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Hey Folks,

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  (Or even a mediocre one, beats "regular Thursday").  

This morning I got up surprisingly early to hear the 7 a.m version of network news, tuning into ABC because they seem to provide more scientific and less hysterical coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

And they did not disappoint.  They had a very good segment on traveling during a pandemic, recommending getting tested about 4 days after your likely CV exposure and getting tested multiple times to establish a monitoring protocol that deals with the occasional "false negative".  

Speaking of multiple tests, I have been tested 11 times.  Why?  I understand the value of tests.  And again, they do not have to be perfect tests to be useful tests!  There is basically no such thing as the perfect biological test, so get used to dealing with "really good but not perfect" tests.

BTW, I have tested NEGATIVE all 11 times.  Do you suppose that I have more useful information than someone who has not been tested at all?  (If you are going to comment, please do your homework, I am not real patient with casual commentary that is misleading, sometimes deliberately… especially during a public health emergency).

Anyway, here is the ABC segment….. you might want to share it with "a friend" or "your crazy relative" who chose to travel during this Thanksgiving holiday despite warnings not to from every public health authority in the country: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/video/millions-returning-home-holiday-travels-74435579

Take care,

John

Subject Line:  COVID19TESTNOREPLY

Dear/Estimado(a)  JOHN TROIDL,                                                                                    

The result of your 11/23/2020 SARS COV-2 COVID19 RNA (COVID19) test was NEGATIVE. You do not currently have COVID-19 infection. Please continue to wear a mask when you leave your house, practice social distancing, and wash your hands frequently.

This letter may be presented to your employer, if needed.

Please contact your primary care provider if you have any questions or concerns. If you do not have a primary care provider and would like more information, please call us at 408-579-6183.

=======================================================================

Folks,  I let out a yell "Yessssssssssssss!" when I got those results.  Because I am spending Thanksgiving with my elderly Mom (or better said, she is spending it with me in "Davis Mode") and I wanted to have some evidence that I am not carrying COVID19.  

That was my 9th consecutive NEGATIVE test result and I am grateful to the folks at the Gardner Community Health Center in San Jose when I was down there this week to visit with Mom and prepare our Thanksgiving visit.  

The test was free, no appointment required (walk up), multi-lingual, and the results came back in 48 hours.  I also got a free Santa Clara County Public Health face mask and hand-sanitizer.

Oh, man, I am so grateful this Thanksgiving!

Cheers,

John

Dear Folks,

Day before Thanksgiving and it sure is quiet around here.  And will be tomorrow, too.  Just me and Mom and we're gonna have a fine time.  Electronic greetings to others as we stay safe.

Meanwhile, I have heard some more discussion about coronavirus testing.  Seems to be a popular topic, particularly after a HUGE spike in cases, major increase in % positivity, and hospitals getting busy again.  And, oh, yeah, the highest number of Americans in months died from CV yesterday:  > 2,000.

So, what's the deal on testing?

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Dear Folks,

So, there I was in COSTCO #1 shopping very comfortably getting my Thanksgiving stuff when I noticed several shoppers coming out of the back corner of the store with big smiles on their faces and large bags of "30 County Bathroom Tissue" in their shopping carts.   Oh, what's going on?

Oh, yeah, news reports of hoarding.  Toilet paper again.  And paper towels.  And maybe some other stuff.  

So, I went back to the toilet paper area and saw…. NOTHING!  All gone!  Zilch!  Too late!

Oh boy, now what?  I was thinking that we in Troidl-ville might be ok for now but memories of scarcity earlier in the season had me thinking:  "What if I figure out a way to buy a big bag or two of 30 roles?"  Hmmm, I thought, as I talked to the person checking receipts on the way out of the store:  "When is a good time to get TP since you are currently out?"

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Dear Folks,

Uh, yeah.  If only more people took the "Honesty Pill" and what came out of their mouths was the truth.

But failing widespread distribution of such a pill, we might want to keep an eye on folks, especially those who are members of our family.  

The reality is, if you get the flu shot you will help protect not only yourself, but your family, your friends, your co-workers, people who work at the grocery story, people who work at your doctor's office, people at the Farmers Market, etc etc etc.  (Is this list long enough for you?).

Supposedly there is at least some nominal belief in this country in "Love thy neighbor as thyself"….. and even if you don't love yourself enough to get the flu shot you should at least take care of the other members of your family and vastly reduce your odds of getting and spreading this potentially lethal respiratory illness to them.

So where do you find out information about the flu shot?  How about the Yolo County Department of Public Health website?  What?  You have not gone to the website yet?  You are not familiar with it?  Would it help if I told you they were handing out free stuff there?  Well, go look!

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Dear Folks,

Someone from the Yolo Health Department sent me this information yesterday p.m. and I am sharing it with you today.

There are a couple of reasons to get the flu shot:

1.  It helps prevent you from getting the flu and even if you get the flu after taking the flu shot the shot can moderate your symptoms.
2.  It is free
3.  You will reduce your risk of contracting a respiratory disease (the flu) while another respiratory disease (the coronavirus) is circulating.  You DON'T want to have both diseases and that is known to be possible!
4. You will help keep your family and friends ***  safer if you help prevent the flu by getting the shot.

