The MLP Arena

Pony Talk => Off Topic => Topic started by: dragonfly on March 12, 2020, 04:29:35 PM

Title: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: dragonfly on March 12, 2020, 04:29:35 PM
We are a global community. Let's keep each other posted about the real state of events.

Discussion is welcome.
NO FEAR MONGERING


1. Where do you live?
2. What is the current climate like where you're at?
3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?

New thread:
http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,398198.new.html

Locking this one because threads get more difficult to read and moderate the larger they get and this is an important topic.
Title: Re: Coronavirus facts & updates
Post by: kellybates1993 on March 12, 2020, 04:34:53 PM
I live in a small English village, it's quite bad here.
People are panic buying, shops are crazy empty.
I have 3 children one who is immune compromised so I'm pretty worried, don't take this as dooms day talk I suffer from anxiety and take regular medication I'm just very worried.
And all of my family are very elderly and ill already,  I'm basically surviving on valium and stress styling my ponies.
Title: Re: Coronavirus facts & updates
Post by: dragonfly on March 12, 2020, 04:42:33 PM
I live in the midwest USA
We have several confirmed cases
People are also panic buying and stores are sold out of a lot of hygiene and cleaning essentials
They are beginning to close universities and shift to online courses
Large businesses are discussing mandated indefinite work from home and some are beginning to test
They are putting BCM plans into place
The general consensus has been that this is overblown but people are becoming visibly more agitated over the past few days
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: flutterscotch on March 12, 2020, 05:27:37 PM
1. Live in Pittsburgh, PA, technically work in Boston, but clearly, remote. The Boston office is closing.
2. People are alternately panic buying or pretending it's not happening.  What are you going to do with an entire shopping cart full of toilet paper, there, lady?
3. There is no news except "nobody has been reported" in this area.  I am keeping a diary of sorts, just in case.

We have to be extra careful, my partner is on immunosuppressant drugs. I have two extra cans of Lysol and a freezer full of frozen pizza. I'm gonna call that prepared enough.

So, vaguely cautious, glad I already had a bunch of hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies though.  We're kind of shut-ins anyway, so will probably be ok. I am sure if I gather up all the spare purses and luggage in this house I'll find another month's worth of half-used hand sanitizer.

Planning on spending the pandemic rehairing the 10 ponies I have sitting around to rehair.

I do have rather a lot of friends who are small business owners who are going to get hit hard in the wallet...they tend to own small gathering places and restaurants. I'm also kinda afraid to look at my 401K statement. but mostly I am very worried for people who don't have a safety net.

I am also thinking now might be a good time to get a flu shot.  Just so if I do get sick, I know what it's not.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 12, 2020, 05:31:24 PM
I live in Florida. Last I read, which was from the local news, was there are at least 25 confirmed cases and two deaths so far. A doctor in the town north of me has it and has quarantined himself. I think the panic is a little more justified here because of the elderly population and an already overcrowded and overworked hospital system. Tourist season is here right now too, so there are a lot of people from other states and countries coming in (mainly Canada and the Caribbean).

I'm disabled so I don't need to go out and haven't been out for about a week and half already. I'm assuming the stores are bare of everything, including water. We can't drink the tap here, and we are actually on our last gallon. I also need to go to the pet store and pick up some medication from two places. Probably do all that tomorrow. After that? I'm staying home, cancelling my doctor appointments. I'm not worried for myself though I am already chronically ill (I've never had the flu and rarely get sick, but I have a lot of health problems) but my parents are in their 70s, both have had strokes and aren't in the best health. My dad only has one lung. My dad... ugh, he keeps going out. He leaves every morning to have coffee at MacDonalds with his buddies. We're trying to convince him to stay home, but he won't listen. He also isn't good at washing his hands and stuff.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Gator on March 12, 2020, 05:41:04 PM
I'm in Georgia, southeast United States. 
We had our first reported death today, a person in his sixties. 
My dad and brother were to attend a Nascar race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway this upcoming weekend.  My dad has been in some pain so I was to go in his place.  The race and other sporting events in Atlanta are now canceled.

With Atlanta having the world's busiest airport, I've been concerned that here in Georgia there would be a higher risk of it showing up. 

Infected people are going to be kept in a state park not far from where I live.
I went to Walmart yesterday for regular grocery shopping, and was amazed to find the panic and toilet paper jokes were true.  The aisle for toilet paper and paper towels was bare!!!

I work at an animal hospital, and we need distilled water for our autoclave to sterilize instruments.  People are buying up all the distilled water as well as the regular!
Title: Re: Coronavirus facts & updates
Post by: SunPony on March 12, 2020, 05:45:28 PM
I live in the midwest USA
We have several confirmed cases
People are also panic buying and stores are sold out of a lot of hygiene and cleaning essentials
They are beginning to close universities and shift to online courses
Large businesses are discussing mandated indefinite work from home and some are beginning to test
They are putting BCM plans into place
The general consensus has been that this is overblown but people are becoming visibly more agitated over the past few days

Its the same here.  The news may or may not be accurate but any inaccuracy is probably due to straight up lack of testing.

I went to the grocery store tonight (I was out of apples...a crisis!) and sure enough, the "sanitizer" area, the toilet paper area, and the bottled water area were desolate.  Everything else seemed well-stocked though, even bread and milk.

Right now I'm mildly concerned because I am on an immune suppressing drug, and I'm preparing to get a lot more concerned in the near future.  Work is talking about closing and having people work from home as much as possible.  But I live alone, so I'm hopeful that I can remain fairly safe   :huh:
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 12, 2020, 05:52:43 PM
I’m in the Southern US. So far no cases have been reported in my area. 

The 3 colleges in town have said they are going to go to online only classes and stores are running out of hand sanitizer,  toilet paper, Clorox wipes etc...
So far the public schools have not cancelled classes but some concerts are being cancelled like Jojo Siwa. The public schools have said they will deep clean during Spring Break.

I already use a lot of hand sanitizer because I have bad reactions to a lot of soap used in public restrooms but I am using more hand sanitizer now.

I have a low immune system and often get bronchitis but right now I feel the risk of me getting it is low. I got a flu shot and pneumonia shot in October.

Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 12, 2020, 05:54:09 PM
I'm glad we have a thread like this, because the shoutbox is going to explode if it carries on there and it's literally something that's affecting us all. Community is pretty much the watchword.

I live in the UK, in the Midlands.

There are no confirmed cases in my immediate region yet.
The neighbouring county has 2 reported cases, both came from trips to Italy, neither have been publically mixing since their return. The wider region has something like 6 or 8 confirmed cases.

It's a surreal sense of normal here at the moment. Stockpiling is happening in this area but the worst thing is hand sanitiser (we always carry it so have some but will have trouble replacing it if this continues). Our local store had tons of toilet roll on Monday - by Tuesday morning it was all sold out apparently. No problems getting rice, pasta, etc. Antibacterial soap and wipes, it's hit and miss. We also have had some flooded communities here in the last few weeks so that's probably also aggravating the situation. It may also be keeping visitors away, however, as tourist areas were the ones that flooded.

Everything else is as normal. We're being told to wash our hands and be considerate of other people when coughing, sneezing, etc. Especially on public transport, but this is running as normal. There's been no local advice to change anything but some events in the midlands have been cancelled, especially at the NEC (Exhibition centre) in Birmingham.

UK nationally is currently not closing schools or cancelling large events because govt believe the science doesn't support doing so, but I think local communities are making their own decisions about this kind of thing. There's also no ban on travelling except advice not to travel to the worst infected areas.

I feel like quarantine could have been handled better and people in infected spaces abroad should have served quarantine time there and only returned to the UK when it was clear they were not infected. But I do think it's too late to think about that kind of policy now. Just repatriating people with the virus to their homelands spreads the virus. Quite a lot of onus is put on people to self-isolate. Many are. Some are refusing to.

I have more concerns about my parents/sister than myself getting it. Of all of us I'm the lowest risk candidate.

The UK govt has said that mild cases may have flown under the radar so our figures may not be 100% but it seems to have spread more slowly here SO FAR than in some of our neighbours. Nobody really knows why, but they expect it to go up so it's day by day.

I am focusing on my garden, my writing, and we're going walking because here you can easily go walking and meet hardly anyone.

On a personal note, because of the awkward timing of finishing my PhD, I was taking this year out to write articles and try and get an academic post for the autumn. However, my academic field has cancelled so many conferences (being Japanese studies) and the job market is currently nonexistent so I guess that's also on hiatus and I'm in a wait and see...


Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: rybett on March 12, 2020, 06:02:29 PM
Midwest US, so what Dragonfly said.  I already work from home and hubby has that option.  My 14 year old would not argue if school closed or went e learning.  Daughter and I have cough variant asthma so if it decided to flare there is gonna be hacking which would probably freak out folks in public.  Have not gone shopping since Sunday so not a clue... 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponybookworm on March 12, 2020, 06:04:27 PM
North east Scotland. Got my Tesco messages delivered. Restrictions on UHT milk, also bathroom tissue was a major problem according to delivery driver.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 12, 2020, 07:54:02 PM
Ohio here. A community spread case is confirmed within 10 minutes of me. The department of health estimates 1% of us have it in our state (We have 5 confirmed cases).  It sounds scary, but it's not. It's going to spread.

Our state is actually being proactive. It is surprising.

When ALL of the K-12 schools closed in our state-- there did seem to be an actual wave of panic today. Lines out the door to costco. 30+ min check out waits in other stores. I hope that most people stock up as needed, because I want them to stay home (if they can) when/if they get sick.

I feel like what I hear from people is pretty ignorant (usually overhearing people talk at work). I wish people would understand "flattening the curve"...

ETA: Oh, I feel very up to date. But unfortunately you have to cherry pick through some things.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 12, 2020, 08:19:54 PM
There's been maybe a dozen cases in Kansas, including 1 death (a 70 year old) today. Both Kansas City and the state of Kansas have declared emergencies. KC has banned gatherings of over 1,000 people (which torpedoed my plans to go to Planet Comicon next week), even a storm spotter meeting in a small town I was going to attend tonight got cancelled (the weather service cancelled the rest for this year). Even though I live in a small town away from large cities, the Dollar General here sold 70% of their toilet paper today, and all of their Lysol spray.
 The panic is in full swing.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Mewtwofan1 on March 12, 2020, 09:48:27 PM
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The state of affairs here is...interesting. We have had a few cases in Alberta (23 as of posting including one toddler),and many more across Canada (around 140 according to health Canada). Even a few in Edmonton, and we are encouraging students at the school I work at to wash hands more often than normal. Our prime ministers wife has just been confirmed to test positive for Coronavirus, probably catching it at an event in the UK. The Trudeau family is self isolating as a result. People are being discouraged from gathering in large groups (250+ people) and the unthinkable has happened. The NHL finals are postponed, and may be (if this gets really bad) cancelled. Rumours say that if it’s cancelled, they’re just going to draw the winner based on who made it this far out of a hat.
     
     The shops are running out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Some have even imposed a limit on how much you can buy since people were just hauling stuff out by the cart full. Festivals and other events are closing, and my friends currently attending uni have all their courses online right now, or will have by the end of the week (co-worker who’s husband is a professor at uni is scrambling to get it all up there). People are panicking, even stealing supplies from others. At my parents workplaces it was announced anybody caught stealing TP or sanitizer will be fired effective immediately. There has been no indication schools and businesses are going to close right now, but it might happen. Due to the recent economic downturn, our provincial officials are trying to damage control with business. We are an oil based province, and just coming out of a recession...let’s just say it’s not the best circumstance.

     People are prepping in every way they can, almost as if the world is ending it seems. One of dads co-workers is planning on bugging out to nowheresville Saskatchewan where his family lives. It’s a small town of like,12 people (his words) and 3/4 of them are related to him in some way. One of dads radio club members (who is a few screws loose I’ll admit) has dug out his kit from the Y2K scare way back when, and is restocking. Another (more screws loose) has cooked up conspiracies on where the virus came from. Some are...plausible, not gonna lie. This has brought out a lot of crazy none of us knew we had.

   I and my family are trying to keep level heads over this. Not panicking, but being cautious and urging others to do the same. We are mostly healthy individuals, who aren’t high risk patients. Panic and fear will only make things worse. Personally, I am more worried for what this means for the future. If the world is reacting like this now, with travel bans and economic downturn, what does this mean for me as a young adult wanting to study abroad and begin living an adult life?
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: fizzerknight on March 12, 2020, 10:00:14 PM
Here on the West Coast, California, Central Valley. In my city there has been a few cases confirmed, so it is here  Most of the Walmarts, Targets and CVSs lacking in TP and Sanitizers. Schools haven't closed yet but there's a meeting tomorrow to discuss if they should. Everyone is being told to just wash their hands and don't go to crowded events. Don't panic.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Beldarna on March 12, 2020, 11:03:48 PM
North Sweden, we have 8 confirmed cases in the region. One death total in the country. Some people have stocked up on masks and sanitizers and are trying to sell to riddicoulus prices online. Luckily Tradera and our largest selling site Blocket has forbidded sales of these to keep scalpers from profiting. Stores and schools and workplaces are open as usual, with people who have been to high risk areas are to stay in quarantine at home for 14 days. Events with audiences 500 and larger has been cancelled throughout the country.

I listen to the experts, wash my hands and keep living as normal.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: freezestime on March 12, 2020, 11:09:46 PM
I am in Western Australia, Australia.

I believe there has been 3 or 4 reported and confirmed cases in the state, not sure if in my city.

I haven't seen people myself buy tons of tp or stocking up on any of the common stuff, however I have seen a decent amount of empty shelves in various stores.

Tp, tissues, chocolate, ect is still in stock but sanitizer and anti bacterial wipes are all gone from the stores I visited.

Even the hospital in my birth town has had to zip tie sanitizers to things people can't steal.

Life is almost entirely normal, people are catching buses, going to work and school, going on trips (if they weren't cancelled) meeting up with friends, all that kind of stuff.

Edit: apparently there's 14 cases Australia wide.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Artemesia's Garden on March 13, 2020, 02:56:39 AM
1. Where do you live?
2. What is the current climate like where you're at?
3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?

I live in Norfolk, UK that as of yesterday had no confirmed cases, but I work near Cambridge which does have confirmed cases. People were more visibly concerned by the evening yesterday. Hub went out for some essentials at 8pm and said people were panic buying in bulk. We've already done a 'big shop' over the last two weeks and decided to self-isolate except for work because I'm ten weeks pregnant and will try to get out of first trimester before catching it if poss. My Mum wasn't taking it seriously until yesterday when I told her I wouldn't see her and Dad for the forseeable. I'm not sure about news reports - apparently it was taking 10 hours to get through tot he NHS over the Phone in ENgland, so I wonder how many people needed testing but simply gave up. I now have a craving for corned beef and can't buy any! :rolleyes: obviously my pregnancy cravings are by far the worst things about this whole situation!!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: kellybates1993 on March 13, 2020, 03:33:22 AM
I'm glad we have a thread like this, because the shoutbox is going to explode if it carries on there and it's literally something that's affecting us all. Community is pretty much the watchword.

I live in the UK, in the Midlands.

There are no confirmed cases in my immediate region yet.
The neighbouring county has 2 reported cases, both came from trips to Italy, neither have been publically mixing since their return. The wider region has something like 6 or 8 confirmed cases.

It's a surreal sense of normal here at the moment. Stockpiling is happening in this area but the worst thing is hand sanitiser (we always carry it so have some but will have trouble replacing it if this continues). Our local store had tons of toilet roll on Monday - by Tuesday morning it was all sold out apparently. No problems getting rice, pasta, etc. Antibacterial soap and wipes, it's hit and miss. We also have had some flooded communities here in the last few weeks so that's probably also aggravating the situation. It may also be keeping visitors away, however, as tourist areas were the ones that flooded.

Everything else is as normal. We're being told to wash our hands and be considerate of other people when coughing, sneezing, etc. Especially on public transport, but this is running as normal. There's been no local advice to change anything but some events in the midlands have been cancelled, especially at the NEC (Exhibition centre) in Birmingham.

UK nationally is currently not closing schools or cancelling large events because govt believe the science doesn't support doing so, but I think local communities are making their own decisions about this kind of thing. There's also no ban on travelling except advice not to travel to the worst infected areas.

I feel like quarantine could have been handled better and people in infected spaces abroad should have served quarantine time there and only returned to the UK when it was clear they were not infected. But I do think it's too late to think about that kind of policy now. Just repatriating people with the virus to their homelands spreads the virus. Quite a lot of onus is put on people to self-isolate. Many are. Some are refusing to.

I have more concerns about my parents/sister than myself getting it. Of all of us I'm the lowest risk candidate.

The UK govt has said that mild cases may have flown under the radar so our figures may not be 100% but it seems to have spread more slowly here SO FAR than in some of our neighbours. Nobody really knows why, but they expect it to go up so it's day by day.

I am focusing on my garden, my writing, and we're going walking because here you can easily go walking and meet hardly anyone.

On a personal note, because of the awkward timing of finishing my PhD, I was taking this year out to write articles and try and get an academic post for the autumn. However, my academic field has cancelled so many conferences (being Japanese studies) and the job market is currently nonexistent so I guess that's also on hiatus and I'm in a wait and see...
I'm also from the Midlands, it's crazy how it differes county to county, me and my family have been made to self isolate for 7 days as of this morning  :( me and the kids all have a bad cough a sore throat and a fever and body aches all over.
we called the doc and were told to stop school and work for 7 days and isolate.
It feels like a really bad case of the flu, I really can't see how it would be corona as we don't go far afield or out much at all lately, it's a shame they didn't offer us testing.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Aeryala on March 13, 2020, 04:17:43 AM
I'm in Southern Ontario, Canada, a hour or so away from Toronto. There are 54 confirmed cases in this province, almost all of which are people who recently traveled abroad.  None in my town, but 2 in the city next door.

Feels like coronavirus is the only thing they're talking about in the news.  People seem to be freaking out a bit, though not as much as in some places.. Hand sanitizer and dust masks have become impossible to acquire, and things like TP and water are flying off the shelves but not disappearing entirely.  My employer sent out a memo that all work-related gatherings of more than 8 people are to be cancelled (where did the number 8 come from?  I do not know).  Schools are taking an extra two weeks off after their imminent spring break.

I'm trying to be level-headed, and not "one of those people" but I'm starting to get really worried.  It would be devastating if my husband and I were to get sick with this new virus - we both have jobs that are technically part time which means no sick days and no security.  We have no savings and no local support network; the kind of interruption to our income that would be caused by quarantine would be untenable.  I'm also stupid scared about the virus itself; I have bad lungs and the flu last year put me down for a torturous 6 weeks that included some really scary struggles to breathe.  Not something I'm keen to experience again.

Even if COVID-19 does end up spreading as widely as the flu has though, most people will just get mildly sick and move on with their lives, and hopefully all this freakout will have been unnecessary. I'm personally in a tough place but thankfully we're the outliers.  It's kind of a surreal thing to have this happening, it feels like we're all inadvertant actors in one of those disaster movies from the 2000s. 


Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 13, 2020, 04:37:06 AM

I'm also from the Midlands, it's crazy how it differes county to county, me and my family have been made to self isolate for 7 days as of this morning  :( me and the kids all have a bad cough a sore throat and a fever and body aches all over.
we called the doc and were told to stop school and work for 7 days and isolate.
It feels like a really bad case of the flu, I really can't see how it would be corona as we don't go far afield or out much at all lately, it's a shame they didn't offer us testing.

So the flu is obviously going around too.

But you are not going to know if it's corona or flu unless you get tested. Because governments have no ability to test all but severe cases, the corona virus numbers are very MUCH higher than "confirmed cases".  Lots of people might just have a small cough and a low fever and have it.

So, I'd call your doctor up again and ask if you can get tested for the flu. There's NO reason you can't be tested for that, and if you had that you wouldn't have corona virus. You also can get medicine for flu if need be if it's early on.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Barnacle_lady on March 13, 2020, 04:50:49 AM
I live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. At the moment there are 614 confirmed and 5 who had passed away. But there are also people who recovered but no figures.
Most of the people who got sick were in Italy on holiday. In south of Holland it was carnival all over a few weeks ago.
The current situation which was advised yesterday. Stay at home if you don't feel well with coughing, fever and try to work at home if possible. Vulnerable people should stay at home, avoid public transport. Events over 100 people should be cancelled until the end of March. So concerts, festivals, fleamarkets, football games all shut down. But schools have to stay open with the argument "we need the parents".
And even though its not total lockdown like Italy people are doing loads of grocery shopping so there are empty shelves and long lines.
For me, I feel good. I still have to go to the office on Monday even though I go by public transport bus & train. My manager thinks there is no risk in the room where I and collegues work. So I have to make sure not taking any risk. Don't have much worries about upcoming events since a lot can be moved to another date. But I would be sad if Kings day or Eurovision is cancelled.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 13, 2020, 04:54:43 AM
I'm also from the Midlands, it's crazy how it differes county to county, me and my family have been made to self isolate for 7 days as of this morning  :( me and the kids all have a bad cough a sore throat and a fever and body aches all over.
we called the doc and were told to stop school and work for 7 days and isolate.
It feels like a really bad case of the flu, I really can't see how it would be corona as we don't go far afield or out much at all lately, it's a shame they didn't offer us testing.

Wishing you and your family the best.

Are you West Mids or East? West seems fairly unscathed at the moment. Mind you, where I used to live in London - both those areas only have 1 confirmed case as well despite all the tabloids trying to whip up drama about London's case numbers. When you look at it nationwide by region - and the BBC had a tracker thing by postcode - the reality is something like 1-3 cases in a much larger local population. But of course that's only confirmed cases.

On the subject of flu, I don't suppose the NHS is going to do tests for that. But over here vulnerable people are encouraged to have a flu jab and every winter a huge number of people do (also sometimes a pneumonia one in the older population). Even though they are not the same, I imagine people who don't need an annual flu jab are probably better placed to fight off covid19. I would expect the NHS not to do a test for flu, so unless things get really rough, it's better to just follow the govt's advice for now.

UK govt have been testing people who were in contact with an infected person or who came back from an infected area but from yesterday are now testing generally - BUT they did say only the ones which required medical care/in hospital, so mild cases will go under the radar. They don't test for things like flu or other viruses unless the case is serious and requires more detailed treatment, so trying that path would just waste time. They refused my sister a test for glandular fever three times already this year, even though they're sure that she had it.

One concern I have is that prior to this the govt were talking about letting our A&E close (despite the fact A&Es in the UK are overcrowded and especially here where there are only 2 full hospitals anyway treating a large area of England and central Wales. It hasn't closed, but it makes me wonder what resources are actually available here if and when it finally arrives.

I think all this has made a lot of people take stock. There's hardly been a conversation about Brexit here in some weeks despite it dominating the news for the last three years prior to this. What will happen re that nobody knows or apparently cares right now. My hope is that at the end o this crisis the UK and Europe will sit down and talk like sane people understanding there are bigger things than scoring points that need to be repaired. I suspect our economies will all need us to take a cooperative effect.

Stuff like this brings out best and worst in people. People have stolen hand sanitiser from hospitals and madly stockpiled stuff, which has caused many vulnerable people to complain they can't get essentials and put a huge strain on foodbanks which the govt still doesn't seem to acknowledge are a thing. But on the other hand some local areas are setting up volunteer networks to help high risk people get supplies so they don't have to go out. If it wasn't for worrying about bringing it to my folks I'd be involved in one of those but I will be helping them if rules change and I need to do so - there are a lot of older folk in this area (several of whom are probably the kind to hit death with a walking stick if it came to call, if I'm perfectly honest about it).

BBC had an article about someone with the virus and my mother read it and said that it sounds identical to what she had last April/May time - dry cough that she couldn't control, fever that kept coming back, pneumonia that required hospitalisation. It took her a few weeks to recover. It's not that either of us think that that was covid19 but it made us all think a bit about what other similar diseases actually have been circulating in the past. Govt made a big thing about this being different from Swine Flu (which was bad) in 2009-10, because people have some immunity to flu in general and it was easy to get an innoculation done fairly fast. But then again they also keep saying that coronavirus is related to other diseases like the common cold. I think we really don't know what we're in for yet here.

However as of today some premier league football people have been diagnosed, so it looks like there's going to be some upheaval in the football, even though the govt has not ruled out their games.

