Corona Virus Now Spreading

pearl99

Pearl, my labrador who loved cats. RIP.
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I just did a remote movie watch with Netflix Party with some friends, it was so great! Have to watch on a laptop or computer, and have a Netflix account (everyone watching has to.) There is a chat on the side for people to comment along the way.
Using a phone and a Chromecast thingy can wifi it on to a smart TV, but it would use data I think so I just did the laptop, which thankfully is a big enough screen. Nice during this must-be-at-home.
 

pearl99

Pearl, my labrador who loved cats. RIP.
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Yup. It is dangerous to go out... I'm really lucky I don't need to leave the house, and my family normally orders groceries online to get put straight into the car. But I know this may not be possible for everyone, or they may be considered essential and have to work. Positive thoughts to you and everyone else to keep staying safe and well.

My best friend started feeling sick today. I talked to her yesterday and she told me that she flew back to Texas to pick up her cat who someone was watching and drive back to North Carolina to stay with her family. She made the whole trip back in one drive :eek: and is hoping she is just tired from traveling too much and her allergies are sparking up, but she does have a cough, fever, sneezing and headache... She is self-quarantining for 14 days, just in case. It made me cringe when I heard she flew, etc., but I tried to be supportive because she was driving home by the time we talked and told her everything would be fine. That she would be fine and didn't catch anything. Although, if she is sick with it, it doesn't mean she got it while traveling and could have picked it up sometime before.
Oh hope it's allergies! Yes it could have been picked up before the travel (if it is Covid).
 

denice

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They still haven't managed to get people off of the beaches so I don't think that masks will be generally worn.

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The doctors that I have seen don't think much of the idea. Some just shrug and say it can't hurt. The ones that are most positive about it say that psychologically it would be good, people feel like they are doing something. Others say that people will get a false sense of security. They will go out more and won't practice social distancing, those are the real ways that people can protect themselves. Many doctors are also worried about people buying up ones used by medical people.
 

DreamerRose

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Korea is now requiring all out of country travelers to quarantine. My Korean friend just arrived home from Belgium, and she got her self-quarantine kit yesterday after getting tested. Everyone who enters the country has to download an app that tracks their movements and to which they have to upload their temperature readings daily. If they miss a day, they get a call from the government. The kit includes masks, sanitizer, and a thermometer.

They have been catching foreigners who did not self-quarantine and now are trying to decide whether to fine them or deport them (deporting is hard because of flight shortages) Short-term visitors have to stay at a government facility for 2 weeks, but will have to pay their own expenses (~$82/day).
Korea is enforcing very strict guidelines. We should be doing the same thing.
 

Willowy

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Americans aren't used to wearing the masks so they won't do a lot of good. In Japan, Korea, China, etc. they wear them often so everyone is used to it. They do prevent spittle spray but don't totally block the virus. But yeah, if it makes people feel better I don't think wearing a mask will make anything worse, as long as they aren't using up the ones needed by medical professionals.

One of my mom's friends had some masks made for her husband because he works at a grocery store and she worries. She also makes him leave his shoes outside and change and shower as soon as he gets home from work. I'm not sure that makes much difference but whatever makes her feel better.

I have a few cloth Korean masks that I use when changing the litterboxes (the dust makes me wheeze), and I've kept one in my pocket since this thing started but haven't used it at work yet.
 

Ceracera

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It isnt psychological. The countries that have more mask usage have lower infections.

people need to get used to masks the same way they need to get used to staying at home and social distancing.

it doesnt make sense to tell everyone not to cover their faces just because a few might not use them properly. Same flawed logic as telling people not to use something that’ll help just because its not 100%. Maybe the stay at home orders should just be canceled then cause loads of people arent following them anyway?
 
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Kieka

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My county just released an update guideline telling residents to wear masks in public including at workplaces. The quarentine isn't slowing COVID19 enough and they need it to slow a little more to keep it manageable. I will say my county has been very proactive and clear with us on things through this whole thing. Police, fire and city government have frequent updates including those in spanish and sign language.

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Xraystyle

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They still haven't managed to get people off of the beaches so I don't think that masks will be generally worn.

View attachment 328489

The doctors that I have seen don't think much of the idea. Some just shrug and say it can't hurt. The ones that are most positive about it say that psychologically it would be good, people feel like they are doing something. Others say that people will get a false sense of security. They will go out more and won't practice social distancing, those are the real ways that people can protect themselves. Many doctors are also worried about people buying up ones used by medical people.
I would say that the complacency is a big issue. While not at the beaches, people are out in the parks en masse right now. 99.5% are wearing masks, but they take them off to eat and still share the same food (family style serving is the norm here, only since Covid have more people considered ordering a dish just for themselves and not to share). Masks definitely won't guarantee that you won't get it, but it is an uncomfortable reminder to be more cautious. It's something visual that lets everyone know that you're not totally unaware of the situation.
 

Ceracera

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As per the cdcs own research, masks help reduce transmission by 60%. Thats the whole reason doctors wear them.

the only reason doctors are still saying masks dont work is because they dont trust people to act rationally when they find out the truth. Theyre trying to influence people’s behaviour at the expense of their health.
 
