Year 2 - Day #104 - Still Hot, Still Here

[shadowkat]

I probably skipped a day in there, not certain, don't really care. I doubt anyone will notice anyhow.

Me: I wish I could go down and take you places, run errands for you - basically do everything for you that you did for your mother.
Mother: Are you beating yourself up again?
Me: Yes.
Mother: Stop it. And don't let other people pressure you.

Mother did however let her cousin pressure her into following up with her doctor - so that the bone stimulator folks came today and showed her the CT scan. No change. Still not healed. They are fed-exing another portion of the bone simulator -since the strap doesn't fit around her hip. They told her to push back her doctor's appointment and give the simulator a chance to work.

Mother also found my father's television remote and squared him away in his new room at the long-term care facility.

Meanwhile, in other news, Aunt M has been released from the occupational therapy center, and will have home health care and PT. She has a long haul, but turned a corner for the better. Spoke with Aunt K - and apparently all is well in her corner of the US - her entire community in Clear water, Florida has been vaccinated now - so they have activities, visit with each other, and she teaches water aerobics three times a week.
Also she got involved with the vaccination effort - and felt great to get back involved with nursing for a bit.

On a sadder note, yet another friend from my church has been diagnosed with Cancer - this time colon cancer. They found a malignant tumor and it's scheduled to be removed. I don't know what is up with this year - but everyone seems to be going in and out of the hospital with various ailments. Okay, not everyone, just more people than I'm used to. Last year, actually, wasn't as bad.

Learned from Aunt K that she stopped Hormone Replacement Therapy because it caused cysts, and the black chobash messed up her stomach - apparently it doesn't digest well or at all, and just works its way out. This fit with Jen Guttner's Menopause Manifesto which strongly advises against homopathic remedies. Especially black chobash. I wish I knew this before I bought some. All well only took about six. I threw it out. Throwing out the other bottle as well. Apparently the only things I can use are ice packs, a fan, diet, exercise, and light weight clothing in layers. Lovely.

***
Covid

Masks are once again the focus of conflicting views as a highly contagious coronavirus variant spreads across the globe.

In May, American health officials said that fully vaccinated people no longer needed to wear masks, even indoors. But that was before the Delta variant took hold. Worried by a global surge in variant cases, the World Health Organization stood by its recommendation that everyone wear masks to stem the spread of the virus. On Monday, health officials in Los Angeles County followed suit.

Well that's not confusing at all. Sigh. I wish people would make up their mind. I'm wearing the masks inside, and not outside. Except in cases where no one is around or I can social distance by six feet or more. [They can't make up their minds regarding masks. Neither can my work place - although this explains my work places confusion regarding it. We keep getting revised emails regarding the "revised" mask policy.]

The Delta variant may cause us all to go under lockdown again in the Fall, just around the time - I'm getting ready to visit my folks. The Universe is such a jokester.

The variant has been identified in at least 85 countries, and now accounts for one in five infections in the U.S. Countries in the Asia-Pacific region with slow vaccination campaigns are scrambling to slow the spread of the variant by resorting to new lockdowns, including in four big cities in Australia as well as in Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Well, yeah, the US has folks traveling about too. It's not just other countries.


Also? NYC now offers at home vaccines for anyone over the age of 12 and up. Also, apparently at home rapid virus testing is still available for the vaccinated with any sniffles or fears of contracting it.

Brazil has become a serious problem - it has the Gamma and Delta variants, also it's hit the second highest death toll in the world, and the highest average - 1 in 400 have contracted and died of the COVID virus. People there are being choosy about vaccines - they don't want the Chinese vaccine. Also they aren't following any protocols - it's business as usual there. Small wonder that they are averaging 3-4,000 cases a day. Note to self stay away from Brazil - during pandemics.

I don't trust the numbers coming out of India and Russia. I know it's much higher than either are admitting.

NYC meanwhile is trying to figure out how to make outdoor dining permanent. I'll give them credit -they've certain been creative with the whole outdoor dining thing. Does make going down sidewalks perilous though. Areas of Court Street and Smith in Brooklyn are almost impossible.
Courteylou is much better. It has side-streets. And not as many.

Meanwhile..

* The African Union is pushing the European Union to amend its digital travel pass to include Covishield, a vaccine used in many low-income countries.

* In Abu Dhabi, the U.A.E. capital, unvaccinated residents older than 15 will not be able to access most public places after Aug. 20.

* Canada is still mostly closed to Americans. Here’s why. [I'll save you the read - apparently they are afraid the US will give them the Delta variant - which even vaccinated could contract and transmit to non-vaccinated. So they are being cautious.]

* Britain offered a narrow exemption to its quarantine rules for business travelers “bringing significant economic benefit.”

* United Airlines is rapidly expanding its fleet to keep up with rebounding travel.

Politics or rather NYC Politics

Eric Adams’s lead shrunk significantly in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, with Kathryn Garcia closing in.

A week after Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, held a substantial lead among in-person voters, Adams now leads Garcia by only two percentage points, 51.1 percent to 48.9 percent — a margin of 15,908 votes — after 11 rounds of elimination, with Maya Wiley in third place.