*** Co-workers, the public…. anybody you come in contact with!

Please note that it takes 10-14 days for the flu shot to become fully effective.  It is NOT instant!  If you get exposed to the flu AFTER you get the shot but BEFORE the shot has powered up your immune system, you CAN STILL GET THE FLU.  Plan accordingly, my friends.  I got the flu shot a few weeks ago and I am now immune.  It's NEVER too late as the flu season goes on for months!

So, please check this out and consider going to get the flu shot this afternoon.  I'd arrive early so that you are more likely to get the shot before they run out.

Regards,

John

PS  You may notice if you go to the link that this is the last date listed for getting the County provided free flu shot.  I cannot imagine that this is not going to be updated…. given how popular these flu shot fairs has been….. with more dates.  I suggest you ask your County Supervisor about that.  Or Brian Vaughn, the Yolo County Public Health Director:

Brian Vaughn, MPH
Public Health Director
Community Health Branch (Courier #16CH)
Yolo County Health & Human Services Agency
Email: brian.vaughn@yolocounty.org
Phone: (530) 666-8771

Drive thru flu shots tomorrow:

https://www.yolocounty.org/health-human-services/adults/communicable-disease-investigation-and-control/novel-coronavirus-2019/flu-season-2020-2021

Why, yes, it is, right here in Items 31 and 34!

So, what's this about "business support programs and activities?

Sounds interesting!!

Regards,

John

No, how would that possibly help!

We have been here before…… it is just time to tighten up.  The coronavirus numbers were shooting up too fast all over the State, including Yolo County.  The State is "tapping the breaks"… well, maybe even a little bit more than that.  But it does not mean we should freak out.

You know the things to do personally:  

1.  Limit your exposure to anyone who may have the coronavirus.
2.  Wash your hands.
3.  Get sleep, exercise, and eat properly.
4.  Be kind to other people.
5.  Wear the damn mask like a proud American!
6.  Get tested for the coronavirus and……

GET THE FLU SHOT!

I just listened to the emergency press conference of the Santa Clara County Health Department and officials there were saying, "We have been here before, we can do this" and reminding people of the importance of getting the flu shot to avoid complicating your life and our health system with dual viral attacks.  The Santa Clara County Health Department is going to have a Flu Shot Health Fair this Saturday…… and they do not require appointment, physician authorization and they do not charge anything.  (I got my flu shot a few weeks ago as did my Mom…… just sayin').

So, don't freak out.  Be prudent….. and if you have plans to travel for Thanksgiving, cancel them.  It's not worth the risk…. especially when there is a promise of a vaccine ahead and better days.

Take care people and be kind!

John

Dear Folks,

Good morning.  Hope you enjoyed a restful and rewarding week-end.

In my "environmental scanning" of articles about the pandemic, I came across an interesting piece in the Davis Vanguard recently written by Madison Forwood on/titled  "Healthy Davis Together"  I would recommend this article as it gave a useful review of that program.

One element that particularly caught my eye was the final two paragraphs:

Councilmember Dan Carson stated, “I am particularly excited about the Healthy Davis Together Partners Program, I think you are tapping into downtown and Chamber really well to help in these efforts because not only are they good at communication but they are a trusted source of communication to our local businesses…We are all impressed with the wide variety of things you are undertaking here. I think it’s going to make us a safer community, no question.”

However, Carson also raised a concern, stating, “You are doing so well on the numbers, but I think when I counted it was five or six clicks through websites to try and get to your dashboard and your numbers. The contrast I would give you is the Yolo County Coronavirus website. It’s one click and you are there with all of the numbers. If you could make your numbers easier to navigate, I think it would be helpful to all of you.” 

Here Dan Carson is obviously comparing the apparently less accessible UC Davis Public Facing CV Dashboard to the Yolo County Public Health Department version which is easier to navigate.

Which raises a question for me that has come up over and over:  Why does UC Davis have a separate, distinct, different Public Facing Coronavirus Dashboard at all?  From training and research in public health I know that the organization of data sources, data flows, and data displays can be complicated at the same time that it is very, very important for both communication and decision making purposes.  Especially in the midst of a pandemic!  So, why have two different dashboards with different display and presumably different data management protocols?

Can somebody help me understand why UCD has a SEPARATE public dashboard?

Regards,

John

PS  Don't want to miss Carson's positive comment about the Partners Program.  Noted!

Dear Folks,

Don't know about you, but I have never dined at French Laundry. 

This is how Lonely Planet describes this outstanding restaurant:

The pinnacle of California dining, Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin-star rated French Laundry is epic, a high-wattage culinary experience on par with the world’s best. Book one month ahead on the online app Tock, where tickets are released in groupings. This is the meal you can brag about the rest of your life.

Yes, as I said, I have never been there *** But our Governor has.  And recently.  He and the wife went to a birthday party for one of his "advisors".  Who is also a lobbyist.  Jason Kinney.  Turned 50.  Hmmm…… 

And there were so many people (a dozen) there from so many different households that they violated the guidelines from the California Department of Public Health.

Oh my!  What's up with that?

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