COVID-19 Discussion (No Politics)

[Diehard_Ute]

From what I’ve seen at work, we haven’t seen an increase in suicide.

We have seen a HUGE increase in calls for mental health issues.

The pandemic has really exacerbated many existing mental health issues, and exposed some new ones. Many people lost their support systems and coping skills.

I think the things people often forget about are those who are single, and work was their daily contact with other people. Now they’re at home everyday for months and only talk to people via technology. That takes a toll.

[SkinyUte]

@Diehard_Ute

We have seen a HUGE increase in calls for mental health issues.

The pandemic has really exacerbated many existing mental health issues, and exposed some new ones. Many people lost their support systems and coping skills.

I think the things people often forget about are those who are single, and work was their daily contact with other people. Now they’re at home everyday for months and only talk to people via technology. That takes a toll.

Agreed on all of that.

The need and availability for mental health care in the US has never been higher than right now. Sadly, it doesn’t seem as if anyone’s particularly interested in addressing that.

[UtahFanSir]

@SkinyUte

Thought this was an interesting tangent to the COVID discussion, as we’ve heard over and over again how drastically increased suicide rates were over the past year due to the pandemic.

According to the NHCS (National Center for Health Statistics) and the NVSS (National Vital Statistics System), that’s not really true. Suicides were actually lower in 2020 than they’ve been in the previous four years.

• 2020: 44,834
• 2019: 47,511
• 2018: 48,344
• 2017: 47,173
• 2016: 44,965

Some really interesting additional data in there about the overall causes of mortality in the US

Interesting however that ‘unintended injuries’ are way up. What does that mean?

[sweetgrass]

social distancing and mask wearing have resulted in my family having a banner year in health. No colds, no flu, no stomach viruses. Absolutely nothing. I’m going to continue mask wearing (where its reasonable) particularly during flu season. I’ll trade the odd looks in the grocery store if it gives me a better chance of not catching something

[NewbombTurk]

@sweetgrass

I’ll trade the odd looks in the grocery store if it gives me a better chance of not catching something

Exactly. That “muh freedom” thing cuts both ways.

[Diehard_Ute]

@UtahFanSir

Interesting however that ‘unintended injuries’ are way up. What does that mean?

This includes traffic accidents, drug overdoses and things like falls.

While traffic was down last year, fatal traffic accidents were up 8%.

[SkinyUte]

@sweetgrass

social distancing and mask wearing have resulted in my family having a banner year in health. No colds, no flu, no stomach viruses. Absolutely nothing. I’m going to continue mask wearing (where its reasonable) particularly during flu season. I’ll trade the odd looks in the grocery store if it gives me a better chance of not catching something

Same. I commented to Mrs SkinyUte over the weekend that I hadn’t realized just how often I had been sick from travelling…until this past year, where it didn’t happen once.

It’s been SO nice not to have to spend a day or two every week feeling like sh*t every time I get back from the airport.

[SkinyUte]

@UtahFanSir

Interesting however that ‘unintended injuries’ are way up. What does that mean?

The huge jump in diabetes deaths stood out to me as well, although that could be more easily explained.

[DataUte]

@Diehard_Ute

While traffic was down last year, fatal traffic accidents were up 8%.

I’ve driven a lot less and when I do, I notice that my skills aren’t quite as good (a couple more missed people in the blind spot that honk, a little more cautious about timing when making a turn). Maybe folks have always driven this fast and I was used to it, but it seems like a little faster motion to me. So perhaps people are driving like they did before but have a little less practice leading to more accidents (and that are fatal).

@SkinyUte

The huge jump in diabetes deaths stood out to me as well, although that could be more easily explained.

With 345k covid deaths and other sources saying 450k, I wonder if about 100k are attributed to complications from diabetes, heart disease, etc. It could also be from folks that are having issues and are more reluctant to seek care (go to the hospital) or go later than they should due to the pandemic and fear of getting closer to the virus that likely is being treated in that facility.

[Diehard_Ute]

@DataUte

I’ve driven a lot less and when I do, I notice that my skills aren’t quite as good (a couple more missed people in the blind spot that honk, a little more cautious about timing when making a turn). Maybe folks have always driven this fast and I was used to it, but it seems like a little faster motion to me. So perhaps people are driving like they did before but have a little less practice leading to more accidents (and that are fatal).

UHP wrote over 5,000 citations in 2020 for triple digit speeds. That’s a record. By a long shot.

[RockerUte]

@Diehard_Ute

From what I’ve seen at work, we haven’t seen an increase in suicide.

We have seen a HUGE increase in calls for mental health issues.

The pandemic has really exacerbated many existing mental health issues, and exposed some new ones. Many people lost their support systems and coping skills.

I think the things people often forget about are those who are single, and work was their daily contact with other people. Now they’re at home everyday for months and only talk to people via technology. That takes a toll.

Very accurate. A good friend is a counselor and she has to do it all virtually now and while better than nothing is not as effective. It has taken a toll on her too, she works alone from home and just deals with peoples problems without a break. Also a single person.

[RockerUte]

I just got my second dose:

In two weeks.

[DataUte]

Remember when people wiped down groceries? Remember when most thought covid was mostly transmitted by touching things then your mouth/face like colds or the flu?

It is possible for people to be infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects (fomites), but the risk is generally considered to be low … The coronavirus is spread almost exclusively by airborne and aerosolized particles, as scientists have known for months.

I’ve felt the ‘hygiene theater’ was pretty ridiculous from the start, kind of like: ‘wiping everything down all the time is to covid as TSA is to real security’. But it still goes on because it’s something we can outwardly show is being done. Probably just more important to wash your hands.

If we took half the effort that’s being given to disinfection, and we put it on ventilation, that will be huge

End the hygiene theater, CDC says

[NewbombTurk]

@DataUte

But it still goes on because it’s something we can outwardly show is being done.

I am glad that protocols are updated as we learn more. Unfortunately, the deniers will use stuff like this to repeat their usual mantra that scientists know nothing and can’t be trusted. So once again, something that should never be politicized, get’s politicized.

[UtahFanSir]

Researchers Are Hatching a Low-Cost Coronavirus Vaccine

[SkinyUte]

Study of over 230,000 COVID patients finds 1 out of 3 people who had COVID get new neurological or psychiatric diagnosis by 6 months. That’s…not good.

I swear to Bob that I’m going to kick the next moron who says “it’s just the flu” square in the minerals,

Eric Topol (EricTopol)

[LAUte]

I’m at SLC Airport (first time since it opened, after flying weekly out of the old airport for 2 years). Nice airport. Everyone is wearing a mask, because it’s required here. Last summer when I flew out of the old airport I was surrounded by mask-refusers. I like this better.

[UtahFanSir]

Sweden’s Pandemic Experiment

[Greginslc]

Sweden is going to be an medical ethics case for study for decades.

[salUTE]

I got my second shot yesterday, late afternoon (Moderna). I have a minimally sore arm, feel a little tired (even though I slept well), no fever, but a few minor body aches. If this is as bad as it gets, I’m going to feel very lucky.

My wife get’s her second later today.

Two weeks from now, we are going to the grocery store to properly select our own produce

In mid-May, when our son and his girfriend have had the second shot plus two weeks, we will be having a large indoor birthday party to make up for those that we missed with extended family, most of whom we have not seen since Feb of 2020, and all of whom will be vaccinated by then.