Hello

[Beta]

I've got whiplash from this post. Several times over.

Me too!

Concerning the Coronavirus, from what I've read and heard, it just requires the type of normal precautions that one would take with any virus. I saw a FB post the other day from a nurse who said she has been treating it for years and she felt it was being blown up out of proportion. If you look back over the last ten years or so, we've had some sort of medical scare of one kind or another (SARS, West Nile, Ebola, Asian Bird Flu, etc.)
That being said, our youngest just moved to Washington state last weekend, the place where there have been some cases of it. We warned him the other day to wash his hands out in public and not touch his face until he had washed.

Like Gilda Radner of SNL live used to say, "It's always something."

Oy vey.

Yep, I second that.

 

[AppleCori]

I’m like you, Copa (except I don’t watch much news).

I have stocked up on food, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, etc. just in case.

In case of what—not totally sure.

I think if there is anything, it will be a panicked buying of everything and shortages of certain items if the virus comes to my area. I don’t want to be going to the stores unnecessarily if it does come here. I don’t think that will happen, but you never know. Already, the price of disinfecting wipes has soared online though they are normally priced in the stores.

My hubby is very nonchalant about the whole thing—it is what it is—but he is indulging me in my need to stock up.

I was about to buy tickets for a concert that is happening in May—and I am hesitating.

 

[Copabanana]

I have stocked up o

Apple. How many gallons of water did you buy per person? I don't understand why they keep saying to buy water for 2 weeks. Why wouldn't we be able to use tap water, if need be? Is there the fear that it could be transmitted in the pipes? Is there concern that there would not be people available to keep the grid and infrastructure functioning?

My sense is the government handled this poorly by hoping and wishing initially it would magically go away. People need good information in order to realistically prepare. Absent that our fears take over, filling the void where good and expert information should be.

I even bought a new thermometer, and I bought a lot of Gatorade because I read that that's what they're giving afflicted people who are not seriously ill. Lots and lots of Gatorade. I think I need to get a life.

 

[BusynMember1]

Call me out of it.

Last year 15,000 people died of the flu and some people in certain states, not mine, are afraid of a small amount of a normally non fatal virus. I heard people were raiding stores out West and I don't understand. To me it seems political as in politicians trying to blame other opposing politicians for this. And of course the media loves to work people up.

If it's not a political ploy and truly a countrywide threat, can somebody please explain why? Where we live there have been no cases and nobody is buying out stores. Can someone please explain why the West coast is so upset? There has to be a good reason. I lived out West. Many very smart people there.

I do know a nursing home was affected in Washington, but they all lived together. it was very sad.

I wonder why people out here are not concerned as opposed to the West coast.

I won't say which state we live in, but it is more East.

Thanks to anyone who may want to explain. If nobody wants to, no big deal. Honestly, nobody here even mentions it as a serious threat.

 

[Copabanana]

I am answering Busy here. My quote thing isn't working again. (It was such a pleasure when it worked the past week. And now it's not. Again.)

She's asking why we're going off the deep end about Coronavirus here in the West. The answer: I don't know.

I think part of it is that we are very oriented towards Asia. In our consciousness, we feel close to China. I know I do. I have my whole life due to the City I am from. We have serious ports of entry that bring people and goods from all over the Far East but particularly mainline China. In Northern California, the SF Bay Area, particularly there are many, many Chinese people who live here who travel back and forth and whose relatives do too. Which is to say there is an identification with China and a consciousness of being close to Asia and inter-connected to it.

I think another reason is the extreme social mobility in California. I have not lived for long times in other states but I have lived in other countries. In California we travel a whole lot. This year for example I have traveled either to the Northern or Southern part of the state perhaps 10 times. And I don't work! Many, many people drive every single day three hours to work to the SF Bay Area. I think this gives many of us a sense of un-safety, or poor boundaries, or permeability in our space.

I know in my own case I WATCH OR LISTEN TO ENTIRELY TOO MUCH NEWS. AND I NEED TO STOP.

