Q's for the docs and arm-chair-docs about COVID19

[Walter White.sixpack]

Just wondering about a few things and everyone's observations so far.

1. Many people here on SPS said they thought there's a good chance this virus was here for a few months already. Has anyone that you knew had "a strange virus that tested negative for flu" a few months back gotten Covid19? Just wondering because part of me thinks it could have been here, but part thinks none of those "strange sicknesses" back in Dec-Feb were knocking people back this seriously, right? Edited for clarity: Has anyone who had "whatever" earlier in the year gotten Covid19 now?
2. Do you think you can get the sickness by ingesting it? I have seen conflicting info on how one can get it. Some say it's only through breathing in the droplets from an infected person and that even eating a salad that was sneezed on by a covid person won't infect you. Others disagree. Just wondering how this respiratory virus will infect someone by "eating" it.
3. Does anyone know any teenagers and younger who have gotten it? And I mean someone you know, not someone you saw on CNN or in USA Today. How serious did they get?
4. Anyone you know personally that has had a bad bout with it? How old were they? Any pre-existing conditions?
5. If you are a doc or health care worker, how is your own clinic/hospital right now? Is it overrun or just preparing for the onslaught? What are the expectations?

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

You can’t eat it and get it. Your stomach acid will eat it up.

 

[My Bru]

Can only answer #1. I know two people who tested negative for the flu but had a weird cough and crap in their lungs in December. One of them had an 8 year old who had it too.

 

[EagleDawg97]

A 16 yo and a 19 yo in my house had odd illnesses in early to mid Jan. Both ran temps, body aches, big respiratory issues, mucous, dry nagging coughs, sore throat, for about a week. Both tested negative for the flu and strep, but the docs treated for those as they assumed it was false negatives. My understanding is the docs had little faith in the flu test this season.

My wife a healthcare provider thinks it was probably Covid due to many of the symptoms lining up. Just a guess on her part, but she is a pretty damn smart lady.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Answer to #1. Not likely. My wife started working on it the last week of January and was giving Webinars to hospitals, doctors, and major employers as early as Feb 7th. While we and the media may have been focused on impeachment, the pros looking for Coronavirus in February and could not find it i very often.

There may have been more cases a little earlier than we know, but at the transmission rate if it had landed in the US in December, we would have seen a huge spike by February not March.

March 3rd Article on Flu Season

Hospitalizations among those aged 65 years and older were 116.7 per 100,000. “Their rate is relatively low compared with other seasons. However, if you look at children, you have a very different picture,” she said.

So knowing what we do about Covid19, the children would have been lower and the elderly would have been through roof.

https://www.idse.net/Respiratory-Tract-Infections---Influenza/Article/03-20/Flu-Season-Is-Not-Over%3B-Remains-a-U.S.-Threat/57469

 

[o_1984Dawg]

People in December, January, and probably February had something else. It doesn't make any sense that this was here that early and not spreading and doing the damage that it is now.

 

[philduckworth]

Can only answer #1. I know two people who tested negative for the flu but had a weird cough and crap in their lungs in December. One of them had an 8 year old who had it too.

It's very unlikely they had covid-19 in December.

 

[johnson86-1]

A 16 yo and a 19 yo in my house had odd illnesses in early to mid Jan. Both ran temps, body aches, big respiratory issues, mucous, dry nagging coughs, sore throat, for about a week. Both tested negative for the flu and strep, but the docs treated for those as they assumed it was false negatives. My understanding is the docs had little faith in the flu test this season.

My wife a healthcare provider thinks it was probably Covid due to many of the symptoms lining up. Just a guess on her part, but she is a pretty damn smart lady.

I knew several people that got the flu at the same time back in February. All of them tested negative on the swab that comes back in 5 minutes at the doctors office. THe ones that got the second test that went to the lab tested positive for the flu. THe doctors that didn't send it off said the test was more expensive than the flu medicine (not tamiflu but whatever the latest and greatest is) so they just prescribed the latest and greatest medicine rather than getting a test that wouldn't change treatment.

One of those that tested negative had a bad cough that lasted a few weeks.

Certainly doesn't mean that all those people didn't have COVID, but since we didn't see it in the hospitalization rates, especially as obese and unhealthy as our population is, seems like wishful thinking to believe that we have had COVID circulating prior to this.

 

[BoomBoom.sixpack]

You can’t eat it and get it. Your stomach acid will eat it up.

