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COVID-19 Health and Preparedness - Strictly Moderated
Old 02-27-2020, 02:35 PM   #1
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COVID-19 Health and Preparedness - Strictly Moderated

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This thread is to share information that assists members in preparing for the COVID-19 outbreak, to inform the community on medical news related to COVID-19, or official policy measures and responses in the US and around the world.

It’s not intended for general coronavirus news, rumors, unfounded medical analysis or advice, or unproven remedies. No YouTube links. Please forgo snark, sarcasm, or fear mongering. Civil unrest and other extreme scenarios are unwelcome. Links must be reputable or official sources. News on the global spread will be limited to reports by the WHO, cases in the US limited to state or federal sources.

The moderator team feels the entire community will benefit if this discussion can be kept on track. Any post not directly related to or contributing to the above will be removed without explanation or warning, and complaints or protest will be ignored.


Here is a study by the National Institutes of Health of the social isolation measures (quarantines/bans on gatherings) employed by different cities to combat the 1918 flu pandemic. As might be expected, they found that early and prolonged intervention by authorities led to lower mortality rates.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1849867/
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Disinfection of surfaces & skin
Old 02-27-2020, 04:42 PM   #2
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Disinfection of surfaces & skin

I'll repeat this. It takes 78% or 80% ethyl alcohol to kill the tested coronavirus (not Wuhan) in 60 seconds. 70% takes 10 minutes of wet contact. Purel is only 62%.

B.A.C takes 10 minutes are various concentrations.

What I don't know is if its OK to use denatured ethanol on your skin. There are various chemicals used for denaturing. Otherwise, need to pay the 27% Fed tax on drinking alcohol. Or buy a still and some potatoes.

https://www.journalofhospitalinfecti...20)30046-3/pdf

Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agent. Kampf2020
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Old 02-27-2020, 05:12 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by sengsational View Post
We had a "78% isopropyl alcohol for 60 seconds" report, above, to disable the virus. Do we have any data on hydrogen peroxide (concentration and contact time) to disable the virus?

More than you ever wanted to know about various disinfectants

https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol.../chemical.html
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Old 02-27-2020, 05:31 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Sunset View Post
From the chart:

Hydrogen peroxide 0.5% HCoVStrain 229E 1 min
That's up there in effectiveness with "white lightnin'" (95% ethanol).

The 70% alcohol is 10 minutes! So using 60% hand sanitizer seems like a false sense of security to me.

Found this paper, which has a nice chart of exposure times for various agents:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...95670120300463

But digging deeper, I've discovered that the "Hydrogen peroxide 0.5%" that they tested was really something called "Accel TB" [a 0.5% accelerated H2O2 (AHP)-based disinfectant], so it's got more in it than hydrogen peroxide [https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...6655305005754].
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Old 02-27-2020, 08:08 PM   #5
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So hopefully this won’t seem too over the top to most people.....
  1. Of most interest probably this is a very common sense list of items to get / think about from a virologist in Australia: https://virologydownunder.com/so-you...in-a-pandemic/
  2. I’d reiterate, fill your prescriptions too even if Covid doesn’t run rampant in the U.S. since so many ingredients come from elsewhere anyway. Plus it is good to have extra in case you take a long trip.
  3. This is an excellent opportunity to review your own emergency plans for whatever ails your neck of the woods (snow storms, earth quakes, tornadoes, hazard spills on the interstate, etc.). Don’t have one? Utah has a great site for preparedness for citizens, most states have something. CDC has suggestions. I’d extend the often suggested 3 days of food out to a week or two though.
  4. Note: Water bottles you get from the store last decades despite the date printed on them. There isn’t a need to buy special water. As long as you keep it in a cool place that doesn’t freeze, store purchased water bottles (think Dasani or Aquafina, or better 3 or 5 gallon purified containers) buy once and forget about it. Don’t go buying blue water that is $40 for a 12 pack.
  5. In case you don’t have water on hand and have water supply issues (pipes burst to your house in the winter and the snowstorm has road blocked for 3 days) get a Sawyer squeeze off of Amazon or your favorite camping store
  6. No need to buy fancy survival food, just have what you eat regularly but more of it. Check the list at the link above. If you want fancy, just get something like Mountain House freeze dried packets that campers use.
  7. Don’t panic, don’t horde.
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Old 02-29-2020, 02:08 PM   #6
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I have been preparing since the beginning of February. I am cautiously optimistic that we won't need the extra supplies but don't want to be in the stores if there is a last minute panic. I've been approaching this as an educational exercise and have learned some interesting things i.e. powdered buttermilk supposedly helps dogs with tear stains. Who knew? Also, it will be nice to have dried milk/buttermilk on hand if I'm out and want to get started on the baking.

I have dried fruit, vegetables, nuts, jerky and a few canned items. Honestly, canned vegetables have never been a regular part of my diet and I had a hard time buying those (they'll definitely go to the food pantry unless they are absolutely needed). The dried vegetables will go right into any soup so those definitely won't go to waste.

