What was your COVID news for the day?

[John Galt III]

My covid news of the day : tax free beer in Pa. Yes, I bought a bag of popcorn and a 12-pack of beer at the grocery store. The beer rang up as beer and the popcorn rang up as food. No tax on anything! Woohoo! Glitch in your favor. Collect tax free beer. Advance to Go!

 

[Rianne]

Dr. Peter Attia podcast from March 30. Infectious disease Dr he interviews (worked on SARS, E Bola and others) said some they tested had 1000x the contagion before symptoms or when slight symptoms showed. It's very long, over an hour, but informative and has new information.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peter-attia-drive/id1400828889


Edit: One thing discussed in this podcast, aerosol that carries the virus is more dangerous than we know. I went for a long walk at a huge park in our area. Did not wear a mask. People jogging, walking fast and talking, laughing in groups passed me. I started to hold my breath as I was listening to this podcast until they were way past me. Joggers clearly express aerosol, breathing heavily. I'll be heading out to remote areas for long walks from now on, where there are no people if I"m without a mask.

 

[fh2000]

Dr. Peter Attia podcast from March 30. Infectious disease Dr he interviews (worked on SARS, E Bola and others) said some they tested had 1000x the contagion before symptoms or when slight symptoms showed. It's very long, over an hour, but informative and has new information.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peter-attia-drive/id1400828889


Edit: One thing discussed in this podcast, aerosol that carries the virus is more dangerous than we know. I went for a long walk at a huge park in our area. Did not wear a mask. People jogging, walking fast and talking, laughing in groups passed me. I started to hold my breath as I was listening to this podcast until they were way past me. Joggers clearly express aerosol, breathing heavily. I'll be heading out to remote areas for long walks from now on, where there are no people if I"m without a mask.

I am not sure if holding your breath will prevent the droplets landing on your nose, nostrils area, later get inhaled in.

So, I think the better measure would still be wearing some face covering and later if you are careful, wash your hands, and face afterwards.

 

[Alan]

Our news for today is that one of our neighbors died of Covid last night in hospital and 2 family members also have it and are in isolation inside. They have mild symptoms. The man that died was elderly.

As I type this I can look out my window to their house, about 50 yards away. That is very close.

 

[Moemg]

Our news for today is that one of our neighbors died of Covid last night in hospital and 2 family members also have it and are in isolation inside. They have mild symptoms. The man that died was elderly.

As I type this I can look out my window to their house, about 50 yards away. That is very close.

That is very scary !

 

[Sunset]

I'm wondering if the reason we don't see a lot of problems from the checkout people in the stores is due to: 1) they are constantly wiping down their areas after each shopper so their hands are constantly in contact with sanitizer which would reduce the problems if they touched their faces, and 2) many stores have erected plex-glass shields between the checkout folks and customers to protect them from coughs/sneezes/droplets.

Other reasons could be:

• Workforce is made up of younger folks, so while they get sick, mostly it's stay at home, and get better.
• Stores don't want to advertise an employee got sick, as it will kill business, so we might hear of the deaths which are a very small percentage, but just being sick could stay out of the news.

I did notice Walmart pickup employees are all wearing masks, last week none were wearing masks.
I think it cannot hurt so why not.

 

[sengsational]

Our news for today is that one of our neighbors died of Covid last night in hospital

That's too close for comfort. Do you know or have a theory about how that household acquired the virus in the first place. Was someone going to w*rk every day?

 

[audreyh1]

I did notice Walmart pickup employees are all wearing masks, last week none were wearing masks.
I think it cannot hurt so why not.

I think the wearing masks thing in public is going to be interpreted to mean the wearers are protecting everyone else from them, and as such generally appreciated and making other people more comfortable.

 

[Alan]

That's too close for comfort. Do you know or have a theory about how that household acquired the virus in the first place. Was someone going to w*rk every day?

I have no knowledge of the household at all, and have no theory on how they contracted it. All we can do is continue our social distancing practices which seem to be strictly adhered to by everyone in our small town of 8,000.

