How Is Covid-19 Impacting Life in Your City?

[sopas ej]

From KTLA 5:

High blood pressure, diabetes found to be most common underlying conditions in L.A. County COVID-19 deaths

by: Erika Martin

Posted: Apr 14, 2021 / 07:59 PM PDT / Updated: Apr 14, 2021 / 08:05 PM PDT

High blood pressure and diabetes were the most common underlying conditions found among those with comorbidities who died from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, health officials announced Wednesday.

Having an underlying condition can strongly increase the risk of death from COVID-19, and about 85% of Angelenos who died from the virus had at least one comorbidity, which is the presence of one or more additional conditions, L.A. County public health officials said in a news release.

High blood pressure was the most common, seen in 52% of deaths. Another 41% of decedents had diabetes, and 26% had a cardiovascular disease other than hypertension, officials said.

A neurologic disease was the fourth-leading preexisting condition, noted among 21% of those who died, and 16% had chronic renal disease, according to the Department of Public Health.

“People who live with chronic illnesses suffer the worst outcomes of COVID-19 infection,” the department said in a statement. “These numbers should remind us of the importance of ensuring equitable access to preventive healthcare and the other resources that reduce people’s vulnerability to this virus.”

Those with such underlying conditions became eligible for a vaccine in California on March 15, due to their higher risk of death from the virus. Click here for more information on how to find a vaccine appointment in Southern California, where everyone over age 16 is now eligible.

Chronic illness was also a leading indicator of COVID-19 hospitalization, with about 87% of those treated for the virus in L.A. County from last August to January having at least one comorbidity.

The most common preexisting condition among hospitalized patients was cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, observed in 66% of patients, officials said.

That was followed by diabetes, found in 42% of people hospitalized, and 36% of those who died were obese, according to the health department figures.

Another 57 coronavirus deaths were reported in L.A. County Wednesday, raising the pandemic’s toll to 23,553.

Around 500 people were battling the virus in hospitals countywide as of Wednesday, about a quarter of them in intensive care.

But health officials pointed to one encouraging figure: With more older residents becoming fully vaccinated, the rate of hospitalization for people 80 and older has dropped by 96%.

Link: https://ktla.com/news/coronavirus/hi...vid-19-deaths/

[sopas ej]

New Yorker

[10023]

Originally Posted by JManc

If you're asymptomatic (test positive), you should be confined to your house for 10-14 days regardless of pedestrian's risk factor.

I’ve never had a positive test (and I’ve taken a lot of them, but sporadically). I had a positive antibody test. I actually wonder if I’ve had it more than once (quite possibly caught it skiing last February, but there was no testing then).

[10023]

Originally Posted by nito

Exactly. If we had took a zero-tolerance approach to this pandemic rather than enable selfishness to take root we’d be well over this by now. Sadly, the same recurring minority selfish/ignorant elements within western society let down everyone and knowingly/unknowingly became enablers/collaborators to the virus.

Also, why is it that each time 10023 mentions his ”good shape”, the more I am thinking of the Aesop Fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf…

The bolded part is completely and utterly false.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by 10023

The bolded part is completely and utterly false.

I think had we shutdown, I mean truly shutdown for at least a month sometime last year where everything was ground to a halt and everyone stayed home, we'd probably be in better shape. That of course would be unrealistic.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Also, being overweight might make a person statistically more likely to have a severe case of COVID, but being healthy and in shape does not mean there is no risk of severe illness or death. Just like being overweight might make you statistically more likely to die in the event of a car accident, but that doesn't mean that car accidents don't pose a major risk to people who are in shape.

Why does everyone always claim others are saying young and healthy people CAN'T get covid and it be severe? We are simply saying they have a tiny chance. Which is true.

If overweight people are statistically more likely to get in a car wreck, that's pure happenstance in statistics. If someone is more likely to die of a virus because of being overweight, those two things are directly related.

[10023]

Originally Posted by JManc

I think had we shutdown, I mean truly shutdown for at least a month sometime last year where everything was ground to a halt and everyone stayed home, we'd probably be in better shape. That of course would be unrealistic.

No I don’t think that’s true. It wouldn’t have eliminated the virus completely, and so long as any was circulating it would have spread again once restrictions were lifted.

It was also impossible for the US or Europe to close themselves off to the world like Australia / NZ did, nor did the same infrastructure exist for contact tracing as in say South Korea.

[nito]

Originally Posted by 10023

The bolded part is completely and utterly false.

How? Unless you have been living under a rock, there are countless democratic countries that managed to avoid the giant death counts, economic damage and mental distress that many advanced nations incurred. A combination of stupidity, administrative incompetence and outright selfishness brought about the damage that could have been mitigated against.

[TWAK]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

Why does everyone always claim others are saying young and healthy people CAN'T get covid and it be severe? We are simply saying they have a tiny chance. Which is true.

