COVID-19

Death rate is a bad measure. We had and have a smaller % in the older age groups!  So it skews the numbers when comparing.

Agree, But in the end it's about how many people die or are permanently disabled as a direct result of the virus. What a lot of people don't realize is this virus affects the neurological system tremendously. But confirmed cases also are not a great barometer of the true devastation being inflicted.

I absolutely  agree,  the long term effects on many who had covid look to be dramatic. The costs on our societies will be huge!

This will be of interest:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/12/busi … R8_RihZras

Yep! And the bottom line is, should a country put it's faith in a vaccine created by the country that released the virus to begin with? And moreover, that clinical trials prove it's efficacy is too low to prevent being infected, but hopefully will keep it from killing you. That's just insanity, and it doesn't make for a positive outcome. Again, IMHO

The country had no option but to run with the Sinovac vaccine. It had put its faith in AZ and Pfizer but they have let it down miserably.

The likelyhood that the virus was relaesed is considered very low, and the most likely source was assessed as being from an imported animal into a farm in South East China from another South East Asian country where bat to animal transmission took place. The animal to human transmission probably took place in China.

The spread of the virus into a pandemic has been assessed just yesterday by an expert group independent of the WHO as being part due to a delay in declaring a pandemic and secondly by failure of many nations to take adequate precautions.

Covid: Serious failures in WHO and global response, report finds

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-57085505

It is about time that certain factions face up to reality that China is far from alone in being responsible for the spread and chaos caused by this virus and one should look closer to home for those heavily responsible for uncontrolled spread and the implications. For an UK expat I think Boris Johnston should shoulder some blame for what happened there and we will have and independent enquiry into this early next year. I think the USA should do the same but won't because of partisan politics and a wish to pin the whole blame on China.

Now back to the vaccine. It has been declared highly effective now we are getting real world large scale results and not small samples. It may prove to be a better vaccines at dealing with mutations imo. And it is a vaccine that works for the rest of the world beyond the developed nations.

Todays Bulletin is not good with cases growing, higher positivities, the active cases rising, and the ICU occupancy now over 50%. Steady worsening trends which no longer can be blamed on Easter.

Ony two provinces did not report cases yesterday, San Jose and Elias Pina. It is widespread again.

And they plan to send kids back to their school desks shortly.

Politics is leading rather than science right now.

While it's true Johnson made many mistakes so did many other goverments.
Sweden went for herd immunity and dont seem to have done badly.
As far as uk goes its interesting that the life expectancy is 82 and the average age of those who have been largely dying has been 83-virtually everyone who died last year was labelled a covid death?Meanwhile the shutdown had caused catastrophic damage both psychologically medically and economically.
As for China they failed to alert the world for at least 2 crucial weeks after they knew the seriousness.Would it be to cynical to suggest a "if we are going down so will the West"attirude.
We have had few alternative voices to the covid narrative but many panicked ones

Again it appears you are trying to pin the whole blame on China who failed to appeciate the seriousness of the virus initially and some time was lost, but the reality is that WHO and the world especially, Europe and the US,A also did not appreciate the seriousness and did not act quickly enough and also lost much time.

Politically they are trying to hide their massive failures pinning it on someone else. It was a myriad of failures and at the very highest levels too.

As BBC article above.

"The situation we find ourselves in today could have been prevented," co-chair Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a former president of Liberia, told reporters.

"It is due to a myriad of failures, gaps and delays in preparedness and response."

The panel argued that the WHO's Emergency Committee should have declared the outbreak in China an international emergency a week earlier than it did.

It should have done so at its first meeting on 22 January last year, the report said, instead of waiting until 30 January.

The month following the WHO's declaration was "lost" as countries failed to take appropriate measures to halt the spread of the virus.

The WHO was then hindered by its own regulations that travel restrictions should be a last resort, the panel said, adding that Europe and the US wasted the entire month of February and acted only when their hospitals began to fill up.
[/i]
The world needs to wake up to avoid the next pandemic, because it is clear another such virus could cause 'catastrophic damage both psychologically medically and economically' again if it cannot act in unison as it clearly appears incapable of at present.

Lets stop with the blame, does nothing to move any of this forward. It does however  start spreading false accusations and ignites racism. Just stop!

