Covid-19

[Tracker]

5 minutes ago, WildPath said:

I think that has benefits, in that the voting populace know the plan in place and can adjust their votes based on that. Selecting an appropriate VP can be a big decision. It would a lot better than the nation electing a John McCain and then him stepping down and Donald Trump comes out of nowhere to run the country. I feel that even though we vote for the party, many people vote for the leader and the leader dictates the policies and everyone else in the party is basically on board regardless of their personal beliefs. I recently read an article about how that has changed a lot and pretty much all decisions are based on party lines, often set by the leader.

If we truly had MLAs/MPs representing their personal/regional ideologies, then it might make more sense for the party to elect the next leader. To be able to just quit at any time and have only a small segment of the population select the next leader of the party seems pretty undemocratic they way policies are decided now. It is especially poignant now, when our province is so divided (if you consider a small, extremely vocal minority a division) on a key issue going forward.

It would be better if each party had to report annually on how they were living up to their campaign commitments,  but I have little doubt that they would weasel out of this. Gary Filmon made all kinds of promises because the province was doing so well economically, but soon after the election, the reported economic outlook deteriorated so badly that he "reluctantly" backed out of all his promises.

[iHeart]

7 deaths

Edited October 12, 2021 by iHeart

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Effective immediately in Southern Health, "household members of close contacts or symptomatic people who have not had any known #COVID19 exposures must also self-isolate."

The latest Manitobans to succumb to #COVID19 (7 reported today and 2 Friday):

- A Southern man his 50s (unspecified variant of concern)
- A Southern man in in his 60s (unspecified VOC)
- A Southern man in his 70s (unspecified VOC)
- Southern man in his 80s
- A Northern man in his 50s
- A Southern woman in her 60s (unspecified VOC)
- A Winnipeg man in his 70s (unspecified VOC)
- A Southern man in his 70s (unspecified VOC)
- A Southern man in his 80s (unspecified VOC)

Regional breakdown of the last five days of Manitoba #COVID19 cases:
 161 Southern 
 106 Northern 
 102 Winnipeg
 68 Prairie Mountain
 42 Interlake-Eastern

Five-day Manitoba #COVID19 test-positivity rate: 3.9  per cent (up 0.5 percentage points from Friday)
 Winnipeg rate: 1.2 per cent
 Tests completed Monday: 1,920

Manitoba recorded another 9,985 #COVID19 vaccine doses over the past four days.
 Manitobans with 1 shot: 1,031,920
 Proportion of Manitobans 12 and up with 1 shot: 85.7%
 Two shots: 981,283
 Proportion with 2 shots: 81.9%
 Manitobans aged 12 and up: ~1,189,903

Atwal says it's not important right now to know the test-positivity rate in Southern health and there are communication risks associated with sharing that number. He says MB must be careful not to ostracize a specific region.

New outbreak: 
 - Springs Christian Academy Youville Campus, Winnipeg 

Outbreaks over:
 - Chemawawin Cree Nation
 - Salem Home, Winkler
 

Edited October 12, 2021 by FrostyWinnipeg

[Goalie]

It's still mind boggling to me how Winnipeg which has most the population don't even make up 1/3rd of cases. Insanity. 

Proving once again... vaccines work 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

30 minutes ago, Goalie said:

It's still mind boggling to me how Winnipeg which has most the population don't even make up 1/3rd of cases. Insanity. 

Proving once again... vaccines work 

So... not so mind boggling?

😁

[bustamente]

If the Provence thinks that people in the Southern area are going to isolate they are dumber than I thought, they don't care about Covid most probably don't think it's real and for sure they won't be isolating. 

[the watcher]

5 hours ago, bustamente said:

If the Provence thinks that people in the Southern area are going to isolate they are dumber than I thought, they don't care about Covid most probably don't think it's real and for sure they won't be isolating. 

I guess they have to keep trying but the ones that are breaking the rules now aren't going to follow more rules. But I commend them for trying. Personally I'd keep hammering them in the pocketbook. Bump up enforcement.  I think it's the only way to get through to them and at least it targets the ones who are the real problem.

[WildPath]

They did slip in that previous positive Covid test would grant an exemption to some new rules.