But those numbers may be scrambled again as the city’s Board of Elections tabulates outcomes that will include more than 124,000 Democratic absentee ballots. A fuller result is not expected until mid-July.

I don't know ranked choice voting is confusing and stressful. Why not just count the first place votes? Also, it's just me or does it take us a lot longer now to determine a winner?

I don't really care who wins - but I think Adams has a better chance against the Republican candidate. I could be wrong about that. I only care that no Republican ever gets into public office ever again.


***

I feel inundated with ads. The return to the office on a hybrid basis - caused me to go on an online shopping spree with mixed results. The skirts fit for the most part, one was a bit tight. Loved the shirt though, may get another. Also maybe a pleated skirt in a larger size.

Sisinlaw had a lovely dress on her website - but alas it was the last one in stock, and had a 24 chest in all sizes, apparently Sis-in-law is oblivious to the fact that big-busted women exist? I may have to educate her on that point.

***

Dinner tonight was La Pasta Gluten-Free Ravolia, hand made, with pesto and tomatoes and parmesene cheese. I don't know if this was cheating or not? Also had a smoothie - oat yogurt (no sugar), a small portion of a banana, peach, three strawberries, hemp protein, and maca. Lunch, salmon over greens, with radishes and cucumbers. Breakfast, oatmeal - quick steel cut oatmeal, cashew milk. Snack? Nuts and dried cranberries and sunflower seeds. With some dark chocolate.

I don't drink sugary or sugar free drinks - so tea and water.

***

Niece plus boyfriend, according to mother, made it up to Rhode Island beach house with my brother, his wife, and their best friend and his significant other. Brother's best friend and significant other sound like a contemporary romance story. He's a trust fund baby, from connected parents, who has bi-polar, and sister committed suicide. His father is a world-reknowned psychologist and his uncle an Archbishop. His last fiancee stood him up at the altar. And he works as a public defender in NYC. His girl-friend has two kids and is divorced. It kind of writes itself.

My life has been uneventful in the romance department. But my brother's is interesting.

Oh well, it was hot in Rhode Island - and no air conditioning. Slightly better today - dipped to 83 degrees. I'm glad I'm not there - I need A/C right now. Also, the water is cold - which I thought was interesting.

Comments

[arthur_p_dent]

Did too notice. =]

The debate about masks will keep going on, but I think most people are over it by now. I’ve been following the “bare minimum” rule since the beginning - wherever it’s required by law, and that’s it. Nobody really knows how much benefit masks provide anyway. I’m sure they do help to some degree, but probably not nearly to the extent they would have us believe.

Numbers coming out of any country are bogus. Here in Canada it’s been known for some time that anyone who had the virus at the time they died was counted as a Covid death - even if they died in an unrelated fashion such as a car crash. Beyond that, anyone can use statistics to substantiate whatever thing they want you to believe, and no one is ever unbiased - so how are we supposed to actually make informed decisions?

The real test of everything will come in the fall when the next cold and flu season rolls around. If numbers start spiking again I don’t know what we’re going to do.

[shadowkat]

I’ve been following the “bare minimum” rule since the beginning - wherever it’s required by law, and that’s it. Nobody really knows how much benefit masks provide anyway. I’m sure they do help to some degree, but probably not nearly to the extent they would have us believe.

Regarding masks? There's proof actually - I live in NYC and work for a State Agency. Our infection rate, death rate, hospitalization rate, all went down considerably when everyone started wearing masks. The areas where the infection rate went up - were areas where folks didn't wear masks or treated it the way you are. My area went from having ambulances constantly to not at all - due to the increase in wearing masks. Also it's been medically proven - by the fact that the essential workers who were masks were not being hospitalized, while people who did not wear masks did.

Masks - depending on the type you wear - if it's a bandana and not folded more than once or a gaiter - then no, it probably won't help - because the particles can most likely get through that. The mask if used properly, and with the correct fibers (such as the blue surgical masks, two layers with a filter, KN95, KN94 masks) filters out small particles. If both people are wearing one and socially distancing, then the likely hood of getting the virus is almost nil. If you are outside not wearing a mask - you are most likely okay. It's notable that this season in NYC - fewer people died of the flu, and few people got it - why? Masks! Also Asia - had less deaths and hospitalizations pre-vaccine because they put on masks at the get-go.

Numbers coming out of any country are bogus.

There's always some discrepancies. It's hard to get it perfect, but they aren't bogus. Like all scientific data - there are discrepancies. Humans are flawed creatures - after all.

They use testing data and contact tracings. Also hospitals know who has the illness. How? Well in some cases they can test via the fluid from the lungs.

The difficulty is that not everyone who has contracted the virus got tested, or necessarily knew it. Plus there are folks, in my own community for example, who died at home from the virus and never made it to the hospital and weren't counted.

I could have had it at one point for example - why back in December or November 2019 - when it was most likely first here, a milder version - but never knew. There's no way of knowing.
If anything they are undercounting because of this. I have family members who've had the virus, but either got a false negative, or weren't tested. Two were long-haulers.

