Coronavirus

[TLS Guy]

Guys, maybe I have some ostrich blood in me, but I'm just not as worked up over this as some folks. Perhaps I've become dulled by the weekly "bombshell" reports in the media, or maybe so many of you are right and I'm just dumb... and blissful. In any event, I'm fortunate in many ways. We're 30 minutes from both Duke and UNC hospitals. We have well water, freezers full of food, wildlife, no kids or pedestrian traffic, don't frequent places with a lot of people very often, and live here...
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In other words, I think our risk is considerably less than most, even if the mess does hit the fan. As much as I hope, (and think), all this is much ado about nothing, if worse comes to worst and somebody really is in jeopardy with no options, let me know. We'll be here. But be warned... I may greet you with my MAGA hat on.

I do think you need to take this more seriously. You need to understand what is going on, especially in Italy.

You have a greater responsibility to others above yourself as do we all. This is serious and we need to all cooperate and slow the progress of this infection. Do not listen to the idiotic ramblings of the POTUS. He is now a certifiable idiot, and I mean it.

Take a look at these pictures inside an Italian ICU, with patients on vents with the doctors and nurses suited up. This was always our worst nightmare.

Now take a look at this video. https://nypost.com/video/coronavirus-in-italy-icu-video-shows-patients-struggling-to-survive/

Make no mistake these scenes are coming here and to a hospital near you! The way this country is dropping the ball, sooner rather than later.

I watched the BBC News at 10 last night via VPN server.

There was extensive video of staff suited up trying to care for desperately ill patients, all with Covid - 19. The ICU was not only over crowded, but there were patients being looked after on vents in crowded corridors. The ICU was overflowing. The interview with the head nurse of the unit was truly gut wrenching.

It is now time to make plans. My wife and I did a big, but sensible and responsible shop this morning. Now is the time to make prudent, sensible and practical plans to protect yourselves, families neighbors and the wider community.

It is also time I'm afraid to prepare yourselves psychologically for difficulties that you may never have imagined you, your families and communities may have to face.

Please give a thought and prayers for those brave physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists now dealing with the unimaginable abroad and here on the West Coast, principally Seattle.

 

[Swerd]

But be warned... I may greet you with my MAGA hat on.

While you're getting treated for that ostrich blood … soak that hat in bleach . It's from China .

 

[ellisr63]

I am glad they did the right thing...

AXPONA - Audio Expo North America

Join music lovers and audiophiles from around the world as they descend upon the nation's largest showcase of manufacturers and retailers ever assembled in one venue only at AXPONA.

www.axpona.com

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[Irvrobinson]

While you're getting treated for that ostrich blood … soak that hat in bleach . It's from China .

The only time I've ever caught you not having command of the facts. Luckily it's a dumb subject:

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Trump may not be the brightest bulb in the pack, but Chinese-made hats would be too embarrassing, even for him.

 

[lovinthehd]

The only time I've ever caught you not having commands of the facts. Luckily it's a dumb subject:

Donald J. Trump For President 2024

Certified Website of Donald J. Trump For President 2024. America's comeback starts right now. Join our movement to Make America Great Again!

shop.donaldjtrump.com

Trump may not be the brightest bulb in the pack, but Chinese-made hats would be too embarrassing, even for him.

"Do not listen to the idiotic ramblings of the POTUS. He is now a certifiable idiot, and I mean it." LOL. Now? LOL he has been for a very long time. If he hadn't been born into money we'd never even have heard of him.

Well the original MAGA hats were made in China....is it just this special for drumph model made in US?

As to the drumph's attention span for country of origin generally, this is one of my favorites:

ps https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-inauguration-hats-idUSKBN1542YL

 

[shadyJ]

I am glad they did the right thing...

AXPONA - Audio Expo North America

Join music lovers and audiophiles from around the world as they descend upon the nation's largest showcase of manufacturers and retailers ever assembled in one venue only at AXPONA.

www.axpona.com

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

The Munich Audio Show is much larger, and they cancelled altogether. I'm glad Axpona moved the date, although I don't know if that will be far enough ahead to make a major difference. I had actually canceled my plans to attend and cover the show for Audioholics, but we will see how things have developed by the August date.

 

[TLS Guy]

The Munich Audio Show is much larger, and they cancelled altogether. I'm glad Axpona moved the date, although I don't know if that will be far enough ahead to make a major difference. I had actually canceled my plans to attend and cover the show for Audioholics, but we will see how things have developed by the August date.

