I cannot wrap my head around colleges closing and not cancelling sporting events…
Although a number of teams did not make planned spring break trips and we are starting to see some events cancelled now…Ivy league basketball championship tournaments cancelled for both m and w. Current leaders (M-Yale, W-Princeton) will represent Ivy league in NCAA tourneys.
BCBS has info on website here in SC about covering testing etc. one nice thing they mention is they will work to let prescriptions be refilled before 30 days which would help people who might need to stay at home
Thanks @“Cardinal Fang” @HImom @TheBigChef . I did find out that our health insurance provides virtual visits and, interestingly enough “Seasonal Flu” is on the list of recommended conditions for it (not sure if they can prescribe Tamiflu without a flu test, but I guess we will see). She is going to go that route.
From what I’ve been reading, airport screening seems very lax in US so far, so as far as her flying back from her break on Thursday, I’m going to try not to worry about it!
CIAC, the ruling high school sports body in CT, has cancelled all winter sports tournaments. There will be no winter sport champions in high school winter sports this year…the first time since sometime in the 1970’s.
They haven’t made any decisions about spring sports…yet.
But will that collapse as soon as there is an exposure among the cooks, bus drivers, YMCA employees, kids using the YMCA child care, or neighbor co-op child care?
The number of presumptive cases in Massachusetts has more than doubled since yesterday, up to 92. Seventy of those are apparently related to the Biogen conference. Discussions are underway about whether to cancel next month’s Boston marathon.
My hospital is setting up a drive through tent in an empty parking lot for testing. I was told that we will use the state and private labs and we are developing our own rapid point of care test for office use. For sick people who call, we shift to Telehealth and if they sound at risk they get directed to the testing point. After they get tested, they go home and stay in isolation until results come back. This way, we avoid their contact with the satellite offices and ER. Testing and Telehealth visits are covered by most insurances ( copay and deductibles will apply ). We’ll see how this works.
This is why cancelling all conferences is a good idea. All you need is 1 'super spreader" - so many handshakes at these things.
Just saw this National Geographic article on underlying conditions- covers a lot of the questions under discussion here : https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/
All these large gatherings that draw people from all over the country/world should be postponed. The cost of indecisions will escalate very quickly.
Middlebury college is going on break early, and will continue classes online until early April at least
Just reading about a town in Italy, Bergamo. 65% of their intensive care cases are over age 65. 35% are under 65. That is not what has been circulating with regards to the crisis hitting only the older population (or those with medical issues)
Massachusetts has also declared a state of emergency (as has Rhode Island).
So have Ohio and Illinois.
I’ve been watching the Boston Flower Show website, and earlier this afternoon they had the statement “The threat here in Boston is extremely low.” They’ve taken that down but still say event is going ahead.
MA has one of the higher numbers of people infected with coronavirus, so that is not really factually correct.
I am really torn about an upcoming trip from NJ to MN to visit my father, who is 90 years old and recently moved to assisted living. I was going to go out there to help him with some appointments and admin stuff (bill paying etc.) during my spring break, but my employer cancelled classes early. During a phone care conference today, dad’s caregivers “discouraged” me from coming out because I am in the NYC metro area and they don’t want anyone “from New York” visiting b/c of contagion fears. I really need to get some stuff set up for him (including arrangements for paying these outrageous bills the facility levies), but if I don’t come, payment will have to wait, as will other niceties like new toothpaste. My sister and I have been taking turns going out to see him every month, but we are both in the NYC area. Reason #1020 to not live too far from your adult children as you age (it was his choice to stay in MN and I get it but it’s very hard now and he’s too weak to move). It’s very frustrating. Delta is waiving fees for canceling/rebooking. I just don’t know when I will be able to get out there if I don’t go now.
Another good person to follow on Twitter is Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding. I thought he sounded a bit histrionic at first, but people probably thought that about Cassandra too.
2 new presumptive cases in the New Orleans area, bringing the total to 3. No other details at all, except that case #1 did not travel abroad.
Also, the 7 or so upcoming St. Patrick’s/St. Joseph’s/Islenos parades in the area have not (yet) been cancelled, but people are assuming that there will be less kissing. No prohibition on kissing or parading at this point. I can only assume that if Covid19 doesn’t kill us, we can always die of stupidity!
https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/festivals/article_4d6f0b6e-6253-11ea-b9b9-a3bf82318b5c.html