Has anyone here caught the Virus, or know anyone who has?

[Fermion]

I don't actually understand why someone doesn't build a strong UV box to sterilize the used N95 masks. If you get enough watts/sq inch you could kill anything.

Alternatively, it might be possible to have a box that exactly regulates the temperature to a high enough amount to kill anything on the masks but low enough that it doesn't melt or burn them.


This is from reading that medical professionals have been wiping their masks down with hand sanitizer to reuse them, which seems not ideal.

 

[ivinsfan]

There is a lot of supportive care besides assisted ventilation. Just plain oxygen supplementation, IV fluids if one can’t drink enough (some COVID-19 patients have GI symptoms). Also, clinical trials are being considered for a number of antivirals.

Testing can also be helpful in determining when one is no longer carrying the virus, very important when quarantining.

And it is possible that those who have recovered not might be able to donate their antibodies through plasmapheresis and help save the lives of others. There is already a consortium of hospitals gearing up to do just that, but they need federal help with research dollars. Doctors are actively looking to develop effective treatment, even in the face of being overwhelmed.

If you can't breath without oxygen I assume you would seek medical care test or no test.

As far as quarantine I don't understand how your finding out if you are carrying it and for how long is pertinent . If you have any kind of cold/flu like illness you need to quarantine no matter what until you are 100% better following medical guidelines before you go anywhere.

This all for one testing is going to greatly increase the lack of masks for one thing.

 

[ERD50]

I don't actually understand why someone doesn't build a strong UV box to sterilize the used N95 masks. If you get enough watts/sq inch you could kill anything.

Alternatively, it might be possible to have a box that exactly regulates the temperature to a high enough amount to kill anything on the masks but low enough that it doesn't melt or burn them.


This is from reading that medical professionals have been wiping their masks down with hand sanitizer to reuse them, which seems not ideal.

I just read that above ~ 130F is where other coronavirus die off, with ~ 15 minute dwell time. But I'm pretty sure that time drops off sharply at higher temperatures (search 'pasteurization' for example trends), and fabric should have no trouble with boiling temps at least.

I learned that the masks capture particles not by screening them out like a sieve, but by trapping them in the labyrinth of fibers. The N95 refers to capturing 95% of the particles of a certain size (300nm?). It's not go/no-go, it's statistical. So any fabric should provide at least some protection.

-ERD50

 

[gwraigty]

Survey asked if they are "afraid" that they "might" have it. So, they may be afraid of that possibility and not actually think they have it. I had a sore throat last night and this morning, and was afraid of the possibility, but I didn't jump to that as being the most likely. I still don't know, but it's a known early symptom, and I have no allergies or other symptoms of a cold.

I hope you feel better and this doesn't turn into anything serious. I want to say Kudos to you and everyone else who isn't panicking, because that can lead to different unintended consequences. There was an article in my local paper featuring our ambulance service. They said they're getting too many calls from primarily elderly people asking them to come and take them to the hospital because they coughed and are now convinced they have the coronavirus. They're telling these people that they won't be tested anyway, unless they have to be hospitalized. Can you imagine having a true medical emergency and not being able to get an ambulance because the paramedics are swamped with trying to pacify the "worried well" (their exact term)?

 

[gwraigty]

If you can't breath without oxygen I assume you would seek medical care test or no test.

As far as quarantine I don't understand how your finding out if you are carrying it and for how long is pertinent . If you have any kind of cold/flu like illness you need to quarantine no matter what until you are 100% better following medical guidelines before you go anywhere.

This all for one testing is going to greatly increase the lack of masks for one thing.

+1

I find myself agreeing with you so much lately.

Our state started limiting testing to only those needing to be hospitalized and health care workers showing symptoms. I've read that other states are following suit. There aren't enough masks, which many people may not realize are needed for collecting samples, processing the results, etc. There's a shortage of swabs because they're made in Italy. They mentioned growing shortages of the pipettes, etc.

They need to know which hospitalized patients have it so the health care workers don't expose themselves to those patients without PPE. They need to know when health care workers start getting sick so they can be quarantined so as not to spread it to patients who don't have it. That's it right now. No more getting tested because you're elderly, or have underlying health conditions, or a health care worker who has been exposed but not showing symptoms yet, etc.