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denice

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Reminding people not to touch their face is one thing that they do. The reason doctors are downplaying this is not about people finding out the truth it is because they are trying to stop a run on medical grade masks, the N95 being the gold standard. Those are part of the PPE that is in such short supply in the U.S. Those do stop transmission which is why medical people wear them. Medical personnel are using the same mask for days at a time when they are supposed to be switched out with a new one between patients. Some are even wiping down their masks with hand sanitizer to try to protect themselves. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics are getting this at an alarming rate. All of the ventilators in the world aren't going to help if there are no medical personnel to run them and monitor the patients that are on them.
 

maggie101

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If you have pockets,keep Kleenex in them. I am constantly putting my hands in my pockets so it reminds me and I use them to scratch my nose face,etc
 

Time 2 Recognize

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On the topic of masks and how Korea has handled things so effectively, there's this interview I just watched today with one of Korea's top medical experts in the crisis. I think people in the US will have to get used to wearing masks and I hope either federal or state invest in some kind of marketing to be clear about how to properly wear and handle them. That is the other issue. The only reason I know how to handle mine is from watching a Chinese family who had a vlog about their quarantine in Wuhan, talking about their routine to go in and out for essentials. I'm in NY. In Westchester, with my two older parents, one of whom has COPD. Immune compromised brother lives 5 minutes away, still insists on going to supermarket even though I tell him I will go or how to arrange delivery. My brother in MA is a first responder. I wake up every morning, still hit with the realization all this is going on and it is going to get worse. Our governor's brother is quarantined in his basement because he just found out today he has it himself.

Being such an introvert, quarantine is practically my lifestyle, just with more hand washing and kitchen sanitizing (communal area and all). Now it's an issue is how to get my family members to commit to these new ways for what is likely to be many months and onward. All I know is every moment spent with loved ones whether in person or on the phone is precious.

This interview with a doc in NYC was a bit comforting to watch. I take some of what he says with a grain of salt because I don't like absolutes without confirmed research, but the main takeaway is follow the rules and be contentious about our behavior. Viruses are not masterminds, they operate in a fairly straightforward manner. We need to use our powers of intelligence and self awareness to avoid doing the things that they take advantage of like giving free rides to our mucous membranes via contaminated hands etc.
 

maggie101

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I am hoping to loose weight staying home and not buying sweets. It helps that I have a stability ball,medacine, balls, step,high step,pull up bar, tons of dvds 5-30pd dumbells,netflix, 3 cats to play with, and I love my manual treadmil
 

Xraystyle

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On the topic of masks and how Korea has handled things so effectively, there's this interview I just watched today with one of Korea's top medical experts in the crisis. I think people in the US will have to get used to wearing masks and I hope either federal or state invest in some kind of marketing to be clear about how to properly wear and handle them. That is the other issue. The only reason I know how to handle mine is from watching a Chinese family who had a vlog about their quarantine in Wuhan, talking about their routine to go in and out for essentials.
Before you give Korea too much credit, I will say that most people here don't know how to properly handle or wear them either. Because we only get 2 a week, we wear them multiple days in a row and have to take them on and off to eat and drink. I usually sip water all day at my desk and so every time I have to take a sip, I have to touch the mask. Belatedly, I started carrying mouthwash with me to use after I eat to hopefully keep things a bit fresher in there. I also stopped wearing make-up about a month ago. My skin condition is the worst its been in a while, but whatever, it's not like I'm trying to date anyone at the moment (lol) I dread the weather warming up because it is already swampy under the mask. Then again, most Koreans don't have the sweat bacteria westerners do, so I'm sure most of them are fine.

Malaysia is dealing with it in a quite patriarchal way to hilarious if actually pretty sad effect: They are only allowing the head of the household to go out to shop for supplies. This means that men are going to the markets for perhaps the first time since they were kids following their mom, and they have no clue what they are doing.
Malaysian men in shopping muddle amid lockdown
Tesco actually released a guidebook to help, identifying different cuts of meat and the differences between varieties of vegetables.
 

terestrife

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They still haven't managed to get people off of the beaches so I don't think that masks will be generally worn.

View attachment 328489

The doctors that I have seen don't think much of the idea. Some just shrug and say it can't hurt. The ones that are most positive about it say that psychologically it would be good, people feel like they are doing something. Others say that people will get a false sense of security. They will go out more and won't practice social distancing, those are the real ways that people can protect themselves. Many doctors are also worried about people buying up ones used by medical people.
Trump or the florida governor need to start putting in stricter rules. These people should have been asked to leave by police and arrested if they refused to do so.

I live in homestead, Fl, a neighbor has his house full of cars and was having a party. 3 police officers were there talking to the owners. Not sure if they resolved anything, i walked the neighborhood for 30 minutes and i didnt see anything resolved.
 

Dearjujubebe

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Washing our hands frequently, wearing a mask when outside, and not gathering is the best effective way to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. For the health of ourselves and our families, we must keep safe.
 

MissClouseau

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Have you guys seen this? Seems like a cat in Belgium got infected with Covid19 through his human who had Covid19 - he's doing fine now. It's not for sure if the cat's sickness was Covid19 infection however. They found the virus in the cat's vomit and stool but didn't check for antibodies. So it's possible the cat was sick with something else.

Cat infected with COVID-19 from owner in Belgium

I wish we had more info. My first thought was if the cat ate something his human left half-eaten. That could explain the virus in vomit and stool maybe.
 
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