Coronavirus Discussion

[Ruby Eyes]

23 minutes ago, Imago said:

am currently at my parents' home in a town very likely the same one Ruby Eyes is living in.

Dang, and just NOW we're not supposed to schedule a meeting

[olympe]

There will always be a time after the crisis. 🤗

[purplehaze]

38 minutes ago, Imago said:

At least I have some time to work on my Master thesis now. 😕

I guess there are up-sides to everything.

We are self-isolating at home except for quick trips to the grocery store if needed. Time to get all the tasks done that I have been putting off for way too long.

[trystan]

5 hours ago, Fuzzbucket said:

And the WHO has been debunking some myths - a useful page when you read that drinking lime water or something will help (no) or that water will wash the virus into your stomach where it will be killed by stomach acid (also no.)

OMGs, a friend of mine sent me the second one via facebook messenger, i sent her a link saying that one was false.  then she shares on her facebook feed a link about sipping water every 15 minutes will kill the virus too.  i replied with a link from snopes debunking that too - and then - two people on my friend's feed had shared it, and i could only see one person, so i posted the snopes link on their post.  i went back to the original post and commented there with the snopes link too.  all i know was the next time i saw my friend's feed, she had posted the snopes link.

 

in other news, i'm not due back at my desk job until tuesday, and my boss will be going in on monday. BUT - the governor of my state has declared if your business is "non-life-sustaining" you have to have closed by yesterday (march 19th) at 8 p.m.  there's a HUGE list of like every possible area of any kind of business, which is marked with a yes or no.  so my retail job - craft store - gets a no.  my desk job - in the financial sector - also gets a no... but there's only the two of us, and this past week we alternated with who was in the office, and our plan was to do that again next week.  i can't work from home - all our data and stuff we put in the computer is contained in a database that uses a really old (Office 2000) version of Access. we don't have the time and money to transfer the info to an updated version, and have it work and connect everything together properly.  so i have NO idea what's happening tuesday.

 

this is kinda crazy, that's all i got.

[Ruby Eyes]

Apparently, being a software engineer for mainframe means my job is actually "life-sustaining" because if our software goes wonky, our customers (grocers, banks, credit card companies, government agencies) can't get *their* "life-sustaining" work done.

Damn, I wish I could have just stayed at home - we *could* have done home office ...

 

[ValidEmotions]

My dad is out of a job because he can't drive groups of people to the events or trips they had to cancel. My mom's new job is postponed. And now my new job (that was supposed to start right after Spring Break ends on the 22nd) is postponed. That spells zero income for our household for who-knows-how-long. I have been stuck between afraid and apathetic. Doesn't help that I haven't been in the best mental space for several months before feeling trapped in my own home. Dad is immunocompromised and has COPD. Mom has asthma. In order to protect them, in order to prevent bringing anything home and put them at risk, none of us should be going anywhere. So, beyond getting supplies from the store, we aren't leaving the house. 

 

I'm trying to find ways to make my day(s) at least a little better. I'm trying to rebuild my drawing habit, adding bits of exercise, attempting to take advantage of the "extra cuddle time" with my furbabies, tackle school assignments that are still due as early as the 24th and 25th, etc. It's not easy and there are still too many hours where all I end up doing is sitting at my desk, aimlessly browsing a lagging internet. 

[Lagie]

5 hours ago, Ruby Eyes said:

Do you have a paypal.me or something the like?

I'll send you info by PM; our PayPal was suspended because we're not in the U.S.

 

19 minutes ago, ValidEmotions said:

My dad is out of a job because he can't drive groups of people to the events or trips they had to cancel. My mom's new job is postponed. And now my new job (that was supposed to start right after Spring Break ends on the 22nd) is postponed. That spells zero income for our household for who-knows-how-long. I have been stuck between afraid and apathetic. Doesn't help that I haven't been in the best mental space for several months before feeling trapped in my own home. Dad is immunocompromised and has COPD. Mom has asthma. In order to protect them, in order to prevent bringing anything home and put them at risk, none of us should be going anywhere. So, beyond getting supplies from the store, we aren't leaving the house. 

 

I'm trying to find ways to make my day(s) at least a little better. I'm trying to rebuild my drawing habit, adding bits of exercise, attempting to take advantage of the "extra cuddle time" with my furbabies, tackle school assignments that are still due as early as the 24th and 25th, etc. It's not easy and there are still too many hours where all I end up doing is sitting at my desk, aimlessly browsing a lagging internet. 