We all need to learn and move forward. I am pretty sure every agency,  every group,  every government made errors. learn from them and  look forward.

Occupancy of ICU by COVID-19 is 67.25% in the National District

Half of the 126 enabled fans are in use
In five medical centers the occupancy is 100%

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … KE26220921

The occupancy of intensive care units (ICU) in the National District to care for people affected by COVID-19 is 67.25%, that is, there are patients in 115 out of 171 beds.

In 10 (66.67%) health centers of the 15 that have ICUs enabled for such purposes, the occupancy percentage is 80% or more, according to the graphs of the Ministry of Economy, made with Public Health data.

In five private health centers, all critical care beds have patients, such as the Dr. Rodríguez Santos, Cruz Jiminián, Abreu, Elohim clinic and the Advanced Medicine and Telemedicine Diagnosis Center (Cedimat).

Meanwhile, in the Dominican Dominican Medical Center it is 90%, in the Plaza de la Salud Hospital 86.67%, Félix María Goico 83.33% and 80% in the Dr. Francisco Puello Hospital, as well as in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Center .

Where the percentage of occupancy is not in red is in the Cardio-Neuro-Ophthalmology and Transplant Center (Cecanot), 63.89%; Ciudad Sanitaria Maternal and Child Hospital, 36.11%; Hospiten, 28.57%; UCE, 20%; and United Hearts, with 0%.

Fans

On this subject, out of 126 fans enabled, half are in use . The situation is more critical in the Moscoso Puello Hospital where the five ventilators that are had are occupied.

Another medical center that has that number in red is the Abreu Clinic, where the percentage of occupation of its seven ventilators is 85.71%, that is, six out of seven patients are under mechanical ventilation; this same situation is replicated in the Cuban Dominican Medical Center.

At the Dr. Félix María Goico Hospital there are five out of six ventilators in use in patients with coronavirus disease, for 83.33%.

National situation

In the country, ICUs are at 52% of their capacity, with 263 beds occupied out of 508 . Fans in use amount to 165 out of 396, for 42% availability.

There are 688 people hospitalized for COVID-19 , for a bed occupancy of 28%.

With the 822 new infections reported this Thursday, there are 274,319 people who have been infected in the Dominican Republic since the first case was reported in March of last year.

In addition, with the six additional deaths, the total number of deaths stands at 3,560.

In the bulletin of the Ministry of Public Health, 38,134 active cases are reported, that is, people who are infected so far.

They relaxed the curfew too quickly is the general consensus amongst the medical community and are now paying the price.

Public Health reports five deaths and 1,059 new cases of Covid-19

https://eldia.com.do/salud-publica-repo … -covid-19/

The Ministry of Public Health reported 1,059 new infections of COVID-19 this Friday and reported five deaths, two of which occurred in the last 24 hours.

According to epidemiological bulletin 421, the total number of deaths amounts to 3,565, while the number of infected stands at 275,378, some 38,888 remain active, 232,925 have recovered and 1,192,850 have been discarded.

In the last 24 hours, 10,659 tests have been carried out, for a total of 1,468,228 samples processed, of which 9,853 are PCR and 806 antigenic.

In that order, of the processed tests 6,551 are taken for the first time and 4,108 are subsequent.

The daily positivity stands at 16.17 percent and in the last four weeks at 11.79 percent. While the fatality remains at 1.29 percent.

In relation to hospital occupancy, the use of COVID-19 beds is 30 percent, that is, 721 out of 2,429. While ICU beds are at 53 percent, which is equivalent to 275 occupied out of 518 available.

Fan usage is 43 percent with 174 in use out of 403 available.[i][/i]

An update on covid19 in DR.

Yesterday the daily new case numbers have gone above 1000 again at 1016 with a day positivity of 22.70% and 4 week positivity at 12.11% with postivities in DN of 17.5%, SD 17.77%, San Cristobal 20.53% San Juan 18.65%, SPM 13.66% Pervaia 14.87% to name a few. La Altagracia and La Romana are showing positivities higher than in the past at abot 12%. Active cases is now up daily to 41,183. ICU is at 58% (308) and many private establishments are now full. The government is opening up more ICU beds nationally. Only 4.5k tests yesterday.