It was truly amazing when the first drive up testing location in our area became overwhelmed with cars. They had to close hours early. Within a few days, they put out the word (and signs) that only those 61+ would be tested. (Keep in mind that everyone had to have a doctor's order anyway.) The lines were empty. That tells me that most of the people in the line weren't elderly and had doctors who were giving out those orders like they were free candy. Also, I said to DH that no way could so many of those people be that sick enough to need a test, if they have to wait in line for hours in a car to be tested. They had a news reporter standing close to a woman being tested. She looked to be in her 30s, looked quite well, sounded normal and was composed. Today they wouldn't waste the equipment on her.

ETA: Out of about 2,200 they tested at that one location over 4 days, very few tested positive. That's a lot of wasted equipment just to pacify people.

 

[Ready]

In my county we have 78 total people who have confirmed to be infected through testing. Yesterday the number was 65. I’m sure the real number is higher but given that we have about 3 million people living here it’s still a very small number. Even if 20% of those who tested positive needed hospitalization, we have more than 20 hospitals in the county. So that would mean an average of less than one infected person per hospital.

I check the count daily. If the number spikes significantly I hope it will get more people to take the stay at home order more seriously. Right now the beach is still busy again today.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

In my county we have 78 total people who have confirmed to be infected through testing. Yesterday the number was 65. I’m sure the real number is higher but given that we have about 3 million people living here it’s still a very small number. Even if 20% of those who tested positive needed hospitalization, we have more than 20 hospitals in the county. So that would mean an average of less than one infected person per hospital.

I check the count daily. If the number spikes significantly I hope it will get more people to take the stay at home order more seriously. Right now the beach is still busy again today.

Our governor closed our beaches. I live near an interstate exit to the beaches, and there is a giant sign announcing the beach closure- in case you were on your way and didn't see it on the news.

 

[Ready]

Our governor closed our beaches. I live near an interstate exit to the beaches, and there is a giant sign announcing the beach closure- in case you were on your way and didn't see it on the news.

I wish they would close our beaches too. If I’m going to be stuck at home day and night I would at least like to have a little peace and quiet.

 

[USGrant1962]

I wish they would close our beaches too. If I’m going to be stuck at home day and night I would at least like to have a little peace and quiet.

Nice humble brag

 

[ckelly78z]

In my rural county, we only have 1 tested --CONFIRMED-- case of Covid19, but that may not be counting those that are sick, but still at home for fear of becoming another statistic, along with the stigma of contacting everyone they have been near.

How many are suffering quietly by themselves at home, who haven't been tested, and counted ?

 

[wrigley]

In my rural county, we only have 1 tested --CONFIRMED-- case of Covid19, but that may not be counting those that are sick, but still at home for fear of becoming another statistic, along with the stigma of contacting everyone they have been near.

How many are suffering quietly by themselves at home, who haven't been tested, and counted ?

I think one of the big issues for people that might possibly be infected with the virus is that they first need to go to a doctor and from there they could then be tested if the symptoms of the virus are present. If they can't afford to go to the doctor they most likely will not. If what they have turns out to NOT be the Coronavirus, now they have a doctors bill that they couldn't afford in the first place.

Mike

 

[ivinsfan]

I think one of the big issues for people that might possibly be infected with the virus is that they first need to go to a doctor and from there they could then be tested if the symptoms of the virus are present. If they can't afford to go to the doctor they most likely will not. If what they have turns out to NOT be the Coronavirus, now they have a doctors bill that they couldn't afford in the first place.

Mike

All guidance everywhere says if you aren't that sick stay home, no test for you. And getting the test is free here anyway its a public safety issue.

 

[ivinsfan]

In my rural county, we only have 1 tested --CONFIRMED-- case of Covid19, but that may not be counting those that are sick, but still at home for fear of becoming another statistic, along with the stigma of contacting everyone they have been near.

How many are suffering quietly by themselves at home, who haven't been tested, and counted ?

I'm curious about your choice of the word stigma..Why do you say that.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Still good here, all hands.

 

[fh2000]

Sooner or later, I will have to go to a store for food.

Regarding the 6 feet distance, how scientific is that distance? If there is a breeze or air-conditioning blowing, and if I was downwind, when someone coughed, the droplets could fly more than 6 feet, right?

Also, if you happen to pass by a virus carrier, even though that person did not cough nor sneeze, can you still somehow catch the virus simply because virus permeated from the body of that person?

 

[Amethyst]

Perhaps the fear that the people you inform will be mad at you, and then blame you if they get sick. It would be human nature.

