Neverending Covid-19 Coronavirus

The Army has relieved the person in charge of their Instagram account from his duties.


The person tasked for social media was removed for 'inappropriate' posts. This person had posted some some jokes about the run on toilet paper.

The images posted to the Army's Instagram account this week were intended to be about the Army's response to the coronavirus outbreak, though the images included emojis and jokes about the run on toilet paper.
 
Related to the above news article.

That California congressman tested negative for COVID-19. So that got me thinking. If COVID-19 mutates and creates a new strain would the current tests work? Or would test results come back negative and we would need to develop a new test?
 
Ontario sees third death from COVID-19 as 58 new cases have been confirmed for a total of 377.

We're already up to 5 with 1/2 the cases because it hit a retirement home. I think 4 of the 5 are from there. This thing is like wild fire in a place like that.
 
Related to the above news article.

That California congressman tested negative for COVID-19. So that got me thinking. If COVID-19 mutates and creates a new strain would the current tests work? Or would test results come back negative and we would need to develop a new test?

The WHO has said that there are false negatives (there are many reasons why that could happen) and that a negative test does not rule out COVID entirely. It needs to be repeated if the conditions persist (if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck... test again if you get a test result that says it's not a duck).

The tests are not perfect: sometimes, people who have the disease will be wrongly told that they do not
Some people require more than one test because of false-negative outcomes

The number of COVID-19 tests carried out will be similar to the number of people tested, but they won’t be quite the same, because some people may need to be tested multiple times. The reason for this is that there are “false-negative” test outcomes.10,11,12,13
A “false-negative” outcome is when someone is tested and found to be clear of the disease, but when tested again, are found to have it. The WHO’s guidelines for laboratory testing of COVID-19 say that negative results “do not rule out the possibility of COVID-19 virus infection.”14
This means that even in countries that have done lots of tests, the true number of COVID-19 cases is still uncertain, although of course more testing still means more certainty.
There haven’t been many studies into how common false negatives are, so it’s hard to know how big an impact they have on our understanding – but research is going on.15

Why might COVID-19 tests fail?

There are several reasons why someone infected with COVID-19 may produce a false-negative result when tested:16,17
  • They may be in the early stage of the disease with a viral load that is too low to be detected.
  • They may have no major respiratory symptoms, so there could be little detectable virus in the patient’s throat and nose.
  • There may have been a problem with sample collection, meaning there was very little sample to test.
  • There may have been poor handling and shipping of samples and test materials.
  • There may have been technical issues inherent in the test, e.g. virus mutation.
The WHO suggests that these issues should be taken into account and that for some people, tests should be carried out several times.18

From this page:


To answer your question specifically, it's possible for PCR to fail if there is a mutation in the RNA sequence but that mutation has to be precisely in the region where the primers and probes bind to the RNA. Presumably, they are using some redundancy in the forward and reverse primers (2 forward and 2 reverse primers for example) so that a mutation would not completely knock out the amplification of the RNA.

Basically, if the test was designed using standard knowledge, it should be able to withstand a few mutations in the sequences the primers bind to. Mutations in other areas are blind to the test.

EDIT: I just looked it up and it does look like there is redundancy at least in this version of the test (3x forward and reverse primers and 3x probes, on page 2)

 
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Just checking in.

I need to ask if I’m delusional or balanced.

I’m pretty chill about this compared to many others. I understand it’s serious. I get it. I do what I can to stay safe and to help keep others safe. But I have an essential job so I concentrate on that.

I check the news online twice a day for updates. I’m pretty much resigned to whatever happens..happens. It’s pretty much out of my control. The virus lives in air for hours and on surfaces for days. I can’t cease to breathe (while living) or touching things. I don’t float through space.

That said, I wash my hands in HOT water probably 5x what I did pre virus. I change clothes and shower when I get home from work, along with my morning shower. So my habits have changed.

Statistics show the vast majority of us will survive even if we are infected. The odds are on my side. And if I’m wrong, I have to go sometime.

I am very concerned about the economy for the next couple of years. That will affect everyone. Not everyone will catch COVID19.
you're doing it right. keep on keeping on!
 
Hearing some reports that some landlords and large property management companies are not following the guidance to suspend evictions.

Nationally Trump issues guidance to suspend evictions and foreclosures through the end of April. Guidance is the key word. It's not an order, only a recommendation. Trump does not have the constitutional authority to actually issue such an order.

In New York the governor issued guidance to landlords to suspend evictions for 90 days using strong language. Making it very clear with his other order where 100% of the work must remain at home if they are not essential that it is not possible for the landlords / property management companies to fill that property for the next 90 days. It is illegal under his order for realtors to show the property or meet with renters to sign the lease.

However, large corporate property management companies, based in other states are still moving forward with eviction proceedings.

That opens a new issue. If / when evicted, these people will not be able to sign a new lease for 90 days because they can't legally meet with a realtor.
 
Wow, here is something I had not thought of. Many people are still going to Church today. They say as a catholic they are required to attend church every week.

I just read a post about someone pleading with her mother to not go to church today. Her mother has severe lung issues and other underlying conditions. Her mother pointed out that there are zero cases that have tested positive in her county in South East Ohio so she's safe and doesn't have anything to worry about.

The issue is this:


 
Wow, here is something I had not thought of. Many people are still going to Church today. They say as a catholic they are required to attend church every week.

I just read a post about someone pleading with her mother to not go to church today. Her mother has severe lung issues and other underlying conditions. Her mother pointed out that there are zero cases that have tested positive in her county in South East Ohio so she's safe and doesn't have anything to worry about.

The issue is this:


Most churches in my area have cancelled in person services and some have moved to FB live-streams.
 
Just an update on evictions in NY. Housing court is closed and eviction hearings are suspended. So legally these property management companies can not force people out now because they can't get a court order.

What they are doing is now is demanding people move out without the court order. And are have prepared all the fillings for when the courts reopen.
 
Wow, here is something I had not thought of. Many people are still going to Church today. They say as a catholic they are required to attend church every week.

I just read a post about someone pleading with her mother to not go to church today. Her mother has severe lung issues and other underlying conditions. Her mother pointed out that there are zero cases that have tested positive in her county in South East Ohio so she's safe and doesn't have anything to worry about.

The issue is this:



I guess I'm a bad catholic. Bad Turbo.

Are people aware that the epidemic in South Korea blew up because a COVID+ person attended a religious service and infected hundreds? In that case she knew and went anyway, which is essentially criminal. But the virus doesn't care if you know or not. In a large group, right now, you have to assume a few people are shedding virus. This shit is real.
 
It is nice when people come together and do something that actually helps. A lot.

 
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