The upward trend has been gaining momentum over the past few weeks and there is no change to the controls and very little new enforcement. Opposition politicians are demanding that the government does something in terms of enforcement.

It is only going to get worse if nothing changes because full vaccination is still low at under 9% of the population and any effect will not be in play for many weeks at best.

The government has remained optimistic with a message of the pandemic coming to an end with vaccination. Their message is that it is a Santo Domingo problem and are reluctant to change curfew again. If it is spreading in SD without control then is is spreading elsewhere with the mobility in and out of the city imo and this shows in the spread of positivities around the capital and beyond.

Public Health could adopt restrictive measures for Greater Santo Domingo due to the outbreak of COVID-19

The measures would include distancing, increased testing, and epidemiological tracking; but no curfew

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … BD26344500

The Minister of Public Health, Daniel Rivera, reported this Wednesday that they are considering rethinking restrictive measures for Greater Santo Domingo, in the face of the outbreak of coronavirus, while indicating that "the rest of the country is calm."

The official told journalists that the portfolio he directs, along with other institutions, worked this Tuesday, step by step, in towns such as Villa Mella and San Carlos.

"We are monitoring each of the provinces," he said.

And there is no genomic testing being reported to see which variants are here.

They need to stop "thinking" and get something done NOW. It cannot wait.  I have two more programmers down with Covid here in SD, both in  seroius condition and hospitalized. Bother are  30 years old.

Sorry to hear that.  for their sakes first. But also for them.

Jim

planner wrote:

They need to stop "thinking" and get something done NOW. It cannot wait.  I have two more programmers down with Covid here in SD, both in  seroius condition and hospitalized. Bother are  30 years old.

I am sorry for them but also  on all of my remote employees to stay safe. They are young  and often do not think things through very well!    Its dangerous for them and others.

Luis Abinader: "Going back to restrictions is very difficult"

The head of state indicated that, if he did so, it would be in extreme situations
Considers that the high demand for intensive care units can be controlled

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … HC26358917

The Dominican Government sees "very difficult" to tighten the restrictions that it maintains in force due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This was revealed this Wednesday by President Luis Abinader, who said that, if he did so, it would be in very extreme situations.

The president pointed out that the current situation of re-outbreak of COVID-19, in demarcations such as the National District and the Santo Domingo and Barahona provinces, can be controlled.

“I was in Salcedo for the weekend and they told me“ there is no COVID-19 here ”; in Santiago it is also maintained ... in the tourist areas, practically, there has not been an increase either, that is, it is in the greater Santo Domingo and the appropriate measures are being taken, within the health measures. Of course, returning to restrictions is very difficult, it would only be in very extreme situations that I believe that, up to now, we can control, "he said.

He explained that one of the actions they take in the face of the increase in patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units (ICU) is to enable more beds in those rooms.

He assumes the virus will stop spreading of it's own will without any more restrictions.

In many ways , I agree w/ Abinader -
Focus on the 'hot spots' -
A unilateral effort only frustrates those areas/people who are doing a good job controlling the virus/outbreak.

Concentrate on the culprits !!

Same as when Puerto Plata numbers exploded, they were shut down. Same needs to happen now in Santo Domingo

I agree with the President and that is to go back will be 'a hard sell' now.

The argument that it is still a SD problem is looking weaker by the day and if you go check the ICU occupancy is now on par with the previous peaks last July and at the beginning of the year so more beds won't solve the problem.

It needs much stronger implementation of the controls to have any effect and there was nothing he said that indicated this. Dominicans are already thinking this is over. They have been given the wrong message imo. The medics have been silenced.

Today's Bulletin for yesterday will be grim reading for the President:

1,429 new cases
23.83% day positivity
12.50% 4 week average
42,110 active cases
Hospital bed, ICU and ventilator occupancy all up again. 306 in ICU, 197 on ventilators.
only 3 provinces reporting zero cases (Samana, Baoruco & Santiago Rodriguez). many others now in double figures and positivity above 10%. East coast areas and POP now showing double figure numbers again.

DN is bad but those folk travel all around the country.

It is not under control. Rather the opposite they are losing control fast imo.

It might not be easy, but they've backtracked before! Look at the changes they put in place in January - with a noon curfew on weekends. That seemed to work, at least here in Las Terrenas.