Shady, I think August may work. Professor Whitty, thinks things will start to abate within 100 days. I think that may well be realistic. However this epidemic may have a long tail. Some are even suggesting the tail might be 2 years. I personally doubt that, but I can't discount it. If significant disruption persists for that length of time the world economy will get into dire straights. Right now it is one day at a time and keep your wits about you. Take care and listen to responsible advice from people like Fauci and Whitty. And whatever else you do, do not get on a cruise ship and I personally would add a jet liner.

Anyhow if we come out of this by August, I will join you and Matthew in Chicago and extend you both the welcome mat here at out home in Eagan. We can drive from here to there. It would be an easy half day's drive. All that assumes I'm out of my medical difficulties by then. I suspect though that elective surgeries will be halted before bed and ICU slots become critical. So I'm anticipating enforced patience.

Axpona absolutely did the right thing.

 

[TLS Guy]

If you read nothing else, please read this.

Here is a report from a doctor on the front lines of this awful epidemic. It is from Bergamo Italy, a beautiful city I have visited.

Clearly they are already at the point where they can not give all he patients the care they need. That will also happen in the US.

We must get the planes out of the sky now, close all public gatherings and schools. All travel should be reserved for food and medical supply distribution and essential services.

This needs to be country wide in every state. We must slow this down. We owe it to ourselves, our families and especially to heroic tireless medical staff who are giving everything they have got and more.

 

[shadyJ]

Shady, I think August may work. Professor Whitty, thinks things will start to abate within 100 days. I think that may well be realistic. However this epidemic may have a long tail. Some are even suggesting the tail might be 2 years. I personally doubt that, but I can't discount it. If significant disruption persists for that length of time the world economy will get into dire straights. Right now it is one day at a time and keep your wits about you. Take care and listen to responsible advice from people like Fauci and Whitty. And whatever else you do, do not get on a cruise ship and I personally would add a jet liner.

Anyhow if we come out of this by August, I will join you and Matthew in Chicago and extend you both the welcome mat here at out home in Eagan. We can drive from here to there. It would be an easy half day's drive. All that assumes I'm out of my medical difficulties by then. I suspect though that elective surgeries will be halted before bed and ICU slots become critical. So I'm anticipating enforced patience.

Axpona absolutely did the right thing.

I hear ya about about taking precautions. I frequently help out my father who is older and has a weak immune system so he falls into the most vulnerable demographic for the most severely affected people by this disease. I am not going anywhere that I don't have to, and I am trying to limit his exposure to non-family members where I can as well as limiting other family members' exposure to other people where possible. Obviously, this thing has me very worried.

It would be great to meet up with you at Axpona, although I doubt we would have time to visit your Eagan home afterward. We will be pretty busy working on getting our coverage up on Audioholics as fast as possible right after the show since trade show coverage is time sensitive content. It would be neat to see your setups one of these days, however. If you want to see something neat, check out this talk that Audioholics is sponsoring at Axpona- look who the speakers are! It should be pretty interesting stuff.

 

[Verdinut]

We must get the planes out of the sky now, close all public gatherings and schools.
This needs to be country wide in every state. We must slow this down. We owe it to ourselves, our families and especially to heroic tireless medical staff who are giving everything they have got and more.

I entirely agree with you on this. Also, air flights should have been suspended worldwide a while ago.

 

[GO-NAD!]

There are now 77 confirmed cases in Canada and we've just had our first reported death from the virus, in British Columbia. There have been no cases reported on the east coast yet. The Nova Scotia government has stopped all school class trips to Europe until the end of April, although I fully expect that to be extended. My daughter is supposed to be going to New York City, in May, on a class trip.

 

[GO-NAD!]

If any of the scenarios posited in this article are accurate, the problem in Iran could be truly staggering.

Iran Has Far More Coronavirus Cases Than It Is Letting On

The surprising number of Iranian government officials succumbing to COVID-19 offers a hint that the disease is far more widespread than the official statistics indicate.

www.theatlantic.com

 

[Kvn_Walker]

If any of the scenarios posited in this article are accurate, the problem in Iran could be truly staggering.

Iran Has Far More Coronavirus Cases Than It Is Letting On

The surprising number of Iranian government officials succumbing to COVID-19 offers a hint that the disease is far more widespread than the official statistics indicate.

www.theatlantic.com

We need to accept that tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of people in the US are already infected. This thing isn't sitting still, and the administration is doing its damnedest to downplay it. Two weeks ago, I heard "only 15 people have it! It's no big deal!" Can people really be that ignorant? Can they really believe only 600 American citizens are infected?