 

[ncbill]

So, if the authors are right about lower viral load exposure = milder case of the disease, is this yet another reason to wear a mask?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/opinion/coronavirus-viral-dose.html

 

[NW-Bound]

I am grateful that people in essential jobs are still doing their work. I hope all grocery stores put up plexiglass shields to protect their cashiers. I have read that many store chains have increased the pay to their employees.

And they have also limited store-open hours. I think it is to have time to restock and also to protect restocking clerks from the public.

 

[audreyh1]

So, if the authors are right about lower viral load exposure = milder case of the disease, is this yet another reason to wear a mask?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/opinion/coronavirus-viral-dose.html

I have very much been thinking that viral load is important for weeks now reading various stories.

 

[Boho]

I have very much been thinking that viral load is important for weeks now reading various stories.

Me too, and also that people may not be immune for ANY length of time after recovering from a mild case if they're then hit with a high load.

 

[W2R]

This article from Saturday's press conference concerned me:

Asked when the worst day of the outbreak will be, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator, talked about the three hot spots being watched most closely: Detroit, Louisiana and New York. She said that each is on the upside of its curve of mortality and that officials anticipate them hitting their peaks in the next six to seven days." [...]"The next two weeks are extraordinarily important," said Birx. "This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe and that means everybody doing the 6-feet distancing, washing their hands."

(bolded emphasis mine)
Wow. I do not know what she is hearing behind the scenes but what she said at that press conference sure got my attention. I started imagining all sorts of wild stuff. Terrorism? A more virulent strain of COVID? Purposely soft-pedaling the expected outcome until now? Who knows. Instead of trying to figure it out any further, I told F that I am not leaving the house for two weeks, read him the article, and explained that I trusted his judgement and for him to make up his own mind for what he wants to do.

If I stay inside for two weeks and nothing happens, then I'll feel stupid and like a nutso conspiracy theorist. Like, I've never been wrong before? Oh well. I'd rather be wrong than going through COVID-19 pneumonia or worse, that's for sure.

Anyway I have plenty of food and medications to last for two weeks or longer. Frank does not and [-]will have to go grocery shopping today if he is going to have enough to last two weeks. If that he what he decides to do, of course.[/-] EDITED TO ADD: He just got home with two weeks of groceries, and told me he wore mask, gloves, and goggles at the store. That's my guy!! Sensible to the max.

 

[Aerides]

This article from Saturday's press conference concerned me:


(bolded emphasis mine)
Wow. I do not know what she is hearing behind the scenes but what she said at that press conference sure got my attention. I told F that I am not leaving the house for two weeks, read him the article, and explained that I trusted his judgement and for him to make up his own mind for what he wants to do.

If I stay inside for two weeks and nothing happens, then I'll feel stupid and like a nutso conspiracy theorist.

Don't feel stupid! You're in a hot spot state. The number of confirmed cases is about 3-7 days behind reality in most areas due to delays in test outcomes, and still in most areas, many people aren't deemed sick enough to be given a test - but are carriers. LA is expected to "peak" in terms of numbers of cases by next weekend.

No matter where anyone lives, there is no need to be running out to the store every day, and staying home is better than not, period.

I think far too many people are doing the opposite - "i can do 6 feet and be fine" and going out and about wherever they can. Which, quite frankly, isn't reality. When I have gone to the store, Lord knows I'm trying, but most people have no concept of safe distance.

 

[braumeister]

Anyway I have plenty of food and medications to last for two weeks or longer.

Sometimes we can surprise ourselves with what we are able to put up with.

When we closed the airbase I was stationed at in Vietnam, the chow hall was one of the first things to go. For the entire final month I was there, we had nothing but C-rations (canned food) to eat. It was pretty bad, but somehow we managed.

I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[calmloki]

The Brits have a Queen. She speaks well.
Admirable person. Lucky Brits.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...ured-resolve-coronavirus-deaths-rise-n1177016

https://www.washingtonpost.com/hist...zabeth-was-mechanic-during-wwii-is-that-real/

 

[NW-Bound]

If I stay inside for two weeks and nothing happens, then I'll feel stupid and like a nutso conspiracy theorist. Like, I've never been wrong before? Oh well. I'd rather be wrong than going through COVID-19 pneumonia or worse, that's for sure...

