Archive for coronavirus epidemics

Estudio nacional epidemiológico de la infección por SARS-CoV2 en España [a proper survey]

Posted in Mountains, pictures, Statistics, Travel with tags , , , , on April 28, 2020 by xi'an

[A proper survey on the prevalence of the virus in the Spanish population has been launched, with 36,000 representative households chosen from census bases. Thanks to Victor for pointing out the survey!]

  • Se desarrollará en las próximas semanas en colaboración con los servicios de salud de las CCAA.

  • La Atención Primaria tendrá un papel relevante en la realización de un estudio que pretende estimar el porcentaje de la población española que ha desarrollado anticuerpos frente al nuevo coronavirus.

  • En colaboración con el INE, se han seleccionado más de 36.000 hogares españoles, para que la muestra tenga participantes de todos los grupos de edad y localizaciones geográficas.

27 de abril de 2020.- Hoy comienza el Estudio Nacional Epidemiológico de la infección por SARS-CoV2 en España (ENE-COVID), diseñado por el Ministerio de Sanidad y el Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) con la colaboración de las CCAA.

Las CCAA proporcionarán el personal sanitario para la realización del proyecto y serán las encargadas de adecuar la logística del estudio de la forma que se considere más adecuada en cada territorio, garantizando que se cumplen todos los requisitos metodológicos del estudio.

A través de las Consejerías de Sanidad o de los propios centros de salud, se irá citando a los participantes para la obtención de muestras. Las llamadas comenzarán este mismo lunes. “La participación es totalmente voluntaria”, ha destacado el ministro de Sanidad, Salvador Illa, “pero aprovecho para animar a todas las personas que sean contactadas a participar en el estudio. Los resultados serán de enorme utilidad para toda la sociedad española.

Con este estudio, el Ministerio de Sanidad y el ISCIII, dependiente del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, en estrecha colaboración con las Comunidades Autónomas, pretenden estimar el porcentaje de la población española que ha desarrollado anticuerpos frente al nuevo coronavirus SARSCoV-2 (concepto conocido como seroprevalencia). La información obtenida será de enorme relevancia para la toma de decisiones de salud pública en el conjunto del Estado.

El papel de los servicios de Atención Primaria de Salud será especialmente relevante a lo largo de todo el proceso.

another surmortality graph

Posted in Books, R, Statistics with tags , , , , , , , , on April 27, 2020 by xi'an

Another graph showing the recent peak in daily deaths throughout France as recorded by INSEE and plotted by Baptiste Coulmont from Paris 8 Sociology Department. And further discussed by Arthur Charpentier on Freakonometrics. With a few days off due to reporting, this brings an objective perspective on the impact of the epidemics (and of the quarantine) compared with the other years since 2001, without requiring tests or even surveys. (The huge peak in August 2003 was an heat wave that decimated elderly citizens throughout France.)

Bansky in the loo

Posted in Kids, pictures with tags , , , , , , , , , on April 26, 2020 by xi'an

Grand Central Terminal

Posted in Books, pictures, Travel with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on April 22, 2020 by xi'an

and it only gets worse [verbatim]

Posted in Books, Kids, pictures with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 18, 2020 by xi'an

“With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible. The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion. If we cannot trust them, if this is what we will receive from the WHO, our country will be forced to find other ways to work with other nations to achieve public health goals.” DT, 14 April

“It is also not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organization in the fight against the virus.” Antonio Guterres, 14 April

“The president of the United States calls the shots. [State governors] can’t do anything without the approval of the president of the United States. When somebody’s the president of the United States, the authority is total.” DT, 13 April

“…the US Treasury has ordered Donald Trump’s name be printed on cheques to be sent to tens of millions of Americans affected by the coronavirus outbreak, a decision that will slow their delivery by several days.” The Washington Post, 15 April

“Very simple. If [both chambers of Congress] don’t act on getting these people approved that we need – we need them anyway, but we especially need them now because of the pandemic – we are going to do something that will be … something I’d prefer not doing, but which I should do and I will do if have to.” DT, 16 April

““It is vital to avoid the collapse of any country’s medical system – given the explosive impact that will have on death, suffering and wider contagion. At this crucial time, both for global public health reasons, and to support the rights and lives of millions of people in these countries, sectoral sanctions should be eased or suspended. In a context of global pandemic, impeding medical efforts in one country heightens the risk for all of us.” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, 24 March