Finally, if you go to Costco and every.single.cart has 3 or 4 cases of water in it. And if you go to the dollar store and thermometers are sold out. And there are huge displays of hand sanitizer, 5 shelves high....and you are clearly not the only one who is buying all of this. You look at the other carts, and what you think of is: Oh. I need to buy non-perishable protein bars, or dried fruit. Or why didn't I think of buying canned soups and beans. Because you see this stuff in others' carts. Because you see all the OTHER people who are better at following orders and buying essential emergency supplies, than are you. And then, you go and copy THEM.

So finally I am seeing how extremely nutty this is. But before I abandon this lunacy completely, I am going to check and see how many new cases there are.

 

[200Meters]

Mrs. 200Meters and I are here at the visitor's entrance to the pokey. Unlike previous visits, we had to sign declarations that we are in good health, etc., and listing our contact details. On the radio news on the way here, we heard a report about how the Israel Prison Service and the courts are drawing up contingency plans for how to deal with the corona virus. Charming. I will comment on the previous posts & post more later.

 

[AppleCori]

That is a little scary, 200Meters.

I read that Iran recently released 5000 prisoners because of the virus. I know they also have 10% of their top government officials testing positive.

 

[AppleCori]

Copa,

I have a relative that is a doctor in South Korea, so even though I live in the uppper Midwest, I am in contact with people now in the current epicenter.

The regular flus that we get every year have a death rate of less than 1%.

The Spanish Flu of 1918 had a death rate of 2.5%.

The Covid 19 Coronavirus has a death rate of 3.4% (updated numbers from the World Health Organization) and is much more easily transmitted that the flu. Worst-case scenarios have as much as 70% of the world infected before it is over, though hopefully it won’t come to that.

As far as the government handling of this, I don’t think we will be able to control the spread the way the Chinese have. They are a totalitarian regime that literally was able to quarantine entire cities, shut down all transportation within and to and from these cities, and had drones and soldiers watching to make sure people complied.

I just hope that, like a flu, this virus cannot live long in warm weather and dies out soon.

I have not stocked up on a huge amount of water (one gallon per person per day is the amount stated in emergency preparedness government websites) because that would be more for floods that may contaminate the water supply systems. I do have some, but not that much.

I have replenished my stock of food, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes (which I always have and use anyway) and am going about my life as usual, otherwise.

No one here in my area seems to be worried about it at all. It’s not really a topic of conversation amongst anyone I know (other that a casual mention before going on to other things).

I’m not panicked, but I am making sure I can live without going out unnecessarily for a while if needed.

 

[BusynMember1]

Thanks,Copa and Apple. I guess it is more real if you communicate with people from countries badly affected by this.

Where I live there are few Chinese and not so much traveling out of country and so far no Corona cases. It isn't spoken of much and I don't think we will be stockpiling food...just not worried.

Kay was in California and she is a huge hypochondriac. I hear she is now in Arizona, but if there is fear there my guess is they will go somewhere else that they feel is "safer." They have no television but they do have the internet.

Three years ago my husband and I made a steadfast decision to shut off the news. Things with Kay were still bad and andw were very stressed. I tend to get very upset about sad world problems, yet there is nothing I can do except pray. I decided to keep praying but stop watching. I do not even know much about our Presidential election because even that is upsetting to me and out of my control. I will vote for my party but not watch the returns. There is nobody running in either party that I really resonated with anyway, of what I know about all of them.

I don't think the Corona virus hype would scare me, but that's one more bad news tidbit that I can't control and don't need to know about.

I appreciate the feedback, girls. Love you both. Copa, don't fill up your house lol. Apple, leave some room for you ,(wink).

Blessings and hugs! Hoping Corona will just stay away!!!

 

[Copabanana]

Worst-case scenarios have as much as 70% of the world infected

Wow. I didn't know that!

Copa, don't fill up your house lol.

I don't have one inch in either my indoor freezer or my (large) garage freezer, and I'm one person. I bought enough food and water for M and my son, too, just in case. I bought 25 gallons of water and I have a 60 gallon hot water heater that M says we can access if need be. Still I don't know why we're supposed to have a gallon of water a day for each person for 2 weeks. This isn't an earthquake. There is nothing left to buy. No more gallons of water are left at the store! No hand sanitizer or bleach or Clorox wipes either.

