Not native...UK have no raccoon's but we do have Coroner...

Marilyn, as I mentioned before, hacking is big foreign government business because it works. If it wasn't working for certain groups in the US and other western countries, there would be serious firewalls and programs to put a stop to it such as we had in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam let alone in the Gulf.

That viral video about a COVID-19 cure.

"There's nothing special or even promising about hydroxychloroquine, but it makes a great Macguffin in stories alleging that the virus is a hoax, or that masks are just a symbol of control, or that Bill Gates is trying to microchip us all with the Sign of the Beast under the guise of a vaccine program. (I wish I were joking, but that one is a surprisingly wide-reaching belief.) As with any conspiracy theory, the message being shared is the conclusion—that we should reopen businesses, or whatever—and the supposed facts underlying it shift according to what is convenient."

I had to add another quote from the doctor pushing this drug, for Jane. "The Daily Beast has more on her past statements about health, including the idea that gynecological problems are caused by having sex in one's dreams with demons."

https://tinyurl.com/y473rc3o

Warning this could be viewed as political

Who are America's Frontline Doctors and conspiracy pushers?

https://tinyurl.com/y3ndldw7

"The Rio Grande Valley has become the hotspot of a hotspot of a hotspot," said Ivan Melendez, Hidalgo county's health authority and a practicing clinician. "We're at the epicenter of the coronavirus in the United States."

Melendez recalled recently encountering a critically ill patient with an alarmingly low pulse. He tried to warn someone, but nurses informed him that a different doctor had already decided not to intervene because they "didn't expect for [the patient] to survive".

In the United States, where the prevailing mantra for physicians is "do no harm", that kind of ruthless calculation strikes deep, especially when so many of the lives at stake are medically vulnerable and easily exploited.https://tinyurl.com/y5fbve4w

Three-Quarters of Recovered Coronavirus Patients Have Heart Damage Months Later, Study Finds

Of the 100 patients studied, 78 had lingering heart damage despite being "mostly healthy ... prior to their illness"

Well over half a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, experts are learning more about the virus that was initially believed to be only a respiratory illness. Over time, it's become clear that COVID-19 attacks far more than just the lungs, and new research indicates that it can leave lasting heart damage, even in formerly healthy people who have recovered from the initial symptoms.

Two new studies, both from Germany, examined the effects of COVID-19 on the heart, with one focusing on recovered patients and the other on older victims of the virus.

The first study, published Monday in JAMA Cardiology, found that three-quarters of recovered COVID-19 patients were left with structural changes to their hearts, even two months later.

The researchers examined cardiac MRIs from 100 recovered COVID-19 patients between the ages of 45 to 53, and compared them to MRIs of similar people who did not contract the virus. Most of the COVID-19 patients had recovered at home, while 33 had to be hospitalized at some point in their illness.

Of the 100 COVID-19 patients, 78 had structural changes to their hearts. Within that group, 76 had a biomarker that is typically found in patients who had a heart attack, and 60 had heart inflammation, called myocarditis. The patients were all "mostly healthy ... prior to their illness," the researchers said.

"The patients and ourselves were both surprised by the intensity and prevalence of these findings, and that they were still very pronounced even though the original illness had been by then already a few weeks away," study co-author Dr. Valentina Puntmann, a consultant physician, cardiologist and clinical pharmacologist at University Hospital Frankfurt in Germany, told UPI.

The second study, also published in JAMA Cardiology, looked at autopsy reports from 39 COVID-19 victims between 78 and 89 years old who died at the start of the pandemic. The researchers found that the virus had infected the heart in 41 percent of the patients.
"We see signs of viral replication in those that are heavily infected," study co-author Dirk Westermann, a cardiologist at the University Heart and Vascular Centre in Hamburg, told Stat. "We don't know the long-term consequences of the changes in gene expression yet. I know from other diseases that it's obviously not good to have that increased level of inflammation."

On Sunday, Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez confirmed that he won't yet start the new MLB season because he is dealing with myocarditis, the heart inflammation found in the first study, in the months after he contracted COVID-19. Rodriguez is currently waiting on further MRI results to see if he can play.

"It's been hard, weird. First, I got the COVID, feel all the symptoms and everything, at some point thinking that's how bad it was the first four days. And then get here, and now that I have this, I was hoping that I get ready and go for the season as quick as I can," Rodriguez told WEEI. "Now I've got to get a week off, wait for the results of the next MRI. I would say it's been weird, really weird for me."

Even tho this study used a small sampling, it's something to watch and be informed about.