Also, the US ban on flights to/from Europe doesn't affect the UK at the moment which seems a bit nuts since we have the disease here too. There's some concern about people getting the Eurostar here to get a flight to the US anyway. Nobody here knows how Trump intends to enforce keeping out anyone who has been somewhere infected in the last 14 days, since there are no passport stamps or visas within the EU, even outside of schengen. So basically a person can come from another infected country to the UK and onto a plane to the US undetected...bringing more infection onto our systems along the way. Unless the US intend to ban people based on their passports - but at the same time that would bar someone who'd spent 20 years in the UK who happened to come from France or Italy. I just don't see how that's going to work, and a lot of airlines and jobs are taking the strain.

One British airline (flybe) has already folded and tourism everywhere is way down.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 13, 2020, 05:13:18 AM
On the subject of flu, I don't suppose the NHS is going to do tests for that.

Wow, what a shame. The test would be more so to rule out things, rather then just confirm the flu.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 13, 2020, 05:18:31 AM
On the subject of flu, I don't suppose the NHS is going to do tests for that.

Wow, what a shame. The test would be more so to rule out things, rather then just confirm the flu.

The NHS is publically funded so we all get free health care, including tests on things like covid19, at no personal expense. But that means that unnecessary tests on people who are not high risk just don't happen, because there's not the spare funds to do that when there are other things that need to be addressed. I don't know anyone who has ever had a test for flu, but I know a lot of people who have had free vaccination against flu every year for a long time, so it's a balancing act. I tend not to criticise the NHS overall because without it, my mother's cancer treatments would have been prohibitive for my family and she would have died a long time ago. It's not perfect but I think we just have to accept that there has to be some prioritisation in order for everyone who needs urgent treatment to get it as quickly as possible.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 13, 2020, 05:22:43 AM
Glad to see a thread for this!
I'm about under an hour from Philly. The county next to us is basically all but locked down because about half the cases in the state are there. They closed schools, non-essential retail stores, the mall, etc etc...I do worry that they will all come to us as we are just ten minutes away and we'll be next.
My college has moved the remainder of the semester online. Good for me because I commute anyway, but my coworker who lives on campus is upset. Most other colleges around here moved to online on Wednesday. The school district here has not closed yet, but my sisters do have the day off so their teachers can prepare online learning or otherwise.
I work at a grocery store, so if my county has to close all non essential stuff I'll still be working. It was so crazy yesterday and it was still super busy at 10 pm. We are a 24 hour store so I'm sure we're just picking up customers that Target and Walmart lost by not being open all night. We were out of: TP, been out of Sanitizer since Sunday, pasta, sauce, meat, bread, flour, sugar, creamer, orange juice, greek yogurt, shredded cheese, canned beans, canned veggies, frozen pizza, bagel bites. I wonder how the shelves will look today. I think it's going to get worse but we have less to actually sell so numbers will be down.
I feel sick myself but I think it's allergies and sinus related. The only place I went really was my college and they haven't said if there are any confirmed cases there.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 13, 2020, 05:44:55 AM
On the subject of flu, I don't suppose the NHS is going to do tests for that.

Wow, what a shame. The test would be more so to rule out things, rather then just confirm the flu.

The NHS is publically funded so we all get free health care, including tests on things like covid19, at no personal expense. But that means that unnecessary tests on people who are not high risk just don't happen, because there's not the spare funds to do that when there are other things that need to be addressed. I don't know anyone who has ever had a test for flu, but I know a lot of people who have had free vaccination against flu every year for a long time, so it's a balancing act. I tend not to criticise the NHS overall because without it, my mother's cancer treatments would have been prohibitive for my family and she would have died a long time ago. It's not perfect but I think we just have to accept that there has to be some prioritisation in order for everyone who needs urgent treatment to get it as quickly as possible.



I still think it's a shame. The way most places are handling it is a shame.

Yes because there's a limited amount of testing I don't think everyone should be tested for covid19. that's why I said flu test, because it rules it out. Plus if diagnosed earlier there's medicine for flu. And only make my comment because the symptoms overlap.

(The only thing that skews less likely is kids are less likely to show symptoms).
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: kellybates1993 on March 13, 2020, 06:36:57 AM

I'm also from the Midlands, it's crazy how it differes county to county, me and my family have been made to self isolate for 7 days as of this morning  :( me and the kids all have a bad cough a sore throat and a fever and body aches all over.
we called the doc and were told to stop school and work for 7 days and isolate.
It feels like a really bad case of the flu, I really can't see how it would be corona as we don't go far afield or out much at all lately, it's a shame they didn't offer us testing.

So the flu is obviously going around too.

But you are not going to know if it's corona or flu unless you get tested. Because governments have no ability to test all but severe cases, the corona virus numbers are very MUCH higher than "confirmed cases".  Lots of people might just have a small cough and a low fever and have it.

So, I'd call your doctor up again and ask if you can get tested for the flu. There's NO reason you can't be tested for that, and if you had that you wouldn't have corona virus. You also can get medicine for flu if need be if it's early on.
I took your advice and gave them a call, they said with my and my families symptoms that we unfortunately wouldn't be allowed to enter the gp surgery at all for 14 days !
This is news to me and worrying news with my youngest being so vulnerable.
I was told to call the 111 hotline that's been set up for corona virus but it just goes beep beep beep??
We are all ok, lots of fluids and rest and we've all had painkillers so I'm not panicking but I thought the gp would have maybe offered us testing,  as of now I can't see any reason it would be coronavirus  but we are just following orders.

Post Merge: March 13, 2020, 06:44:08 AM

I'm also from the Midlands, it's crazy how it differes county to county, me and my family have been made to self isolate for 7 days as of this morning  :( me and the kids all have a bad cough a sore throat and a fever and body aches all over.
we called the doc and were told to stop school and work for 7 days and isolate.
It feels like a really bad case of the flu, I really can't see how it would be corona as we don't go far afield or out much at all lately, it's a shame they didn't offer us testing.

Wishing you and your family the best.

Are you West Mids or East? West seems fairly unscathed at the moment. Mind you, where I used to live in London - both those areas only have 1 confirmed case as well despite all the tabloids trying to whip up drama about London's case numbers. When you look at it nationwide by region - and the BBC had a tracker thing by postcode - the reality is something like 1-3 cases in a much larger local population. But of course that's only confirmed cases.

On the subject of flu, I don't suppose the NHS is going to do tests for that. But over here vulnerable people are encouraged to have a flu jab and every winter a huge number of people do (also sometimes a pneumonia one in the older population). Even though they are not the same, I imagine people who don't need an annual flu jab are probably better placed to fight off covid19. I would expect the NHS not to do a test for flu, so unless things get really rough, it's better to just follow the govt's advice for now.

UK govt have been testing people who were in contact with an infected person or who came back from an infected area but from yesterday are now testing generally - BUT they did say only the ones which required medical care/in hospital, so mild cases will go under the radar. They don't test for things like flu or other viruses unless the case is serious and requires more detailed treatment, so trying that path would just waste time. They refused my sister a test for glandular fever three times already this year, even though they're sure that she had it.

One concern I have is that prior to this the govt were talking about letting our A&E close (despite the fact A&Es in the UK are overcrowded and especially here where there are only 2 full hospitals anyway treating a large area of England and central Wales. It hasn't closed, but it makes me wonder what resources are actually available here if and when it finally arrives.

I think all this has made a lot of people take stock. There's hardly been a conversation about Brexit here in some weeks despite it dominating the news for the last three years prior to this. What will happen re that nobody knows or apparently cares right now. My hope is that at the end o this crisis the UK and Europe will sit down and talk like sane people understanding there are bigger things than scoring points that need to be repaired. I suspect our economies will all need us to take a cooperative effect.

Stuff like this brings out best and worst in people. People have stolen hand sanitiser from hospitals and madly stockpiled stuff, which has caused many vulnerable people to complain they can't get essentials and put a huge strain on foodbanks which the govt still doesn't seem to acknowledge are a thing. But on the other hand some local areas are setting up volunteer networks to help high risk people get supplies so they don't have to go out. If it wasn't for worrying about bringing it to my folks I'd be involved in one of those but I will be helping them if rules change and I need to do so - there are a lot of older folk in this area (several of whom are probably the kind to hit death with a walking stick if it came to call, if I'm perfectly honest about it).

BBC had an article about someone with the virus and my mother read it and said that it sounds identical to what she had last April/May time - dry cough that she couldn't control, fever that kept coming back, pneumonia that required hospitalisation. It took her a few weeks to recover. It's not that either of us think that that was covid19 but it made us all think a bit about what other similar diseases actually have been circulating in the past. Govt made a big thing about this being different from Swine Flu (which was bad) in 2009-10, because people have some immunity to flu in general and it was easy to get an innoculation done fairly fast. But then again they also keep saying that coronavirus is related to other diseases like the common cold. I think we really don't know what we're in for yet here.

However as of today some premier league football people have been diagnosed, so it looks like there's going to be some upheaval in the football, even though the govt has not ruled out their games.

Also, the US ban on flights to/from Europe doesn't affect the UK at the moment which seems a bit nuts since we have the disease here too. There's some concern about people getting the Eurostar here to get a flight to the US anyway. Nobody here knows how Trump intends to enforce keeping out anyone who has been somewhere infected in the last 14 days, since there are no passport stamps or visas within the EU, even outside of schengen. So basically a person can come from another infected country to the UK and onto a plane to the US undetected...bringing more infection onto our systems along the way. Unless the US intend to ban people based on their passports - but at the same time that would bar someone who'd spent 20 years in the UK who happened to come from France or Italy. I just don't see how that's going to work, and a lot of airlines and jobs are taking the strain.

One British airline (flybe) has already folded and tourism everywhere is way down.

East Midlands here close to derby, my mum recently returned from Spain but I'm unsure of the situation over there, shes recently been through a few airports, I had completely forgot about that  :huh:
And I'm sorry but did you say people are stealing hand sanitizer from HOSPITALS? jesus christ  :(
My son is due to have an operation on his kidney at the end of this month but it's all so uncertain now, the fact that people would steal hand sanitizer from such vulnerable people makes me feel sick, I hope this is over with soon,  all of my direct family are over 65, my grandmas 90 my grandads 91 my mums 67 and my aunts 66 and my uncles 61.
I'm just worried sick :(
Stay safe x
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: PinkieLopBun on March 13, 2020, 06:57:18 AM
I live in Massachusetts. 108 cases have been reported here, with 82 being linked back to a conference held by a company in Cambridge called Biogen from February 26-28. The governor declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. Last I heard, there weren't any cases in my town, but I do live in one of the counties that's been affected.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 13, 2020, 08:29:40 AM
@Kellybates1993 - It feels like they're ramping up cases and testing only when they need to now, but if your youngest has other health issues I'd watch him like a hawk and be prepared to act if you think he's at risk. You know your kids better than random strangers do, after all, and you can always make the case that your mother had been in Spain recently and in contact with the kid if they aren't listening to you.

I genuinely don't know how the EM situation is, I know we have a lot of flights through Birmingham Int'l and you guys have EM Airport, both of which I think do a fair amount of European flights, but right now numbers here are pretty low in official figures. 1/3 of our trains run to/from Birmingham airport though.

I believe the hand sanitiser thing was in Northamptonshire somewhere. We were in Dudley the other day and the archive had sanitiser just left out on the desk for people to use. Nobody was trying to steal it - it was all quite civilised and everything was just business as usual. This in spite of the fact at least one person has died in the hospital in Dudley and another in Wolverhampton hospital which is not that far.

It's literally just the hoarding of certain items or you wouldn't know anything was happening here.

The other thing is that people are very worried about coronavirus deaths but what is unclear is whether these people died of coronavirus or just happened to have it when they died. One case here the family said they didn't know what the cause of death was. I think media like to hype things up.

Some things that the media here have been reporting which seem to be debunked elswhere include a claim that this virus is a super aggressive form of the bug (based on a paper saying it spread more aggressively, NOT that it was more severe a disease). Our tabloids are of course irresponsibly feeding the panic by making mad headline claims which, when you read the story, aren't as dramatic as they claim to be. It's not that this isn't serious - it is - but you'd think they'd be more responsible. At least it looks like social media companies are trying to get fake news about it off the internet.

I don't like our government at all, really, mot least because I am firmly pro-Europe and anti-Brexit - but at least they are trying to explain why they're taking the decisions they are, even if there are people who disagree with their approach.

@Banditpony - I've never known anyone to get specific medicine for flu here either. Advice is usually lots of rest, fluids, and then things to mitigate symptoms. But we may be talking about different strains as there are a lot. I've actually in 38 years never had flu once, even though it's here every winter, and it may well be because a lot of people in my environs are innoculated.

In any case, it's just a difference in how the health service works. Honestly, I'd rather have free health care available for everyone and not have regular flu testing than have all those tests available, but only to those who can afford it. There's pros and cons to how we all handle health - nowhere is perfect.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: dragonfly on March 13, 2020, 08:35:55 AM
I just got off a call with a coworker in Shanghai. She said that things are getting better there. People are still wearing face masks and changing them every 3-4 hours. She has been on mandated work from home, but all employees are required to report to the office beginning on Monday.

She made it sound like life is pretty normal, daily activities are not disrupted and  people are generally being more vigilant when it comes to hygiene and practicing social distancing.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 13, 2020, 08:45:44 AM
Wow, I just saw footage of morning buses and tube stations in London. I've been on buses at rush hour in London, and they're packed. These were basically empty. I think the country's gone into voluntary lockdown despite the govt saying they don't have to. Imagining everyone now working at home unless they can't...

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Barnacle_lady on March 13, 2020, 09:35:17 AM
I just read the news that people should not be going frenzy on the grocery shopping. Because its not so nice for those who have been working all day.  Duh, that's why they invented online grocery shopping. So you don't need to go into one after work. I think its a logical reaction if you ask people to stay at home effective immediately. People want to be sure there is enough in case its decided for total lockdown.  And we have a war history with very little food.
I was thinking about ordering the usual pet food online so that I have it tomorrow but I think I will do that next week.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 13, 2020, 09:40:56 AM
I just read the news that people should not be going frenzy on the grocery shopping. Because its not so nice for those who have been working all day.  Duh, that's why they invented online grocery shopping. So you don't need to go into one after work. I think its a logical reaction if you ask people to stay at home effective immediately. People want to be sure there is enough in case its decided for total lockdown.  And we have a war history with very little food.
I was thinking about ordering the usual pet food online so that I have it tomorrow but I think I will do that next week.
The frenzy just moves online in that case, which saves people from rushing inside but isn't much better. We offer a drive-up service and we were flooded yesterday. As people become more wary I'd imagine they'd move over to more drive-ups and home deliveries.
That said, if you need need something, definitely pick it up sooner rather than later because inventories are low all over where there is panic.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: melodys_angel on March 13, 2020, 09:42:37 AM
~Southern Ontario
~Weve got a confirmed case with multiple unconfirmed/rumors
~People are nuts. Many empty toiletpaper shelves. I don't really get why its the first thing people grab.
~We are just being sensible right now.  Both me and my parents are in the venerable category with existing medical issues but we cant shut down either..we still need to go to appointments or work.  So we just be more aware...wash hands with soap and water (honestly its the best way to tackle this I think), carry a pocketback (mini hand sanitizer..ive got it clipped to my purse but its nothing new for me..ive had one on me for years now), open doors with coat sleeves or elbows.

Im kind of just hoping the whole thing blows over like sars did ^^'
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: dragonlady on March 13, 2020, 10:04:48 AM
I live in Maine; we just got out first confirmed case the other day.
Things are I guess okay for now; Mom and I went grocery shopping yesterday and paper goods, cleaning supplies and hand sanitzer are wiped out but still food on the shelves but a lot of my friends (from all over the state) have reported low to empty shelves (pasta/rice etc). Schools are still in session as far as I know but most extracurricular/field trips etc have been cancelled. People are wearing masks and purelling the crap out of everything plus making good use of home delivery/pick up at store services.

I do worry as Maine a large elderly population (I think we're the "grayest" state) and really worry if it comes up here. I live on an island of about 350 people a good third of those are over 60 not to mention I think every other person has a compromised immune system due to a high rate of Lyme's Disease, cancers (my mom had breast cancer last year) or things like diabetes or asthma (I have the latter). If it makes to the island, we're pretty much screwed as everything spreads like wildfire here:( BUT where people are taking precautions I'm holding out hope!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: rybett on March 13, 2020, 10:54:18 AM
Ok, now South Dakota schools will be closed next week.  The colleges are extending spring break. I get to go shopping tonight.  Yay...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Griffin on March 13, 2020, 11:02:24 AM
I'm in Finland, the south-eastern area where I live has had 12 confirmed cases, I think (155 in the whole country). So it's not bad here yet but our government decided to take pro-active measures to slow down the spread. All travel abroad is discouraged, events large and small are being cancelled, etc. No schools closed yet though, or anything super drastic like that.

Universities are switching to online teaching and working from home. My university doesn't allow any events or teaching sessions of more than 50 people; this restriction will be in place at least until the end of May. All work-related travel has been banned and no international guests are received. I'm currently preparing to defend my PhD thesis in May using Skype or other form of remote connection as my opponent is in the UK. It will certainly be interesting! In Finland, the viva is a public occasion so I guess it'll be streamed or something. Part of the tradition is also a dinner party held in the honour of the opponent, obviously I'll have to skip this or postpone it to a later date... but well, things could be worse! And I think this is the perfect time to develop good practices for the future, considering that people should reduce travelling anyway because of the climate.

I was supposed to do some routine grocery shopping today and pick up a parcel at the PO (located in the premises of a big supermarket) but I hear people are hoarding toilet paper and food here as well so I don't feel like going... But it's not likely to be any better tomorrow so maybe I should go anyway and do some late-night shopping. I have a decent supply of non-perishable stuff but it could be better in case I fall ill and can't go out. And I'm currently almost out of any fresh stuff like vegetables, I usually do most of my shopping on Fridays... I believe it's not that bad in small shops and luckily I have one nearby.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Thimble on March 13, 2020, 12:05:12 PM
I'm in Japan.  NUMBER 1 TIP: Don't forget to wash your COAT! People tend to forget, even though they're being told to use their elbows and all that.

We've got near total closure of schools from grade 1 up to college-level, and many unis as well. So far the closures have not affected most local shops and services in my area, but word is, that may be changing for a lot of places where the virus is spreading. (A new law goes into effect tomorrow.)
Currently, people are being very ridiculous and panic buying toilet paper, tissues, masks, and sanitizers of all sorts, so it's nearly impossible to find those in stores, unless you get lucky and catch a shipment delivery. (Yay! I finally have TP, nobody panic. :biggrin: Lol.)

The news out of Japan is fairly accurate if you are looking at NHK or the Japan Times.

CNN's online newspaper is NOT TRUSTWORTHY. Their coverage of the virus has been sensationalist at best, and frankly, resembles a tabloid more than anything. Always confirm anything you read there. I can confirm multiple instances of misinformation for shock value.  Once you start comparing their articles to their headlines and double checking the information, it becomes pretty obvious. Though they seem to have calmed down slightly in last few weeks. Not sure how the television coverage is, but I can't imagine it's any better. Use the WHO website if you need facts.

While Japan's news is fairly levelheaded and accurate, there is one major issue: There's a relatively low number of *reported* cases, but there is also a very low rate of testing going on. That's likely to change soon as well, as the test just got added to the national health plan. Until just a few days ago, it was apparently kind of hard to get tested if you weren't showing symptoms. Science reasons have been given for the lack of wide-scale testing, but I won't pretend to understand it.  Suffice to say, it's here, it's everywhere, and the experts all agree that there are a LOT more cases than have been counted. Of course, as is the case everywhere, most of those cases are minor and will pass quickly, so... pros and cons.
Anyway, if you are planning to come to Japan in the next month or two, please be aware that the risk is there.

Also, be advised that from Saturday, March 14th, local governments will have the power to issue orders regarding what are basically localized quarantine procedures. They are likely to be very conservative with the power, but the chance of getting caught in a quarantine zone will exist.
Until now, there was little risk of not being able to return from Japan, but that is no longer the case. Many countries are blocking travel from affected areas, so if you come, the situation could change suddenly, and you might not be allowed to go home without being quarantined. Take care.

Most large tourist attractions like Disney and Universal Studios are closed temporarily, with Disney extending the closure into April, last I heard. No recent word yet of whether schools will re-open on schedule, (early April) but last report said yes. All large gatherings like concerts, festivals, and parties are strongly discouraged, and mostly cancelled until the end of March. Until tomorrow, that was voluntary, but a new law goes into effect tomorrow which will allow local government to force closures and cancellations. Personally, I expect the nightlife to take the first hit there, given some recent news articles.

All in all, visible impact is still minor, barring general inconveniences and people being anxious.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: dragonfly on March 13, 2020, 01:08:03 PM

CNN's online newspaper is NOT TRUSTWORTHY. Their coverage of the virus has been sensationalist at best, and frankly, resembles a tabloid more than anything. Always confirm anything you read there. I can confirm multiple instances of misinformation for shock value.  Once you start comparing their articles to their headlines and double checking the information, it becomes pretty obvious. Though they seem to have calmed down slightly in last few weeks. Not sure how the television coverage is, but I can't imagine it's any better. Use the WHO website if you need facts.

Thanks for this. I personally do read CNN, among a number of other various news outlets - I think your comment is a great reminder not to believe everything you read, and to cross check facts and references to stay well-informed. This is a big reason why I started this thread - so that we can avoid sensationalized hype but keep up to date via one another about what's really going on out there...things that aren't being accurately reported or things that aren't being reported at all. I cannot over state the need to not panic but to take informed precautionary and proactive measures, particularly if you are at higher risk for respiratory infection...some people who have been exposed do not exhibit symptoms during the 14 day incubation period.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 13, 2020, 01:56:34 PM
At the Dutch/German border here and until end of April all public venues with more than 1000 people are getting cancelled. I am particularly mad because a special concert I've been looking forward to since autumn last year is amongst the events affected. Just because it's on the 20th instead of the 22th. I want to scream!

I am fed up with the panic. A few years ago it was Sars, now its Sars2 with a fancy new name to get everybody talking and not paying attention to certain political topics :lookround:

Hand sanitizer is all out, just like these masks. Apparently some hospitals are running short on masks because regular people have stocked up on them, which is nuts.
Today in Bavaria they closed public schools, so at least the kids get something out of it.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on March 13, 2020, 02:09:45 PM
Northern Utah.  We don't have any cases in the three surrounding counties but you'd think the world was going to explode tomorrow.  I had to run to Walmart to pick up some things (mostly rubber cement so I can work on my scrap book this weekend and chocolate snack cakes because...yum!) and I was surprised at some of the stuff that was completely gone.  Feminine hygiene products are completely sold out.  Also, my friend is a checker at Walmart and I happened to see her so I got in her line and I asked her how things were.  She said that she isn't concerned about getting sick because if they call out sick, they won't get in trouble for it and if they do happen to catch the Corona virus, they will get a paid 2 weeks off.  She said that what worries her is people's reactions to all of this.  We agreed that it feels very Y2K-ish...


Also, the city announced that they will be closing the library and the rec center for 2 weeks just as a precaution and it's been nuts here at the library.  Usually Fridays are pretty chill but we had three people at the checkout desk, two phones ringing off the hook and a line that reached all the way across the room.  I'm glad people like to read and all but you'd think we announced we were closing our doors forever.  One guy said he had hoped we were closing to move into a new building that's been promised to us (but we haven't gotten yet).
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 13, 2020, 02:28:25 PM
@Griffin, on the subject of the Skype Viva, I had to do that last April because one of my examiners relocated to Japan before my Doctoral School got themselves sorted out, but it worked out fine and was very smoothly coordinated. BUT ours are not streamed or public events, so I don't know how they might handle that. Just that Skype does work for the viva and you shouldn't worry about that if it comes to pass.

(Also, good luck).

CNN broadcasts here as well. I think it's better than Fox TV which I think lost its licence to air in the UK because of (demonstrably untrue) stuff it aired about British muslim communities some years back. It's also more accurate than RT, but most things are more accurate than RT, let's be fair.

I think CNN is interesting to watch sometimes for US news and US debates but not so great when it comes to global things.

Probably the best thing to do to get a balanced picture is to look at a wide range of news sources. It's why this thread is really awesome, though, because it's real time testimony from real people all over the world talking about their actual situations, rather than media assumptions and generalisations.

