The Flu is Gone

Centers for Disease Control ^ | 11/13/2020 | CDC

[null and void]

Like we aren't going full communist? They're going to let biden win the official count, and claim we voted him in fair and square.

The world will think "we" voted our way into socialism and we beat them to full on national socialism, with all that implies.

Will we fight our way out?

That remains to be seen.

Either way, we'll look pretty stupid, and a lot of us will look pretty dead...

[null and void]

Yup, and his reward for saving untold numbers of women from dying of puerperal fever was to be hounded out of the medical profession, and driven into an insane asylum, where he died.

[MCEscherHammer]

Kudos, should have looked at the Aussies and the Southern Hemisphere...

If the 10% Flu mark holds up in the Northern hemisphere in the coming months, then maybe there is some interesting biology involved...

[Bulwyf]

You may be quite right, I’m still remaining optimistic. I also know though that’s I will never cooperate with the path to communism. Many of us won’t live through it, but there are worse things.

[Pride in the USA]

ping***

[livius]

Masks work...for bacteria. And that’s what they’re used for in hospitals, to prevent bacterial contamination.

[Dick Vomer]

“ Several of my [Humon, not me!] family members and friends have/are working at hospitals and they’re all having a good hearty laugh at people who say masks doesn’t [sic she’s a Dane] work.”

Well, they must work in maintenance or as secretaries because masks don’t work like you or they think.

What do you think surgical masks do? What is their function?

I love reading idiotic statements by people that have no clue about the science and function of masks, but make the snarky little comments.

Read this article and the parts about CULTURE CONFIRMED INFLUENZA case prevention.

Here’s a small sample of the conclusions.

“ Although mechanistic studies support the potential effect of hand hygiene or face masks, evidence from 14 randomized controlled trials of these measures did not support a substantial effect on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza. ”

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article?fbclid=IwAR0Yp5_gWzH9lzUUYrQqhgN1LHVwDfUlTjQ1h9ORp93tKvf8VCNSJZfLCbE

[null and void]

What do you think surgical masks do? What is their function?

To keep the big chunks of saliva and mucus from the doctor out of open incisions.

It's a percentage game. If you reduce the viral/bacterial/fungal load on a patient by a 1000 times, you reduce the risk of infection proportionally.

As they are worn today, they are more of a talisman than an actual medical device, at best they remind the wearer and those around them to practice a little social distancing, and keep their hands and fingers out of their mouths and noses.

And they do filter out the big chunks, except for the air that goes around the poorly sealed edges!

Truth be told most of the infectious agents aren't traveling nekked, they are in blobs of snot and spit, those can get filtered out. A viral particle by itself? A mask is as effective against them as a chain link fence is against mosquitoes.

Still, once again, it's a percentage game, reduce the viral load, give the body more time to fight a small invasion, reduce the odds of an overwhelming infection.

Compare the results of the Nazis invading the US by submarine drop off with a half dozen saboteurs to D-Day...

That being said, I wear a mask, I'm in my sixties, an obese, diabetic, hypertensive, cancer survivor. I wear a mask not because I think it will guarantee my (and by extension, my elderly mom's) health, but because it's required to go into any business in this benighted state.

I also wear a seatbelt. If I didn't I'd have a pile of click it or ticket citations, as to the seatbelt's lifesaving function, I've only needed it a few times in 50 years of driving...

Is that even vaguely what you thought I think? (just curious, there are no wrong answers to that one.)

[null and void]

Oh, and just because I quoted Human, does not mean I agree with her.

Do you think when Satan quotes the Bible it means he agrees with God?

Have you NEVER quoted Pelosi or Schumer Or Mad Maxine?

[Dick Vomer]

read the study. All of it.

I’m a 63 yo stage 4 renal cancer patient that works full time in the emergency room.

So I have a vested interest in this as well.

The “percentages” are actually what I was talking about and what the study says. (if you care to read it all). It states that NO SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF CULTURE POSITIVE INFLUENZA WAS NOTED WITH MASK.

It also states that mechanism SHOULD work but doesn’t.

Care to know why?

Because if you look at the public and even the most “careful”, they contaminate everything and prevent NOTHING.

1. The masks are NOT kept in brown paper bags that are sterile or individual use.

2. They are kept in pockets, purses, wrapped on rear view mirrors, center consoles and gear shifts.

3. Hands are not washed and gloves used to put the mask on.

4. Once the mask is in place and people touch the environment (handles, desks, phones, cash, wallets, groceries, mail packages...etc) they touch the mask again and contaminate the outside of the mask as they adjust it for fogged glasses and fit.

5. If the mask is touched on the inside (touching your face) it is not disposed of, but .....nothing. People still use it and it’s contaminated.

6. Removal of the mask is NOT done with gloves and hands are not cleaned before and after glove use.

7. The mask is not sterilized especially cloth ones, with Virex, ozone or UV light after each use or if used for more than 20-30 minutes. (recomendations of manufacturers and infection control).

8. By touching the mask (who you and others think has “trapped” the virus or droplets) you have contaminated your hands and will touch your glasses, eyes, ears, mouth and nose.... thereby giving you a nice concentration of viral particles.

9. Placing the mask (once removed) in the purse, pocket, center console or gear shift.... it is now contaminated. If you use it multiple times...well then multiple viral loads are place in those areas and now you can see why IN SPITE of masks wearing and social distancing we have continued spread of Covid.

As we will because it’s a novel virus and we have no herd immunity, vaccine or treatment. ...same as it ever was......same as it ever was.

If you read the study it states specifically that the public is AT GREATER RISK of infection because of improper usage of masks..... that’s near the end of the article.

I “play the percentage’ as well.

I have over the last 37 years of emergency medicine played the percentages. Guess what?