It does not matter if its hard or not.  What is the value of lives? What is the cost to this country of  "long covid"?

Lennox said it correctly,

Stronger implementation of the controls.
Enforcement is needed

Public Health issues epidemiological alert due to the increase in COVID-19 and hospital occupancy

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … KP26388992

The Ministry of Public Health issued on Thursday night an epidemiological alert for everything in the country, especially for the National District and Greater Santo Domingo, given the increase in COVID-19 and the hospital occupation given.

"Given the current health situation that the country presents with the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, the increase in cases and hospital occupancy in the metropolitan region, especially in Greater Santo Domingo, Digepi issues the following recommendations to the entire country, "said the entity in a message posted on its Twitter account @SaludPublicaRD.

The post is accompanied by a document in which they indicate a series of guidelines to the population to avoid the spread of the disease. Among those that are mandatory use of masks, even in public and open spaces, such as parts and boardwalks and avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.

The document is called Epidemiological Alert: Coronavirus Disease COVID-19, Dominican Republic May 18, 2021. It was issued by the institution through its General Directorate of Epidemiology (Digepi). Although it is dated May 18, it was not until the night of this 20 that the letter was released.

Public Health also asks people who are not vaccinated to go to the vaccination post to be inoculated. "It has been shown that 80% of people admitted for COVID-19 had not been vaccinated."

Other recommendations are to avoid visiting Santo Domingo and the National District to people with diabetes disease, hypertension or grade 2 or 3 obesity, if they are not vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Maintain physical distancing measures in public and ventilated spaces; wash your hands constantly, especially after contact with sick people or their environment. He also asks to be attentive to the information on the evolution of the disease issued by Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Measures for transportation

In the document, Public Health recommends, when using public transport, "be attentive" to the number of passengers and indicates that, in the case of concho cars, the number cannot be greater than four occupants and 60% in buses. .

He suggests that people with symptoms of acute respiratory infection keep a meter away from others, as well as cover their mouth and nose when they cough or sneeze. To do this, he recommends using tissues or the elbow.

They are worried.....voluntary approach first.

This is nothing new. Absolutely nothing new here!

Read between the lines!  The DR is not prepared for the “tidal wave”!,

I agree.  We are on our own, like always.

More vaccines on their way and they are sending their vaccination teams out into deep campo - they have had one in the village here this week and everyone is getting shots of Sinovac.

One million Sinovac vaccines arrives on Tuesday

AstraZeneca pledged to deliver 408,000 doses today

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … GO26390798

And more news this week on Sinovac effectivness including a study here in DR

92% of those vaccinated with Sinovac generated antibodies, in a study carried out in the Dominican Republic

The most common side effect was headache

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … KO26390695

The very large scale real world study in Chile shows the vaccine effective with mutations in play.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/internacional/estudio-en-chile-sostiene-que-la-efectividad-de-la-coronavac-llega-al-653-GH26304992

Santiago de Chile, May 17 (EFE) .- Chile, which to date has more than 60% of its population - about 9 million people - inoculated with a first dose, published this Monday an update of the study on the effectiveness of the Chinese Coronavac vaccine in the real population and established that it prevents the symptomatic contagion of covid-19 by 65.3%.

The study 'Effectiveness of the CoronaVac vaccine of inactive SARS-CoV-2 virus in Chile', promoted by the Chilean health authorities, also revealed that the substance made by the Sinovac laboratory prevents hospitalization by 87%, by 93% admission to intensive care units and 86% the chances of dying as a result of the disease.

"This month of follow-up gives us even greater precision and gives us confidence that our estimate is very close to the real value," explained the doctor and advisor to the Ministry of Health, Rafael Araos.

I am sure if 🇨🇦 had extra 💉, we would be sending.  Currently we are still very limited.  The 🇺🇸 scooped the moderna and Pfizer

DR is flat out trying to get vaccines in arms. They are not thinking of second shots now and one assumes more Sinovac and AZ will keep arriving to fulfill that need in the coming weeks.

There strategy seems get people vaccinated so they can get back to normal. It will take time to get the over 18 population of  7 million plus with both doses.

No sign of Pfizer yet and supposedly for under 18s and booster shots.