 

[Copabanana]

I bought 25 gallons of water and I have a 60 gallon hot water heater that M says we can access if need be

Well. I bought 10 more gallons of water. I want to be sure I have enough for M and for my son if need be. They are saying we need a gallon a day each person for 14 days. And then, for pets too. Still I don't know why we need to have water. After all, we do have water piped into the house. I wish somebody could explain to me, what they expect to happen to the pipes.

Costco here is just crazy. Everybody arrives there at opening to buy water which is rationed now. Along with Lysol, etc. There is no toilet paper at all. I could only buy two cases of water. The panic is contagious. I went back later to buy a chicken and there was no more water in the store. They were telling people to come back tomorrow at 915. The man said he believes people will be lined up out the door, upon opening. At my store, they had moved all of the trees for sale (in Spring they sell trees here) to the back of the store where the water usually is. I presume they will put water in the front of the store tomorrow, for accessibility.

I do not recall anything like this before in my lifetime, except perhaps the oil crisis in the 70's when the lines for gas were dozens and dozens of cars. Furthermore there are no free food samples anymore at my Costco. All of the ladies who dispense them are now dispersed throughout the store dispensing Clorox wipes to wipe cart handles and your hands.

Is this happening where you are living?

 

[Nandina]

Hi Copa, so far this is not happening where I’m living. There has been only one confirmed case in my state. My husband just shopped and bought a case of bottled water with no problem. I don’t use bleach so not sure how that is holding out.

I hope everyone who has concerns will take a moment to watch some of the specials they are having on most of the networks to alleviate some of the fears and provide factual information about the Coronavirus. I watched one on CNN last night and I would provide a link here to some excerpts, but I’m not good at copying links from my Ipad. There is also one on ABC 20 20 as I write this, 9:00 p.m.

But excerpts of the CNN special are on the web— it was a town hall with Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Very helpful toward alleviating some of my concerns. They interviewed a man who looked to be in his late fifties or maybe sixties, who had been on the cruise ship and had the virus and was quarantined. He explained what it felt like and what the symptoms are. He actually said in his case, he felt the flu or even a cold felt much worse except that he did get a high fever. But in a few days it broke. A doctor spoke afterward who said that this was the typical experience of most patients.

However, the concern is to keep the virus from spreading to elderly folks who have underlying health conditions, ie. diabetes, heart disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), etc., as this virus spreads much more rapidly than the flu and is more lethal in the case of those with health issues. And of course, there is no vaccine as yet.

I realize that other cities are experiencing more severe outbreaks which can cause panic, but the experts who spoke last night emphasized that this is not like the “black death” and to try and stay calm and just practice good hygiene, whether you are sick or not. And don’t fret if your grocery store is out of hand sanitizer. Soap and water and a good 20-second hand wash works just fine.

Stay safe and healthy, everyone!

 

[BusynMember1]

Absolutely no one seems worried here. The stores are as usual. Not much talking about it. Some bewilderment about the coastal states that are panicking but the panic isn't spreading. My daughter, who is very smart and well educated, is at a very crowded city fair with her friends. Our business is busy, getting ready for warmer weather. No slow down.

Just normal days here on the other side of the country.

My sister lives in the Midwest and said no panic there either. Nobody buying supplies. Not much talk about it.

Interesting topic. Maybe the temperament is to not worry in advance here. I have moved a few times. Every states people and leaders have different personalities.

 

[AppleCori]

I was in the Dollar Store yesterday, and the person that was stocking the shelves told me that they can’t keep hand sanitizer on the shelves.

In my area, a state that has no known cases, I have gotten emails on the virus and preparations from the school system, daughter’s dance studio, the scout organization, the church, robotics team, a place where we volunteer, my hubby’s business, the county, my state representative, my US representative, and have been asked about travel at both the doctor and the dentist. Most of these in the last week or so.

I really worry for the economy.

 

[BusynMember1]

Apple, what is your general location?

My grandkids school districts have not panicked.

They DO ask about travel in healthcare facilities, but that really makes sense. We are not getting mail about the virus from anyplace.

The stock market is another story.

