Today's Covid-19 numbers reached 2,000. It's been above 1,000 for days now.
Governor Herbert said: "I have tremendous faith in our ability as Utahns to make the right decisions to keep each other safe and keep our schools and businesses open."
Yeah, right. That's why Utah is one of the worst hot spots in THE WORLD for Covid-19.

Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'

Too many in Utah are learning the hard way that their magic underpants don't protect against Covid.

Are any mormons talking about their fasts from earlier this year? They were *so sure* that those stupid fasts would make the virus disappear. So much for "faith."

I doubt Nelson will be calling for another one anytime soon, as it would only serve to emphasize how miserably ineffective the others were.

[Elohim: "Yea, I was preparing to end Covid forever in April, but lo, Sister Christensen of the BYU 352nd Ward partook of an unapproved tuna melt and was thereby disobedient. O wretched world, it verily sucketh to be thee."]

Idaho isn't doing so well either

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-idaho-kootenai-county-drops-covid-mask-mandate-despite-hospital-doctors-warning/

"Moments after hearing an Idaho hospital was overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients and looking at sending people as far away as Seattle for care, members of a regional health department board voted Thursday to repeal a local mask mandate.

"Most of our medical surgical beds at Kootenai Health are full," Panhandle Health District epidemiologist Jeff Lee told board members in the state's third most populated county."

Mostly because of attitudes like this:

"Another member, Allen Banks, denied COVID-19 exists.

"Something's making these people sick, and I'm pretty sure that it's not coronavirus, so the question that you should be asking is, 'What's making them sick?'" he told the medical professionals who testified."

It's difficult to believe that people are *that* stupid, isn't it? If you have to transfer patients out of state, maybe it's time to look at mandating masks in public.

Holy s***. How can someone with a Ph.D. in chemistry be so abjectly ignorant? There has to be money involved somewhere for Banks to take this position. Financially-motivated stupidity.

https://panhandlehealthdistrict.org/profile/allen-banks-ph-d/

"Allen Banks, Ph.D.
Bonner County (At-Large)

Dr. Banks was appointed to the Board of Health in 1997. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and his Doctorate in chemistry from the University of Colorado. For 30 years, he has worked in medical research in biotechnology and pharmaceutical development, including the development of genetically-engineered vaccines for humans and animals. He holds patents related to the manufacture of new therapeutics. Dr. Banks teaches at the University of Wisconsin and is a world recognized expert in prolotherapy, a technique for healing injured ligaments, particularly in the lower back."

This is a sterling example of why the USA is screwed.

Linus Pauling had a Nobel Prize in chemistry, which didn't stop him from claiming later in life that vitamin C was a cure for the common cold. You'd think he'd be able to critically analyze all the studies that failed to confirm his thesis. [the full story is a little more nuanced than that, but still, it was a pretty solid "what are you thinking" event]

Utah's previous record high was Thursday, and they cruised right past that one Friday by over 400 more cases beyond the previous record.

On a per capita basis, I think Utah is 4th nationally, but ND is winning all the marbles. They are apparently experiencing full exponential contagion in western ND. That's the oil patch. Tough guys. Just ask them.

thinning the herd, too bad people who are taking - using precautions are caught up with those who aren't.

I regret anyone being taken sick, but it seems poetic justice when careless ppl become ill.

Utah has one of the 'lowest' death rates in the country!!!

Utah was having 2-3 deaths when infections were around 200-300!

Fake news doesn't like to talk 'death rates' as they are going down with covid now we are getting the spread!

Key numbers should include death rates, available beds in hospitals and ICUs, etc. Utah is doing good on these issues ---- properly managing the virus without 'overwhelming' medical resources.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2020 12:22PM by spiritist.

Utah's deaths per 1 million population has been good right through the pandemic. Many people have speculated that might be due to Utah's population skewing younger.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

- Death rates are generally decreasing because the medical community (that's science, not spirit guides) is learning more about how to treat Covid patients successfully.

- Covid outcomes are not binary between death and full recovery. There is also the possibility of long-term damage, ranging from mild to severe, of various organs such as the lungs, kidneys, liver, brain, etc.

- It's been 4 years. It's OK to drop the tired Fake News cliché. Endlessly parroting the phrase makes the speaker sound like a mindless drone who can't think of anything original to say, like a mormon defending the church with its stock thought-stopping phrases.

- What's with your weird use of quotes? You have a bad habit of doing this. Neither "lowest" nor "overwhelming" need them. If it's an attempt at sarcasm or irony, it fails on all counts.

I use quotes to 'emphasize' things. Should have used them on 'fake news' ---- it is still very alive and active or don't you watch TV???

Brainwashed people have no clue of what is going on by watching 'fake news/opinions' and not 'opening their eyes' or researching.

Viewers 'trust' of media/'fake news' continues its downward spiral!!! Old news ---- not really except for people like you who will not log on with your normal name ---- too embarrassing I imagine!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2020 09:45PM by spiritist.

You lack credibility on these topics. You tell us you belong to a group whose leader uses your insights to beat the stockmarket. You provide links to scientists who you think agree with you but who in fact do precisely the opposite.

What basis do you have for judging the accuracy of news? Why is your judgment in that respect better than your record on other matters?

I would rather 'lack credibility' than have 'none' as you have displayed many times.

Maybe you should find another place to post if you have to be so 'nasty' to people who are just expressing 'educated opinions'!!

You should be 'zippered' for your 'nasty' comments!!

Interesting perspective!

Yawn.

Unless you learn to use 'multiple' exclamation points and quotation marks in your posts, your audience will lose interest!!!

Educated? At Trump University?

A word to the wise, spiritist: when a scientist says her research proves that spiritualism does not work, it's not a good idea to cite her as proof that it does.

