Tag: pandemic

Expanded testing shows signs of strain

The Hill logoHealth officials battling the coronavirus are making the difficult decision to limit testing in an effort to conserve critical resources, even as more test kits become available.

The balancing act means that despite an increase in drive-thru testing sites and point-of-care tests that deliver results in minutes, some of the hardest-hit areas are still restricting evaluations to health workers and the most vulnerable patients.

Instead of broad, community-wide testing, cities in California and New York are focused on making sure only the sickest people and health workers get tested. Doing so also slows the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, gowns and gloves. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz COVID-19 Update: March 25, 2020

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March 25, 2020

Below is an update on the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertains to Minnesota as of 5:00 PM on 3/25/2020.

Updates from the Governor

Today, Governor Tim Walz announced a Stay At Home Executive Order directing Minnesotans to limit movements outside of their homes beyond essential needs from Friday, March 27 at 11:59pm to Friday, April 10 at 5:00pm. By limiting social interactions, we decrease the transmission of COVID-19 and help ensure our health care sector can prepare for increased demands.

“We must take bold action to save the lives of Minnesotans,” said Governor Walz. “Having served as a Command Sergeant Major in the Army National Guard, I know the importance of having a plan. While the virus will still be here when this order ends, this action will slow the spread of COVID-19 and give Minnesota time to ready for battle.”

Modeling released today by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and University of Minnesota predicts that more than 70,000 Minnesotans could die from COVID-19 if we take no action. The Governor’s two-week order to stay home is forecasted to significantly slow the spread of COVID-19 and allow the state to better prepare for the pandemic. These preparations include building hospital capacity, increasing access to life-saving equipment like ventilators, increasing testing, planning for how to care for vulnerable populations, and assessing public health data to determine which community mitigation strategies are most effective.

Continue reading “Gov. Walz COVID-19 Update: March 25, 2020”

The coronavirus isn’t mutating quickly, suggesting a vaccine would offer lasting protection

Washington Post logoThe coronavirus is not mutating significantly as it circulates through the human population, according to scientists who are closely studying the novel pathogen’s genetic code. That relative stability suggests the virus is less likely to become more or less dangerous as it spreads, and represents encouraging news for researchers hoping to create a long-lasting vaccine.

All viruses evolve over time, accumulating mutations as they replicate imperfectly inside a host’s cells in tremendous numbers and then spread through a population, with some of those mutations persisting through natural selection. The new coronavirus has proofreading machinery, however, and that reduces the “error rate” and the pace of mutation. It looks pretty much the same everywhere it has appeared, the scientists say, and there is no evidence that some strains are deadlier than others.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease covid-19, is similar to coronaviruses that circulate naturally in bats. It jumped into the human species last year in Wuhan, China, probably through an intermediate species — possibly a pangolin, an endangered anteater whose scales are trafficked for traditional medicine.

House leadership encourages public to watch session remotely

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House leaders are encouraging members of the public to watch Thursday’s legislative session remotely instead of coming to the State Capitol.

“We have to take steps to keep legislators, staff, and the public safe,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “We will continue to follow guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health when we convene and as a result, we strongly encourage members of the public to watch the floor session from off-site.”

“The Minnesota House of Representatives is continuing to re-engineer how we work in the face of a global pandemic and that requires efforts by all of us to keep everyone safe,” added Majority Leader Winkler. “The public can continue reaching out to us in a variety of ways that do not involve coming to the Capitol. We continue to urge everyone to stay home if at all possible.”

Members of the public can watch the House floor session on the House website, YouTube, and on TPT Minnesota. Video from all floor sessions is archived here.

 

Schumer: Stimulus package deal on ‘2-yard line’

Pelosi says Senate deal will include greater oversight of a proposed $500 billion loan fund for industries

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said talks on a massive $2 trillion economic relief package were on the verge of wrapping up after the Trump administration and Republicans had moved Democrats’ way on issues like aid to hospitals and unemployment insurance.

“Last night, I thought we were on the 5-yard line. Right now, we’re on the 2,” Schumer said on the floor. “Of the few outstanding issues, I don’t see any that can’t be overcome in the next few hours.”

Schumer spoke after what he said was a “very productive meeting” with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. — whom President Donald Trump tapped earlier this month to be his new chief of staff — and White House legislative liaison Eric Ueland. Continue reading.