Hard to eat without it passing through your mouth and throat.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

there are a ton of people who think they did just because the symptoms were similar, but there are several other types of corona-viruses and other viral infections that can cause the same symptoms also. i don't believe covid-19 had made it here in december yet either widespread. otherwise we would have seen a spike in deaths from these related illnesses much sooner.

 

[johnson86-1]

Do you think you can get the sickness by ingesting it? I have seen conflicting info on how one can get it. Some say it's only through breathing in the droplets from an infected person and that even eating a salad that was sneezed on by a covid person won't infect you. Others disagree. Just wondering how this respiratory virus will infect someone by "eating" it.

Nobody really knows, but as desotocountydawg said, they think your stomach acid should stop it. Just hard to confirm b/c it's hard to test. If somebody gets it from takeout, how do you know if they ingested or if there was just virus on the containers and they rubbed their eyes or nose after handling the containers.

But they have found the virus in feces; not sure how relevant that is to whether you can get it through your digestive tract.

 

[Walter White.sixpack]

I think some folks missed the question on #1.
Has anyone that thought they may have had Covid when they were super sick a few months back been confirmed to have COVID19 now?

 

[Crazy Cotton]

on question 2. The two main routes of entry are eyes and nose. Both offer few defenses to the virus, while skin and mouth are better prepared to deal with something trying to get in. DON'T RUB YOUR EYES, DON'T PICK YOUR NOSE. One of the big advantages of wearing a mask is it keeps your hands away from your nose.

I'm in east TN. hospitals are bracing and prepping, testing is happening in a parking lot in my town, and about half the people around here don't seem to give a **** about exposure. elective surgeries are shut down (orthopods and other elective specialists are heading for a world of hurt, might have a problem making that BMW payment). All of our spring break people came back last week, so the hospitals are expecting a big bump next week assuming an incubation period of about 5-7 days.

Feels like the calm before the storm. We're probably where MS is in about a week and a half.

One thing that I was discussing with my brother I found interesting (he's a oncologist). His theory of the old people being more susceptible is that their more likely to aspirate the virus into the lungs than young folks who are more likely to swallow the mucus and keep it in the digestive track where it is less likely to do damage. Babies and young kids are built not to choke - their larynx is high in the throat so they don't get things down the wrong pipe. As we get older, larynx drops, we're more likely to have difficulties keeping things out of our lungs. That's where the worst damage is happening, getting the virus growing in the lungs - pneumonia, etc.

 

[Sickdawg]

I experienced the same thing this winter and tested negative for everything. If you have read any of the recent MSU newsletters you would have seen a student who moved out of fraternity housing a week ago was suspected of having it, that was one of my fraternity brothers and fortunately he tested negative

 

[ckDOG]

Good news for #1

Serology tests are closer to being rolled out.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/fda-coronavirus-antibody-test-authorization/index.html

Cellex is reputable and the test results are promising for answering the question of "did I have it?". Personally, I got knocked on my *** last week of February with fever, fatigue, cough, chills, pains. Odds are it wasn't COVID-19, but it's possible. If I did have it, I want to know so I can march to wherever I need to to donate plasma for this specific purpose.

Assume there will be others (legit vendors) pushing these out shortly.

Aside from identifying plasma donors, the data gathered will be immensely valuable in our understanding of how long we may be immune once exposed, how close we are to herd immunity, who we can green light not being socially isolated, and what life might look like on the other side of the case curve.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

I think some folks missed the question on #1.
Has anyone that thought they may have had Covid when they were super sick a few months back been confirmed to have COVID19 now?

They may think they did, but they were wrong. Sometimes colds are just bad. I had a cold a a couple of years ago that was all the symptoms if this, plus horrible drainage and a sore throat... Lasted damn near a month.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Just wondering about a few things and everyone's observations so far.

1. Many people here on SPS said they thought there's a good chance this virus was here for a few months already. Has anyone that you knew had "a strange virus that tested negative for flu" a few months back gotten Covid19? Just wondering because part of me thinks it could have been here, but part thinks none of those "strange sicknesses" back in Dec-Feb were knocking people back this seriously, right? Edited for clarity: Has anyone who had "whatever" earlier in the year gotten Covid19 now?
2. Do you think you can get the sickness by ingesting it? I have seen conflicting info on how one can get it. Some say it's only through breathing in the droplets from an infected person and that even eating a salad that was sneezed on by a covid person won't infect you. Others disagree. Just wondering how this respiratory virus will infect someone by "eating" it.
3. Does anyone know any teenagers and younger who have gotten it? And I mean someone you know, not someone you saw on CNN or in USA Today. How serious did they get?
4. Anyone you know personally that has had a bad bout with it? How old were they? Any pre-existing conditions?
5. If you are a doc or health care worker, how is your own clinic/hospital right now? Is it overrun or just preparing for the onslaught? What are the expectations?

