Coronavirus in the United States - news and thoughts

sorta long article, but begins to explain fundamental differences between dems and reps...some discussion seems logical, some scary...
9 essential lessons from psychology to understand the Trump era

 

The mutations angle is interesting. It if is One possibility is a more virulent strain(s) evolved in or became relatively more abundant in NY. Seems like something like that might have happened in China.

https://nypost.com/2020/03/04/chine...pes-of-coronavirus-could-be-infecting-people/


If I’m reading you right, you are talking people in NY being more likely to being subject to simultaneous infections of different covid strains. There’s a lot to think about with that hypothesis. Here are a couple thoughts:

1) Does the math support this as a likelihood? Crappy, back of the envelope math: currently I’m seeing that about 1.5% of the NYC residents have tested positive. The true number can obviously be higher, but probably not 10x higher. Each of these these people would need to catch it twice in relatively short order. Then, the second exposure would have to be from a genetically distinct strain, rather than what might be more likely, exposure to the same strain twice.

2) Most mutations are neutral with respect to the function of the organism. Ie two covid viruses with one DNA difference are likely identical from a phenotypic perspective. So we would need not only a mutation, but a rare one that changes the functioning of the virus. In addition (and here Im getting out my depth), we might even need the effect of the mutation to be so drastic that antibodies against one strain do not work to recognize the other. Otherwise, the immune response to one should oppress thed other as if they were a single strain anyway. Even here, supposedly the immune system is equipo to handle simultaneous infections of 10,000 different antigens, so a simple difference in antigens (ie recognition molecules) might not be sufficient to bring about a change in the infection either. Perhaps we’d need both a change in antigen structure and viral function. But again, we are definitely reaching the limits of my knowledge here, so I wouldn’t trust everything I’m saying.

Still, seems somewhat unlikely to me that we are seeing an effect that is coming from multiple infections.

PS: Im seeing 40 mutations identified in the Iceland study. Was it 40 or 290?

PPS: Found this article that further suggests that we likely aren’t seeing many different kinds of strains at this time. Probably could have just started here rather than all the rambling above.

Coronavirus: How scientists are tracking 8 strains of SARS-CoV-2 virus

 

Here is the article link to study inside. Last paragraph says 291 mutations.
LOL this is all way over my head. I was just thinking out loud.
Article on COVID-19 in Iceland in New England Journal of Medicine

 

The battle between the Dems and the Gop has become a battle of good vs evil, with each side claiming to be the 'good guys'...Trump complains about the 'media' and 'fake news', yet it is trump, many in the Gop, many conservative think tanks, pacs and fox, by design and by plan, purposefully generate false conspiracy theories to fan the flames of hate and demagoguery among their base. This represents the worst iteration of humanity. Truth and compassion have no place in this new twisted reality within this period in history. Our Democracy is under siege, and it may negatively impact our ability to control coronovirus spread, casualties and its negative impact on our economy.

 

A lot of pubs do not support T. I think that needs to be understood and recognized

 

Antibody study in Stanford indicates that there are a lot more people infected with coronavirus than was previously thought.

Antibody study suggests coronavirus is far more widespread than previously thought

Good news on how deadly the virus really is:

It's still too soon to think about herd immunity, however:

 

Absolutely.

 

The problem is the good ones are mostly silent or waffling in their criticism.

 

There maybe so many factors. Maybe Viral load. Maybe an immune system that says, “oh, I have seen a Coronavirus before” and responds minimally. (Coronaviruses typically cause colds). Maybe a less virile time strain. We are constantly exposed to germs that don’t make us sick. Doctors? Virologists?

 

That is true and I think most posters recognize that. But unfortunately the Trump supporting Republicans are very vocal and support him aggressively. In fact, their MO is to nastily turn on moderate/honest Republicans as well. The result is the appearance of complete and blind support of Trump by the Republican party.

 

And the are others who formerly were dems that are now T supporters too. Snake oil salesman that has drawn in a lot of different groups

 

They argue that 30000 plus deaths in a month with measures to prevent and reduce an exponential growth curve is an overreaction. They have consistently flat out lied to people who are more than willing to accept those lies. The heart of the lack of national leadership has been to blame Democratic State governments from the beginning. This is why Trump places the blame and responsibility on states and had done so consistently. It is about election strategy. The “just like the flu” argument is resurrected. They play the results is the social distancing stay-at-home measures and condemn them, with no assessment of what would have happened if we did nothing and utter disregard for the rest of what happened I’m the rest of the world. “Oh look. The hospitals were not overrun in New York. They didn’t run out of ventilators.” And they ignore the results in the west coast states which shut down earlier. I don’t watch FOx at night. Do they discuss the PPE shortages? Health care workers getting sick and dying? Do they interview the overwhelmed doctors and nurses in the hospitals in New York and elsewhere? What this shows is that these people will give advice that places their audience at risk of sickness or death and the audience will still believe them. The spread of lies and ignorance.

 

New York was seeded in mid February by the Italian mutation. A genome study confirmed this.

 

Cite a source. Define "a lot." Anyone can play this game. (Ain't freedom of speech and opinion great?) How 'bout:

Almost all dims are in lemming-like lockstep against Republicans in general, and Trump in particular. I think that needs to be understood and recognized.

 

Me for 1. Never voted for dem potus until now. Millions of rhinos, as some would call us, out there. Some people are more prone to independent thought instead of herd mentality. We are more interested in accountability and problem solving than cheering on our team regardless of what they do or don't do. Most of my ilk have given up on this board though. Oakland, gatornorth, Sierra, and a few others are still around. Too many from both parties more against something than for something. Fringes of both parties villanize and ostracize anyone who tries to craft a compromise that might actually work

 

That was an informative piece. Explains a lot - except for me, of course, I’m immune to that sort of thing . Thanks for posting.

 

Particularly those in elected office who, by nature of being elected, have a natural pulpit. Other influential non-elected Republicans or former Republicans have formed groups that publicly oppose Trump. Republicans For The Rule of Law and The Lincoln Project are two that spring to mind and of course Kellyanne’s husband, a conservative, regularly points out the ludicrous and unAmerican failings of Trump.

 

I consider myself a partially conservative democrat. fiscally conservative and an ardent private property rights conservative. I oppose the inheritance tax and other regressive taxes. I hate the label 'liberal' and believe the party should distance themselves from being labeled.

 

Can't believe it took them this long:

Walmart employees will be required to wear face coverings starting Monday

 

the HORROR!!!!!!
@channingcrowderhungry

Beer may lose its fizz as CO2 supplies go flat during pandemic