Neverending Covid-19 Coronavirus

mgp said:
I just found out that our water/sewer utility (in greater Boston) is testing sewage to identify outbreaks. The trend is really not pretty.

MWRA - Wastewater COVID-19 Tracking

www.mwra.com

graph1021.JPG
Click to expand...
LSU is doing this too to identify campus outbreaks.

LSU Researchers to Test Campus Wastewater for COVID-19 Cases

September 9, 2020 BATON ROUGE, LA – For the last several months, researchers from the LSU College of Engineering and School of Veterinary Medicine have tested wastewater in various areas around East Baton Rouge Parish to track cases of coronavirus. What they have found, thus far, is that cases...
www.lsu.edu www.lsu.edu
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Feeling a little under the weather. I don't think it's COVID as I haven't gone anywhere in the last 3 weeks other than CVS to a flu shot 2 weekends ago and the grocery store last weekend. But they are sending me to get a COVID test tomorrow.

3 days ago I started feeling a little congested and having sinus pressure. Tension headaches at night. I thought it was season allergies, but then this morning when I wore up I had weakness of my facial and jaw muscles and them feeling a little tingly so I called my doctor, who apparently is still only doing virtual appointments. I made one for this afternoon, but then they called me back to cancel and refer me to get a COVID test.

Looks like I lucked out with that though. I'm not going to any kind of walk in clinic. The medical group I'm part of has a respiratory center in Danvers with appointments. You show up for your appointment. Checkin over the phone and wait in your car to be called in. No long lines or waiting rooms. They said they have the rapid test which should give me the results in 15 minutes. They will also provide all other services I would have gotten with any kind of sick visit with my doctor.
Click to expand...

Quoting my previous post as I posted it in the wrong spot originally.

Man do I ever feel off today and it's scary.

I woke up with facial muscle weakness this morning and the feeling of muscle fatigue with my jaw. This is what lead me to call the doctor's office this morning. The previous couple days I just thought I had seasonal allergies. Slight congestion, some sinus pressure and I was getting tension headaches at night on the back of my head and pain behind my right ear.

  • My right eye won't stop watering now
  • I can't close my right eye more than half way
  • I'm having trouble smiling on the right side of my face.
  • Trouble drinking water and eating.
  • It's hard to control my lips and I'm slurring some words every now and then.
  • My face feels tingly
Could potentially being experiencing Bell's Palsy. When I talked to my doctors office earlier today when they canceled my virtual appointment for today they said that based on my symptoms, I should be fine waiting until tomorrow morning for the new appointment. No urgent medical needs.


It's comical watching me trying to drink out of my contigo water bottle today. I can't take a sip without spilling it all over myself. I also found it very hard to spit when I brushed my teeth.

But all the stuff with my face sure the hell is scaring me and triggering my anxiety.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Quoting my previous post as I posted it in the wrong spot originally.

Man do I ever feel off today and it's scary.

I woke up with facial muscle weakness this morning and the feeling of muscle fatigue with my jaw. This is what lead me to call the doctor's office this morning. The previous couple days I just thought I had seasonal allergies. Slight congestion, some sinus pressure and I was getting tension headaches at night on the back of my head and pain behind my right ear.

  • My right eye won't stop watering now
  • I can't close my right eye more than half way
  • I'm having trouble smiling on the right side of my face.
  • Trouble drinking water and eating.
  • It's hard to control my lips and I'm slurring some words every now and then.
  • My face feels tingly
Could potentially being experiencing Bell's Palsy. When I talked to my doctors office earlier today when they canceled my virtual appointment for today they said that based on my symptoms, I should be fine waiting until tomorrow morning for the new appointment. No urgent medical needs.


It's comical watching me trying to drink out of my contigo water bottle today. I can't take a sip without spilling it all over myself. I also found it very hard to spit when I brushed my teeth.

But all the stuff with my face sure the hell is scaring me and triggering my anxiety.
Click to expand...
How is it definitely not a stroke that requires the most immediate care possible?
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Quoting my previous post as I posted it in the wrong spot originally.

Man do I ever feel off today and it's scary.

But all the stuff with my face sure the hell is scaring me and triggering my anxiety.
Click to expand...
Wow. In a non-pandemic world that would be terrifying, but given all that's going on it's on another level. Take care of yourself and keep us posted.
 
I'm home now from my visit this morning.

I am COVID negative. Which I expected as much as I really haven't been out in public.