Our media, including the BBC, are too fixated on the numbers. They sound high, but for me it's about comparing the number of cases (even if there are 10x more unreported cases too mild to know about) with the population numbers and realising that actually, there are not very many cases of this illness in many places at all, and that most of us are not yet dealing with a situation like in China or Iran or North Italy, or even South Korea...but need to be sensible and prepared for the possibility.

But I think that BBC, ITV, and most news outlets that are NOT tabloids are trying to report accurate UK and where possible, world information. BBC seems to still have its reporters in literally every affected place as well, and there have been a number of TV interviews with people in various of these places.

I just think people need to remember that the 800 or whatever the current number is for whatever country are not all in that one concentrated area in most countries. At least, not yet.

Also if anyone is in the worst regions of North Italy and are struggling with the situation, our thoughts are with you.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Galactica on March 13, 2020, 03:47:54 PM
I'm in Seattle. I think this is where (currently) the worst of the outbreak is in the US.  Of course we really have no idea as the testing has been INCREDIBLY LIMITED in the US and widespread testing is only JUST starting...  which drives me a little bonkers.

A lawfirm down the street from us had a paralegal (age 60 seemingly healthy to her boss's knowledge) go home on Monday with "flu like symptoms" and she "worked from home" on Tuesday and Wed and was found dead on Thursday. She is suspected to have COVID 19 but it is not yet in the news.

Another large employer who employs a co-worker's wife-  has had two confirmed cases of COVID 19 this week- and has sent everyone who can go home- home. But again this is confidential info and not public knowledge as it could cause the company to have a stock crash.

I worry that a lot of companies are doing the same thing. Keeping quiet.

All the big tech companies have mandated anyone who can work from home- work from home.  Schools are all closed. Courts have cancelled all civil motions and trials. 

I don't want to overreact but I don't want to underreact either-  the lack of concrete information about how prevalent, contagious and deadly this disease is, is very concerning. 

There are all these "statistic" and "projections" but if you scratch further, you see that nobody really has any idea- just a bunch of guesses based on incredibly limited data.

 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: rybett on March 13, 2020, 05:13:20 PM
Good point on the coat washing.  Now to pry the hoodie off the teen...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: otocolobus_manul on March 13, 2020, 05:37:53 PM
I live in Texas. Austin cancelled SXSW, Houston (where I live) cancelled the Rodeo, and San Antonio (where I go to school) postponed Fiesta until November - from what I understand Fiesta hasn't been cancelled since WWII, and I don't think the Houston Rodeo has ever been cancelled in history. Colleges in all 3 cities (and other cities, I'm sure) have been canceling in-person classes for varying lengths of time; my school has only pushed spring break back a week so far, but at least one other San Antonio school closed campus for the rest of the semester.

In Waller, where a friend of mine lives, supermarkets are empty and convenience stores are not far behind, and in Cypress, where I live, my dad reported lines to the back of the building when he went shopping today. Also people are driving even worse than usual, and the hospital I was at today for a psych appointment had a checkpoint, complete with a scanner, for people trying to access certain floors.

Some pictures a different friend sent, from Denver:
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Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponybookworm on March 13, 2020, 06:57:18 PM
Got an email from Tesco saying not only will it be harder to find slots for online deliveries, but also the drivers are taking (wise) precautions, checking if you're self-isolating due to illness before even opening the door. They also have limits on a lot of items, but warn they may still sell out & be unavailable. All due to COVID-19
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 13, 2020, 07:08:12 PM
I found this, linked on my local news site -

Desktop version - https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Mobile version - https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/85320e2ea5424dfaaa75ae62e5c06e61

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: freezestime on March 13, 2020, 08:53:15 PM
Update to my info.

14 cases for all of Western Australia. Public transport authority has implemented a more intensive cleaning regime for buses and trains.

My birth mum said there's now a dedicated covd-19 section of the hospital my grandma's staying in.

My small local post office is the most packed I've ever seen it. Restaurants are having lower attendance, the grocery stores are super duper packed and people are filling up their cart to the brim.

I admit, I did spend like an extra $20-$40 on my groceries yesterday and I might stock up on a few more things today.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Thimble on March 13, 2020, 10:47:48 PM
Exactly, Rybett. ;)  When someone pointed it out to me I was like....waaaaait. *eyes coat suspiciously*

Oh, and for anyone wondering if it's a good a idea to stock up, allow me to point out that a shortage is a shortage, whether it's artificially created or not. If you already have a month's supply have toilet paper or laundry soap or whatever, you probably don't need to go buy more.  However! If you're getting low on a vital supply, do your best to get it when you can, because with the nutters buying everything in sight, you may not have a chance later. Just sayin'.
It took me 3 weeks to find a package of toilet paper on the shelf in my town, and we have no confirmed cases at all. Don't make trouble for everyone else by taking more than you need, but don't wait and get stuck without, either.
:)

Oh!And possibly the best, most underrated preparation you can do in the event of a lockdown or overreacting government is get all your financial (etc.) business taken care of ASAP, so that you don't get stuck with important payments or paperwork hung up in closed offices, waiting for them to reopen.

Basically, stay calm folks, but be aware that a lot of the world around you is...a bit anxious...and try your best to think of ways that you can help yourself and others by not adding to the chaos. We'll get through this, it's gonna be fine.  :lovey:
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Minty_Magic on March 14, 2020, 12:30:07 AM
1. I live in the southwest United States, Arizona specifically. So far we don’t have may confirmed cases here, under 10. I think we did have one of the first confirmed cases in the US about a month ago. Thankfully so far everyone seems to be recovering here, no deaths in my state yet.

2. The climate here is crazy, though it sounds like it is everywhere. The stores are ALL picked over and packed full everyday. The store I used to work at has put a limit on sanitation supplies like hand sanitizer and toilet paper to keep inventory up, but it doesn’t seem to be working. I’m thankful I quit that job and don’t have to be in the middle of all this. I work at a huge call center and they’re taking pretty massive steps to keep us healthy. It’s mostly rumor at this point, but it sounds like, they’re going to maybe let us take their computers and equipment home so that we can work remotely. We just downloaded software tonight that will allow us to access the intranet remotely, so it’s a rumor with some credit. I’m frankly shocked, but really appreciate the effort to keep us safe at the office. Schools have either extended spring break by a week or won’t be resuming for the semester.

3. The news coverage is causing way more panic than it needs to imo. I mostly watch CNN and I feel they’re doing a very poor job covering this. Local news is much more tame and informative, so I have switched to that for now.

I hate to sound stupid, but can someone tell me WHY this virus is causing such a panic? I know it’s pretty fatal to those with pre existing conditions and the elderly. I don’t want to downplay that. But the quarantines and shutdowns of Disneyland and other major businesses that normally never close down is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. This isn’t the first weird illness I’ve lived through. I remember some panic but never anything even close to this. I feel like there is some really important fact about this illness I’m not getting.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 14, 2020, 01:21:27 AM
I hate to sound stupid, but can someone tell me WHY this virus is causing such a panic? I know it’s pretty fatal to those with pre existing conditions and the elderly. I don’t want to downplay that. But the quarantines and shutdowns of Disneyland and other major businesses that normally never close down is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. This isn’t the first weird illness I’ve lived through. I remember some panic but never anything even close to this. I feel like there is some really important fact about this illness I’m not getting.

This is all just my opinion but to me it looks like manufactured fear mongering.
Sars2 is a "newly discovered" virus or more like a mutation of a preexisting virus. Coupled with the reported cases in China that's great newsfeed fodder.
The virus is potentially deadly to older people with preexisting conditions but - unlike the flu - is hardly lethal to young kids.
So far in my country more people have died of the flu than Sars Cov-2. But we have accepted the flu as a "normal" virus cocktail. "Corona" is one specific virus with a fancy name so anyone can talk about it like it was the new black plague.

Imo, it's best to not rely on news outlets but listen to single virologists that are not affiliated with big news outlets.
Here, most virologists agree that a face mask wont prevent you from catching it but people still bought them up like mad because they saw Asians on the news walking the streets wearing them. Not knowing most wear these masks due to air pollution in the big cities.

I have already heard older people say they won't go to Fridays for Future anymore because they are afraid of catching the virus. So I see this as anyones new scapegoat to avoid public protests, public involvement in general. If you said that about the flu people would laugh in your face and call you a coward. Despite - again - the flu killing more people.

Precautions are neccessary to keep the spread at bay. But I wish people would act that way towards the flu and not sneezing directly at me. So far I've had it each year and it is horrible each time. But people don't care if they contaminate you with germs that don't have a cool and dangerous story behind them.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 14, 2020, 01:39:52 AM
I saw some of CNN's footage last night after we were talking about it here and they did seem to be unhelpfully encouraging people to stockpile, and talking about it as a war and so on. I mean, yes, there are challenges for everyone, but there's no point in creating panic.

I mentioned it in shoutbox the other day but BBC had a segment a few days back talking about how your mental health and your immune system are linked and so it's just as important to take care of your mental health as to take sensible precautions. Our advice here is to continue as much as normal as we can with the things we enjoy because right now in most areas there's not much reason not to do it. I don't know how good or otherwise that advice is for people with compromised health, especially since our govt/health advisors have openly told us they're going for herd immunity, that they need a % of us to get it to achieve that and that there won't be a vaccine for over a year. But at least it's less sensationalised. Panic breeds panic after all.

I'm not going to downplay the severity of the actual condition because it's easy to say it's not that deadly to most people with no preexisting conditions/younger etc, but or a lot of folk those are their parents and other loved ones, not just distant statistics. And I said before, I am very worried about my parents and to a degree my sister (who has just recovered from glandular fever, and who may now have to self-isolate given her immediate boss just went off work with suspicious symptoms having come back from Thailand just over 2 weeks ago).

On the other hand, my mother genuinely had something identical to this last year, with the cough and the persistent fever and the pneumonia and all the other watchword things we'e told about. So I agree that it's not an entirely new disease, it's related to other diseases that have prior circulation here and probably in other places too. Although there is also the possibility that it's not as new as they think and is a mutation of something in circulation here...and that some of these community transmitted cases that they can't explain are actually cases just in the population because of prior infections similar to this. NObody has ever tested cases for Covid19 prior to the apparent discovery of Covid19, so we'll never know for sure.

For me the difference between this and Flu (and the most recent comparative example is Swine Flu in 2009) is that we innoculate vulnerable people against Flu to try and prevent them getting it as much as possible, and that is not an option here.

All we can do is take it as it comes in our particular country or region.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Loa on March 14, 2020, 01:44:21 AM
So, 6 cases total for my whole country. We went nearly a week without any new cases, but then someone came back from Texas and brought it with him.

My work has a game plan for what happens if the virus reaches our island, our county, our town and then the mine itself. The closer it gets, the longer I have to stay at home working, as I'm immuno-compromised. /sigh.

My plans for travel this year have been put into status until I have better news.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Griffin on March 14, 2020, 01:54:43 AM
@Griffin, on the subject of the Skype Viva, I had to do that last April because one of my examiners relocated to Japan before my Doctoral School got themselves sorted out, but it worked out fine and was very smoothly coordinated. BUT ours are not streamed or public events, so I don't know how they might handle that. Just that Skype does work for the viva and you shouldn't worry about that if it comes to pass.

(Also, good luck).

Thank you! I'm sure it will be okay. And there will be many vivas before mine so I'm quite sure by the end of May they'll have figured out all the technical aspects. It's bound to be much more stressful for those who are defending in the next couple of weeks.

I didn't go shopping yesterday. I may wait until Monday morning with the supermarket/PO visit and stock up on cat food today. There's only one pet store I use as one of our cats is sensitive, and I have to walk there so I can never carry large amounts, I rarely have more than a 2-week supply of wet food at home and currently I'm almost running out. I hope the hoarding phenomenon hasn't reached pet stores yet!

I hate to sound stupid, but can someone tell me WHY this virus is causing such a panic? I know it’s pretty fatal to those with pre existing conditions and the elderly. I don’t want to downplay that. But the quarantines and shutdowns of Disneyland and other major businesses that normally never close down is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. This isn’t the first weird illness I’ve lived through. I remember some panic but never anything even close to this. I feel like there is some really important fact about this illness I’m not getting.


As far as I know, the massive shutdowns are intended to slow down the spread of the disease and ensure that it doesn't hit a certain area all at once. If too many people fall ill simultaneously it will put too much pressure on hospitals and they can't treat all the severe cases at once - this is precicely what has happened in Italy. Since nobody is vaccinated against this virus, there is no herd immunity at all, and doctors and nurses aren't protected from it either (unlike the flu). So not enough equipment or staff to take care of everyone who needs hospital treatment. And since some who catch it only have mild symptoms, they can spread the disease without knowing it. Avoiding social contacts even if you're seemingly healthy is intended to prevent that and protect those who are more vulnerable.

As for the panic, well that's just people being people (and the media won't help). All the experts say that soap is much more effective than hand sanitizer, but what do people do? The sanitizer is all gone while shelves are fully stocked with soap (well this is what I hear anyway). :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 14, 2020, 02:06:14 AM
Our shelves are not majorly stocked with soap but weirdly people are leaving behind the bars of soap and buying the stuff in bottles instead. We have been able to get soap though, it just meant thinking laterally about where it might be in stock rather than just raiding the supermarkets.

The stupid thing with hoarding sanitiser is that you are only going to use that when out. If you are trapped at home you would use soap, right? But if you can go out, you would be able to buy sanitiser and not need to hoard it. Yet people are hoarding it anyway...vicious circle.

TBH I think public transport is a higher risk than mass events are at the moment. And one reason for cancelling games etc rather than playing them behind closed doors here is that they worry about people gathering down the pub to watch (where there is more risk of contact infection than at an open air stadium, even though there may be fewer people).

Italy's biggest problem is the number of cases in that one small area, rather than them being across the whole of the country IMO. There's no way even the most sophisticated health system in the world (and I believe Italy's is pretty decent generally) could cope with that. I think this is what all countries are trying to prevent with all this curve-squashing rhetoric, but if they torpedo their economies at the same time we'll all be facing a much longer battle even if the disease falls back.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Thimble on March 14, 2020, 03:04:16 AM
To agree with several other people- yes, that's exactly it. The big, overblown measures are to prevent another Wuhan, where cases in a single area rapidly outgrew the system's ability to handle them. Resulting in a higher number of deaths. Places that have fewer critical cases also have more recoveries, because they get proper care. The WHO has been saying from the start that the main concern for them is protecting the areas with weak healthcare systems, because those places will be hit much harder.  The initial alarm was from the lack of viable treatments, but they've got a few things that are working now, so it's not as dire as it was. China's all-out measures helped the rest of the world tremendously, by giving time to find treatments, because it could have been so, so much worse from the start. Unfortunately, the major news outlets are fanning the flames of the public's alarm, and creating panic and a lot of unnecessary stress for everyone. They make money on views, so they need new things to talk about...but the bare facts don't change that much, so you end up with endlessly restated quotes and misquotes, in a big media feeding frenzy. 
There is no need to panic, and unless you are actually ill, or caring for someone who's at higher risk, you can probably just avoid the news if it's stressing you out. Maybe check for local closures and things that affect you directly once a day or so, and just let the rest wash on by.
The hype is mostly carry-over from the initial days of the infection, and the media trying to make a buck off your alarm.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 14, 2020, 04:50:58 AM
You worded it so great Thimble.

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Tossing in the curve for Minty_Magic. If anything makes sense to me, that does. If we don't slow down the infection rate, then we will overload our hospital systems. Remember, China had to build a hospital to deal with what was going on, and the rest of China went on extreme lockdown.

I am getting my information from my state and I'm also reading a local sub-reddit.. which is like playing with fire. But it gives updates on closings and inside information as well. I don't see the need for big news outlets, as I'm only concerned with local at this point since it's here.

Two of our big hospitals have already banded together to do drive through testing.. which is good.

Oh also,
I did stumble across this, about how Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan dealt with this. Travel bans by Feb1, understanding of social distancing, 3x the amount of testing... etc.
https://time.com/5802293/coronavirus-covid19-singapore-hong-kong-taiwan/
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 14, 2020, 04:55:30 AM
As of today there are 41reported cases in my city. That roughly makes 10 new people per day. No deaths. Some earlier cases already in recovery.
All events overseen by the city are cancelled until May, clubs closed, schools closed until after Easter. But the zoo is still open so guess what people are doing now with their kids.

Once again, after the news got out, people stockpiled toilet paper and spaghetti. But only the discount brands.
So people can't be that panicky if they still watch the prices :lol:
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tikibirds on March 14, 2020, 04:59:27 AM
Where do you live?   CHINA

2. What is the current climate like where you're at? we have been restricted since January 25th, some areas more strict then others. Many residents could only have one family member leave every 3 days to buy necessities. You need to have a temp check to leave and return, sign in and out, all complexes have guards to in force these rules (not armed guards, most complexes here are like gated communities with guards 24/7 anyways.) Temp checks on highways/to enter or leave your residence/ to enter supermarkets, ect. IF you are under official quarentine at your residence because of suspected cases then you CAN NOT even go into the hallway. You need to order all food via an app and it will be delivered directly to your door. All schools/stores, ect are closed except supermarkets and they were only open limited hours. No taxi/uber/delivereis of any kind. No public transport. YOU MUST WEAR A MASK AT ALL TIMES OUTSIDE

Now most places have only a small number of cases if any at all. Everything in my area has reopened, Public transport has been reinstated. You now have a code that ranks you infection rate. Green for low risk, orange for med risk and that means self quarentine and red which means high risk and mandatory gov't quarentine. You need to scan the QR code which checks your phone info to see where you have been the last 14 days and that is how u get the color code. Mine is green since I never left Shandong, when most foreigners were bailing out - my passport was with the government for residency renewal so I was stuck here. 

now they are worried about infections from abroad so people from infected countries are automatically sent to mandatory quarentine upon arrival - either a hotel or hospital if you are showing symptoms/have a fever. I have a friend who flew back yesterday from South Africa and she was sent directly to a hotel for quarentine upon arrival.

We never had a shortage of  TP, soap, food here. The only items that ran very low were instant noodles like ramen and pork products. Only once was the supermarket low on certain items and that was right after the Chinese New year when everybody returned. There were lots pf pallets that needed to be unpacked so it might of been a case of being short staffed and not actually a shortage of food.


3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on? I don't know. All the info comes from the communist party and their goal is to maintain social order but I feel that with the massive restrictions put into place on 1.4 billion people the number of infections has to be going down. But at the same time, many people never developed fevers or had mild symptoms so they never got caught by the system, so wouldn't they be spreading the virus and new people would be getting infected -  yet they claim 0 new cases for well over 2 weeks now. Is the gov't trying to save face or are there really no new infections here?
They say it came from a lab, They say it came from wild animals, they say it was from the US military who participated in some war games back in October...who knows.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Barnacle_lady on March 14, 2020, 05:35:48 AM
I have to share the following video, I hope the link works since it was copy & paste.
It's in Dutch but the message is that there is enough toiletpaper.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9r7Er4pUaT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Meanwhile the people that have died went up to 10 and its a bit quiet in the restaurants. Today I was on the saturday local market to get some cat food because ordering online would take a few days at least. There weren't a lot of people but there was enough food.
Our emergency number 112 (911 in USA) asked not to call them anymore for a regular cold and fever.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 14, 2020, 06:23:55 AM
We closed the grocery store I worked at overnight (typically 24 hours) so they could restock some of the shelves. I'm not quite sure how bad it will be today but I'll roll in around 3, so I'd imagine most of it will be gone.
Strange that the organic and gluten free sections were basically untouched. 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: rybett on March 14, 2020, 07:24:45 AM
Stay calm and comb pony hair.  Or rehair ponies.  Or just ponies.  ;)
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 14, 2020, 10:55:19 AM
Cases up here today. No idea how they're testing now, they keep changing the rules. Not sure we should even pay attention to the figures and whether the new deaths are because of new testing, or the figures are too low because of a change in how they're testing.

No cases in my area yet confirmed. Counties/areas surrounding still in the single digits but 2 people have now died in the closest city to where I live (across county borders, but in real terms 30 mins by train).

I'm wondering whether our low numbers so far is thanks to the flooding keeping people away for 2 weeks around the end of Feb - the places tourists come were badly affected and are still recovering but have reported low bookings still.  So we may be behind the national curve. It's not been confirmed that those who passed away were local to the community as cases have been transferred regions to facilities better able to manage them.

UK to be added to the US travel ban - predictable but not great for our airlines already on the brink. I get why the administration are doing it but it seems a bit late to do that given all the stats.

I don't think the UK will be going into lockdown any time soon.

Much talk today about what will happen  with the football since it's suspended. A lot of people are having very serious discussions about that and whether to cancel/void this season, whether to promote/relegate teams and other similar things. Nice they have their priorities straight ;)

Very British behaviour in the stores today...people sidling up to the (empty) sanitiser shelves pretending like they're not really looking for it, so as not to look like they're panic buying. Much pretending to look at the shampoo and other products. So British.

Our one saving grace here is that as a nation, we generally can't stand each other, don't want people particularly close anyway (Personal Space!) and would work from home/not go to work at the least excuse.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Gator on March 14, 2020, 12:21:56 PM
I went to two grocery stores today- both meat cases were empty, no chicken breasts or ground beef.  No potatoes.  So the normal people are going to go hungry because of the hoarders?
Wait... Maybe I'm not normal.  I am a 42 year old who collects toys and has more animal friends than real friends.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Loa on March 14, 2020, 12:50:04 PM
New Zealand will be in lockdown from midnight tonight. Anyone coming in (except from the Pacific Islands) will be put in automatic 14 day isolation.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on March 14, 2020, 01:17:18 PM
My dad went to Sam's Club yesterday to pick up some fertilizer and he said that people had massive amounts of toilet paper that they were buying.  He said it was really entertaining watching them try to fit it into their cars.  Come on people.  If you're buying more toilet paper than will fit in your car and you don't see that as a problem, you ARE the problem.   :rolleyes:

Also, my parents went to an annual case lot sale that had been advertised weeks ago (they do this every year to replenish our food storage that we always have on hand so it wasn't out of panic, we were just out of some things) and they said people were absolutely nuts.  They got what they needed and ran.  They were able to pick up some children's Motrin for my 4-yr-old nephew who has been running a fever because my brother couldn't find any in their area and also some toilet paper for them because their area is completely out.   
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: bright rabbit 1 on March 14, 2020, 01:43:50 PM
New Zealand will be in lockdown from midnight tonight. Anyone coming in (except from the Pacific Islands) will be put in automatic 14 day isolation.

My dad and brother are in New Zealand, I’m worried that they won’t be able to come home on the 20th of May. I’m worried.

Please can you keep me updated.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 14, 2020, 01:47:00 PM
I went to two grocery stores today- both meat cases were empty, no chicken breasts or ground beef.  No potatoes.  So the normal people are going to go hungry because of the hoarders?

The stores are getting more food, so no one is going to go hungry. What's happening is more people are realizing that this is serious, and that they are ALL buying food at once. (And you have copy cat people too).

People who have stocked up-- or are stocking up now are NOT necessarily hoarders.

If anything got to a level where there was no food being stocked, then the military would hand out MREs. And the chances of that are completely slim.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 14, 2020, 01:49:30 PM
The air is less panicked today. We have flour back on the shelves and stuff and we're at normal Saturday levels of busy. Everyone will be fine food wise!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: LadyMoondancer on March 14, 2020, 02:04:12 PM
I live in Seattle.

My workplace offered us the option to telework all through March (if our jobs allowed it), which I jumped at. ;)  Big lines at Costco and shortages of things like toilet paper.  Emerald City Comic Con is cancelled, public schools are closed, and no gatherings of 250 or more people allowed.  Also, the mayor just passed a temporary ban on evictions.

We've had 32 confirmed deaths and around 500 confirmed cases.  At least one in every county in Washington, though King County by far has the most cases.  But yeah, it's spreading.

The trouble is the COVID-19 was here before there was even any awareness it was "a thing", and it has a long incubation period so of course it spread without anyone being the wiser.

If you do catch coronavirus, don't panic.  Stay calm, try to get tested (this may depend how bad things are in your area--sometimes there are limited resources for testing), stay hydrated, stay away from other people, and rest.

Quote
I hate to sound stupid, but can someone tell me WHY this virus is causing such a panic? I know it’s pretty fatal to those with pre existing conditions and the elderly. I don’t want to downplay that.

