Regardless of ones level of concern, especially where age is concerned, there are several reasons to take this whole mess seriously.

The DemocRATS have already made it clear that they’ve weaponized the virus better than the Chinese ever could along with the media’s help. Stories of no TP and $100 a bottle hand sanitizers don’t help to keep people calm either. And the bottom line as that even if you’re young and healthy enough not to worry about it, you probably have a loved one that DOES have good reason to worry.

Should everyone panic? Certainly not. But think of it as double the flu illnesses and deaths in the US with the added issues of higher contagiousness and longer fomite contamination. Use common sense, wash hands if you touch common surfaces in public (including stuff at the grocery store), avoid contact with people you don’t know or know to be sick with anything. You don’t have to become deathly ill to carry it to someone that is compromised by one of the many factors that vastly increase the danger.

Don’t panic, but don’t act like it’s ”just a cold”. Its not.

quote:

I agree Ensigmatic seems to be making some good short-term decisions until this plays out. Being in a higher risk category. Of course (sorry in advance) I assume they've also gotten their flu shots.

^^^^^^^^
I agree. It is sound reasonable advice patterning what Dr. Fauci said. Fauci is 79 himself. It just seems very difficult for people to just listen to the noted experts in the field. The government is doing some helpful things such as sending emails to all Medicare recipients as to the precautions they should take.

Has anyone figured out who's going to watch the children when they close schools? How are all those that work in arenas and other gathering venues going to pay rent and buy groceries? We are over-reacting in Ohio IMHO. We aren't in full panic yet but it's rolling in that direction with momentum.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
Regardless of ones level of concern, especially where age is concerned, there are several reasons to take this whole mess seriously.

The DemocRATS have already made it clear that they’ve weaponized the virus better than the Chinese ever could along with the media’s help. Stories of no TP and $100 a bottle hand sanitizers don’t help to keep people calm either. And the bottom line as that even if you’re young and healthy enough not to worry about it, you probably have a loved one that DOES have good reason to worry.

Should everyone panic? Certainly not. But think of it as double the flu illnesses and deaths in the US with the added issues of higher contagiousness and longer fomite contamination. Use common sense, wash hands if you touch common surfaces in public (including stuff at the grocery store), avoid contact with people you don’t know or know to be sick with anything. You don’t have to become deathly ill to carry it to someone that is compromised by one of the many factors that vastly increase the danger.

Don’t panic, but don’t act like it’s ”just a cold”. Its not.

This. Apart from medical considerations, the world economy will take a combined hit from the real effects of the virus and the (probably) more significant impact of the global hysterics. Witness the US market. So prudence is not panic, any more than with any of our existing diseases, some of which have been historically medically much more significant to date. Watching your finances and assessing your risk is certainly appropriate, but the only losses in the market right now are from those who sold holdings at a loss.

On the medical front, a vaccine is coming. Really. Get it. "I never got the flu so I never get the shot" is no longer a successful survival strategy, starting from now. You are part of the herd, so protect the herd. The other good news is this virus seems to be on a downward vector as far as CFR (yes, in spite of the global rise in cases), the result of (probably) increasing acquired immunity and community containment measures (which reduces the number of more vulnerable individuals getting infected). Seasonal variation could come into play as well later in the year. So - my opinion only - we are approaching "done" with this virus, epidemiologically, within a few months. Not from the effects, which will be global and lasting. Thousands will die (and have), perhaps hundreds of thousands worldwide, but hopefully, and probably, not millions. And if nothing else from this brief biological interlude in the planet's history, it does highlight one immutable reality for humanity. There will be another.

Covid-19 finally hits South Dakota.

They say it was inevitable. It was announced late yesterday that 5 cases have been confirmed in the state. All involved travel. Four are what we call "east river" meaning east of the Missouri. The fifth was in my county here in "west river's" Black Hills and it was a death. Some guy in his late 60s with other health complications. He makes #32 for the USA.

Officials are working diligently to track who all these folks had contact with.


Don't recall the exact numbers but the news report also compared the confirmed Covid19 cases to the confirmed influenza cases thus far this year. Something like 650 vs 80000 and more flu deaths than from coronavirus. Don't know what site has the actual figures.

Here's predicting MS will be in the Final 4. Not that it's not here, just won't be detected until about the time ND and Wyoming do.

