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The main uncertainty in the coronavirus outbreak in the United States now is how big it will get, and how fast. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Nancy Messonnier told reporters on March 9, many people in the US will at some point, either this year or next, get exposed to this virus.

According to infectious disease epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch at Harvard, its plausible that 20 to 60 percent of adults will be infected with Covid-19 disease. So far, 80 percent of cases globally have been mild, but if the case fatality rate is around 1 percent (which several experts say it may be), a scenario is possible of tens or hundreds of thousands of deaths in the US alone.

Yet the speed at which the outbreak plays out matters hugely for its consequences. What epidemiologists fear most is the health care system becoming overwhelmed by a sudden explosion of illness that requires more people to be hospitalized than it can handle. In that scenario, more people will die because there wont be enough hospital beds or ventilators to keep them alive.

A disastrous inundation of hospitals can likely be averted with protective measures were now seeing more of closing schools, canceling mass gatherings, working from home, self-quarantine, self-isolation, avoiding crowds to keep the virus from spreading fast.

Epidemiologists call this strategy of preventing a huge spike in cases flattening the curve, and it looks like this:

Even if you dont reduce total cases, slowing down the rate of an epidemic can be critical, wrote Carl Bergstrom, a biologist at the University of Washington in a Twitter thread praising the graphic, which was first created by the CDC, adapted by consultant Drew Harris, and popularized by the Economist. The chart has since gone viral with the help of the hashtag #FlattenTheCurve.

Flattening the curve means that all the social distancing measures now being deployed in places like Italy and South Korea, and on a smaller scale in places like Seattle and Santa Clara County, California, arent so much about preventing illness but rather slowing down the rate at which people get sick.

The CDC advises that people over age 60 and people with chronic medical conditions the two groups considered most vulnerable to severe pneumonia from Covid-19 to avoid crowds as much as possible.

If more of us do that, we will slow the spread of the disease, Emily Landon, an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist at the University of Chicago Medicine, told Vox. That means my mom and your mom will have a hospital bed if they need it.

So even if youre young and healthy, its your job to follow social distancing measures to avoid spreading it to others, and keep the epidemic in slow motion. The more young and healthy people are sick at the same time, the more old people will be sick, and the more pressure there will be on the health care system, Landon explained.

Hospitals filled with Covid-19 patients wont just strain to care for those patients doctors may also have to prioritize them over others. Right now theres always a doctor available when you need one, but that may not be the case if were not careful, Landon said.

At this point, with the virus spreading in America, the top priority is making sure the health care system avoids being flooded with very sick patients who need ventilators and intensive care.

From a US standpoint, you want to prevent any place from becoming the next Wuhan, said Tom Frieden, who led the CDC under President Barack Obama. What that means is even if were not able to prevent widespread transmission, we want to prevent explosive transmission and anything that overwhelms the health care system.

Remember, Americas hospitals and doctors are already dealing with their usual caseloads during a pretty bad flu season. Now they have to be ready to handle any Covid-19 patients who come their way.

There are serious concerns about the US systems capacity to handle a severe outbreak. Covid-19 is a respiratory illness and in its most serious stages can require patients with pneumonia to be put on a ventilator. But there might not be enough ventilators to meet that need if the outbreak becomes too widespread.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security reported in 2018 that, according to US government estimates, about 65,000 people in the United States would require ventilation in an outbreak similar to the flu pandemics of 1957-1958 (which killed 116,000 people in the US) and 1968 (which killed 100,000 Americans).

The maximum number of ventilators that could be put in the field in the United States is about 160,000. So under those scenarios, there would theoretically be enough capacity to meet the need.

But if the coronavirus outbreak gets worse, we could quickly run out. In a situation more similar to the Spanish flu pandemic (675,000 dead in the US), about 742,500 people in the United States would require ventilation, according to government estimates. We dont have that many.

The health system is much more than ventilators, of course, and the concerns about capacity apply to the rest of it, too. As HuffPosts Jonathan Cohn reported, US hospitals have about 45,000 beds in their intensive care units. In a moderate outbreak, about 200,000 patients may need to be put in the ICU, but under a more severe outbreak, it could be nearly 3 million.

And while all 3 million of them would likely not need treatment at the same time, we again need to account for the ICU patients hospitals already had before coronavirus arrived, as Cohn noted:

On the one hand, those are total numbers, for the duration of the epidemic. Even under the most dire scenario, its unlikely that 2.9 million people would need ICU beds all at once. On the other hand, ICU beds in the U.S. are already pretty full, thanks to the normal crush of patients with influenza and other major medical problems.

As a result, hospitals are routinely at capacity, forcing backups of patients boarding in emergency departments for hours or even days, waiting on the beds there until inpatient slots become available. And thats before any influx from COVID-19.

Hospitals are already doing what they can rationing surgical masks, preparing to stand up temporary facilities, etc. and they will take more extreme measures if they cant handle all the people with Covid-19 plus their more routine patients.

But one thing people can do to help is stay home if they are feeling unwell and especially if they received a formal Covid-19 diagnosis and advice to self-isolate. That way, the US health care system can focus on the patients who really need it during this outbreak.

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Coronavirus chart: School closings and quarantines save lives by flattening the curve - Vox.com

Getty Images/iStock photo

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise around the country, maternity hospitals are cracking down on visitors to protect the health of mothers and theirbabies as well as considering early discharge post-delivery, in line with new national advice.

On Saturday,The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) issued new guidelines,which acknowledged the risk posed to the community, health workers, all patients and pregnant patients due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

How will this affect you?

As well as reducing, postponingand/or increasingthe interval between antenatal visits and limiting routine antenatal visits to less than 15 minutes, RANZCOG also recommended closing access to hospital and maternity units to visitors (excludingpartners).

While there is some variationbetween hospitals, and you will need to check with your own, most have now issued updated visitor requirements.

In an Instagram post, The Mater Private Hospital in North Sydney told patientsthat while partners are welcome, other family members and friends are not permitted to visit.Maternity Tours have also been cancelled.

Meanwhile, the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne has advised patients to "keepvisitor numbers to a minimum" and discourage siblings and other children from visiting. "We remind the community that visitors should not come to the Women's if they are unwell," they note.

While most parents and parents-to-be aresupportive of the move, some have admitted to feeling "heartbroken" and concernedabout the logistics.

"I completely understand this,I really do," one mum wrote on Instagram. "However, I'm due in eightweeks and will be having a c-section and therefore staying for fivenights. Will be heartbreaking to not to be able to see my eldest child for that amount of time. Or for him to be able to meet his sibling for that amount of time. It will also result in my husband not being able to spend time at the hospital due to caring for him at home ... "

New South Wales mum Hayley is currently five days overdue with her fourth child and tells Essential Baby that she's torn about the ban, but also understands that it's warranted. "We'd love people to come and support us and welcome the baby but obviously a bit wary of germs," she says. She's also prepared for a quick discharge from hospital. "I left four hours after birth with my other babies and that'll be the plan this time," Hayley says.

Dr Nicole Highet, Founder and Executive Director of the Centre ofPerinatalExcellence (COPE) tells Essential Baby:"It's understandableto be anxious at the moment and disappointed about not having visitors however it's always better to be safe, and prevention is always the best approach when it comes to public health issues such as this.

"Try to think about way that you can still connect with friends and family through for exampleFaceTimeorSkypefrom Hospital," she says. "Whileit is never going to be quite the same as having a hold of bub, remember, there are many days and years ahead for cuddles, as this too shall pass."

Newborn baby tests positive for COVID-19

The move comes as a newborn baby in London testedpositive for thecoronaviusminutes afterbeing born. The baby's mother had been admitted to hospital suffering frompneumonia but only testedpositive for COVID-19 after givingbirth,reportsThe Sun,who say the baby is the "world's youngest victim".

But questions remain around how the newborncontracted the illness.

"We can't say it happened while the baby was still in the womb," Dr. WilliamSchaffner, a professor of Preventive Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, toldLive Science. "The baby could have also contracted the virus during, or immediately after, birth."

What we currentlyknow about the impact on babies and pregnant women:

The news remains comforting for babies and pregnant women.

A recent study of19 pregnant women infected with COVID-19, which was published in The Lancetfound no evidence of mum to baby transmission.

In addition, research published inJAMAon February 14 looked at cases ofcoronavirusin infants under the age of one in China. Nine babies were infected betweenDecember 8, 2019, and February 6, 2020.The youngest was justonemonth old and the oldest was 11 months. All babies were hospitalised. One baby had no symptoms but tested positive for the illness. None of the infantsbecame seriously unwell.

RANZCOG advisesthe followingpreventative measures for pregnant women:

Pregnant women are also advised to avoid all non-essential overseas travel and to report early symptoms to theirmidwife,obstetrician or GP.

Tele-health now available:

The government recently announced thatTelehealth(consultations with doctors via phone)will be bulk-billed forpregnant women and those with newborns.

What else can parents do?

In an article for The Conversation,Karleen GribbleAdjunct Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University andNina Jane ChadResearch Fellow, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney suggest parents of babies prepare for COVID-19 by taking the following steps:

What about breastfeeding?

According to the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) women can continue to breast feed even if unwell.

"Breastfeeding helps protect babies from a variety of illnesses," the ABA notes. "This is because breast milk contains antibodies and other immune protective factors. If you have been diagnosed with or are suspected of having COVID-19, care should be taken to avoid spreading the virus to your baby while you continue to breastfeed."

If you notice a drop in supply (which can happen during illness) you can contact aAustralian Breastfeeding Association counsellorfor support, see alactation consultantor a medical advisor.

As the COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving issue, for more resources and up to date information, visit:

RANZCOG

Centre of PerinatalExcellence (COPE)

PANDA Helpline:1300 726 306

Australian Breastfeeding Association

Continue reading here:
Coronavirus crackdown: only partners allowed to visit maternity wards - Essential Baby

The coronavirus of 2019 has infected more than 155,000 people and claimed more than 5,000 lives. Some countries have closed their borders and discriminatory practices of xenophobia have swarmed their way into classrooms, the workplace, media and other institutions.

Hysteria, fear and anxiety have become the hallmarks of this growing epidemic since the first cases were reported in Wuhan, China. Exact incubation periods, profile of symptomatology and whether or not this is truly the first time coronavirus has been around are still in question. The anxiety surrounding this disease is even hampering the vitality of domestic and global economies. Last week, stocks tumbled for 7 consecutive days, with one of the sharpest declines occurring after President Trump gave a news conference earlier last week.

However, this writing wont be a political debate. It wont determine the fitness of Vice President Mike Pence to lead this national health emergencybut rather, will give needed attention to a public health and ethical concern.

