Corona Virus: It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:12 pm

geezer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:01 pm Folks -

Just a reminder that this is serious. I just got word that one of my oldest friends, 49 and in normal health, was hospitalized in Wisconsin for COVID-19 on Thursday, and was on a respirator at 100% oxygen as of Friday. There is progress today in that he is "responsive" and able to raise his hand and signal yes/no.

That should tell you where he was yesterday.

He was there on a trip from DC, where he lives, so I don't have any information on what this means as far as the location where he could have contracted it.

I'll share more information as I get it.

That's scary. And it reiterates what we're hearing from Italy. It's largely survivable as long as there are healthcare resources available. But when a hospital only has 40 respirators and 60 patients need them...

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:20 pm

Unagi wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:11 pm
Blackhawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:00 pm
Defiant wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 11:50 am It's nice to know that at least some assholes trying to profit on this aren't succeeding

I read that earlier. It was hilarious how much he was presenting himself as the victim after clearing out an entire state of emergency supplies then getting stuck with them.

As far as distancing goes, we have one elderly relative for whom we are the only source of support/care. She's high-risk (elderly, intermittent respiratory problems), and lives on her own. The only event I have scheduled in the next month is a D&D game in a week. I'm hesitant about it, but all three of the other players (a couple and a single) are insisting that we play. We'll see as it gets closer.
you should pass on the D&D for now. obviously (IMO). Unless you would be ok with these 3 people hanging with your elderly relative (for example).

I know. And all three work in nursing in environments packed with the elderly. It bothers me that they're not the ones wanting to avoid the game. I'm probably going to cancel, I just need to get my teeth gritted enough to bypass the social anxiety involved.

geezer · Post by **geezer** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:28 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:12 pm
geezer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:01 pm Folks -

Just a reminder that this is serious. I just got word that one of my oldest friends, 49 and in normal health, was hospitalized in Wisconsin for COVID-19 on Thursday, and was on a respirator at 100% oxygen as of Friday. There is progress today in that he is "responsive" and able to raise his hand and signal yes/no.

That should tell you where he was yesterday.

He was there on a trip from DC, where he lives, so I don't have any information on what this means as far as the location where he could have contracted it.

I'll share more information as I get it.
That's scary. And it reiterates what we're hearing from Italy. It's largely survivable as long as there are healthcare resources available. But when a hospital only has 40 respirators and 60 patients need them...

Exactly, but even with that care he was unresponsive and in serious danger. The point I'm taking from this is twofold:

1) Though we are hearing that older population are more vulnerable, younger people are still in serious danger; and
2) We are still being far too cavalier about going out, mingling etc. Every additional case takes up a bed, we're not going to have enough beds, and more people of more ages than we expect are going to get sick.

My wife and I have decided to basically avoid all interaction for the next two weeks or so, at which point we will reassess. I don't think it's alarmist at this point to do our grocery shopping (next time we need to) at 1 am, and certainly it's not necessary for us to head out for social events.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:38 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:20 pmI know. And all three work in nursing in environments packed with the elderly. It bothers me that they're not the ones wanting to avoid the game. I'm probably going to cancel, I just need to get my teeth gritted enough to bypass the social anxiety involved.

Tell them Mr. Smooth has indicated it's not a good idea and would recommend transitioning to a virtual environment instead. The loss of social connection absolutely stinks, but in these uncertain times an abundance of caution is likely the best course of action.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:40 pm

Defiant wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 11:50 am It's nice to know that at least some assholes trying to profit on this aren't succeeding

He Has 17,700 Bottles of Hand Sanitizer and Nowhere to Sell Them

Amazon cracked down on coronavirus price gouging. Now, while the rest of the world searches, some sellers are holding stockpiles of sanitizer and masks.

“It’s been a huge amount of whiplash,” he said. “From being in a situation where what I’ve got coming and going could potentially put my family in a really good place financially to ‘What the heck am I going to do with all of this?’”
How about donating it?

Alex Jones: "Hold my beer..."