"March 10, 2020
News
By Claudette Roulo
Defense.gov

DOD Confronts Coronavirus Head-On
The Defense Department is taking positive action to protect people, safeguard critical national security missions and capabilities and support the whole-of-government approach to confronting the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, DOD spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman said today.

Combatant commanders have the authority to take measures to protect personnel from exposure to the new virus, Hoffman said during a press briefing with other DOD officials at the Pentagon. That may mean modifying, postponing or cancelling some training, he said.

Training continues on a smaller scale in South Korea, Hoffman said, though a larger joint exercise was postponed late last month. The commander of U.S. Forces Korea has been at the forefront of DOD's response in containing COVID-19, he said, having "taken measures that have been highly, highly aggressive and effective in confronting it and helping secure his personnel from exposure."

Planning continues for other exercises, he noted, such as the Defender 2020 division-size exercise scheduled for this spring in Europe.

"A lot of folks get a vote in as far as participation [in joint exercises] is concerned, but as far as we're concerned now, that exercise is good," said Navy Rear Adm. William D. Byrne Jr., the vice director of the Joint Staff.

At the Pentagon, one of largest office buildings in the world, Hoffman said educational materials are being distributed and good hygiene practices are being reinforced. The visitor entry process is under evaluation, he said, and people are practicing social distancing for meetings and briefings. One example of that distancing effort is that chairs in the press briefing room are now spaced six feet apart.

Across the force, three active-duty service members – one in South Korea, one in Europe and one in the U.S. – four family members, one government civilian and one contractor have so far been diagnosed with COVID-19, said Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs, the Joint Staff surgeon, during the briefing. "All are doing well at this point," he said.

The department is taking these precautions because COVID-19 is a new virus and scientists are still learning about how easy it is to spread, Friedrichs said. "And in particular, in an environment like this – enclosed spaces – we're trying to figure out the best way to mitigate the risk until we have solid data on that," he added.

All 13 of DOD's clinical labs can run the necessary tests to determine whether a person has COVID-19, the general noted.

"The Department of Defense has had plans for dealing with disease outbreaks like this for years," Friedrichs said. Each base has a plan that is coordinated with local authorities, he added.

"If we go back to any successful response, it starts with a strong local public health authority and good plans that are not unique to one employer, like the DOD, but to the whole community," the general said.

Friedrichs later told reporters that the No. 1 thing he'd like to know about COVID-19 is whether it's seasonal. "Because if it is seasonal, then it will start to burn out in the next couple of months," he said. "And that buys us a little bit more time until the fall when it comes back. And that means that we have more time to work on medical countermeasures, work on vaccines, and all the other things that we have for the flu." "

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:


Should everyone panic? Certainly not. But think of it as double the flu illnesses and deaths in the US with the added issues of higher contagiousness and longer fomite contamination.

Keep track of the numbers and try to understand what they mean. The old codgers, like me and most of the rest of us, are where the flu deaths normally come from. Simply stated, we're the first to croak from the flu. We'll be gone before the Corona gets a shot at us. Fooled them. As I've stated too often before, 'we're all gonna die'. We just get to cut in line before the rest of you.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:


Should everyone panic? Certainly not. But think of it as double the flu illnesses and deaths in the US with the added issues of higher contagiousness and longer fomite contamination.

Keep track of the numbers and try to understand what they mean. The old codgers, like me and most of the rest of us, are where the flu deaths normally come from. Simply stated, we're the first to croak from the flu. We'll be gone before the Corona gets a shot at us. Fooled them. As I've stated too often before, 'we're all gonna die'. We just get to cut in line before the rest of you.

Given the average age of the people on this board, I'm actually surprised many if not most think this is no big deal.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
we're trying to figure out ....

And as a reminder, there are still many unknowns about the disease. The people who dismiss all the precautions that are being taken as unnecessary hysteria evidently assume that we can be confident that its low death rate and usually mild symptoms are all there is to the disease. Many diseases, however, have serious effects that linger after someone has seemingly recovered. As just one example, if women who are pregnant now start giving birth to babies with birth defects as happened with the Zika virus, then the term “panic” will truly become appropriate.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:


Should everyone panic? Certainly not. But think of it as double the flu illnesses and deaths in the US with the added issues of higher contagiousness and longer fomite contamination.

Keep track of the numbers and try to understand what they mean. The old codgers, like me and most of the rest of us, are where the flu deaths normally come from. Simply stated, we're the first to croak from the flu. We'll be gone before the Corona gets a shot at us. Fooled them. As I've stated too often before, 'we're all gonna die'. We just get to cut in line before the rest of you.