I'm curious about your choice of the word stigma..Why do you say that.

 

[REWahoo]

Sooner or later, I will have to go to a store for food.

Any groceries in your area offer curbside pick up? That limits your person-to-person exposure to one, none if you don't roll down your window.

 

[fh2000]

Any groceries in your area offer curbside pick up? That limits your person-to-person exposure to one, none if you don't roll down your window.

Unfortunately, though we are in Los Angeles suburb, after checking Walmart, Vons supermarket, Target online, no delivery or pickup available (yet). We are checking daily and still checking...

 

[LOL!]

Sooner or later, I will have to go to a store for food.

Regarding the 6 feet distance, how scientific is that distance? If there is a breeze or air-conditioning blowing, and if I was downwind, when someone coughed, the droplets could fly more than 6 feet, right?

Also, if you happen to pass by a virus carrier, even though that person did not cough nor sneeze, can you still somehow catch the virus simply because virus permeated from the body of that person?

There is no cut-and-dried answer to your question. There is always a probability that the exhaled breath of an infected person could reach your air passages and infect you. The virus will not permeate from their body, but will come from their lungs, nasal passages, airways, mouth when they breathe out.

There is the probability that an infected person's contaminated breath will land on a surface (gas station pump, bank ATM) that you touch. Virus particles on your hands and skin are likely only a problem if they get in your moist areas (eyes, nose, mouth) if you pick your nose or rub your eyes or bite your fingernails.

 

[LOL!]

Montgomery County, Texas has a web site with daily updates in the evening of what they know about cases: https://mcphd-tx.org/report-public-health-complaints/

It is interesting that there are more (tested) cases on the country public health web site than are reported elsewhere for our county. I find the locally produced report factual. Plus they try to note how the infected person came to be infected. While they have an idea why some were infected, it is very troubling that some are a "result of community spread" which means the virus is out there where you cannot see it, control it, nor avoid it.

 

[REWahoo]

Unfortunately, though we are in Los Angeles suburb, after checking Walmart, Vons supermarket, Target online, no delivery or pickup available (yet). We are checking daily and still checking...

Try staying up late or getting up early. We've found next day pickup times for Walmart open up around midnight local.

 

[Dtail]

I will be going to Walmart at 6am tomorrow for their newly enacted senior "earlybird" special from 6am - 7am on Tuesdays for 60+.
They told me this is my best chance for TP and other scarce items which get stocked up more so on Monday nights.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

I will be going to Walmart at 6am tomorrow for their newly enacted senior "earlybird" special from 6am - 7am on Tuesdays for 60+.
They told me this is my best chance for TP and other scarce items which get stocked up more so on Monday nights.

(Safeway and Albertson's, among others, now have reserved some shopping hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7-9 a.m., for "vulnerable shoppers, including senior citizens, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems 'who have been advised to avoid leaving home as much as possible.'")

"Stores offer shopping time for seniors vulnerable amid coronavirus: Walmart, Target, Whole Foods and more"

 

[Live Free]

My brother had it. He is in his late 50s and is a heavy smoker and very heavy drinker. He was in South Korea, where they have extensive testing. He was quarantined in his apartment and was in bed with high fevers, body aches, shortness of breath, and cough for 16 days. He told me that at on Day 13 he thought he wasn't going to make it. Due to a language barrier, he didn't go to a hospital. But he pulled through. Thank God.

My cousin, late 40s with 3 boys, is currently in the hospital in PA with suspected COVID-19. No family allowed at the hospital with him. As of last night, he messaged that he is on oxygen. And for some reason, the COVID-19 test results will take 5 days! He said he is hoping they can give him a different test that takes 2 days.

 

[Dtail]

My brother had it. He is in his late 50s and is a heavy smoker and very heavy drinker. He was in South Korea, where they have extensive testing. He was quarantined in his apartment and was in bed with high fevers, body aches, shortness of breath, and cough for 16 days. He told me that at on Day 13 he thought he wasn't going to make it. Due to a language barrier, he didn't go to a hospital. But he pulled through. Thank God.

My cousin, late 40s with 3 boys, is currently in the hospital in PA with suspected COVID-19. No family allowed at the hospital with him. As of last night, he messaged that he is on oxygen. And for some reason, the COVID-19 test results will take 5 days! He said he is hoping they can give him a different test that takes 2 days.

Interesting. The VP and wife got their results in hours...