Covid-19 miscellany

[ZiprHead]

Mississippi opening field hospital amid surge of COVID cases

“I kind of personally feel like I’m an air traffic controller, and every day I’m watching two airliners collide,” Dobbs said during a news conference.

The state’s temporary field hospital — on reserve for disasters — will be in a parking garage at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and it could be open by Friday.

Dr. LouAnn Woodward, the head of UMMC, said the facility should help with an influx of patients, including some transferred from smaller hospitals. She described the field hospital as “a Band-Aid.”

“The big solution is, let’s get this surge under control, and let’s get the spread of this virus under control,” Woodward said during a separate news conference. “And the way that we do that is by getting people vaccinated.”

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The video is pretty damning.

I know that statins have been a target of misinformation and disinformation for years - decades actually.
Stopped taking them myself when I resumed a solid exercise regimen a couple of years ago, after tapering off on them for a few years prior.
When I first told my primary doc I wasn't taking them any more, he argued against stopping, but a year or two later he was ambivalent and now he's fairly dead set against them except as a last resort, and then only as an object of hope.

These vaccines are not statins, nor do they address a similar market.

Exercise is the preferred therapy over statins. If you can keep your numbers good without them there's no reason to take them.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Anti-vax Facebook users are begging for prayers after catching COVID
The posts reveal the devastating effects of medical misinformation.

Prayers? God is already smiting them for their stupidity.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Anti-vax Facebook users are begging for prayers after catching COVID
The posts reveal the devastating effects of medical misinformation.

Prayers? God is already smiting them for their stupidity.

I'm thinking of the 'but i sent the rangers and a rowboat and a helicopter' joke.
But it would fall flat. For these people, God would not have sent a vaccine unless he did it in time for Trump to take credit.

 

[untermensche]

The video is pretty damning.

I know that statins have been a target of misinformation and disinformation for years - decades actually.
Stopped taking them myself when I resumed a solid exercise regimen a couple of years ago, after tapering off on them for a few years prior.
When I first told my primary doc I wasn't taking them any more, he argued against stopping, but a year or two later he was ambivalent and now he's fairly dead set against them except as a last resort, and then only as an object of hope.

These vaccines are not statins, nor do they address a similar market.

Exercise is the preferred therapy over statins. If you can keep your numbers good without them there's no reason to take them.

Statins are used by millions.

Some people have problems with aspirin.

Some people have problems with bananas.

 

[Toni]

The video is pretty damning.

I know that statins have been a target of misinformation and disinformation for years - decades actually.
Stopped taking them myself when I resumed a solid exercise regimen a couple of years ago, after tapering off on them for a few years prior.
When I first told my primary doc I wasn't taking them any more, he argued against stopping, but a year or two later he was ambivalent and now he's fairly dead set against them except as a last resort, and then only as an object of hope.

These vaccines are not statins, nor do they address a similar market.

Exercise is the preferred therapy over statins. If you can keep your numbers good without them there's no reason to take them.

Exercise and diet work well for some people. Bur for others, high cholesterol is genetic. I've known people who were extremely thin--underweight, even, by anyone's standards, and physically very active who had high cholesterol.

https://www.heart.org/en/health-top...-cholesterol/familial-hypercholesterolemia-fh

Statins are an appropriate treatment.

 

[repoman]

Are they taking replacement CoQ10 to compensate for cutting the essential and beneficial mevalonate pathway off at the knees?

 

[scombrid]

[TWEET]<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The parking lot after a school board meeting last night in Franklin, the wealthiest place in Tennessee. Parents harassed medical professionals who had spoken in favor of masks in schools. “We know who you are. You can leave freely, but we will find you.” <a href="https://t.co/SzR0uvMeE7">pic.twitter.com/SzR0uvMeE7</a></p>— Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) <a href="https://twitter.com/natalie_allison/status/1425449438202548224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>[/TWEET]

Threatening physicians for relaying facts at a school board meeting.

Scumpers.

