Those are basically CPAP/BiPAP machines, and we do have more of those although even more can't hurt.
A non-invasive breathing aid that can help to keep coronavirus patients from requiring intensive care has been developed and approved in a few days.The device, known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), was created by a partnership between the Mercedes Formula One team, University College London (UCL) and University College London Hospital (UCLH).They work by pushing a mix of oxygen and air into the mouth and nose at a continuous rate, thereby increasing the oxygen into the lungs. They bridge the gap between an oxygen mask and the need for full mechanical ventilation, during which the patient must be sedated. Using them early can help prevent a patient needing ICU treatment.Professor Tim Baker, of UCL’s department of mechanical engineering, said: “Given the urgent need, we are thankful that we were able to reduce a process that could take years down to a matter of days.“We worked all hours of the day, disassembling and analysing an off-patent device. Using simulations we improved the device further to create a state-of-the-art version suited to mass production. We were privileged to be able to call on the capability of Formula One.”The new design is an adapted and improved version, created via a process called reverse engineering. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency gave its approval to the device at the weekend. The first 100 machines are being delivered to UCLH for clinical trials. If they prove an asset they can be rapidly given to NHS hospitals across the country.Some patients with Covid-19 develop inflammation in the lining of their lungs, and their alveoli, small buds responsible for transporting oxygen into the blood stream, collapse.Experts from the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine explained: “CPAP feels similar to breathing whilst having your head out the window of a moving car. The extra pressure helps to open up, and keep open, the collapsed alveoli and push oxygen across the inflamed lung membrane. Therefore, CPAP increases blood oxygen more than just giving oxygen using a conventional oxygen mask.”[...] “If the patient can stay on a CPAP machine, they can stay on a ward looked after by specialised nurses rather than ICU nurses. A ward can probably look after ten of these patients with two nurses and one doctor. Ten patients in ICU may need five or ten nurses and three to four doctors. The cost and manpower needed in ICU is much, much greater, and ICU is a lot more complex and hazardous.”
TV reports that Mercedes F1/ have designed a simpler design ventilator. Simpler both to manufacture and operate. Not verified and no further details AFAIK.
My 97 year old mother-in-law is in an assisted living residence close by. They shut it down for all visitors including my wife, her mother. Further up in New Jersey, a similar home had many deaths as the virus broke out there. So old age facilities are taken strong measures to protect the residents. They all have to eat in their rooms and not in the common dining room. It must be very tough on many of these people as they're isolated from friends and family.
4,400 coronavirus cases nationally ... rate of growth in new infections slowing from 25-30% a week ago to an average of 9% over the past three days. Of those, 50 people were in intensive care and 20 were on ventilators, Hunt said. The death toll stood at 19.
... What’s clear is countries that adopted strict social distancing and early bird policies are faring substantially better than those who delayed...
How about Sweden?No lockdown here: Sweden defends its more relaxed coronavirus strategyhttps://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/30/sweden-coronavirus-approach-is-very-different-from-the-rest-of-europe.html
How about Sweden?
While the rest of Europe imposes severe restrictions on public life and closes borders and businesses, Sweden is taking a more relaxed approach to the coronavirus outbreak.This apparently laissez-faire approach has attracted criticism both from within Sweden, from a group of epidemiologists, as well from other countries which are locking down public life to curb the outbreak.“Sweden has gone mostly for voluntary measures because that’s how we’re used to working,” Tegnell added. He said the agency had explained to the population why social distancing was needed, “and so far, it’s been working reasonably well.”Sweden has 3,700 confirmed cases of coronavirus and has recorded 110 deaths, the latest data from the Public Health Agency shows.
Yes that’s very interesting. I hope like hell it works out for them. If it does I can perhaps get on with my life. I am 60 this year and don’t feel like spending what remains of life under house arrest. I want to drive the 600km to Durban and swim in the warm Indian Ocean. And that’s just for starters.
Race to find COVID-19 treatments acceleratesFull article: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6485/1412.full
How about Sweden?No lockdown here: Sweden defends its more relaxed coronavirus strategy
My wife and I live to travel and make images: one would be so much the poorer without the other. We are itching to resume normal life but are quite prepared if necessary to be constrained for the rest of this year for our and the greater good.
Absolutely. But hope does spring eternal in the human bosom.
Using the numbers on the Johns Hopkins website, the US mortality rate is about 2%, or roughly 20 times higher than the average flu. But because of the lack of testing, we really don't know how many uncounted cases there are. I still don't understand the lack of a scientific sampling, which could be done in a few days with a high level of confidence in the result.
And how confident is one with the actual counts of people that contract the yearly flu. I for one if I get a flu like condition during the winter months don't go to the doctor or hospital so I don't get counted.