Attorney General Letitia James’ office sent Jones a cease-and-desist letter Thursday, calling his “latest mistruths” a “serious threat” to Americans’ well-being.

Jones has peddled colloidal silver-infused toothpaste, mouthwash, creams and dietary supplements, among a slew of other products, that he called a “stopgate” against the virus, according to a statement from the attorney general.

He also claimed, the statement said, that the federal government endorsed his toothpaste as a product that “kills the whole SARS-corona family at point blank range.”

...

“As the coronavirus continues to pose serious risks to public health, Alex Jones has spewed outright lies and has profited off of New Yorkers’ anxieties,”

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:46 pm

geezer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:28 pmMy wife and I have decided to basically avoid all interaction for the next two weeks or so, at which point we will reassess. I don't think it's alarmist at this point to do our grocery shopping (next time we need to) at 1 am, and certainly it's not necessary for us to head out for social events.

Read the Newsweek article I shared earlier this morning. You're not being unreasonable at all; you're being smart and thinking of others.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:47 pm

geezer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:28 pm I don't think it's alarmist at this point to do our grocery shopping (next time we need to) at 1 am, and certainly it's not necessary for us to head out for social events.

Yeah, I have a grocery store a few blocks away that's open 24 hours. I plan to go at like 3 or 4am the next time I need to (assuming they are stocked, and that society hasn't crumbled by then).

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:52 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:38 pm
Blackhawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:20 pmI know. And all three work in nursing in environments packed with the elderly. It bothers me that they're not the ones wanting to avoid the game. I'm probably going to cancel, I just need to get my teeth gritted enough to bypass the social anxiety involved.
Tell them Mr. Smooth has indicated it's not a good idea and would recommend transitioning to a virtual environment instead. The loss of social connection absolutely stinks, but in these uncertain times an abundance of caution is likely the best course of action.

We play every two weeks, so cancelling the next one pushes it to three weeks. That's enough time to see where things are headed. I specifically don't want to go to a VTT right now.

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:55 pm

USA Today - TSA will now allow 12-oz bottles of hand sanitizer in your carry-on luggage.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:59 pm

How Every House Member Voted on the Coronavirus Relief Bill

Spoiler:

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:00 pm

gilraen wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:55 pm USA Today - TSA will now allow 12-oz bottles of hand sanitizer in your carry-on luggage.

So the terrorists win at last.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:11 pm

Guess Im lucky as I have zero social interaction and prefer being here every day alone. Nothing to transition to.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:53 pm

This was a good quote by Dr Sanjay Gupta when he was on the Late Show

“Never before have I found a situation where how I behave so dramatically impacts your health, and how you behave so dramatically impacts my health”

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:39 pm

British news interviewing a guy who's advising the British government and another the guy who wrote that comprehensive Medium article Why You Must Act Now posted upthread.

If the guy advising the UK is any indication, they are going to manage to have an even worse response than we will, cause it sounds like they want people to get infected and reach the peak, because once they'll reach the peak, he claims they'll have heard immunity (I guess that's when herd immunity starts to have an effect, but I think the goal is for it to eliminate the disease), though he does seem to agree with social distancing at some point, maybe. He's not exactly clear, even if he's very calm. Meanwhile the guy who wrote the medium article is like me...

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:49 pm

I wish Gupta or Oz were our Surgeon general.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:07 pm

Daehawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:49 pm I wish Gupta or Oz were our Surgeon general.

Dr. Oz has turned into a quack (not sure if he always was or not).

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:12 pm

stessier wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:07 pm
Daehawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:49 pm I wish Gupta or Oz were our Surgeon general.
Dr. Oz has turned into a quack (not sure if he always was or not).

Maybe not when he actually practiced medicine, but that ship has long sailed.

Meanwhile, at the local liquor store...

