I feel very deeply that I shouldn't disrespect my good fortune. These are terrible times but they bring gifts if we are open to seeing them. Every day my inner voice tells me: Stay home. Count your blessings, of which you have many.
My Mom has dementia and is in a Memory Care Facility in Henrico Va. Thankfully not the one that has lost so many lives but in the same town. I am unable to see her since the end of February. I envision myself standing in front of her facility and projecting light from my chest. I try to cover the whole facility but am unable but the light reaches her and surrounds her there. Thank you for listening guys ❤️ I am sending so much and light, love, and positive energy to us all.
Lani
Dear Lani, my mother too has dementia and is in a care facility, and so my heart gave a leap of recognition at your words. I don't know whether you would be interested in participating, or may already have done so, but Jeanne's meditation sessions on Wednesday evenings are so wonderful. I find that I'm better able to direct healing energy not only to my mother but to so many others around the world who are suffering right now–it's the power of the group gathered in common purpose. And it's one of the things that's kept me sane over the past couple of months.
Sending much healing and love to you and your mother.
Lani and gbs, I can't even imagine how difficult these past months have been for you. I cared for my mother in her final years, and I not being able to see her and know she was taken care of properly would have been horrible. I will hold your mothers in my thoughts, and I'll ask my own mother on the other side to watch over them.
Posted by @lynnventura:
I will hold your mothers in my thoughts, and I'll ask my own mother on the other side to watch over them. [emphasis mine]
Lynn, I love this. My sister cared for my mother after she developed Alzheimer's, but eventually we needed to place mom in a long-term care facility. It was a good and caring facility, and she passed away peacefully. @mililani and @gbs, I will follow lynn's wonderful example and do the same. I can feel my mother wanting to help.
Today in the Washington Post, a famous chef said some interesting things about the "reopening" of Georgia:
Does reopening signal that restaurant workers are deemed expendable?
Hugh Acheson, a judge on “Top Chef” and owner of three restaurants in Georgia, said restaurants may be the classic canary in the coal mine — a trial balloon to see how viable post-pandemic business will be.
“We’ve been given the green light to reopen,” he said. “So why is the Governor’s Mansion still closed to tours? If people are going to die, they’re going to pick which ones.” He has taken to Twitter and television to explain why he thinks reopening would jeopardize his workers’ safety.
Hugh Acheson✔ @HughAcheson
Georgia has Covid tested 88000 people. The population is 10.62 million. That is 0.8% of the population. The kicker is this: 23% tested positive.
We are not ready to fling the doors open. #sciencerulesKempdrools
Acheson closed his restaurants March 15 and has been producing 500 to 800 meals a day with World Central Kitchen for hospitals and housing projects. He says 50 percent capacity isn’t viable, especially as landlords aren’t charging 50 percent rent — he says it is likely that after reopening there will be massive restaurant failures that lead to even higher rates of unemployment.
“Normal consumers don’t have any idea of how their lives would change, the economic tentacles that emanate from restaurants, the ripple effect,” he said. “I guess I’ll pivot to being a drive-through strip club.”
I have no interest in the PCR virus presence swab testing. I am aware that many of the antibody tests are giving false positives. Quest Labs is usually pretty accurate for other antibody tests I have had with them, this is a blood test, not saliva or swab, so better chance for accuracy. Also - this only the first test. I plan to get tested 2 more times from different companies between now and the end of the year. Figure 2 out of 3 should be accurate enough. Also, I had a long illness in late January - early February that matches most of the CV19 symptoms (posted way earlier in this thread about that), and I didn't fully recover til first week of March. I live in a big city with lots of foreign tourists and travel(ed) a lot. I suspect I already had it, so that's why I'm pursuing the AB testing rather than the presence testing.
@lynnventura and @deetoo Your kind words brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for including my mother and the other residents of her facility in your prayers.
The group in these forums is so extraordinarily kind. It's life-affirming to be reminded of this kindness every time I come here.
@lynnventura lani and gbs I will add my prayers and ask my mother who had dementia and has passed to help bring peace and comfort. It is a devastating, heartbreaking disease. Hang on and hang in. We are all here for each other and sadly many have walked the same path. But there’s safety and comfort in numbers and we are here for you. Love and peace to all. ❤️☮️
I think it's awesome to reach out to our moms for help! My mom was fierce and was always trying to help when and where she could. It gives me such joy that in such hard times we're enlisting mother energy and bringing them close to us once more by including them and giving them a chance to lend a hand. What a great way to honor them, and with Mother's Day approaching.
Happy Tuesday everyone!
Posted by @lynnventura:
I feel very deeply that I shouldn't disrespect my good fortune. These are terrible times but they bring gifts if we are open to seeing them.
That is so true, lynn. And I agree how privileged and blessed those of us are who can stay home. I become furious with those people who have that same luxury but instead, choose to do whatever the hell they want. How incredibly selfish. And the question is this: what is the human cost? What are the lives of these essential workers worth to you?
I live in Virginia and read that Gov. Northam plans to open up some non-essential businesses on May 15th if current state trends hold. In my view, the current trends aren't that great; it's much too soon. And the crazy thing is, it can't be that Northam is worried about his own election because in Virginia, you can only serve one term as governor. Plus he's a doctor, so he should know better.