Sunday, March 05, 2023

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog February 2023

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Strong winter rains continued. Snow fell as low as 1,500 feet. Five people I know in total disclosed they tested positive for COVID-19 a second time. Feb 28 was the last day California was in a pandemic state of emergency.

Wed Feb 1. The Santa Clara County closes its mass COVID-19 vaccination and testing site on Feb 25. The high vaccination rate and the low number of positive cases are part of the reasons. Also, it's easy for people to get home testing kits. Health providers provide testing kits and vaccinations for their patients.

Fri Feb 3. CA schools are not requiring students to be vaccinated.

Sat Feb 4. The US government stops purchasing COVID-19 vaccines at a reduced price for the country. People are responsible to pay for the vaccines insured or uninsured. There is no exact date the government stops providing free vaccines. People with insurance pays zero cost for vaccines because of the Affordable Care Act. Heath insurance is required to cover all immunizations recommended by the Center For Disease Control (CDC) by law. People without insurance may pay for their vaccines when the vaccines purchased by the federal government runs out; however, there is a federal program to provide free vaccines to children for parents who can't afford the vaccine shots.

Thur Feb 9. The CDC added the COVID-19 vaccine to their list of recommended routine vaccines.

Fri Feb 10. NY ended mask mandates in health care settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. Health care facilities set their own masking rules. Masks are required in New York City's public hospital system.

Sun Feb 12. Super Bowl LVII.

Tue Feb 14. The House Oversight Committee and the Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic investigate the origins of COVID-19. Letters are sent to Dr. Anthony Fauci, National Intelligence Directory Avril Haines, Secretary Of Health And Human Services Xavier Beccera, and more for documents and testimony. Multiple possibilities for the COVID-19 origin are China Wuhan Institute Of Virology developing a bioweapon, an accidental lab leak the virus, or a transmission from a live animal to a human in a market in Wuhan, China.

Fri Feb 17. Returned a pair of running shoes at a Nike Factory Outlet store.

A research paper published in The Lancet said immunity is acquired from a COVID-19 infection. The immunity protection is on par with two doses of a mRNA vaccine. The risk of hospitalization and death from a COVID reinfection are reduced by 88% for at least 10 months. Experts prefer people receive the vaccination shot for immunity. Omicron subvariants in late fall 2021 and early winter 2022 were excluded in the study.

Sun Feb 19. An early morning quick shopping to Safeway to purchase ketchup.

Mon Feb 20. The CDC added the COVID-19 vaccine to the child and adolescent immunization schedule. Children between the ages of six months and 18 years receive two doses of the primary series between four and eight weeks apart and a booster at least eight weeks later. Immunocompromised children and adolescents receive a third dose of the primary series. The CDC stressed it's a recommendation and not a requirement. School vaccination requirements are determined by state and local laws.

Thur Feb 23. 100,000 people died in CA due to COVID-19. The first positive case was confirmed in Feb 2020. 22 people die daily on average in CA. CA is the state with the most deaths in the US. Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania are the other top states with the most deaths. CA is the 11th lowest state per capita at 255.3 deaths per 100,000 state residents.

Fri Feb 24. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) approved a flu and COVID-19 home testing kit for emergency authorization use. The Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Home Test uses self-collected nasal swab samples. The results are given in 30 minutes. The tests are good for people ages 2 and up.

Mon Feb 27. Went to some auto body and paint shops for free estimates. One worker wore a mask in all the shops I visited.

Tue Feb 28. The last day for CA under a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said the COVID-19 pandemic started at a lab in Wuhan, China.

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