Conoravirus ...

[Ajax]

I have an M40 Field Protective Mask (US Army). Effective against chemical, biological and radiological agents. I guess the virus qualifies as "biological" but I don't know if the mask cartridge would really be effective.

As far as the ER system being "broken," I'll tell you what's broken- our citizenry. Did you know that Washington DC had to open a new non-critical health line because the 911 system was overrun with people calling about non-emergency health issues like hangnails, coughs, low grade fever, etc? DC residents were treating 911 like a Medicaid hotline. This had been going on for a few years and finally got so bad that a new line was created.

https://wjla.com/features/7-on-your-sid ... ns-capital

People are so fragile, so ignorant and so completely unable to care for themselves that emergency services has been reduced to wiping people's asses for them.
When I say "fragile" or "unable to care for themselves" I don't mean elderly, handicapped or disabled, I'm talking about able-bodied human beings who are just fucking stupid. People who don't realize that the internet contains more information besides porn and the game "Candy Crush" on their smartphones. This isn't a racial thing either. I've seen it from white trash trailer parks to POC in the inner cities.

It's a horrible, un-Catholic thing for me to say, but these will be the first people to die in a crisis and I'm really having difficulty mustering any sympathy for them. These people will be the first to clog ER's, hogging beds that the elderly and truly infirm will need, which will cause even more deaths.

[H B]

Wait a minute...are you saying that if I wanted to, I could get porn on my smartphone??!?!!?!!?

[kimbottles]

There are times that being a introverted homebody has its advantages.

[Jamie]

“Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife Their sober wishes never learned to stray; Along the cool sequestered vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.”


Many “shithole” countries like Taiwan have equally ignorant and fragile populations manage this with local gubmint clinics, which can be augmented and expanded when things like SARS hit. So far, despite no help the WHO and a vast pool of exposure and an elderly population it’s been contained. Let’s see how the private “Urgent Care” manages.

But that’s “socialist” we’ll end up like Venezuela if we do that.

Local public services are so sparse on the ground in say, Portland, that the only way for local officialdome to know about nuisance issues like homeless camps is to call the non-emergency hotline.

[Ajax]

There are times that being a introverted homebody has its advantages.

You're so introverted that you live on an island with no bridge. This is a Good Thing.

[Ajax]

“Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife Their sober wishes never learned to stray; Along the cool sequestered vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.”


Many “shithole” countries like Taiwan have equally ignorant and fragile populations manage this with local gubmint clinics, which can be augmented and expanded when things like SARS hit. So far, despite no help the WHO and a vast pool of exposure and an elderly population it’s been contained. Let’s see how the private “Urgent Care” manages.

But that’s “socialist” we’ll end up like Venezuela if we do that.

Local public services are so sparse on the ground in say, Portland, that the only way for local officialdome to know about nuisance issues like homeless camps is to call the non-emergency hotline.

I always thought Taiwan was modern and sophisticated? Nevermind Trump, I thought most folks viewed it that way?

[Jamie]

“Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife Their sober wishes never learned to stray; Along the cool sequestered vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.”


Many “shithole” countries like Taiwan have equally ignorant and fragile populations manage this with local gubmint clinics, which can be augmented and expanded when things like SARS hit. So far, despite no help the WHO and a vast pool of exposure and an elderly population it’s been contained. Let’s see how the private “Urgent Care” manages.

But that’s “socialist” we’ll end up like Venezuela if we do that.

Local public services are so sparse on the ground in say, Portland, that the only way for local officialdome to know about nuisance issues like homeless camps is to call the non-emergency hotline.

I always thought Taiwan was modern and sophisticated? Nevermind Trump, I thought most folks viewed it that way?

Most people say, “I love Thailand!”

[kdh]

I think of Taiwan as like China, but different.

Can't keep Sweden and Switzerland straight either.

[Ajax]

Scientific American seems like a safe, stable source for information.

Larry- Go get your flu shot.
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/ob ... ctW8sDA0QU

[BeauV]

Very few folks in the US have any idea what a true "shithole" country is really like.

Having traveled extensively in my life, I know "shithole". The idea of the coronavirus running through some of the places in Asia and the Middle East that I've been to sends chills through me. It will most certainly hit and it will kill tens of thousands. I've never been to Africa, but from what I read it's as bad or worse. We're talking countries without running water, very little in the way of public health infrastructure, where infant mortality is still at 30% and 20% of mothers die before they manage to have 4 kids. Asking these folks to "wash their hands more often" simply shows that we have no freaking clue about the world outside the US. Ah me, I'm going to get back to work on something I really can do something about.

My big "issue" is that our entire family, 10 of us, are going to climb on a commercial flight and go to Disney World on March 13th. I'm seriously questioning that choice right now.

[kimbottles]

There are times that being a introverted homebody has its advantages.

You're so introverted that you live on an island with no bridge. This is a Good Thing.

Unfortunately we do have a bridge, but it is on the far north end of the island.
And most people using it are going to the ferry dock.
We live well south of the ferry dock.

[BeauV]

Does anyone know what the aid workers are getting sprayed with as they leave a contaminated area? Alcohol? Bleach? Vodka?

[kimbottles]

I think of Taiwan as like China, but different.

Can't keep Sweden and Switzerland straight either.

Sweden has lots of salt water and islands.

Switzerland has lots of mountains.

[TheOffice]

Does anyone know what the aid workers are getting sprayed with as they leave a contaminated area? Alcohol? Bleach? Vodka?

If Pence has his way, Holy Water!

[Ajax]

There are times that being a introverted homebody has its advantages.

You're so introverted that you live on an island with no bridge. This is a Good Thing.

Unfortunately we do have a bridge, but it is on the far north end of the island.
And most people using it are going to the ferry dock.
We live well south of the ferry dock.