Look at those people who are so entitled that not only to they think that they know better than doctors but that they have the right to harass and threaten those doctors. It is really interesting how the most aggressive guy in the group kept saying to the police "We're on your side". That is the big privilege on display. The police let those folks roll and to those people it is them and the cops versus the evil commie libtards which now includes apparently all doctors, academics, etc... I guess the fascists can have their Lysenko that sells them Megaman vitamins and such once they've jettisoned anyone with real expertise.

 

[Keith&Co.]

[TWEET]<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The parking lot after a school board meeting last night in Franklin, the wealthiest place in Tennessee. Parents harassed medical professionals who had spoken in favor of masks in schools. “We know who you are. You can leave freely, but we will find you.” <a href="https://t.co/SzR0uvMeE7">pic.twitter.com/SzR0uvMeE7</a></p>— Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) <a href="https://twitter.com/natalie_allison/status/1425449438202548224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>[/TWEET]

Threatening physicians for relaying facts at a school board meeting.

Scumpers.

Look at those people who are so entitled that not only to they think that they know better than doctors but that they have the right to harass and threaten those doctors. It is really interesting how the most aggressive guy in the group kept saying to the police "We're on your side". That is the big privilege on display. The police let those folks roll and to those people it is them and the cops versus the evil commie libtards which now includes apparently all doctors, academics, etc... I guess the fascists can have their Lysenko that sells them Megaman vitamins and such once they've jettisoned anyone with real expertise.

These people had to produce an immunization record in order to get their kids into the school system in the first place. What do they think that was for, pantomime?

They also had to go through their kids' lunches to take out any peanuts because Torrie has an allergy and they can't risk her coming in contact with it. OR they were the ones in the principal's office because Torrie's tests came back.

But now the guy who wants them TAKING BLEACH says he didn't get enough credit for the vaccine, so it's their right to pretend it's not a real disease...that he had...and is vaccinated against...

 

[Swammerdami]

The health care systems are no longer at a risk of being overwhelmed. We have a good understanding of the epidemiology of Covid-19. Covid-19 is no longer a global emergency. It's a local emergency in those countries who haven't had max vaccinations yet.

Seeing as a large chunk of those of us on this board live in the US, COVID is still a 'local' emergency pretty much all of this fucking country. Worse, the low vaccination rates are motivated not by genuine concern or medical based reasons, but because of politics and misinformation. Our already shitty "healthcare" system IS being overwhelmed in several states.

So maybe you should go find a non-fascist Europe based board to post on or something.

There were almost one million new cases of Covid-19 reported in the U.S. just in the last week, and the case rate continues to soar. Yes, that's "Million" with an M.

ICU Hospital beds and nurses are now in short supply in Florida. Do those pooh-poohing the crisis and touting the stat that most deaths are of old people think the old people should be taken directly to the morgue instead of wasting time in ICU? To make way for young people flouting fascist mandates for seatbelts and masks?

(Are ventilators in short supply in Florida? The federal government affirms that they were asked for ventilators and provided some, but Gov. DeSantis insists that he never asked for ventilators. Will the health officials who asked for ventilators behind his back be fired?)

 

[blastula]

This is a possibility under our current protocols. Which is why I think our current protocols are stupid. It is also why I welcome the mandate to be vaccinated or tested weekly. I do not think that is enough, but it is a start.
My school districts current protocols are:
Vaccinated and close contact with no symptoms:continue attending class. No requirement for testing. THIS IS STUPID.
Unvaccinated and close contact with no symptoms: continue attending class and test every other day.
Unvaccinated and refuse testing protocol: isolate from school for 10 days; no test required for return.

Requiring all employees to provide proof of vaccination or a weekly test is a step in the right direction.

ETA: have symptoms isolate and be tested. Don’t know how I forgot to include that.

California is now also requiring healthcare workers to be vaccinated by October, because apparently healthcare has a bunch of numbskulls who don't know what the fuck they're doing. I just went in for an outpatient procedure, and I had to provide proof of vaccination, but I was wondering where's the proof for everyone I'm coming in contact with.

I would like to see more of this elsewhere. Vaccination mandates will do a lot more for overcoming the pandemic than mask mandates.

