Corona Virus Now Spreading

[Winchester]

Poor Costco; it's really getting the brunt of memes.

I am stocking up a bit on bottled spring water, simply because I want to be able to have it for the girls. Our cats and now The Beast, too, have had nothing but bottled spring water from the time they've come into the house. I'm not changing now; our well water isn't the best.

We stopped at the grocery store for cat food yesterday and everything was normal; although there are now ten cases of coronavirus in PA, none of them are from around here. Yet.

 

[catapault]

Conflicting information about who can be tested, how to self-quarantine is confusing the issue(s). Without accurate confirmed case numbers (which cannot be achieved without sufficient test kits put into play) the numbers are inaccurate. It is my opinion that different cohorts will be proven to have obviously different death rates: 70 - 80 year old group may indeed be 3.6%, 20 - 30 year old could be .1% And no one knows exactly when / how to self-quarantine. Confusing / conflicting information provided by those supposedly in charge / not in charge, supposedly informed to inform the rest of us.

It is societal disruption that is the serious issue. I could afford to lay in preps. The men who just picked up our weekly trash would likely be managing paycheck to paycheck in the best of times. They will have a hard time prepping and if we all end up sequestered who picks up the trash?

The tin hats are out in force, adding face masks / respirators to their gear as they (perhaps) are out there shopping for post apocalyptic supplies of toilet paper, bottled water, guns and ammunition. Have you read of the claim that the Chinese deliberately released the virus to kill off their older citizens, and it was spread in the USA to reduce social security costs?

Loved a question in a NY Times article yesterday - what about alternate side of the street parking if you self-quarantine?

We are indeed living in interesting times.

 

[Willowy]

Tractor Supply was out of canned cat food (well, I couldn't order online; I didn't go in to check). But I have no idea if that's because of panic buying, or if they had some kind of supply issue, or if everyone just felt the need for canned cat food that weekend. Hope they have it next weekend or I'll be running low.

The men who just picked up our weekly trash would likely be managing paycheck to paycheck in the best of times.

Idk. Trash collection is a surprisingly lucrative profession! But yeah, I get your point. There are a lot of people who can't afford to stock up, take any time off work, get health care, or any of that stuff. It'll hit them the hardest.

 

[Graceful-Lily]

My church group really are a toxic bunch. My dad saw a post in the group chat or someone sent it to him. It claims that people of African descent are immune to coronavirus. He sent it to my mom but she was washing clothing so I opened the message myself. I immediately sighed and rolled my eyes. I showed it to her and we both had a good laugh. The link to the "article" that made such a bold claim was very sketchy.

People can find any old picture off the internet of people in hospital beds with mask on and say, "Look! It's coronavirus!" *sigh* My dad is old and stubborn so I dare not fight him on trying to explain why such a thing is ridiculous.

 

[Willowy]

Well, apparently everybody gets 2 tests (a nose swab and a throat swab) so those 1900 tests are only good for 950 people. They claim we'll get more tests eventually.

 

[Jem]

I'm not sure if the US is tracking how people are contracting covid-19, but here in Canada, they are providing details on how they believe transmission occurred.
Canadian COVID-19 cases: How were they contracted?
We are currently at 77 cases (total)....doing good so far! But we have had our first death, a man in his 80s living in a nursing home in BC.
What I find interesting and kinda scary is where those in Ontario (where I live) have contracted it. With March break (busy family travel week) and snow birds who are going to start coming back in the next month or so, it's a little concerning.

Cases:

• 35 (4 recovered)
• 18 males, 17 females
• 4 cases are related to travel to China
• 16 cases are related to travel to Iran or contact with individuals coming from Iran
• 5 cases are related to travel to Egypt
• 2 cases involved recent travel to Italy
• 2 cases were aboard the Grand Princess Cruise Ship out of San Francisco
• 1 case involved recent travel to Las Vegas
• 1 case involved recent travel to Colorado
• 1 case involved recent travel to France
• 1 case involving recent travel to Washington, D.C.
• 1 case involving recent travel to Germany
• 1 case involved close contact with someone previously diagnosed with the virus

As you can see, MOST cases are those who have traveled or come in contact with someone coming from China or Iran. But, there are several who have come from Europe and the US.
We also have a case of "community cases" (across Canada, not just Ontario) where no travel history or known contact with someone with travel history have been confirmed.

