tashoya
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Post by tashoya on Mar 18, 2020 7:24:02 GMT -5
Aside from the paucity of commercial test availability (at my hospital, the offsite reference lab we had been using for testing, already no faster than the state lab at 3-5+ day turnaround, yesterday declined to accept further specimens as they were beyond capacity), our state DOH is maxed out at 400 tests a day with similar turnaround times. Now we are faced with a shortage of flocked swabs without which we cannot even collect specimens. Our wards are filling up with suspect cases for which we cannot make a definitive diagnosis to clear them to go home or to other destinations (nursing facilities for example). Situations like this are exactly why the alarm bells should have been sounded earlier. Other than Naval support, is there anything that can be done to help deal with the huge spike in patients? To Dan and to the other folks here dealing with this first-hand, thank you so very much for what you do. Though I know it's nearly impossible, please do your very best to stay safe.
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cas92
Bulldog (over 250 posts)
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Post by cas92 on Mar 18, 2020 7:30:41 GMT -5
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SSHoya
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"Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown."
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Mar 18, 2020 7:46:27 GMT -5
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Post by SSHoya on Mar 18, 2020 7:46:27 GMT -5
Aside from the paucity of commercial test availability (at my hospital, the offsite reference lab we had been using for testing, already no faster than the state lab at 3-5+ day turnaround, yesterday declined to accept further specimens as they were beyond capacity), our state DOH is maxed out at 400 tests a day with similar turnaround times. Now we are faced with a shortage of flocked swabs without which we cannot even collect specimens. Our wards are filling up with suspect cases for which we cannot make a definitive diagnosis to clear them to go home or to other destinations (nursing facilities for example). Situations like this are exactly why the alarm bells should have been sounded earlier. Other than Naval support, is there anything that can be done to help deal with the huge spike in patients? To Dan and to the other folks here dealing with this first-hand, thank you so very much for what you do. Though I know it's nearly impossible, please do your very best to stay safe. The Defense Production Act could be invoked to essentially order private manufacturing facilities to convert to production of ventilators or PPE. One sharp reporter asked Trump this question and he gave his typical " we are looking at everything" response. Why hasn't the DPA been invoked? (DPA was invoked during the Vietnam War to produce Agent Orange and to provide price supports to cobalt mines which was necessary to produce jet engines for thr F-4 Phantom fighter jet). www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-calls-on-trump-to-use-defense-production-act-for-massive-wartime-manufacturing-mobilization-for-coronavirus-tests-medical-equipment
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Elvado
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Mar 18, 2020 7:57:44 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Mar 18, 2020 7:57:44 GMT -5
Situations like this are exactly why the alarm bells should have been sounded earlier. Other than Naval support, is there anything that can be done to help deal with the huge spike in patients? To Dan and to the other folks here dealing with this first-hand, thank you so very much for what you do. Though I know it's nearly impossible, please do your very best to stay safe. The Defense Production Act could be invoked to essentially order private manufacturing facilities to convert to production of ventilators or PPE. One sharp reporter asked Trump this question and he gave his typical " we are looking at everything" response. Why hasn't the DPA been invoked? (DPA was invoked during the Vietnam War to produce Agent Orange and to provide price supports to cobalt mines which was necessary to produce jet engines for thr F-4 Phantom fighter jet). www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-calls-on-trump-to-use-defense-production-act-for-massive-wartime-manufacturing-mobilization-for-coronavirus-tests-medical-equipmentThis is a tremendous idea. Beyond the almost immediate benefit of infrared production of vital supplies and equipment, it will keep people working. Should have been done yesterday.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2020 10:01:08 GMT -5
Trump has never totally understood or cared what duties many agencies in the government are supposed to fulfill. He has thought of DHS strictly through the prism of immigration, not the role that FEMA plays within that agency.
“In previous national emergencies, FEMA would be responsible for finding out where to obtain masks, ventilators, hospital beds &tents from either the military or private sector & ensuring the supplies are delivered to states, according to Michael Chertoff”
"New York City also put in a request for more than 2 million masks and only received 76,000; all were expired"
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hoya9797
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Post by hoya9797 on Mar 18, 2020 10:06:49 GMT -5
Calling Trump the worst president in American history will not be remotely adequate to describe how horrible he has been. And, the worst is yet to come.
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SSHoya
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"Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown."
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Mar 18, 2020 11:09:35 GMT -5
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Post by SSHoya on Mar 18, 2020 11:09:35 GMT -5
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prhoya
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Post by prhoya on Mar 18, 2020 12:10:22 GMT -5
The GU alumni in the Trump administration are reading HoyaTalk! 😉 Keep them informed, SS et al. You’re saving people out there.