It's super "catchable" because it's new and thus there's no herd immunity from having had it before.  They are trying to slow its spread.  The sickest patients need ventilators to survive it--but hospitals have a limited amount of ventilators, respiratory therapists, critical care beds, etc.

Quote
Covid-19 is a brand new disease, and a lot of the needs assessments are based on long-ago flu pandemics. But estimates range from a manageable 64,000 ventilators, if this outbreak is like the 1957 flu, to around 740,000 if it’s more like the 1918 Spanish flu.  Based on early data from China, a little more than 2 percent of coronavirus patients require ventilators.

2% may not sound like a lot, but if it's super contagious . . . yeah.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Harmonie on March 14, 2020, 02:05:28 PM
Yesterday I went to Target and things were in stock. Today I went and things were out of stock. What a difference a day makes, I guess.

I also went to Walmart first and there was no toilet paper at all. :blink: I expected it to be sparse, but to be completely empty like in the pictures being shared online? I didn't think it would be that bad.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 14, 2020, 02:43:57 PM
My dad ventured out to Wal Mart despite all of us telling him to stay home (he didn't tell us he was going). He was able to get water and eggs. Our Wal-Mart is in the process of redesigning and they've moved a bunch of stuff. My dad couldn't find where they moved the TP (we actually need it, it's not a panic thing) so we don't know if they have any or not.

I was able to pick up my meds yesterday. They ripped up the pharmacy and moved some of the aisles but from what I could see, all the cold and flu medicine was gone and the pain relief section was picked over. One lady had her cart full of Lysol and other sprays.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Mewtwofan1 on March 14, 2020, 03:06:11 PM
UPDATE: Alberta now has its first community acquired case of Coronavirus. Stores are running low, and things aren’t looking good. There is a very real chance schools will close until September. Anybody wanting to graduate will have to put it on hold.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Broken Irishwoman on March 14, 2020, 03:15:20 PM
Netherlands here too, Limburg. There are a few cases in my city, but I honestly cannot say that I'm scared. I obviously take all the necessary precautions, mostly to protect other people. But we went from zero to complete madness in one day...

Barnacle Lady already covered most of the things that are going on here, so I'll just include my own personal experiences. This morning they blocked the front doors of all the buses, we have to get in through the back door now. It creates a very eerie and unpleasant atmosphere.

Supermarkets? AWFUL. People are hoarding "ALL TEH THINGS!!!1!". It's awfully selfish, it makes me sick. I was doing some grocery shopping for my mother today, like I often do. This means I buy her things for an entire week, plus our own groceries, like I often do. This also means I had a full cart, including paper wares. There was no toilet paper left, so I got her two packs of paper kitchen towels instead, plus one(!) for us. Then this lady walks by and muttered sarcastically under her breath: "sooo, that's a nice load of toilet paper". I'm a peaceful person, but HNGJJFGHJFHGFJGHFJJDKF!!!11! How is making remarks like that making the world a better place? You don't even know why I'm buying what I'm buying! Yeah, these hoarders piss me off too, but there's no need to be ugly about it to anyone.

So, fast forward to the evening, luckily our snackbar isn't losing any customers over this at the moment. The owners were wearing face masks and they took several other precautions, but if anything it was even busier than normal.

Oh yeah, and I don't have to come in for work for the next two weeks, which is nice (sorry if that sounds rude, but the work I do is pretty much useless, and I was already very much in need of a vacation).

I'm sorry if I sound worked up, I am genuinely sorry for all those who are affected by this in any way. But it's just... PEOPLE. >_<
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 14, 2020, 03:23:10 PM
I think this sums up the UK shop situation.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11173697/coronavirus-panic-buyers-raid-tesco-shelves-leave-destruction/

Warning in advance that this is not the most reliable paper in the world, but the photos seem to be legit. Also, suggest not reading the comments unless you want to see the worst of British stupid on public view.

The Tesco that was raided used to be my Tesco when I lived in North London. It's a BIG STORE.

I know the one in Wood Green too. Not sure how queuing in a huddle is helping prevent the spread of disease...

Had to laugh at Hazmat man though.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Broken Irishwoman on March 14, 2020, 03:33:48 PM
Not sure how queuing in a huddle is helping prevent the spread of disease...

That reminds me... Apparently there are people here who are planning "99 parties". All events with more than hundred people are cancelled, so obviously you must organise parties with 99 people because it's cool to be a smart arse like that.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: cuddlebuggy on March 14, 2020, 04:25:41 PM
My oldest son has had his SAT's cancelled/ rescheduled to whenever, his HS graduation is currently cancelled and his graduation trip he's saved up years for to New Zealand looks like it's not going to happen this summer.
We had planned to move but now we're likely to stay here for a while and home values are likely to tank meaning the equity we hoped to get from the sale of this house wont' be nearly enough to buy a decent place when we do move.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Loa on March 14, 2020, 07:22:04 PM
And... in the past 2 hours we have our 7th case, who has been all over the South Island.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 14, 2020, 08:47:28 PM
There's been another death in the town north of me. Nursing homes are closed to visitors unless it is special circumstances.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: bright rabbit 1 on March 15, 2020, 12:12:26 AM
And... in the past 2 hours we have our 7th case, who has been all over the South Island.

I hope no one in the North Island (that’s where my dad and brother are) gets it.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Loa on March 15, 2020, 01:14:57 AM
And... in the past 2 hours we have our 7th case, who has been all over the South Island.

I hope no one in the North Island (that’s where my dad and brother are) gets it.
That's where most of the cases are here.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Thimble on March 15, 2020, 01:31:06 AM
Hmmm, sounds like it's pretty filtered, newswise. Japanese news says single digits on new cases in China as of yesterday. Most of the newly detected do seem to be returnees, and Japan at least still has bans on travel from China.
And of course tbe conspiracy nuts have to weigh in...sigh. Japanese nuts blame Chinese bioweapons. Among many other ridiculous rumors. It's like, when you're reading an  article you get a percentage of fact versus hearsay, and they leave it to you sift the information overload to figure out which is which.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 15, 2020, 02:01:53 AM
Not sure how queuing in a huddle is helping prevent the spread of disease...

That reminds me... Apparently there are people here who are planning "99 parties". All events with more than hundred people are cancelled, so obviously you must organise parties with 99 people because it's cool to be a smart arse like that.

Well done Netherlands.

It's really easy to see across all our European countries why this is spreading so fast.

Though the spike in US figures is also a bit alarming, I'm imagining it's more because more testing is happening than anything else.

I can't blame China for wanting to keep people out.

On the positive front apparently Chinese medics are in Italy helping advise them about the situation.

On the negative there are rumours here (after I said we'd have no shutdown) of draconian measures being imposed here going forward.

We still have no confirmed cases in my immediate area as of this morning. But they are now only testing patients requiring medical care.

Some estimates of the number of infected flying under the radar are tens of thousands more than the official stats. But that is generally a good thing because it would put the death ratio down to something closer to what we see with Flu.

I admit that I have more problems handling the uncertainty of potential disruption and some of the potential measures being discussed here than I do taking my chances with the virus.

Put it this way - I'd be more worried about my parents' mental and physical health on a long term lockdown than I am them going to the store to buy stuff right now when the risk in this area is so minimal. First time I've genuinely felt stressed by the crisis - because of the implications of these rumoured plans, not by the disease itself.

Again going back to the positive, though - prioritising manufacture of ventilators and commandeering private health care beds are good ideas. So is stockpiling the antivirals which they've had some success (not a cure) with in some of the Asian countries. So I guess we'll see which things are true or not on monday.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Barnacle_lady on March 15, 2020, 02:37:50 AM
Today hopefully the decision comes to close all schools. Our neighbour countries already have so why not over here?
Spain is in lockdown but a few of my colleagues were there last week. So I am very curious if they will show up to work tomorrow.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 15, 2020, 03:08:56 AM
Supermarkets? AWFUL. People are hoarding "ALL TEH THINGS!!!1!". It's awfully selfish, it makes me sick. I was doing some grocery shopping for my mother today, like I often do. This means I buy her things for an entire week, plus our own groceries, like I often do. This also means I had a full cart, including paper wares. There was no toilet paper left, so I got her two packs of paper kitchen towels instead, plus one(!) for us. Then this lady walks by and muttered sarcastically under her breath: "sooo, that's a nice load of toilet paper". I'm a peaceful person, but HNGJJFGHJFHGFJGHFJJDKF!!!11!

What a rude piece of work. I am a person to make sarcastic remarks but honestly, I would never joke in these situations because we can never know whether someone is treating an ill person at home. My parents care for my grandparents who are majorly at risk and if anyone got snappy I'd verbally trample them.

We have the same situation about the busses here and it looks like a crime scene sometimes with the driver area taped off. If they want to scare kids they certainly succeeded.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 15, 2020, 04:21:43 AM
Supermarkets? AWFUL. People are hoarding "ALL TEH THINGS!!!1!". It's awfully selfish, it makes me sick. I was doing some grocery shopping for my mother today, like I often do. This means I buy her things for an entire week, plus our own groceries, like I often do. This also means I had a full cart, including paper wares. There was no toilet paper left, so I got her two packs of paper kitchen towels instead, plus one(!) for us. Then this lady walks by and muttered sarcastically under her breath: "sooo, that's a nice load of toilet paper". I'm a peaceful person, but HNGJJFGHJFHGFJGHFJJDKF!!!11!

What a rude piece of work. I am a person to make sarcastic remarks but honestly, I would never joke in these situations because we can never know whether someone is treating an ill person at home. My parents care for my grandparents who are majorly at risk and if anyone got snappy I'd verbally trample them.

I think this is a time to be kind to each other.

There are people who are very stressed and worried. There are people judging other people for what they are buying. That's not how we should be. Hopefully we can be kind and patient with each other during this.

Also, paper towels will clog up toilets immediately. Since you can't toss them into the toilet, consider something nicer for your bum. Google how to make zero waste toilet paper.

USA: The house passed something for PAID FMLA during this time, Congress is next, President said he'd approve it. There's some holes in it that it's not covering everyone unfortunately. But I hope it can at least help some people...

OHIO: If anyone in ohio didn't watch the governor's conferences, I urge them to. Actually, Dr Acton's information is just good for everyone. It's been the only information out there that just is flat out facts, yet calmly stated and NOT media hyped.
Also, I know schools are off for 3 weeks, but try to start making plans for something longer than that. They are considering extending it based on how things get.

NEO: If you didn't know, UH and CCF have teamed up for drive through testings. I believe the capacity is 500/day. You do a virtual visit through express care, and go from there. Testing at Cleveland Clinic will be free (https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/continuing-coverage/coronavirus/coronavirus-testing-at-cleveland-clinic-is-free).
Summacare is also offering free testing, but I don't think they have drive through.
Note: Since we have limited tests, I think it will be limited based on symptoms. But please know it's there.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tikibirds on March 15, 2020, 09:13:46 AM
Quote
Japanese news says single digits on new cases in China as of yesterday. Most of the newly detected do seem to be returnees,

That is correct, assuming the Chinese gov't isn't lying. The new infections are from people returning from Italy, The USA and Iran. This is why Beijing will quarantine ALL foreigners in a government facility for 14 days. The other mega cities also have similar rules in effect. Chinese citizens are also quarantined, but they might be able to quarantine at home if they are not showing symptoms.

One girl flew back from NY and sometime between when she left Moscow and arrived in Beijing, travellers from the USA were added to the quarantine list. She was sent to a quarantine hotel in Beijing.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Barnacle_lady on March 15, 2020, 10:38:00 AM
Here is the latest news:

- Schools and day care are going to be closed until April 6, for those who have parents in "vital positions" like police, care etc. a solution is being looked for.
- Gyms, sauna's and health clubs also have to close their doors until April 6.
- Eating opportunities had to close up since 6pm tonight. Think of restaurants/cafe but also coffeeshops (pot). It doesn't apply for deliveries. And this rule also is until April 6.
The announcement was made at 5.30pm so people really had to rush. And a lot of food wasted. Ow and again the message not buy extremely. There is enough for every one.
Also the businesses in the red light district deciced to close down.

Tomorrow our Prime Minister will speech to the people which hasn't happened since the 70s over here.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: The_Loner on March 15, 2020, 02:47:49 PM
I went to two grocery stores today- both meat cases were empty, no chicken breasts or ground beef.  No potatoes.  So the normal people are going to go hungry because of the hoarders?
Wait... Maybe I'm not normal.  I am a 42 year old who collects toys and has more animal friends than real friends.
That sounds perfectly normal to me :biggrin:

I'm in Denmark. We have 864 confirmed cases and 3 deaths at this point, but there are many more that are infected. Since the last few days only people with more severe symptoms get checked for the virus. The public message is that if you experience mild symptoms "STAY AT HOME!"
Most of the country is locked down - schools and daycares are closed and so are lots of other things but not stores and there's plenty of food and supplies as long as people don't hoard. The government made a law preventing people from hoarding medication and they are ready to make one to prevent people from hoarding food etc. if it proves nescessary. There's a law against gatherings of more than 100 people and there are restrictions for public transportation. Yesterday they closed the borders for everyone but those with citizenship or a valid reason to enter (eg. work or very ill family member). We are constantly being told to keep distance to other people also when outdoors.

This is all a weird and unfamiliar situation but being the loner I am my everyday isn't that much different and I embrace the message of keeping a distance.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: dragonfly on March 15, 2020, 05:29:34 PM
The MN governor has now declared a state of emergency and ordered public schools closed until the 25th. A lot of people are upset that bars and restaurants are still open...the governor recommends avoiding gatherings of over 250 but it isn't and Official Rule so many people are ignoring it. The store parking lots are full with lines waiting for spaces.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 15, 2020, 05:39:26 PM
Hoping to get some clarity tomorrow on wtf the govt are actually going to do here. Want to believe it is in the national interest but the media keep making war analogies and this is the country that occasionally blew up its own ships to fool Hitler during the war, so who really knows. UK to start building its own ventilators as 10 years+ of Tory cuts have ripped holes in the NHS (admittedly not this tory govt). EU needs to stop making provocative statements about witholding supplies from non-bloc countries. It may be obvious but it doesn't help in the political climate and a lot of people in this country are not currently anti-EU (myself included)...after this is all over we will still need to talk to and trade with each other to help everyone's economy to recover, and it's not a time to draw political lines in the sand anyway.

Rumours of four month self-exile for over 70s is causing my parents and I much concern, as it impacts both of them if it comes to pass. And I am unsure what that will mean for me and my movement as well because right now I live with them. On the other hand, as a person not in my 70s with no health risk myself, I hope I'll be able to be of some use if it happens.

Case jump here today lower than yesterday. Same number of people roughly being tested per day but now only people in hospital, so the jump is expected. 35 deaths total, one named. Cases 1300ish from just over 40,000 tests. Govt still think probably around 10,000 in the country have it but most too mild to be noticed.

My area still has no recorded cases on the board. My sister's on the other hand has the most for an area atm so she is basically quarantined there for now.

Govt may or may not ban events here but if so probably not till next weekend; most communities seem to be taking the initiative and cancelling many anyway. No intent to close schools - possibly the opposite in terms of forcing them to stay open. One school over the county border closed for deep cleaning as a kid may or may not have the virus (but they aren't being tested so nobody knows).
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 15, 2020, 05:49:01 PM
Well I went to one of the Walmarts in my area that I usually go to for the first time in maybe 2 weeks, and decided to check out the household section. As expected TP and PT's are almost gone, and the cleaner and soap aisles are almost empty. They actually had the TP aisle taped off and an associate standing there, and if you wanted some he would hand a package to you. Not a bad move. I already have enough to last me for a bit so I'm not worried about that.
 Though now this guy is saying prepare for a possible 14 day shutdown: https://www.yahoo.com/news/america-prepare-hunker-down-even-143127875.html

There was a case in another county next to mine, and a school in a nearby town has closed for a week, even though there's still nothing in this county. Nonetheless it seems like it's closing in. Our governor recommended all schools shut down for a week.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 15, 2020, 05:50:45 PM
Well I went to one of the Walmarts in my area that I usually go to for the first time in maybe 2 weeks, and decided to check out the household section. As expected TP and PT's are almost gone, and the cleaner and soap aisles are almost empty. They actually had the TP aisle taped off and an associate standing there, and if you wanted some he would hand a package to you. Not a bad move. I already have enough to last me for a bit so I'm not worried about that.
 Though now this guy is saying prepare for a possible 14 day shutdown: https://www.yahoo.com/news/america-prepare-hunker-down-even-143127875.html

There was a case in another county next to mine, and a school in a nearby town has closed for a week, even though there's still nothing in this county. Nonetheless it seems like it's closing in.

Fourteen days sounds wonderful when you've been threatened with four months.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 15, 2020, 06:13:36 PM
The 24 hour stores where I live have changed their hours to close from 11 pm-6 am to give the stores a chance to clean and restock shelves.

Bread and crackers are being bought in large quantities now.



Ponyfan

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 15, 2020, 06:36:37 PM
Though now this guy is saying prepare for a possible 14 day shutdown: https://www.yahoo.com/news/america-prepare-hunker-down-even-143127875.html

"this guy" is Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious diseases expert. He's very important. And the fed government was kind of silencing him earlier on to not evoke panic.

Also. He didn't say prepare.
Quote
Asked whether he thought U.S. authorities should impose a 14-day lockdown to try to stop the spread of the virus, Fauci said: "You know, I would prefer (that) as much as we possibly could. I think we should really be overly aggressive and get criticized for over reacting."

It's not off the table either. But I have yet to see anything done that was useful from the federal government. (Or very little). Oh, also. That question is misleading. It wouldn't stop the spread. It would slow the spread.

So far, Ohio is one of the most aggressive(?) states. Only 23 confirmed cases atm.

As of today, bars and restaurants are closed for dine-in.

Schools still have 3 weeks closure, but it's pretty obvious it will be for an additional 6 weeks or end of school year.

And soon daycares will be closed. They are giving people time for alternate solutions.

@Taffeta
Can I ask an ignorant question?
I read that the UK government want the young and healthy people all to get it (and recover) while hiding at risk people from it (the 4 month thing). Is there truth to that? This is where I don't like reading online articles on the internet because I feel like it can get skewed. It just seems so different then how we are handling it here...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Mewtwofan1 on March 15, 2020, 07:57:13 PM
Schools and several places are closing. School for possibly the rest of the year. Its...interesting.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: JazzMatazz on March 15, 2020, 11:14:10 PM
Wisconsin here and schools are closing after tomorrow and gatherings no bigger than 250 for most of the state and effected counties just announced groups no larger than 50 that might be for the whole state as well I'm too tired to re-read at the moment. Up too late reading news.

Illinois just closed all restaurant dining rooms and bars after the scenes from Ohare. I expect our governor to follow suit tomorrow.

No one here yet seems to be taking it seriously other than hoard buying. My other half included keeps wanting us to go out and I'm like we need to stay in. I got dad's weak lungs, mom's 67 and has health issues and he is walking around with a lingering cough from January cause he's a casual smoker. I forgot to get eggs today so I'm down to 3 and reading the CDC list my cleaner of choice 409 isn't on the list of things that kill the virus. So I only have a can and a half of lysol disinfectant and one bottle of bleach. I may have to use hand soap to clean my house if someone were to get sick. (we have a big ranch house that I've currently been deep cleaning to prepare for one of us to be sick). On the plus side I was set on food and TP before stuff hit the fan.

I've got myself all paranoid cause I cleaned my shower with tilex and even with ventilation my lungs are all tight now from being exposed to the cleaner ... so I'm like this is it right? XD when I know this happens anytime I have to break out that to clean. I really should have a mask on to use it but seeing as masks are sold out right now..... I'm kind of SOL on that.

I'm worried about the idiots in town some of our peers have been posting stuff about martial law and needing to revolt if the bar shut down happens cause god forbid the drinking state close the bars and we drink at home!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: brightberry on March 15, 2020, 11:14:35 PM
My impression of all the shut-downs and isolation is to try and  stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed at once and having to turn people away.  A large number of cases have required medical intervention even if they don’t lead to death.  They are just trying to slow things down to a steady trickle of manageable cases.

But they’re talking about shutting down schools for the rest of the year.  Have already cancelled all of our major events.  Telling people to stay indoors for months?  It’s so intense.  There haven’t been many cases in my area but this is going to have some serious economic and life impacts.  And the craziest part is, if actually goes to plan, people will say the disease was never that bad after all.  I know it’s all been said before here and I’ve been reading everyone’s experiences, but it’s still hard to get my head around it.  It’s kind of unreal guys. :(
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: AnnaPommes on March 16, 2020, 01:57:18 AM
1. Where do you live?
a medium-small town in germany
2. What is the current climate like where you're at?
social places closed, the cities urge everyone to stay home, germany closed its borders to denmark, france and austria. the supermarkets try to restock as fast as they can.
3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?
Most news are from the cities themselfes, i believe they are actually accurate.

Quote
My impression of all the shut-downs and isolation is to try and  stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed at once and having to turn people away.  A large number of cases have required medical intervention even if they don’t lead to death.  They are just trying to slow things down to a steady trickle of manageable cases.
- from brightberry

yes, exactly that!
i know even if i got it, i will survive, but my husband and my parents can not get sick. i am very concerned i might accidentially infect someone, that is my biggest fear.
i think if we work together an everybody tries thier best avoiding places of many humans we can go thought this okay!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 16, 2020, 02:08:16 AM
Was at the zoo yesterday and it was jam-packed with people and their kids. Way more than usual thanks to many other venues being closed.
Restaurants are open.
Mass-buying is getting a tad more obvious now at certain supermarkets. I tried to get normal salt but it was all gone at one chain so I went to another and got it.
Also popular: flour, toast, broccoli, spinach. Looks like people finally recognized the importance of green veggies but sucks for me as a non-meateater. If I was to stock up on stuff it would be frozen greens.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 16, 2020, 02:58:33 AM
My impression of all the shut-downs and isolation is to try and stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed at once and having to turn people away.  A large number of cases have required medical intervention even if they don’t lead to death.  They are just trying to slow things down to a steady trickle of manageable cases.

Correct.
And it's not just about the people who have the coronavirus. It's about people who might go in for any emergency or health condition. I know each hospital will have a hierarchy of who they prioritize...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 16, 2020, 04:26:35 AM
This state's health department has recommended all schools in Kansas close for 1 week. A few have, but it's not mandatory… Yet. Topeka ones have deployed "response teams". And the Shawnee co. district court has suspended the majority of it's dockets.
And we've still only had 6 confirmed cases (with 1 death) out of 99 tested in this state (all from people who were traveling).
The noose really feels like it's tightening here though. To the point I may not be going to any of the larger nearby cities for quite a while.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: PinkieLopBun on March 16, 2020, 04:57:03 AM
Some new restrictions are being put in place in Massachusetts starting tomorrow. Among other things, all schools will be closed until April 7, gatherings of 25 people or more will be banned (grocery stores and pharmacies excluded), and restaurants and bars can only do delivery and takeout.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 16, 2020, 05:00:02 AM
The noose really feels like it's tightening here though. To the point I may not be going to any of the larger nearby cities for quite a while.

It depends what you are doing? As of now there's nothing against travel (domestically) anywhere.

But the CDC is recommending that not going to social gatherings of more than 50 people (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html).

And obviously practicing social distancing (staying 3-6 ft away from people when possible) when you do go out. Don't wait for your state to just mandate something.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tikibirds on March 16, 2020, 05:56:06 AM
Went to KFC last night. If you want to dine in, the guard at the door will show you to a seat but first u must have your temp taken and tell them your phone number. The counter area is blocked off. The guard will deliver the food to your table. Only X amount of people at a time, not to sit near others. If you are taking it to go, you stand outside, scan a QR code to order. You stand outside and the guard will give U the order when its ready. Guard as in employee standing at the door, not an actual security guard.

