daily COVID sitrep where you are

[RoneKiln]

Oh, no.  You're okay.  My head has been congested (yet my nose feels almost painfully dry), and it has had me out of sorts.  I am sorry about the misunderstanding.  You're good.   




And for what it's worth, I am feeling better.  If things keep going well, I could go back to work on Friday.  We'll see, though.  This has been weird.

How's your appetite ? Did you lose your sense of taste or smell ?
Any cravings for fresh brain ?

Anyone craving fresh brains doesn't have much reason to stick around here. 

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

Tuesday September 8, 2021
Kansas
my county

Three covid inpatients died at our hospital over the weekend. The hospital has also jumped to 19 inpatients with active cases.

"We have only seen numbers this high once before in 2021, when we had 19 inpatients on Jan. 8," the hospital said.

Of the 19 patients, 74% were unvaccinated, five are in critical care, and two are on ventilators. The average age is 63.

Of the three who died over the weekend, one was a woman 65 to 74 years old, one was a man 35 to 44 years old, and one was a man 55 to 64 years old.

"The families of these patients are each grieving a staggering loss, and these events are weighing heavily on our providers and team members."

[Mr. E. Monkey]

How's your appetite ? Did you lose your sense of taste or smell ?
Any cravings for fresh brain ?

My appetite has been mostly normal, though there have been times where it will just--poof--vanish, and all I want are fluids.  Like out of the blue, I couldn't even stomach ramen noodles.  Usually only lasted a few hours at a time.


Haven't noticed any loss of smell, but have had some taste loss--we had pasta salad the other night, and all I could taste was bitter.  No salty, nothing.  Didn't lose sweet or spicy though, and right now, everything seems to be working okay.


No cravings for brains (must have been due to the loss of taste), but I have had a little craving for some red meat, nice and rare.  That's about it, though.  That, and orange juice, I guess.  Already gone through a gallon of oj.

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

Friday September 10, 2021
Kansas:
- A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted former Kansas state representative on 19 counts alleging that he tried to defraud federal, state and county government organizations out of more than $450,000 in coronavirus relief funding.
- Kansas hospitals will receive $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for extra pay for nurses to keep them on the job.
- The Kansas Board of Healing Arts issued a public censure and $4,000 fine against a Lawrence chiropractor who urged potential clients early in the pandemic to "get adjusted" by a chiropractor to improve prospects of surviving COVID-19.
- School districts across the state independently reported hundreds of infections of COVID-19 among students and staff in the first two weeks of school.
- Since Wednesday there have been 4,302 new confirmed cases, 73 deaths, & 100 new hospitalizations.


my county: We've had 125 confirmed new cases in the past two days.


My county's 14 day rolling average:
- ↗ Average daily case count. 39.36
- ↗ Average positive rate. 4.7%
- ⬆⬆ Current active cases. 838
- ↔ Current hospitalized. 16 (out of 24 ICU beds)
- ↗ Total deceased 95
- ↗ Incidence rate per 100,000... 458.06

[sheddi]

Here's my update for Sunday Sep 12, 2021.

Family:
We're still all clear. Even after a week back at shcool for the two young'uns. Let's hope it lasts. The youngest's school tested every student twice during the week, once on their first day back (Monday) and once mid-week. I'm told one classmate was called away after testing and didn't return but it's not known why this was ...

Local area:
The local case rate is 320 cases per 100k people, up 38% from a week ago. I'm wondering how much of that is due to schools.
86% of eligible 16+ in my area have had one dose of vaccine (no change?) and 80% have had two doses (up a little).

Mask wearing and social distancing seems to be slowly falling away. Over half of supermarket shoppers were masked when I called in for a few things yesterday, but that's stillless than a couple of weeks ago.

National:
The national case rate is 397 per 100k (up 1%, somehow). There have been 6900 hospital patients admitted in the past week (up 5%) and 971 COVID-related deaths (up 23% ). Vaccination numbers are still rising slowly, 89% of 16+ have now had at least one dose and 81% have had two.

We'll see next week whether these increases are just a temporary blip (there is more testing, due to schools doing them during the day) or the start of a trend.

[Mr. E. Monkey]

It looks like numbers are calming down a bit in my neck of the woods:

September 13, 2021
Cases:  292
% Positivity:  10.9%
Deaths:  <10
% Eligible Population Fully Vaccinated:   43.4%
New Hospital Admissions:  40
(numbers from CDC.gov)

My quarantine is over, and I'm back to work (feels like I picked up a sinus infection along the way).  Gratefully my wife and daughter did not seem to get sick from being stuck in the house with me; they both tested negative. 

