Corona Virus, anyone affected?

[sophisticles]

I'm surprised this thread was allowed to be created and continued, considering the strict rules against political discussions in this forum not to mention, but yes, I have been personally affected.

Allow me to preface this by saying initially I dismissed much of the hysteria around this strand of Corona virus, with many of the usual arguments:

1) Why are we making such a big deal about this Corona virus when SARS and MERS (2 other corona viruses) were more deadly (SARS had a fatality rate of nearly 10% vs less than 3% for this one).

2) The flu kills up to 77,000 people a year yet we don't panic.

3) We've had other pandemics, SARS, MERS, H1N1, West Nile, Zika, Ebola, we've had measles outbreaks, the list goes on.

4) This Corona virus just causes the common cold in most people without underlying conditions.

With that in mind, for a couple of weeks now, I've been fighting what felt like a regular cold, I would have a day of chills or upset stomach, some coughing, but nothing that I couldn't fight off Vick's chest rub, some cough drops and some cough medication. I recovered, about a week ago I started feeling a bit under the weather and so I started treating myself again, Saturday came I was feeling fine.

I went home after work, and got the cold chills, so I decided to lay down for a while. Within 20 minutes I had a fever, I was sweating like a pig, my body was hot all over, I could barely breathe, I vomited despite not having eaten anything, had the runs, and I felt like I was dying. I barely made it into the living room to tell my family to call an ambulance and I dragged myself outside to wait, I would not let my family near me so they wouldn't catch what I suspected I had.

Ambulance came, they put an N95 mask on me, wouldn't let my family member come to the hospital with me, they worked on my in the ambulance were I vomited a few more times and the rushed me to the hospital.

On the way there, the EMT who was riding in the back with me, asked me if I was strong enough to walk in on my own, if I was, it would save 3 grand off the hospital bill, versus if I was stretchered in. Even though I have good insurance, I said I would give it a try and managed to walk int with them holding me up.

I saw 2 doctors, got the nasal swab in each nostril (hurts like a mother btw) and they told me that they think I have a mild case of COVID-19. The thing is because the health care system is overwhelmed right now, they said I wasn't sick enough to stay in the hospital and they weren't sure if they were going to test the swabs because sicker patients have priority. Even if they did, they said I may not get the results unless it comes back positive for Corona.

Went back home, took a shower, next day, Sunday, felt like a million bucks. Monday the cough came back slightly, today, again I feel a bit weak, some coughing, if this is Corona, this is a tough virus to fight off.

Fortunately I work for one of the biggest medical providers in the country, so I was able to work from home, and as a precaution, they have everyone in my department work from home, and implemented a number of other measures.

What sucks also Is about a year ago I decided to go back to school and get a bio-chem degree, been working 6 days a week and going to night school and this year despite being nearly 50 year old I had actually met 2 ladies in my classes that were half my age that were both very friendly, if you guys know what I mean. For a while it was like I was reborn, now, I'll be lucky to not lose this semester, because transitioning Bio and Chem from in person lectures and labs to online in mid semester, on top of the online humanities writing classes I was taking anyway, my heads just spinning.

Yeah, I'd say I have been affected by this.

[sophisticles]

But let me add something. I went shopping yesterday. And it struck me that persons of dubious parentage had stripped the shelves of practically everything. I hope they live with that conscious or even get the germ themselves. A little thought goes a long way. No need to panic and store. There should be enough to go around.

In all fairness, I sort of understand the mentality, even though it has made finding nearly anything in stock here in the Eastern Coast of the U.S. a crap shoot.

We have officials that tell you that you best best is to "shelter in place" and if you have flu-like symptoms to self-quarantine for 14 days, though some are saying up to 60 days. So people are reasoning what if they have to quarantine and can't go our for food, or toilet paper or other necessities.

It's a messed up situation and I can't wait for it to go back to even semi-normal.

[sophisticles]

No wall in the history of man has stopped any invader,period.

Does the Great Wall of China ring a bell?

