Novel Coronavirus COVID-19

[carhill]

 

CSPAN

https://www.c-span.org/video/?470724-1/house-debates-2-trillion-coronavirus-economic-relief-bill

[Beendaredonedat]

Tamfana... I hope you are taking good care of yourself and keeping physical distance and taking lysol wipes to the grocery cart when you go shopping.  Be well.

[Tamfana]

Just now, Beendaredonedat said:

Tamfana... I hope you are taking good care of yourself and keeping physical distance and taking lysol wipes to the grocery cart when you go shopping.  Be well.

Yeah, since my mom lives with me I've been isolating since March 4.

You too.  Take good care of you and yours.  

 

[amaysngrace]

I flipped off an out-of-stater today on my way back from the bank drive-thru.

i enjoy doing that a just little too much

 

 

[pepperbird]

3 hours ago, serial muse said:

People suspect that there was an intermediate animal that helped transfer the virus from bats to humans (meaning it acquired an adaptation somewhere along the way that made it infectious to humans). It doesn't appear to be pangolins, which can carry coronaviruses similar to this one, and have a version that's similar in many ways to the one humans have. The idea now is that the virus probably circulated between bats and pangolins for some time, exchanging genes. But the version that pangolins are carrying is different enough from the human version that scientists think they weren't the vector...which animal it was is still a mystery.

If it is in pangolins, it may have a benefit. It might make people stop eating them-and since their numbers are quickly dropping in the wild, maybe this could save them?

[pepperbird]

While having lunch today, I was watching the news online. There was a segment that included remarks from an ER nurse on NYC , and she was saying that there is a shortage of ventilators, but even CPAP machines could help.

She didn't say, but I wonder if she means those CPAP machines people use if they have snoring/sleep apnea/breathing issues at night? If so, those are really common. If it's a crisis, could the public "donate" theirs if they don't need them? Could they be sterilized and used in  this way? If they can be used, many pharmacies/ "sleep shops" have them in stock-can they be sourced from there?

( this is the clip- I'm not making any claims to whether or not it is factual)

 

[gaius]

It's funny watching on Facebook all the people who think they're essential but really aren't.

[Libby1]

20 hours ago, serial muse said:

People suspect that there was an intermediate animal that helped transfer the virus from bats to humans (meaning it acquired an adaptation somewhere along the way that made it infectious to humans). It doesn't appear to be pangolins, which can carry coronaviruses similar to this one, and have a version that's similar in many ways to the one humans have. The idea now is that the virus probably circulated between bats and pangolins for some time, exchanging genes. But the version that pangolins are carrying is different enough from the human version that scientists think they weren't the vector...which animal it was is still a mystery.

There are so many possibilities as to how it could have passed from bat to human via intermediaries.  Obviously there are circumstances where a human eats bat (eg that awful bat eating video that was featuring on Facebook), but more commonly various bat-eating animals are used for human consumption in China.  Also, a BBC article I read talked about various animals (including pangolins) snuffling around in the ground and eating infected bat droppings.  I don't know if they'll ever track down the source of this particular virus, but it does raise the issue of how human consumption of wild animals can trigger viruses similar to this one.  Really, it's surprising stuff like this doesn't happen more often.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Libby1

[pepperbird]

2 hours ago, Libby1 said:

There are so many possibilities as to how it could have passed from bat to human via intermediaries.  Obviously there are circumstances where a human eats bat (eg that awful bat eating video that was featuring on Facebook), but more commonly various bat-eating animals are used for human consumption in China.  Also, a BBC article I read talked about various animals (including pangolins) snuffling around in the ground and eating infected bat droppings.  I don't know if they'll ever track down the source of this particular virus, but it does raise the issue of how human consumption of wild animals can trigger viruses similar to this one.  Really, it's surprising stuff like this doesn't happen more often.

from what i understand, this is part of why it's so hard to eradicate some diseases-they have an alternative host to humans. Smallpox is an example of a disease that was wiped out because there's no viable alternative host in the wild.

If the information on this site is accurate (it's sourced from the WHO, CDC etc.) then the disease first showed up in North America back in mid to late January.  At that point , it had been found in at least 15 countries, including the USA, Australia, many Asian countries, Germany, Finland, Italy etc..
Why did it take so long for countries (beyond China) to react?

