Coronavirus (COVID-19): We Want to Hear from You

[tnbutterfly - Mary]

The Coronavirus/COVID-19 has been all over the news since its appearance in Wuhan, China in December. Eleven cities in China have been locked down and travel restrictions imposed on tens of millions of people in an attempt to contain the spread of the deadly virus with reports of more than 900 confirmed cases of infection and more than 2 dozen reported deaths. Infections have been confirmed in South Korea, Japan, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and now this deadly virus has now made its appearance in the United States. Two confirmed cases have been identified - one in Washington on January 21 and another in Chicago today. Health officials have reported 63 people from 22 states are under observation for the virus.

We want to keep you up-to-date on the latest news. We need your help. Are you in an area where the Coronavirus/COVID-19 has been identified or where people are under observation for possible infection? We want to hear your story.

What precautions/screening/guidelines have been implemented in your place of work, airports, schools, etc?

Please complete the form below and let us know if you are willing to share your story.

Would you like to write an article to help us keep up with the unfolding Coronavirus / COVID-19 story - historical evolution, what is it, mode of transmission, signs and symptoms, precautions, screening, diagnosis, etc. If so, send me a Private/Personal Message

Wuhan Coronavirus Form

[HappyNurse, BSN, RN]

I agree with you. I am just concerned until we are actually are testing patients in addition to just those from China. I’m sure this will happen soon. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence we are seeing this influx of cases. Unfortunately on our floor we have to have an order for isolation. It’s all about cost effectiveness which is frustrating. We can wear masks of course on our own accord if a patient is coughing but they will not hang an isolation kit on the door without an order. We have some patients coming from community hospice straight to our hospice floor and some come from floors on isolation for MRSA in the sputum, mycoplasma pneumonia, etc of course on isolation. Often we are admitting or transferring someone in not knowing they have a cough which exposes staff before they are protected. Once they get to us we do no work up or testing. Comfort measures only. I will be glad when they know for sure how this is transmitted also since regular masks could potentially not protect us that we wear for MRSA, flu, etc. Thanks for your thoughtful reply. None of this is being talked about at work and I just needed a safe anonymous place to express my feelings and get feedback. Thanks

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Found Washington Post article re John Hopkins efforts:

Mapping the spread of the new coronavirus

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/01/22/mapping-spread-new-coronavirus/?arc404=true

The map from Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering follows coronavirus cases across the world.

Quote

The dashboard collects data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Chinese website DXY, which aggregates data from China's National Health Commission and the CCDC. The results populate a worldwide view of coronavirus cases in real time.

As of Jan 29, 2020 9 pm EST, 7,783 Confirmed cases in China, 170 Deaths with Total Recovered listed as 133. USA has 5 confirmed cases.

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Philadelphia airport added to list of those screening travelers arriving from China. Karen

From Philadelphia Inquirer 1/29/2020:

Worrying about coronavirus? This other virus is the real threat. https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus-infection-death-risk-influenza-20200129.html

Quote

There’s a deadly virus spreading from state to state. It preys on the most vulnerable, striking the sick and the old without mercy. In just the past few months, it has claimed the lives of at least 39 children.

The virus is influenza, and it poses a far greater threat to Americans than the coronavirus from China that has made headlines around the world....

...Influenza rarely gets this sort of attention, even though it kills more Americans each year than any other virus, said Peter Hotez, a professor of pediatrics, molecular virology, and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston....

... Worldwide, the flu causes up to five million cases of severe illness worldwide and kills up to 650,000 people every year, according to the World Health Organization.

In the USA as of January 18th 2020, so far this Flu season there have been at least 15 million flu illnesses, 140,000 hospitalizations and 8,200 deaths including 27 children the CDC reports. Not to late to get a flu shot.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/#ClinicalLaboratories

Philly-area company Inovio Pharmaceuticals gets $9 million grant to develop vaccine for new Chinese coronavirus

https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus-china-vaccine-inovio-bill-gates-20200123.htm

[hannahgb]

Common sense--stay home if you are sick--good hand washing--stop the constant flow of visitors to hospitals, nursing homes--Stay away from compromised people and stop putting the population into hysteria--I know it doesn't sound scientific and is not necessarily what infection control would say but sometimes you have to take a step back and think instead of reactive with no plan in mind

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

On 1/30/2020 at 7:29 PM, hannahgb said:

Common sense--stay home if you are sick--good hand washing--stop the constant flow of visitors to hospitals, nursing homes--Stay away from compromised people and stop putting the population into hysteria--I know it doesn't sound scientific and is not necessarily what infection control would say but sometimes you have to take a step back and think instead of reactive with no plan in mind

One big problem is people will NOT stay home when they are sick-they just go out and share everything and to hell with whoever they pass it along to during the process. Common sense and common curtesy seem to be limited these days.

