Yesterday afternoon, half way into the MN state high school basketball tournament, they changed the format. All non-winner bracket games are cancelled and the remaining games will only allow players, coaches, broadcasters, required facilities people and very limited other attendees from the school into the arena. My niece is playing and their school gets 100 tickets to cover all non-players and coaches, so very little family, no band, etc.
WIAA (Wisconsin) cancels all remaining winter high school sport championship competitions.
The NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship meets are cancelled, including some that were already in progress!
Not the resident flu expert, lol, but your question is an interesting one, and raises other interesting questions. The short answer to your question is, influenza can cause asymptomatic infections regardless of vaccination status. Estimates of the rate of asymptomatic infection vary wildly and range from 8% to 50% or even higher. The rate of asymptomatic infection is at least partially dependent on the particular strain that is circulating. During my medical training, we were taught that asymptomatic flu patients could transmit the disease, but doing some research this morning, it doesnât look like that question has been studied extensively. I didnât do a full literature review, but I found this discussion of viral shedding in people with few or no symptoms â sadly they didnât separate the mildly symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5967351/
Upshot of the article is that patients with few or no symptoms can have a significant viral load that peaks on the day symptoms start (thereâs that problem with not separating the minimally symptomatic from the completely asymptomatic carriers) but decline much more rapidly than in people with symptoms. I didnât find that it has been scientifically established whether they are contagious, but it is certainly conceivable that they are, for a brief period of time. Flu is most often transmitted by droplets that are created by coughing and sneezing, but some people put a significant amount of virus into the air while talking or breathing through their mouths.
Orange County (CA) Health Administration had a Facebook webcast last night. They spent the hour stating, among other things, that because there are no cases of COVID-19 in our schools yet, the schools are remaining open.
I was unable to keep up with the comments coming through on the side of the screen, as they were coming in fast and furious. The bulk of the ones I read were along the lines of âAre you kidding me? There are no cases because there are no tests!â and âClose the schools!â
Meantime, itâs a constant battle to remind DS21 to wash hands, donât touch face, etc. Teenagers think theyâre invincible so Iâm reminding him itâs not about him, itâs about me. But Iâm concerned about him anyway, since although the overall rate of severe illness in 17 year olds is low, that doesnât protect any one individual from being an outlier.
I received a well-crafted email from Kaiser Permanente this morning. Gave good instructions including when to call your doctor and a link to their e-doc service. Keep up the good work KP - we are counting on you and your always excellent processes and planning!
Iâm utterly convinced that if I had a magical light switch that, when flipped on, illuminated everyone walking around with this virus a neon pink color, that Orange County (and the rest of the state/country) would look like a 1980s roller rink.
Russia has 45 confirmed cases, 11 new today.
USA and Egypt are the new Irans. We should be much better prepared and more transparent.
Thank you moderators for all you are doing on this thread. It is very informative. However, could we please limit âhow to wash your handsâ Itâs necessary but has been repeated many times.
Why is the US so far behind other countries with coronavirus testing?
Your coronavirus questions, answered - CNN
South Korea has tested more than 230,000 people for free and set up drive-thru testing weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the US vice president and the Health and Human Services secretary said this week they donât know how many Americans have been tested. But members of both parties say there arenât nearly enough tests available.
There are a few factors for the difference in responses, said Dr. Rob Davidson, an emergency room doctor and executive director of the Committee to Protect Medicare.
âThe public health infrastructure and the response to outbreaks and the National Security Council have been gutted by this administration,â Davidson said.
Two years ago, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped funding epidemic prevention activities in 39 countries, including China, after the Trump administration refused to reallocate money to a program that started during the governmentâs response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014.
At that time, former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said the move âwould significantly increase the chance an epidemic will spread without our knowledge and endanger lives in our country and around the world.â
Another factor involves the tests themselves â including malfunctions, shortages and delays in availability.
In the first few weeks of coronavirus in the US, the CDC was the only facility in the country that could confirm test results.
âWe had the ability about five weeks ago to use a WHO â World Health Organization â approved test thatâs been used in other countries that was available, and that was rejected so we could use a test that was developed here,â Davidson said.
After test kits were later sent across the country, some were flawed. âSo they go back to the drawing board,â Davidson said. âIt put us behind by about four or five weeks.â
This was mentioned but including again because of mention of NYS testing
FDA gives emergency approval for new coronavirus test
CNN
The Food and Drug Administration announced Friday it is allowing emergency use of a novel coronavirus testing system designed by Roche Molecular Systems âwithin 24 hours of receiving the application,â the agency said.
This is the first commercially distributed diagnostic test to receive an emergency use authorization during the COVID-19 outbreak, the FDA said.
âLaboratories can immediately run tests on Rocheâs high-volume platform, which will greatly increase national testing capacity,â the agency said.