Americans and other people around the world have been following the growing list of CDC guidelines. Weve been washing our hands for 20 seconds (approximate length of the Happy Birthday song sung twice), obeying travel restrictions, self-quarantining at the start of flu-like symptoms. Although these measures have potentially slowed the spread of the virus, an instrument to cease its transmission is needed. A vaccine would be the answer. Problem solved? Not quite.

On one hand, its estimated that a coronavirus vaccine may not be market-ready for approximately 1-2 years. On the other hand, according to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, the Trump administration cant promise that a vaccine will be affordable to all. Panicked and vulnerable Americans may not be able to get a preventative treatment to ensure their protection. A promising formula hasnt even made its way into a syringe yet, but somehow, has already been assigned an expensive price tag. Why so prematurely?

Market exclusivity appears to be a main culprit behind high drug prices in the U.S. As the coronavirus vaccine is in development, the first drug company to reach success in developing a vaccine will be granted a patent by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), essentially ensuring several years of protected monopoly status and profit given it meets FDA qualifications. The presence of generic vaccines wont be a reality for several years, which is one of the most useful tactics in driving prices down.

Newsflash.America has seen this before. We have seen our best minds, resources and capital funneled towards public health crises. However, when the prized breakthrough is achieved, the less fortunate are the last in line to reap its benefits. For example, in 2013, the more effective drugs Solvaldi and Olysio were added to the market for treatment and cure of Hepatitis C, a viral infection that can cause liver damage and cancer.

A study in the Journal of Health & Biomedical Law highlighted the challenges patients face in getting these promising drugs within our complex healthcare system. Specifically, just one pill of Sovaldi costs approximately $1,000, which brings the total cost of the 12-week treatment to $84,000, according to the study. While patients with private insurance showed higher rates of denied authorization, even patients with Medicare and Medicaid faced strict restrictions when trying to access these drugs. Some need access to a primary care doctor, a hepatologist or to show proof that they do not use alcohol. This is a difficult laundry list for people to accomplish, particularly those who are a part of the lower economic class, with limited access to routine care or specialists who accept Medicaid.

What should be established as a low hanging and accessible fruit has been selfishly turned into a high-hanging potential source of disparity. I would argue that a medical practice or development fueled by a profitable end falls short of providing equitable access to healthcare. The practice of medicine exists for the expedient and efficient treatment of all, not the few with hefty pockets.

Although the warnings of HHS Secretary Azar and health care leaders may appear to simply be rhetoric at the moment, health disparities are not. Marginalized members of society will predictably carry the heaviest burden of this disease. Notably, Duke Health has been reported as the largest employer in Durham county, employing over 19,000 within its healthcare system. It can therefore be deduced that it is one of the largest contributors to not only the economy of Durham county, but the health of its residents. In light of its mission to deliver a healthier tomorrow, DukeHealth should not only investigate the epidemiology of this disease, but the access (or lack thereof) that residents may have to upcoming technologies and medical advances.

Whether private investors are called upon to make this vaccine a reality, which significantly drives up the cost, or not, the federal government should have the health and pockets of all in mind. To our public leaders and advisors, such as those with the federal Centers for Disease Control who are working on the front lines of this emerging pandemic: We, the people, are doing our part with adherence to guidelines that have been established to prevent transmission of COVID-19. We are hopeful that a vaccine would be economically accessible to everyone at risk. In the meantime, the subsidizing of coronavirus diagnostic tests and related treatment for non or underinsured people remains a reasonable public health response. Should the latter become a reality, our government can begin to match what has been its potential for centuries. Enabling the latter will begin to lessen the burdens of human finitude and show us what equitable human flourishing truly looks like.

Kirsten Simmons is a third-year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine. She is also completing a Masters of Health Science in Clinical Research and a Masters of Theological Studies at Duke University Divinity School as a Theology Medicine and Culture Fellow.

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Link:
A coronavirus vaccine is in the making But you may have to check your pockets first - Duke Chronicle

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In a bid to check the spread of novel coronavirus in the national capital, the state government-run Nehru Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital in Defence Colony has come up with an isolation ward with a capacity of 30 beds.

According to the hospital administration, the decision was taken following a meeting with the Union Health and Welfare Ministry where hospitals were asked to prepare isolatedbeds to tackle the disease if more suspected cases arise.

"Here, only the suspected cases of coronavirus are to be taken. If found positive, the patients will be transferred to nodal hospitals," said Dr Neeraj Gupta. The hospital further stated that the initial preparations have been undertaken to handle any emergency situations and more beds will be added to the facility soon.

"Right now, masks and other preventative equipment are in the process of procurement. Since this is a homeopathic hospital, we also follow the guidelines of the Ayush Ministry which has come up with selected medicines that are to be taken as preventive measures against coronavirus. The medicines are provided for free at the hospital," Gupta added.

The outdoor patient department and 100-bed indoor hospital attached to the teaching institute is providing curative, preventive and promotive homoeopathic healthcare services along with providing basic testing facilities.

Tested positive

One man who returned from Italy on March 11 and was at the Armys quarantine facility in Manesar has tested positive. He was employed in a restaurant in Italy for last 14 years.

Read more from the original source:
Delhi government-run homeopathic hospital adds isolation beds for suspected coronavirus cases - The New Indian Express

Frontline medics talk about how they are fighting the disease despite being short-staffed and overwhelmed by the growing number of patients around the world.

Hospitals scrambling, a disease without a vaccine (yet) or a cure, hospital beds dwindling, patients increasing and testing the patience of medics who are trying to keep up. Covid-19 is creating a peace-time battle line at which doctors and nurses go to war against a coronavirus. From Italy to China, Iran to the US; doctors are scrambling to contain the virus in their communities and hospitals. Emergency Rooms are working hard to host everyone who is concerned, has been diagnosed and even quarantined. TRT World caught up with doctors to find out how they're handling the crisis.

In Modena, in northern Italy, infectious disease doctor Giovanni Guaraldi is working 16-hour shifts, treating patients and trying to understand the viral mutation. "The major damage that is produced by this virus appears to be [not only] a disproportionate inflammatory reaction affecting both of the lungs, but also the whole body," he said.

He explained that patients who are more at risk of death aren't just isolated to the elderly, but anyone, even the middle aged who may have comorbidity conditions or multiple medical conditions which they are already treating, makes contracting this coronavirus a unique issue. So far, doctors have used a drug called Kaletra, an antiviral treatment which has been used for HIV patients. And in recent months, for severe cases, Guaraldi said they were using Remdesivir, which is still only in clinical trials. He said that because "the number of people eligible were so many" thecompany that produces it, Gilead reduced the possibility of access and now they are rejecting it for those who are not in intensive care.

The fact remains there is no officially approved antiviral, and so it seems, the treatment for Covid-19 is its own experiment.

But beyond symptoms and medicine; doctors and nurses worry about protecting themselves. "We need to work now. This means I [tell] my children, better not see you tonight, I ask parents, my friends, I am a bit isolated." Guaraldi said. "When we go home, we stay alone and we try to rest. Of course this implies the psychological reaction...we say two patients of mine died, three patients of mine died, .every day this is quite stressing. But we also appreciate a lot of messaging, [to] encourage us. Of course, we need psychological support but Im proud to be in my position."

Meanwhile, in Rome, the Red Cross of Italy welcomed a team of Chinese doctors to assist in organising efforts to contain the virus. General Practitioner, Dr Andi Nganso, who heads up the office in Rome and is deployed from Northern Europe said they have faced serious challenges in responding to the virus. He told TRT World: There are a lot of [Red Cross] workers that are now affected, so now we have to manage, like a puzzle, all of the ambulances, to be sure we can continue to assist patients.

The Red Cross supports up to 70 percent of the ambulance assistance for the countrys national health system. They are first responders in communities across the country, regularly receiving calls about protocol and psychological support.

In just the last few days, Nganso has been scrambling to organise everyones post. Ngansoo is thankful for the Chinese support: Their knowledge, they are serious,...it will be good to understand the next step for Italy.

He misses his family, spread across Germany, France and Belgium. Im alone. its really stressful, I have difficulties sleeping. I hear too many stories and I have to manage them, he said.

Nevertheless, he presses on and encourages the public to seek information, only from official sources, such as the Red Cross, or National Health Agencies or their doctors. We understand the fear, he said.

Across the oceans, in Hong Kong, Chinese doctors are still managing. Resident and respiratory specialist Dr Joyce Ng just finished her shift. Every week, she serves an overnight call to take in new patients in the isolation ward.

She said her team has been greatly supported by their superiors. We can test whoever we like, there is no restriction. We have four batches of testing everyday, the results can come back quite quickly, around four hours. Its around the clock, she said.

She also noted many people are nervous and may come in with minor symptoms which can strain their bed capacity. Even so, some patients with no symptoms at all still show haziness over their lungs.

Ng did say she is taking precautions to protect herself as well, wear proper gear and has moved out of her family home, but, she says, the morale of her team remains high. Every one of us, on the team is a volunteer, so we have a very good team spirit. That helps a lot. We help each other, she said.

Many Asian nations are capping the spread quickly. Singapore has been praised for its reduction of infected patients. Kuala Lumpur has yet to report any deaths and Chinas numbers are halted. Asian countries, however, have dealt with outbreaks before, namely SARS in 2002 and 2003. Even before viral outbreaks, due to pollution, sick people knew to wear masks in public. And its worth noting; ancient Eastern medicines and preventive care are often found to boost quality of life in their cultures. Still, theres much work to be done.

Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsieng Loong stated in a public video: Everyone feels the impact. But by taking preventive measures and being transparent, he believes planning for a possible spike will keep everyone safe, calm and bring the numbers back down. He is not shutting down the country and with reassurances, citizens are far more mindful of reducing public consumption and refraining from larger crowds.

The World Health Organization also issued a statement last week from its Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said: "All countries must strike a fine balance between protecting health, minimising economic and social disruption, and respecting human rights.every individual must be involved in the fight.

But the US is largely behind as President Donald Trump dismissed its gravitas earlier in the year. Hes come under intense fire from health officials and opposing party politicians for his lack of an effective response. His failure to act early and issue proper testing throughout the country has created confusion for much of the public. Most hospitals dont have enough tests to offer the growing number of suspected cases coming through.

Doctors in the US are largely overwhelmed and it was difficult to reach them. But many have taken toYouTube and social media websites to dispense their own messages of assurance, reduce public panic and offer preventative advice, which largely follows social distancing, hand-washing and mindfulness of symptom severity. Mental health professionals are also issuing statements to help people cope with the chaos.

Back in Italy, Guaraldi said he believes its important to build up infrastructure for the most vulnerable and will take a big welfare system to make it happen.

But it was his closing message that echoed the loudest: Frightened doesn't protect people, he said. Frightening [people] in infectious diseases produces disaster. We knew it from previous epidemics ...from history. We know that we can cope with this epidemic. Give people hope, at the same time make people understand, now, their lifestyle must change.

