Getting back to the original topic for a second, I don't believe Texas is overcounting cases. But I do think the numbers in the big cities will go down just because of the lines I see every day at the health clinics. 2-3 weeks ago, the lines were around the building for people getting tested. Now it's nothing. Hospital ICU usage is flattening (not going down but not increasing either which is good).
But there is one part of Texas I remain very worried about, the border counties on the Texas/Mexico border. You can't imagine they have the best health facilities down there to begin with, and there is also a lot of poverty (32 percent of the population in that county lives in poverty, and the median income for that county of nearly 1 million people is under 40,000 a household). So it's about twice the poverty rate of Harris County (Houston) and the average household income is 2/3rd of Harris County.
Their Covid numbers are skyrocketing and it's gotten so bad that finally today Governor Abbott was able to get them some much-needed emergency medical help from the U.S. Army. The county tried to get some humanitarian medical aid (Samaritan's Purse) but that organization turned down the request because quite frankly, it's just too hot down there for the mobile aid stations to be very effective.
1248 new cases in Hidalgo County today alone (22 deaths). Yesterday the county reported 66 new deaths, although I think that might have been 2 days worth but they just reported them all at once. I think those numbers are on the rise, whereas the rest of the state might be seeing numbers go down. A few other counties on the border (and also Nueces County which is Corpus Christi) aren't doing well either, but Hidalgo County (which has the cities Edinburg and McAllen, among others) is definitely ground zero for Texas currently.
(This post was last modified: 07-16-2020 08:33 PM by Fort Bend Owl.)
(07-16-2020 08:32 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote: Getting back to the original topic for a second, I don't believe Texas is overcounting cases. But I do think the numbers in the big cities will go down just because of the lines I see every day at the health clinics. 2-3 weeks ago, the lines were around the building for people getting tested. Now it's nothing. Hospital ICU usage is flattening (not going down but not increasing either which is good).
But there is one part of Texas I remain very worried about, the border counties on the Texas/Mexico border. You can't imagine they have the best health facilities down there to begin with, and there is also a lot of poverty (32 percent of the population in that county lives in poverty, and the median income for that county of nearly 1 million people is under 40,000 a household). So it's about twice the poverty rate of Harris County (Houston) and the average household income is 2/3rd of Harris County.
Their Covid numbers are skyrocketing and it's gotten so bad that finally today Governor Abbott was able to get them some much-needed emergency medical help from the U.S. Army. The county tried to get some humanitarian medical aid (Samaritan's Purse) but that organization turned down the request because quite frankly, it's just too hot down there for the mobile aid stations to be very effective.
1248 new cases in Hidalgo County today alone (22 deaths). Yesterday the county reported 66 new deaths, although I think that might have been 2 days worth but they just reported them all at once. I think those numbers are on the rise, whereas the rest of the state might be seeing numbers go down. A few other counties on the border (and also Nueces County which is Corpus Christi) aren't doing well either, but Hidalgo County (which has the cities Edinburg and McAllen, among others) is definitely ground zero for Texas currently.
Mexico, as well as most of Latin America, is getting much worse.
It is a fact that Texas overcounted cases. Bexar County included as positives people who were merely suspected to have it, rather than just basing it on positive tests.
Last I checked, Houston's hospitals were at 51% of maximum capacity. Media reports that they are over 100% of capacity, but that is standard capacity, not what they are capable of. Hospitalizations and cases appeared to be flattening.
Maybe people will be more responsible. My nephew got it from going to a big party in Galveston. Most of the kids there got it. My brother-in-law got it, probably from my nephew. Neither very serious, although it was more unpleasant for my brother-in-law. But there's been so much bs, lies and contradictory information, you can't believe any of the "experts."
(07-16-2020 07:57 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote: No one is telling you not to wear a mask if you want to.
You know good and well the flaw of that argument, which is that for masks to work, it has to be everyone or nearly so. Yes, I know, you don't believe they work anyway, but just because you post it 100 times a day doesn't make your inane blather any more true. You're very brave for dying on this hill, though, good job.
Getting to be a moot point in a lot of places since businesses are increasingly requiring them and places that can't feasibly require them (bars etc) are getting shut down again in places with outbreaks.
(07-16-2020 07:57 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote: No one is telling you not to wear a mask if you want to.
You know good and well the flaw of that argument, which is that for masks to work, it has to be everyone or nearly so. Yes, I know, you don't believe they work anyway, but just because you post it 100 times a day doesn't make your inane blather any more true. You're very brave for dying on this hill, though, good job.
Getting to be a moot point in a lot of places since businesses are increasingly requiring them and places that can't feasibly require them (bars etc) are getting shut down again in places with outbreaks.
It is not enforceable. Too many people will ignore it. Its like a 55 mph speed limit. Many will obey it. Many will not.
