Shout out to Medical Workers

[IceHawk]

Just wanted to throw out a strong THANK YOU to anyone of you, your spouses or family members involved in the medical community. It's times like this where we are all happy you do the things you do. Tough circumstances like we are facing now bring out the best in all of you, In the heat of Battle you stand strong!  We will need you more than ever now. Again THANKS!!!!

[eyeguy 54]

Amen to that. They are soldiers right now. 

[Rick]

God bless all of you!!!

 

Darn tough job! 

 

Thank you.

[mrpike1973]

Thank You!

[Wanderer]

Thanks! 
 

It’s been an unprecedented few weeks I can assure you.  Next week will continue into more new turf. I have to say the NIMS work we’ve doing as a nation and drilling for all these what if’s has helped enormously.  
 

Thanks from me too to all the others!

Edited March 21, 2020 by Wanderer

[Mike89]

this can not be said loud enough!!!!  thanks to all!!!!

[fishingstar]

My wife is a home health nurse. you wouldn't be leave the hoops she has to go through just to go see someone lately. But the thing is she has to go through it 5 to 7 times a day.

[Bigfatbert]

I too would personally like to extend my total gratitude to the medical professionals and all the other employees that are involved in any way to keep these medical establishments up and running so efficiently. It has to be such a trying time to get it done for all of them.

 Also I want to thank all grocery store employees for doing such a great job at doing all that they do for everybody ,not just the sick, to keep us all stocked up with our food supply , and to all the truck drivers for keeping the supply of food coming to these stores . 
As I sit and write this I know that there are so many other employees for so many other businesses that are doing there part so diligently to provide services that provide the much needed supplies and services of many different kinds to us all ,  you all know who you are , thank you so greatly also .. I would also like to through out a suggestion to all to personally thank all people that do any and all of these services for us all during such a trying time , and if you feel it in your heart and pocketbook maybe hand out some tips or donations to some of these employees  , I’m sure many would be so grateful for your kindness . Washing and sanitizing is just one part we all need to do for ourselves and others but it’s not all we can and should do for our brothers and sisters at getting through this troublesome time in all our lives.

These shutdowns of schools and establishments are most likely going to be extended well beyond the time frame that we have been told  they will be . This way of life is here for awhile for us all . This isn’t a left or right pandemic, and division between us in any way is by far not a good thing whatsoever , please people let’s all do our part , and to those that do I personally thank you for doing just that !! 

[Mike89]

10 hours ago, fishingstar said:

My wife is a home health nurse. you wouldn't be leave the hoops she has to go through just to go see someone lately. But the thing is she has to go through it 5 to 7 times a day.

I have home health nurse coming in 3 times a week since my surgery, they are great!!!  when I was in the VA they were great!!!  

[fishingstar]

hope things are going well after your surgery

[Mike89]

thanks and they are getting better each day...  I had one set back with an infection in the incision but it was caught right away.. 

[Kettle]

I think looking at the past is prevalent in this situation.  H1N1 (swine flu) initially started roughly at the same time of year although it was not very prevalent to the media until later on in the year.  As a nation we hit 60 million confirmed cases and roughly 12,000 deaths.  The highlight of the H1N1 was by the time the fall came around we did have a vaccine for it, I am hopeful for the same with COVID19.  I got H1N1 early that spring as I was working on an ambulance and I was in my mid 20's, it was horrible to say the least but I survived.  As with any flu like illness, hydration and rest along with antipyritics like Tylenol will help blunt some symptoms.  I think self distancing is a good thing.  The biggest thing that I am concerned with is not the physical toll this takes on individuals but the mental toll.  Stay active, get outside, go for a walk in the woods and be cognizant of others.  I am very much hoping for normal life to return by May or June.  Wash your hands, cover your cough and be nice to others.  We will endure

 

Kettle

[gunner55]

I was told there was an article in the paper today where they're starting to make hand sanitizer in an Iowa prison from donated materials & the state will be giving it away. Another part of the article said Winnebago is sending some of their RV's out to California for those on the front lines with the sickest people who have been sleeping in their cars. Despite their training & protective gear many think they'll eventually get the virus so they're afraid to go home & infect their family. A little good news I thought I'd share.