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:25 pm

I found the problem.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:27 pm

The travel ban has been extended to the UK and Ireland.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:28 pm

Defiant wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:39 pmIf the guy advising the UK is any indication, they are going to manage to have an even worse response than we will, cause it sounds like they want people to get infected and reach the peak, because once they'll reach the peak, he claims they'll have heard immunity (I guess that's when herd immunity starts to have an effect, but I think the goal is for it to eliminate the disease), though he does seem to agree with social distancing at some point, maybe. He's not exactly clear, even if he's very calm. Meanwhile the guy who wrote the medium article is like me...

He was all over the place. [paraphrase]We want a steep peak. No we want a flatter peak. But we can't do it too soon or people will be put out too long. We should get this over with.[/paraphrase] I think he was moving goal posts as his argument got chopped down.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:32 pm

Daehawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:49 pm I wish Gupta or Oz were our Surgeon general.

Gupta is cool
Oz is a total quack

Punisher · Post by **Punisher** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:54 pm

Daehawk wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2020 8:46 pm Trump has top men on this. Top men!

To be fair..Doc Brown DID invent Time Travel.

GungHo · Post by **GungHo** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:43 pm

Daehawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:25 pm I found the problem.

That really is incredible.
Are they going to buy more in a week when it's available again? Or will the zombies have eaten everyone who manufactures TP by then?

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:47 pm

I’m guessing they’re going to turn around and sell it, because some people are just colossal douchecanoes.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:51 pm

Skinypupy wrote:I’m guessing they’re going to turn around and sell it, because some people are just colossal douchecanoes.

Could also be that they have or will lose their jobs and are trying to make rent, but your hypothesis is more likely...

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 6:37 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:47 pm I’m guessing they’re going to turn around and sell it, because some people are just colossal douchecanoes.

My friend's father owns a bar and she is saying she's heard some variation of 'it's a hoax because its an election year' all day. It's a real blue collar type of place. I had a 'friend' posting that bullshit on his feed for days as well. I kept reporting it and it kept getting taken down. In the end, these idiots are going to get a lot of people killed.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 6:43 pm

My dad (in the middle of his first round of chemotherapy) re-posted a highly-polished meme that declared you could easily defeat the virus by gargling salt water every couple of hours.

Dad gets most of his news from Fox TV and GOP-aligned internet sites.

I'd love to get my hands on whoever is producing this bullshit. They're trying to get people killed.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm

I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:05 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

Yes. They think the media is bullying them and this is all politics. Our politics are so poisoned that people won't believe anything. I think they could broadcast italian/spanish hospitals live and they'd be chiming off about crisis actors. The GOP/right-wing noise machine has broken our nation. We are seeing similar in the UK as well. The West already had major sickness of the political stripe and this crisis is only highlighting how bad it is.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:07 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

Don't understimate the power of the Deep State.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:38 pm

But there is hope. Of the countries affected most severely by the pathogen, both China and Korea have hit their peaks and have tapered in the number of new cases each day. The total outbreak lasted about a month in both countries. This success is attributed to the widely available drive-by testing and rapid implementation of containment measures, and provides a glimmer of hope and lessons for other countries that are just now entering the outbreaks weeks later. If the US is able to quickly adopt the same containment and testing measures, it is possible that we could limit our outbreak to a month or less. But that’s a big ‘if’, and many doubt that it’s a realistic expectation given the political division around the disease and the mix of confusing directions given by federal and local governments.

But there is a silver lining, for the US anyway. Since China and South Korea were first to be hit by the virus almost 2 months ago, many studies have since been published on possible effective treatments for the virus. Most notably, antimalarial drugs and chloroquine treatments appear to lead to faster recovery. Recent studies from China have suggested that it may be the immune response that leads to fatalities, suggesting several treatment options.
The takeaway: every week of delay could save hundreds of lives. Scientists are working around the clock on this, yielding new discoveries on treatments and a better understanding of the disease. We are lucky that we can study what happened in other parts of the world and learn from them

.

link

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:41 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

I have multiple friends who are 100% convince this is a “political stunt”. No amount of data will convince them otherwise.

For the added kicker, they will immediately discount any information from WHO or CDC if that information is broadcast on CNN. A CNN anchor could read the exact stats from the WHO website, and those stats would immediately become “fake news” because of it.