Perhaps, then, its time we follow the doctor's orders before its too late.

Source: TRT World

Read the rest here:
Doctors tell of their experiences and offer hope in a time of Covid-19 - TRT World

Temple Grove care home near Uckfield area has closed its doors to visitors in a bid to stop the Coronavirus COVID-19 reaching residents.

And doctors surgeries at Buxted, East Hoathly and Horam are no longer booking appointments at reception desks or online.

All appointments at those surgeries will be telephone triaged, and no face-to-face appointments will be booked with the GP prior to a telephone consultation.

Illustration of COVID-19, created by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Events are being cancelled or postponed following confirmation of the first case in East Sussex.

Panic buying is clearing supermarket shelves of items such as toilet paper, hand wash and painkillers as soon as they are stocked.

There have even been reports of shoppers taking products from the trolleys of others in Uckfield Tesco.

One woman, for example, said on Uckfield Talk: To the lady I just had an argument with in Tesco: I hope you enjoy the chicken breasts you took out of my trolley. Your rudeness and language when I caught you was just despicable and the whole thing unnecessary. I cant believe the behaviour some people are showing!

Temple Grove

Temple Grove Care Home at Herons Ghyll closed its doors to visitors yesterday (Sunday) afternoon having given relatives and friends of residents advance warning on Saturday.

Home manager Alison Barnes wrote to relatives saying: As the UK moves from the Containment to the Delay stage of its Coronavirus response we are committed to ensuring the well-being of all our residents and staff and as such continue to review our policies and procedures.

Restricted

As part of this review, as a preventative measure we are asking that from Sunday, March 15, all visits to the home are restricted, any visits will need to be vital and subject to prior arrangement by telephone with the Home Management Team.

This is not a decision that we take lightly and we appreciate this will cause some discomfort, but I hope you understand that this is a necessary step to take in the current circumstances. We will review this policy on a daily basis and continue to monitor the situation with the Public Health Authorities.

Non-essential

The manager went on the say that the home would be restricting visits more generally and all non-essential visits from the local community and external entertainment will also be cancelled for the foreseeable future.

We will continue to ensure that those who make essential medical visits are not displaying symptoms, and follow our infection control policies.

Meanwhile, some events are being cancelled, or postponed in the area, while extra precautions are being taken so that other activities can continue.

Curry club

A networking curry club organised by Rix & Kay Solicitors and Oldfield Smith & Co chartered surveyors, due to be held in April, has been cancelled.

Victoria Regan and Richard Oldfield emailed contacts saying: This was not an easy decision to make but we hope that you understand our reasons and we very much look forward to seeing you at the next Uckfield Curry Event which will hopefully be back on track in June.

Elton Tribute Night

An Elton Tribute Night in Framfield due to have been held on March 28 to raise funds for the village school has been postponed. Another date is yet to be arranged.

Community orchestra

Uckfield Community Orchestra has decided to suspend rehearsals until after the Easter break in view of the potential worsening of the virus outbreak.

The orchestra committee is due to review the situation again after Easter and base any decisions on Government advice at that time.

The committee said: It is difficult to know what is best, but overall we have decided to take the cautious route and keep our members from passing on any new contamination.

Extra measures

Elsewhere clubs and organisations, such as Uckfield Yoga Studio are taking extra measures to keep everyone safe.

The studio says:

The studio has asked members to stay at home if they have a temperature, cough or cold, until symptoms pass.

Trampoline

Sky High Trampoline Gymnastics Academy says it will operate fully until Government intervention.

But the academy, which meets at Fun Abounds, is advising that all members and parents must not come to lessons, or on site, for a minimum of seven days if they or their family have any of the following symptoms, a high temperature/fever, a cough, trouble breathing, or mild respiratory symptoms including a sore throat or runny nose.

The academy says: Please note to keep our members safe anyone showing signs of respiratory illness with the symptoms shown above will be sent home immediately.

Anyone who has visited the gym and has to self isolate is notify the gym by emailing info@funaboutds.co.uk.

Fun Abounds has increased the frequency of cleaning and is monitoring the situation and following advice from British Gymnastics, Public Health England and NHS UK.

Offers of help

On the other side of the coin offers are being made via Facebook to help others in need over the coming months.

A group has been set up on Facebook for Uckfield Coronavirus Volunteers who would like to help in the coronavirus lockdown.

People are encouraged to join if they can collect, or deliver, groceries and medicine or support local medical staff. Requests for help are also welcome.

There is a Framfield Isolation Support Group on Facebook too.

For more information on the symptoms and steps to take if you suspect you have been exposed to COVID-19, go to http://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.

For the latest advice on travellers returning from affected areas, plus guidance to schools and care homes, visit http://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Read the original here:
Uckfield organisations act in bid to stop spread of Coronavirus - Uckfield News

In Italy, millions are locked down and more than 1,000 people have died from the coronavirus, meanwhile in South Korea, hit by the disease at about the same time, only a few thousand are quarantined and 67 people have died.

As the virus courses through the world, the story of two outbreaks illustrates a coming problem for countries now grappling with an explosion in cases.

Its impractical to test every potential patient, but unless the authorities can find a way to see how widespread infection is, their best answer is lockdown.

Italy started out testing widely, then narrowed the focus so that now, the authorities dont have to process hundreds of thousands of tests. But theres a trade-off: They cant see whats coming and are trying to curb the movements of the countrys entire population of 60 million people to contain the disease. Even Pope Francis, who has a cold and delivered his Sunday blessing over the internet from inside the Vatican, said he felt caged in the library.

Thousands of miles away in South Korea, authorities have a different response to a similar-sized outbreak. They are testing hundreds of thousands of people for infections and tracking potential carriers like detectives, using cell phone and satellite technology.

Both countries saw their first cases of the disease called COVID-19 in late January. South Korea has since reported 67 deaths out of nearly 8,000 confirmed cases, after testing more than 222,000 people. In contrast, Italy has had 1,016 deaths and identified more than 15,000 cases after carrying out more than 73,000 tests on an unspecified number of people.

Epidemiologists say it is not possible to compare the numbers directly. But some say the dramatically different outcomes point to an important insight: Aggressive and sustained testing is a powerful tool for fighting the virus.

Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, said extensive testing can give countries a better picture of the extent of an outbreak. When testing in a country is limited, he said, the authorities have to take bolder actions to limit movement of people.

Im uncomfortable with enforced lockdown-type movement restrictions, he said. China did that, but China is able to do that. China has a population that will comply with that.

The democracies of Italy and South Korea are useful case studies for countries such as America, which have had problems setting up testing systems and are weeks behind on the infection curve. So far, in Japan and the United States particularly, the full scale of the problem is not yet visible. Germany has not experienced significant testing constraints, but Chancellor Angela Merkel warned her people on Wednesday that since 60% to 70% of the populace is likely to be infected, the only option is containment.

South Korea, which has a slightly smaller population than Italy at about 50 million people, has around 29,000 people in self-quarantine. It has imposed lockdowns on some facilities and at least one apartment complex hit hardest by outbreaks. But so far no entire regions have been cut off.

Seoul says it is building on lessons learned from an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015 and working to make as much information available as possible to the public. It has embarked on a massive testing programme, including people who have very mild illness, or perhaps dont even have symptoms, but who may be able to infect others.

This includes enforcing a law that grants the government wide authority to access data: CCTV footage, GPS tracking data from phones and cars, credit card transactions, immigration entry information, and other personal details of people confirmed to have an infectious disease. The authorities can then make some of this public, so anyone who may have been exposed can get themselves or their friends and family members tested.

In addition to helping work out who to test, South Koreas data-driven system helps hospitals manage their pipeline of cases. People found positive are placed in self-quarantine and monitored remotely through a smartphone app, or checked regularly in telephone calls, until a hospital bed becomes available. When a bed is available, an ambulance picks the person up and takes the patient to a hospital with air-sealed isolation rooms. All of this, including hospitalization, is free of charge.

South Koreas response is not perfect. While more than 209,000 people have tested negative there, results are still pending on about 18,000 others an information gap that means there are likely more cases in the pipeline. The rate of newly confirmed cases has dropped since a peak in mid-February, but the systems greatest test may still be ahead as authorities try to track and contain new clusters. South Korea does not have enough protective masks it has started rationing them and it is trying to hire more trained staff to process tests and map cases.

And the approach comes at the cost of some privacy. South Koreas system is an intrusive mandatory measure that depends on people surrendering what, for many in Europe and America, would be a fundamental right of privacy. Unlike China and the island-state of Singapore, which have used similar methods, South Korea is a large democracy with a population that is quick to protest policies it does not like.

Disclosing information about patients always comes with privacy infringement issues, said Choi Jaewook, a preventive medicine professor at Korea University and a senior official at the Korean Medical Association. Disclosures should be strictly limited to patients movements, and it shouldnt be about their age, their sex, or their employers.

Traditional responses such as locking down affected areas and isolating patients can be only modestly effective, and may cause problems in open societies, says South Koreas Deputy Minister for Health and Welfare Kim Gang-lip. In South Koreas experience, he told reporters on Monday, lockdowns mean people participate less in tracing contacts they may have had. Such an approach, he said, is close-minded, coercive, and inflexible.

Italy and South Korea are more than 5,000 miles apart, but there are several similarities when it comes to coronavirus. Both countries main outbreaks were initially clustered in smaller cities or towns, rather than in a major metropolis which meant the disease quickly threatened local health services. And both involved doctors who decided to ignore testing guidelines.

Italys epidemic kicked off last month. A local man with flu symptoms was diagnosed after he had told medical staff he had not been to China and discharged himself, said Massimo Lombardo, head of local hospital services in Lodi.

The diagnosis was only made after the 38-year-old, whose name has only been given as Mattia, returned to the hospital. Testing guidelines at the time said it was not necessary to test people who had no link to China or other affected areas. But an anaesthetist pushed the protocols and decided to go ahead and test for COVID-19 anyway, Lombardo said. Now, some experts in Italy believe Mattia may have been infected through Germany, rather than China.

Decisions about testing hinge partly on what can be done with people who test positive, at a time when the healthcare system is already under stress. In Italy at first, regional authorities tested widely and counted all positive results in the published total, even if people did not have symptoms.

Then, a few days after the patient known as Mattia was found to have COVID-19, Italy changed tack, only testing and announcing cases of people with symptoms. The authorities said this was the most effective use of resources: The risk of contagion seemed lower from patients with no symptoms, and limited tests help produce reliable results more quickly. The approach carried risks: People with no symptoms still can be infected and spread the virus.

On the other hand, the more you test the more you find, so testing in large numbers can put hospital systems under strain, said Massimo Antonelli, director of intensive care at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS in Rome. Testing involves elaborate medical processes and follow-up. The problem is actively searching for cases, he said. It means simply the numbers are big.

