News Worldwide impact of the novel coronavirus (covid-19)

[scout86]

Wouldnt you want to test everyone to find the ones being an asymptomatic carrier?

They still don't have enough tests to do that, I think. It's interesting how different the testing situation seems to be in different places. Here, they are still basically testing people who are pretty sick, I think. And the dept of health says they figure there are probably 10 cases out there, unidentified, for every positive test they get.

 

[gealach]

Why screen people for tests? Wouldnt you want to test everyone to find the ones being an asymptomatic carrier?

Ideally, yes. But in order to do that, the health system has to have enough supplies (e.g. sterile nasopharyngeal swabs) to do the test, as well as safe locations and numbers of staff to perform the test. Then you have to have enough supplies (e.g. reagent) to process the tests in labs and enough lab staff to do the processing. Then there has to be enough lab capacity, otherwise everything gets backed up and the lab results can't get out the door. Then you need enough staff to receive the lab results, contact each person who has had a test done, communicate the results, and inform about the next steps. Basically most health systems right now don't have enough of all of the above to make large scale testing happen... hence, the triaging for those who are most symptomatic/vulnerable/locally important criteria. Plus there was initially a lot of denial that there was such a thing as asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spreaders, so big miss on that one.

ETA: cross post with @scout86 :)

 

[LuckiLee]

Most people around here don't have primary care physicians let alone insurance to get a referral.

 

[Sideways]

Is it just me, or is it kind of a weird concept to be charging people a fee for getting a covid test done if they meet reasonable criteria to be tested?

Like, say someone shows up at a testing clinic, and their spouse has tested positive for covid, and they have a fever and a dry cough. Then they get told, "Oh, and it's going to cost you to get this test done..."

Like, wha!?

Isn't it kind of in the public interest to get that person tested so that if they have it, then serious quarantine measures can be reasonably implemented and enforced?

Because, that person who is high risk of testing positive could just as easily decide, "Thanks bro, but I think I'll use my remaining cash to put food on the table tonight", and go on their merry way...

Charging that person a fee makes zero sense to me!

Is that like, a US thing? Or are high-risk potential carriers getting hit with a testing fee in most places???

ETA just by way of explanation, I'm thinking that in most places now, that person would at least be under legal obligation to self-isolate (except in Sweden, where nothing makes sense to me at all!!), but not necessarily self-quarantine. And there's a significant difference there.

 

[anthony]

Medical Is free in Australia.

 

[Deanna]

Most people around here don't have primary care physicians let alone insurance to get a referral.

The state is paying for our tests. We have something like, 17000 and something negative tests and 1290 positive tests. (.we're smaller than Michigan though)

 

[user27357]

several insurance companies have waved all co-pays and deductibles associated with testing, most operating test sights aren't even asking for more than an ID unless they are set up for only healthcare workers and first responders. But it doesn't matter if there aren't enough tests.

My state just reported a death that occurred on mar 25 as being a covid case. What does that say? I know someone that needs a life-saving surgery , he gets it tomorrow but had to wait 3 days between being tested last week and knowing if he was clear before the operation.

If you are already dead, 2 and a half weeks before the tests come back. If you are still alive, somewhere between that and 3 days, thats what it takes when your life is on the line and you are dangling on hope- 3 days!

3 kinds of pain:
injury
disease
waiting for test results

 

[Freida]

A guy in my area has a co-worker who tested positive and he wanted to make sure he didn't have it also since he felt sick. He called his doc and they told him to go to the er and get tested asap. So he did.

He now has a $2500 bill for the test and probably another $1000 coming in bills related to his trip to the er. His insurance company says that since he tested positive for influenza a (and not corona) they won't cover any of his bills. Why? Because influenza is considered a pre-existing condition since he had it in the past at some point and they don't cover pre-existing conditions.

yep. That's our healthcare system and this kind of stuff is super common. And because he has insurance, he wouldn't have qualified for a free test. So the people who refuse to go to the doctor and are going to keep spreading it? Ya, it will be the ones who have the crappy high risk health insurance that has all sorts of loop holes and $5000 deductibles that can't afford to get seen until they are super sick

 

[blackemerald1]

Some States here, in Australia have had no new reported cases.

But two big caveats to that:

We're in the midst of a long weekend and testing is not being done at the usual rate. Secondly, perhaps not all community transmissions are being exposed to testing because well, they cannot test everyone, everywhere. :banghead:

So perhaps in two days time we will see if those States stay new infection free. I really hope so that'd be great.

In the meantime, Australia as a whole, even with planes & ships disembarking infected people, has 'flattened the curve'.

We've consistently seen a lessening of community transmitted cases. We've flat-lined essentially. Possibly the only time I'm happy to see that term used.

There is mounting pressure for authorities to take the next step, called 'recovery phase' by the media?

Perhaps we'll be in this lock-down for a while longer. It's a puzzle because one certainly doesn't need to be an epidemiologist to see some of the consequences that may happen if we lift the restrictions. Nobody knows for certain what will happen.

 

[anthony]

I think we need a solid week with no cases before they could start relaxing some aspects, slowly testing restricted aspects to see whether an outbreak occurs. I think if we get past that, maybe remove internal border restrictions and get everyone back to work with social distancing in place for every business / person until treatment is found, we might lessen the impact on our economy, Government, and get things moving again.

I honestly would be in shock if they opened International borders here for the remainder of this year, bare minimum. That alone will have a big impact, but hey, atleast if we get back to normal with just the Int border closed, that will get most of the economy back up and running. That will take time, obviously, just by itself.

I would also like to see heavy restrictions put in place on manufacturing overseas / importing any goods.

 

[bellbird]

This article may be of interest, especially for the Aussies.
Potential future mini trial of a "travel bubble" between NZ and Australia.
I think it would be a great idea, provided it is done sensibly/at the right time etc.

 

[anthony]

Potential future mini trial of a "travel bubble" between NZ and Australia.

That's just kiwi's pissing nonsense, wanting Australians to travel to NZ for the winter tourism season. That's all that is IMHO. I doubt it's a mutual thing. Australia provides a massive winter influx to NZ tourism during winter for skiing, as NZ tends to have better skiing generally than Australia. Not real sure that would work right now, considering the amount of unemployment in both countries due to Covid.