NO MASK, NO SERVICE.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 16, 2020, 06:26:35 AM
Eating in at restaurants is now banned here too, delivery and drive through is ok. I did hear that state liquor stores are going to be closing so our alcohol section at my store will do very well.
The panicked buying is subsiding come evening, but we have a large rush of people come in the morning. We think people assume there isn't anything left in the store in the afternoon and evenings and skip out to come tomorrow after we restock.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on March 16, 2020, 07:11:36 AM
My brother told me he went to Walmart Saturday and they were opening a new case of toilet paper.  He said people were standing around like on Black Friday but they were being courteous and waiting in line to get their package of toilet paper instead of trampling the poor employees trying their best to get it out for them.  So that's good.  People need things but they're not going psycho to get it.  And some of the grocery stores are advertising that they have flour and distilled water among other things back in stock.  I think people have realized that panicking is not helpful and patience will get them the things they need.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Koudoawaia on March 16, 2020, 08:50:47 AM
We just had our first death in KY. The poor man was 66 and had had pre-existing conditions that exacerbated the illness for him =/  21 total cases in our state and the first case has since recovered. I'm also glad to see on the above post that people were actually being civil and waiting their turn to get toilet paper instead of just ripping it out of the employee's hands or something. That's really great. I work at a Walmart and a coworker posted photos of the totally empty water, egg and bread sections of our store. This will be my first day back since the new closing time was implemented yesterday. I am not looking forward to having to wear a mask my whole shift. Last time I did, my nose and ears were in agony and it gave me a headache.  Our governor has also made it so that restaurants are carry out, delivery and drive thru only.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 16, 2020, 09:09:08 AM
I went to 2 stores today. People in my area aren't fighting over what's left on the shelves. That being said stuff like toilet paper, paper towels, bread, crackers and canned goods are either almost out or gone.





Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: bright rabbit 1 on March 16, 2020, 10:14:57 AM
U.K people told to avoid pubs, clubs and restaurants. And the PM said everyone should avoid social contact and non-essential travel.

Well all what I’m doing is only taking the dog for a walk with my mum, and getting the newspaper.

I’m not going to the library this Thursday. I wonder if they will close the library because of this.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 16, 2020, 10:59:07 AM
Went shopping today to help Mum out. Supermarket busier than at Christmas, but store limiting on certain items. No sanitiser, soap except bars, wipes (but we have all of those anyway). TP was present but limited to 2 packs per customer. No fighting. Nice civilised trolley queuing at the tills. Many older people, because of the rumours of over 70s lockdown. Everyone in good spirits, lots of joking and joviality. Still not totally happy having Mum in an area full of people, but nobody was coughing except a rude guy outside who didn't cover his mouth and who we kept welll away from.

UK cases were down again today from yesterday, as were deaths reported though the maths on the latter is a bit of a question mark - the county next door to us has reported a death but it isn't clear if they fit into today's stats or are one of the cases from yesterday being regionally identified.

Despite the drop govt think it's a false lull and are advising much more social distancing, home working, keeping away from other people. They also clarified older people can go for walks in their area but should avoid all unnecessary mixing with other people. Where we are is quite low on people roaming about so we've already agreed to go walking if we can. We have food. Dad's art class has been cancelled for 2 weeks.

No appetite from govt to use army/police to force people into lockdown, more onus being put on us as people to be sensible. Could work. May not work. Schools staying open to ensure those doing essential jobs can continue (and this includes shop staff who today got a lot of compliments and encouragement from shoppers for the crazy they're dealing with).

London apparently have a faster infection curve and are ahead of the rest of the UK in terms of transmission. Unsurprising given it's the most densely populated part of the UK. The implications across the country are unclear yet. Govt promising more testing will happen, and daily briefings to keep people up to date.

Things seem a lot less uncertain than yesterday, even though we're still watching what's happening on the continent not knowing if we're going to be like Italy in 3 weeks time.

On a random note - American people, any idea why folk were queuing at a GUN store in LA? Do they expect riots or are some people thinking they can shoot the virus or something? Lots of people talking about that at the store today, and speculating as to why.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: brightberry on March 16, 2020, 11:46:32 AM

On a random note - American people, any idea why folk were queuing at a GUN store in LA? Do they expect riots or are some people thinking they can shoot the virus or something? Lots of people talking about that at the store today, and speculating as to why.

I'm sure they're thinking shortages could get so bad,  desperate people will try to steal their toilet paper (ok and other supplies).  Or the gov't may declare martial law and force people to defend themselves.  Some people thrive on doomsday scenarios.   I live in Texas and hear enough about it.  Ugh.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 16, 2020, 12:31:43 PM
On a random note - American people, any idea why folk were queuing at a GUN store in LA? Do they expect riots or are some people thinking they can shoot the virus or something? Lots of people talking about that at the store today, and speculating as to why.

Because people feel like they need to protect their home. You can read about american prepping. A lot of preppers have guns. I'm not defending them, but as long as they aren't hurting people I personally don't care.

Pennsylvania just closed down non-essential stores... :/  :( Is there any information on what's essential vs not?
Nevermind, found it.
Spoiler
"Non-essential businesses include community and recreation centers; gyms, including yoga, barre and spin facilities; hair salons, nail salons and spas; casinos; concert venues; theaters; bars; sporting event venues and golf courses; retail facilities, including shopping malls and except for pharmacy or other health care facilities within retail operations. Restaurants are urged only to remain open for carry-out and delivery orders. "




The president says they are not looking at nation wide quarantines right now. It would more likely be in hot spots.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: cyberunicorn on March 16, 2020, 01:35:06 PM
Uk is not on lock down at the moment though i think they are recommending to only go out if you need to. But large businesses are putting their business contingency plans in to operation just in case.

Though it gets me two extra hours in bed on a morning so some good has come of this virus 🤗
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 16, 2020, 02:05:20 PM
I wonder how they'll enforce the closures if at all. Called Gamestop and corporate either didn't send a memo or they're really staying open.
Work today wasn't super bad but it was sure LOUD. I think more customers are using Instacart to pick up groceries (I did get a $10 tip from helping out  for one order, nice). Deli wasn't slicing meat but I'm not sure if that's a health issue or due to not having meat to slice. We no longer offer food on a per-pound buffet, but I think you can still get food from behind a counter. We are still serving pizza and subs. Sushi is still a go too...
I didn't get a chance to walk around the store much today but Target was EMPTY. Like a ghost town. Very strange, but I suppose anyone who's out is either getting stuff from other stores that will be closing soon or at only grocery stores. 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 16, 2020, 02:10:26 PM
Zoos, stores, the cinema, etc. are all closed now, too. Restaurants still open but have to close at 6 pm.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ragamuffin on March 16, 2020, 02:22:25 PM
We went to seven different grocery stores yesterday. Nobody had bread! Unlike pantry items or frozen foods, bread is a little... you know... harder to hoard... :lookround:

Stores had meat, canned vegetables, frozen vegetables, TV dinners, etc... but easily perishable bread is the necessity, huh? Especially with how humid it's been, bread gets moldy as soon as you open the bag!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Kazzellin on March 16, 2020, 02:30:45 PM
1) Minneapolis, MN, USA
2) Confirmed cases at the largest (?) university campus, which I live maybe two miles from; it's completely shut down, and sent students home. Right now, we have 54 positive cases out of 1,893 tested, throughout the state.
3) I'm mainly paying attention to what comes across my facebook feed, and those get the grain-of-salt treatment if they're not from a news source I feel I can trust (KARE 11, MSNBC, local paper, NYTimes, etc.)

My college first canceled classes until the 23rd; just went to the school's website to find classes are now canceled through the 30th. No homework due until classes resume, not even for online classes, though I do have some things I should catch up on, and a paper to research/write.

The down side is, I work retail. The up side is, if I get sick and can prove it's COVID-19 with a positive test, my employer will still pay me for the two weeks I'm under quarantine.
Further down side is, my mother also works retail, and she's turning 70 this year. Granted her doctor has told her she's quite healthy, but her boyfriend isn't--he's a diabetic that smokes and hasn't been able to kick the habit despite trying.

So, I'm taking the unexpected free time to work on cleaning the house. Between work and school, and caring for a dying kitty (we lost Professor Lupin to what we suspect may have been pancreatic cancer just under two weeks ago; I say suspect because while they found a tumor and cancer cells, they weren't able to determine where the tumor originated (pancreas/liver/bile ducts between both organs)), I've rather fallen behind on housework. And the weather is warming up (slowly), which means ants in the house. Ants drive me nuts, I don't want them in my house, they belong outside, thankyouverymuch.

Otherwise, there's always projects to work on. Ponies to clean, sort and price for the Fair this June (assuming this is all over by then), projects to finally start moving on for the same reason, custom ponies to finish, jewelry projects to both start and finish, cabochons to make (though I lack the correct respirator for resin at the moment, since we're sold out at my work (and everywhere else)), another convention besides the fair to get ready for (based on the assumption that I'll be able to get into the Den again this year; they're not making that decision until the end of April), the kitchen to finish demolishing the two walls of and replace with sheetrock (the plaster is almost 100 years old at this point, so they're kind of taking themselves down anyway; the sheetrock is in the garage), the veggie garden to plan and get seedlings going for. (etc., etc., etc.)

And I've plenty of food at the moment. I've been forgetting to eat dinner in the evenings, because my ADD makes me hyper-focus on what I'm doing, and the next thing I know I've got to go to bed, and I've not eaten yet. So now I've got rice and soups and such. My main concern is bottled water, as we had to have plumbing work done (city mandated upgrade to the water meter), and that resulted in increased water pressure, which is knocking junk out of the old, galvanized pipes we have. Which is gross, and I don't want to give that kind of water to my cats, so... Bottled. Gallon sized bottles, mind, but still.

And who the hay started the toilet paper craze?? O______o
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 16, 2020, 02:59:49 PM
Well my state has made the CDC recommendations about gatherings, etc. mandatory, including churches, etc., and will even enforce it via police force if it becomes necessary (yeah that's gonna' go over well with people). More schools are closing, but it sounds like it's not mandatory yet. Not sure how it will affect factories that have 50+ workers per shift (luckily the place I work doesn't have that many). And there's been 3 new cases, but they were all connected to one that appeared in Johnson co. earlier.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Gator on March 16, 2020, 03:48:31 PM
If we're supposed to be social distancing, animal people sure don't care.  I'm a vet tech and we were slammed today.  Everybody decided today they needed flea pills, vaccines, etc.  Lady going to go board this afternoon and needed shots NOW!!!  Way to wait to the last minute.  Sure those vaccines will be effective.  Another guy wants to take his dog to the groomer tomorrow, needs a rabies shot NOW!!! Today was exhausting.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on March 16, 2020, 04:03:17 PM
And who the hay started the toilet paper craze?? O______o

Some idjit started a rumor that all toilet paper was made in China and it wasn't going to be shipped to the states until the quarantines were all lifted in a few months.  Pure hogwash but people believe anything and everything posted on Facebook.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 16, 2020, 04:08:34 PM
And who the hay started the toilet paper craze?? O______o

Some idjit started a rumor that all toilet paper was made in China and it wasn't going to be shipped to the states until the quarantines were all lifted in a few months.  Pure hogwash but people believe anything and everything posted on Facebook.

I haven't heard that.

I think it's because people are showing pictures of no toilet paper, and people talk about it and it's making people want toilet paper "oh no, I need it too". Some sort of psychological thing.

u_u; Just heard about parts of California, but I'll let someone else fill in details since I don't know what source to trust.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 16, 2020, 04:24:55 PM
Kansas City just took it further: https://www.kmbc.com/article/kansas-city-missouri-mayor-quiniton-lucas-closes-schools-bans-gatherings-events-with-10-people-or-more-because-of-covid-19/31679937?fbclid=IwAR0kBR1JIIQ7Uoh1arlzbfBffEN5lgwG5YyS0tRUaF12_aNJVjY1DoL5prI

All schools closed, no gatherings of more than 10 people.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 16, 2020, 04:27:24 PM
Kansas City just took it further: https://www.kmbc.com/article/kansas-city-missouri-mayor-quiniton-lucas-closes-schools-bans-gatherings-events-with-10-people-or-more-because-of-covid-19/31679937?fbclid=IwAR0kBR1JIIQ7Uoh1arlzbfBffEN5lgwG5YyS0tRUaF12_aNJVjY1DoL5prI

All schools closed, no gatherings of more than 10 people.

heh. That's what I thought you meant the first time, because that's what the president talked about today.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 16, 2020, 05:00:34 PM
We went to seven different grocery stores yesterday. Nobody had bread! Unlike pantry items or frozen foods, bread is a little... you know... harder to hoard... :lookround:

Stores had meat, canned vegetables, frozen vegetables, TV dinners, etc... but easily perishable bread is the necessity, huh? Especially with how humid it's been, bread gets moldy as soon as you open the bag!

Well you can freeze it. If you want it to go soggy and gross.
Tons of bread here. Bread, yes. Weirdly not so much ginger biscuits and Japanese crackers though. Something in that feels like a disgustingly first world judgement. "Oh no, we don't need bread, but I MUST have my senbei and ginger, dahling".

The toilet paper thing here began after seeing video of people in Aus fighting over it in a supermarket...

Re the gun thing - I guess it's just totally alien thinking here. :/

I think UK Govt is more putting onus on the people to act rather than resort to enforcement. The question remains if they will or not, but the attitude at the store today seemed like people preparing for long haul isolation.

I don't have a problem with it tbh. Not now I know the parameters. And I don't want to see the army or the police having to act so hopefully it won't come to it.

I found it ironic that Trump made that statement at a gathering of more than 10 people, where he was not practicing social distancing...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: flutterscotch on March 16, 2020, 05:24:48 PM

I found it ironic that Trump made that statement at a gathering of more than 10 people, where he was not practicing social distancing...


I mean...look at who you're talking about?  If this was a movie we'd all be talking about how unrealistically he was written.
 
Re: bread I am personally just going to make my own focaccia.  A lot.  And when I run out of yeast, matzo it is. Pile enough hummus on it and call it a day. It's not like our local grocery store, even in times of panic, didn't have bread at all times that was mysteriously expected to expire before you could reasonably eat it all.  Food deserts are fun.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 16, 2020, 05:29:23 PM

I found it ironic that Trump made that statement at a gathering of more than 10 people, where he was not practicing social distancing...


I mean...look at who you're talking about?  If this was a movie we'd all be talking about how unrealistically he was written.

Surely ten out of ten for self belief though.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: flutterscotch on March 16, 2020, 05:51:50 PM
 

I found it ironic that Trump made that statement at a gathering of more than 10 people, where he was not practicing social distancing...


I mean...look at who you're talking about?  If this was a movie we'd all be talking about how unrealistically he was written.


Surely ten out of ten for self belief though.


:lol: :newpony: (that's his id).
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 16, 2020, 06:11:22 PM
Given all the crazy, I thought I'd share this to make people feel better about the future of the world.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-51907474

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 16, 2020, 06:17:50 PM
Dollar General just announced starting tomorrow, the first hour of each shopping day will be for seniors only so they can get their stuff outside of the busiest times (plus they will start closing an hour early).

 Hopefully other major chains will follow suit.

And it looks like Canada is closing it's borders to all but Canadian and US citizens.
https://news.yahoo.com/canada-bar-entry-most-foreigners-181313082.html
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 16, 2020, 06:37:35 PM
The Florida governor made a statement today. It basically boiled down to each city is responsible for itself :shrug:

Most parades have been cancelled but the beaches are open. Spring break is still bringing in plenty of tourists.

We have an up-to-date website for reporting the status of the state. As of a few hours ago, there are 146 confirmed cases, another 30 being investigated and 5 total deaths. I guess there was a plane full of Florida representatives or something in Georgia and 16 of them are now quarantined there and are not able to return.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Wardah on March 16, 2020, 06:44:16 PM
Dollar General just announced starting tomorrow, the first hour of each shopping day will be for seniors only so they can get their stuff outside of the busiest times (plus they will start closing an hour early).

 Hopefully other major chains will follow suit.

Stop and Shop is doing the same thing.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 16, 2020, 06:46:42 PM
Dollar General just announced starting tomorrow, the first hour of each shopping day will be for seniors only so they can get their stuff outside of the busiest times (plus they will start closing an hour early).
That's a nice idea, actually. I could also see them assign employees as runners to get seniors stuff they need if its just one or two things throughout the day also.
Apparently we got 63 cases now? I'm off work until Saturday so it's time to be blind to how shoppers are reacting again.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 16, 2020, 06:57:15 PM
Here’s the latest from where I am.

No cases in my area yet but someone who visited a small town about 40 minutes away from my town has been confirmed to have the virus.

Most restaurants are open but are either being more diligent about cleaning or going to drive thru/take out only. Some restaurants are not keeping condiments out on the table but are instead putting them in smaller one time use containers as needed.

Disney Stores and American Girl stores are closed for at least 2 weeks. Chick Fil a and McDonalds are closing their indoor seating areas and only keeping the drive through open.

It seems that public schools will not  close until a case is confirmed in my county.

A family member was supposed to go to a conference in April but it has been moved to August due to the advice to avoid large gatherings.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Haruna on March 16, 2020, 08:35:59 PM
I live in South Florida and am doing fine. It's a little crazy here. There have been several coronavirus cases in my city and several in the surrounding areas, and on Friday all schools were closed. That puts my boyfriend, a substitute teacher, out of work with no pay :/ He does have a second job, thankfully.

I'm a nanny and my boss called me this morning to say not to come to the house because she had respiratory symptoms; we're pretty sure she's not sick with COVID-19, but we're all being extra careful. As is happening everywhere, large gatherings have been cancelled, and people are panic-buying like a hurricane is coming.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: True on March 16, 2020, 09:27:52 PM
Well, I officially got layed off today, I work in food industry, so I can't say I'm surprised (honestly I was surprised at the number of customers we would still get even yesterday before it was ordered by or governor that bars/restaurants are to be closed and on "take out/delivery only"

My sons school is also closed for 3 weeks

I'm going from working almost 60-70 hrs a week to a big fat zero x.x I don't do well with idle time, but maybe ill be able to get some crafting in?
I decided to make some new cloth pads since.. why not? (i have an adhesive allergy so disposable period pads are ouchie down there for me, but also environmental reasons encoraged me to switch years ago) but Now I did that, I'm not sure what to do with myself.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 17, 2020, 01:16:20 AM
Dollar General just announced starting tomorrow, the first hour of each shopping day will be for seniors only so they can get their stuff outside of the busiest times (plus they will start closing an hour early).
That's a nice idea, actually. I could also see them assign employees as runners to get seniors stuff they need if its just one or two things throughout the day also.
Apparently we got 63 cases now? I'm off work until Saturday so it's time to be blind to how shoppers are reacting again.

Iceland store here is doing the same thing.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Artemesia's Garden on March 17, 2020, 01:45:34 AM
The government seem to have changed a lot of our advice based on yesterday's report from the COVID-19 response team at Imperial college London. I have to say it's now more in line with what I told my parents to do last Wednesday. Also they finally mentioned pregnant women and it turns out that yes i was correct to prep and self isolate. Hmm.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tikibirds on March 17, 2020, 05:14:41 AM
Meanwhile, over here - all foreigners will be sent to government quarantine centers and they must pay for it themselves (about $100/day). Where you go, depends on where you came from. Can't really lie either because they use the GPS on your phone to check where you have been the past 14 days.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: mlp4me on March 17, 2020, 05:57:00 AM
1. Where do you live?
Northeast Wisconsin, USA, close to Green Bay. 

2. What is the current climate like where you're at?
Panic has not set in yet. However, I hear that Colonvirus19 has hit because we are out of toilet paper everywhere!

I live in a heavy paper production area, I do not forsee an issue with the restocking of paper products. There's a county down south that packages sanitizing wipes, so the hope is we see stocks re-replenished more regularly.

Schools are mandated to close by 3/18/2020. We're limited to gatherings of 10 or less now. Over the weekend it was hit or miss from store to store, for paper products/sanitizing but most still had some food stocks remaining. In my county there's word of 1 case that's being tested. Counties to the south have more tests pending and confirmed cases. We all know that it is here, it would only be a matter of time.
I still have work for my full time job (hopefully I'll find out today if I have to work from home or if I'll man the fort), but my two part time in home respite care jobs for special needs adults are on hold for awhile, which makes me a sad panda.

Wal-Mart will not be open 24/7 anymore  :rolleyes:

3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?
Lacking global reports. Pretty much a daily statement that our healthcare system is unable to handle a pandemics worth of ill people.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Einhornbaby on March 17, 2020, 06:33:23 AM
1. Where do you live?
Germany, Lower Saxony

2. What is the current climate like where you're at?
Slowly the people are more and more oanicking it seems. Ive been grocery "hunting" a few hours ago and people were like crazy! No toilet paper, no milk, waaay less cat food than normal (bad thing is, my cat hates what was left... well shes got to learn to still eat it). I think it is starting to get heated here.

3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?
No local news yet, it seems like no one here has gotten sick yet.
All schools and Kindergartens are closed. Stores that dont carry daily supplies like food, meds, hygiene stuff and such are closed. Cinemas, Gyms, swimming halls and so on are closed.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: bluerose9978 on March 17, 2020, 06:57:44 AM
1. Central Ohio
2. Store shelves are empty. Restaurants/bars are carry-out or drive-thru only. Police can't respond with EMS or Fire calls. They are being asked not to respond to calls unless there is violence, an accident or a major event/major traffic problem.
3. So far no confirmed cases in my county as of yesterday. We have heard from the governor several times so I'd say they are accurate. Schools and church activities are closed until further notice. My husband is a police officer, so he has to go to work. I am a work at home mom with a 4-year-old. I also have an autoimmune disease. And I just caught a cold. I don't think I will be going anywhere for a while.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 17, 2020, 07:34:15 AM
Schools and church activities are closed until further notice.
Ohio schools technically closed for 3 weeks, with a consideration of 6 extra weeks. (This is obviously going to happen). I think within the 2 weeks excluding spring break they are going to finalize remote instruction, and then carry it out for the rest of the school year.

I know my music teacher friend has already made lessons. And my preschool teacher said there should be something from her (that conversation was held on Friday. She said there meetings about it, and more specifics today).

Religious gatherings (as of right now) are exempt from the 100 gathering ban placed March 12... So it's up to churches to cancel things on an individual basis. Although I see you saw activities.. I just figured I'd point it because I believe other areas religious places are not exempt.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: bluerose9978 on March 17, 2020, 08:04:03 AM
They at first said 3 weeks but are now talking possibly the remainder of the year. That's why I said until further notice.

I said church activities because although we didn't have services this week all church gatherings were put on hold until further notice. And that's where I live. In this city. Not necessarily in the entire state.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 17, 2020, 08:15:50 AM
They at first said 3 weeks but are now talking possibly the remainder of the year. That's why I said until further notice.
:/ That's sort of what I said... I just like stating things as they stand now.

That's why I pointed out the two weeks off is really for teachers to learn how to remote teach, and get their lessons all together and the remainder will be online. And that's why is fragmented from 3 weeks off, and then an additional 6 weeks. ETA: Confirmed my district is remote learning by the end of the month.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 17, 2020, 08:55:01 AM
The governor was on again, there's been another death overnight and more confirmed cases bringing the total to 192. Bars and night clubs will close tonight at 5. Some beaches have been closed. Restaurants are to operate at only 50% capacity and keep groups of people at least 6 feet apart. No groups of more than 10 are allowed anywhere. He's still saying that most decisions are up to each mayor though. I think as time goes on, that'll change. He needs to do things statewide.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Barnacle_lady on March 17, 2020, 09:28:01 AM
The speech of the prime minister yesterday was just like he is the king. Nothing news but being serious and supportive. He described that there are 3 possibilities with this situation
1. People can get "controlled sick" so they can get immune, combined with the current situation.
2. Do nothing at all and then there is a chance a lot of people will die.
3. Total lockdown, but he also mentioned that this could take months.

So option 1 is probably our best bet and we have to see what the coming weeks will bring.

Meanwhile the restaurants are allowed to do take off and deliveries. Even the pot smokers can get their stash through a window.
Today me and my collegues started to work at home so we can stay healthy. During my lunchbreak I went to the grocery store and it was luckily not packed like Friday. But you were able to see the cleaning and toiletpaper isle wasn't filled. 
Kings day is cancelled in the south of the country because the king & queen were supposed to visit that area and there wouldn't be enough time for preparations. Same is for the Easter play The Passion in that area.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 17, 2020, 10:00:00 AM
Option 1 is where we started off, option 3 is where we are teetering now, option 2 has never been on the table.

UK numbers of cases up today but also number of tests up so I don't know what can be read into that at the moment. Mathematically about 4% of people being tested are positive, they are currently only testing people in medical care and not regionally but are going to increase that going forward and probably return to regionally. So I'm expecting numbers to go up.

Chief Health people saying we'll know more in 2-3 weeks about whether the isolation models being rolled out right now are going to work but that if observed stringently they could make a big difference.

We'll see.