I’ve been exposed to Ebola, MERs, H1N1, Tuberculosis, AIDs, Pneumonic Plague (hunters in New Mexico bitten by fleas from field mice), Influenza, Croup, plain old community acquired pneumonia, strep throat, mono and on and on....but yet in spite of working Level 1 and Level 2 trauma centers and averaging 20-30 patients a shift, I only have had one illness and I don’t think Renal Cell Carcinoma is contagious.

[null and void]

Excellent! Thanks!

[null and void]

Please see Dick Vomer's post #50...

Bring Out Your Dead

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

The false positive rate was 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

Quarantine the sick. Protect the vulnerable. Free everyone else.

[DoodleBob]

Thank you for the link. I read the study. Parenthetically, it was truly a WTF moment when I realized I WANTED to read about the pandemic vs the election. That's easily a box on my How Much Do I Hate 2020 Bingo Card.

Many times, footnotes or source data are even more illuminating than the study itself. Thus, I dug in and was not disappointed....this should ALSO be noted in addition to Dr Vomer's conclusion...pardon the length.

While there was no statistically significant difference when pooling these studies' results and across many of the individual studies, one of the studies stood out: it DID show a statistically-significant difference and it had a meaningful sample size. But look at where this happened, the test subjects, and the likely absence of freedom and liberty in the test subjects:

To evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive hand hygiene campaign on reducing absenteeism caused by influenza-like illness (ILI), diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and laboratory-confirmed influenza, we conducted a randomized control trial in 60 elementary schools in Cairo, Egypt. Children in the intervention schools were required to wash hands twice each day, and health messages were provided through entertainment activities. Data were collected on student absenteeism and reasons for illness. School nurses collected nasal swabs from students with ILI, which were tested by using a qualitative diagnostic test for influenza A and B. Compared with results for the control group, in the intervention group, overall absences caused by ILI, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and laboratory-confirmed influenza were reduced by 40%, 30%, 67%, and 50%, respectively (p<0.0001 for each illness). An intensive hand hygiene campaign was effective in reducing absenteeism caused by these illnesses.

Here's where it gets very Big Brother-like:

At each intervention school, a hand hygiene team composed of 3 teachers (social studies, arts, sports) and the school nurse was established. The hand hygiene team ensured that all predesigned activities for the hand hygiene campaign were implemented on a weekly basis (Table 1). The school nurses and teachers were trained to interview students, collect absenteeism data, interview parents, and complete data collection forms, and the nurses were trained to collect and process nasal swabs to test for influenza. At control schools, the nurses were supported by a single surveillance officer who was assigned to complete data collection forms.

Although the methods for providing soap varied among the intervention schools, parents usually sent children to school with a small bag containing bar soap and a clean towel. If families could not afford soap and hand-drying material, the school administration provided them.

Six independent social workers visited the schools weekly; each visited 10 schools per week (5 intervention and 5 control schools). During each visit, they observed hand hygiene activities, soap and drying material availability, and the process of students washing their hands during the school day; they also verified the accuracy of the illness data collected by teachers.

Intervention Communication Campaign

An intensive campaign to promote hand hygiene was launched in the intervention schools to raise the awareness of students, teachers, nurses, and parents regarding the importance of hand hygiene and to increase the proportion of students washing their hands. Hand hygiene teams required students in the first 3 primary grades to wash their hands at least twice during the school day for ≈45 seconds, followed by proper rinsing and drying with a clean cloth towel.

Campaign materials were developed for 3 groups (students, teachers, parents). The teachers’ guidebook included a detailed description of the students’ activities and methods to encourage students to practice these activities. Posters were placed near sinks in the classrooms and on the playground. The primary message was to wash hands with soap and water upon arriving at school, before and after meals, after using the bathroom, and after coughing or sneezing.

Grade-specific student booklets were developed; each included a set of 12 games and fun activities that promoted handwashing. At least 1 activity was used each week. A special song to promote hand hygiene was developed and played regularly at schools. Informational fliers were distributed to parents to reinforce the messages delivered at the schools. Many schools were creative in motivating students to comply with washing hands, such as selecting a weekly hand hygiene champion, developing theater plays, and launching school contests for drawings and songs.

Thaaaaaats right..it took a study in Egypt on easily-frightened children with a massive fear campaign AND collaboration with teachers, the government, parents, to make hand-washing an 'effective measure' in controlling influenza-like illness (ILI), diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and laboratory-confirmed influenza...and even THEN the p-value is on absenteeism, not necessarily protecting the children.

Bottom line, masks and hand-washing ONLY work a) with professionals who execute those controls with consistent attention to details, and b) with fear and intimidation....

Once again, I learn more from FR than any other place. Thank you.

[Jim Noble]

There were 61 000 proven cases of Influenza in Australia in August 2019.

In August 2020, there were 107.

[GOPJ]

Are you saying YOU know how to use a mask so you don’t get infected? Or that you have such extraordinary health and great DNA that - mask or not - that you’re safe? have

(And yes, I’ve seen people who do things with masks that tell me they have zero understanding of what the mask is for...)

[DrewsMum]

Bookmark mask data

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I already brought out my dead. My dead are still dead. I’m the only one left...and I’m not dead, yet! ;)

[null and void]

You’re not fooling anyone, you know.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

LOL!

[StoneWall Brigade]

They believe its getting worse only because the phony media and the media narrative along with the bureaucratics in the federal/local state governments are telling them that it is verbatim.
At some point it’s going to have to be up to us we the people to do something about it through civil means by civil i.e rallies and protests along with
civil disobedience/nullification or at the very extreme end by armed force as our forefathers,before us when they couldn’t get anywhere with the British parliament.