Why is it stupid to not expose yourself unnecessarily to a hazard? What will you have lost by not going out for two weeks?

On the other hand, if you go out and catch the virus, is whatever you get for going out worth it?

Each person has to base a decision on his/her personal risk/reward balance. I wonder if the people who take the last cruises that are still stuck at sea now with dead bodies aboard still think that their decision was the right one.


PS. By the way, we still go for a walk around the neighborhood, and stay at least 20-30 feet from a few neighbors that we encounter. That's far safer than going to the grocery store. And my wife now wears a homemade mask before going into the store, and she sanitizes her hands immediately when getting back to the car, with me waiting by the car.

 

[FIREd_2015]

Tiger at Bronx zoo is infected with COVID-19.

"...Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo, has tested positive for COVID-19...It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections... Our cats were infected by a person caring for them who was asymptomatically infected with the virus or before that person developed symptoms..."

https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Relea...s-Other-Cats-Are-Doing-Well-at-This-Time.aspx

 

[tulak]

It’s smart not to take unnecessary risks.

My kids, who are young adults living with me, along with their partners, think I’m slightly nuts. This was true last month when we went to Costco and I bought a lot of stuff. Well, today I had to make another trip to Costco. This time I went solo. I came back with lots of stuff and they still think I’m nuts. Oh to be young.

Now we can last for weeks with what we have. And most importantly, I don’t have to go shopping any time soon. It’s good to be extra cautious.

 

[W2R]

Thanks, everybody. Now we are both all set for this total lockdown. I am relieved and hoping for the best for New Orleans.

F said that at the grocery store, few of the younger people were wearing a mask and none were wearing gloves or goggles (although almost all of the older people were wearing these items). The younger shoppers were not paying as much attention to distancing as the older ones were, either. When he went there a week or two ago, everyone was being careful, even the younger people. I can understand that all this is getting tiresome (after weeks of semi-lockdown), but this is not the time to slide back into our old practices. Eventually! But not yet, not this month.

 

[W2R]

It’s smart not to take unnecessary risks.

My kids, who are young adults living with me, along with their partners, think I’m slightly nuts. This was true last month when we went to Costco and I bought a lot of stuff. Well, today I had to make another trip to Costco. This time I went solo. I came back with lots of stuff and they still think I’m nuts. Oh to be young.

Now we can last for weeks with what we have. And most importantly, I don’t have to go shopping any time soon. It’s good to be extra cautious.

Good planning! I don't think you are nuts for being extra cautious. And besides, it's nice to not have to shop again for a while, virus or no virus.

 

[Teacher Terry]

WR2, I think you are being smart and careful. We will buy enough groceries for a month in the next few days. We will hit our peak in 9 days. My youngest son may apply for a job in the fish processing plants in Alaska. I am not letting him work outside my house while he is living with me. He is tired of not working since he was teaching English in Vietnam and the schools have been closed for months. Obviously he won’t be teaching any time soon.

 

[Katsmeow]

DD lives in an apartment in another city and got a notice from the landlord that someone in the complex was positive for Covid-19. She doesn't know who it was or how close it was to her unit. She is not currently working (she had a full time job but it was at a non-essential retail store so she hasn't been working since the stay at home order came about). Of course, I cautioned her about going out and she said she wasn't going out at all....

On another note, we ordered masks from Etsy. I haven't been into a store in weeks. Mostly we get delivery or occasionally curbside pickup at stores. Rarely, DH has gone into store but right now we shouldn't need to go in a store for a few weeks. But will be good to have the masks on hand.

 

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Portugal will close all borders and airports (cargo excepted) between 9 and 13 April. A few days ago they announced closing roads entering and leaving concelhos (counties) during the same period for all non-essential traffic. Dates were chosen because it's traditional to get together with your family at Easter.