FIRST U.S. DOG TO TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 DIES

'We are in a historic moment now with companion animals'
The German shepherd, Buddy, died on July 11, after battling the coronavirus and lymphoma. In an exclusive interview with National Geographic, his owners recount the two and a half months between their dog's first wheeze and his death as one of confusion, frustration, and heartbreak. Their story, along with Buddy's veterinary records, provides the most comprehensive look yet at an infected pet—and sheds light on how little we know about animals and the virus."

https://tinyurl.com/y45vqeyv

Oh no, not our pets too...i dont need to read Buddy's story...just that i am saddened if it is going to infect and kill our beloved pets as well...There seems to be no stopping this monster - Virus, attacking whenever and whatever it wants to attack, be it humans and dogs..so far we are not hearing of cats..

I notice UK's daily new cases are going up in numbers each day, not down..

The first CV-19 infected animals that I read about were the Tigers in Bronx zoo then Buddy. I called our local Health Care Department and asked about guidelines for CV-19 transmission as I thought Human to animal to human seemed to be coming. They did publish guidelines via CDC. Everyone was warned about petting others animals and keep distance. All that animal relationship seemed to die down and not mentioned again until now.

Evidently the first domestic cat was in the UK, Surrey, and caught it from its owners. But there's no evidence of animal to human transmission. Unfortunately for domestic cats and dogs, per  Edinburgh News, The Scotsman, it only goes one way.

Before Buddy died, and entire mink farm was slaughtered in the Netherlands when two tested positive, there was this from TylerPaper.com, "Twenty-two domestic dogs and cats in the U.S. have tested positive for COVID-19, including a cat and a dog from Texas.

The official statistics for cases of COVID-19 in animals are recorded by the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and can be accessed through their official site.

The tests collected include PCR and antibody testing. According to USDA data last updated on July 24, 10 cats and 12 dogs have been infected by the virus, and the cases have been found in New York, Utah, Minnesota, Illinois, Georgia, California, Texas, Wisconsin, Arizona, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Bruce Akey, director of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, said he is not surprised that the virus can be passed to pets through their infected owners.

"It's not that surprising that this virus would be capable of getting into some animals," said Akey. "Coronaviruses in general are well known and almost all warm-blooded animals have some type of coronaviruses they can get."

Akey said although the transfer of the virus from infected humans to their pets isn't common, it is possible. Similarly to humans, some pets may demonstrate symptoms while others may be asymptomatic.

"The pets that have tested positive do not show symptoms to the extent that humans have, and the majority were tested because humans tested positive and they got their animals tested secondarily. Some have reported the pet was coughing and sneezing but in general it is not as severe and not all animals have had symptoms. It doesn't appear to be as severe in domestic animals as it is in humans. No companion animals' death has been attributed to COVID-19," said Akey.

The first COVID-19 case in animals was reported early on as a dog belonging to an elderly resident in Hong Kong tested positive, Akey said. It was retested, and tested positive again, which confirmed it was indeed infected, he said.

"As this thing has spread around the world, we've seen sporadic results in positive tests in animals. There were cases reported at a Mink farm in the Netherlands. But the transfer of the virus from humans to animals has been sporadic — it can spill into domestic pets but it's not happening with great frequency."

Limitations in collecting data on coronavirus in animals is also difficult as testing for animals relies upon the same supplies as testing for humans, and human testing is a top priority, he said.

"If someone has tested positive for COVID-19 and wanted to get their pet tested, they would need to start by taking their pet to a local vet that would then be asked to contact the Texas Animal Health Commission and or the Department of State Health Services to describe the circumstances that warrant having the animal tested," Akey said. "Testing is in short supply for humans so we don't want to rush out to do animal testing. Testing animals use some of the same supplies as testing humans so we do prioritize human testing. The vet needs to evaluate what the likelihood is as there are a number of other things that can cause respiratory symptoms, allergies and other causes. They would do a good clinical exam and then decide."

Animal testing is conducted in a similar way as human testing, and Akey said the animals like the swab tests just about as much as humans do.

"They do the swab test for animals and it's about as popular with the animals as it is with humans," Akey said. "It can be an oral or nasal swab. We can also test feces from animals, the virus does get passed through the intestinal tract, but they only do that form of testing at zoos when dealing with animals such as lions."

Although testing animals for COVID-19 is possible, Akey said that it isn't necessarily the best strategy for avoiding passing the virus to pets. He instead recommends social distancing, meaning sick people should not cuddle their pets.

"I don't really think that testing is the best strategy," Akey said. "Sick people or families should social distance from their animals. A lot of people are used to cuddling pets when they get home, some even sleep in the same beds and unfortunately when you are sick it is not a good time to be cuddly with them."

Aside from avoiding cuddles, Akey also recommends taking extra care to monitor pets' diets and make sure they are getting enough exercise to ensure their immune system is strong and healthy.

"Good medical sense indicates that obesity can worsen the affects of COVID-19 in an animal as obesity creates medical issues for the lungs heart and immune system," Akeysaid. "Animals are subjected to the same problems with obesity and heart disease as we are, whether or not they encounter the coronavirus, the pet will enjoy life better and live longer without those complicating factors."

