What was your COVID news for the day?

[Niuatoputapu]

Yesterday, wife and I went to a memorial service for the mother of one of her work colleagues at the local Masonic Lodge. Deceased died 30 days ago and was 79. She had a 40 year career with a bank. Her husband, age 82 was a local teacher, then school principal. Well over 100 people in attendance. Most people were in their 60s to 80s. No masks. A couple bottles of hand sanitizer. Many handshakes, many hugs. My California county has declared "COVID-19 containment" is finished and we have progressed to "mitigation". Had our first COVID-19 death here last week. Suspect gatherings such as this will soon be banned, but this one progressed as if nothing was different. Good closure for the family. Just hope the event is not part of some future case study about what not to do during an outbreak.

 

[Car-Guy]

Gas prices are dropping faster than the virus is spreading. Paid $1.69 yesterday. I understand prices are even under $1.60 in some areas around Houston.

 

[Bir48die]

We went out and ate Chinese food. What?? Yes indeed. It was great and hot due to the lack of customers. Sad.

Had a cigar with the boys. They have six screens for sports. What was on? PAC 12 Rugby, dirt track racing and horse racing.

I thought I was in an alternate universe

 

[fh2000]

Yesterday, wife and I went to a memorial service for the mother of one of her work colleagues at the local Masonic Lodge. Deceased died 30 days ago and was 79. She had a 40 year career with a bank. Her husband, age 82 was a local teacher, then school principal. Well over 100 people in attendance. Most people were in their 60s to 80s. No masks. A couple bottles of hand sanitizer. Many handshakes, many hugs. My California county has declared "COVID-19 containment" is finished and we have progressed to "mitigation". Had our first COVID-19 death here last week. Suspect gatherings such as this will soon be banned, but this one progressed as if nothing was different. Good closure for the family. Just hope the event is not part of some future case study about what not to do during an outbreak.

Can you describe the difference between 'containment' and 'mitigation' in your county?

 

[Rianne]

This morning, first time, got local govt. announcements about handling CV19. Nothing about testing. No guidance if you have symptoms. Just that they were aware and taking action (not sure what kind of action).
Grocery store shelves empty in many areas, produce limited. Bleach shelf empty. I found some at the dollar store. DS not even busy. They had canned goods, full shelves of cleaners and soaps.


DB, who lives in Fort Lauderdale sent me a video of the packed beaches with spring breakers partying.

We're self isolating. Cooking a huge pot of bean/vegetable soup, roasted chicken. Enjoying free HBO and Cinemax. Texting with friends and family.

 

[ransil]

Gas prices are dropping faster than the virus is spreading. Paid $1.69 yesterday. I understand prices are even under $1.60 in some areas around Houston.

We are getting screwed, still 2.40, 10 cents lower than middle of feburary

 

[Fermion]

Gambling is an addiction for many. And who is less concerned with their health than addicts? Very few people. It actually makes sense in a perverted sort of way.

More than that, some might feel with this virus that everything is just a big gamble, so why not? I sometimes have felt that way when reading about someone really rich who dies early from cancer.

 

[Dalmore]

DW and I just got back from Norway. We left on Tuesday, Trump announced closing the boarders, and we got back at 2pm Friday. Quite the whirlwind trip.

With all the time we spent in airports instead of vacationing, we did a lot of people watching. Some observations:

Europeans don't seem to be as "panicky" as us Yanks. Saw lots of babies and children in the crowded airports. There were play areas that were full of kids running, crawling, and drooling on everything. COVID-19 may not affect kids like it does adults, but that doesn't keep them from being carriers, germ factories that they already are.

Then there were those that were overly "panicky". These are the people wearing face masks and gloves. The face mask types varied a lot. Most were worn while walking through the crowds, but taken off when talking to someone else. And the gloves! LOL! People you aren't doing it right! Those wearing gloves would wear them continuously. Touch this, touch that, touch something else (including their faces occasionally). In effect, they have cross contaminated everything they touched. Then they take the gloves off, and continue to touch their stuff, which was already contaminated from the gloved touching. Think about your doctor. When they are done touching you, they take the gloves off to touch something else. Then when they go to touch you again, they put fresh gloves on. Really, the best option is to use hand-sanitizer, wipes, and washing. Wipe your seating area before you sit down. Touch something not yours, sanitize your hands before touching something else. Wash your hands when the opportunity arises.