FDA also announced its allowing the New York State Department of Health to authorize some New York laboratories to test for the novel coronavirus after validating their tests. Generally, a lab would have to pursue emergency use authorization through the FDA
The FDA granted this flexibility based on the urgent public health need for additional testing capability, according to a statement.
School districts are closing throughout New Jersey. I have a friend who teaches in Neptune NJ and they are also planning on closing, although it has not yet been announced. There are about 1.3 million schoolchildren in NJ.
Ethiopia has reported the first case of coronavirus in the country.
The patient is a 48-year-old Japanese citizen who traveled to Ethiopia from Burkina Faso on March 4
Confusion over the availability and criteria for testing is leaving sick people wondering if theyâre infected
From CNNâs Ashley Fantz, Scott Bronstein and Drew Griffin
A group of first responders in Washington state, a scientist in California, a woman at an assisted living facility in Florida â all worried because they believe they might have coronavirus but say they canât get tested.
They and many others tell CNN theyâre suffering symptoms associated with Covid-19, and are worried they may have come into contact with someone who has the virus. They are angry and frustrated after trying to get tested, only to be turned away.
Their stories came into CNNâs tip line even as Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday told CNNâs morning show, âNew Day,â that anyone with a doctorâs order could get tested.
âThereâs no barrier âŠâ Pence said. âMake no mistake about it, weâre making steady progress.â
A primary care doctor in Massachusetts said Penceâs assertion that anyone with doctorâs orders for testing can get it is âtotally false.â
There is strict criteria for testing: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is only approving testing for people who are critically ill, have been exposed to an infected patient, or who have recently traveled to certain heavily impacted countries outside the US.
Even if a patient is approved for testing, there just arenât tests on hand to use, said the physician, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
âEven if the patient were around and exposed to someone coughing, sick, sneezing, I cannot give them a coronavirus test,â the doctor said. âWe are being crippled by our department of public health and the CDC on our ability to combat this pandemic.â
This company created coronavirus test kits in three weeks with the help of an AI-run super computer
From CNNâs Ivan Watson, Sophie Jeong, Julia Hollingsworth and Tom Booth
Before there were any cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in South Korea, one of the countryâs biotech firms had begun preparing to make testing kits to identify the disease.
On January 16, Chun Jong-yoon, the chief executive and founder of molecular biotech company Seegene, told his team it was time to start focusing on coronavirus.
That was before the virus sweeping China had been named Covid-19 and four days ahead of South Korea confirming its first case.
âEven if nobody is asking us to, we are a molecular diagnosis company. We have to prepare in advance,â he remembered thinking at the time.
Fast forward two months, and South Korea is among the worldâs worst affected countries, with nearly 8,000 people infected, according to the World Health Organization.
But one reason why South Korea might have a higher number of infections than other countries is its aggressive approach to testing.
While some nations have struggled to get enough test kits to diagnose suspected patients, South Korea has provided free and easy access to testing for anyone who a doctor deems needs it. To date, the country has tested more than 230,000 people.
Part of the reason it was able to do that is the availability of test kits developed by companies like Seegene.
interesting look at how South Korea has used AI and automation to crank out tests:
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/12/asia/coronavirus-south-korea-testing-intl-hnk/index.html
President of Brazil has tested positive.
Kazakhstan has confirmed the countryâs first two cases of the novel coronavirus as two citizens who had been in Germany.
At least 1,666 coronavirus cases and 41 deaths confirmed in US
From CNNâs Joe Sutton
There are now at least 1,666 novel coronavirus cases in the United States, according to the state and local health agencies, governments and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are 70 cases of repatriated citizens who have the coronavirus, according to the CDC.
CNN Healthâs tally of US cases that have been detected and tested in the United States through US public health systems shows there are 1,596 cases in 47 states and the District of Columbia, bringing the total number of cases to 1,666.
In total, 41 people have died.
.
Repetition is the mother of learning. 
A reminder does not hurt, and a humorous reminder sinks in even better.
For those smarter than me, does this make sense? Iâve read several articles which indicate that those with high blood pressure are at increased risk of developing more severe COVID-19 disease, perhaps because of ACE inhibitors. My husband takes Lisinopril and has a call into his physician.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30116-8/fulltext
Singapore restricts entry to cruise vessels
From CNNâs Isaac Yee in Hong Kong
Singapore will cease port calls for all cruise vessels, effective immediately, according to the countryâs Maritime and Port Authority.
In a news release today, the Maritime and Port Authority said that the new measure barring cruise ships was implemented to minimize the risk of community spread of the coronavirus.
Singapore has 187 confirmed cases of the virus, according to the World Health Organization.
