mellownomad7 said:Got some news here, not sure if anyone else caught this.
People showing COVID symptoms are now being classified as "probable cases." According to Sunday's edition of The New York Times, this new status kicked in on Thursday, though we don't know the total count for the US yet.
Family doctors can now skip sending everyone with COVID-19 symptoms straight for a PCR test; instead, they can just order isolation. It lasts 10 days from when symptoms start, provided the patient has been symptom-free for the last three. These folks get tagged with a "probable COVID-19" diagnosis, or U07.2, per the paper.
"We got new guidelines a few days ago letting us treat symptomatic patients as probable positives. I’ve had cases where one family member tests positive via PCR, then everyone else starts feeling sick. Since you're waiting five days for a PCR result, I just diagnose them as probable cases. Once I finish my rounds, I log those U07.2 diagnoses into the system," said one general practitioner in Chicago.
Whatever your motives might be—and let’s just assume for a second it’s pure altruism, that you genuinely want to help her—that doesn't change the reality of the situation. You’re an adult man, and you're talking about paying her rent and getting her a job at some warehouse when she’s only sixteen. I mean, honestly, even the most laid-back parents wouldn't find that particularly comforting. Not even if they were as chill as the ones you're describing. I think it would probably be better for everyone involved if you just waited until she's actually of legal age. From a strictly legal standpoint—not to mention the fact that people tend to mature quite a bit emotionally in those two years, changing their whole outlook on life and their priorities... Anyway, good luck.
Gary Martin12 said:Can someone please clarify what "close contact" actually entails? For instance, if an infected person was standing just a few feet away from me while handing me something, then left—that’s maybe three minutes of interaction. In that scenario, would I be considered a close contact?
Under our healthcare guidelines here in the States, that wouldn't count as close contact. You maintained some distance, I assume you were wearing masks, and the interaction was brief. It sounds like you followed all the standard protocols.
A friend of mine had an abscess burst—it was absolutely disgusting, just full of pus. She ended up at the ER, where they drained everything out, flushed the area, inserted a drainage tube, and put her on antibiotics. Once the swelling went down, she ended up needing two stitches. I honestly think she might be left with a bit of a hole there.
Sandra Nguyen22 said:I suppose I’ll add a bit more to my previous post—if anyone actually finds it useful, that is.
After all that pointless back-and-forth on the phone, I finally got a notification from the Mayo Clinic regarding the testing—which, naturally, comes with an order—but they told me I’ll need to call them back again tomorrow, or maybe the day after, since the situation keeps shifting.
So, I was put on the list this past Friday—just waiting around, I suppose—then they ran my tests on Sunday, and finally, I was admitted to the Mayo Clinic on Monday for a one-day stay. Just one day there... anyway.
Nancy Rodriguez38 said:Hey there—if anyone happens to know, before I start making phone calls tomorrow... I need to head over to Sunce Polyclinic for a dermatology appointment. Do I actually need to take a COVID test just to get through the door at the clinic, or is that not a thing anymore?
I suppose you don't actually need that for an outpatient visit—not that anyone ever seems to get those things straight around here.
bluewolf8 said:Does anyone happen to have any info on whether the Mayo Clinic is actually running mammograms for patients who already have appointments? My mom just received an invitation through the national screening program to head over to the Mayo Clinic—so I guess we'll see if they're actually seeing people right now.
The cold storage unit is still running—for now, at least. I guess we’ll see how long that holds up.
I started getting vaccinated right after my first bout of the flu. Honestly, that was an experience I never want to go through again—and mind you, I was just a college student back then with zero underlying health issues. Out of this long string of vaccinations, I've only had a reaction twice. Once about three years ago, when I was convinced I was coming down with meningitis, and then again last night—since I actually got my shot yesterday morning. I basically had a mini case of the flu all night long. If you're constantly around people, take public transit, or if you fall into a high-risk category, I guess you should get vaccinated.
Have you read about that kid who managed to stay in self-isolation three separate times and still somehow hasn't caught the virus? I honestly wonder if his parents just kept him locked in a tiny room for 14 days at a time—it seems almost impossible otherwise. I suppose everyone should just do whatever they feel is best... Since you seem so terrified of this thing, you might want to take every precaution possible, because it’s everywhere right now. You really can't rely on anyone else to look out for you...
Keith Barrett2 said:Man, you seriously don't get what isolation even means or why we have to do it for this new virus🤔
especially since you can't be 100% certain you're healthy after being around someone who tested positive. That's the whole point of the quarantine! 🤷
I'm not sure what I'm failing to understand here? It seems fairly straightforward to me—sick people isolate, while healthy people undergo self-isolation, or quarantine, if you will. If symptoms actually show up, then they move into isolation. It's all laid out clearly on the official US Army websites. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/isolation-quarantine.html
I mean, he’s talking about when he’s actually feeling healthy while in isolation. Why on earth would anyone just stay shut in a single room? Besides, if I were running a fever, dealing with a cold, and just generally feeling miserable—which I usually am—I'd definitely be horizontal in bed. If you've got your shrimp or whatever and you're on crutches, you can still move around the apartment; there's really no reason to be confined to one room.