A 1/3 chance of getting a neurological disorder and an elevated chance of having PASC (post covid). The people I know who have post-covid were doing things like working out or heavy work while they were sick, and now they can't smell.

If overweight people are statistically more likely to get in a car wreck, that's pure happenstance in statistics. If someone is more likely to die of a virus because of being overweight, those two things are directly related.

Each bit of fat destroys the body and can cause more problems.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

Why does everyone always claim others are saying young and healthy people CAN'T get covid and it be severe? We are simply saying they have a tiny chance. Which is true.

If overweight people are statistically more likely to get in a car wreck, that's pure happenstance in statistics. If someone is more likely to die of a virus because of being overweight, those two things are directly related.

No, it's not happenstance. Older people are more likely to die in the event of a a car accident than younger people for the same reason. People in poorer health are just less likely to recover from a traumatic health event.

[10023]

Originally Posted by nito

How? Unless you have been living under a rock, there are countless democratic countries that managed to avoid the giant death counts, economic damage and mental distress that many advanced nations incurred. A combination of stupidity, administrative incompetence and outright selfishness brought about the damage that could have been mitigated against.

Please name these countless countries. And let’s be clear up front that I do not agree with the approaches taken by Australia or New Zealand.

I also think the U.K. has had far too many restrictions, not too few. The problem was people seeing the grandkids at Christmas not restaurants or gyms. Personal choices should have been better, but it should have been left as a personal choice. But the UK’s problem is it’s underfunded, underinvested and generally inadequate healthcare system which supposedly created a degree of systemic risk - though even that was BS because by summer there was lots of capacity in the Nightingale hospitals that was never even used.

For the past 2 months I’ve been living in Florida, which has taken a much better approach.

[the urban politician]

^ Yeah, really. For every 1 country that "got it right" according to the authoritarian porn types that hang out in this forum, there are about 100 countries that are getting bitch-smacked by COVID just like America is

[Pedestrian]

Ontario complains of more vaccine delays as premier under fire for third COVID wave
BY Reuters
— 8:31 PM ET 04/19/2021
By Anna Mehler Paperny and Moira Warburton

TORONTO, April 19 (Reuters) - Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Monday the province expects to face a delay in the supply of AstraZeneca Plc COVID-19 vaccine, as he faces significant blowback for his handling of the pandemic in Ontario.

"The Premier was notified today by our officials to be prepared for delays to two shipments of AstraZeneca expected from the federal government later this month and next," a statement from Ford's office said.

Ford has faced widespread criticism in recent days as Ontario's pandemic spirals out of control, and he has sought to shift the blame to the sluggish supply of vaccines coming from the federal government.

No other province reported a drop in AstraZeneca supply on Monday. A federal government source who was not authorized to speak publicly said it was unclear what Ontario's premier was referring to as there had been no change to AstraZeneca delivery schedules since early April . . . .

Ontario announced 4,447 new cases on Monday, with a 10.5% positivity rate and 19 more deaths. The rising caseload has pushed the province's hospitals to the brink.

On Friday, Ontario announced measures to close borders with the provinces of Quebec and Manitoba. But the following day, it reversed its decision to close playgrounds and amended its granting of extra powers to police to enforce a stay-at-home order . . . .

https://eresearch.fidelity.com/erese...b=1&sc=1&san=1

[twister244]

Originally Posted by JManc

I think had we shutdown, I mean truly shutdown for at least a month sometime last year where everything was ground to a halt and everyone stayed home, we'd probably be in better shape. That of course would be unrealistic.

The problem with that is.... We simply could never actually do that here in the US. In order to *force* everything to shut down, you have to give the authority to the government to enforce that.... Thanks, but no thanks.

We had a narrow window to shut down travel from the rest of the world in order to prevent the virus from entering the country, and that window occurred while China was lying about the nature of the virus, so it was almost impossible to prevent spread here. In the future, the second we even hear a rumor of a new virus in China, shut international travel down immediately and have folks quarantine (Yes, I know this mildly contradicts my initial point in this post, but it would be very limited in time to a few people traveling).

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by JManc

I think had we shutdown, I mean truly shutdown for at least a month sometime last year where everything was ground to a halt and everyone stayed home, we'd probably be in better shape. That of course would be unrealistic.

The “shut everything down and try to halt coronavirus spread” vs “keep it all open for the sake of the economy and other aspects of human wellbeing and endure COVID” debate is perfectly valid. But the “lockdown/restrict certain citizens—the old, the fat, the diabetic—while the rest go about life as normal is not. Life as normal for those given that freedom would maximize viral replication and spread thus necessitating the restrictions on the others. It’s an “us vs them” policy which the selfish and narcissistic here just love, it is obvious. But never forget it’s clearly an “I’ve got mine, Jack and f___ you” approach.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by twister244

The problem with that is.... We simply could never actually do that here in the US. In order to *force* everything to shut down, you have to give the authority to the government to enforce that.... Thanks, but no thanks.