Edited March 22, 2020 by gunner55

[whateverisbiting]

1 hour ago, Kettle said:

I think looking at the past is prevalent in this situation.  H1N1 (swine flu) initially started roughly at the same time of year although it was not very prevalent to the media until later on in the year.  As a nation we hit 60 million confirmed cases and roughly 12,000 deaths.  The highlight of the H1N1 was by the time the fall came around we did have a vaccine for it, I am hopeful for the same with COVID19.  I got H1N1 early that spring as I was working on an ambulance and I was in my mid 20's, it was horrible to say the least but I survived.  As with any flu like illness, hydration and rest along with antipyritics like Tylenol will help blunt some symptoms.  I think self distancing is a good thing.  The biggest thing that I am concerned with is not the physical toll this takes on individuals but the mental toll.  Stay active, get outside, go for a walk in the woods and be cognizant of others.  I am very much hoping for normal life to return by May or June.  Wash your hands, cover your cough and be nice to others.  We will endure

 

Kettle

 

I work for a large biopharma and we are making two vaccines.  One is passive...taking blood donated from those already infected and purifying the antibodies for injection into high risk patients.  Each injection provides immunity for about a month.  Also an active vaccine, which is like the annual flu shot.  They will both be available.  It only takes a few months to manufacture, but there is a high bar for safety so it has to be tested in a human safety trial and then approved by health authorities so that takes quite a bit more time.  We are also donating drugs to treat the symptoms.

 

The difference from previous pandemics is this is moving faster.  There is little innate immunity, people are infectious before being symptomatic, and for some the symptoms are so mild they are hardly aware and they are transmitting it.  Wipes don't matter if you get within 6 feet of an infected person, you are also infected.  So it is harder to keep away from high risk patients and it overwhelms healthcare systems.  Kudos to those dealing directly with this; so many challenges.  We keep a strategic reserve of oil in case of world turmoil and hopefully we will learn from this and will expand into health care supplies.

 

 

 

[Wanderer]

40 minutes ago, whateverisbiting said:

 

We keep a strategic reserve of oil in case of world turmoil and hopefully we will learn from this and will expand into health care supplies.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the news on the vaccines!

 

We DO have a strategic national stockpile of some healthcare supplies, mainly PPE though.  Hard to stock everything, especially things with shorter shelf lives. Some of the stockpile has been released to those in the most need.

[Tom Sawyer]

7 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

 Some of the stockpile has been released to those in the most need.

 Wasn't this one of the duties why the National Gaurd was just activated. That's what taxin Tim was saying anyway. Think there's quite a bit more reason, and I'm sure we will soon find out. 

Shelter in place is right around the corner for MN. 

 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Tom Sawyer

[Kettle]

1 hour ago, whateverisbiting said:

 

I work for a large biopharma and we are making two vaccines.  One is passive...taking blood donated from those already infected and purifying the antibodies for injection into high risk patients.  Each injection provides immunity for about a month.  Also an active vaccine, which is like the annual flu shot.  They will both be available.  It only takes a few months to manufacture, but there is a high bar for safety so it has to be tested in a human safety trial and then approved by health authorities so that takes quite a bit more time.  We are also donating drugs to treat the symptoms.

 

The difference from previous pandemics is this is moving faster.  There is little innate immunity, people are infectious before being symptomatic, and for some the symptoms are so mild they are hardly aware and they are transmitting it.  Wipes don't matter if you get within 6 feet of an infected person, you are also infected.  So it is harder to keep away from high risk patients and it overwhelms healthcare systems.  Kudos to those dealing directly with this; so many challenges.  We keep a strategic reserve of oil in case of world turmoil and hopefully we will learn from this and will expand into health care supplies.

 

 

 

This is incredibly informative!  Thank you for sharing!!!! 

[Wanderer]

1 hour ago, Tom Sawyer said:

 Wasn't this one of the duties why the National Gaurd was just activated. That's what taxin Tim was saying anyway. Think there's quite a bit more reason, and I'm sure we will soon find out. 

 

Pretty much.  HOW exactly he said it I didn’t get written down (yes I took notes as best I could).  Basically FEMA is operating at the state level now, allowing the activation of the National Guard As needed and the distribution of PPE stockpiles as needed on a per state basis.

 

We have reserves in our state already but aren’t to the point they need to be released beyond a case by case basis.  A hospital has to prove they’ve exhausted their correctly managed resources before getting any.  Very fair and not that difficult.  It has already happened.

[whateverisbiting]

Thanks I did not know we had stockpiles.  We use masks for drug manufacturing in clean rooms, and we donated what we could.  I have been to Japan several times over the last few years and it is pretty interesting to see all the people wearing masks.  In Tokyo there was not a lot of mask wearing.  But outside of that I saw up to 25% of people wearing masks.  And not because they are sick.  It is actually a sign of respect that you will not infringe on the well-being of others.  It is quite prevalent for service providers...taxis, food service, cashiers.  So they do not pick up on an illness and pass it on.  Someone told me they even market designer masks for school children.  Was thinking about this as I was out today shopping.