Darn, that's stressful.  I hope they stay well!

 

I, too, have asthma.  I'm at work today and will be again tomorrow.  Then I'm going to hunker down at home till at least Friday next week. I am considered semi-critical at work because I have animals to feed, but there's at least one person who can do that for me if I'm not there.  The streets were not as quiet as I expected this morning, but it was smooth sailing without all the buses and tour buses stopping every few feet.

[Fly-by-Night]

6 hours ago, olympe said:

There will always be a time after the crisis. 🤗

I can offer two small guestrooms, but I live in the most boring town. 😁 Although, to be fair, you'd be hard put to find another city our size with so many offers / attractions... in the summertime. In the wintertime, everything's closed. Every year, not because of the coronavirus. Maybe that's why people around here still seem fairly relaxed. We're used to not finding much excitement outside in March.

 

[TheScorpionKing]

Continue washing your hands and using your hand sanitizer, but don't overdo it. 

[Classycal]

5 hours ago, ValidEmotions said:

My dad is out of a job because he can't drive groups of people to the events or trips they had to cancel. My mom's new job is postponed. And now my new job (that was supposed to start right after Spring Break ends on the 22nd) is postponed. That spells zero income for our household for who-knows-how-long. I have been stuck between afraid and apathetic. Doesn't help that I haven't been in the best mental space for several months before feeling trapped in my own home. Dad is immunocompromised and has COPD. Mom has asthma. In order to protect them, in order to prevent bringing anything home and put them at risk, none of us should be going anywhere. So, beyond getting supplies from the store, we aren't leaving the house. 

 

I'm trying to find ways to make my day(s) at least a little better. I'm trying to rebuild my drawing habit, adding bits of exercise, attempting to take advantage of the "extra cuddle time" with my furbabies, tackle school assignments that are still due as early as the 24th and 25th, etc. It's not easy and there are still too many hours where all I end up doing is sitting at my desk, aimlessly browsing a lagging internet. 

 

Man, that is so stressful.  I'm glad you have your furbabies to help relieve the stress.  If you don't mind, I'll say a prayer for you.  

 

I have asthma, too.  This is all scary.   

[Lagie]

Now 4 cases in The Bahamas.

The PM last night announced emergency measures and 3' to 6' social distancing... standing at a podium with at least 7 others crowded around him. So much for demonstrating social distancing.

[StormBirdRising]

21 hours ago, Fuzzbucket said:

 

Indeed but please do bear in mind (for your own protection) that soap and water is MORE effective than hand sanitiser.

 

So, what are you saying?, that all the companies around the world that have stopped production of alcoholic beverages to convert production to hand sanitizer because of the world wide shortage are wasting their time, their revenue and their resources? According to the WHO, the US CDC, the FDA, and the US Military, hand sanitizer is as equally effective as soap and water on the coronavirus, and specifically on Covid 19, as long as it contains at least 60% alcohol and it is used properly, which means applying it liberally to the entire area of both hands and rubbing them until they are dry.

While it is easy to use hand sanitizer anywhere, it would be impossible to wash our hands with soap and water out in the field after we are finished pumping gas, or shopping, or delivering supplies,etc. All of those organizations recommend washing hands or using hand sanitizer after EVERY contact, not just where we can there is a bathroom with hot running water.

 

I didn't read your links because there is so much information regarding the COVID 19 that is being spread that is inaccurate. One person says it, ten people repeat it, and then it shows up in print as if it is a fact, with the legendary "sources say" or "experts say" without naming the sources or the experts. Similar to the unsubstantiated and baseless rumors about the US President trying to "poach" formulas and scientists working on a vaccine for the COVID 19, even after German pharmaceutical company CureVac insists it did not receive any offer from U.S. President Donald Trump to secure exclusive rights to a potential coronavirus vaccine, despite the German government and the company's main investor saying it did.

 

CureVac deputy CEO Franz-Werner Haas said on Tuesday “there was and is no offer" from Trump "or any governmental organizations" to take over the company or "to have manufacturing slots reserved" for exclusive vaccine production for the U. S. market. The Tübingen-based company on Sunday and Monday rejected all reports that Trump had attempted to snatch up exclusive rights to the firm's coronavirus vaccine, which is currently being developed in cooperation with a taxpayer-funded German Institute.  CureVac CEO Franz-Werner said he had heard the rumors but had no idea where they came from.