Akey noted that the coronavirus is an infectious disease, and the only way to combat it is to stop its' infection cycle.

"This is an infectious disease, and the only way we know how to stop it is to stop its infection cycle. I know it sounds trite but wear your mask, wash your hands, and social distance. It's been demonstrated over and over that it has a significant impact," Akey said."

Patricia, I got some vibes that today is your birthday. I do hope you are having a super day.

I took Lucy to the vet yesterday. The way he is handling the COVID-19 restrictions is to have everyone call once they are in the parking lot. Then someone will come out for the critter. No one is allowed inside except the critter. Speaking of Lucy, here she is demanding something to eat. One of the meds she got was an appetite enhancer since she wasn't eating for the last four days. Gotta go.

Thanks, MarsGal, my vet is only taking emergencies, and you also leave your cat, or other pet, coming back when notified. Farrah had a dental appointment in April, recommended by her vet in January, that was canceled.

The following is a long but very important read.

William Petri

Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia

Does Carona virus linger in the body, What we know in general about how viruses hang on in the brain and testicles;

"As millions of people are recovering from COVID-19, an unanswered question is the extent to which the virus can "hide out" in seemingly recovered individuals. If it does, could this explain some of the lingering symptoms of COVID-19 or pose a risk for transmission of infection to others even after recovery?

I am a physician-scientist of infectious diseases at the University of Virginia, where I care for patients with infections and conduct research on COVID-19. Here I will briefly review what is known today about chronic or persistent COVID-19.

What is a chronic or persistent viral infection?

A chronic or persistent infection continues for months or even years, during which time virus is being continually produced, albeit in many cases at low levels. Frequently these infections occur in a so-called immune privileged site.

What is an immune privileged site?

There are a few places in the body that are less accessible to the immune system and where it is difficult to eradicate all viral infections. These include the central nervous system, the testes and the eye. It is thought that the evolutionary advantage to having an immune privileged region is that it protects a site like the brain, for example, from being damaged by the inflammation that results when the immune system battles an infection.

An immune privileged site not only is difficult for the immune system to enter, it also limits proteins that increase inflammation. The reason is that while inflammation helps kill a pathogen, it can also damage an organ such as the eye, brain or testes. The result is an uneasy truce where inflammation is limited but infection continues to fester.
A latent infection versus a persistent viral infection

But there is another way that a virus can hide in the body and reemerge later.

A latent viral infection occurs when the virus is present within an infected cell but dormant and not multiplying. In a latent virus, the entire viral genome is present, and infectious virus can be produced if latency ends and the infections becomes active. The latent virus may integrate into the human genome – as does HIV, for example – or exist in the nucleus as a self-replicating piece of DNA called an episome.

A latent virus can reactivate and produce infectious viruses, and this can occur months to decades after the initial infection. Perhaps the best example of this is chickenpox, which although seemingly eradicated by the immune system can reactivate and cause herpes zoster decades later. Fortunately, chickenpox and zoster are now prevented by vaccination. To be infected with a virus capable of producing a latent infection is to be infected for the rest of your life.
Latent infection (left) is when a cell is infected and the virus has inserted its genetic code into our human DNA. The immune system cannot detect this cell as being infected. An HIV infection can shift from latent to active if the infected cell is producing new viruses.

How does a virus become a latent infection?

Herpes viruses are by far the most common viral infections that establish latency.

This is a large family of viruses whose genetic material, or genome, is encoded by DNA (and not RNA such as the new coronavirus). Herpes viruses include not only herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 – which cause oral and genital herpes – but also chickenpox. Other herpes viruses, such as Epstein Barr virus, the cause of mononucleosis, and cytomegalovirus, which is a particular problem in immunodeficient individuals, can also emerge after latency.

Retroviruses are another common family of viruses that establish latency but by a different mechanism than the herpes viruses. Retroviruses such as HIV, which causes AIDS, can insert a copy of their genome into the human DNA that is part of the human genome. There the virus can exist in a latent state indefinitely in the infected human since the virus genome is copied every time DNA is replicated and a cell divides.

Viruses that establish latency in humans are difficult or impossible for the immune system to eradicate. That is because during latency there can be little or no viral protein production in the infected cell, making the infection invisible to the immune system. Fortunately coronaviruses do not establish a latent infection.

In one small study, the new coronavirus has been detected in semen in a quarter of patients during active infection and in a bit less than 10% of patients who apparently recovered. In this study, viral RNA was what was detected, and it is not yet known if this RNA was from still infectious or dead virus in the semen; and if alive whether the virus can be sexually transmitted. So many important questions remain unanswered.