Some people are completely broken.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:49 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:41 pm Some people are completely broken.

And it is going to result in a lot of deaths.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:58 pm

Tennessee man sitting on almost 18,000 bottles of hand sanitizer says he’s doing ‘a public service’

Guy hoarded nearly 18,000 bottle of hand sanitizer thinking he'd get rich online and they banned him lol. Serves him right.

gameoverman · Post by **gameoverman** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:19 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

I think some people are so invested in their political agenda that they will not take anything seriously if it goes against that agenda, even if people will die from that stance. There are many people invested in what Trump is doing and they want it to continue. I think that would explain why they see the virus itself as a tool of the left. They see criticism of Trump's handling of this as an attack by the left.

I, for non political reasons, didn't think this virus would amount to much to be honest. And in reality the virus itself isn't doing much damage. However, once I saw what was going on in Italy, an European member of 'The West' and therefore a country I would expect to see handle this easily enough, then I saw how there is more to this virus than just getting sick. Then the economic upheavals put an exclamation point on how serious this is. I don't have any investment in seeing Trump re-elected though, so I think that's why it was easier for me to come around.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:33 pm

gameoverman wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:19 pm
YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?
I think some people are so invested in their political agenda that they will not take anything seriously if it goes against that agenda, even if people will die from that stance. There are many people invested in what Trump is doing and they want it to continue. I think that would explain why they see the virus itself as a tool of the left. They see criticism of Trump's handling of this as an attack by the left.

I, for non political reasons, didn't think this virus would amount to much to be honest. And in reality the virus itself isn't doing much damage. However, once I saw what was going on in Italy, an European member of 'The West' and therefore a country I would expect to see handle this easily enough, then I saw how there is more to this virus than just getting sick. Then the economic upheavals put an exclamation point on how serious this is. I don't have any investment in seeing Trump re-elected though, so I think that's why it was easier for me to come around.

The thing is what the Trumptards call overreaction is exactly what stands to save us. The objective of all of these shutdowns and closures is to prevent it from spreading. if it's successful, the idiots will just claim everyone was crying wolf.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 9:21 pm

Jeff V wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:33 pm
The thing is what the Trumptards call overreaction is exactly what stands to save us. The objective of all of these shutdowns and closures is to prevent it from spreading. if it's successful, the idiots will just claim everyone was crying wolf.

I would think we're at the point where we won't be able to be lucky enough to not feel the impact of this, and thus they won't be able to claim it was just crying wolf.... but I've learned never to underestimate their cognitive dissonance ability.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 9:29 pm

NEWT GINGRICH: I AM IN ITALY AMID THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS. AMERICA MUST ACT NOW—AND ACT BIG

I can't believe that I mostly agree with Gingrich on something.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 9:39 pm

Defiant wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 9:29 pm NEWT GINGRICH: I AM IN ITALY AMID THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS. AMERICA MUST ACT NOW—AND ACT BIG

I can't believe that I mostly agree with Gingrich on something.

Except all the praise he lavished on Trump over his “decisive actions”, sure.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Mar 14, 2020 10:27 pm

malchior wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 6:37 pm
Skinypupy wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:47 pm I’m guessing they’re going to turn around and sell it, because some people are just colossal douchecanoes.
My friend's father owns a bar and she is saying she's heard some variation of 'it's a hoax because its an election year' all day. It's a real blue collar type of place. I had a 'friend' posting that bullshit on his feed for days as well. I kept reporting it and it kept getting taken down. In the end, these idiots are going to get a lot of people killed.

When we went out last Tuesday, we got to chatting with our server about business and disease and stuff, and she brought up that meme on her phone -- we've all seen it. I sized her up to decide if she was educable. Decided "nope," glossed it over and changed the subject. Either she'll figure it out herself in the next two weeks, or we'll have dodged the plague and she'll feel validated. Nothing I could've said would've changed that calculus. (Plus I'm not verbally persuasive in the best circumstances.)