Italy has a generally efficient health system, according to international studies. Its universal healthcare receives funding below the European Union average but is comparable with South Koreas, at 8.9% of GDP against 7.3% in South Korea, according to the World Health Organization.

Now, that system has been knocked off balance. Staff are being brought into accident and emergency departments, holidays have been cancelled and doctors say they are delaying non-urgent operations to free up intensive care beds.

Pier Luigi Viale, head of the infectious disease unit at Sant Orsola-Malpighi hospital in Bologna, is working around the clock in three jobs. His hospital is handling multiple coronavirus cases. His doctors are shuttling to other hospitals and clinics in the area to lend their expertise and help out with cases. In addition, his doctors also have to deal with patients with other contagious diseases who are struggling to survive.

If it drags on for weeks or months well need more reinforcements, he told Reuters.

Last week, the mayor of Castiglione dAdda, a town of about 5,000 people in Lombardys red zone which was the first to be locked down, made an urgent online appeal for help. He said his small town had had to close its hospital and was left with one doctor to treat more than 100 coronavirus patients. Three of the towns four doctors were sick or in self quarantine.

Doctors and nurses are at the limit, said a nurse from the hospital where Mattia was taken in. If you have to manage people under artificial respiration you have to be watching them constantly, you cant look after the new cases that come in.

Studies so far suggest that every positive case of coronavirus can infect two other people, so local authorities in Lombardy have warned that the regions hospitals face a serious crisis if the spread continues not just for COVID-19 patients but also for others whose treatment has been delayed or disrupted. As the crisis spreads into Italys less prosperous south, the problems will be magnified.

Intensive care facilities face the most intense pressure. They require specialist staff and expensive equipment and are not set up for mass epidemics. In total, Italy has around 5,000 intensive care beds. In the winter months, some of these are already occupied by patients with respiratory problems. Lombardy and Veneto have just over 1,800 intensive care beds between public and private systems, only some of which can be set aside for COVID-19 patients.

The government has asked regional authorities to increase the number of intensive care places by 50% and to double the number of beds for respiratory and contagious diseases, while reorganising staff rosters to ensure adequate staffing. Some 5,000 respirators have been acquired for intensive care stations, the first of which are due to arrive on Friday, deputy Economy Minister Laura Castelli said.

The region has already asked nursing institutes to allow students to bring forward their graduation to get more nurses into the system early. Pools of intensive care specialists and anaesthetists are to be set up, including staff from outside the worst affected regions.

To add to the burden, hospitals in Italy depend on medical personnel to try to trace the contacts that people who test positive have had with others. One doctor in Bologna, who asked not to be named, said he had spent a 12-hour day tracing people who had been in contact with just one positive patient, to ensure those who next need testing are found.

You can do that if the number of cases remains two to three, the doctor said. But if they grow, something has to give. The system will implode if we continue to test everyone actively and then have to do all this.

In South Korea as in Italy, an early case of COVID-19 was identified when a medical officer followed their intuition, rather than the official guidelines, on testing.

The countrys first case was a 35-year-old Chinese woman who tested positive on Jan. 20. But the largest outbreak was detected after the 31st patient, a 61-year-old woman from South Koreas southeastern city of Daegu, was diagnosed on Feb. 18.

Like the patient named Mattia in Italy, the woman had no known links to Wuhan, the Chinese province where the disease was first identified. And as in Italy, the doctors decision to recommend a test went against guidelines at the time to test people who had been to China or been in contact with a confirmed case, said Korea Medical Associations Choi Jaewook.

Patient 31, as she became known, was a member of a secretive church which Deputy Minister for Health and Welfare Kim Gang-lip said has since linked to 61% of cases. Infections spread beyond the congregation after the funeral of a relative of the churchs founder was held at a nearby hospital, and there were several other smaller clusters around the country.

Once the church cluster was identified, South Korea opened around 50 drive-through testing facilities around the country. In empty parking lots, medical staff in protective clothing lean into cars to check their passengers for fever or breathing difficulties, and if needed, collect samples. The process usually takes about 10 minutes, and people usually receive the results in a text reminding them to wash their hands regularly and wear face masks.

A total of 117 institutions in South Korea have equipment to conduct the tests, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The numbers fluctuate daily, but an average of 12,000 is possible, and maximum capacity is 20,000 tests a day. The government pays for tests of people with symptoms, if referred by a doctor. Otherwise, people who want to be tested can pay up to 170,000 won ($140), said an official at a company called Seegene Inc, which supplies 80% of the countrys kits and says it can test 96 samples at once.

There are also 130 quarantine officers like Kim Jeong-hwan, who focus on minute details to track potential patients. The 28-year-old public health doctor spends his whole working days remotely checking up on people who have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Kim, who is doing military service, is one of a small army of quarantine officers who track the movements of any potential carriers of the disease by phone, app or the signals sent by cell phones or the black boxes in automobiles. Their goal: To trace all the contacts people may have had, so they too can be tested.

I havent seen anyone telling bad lies, Kim said. But lots of people generally dont remember exactly what they did.

Underlining their determination, quarantine officers told Reuters they located five cases after a worker in a small town caught the virus and went to work in a coin karaoke, a bar where a machine lets people sing a few songs for a dollar. At first, the woman, who was showing symptoms, did not tell the officers where she worked, local officials told Reuters. But they put the puzzle together after questioning her acquaintances and obtaining GPS locations on her mobile device.

Now, quarantine officers have maximum power and authority, said Kim Jun-geun, an official at Changnyeong County who collects information from quarantine officers.

South Koreas government also uses location data to customize mass messages sent to cellphones, notifying every resident when and where a nearby case is confirmed.

Lee Hee-young, a preventative medicine expert who is also running the coronavirus response team in South Koreas Gyeonggi province, said South Korea has gone some of the way after MERS to increase its infrastructure to respond to infectious diseases. But she said only 30% of the changes the country needs have happened. For instance, she said, maintaining a trained workforce and up-to-date infrastructure at smaller hospitals isnt easy.

Until we fix this, Lee said, explosions like this can keep blowing up anywhere.

(Additional reporting by James Mackenzie in Milan and Josh Smith in Seoul, Julie Steenhuysen in New York; Edited by Sara Ledwith and Jason Szep)

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Italy and South Korea's coronavirus outbreaks show the disparity between deaths and tactics - Infosurhoy

By RYAN MCCRACKEN on March 16, 2020.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com

With a second consecutive David Johnston University Cup within his grasp, former Medicine Hat Tigers captain Mark Rassell watched the world unravel.

Waking up in Halifax with his University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, ready to make their debut at the U Sports mens hockey championship tournament the following afternoon the news started rolling in. The National Hockey League announced it was suspending the season, Major League Baseball stepped in to cancel spring training, the Canadian Hockey League quickly followed suit.

Over the course of just a few hours, the U Sports hockey championships became some of the only sporting events on the planet still hoping to carry on through the growing concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19. With no confirmed cases in Nova Scotia, there was reason for optimism then U Sports joined the rest of the world, and pulled the plug.

It was just so sudden, Rassell said in a Sunday phone interview. It was the night before our game and it was about 9:30 p.m. when we saw a tweet from Victor Findlay hes like the one U Sports insider and he said he was hearing rumours that the tournament may be canceled. When you see that theres rumours, you just kind of know.

We all understand the preventative measures and we have nothing against U Sports or Hockey Canada, they probably made the right decision in the big picture. Its just disappointing. There were no cases here at the time that they canceled it, right now no ones really freaking out. It hasnt hit the Maritimes too hard yet everything is open. If I didnt have social media I wouldnt think anything is different.

Despite an earlier announcement from U Sports suggesting the tournament as well as its female counterpart in Prince Edward Island would go ahead as planned, the season was over. For some of the tournaments graduating players, it meant the end of a career.

Our coach made the announcement, he said it sucks, and then our fifth-years kind of broke down, said Rassell. When I saw those guys cry, thats what hit the boys the hardest, just seeing the guys who dont have another chance. Some of them, their hockey careers are over just like that, because theyre in university and they might not want to go pro. So the fact they dont even have a chance to try was awful. We all kind of agreed, wed rather have lost and embarrassed ourselves than just not even had the opportunity.

In the days since, Rassell says he and his teammates have been making the most of their time together, as well as with their respective families, while taking in a few of the sights in Halifax.

Nova Scotia announced its first presumptive case of COVID-19 Sunday afternoon, however Rassell says the city remains lively.

I think there are about 10 guys on the team who stayed with their families and were all just kind of doing our thing. Right now were walking downtown Halifax and were going to go for a nice brunch, said Rassell. Its just kind of filling time. Classes are cancelled. We have no reason to be back in New Brunswick. Minute by minute, something else is getting cancelled. Now Im here and our exams will be online. It almost feels like purgatory just not knowing what were going to do and how were going to do it so were just trying to make the best of it in downtown Halifax. It really is a lot nicer than downtown Fredericton.

Even Rassells classes at UNB have been postponed or cancelled, with many moving toward an online component to close out the semester. Thankfully, the campus remains open, allowing Rassell and his teammates to continue off-season training when they return to Fredericton.

From what I heard our campus isnt closed. The classes are suspended or cancelled and moving online, but the campus is still open because the campus still has essential services for students that live there, he said. Its not like those schools that are telling people to go home. I think I can still go hit the gym, work out and do all that.

Rassell racked up 14 goals and 18 assists over 29 games as a sophomore with the Varsity Reds this season. While a professional career is still the goal, the 23-year-old Calgary product says hes already dedicated his next season to UNB.

After winning your first year and thinking youre going to win your second year, then having it taken from you, its kind of motivating, he said. Its driving me right now. I know next year were going to come back and be all wound up and ready to finish off what we started this year.

Rassell added hes been thoroughly enjoying the academic portion of his time in New Brunswick as well. With a Bachelor of Business Administration on the horizon, he has plenty of options but for now hes just enjoying the ride.

Im on schedule to get my undergrad next year, after my third year. That puts me in a position where I can choose to either leave and go play pro with my undergrad or come back and do a Masters program, said Rassell. You go to school and you think its going to be like high school and you think youre going to hate it, but honestly, university changes your mindset. Academically, its been awesome for me. Im studying finance, thats something Im really interested in and I could see myself having a career in. It kind of opens your eyes.

A lot of people say junior hockey is a bubble. When you get out of that bubble you realize theres more to the world than just playing hockey. But the hockey is an unreal part of university and the fact I get to do both is a dream come true every day.

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Making the most of it: Former Tigers captain Mark Rassell enjoying time in Halifax after having hopes of second straight U Sports title dashed by...

As a young girl , Dr. Cory Jane SerVaas developed a passion for preventative care and using information to keep people healthy.