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3xhoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by 3xhoya on Mar 18, 2020 12:39:15 GMT -5
I am a physician who works in a field that is primarily elective (rehab/pain medicine). I have had a cough for the past 5 days and called the NY State Coronavirus hotline today to attempt to get tested. I qualified for testing and was told I would get a call back. Six hours later I am still waiting for that call. Ethically, since I do not know what I have, I will remain home as I can not risk spreading this to my vulnerable patients and colleagues. It is a trying time because I am also not getting any guidance on what we should be doing. My department has taken it upon itself to begin cancelling all elective procedures and non-urgent medical visits. We are also instituting Telehealth so we can communicate with patients from the safety of their home. I'm very sorry to hear this. I hope that you're tested (as you should have been already) and that you're cleared. Even if that's not the case, I hope you're feeling better very soon. Best to you. Thank you for your concern. I was tested yesterday. I took it upon myself to just go to the drive through New Rochelle testing center after 24 hours of no phone call about testing. It was quite the surreal experience. The testing center opens at 9AM and I arrived at 8. There was already a line of cars extending to the main road (the testing center is on a small island so there is only one way in). Promptly at 9 they opened the center and we all filed in in our cars. There was a large tent set up, approximately five lanes. The entire facility is run by the national guard and they are all wearing fatigues and N95 masks (intimidating to say the least). There is no human contact...your windows remain closed the entire time, they yell through the window to place your ID on the dashboard as well as tell you to write your cell number so you can later be tested. You pull up to the tent and they take down your information. You then pull forward and your ID's are checked again, through the window by a person in a full biocontainment suit. They then instruct you to lower the window and they swab your nose and throat with separate swabs. The person performing the swab was very pleasant and professional. You then pull forward where they verified your personal information one last time. They then held up a hand written sign: "Results in 2-3 days." And you then exit the island. It was a very surreal experience but overall very well run and everyone was kind and professional. Interesting how there was really not contact, no questions, nothing. I had been registered in the state database to be tested but nobody checked. It appeared as if anyone could go an get tested. I have overall been feeling fine. I have a dry cough, intermittent headaches but luckily no fevers or any other symptoms. I will wait for my results and then contact my hospital for further guidance as to return to work either way. I have an Aunt and Uncle who were tested before me and both were positive. They both have a cough and have had elevated temperatures intermittently, 100.1-100.2 (technically not a fever according to our medical definition which would be 100.4). They are also doing well and are self quarantining in their home. I wanted to share my experience because I figure it may help people to know what to expect if they go to a similar facility. Feel free to ask any questions either here or by PM. I am happy to help as best I can. I am not as knowledgeable about Covid as DanMcQ as he is currently on the front lines but happy to share any information I have.
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hoya9797
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by hoya9797 on Mar 18, 2020 13:34:15 GMT -5
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hoyajinx
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Mar 18, 2020 13:59:03 GMT -5
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Post by hoyajinx on Mar 18, 2020 13:59:03 GMT -5
He wants credit for banning flights from China as he attempts to spin the “10 out of 10” job he’s done responding to the virus, but, given his lack of apparent concern for COVID-19 until a day ago, it was most assuredly done out of dog-whistle xenophobia; it had nothing to do with actually containing the virus. The fact that he keeps calling it the “China Virus” certainly speaks to that xenophobia.
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tashoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 12,328
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Post by tashoya on Mar 18, 2020 15:18:37 GMT -5
I'm very sorry to hear this. I hope that you're tested (as you should have been already) and that you're cleared. Even if that's not the case, I hope you're feeling better very soon. Best to you. Thank you for your concern. I was tested yesterday. I took it upon myself to just go to the drive through New Rochelle testing center after 24 hours of no phone call about testing. It was quite the surreal experience. The testing center opens at 9AM and I arrived at 8. There was already a line of cars extending to the main road (the testing center is on a small island so there is only one way in). Promptly at 9 they opened the center and we all filed in in our cars. There was a large tent set up, approximately five lanes. The entire facility is run by the national guard and they are all wearing fatigues and N95 masks (intimidating to say the least). There is no human contact...your windows remain closed the entire time, they yell through the window to place your ID on the dashboard as well as tell you to write your cell number so you can later be tested. You pull up to the tent and they take down your information. You then pull forward and your ID's are checked again, through the window by a person in a full biocontainment suit. They then instruct you to lower the window and they swab your nose and throat with separate swabs. The person performing the swab was very pleasant and professional. You then pull forward where they verified your personal information one last time. They then held up a hand written sign: "Results in 2-3 days." And you then exit the island. It was a very surreal experience but overall very well run and everyone was kind and professional. Interesting how there was really not contact, no questions, nothing. I had been registered in the state database to be tested but nobody checked. It appeared as if anyone could go an get tested. I have overall been feeling fine. I have a dry cough, intermittent headaches but luckily no fevers or any other symptoms. I will wait for my results and then contact my hospital for further guidance as to return to work either way. I have an Aunt and Uncle who were tested before me and both were positive. They both have a cough and have had elevated temperatures intermittently, 100.1-100.2 (technically not a fever according to our medical definition which would be 100.4). They are also doing well and are self quarantining in their home. I wanted to share my experience because I figure it may help people to know what to expect if they go to a similar facility. Feel free to ask any questions either here or by PM. I am happy to help as best I can. I am not as knowledgeable about Covid as DanMcQ as he is currently on the front lines but happy to share any information I have. I'm glad that you're feeling okay and that your Aunt and Uncle seem to be doing pretty well. Best wishes for continuing to feel alright under the circumstances and I very much hope you all are completely well soon. Thank you very much for the additional, detailed information. It's very much appreciated. It's looking more and more like at least a decent percentage of us are going to be very glad to have heard about the experience to ease our own concerns when we have to go through a similar process. Best to you and yours.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2020 17:11:50 GMT -5
It's so depressing that we can't get accurate information from our President and Government even in times of crisis.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper made clear to CNN that two Navy hospital ships being deployed to help respond to the coronavirus outbreak will not treat patients suffering from the virus and will take weeks to deploy
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COVID-19
Mar 18, 2020 18:54:17 GMT -5
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Post by badgerhoya on Mar 18, 2020 18:54:17 GMT -5
It's so depressing that we can't get accurate information from our President and Government even in times of crisis. As always, he’s a salesman. Salesmen sell to the roadmap, not the actual product as is - otherwise people wouldn’t buy. Problem is, he long ago lost the ability to tell roadmap from reality... BS is all he’s left with.
