COVID-19 - Breaking News [OFFICIAL THREAD]

[ShiaChat Mod]

Staying home with only members of your household is the best way to keep SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) particles out of your home. However, if a visitor needs to be in your home, improving ventilation (air flow) can help prevent virus particles from accumulating in the air in your home. 

How to Improve Ventilation in Your Home

Bring as much fresh air into your home as possible

Filter the air in your home

Consider using a portable air cleaner

Turn on the exhaust fan in your bathroom and kitchen

Use fans to improve air flow

Limit the number of visitors in your home and the time spent inside

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/Improving-Ventilation-Home.html

[Hasani Samnani]

Singapore’s first Covid-19 casualty aged 12 & below

https://mustsharenews.com/toddler-covid-19/

very sad news from Singapore. 

There is unfortunately an upsurge In RSV Respiratory Synctial Virus and other concurrent Covid and other viruses.

Unfortunately while kids have been mostly asymptomatic with Covid,  but when you have another co-infection, maybe too much for immune system to handle.

Keep children safe, wash hands frequently,  stay away from other sources of infection and try to avoid sites of significant infectious illnesses....unfortunately that often means unhygienic daycare and nurseries.

Remember prevention  of disease is always much better than treatment.

Should consider that children under two years of age should get some natural breast feeding opportunities, mothers and children should take vitamin supplements like Vit D and C. Trace mineral supplements like Mg, Zinc, calcium among others are useful co factors for certain enzymes in the cell which are involved in natural viracidal strategies. Natural sunlight and exposure to fresh air, exercise,  instead of artificial light,  unhygienic dust laden vents and constant vegetative screen time are damaging.

Also we should not let our guards down and think the endemic disease cannot recur as a pandemic especially if new and highly virulent variants start appearing, which maybe highly resistant to current strategies.

While I disagree with some of the statements made in the below mentioned  Newsweek article, there are a few interesting hadith regarding advice during plagues.

https://www.newsweek.com/prophet-prayer-muhammad-covid-19-coronavirus-1492798

Edited June 28, 2022 by Hasani Samnani

[Hameedeh]

COVID Vaccines Saved 20 Million Lives Worldwide in First Year

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-06-24/covid-vaccines-saved-20-million-lives-worldwide-in-first-year

[Haji 2003]

 

[Hasani Samnani]

1 hour ago, Haji 2003 said:

 

There have some claims in the scientific world that reason for thinking the virus originated from the USA,  is that all of the original virus strains were found in the USA , based on genetic characteristics of the viral strains and subsequent mutations. Even the Wuhan strain came from a precursor form, and it's genetic antecedent was located in the US.

For more information on this theory see

https://www.sott.net/article/431324-Did-COVID-19-escape-Fort-Detrick-vaccine-trial-Evidence-that-virus-originated-in-US-bioweapons-lab

The accidental release of a bioweapon is probed in this article.

However, this doesn't mean we should not protect our families and loved ones with practical and immediate steps to prevent harm. Whatever the origins of Covid are felt to be.

[Haji 2003]

You remember all those 'critical thinkers' in the red states ...?

Quote

The cumulative impact of these divergent death rates is a wide difference in total deaths from COVID-19 between the most pro-Trump and most pro-Biden parts of the country. Since the pandemic began, counties representing the 20% of the population where Trump ran up his highest margins in 2020 have experienced nearly 70,000 more deaths from COVID-19 than have the counties representing the 20% of population where Biden performed best. Overall, the COVID-19 death rate in all counties Trump won in 2020 is substantially higher than it is in counties Biden won (as of the end of February 2022, 326 per 100,000 in Trump counties and 258 per 100,000 in Biden counties).

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/03/03/the-changing-political-geography-of-covid-19-over-the-last-two-years/

[Diaz]

Anyone got their 3rd shot?

[Ashvazdanghe]

Salam @Diaz Ihave taken my 3rd shot around 6 months ago which my 3rd shot has been SpikoGen which is Iranian-Australian product.

[Diaz]

3 hours ago, Ashvazdanghe said:

Salam @Diaz Ihave taken my 3rd shot around 6 months ago which my 3rd shot has been SpikoGen which is Iranian-Australian product.

Thank you brother, I want to take my 3rd shot but my father is not allowing me to take it.

[Hameedeh]

On 7/13/2022 at 4:18 AM, Diaz said:

I want to take my 3rd shot but my father is not allowing me to take it.

In the US, anyone 16 years old and above can get a vaccine without parents permission. It's better for you to listen to your father, however, if you move to the west your father needs to know that all of you will need your vaccines to be up-to-date. 

[Hameedeh]

US Map shows COVID-19 risk level, mask guidance

The United States is seeing more counties under a high risk of COVID-19 than it has seen since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking COVID-19 community levels in February.