But I did get a confirmed Bell's palsy diagnosis.

I'm on antiviral medication for the next week. Have to take it 3 times a day. I also have eye drops because I can't close / blink my right eye so it is drying out.

I have a follow up with my doctor Monday.

Harder to drink water today, that's for sure.

I was assured this is not a stroke.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I'm home now from my visit this morning.

I am COVID negative. Which I expected as much as I really haven't been out in public.

But I did get a confirmed Bell's palsy diagnosis.

I'm on antiviral medication for the next week. Have to take it 3 times a day. I also have eye drops because I can't close / blink my right eye so it is drying out.

I have a follow up with my doctor Monday.

Harder to drink water today, that's for sure.

I was assured this is not a stroke.
Click to expand...

I'm glad to hear it isn't stroke related. Any idea how long you'll be affected by this? What causes it?
Hang in there.
 
ranbalam said:
I'm glad to hear it isn't stroke related. Any idea how long you'll be affected by this? What causes it?
Hang in there.
Click to expand...

From what I understand it is believed to be caused by viruses. Hence why I was put on a antiviral treatment.

How long will I be affected by this. It could be a few weeks to 6 months and it rare cases I may never fully recover.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I'm home now from my visit this morning.

I am COVID negative. Which I expected as much as I really haven't been out in public.

But I did get a confirmed Bell's palsy diagnosis.

I'm on antiviral medication for the next week. Have to take it 3 times a day. I also have eye drops because I can't close / blink my right eye so it is drying out.

I have a follow up with my doctor Monday.

Harder to drink water today, that's for sure.

I was assured this is not a stroke.
Click to expand...
Holy cow, Renegade!
I am glad this isn't a stroke but wow. I'm glad they were able to diagnose you so fast and get you started with treatment.
 
Last edited:
In the news tonight, despite efforts by Salem and Massachusetts Governor, they have not been able to keep the crowds away from Salem.

All public transportation access Friday through Monday to Salem has been suspended this weekend and next. A parking ban has been put into effect. There is no public parking.

Yet the tourist are still showing up. From NY, NJ and from around the world despite no official festivities hosted by Salem this year and people being told to stay away.

So many people showed up today that they had to close Washington street to accommodate the foot traffic. The main drag downtown.

Washington street is usually closed with lots of side streets this time of year. Planned closures that is, with merchants, beer gardens, street performers and all out and about. The last couple years they had amusement park rides set up on a side street.

Not of that was planned this year. There were no planned street closures this year. But Salem PD were forced to close Washington street today because of the number of people out. And they will likely have to over the weekend as well.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I'm home now from my visit this morning.

I am COVID negative. Which I expected as much as I really haven't been out in public.

But I did get a confirmed Bell's palsy diagnosis.

I'm on antiviral medication for the next week. Have to take it 3 times a day. I also have eye drops because I can't close / blink my right eye so it is drying out.

I have a follow up with my doctor Monday.

Harder to drink water today, that's for sure.

I was assured this is not a stroke.
Click to expand...

I'm just seeing this now.... just wanted to wish you well. My mother in law went through it a few years ago and it can be a haul... stay positive and take good care of yourself.
 
Trump and the White House chief of staff made some shocking admissions over the weekend.

First being:

"We are not going to control the pandemic," Meadows told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" Sunday, arguing that "proper mitigation factors" like therapies and vaccines should be the priority.
The comments by White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on CNN on Sunday alarmed medical experts who argue that letting the coronavirus rage unchecked is akin to a policy of herd immunity that will cost many thousands of lives. But with daily new infections hitting record levels, Trump spent the weekend in a campaign blitz in which he openly flouted steps like masking and social distancing that could slow the spread of the disease and moaned that all the media talks about is "Covid, Covid, Covid."
Click to expand...
Trump has continued along with we. need to open things back up. Not impose new restrictions and start to shut things back down as cases surge.

Trump also once again claimed on the campaign trail that the only reason we have so many cases is we do the most testing in the world. If we cut the testing in half we would have half the cases. Cut the testing back by another half and we would yet again have half the cases.
 
I know that the meme about how 'in 2008 Fauci said masks cause bacterial pneumonia' keeps getting posted and reposted and gaining steam. I read deeper into it, and read more of the excerpt from which it came, and he doesn't mention masks at all. I want to go around posting that in the comments of everyone that has posted it, but damn I am tired of arguing on this stuff...and I know they won't believe it anyway...even when it's RIGHT THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE.