Ebola is a very different virus from SARS-C0V-2 yet serves as an example of viral persistence in immune privileged sites. In some individuals, Ebola virus survives in immune privileged sites for months after resolution of the acute illness. Survivors of Ebola have been documented with persistent infections in the testes, eyes, placenta and central nervous system.

The WHO recommends for male Ebola survivors that semen be tested for virus every three months. They also suggest that couples abstain from sex for 12 months after recovery or until their semen tests negative for Ebola twice. As noted above, we need to learn more about persistent new coronavirus infections before similar recommendations can be considered.

Could persistent symptoms after COVID-19 be due to viral persistence?

Recovery from COVID-19 is delayed or incomplete in many individuals, with symptoms including cough, shortness of breath and fatigue. It seems unlikely that these constitutional symptoms are due to viral persistence as the symptoms are not coming from immune privileged sites.

Where else could the new coronavirus persist after recovery from COVID-19?

Other sites where coronavirus has been detected include the placenta, intestines, blood and of course the respiratory tract. In women who catch COVID-19 while pregnant, the placenta develops defects in the mother's blood vessels supplying the placenta. However, the significance of this on fetal health is yet to be determined.

The new coronavirus can also infect the fetus via the placenta. Finally, the new coronavirus is also present in the blood and the nasal cavity and palate for up to a month or more after infection.

The mounting evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can infect immune privileged sites and, from there, result in chronic persistent – but not latent – infections. It is too early to know the extent to which these persistent infections affect the health of an individual like the pregnant mother, for example, nor the extent to which they contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

Like many things in the pandemic, what is unknown today is known tomorrow, so stay tuned and be cautious so as not to catch the infection or, worse yet, spread it to someone else."

We're determined to send kids back to school! This is wrong in so many, many ways! I just now saw this,


"Kids Under This Age May Carry 100 Times More COVID Than Adults, Study Says

New research shows coronavirus levels may be up to 100 times higher in children's respiratory tracts.

Back-to-school season is nearly upon us, but instead of celebrating a soon-to-be quiet home or buying school supplies, many parents are instead panicking about whether or not their kids will be in the classroom and safe from coronavirus. And, of course, if they are back at school, there's the question of whether or not they'll bring the virus home. Now, a new study is providing some startling insight into these questions. The study, out of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, found that young children in particular carry far more of the coronavirus than adults. In fact, the research found up to a "100-fold greater amount of SARS-CoV-2 in the upper respiratory tract of young children" under 5 years old.

The new study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, looked at 145 COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate illness within one week of when their symptoms began. The researchers compared three age groups: young children under 5, children between 5 and 17 years old, and adults 18 to 65 years old. While they found similar amounts of coronavirus present in older children and adults, in children under 5, they found 10 to 100 times more particles in the respiratory tract.

The research was led by Taylor Heald-Sargent, MD, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. In the report, Heald-Sargent and her team note that children often drive the spread of respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses—and COVID-19 may be no different.

"It definitely shows that kids do have levels of virus similar to and maybe even higher than adults," Heald-Sargent told The New York Times. "It wouldn't be surprising if they were able to shed [the virus]" and spread it to others. (Viral shedding indicates how long someone is releasing contaminated particles. "Evidence suggests that the novel coronavirus is most contagious when symptoms are worse and viral shedding is high," WebMD notes.)

The research notes that school closures early in the pandemic likely "thwarted larger-scale investigations of schools as a source of community transmission." In other words, we do not yet know if schools are COVID-19 superspreaders because we shut them down in the first few weeks of the outbreak.

"The school situation is so complicated—there are many nuances beyond just the scientific one," Heald-Sargent told The Times."

Continued with the link below;

https://tinyurl.com/y4gu7g43

Coronavirus coverage-Coronavirus in the U.S.:

Where cases are growing and declining  Updated July 31, 2020, 7:45 A.M. E.T.

New daily confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S.

4,502,549 total cases

152,431 reported deaths

Last seven days

On July 31, the United States crossed 4.5 million total cases, just eight days after reaching four million cases. This week, 18 states also set single-day records, while 40 states recorded 14-day surges in cases per capita. Only six states and one territory—Arizona, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Kansas, Vermont, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—are reporting decreases in daily cases.

The national tally surpassed 50,000 cases per day just before Independence Day, and the U.S. smashed its record for daily cases on July 17 with more than 75,000 new incidents reported. Since then, new cases have flattened to about 65,000 per day as the outbreak's growth has reached equilibrium in places such as Arizona. People should not be lulled into complacency, though, as the U.S. has seen a similar plateau before. The nation's outbreak had grown exponentially during March, until settling into 20,000 to 30,000 new cases per day by the beginning of April.

Though the lockdowns issued by many states and territories began easing in mid-April, it took weeks for new surges to appear. Death rates, which lag at least a month behind case counts, are also still rising in approximately 30 states and territories. On July 21, the U.S. recorded more than a thousand deaths for the first time since early June.