Losing sense of smell may be a hidden symptom of coronavirus, doctors warn

Washington Post logoWhile every case is different, the telltale symptoms of the novel coronavirus have been widely agreed upon — a high fever, persistent cough or shortness of breath. In the most severe instances, those afflicted have reported confusion or difficulty breathing, and sometimes, anxiety is the most prevailing symptom of all.

But a team of British ear, nose and throat doctors on Friday raised the possibility of a new indicator of the coronavirus, one they say has been observed globally, even in patients who are otherwise asymptomatic: anosmia, a condition that causes the loss of sense of smell. In a statement, they warned that adults experiencing recent anosmia could be unknown carriers of covid-19, and urged them to consider self-isolation.

“All of this evidence is accumulating very rapidly, but there’s nothing yet robustly in print,” Claire Hopkins, president of the British Rhinological Society, said in an interview. “Since then, I’ve had colleagues from around the world saying: ‘That’s exactly what we’re seeing.’ They’ve been trying [to raise awareness], but it hasn’t been picked up.” Continue reading.  Free post.

Trump’s not a doctor. He’s only playing one on TV.

Washington Post logoEzekiel J. Emanuel is the chairman of the department of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, a member of Joe Biden’s public health advisory committee and the author of the forthcoming book “Which Country Has the World’s Best Health Care?” Vinay Prasad is associate professor of medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University and author of “Malignant: How Bad Policy and Bad Evidence Harm People with Cancer.”

President Trump has been promoting chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, as “a game changer” in combating the coronavirus, perhaps in combination with the antibiotic Azithromycin. “As the expression goes, ‘What do we have to lose?’ ” Trump asked during Saturday’s media briefing. The answer is: a lot. Experience teaches that promoting untested drugs in this way is irresponsible patient care, sloppy science and dangerous public policy.

It is tempting to ask, as Trump suggests, whether the rigors of scientific inquiry are too demanding in the midst of a pandemic, a luxury of proof the country can’t afford. But laboratory studies and anecdotal treatment of individuals are notoriously unreliable at judging what truly saves lives. Indeed, just last week in the New England Journal of Medicine, we learned that one suggested combination that worked against SARS — lopinavir-ritonavir — does not help treat, much less cure coronavirus.

For patients infected with the coronavirus, particularly those whose condition is worsening, it is a natural human reaction to try something, anything. Unfortunately, this impulse is misguided. Indeed, these “what do we have to lose?” treatments can be very dangerous to individuals and the public health showing that we do have something to lose. Cancer, the oldest malady, offers useful guidance on covid-19, the youngest disease on Earth. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz’s March 25 COVID-19 Update

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March 24, 2020

Below is an update on the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertains to Minnesota as of 8:30 PM on 3/24/2020.

Updates from the Governor

Governor Walz held a press call with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today to provide updates on COVID-19 and remind Minnesotans of some of the benefits and programs Minnesota is offering amid the pandemic:

MNsure – Last week, Governor Walz and MNsure announced a 30-day special enrollment period (SEP) for qualified individuals who are currently without insurance as a result of the growth of COVID-19 cases. The SEP opened on March 23 and runs through April 21. It will allow uninsured individuals 30 days to enroll in health insurance coverage through MNsure.org.

Unemployment Insurance – We know the hardships and stress this pandemic is bringing to families and folks throughout the state. The Governor highlighted the state’s unemployment insurance program and described how it quickly serves employees who are unable to work as a result of COVID-19.

Continue reading “Gov. Walz’s March 25 COVID-19 Update”

Washington Post Live Coronavirus Update Post

Visit this for free access post from The Washington Post to see the latest information on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/03/24/coronavirus-latest-news/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most

 

Mnuchin, Schumer say coronavirus rescue package deal very close

Both sides hope for a Tuesday vote.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that they are “very close” to an agreement on a nearly $2 trillion coronavirus economic rescue package, raising the possibility of a Senate vote on the legislation as early as Tuesday.

Following a series of late-night meetings in Schumer’s office in the Capitol — and a phone call with President Donald Trump to review the status of the discussions — Mnuchin and Schumer told reporters around midnight that they hope to have the final agreement in place in the morning.

“There are still documents that are going to be reviewed tonight and turned around, there’s still a couple of open issues, but I think we’re very hopeful this can be closed out tomorrow,” Mnuchin said. Continue reading.