That passion drove her to become an Indianapolisdoctor, journalist, inventor andadvocate who dedicated her life to empowering people through common-sense medical advice.

Shewas first inspired by the writings of Benjamin Franklin on the subject in the pages of The Pennsylvania Gazette,and forever changed when one of her cousins died at age 4 from a disease that could have been prevented with simple folic acid.

With an education that began in a single-room schoolhouse outside of Pella, Iowa in the 1920s and ended with her a medical degree fromIndiana University Medical School in the 1960s, SerVaas was always thinking of new ways to keep the public informed, and in good health.

She died in Indianapolis on Friday. She was 95.

"American women have lost one of their great champions from the 20th century. She embodied a greatness of spirit and a genuinely unique personality," longtime SerVaas family friend Frank Duncan told IndyStar.

Corey SerVaas with her son, Eric, in 1951.(Photo: STAR/JOSEPH E. CRAVEN)

SerVaas may be known best for herdecades as a leading force at The Saturday Evening Post, an iconic American magazine founded in 1821 and headquartered in Indianapolis. She served as editor from 1975 to 2008, and took over as publisher in 1982.

But long before that, she made her impact as an inventor, according to IndyStar archives. In 1947, while living in New York City, she came up with the idea of the "Cory Jane Curvet," which was an apron gathered onto a plastic hoop that fit around the waist.

In 1948, in need of a patent attorney to protect her creation, she was introduced to Beurt SerVaas. The couple would marry two years later and settled in Beurt SerVaas' hometown of Indianapolis where they had five children.

Beurt SerVaas, who died in 2014 at age 94, was a prominent Indianapolis figure. He was a keyarchitect of Uni-Gov and served on theCity-County Council for 40 years. He spent 27 years as president of the council, and the room where the council currently meets is named in his honor.

Cory and Beurt Servaas after he was reelected to the Indianapolis City Council Nov 6, 1991.(Photo: Joe Young/The News)

Cory SerVaas graduated from University of Iowa with a degree in journalism and postgraduate work at Columbia University. While at Columbia, she earned money as a seamstress in New York City's Garment District and eventually landed a job as the editor of Lionel Train Magazine.

She earned her medical degreein 1969. The next year, Beurt and Cory SerVaas acquired theCurtis Publishing Company,owner of The Saturday Evening Post.

The couple revived the former weekly and biweekly magazine in 1971 as a quarterly publication.Under her direction, the publication became a nonprofit entity focused on health, medicine and volunteering.

But not satisfied with just putting out a magazine, she turned the Post into an organization that brought high-level medical information to the general public.

Throughout the 1980s, the Saturday Evening Post traveled the nation with buses where they performed breast cancer, prostate cancer and AIDS screenings. The Post also established a weekly health television program often featured big names like Arnold Palmer, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bob Dole discussing preventative care and general good health.

The Post itself featured detailed information from the nation'sleading medical professionals. As leader of the Children's Better Health Institute, Cory SerVaas applieda similar model to her stable for children's publications like U.S. Kids, Jack and Jill and Humpty Dumpty Magazine.

In 1987, Cory SerVaas her work earned her a spot onthe President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic, a commission formed by President Ronald Reagan.

In a documentary produced by the Saturday Evening Postthat aired in 2003, Cory SerVaas saidher dream of becoming a medical missionarywasderailed by World War II.

In that same documentary, Beurt SerVaas said his wife ended up not only achieving her dream, but redefining it.

Cory Jane fights with a pen, and she takes on all comers," Beurt SerVaas said."She has become a medical missionary like she wanted to become. But a modern medical missionary."

Dr. Cory SerVaas speaks at the dedication of the SerVaas Cabin at Crooked Creek Elementary School in Washington Township.(Photo: Joe Vitti/IndyStar)

Over the years Cory SerVaas' literary work has earned her theKappa Tau Alpha Award for Outstanding Service, the National Federation of Press Woman of Achievement Award and entry tothe University of Iowa School of Journalism Hall of Fame.

She was a medical columnist for several publications, an author of three books andhosteda weekly healthcare and preventative medicine program on the Christian Broadcasting Network.

"She truly had a broad set of the proverbial shoulders for of those who follow her to stand upon," Duncan said. "We all are taller on them and are challenged in our efforts to do great things to follow her example. She embodied the true American spirit and lived the American dream."

Cory SerVaas is survived by her five children, 19 grandchildrenand 12 great grandchildren.

Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at 317-444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.

Read or Share this story: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/indianapolis/2020/03/12/former-saturday-evening-post-publisher-and-editor-dr-cory-servaas-dies/4994217002/

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Former Saturday Evening Post publisher and editor Dr. Cory SerVaas dies in Indianapolis - IndyStar

Preventive medicine is a medical specialty recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), which focuses on the health of individuals and communities. The goal of preventive medicine is to promote health and well-being and prevent disease, disability and death.

Preventive medicine specialists are licensed medical doctors (MD) or doctors of osteopathy (DO) who possess expertise in a broad range of health care skills, including biostatistics, epidemiology, planning and evaluation of health services, management of health care organizations, research, and the practice of prevention in clinical settings. They apply their knowledge and skills in medicine, social, economic, and behavioral sciences to improve the health and quality of life of individuals, families, communities and populations through disease prevention and health promotion.

Preventive medicine has three sub-specialty areas:public health and general preventive medicine, occupational medicine, and aerospace medicine.

Public health and general preventive medicine focuses on promoting health and preventing disease in individuals and communities. Practitioners combine skills and experience in clinical care and public health to support health systems transformation and build a healthcare system that is based on the prevention of disease, injury and death. Practitioners work for corporations, in primary care, public health departments, government agencies, and other settings to impact healthcare delivery and health outcomes at the individual, practice, community and population levels.

Occupational medicine focuses on the physical and mental health of workers by seeking to improve the physical, structural and social conditions of the workplace. Practitioners work with small business and large corporations to design employee health plans, improve workplace safety in hazardous environments, and promote health and quality of life in the workforce.

Aerospace medicine focuses on the health, safety and performance of crewmembers and passengers of air and space vehicles, working closely with support personnel who assist in their operation. Practitioners often live and work in remote locations and extreme environments under conditions of physical and psychological stress. Practitioners strive to promote health in settings with many unique hazards not found in other work environments.

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What is Preventive Medicine | ACPM | ACPM

In the United States, the percentage of people having difficulty covering out-of-pocket healthcare costs has dropped in recent years. But a significant portion of the population still struggles to cover medical bills. According to the results of the National Health Interview Survey, sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the proportion of Americans in families having trouble with medical bills dropped to 14.2 percent in 2018, down from 19.7 percent in 2011. Specifically, the share went down by 4.5 percentage points between 2011 and 2015, and then by one point from 2015 to 2018. This indicates that the decrease in the number of families with difficulties paying medical bills has slowed considerably. Still, its not all good news as many of us know from watching the flurry of stories related to healthcare coverage and related legislation.

So how many Americans are currently struggling? A 2019 study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine, based on data from the 20152017 National Health Interview Survey, found that 137 million Americans reported experiencing financial hardship due to medical costs. Regular dental visits twice a year are crucial for patients of all ages, yet many Americans find they cant afford this kind of preventative care or even treatment of existing medical conditions.

According to TD Ameritrade, medical debt is the number one reason why people of all ages think about dipping into their retirement accounts. But often, those accounts dont even contain enough funds to cover medical debt. Bankruptcies in the United States increased in 2016, from 24,797 companies in the first quarter to 25,227 in the second quarter. However, business owners arent the only bankruptcy filers. A 2019 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that 66.5 percent of personal bankruptcy filings stem from debt due to healthcare costs.

While 50 percent of all workers in the U.S. report having back pain every year, not everyone is equally affected by the cost of healthcare. The aforementioned CDC survey found that African American and Hispanic respondents were more likely than respondents of other races and ethnicities to report difficulties with healthcare bills. Moreover, high costs for one member of a family may impact the entire family. People who are struggling with medical debt may have difficulty paying for other necessities for themselves and their loved ones, including housing, clothing, and food. This can lead to taking money out of retirement accounts and to filing for bankruptcy.

In an attempt to avoid drastic measures like bankruptcy, more people in the United States are using crowdfunding to raise money online for healthcare expenses. Crowdfunding can bring in financial support from family, friends, or even total strangers, thanks to the wonders of the internet. According to a survey conducted by the University of Chicagos National Opinion Research Center, eight million Americans have sought help via crowdfunding on behalf of themselves or a loved one to pay for everything from routine visits to the treatment of rare conditions. In addition, over 12 million Americans report using crowdfunding to assist someone who is not a close family member with healthcare costs. Although crowdfunding campaigns dont always raise as much as is needed, experts believe the trend is an expression of the publics frustration with the ever-expanding costs of medical treatment. That frustration seems to be fueling peoples willingness to help others with medical bills.

As if Americans current struggles to meet healthcare costs werent enough, the new coronavirus, known as COVID-19, may add significantly to peoples medical bills. According to Business Insider, two Americans were recently billed over $3,000 each for coronavirus treatment, despite the fact that tests showed theyre not infected with COVID-19. Only the CDC is able to test for COVID-19 or to authorize other labs to carry out the test and they dont bill for testing. If someone receives treatment for coronavirus from the emergency room or an urgent care facility, they wont be billed for COVID-19 testing, either. But patients must still pay for tests for influenza or other viruses, as well as for the visit to the facility.

Costs due to coronavirus can be considerable, whether the patient has insurance or not. Despite the expansion of coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 27 million Americans still lack health insurance meaning they will foot the entire bill if they need to be tested or treated for COVID-19. Even those with insurance will have to contend with higher-than-expected bills from a hospital in their network, providing the doctor treating them is outside their insurance network. This is referred to as surprise billing, which affects many patients who visit the emergency room or who receive services in pathology (a department that is likely to be involved in coronavirus treatment). Problems also arise when a hospital in a patients insurance network is full, sending them to another hospital outside their network. In that case, the ACAs out-of-pocket limits for in-network treatment dont apply.

Coronavirus could even lead to more bankruptcies if it causes patients to acquire more medical debt. Unless a patient can arrange for a payment plan with a physician or hospital, bankruptcy may be the best option if they carry a lot of debt and are low income. Even for those receiving regular paychecks from steady employment, a large and unexpected healthcare bill can cause a financial crisis. And patients who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will need to be concerned with lost income if they are quarantined or are slow to recover.

The ACA has brought health insurance coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans, yet millions more remain uninsured. Whats more, many of those with coverage still struggle with medical debts. While its encouraging that the percentage of families having difficulty with healthcare bills has decreased, the problem remains significant. With people turning to crowdfunding and raiding their retirement savings in order to avoid bankruptcy, and with many others using bankruptcy as their last option, its clear that medical costs in the United States are currently out of control.