Hard hit areas such as New York City and Boston witnessed the normal surge and dissipation that accompanies the first wave of a pandemic. But case rates elsewhere neither grew nor abated, giving off the impression of control. Unfortunately, when states and territories began to reopen in May, the virus's stealthy spread flourished once more.

Where coronavirus cases and deaths are changing the most

Assuming that tests are being deployed thoroughly, regional growth in coronavirus cases signals a breakdown in one of those strategies, while a decrease suggests the virus is being controlled. Here are the top 10 states and territories that have experienced the greatest change—an increase or a decrease—in coronavirus cases and deaths per capita over the last seven days from the previous seven days.

Continued from National Geographical   https://tinyurl.com/y2yxdcaa   

NBC News

Staples customer who told woman to wear mask is thrown to ground, has broken leg

A 54-year-old New Jersey woman suffered a broken leg after she was thrown to the ground in a Staples by another customer whom she had told to wear a mask, authorities said.

Police have released surveillance video from the incident that occurred at about 3:19 p.m. Wednesday at a Staples in Hackensack.

Margot Kagan, of Teaneck, told police she was using a fax machine at the store when a woman with a mask pulled down below her mouth approached a machine next to her. Kagan, who, according to police, had a liver transplant four months ago and was walking with a cane, told the woman to put her mask on.

"The suspect became angry and yelled at the victim, who picked up her walking cane and pointed it directly at the suspect, coming within inches of the suspect's chest," said Capt. Darrin DeWitt, a detective with the Hackensack Police Department.

The woman then yelled at Kagan, violently threw her to the ground and left the store, DeWitt said.

Kagan was taken to a hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured left tibia, according to DeWitt.

Gov. Phil Murphy has said all residents must wear face coverings in stores.

Police are seeking to identify the suspect.

On the First Day of School, an Indiana Student Tests Positive for Coronavirus NYC Times

On the First Day of School, an Indiana Student Tests Positive for Coronavirus

One of the first school districts in the country to reopen its doors during the coronavirus pandemic did not even make it a day before being forced to grapple with the issue facing every system actively trying to get students into classrooms: What happens when someone comes to school infected?

Just hours into the first day of classes on Thursday, a call from the county health department notified Greenfield Central Junior High School in Indiana that a student who had walked the halls and sat in various classrooms had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Administrators began an emergency protocol, isolating the student and ordering everyone who had come into close contact with the person, including other students, to quarantine for 14 days. It is unclear whether the student infected anyone else.

https://tinyurl.com/y5xdbyku

Hundreds of children and staff members at an overnight camp in Georgia tested positive for the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday.

https://tinyurl.com/y4cjo9eu

The camp, which the CDC did not name, held an orientation in mid-June for 138 trainees and 120 staff members. On June 21, the staff were joined by 363 campers and three senior staff members, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Two days later, a teenage staffer left the camp after developing chills and later tested positive for the coronavirus.

On June 25, the Georgia Department of Public Health began an investigation into the camp and recommended that all attendees be tested and self-quarantine. In all, 260 campers and staffers tested positive.

Though the camp adhered to certain safety measures in accordance with the state's May executive order allowing camps to operate, other measures were not implemented, including requiring campers to wear cloth masks and opening windows and doors for increased ventilation in buildings.

Also, A Private LA Police Party Reportedly Went Down at a Closed Hollywood Bar Last Night

Social media videos circulating this morning purport to show a private party at closed bar Sassafras Saloon in Hollywood last night, with those inside said to be first responders including members of the police. Various reports first surfaced on the Twitter account of Knock.LA and KCRW reporter Cerise Castle, showing multiple people entering Sassafras's building and, later, the interior of the bar in full swing — music and all — with limited social distancing and little mask-wearing inside. 

https://tinyurl.com/y3stt9dy

Patricia - I got a kick out of your report on the closed bars in Los Angeles, having "private" parties with lots of people attending. 
It struck me funny, because yesterday my daughter Sandy called, and said - "Guess what Mom, we've time traveled back to the 1920's, to the days of the Speak-easys!"  Then proceeded to tell me that she had received messages from friends, that lots of the trendy drinking establishments in San Francisco and San Jose, were open - under cover of course.  A whole lot of partying going on behind closed doors. 

No, she is not planning to go!!    She is more worried about Covid-19, than anyone I know.  She was a germaphobe long before coronavirus, and has followed the rules 100 per cent plus more!   

Marilyne, not only California and Georgia are playing hard and fast with the rules. Missouri's Governor Parsons made masks mandatory, but both administrators and the general populace openly ignore the mandate. Now forty-one of the state's congress have the virus.

What is especially henious is that the party in question had not only police but first responders and other medical staff. The very ones that supposedly are to protect Southern Californians.