"For example, if a student in the Southern Health region is symptomatic or identified as a close contact of a known COVID-19 patient, their siblings and parents should also self-isolate until their test results come back, says Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's acting deputy chief provincial public health officer. 

Those who are fully vaccinated or who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last six months are exempt from this requirement. "

Not a huge deal, but I'm worried it is a sign of things to come. Not a huge fan of incentives for previously having Covid and not being vaccinated. Also could incentivize people from getting vaccinated in the first place.

[iHeart]

How are North Dakota's numbers right now? I hope it's not in the same vein as Alberta or Southern Manitoba

Edited October 13, 2021 by iHeart

[JCon]

 

45 minutes ago, iHeart said:

How are North Dakota's numbers right now? I hope it's not in the same vein as Alberta or Southern Manitoba

Still need to be vaccinated to go back and forth. Or, provide a Covid test. 

[JCon]

 

[iHeart]

 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Manitoba #COVID19 patients in hospital: 94 (up 9) 
 In ICU: 15 (down 1)
 Total patients in ICU (COVID and non-COVID): 90

Five-day Manitoba #COVID19 test-positivity rate: 3.8  per cent (down 0.1 percentage points)
 Tests completed Tuesday: 1,995

Regional breakdown of new Manitoba #COVID19 cases:
 25 Southern 
 24 Northern 
 16 Winnipeg
 7 Interlake-Eastern
 7 Prairie Mountain

Top Manitoba health districts by active #COVID19 cases:
 1. Norway House: 114
 2. Mathias Colomb/Puk: 112
 3. Brandon: 50
 4. Shamattawa/Split Lake/York Factory/Tataskweyak: 39
 5. Unknown residence in Winnipeg: 35(Catch-all category for people without a permanent residence, people without ID or people with incomplete or out of date medical records.)
 6. Winkler: 31
 7. Steinbach: 31

Manitoba recorded another 3,095 #COVID19 vaccine doses.
 Manitobans with 1 shot: 1,032,854
 Proportion of Manitobans 12 and up with 1 shot: 85.8%
 Two shots: 982,755
 Proportion with 2 shots: 82%
 Manitobans aged 12 and up: ~1,189,903
 

Edited October 13, 2021 by FrostyWinnipeg

[Tracker]

4 hours ago, iHeart said:

 

At least we are holding steady and the ICUs are beginning to empty of COVID cases.

[Tracker]

Merck's new COVID-19 drug could be a pandemic "game-changer"

Imagine if an unvaccinated person with COVID-19 could go to the pharmacy and get a pill that could reduce their risk of dying from COVID-19 by 50 percent. This scenario could drastically reduce the number of needless COVID-19 mortalities, and it could become a reality as soon as 2022.

On Monday, pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. announced that it submitted its application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization of the first antiviral pill targeted to treat COVID-19. If approved, the pill — called Molnupiravir — could be a major milestone in ending the pandemic as an effective at-home treatment option.

The concept behind the drug is that those with high-risk conditions could take the pill to prevent their COVID-19 case from worsening and progressing to hospitalization or death. According to an announcement by the company earlier this month, the results in its clinical trials cut hospitalization and death by 50 percent in patients who had at least one high-risk factor for COVID-19.

"More tools and treatments are urgently needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has become a leading cause of death and continues to profoundly affect patients, families, and societies and strain health care systems all around the world," said Robert M. Davis, chief executive officer and president of Merck & Co. in a statement. "With these compelling results, we are optimistic that Molnupiravir can become an important medicine as part of the global effort to fight the pandemic."

Indeed, the pill's clinical trial results are quite compelling, though they have yet to be peer-reviewed and published. According to the company's news release, its late-stage clinical trial was so successful that it stopped enrolling subjects after discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Based on the participants with available viral sequencing data (approximately 40% of participants), Molnupiravir was consistently effective in treating the variants gamma, delta, and mu. Similarly, the side effects were comparable among patients who received the drug and those in a testing group who received a placebo pill. Merck has not publicly detailed the types of problems reported, but they will likely be an important part of the FDA's review.

Merck's new COVID-19 drug could be a pandemic "game-changer" | Salon.com

 

[Brandon]

8 hours ago, iHeart said:

How are North Dakota's numbers right now? I hope it's not in the same vein as Alberta or Southern Manitoba

Because I'm out of the loop....  Canadians would have to still quarantine once they came back from driving down to the States right?