New data from the CDC shows that nearly 80 percent of counties are at a medium or high risk impact.

Low risk: Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk.

Medium risk: If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness: Talk to your healthcare provider about additional precautions, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors in public. If you live with or have social contact with someone at high risk for severe illness, consider testing yourself for infection before you get together and wearing a mask when indoors with them.

High risk: Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk (including in K-12 schools and other community settings). If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness: Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection.

You can search below to see your own county's community risk level:

https://www.kmbc.com/article/cdc-covid-19-level-map/39272892

[Son of Placid]

3M is the largest mask maker in the US. They now have over a dozen styles of N95 masks to choose from.
You can even go duckbill if you like.
Go to their website to see what masks they recommend for covid.
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/c/ppe/healthcare-masks/

[Haji 2003]

Updated advisory from Amazon

This caught my eye from an email Amazon sent me yesterday about a delivery confirmation.

I recall they instituted this when the virus was initially picking up, but then dropped it. Now it's back. More delivery drivers calling in sick?

[Haji 2003]

Vienna and Berlin public transport currently have mandatory N95 mask wearing.

Not that many people are, however. Don’t know how recent that rule is. those who are masked are wearing N95.

London transport asks people to wear masks if it ‘makes them feel more comfortable’. No N95 recommendation.

[Haji 2003]

 

[Son of Placid]

On 1/7/2023 at 2:10 PM, Haji 2003 said:

Vienna and Berlin public transport currently have mandatory N95 mask wearing.

Not that many people are, however. Don’t know how recent that rule is. those who are masked are wearing N95.

London transport asks people to wear masks if it ‘makes them feel more comfortable’. No N95 recommendation.

Was in Costco yesterday. No idea real numbers but a few, mostly Asian, are wearing masks. All N95s of one design or another. No idea if they follow the NIOSH guidelines on "disposable" but it's their money. 
Still see the odd mask driving alone.
3M now has a dozen N95 mask designs. You can even get duck bill if you like.
Hepa filters have the same rating as N95s. 
In the beginning of Feb 2021 there were 8 studies on N95s and their ineffectiveness against influenza. By the end of Feb 2021 there were hundreds of new studies. Many halted for conflict of interest but made a mess of the database and difficult to find the older studies.

If anyone finds a manufacturer that actually recommends a mask for viruses I'd like to see it.

[Haji 2003]

2 hours ago, Son of Placid said:

In the beginning of Feb 2021 there were 8 studies on N95s and their ineffectiveness against influenza.

There's this from Feb 2022:

Comparative effectiveness of N95, surgical or medical, and non-medical facemasks in protection against respiratory virus infection: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Quote

Our study confirmed that the use of facemasks provides protection against respiratory viral infections in general; however, the effectiveness may vary according to the type of facemask used. Our findings encourage the use of N95 respirators or their equivalents (e.g., P2) for best personal protection in healthcare settings until more evidence on surgical and medical masks is accrued. This study highlights a substantial lack of evidence on the comparative effectiveness of mask types in community settings.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rmv.2336

[Son of Placid]

On 1/19/2023 at 2:56 PM, Haji 2003 said:

There's this from Feb 2022:

Comparative effectiveness of N95, surgical or medical, and non-medical facemasks in protection against respiratory virus infection: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rmv.2336

Full study here:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9111143/

This is a very in-depth inconclusive study of studies.
I'm sure it's impossible to control all variants. It can't include a persons susceptibility to a virus. 
The odds ratios for N95s show minimal reductions among the man made viruses. Very little reduction with medical masks and no confidence in non medical masks. There's no confidence in any mask when it comes to influenzas.
As such, it doesn't shed good light on the WHO recommendations.

"This study has several limitations. First, in contrast to the wealth of RCTs investigating mask potencies for preventing influenza virus infection, there is one RCT investigating mask effectiveness against COVID‐19. Thus, analysis of mask usage against coronaviruses was performed primarily based on observational studies, which may be prone to reporting, selection and confounding biases."

Bottom line;
"Among various types of facemasks, it is likely safer to use N95 or equivalent in healthcare settings as PPE for the moment until more evidence on other types of masks are realized."

The study left me with a headache, wondering if I actually learned anything or not.
Some of the studies sited look interesting.

[Ashvazdanghe]

On 1/19/2023 at 10:09 PM, Son of Placid said:

Was in Costco yesterday. No idea real numbers but a few, mostly Asian, are wearing masks. All N95s of one design or another. No idea if they follow the NIOSH guidelines on "disposable" but it's their money. 
Still see the odd mask driving alone.

Hi wearing masks by Asian specailly Japanese have been became a cultural  matter for them even before corona outbreak which it became a cultural matter for Japanese since 1870 through using masks for minres which also it has influenced other Japanese for wearing for preventing allergy in spring season  & not spreading germ in case of any type of disease likewise influenze in winter which is based on their culture about consideration of people arounf oneself and placing importance on cooperation or maybe a fshion which other Asian countries have been affected by  japnese culture about wearing mask.