The AZ original order always stated their shots would arrive in bulk in the summer months.

They are trying hard on this front but wish they would focus more on stopping the virus spread too.

My friends in LT tell me that nobody is wearing a mask.  Many do not want the vaccine!  They believe that they are too healthy!

Yes mask use is very low once you get away from city centres.

Provide vaccination points where people live/go and they will get vaccinated as I have seen in my village and nearby town. They also now have vaccination points in Metro stations and in Malls.

Dominicans like it 'on a plate' and free.

We wear masks in Cabrera - in stores, etc

I am in PA now and my local supermarket allows no mask if vaccinated.
I did it this AM but it feels weird !!
Like a jailbird !!

In the neighborhoods there is a festive atmosphere, while the positivity of COVID-19 increases

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … EA26400712

he reports of high positivity of the COVID-19 disease do not seem to worry residents of some neighborhoods of the capital, who by the weekend have started drinking alcohol, thus playing dominoes and sharing in groups without the protection of the mask against the virus.

In Villa Juana, widening La Fe, Villas Agrícolas and La Agustina a festive atmosphere could be seen after 5:00 in the afternoon of this Friday.

Today the Public Health authorities reported 636 new coronavirus infections, while reporting three deaths from the disease in the last 24 hours.

The authorities indicated that in total the country has registered 281,630 cases and 3,603 deaths from COVID-19. They added that in the last 24 hours 6,409 samples were processed, while active cases stood at 42,419.

Given the increase in occupation by COVID-19 registered in the country, the Ministry of Health is making efforts to recover the beds that were previously available in the various centers and that due to the drop in cases that occurred months ago were withdrawn, as well It was reported by the Vice Minister of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez.

70% of those admitted with COVID at the Cruz Jiminián clinic are young adults

The message has been wrong for some weeks now and it will be very hard to get a voluntary response to social distancing and mask use. And whilst the numbers suggest it is worse in greater Santo Domingo, that is the heart of the country and any infection will have spread out everywhere by now and will show up with more testing in the provinces.

They will not extend the curfew

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … e-de-queda

The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera, revealed yesterday that for the moment it is not contemplated to resume a greater schedule of mobility restriction or curfew due to Covid-19 in the country, as proposed by some doctors and called the population to car take care of themselves and go en masse to vaccination posts.

Meanwhile, the president of the Dominican Medical College (CMD), Waldo Ariel Suero, understands that if the virus cases continue to rise, the authorities should not rule out establishing an earlier curfew in the most affected provinces, although he pointed out that the most important thing is that the Government must tell the population that the pandemic has not passed.

The medical leader said that he is still in the eye of the hurricane with the Covid-19 pandemic, but that with his opening speech, including the schools, the Government takes a wrong speech to the citizens who begin to believe that everything happened, and neglect preventive measures.

In turn, the Minister of Health said that with the alert issued for Greater Santo Domingo, the Ministry of Health is warning the population about what is happening in Greater Santo Domingo, but that together with it they are working on reinforcing of taking samples, encouraging vaccination and monitoring positive cases, especially asymptomatic ones to isolate them and give them outpatient treatment.

The number of complete doses is worrying. it should be at least 1.2m.

Never the less, the first dose number is positive.

This virus is now spreading rapidly everywhere:

Here in LT, masks are still worn indoors - at least everywhere I've been recently!

We have stopped wearing them on the street, but always have them ready to wear if we end up heading into a crowded area.

Is there any reports that people developed blood clots from Astra Zeneca Vaccine?

Same in Punta Cana, Bavaro and locale.  All good here.  No issues.  All big stores, masks, check temperature and hand sanitizer.  Some masks in the streets depending on how congested.  Most people are outdoors here.  We don't have the concerns or issues like the big Cities.

Except from recent bulletins cases are rising again on the east coast with positivity.

It is in the barrios of Higuey and Veron where this will spread quickly.

In the large swath I travel around in and out of the capital to Bonao, Villa Altagracia, Cotui, Monte Plata and Sabana along with the barrios of the capital, mask use and social distancing is far from evident daytime let alone what happens eveningtime.

The responsible amongst us will face the consequences yet again driven by others unless the government starts imposing the controls as decreed.