[elaine567]

42 minutes ago, pepperbird said:

Why did it take so long for countries (beyond China) to react

Economy protection.
Also challenging democracy and personal freedom is a huge step in the West.
Even now, the UK cannot tell its citizens to stay at home and don't move. It has given them an "out". Go exercise daily outside and keep spreading it around a bit...
We don't have the capacity to deliver shopping or to even have full supermarkets, so we have everyone hunting for their necessary goods going from shop to shop to shop spreading it as they go...
Everything is pared down to the minimum, there is no slack in the system, and we are now paying for it.

[Libby1]

1 hour ago, pepperbird said:

from what i understand, this is part of why it's so hard to eradicate some diseases-they have an alternative host to humans. Smallpox is an example of a disease that was wiped out because there's no viable alternative host in the wild.

If the information on this site is accurate (it's sourced from the WHO, CDC etc.) then the disease first showed up in North America back in mid to late January.  At that point , it had been found in at least 15 countries, including the USA, Australia, many Asian countries, Germany, Finland, Italy etc..
Why did it take so long for countries (beyond China) to react?

My impression was that from January, governments (our one in the UK at least) were looking at this virus as something that was to be slowed up rather than completely contained - and there was also a strong emphasis on avoiding panic which I think at times veered into the territory of just not taking this virus as seriously as it should be taken.  About 6 weeks ago I did a far larger than usual shop.  At that point there were zero problems with shortages of anything.  I made a self deprecating joke about getting supplies in on account of the coronavirus asked the checkout assistant if a lot of people were stocking up in advance of the virus, and she pretty much laughed at me.  Not in a nasty way, but in a "sensible person laughing at another person's paranoia" way.  She said a few people were stocking up, but personally she thought the whole thing was a total overreaction and pointed out that there were no cases anywhere in our city.  I said there were probably unconfirmed cases, and that in a few weeks time we were bound to have cases.  Again, she just smiled in that way a person does when they think another person is being a bit silly.

That was par for the course.  Every friend I spoke to laughed at me for making preparations.  One friend said "I'll just get a supermarket to deliver if I have to self isolate"..but it was like "they'll be snowed under with orders.  Why don't you just start making preparations now before panic buying starts?"  She just laughed like I was some conspiracy nut crouching in a bunker surrounded by tinned soup and glucose bars.  Another friend who is a GP thought I was overreacting when I talked about likely shortages of things like masks.  This thread was the only place where I saw anybody taking it seriously, and even then opinion was divided on whether it was something we should worry about.  I don't think there's any reason to think those tasked with governmental preparations would be any different.  Some might have taken it seriously, others might have just regarded additional expenditure on preparation for this as an unnecessary overreaction.  

All I know is that intelligent, educated people of my acquaintance made no preparation for this, and I don't understand why.  The information on the severity of this virus was available weeks ago, but for some reason a lot of people were entrenched in denial that it was going to cause any problems in their area.

 

[carhill]

Quote

The ship will serve as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients currently admitted to shore-based hospitals, and will provide a full spectrum of medical care to include general surgeries, critical care and ward care for adults, according to the Navy. This will allow local health professionals to focus on treating COVID-19 patients and for shore-based hospitals to use their intensive care units and ventilators for those patients.

https://www.foxla.com/news/usns-mercy-hospital-ship-arrives-at-port-of-los-angeles-to-bring-relief-to-overwhelmed-area-hospitals

[Ellener]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52069273

 

Inspiring! Looks so 'real' like paint!

Edited March 28, 2020 by Ellener
wording

[Timshel]

1 hour ago, Libby1 said:

All I know is that intelligent, educated people of my acquaintance made no preparation for this, and I don't understand why.  The information on the severity of this virus was available weeks ago, but for some reason a lot of people were entrenched in denial that it was going to cause any problems in their area.

 

I think that in general, most people don't think anything bad will happen to them or people they care for.  It seems to be human nature, generally.  Maybe it's not a horrible thing really; can you imagine how less productive people would be to recognize all of the dangers that surround them daily?  It may be frustrating but at the same time essential for our fortitude to persevere.

It's become mute at this point, the damage is done and must be mitigated.  There are still some who don't think this pandemic is worth any lifestyle change.  Time will show our success and failures, now doing our best for others is the most any individual can do.

[Tamfana]

52 minutes ago, Ellener said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52069273

Inspiring! Looks so 'real' like paint!

Very cool!  