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Fewer Americans Struggle to Cover Medical Costs, But Many Still Face Burdens - The National Memo

Dublin, March 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Public Health Partnering 2014-2020: Deal trends, players and financials" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global Public Health Partnering 2014 to 2020 provides the full collection of Public Health disease deals signed between the world's pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies since 2014.

Most of the deals included within the report occur when a licensee obtains a right or an option right to license a licensor's product or technology. More often these days these deals tend to be multi-component including both a collaborative R&D and a commercialization of outcomes element.

The report takes readers through the comprehensive Public Health disease deal trends, key players and top deal values allowing the understanding of how, why and under what terms companies are currently entering Public Health deals.

The report presents financial deal terms values for Public Health deals, where available listing by overall headline values, upfront payments, milestones and royalties enabling readers to analyse and benchmark the value of current deals.

The initial chapters of this report provide an orientation of Public Health dealmaking trends.

In addition, a comprehensive appendix is provided with each report of all Public Health partnering deals signed and announced since 2014. The appendices are organized by company A-Z, stage of development at signing, deal type (collaborative R&D, co-promotion, licensing etc) and technology type. Each deal title links via Weblink to an online version of the deal record and where available, the contract document, providing easy access to each contract document on demand.

The report also includes numerous tables and figures that illustrate the trends and activities in Public Health partnering and dealmaking since 2014.

In conclusion, this report provides everything a prospective dealmaker needs to know about partnering in the research, development and commercialization of Public Health technologies and products.

Report Scope

The report is intended to provide the reader with an in-depth understanding and access to Public Health trends and structure of deals entered into by leading companies worldwide.

Global Public Health Partnering 2014 to 2020 includes:

The report includes deals for the following indications: Addiction, Smoking, Drugs, Alcohol, Health education, Obesity, Preventative medicine, plus other public health indications.

Available deals and contracts are listed by:

Each deal title links via Weblink to an online version of the deal record and where available, the contract document, providing easy access to each contract document on demand.

The report provides comprehensive access to available deals and contract documents for over 250 public health deals.

Analyzing actual contract agreements allows assessment of the following:

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ftkpph

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.comLaura Wood, Senior Press Managerpress@researchandmarkets.comFor E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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Public Health Partnering Deals, 2014-2020: Full Collection of Deals Signed Between the World's Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies Since 2014 -...

A proactive maintenance program can help owners and operators prevent breakdowns and costly unplanned downtime. For fleets looking to identify potential mechanical failure before it becomes too serious or expensive to repair, used oil analysis is a vital tool.

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Lubricants are the lifeblood of an engine. Used oil analysis is akin to preventative medicinea tool to monitor and identify any potential concerns or issues with the overall health of engine operation. Used oil analysis is a simple three-stage process which involves taking a representative sample of the oil, sending it to a qualified used oil analysis laboratory and then interpreting and, vitally, acting upon the recommendations of the results.

By incorporating used oil analysis into a proactive maintenance program, technical service advisors can evaluate results and trends on an ongoing basis, establishing over time when and where end-users likely costs are going to occur. Identifying trends provides the basis for a better-informed maintenance schedule. For example, regular used oil analysis offers the potential to safely extend oil drain intervals, which provides fleet owners with another opportunity to reduce maintenance costs and keep their vehicles on the road for longer between scheduled maintenance.

Extending drain intervals should always be undertaken in conjunction with an oil analysis program.

Lubricant experts and technical service advisors can share their detailed knowledge and experience of used oil analysis report interpretation; however, its useful for fleet managers to also be able to understand what the results could mean for their fleet. Fleet managers know their equipment and what they need from it, and can foresee when it will be under more pressure and needs to be operating at maximum capacity. By understanding how to analyze the reports, trends and anomalies in results can be identified quickly and maintenance schedules updated as required, in line with commercial demands.

There are several common anomalies to look out for when reading the results of a used oil analysis report. If a report highlighted that coolant or glycol is present in the engine oil, it could be the result of a failing EGR cooler seal, which would require immediate attention from a mechanic and potentially an oil change. The presence of silicon, potassium or sodium could be one of the first signs that this is taking place, so these are important properties to keep an eye on.

Increases in iron and aluminum can be indicators of a failing camshaft, coolant leak attacking the liners, or the engine requiring mechanical adjustment. By spotting the signs early, its much easier and significantly more cost-effective to undertake small maintenance tasks before the issues become too expensive and serious to repair.

One of the most important anomalies to look for is the presence of unburnt fuel combined with an increase in common wear metals (iron, aluminum, lead and copper) as these are signs that the protection of vital engine components may be compromised. In this situation, expert lubricant advice and mechanical expertise should be sought to help resolve the issues.

By incorporating used oil analysis into a proactive maintenance schedule, fleet managers can predict engine wear throughout service life and respond to issues before they become too serious or expensive to repair. Not only can this help manage fleet maintenance, but it can also prevent breakdowns and unplanned downtime. In short, proactive maintenance might be a given for most equipment owners but combining it with simple-to-adapt tools such as used oil analysis can save fleet managers time and money.

This article was contributed by Darryl Purificati, OEM technical liaison for Petro-Canada Lubricants.

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How used oil analysis can help make the most of your proactive maintenance program - Fleet Equipment Magazine

Eau Claire (WQOW) - According to a recent statewide study, obesity rates across Wisconsin and in Eau Claire are on the rise.

That's despite recent city and state efforts to promote healthy eating and active living.

In 2014, the Wisconsin Partnership Program launched its $10 millon, five-year Obesity Prevention Initiative, so why are obesity rates still rising?

"It is cheap entertainment for families to put their children in front of the TV instead of getting them outside and getting active and having that daily physical activity," Janessa VandenBerge, a community health educator with the Eau Claire City-County Health Department, said.

According to the Wisconsin Health Atlas, Eau Claire obesity rates sit at 14% to 22% among children ages five to 17. And for adults, the numbers are even higher. Nearly half of Eau Claire adults are obese: In 2018, the average rates, categorized by zip code, range from 40% to 53%.

Despite local efforts to promote healthy habits, like the Eau Claire Healthy Communities Coalition, and various statewide efforts like Healthy Wisconsin, obesity rates aren't slowing down.

In 2011, nearly 28% of Wisconsin adults were obese. In 2018, 32% were.

Health officials said a lack of commitment can be a big factor.

"It becomes a lifestyle change," Dietitian Heather Krieger said. "You need to foresee yourself doing something forever and not just for a quick fix or that quick weight loss. Knowing that there are resources and you can utilize that is probably the first key."

According to the CDC, obesity can lead to an increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even some types of cancer.

"When you're going into your mid-30s, 40s, 50s, a lot of that extra pounds can actually cause things to happen and complications that further will just keep adding," Krieger said.

Krieger added that fad diets aren't the way to go, either, and that they can actually harm your health more in the long run.

Officials said being proactive is what will help our community reverse the upward trend of obesity.

"Healthy eating and being physically active are preventative medicine. We pay the farmer now or the doctor later," VandenBerge said.

Excerpt from:
Obesity rates on the rise in Eau Claire, statewide - WQOW TV News 18

(Photo: Getty Images)

Local schools are taking preventative measures against the COVID-19 virus, encouraging good personal hygiene habits and looking to the county health department for future guidance.

Concerns about the novel coronavirus come at the same time as peak flu season, so school staff already have these habits in mind, according toSuzie Skadan, director of health services for Visalia Unified School District.

Skadan said the district has sent out information nearly every week in the past couple months, updating families on best practices.

"It's a good idea you won't get colds or the fluif you follow this, not just coronavirus," Skadan said.

The risk of contracting COVID-19 remains low in Tulare County, according to public health officials. The one Tulare County resident tested for COVID-19 did not have the virus.

"Itis critical that people do not allow fear to drive their actions," said Shawn Elkin,infection prevention manager at Kaweah Delta Medical Center. "Yes, be honest and be vigilant, but don't freak out."

VUSD has shared these guidelines with families:

Skadan said custodial staff is also cleaning classrooms and schools nightly to prevent the spread of germs.

Face masks should only be worn by those who are sick, and not the "worried well," Elkin said.

Skadan agreed, saying that some parents had called the district to see if their child should wear a mask but that masks were "to protect students who are ill" and not to be used as a "faceguard for all students."

School sitesare leaning away from naming the novel coronavirus in their preventative efforts.

"We continue to push wash your hands, cover your mouth, all those kinds of things we do with the normal flu," said Loretta Bryant, principal at Annie R. Mitchell Elementary School."We don't specify anything to do with the coronavirus."

"We don't really bring it up," Bryant added. "We are here to engage in learning, not in panic."

Skadan said district staff has discussed how to proceed if the virus spreads to Tulare County.

"We have plans in place, should something happen, that we'd be able to move accordingly," Skadan said."We follow the direction of the health department."

Visalia Unified School District is sharing this poster from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(Photo: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Reach reporter Kyra Haasby emailat khaas@visaliatimesdelta.com or find her onTwitter@kc_haas.

Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month.Subscribe today.

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Here's how local schools are talking with families about the novel coronavirus - Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register

Necessity is the mother of invention, and coronavirus has made us all a little craftier when it comes to keeping safe. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to infect hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, most of us are willing to do whatever we have to so that we dont become a statistic. Among the most repeated preventative actions are to wash your hands and stop touching your face. When it comes to the latter, one man has proposed a unique way to keep your filthy paws off your mug: with a shame cone. Traditionally used on pets to keep them from tearing out stitches post-surgery, the shame cone could also prove to be an effective way to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Mike Palmer, the owner of Premier Pet Supply in Beverly Hills, Michigan, recently posted a picture to his companys Facebook page of himself in a shame cone. The cone extends from the neck to the under-eye area, ensuring that not only will your be unable to paw at your own face, but also any droplets from your nose and mouth will be contained by the protective device. While you might get some odd stares if you wear a shame cone out in public, you might get a chuckle or two as well which is just the medicine we need right now in the midst of this terrifying pandemic. Sometimes, in many very serious moments, I think we have to find something to laugh about or something to show that we can still have a sense of humor through it all without overdoing it as far as worry, Palmer told USA Today after the pic went viral. We couldnt agree more.

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Shame Cone is the Latest Coronavirus Prevention Product (For You, Not the Dog) - Mandatory

Asylum seekers at Mexico - USA border crossing (Photo: Al-Jazeera)

The U.S. government hasadvisedAmericans to wash their hands obsessively, avoid close contact with others and stay home as much as possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novelcoronavirus, which has infected more than1,000 peoplein the country. Butthousands of migrants seeking asylum in the United States cant follow these instructions since the Trump administration has forced them to wait for their court dates in overcrowded and unsanitary camps and shelters near the border.

