Coronavirus

[the_geneticist]

I was checking the New York Times hospitalization numbers today and noticed that several hospitals in my area are listed with fractions of beds available. This seems to be pretty consistent in lots of states, e.g. Tallahassee Memorial Hospital is listed as having 0.7 available ICU beds. Does anyone know why they aren't counting beds using whole numbers?

AR.

It's because they don't mean physical presence of a bed.  It's not the mattress that's the limit, it's the staffing.  They don't have enough [fill in your choice of medically trained folks] to care for the patients.  So, what they are saying is that they only have 0.7 of the person-hours needed to care for the average new ICU patient.

[AvidReader]

It's because they don't mean physical presence of a bed.  It's not the mattress that's the limit, it's the staffing.  They don't have enough [fill in your choice of medically trained folks] to care for the patients.  So, what they are saying is that they only have 0.7 of the person-hours needed to care for the average new ICU patient.

Interesting! Thank you!

AR.

[AmLitHist]

My colleague and I had our first F2F classes on Tuesday morning.  By the time she got home from work early that afternoon, she had an email from a student who had come to class knowing she was sick (sat in the middle of the room, masked) after being tested over the weekend. The student tested positive.

Well, THAT didn't take long....

[the_geneticist]

My colleague and I had our first F2F classes on Tuesday morning.  By the time she got home from work early that afternoon, she had an email from a student who had come to class knowing she was sick (sat in the middle of the room, masked) after being tested over the weekend. The student tested positive.

Well, THAT didn't take long....

Wow.  I hope the university contacts the rest of the students in that class.

[apl68]

Our school superintendent has now pointed out that having students masked has already saved us large numbers of quarantines at our school.  Maybe they can gradually get across the utility of masking to enough parents to make compliance go down easier.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Apologies if this was already mentioned. I'm tired and just don't have the oomph to search.

Has anyone had issues with getting students to wear masks in a 'no-mask-required' place? We are not allowed to require them, but I plan to bring some with me and ask them nicely to mask up. Suggestions?

[Caracal]

My colleague and I had our first F2F classes on Tuesday morning.  By the time she got home from work early that afternoon, she had an email from a student who had come to class knowing she was sick (sat in the middle of the room, masked) after being tested over the weekend. The student tested positive.

Well, THAT didn't take long....

Wow.  I hope the university contacts the rest of the students in that class.

The guidelines are that they don't need to if the student was masked. It makes sense. You'd end up w everyone quarantined very quickly if that counted as an exposure.

[saffie]

A student from a F2F class here tested positive two days after class. Students are required to wear masks inside, but no distancing in the classroom. This counted as an exposure. (Vaccine is mandated, but students still have time to submit proof, so there can be a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated in the classroom.)

Protocol here is that everyone in close contact (e.g. everyone else in the classroom, including instructor) needs to get tested. If already fully vaccinated, a negative test result will allow access back to campus. If not vaccinated yet, quarantine for a week and half, with no access to campus until a negative test result at end of quarantine. 

[clean]

Yesterday I tried.  In my Intermediate finance class (so you would think these students appreciated numbers) I posted the Covid numbers over time (noting that in this date in May, we had like 25 new cases, 22 in the hospital and 8 in the ICU - total deaths were about 814).  I reported the changes each month until last week - the first week of class .  Last Friday there were over 450 new cases, 425 in the hospital with 111 in the ICU. Deaths were now over 1000.  I reported the total for the 5 class days of last week - over 2200 new cases, and 50 deaths!!). I reminded them that we have made national news for flying people to other hospitals because we were filled and have the highest rate of Covid hospitalizations.  I reported that out of 29 people registered in class, in the first week I had received official notices that 5 were either positive or required to quarantine!  That is like 17% of THAT class! 

I then asked if anyone would like a mask!  I have plenty to offer! 

Any takers???? Not a damn one!  I had 9 masked people in a class of 22 students in attendance (as 5 were not allowed back on campus yet!) 

So I am not particularly please with them, and I fear that I will not have the compassion I might should.   


"Oh, you want me to WebEx the class because you are positive and can not go to campus?  .... Maybe you should have accepted a mask! 
"Why did I stop posting the class notes after every class?  Well, hell, why should I spend my time doing that?  No one volunteered to post them on the first day, and no one wants to wear a mask, so I suppose that everyone will be healthy and will attend. Why would the notes even be needed???"

(I am still posting the notes after each class, but in the past, I would have given them to a class member to scan and post in the class' discussion board).


So, I  dont have much advice except perhaps, Dont Bother.  They are not likely to risk the stares from classmates to accept a mask, much less wear it, and YOU will only be as PISSED OFF as I am thinking that they dont give a shit about their health, much less my health or the health of anyone else!!  So Why Take the Risk of KNOWING what inconsiderate, self absorbed, uncaring assholes they are?

I hope that helps!!

But if anyone finds something that works, please let me know what it was! 

[Langue_doc]

The only thing that would work depends on admincritters with spines. Perhaps insist that one sit in your class for the entire duration, maskless?

[secundem_artem]

First class of the new semester.  35 faces wearing 35 masks.  Our admin has made it clear that masks are expected and that students can expect to have an unpleasant meeting with the Dean of Students should they refuse.

[Caracal]

First class of the new semester.  35 faces wearing 35 masks.  Our admin has made it clear that masks are expected and that students can expect to have an unpleasant meeting with the Dean of Students should they refuse.

Yeah, when rules are clear and there are obvious consequences, you usually don't have to spend much time enforcing them.

[Morden]

From McSweeney's

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a-short-quiz-for-my-students-in-lieu-of-asking-about-their-vaccine-status-or-requesting-that-they-wear-masks

[Economizer]

I heard Dr. Fauci say today [think it was him?] that the Delta stream of the Corona Virus is, or starts, more centered in the nostrils, or nasal, area. When the 1st burst of the Covid came I suggested keeping the throat area of the airway cleared by using a toothbrush in the far back areas of the throat to provoke mucus clearing.That may have helped in keeping the airway cleared. So, now another possibly not lamebrain idea. Would flu remedies or antihistamines help in lessening congestion in nose areas thereby bettering breathing and hopefully helping natural and medical forces in making better progress in opposing the current Covid "spike"?

[secundem_artem]

I heard Dr. Fauci say today [think it was him?] that the Delta stream of the Corona Virus is, or starts, more centered in the nostrils, or nasal, area. When the 1st burst of the Covid came I suggested keeping the throat area of the airway cleared by using a toothbrush in the far back areas of the throat to provoke mucus clearing.That may have helped in keeping the airway cleared. So, now another possibly not lamebrain idea. Would flu remedies or antihistamines help in lessening congestion in nose areas thereby bettering breathing and hopefully helping natural and medical forces in making better progress in opposing the current Covid "spike"?

These ideas are right up there with drinking bleach and trying to shine bright lights into your lungs - both suggestions by D. Trump MD (mentally deficient)  Depending on the antihistamine, they have a drying effect which would be more likely to have the virus sticking around rather than being expelled when blowing one's nose. Trying to brush your throat is just going to trigger the gag reflex.  Handwashing ,distancing, masks & vaccines.  This is not rocket science.