[sophisticles]

Now the bad news: The experts say that two weeks of social distancing is not enough to protect vulnerable members of the population from exposure or flatten the curve to the point where hospitals can do something for the majority of critically ill patients but as of today, there is serious talk of ending the national policy of social distancing in the USA after 2 weeks because it is bad for the economy, and because providing adequate financial aid is too expensive, social unrest may result from a longer period without work.

We can't flatten the curve with a steamroller. What makes this virus so dangerous is that is extremely infectious and can lay dormant for a while and it presents itself like the common cold in many cases, so people catch it and don't know they have it.

SARS, in comparison, had a fatality rate of nearly 10% of those infected but was less than 3 times as infectious as this one.

[usually_quiet]

Now the bad news: The experts say that two weeks of social distancing is not enough to protect vulnerable members of the population from exposure or flatten the curve to the point where hospitals can do something for the majority of critically ill patients but as of today, there is serious talk of ending the national policy of social distancing in the USA after 2 weeks because it is bad for the economy, and because providing adequate financial aid is too expensive, social unrest may result from a longer period without work.

We can't flatten the curve with a steamroller. What makes this virus so dangerous is that is extremely infectious and can lay dormant for a while and it presents itself like the common cold in many cases, so people catch it and don't know they have it.

SARS, in comparison, had a fatality rate of nearly 10% of those infected but was less than 3 times as infectious as this one.

Governors and mayors who have put stay-at-home rules into effect are likely to ignore recommendations from outside sources to end them early. Places that have been slow to react may be further encouraged not to do anything and the places with continuing active widespread illness will pose an ongoing danger to those areas that have been successful in their containment efforts.

As I recall, people who knew of its existence were quite fearful of SARS at the time. ...but yes, SARS was easier to recognize as a dangerous illness and contain than COVID-19 precisely because it was worse. When someone came down with SARS, it was quickly apparent that they were very ill and needed to be kept away from others.

[conrailguy]

No wall in the history of man has stopped any invader,period.

Does the Great Wall of China ring a bell?

Only need 2 words to answer you on this one,Genghis Khan.I rest my case!Walls have never worked and never will!While it may make you feel all warm and fuzzy and safe,
thats just a placebo.It would serve the citizens of America far better if they would abandon this nonsense and deal with the real problem at hand.

[hydra3333]

Not sure what you base your medical advice on, conrailguy.

Some people get it ... medical experts and frontline medical people around the world absolutely do.

Here's the Australian version of what they say from their own mouths, standing up and being counted - there are many of these videos from a range of countries from frontline people with a real clue :-

https://twitter.com/i/status/1242760066832330752

This is your opportunity to save someone's life.

PS you sound like that Lt Governor. You'd be happy to kill your mum ? Will you stand up and be counted ?

[usually_quiet]

Not sure what you base your medical advice on, conrailguy.

Some people get it ... medical experts and frontline medical people around the world absolutely do.

Here's the Australian version of what they say from their own mouths, standing up and being counted - there are many of these videos from a range of countries from frontline people with a real clue :-

https://twitter.com/i/status/1242760066832330752

This is your opportunity to save someone's life.

PS you sound like that Lt Governor. You'd be happy to kill your mum ? Will you stand up and be counted ?

Which post are you replying to? conrailguy's posts reflect his opinions about US immigration policy and other off-topic subjects which pre-date the current epidemic by a few years.

[the_man_one]

conrailguy ok what about the Vatican, maybe check your history a bit. walls work for exactly what they are intended for. if they don't work why are you inside a building? or inside a house? why did primitive man go to a cave for shelter? why do modern men surround communities with walls (gated communities)? yeah I guess those big bad walls are very permeable and allow passage at will, no need for a door. for that matter why did the romans use the phalanx for hundreds of years ie a shield wall. it was the most feared military tactic for a long time. https://www.archaeology.org/issues/255-1705/features/5470-england-hadrians-wall-defensive-strategy <<< for your reading pleasure. by the way Israel has one of the most comprehensive walls in the world, it works quite well. go jump that fence over there. for a bit more reference also go look up the battle of Thermopylae if it weren't for 2 big walls there approximately 1500 hundred soldiers could not have held that pass for 7 days against Xerxes and his 50k+ strong army and this is still taught in military classes all over the USA. so those walls work contrary to what you say

[Anonymous5394]

Prince Charles is in isolation at Balmoral with Covid-19, whilst Prince Andrew is a home with Charlotte-13, is the joke on the Net!

