NON_POLITICAL China Coronavirus THREAD

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JEDIYoda

Lifer
Jul 13, 2005
33,981
3,318
126
If he got better he doesnt have it anymore... Do you know how viruses work?
actually do you? There is a 14 day incubation period and even medical professionals have stated that often there are no symtoms until it is full blown .......
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
856
126
It's probably BS, but there's a belief that Twinkies are so artificial and contain so many preservatives that it's impossible for them to spoil.

The "Zombieland" movie references this belief, but reminds us that Twinkies actually *DO* have an expiration date.
Wall-e.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,502
8,097
136
My friend was just telling me that he was very sick over the weekend. The nurse asked him if he traveled and he said yes. He went to Cali, plus a, few seminars that he had to travel to by car. The nurse didn't test him for COVID-19. Nothing came of it. He got better today, and will be at work tomorrow.

This is the issue. We aren't taking this virus seriously because we think it's not going to affect us. If he truly has COVID-19 he's going to possibly infect many more at work, the store, etc. SMH
For your benefit (and others) I'm going to copy/paste info from an emergency room physician concerning this burgeoning pandemic. Note: don't expect to not contract this. 80% of the people who get this will not require clinical support, won't have to go to a facility, see a doctor, be tested. However, the 20% who do, hopefully will have the benefit of not severely overburdened medical facilities. We aren't going to stop this, but WE CAN SLOW IT DOWN. We can spread out the bell curve and lower it's peak. The lower that peak, the more lives we save!

Dr. Stephanie Lovell's message to our community:

An Emergency Physician’s Guide to Novel Coronavirus in the US and Infection Control 101:


So, let’s start with science. There are many, many coronaviruses that generally infect animals and occasionally humans. The taxonomically correct name of the viral strain currently circulating worldwide is SARS- CoV-2, As the virus closely resembles SARS. When you get infected with this virus, you have COVID-19, so named because the strain emerged in 2019. These names are chosen carefully to avoid stigma or association with a geographic region, as it is increasingly clear this will become a worldwide issue in the coming months. For many years, virologists have predicted that a virus like this would emerge at some point, it was only a matter of time. And here we are.

It is not a Chinese bioterror weapon that was accidentally or purposely released, bioterrorism weapons are far more lethal. It is not a democratic hoax. It is very real. However, it is also not a reason to panic.

Although most of us will contract SARS-CoV-2, is not terribly lethal. The vast majority of people will get a cold like illness. Kids seem to get symptoms in large numbers, but very, very few get very sick.

The group of people that seem to get quite sick from this disease are people over the age of 60, and illness severity goes up as age increases. If you are a senior, it is wise to take precautions and measures to avoid contact with large groups of people over the next few months as this virus circulates. Now is NOT the time to go to the gym, movies, concerts, lectures or large family reunions.

Consider delaying travel plans if any. I know it’s not ecologically friendly, but getting as much delivered to your home as possible if you are >65 yo. Groceries drugstore items etc. Build up your immune system with fresh fruit veggies antioxidants and other immune boosters. Cut back on or stop drinking alcohol. Stop smoking. Yes, stop smoking marijuana too. Get some fresh air, but in your backyard, away from other people. Wash your hands. A lot. This is the best way to prevent spread and decrease your own viral load.

Surgical masks unfortunately are not a magic shield. They help decrease the amount of times you touch your face and mouth, which can help prevent the virus from entering into your body, but the virus particles are small enough to pass through this barrier. Surgical masks are not a bad idea to wear if you are one of those people who when they do get sick, feel the need to spew their cough everywhere, instead of coughing into your elbow, Dracula style. They help to reduce droplet transmission to other people around you when you cough or sneeze, but they won’t protect you much from the virus. The main thing that will prevent transmission is washing your hands and not touching your mouth nose and face. Let me say that again. Washing your hands and not touching your nose and mouth are the most effective ways to prevent getting this virus. Please save the N95 masks for those of us who work at hospitals, who will be exposed to this virus again and again and again in the coming months.

N95’s may afford some protection to decrease viral spread, but are far from a magic shield. They only filter down to 5 µm. This virus is about 1 µm. If you are under the age of 60, it is your job to protect seniors. The best way to do that is to prevent transmission and spread. None of our bodies have ever seen this virus before, so none of us have any immunity. Generally when cold viruses move through any given community, there are some people who have immunity to them from having seen something similar to that strain before. This is not the case with SARSCoV-2.

If you get a sore throat headache and fever in the coming months, congratulations. You probably have COVID 19. Post about it on social media, elicit sympathy from your friends, but sharing is not caring. Do not go out in public unless you absolutely have to. Stay away from public transport. Work remotely from home if possible. Wipe down doorknobs and handles and surfaces in your home with bleach or alcohol solutions or wipes.