 

[crazyfingers]

This is a possibility under our current protocols. Which is why I think our current protocols are stupid. It is also why I welcome the mandate to be vaccinated or tested weekly. I do not think that is enough, but it is a start.
My school districts current protocols are:
Vaccinated and close contact with no symptoms:continue attending class. No requirement for testing. THIS IS STUPID.
Unvaccinated and close contact with no symptoms: continue attending class and test every other day.
Unvaccinated and refuse testing protocol: isolate from school for 10 days; no test required for return.

Requiring all employees to provide proof of vaccination or a weekly test is a step in the right direction.

ETA: have symptoms isolate and be tested. Don’t know how I forgot to include that.

California is now also requiring healthcare workers to be vaccinated by October, because apparently healthcare has a bunch of numbskulls who don't know what the fuck they're doing. I just went in for an outpatient procedure, and I had to provide proof of vaccination, but I was wondering where's the proof for everyone I'm coming in contact with.

I would like to see more of this elsewhere. Vaccination mandates will do a lot more for overcoming the pandemic than mask mandates.

You are free to ask them. If they refuse to answer u know the answer.

I just took my cats to the vet. I asked both the tech and the vet their vaccination status. I was prepared to say i want vaccinated people in that little room if i didn't get the right answers.

I ask anyone i need to be in close proximity to their vac status and tell them i'm vaccinated.. I don't care if they are offended. Vaccinated people understand.

 

[Keith&Co.]

because apparently healthcare has a bunch of numbskulls who don't know what the fuck they're doing.

Humans...fucking idiots.
Do you remember Desert Storm?
The Pres decided we needed to flex our military might, and troops got called up to serve. They freaked. "I joined for the educational assistance!" they objected, "Not to go to war!"
Seemed clear to me, but they seemed surprised all those schools and drills and war games were meant to ready them for war....

I think those people's kids went into health care. "What? _I_ have to practice what i took a test on? Me?"

 

[DrZoidberg]

[TWEET]<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The parking lot after a school board meeting last night in Franklin, the wealthiest place in Tennessee. Parents harassed medical professionals who had spoken in favor of masks in schools. “We know who you are. You can leave freely, but we will find you.” <a href="https://t.co/SzR0uvMeE7">pic.twitter.com/SzR0uvMeE7</a></p>— Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) <a href="https://twitter.com/natalie_allison/status/1425449438202548224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>[/TWEET]

Threatening physicians for relaying facts at a school board meeting.

Scumpers.

Dr. Zoidberg is right. Those people look quite receptive to input and dialogue.

What's your solution? It's a democracy. What do you think will happen if you continually step up the use of force? Your opponents will become ever more entrenched. That's only going to make compliance worse over time. Treating people with respect is the only viable course of action.

Yes, it sucks these people are so riled up and sure they're correct. All that means is that somewhere along the road our side failed to communicate.

 

[repoman]

General levels of corruption in medicine and public health, such as you mentioned of Pfizer rigging their clinical trials leads to a huge amount of public distrust.

But these companies will make good, useful medicine if it makes money AND they will also make shit or marginally effective expensive medicine if they can get away with it. Who knows which is which unless you have a lot of medical training and can look at the raw clinical trial data, which is often kept hidden.



But lunatics with 5g conspiracies about the vaccine as an example, not sure how to explain that.

 

[DrZoidberg]

General levels of corruption in medicine and public health, such as you mentioned of Pfizer rigging their clinical trials leads to a huge amount of public distrust.

But these companies will make good, useful medicine if it makes money AND they will also make shit or marginally effective expensive medicine if they can get away with it. Who knows which is which unless you have a lot of medical training and can look at the raw data, which is often kept hidden.

But lunatics with 5g conspiracies about the vaccine as an example, not sure how to explain that.

It's not rigging. It's the lack of standardisation in testing. Why? Because different medicines need different protocols. It's perfectly fine.

Medical professionals can read a clinical trial. And know what the numbers mean. All the info is in the trial. They're not lying about anything.