[iHeart]

2 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Because I'm out of the loop....  Canadians would have to still quarantine once they came back from driving down to the States right?

I don't remember but I do recall hearing that you should get a booster before travelling

[GCJenks]

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

Because I'm out of the loop....  Canadians would have to still quarantine once they came back from driving down to the States right?

Fully vaccinated do not need to isolate, need a - test before entry is all. 

[Noeller]

49 minutes ago, GCJenks said:

Fully vaccinated do not need to isolate, need a - test before entry is all. 

At 200 bucks a pop, eh? Cripes that's something... 

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cansino-deal-canada-nrc-fifth-estate-1.6208241

Quote

The federal government's failed collaboration with a vaccine manufacturing company in China early in the pandemic has led to a delay of nearly two years in efforts to create a made-in-Canada COVID-19 vaccine.

Government documents obtained by The Fifth Estate show that Canadian officials wasted months waiting for a proposed vaccine to arrive from China for further testing and spent millions upgrading a production facility that never made a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 

What a completely bungled ****-show. 

[Goalie]

14 hours ago, Brandon said:

Because I'm out of the loop....  Canadians would have to still quarantine once they came back from driving down to the States right?

No 

My brother in law flew to Florida in the summer and quarantine was not required. Just a negative covid test b4 going and coming back but vaccination required to travel 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Goalie

[the watcher]

15 hours ago, Tracker said:

Merck's new COVID-19 drug could be a pandemic "game-changer"

Imagine if an unvaccinated person with COVID-19 could go to the pharmacy and get a pill that could reduce their risk of dying from COVID-19 by 50 percent. This scenario could drastically reduce the number of needless COVID-19 mortalities, and it could become a reality as soon as 2022.

On Monday, pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. announced that it submitted its application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization of the first antiviral pill targeted to treat COVID-19. If approved, the pill — called Molnupiravir — could be a major milestone in ending the pandemic as an effective at-home treatment option.

The concept behind the drug is that those with high-risk conditions could take the pill to prevent their COVID-19 case from worsening and progressing to hospitalization or death. According to an announcement by the company earlier this month, the results in its clinical trials cut hospitalization and death by 50 percent in patients who had at least one high-risk factor for COVID-19.

"More tools and treatments are urgently needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has become a leading cause of death and continues to profoundly affect patients, families, and societies and strain health care systems all around the world," said Robert M. Davis, chief executive officer and president of Merck & Co. in a statement. "With these compelling results, we are optimistic that Molnupiravir can become an important medicine as part of the global effort to fight the pandemic."

Indeed, the pill's clinical trial results are quite compelling, though they have yet to be peer-reviewed and published. According to the company's news release, its late-stage clinical trial was so successful that it stopped enrolling subjects after discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Based on the participants with available viral sequencing data (approximately 40% of participants), Molnupiravir was consistently effective in treating the variants gamma, delta, and mu. Similarly, the side effects were comparable among patients who received the drug and those in a testing group who received a placebo pill. Merck has not publicly detailed the types of problems reported, but they will likely be an important part of the FDA's review.

Merck's new COVID-19 drug could be a pandemic "game-changer" | Salon.com

 

A side line story on that from The Guardian :

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/14/merck-drug-prices-us-healthcare-big-pharma

$ 712 for a drug that costs $17.74 to produce and who's development was subsidised by American tax dollars  .

Edited October 14, 2021 by the watcher

[HardCoreBlue]

19 minutes ago, the watcher said:

A side line story on that from The Guardian :

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/14/merck-drug-prices-us-healthcare-big-pharma

$ 712 for a drug that costs $17.74 to produce and who's development was subsidised by American tax dollars  .

Nice, capitalism at it’s finest. Oh demand is up, sorry not sorry you’re gonna have to pay for that. Oh demand is down? We need a bailout or people will lose their jobs!

[Tracker]

44 minutes ago, the watcher said:

A side line story on that from The Guardian :

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/14/merck-drug-prices-us-healthcare-big-pharma

$ 712 for a drug that costs $17.74 to produce and who's development was subsidised by American tax dollars  .

But its the American way.

[FrostyWinnipeg]