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

Wednesday September 15, 2021
US:
- Pfizer released data indicates 3rd full shot needed for those 16+ due to waining protection.
- Moderna released similar data. Currently recommending a third 1/2 shot from them.


Kansas:
- At least 31 Kansas schools are reporting outbreaks, forcing more school districts to close temporarily.
- School districts grapple with masking policies, testing strategies and vaccinations for eligible students.
- Some schools are facing teacher and substitute shortages from the virus.
- The largest active outbreak is in Pottawatomie County. Then Harvey County. Neither school district requires masking.



my county:
- While covid hospitalization numbers at my county hospital have stabilized somewhat, staffing challenges and other issues have caused the hospital to tighten its policy on the geographic area the county hospital will now be serving when it comes to accepting patients via ambulance.
- Although currently, the hospital is reserving the option to take ambulance patients from outside the county if the ambulance crew notifies the hospital that the patient is receiving care from a county or county hospital based doctor.
- There is yet no timeline when restrictions on out-of-county ambulance patients might be lifted.
- The hospital is not currently turning away any patients who arrived at the door of the emergency room, regardless of where they came from.
- Patient volume is up at the ER, and wait times have increased.
- The hospital is receiving numerous phone calls from various other states and various other places in Kansas and from the Kansas City hospitals that are trying to transfer here.
- Wednesday the hospital was caring for 12 inpatients who had tested positive, and that three of them were in the intensive care unit and two of them were on ventilators.
- Eight of the twelve were not fully vaccinated or it couldn't be determined whether they were vaccinated at all.
- Those numbers which are just a one-day snapshot suggest fully vaccinated people make up a greater percentage of the total hospitalizations than what is being reported in other areas that are tracking the number of breakthrough cases.
- Generally though, what the hospital is seeing with our vaccinated and unvaccinated patients 'does' align with the national level. Currently indicating vaccines are working in preventing serious illness and hospitalizations.
- Numbers have stayed pretty steady over the last three to four weeks and haven't seen any big jumps.
- More concerning, the hospital reports, is that the number of hospitalizations currently remains significant in this medium size hospital.
- 60.4% of eligible population 12+ are fully vacccinated.
- We've had 111 confirmed new cases in the past two days.

My county's 14 day rolling average:
- ↗ Average daily case count. 42.14
- ↘ Average positive rate. 4.4%
- ↘ Current active cases. 810
- ↘ Current hospitalized. 13 (out of 24 ICU beds)
- ↔ Total deceased 95
-  ⬆  Incidence rate per 100,000... 490.48


In my building:
- We have a building mask mandate.
- At or about 50% of the dozen or so workers I've seen repairing the fire/water damage are disregarding the mandate.
- At or about 15% of the tenants I've seen are also disregarding it.
- At or about 40% of tenant guests are disregarding it.

[Lambykins]

A week ago a local garage/gas station shut down because 2 of the staff came down with Covid.
Yesterday a popular restaurant shut down, again due to staff coming down with Covid.
In the last couple of weeks, we have 23 new cases. 1 death on Sept. 9th.

[Anianna]

Both our trash and recycling services are delayed or entirely cancelled due to Covid-related staffing issues.  I can't seem to reliably get groceries delivered, either, probably for the same reason.  I'll have to risk pickup, it seems.  Every delivery order in the past week simply didn't arrive.  The last one was assigned to the driver, but the driver never picked it up.  Today's order didn't even get prepped by the store as of two hours after it was supposed to be delivered. 

The weird supply issues continue, as well.  Flavored teas are hard to come by and have been for over a month now.  Several stores have been out of ground beef.  Last week, all stores were briefly out of bananas.  I can only get potatoes in ten pound bags as all the five pound bags are out of stock.

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

Just catching up on covid news as have been offline and news free for nine days in a mandatory bug-out.

Really sorry to hear about the work shutdowns, cases, death, and shortages you two spoke of where you are @Lambykins and @Anianna.

Now where we tenants were billeted in a motel, and from what I could tell 'there' in real time during the BO, covid wasn't happening. Except for that front desk worker who disappeared into isolation with it. But I guess that doesn't count? I guess it won't count if anyone caught it from that person either? And took it home to their city or state.


The last time I checked was Sept 15th before setting out to my BO, my county's 14 day rolling average finally looked like we were starting our trend downward. At least for awhile.
- case count. 42.14
- positive rate. 4.4%
- active cases. 810
- hospitalized 13 (out of 24 ICU beds)
- deceased at 95 was holding
But, incidence rate per 100,000... 490.48 was up.

So, first I checked Monday Sept 27th's averages, and they were nicely moving down too.
- daily case count 28.07
- positive rate 2.8%
- active cases were 618
- hospitalized 8 (out of 24 ICU beds)
- though deaths had increased to 99
-  but incidence rate per 100,000 were way down to 326.71

However, when today's report dropped today it shows a bit of upward movement. BUT, this won't mean much until maybe Monday, when we can tell more about it being a blip or a trend.