1) It probably was not COVID-19. There are a ton of viruses that cause flu-like symptoms and show up as negative on a flu test, such as RSV (it can infect adults and cause illness, but is most dangerous in infants) and other coronaviruses. If as many people who claim to have gotten COVID-19 were getting it back in January, then we would have seen a spike in hospitalizations back in January. I think people are claiming it out of what I call the "I'm special syndrome". It's an effort to insert yourself into a major world event either as a participant or more engaged bystander. Please try to be really ordinary by staying at home as much as possible and not catching it.

2) You probably could get it by ingesting it, but only if it's on the surface of whatever you're eating and hasn't been cooked or at a high temperature when it was contaminated.

 

[L4Dawg]

on question 2. The two main routes of entry are eyes and nose. Both offer few defenses to the virus, while skin and mouth are better prepared to deal with something trying to get in. DON'T RUB YOUR EYES, DON'T PICK YOUR NOSE. One of the big advantages of wearing a mask is it keeps your hands away from your nose.

I'm in east TN. hospitals are bracing and prepping, testing is happening in a parking lot in my town, and about half the people around here don't seem to give a **** about exposure. elective surgeries are shut down (orthopods and other elective specialists are heading for a world of hurt, might have a problem making that BMW payment). All of our spring break people came back last week, so the hospitals are expecting a big bump next week assuming an incubation period of about 5-7 days.

Feels like the calm before the storm. We're probably where MS is in about a week and a half.

One thing that I was discussing with my brother I found interesting (he's a oncologist). His theory of the old people being more susceptible is that their more likely to aspirate the virus into the lungs than young folks who are more likely to swallow the mucus and keep it in the digestive track where it is less likely to do damage. Babies and young kids are built not to choke - their larynx is high in the throat so they don't get things down the wrong pipe. As we get older, larynx drops, we're more likely to have difficulties keeping things out of our lungs. That's where the worst damage is happening, getting the virus growing in the lungs - pneumonia, etc.

Spring break here was three weeks ago.

 

[smurphdawg]

Work at a hospital in north Mississippi. I think our first case was admitted around March 18. Multiple negative pressure wings now for confirmed and suspected cases. Census overall has been low for the past week or so. COVID patients pretty much getting HCQ +/- azithromycin across the board, some getting it before a positive test result. Haven’t seen noticeable benefit, but that obviously does not mean anything with regard to effectiveness of that regimen. One patient on revlimid, interested to see how that goes. Still waiting to see someone come off the vent...

 

[Crazy Cotton]

Yeah, that might have been a lucky break for MS, as the US cases were still low. Tons of families around here were in Florida at the same time that cases were exploding. And they've all been back for a week now.

 

[ababyatemydingo]

Just wondering about a few things and everyone's observations so far.

1. Many people here on SPS said they thought there's a good chance this virus was here for a few months already. Has anyone that you knew had "a strange virus that tested negative for flu" a few months back gotten Covid19? Just wondering because part of me thinks it could have been here, but part thinks none of those "strange sicknesses" back in Dec-Feb were knocking people back this seriously, right? Edited for clarity: Has anyone who had "whatever" earlier in the year gotten Covid19 now?
2. Do you think you can get the sickness by ingesting it? I have seen conflicting info on how one can get it. Some say it's only through breathing in the droplets from an infected person and that even eating a salad that was sneezed on by a covid person won't infect you. Others disagree. Just wondering how this respiratory virus will infect someone by "eating" it.
3. Does anyone know any teenagers and younger who have gotten it? And I mean someone you know, not someone you saw on CNN or in USA Today. How serious did they get?
4. Anyone you know personally that has had a bad bout with it? How old were they? Any pre-existing conditions?
5. If you are a doc or health care worker, how is your own clinic/hospital right now? Is it overrun or just preparing for the onslaught? What are the expectations?

Couple of good friends since childhood are docs. We see each other daily. One a cardiologist, and the other a family doc. they both say it was NOT here in the fall. They say the indicator is ICU population and ventilator use, and both of those indicators were normal in the US until around January.

 

[EngDawg]

Answer to 4.

