Coronavirus!

[KB21]

So, I literally got an email just about 2 hours ago from one of the higher ups in the system I work with.  It said that for the N95 mask to seal correctly, you need to shave.  If you can't shave for some reason, this can be discussed with HR.

Well, we are about to have a problem, because I'm not shaving.  

[frosgrim]

16 hours ago, KB21 said:

So, I literally got an email just about 2 hours ago from one of the higher ups in the system I work with.  It said that for the N95 mask to seal correctly, you need to shave.  If you can't shave for some reason, this can be discussed with HR.

Well, we are about to have a problem, because I'm not shaving.  

Respirators are a pain, but can save your life in the right circumstance.  I'm trained up to incident command in the preparedness world, and getting the mask was annoying, but that is why most guys in emergency response have 'staches instead of full beards. 

For COVID19, we all need to take this as an important drill on what is to come. There are worse "bugs" out there and we need to learn from this incident about how we need to prepare and how we effectively message issues to the public.  Both of which we are failing right now. 

[sturt]

16 hours ago, KB21 said:

So, I literally got an email just about 2 hours ago from one of the higher ups in the system I work with.  It said that for the N95 mask to seal correctly, you need to shave.  If you can't shave for some reason, this can be discussed with HR.

Well, we are about to have a problem, because I'm not shaving.  

Prompts a question I haven't thought to ask... is the mask for the physician's benefit or for his/her patient's?

 

[sturt]

18 minutes ago, frosgrim said:

how we effectively message issues to the public

 

Is "we" the media or the government or someone else? Because, given how prone the public is these days to distrust media and distrust government, I'm additionally uncertain that there is such a thing as "effective" messaging. It seems it's just the state of play and individuals have to figure out for themselves who is really worthy of their trust, and who is taking advantage of a situation to advance an agenda.

[KB21]

6 minutes ago, sturt said:

Prompts a question I haven't thought to ask... is the mask for the physician's benefit or for his/her patient's?

 

In surgery, it protects the patient from potential respiratory droplets that would come out of the mouth.  When I worked it surgery, every time I got gowned and gloved, my nose would start itching.  I’d have to get the circulating nurse to scratch my nose.  

[Watchman]

22 hours ago, KB21 said:

You should be as concerned about this virus as you are the influenza virus, but there is a lot of fear mongering and overkill going on with what is being reported about this virus.

Yes, it is a novel virus.  We do not know a lot about it yet.  Coronavirus has been around for years though, and this is a mutated strain of it.  

Elderly patients and those with weakened immune systems are the ones who need to be the most concerned about this virus.

It is likely that there are a lot more people with this virus, but they haven't been seen by a doctor because they haven't had symptoms.  

• Wash your hands like your life depends upon it.
•  Cough/sneeze into the bend of your arm or your shoulder.
•  Avoid shaking hands.  Do fist bumps or elbow bumps instead.
•  If you can avoid meetings with a large amount of people, do so. 
•  If you feel sick, stay at home.  Hydrate yourself.  I
•  If you run a fever, call your doctor.  Take Tylenol/Motrin as needed.

EDIT: Also, because I know some will probably need this bit of information.  You don't get it from drinking Corona beer, unless you shared your bottle with someone who was sick.

I read some comments on Yahoo a few days ago, which indicated you would be immune if you drank Dos Equis, but be in big trouble if you drank Corona.

[KB21]

3 minutes ago, Watchman said:

I read some comments on Yahoo a few days ago, which indicated you would be immune if you drank Dos Equis, but be in big trouble if you drank Corona.

Well, if you get it, just go meet a person with Lyme disease.  

[Watchman]

Just now, KB21 said:

Well, if you get it, just go meet a person with Lyme disease.  

Sounds like good advice!

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

 

[KB21]

1 minute ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

 

This is much better than just shutting everything down.  It’s too bad there are still idiots out there who will not wash their hands and will just spread whatever germs they have regardless.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[lethalweapon3]

Local news: "First, they came for the Denny's, and I said nothing..."