 

Quote

Many people in Japan wear masks on a daily basis when influenza spreads in the winter, or when there is a lot of pollen from Japanese cedars and Japanese cypresses in the air. Ever since the novel coronavirus began to spread, more and more people outside of Japan wear masks in public places. However, many people abroad may find it curious to know that Japanese people have had a culture of wearing masks on a daily basis even before the novel coronavirus spread. Why do many Japanese people wear masks without worrying about how they look to other people? This article looks at the background behind this practice.

 

Quote

Masks Are Also Popular as Fashion Items

    With the spread of the novel coronavirus, it is now a common part of daily life in Japan to wear a mask regardless of the season. There is now an active trend for using masks as a stylish fashion item, rather than just a healthcare product.

 

Quote

Demand for masks increased rapidly in Japan following the spread of influenza in the country starting in 1918. Apparently, informative posters were put up in the streets to encourage people to wear masks at that time. Later, influenza spread again in 1934, and masks grew hugely popular in Japan as a means to prevent infection. From then on, masks became more and more widespread in Japan each time influenza spread. In this way, the practice of wearing a mask if one has a cold or is unwell gradually took root among Japanese people.

 

Quote

Masks Have Become Part of People’s Lives as Everyday Items

    In general, masks are often used for preventing epidemics. In Japan, people wear masks in many cases to avoid passing on germs to other people if they catch a cold or an infectious disease. On the other hand, a large number of people in Japan put on masks in public places even if they are not feeling unwell. One reason for this is hay fever, a condition present in about 30% of Japanese people.
    Hay fever refers to the sneezing, runny nose, and other symptoms that people feel due to an allergic reaction that happens when pollen enters the body from Japanese cedars, Japanese cypresses, or other trees.

 

https://web-japan.org/trends/11_culture/pop202008_mask-culture.html

https://www.travelcaffeine.com/japan-face-masks-rules-recommendations-reality/

 

 

 

[Son of Placid]

9 hours ago, Ashvazdanghe said:

Hay fever refers to the sneezing, runny nose, and other symptoms that people feel due to an allergic reaction

My son has hay fever. A mask would definitely help but he's not the type to be defeated. Since he was 12 he'd storm into a field, get all plugged up and once over it he'd be fine the rest of the season. 

[Haji 2003]

Lol

The sensitive media is people shaking after the vaccine and in church.

 

[Haji 2003]

I got covid

Evening of the 6th Feb started feeling fluey.

Morning of 7th tested for covid and it was positive.

Isolated from family. On my own in a bedroom on the third floor (American counting) of the house.

Wife leaves food outside the room, which luckily has a bathroom attached. Eating off disposable cutlery for the last 2 weeks.

Wifi signal ok. Don't need much else. 

First 2-3 days felt quite rough (highest the temperature got was 102), since this have generally felt ok. Temperature as likely to be a bit below normal as above. Occasional phlegmy cough, blood oxygen generally good.

Tested again on the 14th and the line was still there, but fainter.

Tested again today and it the line is very very faint. Should be ok in a couple of days I think.

I've had 4 jabs so far. 

I'd say they helped.

[Haji 2003]

Consensus.app

Consensus.app is a site where you can search for scientific research and in particular what it says about a particular topic. This is what it came up with in response to a query about the efficacy of wearing N95 masks to protect against covid-19

[Hameedeh]

CBS NEWS

BREAKING NEWS ALERT

COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, World Health Organization says

The development marks a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered lockdowns, upended economies and killed at least 7 million people.

READ MORE

[PureExistence1]

On 2/18/2023 at 3:05 AM, Haji 2003 said:

I got covid

Evening of the 6th Feb started feeling fluey.

Morning of 7th tested for covid and it was positive.

Isolated from family. On my own in a bedroom on the third floor (American counting) of the house.

Wife leaves food outside the room, which luckily has a bathroom attached. Eating off disposable cutlery for the last 2 weeks.

Wifi signal ok. Don't need much else. 

First 2-3 days felt quite rough (highest the temperature got was 102), since this have generally felt ok. Temperature as likely to be a bit below normal as above. Occasional phlegmy cough, blood oxygen generally good.

Tested again on the 14th and the line was still there, but fainter.

Tested again today and it the line is very very faint. Should be ok in a couple of days I think.

I've had 4 jabs so far. 

I'd say they helped.

Salaam, crazy how this was so different for so many people. I got covid november of 2021, was sick for 4 days and on the 5th day was ready to go hiking, i felt so good. I hadnt been vxd at all, however we know the outcomes of so many others wernt as good as mine, vxd or not vxd.

Glad youre better!

Edited May 8 by PureExistence1