wuhan - coronavirus

[Renai]

1 minute ago, StellaM said:

 

They've been doing extra handwashing since the start of the school year, and we teach them to cough or sneeze into their elbow, but they forget sometimes. They're only 4 and 5, poor little babies, and so much to remember at school. Honestly, the adults I catch buses with worry me more; lots of adult Asian men who still spit while waiting at the bus stop etc. It's so gross. We need a public health campaign for adults in community languages as well as English.

Yes, the littles are sweet, and forgetful. I remember during one circle time, a child blew their nose and went to wash his hands. He came back to circle, and started messing around with his nose again so I sent him back to wash his hands again. I had to send him back, like 4-5 times before he finally remembered to stop messing around with his nose! This was ONE circle time; they didn't last more than 20 minutes. I would look at him funny, and he'd say, "oh yeah, right!" and run and wash his hands. It was pretty funny.

[regentrude]

3 hours ago, Arcadia said:

This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed [what does this mean?].

Before a scientific article is accepted to a scientific journal, it is sent to 2-3 reviewers who themselves are experts in the field and who evaluate the article and decide whether the research has been conducted according to good practices of the discipline and whether the results have been sufficiently documented and conclusions substantiated. The reviewers then send their recommendations to the editor, either for acceptance of the paper, acceptance with certain required changes, or rejection.

"Not peer reviewed" means that the article has been uploaded on the internet (there are sites for sharing scientific articles beforehand) but has not yet been through this evaluation process.

[Pen]

12 minutes ago, Renai said:

How are we in a phase of potential pandemic preparedness if WHO no longer uses the word "pandemic?" I mean, didn't we just read a note about that???

 

🤷‍♀️ Maybe they are trying to provide absurdist comedy relief? 🤷‍♀️

[Arcadia]

1 minute ago, regentrude said:

"Not peer reviewed" means that the article has been uploaded on the internet (there are sites for sharing scientific articles beforehand) but has not yet been through this evaluation process.

I understand that. Just quoted that part to highlight that the paper has not been peer reviewed. 

[regentrude]

3 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

I understand that. Just quoted that part to highlight that the paper has not been peer reviewed. 

Your post said "what does that mean"? I took that to mean it was an actual question.

[Arcadia]

6 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

🤷‍♀️ Maybe they are trying to provide absurdist comedy relief? 🤷‍♀️

from BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51611422

“Mr Tedros said. "Using the word 'pandemic' now does not fit the facts but may certainly cause fear."

But Mike Ryan, head of WHO's health emergencies programme, said now was the time to make "do everything you would do to prepare for a pandemic".

 

'Pandemic' is just a word

 

Is the coronavirus a pandemic? For now the WHO says no. It argues the number of countries with outbreaks, the severity of the disease and the impact on society has not reached pandemic-level. 

But some scientists - assessing the same picture - think we are already there and others say we're on the cusp. The surge in cases in South Korea and the deaths in Iran and Italy have dialled up concern over the past few days.

The deaths suggest there are far more cases in those two countries than have been reported and that the virus has been there for some time. 

But ultimately the word pandemic is just that - a word - it will not unlock more money or give the WHO new powers. It has already issued the highest warning it can, by declaring the virus a global emergency.”

[Ausmumof3]

5 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

from BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51611422

“Mr Tedros said. "Using the word 'pandemic' now does not fit the facts but may certainly cause fear."

But Mike Ryan, head of WHO's health emergencies programme, said now was the time to make "do everything you would do to prepare for a pandemic".

 

'Pandemic' is just a word

 

Is the coronavirus a pandemic? For now the WHO says no. It argues the number of countries with outbreaks, the severity of the disease and the impact on society has not reached pandemic-level. 

But some scientists - assessing the same picture - think we are already there and others say we're on the cusp. The surge in cases in South Korea and the deaths in Iran and Italy have dialled up concern over the past few days.

The deaths suggest there are far more cases in those two countries than have been reported and that the virus has been there for some time. 

But ultimately the word pandemic is just that - a word - it will not unlock more money or give the WHO new powers. It has already issued the highest warning it can, by declaring the virus a global emergency.”

I still think when they declared it a global emergency they should have made it more clear that was the highest warning level.  

