NYC Only Testing for COVID-19 in Patients Needing Hospitalization

NBC New York ^ | March 20, 2020 | Chris Glorioso

[BookmanTheJanitor]

Yep, my friend (a doctor) is now getting them back in 36 hours.

[momincombatboots]

Every year a blue million people show up wanting a flu test. They do not care to expose healthcare workers or anyone else. Getting a pos flu test has little impact on their outcome. I always wonder, outside of high risk groups, who these selfish people are. It exposes oodles of people for no reason.

[FoxInSocks]

But in NYC, “only test for COVID-19 in patients that require hospitalization.” That’s a statistical bias. It should be noted that NYC’s numbers may not be comparable with other jurisdictions.

We’ll all continue looking at data.

[Paladin2]

Were are the data on the incidence of other Flus?

[Paladin2]

NYC doesn’t get the 95% false tests of potential victims that other locations do?

[Paladin2]

In Jan. I finally went to the Urgent Care Spot to get an Albuterol inhaler. [I had had the Flu ~10 years ago that turned into pneumonia and I was having none of that again.]

They gave me a chest X-Ray [clear] and a Rx for what I needed.

A few weeks later I recovered.

No fever, so very unlikely CV-19.

[tinyowl]

Yeah totally agreed with that -> skus the numbers. It's hard because to some extent ALL the numbers are that way. Some states are testing more, some less, some are ignoring those who don't need hospitalization, Italy counts you as a corona death if you died while having corona whether that's what killed you or or not, China's numbers a lie, Russia surely lying but also surely better off than many for having closed the border, South Korea tested all over the place.

No number is a reliable number. You almost have to just isolate one population, whether it be a city or a country -> whatever makes that population consistently counted for the most part ... and then look at the curve pattern ... and then ultimately (except really for Italy) ... look at the death curve ... but that doesn't even show up for a couple/few weeks.

[FoxInSocks]

Well, if nothing else, we’ll all end up learning a little about epidemiology because of this, if nothing else.

[Ken H]

NYC has some real geniuses =>

>>>>>>>>>>>

Commissioner Oxiris Barbot
@NYCHealthCommr

Today our city is celebrating the #LunarNewYear parade in Chinatown, a beautiful cultural tradition with a rich history in our city. I want to remind everyone to enjoy the parade and not change any plans due to misinformation spreading about #coronavirus.

A Guide to Lunar New Year in NYC
Where to celebrate the holiday.
nycgo.com

9:10 AM · Feb 9, 2020·Hootsuite Inc.

https://twitter.com/NYCHealthCommr/status/1226508570646269954

[Ken H]

Meant to say NYC Health Dept has some real geniuses.

[tinyowl]

Well, if nothing else, we’ll all end up learning a little about epidemiology because of this, if nothing else.

What a ride!

[MacMattico]

I’m in NY and it became evident to me Cuomo’s motive from day 1. Yes, we need additional resources and yes we need testing for those needing treatment but Cuomo wanted all of the country’s resources for NYC and for the future from day 1. Like yesterday he demanded all of the available ventilators. He claims Trump will cause people’s deaths but he wants to deny other states anything that is available. He’s even denying upstate, who he pretends doesn’t exist. New Rochelle was almost Canada to him. He almost enjoys stroking his own ego during a pandemic. NY hospitals have been underfunded by the state for a long time. He’s looking to restock at others expense, and yet the media just loves him.

[DoughtyOne]

I’m going to support shelter in place in the very short term.

We can only do that so long though, because then the damage
to our economic infrastructure balloons, and not just
temporarily at that point.

I’m hopeful that the numbers drop, and then we can ease up a bit.

Yesterday the daily increase in cases was about 2,500 less
than the day before.

I’d like to see that continue going forward.

The numbers did still go up 8,700 cases, but the day before
it went up around 11,250.

(Just as I was typing that to you, there was a very bad
traffic accident near my location. Can’t see it, but
there was the sound of brakes and what sounded like
multiple cars impacting, more than just two or three...)

[DoughtyOne]

I admit that it’s hard to make out what is actually taking
place. IMO < we are getting a moment by moment play by play
here that we normally don’t get. I wouldn’t be surprised to
know that this is how it happens with each and every flu
season. We just don’t get the play by play and all the
angst.

[DannyTN]

Cuomo was just bragging about how NY is testing more people per capita than any other state or nation in the world.

And given that article is 5 days old, and it sounds like some of the comments are even older, I’m not sure if the article is still relevant.

[zeestephen]

Laboratory Director for the NYC Department of Health, Jennifer Rakeman:

“We know that the circulating virus right now that’s causing respiratory like illness or flu-like illnesses is COVID-19. You don’t need a test to tell you that.”

Liar, Liar, Scrubs On Fire!

New York - Week Ending 07 March 2020 - 7,166 Confirmed New Influenza Cases - 1,027 Hospitalized

https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/surveillance/2019-2020/archive/2020-03-07_flu_report.pdf

New York - Week Ending 14 March 2020 - 6,075 Confirmed New Influenza Cases - 689 Hospitalized

https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/surveillance/2019-2020/flu_report_current_week.pdf

[zeestephen]

Re: Were are the data on the incidence of other Flus?

I just posted the New York influenza data for the last two weeks in Comment #36 (with link).

Here is the CDC national weekly flu data link...

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/pastreports.htm

The weekly data is not helpful on the death rate.

Flu mortality is calculated after combining it with the total number of pneumonia deaths.

CDC only issues one annual estimate for the flu deaths - one estimate for each state, and the final national estimate.

[familyop]

"Testing in the more 'remote' areas could actually lead to containment and snuffing,."

Thousands of urban zombies have looked at the epidemic maps and fled to such places from the coasts.

[familyop]

"You also see patchy ground glass infiltrates with influenza and rsv"

Can doctors distinguish between COVID-19 and influenza as stated by some?

[mewzilla]

FWIW, I think there’s a decent chance some folks will choose not to ask for a test. I’m amazed by the low test numbers Upstate. I’m wondering if folks who don’t feel that sick don’t want to be quarantined while they wait for results, or after if confirmed positive.