From what I've been reading today, the airports in the US are now a huge mess, with people waiting in line over 8 hours to get through screening and carriers cancelling long-haul flights. The pictures of people waiting is just insane. Looks like a perfect storm for virus transmission.

We are doing a self quarantine. Staying home from work for the rest of our "vacation" and minimizing face-to-face interaction with others.

 

[Niuatoputapu]

Can you describe the difference between 'containment' and 'mitigation' in your county?

I find "containment" versus "mitigation" confusing, but the former tries to track every case and determine how many contacts the person had while they were likely infectious and then promote self-quarantine of the contacts. The latter seems to admit that the cat is out of the bag, there is community transmission and it is improbable one could trace the inflicted's past contacts. Here is what the CDC says about mitigation.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community-mitigation-strategy.pdf

"The goals for using mitigation strategies in communities with
local COVID-19 transmission are to slow the transmission of
disease ......."

 

[Sunset]

Gambling is an addiction for many. And who is less concerned with their health than addicts? Very few people. It actually makes sense in a perverted sort of way.

Here in IL, the Casinos are being closed for 2 weeks. So the day before closure, (on the news) they were packing the customer in like sardines, everyone so eager to get in their last pull on the slot machine

 

[GTFan]

Gambling is an addiction for many. And who is less concerned with their health than addicts? Very few people. It actually makes sense in a perverted sort of way.

Yeah and this is a pop that smokes way more than everyone else, which means a lot of them might not make it.

 

[Fermion]

Other than absolute necessity I do not see why people are flying (with the crowded airports). Even a funeral is not something I would go to now. I would just send my regrets and prayers with the understanding that the living must continue to look out for themselves and others. Nobody died from not going to a funeral.

 

[Rianne]

And the gloves! LOL! People you aren't doing it right! Those wearing gloves would wear them continuously. Touch this, touch that, touch something else (including their faces occasionally). In effect, they have cross contaminated everything they touched. Then they take the gloves off, and continue to touch their stuff, which was already contaminated from the gloved touching. Think about your doctor. When they are done touching you, they take the gloves off to touch something else. Then when they go to touch you again, they put fresh gloves on. Really, the best option is to use hand-sanitizer, wipes, and washing. Wipe your seating area before you sit down. Touch something not yours, sanitize your hands before touching something else. Wash your hands when the opportunity arises.

Haha. The reason I wear gloves, it keeps me from touching my face. I'm sure there's germ city on them but I won't touch my face with gloves on since I pick up dog poop with gloves and have developed a very healthy habit.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Reno has not closed their casinos yet but they aren’t busy.

 

[sengsational]

From the photo I'd say it was at least a six-squirter.

I think it's higher than that. It is more like an AK-47 with a 30-round magazine.

Our kind friend may do a test for us, but he needs to fill it with blanks (water) in order to not waste the precious and unobtainable sanitizer gel.

I hope he doesn't find himself out and about, in sudden need of a squirt, and realize:

" I wonder. Did I fire six shots or only five'? Well, in all this excitement, I kind of lost track. But being that this is the most sensationalized virus in the world, and could put you in quarantine for 14 days, I've got to ask myself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' "

Well, do ya?

-ERD50

Thanks for continuing the fun, my friends.

When I saw the inquiry about 'magazine capacity' I went straight to the Clint Eastwood shtick too

I'd need to be pretty bored to find out how many "rounds" it holds, but if I do, it will certainly be with "blanks".

 

[GenXguy]

Here in IL, the Casinos are being closed for 2 weeks. So the day before closure, (on the news) they were packing the customer in like sardines, everyone so eager to get in their last pull on the slot machine

That reminds me of the travel ban that resulted in large crowded lines at airports.

 

[TrvlBug]

Haha. The reason I wear gloves, it keeps me from touching my face. I'm sure there's germ city on them but I won't touch my face with gloves on since I pick up dog poop with gloves and have developed a very healthy habit.

I've been thinking about doing this and will try it. The minute I leave the house and touch something, my face starts itching .

