Coronavirus

[#1]

So, today this happens.

[#2]

Here is a picture of teddy bear..just because 

[#3]

I slept in and just had "breakfast" outside (standing next to tangerine tree, eating them straight from the tree because they'll start falling /going off in the next few days) 

Today's charts. Because of France sneakily under-reporting both cases and deaths by not counting people in old peoples' homes (how bizzare is that) as Luce told us some while back, they are now included and that's why the curve shot up.

Source:

April 4 (GMT)

• France: on April 3 the French Government reported 17,827 additional cases and 532 additional deaths from nursing homes that had not been reported previously. On April 2, it had reported 884 additional deaths.

[#4]

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Petra R wrote:

Today's charts. Because of France sneakily under-reporting both cases and deaths by not counting people in old peoples' homes (how bizzare is that) as Luce told us some while back, they are now included and that's why the curve shot up.

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I read also that there's been a hiccup in the statistics one day, which partially explains the bump. (The story in French)

It seems however that we may have hit a plateau in the number of people admitted into hospitals (see below). We should see this week how effective our lock-down is.

COVID Hospitalisations in France

[#5]

CAPTURING THE COVID-19 DEMOGORGON (AKA SPIKE) IN ACTION
April 3, 2020
by Greg Bowman

The spike of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (shown below) is one particularly appealing target for designing therapeutics to combat the COVID-19 disease. It is actually comprised of three identical proteins arranged in a circle. Many copies of the spike protrude from the surface of the virus, where they wait to encounter a protein on the surface of many human cells, called ACE2. Binding of a spike to ACE2 initiates a series of events that ultimately allow the virus to enter the human cell. Therefore, therapeutics that bind the spike in a manner that blocks its interaction with ACE2 could provide a valuable means to prevent infection...

Read more...

[#6]

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Petra R wrote:

Today's charts. Because of France sneakily under-reporting both cases and deaths by not counting people in old peoples' homes (how bizzare is that) as Luce told us some while back, they are now included and that's why the curve shot up.

Petra, we are so sneaky, here in France! To tell you the truth, the situation in nursing homes has gone so out of hand that it may be impossible to tell who died of coronavirus and who died of other causes as there are not enough tests. Only comparing the statistics of people dying in nursing homes during 2020 and during the previous years will enable to have an idea of how many were victims of the virus. The people working in nursing homes have not been given masks and gloves from the beginning, and there is even suspicion that this was something the state chose to do as a way to lower the numbers of retirees claiming pensions.

On the brighter side, I know two persons who got the virus here in France and are doing much better.

[#7]

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Luce N wrote:

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and there is even suspicion that this was something the state chose to do as a way to lower the numbers of retirees claiming pensions.

This claim is not only based on no evidence at all, but is also so outrageously stupid that it should not be mentioned. Don't we already have enough conspiracy theories out here? Do we really need more of these?

Almost 25% of French, freshly graduated from The Facebook biology & virology minute-school are already claiming that SARS-CoV-2 is a man made virus. 

[#8]

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Rene K wrote:

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This claim is not only based on no evidence at all, but is also so outrageously stupid that it should not be mentioned. Don't we already have enough conspiracy theories out here? Do we really need more of these?

Almost 25% of French, freshly graduated from The Facebook biology & virology minute-school are already claiming that SARS-CoV-2 is a man made virus. 

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 I don't know whether the claim is stupid. I don't know if its only a conspiracy theory.  We'll see after inquiries have been done. What IS stupid is to let people go look after fragile elderlies without adequate protection.

My neighbour, who is 90, has someone sent to help her twice a week. This helper was told to use a scarf in front of her mouth as protection. She goes from house to house to look after elderly people. From my point of view, not providing adequate protection in this situation is criminal. 

[#9]

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Luce N wrote:

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 I don't know whether the claim is stupid.

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The fact that you don't know if the claim that French government is letting elderly people to die from COVID on purpose for economical reasons is a cause for concern. What else you are not sure is BS?

This, for instance, is not a real news outlet, Luce.

[#10]

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Rene K wrote:

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Almost 25% of French, freshly graduated from The Facebook biology & virology minute-school are already claiming that SARS-CoV-2 is a man made virus. 

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That just woke the cats up. They hate it when I laugh loudly when they sleep.

The virus has made be do some weeding of my friends list o Facebook. Just as the US elections and Brexit have done.  Some things bring out the stupid in people more reliably than others. 

Right, numbers are out yet again.