US testing logjam symbolizes the administrationâs struggle to handle the coronavirus pandemic
Analysis from CNNâs Stephen Collinson
As America effectively shuts down, failures over coronavirus testing kits and President Donald Trumpâs disastrous bid to calm the markets are coming to symbolize a federal government that increasingly seems outmatched by the global pandemic.
Shuttered sports leagues, darkened Broadway theaters, mass school closures, packed grocery stores, shrinking 401(k)s amid a stock market meltdown, and emptying cities hint at social disruption perhaps not seen since World War II.
How bad is the outbreak?
The administrationâs public health experts have no idea how bad the US coronavirus outbreak will get, since bottlenecks in lab testing and faults with diagnosis kits mean they canât know how many infections there really are.
âWe are flying blind,â warned Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, one of many lawmakers of both parties who emerged furious from a Capitol Hill briefing Thursday with government officials about the situation.
A source inside the meeting told CNN that lawmakers were told that only 11,000 tests had been conducted, prompting many to ask why South Korea can manage to test 10,000 in a single day.
Contradictions on testing
The administration has been boasting for several weeks that it is sending millions of testing kits to states and local authorities. But those officials say long waits for kits and issues with the reagent used in diagnosis mean they are able to test only the most high-risk patients. They are left in the dark about the true extent of the coronavirusâ spread through the community.
But after his European travel ban announced in an Oval Office address on Wednesday night and mix-ups in his speech over how much virus treatment will cost, Trump stuck to happy talk and falsehoods.
âFrankly, the testing has been going very smooth. If you go to the right agency, if you go to the right area, you get the test,â Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The Presidentâs comments contradicted his own governmentâs head of infectious disease, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who admitted on Thursday that protocols under which doctors request tests for patients were not working.
âThe system does not, is not really geared to what we need right now,â Fauci said. âIt is a failing. Letâs admit it.â
Five US states are closing all schools over coronavirus fears
CNN
Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan and New Mexico have become the first US states to shut all K-12 schools over coronavirus concerns.
Washington may be next; Gov. Jay Inslee told school districts across the state to prepare to close, while some large school districts have already shut.
In Maryland, all schools will close for two weeks, from March 16-27.
In Ohio, all schools â including public, private, and, charter â will close from March 16 through at least April 3, a closure that impacts 1.66 million students.
In Kentucky, all public and private schools are suspending in-person classes starting March 16, for at least two weeks. If approved by the stateâs education department, school districts may use ânon-traditional instructionâ instead, like remote learning.
In New Mexico, all public elementary and secondary schools will close starting March 16, for three weeks.
In Michigan, all K-12 schools will be closed from March 16 through April 6.
Itâs not just states â many cities have also decided to close entire school districts, including San Francisco, Denver, Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, and New Rochelle in New York state.
Australiaâs home affairs minister has contracted the coronavirus
From CNNâs Isaac Yee in Hong Kong
Australiaâs Minister for Home Affairs has confirmed that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
In a statement released today, minister Peter Dutton said that he woke up this morning âwith a temperature and sore throatâ and was âsubsequently tested for COVID-19.â
Dutton was advised by Queensland Health that his tests returned positive this afternoon.
Under the policy of Queensland Health, âanyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice,â Dutton said. He added that âI feel fine and will provide an update in due course.â
What to do if thereâs a coronavirus case in your neighborhood or apartment building
From CNNâs Leah Asmelash
As the coronavirus continues to pop up in most US states, what do you do if your neighbor, or someone in your community, gets struck with the virus?
First of all, donât panic. Fear-mongering can make people susceptible to misinformation and panic-buying â which doesnât help anyone.
Listen to local health departments and the CDC, and stay informed. âIf a resident is confirmed to have or is believed to have 2019-nCoV, do not direct facilities management or maintenance staff to the apartment,â said the National Apartment Association in a statement. Instead, notify your local health department and the CDC.
Keep practicing preventive basics. Things like washing your hands and covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue can go a long way. Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be used as a substitute. People should also clean frequently touched surfaces.
You may want to avoid poorly ventilated buildings, even if itâs your own building â it can raise the risk of infection.
Try to work from home and avoid crowded public places. The CDC recommends staying home if an outbreak occurs in your community, and that means working from home and avoiding popular areas. You donât have to cut yourself off from public life, but vigilance is key.
Stock up on groceries and toiletries: Keep enough groceries, toiletries, and food and water to last you a little while. Think things like toothpaste, detergent, and water filters.
Self-isolating doesnât mean zero contact. You can stay in touch with people over phone or email â long-term isolation can actually be damaging, and zero social contact isnât a solution.
Wow - the Masters is postponed!
https://www.ajc.com/sports/golf/the-masters-postponed-due-coronavirus/aqtPwDVOCJ8V1WEYzbRIhJ/