So Kansas, my county's 14 day rolling average for Wednesday, September 29th is:
- ↗ Average daily case count 28.36
- ↗ Average positive rate 3.3%
- ↘ Current active cases. 555
- ↗ Current hospitalized. 11 (out of 24 ICU beds)
- ↗ Total deceased 100
-  ↗  Incidence rate per 100,000... 330.04

Now these numbers could possibly be related to that Sept. 15th incidence rate, being that two week catch/incubate/silent spread/get real sick timeline. Or just a big catch-up in slow reporting sources.

(But if it shows to be a trend I'm blaming the motel 😁 )

[sheddi]

Great to have you back Ever!

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Welcome back, Ever.

Things seem to be pretty quiet in my AO regarding COVID-19. My town's Facebook page seems to be more focused on a potential nuclear waste facility and the town's fight against it than reporting on Covid numbers these days.

Both of these things are a problem, but right now nuclear waste seems to be taking the headline spotlight in my town.

ETA: Well, a quick check over on Facebook later and the nuclear waste thing seems to have fallen off the headlines and now there's a problem with blue algae in one of the city parks.

Covid numbers rose a little bit, but then dropped back down and off the radar once more.

[sheddi]

A truncated update from me (I'll post more tomorrow, it's getting late here).

My youngest came home from school today to tell us that two of their school friends have tested positive for COVID and she needs a PCR test. Mrs Sheddi has ordered a mail-in kit that will arrive tomorrow and hopefully give us results on Monday, if not sooner (youngest isn't fond of unplanned interactions with strangers so a drive-in test didn't seem ideal).

We all tested clear by lateral flow test a couple of days ago and will repeat those tomorrow, too.

[Raptor]

A link to an interesting chart on COVID cases since 2020.
https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_7cb2af1c-6414-11ea-b729-93612370dd94.html
https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_7cb2af1c-6414-11ea-b729-93612370dd94.html
The data comes from the Louisiana State group that was notorious for miscounts over counts and under counts. We had 3 days with negative deaths.

I do not vouch for the data. That said the trend line is likely as good of an estimate reality that is available now.

(did I mention the historic garbage data has had the "data metrics have changed"; double speak for my data as presented originally is garbage but it at least looks pretty now.)

[majorhavoc]

Bear in mind that the absolute numbers here in Maine are low; we're a small state population-wise.  Yesterday we broke the single day record for new cases, set last January at the height of the pandemic.  Once we got past that, and more people got vaccinated, I never expected to see anything near those numbers again.  New one-day record yesterday; we broke it again today: an all time high.
https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2021-09-30/for-2nd-straight-day-maine-reports-its-biggest-jump-in-new-coronavirus-cases. 

Deaths and hospitalizations are also spiraling upward.  This in spite of the fact that Maine has one of the higher vaccination rates in the nation.  Predictably though, most of the new cases and especially hospitalizations are with the unvaccinated.  We are seeing some breakthrough infections though, including a close friend.  She only had a mild case, fortunately.  Quarantined in her basement with flu-like symptoms for 10 days; none of her family members got infected.

National media reporting case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths going down; the worst is behind us.  That's definitely not the case here in northern New England. 

Also seeing big gaps on store shelves again.  Heard a report on NPR about supply chain problems that will severely impact the holiday shopping season.  The gist of the report was clear: you see something online or in the store that you even think might make a nice gift for someone, buy it and buy it now.  Black Friday is going to be a cruel joke this year.  This is not the year for last minute holiday shopping. 

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

Friday, October 1, 2021
Kansas
my county's 14 day rolling average

- ↘ Average daily case count 25.64
- ↗ Average positive rate 3.6%
- ↗ Current active cases. 608
- ↔ Current hospitalized. 11 (out of 24 ICU beds)
(8 active, 3 in recovery, 64% unvaccinated or unknown)
- ↔ Total deceased 100
- ↘  Incidence rate per 100,000... 298.45

Nothing indicative yet but all the arrows aren't ↗ or ⬆ so that's a comfort.


For the last couple of days I've see a small increase in small children wearing masks at the grocery. (snark: none of them were passing out from an inability to breathe as they ran up and down the isles)

I've also noticed several people in my building quickly pull up their chin diapers or put on the mask they're holding when they see me.

Since I've returned I've stopped riding in the elevators with people who aren't wearing one. I don't make a point of it, I just casually get off and/or find something else to do 'not in the elevator' until the door closes. And wait for another one.