I'm tempted to talk to my boss about posting a sign that says that if you have traveled ANYWHERE recently, to wait to schedule an appointment until you've been home for at least two weeks. I work in physical/massage therapy - so I touch people and am stuck in a closed room for sometimes over an hour....great way to breath in cooties! If it weren't for the fact that we are entering a busy travel time for us, I wouldn't be concerned, but...IDK...It seems like air travel is becoming a bigger issue regardless of the destination of travel, even though the destination DOES increase the risk factor.

 

[Joan M]

I have a cough (have had it to varying degrees since well before Christmas) and when I called the doctor last week and told them it never fully went away from the antibiotic/steroid treatment in December and it was now worse, the first thing they asked was, "Have you traveled?" They did NOT ask me that in December. Interesting.

 

[maggiedemi]

Have you read of the claim that the Chinese deliberately released the virus to kill off their older citizens, and it was spread in the USA to reduce social security costs?

This might be a dumb question, but do you think that could be possible?

 

[Willowy]

I honestly wouldn't put much past the Chinese government (authoritarians will do stuff like that), but the death rate isn't high enough to make it efficient population control, and coronaviruses are constantly mutating (too unstable to be a bioweapon of choice). Plus you'd think they'd release it in Beijing or Tianjin or somewhere like that, not a mid-size central city.

And unless you just take people out and shoot them, this isn't exactly saving anybody money.

 

[doomsdave]

Conflicting information about who can be tested, how to self-quarantine is confusing the issue(s). Without accurate confirmed case numbers (which cannot be achieved without sufficient test kits put into play) the numbers are inaccurate. It is my opinion that different cohorts will be proven to have obviously different death rates: 70 - 80 year old group may indeed be 3.6%, 20 - 30 year old could be .1% And no one knows exactly when / how to self-quarantine. Confusing / conflicting information provided by those supposedly in charge / not in charge, supposedly informed to inform the rest of us.

It is societal disruption that is the serious issue. I could afford to lay in preps. The men who just picked up our weekly trash would likely be managing paycheck to paycheck in the best of times. They will have a hard time prepping and if we all end up sequestered who picks up the trash?

The tin hats are out in force, adding face masks / respirators to their gear as they (perhaps) are out there shopping for post apocalyptic supplies of toilet paper, bottled water, guns and ammunition. Have you read of the claim that the Chinese deliberately released the virus to kill off their older citizens, and it was spread in the USA to reduce social security costs?

Loved a question in a NY Times article yesterday - what about alternate side of the street parking if you self-quarantine?

We are indeed living in interesting times.

Oh, gawd. Whackadoodlery is perennial and rampant. Always has been, always will be.

Being mindful is hard work, and I don't pretend to be so good at it.

So far, safe in the Dark Tower.

 

[doomsdave]

The people I worry about are the ones out in the work world, meeting the public and getting exposed to their diseases. I'm in an office, not too many visitors. That doesn't mean the danger is absent, just less likely, though the wrong visitor could be a problem.

But the cops, store stockers, waiters and waitresses, store clerks, and anyone else who meets many people all day are at enhanced risk, and they can't always take a day off or get sick pay.

 

[foxxycat]

Went to buy some food yesterday after work-all TP and water stocked...I did hear something on the radio regarding diet sodas=since I DO indulge in Diet Coke, they said there is or could be a shortage of diet soda due to the asperatem is manufactured out of the states=I did notice 2 weeks ago=all stores were out of of diet coke-Walmart, Market Basket, Cumbies and ended up drinking store brand- YUCK.This week-the supplies have been replenished=this is only 2liter bottle size=I am too cheap to buy single servings plus I want to reduce the amount of plastic usage. Last night there were some diet cokes-not as full-I did buy store brand then they had diet soda in different brand for a buck=bought one-I know it's bad for me-but it's my only vice. I didn't notice anyone sick or wearing masks-they have wipes to use on carts-which I normally use anyways because kids often don't clean well and I just don't want to touch what they touch.\

Diet Coke shortage? Coronavirus affecting Coca-Cola's supply of artificial sweeteners article about diet coke.

I did notice there was no plain bleach-all they had was flower scent yucky stuff and no store brand plain bleach. I can't stand scented items-so I avoid those like the plague. YUCK! I don't even like the smell of dish soap that's odd scented-I do like fabric softner but don't like most other scented things-no scented cat litter in this house.

So far only thing I noticed this morning=I am on the highway by 5:45am-there was WAY LESS traffic=it was really nice not being stuck in left lane with an individual who doesn't know how to move over to let others pass-this week was first week I am not behind sluggy drivers=not sure what's up with that- but in the afternoon about 25% less cars-maybe people not leaving early due to time change lol? Anyways will see if this continues..I like it when less traffic..oh and gas prices dropped from 2.45 down to 2.29 as of this morning-I held off filling up to see if this afternoon brings more savings..