Without the governments help, volunteer doctors in Mexican border towns told HuffPost they are scrambling to take preventative measures to stave off a coronavirus outbreak. But if the disease enters these congested environments, it could spread like wildfire and lead to deaths, said Helen Perry, the executive director of the nonprofit Global Response Management who has been coordinating medical efforts in Matamoros.

The potential for a devastating outbreak in those circumstances is really great, saidDr. Ranit Mishori, a professor of family medicine at Georgetown University, adding that these migrants face a perfect storm of factors. Theyre marginalized, they have no access to care and theyre so vulnerable. People can absolutely die.

Since January 2019, the Trump administration has turned back almost 60,000 asylum-seekers under a program known as Remain in Mexico. On Wednesday, the Supreme Courtoverrodea lower courts decision to block the program, which hasforcedtens of thousands of people to live for months in dangerous Mexican border towns where crime is rife and medical resources are scarce.

The shelters and tent camps in border cities such as Matamoros, Tijuana and Ciudad Jurez are playgrounds for viral illnesses like COVID-19. In Matamoros, roughly2,000 peoplelive in tents packed together along the Rio Grande. They are constantly in groups, eating together and waiting to use portable showers and toilets. Their only access to water is from big containers brought in by volunteers.

You cant just tell someone, Hey, just dont come out of your tent for a couple days, Perry said. The thought that theres going to be any kind of quarantine is pretty limited.

Theyre marginalized, they have no access to care and theyre so vulnerable. People can absolutely die.Dr. Ranit Mishori, professor of family medicine at Georgetown University

There are currently onlysevenknown cases of the coronavirus in Mexico, and the biggest threat of infection comes from American volunteers, physicians told HuffPost.

But as more doctors and nurses cancel their trips across the border to aid the asylum-seekers, immigrants are being cut off from their only access to health care. Dr. Hannah Janeway, who helps run the Refugee Health Alliance, said so many volunteers have canceled trips to Tijuana that there are three weeks between March and April when the Refugee Health Alliance wont have enough U.S. doctors and nurses to staff the medical clinic.

Click here to read full article by Angelina Chapin, reporter for the HuffPost

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A coronavirus outbreak along the US-Mexico border could be devastating (Opinion) - The Yucatan Times

As the infection rate from the coronavirus climbs, it's natural to want to comfort relatives who are most vulnerable to the virus, such as older people in nursing homes.

But in a bid to control the spread, industry leaders announced on Tuesday that all care homes should limit visits.

Already, there have been 18 coronavirus-related deaths at a long-term care facility in Washington called Life Care Center, and 70 of the 180 staff members at the facility are sick, according to the New York Times.

Since the older people at Life Care Center and similar facilities often have underlying health conditions, they're more susceptible to developing severe cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, especially since they live in close quarters with other susceptible people.

Although it can be disheartening to have little or no physical access to an older loved one in a nursing home, there are ways to feel close and provide support from a distance.

You can still create emotional closeness and comfort by checking in on your elderly relatives through a phone call or video call.

Dr. Sean Morrison, the chair for the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, said it's also important to have faith and trust in the staff of care facilities because they're trained to offer much-needed support when families aren't available.

"A lot of that comfort is provided on a regular basis when we're not facing a COVID-19 challenge," Morrison told Insider. "So I think to reassure families of people in long-term care and nursing homes that compassion is there and their loved ones will be well cared for," is important.

Morrison also said families should urge their relatives in nursing homes to form bonds with the staff if they haven't already because that can offer them companionship during times when visitations aren't allowed.

You could also send your relative a thoughtful care package with their favorite snacks, entertaining books, or a sweet message.

Crystal Cox/Business Insider

In the event that you can visit your loved one, you should only do so under specific circumstances.

If you've recently traveled to any of the countries on the CDC's travel restrictions list, for example, you should stay home. Since the coronavirus is spreading in the US now too, Morrison said anyone who has respiratory infection symptoms like a cough or sore throat should also abstain from visiting, because those symptoms, while linked to many illnesses, are also symptoms of COVID-19.

If you're healthy and haven't traveled to the countries in question, you're set to visit. Before you go to the facility to see your relative, Morrison said to wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water.

Once at the facility, be sure to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after touching any door knobs. If using an elevator, Morrison suggested pressing the elevator buttons with your elbow.

"Once you are with your loved one, people should avoid hand-to-hand contact, hugs, and kisses," Morrison said. "What we know so far is that it is not an airborne virus. It's transmitted through respiratory secretions either by directly breathing in droplets from someone who has coughed and sneezed within 6 feet of you, or through touching a surface on which droplets recently fell and then self-infecting yourself from your hands."

Whether you get to set foot in the nursing home or not, one way to make sure your loved one is safe is to ask the nursing home's staff about the current cleaning protocols, either in person or over the phone.

Morrison said these facilities should have daily temperature and symptom checks for both residents and staff and have a system in place where staff who feel ill stay home from work.

He also said the facility should keep their staff assigned to specific teams rather than moving them around. That way, they're not moving across different units or buildings within the facility, which could contribute to germ spread, Morrison said.

You should also ask about group dining and events in the facility.

"Social distancing is challenging [in nursing homes] because what you also are worried about is the sense of isolation, particularly for people who have cognitive impairment or dementia within a nursing home," Morrison said. "But limiting group activities to small numbers, and group dining should be quite small rather than large group dining," to keep residents protected.

Lastly, facilities should have signs that ask anyone with respiratory illness symptoms to stay outside and the front desk should ask visitors about their recent travels.

If you're worried by any of the cleaning protocols or practices, Morrison said you should contact the local state health department to file a complaint.

Although it may feel like the best option to remove your relative from their nursing facility, Morrison said these places are often best equipped to care for people with unique or severe conditions.

"In an ideal world, somebody with functional impairment, cognitive impairment, or a serious medical illness is probably safer at home with unlimited caregivers and limited exposure to other people with serious," Morrison said.

"That being said, most people who are in nursing homes in this country are there because they or their families don't have the resources to provide that type of care at home. And so they are really [in the nursing home] because there is no other institution, no other place that can meet their needed level of care."

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What to do if you have a relative in a nursing home during the coronavirus outbreak - Insider - INSIDER

As coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, here is everything you need to know about the deadly virus.

What is coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses named after their appearance, a crown, said Dr. Mark Rupp, an infectious disease expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

How dangerous is coronavirus?

Most coronaviruses cause mild symptomsthat patients easily recover from.

What is COVID-19 and how is it different from other coronaviruses?

COVID-19 is not the same as other coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. Some cause illness in people, and others, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals. Rarely, animal coronaviruses that infect animals have emerged to infect people and can spread between people, which is suspected to have occurred for the virus that causes COVID-19.

MERS and SARS are two other examples of coronaviruses that originated from animals and then spread to people.

What are the symptoms?

Many symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza overlap, here's how to spot the differences.

When did the outbreak start?

The World Health Organization's China office says it began receiving reports in late December of a mysterious virus behind a number of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, a city in eastern China with a population of roughly 11 million people.

How is coronavirus transmitted?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronaviruses are common in camels, cattle, catsand bats. Person-to-person transmissions are thought to occur when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread.

How often are people hospitalized for it?

The risk of contracting coronavirus remains low for most Americans, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said.

How can you protect against getting it?

You can protect yourself from coronaviruses by following basic wellness practices.

How do I sanitize surfaces?

Keeping your home and surfaces clean using the correct disinfectants is crucial in preventing its spread.

How long can it survive on surfaces?

The novel coronavirus may be able to live on surfaces, namely metal, glass or plastic,for up to nine days if it resembles some of its other human coronavirus-causing cousins, that is.

Are you washing your hands correctly?

There are a few general rules to follow when it comes to washing your hands thoroughly, including for how long you should keep them under runningwater.

How do I make my own hand sanitizer?

If soap and water arent available, hand sanitizer is the next best option namely if it contains at least 60 percent alcohol, the CDCsays.

Do face masks help?

Surgical masks will not prevent your acquiring diseases, said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University, and the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

Who is most at risk?

Young people, senior citizensand those with immune deficiencies could have an acute reaction if exposed to the virus.

Does it affect pregnant women?

The health agency said that while risk to the American public remains low at this time, pregnant women should continue to engage in usual preventative actions to avoid infection, such as washing hands often and avoiding contact with people who are sick.

How do you care for a relative who has it?

Even if the patient does test positive, it can be considered safe to continue supporting them with some extra precautions.

How do you test for it?

Before being tested for thedeadly virus, patients must first answer a series of questions.

How do you treat it?

Fox News received an in-depth look at the new disease fromDr. Debra Chew, a former epidemic intelligence officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) and an assistant professor of medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Is there a cure?

Health agencies recommend patients receive supportive care to relieve coronavirus symptoms.

What happens after you recover from it?

A negative test doesn't always mean the patient is free of the virus

Can you get it through packages?

Surgeon GeneralJerome Adams said, There is no evidence right now that the coronavirus can be spread through mail.

How do you travel during the outbreak?

As the coronavirus risk grows globally, being smart about planning travel will help you stay safe.

Tips on how to talk to your kids about coronavirus

Its important to remember that children take cues from the adults that surround them, so how you address the virus at home may reflect in their behavior.

How does coronavirus compare to other outbreaks?

SARS and MERS came from animals, and this newest virus almost certainly did, too.

Is coronavirus Disease X?

The novel coronavirus has led one expert to say that it fits the criteria for Disease X,a designated placeholder on theWorld Health Organizations (WHO)list of illnesses that have potential to reach international epidemic levels.

Is coronavirus here to stay?

Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of theCDC, said the virus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year.

Coronavirus: What to know about the mysterious illness

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses named after their appearance, a crown, said Dr. Mark Rupp, an infectious disease expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

There are many types and a few are known to infect humans. Some cause colds and respiratory illnesses, while others have evolved into illnesses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) andMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

SARS began in China and infected some 8,000 people during a 2002-2003 outbreak. Approximately 770 people died after it spread to other cities and countries.

"This is the third kind of novel coronavirus that we're having experience with that can cause lower respiratory tract disease," Rupp said Tuesday.

In some rare cases, the virus can be transmitted from animals to humans but are typically transferred during contact between humans, according to the CDC.

How dangerous is coronavirus?

The coronavirus, or what is now known as COVID-19, began at an animal and seafood market in the city of Wuhan and has since spread to several other countries, including the United States. The illness is now said to be transferable between humans.

As news of the virus spread and death tolls began to spike, many have begun to questionhow dangerousthe new outbreak is. Coronaviruses, which get their name from their crown-like appearance, come in many types that cause illnesses in people and animals.

Most coronaviruses cause mild symptoms, such as the common cold that patients easily recover from. Other strains of the virus -- such asSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) andMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) -- can cause pneumonia and possibledeath.