Spain, despite having less new cases again today, has overtaken Italy as the country with the second most confirmed infections. The number of new infections has been falling for several days in Spain, which is encouraging! If the figures are final, both deaths and confirmed new cases are down significantly.

Italy with 4805 confirmed new cases are slightly up again, but deaths significantly down, at 681, the lowest number since the 23rd of March.

Germany's cases are clearly not final, France not out yet.

Graphs, as always, in the morning!

[#11]

France, April 3 2020 - Worldometer

http://prntscr.com/rt3gis

[#12]

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Rene K wrote:

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Almost 25% of French, freshly graduated from The Facebook biology & virology minute-school are already claiming that SARS-CoV-2 is a man made virus. 

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Their USian cousins are convinced the whole thing is a plot by the Democratic Party to prevent the re-election of Donald Trump.

[#13]

For an explanation of SARS-CoV-2 and Covid-19 this WH0 site might help: 

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/naming-the-corona...

[#14]

Today's graphs.

[#15]

Growth in the USA is creepy!

[#16]

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Maria T wrote:

Growth in the USA is creepy!

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Yes, that could all possibly have been handled better. 

The US has a population of 331 Million people and is testing at a rate less than half of what Germany and Italy are.

The USA has tested 5006 per 1 Million population

Spain has tested 7593 per 1 Million population

Italy has tested 10,870 per 1 Million population

Germany has tested 10,962 per 1 Million population

Switzerland has tested 17,729 per 1 Million population

Norway 19,528 per 1 Million population

Iceland 69,276 (!!) tests per 1 Million population

And then we have the UK who managed to test just 2687 per 1 Million population....

[#17]

I don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but COVID-19 tests are believed to have a false negative rate of circa 30%!

[#18]

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Rene K wrote:

I don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but COVID-19 tests are believed to have a false negative rate of circa 30%!

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"may have" 

And really that does not negate the need for widespread testing, because every true positive that can be removed from circulation is one less that goes on helping exponential growth.

The tests are very reliable when it comes to the positives. If someone tests positive, they have it. It's better to find 70% of the positive cases than none of them, isn't it?

[#19]

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Petra R wrote:

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And really that does not negate the need for widespread testing,

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Yes and no. All depends on the protocol that is followed. If people who test negative are told that they don't have it, it does more harm than good.

[#20]

I don’t see where testing for positives in the US is very helpful at all from a prevention point of view. You can only get tested if you have severe symptoms and those people are presumably already isolating. What we need to know is how many asymptomatic people have it and/or how many people had it already and either never had symptoms or recovered.

Or we all need to truly stay home but as far as I can tell that’s not actually happening.

[#21]

I have two graduates from the The Facebook biology & virology minute-school living in my household. By the looks of it, they are currently engaged in post-graduate studies at the Twitter and WhatsApp Schools of Misinformation and Conspiricy Theory Dissemination.

It's not easy living in my house. 

[#22]

The Milken Institute has some interesting data about current research into vaccines etc. All based on facts (as they have collated it) and without bias. 

https://milkeninstitute.org/covid-19-tracker

https://milkeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/2020-04/Covid19%20Tracker%20NEW4-3-20-2.pdf

[#23]

For those who are planning to make their own protection masks (only a little protection, I'm afraid) here are patterns and explanations in French.

Otherwise, there are plenty of videos on the topic on YouTube. To your sawing machines and needles, everyone!

[#24]

B

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Luce N wrote:

For those who are planning to make their own protection masks (only a little protection, I'm afraid) here are patterns and explanations in French.

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Before starting work on my first mask, I've watched this video explaining how to do it. IT IS SUBTITLED IN ENGLISH. Just thought this might help you, fellow mask makers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHUzhSwFWUQ

[#25]

a little humor, here --

One of my sisters is an actuary by day, and a quilter by avocation. She creates gorgeous, award-winning, heirloom-quality quilts. She constantly buys new fabrics and adds these fabrics to her stockpile, ready to create quilts for which she has specific plans as well as quilts for which she entertains only vague ideas. Her husband keeps telling her that she has plenty of material already on hand, and that she needs to stop purchasing and hoarding additional quilting supplies.

Sister told me a few days ago that she sewed masks for a few friends and family members. "Oh, dear!" I responded in mock concern. "Wherever DID you find any fabric to work with?!?"

"I know!" she said. "I was very smug about it all. I said to my husband: 'See! I haven't been hoarding ! I've just been preparing !' "