According to David Icke aren't that lot reptilian shape shifters, so they should be susceptible to snake viruses! On a more serious note everyone be safe and take care out there and look out for the elderly and vulnerable if you can!

[lordsmurf]

blah blah blah

This is a thread about COVID-19, not your pedantic (and ridiculous) off-topic political rants.
If you can't stay on topic, then go away.

[DB83]

I do try to stay within the rules but there is still something that puzzles me.


It is reported that gun sales in the US have increased significantly since those that buy them feel 'safer'. Safer from what ? It only takes one idiot to use one indiscrimitorily if someone coughs in their general direction.


Back, hopefully, to general topic.


The advice from the UK Governmt to people is only go to work if you can not work from home. Makes a lot of sense. But then you see the London Underground/Metro/Tube trains whose frequency has been scaled back packing the commuters like sardines. I do not live in the Capital yet have experienced this situation in more normal times. Healthy ? Not. (Even in more normal times)

[usually_quiet]

It is reported that gun sales in the US have increased significantly since those that buy them feel 'safer'. Safer from what ? It only takes one idiot to use one indiscrimitorily if someone coughs in their general direction.

Oh, those guns are to fend off the hordes of looters and starving people looking for food as the economic crisis caused by stay-at-home orders gets worse. Not kidding. (I don't personally see that as a likely outcome, but others do.)

[smrpix]

Good news. Found toilet paper, paper towels, bleach and La Croix water at the supermarket this morning. We're going to make it.

In all seriousness, a tip of the hat to the people that keep that stuff moving where it needs to be.

[lordsmurf]

Good news. Found toilet paper

Tip: Keep your junk mail. You might need it later.

[the_man_one]

well maybe your comment should go toward conrailguy, what part of history is political? maybe lordsmurf you should read a bit before you tell someone to "go away". last political thing I said was before the last thing YOU said. incorrectly I might add.
in order to understand the second amendment you need to understand the meaning of the words at the time it was written. also you should look at the founding fathers papers in regards to arming citizens in the face of protection from a governing body trying to limit rights of people (one of the many reasons).... by the way before you claim this is political its not, its civics. ill help you out though, a well regulated militia refers to a civilian, NOT CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNMENT, to bear arms. to illustrate this claim ill point to the fact of USA regulars using rifles brought from home that are higher quality than the issued arms of the time. look up the Kentucky long rifle (its an assault weapon of the day). the regulation part comes from the firing of the rifle and reloading in regards to the specs of the gun.

[DB83]

I don't care who is posting the off-topic stuff.


But it is off-topic. End of.


And that is also enough to get a topic closed down.

[usually_quiet]

The advice from the UK Governmt to people is only go to work if you can not work from home. Makes a lot of sense. But then you see the London Underground/Metro/Tube trains whose frequency has been scaled back packing the commuters like sardines. I do not live in the Capital yet have experienced this situation in more normal times. Healthy ? Not. (Even in more normal times)

The only good idea I've seen for sending people back to work before the crisis resolves is to perform antibody tests to identify everyone who has contracted and recovered from COVID-19 and send them back to work since they should be safe. Unfortunately such tests are also not available in the numbers required for the scope of this project.

[babygdav]

1. Nope
2. Nope
3. Nope. Infection numbers and total deaths both below seasonal flu numbers in infections and deaths.

Many people worry because it's like a baby Ebola - spreads quick, kills quick. But in absolute numbers, a tiny tiny percentage of the seasonal flu in infected and deaths.

Heck, the Washington/AAA report shows about a 10%+ of drivers involved in deadly crashes were using weed, maybe an absolute 140 dead in count. 140x20 states or so = 2800 dead per year but nobody cares much - rather smoke their way into hell.

4. No change.
IT from home

[Baldrick]

I guess it's time to close this. Stay home if you are sick!