I have been busy making Fire Cider which is a combination of garlic, onions, gingers, horseradish, peppers, apple cider vinegar and honey. It takes three weeks to ferment so I bought an expensive bottle through Amazon until home production could catch up. We started dosing ourselves every day this last week. Will it keep us from getting sick? Who knows? But if we reek of garlic maybe that will keep people from standing too close

I have also made Medicine Chicken Soup that has garlic, ginger, rosemary, thyme and peppers in it. Each one of those ingredients targets inflammation, cough, etc. I have frozen the broth in separate packets so it's ready to go. If I'm sick, I won't have the energy to do that and the kids would be clueless.

I've also been researching traditional methods for dealing with pneumonia since Coronavirus seems to target the lungs specifically. So, I have hot mustard for mustard packs and castor oil for castor oil packs. In addition, I have Alka Seltzer Gold to use for electrolytes and Mucinex for decongestion. These ingredients last a long time and I hope to not have to use them but if we need to self treat at home I wanted to have the tools on hand.

I plan on creating a spreadsheet with expiration dates of the items listed so I will use them up on time and/or donate.

INFJ here. Curious to know if INFJs are more likely to prep ahead of the masses.

Edit: I also have a slightly large stash of dark chocolate. Forget the stories about stores running out of toilet paper - we'll survive that but no Chocolate? Nope, not safe out there if we don't have our chocolate!
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Old 02-29-2020, 06:10 PM   #7
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Somethings we’ve done that I have not seen mentioned:

We checked the batteries in our digital thermometers. Also check for adequate supply of covers.

We bought the huge Costco bottle of Tylenol. Probably more than we’ll need but didn’t want to go to another store.

We bought “flu foods” such as chicken broth, crackers, Gatorade

Although we stocked up on canned goods, I may consider using a grocery delivery service for some fresh foods. Especially if those foods would be cooked before consumption. I’m still thinking about the risks of this though.
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Old 02-29-2020, 06:44 PM   #8
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Today I noticed that my dishwasher as a “sanitize” setting that we have never used. Of course, this begs the question, are our dishes not sanitized from other cycles? Nonetheless, should one of us get sick we would start using this feature. We also restocked dishwasher pods, as we may run the dishwasher more frequently if we went into quarantine mode.

Our dryer also has a “anti-bacterial” cycle that we also have never used, but would if we were on lockdown.
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Old 02-29-2020, 10:02 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Bestwifeever View Post
Maybe I'll whip up some fashion masks on my sewing machine from fabric remnants I have on hand and put them on Etsy--a couple of layers of colorful silk, some cotton quilt batting, sequins here and there, ribbon ties.
I don't know if "tissue paper" means Kleenex or the stuff you wrap delicate presents in.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...ong-scientists

The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital worked with the Science Park to devise the do-it-yourself method
...

Joe Fan King-man, the institution’s assistant hospital chief executive, said the home-made masks had undergone laboratory tests by City University and were proven to have achieved 80 to 90 per cent of the function of regular surgical masks in terms of their filtration of aerosol and droplets.

How to make your own masks and protective shield at home.

Required items: kitchen roll, strong tissue paper, elastic bands, a hole punch, paper tape, scissors, plastic-coated steel wire, a pair of glasses, plastic file folders and binder clips.

Preparation:
For the mask:
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and clean your items
Put one piece of kitchen roll, with proper hygiene certification, on top of another
Place a piece of tissue paper, which will act as the bottom layer of the mask, on top of the two pieces of kitchen roll
Cut the stack of paper into two
Use the paper tape to seal off the two sides of the mask
Make two holes at each sealed side with the punch
Attach the metallic wire with paper tape to the top edge of the mask to make the nose bridge wire
Tie four rubber bands through the holes on the mask’s sides

For the protective shield:
Cut the file folder into two pieces
Attach one piece on the edge of the glasses with binder clips
The shield can be reused after disinfection for each usage
Note: The hospital said other materials such as cling film, air conditioner filter paper, and cotton cloth were not suitable for making the masks.
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Old 02-29-2020, 11:44 PM   #10
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https://www.elsevier.com/connect/cor...anner#research

Welcome to Elsevier's Novel Coronavirus Information Center. Here you will find expert, curated information for the research and health community on Novel Coronavirus (also referred to as COVID-19 and its temporary title 2019-nCoV). All resources are free to access and include guidelines for clinicians and patients. Under the 'Research' tab you will find the latest early stage and peer-reviewed research from journals including The Lancet and Cell Press, as well as a link to the Coronavirus hub on ScienceDirect, where you will find every article relevant article to Coronavirus, SARS, and MERS freely available. Under the Clinical Solutions tab you will find resources for nurses, clinicians and patients, including FAQs on symptoms.
SNIP

Content hubs from other publishers

Elsevier is among various publishers who are making relevant papers freely available. Others include: Springer Nature | Wiley | NEJM | BMJ | American Society for Microbiology | Chongqing VIP Information

Many publishers have also signed the Wellcome Trust Statement committing to share relevant nCoV research and data rapidly and openly.
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Old 03-01-2020, 09:13 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by NW-Bound View Post
4 to 8 gallons per day? That's a huge volume of water.