 

[Nemo2]

That reminds me of the travel ban that resulted in large crowded lines at airports.

Many, many, years ago in Melbourne, Australia, they had what was known as "The Six O'Clock Swill".

The government, in its unbounded wisdom, declared that pubs close at 6:00 p.m......the idea being that guys (bars were male) would then go home to their wives/families.

But..

"Last Call" resulted in multiple orders per person - they went home, but not in pristine condition.

 

[mountainsoft]

My mom's assisted living is on lock down. No visitors allowed.

This morning I learned my uncle is in a veterans home where there are already six confirmed cases of COVID-19. He just got over pneumonia and has stage 4 lung cancer so he's screwed if he gets the virus.

 

[W2R]

My COVID news for the day

My mom's assisted living is on lock down. No visitors allowed.

This morning I learned my uncle is in a veterans home where there are already six confirmed cases of COVID-19. He just got over pneumonia and has stage 4 lung cancer so he's screwed if he gets the virus.

I am so sorry that your mother and your uncle are being affected by this situation as you describe! I will be hoping for the best for them and for all of your family.

Here in New Orleans we have had two deaths from the virus in the past day, both men in their 50's. The 58 year old had an underlying condition (my guess is high BP, since they didn't say what it was). There has been no mention of any underlying condition for the 53 year old. Meanwhile we are up to 91 confirmed cases, which is more than the entire state of Texas, and all but a couple of Louisiana's 91 cases are in the New Orleans metro area. This has become quite a hot spot; a week ago we had zero cases so COVID-19 has exploded fast here. All the cases here seem to be community spread, not travel related.

Last night the mayor's office started closing down bars in New Orleans. They didn't close down all of them (yet?), just a few of those that were encouraging St. Patrick's Day crowds at the time, but other cities are starting to shut down bars too. We are interested in the bar shutdowns because F's retirement "fun job" is doing sound and lights for musical shows at a bar down in the French Quarter. Last night the main act scheduled to perform at his bar cancelled out at the last minute because they felt it was to risky with the virus situation. Other bar owners he talked to at work don't know what will happen but think there will be more shut downs this week.

Today I am going to refuse to go out for lunch and I am going to start hunkering down at home for the duration. OK, I say that, but I might change my mind after talking it over with F. He has good judgment and IMO is a good person to bounce my ideas off of. Right now my thinking is that I will worry a lot less about catching it from some random stranger if I am staying safely at home.

I am SO LUCKY!! Why? Because, as you all know, I love my Dream Home so much; staying here is like being sentenced to temporarily living in my own little version of paradise.

 

[Another Reader]

Good news for a change! Chloroquine, which is used to treat malaria, looks to be effective in treating COVID-19. Faster recovery and shorter hospital stays. May also be prophylactic.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/...JAGbdfF67WuRJB3ZsidgpidB2eocFHAVjIL-7deJ7/pub

I understand it was used in China and South Korea and is being used now in a number of places, including Europe.

 

[MichaelB]

Good news for a change! Chloroquine, which is used to treat malaria, looks to be effective in treating COVID-19. Faster recovery and shorter hospital stays. May also be prophylactic.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/...JAGbdfF67WuRJB3ZsidgpidB2eocFHAVjIL-7deJ7/pub

I understand it was used in China and South Korea and is being used now in a number of places, including Europe.

Good news. Let’s hope it works. Also used to treat RA (Hydroxychloroquine) with not many side effects.

 

[W2R]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4709532/

I knew someone years ago who was blinded by prescribed dosages of chloroquine for malaria acquired while working for the Peace Corps overseas. Apparently this is still going on. Either way I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.

 

[misshathaway]

First case reported at Orlando international Airport - a TSA worker. I would have thought that would be among the first places to generate cases.

At 8am I passed a woman coming home from shopping. Her entire trunk was filled with TP. Wonder where it came from. When she saw me she looked a little furtive and closed the trunk.

At 9am stopped at Publix. I only notice what is missing from aisles I have to walk through. Bread was already decimated - they opened at 7am.

 

[Fermion]

Curious if flour and yeast are still available, because it is pretty dang easy to make bread, especially with a $70 bread machine that does all the work for you.