For all last 3 years BBC had a separate special brexit tag on the news bar which dominated our news for ages. Now it is replaced by one saying Coronavirus. :/
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 17, 2020, 10:17:37 AM
No cases confirmed in my area yet.

Some stores are hiring police/guards and stationing them in the toilet paper/paper towels section to make sure that people don't try to buy more than the limit.

People are starting to buy massive amounts of food including meat. I overhead someone asking an employee how long a loaf of bread would last


Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: plushroo on March 17, 2020, 10:31:38 AM
I'm in NC and governor has ordered all bars and dine in restaurants to take out only, effective today starting at 5. No one in my town confirmed sick yet. I don't mind staying home for how ever long this lasts since I'm not a social person anyway. I went out and stocked up on all essentials for me and my brother this past week so prepared best as I can even though I'm not currently working and have to depend on my brothers income to buy the things we need.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 17, 2020, 02:18:22 PM
Here's some stories:

Amazon suspending shipments of all products except medical and high demand items:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-amazon-suspends-delivery-shipments-stock-price-a9406951.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2q_VKiiTVh-D7_de52k3LW8XNWDVsjXep8MkBw-giPSXooU5J2485mHl0#Echobox=1584456332

State owned casinos closing in Kansas:
https://www.wibw.com/content/news/State-owned-casinos-to-close-due-to-COVID-19-568862061.html?fbclid=IwAR2nXsoFeKZm0iv86dpjS1iUuZi9d_A91G52hxe_UuM1skRfmYnDSe193AI

A guy with it checks out of the hospital, and now has police stationed around his house:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/17/us/kentucky-refused-quarantine-coronavirus-trnd/index.html

And this.... could've been bad:
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/03/coronavirus-patient-gave-false-name-address-now-no-one-can-find-her-mayor-says.html

I think we  are heading for a shutdown at this rate. As of today Kansas has had 16 confirmed cases, and 417 negative tests.

BREAKING
All Kansas schools to be closed for the rest of the year.: https://www.wibw.com/content/news/Governor-cancels-all-schools-for-rest-of-school-year-568874141.html
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 17, 2020, 03:24:03 PM
Cleveland TSA employee has tested positive.

I hope that gets through to people that they should cancel spring break plans...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 17, 2020, 03:53:34 PM
Some people are pushing for my university to make the whole semester a pass or fail rather than graded normally. I don't have much of an opinion because the transition isn't hard on me but I think it makes sense to at least make it an option.
Nearly hit 100 cases in my state. The governor is "strongly encouraging" shutdowns but it is nice to see a few companies have just shut down voluntarily.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on March 17, 2020, 04:17:06 PM
The library where I work has gone to picking up holds only, so people have to put things on hold and then come to pick it up the next day.  It hasn't been too bad but it's a bit boring for me to sit at the desk waiting for the phone to ring when I have loads of things I could be doing to get my project done.  One of my co-workers who doesn't have anything to do might be willing to take my desk shift tomorrow so I can work on things but if not, I guess I'll be painting stuff for our escape room at the desk tomorrow...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 17, 2020, 04:19:00 PM
The library where I work has gone to picking up holds only, so people have to put things on hold and then come to pick it up the next day.  It hasn't been too bad but it's a bit boring for me to sit at the desk waiting for the phone to ring when I have loads of things I could be doing to get my project done.  One of my co-workers who doesn't have anything to do might be willing to take my desk shift tomorrow so I can work on things but if not, I guess I'll be painting stuff for our escape room at the desk tomorrow...

ALA recommended all libraries close -- although a recommendation is just that.
http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2020/03/ala-executive-board-recommends-closing-libraries-public

I forget if my husband says if all libraries are a part of that or not... (libraries are one of his company's customers).
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Gator on March 17, 2020, 04:29:19 PM
I live east of Atlanta, Georgia.  I've been watching the spread day by day.  Most cases were in Atlanta counties.  Then a couple days ago two cases to the east of my county popped up.  Then two cases above my county.  Now, today, a case in my county.  It's closing in and getting scary.  And I can't stay home. 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Perikoala on March 17, 2020, 05:49:48 PM
In Spain we have been in state of alarm since Saturday with more than 11k cases and 500 dead. No one can leave their homes except to buy food and medicine. The police can fine if they see two or more people together on the street or in the car.

I think the government has been slow to act because for weeks there have been many sick people, especially  in Madrid, where there are more number of people infected, and many from there fled the capital to go to other areas of the country infecting more people. Some politicians have tested positive for the virus, including the president's wife.

Some supermarkets are rationalizing the amount of products you can take because there are people who hoarded a lot and left others unable to buy anything. We will be like this for 15 days, but I'm sure it will extended for another 15 days.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 17, 2020, 05:51:08 PM
Cleveland TSA employee has tested positive.

I hope that gets through to people that they should cancel spring break plans...

Our beaches are crowded with people. Most are still open but they finally closed some on the east side (Miami, Ft Lauderdale). The news sent a drone over one of the beaches my family and I visit - people crammed together like sardines.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 17, 2020, 06:12:09 PM
In Spain we have been in state of alarm since Saturday with more than 11k cases and 500 dead. No one can leave their homes except to buy food and medicine. The police can fine if they see two or more people together on the street or in the car.

I think the government has been slow to act because for weeks there have been many sick people, especially  in Madrid, where there are more number of people infected, and many from there fled the capital to go to other areas of the country infecting more people. Some politicians have tested positive for the virus, including the president's wife.

Some supermarkets are rationalizing the amount of products you can take because there are people who hoarded a lot and left others unable to buy anything. We will be like this for 15 days, but I'm sure it will extended for another 15 days.

Stay safe :hug:

We are about a week behind you guys given the current predictions. :/ It's gonna be a long year.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 17, 2020, 06:26:28 PM
Cleveland TSA employee has tested positive.

I hope that gets through to people that they should cancel spring break plans...

Our beaches are crowded with people. Most are still open but they finally closed some on the east side (Miami, Ft Lauderdale). The news sent a drone over one of the beaches my family and I visit - people crammed together like sardines.

yeah :( I wish florida would of put their foot down earlier for that sort of nonsense. u_u; A lot of schools near me are have spring break next week and the week after (that's why I mentioned it-- the mentality before last week was pure ignorance). It's a shame that people have to be ordered to stop to get them to actually stop. and even then...

My mom said many people she worked with as of last week weren't taking it seriously yet (she's in a hospital). I'd like to think that's changing...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Wardah on March 17, 2020, 06:42:45 PM
Here's some stories:

Amazon suspending shipments of all products except medical and high demand items:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-amazon-suspends-delivery-shipments-stock-price-a9406951.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2q_VKiiTVh-D7_de52k3LW8XNWDVsjXep8MkBw-giPSXooU5J2485mHl0#Echobox=1584456332

It's just shipments of third party sellers that is being suspended. We will still be able to order stuff directly from Amazon.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 17, 2020, 07:00:43 PM
The first 2 cases have been confirmed in my county. According to the news both cases carried the virus back from somewhere they traveled.  School districts have extended Spring Break an extra week.


Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Artemesia's Garden on March 17, 2020, 10:50:04 PM
I live east of Atlanta, Georgia.  I've been watching the spread day by day.  Most cases were in Atlanta counties.  Then a couple days ago two cases to the east of my county popped up.  Then two cases above my county.  Now, today, a case in my county.  It's closing in and getting scary.  And I can't stay home.

My husband works in agriculture so he still has to go out but they have divided the work force into small teams or cells of three.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Moonbreeze on March 18, 2020, 02:57:15 AM
People have gone ham. People who are hoarding food and tp are trigging other people into it, in fear that they won't be able to buy anything.
I just bought 4 breads because 2 of my friends still work until 6 and there is no bread left when they're done :\  One is frozen in just in case.

Our government has not decided to go on a total lockdown, but I wonder how long that will last.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 18, 2020, 03:45:32 AM
Parents are out in town for maybe the last time for a while sorting out things to make sure they can manage more or less locked down for the next three months. In their absence I snuck around the house and cleaned the handles, the fridge and other places they didn't think mattered but which I do. They need never know...

I'm not really happy with them being in town but there's no alternative as it's not something I can do for them. They have promised to be careful. The thing is without regional tests any more we have no idea how prevalent it is in this area. All we know is that it is more prevalent in London at the moment, but some of the hospitals not a million miles from here have a bunch of cases, so it's a bit concerning.

On reflection I think the reason the govt has asked us to isolate rather than told us we have to is because British people are contrary and more likely to rally to the common good rather than obey if told what to do, even if the aim is the same. But we'll see how it pans out since police now have powers to arrest and detain anyone who is sick and needs to isolate.

School closures are not off the table yet, but I feel like the govt is trying to push it to Easter break.

Stores are working really hard to get their supplies back on an even keel.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: AnnaPommes on March 18, 2020, 04:58:56 AM
In Münster, Germany: Shops that do not carry food or medical/hygiene supplies closed today, reinforced by the city.
we will need groceries today, like fresh vegetables and some fruit, i am very thankfull for everybody working on the supply chain! i wish i could help!
people can do homeoffice more and more! People hang out lists for people who can not leave home, to go shopping for them. ^^
many small businesses start offering thier stock online, often with big discounts.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Aeryala on March 18, 2020, 05:44:01 AM
A state of emergency has been called here in Ontario, Canada - schools, libraries, churches are closed, restaurants are carry-out and drive-through only.  The bookstore where my husband works is suddenly closed until further notice, though the mall itself will remain open because there's a post office inside.  Places that are still open are reducing their hours, even the paint store where I work (though we've been busy since people have been coming in to buy paint knowing they'll be sitting at home staring at their walls for a while).  On the bus yesterday, the seat behind the driver was cordoned off so people can't sit too close to them.  People are still out and about, but not as many, and even less than usual on the bus.  The post office lady told me yesterday that they're starting to get really busy though; I feel bad for her.
 
The federal and provincial governments have said they're going to help people financially, but they haven't exactly said how though it sounds like it's mostly going to be through unemployment benefits and tax breaks for people with kids.



Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Broken Irishwoman on March 18, 2020, 05:44:35 AM
People have gone ham. People who are hoarding food and tp are trigging other people into it, in fear that they won't be able to buy anything.
I just bought 4 breads because 2 of my friends still work until 6 and there is no bread left when they're done :\  One is frozen in just in case.

Our government has not decided to go on a total lockdown, but I wonder how long that will last.

Yes, the hoarding are absolutely awful... The supermarkets say they are restocking a few times a day, but honestly? I don't buy it (literally, too! *hardy har har*). At least our Albert Heijn, they definitely haven't restocked anything since yesterday. It's all just empty shelves, even more so than yesterday.

I refuse to go into hamster-mode, though I have bought a few (few!) canned goods to be sure. Like many I'm not afraid of the virus, but I am afraid of this mass hysteria it causes. I can't believe how selfish people get when things are out of the ordinary.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 18, 2020, 06:46:28 AM
Heard on the news the mayor of NYC announcing to expect a shelter in place order within 48 hours.
This is one thing I hope doesn't become a national thing. Anything longer than a week will destroy people's lives (many are already on that road with the current restrictions. And many won't follow it, which will really cause problems.

 And Chicago's Midway airport closed after 3 FAA techs tested positive.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 18, 2020, 07:07:47 AM
Anyone on our forums doing something good to help others out in this time of need?

Also, hugs to anyone who has a job who puts them on the front lines for this-- be it hospitals, grocery stores, or elsewhere. :heart: stay healthy.

I just figured by now we all know our shelves are low :shrug: Stores are going to restock, so it's ok. As of now, I haven't heard disruptions in the supply chain. They are just trying to keep up.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: JazzMatazz on March 18, 2020, 07:16:55 AM
Anyone on our forums doing something good to help others out in this time of need?

Also, hugs to anyone who has a job who puts them on the front lines for this-- be it hospitals, grocery stores, or elsewhere. :heart: stay healthy.

I just figured by now we all know our shelves are low :shrug: Stores are going to restock, so it's ok. As of now, I haven't heard disruptions in the supply chain. They are just trying to keep up.

I farm and I've called all my neighbors if they need parts that our workshop is open rather than us all keep risking our health going to town. I've also offered to pick up groceries for the oldest neighbors/those scheduled for surgery next week. Otherwise I'm staying home
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 18, 2020, 07:37:01 AM
Heard on the news the mayor of NYC announcing to expect a shelter in place order within 48 hours.
This is one thing I hope doesn't become a national thing. Anything longer than a week will destroy people's lives (many are already on that road with the current restrictions. And many won't follow it, which will really cause problems.
Ugh, my family is already driving me crazy and I don't do well stuck inside. I really hope it doesn't spread nationally (also because Animal Crossing! Sorry to be selfish, but it's very important to me right now).
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Koudoawaia on March 18, 2020, 08:02:46 AM
I've been wearing a mask and gloves at work to try to keep from getting sick, bring anything home to my husband who has reactive airway disease and also to protect others with weak immune systems if I'm carrying the virus and don't know it and two idiotic young men bullied me for it yesterday. I don't get paid near enough for that kind of abuse and never will and those stupid young men need to take this thing seriously because it is serious. Then as I was clocking out, a coworker asked me if I was sick because of my mask. Apparently did not occur to him I was wearing to keep from getting sick. I love how ignorance prevails during this.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 18, 2020, 08:05:48 AM
US/Canadian border now closed to non essential travel: https://news.yahoo.com/us-canada-border-close-nonessential-135003686.html
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Barnacle_lady on March 18, 2020, 09:00:09 AM
Today I heard that the Eurovision songcontest has been cancelled. That was supposed to be in May, but I can imagine this also has to do with the preparation time and people flying in. Since I bought tickets, I am waiting that they are offering. Money back or keep valid till probably next year.
Passover dinner in the synagogue is also cancelled but meanwhile friends asked me to celebrate at their home.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 18, 2020, 09:29:33 AM
Several stores are setting aside the early morning shopping hours for elderly people or those with underlying health conditions.  My parents had to wait outside a store this morning in a long line before they got inside and then had to wait in another line to get fresh meat.

There are a lot of empty shelves.

Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 18, 2020, 10:36:32 AM
Anyone on our forums doing something good to help others out in this time of need?


Honestly, the biggest thing that anyone can do for anyone else is to follow govt advice on closures, distancing and so on, and make those personal sacrifices to keep other people safe. Not hoarding material. Washing hands. Covering faces when coughing. Supporting vulnerable family to protect them as best you can.

 For me I don't have to self isolate or do anything particularly because I am not at risk - but my parents are, and I live with them at the moment, so I am also cutting down my outside time completely to protect them. My navigation means I can't drive, so would have to use public transport if I went out anywhere. That's a risk factor in itself, and I won't be taking it.

I think a question about what you can do for others is hugely subjective depending on people's personal circumstances. If I was still in London, my answer to that question would be entirely different, but I'm not, so that's how it is.

Stores are also taking a lot of measures here to support elderly people. London is apparently particularly severe but nobody knows the exact numbers.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Galactica on March 18, 2020, 12:32:03 PM
I've been wearing a mask and gloves at work to try to keep from getting sick, bring anything home to my husband who has reactive airway disease and also to protect others with weak immune systems if I'm carrying the virus and don't know it and two idiotic young men bullied me for it yesterday. I don't get paid near enough for that kind of abuse and never will and those stupid young men need to take this thing seriously because it is serious. Then as I was clocking out, a coworker asked me if I was sick because of my mask. Apparently did not occur to him I was wearing to keep from getting sick. I love how ignorance prevails during this.

I'm sorry to hear that-  there has been a lot of in-fighting at my company too-  also between the people who want to be extra careful and those who want to pretend this is "no big deal" and that it is a "mild flu" that people are just blowing out of proportion.  The company reluctantly agreed to allow people to work from home, but the way they did it was not very gracious. They still have their heads in the sand.  I think that is true for a lot of Americans right now, sadly. 

I'm not sure how there are still people left in Seattle who can think this is "no big deal" but I guess they are avoiding the news.

I don't think those people will take it seriously until someone they know and care about becomes seriously ill or dies.  That is probably not as far off as they think as the cases in Seattle are blooming like wildfire and STILL there is no widespread testing...

I am just so angry that all of this could have been under control right now-  but thanks to current president administration-  they cut the CDC by 80% and fired all leadership who would have been responsible for dealing with a crisis like this.  Look at this 2018 article warning about why this just left us more at risk for a global health crisis or pandemic.  Which happened. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/05/10/top-white-house-official-in-charge-of-pandemic-response-exits-abruptly/

The justification given by the president was that we "hadn't had to use these people in many years" and he could always "hire them back when needed."  Which is like saying - hey, my toilet is working fine now so I'm going to go ahead and toss my toilet bowl plunger.  :(

Now we will all pay the price.  Or rather, mostly our parents and grandparents will.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Gator on March 18, 2020, 12:32:54 PM
One of my clients works for Home Depot, and she said all their deep chest freezers sold out in just a couple days, so the hoarders could hoard more food.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Galactica on March 18, 2020, 12:35:13 PM
I think if I was a 75 year old right now-  i would probably try and make sure I had a month's worth of food too-  or figure out how to get it delivered.  And then not go out or see anyone. At all.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 18, 2020, 12:40:25 PM
I think if I was a 75 year old right now-  i would probably try and make sure I had a month's worth of food too-  or figure out how to get it delivered.  And then not go out or see anyone. At all.


I am trying to work out contingency measures if the online shopping service fails because guess what, now in the UK people are block booking delivery slots (and not people who need it, but the usual selfish types who don't care)...

Because my parents are basically not allowed to and I am not letting them...but I can't drive, and that means I have to figure out how to obtain stuff and decontaminate as well...

Sigh.

I have often thought people to be overrated.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Strandperle on March 18, 2020, 12:44:05 PM
Today I was informed that for at least the next four weeks, I will only work every other week. The whole staff is splitted into two shifts, so if members of one shift get infected, the other shift will still be there to work.

As I am working for tax authority, this is pretty concerning. They never did anything comparable since the big storm flood in 1962.

ETA: I am located in Northern Germany.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 18, 2020, 01:45:06 PM
My workplace just issued a mandatory travel report for all employees. Based on our answers Health Services will decide if we will still be employees for the foreseeable future or if they will let us go until the next employment period begins.  I live in an “at will” state where employers can let employees go for any reason.
 
I know they are doing this to make sure the virus doesn’t spread.

Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 18, 2020, 02:02:20 PM
Well the hoarders may not be very far off the mark after all:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-virus-plan-anticipates-18-190626012.html

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Artemesia's Garden on March 18, 2020, 02:06:21 PM
I think if I was a 75 year old right now-  i would probably try and make sure I had a month's worth of food too-  or figure out how to get it delivered.  And then not go out or see anyone. At all.

You'd think. My Mum is 67 and my Dad is 73 with a history of adult pleurisy. It's my Mum's birthday today so she decides to go out and pick up a takeaway. I have been telling them very seriously ever since last week not to take unneccessary risks. I'm furious but what can I do? I'm very glad i don't still live with them.

Post Merge: March 18, 2020, 02:07:43 PM

My workplace just issued a mandatory travel report for all employees. Based on our answers Health Services will decide if we will still be employees for the foreseeable future or if they will let us go until the next employment period begins.  I live in an “at will” state where employers can let employees go for any reason.
 
I know they are doing this to make sure the virus doesn’t spread.

Ponyfan

That seems really unfair and I think that most places have lost track of the spread of infection by now, so sacking people who have traveled won't make any difference.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 18, 2020, 02:21:29 PM
The governor just gave another update. Now there's 371 confirmed cases and 7 deaths. Most infected is in Miami and the neighboring counties but there is 1 case in my county on the gulf coast. He's still leaving decisions to the mayors, like closing the beaches. I don't think that's a good idea. I know this is 'Merica and all about freedom and whatever but we do still have a government that should, you know, govern. I'm just waiting for cases among the spring breakers to explode.

My dad went around to the stores this morning, everything was gone. He finally stopped going to McDonald's because they closed the inside and I mean we have coffee at the house. I can make it for him no problem. He's just stubborn and stuck in his routine (he's 71 btw).

My mom was able to order some junk food online from Wal-Mart :lol: So we have cookies, Cheetos and Doritos. I'm dying for a soda though. I finished my Ginger ale the other day. Need bubbles.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 18, 2020, 02:25:53 PM
Well the hoarders may not be very far off the mark after all:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-virus-plan-anticipates-18-190626012.html



Articles like these are really bother me.

Quote
“Shortages of products may occur, impacting health care, emergency services, and other elements of critical infrastructure,” the plan warned. “This includes potentially critical shortages of diagnostics, medical supplies (including PPE and pharmaceuticals), and staffing in some locations.” PPE refers to personal protective equipment.

If that wasn't obvious from the beginning, I don't know what was.


Many people early on buying masks etc were people buying stuff for families in China, and sending it to them. Or people looking to make a profit like this man buying up sanitizer (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/technology/coronavirus-purell-wipes-amazon-sellers.html).


if you get a fever, and you suspect you might have coronavirus do not take ibuprofen/motrin. It can worsen. I believe you should take acetaminophen/tylenol. I've heard this a few times now.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-fever-ibuprofen/608233
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus-resource-center

Also Ohio update:
All businesses are asked to scan temperatures of their employees. If they do not scan, then "We're taking this one step at a time. If we find that we can't get employers to take temperatures, we'll have to go to the next stage and close everything down unless it's essential."

I bet that happens within 1-2 days.

To clarify, it's not because he thinks this is an almighty thing that catches all cases. It's to give him leverage to say "closed" for a reason.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: dragonfly on March 18, 2020, 03:04:37 PM
I went out shopping for my 85 year old neighbor this morning - yesterday they asked for toilet roll but the stores were out. i went to Target first thing this morning to get them some and got yelled at by a lady who said, "you know this is for elderly people only, right? the first hour?" And I told her who I was shopping for and she rolled her eyes, tsk'd me and spat.

I'll bet you a 24 pack of mega rolls that this lady has a huge stockpile in her basement.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: bright rabbit 1 on March 18, 2020, 03:26:28 PM
The library I work at is closed.

Well looks like I will have to keep busy.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: brightberry on March 18, 2020, 03:39:51 PM
Oooo... that makes me so mad, Dragonfly! She should be minding her own business.  I hope your neighbor continues to stay safe.


I walked my dog to the park today to keep her energy low.   We were the only ones there when a city truck pulled up and put a "closed until further notice sign up".   Our mayor also sent out a notice that says that after hours and hours of conference calls, the governor insists on putting limitations on businesses and social gatherings so we are following suit.  I thought it was interesting that the governor had to convince the mayors to do this.  In fact, it sounds like he put his foot down.

I also went to the store to get more supplies because toilet paper might become an issue.  There is seating in one area of the store and it had a table of elderly women chitchatting away.  Meanwhile, store staff are wearing rubber gloves, putting out sanitizer stands and wiping down everything.  And there is no more toilet paper.  I did find bread though.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 18, 2020, 03:45:52 PM
Well the hoarders may not be very far off the mark after all:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-virus-plan-anticipates-18-190626012.html

The hoarders are partially to blame for artificial shortages, tho. Nobody needs a castle built of toilet paper and pasta. They are forcing others to hoard, too. If I see something is in short supply I am inclined to get it for myself as soon as it's available again.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 18, 2020, 04:09:21 PM
Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act: https://www.ksl.com/article/46731542/trump-invokes-emergency-authority-big-3-automakers-closing

It gives him the power to compel factories to expand production to turn out vital materials.

And according to that article: California may be facing martial law.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on March 18, 2020, 04:14:14 PM

Also Ohio update:
All businesses are asked to scan temperatures of their employees. If they do not scan, then "We're taking this one step at a time. If we find that we can't get employers to take temperatures, we'll have to go to the next stage and close everything down unless it's essential."


I feel like this isn't an accurate way to check for people who are sick.  My temperature raises a bit when I'm on my period.  It doesn't mean that I'm sick or contagious with anything.  It's just how my body reacts to that time of the month.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 18, 2020, 04:20:38 PM

Also Ohio update:
All businesses are asked to scan temperatures of their employees. If they do not scan, then "We're taking this one step at a time. If we find that we can't get employers to take temperatures, we'll have to go to the next stage and close everything down unless it's essential."


I feel like this isn't an accurate way to check for people who are sick.  My temperature raises a bit when I'm on my period.  It doesn't mean that I'm sick or contagious with anything.  It's just how my body reacts to that time of the month.

You get a 100.4+ fever? It's about safety. Someone who is healthy who gets told to stay home, is better than someone waltzing into work with the virus because they don't believe in it.