Amanda Hughes37 said:The kid hasn't even been tested—at least not yet. They share a house, and the coach is interacting with fifty kids every single day... you really don't see the issue there?
If I were ordered into isolation tomorrow, my husband would just head to work like usual, and our little girl would still go to school and her practice. It’s only if I actually start showing symptoms and test positive that they’d bother with isolation. So, basically, close contacts aren't expected to quarantine by default.
darkotter35 said:So, my kid just got slapped with a 10-day quarantine because some classmate tested positive. Now, we just got hit with news that the isolation period is being tacked on for another 7 days because apparently, someone else in the class popped up positive in the meantime. Is there actually any legal ground for them to extend those initial 10 days like this? At this rate, they could basically sentence healthy kids to three months of isolation! Right? WTF?
Honestly, I don't see the logic here. None. And then they act surprised when people stop reporting their contacts.
Look, you don't have a dog—fine. You value your own comfort, and honestly, that's okay. For me, though, I can't just wander off wherever I feel like every single weekend because of my dog. It comes down to priorities, I guess. Just choices we make. I definitely agree that life requires planning. Personally, I’m not really that type—I tend to just go where the wind blows me... Besides, tomorrow a car could hit us at a crosswalk, and suddenly all those grand plans just vanish into thin air. At the end of the day, we can argue about discrimination all we want, but if an epidemiologist tells my friend in quarantine that she’s allowed to walk her dog at a distance, then that's what she does.
But how exactly are you supposed to plan for that? I mean, a person can go from being perfectly healthy to facing permanent disability in a single day—it’s just how things work. Does this imply that someone living alone isn't even allowed to have a dog, a cat, or maybe a hamster? Because, honestly, who knows what life might throw at you tomorrow... If I happen to come down with the flu or strep throat tomorrow, am I forbidden from walking my dog at a distance, or does this rule only apply to people in isolation who aren't showing symptoms yet?
Keith Barrett2 said:So, do you live on the ground floor? because if not, aren't you basically forced to trek through a shared hallway just to get out of the building? Like, you’d have to run into someone like your neighbor Sue and be stuck within like three feet of each other—I'm pretty sure those stairs aren't even wide enough to dodge someone if you're trying to avoid being exposed.
Honestly, what is wrong with people?! It’s not like this is some kind of frog virus that’s going to leap down your throat just because an infected person brushes past you for a split second. Besides, not everyone who tests positive is stuck in strict isolation. And frankly, I think there's a much higher risk from the folks who don't even know they're sick standing next to you on the subway, at the grocery store, or in a hospital waiting room... That seems like the real issue to me. The people in self-isolation walking their dogs while keeping their distance aren't the problem.
This honestly reminds me of that old story about the poor guy with the tractor just trying to get to his field—it’s like he's some kind of biological terrorist. Personally, when I'm out walking my dog, I try to maintain at least a 15-foot buffer from anyone else. And if I have a mask on? Well... ugh. It feels like I'm sowing seeds of danger everywhere I go, God forbid.
I suppose all we can really do now is wait until November to see what actually hits the shelves and how they plan on handling the rollout. Maybe there’s a way to grab it directly from Mylan through a pharmacy, though I imagine that comes with a different price tag entirely. I’ll probably look into it tomorrow—just to be sure.
Drew Gonzalez75 said:Alternatively, you could board them at a kennel. And parents dealing with kids have plenty of hurdles to clear, so they find ways to make it work. At the end of the day, having a dog is your choice. It isn't a necessity, so you shouldn't expect special privileges or exceptions that people without pets don't get. Do you honestly think it isn't torture for a small child to be stuck inside for days without running through a park or even just out in front of the building?😵
We are talking about basic biological needs here, not social butterfly stuff. If a kid is stuck in isolation for 14 days, I highly doubt they're going to come out with lifelong childhood trauma. Dogs have to go to the bathroom—that's just reality—and I fail to see how taking them out three times a day is some sort of luxury. It's an obligation. Whether it's snowing, pouring rain, or it's 3 AM because they have diarrhea... yeah, what a privilege.
Whatever happens, happens. At the medical facility where I work, we just found out that only 40% of the ordered doses actually arrived. We were notified about this today—not exactly great news. They’re supposed to decide by Monday which criteria they'll use to determine who gets vaccinated first.