Here's a great idea for a neighborhood party: 

https://twitter.com/annastolz/status/1243673878058217478

 

[Ellener]

One of my seniors called me yesterday, said 'this is day 12 we've been locked up!' She's 96 and amazing. She lived a solitary life in the country for many years and hated the nursing home for ages but made the best of it...says she's loving being left alone right now!!!

[NuevoYorko]

4 hours ago, pepperbird said:

If the information on this site is accurate (it's sourced from the WHO, CDC etc.) then the disease first showed up in North America back in mid to late January.  At that point , it had been found in at least 15 countries, including the USA, Australia, many Asian countries, Germany, Finland, Italy etc..
Why did it take so long for countries (beyond China) to react?

This probably belongs on the other thread, but for the USA the answer is, in a nutshell, "It's going to disappear. One day it's like a miracle, it will disappear."

 

[Inflikted]

So, realistically, what's the best case, most likely scenario, at this point?

I mean, assuming a vaccine is still 18 months out, what is everyone supposed to do until then? I don't really see how we can all stay locked down for 18 months, but if we don't, there's not much controlling the virus, right? I don't disagree that trying to force everything to reopen by Easter is a bit too hasty, but even if we stay locked down through April and May, will that really matter much? Once we come out after the curve flattens, the virus will just start spreading again, won't it?

Granted, I suppose these are questions for people in power, rather than random people on a niche internet forum to be able to answer. I just wonder, is all.

[Woggle]

If everybody stayed in and hunkered down for real for the next month or two then maybe this will be over quicker than sooner. Right now society is just prolonging things and making it worse instead of thinking long term. Like I said earlier there are people who stay in bomb shelters for nearly a year when their country is at war but two weeks in shelter in people are already losing it. Do you we want short and temporary pain or long term and permanent pain. Those are the two options and I hope people are smart enough to choose the former.

[FMW]

Part of the issue is that because most people have never experienced something like this before, some have problems believing how serious it is.  Unfortunately the news we get isn't always reliable and is frequently agenda driven, so there is a natural tendency to be skeptical now.  

Also, the situation has drastically changed some people's daily lives.  My mom is retired and lives in a small town and is happy to stay inside or putter in her yard for an extended period of time.  She misses her church services, but can now watch them online.  I live in a city and am usually out and interacting with people for work or for social purposes from early morning until evening, seven days a week.  So it's taking a while to adjust mentally and emotionally to the sudden change.  

Most of us don't live in war torn countries and haven't lived with a survival mindset.  We're fortunate and are used to a much different lifestyle.  

I'm not excusing the people who are putting others at danger by flaunting the rules or recommendations, but I don't think it's unexpected that this takes some time to adjust to.  During that adjustment there is going to be some whining and questioning.  

[Woggle]

I know this might offend some people but they should allow filming inside some of the worst hit hospitals to show people just how serious this is and put the footage in PSAs. Let people see first hand what they want to avoid.

[amaysngrace]

Not gonna happen Woggle, not when it’s a violation of hipaa.  

I think most people in dense places have already been exposed tbh.

[Woggle]

5 minutes ago, amaysngrace said:

Not gonna happen Woggle, not when it’s a violation of hipaa.  

I think most people in dense places have already been exposed tbh.

If they can get a patient's permission then maybe. I would figure many who have suffered through this would not want others to go through it.

[amaysngrace]

My son was watching someone with it on YouTube, he was posting updates on his prognosis but not sure if he’s still posting or intubated or what.  

I’ll have to ask my son.  My son hasn’t stopped working but he’s a lot more aware of his hygiene so you may be right @Woggle

[Libby1]

58 minutes ago, Woggle said:

I know this might offend some people but they should allow filming inside some of the worst hit hospitals to show people just how serious this is and put the footage in PSAs. Let people see first hand what they want to avoid.

There's a 21 year old called Ireland Tate who's been in the news.  She had posted a video on social media saying she knew she was supposed to be social distancing/quarantining, but announced “Cool. I get it. I just don’t think that I’m going to get the virus."  A few days later she developed symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.  She told her followers

"It feels like someone is sitting on my chest at all times...It’s really hard to breathe. I’ve coughed until my throat has bled."

The generation who have been joking about this being the "boomer remover" need to realise that even though this virus isn't likely to kill them, it could still put them through some serious s*** and leave them with reduced lung function for some time afterwards.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Libby1