Other places in the USA scan temperatures too. Other countries do it as well. I believe Taiwan was doing it in the airports (https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/what-taiwan-can-teach-world-fighting-coronavirus-n1153826) (set up because of SARS in 2003). Tikibirds said they have to temp scan to even leave their residence in China.

But in reality it's just going to be because he is going to go ahead and do it with a day or two.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 18, 2020, 04:42:56 PM

Also Ohio update:
All businesses are asked to scan temperatures of their employees. If they do not scan, then "We're taking this one step at a time. If we find that we can't get employers to take temperatures, we'll have to go to the next stage and close everything down unless it's essential."


I feel like this isn't an accurate way to check for people who are sick.  My temperature raises a bit when I'm on my period.  It doesn't mean that I'm sick or contagious with anything.  It's just how my body reacts to that time of the month.

I remember something about this on our news going back a few weeks as to why this wasn't a thing at UK airports, and I think the reply was that it gives a lot of false positives because a: a lot of people run fevers around this time of the year and so you can misdirect resources and b: it is unclear how problematic coronavirus is before symptoms show but it is absolutely possible (and documented) that people can come through without a fever and then develop it later because of incubation. We had this with passengers off the Diamond Princess, who complained about being quarantined by UK Govt for 14 days but they were only allowed to fly home if they tested negative - after reaching the UK in perfect apparent health four of them went down with coronavirus (in quarantine).

So temp checking is arbitrary. It might tell them someone is sick, but it won't tell them they have corona and may divert resources and attention without reducing the actual risk.

Saw photos on tv today of the beaches in Florida mentioned earlier in the thread. Scary...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Beth3346 on March 18, 2020, 04:45:01 PM
Well the hoarders may not be very far off the mark after all:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-virus-plan-anticipates-18-190626012.html

The hoarders are partially to blame for artificial shortages, tho. Nobody needs a castle built of toilet paper and pasta. They are forcing others to hoard, too. If I see something is in short supply I am inclined to get it for myself as soon as it's available again.

That headline seems to be a little sensationalist. It's a vicious cycle.

I live in Texas where no one ever wants to be told what to do. But it does seem like a lot of people are social distancing. I live next to a park with a playground and the number of people has dwindled.

Its just depressing that its taken so long for our administration to take this seriously. pretty much only after the economy took a big hit.

Also i saw this for anyone who's young and thinks they won't get very sick. Just don't take the chance.

https://www.khou.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/disproportional-number-of-millennials-are-seriously-ill-from-coronavirus/285-f0019bfa-b267-4c69-a902-8c2076296645

Also something happier

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/11/us/baby-life-support-first-birthday-trnd/index.html
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 18, 2020, 04:46:27 PM

My workplace just issued a mandatory travel report for all employees. Based on our answers Health Services will decide if we will still be employees for the foreseeable future or if they will let us go until the next employment period begins.  I live in an “at will” state where employers can let employees go for any reason.
 
I know they are doing this to make sure the virus doesn’t spread.

Ponyfan

That seems really unfair and I think that most places have lost track of the spread of infection by now, so sacking people who have traveled won't make any difference.


I think they're giving worst case scenario in case anyone traveled to higher risk areas. 

There are 3 cases confirmed in my area now and in at least one case the infected person ignored self quarantine rules and went out to a restaurant when they could infect other people with the virus.


Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 18, 2020, 04:55:48 PM
The 18 month figure is because of how long they think it will realistically take to get a vaccine out and available to everyone. That's the rationale. We don't know what might or might not happen in the meantime.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 18, 2020, 05:07:33 PM
The local police rolled out a phone number today to report stuff that doesn't need an officer to physically be there, like coming home and finding your house robbed. They say still use 911 for emergencies and the regular non-emergency number if you actually need an officer like for domestic violence and such. I think we're the only city doing this right now but it sounds like a good idea.

Re, the beaches; yeah, it's stupid and scary. They spoke to some of the spring breakers and they were all "we're out in the open with the saltwater and beeze, we'll be fine!" They're also ignoring the no more than 10 people rule and they showed a lot of people with drinks and food.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Beldarna on March 18, 2020, 11:03:26 PM
Updates from Sweden:

I don't know how many are affected as they have changed the routines for testing, but we have 20 confirmed deaths.

People are encouraged to work from home. University and upper secondary school students are encourage to study from home. The law has to change to allow that for preschool til year 9 so that is being rushed.

Group gatherings with more than 500 people are to be cancelled.

Malls are still on their regular opening times but are offering their stores to open later and close early which mine has accepted. We still have to work our designated hours so I have longer days but fewer which is alright. Felt odd to close up at 6 pm yesterday but I get to spend more time with hubby so yaay!

Public traffic is still going as usual.

The hording is happening here as well. I have pictures to prove it on my instagram. It is insane. Luckily we don't need to buy toiletpaper, pasta or tea anytime soon. For a couple of years now we have been able to shop for groceries online and get them delivered home which we still do.

I am well stocked on books, coloring books and pencils and there are ton of things to watch (I discovered Dplay has all seasons of Masterchef Australia so I'm set for months!) so I'm all good.

The thing that irks me the most are the greedy people. Several places like a gas station chain are offering free coffee for people working in the health care as a thank you, and people are nagging that they don't get one as well, because they are bus drivers, delivery trucks and personal assistants.. It just baffles me. People in healtchare rarely get the appreciation they deserve and when they get this small token the jealousy of others destroys it :mad:
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: LadyMoondancer on March 18, 2020, 11:09:15 PM
44 new confirmed cases and 10 new deaths today in Seattle's county today . . . Not state, but county.  This morning I was talking to my neighbor (from fifteen feet away, ha ha) and she said her adult son and his wife are sick.

Every time I check Facebook another of my friends is exhibiting symptoms.  This disease spreads easily.  Please stay safe and take the warnings seriously, folks!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 19, 2020, 02:05:28 AM
Woke up to this.

Local radio host has the virus. I literally listed to him describe how he felt on Thursday, which was the day after we had 1 confirmed community spread and 3 days 3 from people who traveled (none of which were his county, and a solid 40-50 miles away from those cases). I can't remember what he said, but I know it was something to the lines of "probably just the cold" because it didn't feel severe, and "although you never know".

:( Hopefully that gets to the listeners. And hopefully it makes a statement that even if it's not confirmed yet in your area, still take this seriously.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: bright rabbit 1 on March 19, 2020, 04:51:12 AM
Will my dad and brother (my brother has a low immune system) go into isolation when they get back to British Airways? I’m worried because if they have it it’ll be trouble for me, and my mum.


Some one robbed Asda at seven in the morning here.

Shops are bare here.


Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Beth3346 on March 19, 2020, 05:39:18 AM
We went for a drive last night. Didn't get out of the car. Just needed to maintain our sanity. And I take it back people are not social distancing enough here. Bars and restaurants had a lot of cars. They finally closed restaurant dining rooms, bar, gyms etc. last night and issued a curfew here.  I'm not sure if people will follow it though.  I'm in San Antonio.

We're supposed to move to the Austin are in a few weeks and there are more cases there. Though none in the county we'll be living in.  I was planning to work remotely after we moved but being in the house 24/7 is hard.

I'm also worried about the local businesses. They say its safe to get takeout but I'm just not sure. I want to support them but i'm worried. And with the economy overall in bad shape I don't even want to spend any money unless I have to.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 19, 2020, 08:12:13 AM
The thing that irks me the most are the greedy people. Several places like a gas station chain are offering free coffee for people working in the health care as a thank you, and people are nagging that they don't get one as well, because they are bus drivers, delivery trucks and personal assistants.. It just baffles me. People in healtchare rarely get the appreciation they deserve and when they get this small token the jealousy of others destroys it :mad:

That's humans for you.
One of my friends was choking on her own tears and getting super dramatic because she wanted to have a big birthday bash but most people cancelled due to the recommendations not to gather in large numbers. Had to bite my tongue because she's gonna have many more birthdays, it's not that big of a deal and quite frankly - who gives a damn. Some people really want to be the exception to the norm. It's not like she would go to a big party now but when it's her own suddenly everyone should ignore the recs.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: freezestime on March 19, 2020, 08:52:05 AM
Western Australia update

Nearly 300 confirmed cases in all of Aus. My classes will go online from 23rd March. All sanitiser is gone, so are soaps and toilet paper.

People are driving 4 hours from my city to my birthtown to buy supplies from there. My birth mother keeps finding it unbelievable that my city (the capital of my state) that there's still food in the stores and restaurants, so I can only assume things are becoming scarce there.

Australia has implemented total international travel ban.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tikibirds on March 19, 2020, 09:57:05 AM
Quote
I'm also worried about the local businesses. They say its safe to get takeout but I'm just not sure. I want to support them but i'm worried. And with the economy overall in bad shape I don't even want to spend any money unless I have to.

SOme places here had delivery, others did not. My city stopped ALL delivery services weather it be food delivery OR packages/taxi/public transportation. Delivery here is a little different - you go to an app and it lists all the places that you can order from. Then a food hopper guy (usually a dude on a motorcycle goes and gets it. Only once did I have a female delivery person) We only got the service back about a week ago. I immediatly ordered from KFC. Sick of eating nothing but rice and eggs for 2 months straight >.<

Also, If I am stuck here for another 18 MONTHS, I am going to be a very unhappy person. I mean, I CAN go back to the USA (There are nonstop flights to LAX and JFK) but why would I go from someplace with very few infections to another one where it is raging out of control?
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: StarDapple on March 19, 2020, 10:11:08 AM
I work in the veterinary field.  We are currently no longer seeing anything but emergencies - all wellness/vaccine/routine surgeries are cancelled until further notice.  We are not allowing clients into the clinic.  We are taking histories over the phone and then bringing only the pet into the clinic from the parking lot.  The owners then pay over the phone.  We have 75 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Oregon with over 750 tests pending results.

I woke up with a cough/sore throat and when I called into work I was told a coworker is suspected of being Covid-19 positive and is in quarantine.  I have a video appointment with the doctor this afternoon, so we will see how it goes.   :yikes:
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: CloudyGlow on March 19, 2020, 10:42:00 AM
I work in the veterinary field.  We are currently no longer seeing anything but emergencies - all wellness/vaccine/routine surgeries are cancelled until further notice.  We are not allowing clients into the clinic.  We are taking histories over the phone and then bringing only the pet into the clinic from the parking lot.  The owners then pay over the phone.  We have 75 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Oregon with over 750 tests pending results.

I woke up with a cough/sore throat and when I called into work I was told a coworker is suspected of being Covid-19 positive and is in quarantine.  I have a video appointment with the doctor this afternoon, so we will see how it goes.   :yikes:

I'm so sorry to hear this. I'm in Oregon too. I really hoping for you.

As for me, my family's biggest concern right now is preventing the neighbor from getting it. She is very old
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Galactica on March 19, 2020, 10:56:03 AM
This virus is spreading so fast and will only spread faster in the US- mostly because there are so many who just don't think it is a big deal or it won't affect them and are ignoring recommendations and social distancing.

Italy closed down the hotspots in italy and ignored the provinces that had very few if any cases. Now those province areas have more cases than the previous "hot spots."  If that isn't a lesson for what is going to happen in the US, I don't know what is.  Please read.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/coronavirus-obituaries-bergamo-italy/2020/03/16/6c342f02-66c7-11ea-b199-3a9799c54512_story.html?fbclid=IwAR0dj4fj9kY_4hiPZ-lLWkTBB6oe0aYcdbrRVMELqLx9VULmSuuRy7GfsuM
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Leave a Whisper on March 19, 2020, 10:57:49 AM
Well the hoarders may not be very far off the mark after all:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-virus-plan-anticipates-18-190626012.html

The hoarders are partially to blame for artificial shortages, tho. Nobody needs a castle built of toilet paper and pasta. They are forcing others to hoard, too. If I see something is in short supply I am inclined to get it for myself as soon as it's available again.

This so much

Post Merge: March 19, 2020, 10:58:57 AM

Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act: https://www.ksl.com/article/46731542/trump-invokes-emergency-authority-big-3-automakers-closing

It gives him the power to compel factories to expand production to turn out vital materials.

And according to that article: California may be facing martial law.

Tch. President Crap-for-brains strikes again, trying to make himself sound important. Can we send the old turd to a home already and elect someone who has enough intelligence to do the job properly?

Please keep political opinions out of this thread. Government actions regarding coronavirus and your reactions can be discussed but political commentary to this level will be heavily moderated; this is not the thread for this. Thank you for understanding. I want to keep this thread open. I am trying to strike a balance. The media has a heavy spin, so let's exchange truthful information and not polarizing opinions either way. I hope that makes sense. It's an art, not a science.
Dragonfly, MLP Arena Site Admin
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: StarDapple on March 19, 2020, 10:59:43 AM
I work in the veterinary field.  We are currently no longer seeing anything but emergencies - all wellness/vaccine/routine surgeries are cancelled until further notice.  We are not allowing clients into the clinic.  We are taking histories over the phone and then bringing only the pet into the clinic from the parking lot.  The owners then pay over the phone.  We have 75 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Oregon with over 750 tests pending results.

I woke up with a cough/sore throat and when I called into work I was told a coworker is suspected of being Covid-19 positive and is in quarantine.  I have a video appointment with the doctor this afternoon, so we will see how it goes.   :yikes:

I'm so sorry to hear this. I'm in Oregon too. I really hoping for you.

As for me, my family's biggest concern right now is preventing the neighbor from getting it. She is very old

Thank you.  I am not so worried about myself, but I am worried about my parents.  They are not young and they both have prior medical problems.  I hope you and your neighbor are able to stay safe!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 19, 2020, 11:17:56 AM
The thing that irks me the most are the greedy people. Several places like a gas station chain are offering free coffee for people working in the health care as a thank you, and people are nagging that they don't get one as well, because they are bus drivers, delivery trucks and personal assistants.. It just baffles me. People in healtchare rarely get the appreciation they deserve and when they get this small token the jealousy of others destroys it :mad:

That's humans for you.
One of my friends was choking on her own tears and getting super dramatic because she wanted to have a big birthday bash but most people cancelled due to the recommendations not to gather in large numbers. Had to bite my tongue because she's gonna have many more birthdays, it's not that big of a deal and quite frankly - who gives a damn. Some people really want to be the exception to the norm. It's not like she would go to a big party now but when it's her own suddenly everyone should ignore the recs.

This is how I feel about my graduation. I mean, it will be sad if it doesn't happen, but if it has to be cancelled in the summer to ensure that this country gets through the outbreak and the people people care about are safe then who cares, really? It doesn't change the fact I have the qualification.

I am not sure about the # of cases here today, the John Hopkins figures look distinctly low for my mind and I feel like maybe England's numbers didn't make it and that's all Scotland, Wales and NI...

The thing is as someone said on tv yesterday, all the figures are 7-14 days out of date because of incubation periods anyway. So even if you don't think there is a case local to you, they might not have shown symptoms yet. And that is why even if you shut down, it takes time for the lockdown measures to take effect. So I guess this is the reason it is important to do it and maintain it.

London is a big problem here with more than a third of the cases alone. I am not sure about other cities. Still somewhat concerned about sister in Oxford, she says it's not good there.

...Gripe of the day, the selfish people who are booking up delivery slots for food delivery (although they are not isolating) 'just in case', when there are people in the high risk group who actually need to use them.

I actually had some things on order with Asda for monday and I managed to amend my order to add some stuff for my parents as well which, hopefully, if in stock, will tide things over and calm things down - but delivery slots right now are at earliest for 3 weeks from now.

...How are older people meant to stop in, then, when all the younger healthy people have slots booked 'in case' they need them?

And moreover, when the shelves are still empty of certain items, who is it still stockpiling them?

Also rumours of the army on the street locking things down here = fake news. Military medics have been mobilised and the army is prepared in case they need to take over security details to free up police - but this is not a country where deploying the military happens lightly, and images being shared on Social Media are not of British troops (wrong plates/driving on the right instead of the left). Film of riots - also fake news. Summer footage probably from the riots in 2011, which were in August.

Everyone please stay as safe as you can.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 19, 2020, 11:30:37 AM
More info on the travel survey my workplace asked all employees to fill out.  It turns out that they just want to know if their employees traveled by plane, cruise ship or to the high risk infection areas.


I am self isolating and only going out if absolutely necessary.


Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 19, 2020, 11:40:39 AM
34 cases in my state now. And there's worries the virus may be in Shawnee county (state capitol), but they don't have enough test kits to really see if it is. Some are getting refused when asking for the test. I hope not because half of the workforce at my job comes from Topeka (especially my shift), and if a shelter in place order get's issued, that might result in a shutdown.

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Art source: https://dstears.tumblr.com/post/613032294491602944/its-like-ive-been-training-for-this-my-whole
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: dragonfly on March 19, 2020, 12:14:57 PM
Opinions are fine but:

NO FEAR MONGERING

Overly political posts will be removed without warning

This is for sharing REAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SITUATION / WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR LOCATION


Because of what is rapidly developing situations worldwide, I plan to do the following:

Lock and link this thread as an archive over the weekend.
I will begin a new weekly updates thread each each week for us to share & discuss new developments so things don't get lost.
I'll link to the old threads.

Thank you.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Gator on March 19, 2020, 03:39:07 PM
I'm in the vet field too.  We finally put up signs saying wait in your car until we have a room for you, but nobody is reading them.  This week has been nuts.  we have been so busy.  And no one thanks us for putting ourselves at risk so they can get a freaking nail trim or rabies vaccine.  Tomorrow and Saturday are booked.  A family of five brought a new puppy in today for wellness check.  The kids are sneezing and coughing, won't stay in the exam room, coughing all over the lobby.  Why didn't one parent stay home with the kids?  Because everyone wants to go to the vet with the cute puppy in the middle of a pandemic, right?  Selfish people.  I'm getting so stressed and frustrated, and its only going to get worse.  Our confirmed cases jumped by 100 cases from yesterday, and ten deaths now since it started.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 19, 2020, 05:03:05 PM
Starting tomorrow all restaurants will be carry out/takeout only. Libraries will also be closed. Gyms and bars are also closed.

Banks are open but my bank is not doing in person transactions.

All public schools are closed until April 3rd and most likely will just do online learning for the rest of the year.


Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 19, 2020, 05:19:17 PM
All Non-Life sustaining business have been ordered to close in PA.
Got my copy of ACNH, not complaining on that front.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: StarDapple on March 19, 2020, 05:22:42 PM
Well, I am staying at my home through the weekend.  I am too young to get tested, but the doctor said to be cautious.  She said I could possibly go back to work by the 23rd, but if my symptoms worsen I am to go physically go to the doctor for treatment/medication.  My chest has gotten tighter throughout the day, so I am not super hopeful that I will be back to work.  Thankfully I have a full pantry and my pets have full food stores as well.  I won't be able to see my horse through at least the weekend, however. :(

Oregon has also closed the state parks to camping and groups.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: JazzMatazz on March 19, 2020, 05:25:44 PM
My county in Wisconsin just got it's first case today, however I think it's been here since Chicago blew up in cases because we are only 2 hours away.

Spent my day sewing homemade face masks for whenever I need to go grocery shopping or need meds  :yikes: I'm not leaving my house as long as possible. I was last out on the 15th and I still feel when I was at the grocery store I was too exposed we shall see in another 9 days  >_<
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 19, 2020, 05:27:23 PM
Well, let's see.

I guess the big things to mention were national guard is out and about now helping with food and supply distributions to foodbanks and rural areas. I'm hearing the chinooks constantly due to my location.

A firm not yet to "shelter-in-place" order. Sigh. I wish he'd go ahead and do it. He does however everyone to follow it on their own. But ya know, people...

But the bad news there is a suspected case at the gojo factory where they make purell (https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20200319/purell-worker-at-gojo-plant-in-cuyahoga-falls-may-have-coronavirus). :( I'm hoping more distilleries can get into making hand sanitizer. 

Our school district handed out our learning "packet" (aka book) today. I'm not sure how all districts are handling it. Our teacher seemed exhausted. :(

After I pick up from Target tomorrow.. (you know, animal crossing and other stuff). I think we are good to stay in for a long time unless there's extremely important things... I think we might have to go to the hospital early April still.

All Non-Life sustaining business have been ordered to close in PA.
Got my copy of ACNH, not complaining on that front.
yay! right under the wire. >_<;
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 19, 2020, 05:42:05 PM
432 cases and 9 deaths total today. My county is still standing at one case.

Local animal shelters are in need of fosters. Some have waived adoption fees. Gas stations are starting to go full service so you don't have to get out of your car and touch the pump.

The majority of beaches - still open! -_-

We live next to a main busy road and my bedroom is the closest. Usually it's non-stop traffic noises, sometimes being very disruptive. The last few days it's been eerily quiet. There are still a lot of trucks and the occasional person blasting music but traffic has dropped significantly.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponybookworm on March 19, 2020, 07:30:17 PM
Went to Tesco website & April 8th is their earliest delivery slot... I also hope delivery gets sorted soon. I mean, now I have to run the gauntlet to my local Co-op as sharing a car in this climate is a no-no??? Oh & forget the bus too. Pasta is gone except the instant packet stuff, my usual cereal (bran flakes) is all out, & assorted other stuff is gone too, including tinned soups.

Not a good time to be a depressive ASD wi social anxiety...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Queen Sophie on March 19, 2020, 10:23:01 PM
I live in Pennsylvania and my sister and her cat are home for two weeks because the school she works at is closed for two weeks. She works with kids with very weak immune systems so I hope they will be ok!

At my work, I’m a diner hall worker at a retreat camp and most groups canceled, especially on Friday and a weekend all the groups canceled however my boss is allowing smaller groups to join. In fact I called off those days because my family was gonna go to North  Carolina for my grandfathers birthday but my mother canceled it and I was gonna tell my manger I will be available after all but then it showed that won’t be happening.

I did read that the virus doesn’t do well in the heat and it’s a becoming a bit warmer where I am which is good. However since the weather is weird in my state, it goes from sunny to snow but I’ll be ok!

Me and my family are sending fun stuff through the mail for my grandmother. Like books on flowers, birds, and talk show people. Other crafts and toys for her cat!

So far my experience has just been canceled work, hanging out with my sister, and staying home. Hopefully this will all blow over fast!
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: toyjunky on March 19, 2020, 10:37:53 PM
Southern California (Orange County area) here, basically everyone (especially those over the age of 65) were advised to stay home as much as possible. Over the last few days movie theaters, malls, department stores and school have closed.

What is (and will remain open): gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants, banks, hardware stores and laundromats. People are encouraged to go outside, but to practice social distancing practices (say going for a walk, exercise, biking etc).

As far as getting groceries though, that has been fun. 2 weeks ago no cleaning products, paper towels or toilet paper. Last week it was bread (and the previous mentioned). This week it is all food except produce. I have been to an awful lot of stores in the last week at varying times of day and locations (various neighboring cities as we were out trying to do errands). As many people have commented it is not that there is not food, it is that people have freaked out, over bought and created a panic. Store inventories are not designed to have everyone buying the same products all at once. I was able to get meat, eggs, milk and one 2 roll package of paper towels for my parents this morning, but only because I was at the store right when they opened. I did have to wait about 35min to check out.  :(
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Barnacle_lady on March 20, 2020, 12:41:57 AM
The new death figure is 76, aged between 63 and 95. But there are still younger people at the hospital.
I am happy to see that there are interviews from people who actually did survive. Because it also gives a bit hope that its not an immediate death sentence if you say you have corona.
The Formula 1 car racing has been cancelled. There was a lot to do about it because of the preparation for the track. Some nature had to be destroyed.
As for grocery shopping, its not such a mad house anymore like last week. But still some empty shelves. Some supermarkets also started the "senior" hour early in the morning. But they don't turn away other people. The hoarding also was for online cat food because delivery took a lot longer that usual. I orderded Monday and at this moment I am waiting for the delivery man.
One of my friends has a "luxury" problem. Because all the restaurants are shut he has no place to go with friends. Well time to have take out and go to their place instead. Or cook for each other.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 20, 2020, 01:23:43 AM
It is fundamentally bad for asd, period.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Zapper on March 20, 2020, 03:46:41 AM
Here's some stories:

A guy with it checks out of the hospital, and now has police stationed around his house:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/17/us/kentucky-refused-quarantine-coronavirus-trnd/index.html

And this.... could've been bad:
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/03/coronavirus-patient-gave-false-name-address-now-no-one-can-find-her-mayor-says.html

Imo, that stuff has no place here unless you know these people. If fearmongering is prohibited then sharing random sensationalized Corona stories should be part of that unless you can personally debunk or confirm them.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: StarDapple on March 20, 2020, 08:14:33 AM
My clinic has dramatically decreased the hours we are open, which I think is a good thing.  I am still at home, feel about the same as yesterday.