Sandy is probably the smart one nowadays.

Donald Trump claims Dr. Fauci wrong about US surges with COVID-19.

"Fauci had explained that differentiations between surging US infections and a sharp decrease seen across Europe could be explained by the different reactions to the virus. Fauci said most European countries shut their economies down by 95%, while the US only shut down its economy by half.

Trump countered: "We have more cases because we have tested far more than any other country, 60,000,000. If we tested less, there would be less cases. How did Italy, France & Spain do? Now Europe sadly has flare ups. Most of our governors worked hard & smart. We will come back STRONG!"

But Fauci's point accurately describes the US situation. While some states followed Centers for Disease Control guidelines when they started to re-open, many did not, leading to a surge in infections in many southern and western states, Fauci explained."

https://tinyurl.com/y6xk39qg

My neighbor is an intake nurse at local hospital. She emailed me last night, she just readmitted a CV-19 patient. He has been in rehab for 4 days following 10 days + on ventilator. Now with shortness of breath and extreme fatigue. He may have to be placed on ventilator again. Such a nasty virus

I've been checking on a live cam from the Netherlands over the last few days. Nice small boat and shopping/restaurant area. At no time did I see a single person wearing a mask.

Did you hear about Canadians fortifying their border to keep us out? Now that's ironic...maybe they need to build a wall?

"Since March, the U.S.-Canada border has been closed to all but essential traffic in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. But Americans being Americans, they are flouting the new regulations in the pursuit of their usual summer fun.According to NPR, "Canadian border patrol has effectively prevented caravans of Americans" from crossing the border. Most are arriving by sailboats and luxury yachts.Those crossing the border have often told officials that they are heading to Alaska to circumvent the new regulations.

 But because so many Americans are using the so-called "Alaska loophole," authorities have increased restrictions.One reason Americans are being spotted is that Canadian boaters are using technology to monitor them. With the requirement that all passenger boats have to be equipped with tracking devices to help prevent weather-related accidents, anyone with an internet connection can monitor border-crossings and identify vessels by type and country of origin."     https://tinyurl.com/y3xtjmta

Per CNN

Students are already heading back to school in the US, and plans to keep the coronavirus out of the classroom are already showing some cracks. An Indiana junior high school student tested positive on the first day back, after attending class for part of the day. Another student in Mississippi tested positive after the first week of classes.

And Georgia's largest school district confirmed that at least 260 employees have either tested positive for Covid-19 or have been exposed. In areas where school hasn't started yet, leaders are still considering plans. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he'll make a decision later this week about whether schools in his state should plan to reopen.

I'm really disappointed in Dr. Birx.  I saw a clip of her talking to something called "The 700 Club" on Christian Broadcasting about how Pres. Trump really understands about the virus, etc., etc..  I'm sorry to say this but I almost gagged when I heard all she had to say.

It's all politics as usual. The doctor who Trump and Don Jr. believe will end COVID-19 believes that female sexual problems stem from sexual relations with demons...

https://tinyurl.com/y3ndldw7

There are plenty of Americans who bought vacation property in Canada, something I heard some Canadians are not happy about. A while back one of those who was stuck in Algonac could see his property across the river, but he couldn't get over there via the ferry.   

Some time back one of the discussion group (over on SeniorLearn I think) workd at the NIH but not with Dr. Fauci. She had a very favorable impression of him when she worked there and said she would take his word any day over Trump. I don't recall if she said anything about Dr. Birx, but she certainly does not impress me.

Edit: I wanted to clarify that I was using the word you in this post in general, not in particular.

There are several new conservative blogs that bleat about all of Dr. Fauci's mistakes and how many supposed times he's been wrong.

I do know that he had personally administered to both Ebola and HIV patients before most western doctors would even go near them.

Here are the facts;  https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/anthony-s-fauci-md-bio

"Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Director
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
NIAID Director

Credit
NIAID
Dr. Fauci was appointed director of NIAID in 1984. He oversees an extensive portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat established infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis and malaria as well as emerging diseases such as Ebola and Zika. NIAID also supports research on transplantation and immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune disorders, asthma and allergies. The NIAID budget for fiscal year 2020 is an estimated $5.9 billion.

Dr. Fauci has advised six presidents on HIV/AIDS and many other domestic and global health issues. He was one of the principal architects of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that has saved millions of lives throughout the developing world.