Here's hoping the employee's illness gets smothered and covered!

~lw3

[Blunt91]

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Local news: "First, they came for the Denny's, and I said nothing..."

Here's hoping the employee's illness gets smothered and covered!

~lw3

I am surprised that the Corona virus is all that an employee at Waffle house has.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

10 hours ago, sturt said:

 

Is "we" the media or the government or someone else? Because, given how prone the public is these days to distrust media and distrust government, I'm additionally uncertain that there is such a thing as "effective" messaging. It seems it's just the state of play and individuals have to figure out for themselves who is really worthy of their trust, and who is taking advantage of a situation to advance an agenda.

 

It's because the wrong people are giving the messages. 

In a situation like this, I only want to hear from experts, not politicians.  And not experts who are controlled by politicians.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

3 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Local news: "First, they came for the Denny's, and I said nothing..."

Here's hoping the employee's illness gets smothered and covered!

~lw3

 

It's all fun and games, until they try to shut metro Atlanta down.  And it could come as early as next week.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

6 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

 

This means that state governments aren't playing around with this.  

The SEC Tournament is in Nashville this weekend, and we in Middle TN have at least 5 - 6 cases in and around Nashville.  It's too late to shut the SEC tourney down, seeing that fans have started to arrive in town, and will be in town all weekend.  But with Nashville being a major tourist attraction in this country, I'm definitely watching this area closely, to see if cases really start to ramp up.

Truth be told . . I was glad that our star PG wasn't diagnosed with this, seeing that he has been with "flu-like symptoms" twice within the past 2 weeks.

[sturt]

2 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

In a situation like this, I only want to hear from experts, not politicians.  And not experts who are controlled by politicians.

 

Except that the people who likely have the best capacity to gather and analyze information... i.e., experts... are people employed in the executive branch of the federal government.

So, the thing has been, the chief executive has wanted to control the messaging by funneling everything through his number two, but fortunately enough, that hasn't actually happened. The CDC director, in particular, has not been muzzled, but rather, has been on-screen quite a bit. Many if not most trust him, or at least I think that's the case, even those who plan to vote for his boss--that, though in truth, the CDC director could very easily find himself let go eventually for being so candid and accessible. He's employed by a politician, but to your point, he doesn't appear to be controlled by one.

[Sothron]

My workplace is a Fortune 500 company that is now starting to send almost every one of its thousands of employees to work from home. I already work from home. They are taking this very seriously. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

On 3/9/2020 at 3:46 PM, thecampster said:

So this thing started in China over a month ago now and its dead winter there. Viruses (this virus) tend not to like sunlight. Its snowy, rainy and cloudy there right now. Perfect season to spread this. It didn't make the US for a few weeks.  Summer is coming, Spring is almost here and this will lessen out as good weather takes over.  Sadly it'll take longer in the north.

Actually, it may get much worse. Any one who has the virus, could start sneezing like crazy once Spring comes, with all of the pollen and grass allergies.

I've been following this ( bleep ) since late January. This virus is no joke folks.

When it started spreading throughout Wuhan, China, they got overwhelmed very quickly. 3,000+ have died within the past 5 weeks, and most people who have been following this story from the jump think the actual death toll is 5x to 10x higher.

The thing that most people are afraid of about this strain, is the infection and death rate.  If those rates for COVID-19 are comparable to the 1918 Spanish Flu ( 33% infection rate - 3% death rate ), this is how it could impact an area like Fulton Co. in a 12 month period:

Population: roughly 1.1 million

33% infected = 363,000

3% dead = 10,890

So the question will be if after all of these preventative measures are exhausted, and we can't hide from each other any more, will we be cool with 10,000 people dying in Fulton Co, and 3.237 million Americans dying in the next 12 months?

 

 

 

[KB21]

Actually, the death rate of this virus is going to be much lower than the scare tactics that are being used because there are likely a number of people who have the virus that never got sick enough to see a doctor.  The death rate of this virus is going to be much closer to that of influenza.  Around 0.7%.