Given the average age of the people on this board, I'm actually surprised many if not most think this is no big deal.

I suspect confirmation bias.

All the "there's no good reason to change your routines" guys are just subconsciously trying to convince themselves, by keeping the evidence they like, ignoring what they don't.

No, the sky isn't falling. But it would still be foolish for a 70 year old with hypertension and diabetes to take his advice from some random internet guy rather than the CDC and state health agencies.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:


Should everyone panic? Certainly not. But think of it as double the flu illnesses and deaths in the US with the added issues of higher contagiousness and longer fomite contamination.

Keep track of the numbers and try to understand what they mean. The old codgers, like me and most of the rest of us, are where the flu deaths normally come from. Simply stated, we're the first to croak from the flu. We'll be gone before the Corona gets a shot at us. Fooled them. As I've stated too often before, 'we're all gonna die'. We just get to cut in line before the rest of you.

The numbers show you've been here almost 2 decades and your post count is too low. You are not allowed to leave rburg. Yer stuck with us..

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Given the average age of the people on this board, I'm actually surprised many if not most think this is no big deal.

I think it's really hard for people to get a grasp of what's going on, what's unique and what's different. Lots of wishful thinking, mixed in with the need for people in official positions to put positive spins on things.

Here are two graphs that may show why I think 'no big deal' is being a trifle optimistic: Charts are from https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus (Wed 12:30 EDT) : one is a snapshot as the actual graphic was too wide to play well here.)

1) Is this the flu?
No, no no, no. Look at the case-fatality rate comparison

Yeah, the data for COVID is from China, and the data for flu is US, so it's fair to quibble about that, but understand that this is a lot higher mortality than the usual crud.

2) If we're all going to get it, why worry?

To quote the website's text that accompanies the above graph, which is conceptual rather than data-driven:

quote:

The intention of early containment:
Early containment allows the healthcare system to provide care for all who need it

In other words, if we can delay, defer, avoid, and keep caseloads manageable, then the folks who get it can get decent care; if the early spread peaks above the capacity for the health care system, or worse, nukes medical staff as well and reduces health care capacity, all bets are off.

The BIG assumption on COVID-19 is that we have a very accurate picture of the number infected.

My WAG (wild assed guess) is that we DON'T, due to lack of testing kits and many who get it having mild cases mistaken for regular colds / seasonal flue - so the mortality rates are artificially high (i.e., if you have non-identified infected who get it mildly, self treat and don't die, you aren't counting legitimate 'survivors' of COVID-19, which makes the mortality rate artificially elevated).

In the end, the MSM is just looking for an axe to grind and I wouldn't take Chinas death rate numbers at anything.

But if it is TEOTWAWKI, I'm ready with 5 pallets of water, 3 pallets of Toilet Paper, and 3 years of MREs. We'll just stay home until the 'burn off' is complete and then I'll take over my section of the state formerly known as Florida and reset society. (sarcasm)

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:


Here are two graphs that may show why I think 'no big deal' is being a trifle optimistic:

^^^ It's actually patriotic to wash your hands, avoid large crowds, and take other appropriate actions. If that curve is pushed rightward, everyone gets care, otherwise it's triage.

Uh, common cleanliness / hand washing has nothing to do with patriotism...

Its common fucking sense; well it was before everyone got a trophy, so Hero of the United States Medals for all my friends!

Well... I have 2 NHL games to attend in the next 3 nights. My team is battling for a playoff position. I am going and taking my chances.

I truly think that, in the end, this will be a minor blip with respect to the number of Americans who die compared to the other reasons listed several times on this board. Treatments will be online soon and a vaccine within a year.

I also think that this will be used to inflict as much damage on the President and Republicans as possible (it already is). That is why I do not believe one stat that is coming off any news network, internet page or out of any world organization. They are all never-Trumpers.

You guys can catch Isles or Canes easily.

quote:

I'll take over my section of the state formerly known as Florida and reset society. (sarcasm)

^^^^^^^^^
RHINOLAND. Better than Lake Wobegon.

Sorry for the thread drift...

Even if the Jackets don't make it in, Tortorella should be the coach of the year considering what he has done with what amounts to as an AHL team.

I am proud of what our boys have done with so many man-games lost.

Back to the modern plague talk now...