Here in Canada it’s been known for some time that anyone who had the virus at the time they died was counted as a Covid death - even if they died in an unrelated fashion such as a car crash.

No, sorry that's not how it works. First of all - if a person dies in the car crash - they wouldn't be tested for COVID. If they'd been tested and found positive prior to the car crash - they would still be considered - cause of death? Car crash. Unless, they made it to the hospital, with minor injuries, and clearly would have survived, but contract COVID, and died of complications from COVID.

Here, I know of cases - where people died in a car crash - racing to the hospital for covid, but were counted as a car crash fatality. Or someone who died in their home from a heart attack six months after COVID, and they'd never had any heart issues or any history of heart disease in their life. But it was counted as a heart attack.

Beyond that, anyone can use statistics to substantiate whatever thing they want you to believe, and no one is ever unbiased - so how are we supposed to actually make informed decisions?

Well if you base your decisions purely on statistical data and from less than reliable sources...but not if you know how to look deeper, and analyze the data and can find reliable ones.

Marketing folks manipulate statistical data all the time, but there are ways to look deeper. It helps if you have access to primary sources. Here's what I know - the Johns Hopkins University Site is possibly the most accurate, since it's conservative in its tabulations, the NY Times, is next in that it counts or looks at those who most likely hadn't been covered. Behind that? I know people in India - who reported the numbers are higher than being reported.

The US's numbers are the most accurate - although Trump did try to change it and make the numbers lower. (Note - the number of deaths and cases is higher than what has been tabulated not lower, all logic points to that. Trump and various others have attempted via marketing tactics, such as deflection, broad generalizations, etc to convince people not to trust health authorities and health data. The way to see through these tactics - is to break it down, and think about it logically and objectively.) You can't manipulate the statistics that well or completely, when people are dying, and hospitals are overrun. The hospitals were overrun in NYC in the spring. The city shut down. And it could only open up with the masks and vaccine.

I admittedly may have access to more information than a lot of folks do - because of where I work. Also we lost over 159 people to the virus in my work place, and yes, we know it was the virus. And I have family members who are long haulers. If anything the number of deaths to the virus has been "under counted" not "over counted". So - the numbers? Are higher - more people died, not less. Sorry, I know you wanted to think otherwise.

They count them per testing - and use the tests to determine. And have a testing database that records the data. But if someone doesn't get tested, it's hard to determine. Also hospitalizations and intubtations count them as well. I know someone who works for the NY Department of Health who are responsible for tabulating that data.

Virologists and Epidemiologists have stated that masks do prevent the virus from spreading. Not only that - they've provided numerous demonstrations online of how it does so. As have environmental engineers and OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Association) done so.

[arthur_p_dent]

You hit the nail on the head regarding masks - “correct masks worn properly”. Outside of health care workers and other first responders, how likely is it that those protocols are being met? That in and of itself is why mask effectiveness can be debated. Is it better than not wearing them? Yes - absolutely. Are there people who contracted the virus and contributed to the spread because they weren’t doing it right? Also yes.

I’m fortunate enough in that my entire region is less than half a million people - a far cry from being a compressed metropolis like NYC. The laws on where masks are required are thorough, but because everything is so spread out, and much of our retail has been shut down for most of the past 18 months, there is a minimum of areas where it actually needs to be applied. I couldn’t imagine being in a large city under these circumstances - it’s certainly significantly different than anything I’ve experienced.

Record keeping and statistical data hopefully has been improving as things have progressed, but in the beginning is was definitely a crap-shoot. I was wrong about car accident victims being included - deaths from trauma, etc were reported as such. However, wherever the underlying cause of death was not determined, if the person had Covid they were included among Covid deaths - at least for a period here in Canada:

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-we-have-an-incomplete-picture-of-covid-deaths/wcm/2115b80c-61f6-45af-b318-0dcb24a63717/amp/

I don’t necessarily want numbers to be lower or higher - I would just have preferred that what was reported to us as “facts” was actually factual. Tell me what you know and then tell me the other things that you think separately - don’t blend it all together. I agree that in the beginning there were likely significant numbers of cases and deaths that were unreported, simply because we didn’t have the means to do so. Like you, I possibly had a somewhat mild case in January 2020 - but at that time nobody knew that Covid was a thing, and I just dismissed it as the flu.

Data manipulation may be unlikely at the source where it is first compiled, but what gets fed to us regular folk through governments, news outlets, and social media is far from reliable. Governments will tell you what they need to in order to justify their decisions. News outlets will sensationalize in order to get you to watch their program over someone else’s . Social media - I’m sorry, but far too many people treat memes on FB as legitimate sources of factual news. Most people won’t look beyond these sources, and so their view of the situation will never be rooted in the true facts.

[yourlibrarian]

Ooh, how pretty those flowers are!

[shadowkat]

Thank you!

[trepkos]

Britain offered a narrow exemption to its quarantine rules for business travelers “bringing significant economic benefit.”

This makes me angry. A lot has, today.