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Mar 18, 2020 21:18:13 GMT -5
The GU alumni in the Trump administration are reading HoyaTalk! 😉 Keep them informed, SS et al. You’re saving people out there. This is pretty much a textbook example of why building up and maintaining a roster of appointees across agencies is important: knowledge of the subject matter combined with access to top leadership. I spent a couple of years working in very close proximity - like, closer than allowed for social distancing close - to the three-person FEMA group fully dedicated to Defense Production Act planning, capability-building, etc. When this Administration took over, there was one appointee in particular who was very interested in it and asked for a briefing - Tom Bossert. Wonder if things might've turned out differently if he were still around (whatever else one thinks of him), but... www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/tom-bossert-trump-s-homeland-security-adviser-resign-n864321
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Mar 18, 2020 21:33:16 GMT -5
Trump has never totally understood or cared what duties many agencies in the government are supposed to fulfill. He has thought of DHS strictly through the prism of immigration, not the role that FEMA plays within that agency. “In previous national emergencies, FEMA would be responsible for finding out where to obtain masks, ventilators, hospital beds &tents from either the military or private sector & ensuring the supplies are delivered to states, according to Michael Chertoff” "New York City also put in a request for more than 2 million masks and only received 76,000; all were expired" I just want to make a point riffing off of this: in a properly-functioning Administration, it honestly should not matter one whit whether the president understands or cares what FEMA does, its role within DHS, etc. Because the Post-Katrina system is designed to function without any specific direction from the President, beyond signing some disaster declarations and appointing some people like Federal Coordinating Officers, which is all handled by staff. This is, generally speaking, what happened during Hurricane Sandy. Obama called in Craig Fugate and said, "Don't f*** this up, Fugate." And then got out of his way to fulfill the largely symbolic ceremonial functions of the Presidency, leaving the operational execution to the people whose entire careers had been spent preparing for such occasions. Chris Christie, to his credit, essentially did the same thing in New Jersey. That didn't go entirely smoothly (not did the Federal response - nothing ever does), but he focused his energies on the power of the bully pulpit, i.e., telling people that if they didn't evacuate, they should just go ahead and Sharpie their SSNs on their arms so it would be easier to identify their corpses. Harsh, but effective! And he did *not* try to micromanage the state emergency management function... which is run by NJ state troopers anyway, Christie's kind of people. To screw it up, either things have to get so bad that the President needs to start telling other parts of the Executive Branch that they have to *stop* doing some of their jobs in order to help someone else do theirs OR you have the White House trying to micromanage things and failing because it doesn't know what it's doing. In both Hurricane Maria and now, you have *both* failure scenarios come into play at the same time.
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hoya9797
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,207
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Post by hoya9797 on Mar 18, 2020 21:54:51 GMT -5
Lots and lots of people are going to vote for more of this.
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,218
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Post by hoyarooter on Mar 19, 2020 0:37:18 GMT -5
Scumbag Don may have outdone even himself yesterday, when he claimed that he knew that there would be a pandemic before anyone else. It's just vile.
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
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Post by hoyarooter on Mar 19, 2020 0:38:18 GMT -5
Aside from the paucity of commercial test availability (at my hospital, the offsite reference lab we had been using for testing, already no faster than the state lab at 3-5+ day turnaround, yesterday declined to accept further specimens as they were beyond capacity), our state DOH is maxed out at 400 tests a day with similar turnaround times. Now we are faced with a shortage of flocked swabs without which we cannot even collect specimens. Our wards are filling up with suspect cases for which we cannot make a definitive diagnosis to clear them to go home or to other destinations (nursing facilities for example). This is horrifying. I just don't know what else to say.
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SSHoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
"Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown."
Posts: 18,372
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Mar 19, 2020 5:48:17 GMT -5
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Post by SSHoya on Mar 19, 2020 5:48:17 GMT -5
Are Trump cultists the only ones buying the five-time draft dodger's attempt to rebrand himself a "wartime President"? What a joke.
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