The problems occur when laypeople take numbers out of context and put pressure on politicians to act on it. Don't do that. Instead, trust your experts. It's not like you have a better option

USA has a unique problem of empowered patients who can twist the arm of their doctor for unnecessary treatments. Which sucks. But they are empowered. They could also just not twist their doctors arm and just trust them instead.

 

[repoman]

General levels of corruption in medicine and public health, such as you mentioned of Pfizer rigging their clinical trials leads to a huge amount of public distrust.

But these companies will make good, useful medicine if it makes money AND they will also make shit or marginally effective expensive medicine if they can get away with it. Who knows which is which unless you have a lot of medical training and can look at the raw data, which is often kept hidden.

But lunatics with 5g conspiracies about the vaccine as an example, not sure how to explain that.

It's not rigging. It's the lack of standardisation in testing. Why? Because different medicines need different protocols. It's perfectly fine.

Medical professionals can read a clinical trial. And know what the numbers mean. All the info is in the trial. They're not lying about anything.

The problems occur when laypeople take numbers out of context and put pressure on politicians to act on it. Don't do that. Instead, trust your experts. It's not like you have a better option

Really, REALLY?!?

Are Your Medications Safe?
The FDA buries evidence of fraud in medical trials. My students and I dug it up.

https://slate.com/technology/2015/02/fda-inspections-fraud-fabrication-and-scientific-misconduct-are-hidden-from-the-public-and-doctors.html

 

[repoman]

What are we going to do about all these black assholes in NYC? /s

 

[DrZoidberg]

Jimmy Higgins did put his finger on something. Extremism has become normalised. What anybody thought was draconian and fascist just a couple of years ago is now seen as perfectly justified. The demands on justification of force used has gone down, and sometimes evaporated.

If there's no emergency or immediate danger, needlessly infringing on personal freedoms is fascist.

As usual, your feel for the pulse of America is just ridiculous inaccurate. We have counties in the US where 40 to 50+% of the ICU beds have people suffering from the same disease. And you are saying there is no emergency. In Burlington, Vermont, no... no emergency. In Louisiana and Florida, it is endemic at the moment. Some states in the US are seeing their highest Covid case load ever, in large part because of misinformation, lies, and GOP dumbassery.

It's so serious that none of the top news agencies in the world are reporting on it. We're not victims of conservative media in Europe. Yet, this news of the crisis has failed to make it here.

https://www.bbc.com/news/coronavirus

No, it's not. Especially not if you factor in that we're much better at testing now.

https://ourworldindata.org/explorer...tion=false&Align+outbreaks=false&country=~USA

Covid-19 is under control in the west. Instead of trying to help people who don't want to be helped, (antivaxxers) perhaps we should now focus on helping the developing world get access to more vaccines?

 

[DrZoidberg]

Really, REALLY?!?

Are Your Medications Safe?
The FDA buries evidence of fraud in medical trials. My students and I dug it up.

https://slate.com/technology/2015/02/fda-inspections-fraud-fabrication-and-scientific-misconduct-are-hidden-from-the-public-and-doctors.html

Sure, there's fraud in the world of medical trials, due to the huge sums of money riding on them. But the reputation of Big Pharma is worse than they deserve. Don't forget that these are all friends. The people working in big pharma, basic researchers, doctors and the FDA all have revolving doors between them. Fraud is in the details. Not in the big things. If they did anything big everybody would know. They couldn't get away with it. The most egregious crimes of big pharma is their burying of unsuccessful trials. Because it makes them look bad to their shareholders. It leads to a tremendous waste of money, since similar failed trials get repeated over and over, because they didn't know the trials have already been run before. But it's according to the rules. They're not required to tell people about medications they're not bringing to the market.

If you compare the conscientiousness of testers in the pharmaceutical industry with testers of any other field, these are the ace.

I think we do have a duty, as consumers, to the continually question the validity of the tests. But I think we're doing a plenty fine job of that already. No need to go overboard on the conspiracy theories here.

Ben Goldacre's "Bad Pharma" is a great book on the naughtiness of big pharma. I recommend it highly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Pharma