[hannahgb]

Totally agree

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

On 1/28/2020 at 8:56 AM, SummitRN said:

SARS-CoV, the closest related of the betacoronaviruses to 2019-nCoV, was thought to have limited airborne spread and certainly it couldn't be ruled out. Unfortunately, we just don't have enough information, just as with 2019-nCoV. That SARS was not primarily airborne is known mostly to inference based on transmission patterns and an R(0) lower than other airborne diseases, which is more consistent with droplet/contact diseases. Except we also saw unusual variation in R(0): some wild high outliers, "superspreaders," with SARS... and apparently also with 2019-nCoV. Johns Hopkins situation update discussed this last night.

And so, airborne precautions are recommended for both 2019-nCoV and SARS.

There is a lot of murkiness on transmission modes even with more common viruses.

Is there actually really something called "limited airborne spread"? Doesn't airborne transmission, by definition, mean that the particles are so small that they are able to remain in air circulation for very long periods of time and are resistant to drying?

I have never heard of this "sort of" airborne transmission, but am very interested to learn more about it.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

We are near a highly populated Asian area,reports are that the ER is almost empty due to people staying far away.

There are several cases pending results.

Staff is complaining they are never updated by administration until after something happens.

CDC has stated transmission is via Fecal -Oral route also ,as stool samples tested +.

Diarrhea has been reported as a symptom along with cough and other symptoms.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

On 1/30/2020 at 7:29 PM, hannahgb said:

stop the constant flow of visitors to hospitals, nursing homes--Stay away from compromised people

I agree but the infection control of the past should be revisited,when we didn't rely so heavily on super drugs,

this none sense that every family and small children,even infants should be free to visit anywhere anytime,the irresponsible open visiting policies,will lead to a mess.

The lack of enforcement on public spitting,urination,and even defecation ,in some states I am sure will contribute.You cant piss on my leg anymore and tell me it is rain.

[Walti, LPN, LVN, RN, EMT-I]

Had not heard about fecal or oral but I'm not surprised. There is so much misinformation out there. On the other hand there is so little information out there. We hear about so many people being tested and so little follow up on the results. How long does it take to test for this? What is the accuracy of the test?

From what I gather those who are in quarantine are not segregated. So if one person in the group is diagnosed as positive does the the entire group start a whole new quarantine?

I hear that the flu is posing a bigger threat to the populace at large. I have hard time swallowing that line. I know that the flu kills but not at the rate the corona virus in the news does. The information we are getting out of China is suspect. We can't really know the effect on the populace as the as the health care system is overwhelmed. When a person dies at home is the cause of death listed and are the deceased being tested?

Just to many unknowns. I'd like to know more. I fear that the disease will go full blown pandemic. I'm glad I'm retired and the only ones I'll have to care for our my grand kids if the schools are closed. Once again though, I worry that the powers that be will be hesitant to declare an emergency until it is too late to have meaningful containment.

[2BS Nurse, BSN]

We are running out of masks in the outpatient setting. I'm anticipating supplies will be diverted to the hospitals.

The WHO recommends "wear a medical/surgical mask when within 1 meter of a patient with ARI". Right now, most of our patients have an acute respiratory infection!

https://s3.xopic.de/openwho-public/courses/15mKXx4nfaqUxh1MxGcrca/rtfiles/46KImilkfW7sYdKmVS4UPJ/Module_1b__IPC.pdf

Create an account on OpenWHO.org. They have some educational modules

[Walti, LPN, LVN, RN, EMT-I]

Sorry to hear about your supply problems. Masks are in short supply world wide. If you would consider buying your own you might try the local hardware and big box home improvement stores. Our local Home Depot has N95 masks in the paint department. Also a lot of sellers on Amazon are offering 2 day shipping on masks.

[hannahgb]

Hello--we as suppository knowledgeable people need to get a handle on this "crisis" the media is having a field day and spreading terror--is this any different than the SARS, Ebola, H1N1, that we lived through--spreading terror does no good--I know you all will chastise me, but I can't and won't live in fear of the people around me or what "might" happen