 

In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has activated and deployed the 22,000 members of the California National Guard. The Governor said that due to the coronavirus crisis, food banks throughout California have been affected by a decline in volunteers. The Guard will play a temporary role until assistance can be provided by other public service groups, including AmeriCorps, California Conservation Corps and Local Conservation Corps members.

The California National Guard could later be called on to provide medical and logistical support to deal with the spread of the coronavirus throughout California, which state officials expect to overwhelm the state’s hospital system.

The guard could also assist local law enforcement if needed to enforce the governor’s executive order to have most Californians stay at home and businesses deemed nonessential to remain closed.

 

Earlier this month, a California National Guard helicopter delivered supplies to the Grand Princess cruise ship when it was held off San Francisco until the passengers and crew could be tested for the coronavirus. The ship then docked in Oakland.

 

California is the 25th state to activate its National Guard.

 

[Fandom Addict]

And we're in self isolation... Husband came home after work yesterday feeling ill. We hoped it was just exhaustion as he's been stressed and working hard, but this morning he's showing symptoms. A couple of people from his work have been off self isolating, no one he works closely with apart from his boss who had been in contact with someone else. He works in a really big place. 

[Fuzzbucket]

2 hours ago, StormBirdRising said:

 

So, what are you saying?, that all the companies around the world that have stopped production of alcoholic beverages to convert production to hand sanitizer because of the world wide shortage are wasting their time, their revenue and their resources? According to the WHO, the US CDC, the FDA, and the US Military, hand sanitizer is as equally effective as soap and water on the coronavirus, and specifically on Covid 19, as long as it contains at least 60% alcohol and it is used properly, which means applying it liberally to the entire area of both hands and rubbing them until they are dry.

 

No of course not - but the mass panic that people cannot find sanitiser in the stores is not helpful.

 

2 hours ago, StormBirdRising said:

While it is easy to use hand sanitizer anywhere, it would be impossible to wash our hands with soap and water out in the field after we are finished pumping gas, or shopping, or delivering supplies,etc. All of those organizations recommend washing hands or using hand sanitizer after EVERY contact, not just where we can there is a bathroom with hot running water.

 

In the UK at least gas stations are putting out plastic gloves to use when pumping, and MANY places have signs in the windows "come in and wash your hands for free." YES sanitiser is very useful when you are out - but on the whole, people shouldn't be out in the first place. Yes I realise some people have to be - but most of us should be staying home - where there is soap.

[Lagie]

2 hours ago, Fandom Addict said:

And we're in self isolation... Husband came home after work yesterday feeling ill. We hoped it was just exhaustion as he's been stressed and working hard, but this morning he's showing symptoms. A couple of people from his work have been off self isolating, no one he works closely with apart from his boss who had been in contact with someone else. He works in a really big place. 

I hope he's okay. 

 

It's so quiet around here without the usual bustle of activity. In fact, the most noise I heard overnight came from the pack of dogs the next road over.

[Astreya]

On 3/20/2020 at 10:25 AM, Fuzzbucket said:

Indeed but please do bear in mind (for your own protection) that soap and water is MORE effective than hand sanitiser.

I think one needs to put this comment into the proper context.

 

Washing your hands with soap and water regularly after you came into contact anything that might be contaminated is usually sufficient as long as you are not medical personal or don't have to care for a sick (and/or immune compromised) person. 

 

The RKI president Professor Lothar Wieler pointed out in a press conference some days ago that there was a misunderstanding (at least in German media) where it was reported that it was necessary to always use disinfectants generously everywhere, but that was because the media took the KRINKO recommendations and published them for normal home use. KRINKO recommendations are those for hospital hygiene and thus much, much stricter than those needed for "normal people". The result of that was that too many people bought up (and even stole from hospitals!) disinfectants in huge quantities that are crucial for the professional use and thus were missing there.

 

Using hand disinfectants can be useful for "normal" people if you have no access to water and soap (that is, if you are outside and touch stuff that might be contaminated), but for normal home use you don't really need to disinfect your hands hourly with copious amounts of hand sanitizer.

 

Additionally, please remember to care for hands with hand cream so that the skin doesn't dry out and gets chapped if you wash them often. After all, chapped skin can be an easy entry way for pathogens of all kinds, too.

 

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by Astreya
i hate typos

[olympe]

32 minutes ago, Astreya said:

Additionally, please remember to care for hands with hand cream so that the skin doesn't dry out and gets chapped if you wash them often. 