Wtf is wrong with people?

2+2=5
 
ranbalam said:
I know that the meme about how 'in 2008 Fauci said masks cause bacterial pneumonia' keeps getting posted and reposted and gaining steam. I read deeper into it, and read more of the excerpt from which it came, and he doesn't mention masks at all. I want to go around posting that in the comments of everyone that has posted it, but damn I am tired of arguing on this stuff...and I know they won't believe it anyway...even when it's RIGHT THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE.

Wtf is wrong with people?

2+2=5
Click to expand...
This is how well they know math:

1603740024006.png
 
Open enrollment is coming up on November 4th for me. Just now got the first communications about what our plans will look like for next year.

Our medical and vision planes are staying the same. However, the price of each medical plan is going up by 50% for next year. For me that's a $35 per pay period increase or $70 a month with keeping the same medical plan next year.

This is just obscene.

Arn't the insurance companies getting record profits this year? Why are they jacking up the rates so much?

Is it because they expect the ACA to not stand throwing the industry into chaos next year or are they being weary of COVID?
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Arn't the insurance companies getting record profits this year?
Click to expand...
Yes, but this ensures record profits next year as well.
RenegadeMonster said:
Why are they jacking up the rates so much?
Click to expand...
Capitalism rocks, dude!
RenegadeMonster said:
Is it because they expect the ACA to not stand throwing the industry into chaos next year or are they being weary of COVID?
Click to expand...
Chaos, COVID, Cattlecar Galactica. 🙃


Seriously though, what a disgrace...
 
There are a rumours of a new lockdown in France starting today or this week-end... Should be one month.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Open enrollment is coming up on November 4th for me. Just now got the first communications about what our plans will look like for next year.

Our medical and vision planes are staying the same. However, the price of each medical plan is going up by 50% for next year. For me that's a $35 per pay period increase or $70 a month with keeping the same medical plan next year.

This is just obscene.

Arn't the insurance companies getting record profits this year? Why are they jacking up the rates so much?

Is it because they expect the ACA to not stand throwing the industry into chaos next year or are they being weary of COVID?
Click to expand...
Insurance companies aren't doing great because although there are record profits, there are also record pay outs. On top of that, they are seeing member lists decrease because as businesses either cut workers or go out of business. The insurance companies are losing their easiest income source, the commercial employer. Most insurance companies don't make much money on Medicare or Medicaid business (a large number of states partner with private insurance companies so those companies can help run Medicaid--fox meet hen house). Insurance companies make their money off of commercial business, largely due to businesses purchasing health care for their workers. Fewer workers, fewer revenue. Closed businesses means no revenue.

Right now there are teams of actuaries going over data tables looking at member drop off and adjusting profitability models from there. What everyone fails to take into account is that if we keep on applying these same models, they will continue to inflate prices and no one will be able to afford to use health systems. As of now, there is a term in the insurance industry called "under insured". This applies to a person who can pay their premium each month but because they have such a high deductible, they can't actually use their insurance benefits because they don't have the few hundred dollars it would take to use their health insurance.

The survey found that the underinsured rate increased the most among U.S. adults enrolled in employer-sponsored health plans. That rate grew from 17% in 2010 to 28% in 2018, reaching about 44 million U.S. adults in 2018, according to the Commonwealth Fund. However, U.S. adults enrolled in health plans purchased in the individual insurance market had higher underinsured rates than those enrolled in employer-sponsored coverage. Among U.S. adults with coverage from the individual market, the underinsured rate increased from 37% in 2010 to 42% in 2018.

Who's underinsured in America, in 4 charts

The U.S. uninsured rate and has declined since the Affordable Care Act took effect in 2010, but the percentage of underinsured U.S. adults has grown, according to a survey brief from the Commonwealth Fund released Thursday.
www.advisory.com www.advisory.com

These are people with jobs that couldn't afford to meet their deductible in 2018. Now apply 2020 numbers to this and project out, and it's not a pretty picture. Those of us with employer sponsored healthcare will see large price increases and fewer services for those increases. But what I worry about more are the 20% or so of newly jobless Americans who don't have insurance or who are going to run out of COBRA benefits. This is yet another way that our private health care system is failing us. It's great to have care that's "the best in the world" but it doesn't mean a hill of beans if none of us can actually afford that care.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top