I don't know much about this newest medicine in pill form. I hope hope hope it turns out to be what it seems because if it is this would go a long way to help those who choose to refuse the vaccine stay out of the hospitals. And not die to boot.

Therefore lessen the hospitals' burden (both financial from delaying elective surgery & the health workers who are suffering from the covid onslaught) And mitigate the needs for shutdowns & non-covid deaths because they can't find a hospital close by to take them.

Is that a ray of 🌞 I see on the covid horizon?

[CG]

Bear in mind that the absolute numbers here in Maine are low; we're a small state population-wise.  Yesterday we broke the single day record for new cases, set last January at the height of the pandemic.  Once we got past that, and more people got vaccinated, I never expected to see anything near those numbers again.  New one-day record yesterday; we broke it again today: an all time high.
https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2021-09-30/for-2nd-straight-day-maine-reports-its-biggest-jump-in-new-coronavirus-cases. 

Deaths and hospitalizations are also spiraling upward.  This in spite of the fact that Maine has one of the higher vaccination rates in the nation.  Predictably though, most of the new cases and especially hospitalizations are with the unvaccinated.  We are seeing some breakthrough infections though, including a close friend.  She only had a mild case, fortunately.  Quarantined in her basement with flu-like symptoms for 10 days; none of her family members got infected.

National media reporting case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths going down; the worst is behind us.  That's definitely not the case here in northern New England. 

Also seeing big gaps on store shelves again.  Heard a report on NPR about supply chain problems that will severely impact the holiday shopping season.  The gist of the report was clear: you see something online or in the store that you even think might make a nice gift for someone, buy it and buy it now.  Black Friday is going to be a cruel joke this year.  This is not the year for last minute holiday shopping.

Keep in mind that the general definition of "unvaccinated" includes everybody who didn't get their second shot at least 14 days ago, so those numbers will include people who've had one or both shots.

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

Monday, October 4, 2021
Kansas
my county's 14 day rolling average

- ↘ Average daily case count 24.93
- ↗ Average positive rate 4.2%
- ⬇ Current active cases. 486
- ↔ Current hospitalized. 11 (out of 24 ICU beds)
(8 active, 2 in recovery, 70% unvaccinated or unknown)
- ↗ Total deceased 103
- ↘  Incidence rate per 100,000... 290.13

Still holding mostly steady. Friday-next Monday stats to see the perspective.

Our Public Health Department is reported as tallying 68% of eligible residents have received one dose of the vaccine, and 61% have received two doses, as of Sept. 29th. Low, but there's at least still movement.

I forgot to check our grocery stocks when I was there today. I did wonder if something was being reported I was unaware of because the store was crowded w shoppers, but out of character with the increased number of masks worn. Remember @flybynight's report weeks back that Kroger employees had to go 100% masked again? It took weeks for that to get to ours. And when that one employee learns their nose is part of the respiratory track (as far as I saw) this one will also be 100%.

Figured out an easier aerosol mitigation from my hallway door air inflow. Door shrinks in winter anyway but is already set uneven enough that the inch gap floor-to-door on one side - literally - can be felt and blow paper weight items six feet away. So easier is gonna be better. Especially since part of the work on the building is asbestos.

[CG]

A friend down near Austin reported that they had to return $150 worth of meat to Costco because it was rotten. I was highly unimpressed by the meat at Sam's Monday. It just seemed off.  Shelves...some things are hot or miss.  It's rather odd.  And of course, I'm brand particular on a lot of things, so...

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

^^ Surprising. Bad news. Is this a clue to the next few months...

Friday, October 8, 2021
Kansas
my county's 14 day rolling average

- ↘ Average daily case count 24.29
- ↗ Average positive rate 4.7%
- ↗ Current active cases. 495
- ↘ Current hospitalized. 10 (out of 24 ICU beds)
(8 active, 2 in recovery, 60% unvaccinated or unknown)
- ↗ Total deceased 104
- ↘  Incidence rate per 100,000... 283.65

I wonder what the numbers really. Not that I think they're hidden, instead that so few get tested here so with lots asymptomatic, I mean there have to be greater numbers.

Looks like we may get a rest for awhile from delta.

Haven't been to the grocery but the air filters I use went up $5 this week and it only took two months to go thru one on low. So am getting ready to order enough to get me into March in case of supply chain or price probs. After cold/flu/covid winter season breaks in 2022, if the filters price themselves out of my ability to purchase or become unavailable for a time, they will have done their important job and can rest in their boxes until things settle down.

Again enjoy listening to news on BBC Friday Night Comedy Show. They talk of issues there that we have going on here, with a twist, charming accents, and I don't know half the particulars because the names and places are only barely familiar to me. Less nervous system impacting. 👵