Even when one has diarrhea, is it possible to pass that much water through the body? Ugh, that would hurt.
Yep.

Recipe for home made hydration solution:
1 quart water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar

Other home made recipes using Gatorade G2, Cranberry juice, etc: https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition...ons-9-2018.pdf

Side comment: Maybe the virus will have some unintended GOOD consequences where more of the population knows how to do old fashioned emergency prep and knowledge of home made solutions.

For example (probably not needed for Corona Virus) you can easily make sterilized water (e.g. for wound irrigation) using a pressure cooker and mason jars. (How do I know this? I've made sterilized wort starters for beer using a similar technique.)
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Old 03-01-2020, 05:52 PM   #12
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I saw this article and found it interesting. How Gunnison dodged the Spanish flu. Hint: They used extreme measures that would not work today. Perhaps history gives logically related answers to how to stay at home?

I think the author touches on an issue. Perhaps it's easy today? Hopefully we don't see.

The experience of a small town in the Rockies at the end of the first world war does not provide a failsafe blueprint for a different disease in a far more populous, and far more interconnected era. It does however offer tantalising nuggets about about eluding a cataclysm that infected about a third of the global population and killed between 50 million and 100 million people.
Instead of face masks and anti-bacterial hand gels, Gunnsion relied on the guidance and authority of local newspapers, doctors and police – a trust in institutions that may now seem quaint – and on people’s capacity for patience. And on luck

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...h-flu-pandemic

But a mystery endures: how did residents endure the cabin fever? Those currently under quarantine in Spain, Italy, China and elsewhere could benefit from tips but Gunnison does not appear to remember. Little documentation exists, leaving an information void. “The issue still remains of how to keep up morale and cooperation at a time of heightened stress,” said the study. In 2015 the Guardian appealed to readers of the Gunnison Country Times – a descendant of the News-Champion – for any letters, journals or folk memories about the lockdown. No one replied.
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Old 03-01-2020, 07:01 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by copyright1997reloaded View Post
Oh no, I just started worrying about a run on Internet bandwidth! Everyone trying to stream at once because they are stuck at home.

What should I download now to have saved to watch or read? On the reading front, perhaps One Second After? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LATV16...ng=UTF8&btkr=1

(Actually, I already read it long ago.)
It's a good idea to download "stuff" now. It's not any different than stocking up on food and supplies.

I have quite a few books that will last me a while. I do not have any of the subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon, and the like.
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Old 03-03-2020, 03:42 PM   #14
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Here’s the web site for the daily WHO situation report for COVID-19. https://www.who.int/emergencies/dise...uation-reports. Today’s report (3/3) is here https://www.who.int/docs/default-sou...rsn=2c21c09c_2

The numbers of confirmed cases and deaths are there, for those interested in that sort of thing. Not sure how much value there is in making projections based on those numbers, but it certainly doesn’t add anything to the discussion here.
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Old 03-05-2020, 01:30 PM   #15
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Two links that may be of use.

EPA list of registered products for use against Coronavirus https://www.epa.gov/sites/production...03-03-2020.pdf

Center for Biocide Chemestires list of products effective for use against COVID-19 virus https://www.americanchemistry.com/No...ducts-List.pdf
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Old 03-05-2020, 01:45 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Bongleur View Post
Looking for the differential diagnosis between seasonal flu, common cold, and COVID-19. They say the symptoms are "different" but I can't find the details.

All I have found is about hospitalized patients.
Apparently fever, cough, and shortness of breath are typical symptoms of coronavirus according to the CDC.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019.../symptoms.html

I looked up typical symptoms of a cold, and they are quite different:

Quote:
It usually begins with a sore throat, and before you know it, you've also got these symptoms:

Runny nose (clear and watery)
Sneezing
Fatigue
Cough
You usually don't get a fever with a cold.
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/c...old-symptoms#1
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Old 03-05-2020, 03:08 PM   #17
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FWIW, I asked my doc last week about what steps to take. I said I thought the ER would be the appropriate place only if I thought it was going into pneumonia, and he said I was right. The classic signs of pneumonia are (as said here elsewhere) cough, fever, and shortness of breath.
I've also heard to warn the ER if you really think you are at risk (say, came back from Italy) so that they can handle you with some isolation.
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Old 03-05-2020, 05:20 PM   #18
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Medicare will pay for your COVID-19 test:
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/coronavirus-test
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Old 03-05-2020, 06:24 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Bongleur View Post
Medicare will pay for your COVID-19 test:
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/coronavirus-test
I got an email from Anthem today pointing out that my insurance (non-ACA PPO) covers COVID-19 testing too.
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Old 03-06-2020, 05:22 PM   #20
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Apologies if this has been posted already but it's an interesting tracker from Johns Hopkins https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashb...23467b48e9ecf6

and today funny-ish meme to lighten the mood...

Attachment 34033
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File Type: jpg tp in seattle.jpg (60.8 KB, 19 views)
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