I have a friend who was confirmed positive. He’s in his early twenties and has on pre-existing condition. He had a mild case and said it was similar to a severe cold with joint aches. Not trying to down play the significance of it, that’s just the only guy I know who’s had it.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I was really sick in November but now believe I had an Adenovirus and my doctor didn't know WTF I had and really wasn't worried about it. I was sick for a month but with no long lasting temperature or shortness of breath....so it wasn't COVID-!9....I guess

 

[SirBarksalot]

5. Just the opposite I’d say most Dr’s, especially surgeons are taking a huge hit. They are trying to, figure out how to keep the lights on in their offices and pay their staffs. A group that I work with (20 plus surgeons) are splitting up and doing two weeks on and off...mostly telemedicine and emergent cases. That doesn’t pay the bills.

 

[Bullldawg78]

ER doc here as far as your questions, I am of the opinion it has been here since December of last year, I have two nurses who had the non flu illness from January and neither has covid and I'm sure the have been exposed (anecdotal evidence at best). As far as #5 I worked 5 right hour night shifts last week here in Georgia, on a busy night shift I see upper 20's to low 30's. In those 5 shifts I only saw 32 patients total and no sick patients with covid requiring admission. We have had some come through our ER, but I haven't seen them. Everyone be smart and stay safe. Heading in tonight for 6 nights in a row, will see how it goes!

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

View attachment 15746

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

The biggest thing is it’s a respiratory virus. You’re going to get it from breathing it on more than any other way.

 

[HailStout]

This is 100% accurate. I’m a pulmonologist so everyone assumes I am just covered up with business. The opposite is true. My clinic is down probably 40-60% depending on the day. We are doing Telehealth for follow-ups, but this is not very realistic for most new patients. I will say that my colleagues in other specialties are having an even worse time than I am, especially the surgeons.

 

[Misfit]

Just don't breathe while you have it in your mouth**

 

[SirBarksalot]

Just don't breathe while you have it in your mouth**

This made me LAFF

 

[SirBarksalot]

This is 100% accurate. I’m a pulmonologist so everyone assumes I am just covered up with business. The opposite is true. My clinic is down probably 40-60% depending on the day. We are doing Telehealth for follow-ups, but this is not very realistic for most new patients. I will say that my colleagues in other specialties are having an even worse time than I am, especially the surgeons.

Yeah, I’ve talked to some healthcare workers (PAs) who were laid off. I was in a store wearing scrubs last week (when I actually had something to do for work) and the clerk said “you must be busy”...I said nope, just got cut deep.
Most all specialists are taking a beating.
good luck to you HailStout

 

[kakiDawg]

My answers

1. You can definitely catch it my ingesting it, if it touches any part of your throat while going down.

2. All ages are susceptible. Morbity depends on a variety of factors, the details of which will be unknown although some are obvious and likely.

3. Most physicians/providers outside of ER/Hospital based docs have lost the majority of their business / patient volumes. Some (plastic surgeons for example) are at a 100% drop. CDC guidance caused this. And, their biggest reasons are bed capacity and supply (PPE) shortages, which started in January (due to reduced imports from China). This situation will not change until the curve is headed down and PPE is abundant.

4. The prevalence of this virus before 2020 is probably although very limited, although we will never know.

5. The peak will be in May, based on delay of testing results and recent safeguards, based on the history of other countries.

 

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

1. You can definitely catch it my ingesting it, if it touches any part of your throat while going down.

2. All ages are susceptible. Morbity depends on a variety of factors, the details of which will be unknown although some are obvious and likely.

3. Most physicians/providers outside of ER/Hospital based docs have lost the majority of their business / patient volumes. Some (plastic surgeons for example) are at a 100% drop. CDC guidance caused this. And, their biggest reasons are bed capacity and supply (PPE) shortages, which started in January (due to reduced imports from China). This situation will not change until the curve is headed down and PPE is abundant.

4. The prevalence of this virus before 2020 is probably although very limited, although we will never know.

5. The peak will be in May, based on delay of testing results and recent safeguards, based on the history of other countries.

So, I take it restaurant delivery and take out food is not advised?

 

[patdog]

1. You can definitely catch it my ingesting it, if it touches any part of your throat while going down.

It's going to wash right down to your stomach before it can do any damage. The acids there will dissolve it.