 

[AppleCori]

Busy,

I don’t consider any of the emails “panicked”.

The representatives talk about what the government is doing, and what they want to do. The school district talks about keeping sick kids home, hand washing, and refers to an unnamed plan if someone comes to school and is later found to have the virus (we homeschool but are also part of the system). The dance studio talks about their amped-up cleaning and disinfecting schedule, have kids wash hands before and after coming, and a reminder to keep sick kids home. Same general theme with the other organizations.

I am I the upper Midwest, in a state that has yet to diagnose its first case. I believe that when that first case is revealed, we will have panic buying and I don’t intent to be without toilet paper.

 

[AppleCori]

The South by Southwest festival has been canceled. This is huge.

 

[Crayola13]

I'll take Corona virus any day over a stomach virus. The ones I get are brutal.

 

[Copabanana]

Sorry to hijack your thread 200Meters. I hope you and the Mrs. are fine, and I hope things have settled down a bit with youngest.

I can't help myself.

I bought 10 more gallons of water this morning. I'm now up to the recommended quantity to have on hand. It took several trips due to rationing. This is a lot of water!

Today, for the first time in my life I got to Costco before it opened. Perhaps a half hour before. Already there were about 500 people with carts lined up waiting. Serious, intense, seemingly anxious people. Now that I think about it, there were no children!

I don't think I'm anxious. I think I'm swept away in a kind of detachment.

When the doors opened, all of these people speed walked with their carts to the back of the store. It was civilized but quite intense. I did not see panic. Every cart had their limit of water *two cases. Toilet paper, too, was limited to two cases. It was going fast. I am not sure about paper towels because I only got one case.

On the way home I had to stop at the pharmacy in the upscale market near me. They were loaded with water, but there were very few people. Is this a Costco and dollar store phenomenon? If so, why?

I am thinking seriously about all of this. Is this internet-fueled? Is this driven by the inconsistency of government officials? Is it coming from the drip, drip, drip on the news? Is it from the unavailability of tests (and confusion about it), the mixed messages, in general, confusion about what might come (because there's inconsistency about prognosis)? Is this being politicized, and is this driving our anxiety? Is concern exacerbated by the steep global stock market losses? Is the fact that it's global, an echo chamber? Is it coming from not enough good information or too much?

Some of the serious people I listen to on the TV, such as physicians, public health officials, ex-homeland security officials, are saying straight out: in the next few weeks this will get way, way worse, and it will get worse where you live. They say most of us will have experienced nothing in our lives like what will come.

This is scary. I wish somebody was telling me what to do. Because I don't seem to listen to myself about staying home. Part of me believes I should stay home. But I can't seem to do it on my own.

I live in a small city 2 hours from a major metropolis. We have less than 100k people. We have a major university here. While in the main we are not a highly educated populace, we're not backwater, either. When I talk to (some) people who live in the highly sophisticated and highly educated metropolis near me, they tell me people are blasé.

Here, we are not blasé. People like M are calm and sanguine. But he's got 24 gallons of water just for himself! The recommended minimum for one person is 14 gallons.

I had vowed to stay at home beginning today, but I couldn't do it. Because I am in the age bracket that has been the most seriously afflicted, some experts are saying it's a very good idea for people like me to stay at home. What are they calling it? Social distancing, I think.

My rational mind thinks this makes sense. At this point, there is no real reason to go to stores or anyplace else. (What in the world could there be left to buy?) There is plenty to do around the house and yard. I can walk in my neighborhood. The problem is that I like to go out everyday at least once to a public place to feel connected, with the community at large. I did not realize how much I need it. If it comes to the point where I must stay home, I wonder if it will get easier.

I will pray that each and everyone of us (and our loved ones) stays safe and healthy.

 

[BusynMember1]

I think it's the more academically advanced people who are panicking. That doesn't mean they are right.

I am educated from a notable University myself.

I also don't trust talkers on the media.

We had a person here who may have had Corona and was quarantined at home and nobody panicked here. Stores normal. I bought hand wash and the normal just today.

I guess we will see. Except for Kay, I tend to not worry about anything unless I have to and even then I can stay pretty calm.