Blow it up!

[JoeP]

If it gets bad here at the office we are considering everyone work from home. We will need to use the VPN connection sparingly for file transfers only in order not to block up the system. Knowing our parent company they will have a well planned contingency plan in place as well. Hand sanitizer is good if you get the 60% (or better) alcohol kind. Thoroughly washing your hands is important as others have said. Here is one of the reccomended procedures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IisgnbMfKvI

[Olaf Hart]

Tassie is an island off an island, and has its own islands.

I wonder if the four Perry Carbon Cutters are all afloat yet?

We are driving back to the Bass Strait ferry from Queensland at the moment..

Maybe we should stock up the Adams and try some late season cruising?

We did buy up all the packets of our favourite muesli at the supermarket...

[kimbottles]

There are times that being a introverted homebody has its advantages.

You're so introverted that you live on an island with no bridge. This is a Good Thing.

Unfortunately we do have a bridge, but it is on the far north end of the island.
And most people using it are going to the ferry dock.
We live well south of the ferry dock.

Blow it up!

Don’t think I haven’t considered it.

[Tigger]

I spent the day trying to keep track of how many times I touched things when I was out and about. It appears that we are perfectly designed to spread a germ like this.

[Tigger]

Door handles and knobs, panic bars on public doors, elevator buttons, handrails, escalator side rails, rapid transit ticket machines, straps and rails on rapid transit, packages in stores ... and on and on it goes.

[Panope]

Blow it up!

Don’t think I haven’t considered it.

While you're at it, please take out that floating one a few miles down the road.

Steve

[BeauV]

I spent the day trying to keep track of how many times I touched things when I was out and about. It appears that we are perfectly designed to spread a germ like this.

Yup. I spent the day yesterday at our Yacht Club in SF. Starting with the front door, which you can't open without grabbing the handle, through the locker room, Board room, copier, chairs in the grill for lunch, back to a meeting room door, elevator door, handrail on the stairs coming down because I didn't want to go in the elevator again, another meeting room, Board room again, then off to dinner.

I'm sitting at the table staring at the silverware, plates, water glass, cups, bread basket, wine glass etc.. etc..... I'm pondering canceling all buffets if it gets bad. We don't need folks grabbing the serving spoon for the whatever and then having 100 people grab the same serving spoon. No one goes and washes their hands after serving themselves. Ah me....

Then there is "shaking hands". As a Board member and Chair of a couple of committees, it's really hard NOT to share folk's hands. another Ah me.....

[kimbottles]

I spent the day trying to keep track of how many times I touched things when I was out and about. It appears that we are perfectly designed to spread a germ like this.

Yup. I spent the day yesterday at our Yacht Club in SF. Starting with the front door, which you can't open without grabbing the handle, through the locker room, Board room, copier, chairs in the grill for lunch, back to a meeting room door, elevator door, handrail on the stairs coming down because I didn't want to go in the elevator again, another meeting room, Board room again, then off to dinner.

I'm sitting at the table staring at the silverware, plates, water glass, cups, bread basket, wine glass etc.. etc..... I'm pondering canceling all buffets if it gets bad. We don't need folks grabbing the serving spoon for the whatever and then having 100 people grab the same serving spoon. No one goes and washes their hands after serving themselves. Ah me....

Then there is "shaking hands". As a Board member and Chair of a couple of committees, it's really hard NOT to share folk's hands. another Ah me.....

I was at a meeting the other day so I just told everyone I had a cold and did not want to pass it along by shaking hands. Many of them thanked me for being so considerate. (I do not have a cold.)

[BeauV]

I spent the day trying to keep track of how many times I touched things when I was out and about. It appears that we are perfectly designed to spread a germ like this.

Yup. I spent the day yesterday at our Yacht Club in SF. Starting with the front door, which you can't open without grabbing the handle, through the locker room, Board room, copier, chairs in the grill for lunch, back to a meeting room door, elevator door, handrail on the stairs coming down because I didn't want to go in the elevator again, another meeting room, Board room again, then off to dinner.

I'm sitting at the table staring at the silverware, plates, water glass, cups, bread basket, wine glass etc.. etc..... I'm pondering canceling all buffets if it gets bad. We don't need folks grabbing the serving spoon for the whatever and then having 100 people grab the same serving spoon. No one goes and washes their hands after serving themselves. Ah me....

Then there is "shaking hands". As a Board member and Chair of a couple of committees, it's really hard NOT to share folk's hands. another Ah me.....

I was at a meeting the other day so I just told everyone I had a cold and did not want to pass it along by shaking hands. Many of them thanked me for being so considerate. (I do not have a cold.)

One of my favorite ploys!

[SemiSalt]

Gloves?

[slap]

Or maybe a non touching fist bump?

[BeauV]

I've got a couple of boxes of off-white nitrile gloves which I am probably going to start wearing when outside if things get worse. It seems that they may be more effective than a face mask at defending a person.

One of the three additional "community-sourced" (which just means they don't know how the person caught it) cases turned up just over the hill in Santa Clara, that makes three in the last two days along the west coast. Hopefully, someone figures out the vector for these because they are much more troubling than the "I went to China and caught the flu" type.

[SemiSalt]

It was reported that the quarantined folks from Japan were greeted in Cali by untrained HHS personnel, and said personnel were released back into the general population.

[TheOffice]

Paper Face masks are not effective. You need a whole face mask because the droplets can get in your eyes.

With March Madness around the corner, the chance of it blowing up are huge.

Joel

[kimbottles]

There is a huge ham radio gathering coming up soon which for the first time in recent memory I will avoid. Susan and I are going to our favorite wine wholesaler this morning, but we plan to avoid handshaking and standing too close. (60+% alcohol hand clearer is at the ready.)

Might as well be conservative for a while and see what shakes out.