Cover your cough, wash your hands multiple times per day, use hand sanitizer if you are out and about. But you shouldn’t be out and about. Keep your kids home from school if they become sick. Children are perfect little vectors, and smear virus everywhere. As I’m sure you know from colds, kids are sick for about 2 seconds, and then all the adults are sick for a week. Anticipate school closures. This is not to protect children, but rather to reduce their spread to others.

Along that vein, if you do get sick it may last for a while. Like a few weeks. Stock up now on acetaminophen, ibuprofen teas soups, Hippie elixirs, whatever you use to make yourself feel better when you are ill. You don’t want to be going out to shop for these items when you are already sick.

And finally, if you are under the age of 60 and get symptoms, we really do not want to see you at the hospital.

Really. If you are over 60 and feel very ill, call your doctor for advice. If you have a fever and cold like illness, you probably have this virus. We will not test you if you are low risk. If you need something like intubation to support your breathing, come in. Short of that, stay at home. Millions and millions of people in the US will eventually turn COVID 19 positive. You know what? Unless you are really, really sick, there is no reason to prove that it is a COVID 19 versus the flu or a cold. We have no effective treatment for any of those things. You don’t need to come see us. I know it’s hard to hear, but you will not be unique in your situation. This is bigger then any of us.

If you encounter me in the emergency department. Ok, I’m not shaving my head, but I’ll be doing lots to decontaminate myself and the things I touch regularly. Despite taking these precautions, if you see me in the ED in the coming weeks to months, there is almost a 100% chance that I will be carrying this virus, simply by the fact that I will be encountering multiple people with this virus every day. If you think you are seriously ill, for example breathing has become a severe struggle, please call 911 or us before you come in. Hospitals are going to try their best to prevent spread in the hospital, but SARS-Cov-2 is crazy contagious. We may want to bring you in a separate entrance or into a tent or other area so you don’t spread the virus to patients in the hospital that are elderly or have little to no immune systems from disease, cancer, etc.

Questions or concerns? The CDC has some great resources. Check it out at CDC.gov. You can also direct message me. I might not get right back to you as I anticipate being very very busy with patients in the coming months, but I will do my best to get back to you. We are all in this together. Let’s all pull together and be patient and take care of ourselves and each other in the coming weeks and months.

Sincerely, your friendly neighborhood Emergency Physician,

Stephanie Lovell
 
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Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,502
8,097
136
actually do you? There is a 14 day incubation period and even medical professionals have stated that often there are no symtoms until it is full blown .......
Saw on TV news last night. Symptoms can appear as early as 2 days, but the likely window is 5-12 days. 14 days is the period they seem to be using to screen people who they believe may have been exposed before deciding that they are not infected. Could that actually be more than 14 days in some cases? Possibly, but pretty unlikely.

I'd think that it's the rare infectious disease (virus in this case) that presents "full blown" to begin with, including this.

Check your sleep habits, improve if necessary, reduce stress, eat well.
 
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K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
46,037
33,051
136
Harvard moving classes online. Students asked to not return to campus after spring break. Gatherings of more than 25 people prohibited.
 

brainhulk

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2007
9,418
454
126
I am guessing this will explode in the US in a similar fashion to Italy in a week or two. We cannot lock every down like China did.
 
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zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,583
29,206
146
Is that basic chemistry? I studied it 60 years ago. 1 mole is 6.23 x 10^23 IIRC.

holy crap guys, just read IronWing's comment that I quoted.

I feel like AT's best work is lost on all you people trying to be so obnoxiously serious all the damn time.

:D
 
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Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,275
10,783
136
hopefully enough people are intelligent about quarantine procedures


You don't know many actual people do you? :p ;)


And my guess is its spreading rapidly ... the horse is long out of the barn on this one and now the only real question is how many people will become seriously ill.
 

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
14,100
12,202
146
You don't know many actual people do you? :p ;)


And my guess is its spreading rapidly ... the horse is long out of the barn on this one and now the only real question is how many people will become seriously ill.
Yeah, I do, that's why I said 'hopefully' :)

Odds are very good this is going to escalate out of control very quickly. I just hope it doesn't.
 
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Ichinisan

Lifer
Oct 9, 2002
28,298
1,234
136
I still see people cough into their hands every single day.

That bothered me even before the recent virus outbreak.
 

brainhulk

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2007
9,418
454
126
Is that basic chemistry? I studied it 60 years ago. 1 mole is 6.23 x 10^23 IIRC.

Nope it's actually just basic groceries

Avocado-Number-Guacamole-Go-4.jpg
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,502
8,097
136
holy crap guys, just read IronWing's comment that I quoted.

I feel like AT's best work is lost on all you people trying to be so obnoxiously serious all the damn time.

:D
You're comments are very often pretty indecipherably cryptic. Flippant, off hand, assume a lot concerning what your reader might have read already, assuming that the reader knows what you're referencing without your bothering to be specific.