I suppose the lack of testing coupled with the lack of urgency will make this seem like a joke... right up until someone rich and famous kicks the bucket. Then and only then will half of Americans realize it's an actual problem.

Thank goodness we don't have state-run media. I'm sure trump is jealous of North Korea, which of course has zero coronavirus infections... and always will.

 

[herbu]

Do not listen to the idiotic ramblings of the POTUS. He is now a certifiable idiot, and I mean it.

So instead, I should listen to Pelosi who just said about the upcoming election, "Civilization as we know it is at stake". Some people are so blinded by their hate for Trump that they automatically take the opposite view from him. (Were you among the Dems who poked Trump in January for overreacting when he began to limit travel to/from China because of the virus?) Sorry, but I'm not gonna take advice from those people. It's like putting salt on your food before you taste it. Like it or not, this man has more information than you or anybody you know will ever have. The idiocy is to discount everything he says just because he said it. I hope you stay safe.

 

[Mr._Clark]

Apparently, spraying a table-salt solution on a mask and letting it dry before use will kill at least some viruses that contact the mask:

"The mechanics of simple chemistry make the treatment work. When an aerosol droplet carrying the influenza virus contacts the treated filter, the droplet absorbs salt on the filter. The virus is exposed to continually increasing concentrations of salt. As the droplet evaporates, the virus suffers fatal physical damage when the salt returns to its crystalized state."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170105160228.htm

This video provides a surprisingly good overview of cell biology and the COVID-19 virus for people like me who have little background in this area:

 

[GO-NAD!]

So instead, I should listen to Pelosi who just said about the upcoming election, "Civilization as we know it is at stake". Some people are so blinded by their hate for Trump that they automatically take the opposite view from him. (Were you among the Dems who poked Trump in January for overreacting when he began to limit travel to/from China because of the virus?) Sorry, but I'm not gonna take advice from those people. It's like putting salt on your food before you taste it. Like it or not, this man has more information than you or anybody you know will ever have. The idiocy is to discount everything he says just because he said it. I hope you stay safe.

Doc never suggested listening to any particular politician. Advice should come from the medical authorities - the WHO, CDC, etc. And, regardless of how much/how little information POTUS has, his statements on the topic sound like those he makes on most topics - pulled straight from his derriere.

 

[Swerd]

Apparently, spraying a table-salt solution on a mask and letting it dry before use will kill at least some viruses that contact the mask:

"The mechanics of simple chemistry make the treatment work. When an aerosol droplet carrying the influenza virus contacts the treated filter, the droplet absorbs salt on the filter. The virus is exposed to continually increasing concentrations of salt. As the droplet evaporates, the virus suffers fatal physical damage when the salt returns to its crystalized state."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170105160228.htm

Thanks for providing the link to that report. It's certainly an interesting idea, that might work. Unfortunately those salt-treated surgical masks were tested against influenza virus particles, not Covid-19. Unless we have direct results, we cannot assume it will react the same as influenza did.

 

[ski2xblack]

Herbu, you are so gripped by tribalism you can't tell poop from apple butter.

 

[TLS Guy]

So instead, I should listen to Pelosi who just said about the upcoming election, "Civilization as we know it is at stake". Some people are so blinded by their hate for Trump that they automatically take the opposite view from him. (Were you among the Dems who poked Trump in January for overreacting when he began to limit travel to/from China because of the virus?) Sorry, but I'm not gonna take advice from those people. It's like putting salt on your food before you taste it. Like it or not, this man has more information than you or anybody you know will ever have. The idiocy is to discount everything he says just because he said it. I hope you stay safe.

If your source of knowledge on a complex technical subject is binary: - Trump or Pelosi, then you are in the ranks of the ignorant, which at this time seems to be vast. You need to listen to knowledgeable physicians and scientists. Trump I'm sure is being fed good and vital information. He lacks the education and possibly the intelligence to understand it. Worse he has the arrogance to think he has more understanding of the problem than the experts. That is why his handling of this will be almost certain disaster. I tell you this as a committed Republican. Covid 19 and Trump will really put this disaster on steroids. I hope ways are being explored to remove him on grounds of insanity. You can now make a good case for that.

 

[Ponzio]

The sad truth is we still don't have enough information to make any definitive statements yet. Only time and research will tell. Who's susceptible and at greater risk is still an unknown. For example the pandemic of 1917~1918 hit healthy young men/women with disastrous results, more often than the old and young.

Hopefully the Chinese and South Korea & Japan will be more forthcoming and share their data with us, to combat this threat.

For now the old adage applies, cleanliness is next to godliness.