This, so much. I have to use hand sanitizers up to a couple of dozen times each day especially on the weeks where I have both morning and evening shift. At the end of such a week, my cell phone has trouble recognizing my fingerprints.

[ValidEmotions]

4 hours ago, StormBirdRising said:

 

I didn't read your links because there is so much information regarding the COVID 19 that is being spread that is inaccurate. One person says it, ten people repeat it, and then it shows up in print as if it is a fact, with the legendary "sources say" or "experts say" without naming the sources or the experts.

 

So wait... You're not going to read sources that someone went through the trouble of researching and providing (basically insulting them in the process by calling them untrustworthy without even looking so how do you automatically know?), then complain about how people don't give supportive sources. Followed by making claims and quoting statements without providing your own sources??????? How should we trust that you aren't the one spreading misinformation?

Edited March 21, 2020 by ValidEmotions

[Tiira]

We just had news that the first corona death here happened yesterday. We also have over 500 confirmed cases now, though the real number could be and probably is a lot higher. Only those that have severe symptoms, belong to risk groups or work in the health care are tested, even if a contagion is likely. If you get sick, you're just asked to stay home unless you need hospital treatment.

[olympe]

First death haüpened in my hometown, i  a hospital a little over 1 km away...

[Imago]

An online friend from another site just wrote us that he has some light symptoms and wants to get tested next week... He is doing well (he thought he just had a cold, but has now become suspicious), but a mixtape he sent us all just arrived today - I have quarantined it in a shelf and washed my hands thoroughly after touching it, since the virus can apparently survive up to three days on plastic surfaces.

 

It probably really IS just a cold, but this is the first potentially infected person that I actually know, which is kind of scary and weird... *eyes that mixtape*

[Eggy0]

My country has recently closed its borders, and I've heard that the public transport in our city will cease operation starting tomorrow. I've also heard that some places have closed down, and my college has moved its classes online (though I myself have no classes to attend at this time). I think I'm feeling a little bit of a cabin fever, having gotten a small desire to go outside but I'm not acting on that desire because of the risks involved. It's unfortunate that some people are ignoring recommendations of not going out if it's not necessary, there's even been a point where a neighboring country had put a curfew on its citizens and only allowed the police to roam the streets looking for those who might disobey the curfew.

I hope this awful pandemic ends as soon as possible. While I'm used to not going outside, the fact that I don't have the choice of going anywhere anytime I want makes me a tad antsy and I'm not entirely sure how long I'll be able to take it. It's honestly saddening that with each passing day more and more people get infected and die, and whenever there's news on our TV it's bound to talk about the virus.

EDIT: Another thing that bothers me is the discouraging of social contact. Of course this is to reduce the chances of the virus spreading and I completely understand that, but I love to hug or otherwise be affectionate with my family. It's one of my main ways of feeling joy especially since I care about my parents a lot, and now I can't do that because of the pandemic and I have to withhold even being close to mom or dad 😢 

Edited March 21, 2020 by Eggy0

[purplehaze]

I found this article very interesting -- hopeful in some ways and frightening in others. The man is an expert in such things, though, so it should be accurate information.

 

@Eggy0 I am a hugger, too, and had a lot of difficulty while we were still gathering in groups. Now that all that has come to a halt I just feel isolated and antzy. I just went for a walk around the block, which made me feel a little better for having got out of the house.

 

 

 

[Tiira]

Trying to think positive, I have this feeling that the crisis has increased Finnish people's trust towards our young female leader. I actually read a recent column about the matter, too. I want to emphasise it that personally I have absolutely zero tolerance for any discrimination or harmful streotypies, but let's face it, there are still far more men than women involved in politics, let alone younger people. That's why I'm quite proud of the fact that since last December, our government has been led by five women, four of them under 40.

 

Someone even made a remix out of our prime minister's words in a press conference that got quite popular. People have said they find it calming in this situation. She basically speaks about what the Finns are still allowed to do now despite the new restrictions, that she wants us to be calm because we can go out to walk our dogs, take walks with our partners, sit on a park bench, wait for the public transport, visit a supermarket or pharmacy and generally do what is needed to ensure our well-being even if we shouldn't be in close contact with each other to avoid possible infections.

[trystan]

my mantra is "worry about the things i can control.... and control the things i worry about."  sometimes it even works.