But some good news!  China has had two days of no new cases!

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0320/1124268-china-virus-no-new-cases/ (https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0320/1124268-china-virus-no-new-cases/)
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Galactica on March 20, 2020, 09:11:06 AM
The new death figure is 76, aged between 63 and 95. But there are still younger people at the hospital.
I am happy to see that there are interviews from people who actually did survive. Because it also gives a bit hope that its not an immediate death sentence if you say you have corona.
The Formula 1 car racing has been cancelled. There was a lot to do about it because of the preparation for the track. Some nature had to be destroyed.
As for grocery shopping, its not such a mad house anymore like last week. But still some empty shelves. Some supermarkets also started the "senior" hour early in the morning. But they don't turn away other people. The hoarding also was for online cat food because delivery took a lot longer that usual. I orderded Monday and at this moment I am waiting for the delivery man.
One of my friends has a "luxury" problem. Because all the restaurants are shut he has no place to go with friends. Well time to have take out and go to their place instead. Or cook for each other.

Well of course it isn't a death sentence- there are more than 1100 cases "reported" in my state, only 57 "reported" deaths. 

That said, there are a lot more people sick than have been reported, even the CDC estimates there are probably more than 5000 cases in this state. 
I'm just SURE some of my friends, reporting classic symptoms- definitely have it.  Half my office is out (meaning unable to work from home even) "sick" and there is a huge uptick in "flu like illness" at a time when flu should be dwindling.  Unfortunately, when the US is STILL (and honestly I can't figure out why when so many other countries seem to have it) without widespread testing (even if you have classic symptoms and probable exposure- testing is being limited to health care workers with known exposure and other high risk groups) there is no way of knowing how prevalent it is or how dangerous.

The best thing to do is to play it safe, work from home if possible, cut out all socializing and going out to restaurants-  wash hands like crazy and be ultra vigilant. 

I'm pretty sure the states that are being the most lax now will be in the same place Seattle is, in a few weeks...

As of now, no schools, no restaurants, anyone and everyone who can possibly work from home is being required (or asked) to do so.  Most daycares are closed (ours is).  Gov declared state of emergency and banned larger social gatherings.  The Washington Supreme Court has now ordered that all trials and motions of all kinds in every court in WA be closed unless on an Emergency basis until at LEAST April 27th - unless there are health and safety reasons to proceed. Several of the Superior Courts are entirely closed for any reason due to court staff being sick with the virus. (Kitsap courts)

When this started- I thought that by mid March we'd have a better idea of what was happening maybe have an idea as to when schools would be able to open.  I thought for sure we'd have widespread testing by now so that we could just figure out who was sick and not have to isolate EVERYONE.  But that hasn't happened.  I am disappointed and scared. Things seem to be getting steadily worse not better, and I have no idea where this is going to end.

My business is starting to struggle as everyone working from home puts a SERIOUS spike in productivity and also because the companies we work for- are not paying their bills.  Things need to get better fast or a LOT of small businesses are not going to make it. 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 20, 2020, 09:53:40 AM
A Facebook friend posted this pic of Clearwater beach. They're going to close it Monday. Why are they waiting until Monday? It's all about the money, of course. Crazy.

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Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 20, 2020, 11:01:54 AM
I heard that California, NY state today are imposing lock downs, I hope it will keep all you guys in those areas safe. A friend of mine from uni lives in NY state but I think she was already working from home.

 I really hope it gets better in WA soon. Measures take a bit of time to kick in, but you guys have been dealing with it the longest. Stay as safe as you can. The US is a strong country. I'm sure it will pull through this once measures start to take effect. There was something on the news about the govt deploying navy ships to help deal with the pressure?

I really hope those beaches are properly closed in FL soon.

On the UK subject - we are having briefings every day at 5 with various cabinet people/health people/science people/the PM which are televised. I'm again not going to get political but at least they're telling us something.

Today the chancellor announced measures for employees who might lose their jobs, and companies, to try and support them so they won't lose their jobs. I've heard the media calling it the wage aid.

Schools are shutting from today except kids of essential workers. Grades will be done on mocks and assessments, which is usually done only if a single student has extenuating circs, not for the entire academic year across the country. Hope it won't mean more kids on the streets. Time for the Xbox, kids.

I decided to downsize my previous post as most of the info people probably already know xD.

This also may be of interest to people in the UK regarding regional impact:

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/uk-news/2020/03/20/where-coronavirus-has-spread-in-the-uk-over-the-past-week/

Bearing in mind they are currently only testing people who are receiving medical attention, and that there are a lot of mild cases probably going unnoticed.

Wales doesn't record stats regionally, nor does NI, so I guess that's why they're missing.

UK have tested somewhere around 70,000 people so far. Which is higher than some of Europe (eg France) but nowhere near S. Korea's level.

West Mids region has had some bad cases in the last few weeks, they think this down to people attending religious locations for support and finding it hard to socially isolate themselves in certain communities. The wider West Mids is a proudly diverse area with a lot of different faith communities living side by side who are looking for solace in a difficult time :/ I'm glad it's being looked into so that they can protect the people who need protecting (apparently it's mostly older community members who are finding this hardest to do, and they are at risk even more :/) All that said the worst area is still London, unsurprisingly.

Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 20, 2020, 11:27:49 AM
I heard that California, NY state today are imposing lock downs, I hope it will keep all you guys in those areas safe. A friend of mine from uni lives in NY state but I think she was already working from home.

Define lock down?

Is that something different then shelter in place?  (Although I see NY is not using that term)
california (https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/)
new york (https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home)
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 20, 2020, 11:33:14 AM
I heard that California, NY state today are imposing lock downs, I hope it will keep all you guys in those areas safe. A friend of mine from uni lives in NY state but I think she was already working from home.

Define lock down?

Is that something different then shelter in place?  (Although I see NY is not using that term)
california (https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/)
new york (https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home)


I heard the NY Governor speaking about it on news TV and he very clearly said it wasn't a shelter in place, he was calling it a 'pause' and that it was mandated, not optional. He also said the California governor wasn't using that term either. BUT I'm only going on what has been broadcast on our channels in the UK and so someone in the area probably knows better than me the exact specifics. I forget what he said CA was calling it - Stay at Home?

I hope this isn't trespassing into the political too much but the NY Governor said that the shelter in place term could confuse people (as it is often used for mass shootings, school shootings etc) and wasn't necessarily what was required in this situation...also that the rationale behind it was based on stats from the Spanish Flu epidemic where cases spiked in an area with a Parade that wasn't cancelled...or something like that?

Compared to what is happening here, which is not mandated but strongly recommended at present, I'd call it a lockdown, but I guess that's a nuanced term.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 20, 2020, 11:34:38 AM
I heard that California, NY state today are imposing lock downs, I hope it will keep all you guys in those areas safe. A friend of mine from uni lives in NY state but I think she was already working from home.

Define lock down?

Is that something different then shelter in place?  (Although I see NY is not using that term)
california (https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/)
new york (https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home)


I heard the NY Governor speaking about it on news TV and he very clearly said it wasn't a shelter in place, he was calling it a 'pause' and that it was mandated, not optional. He also said the California governor wasn't using that term either. BUT I'm only going on what has been broadcast on our channels in the UK and so someone in the area probably knows better than me the exact specifics. I forget what he said CA was calling it - Stay at Home?

It mirrors (or at least close to mirror) other states areas that call it shelter in place. He won't use that term because they use it for live shootings... but they are not calling it lock down.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 20, 2020, 11:39:52 AM
I heard that California, NY state today are imposing lock downs, I hope it will keep all you guys in those areas safe. A friend of mine from uni lives in NY state but I think she was already working from home.

Define lock down?

Is that something different then shelter in place?  (Although I see NY is not using that term)
california (https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/)
new york (https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home)


I heard the NY Governor speaking about it on news TV and he very clearly said it wasn't a shelter in place, he was calling it a 'pause' and that it was mandated, not optional. He also said the California governor wasn't using that term either. BUT I'm only going on what has been broadcast on our channels in the UK and so someone in the area probably knows better than me the exact specifics. I forget what he said CA was calling it - Stay at Home?

It mirrors other states that call it shelter in place. He won't use that term because they use it for live shootings... but they are not calling it lock down.

As I said, it's a nuanced term and not worth an argument over - it seems irrelevant what they call it, the important aspect is the impact. Technically Italy etc aren't using the words lock down either, not least because they're English words, but it doesn't mean it's not what it is. Whereas by comparison the UK is not in lock down because we're under strong advisory guidance to stay home - but there is currently no legal enforcement of that (even though it could happen, as yet, it has not).

By lockdown I mean a situation mandated by govt to not go outside and do things that they would normally do, on pain of fines and other penalties. Which were outlined by the NY governor - I don't know about in CA.

Semantical disagreements on use of terminology are really unhelpful when the bigger issue is, well, bigger.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: banditpony on March 20, 2020, 11:50:08 AM
I think terminology is worth defining, especially in something critical like this so everyone is on the same page and doesn't interpret it differently. This is why I linked both department of health pages so it was as direct as can be what each thing means to each state.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 20, 2020, 11:53:28 AM
I think terminology is worth defining, especially in something critical like this so everyone is on the same page and doesn't interpret it differently. This is why I linked both department of health pages so it was as direct as can be what each thing means to each state.

Sure, I get that. But this is a global crisis and not an American one, and sometimes those of us not in the US have to contextualise based on the things that are similar in our very different experiences of coronavirus.

Hence terminology is nuanced. Though both CNN and the US Govt are calling it a lockdown, so I guess that's what it is.

And this is OT and going to annoy the mods so maybe let's go back to the main discussion.

Nothing new to add on previous post for the UK or my region for now.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 20, 2020, 01:24:01 PM
Starting tomorrow all restaurants will be carry out/takeout only. Libraries will also be closed. Gyms and bars are also closed.

Banks are open but my bank is not doing in person transactions.

All public schools are closed until April 3rd and most likely will just do online learning for the rest of the year.


Ponyfan

Same thing going on here in Kansas. My state is up to 44 cases now, and like other places is hampered by the lack of test kits. Johnson county (KC metro area) continues to be the hot spot  with 23 (that's where the first case appeared too), and 9 in nearby Wyandotte co.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 20, 2020, 01:25:18 PM
My mom had a drs appointment today(not for illness)  and when she came back she said that the dr's office took her temperature before they would let her see the dr and told her if she did have fever she would have been told to go home.


Ponyfan 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: BlackCurtains on March 20, 2020, 01:44:19 PM
The numbers just keep going up. Now it's 520 cases in Florida with 202 being investigated and today they've said how many non-residents are infected: 46. So that's 46 people who are going to travel back home, if they can. The death toll is up to 10.

Some counties on the gulf coast finally announced beach closures. They aren't immediate, some will close tomorrow, some Monday. I don't why they are hesitating when it just keeps spreading.

Oh the governor is speaking right now... lessee what he says.

edit: Okay, they cut him off. One of the reporters called him out on his leniency, and his answer was "I don't like telling people what to do." ...buh? Then why are you governor?

Anyway, he is doing what some other states did on a couple things - we're moving to carryout delivery only because people weren't following the recommendations to not be in groups 10 or less and to stay 6 feet away while dining in restaurants (no? you think?). Alcohol is included because the clubs and bars are shut down.

A drive through testing facility opened today in Broward county (that's near Miami) and has already done over 500 tests. Another is going to open tomorrow in Jacksonville.

Florida will get 5 million masks in the next few weeks to distribute to hospitals and such.

I missed where, it might have been in the Miami area, but a cook at a hospital tested positive. Whoa.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on March 20, 2020, 02:00:17 PM
The amount of cases have doubled since Wednesday, but that may simply be due to more testing being done.
I was such in a rush to get the game yesterday I didn't actually describe what it was like: Weird. It's weird being able to drive down the interstate and not have to stop for lights because there's so little traffic. The grocery store that carries my favorite tea had a few empty shelves but overall less people in the store than is typical, which makes sense.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on March 20, 2020, 02:20:38 PM
They've been saying on the radio that the US is about 50 days behind China and about 2 weeks behind Italy in the curve of how the virus is playing out.  So if we continue to follow the trend, that means that in about 50 days the US will be reporting no new cases.  Granted, there are no guarantees to this depending on how people respond to the quarantine rules, etc, but it does put a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel. 

When I stopped at the store on my lunch break the cashier told me that it seems like people tend to have what they need now so the buying hasn't been as frantic and more people are picking up stuff for Easter baskets than filling their carts with toilet paper and cleaners.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Wardah on March 20, 2020, 02:32:09 PM
I heard that California, NY state today are imposing lock downs, I hope it will keep all you guys in those areas safe. A friend of mine from uni lives in NY state but I think she was already working from home.

Define lock down?

Is that something different then shelter in place?  (Although I see NY is not using that term)
california (https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/)
new york (https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home)


I heard the NY Governor speaking about it on news TV and he very clearly said it wasn't a shelter in place, he was calling it a 'pause' and that it was mandated, not optional. He also said the California governor wasn't using that term either. BUT I'm only going on what has been broadcast on our channels in the UK and so someone in the area probably knows better than me the exact specifics. I forget what he said CA was calling it - Stay at Home?

It mirrors other states that call it shelter in place. He won't use that term because they use it for live shootings... but they are not calling it lock down.

As I said, it's a nuanced term and not worth an argument over - it seems irrelevant what they call it, the important aspect is the impact. Technically Italy etc aren't using the words lock down either, not least because they're English words, but it doesn't mean it's not what it is. Whereas by comparison the UK is not in lock down because we're under strong advisory guidance to stay home - but there is currently no legal enforcement of that (even though it could happen, as yet, it has not).

By lockdown I mean a situation mandated by govt to not go outside and do things that they would normally do, on pain of fines and other penalties. Which were outlined by the NY governor - I don't know about in CA.

Semantical disagreements on use of terminology are really unhelpful when the bigger issue is, well, bigger.

It's also different because it's not that people aren't allowed to travel freely but that all unessential jobs and businesses are closed. The hope is by removing the reasons people gather that we will social distance on our own.

A Facebook friend posted this pic of Clearwater beach. They're going to close it Monday. Why are they waiting until Monday? It's all about the money, of course. Crazy.

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It's a shame people can't be trusted to maintain distance outdoors. Now the ones who followed the rules have to lose out as well. I hope people at the beaches here are smarter if this is still under way when it warms up.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: toyjunky on March 20, 2020, 06:22:17 PM
Southern California (Orange County area)
69 cases
0 deaths

To be honest, things have not changed that much in the last few days. As I mentioned in my previous post, people (especially those over the age of 65) were advised to stay home (or shelter in place) as much as possible. This was already the suggestion earlier in the week, so not really any different. The only difference is at the beginning of the week it was certain counties and now suggested for the entire state.

What is open: gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants, banks, hardware stores and laundromats. People are encouraged to go outside, but to practice social distancing practices (say going for a walk, exercise, biking etc).

What has changed in the last 24 hours: Many school districts (around me locally) that were on a 2 week break for this have now extended the time away to four weeks. Otherwise not much has changed that didn't already happen earlier this week (no theme parks, no malls, no theaters, no gyms, no bars, no eating inside restaurants).

For perspective here, you can still go to Michael's Craft Store or Hobby Lobby and then go grab some food at Chick-fil-A (to go of course), then go for a walk in your neighborhood or local park.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 20, 2020, 07:18:58 PM
The cases in my area are now at 5 but I expect that more will be announced in a few days because 2 of the confirmed cases didn't follow self quarantine rules and went out to stores and restaurants during the time they could infect other people with the virus.


Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: rybett on March 20, 2020, 08:10:11 PM
To go along with the wash your hands: moisturize.  I saw a cashier today with painfully dry and cracked hands.  Broken skin does not protect the human.   Also, a few pages back someone said people are going ham.  Never heard that before but I think it makes perfect sense. 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Loa on March 20, 2020, 09:43:37 PM
New Zealand is officially closed. No one in or out, unless from our Pacific Island neighbours (Tonga, Samoa, Niue etc) where they need assistance.
Mum said she's watched people go to the supermarket and just clear shelves into a trolley. My brother can't get milk!
It's so stupid!

New Zealand latest update! (https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120451679/coronavirus-details-about-gatherings-in-bars-and-restaurants-to-be-revealed)
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Hannah66665 on March 20, 2020, 10:04:17 PM
Over 100 cases in Utah... my parents are both over 70 with various health issues. been trying to warn my family about this since the end of January when it exploded in China. We definitely aren't prepared and we're almost out of toilet paper which really sucks for a household of 6(+) and half of us have really bad stomachs and go through it a lot. Probably broke now until payday at the start of next month...
The store doesn't have TP or very much pet supplies either and between this house and my brothers across the street we're caring for about a dozen cats. Dad doesn't take it seriously at all. He hardly if ever leaves the house and he maybe bathes twice a year but he is also very against washing his hands and he gets REALLY pissy if anyone brings it up. not only will he not wash his hands but he has no qualms using the bathroom then immediately sticking his hands in the family bread or lunch meat, etc. ruining it for everyone else. Mom tends to question and argue any information she's told about it from us and only believes what she finds and reads online. She didn't understand why the pet supplies and soap would be low... because we're supposed to be planning for months of not going outside!!! Other family still come in and out most days so I'm really worried about it being brought in. We have no vehicle so we can only rely on the one grocery store a mile away and the convenience store. The virus definitely won't stop the smokers in this house from running up there for cigarettes every three days though with whatever pocket change is left. 
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Satin Slipper on March 20, 2020, 11:41:32 PM
We are a global community. Let's keep each other posted about the real state of events.

Discussion is welcome.
NO FEAR MONGERING


1. Where do you live?
2. What is the current climate like where you're at?
3. Are news reports coming from your area accurate or no? What is going on?

1) I live in the North East

2) Neighboring Town Has Dozens of cases and is on Lock Down (Quarantined By Police Only Allowing Residents Out To The Supermarket & Doctors), my town is told to Self Quarantine, not everyone respects the 6 Feet Apart, and people are acting seriously crazy.
All of my doctor's have had to reschedule.
1/2 of the people in my state are Laid Off at least temporarily/indefinitely.
The state mandated that all business cut their staff in half (to avoid crowded offices) except all Essential Medical Personnel should be going to work and there are requests for Retired Medical Professionals to volunteer.
Most people are poliet but there are some people are Angry, Mean, And Inappropriate.
Starting arguements/fights with other shopper, harrassing shoppers, following/staking shoppers, not Respecting 6 Feet Socail Distancing, Attempting to grab customers and stealing from customers carts.
Also Staff will put supplies away for themselves, not respecting buying limits - grrr...
I'm not sure when this Corona Virus Pandemic will end.

3) Right now, the hospitals have about 2 weeks until they run out of supplies.
So in a few months if you get a Bumble Bee Sting, in a car accident, or anything - who knows how much the Hospitals would be able to help.
Also diabetics who can't get their medicine will really be facing those consequences in a few weeks/months...
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Minty_Magic on March 21, 2020, 03:49:54 AM
Thank you all for the clarification on why staying in is so important guys! It’s been a hectic couple days but I am officially in lockdown mode now. I’m incredibly thankful I still have a job and they sent us home with equipment so we wouldn’t have to report to the office. I had to scramble to get a desk for my workstation but now that it’s all set up I’m actually having a pretty good time! I wish I could work from home all the time. Tentatively they want us back in the office by April 3rd, but I honestly think that’s pretty optimistic. I’m hoping they’ll give us an extension on staying home because I don’t see this clearing up in just 2 weeks time.

I’m a little worried me and my mom could have been exposed at work before this all really blew up. The woman she sits by was sick and her symptoms seemed suspiciously like the Coronavirus. I always go up and talk to them on my breaks so we both had contact with her. We haven’t seen her in a couple weeks, which is also concerning.

The number of cases continues to climb here, but we haven’t had any major jumps in numbers, thankfully. Most stores are either closed or open for pickups/takeout only.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Koudoawaia on March 21, 2020, 07:53:42 AM
I really hope you and your mom weren't exposed to it. Just keep a careful eye on each other for symptoms which I'm sure you're already doing anyway. It's also great you get to work from home during this. It's looking like my husband will be able to do the same very soon.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 21, 2020, 11:23:20 AM
I went to a couple of stores today. People were buying 1-3 cases of Ramen noodles each. I did pick up a case because I really like the shrimp flavor but I know I will eat them.

Ham, hotdogs, canned meat, frozen food  etc.. are flying of off of shelves. One of the grocery stores has put a 2 item limit on the most wanted items so more people have a chance to get them.

They've also put up signs asking people to respect elderly shopping hours because there have been a few problems with people that aren't elderly or shopping for the elderly taking advantage of those times.

There is uncertainty involving my job due to the virus.


Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Aeryala on March 21, 2020, 11:34:12 AM
Community spread has begun here in southern Ontario, but they are only testing elderly people and health care workers so it's impossible to know any sort of real numbers.  Nothing new has shut down that I'm aware of.  Public transportation is still operating but it's free and you have to get on at the back of the bus, to protect the drivers.  Grocery stores are busy, and still completely out of toilet paper, sanitizer, alcohol, cleaners, and now the flour shelves are empty too. 

The paint store where I work is still open, but we have signs up trying to get people to call/email orders in for curbside pickup. We had to lock the door because everyone was ignoring the signs though.. and then my manager kept letting people into the store anyway.  The number of people who were annoyed at the inconvenience is enraging.  One painter actually told us, "this virus is the best thing that ever happened to me.  There's no traffic on the highway, and business has never been better!"  He also seems to think that in a week or two this will all be over and we'll be laughing about how paranoid everyone is being - and from the number of people who think it's their right to come into a locked store during a pandemic because they NEED to look at paint colors, there are a lot of folks in town with mindsets like his.

Many people in my city are going about their business like nothing is wrong.  Yesterday a trio of women got on the bus with two babies, MUCH too close to me - they were taking advantage of the free ride to go out for a snacks and sodas (meanwhile casually touching everything on the bus).   

As far as I'm concerned, too many local people are being dangerously careless, and I wish I could just hole up at home and wait it out.  I don't know if I can stop going to work without losing my job though, and I need to have that job at the end of this.  Crossing my fingers that they decide to close before I have to go back on Monday.

Stay safe, everyone.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 21, 2020, 12:46:56 PM
What a difference a day makes. My state is now up to 55 cases, and a 2nd death. Again the death was in Johnson county, and they now account for 24 of the confirmed cases, with 13 in neighboring Wyandotte co.

At this rate I expect the Kansas City area to come under lockdown soon.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Taffeta on March 21, 2020, 12:50:48 PM
First death recorded for my area at the local hospital - but apparently it happened some days ago and they have just announced it...which is unhelpful and a little bit frightening.

Person had apparently 'serious' underlying health conditions.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: brightberry on March 21, 2020, 02:38:07 PM
Quote
Austin, TX Phase 5: Sustained Person-to-Person Spread in the Community

So many business’s are shut down right now. I’ve been isolated with my brother and husband.  My husband and I work from home.  But my brother has to leave every morning as his job is in a facility that keeps the city running.  Fortunately, he mostly works alone.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: Ponyfan on March 21, 2020, 02:38:48 PM
My area has started testing so numbers of confirmed cases are starting to go up. We have jumped from 8 cases to 11 in a couple of hours. My city is telling people not to be tested unless they are showing symptoms.


Ponyfan
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: lonewolf on March 21, 2020, 02:55:17 PM
Just 3 hours after I said I expect Kansas City to go under lockdown:
https://www.kctv5.com/coronavirus/core-stay-at-home-order-happening-on-tuesday/article_e46029d8-6bbb-11ea-8284-f7606bc1ec71.html?fbclid=IwAR0PCeX6v7oC7Uv1eHMEcpkss80R9LnsZcBJh8DzW63zHOcJnhC8ZUxqgD4

It starts Tuesday and lasts 30 days.
Title: Re: Coronavirus info, facts & updates
Post by: dragonfly on March 21, 2020, 04:38:26 PM
Please continue the conversation in the new weekly thread.
http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,398198.new.html

Locking this one.
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