We had a narrow window to shut down travel from the rest of the world in order to prevent the virus from entering the country, and that window occurred while China was lying about the nature of the virus, so it was almost impossible to prevent spread here. In the future, the second we even hear a rumor of a new virus in China, shut international travel down immediately and have folks quarantine (Yes, I know this mildly contradicts my initial point in this post, but it would be very limited in time to a few people traveling).

I mostly agree with this. But in addition we really do need to beef up our public health capabilities, possibly with something like a national reserve health corps of trained contact tracers capable of being mobilized in an infectious disease crisis. And we need to investigate and expose the story of why the CDC failed to produce working test “kits” for coronavirus last spring and hold people accountable. Their disappointing performance throughout this pandemic suggests to me something is rotten at the CDC and things like the J&J vaccine kurfufle and the “vaccinated people can fly but shouldn’t” confusion don’t suggest the change of director with the new Adminstration has solved much.

[someone123]

Lots of low information news coverage and doom porn out there.

Ontario has a population of just under 15 million so 4,500 or so cases a day is not really that high in the scheme of things. Hospitalizations and ICU utilization on the one hand seem worrisome as a percentage of pre-covid resources but they are not very high in the scheme of pandemic era requirements.

Google something like "Ontario total collapse" and you will get a stream of articles announcing that Ontario's health care system is on the brink of total collapse (whatever that means) from the past 12 months. Current ICU utilization is 75% of what they had originally predicted for February 2021, and likely still below the original 2020 predictions.

Health authorities there predicted a peak of 8,000 cases a day with restrictions and 18,000-30,000 a day without restrictions but the growth in cases has already slowed at around 4,300 in the 7-day moving average. About 30% of eligible individuals have been vaccinated, roughly the 30% highest risk who are at disproportionately high risk of death and hospitalization.

Covid deaths in Canada are approximately 1 per 1,000,000 per day. The media don't focus on deaths so much anymore.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by twister244

The problem with that is.... We simply could never actually do that here in the US. In order to *force* everything to shut down, you have to give the authority to the government to enforce that.... Thanks, but no thanks.

We had a narrow window to shut down travel from the rest of the world in order to prevent the virus from entering the country, and that window occurred while China was lying about the nature of the virus, so it was almost impossible to prevent spread here. In the future, the second we even hear a rumor of a new virus in China, shut international travel down immediately and have folks quarantine (Yes, I know this mildly contradicts my initial point in this post, but it would be very limited in time to a few people traveling).

The U.S. never really cut off travel, though. We only cut off direct flights from China, and closed the land border with Canada and Mexico. We never forced people arriving from abroad to do mandatory quarantines. We didn't even require proof of negative COVID tests to board a plane to the U.S. until January of 2021.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by someone123

Lots of low information news coverage and doom porn out there.

Ontario has a population of just under 15 million so 4,500 or so cases a day is not really that high in the scheme of things. Hospitalizations and ICU utilization on the one hand seem worrisome as a percentage of pre-covid resources but they are not very high in the scheme of pandemic era requirements.

Google something like "Ontario total collapse" and you will get a stream of articles announcing that Ontario's health care system is on the brink of total collapse (whatever that means) from the past 12 months. Current ICU utilization is 75% of what they had originally predicted for February 2021, and likely still below the original 2020 predictions.

Health authorities there predicted a peak of 8,000 cases a day with restrictions and 18,000-30,000 a day without restrictions but the growth in cases has already slowed at around 4,300 in the 7-day moving average. About 30% of eligible individuals have been vaccinated, roughly the 30% highest risk who are at disproportionately high risk of death and hospitalization.

Covid deaths in Canada are approximately 1 per 1,000,000 per day. The media don't focus on deaths so much anymore.

The most surprising thing in that article to me was the bit about closing borders with neighboring provinces. Internal travel has been the trip wire or red line in the US since the beginning of the pandemic. Certain states have attempted to require 14 day quarantines of people coming from other states they perceive as more heavily infected but without any enforcement mechanism except to a minor degree in Hawaii which, due to its small size and remote location, can do things that just aren't practical in other states and, to some extent, with justification (it wanted to be a little New Zealand or at least was acting like it). And there has never been--except briefly in Cuomo's New York until he fell from grace--anything like roadblocks of access points into one state from another.

I'm not sure what Ontario is doing but limiting travel from its neighbors in any form seems to me an excessive measure.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

The U.S. never really cut off travel, though. We only cut off direct flights from China, and closed the land border with Canada and Mexico. We never forced people arriving from abroad to do mandatory quarantines. We didn't even require proof of negative COVID tests to board a plane to the U.S. until January of 2021.

Except cruise ship passengers.

Jim Cramer (CNBC host) says the CDC is acting like it's trying to put the cruise industry out of business. They have offered to resume cruising with only vaccinated passengers and crew, and they have eliminated other risky business like the buffets of old, but so far the CDC won't let them sail even under those conditions.