SARS killed 770 of8,000 people infected in 2002-2003. MERS killed about three or four out of every 10 people infected, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

In an effort to curb the spread of the disease (human coronaviruses are passed through coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, touching objects with the virus on it and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands, according to the CDC), the city of Wuhan shut down all air and train traffic. On Jan. 30, The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency just days after WHO officials announced they would hold off doing so.

"The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries. Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems, and which are ill-prepared to deal with it," WHO Director-GeneralTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saidat the time.

Meanwhile, CDC officialsmonitoring the outbreak maintain that the risk to the American public is low, despite the 15 confirmed cases of the virus that have occurred in the U.S. in recent weeks.

Recently, the CDC and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) expanded passenger screenings to include 20 U.S. airports, which take in "90 percent of all passengers from China," Vice PresidentPence said.

In recent weeks, Sen. Tom Cottonraised concerns about a Chinese cover-up of the virus as it spreads to various countries.In a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Cottonurged Azar to vet information from China, given its history of cover-ups during the SARS outbreak. At the time, China didn't announce the disease to the public until five months after it began.

"If you have reason to believe that U.S. officials are being provided with false or misleading information about the disease from Chinese government officials, I ask you to notify Congress immediately," Cotton wrote.

How coronavirus differs from flu: Symptoms to watch for

Officials are urging anyone who develops possible symptoms of the novel coronavirus to contact health care providers to inquire about next steps and possible testing, but with millions infected by the influenza virus in the U.S., many are wondering how to tell the difference between the two.

There is so much overlap in symptoms between flu and COVID-19 but a couple of hallmark differences do exist, Dr. Caesar Djavaherian, co-founder of Carbon Health, told Fox News. Influenza tends to cause much more body pain and the COVID-19 virus tends to feel much more like the common cold with fever, cough, runny nose and diarrhea. However, in a small portion of the population with either COVID-19 or influenza, symptoms progress to kidney failure and respiratory failure.

By the end of February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that at least 32 million cases of the flu were reported in the U.S., resulting in 310,000 hospitalizations and 18,000 deaths. For the coronavirus, by March 3 the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. had reached 100, including several presumptive positive cases and 24 in repatriated Americans. At least nine COVID-19 patients have died.

But several health officials, including New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have cautioned that healthy Americans who contract COVID-19 may not even know that they have it, and will heal without any treatment. Others say their experience will be similar to that of a common cold, but for those with underlying health conditions, the virus can be severe.

The differences arise in the very small portion of the population who are at risk because of their lung or heart conditions whose lungs can fill with fluid or go into kidney failure and unfortunately, eventually die, with COVID-19, Djavaherian said.

One of the most imperative ways to stop the spread, experts say, is to avoid contact with a sick person, and to practice your own good hygiene. Part of that includes staying home when youre sick and thoroughly washing hands.

If you are sick, monitor your symptoms daily, and when your common cold turns into a deep unrelenting cough and then shortness of breath, those are the signs that we worry about and the signs that require patients to get medical attention right away, Djavaherian said. They may be from pneumonia but in a very, very small group of patients, maybe a COVID-19 infection that has gone into the lungs.

Djavaherian said its imperative to call your health care provider ahead of time to share your symptoms and concerns so that they can prepare the appropriate tests and protect others from potential exposure.

I also recommend using telemedicine, where you can see a doctor via phone or video, to get your questions answered from the comfort and safety of your own home without putting others or yourself at risk, he said.

How did the coronavirus outbreak start?

The World Health Organization's China office says it began receiving reports in late December of a mysterious virus behind a number of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, a city in eastern China with a population of roughly 11 million people.

Researchers suspect the virus originated at a seafood market in Wuhan, where wild animals, including birds, rabbits, bats, and snakes are traded.

It was initially believed the virus came from snakes. But a research paper by a team of virologists at the Wuhan Institute for Virology suggests that the coronavirus more likely came from bats, which was also the source of the SARS outbreak.

Bats are known to carry multiple viruses without getting sick, according to the New York Times, which said they have caused human diseases in Africa, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Australia, and are thought to be the reservoir for Ebola.

Authorities shut down the market on January 1. But by then, the virus had spread beyond the market and was being transmitted between people.

On January 12, Chinese health officials shared a genetic sequence of the virus with other countries to better diagnose the strain in patients.

A committee of the WHO on Thursday declared the outbreak a global emergency. The U.N. health agency defines an international emergency as an extraordinary event that constitutes a risk to other countries and requires a coordinated international response.

Such a declaration usually brings greater money and resources but also compels governments to restrict travel and trade to affected countries. The announcement also imposes stricter requirements for disease reporting on countries.

How is coronavirus transmitted?

This virus has spread at unprecedented scale and speed, with cases passing between people in multiple countries across the world, said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, director of Britains Welcome Trust. It is also a start reminder of how vulnerable we are to epidemics of infectious diseases known and unknown.

The United States and South Korea confirmed its first cases of person-to-person spread of the virus.

Scientists say transmission of the virus is most likely between people with close contact, like families. But there have been reported instances of people who may have had less exposure to the virus in Japan and Germany.

The coronavirus has now infected more people in China than were sickened there during the 2002-2003 outbreak of SARS. Virologists believe it originated at a seafood market in the eastern Chinese town of Wuhan when someone or a group of people came into contact with wild animals being traded there.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronaviruses are common in camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Person-to-person transmissions are thought to occur when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread.

Other ways the virus may spread from an infected person to others is through touching or shaking hands, or if a person touchesa surface with the virus on it, then touches theirmouth, nose, or eyes before washing their hands, the CDC says.

But despite the WHOs declaration of emergency, the immediate heal risk to the general American public still remains relatively low.

Surgeon general say risk of coronavirus remains low, most people will not need hospitalization

The risk of contracting coronavirus remains low for most Americans, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams reassured.

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Coronavirus: What you need to know - Fox News

Throughout the past decade, various topics related to stem cells have made headlines across all platforms. From being hailed as the most innovative method for eradicating specific diseases, to being protested by various groups and organizations, the use of stem cells has gained national attention repeatedly. With promising initial scientific findings, and avid researchers aiming to solidify the presence of stem cell usage in the realm of science on a normalized basis, increasing numbers of startups, biotech giants, and independent companies are forging ahead with stem cell-related projects. As global connectivity, technological advancements, and the marriage between medicine and technology continues to evolve swiftly, Jason Hope sees stem cells will undoubtedly remaining in the spotlight.

Over 20 years ago, scientists successfully extracted the first human embryonic stem cells, and effectively grew these cells in a lab setting. The remarkable feat of being able to successfully grow the parent cells, which essentially allow for the growth of new cells in the body, was a hopeful moment for the medical sector involved in creating effective regenerative treatments for conditions like heart disease, Alzheimers, stroke, and Parkinsons Disease. Using basic reasoning, the successful regeneration of parent cells could provide the regeneration of undesired cells, leading to anti-aging results, or effective care for many age-related conditions that deteriorate the body over time.

Though this initial breakthrough was promising, the scientific community has not yet made significant strides in bringing stem cell therapy to market in a way that is well-researched, backed by medical associations, and commonly accepted by the scientific community. In fact, the only readily utilized stem cell treatments are related to successfully growing blood cells from matching donors for patients with various blood disorders. According to entrepreneur, philanthropist, and expert in the realm of anti-aging and longevity, Jason Hope, these initial utilization of stem cells are commendable, but require a lot more research in order to maximize the potential widespread benefits of stem cells in medicine.

Hope, who has devoted much of his philanthropic endeavors within the medical industry via groups like the SENS Organization, recognizes that most stem cell implementations are rightfully considered experimental until appropriate research, testing, and development can occur. As an expert in the realm of anti-aging, and the championing of increasing health throughout a lifetime, Jason Hope recognizes the potential distrust that can be formulated by the general public as a result of eager companies making lofty claims or promoting potentially faulty treatments not yet fully vetted by the medical community. Thus, while he remains avidly enthralled by the potential maximization of stem cell therapies, hope supports the long-term research needed to safely, successfully, and effectively generate breakthrough stem cell treatments.

Providing continued backing for the extensive research completed at the SENS (Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence) Organization, Hopes contributions aid in the research aiming to create preventative treatments for degenerative diseases and utilizing breakthrough science to increase the overall long-term quality of life for individuals. Instead of focusing on the treatment of symptoms and the disease throughout the progression of the condition, the scientists at SENS work to examine ways to successfully prevent the disease from happening. Through this boundary-pushing work, a lot of their research focuses on stem cell intervention. According to Hope, stem cell treatments for Parkinsons Disease are now in the second stage of clinical trials at SENS. While the process of undergoing such extensive trials may appear slow, it is crucial to maintaining overall public support via successful treatment launches and promising in terms of the long-term possibilities linked to stem cell treatments.

In addition to the research being conducted by SENS, preliminary medical studies are being conducted with a myriad of uses for stem cells. Experimental stem cell transplants of retinal cells were recently utilized in a small research study of macular generation, providing initially promising results for the handful of patients who have received artificially generated retinal cells. Elsewhere, scientists have begun to explore ways to minimize potential rejection of stem cells in organs like the liver, through maximizing the most conducive environment for stem cells to thrive. While these slow-moving vehicles of change are less prominent than startups promising the proverbial Fountain of Youth via experimental stem cell treatments, these medically sound research studies are forming the backbone of stem cell treatment for the future.

As with all scientific and medical innovations, Hope also recognizes the potential risks, hurdles, and roadblocks within the growing field of stem cell research, and integration into medicine. From supply chain concerns to potential long-term side effects, and the risk of overly eager startups making too-lofty claims, Hope understands that the road to the everyday utilization of stem cells remains lengthy and potentially bumpy. However, the proverbial juice may very well be worth the squeeze in this example. As stem cells harvest the potential power to overturn the degenerative effects of some of the most prominent diseases, allow individuals to maintain active health for elongated periods of time, and increase the quality of life for countless individuals, expanding upon the initial promising research is potentially a pivotal point for the medical community and humankind. Though the road to successful scientific integration of stem cells is long, the potential healthcare benefits are limitless, and according to industry experts like Jason Hope, worth investing in, exploring, and championing.

About Jason Hope

An avid entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, Jason Hope is a futurist involved in the championing of technological advancement, community involvement, and innovative medical interventions. Deeply passionate about the anti-aging, longevity, and human advancement niche of biomedicine, Hope remains actively involved in various scientific organizations.

After receiving a degree in Finance from ASU, and a subsequent MBA from ASUs W.P. Carey School of Business, Hope developed a successful mobile communications company. Professionally, he currently focuses on investing in startups and developing grant programs for small businesses.

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What Jason Hope Says About New Longevity Research - HealthTechZone