With the endorsement of the protests which violated every rule on avoiding transmission, government has zero credibility in many people's minds. The idea that they can get everyone to do what they want is over. The people who think otherwise have no understanding of human nature.
(07-16-2020 06:07 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote: Game show host Chuck Woolery (my mom was actually on one of his shows years ago but that's a different story) on Monday on Twitter
“The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it," Woolery wrote. Trump liked the tweet so much he re-tweeted it.
Tuesday (the very next day), here's another tweet from Woolery.
“To further clarify and add perspective, Covid-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones."
He deleted his twitter account shortly thereafter.
Here's a true story, 100% true...
62 year old man 9 years into a liver transplant and does dialysis 3 times a week, along with high blood pressure and diabetes. He catches COVID from his 14 year old daughter. The day he caught it the 14 year old was at the home of her aunt and her son. The 14 year old hugged all 3 but only the father tested positive for covid.
Two days later the 62 year old thought he had food poison. Went to the ER and tested positive for covid. I know of 4 other people that was around the positive but no symptoms 14 year old that did not get covid.
Her stepfather caught it while at a card game. The only one out of 7 others at the card game...other than the carrier. The 14 year old mother and her 5 year old brother all tested positive. The stepfather had a heart attack last year....
at the very least 13 people around 14 year old and her step father did not test positive. Only 2 of the 5 showed any problems with covid. One had a bad heart and I told you about all the problems the 62 year old had.
Both are alive today and while I wont go into all the details I will tell you this...
people on the covid floor of hospitals are getting piss poor care. That is what the media should be doing stories on. If they have a stroke or heart problems or any other problems that cant be treated on that floor. They will lay there and die.
If they put you on blood thinners because covid suppose to produce clots and you start to bleed. They will not take you off that floor to get you scan to see where the blood is coming from. Have a stroke, unless they can bring a test to you...you wont get it
I have power of atty over the 62 year old in this story and below is the call I got from a doctor wanting me to give up and let them pass on. Two days after this call the person is sitting up in bed eating and moved from the covid floor 2 days after that.
The kicker is this was the 2nd time they asked me to let my brother pass with comfort care. The first time was when they told me he had small strokes and a major one with probably a burst. They told me he would not ever be the same. Most likely not know anyone or anything or live on his own. Telling me this trying to get me to stop treatment...
5 hours later he wakes up and started singing Elvis and Johnny Cash to the nurses. To this day (3 weeks later) he has no sign of a stroke. They told me all of that off of no test. They had not done any scans because they could not move him from the covid floor. Till you test negative
I recorded the next time they called. This was after putting him on blood thinners because they said he had a stroke. As I said 2 days later he's sitting up eating.I wonder how many other families were told similar stories and made a different decision than I do...probably a lot. He would be dead today over what turned out to be bleeding from a old hemorrhoid scar. They didnt know this because they can not remove a covid positive from that floor to take scans.
Even after going through this with my brother...
I still feel like we are getting scammed because for the most part only those with major problems are really getting sick. I'm not talking about those that puke their guts out...that's not dangerously sick. It's more in line with flu sickness. That's basically is what my brother had till his piss poor treatment at the hospital. After getting his files I found out they had him doped up with propofol, thats probably the reason he didnt move much in 5 days.
I edited the video because of personal info...the dr went on to say a lot of families would rather their love one not suffer and he only stopped trying to push it after we told him. We are not those people, we are going to be selfish for a while longer. The doctor talks about a ventilator but in the whole stay my brother was never on one. He never had breathing problems.
(This post was last modified: 07-17-2020 09:18 AM by WKUYG.)
FBO.... I've been 'with you' on a fair amount of this stuff... but good facts don't need bad arguments.
(07-16-2020 04:26 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote: We're up to 7 cases now in our 2 offices (at least - we have probably another 4 or 5 for precautionary reasons or are awaiting their results). The latest one has a pretty severe case - already in the hospital. And he's in his 30's.
Anecdotal experience not remotely proof of anything being discussed. I'm sorry for your friends... but that could be the case and the numbers STILL be misrepresented.
Quote:But it's all a hoax .
Said nobody, ever... not even Trump. My problem with this argument is that I know you're smart enough to know better... to know the language and Trump's usage of it. You are CHOOSING a very clearly incorrect interpretation of what anyone has said in order to support your contention. If your contention is logically valid, it doesn't need misrepresentations.
Quote:Wear your damn masks!
As you know, I agree this is a best practice. If people don't and the store does nothing, rather than confront the individuals, I suggest you tell the shop owner that you're taking your business elsewhere and tell him why. He can then choose to keep your business and deny theirs, or vice versa. If they're the only shop around, it creates an opportunity for you to be an entrepreneur and open another store.... OR... you can wear PPE and go into the store much less frequently/buy in bulk/do delivery/get someone to shop for you.
since day 1