You're a funny man, calling others "brainwashed" (notice the correct use of quote marks, indicating a quotation). What "real news" (another generally accepted use of quote marks, indicating sarcasm or irony) outlets do you use? Alex Jones, OANN, and random bloggers of the right wing?

Considering your limited English skills and poor writing habits, it's laughable that you'd attempt to minimize the credibility of another person.

Again, you'd never have thought up that empty "fake news" (quoting you AND using irony/sarcasm) mantra yourself. You're merely parroting it because that's what your cult leader says, time and again. That's a result of brainwashing — giving your mind over to another. Thank you for showing us what it looks like.

Good point!!

https://kutv.com/news/coronavirus/utahs-packed-icus-could-mean-trouble-for-covid-and-non-covid-patients

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/10/19/utah-coronavirus-cases-up/

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2020/10/17/apc-northern-utah-hospital-filled-to-capacity-as-southern-utah-sets-another-1-day-high-for-covid-19-cases/#.X5TeNIhKhPY


https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/patient-flow/u-of-utah-hospital-at-95-icu-capacity-amid-covid-19-surge.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2020 10:09PM by Susan I/S.

I've seen way too many chin-diapers out there. Abiding by the letter of the law, but not the spirit. I also see a lot of teenagers and kids just bare-faced and in crowds.

Its going to burn through the population. The horse has left the barn, its just a matter of how fast that horse runs now. Maybe if everyone had masked up as soon as it was found here in the US, we could have halted it. But, now its just too many... too wide spread.

It's too widespread to eliminate COVID but not to limit the number of deaths. Abiding by the rules now could save many tens of thousands of lives before the vaccine becomes available and we settle into an endemic pattern.

Those lives are worth saving.

I'm hearing from a lot of people who either don't want the vaccine, or who don't want it right away. It's going to take a certain percentage of people getting vaccinated, along with the people who have the antibodies, to stop this beast. I think we are going to be living with this virus for a long, long time.

And right now we don't know how long a vaccine or immunity will last. This is just one reason that "herd immunity" will not work. Unless we are willing to let a lot of people die. The vaccine will help - it will not mitigate the problem.

Yesterday, in St. George (where they just announced that their hospital has run out of ICU beds) they had a Trump/anti-mask rally. With 200-300 idiots all crammed together not wearing masks. Now, they've added "Don't get the vaccine" to their repertoire of stupidity. Many of them had BYU shirts or stickers on their vehicles. There was another anti mask rally at the State Capitol yesterday. Utah mormons will ensure that Utah is the last state to recover or get a handle on the virus.

What's the story on Salt Lake City's homeless population staying so healthy?

up-thread, spiritist was right about Utah having a very low death rate (so far). It is about one half of one percent. That is very good.

I think the fact that the state skews young, both because of a high birthrate, and a lot of out-of-state college students, has a lot to do with that. Utah also has a low number of smokers, and less obesity than the national average.

Whatever the reasons, Utah is doing well in that regard. That said, the recent spike in cases has come close to filling our hospitals. There is a long article in today's SLTrib about the hospital situation. Long story short, it looks like in a week to two, they will have to start rationing ICU rooms. The UofU hospital is already parcelling out non-covid patients to Huntsman and St Marks so that the U can keep some open beds available.

The spokesperson said at this point, it is a matter of when, not if.

Once you start turning people away from hospitals, or from ICU wards in hospitals, deaths from all causes start rising.

Extra beds can be brought in. Getting the extra staff to handle them is a much bigger problem.

Including a death in the 15-24 age group.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/10/25/coronavirus-utah-covid/

Utah now has more total cases than the state of Washington which has over twice the population of Utah

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/DataDashboard

And now apparently some parents are encouraging other parents to not get their kids tested if Covid is suspected, in an effort to keep schools open and sports teams playing.

Teachers have long known that there is a certain subset of parents that will send their sick kids to school for a variety of reasons. Those parents will often dose their child with Tylenol in the morning to mask a fever.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/parents-fear-mom-code-will-keep-covid-19-numbers-artificially-low-in-utah-schools/ar-BB1ajD0H?ocid=uxbndlbing



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2020 10:41PM by summer.

The downside of refusing to be tested is that infection rates will go up because people who ought to quarantine won't. The second problem is that hospitals will get blindsided by an unexpected increase in admissions. Not getting tested doesn't keep you from getting sick enough to need hospitalization.

Both of these problems are already evident in Utah.

Someone recently asked how countries like China have managed to escape the scourge that has ravaged the US in recent months. I replied that a dictatorship can be a lot more aggressive in terms of enforcing mask and social-distancing policies as well as testing and tracing efforts.

Well, in the far northwest of China a single asymptomatic case was discovered on Saturday. How has Beijing reacted? It is testing 4.7 million people in order to find how far the infection has spread and then to contain it. By Sunday evening over two million people had been examined and the authorities had identified about 140 asymptomatic cases. The remaining millions should be tested by Tuesday. Just something to bear in mind as the US goes on its merry way, pretending that its testing is adequate--or, worse still, a political embarrassment--and that the pandemic will soon go away.

China, by the way, reports 5,000 total deaths since the inception of the pandemic late last year. Assuming that that number is officially suppressed, let's correct it by a factor of 10 and say 50,000 have died. On a per capita basis that would still be 1/16 of the death toll in the United States.




https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-asia-china-54687533

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/26/china-new-coronavirus-outbreak-detected-in-xinjiang-city-of-kashgar

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-china-cases-idUKKBN27A00X

And if we would just stop testing for pregnancy and cancer no one would have to worry about birth control and we would win the war on cancer! Geeze! We are so silly!

Stop burials and cremations and achieve immortality!! Smelly, but doable!