Dr. Fauci also is the longtime chief of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation. He has made many contributions to basic and clinical research on the pathogenesis and treatment of immune-mediated and infectious diseases. He helped pioneer the field of human immunoregulation by making important basic scientific observations that underpin the current understanding of the regulation of the human immune response. In addition, Dr. Fauci is widely recognized for delineating the precise ways that immunosuppressive agents modulate the human immune response. He developed effective therapies for formerly fatal inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases such as polyarteritis nodosa, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly Wegener's granulomatosis), and lymphomatoid granulomatosis. A 1985 Stanford University Arthritis Center Survey of the American Rheumatism Association membership ranked Dr. Fauci's work on the treatment of polyarteritis nodosa and granulomatosis with polyangiitis among the most important advances in patient management in rheumatology over the previous 20 years.

Dr. Fauci has made seminal contributions to the understanding of how HIV destroys the body's defenses leading to its susceptibility to deadly infections. Further, he has been instrumental in developing treatments that enable people with HIV to live long and active lives. He continues to devote much of his research to the immunopathogenic mechanisms of HIV infection and the scope of the body's immune responses to HIV.

In a 2020 analysis of Google Scholar citations, Dr. Fauci ranked as the 41st most highly cited researcher of all time. According to the Web of Science, he ranked 8th out of more than 2.2 million authors in the field of immunology by total citation count between 1980 and January 2020.​

Dr. Fauci has delivered major lectures all over the world and is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor given to a civilian by the President of the United States), the National Medal of Science, the George M. Kober Medal of the Association of American Physicians, the Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service, the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, the Robert Koch Gold Medal, the Prince Mahidol Award, and the Canada Gairdner Global Health Award.  He also has received 45 honorary doctoral degrees from universities in the United States and abroad.

Dr. Fauci is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society, as well as other professional societies including the American College of Physicians, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Association of Immunologists, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. He serves on the editorial boards of many scientific journals; as an editor of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine; and as author, coauthor, or editor of more than 1,300 scientific publications, including several textbooks."

So, whom Are you going to believe? Trump who trusts a doctor who believes demons have sex with humans or Dr. Fauci?

"As the school year approaches and flu season looms on the horizon, the U.S. continues to battle a worsening coronavirus pandemic. No one can predict how the pandemic will play out in the fall, the nation's top infectious disease expert said today, according to a Live Science report.

"I do not know...nor can anyone know what the fall is going to bring," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said today (Aug. 3) during a Q&A put together by the Journal JAMA Network. Back in the spring, when the coronavirus was mainly ravaging the northeast, there was talk of a "second wave" in the fall, Fauci said. That was assuming these numbers would have dropped down to a baseline...but they have not. There are "five easy things that one can do to try and turn that curve around so that as we enter the fall we're really at a low baseline," Fauci said.

 These handful of actions, we know from experience, can help blunt resurgences and prevent new ones from occurring, he said. The first is consistent — and correct — wearing of masks. The second and third are avoiding crowds and keeping distances of 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more between you and others, he said. The fourth is staying away from bars or places where people congregate and attending functions outdoors rather than indoors, he said. The fifth is washing your hands, according to the report. If left to its own devices, the virus "is going to keep resurging," Fauci said. The only way we can stop it is through such countermeasures, he added. "And it can be done. It's not inevitable" that the virus will resurge, he said.

— In the last two weeks, the number of new coronavirus cases increased by 175% in New Jersey, according to NBC News. New Jersey's rate of transmission is now at 1.48, whereas a month ago it was at 0.87, Gov. Phil Murphy said in a COVID-19 briefing today. "We believe that some of this increase is attributable to the number of indoor house parties and other events which we have been seeing across the state," he said. "And with the hot humid weather we've been experiencing we know that there have been many more such indoor parties taking place which have not made the news."

"We cannot be any clearer that indoor gatherings, especially large, crowded ones where social distancing isn't practiced and face masks aren't worn... just are not safe," he added. In response, Murphy announced tightening of indoor gathering restrictions today. There can now only be a maximum of 25 people gathering indoors, down from a maximum of 100, he announced today. But this change will not apply to weddings, funerals and memorial services and religious and political activities protected under the first amendment, he added. The New Jersey Department of Health reported 264 new cases in New Jersey today, bringing the total case count to 182,614."

Several months ago, researchers determined that people who were infected with COVID-19 were experiencing a loss of two senses: smell and taste. Some even reported the symptoms were lingering, unable to smell or taste for months after the virus had left their body. Now, some of those suffering from the highly infectious virus are reporting another lingering sense loss as a result of the virus — hearing.

Their Hearing Got Worse
According to a small study conducted by audiologists at the University of Manchester and published in a letter to the International Journal of Audiology, coronavirus survivors are experiencing hearing complications, with many claiming they are lasting long after they are released from the hospital.

The research team surveyed 120 adults hospitalized with COVID-19 eight weeks post hospitalization. 16 people reported their hearing was worse, 8 claimed their hearing had deteriorated, and 8 reported tinnitus (hearing noises that are not caused by an outside source).