 

[AgronDawg]

My mother and father both were diagnosed with it. Both mid 60’s and thankfully both have since recovered. My mother had a much more difficult time recovering than my father which was surprising because he has heart problems and she is pretty healthy for someone her age. His symptoms lasted about 3 days and were very mild but she ran fever for around 12 days and was very sick. She started hydroxychloroquine and Z pack and within 36 hours she started to begin to feel better. I’m not a doctor and don’t know if it was the medicine, prayers, time, or all of the above but grateful none the less.

So that’s my first post. Been reading a long time, and wish there were some sports to read about. So yeah, mole crickets, nasally voices, yeti stickers, Dale’s, English act scores, and all that other ****.

 

[Drebin]

My mother and father both were diagnosed with it. Both mid 60’s and thankfully both have since recovered. My mother had a much more difficult time recovering than my father which was surprising because he has heart problems and she is pretty healthy for someone her age. His symptoms lasted about 3 days and were very mild but she ran fever for around 12 days and was very sick. She started hydroxychloroquine and Z pack and within 36 hours she started to begin to feel better. I’m not a doctor and don’t know if it was the medicine, prayers, time, or all of the above but grateful none the less.

So that’s my first post. Been reading a long time, and wish there were some sports to read about. So yeah, mole crickets, nasally voices, yeti stickers, Dale’s, English act scores, and all that other ****.

Great first post, and glad your folks have been able to overcome this.

 

[Walter White.sixpack]

Reply is in the quote below.

1. You can definitely catch it my ingesting it, if it touches any part of your throat while going down.
This is where I've seen the discrepancies. The CDC and WHO and FDA have all said it is very unlikely and there are no known instances of it. It's like they stop short of saying it's impossible.
2. All ages are susceptible. Morbity depends on a variety of factors, the details of which will be unknown although some are obvious and likely.
I understand it is possible. But does anyone here have personal knowledge of someone who is 18 or under with the disease? And if so, how serious was it?
3. Most physicians/providers outside of ER/Hospital based docs have lost the majority of their business / patient volumes. Some (plastic surgeons for example) are at a 100% drop. CDC guidance caused this. And, their biggest reasons are bed capacity and supply (PPE) shortages, which started in January (due to reduced imports from China). This situation will not change until the curve is headed down and PPE is abundant.
Understood. But my question was more about how stressed the ER/ICU places are. I know NYC is a different situation. But I've seen local and regional FB posts saying that Mississippi hospitals are in desperate need of PPE, sanitizer, etc. But did know if that was in preparation or if they were currently overrun with needs.
4. The prevalence of this virus before 2020 is probably although very limited, although we will never know.
I wish there was a way to track it effectively.
5. The peak will be in May, based on delay of testing results and recent safeguards, based on the history of other countries.
Hopefully people are wise and we get back in to the swing of things by late summer. Kids go to school. Adults go to work. Toilet paper is on the shelves. Markets rise. Football is played.

 

[engie]

The need for PPE is now being met at hospitals around the Jackson area. At least that's what they told my mother when she called with an offer to start manufacturing some on a small scale free of charge.

Our current hospitalization situation looks pretty good. It appears to be increasing at the rate of about 31-33% of all(that meet the criteria and test) positive cases in the state. As long as we're only having ~ 100positives/day, we're hospitalizing 25-35 every day. That's a flat line that will remain manageable(it's not exponential and gives time to expand ahead of demand if the need arises). At some point the people that initially went into the hospital will start to get out of the hospital also.

Just SWAG'n here, but I think we see a spike in the number of cases today based on talking to a clinical private practice buddy that hadn't had a positive test at all prior to yesterday and then had positives two back to back(neither with any form of complications or really even severe illness, but still). Yeah, an almost literal zero sample size, so hopefully my assumption based on basically nothing is wrong.

 

[o_Native Son]

Not your exact #1, but I went to Barcelona in mid-January (that region of Spain has been especially hard hit) and a little more than a week later (last few days of Jan.) I had a fever with aches and fatigue but none of the other symptoms (negative on the flu test). I teach, so it's likely it was just something viral, but the fact that it was much closer in time to the big problems in that place makes me wonder - probably just the "I'm special" **** though. :-D

 

[o_BioDog]

So that’s my first post. Been reading a long time, and wish there were some sports to read about. So yeah, mole crickets, nasally voices, yeti stickers, Dale’s, English act scores, and all that other ****.

Welcome aboard from a (mostly) lurker. That's got to be a relief for you that your parents made it through the other side of this and are recovering and now (hopefully) unable to catch it again. Since you're new and nobody else here seems to know, would you happen to know where can I get a Hail State ring tone for my Motorola flip phone?

-BD