Life is going on as normal...went to dinner Friday night at a chain place=FULL to standing outside=not empty at all. I think people are still trying to keep up normal lives as much as possible.

 

[maggiedemi]

they have wipes to use on carts-which I normally use anyways because kids often don't clean well and I just don't want to touch what they touch.

They should have a car wash type thing for those carts. I bet they never get washed.

 

[catapault]

M maggiedemi No, I do not believe that Covid-19 is a Chinese bio-weapon run amuck to kill off older people. Just think about what's happened to the world's economy. Country-wide shutdown in Italy, Russia and Saudi Arabia's playground level oil brouhaha (and if the Orange One throws money at our shale oil producers because they are doing so poorly I shall indeed be piqued.) If this tailspin shoves us into a recession I would not be surprised. Chinese bio-weapon escape is about as likely as claiming the world is flat when we know if it was cats would have pushed everything off the edge by now.

 

[doomsdave]

Raining in the Dark Tower; maybe keep people home and give them time to think?

Normally, the sidewalk is a lot more crowded with pedestrians.

 

[Kieka]

At least 44 dead from drinking toxic alcohol in Iran after coronavirus cure rumor

At least 44 people in Iran have died after drinking bootleg alcohol because they believed it would cure/prevent coronavirus. I know that holistic remedies can sometimes be worse then the problem or delay healing but this is bad.

 

[kittyluv387]

At least 44 dead from drinking toxic alcohol in Iran after coronavirus cure rumor

At least 44 people in Iran have died after drinking bootleg alcohol because they believed it would cure/prevent coronavirus. I know that holistic remedies can sometimes be worse then the problem or delay healing but this is bad.

It's especially worse because alcohol is illegal. If it were legal they would have just gotten drunk off commercial products. Or they would have known better that this wouldn't work.

 

[Jem]

I can't remember if this was already said or not...but there are people out there who believe that there is a link with this virus to Corona beer. Some are refusing to drink it.

 

[doomsdave]

Here's the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia, all empty. Normally, it's wall to wall cheek-by-jowl people, all on their haj, a big deal if you're a Muslim.

Maybe it's a false alarm.

Maybe it isn't.

I'm sure Rumi would say something like "hold off on the pilgrimage, Allah will forgive under the circumstances."

Be mindfully careful. Not easy, there's so much we don't know, so if someone gets a bit hysterical, I'll forgive them.

 

[rubysmama]

I've been reading so much about this, I can't remember where I've read what. But I've seen it compared to the seasonal flu, however, because this virus is new none of us has immunity to it, meaning we could all become become infected. At lot of what I've read, suggests the symptoms are minor in most people, but this article about Italy makes it sound more serious than that..

Excerpt from https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappen...op-coronavirus-disaster-says-doctor-1.5491013

Dr. Giacomo Grasselli, an anesthesiologist from the University of Milan, is co-ordinating the intensive care response in northern Italy. The following is an excerpt from his conversation with As It Happens host Carol Off, which took place on Monday afternoon before the lockdown was extended nationwide. ​

​

Just how stressed is the hospital system where you are right now?​

​

The hospital system here in Lombardy, which is the region around Milan — which is, by the way, a very rich and, I would say, modern and organized region — is very stressed. ​

​

We have ... around 900 ICU [intensive care unit] beds in the region. And since the first case came out on Feb. 21, we have admitted to ICU more than 600 patients.​

​

So we have increased our ICU beds capacity by about 30 per cent, and we are planning to increase further by 50 per cent. But, again, we admit to the ICU around 40 to 50 patients per day.​

And this the ICU we're talking about. These are not just people showing up with symptoms or who are not feeling well. These are critically ill people. ​

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In our experience now, about 40 to 50 per cent of the people who test positive to the swab require hospital admission for pneumonia and some form of respiratory failure.​

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And around 10 to 20 per cent of the positive people require ICU admission, and they are all seriously ill.​

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That is considerably different than what we've heard from China or Iran, where it's a smaller percentage. Do you think it's because, as some have said, that you have an older population in Italy, more people have underlying health problems. Is that contributing?​

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I don't know. That's a possible explanation. The median age of the people admitted to ICU is 65 years old, compared to around 50 in China.​

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In the last, let's say, seven to 10 days, we've seen an increase in the number of younger people admitted to ICU. ​

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I'm not sure that the denominator is the same. Because when you're talking about positive people, you know, it depends on who you test. Because some countries test asymptomatic contacts, while here in Italy, we test only symptomatic people.​

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