"We already know that viruses such as measles, mumps and meningitis can cause hearing loss, and coronaviruses can damage the nerves that carry information to and from the brain," researcher Kevin Munro, a professor of audiology at the University of Manchester, explained in a press release.

"It is possible, in theory, that COVID-19 could cause problems with parts of the auditory system including the middle ear or cochlea."

Urgent Need for Studies
Researchers did note that more research is needed to pinpoint exactly how the virus affects hearing.

"While we are reasonably confident in the differentiation of preexisting and recent changes in hearing and tinnitus, we urge caution," Munro continued.

"It is possible that factors other than COVID-19 may impact on preexisting hearing loss and tinnitus. These might include stress and anxiety, including the use of face masks that make communication more difficult, medications used to treat COVID-19 that could damage the ear, or other factors related to being critically ill," he explained.

"That is why we believe there is an urgent need for high-quality studies to investigate the acute and temporary effects of COVID-19 on hearing and the audiovestibular system. Timely evidence for decision-makers is urgently needed, so we need to be able to act quickly."

Anchorage is our largest city in Alaska at just over 300,000 in population. They've always been a bit over the top and big on macho men with the rifle in the pickup truck rack. They've also been the epicenter of the virus, originally and now more than ever since the attempted re-opening.

 In March through May they were having ten to thirty cases daily and nineteen deaths. After re-opening Anchorage jumped to 30 to 60 new cases daily and more deaths. So, of course, the Governor and the mayor put back lockdowns and restrictions.  And what do those good old boys and girls do?

"Update, Tuesday 1:30 p.m.: Municipal employees posted a stop work order outside of Kriner's Diner sometime before noon. Restaurant owner Andy Kriner said he will keep operating, despite the order.

Original story:

Emergency Order 15 went into effect Monday in Anchorage, banning indoor dining at restaurants and bars, but not every business complied.

At Kriner's Diner in Midtown, Monday looked like about any other afternoon: Pickup trucks crowded the parking lot. Customers streamed inside, looking for a fix of diner fare: burgers, chili and pie.

Many weren't just there for the food. It was also about making a statement in defiance of the city's restrictions on businesses meant to curb the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

"Any business that's willing to stay open for their livelihood over going on the government dole, I will try to support to the best of my ability," said Chad Hahn as he walked out of the restaurant after a late breakfast of corned beef, hash and eggs.

He said fears of the coronavirus are overblown.

RELATED: Alaska's COVID-19 count tops 3,000, as Anchorage bars and restaurant dining rooms close again

Hahn, a postal service employee, said that keeping business running is what his patronage is all about. He said he also doesn't want to live his life in fear, and he thinks the other customers would agree.

"They're at capacity," he said, when describing the scene inside Kriner's. "They do have distancing. And there are tables that are reserved to maintain distancing. And people are in there and they're happy and they're laughing and they're chatting. Nobody's sitting in fear."

RELATED: Anchorage shuts down bars, restaurants for indoor service

Kriner's owner, Andy Kriner, said remaining open is about staying in business. The diner already living through one shutdown. It has run out of Paycheck Protection Program money and it doesn't have any outdoor seating, Kriner said.

Luckily, he said, supporters have come out in droves.

"I've had three people hand me $100 bills," Kriner said. "People are calling on the phone and paying for people that are here eating because they can get here. Overwhelming support,."

Kriner said he knows there are risks to staying open.

For one, there's the health risk. But, he said, the wait staff is still wearing masks. He said he's doing his best to keep 6 feet between customers, though with the number of guests, that's hard.

Also, there's also the risk of a consequence from the city for violating the mandate. Kriner said he tried to get a response about what might happen if he didn't shut down.

"I couldn't get a straight answer," he said. "What happened if I didn't shut down? So I just thought I'll stay open and see what happens."

As of Monday afternoon, nothing had happened, Kriner said.

Mayor Ethan Berkowitz's administration declined a request for an interview. In a prepared statement, spokesperson Carolyn Hall wrote that the city was pursuing all enforcement options "including informing and educating businesses in violation of the Emergency Order as well as issuing fines and Stop Work Orders."

Hall described the decision to have to close restaurants and bars as "unfortunate," but said that it was based on evidence that the businesses are often linked to disease spread.

When Berkowitz was asked about enforcement of the new order last week, he said Alaskans do not live "in a police state."

"For much of what we do we count on people to do the right things for the right reasons," he said. "There's a tremendous amount of social awareness of what the right kind of behavior is and that kind of social correction, I think, is occurring and will continue to occur."

By late Monday afternoon, Kriner's Diner had posted a message on social media thanking its customers for an amazing day. Customers like Chad Hahn say they'll keep showing up, as long as there's a place to sit and breakfast on the menu."

Related;   Alaska's COVID-19 count tops 3,000, as Anchorage bars and restaurant dining rooms close again or try to. https://tinyurl.com/y62ecsuk