Are we about to become the #1 hotspot in the U.S.? (Houston: schools, moving to)

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by JTEMT-B

However, there is a massive disconnect between what is being reported and what we are seeing here in the field. We are all scratching our heads here. They say cases are up 400%, yet we see nothing on our end. The ICU’s have vacancies, the ED’s COVID intubation room gathers dust, and all of the nursing homes that house 70% of our covid cases are allowing visitors and downgrading PPE requirements. Where are all of these cases?!

The issue is that you are in a suburban area of St Louis which is not (yet, at least) a hotspot and you are extrapolating your experience to what Houston is experiencing. My data shows there are less than 1500 positive cases in the county you live in.

I put more faith in data coming from TMC (see Post 298) and from people who are on public record sharing their own experiences v those of an anonymous internet poster from another state. Unless one is a conspiracy theorist, I see no reason to doubt the words of this local official:

“Normally that patient would just go to an ICU bed, but because there are no beds available, they continue to board in the emergency room,” said Harris Health System president and CEO Esmaeil Porsa, who oversees the city’s two public safety-net hospitals. “It is not an optimal level of care. This is not something we would choose to do. The only reason this is happening is because we are being forced to do it.”
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07...ergency-rooms/

I believe the above article, with quotes from health care professionals, more likely reflects the truth than what you might imagine it to be. I don’t see why these people would intentionally lie.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by elnina

Don't forget that now we are testing ONLY people with symptoms, so many asymptomatic but positive going to be not detected or accounted for.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/u...-shortage.html

Also an increase in people dying at home suggests coronavirus deaths in Houston may be higher than reported

Your first sentence is 100% false. I know several who have been tested in the past week without symptoms, who had contact with someone positive.

Believing anything you read in the NY Times these days is questionable. They have been caught in so many lies, you'd be better off quoting the National Enquirer.

An increase in deaths at home suggests the lockdowns are killing people. Suicide, drug abuse, untreated illnesses are all killing people. A couple have studies have estimated 25,000-30,000 people were killed by the lockdowns from March through May. They DO have to put something on the death certificate, so significant undercounting is unlikely.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by lipbalm

I have had family members with Covid already, most said they did not even know about it. Then I hear stories about "healthy" 30 year olds dying out of nowhere. Makes no sense to me, but I know each person is different and reacts different to disease based on your DNA.

Its weird.

One had a mild cold while another had dizziness and heavy cough and congestion that went away in 3 or 4 days. The friends they got it from had diarrhea combined with a cold. We have friends who said it was the worse flu they had ever had and were lethargic for weeks. The sister of one of my son's friends had a fever but almost no other symptoms. And we know someone whose elderly parent died of it.

[crone]

Originally Posted by bu2

Your first sentence is 100% false. I know several who have been tested in the past week without symptoms, who had contact with someone positive.

Believing anything you read in the NY Times these days is questionable. They have been caught in so many lies, you'd be better off quoting the National Enquirer.

An increase in deaths at home suggests the lockdowns are killing people. Suicide, drug abuse, untreated illnesses are all killing people. A couple have studies have estimated 25,000-30,000 people were killed by the lockdowns from March through May. They DO have to put something on the death certificate, so significant undercounting is unlikely.

IDK what's up, but I had a regular Dr appointment last week. When I called to make the appointment they told me they were testing all patients. But when I arrived at the appointed time, they took my temperature, gave me a list of questions. Since I said yes to having had a headache due to Houston's polluted air and Sahara dust, they would not allow me in the door. So much for testing.

Within 24 hours the doctor office was closed until further notice. And it is affiliated with a very large Houston Area well know hospital.

[elnina]

Originally Posted by bu2

Your first sentence is 100% false. I know several who have been tested in the past week without symptoms, who had contact with someone positive.

This ^^^ and having insurance probably makes difference.

People without symptoms and no exposure don't get tested in most location (I have no way to verify every location).
Any proof that I am (or the info) is wrong? Or you're just saying ....

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by elnina

This ^^^ and insurance probably makes difference.

I would assume insurance does. I was asking my Dr. about something completely different and she asked if I wanted to get tested just to be sure. She had me, my wife, and father in law who lives with us all tested and we all just paid the $20 copay. None of us had any symptoms and were all negative. She also antibody tested all of us and again, all negative.

Because of that, I will attest that the statement "only people with symptoms can get tested" is false. But perhaps, if a person has no insurance, that statement is true?

[mkwensky]

I think there are urgent care and standalone ERs that will test you if you pay cash. It costs around $150 or something like it. That's not to say that there aren't clinics or hospitals that are prescreening patients for covid test based on symptoms or insurance.

[jtothemak]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

I would assume insurance does. I was asking my Dr. about something completely different and she asked if I wanted to get tested just to be sure. She had me, my wife, and father in law who lives with us all tested and we all just paid the $20 copay. None of us had any symptoms and were all negative. She also antibody tested all of us and again, all negative.

Because of that, I will attest that the statement "only people with symptoms can get tested" is false. But perhaps, if a person has no insurance, that statement is true?

That is interested because I called around to 5 different urgent care places and yes I have insurance and was told they would not provide a test unless I had symptoms or said you had been exposed to someone who had it.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by jtothemak

That is interested because I called around to 5 different urgent care places and yes I have insurance and was told they would not provide a test unless I had symptoms or said you had been exposed to someone who had it.

I didn’t go to urgent care, I went straight to my doctor. We did a virtual visit and she sent in the orders.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by jtothemak

That is interested because I called around to 5 different urgent care places and yes I have insurance and was told they would not provide a test unless I had symptoms or said you had been exposed to someone who had it.

Unless you need it for work, there really is no need to get tested unless you have symptoms or have exposure.