[Ausmumof3]

I remembered the problem with the whole hand hygiene thing here.  Eczema is kicking in for me and I’m keeping a close eye on youngest.

[Pen]

6 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

from BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51611422

“Mr Tedros said. "Using the word 'pandemic' now does not fit the facts but may certainly cause fear."

But Mike Ryan, head of WHO's health emergencies programme, said now was the time to make "do everything you would do to prepare for a pandemic".

 

'Pandemic' is just a word

 

Is the coronavirus a pandemic? For now the WHO says no. It argues the number of countries with outbreaks, the severity of the disease and the impact on society has not reached pandemic-level. 

But some scientists - assessing the same picture - think we are already there and others say we're on the cusp. The surge in cases in South Korea and the deaths in Iran and Italy have dialled up concern over the past few days.

The deaths suggest there are far more cases in those two countries than have been reported and that the virus has been there for some time. 

But ultimately the word pandemic is just that - a word - it will not unlock more money or give the WHO new powers. It has already issued the highest warning it can, by declaring the virus a global emergency.”

 

 

Hmmm.  

I thought the World Bank had some Pandemic Emergency Funding thing that opens if WHO declares pandemic, but I may be very wrong.

[Ausmumof3]

From Global Times

#BREAKING: There are 323 confirmed cases with #COVID19 in prisons in #Hubei Province as of Feb 23, with 279 from a women's prison, 1 from a youth detention center. No death has been reported. Spreading of the virus in the prisons has been under control: reports

[Pen]

??????

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_Emergency_Financing_Facility

 

?????

 

 

[Arcadia]

5 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I remembered the problem with the whole hand hygiene thing here.  Eczema is kicking in for me and I’m keeping a close eye on youngest.

I have eczema and asthma. I have spare rescue inhalers for myself. Rosemary hair oil has been working for my scalp and calendula body lotion had been useful for arms and legs. I am running my bedroom air filter for bedtime.

[Arcadia]

6 minutes ago, Pen said:

??????

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_Emergency_Financing_Facility

 

?????

from World Bank. The link has much more information https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/pandemics/brief/pandemic-emergency-facility-frequently-asked-questions

“Is the PEF the only crisis support instrument of the World Bank Group?

• The PEF complements the much larger role that IDA, the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries, and other international organizations and donors play in financing outbreak response.

• The PEF is one element of the World Bank Group’s Global Crisis Management Platform, which brings together a range of crisis support instruments to IDA-eligible countries that face an outbreak.
• Overall, the World Bank, has committed $350 million from IDA in response to the 10th outbreak of Ebola in DRC (plus the additional US$50 million disbursed from the PEF). The funds enable responders to step up the frontline health response, deliver cash-for-work programs to support the local economy, strengthen resilience in the affected communities, and contain the spread of this deadly virus.”

[Ausmumof3]

New cases for today in China - 508 - new deaths 71.  Slightly more new cases than yesterday but less deaths.

60 new cases for South Korea for a total of 893

[Ausmumof3]

Total cases passed 80,147

Fatalities 2,699

I must admit I had though we may have passed 85,000 by now if cases had continued like last week.  Seems to be a definite slow down.   

[Arcadia]

From Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/south-korean-official-tests-positive-coronavirus-doomsday-church-cult-2020-2

“A senior health official in Daegu — the city that lies at the center of South Korea's coronavirus outbreak — confessed to being a follower of a controversial doomsday church cult after testing positive for the virus.

The unnamed official leads the Infection Preventive Medicine Department in the city that is home to 681 of the 833 COVID-19 cases in the country, the South China Morning Post reported. Over 450 of those Daegu residents have been found to be members of the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, a fringe religious sect that belongs to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. 

Authorities worry that the toll in Daegu is likely to increase because the official, who is in charge of the local battle against the deadly illness, only came forward and admitted that he belonged to Shincheonji after he was already sick. This delay forced officials to quarantine 50 more health officials in their homes as a precaution, the Post said.

And he is not alone.

A Daegu police officer and a teacher at an elementary school near the city revealed themselves as believers after being diagnosed with coronavirus, according to the Post.

...

Officials have faced backlash for not enforcing more stringent restrictions and only stopping travelers from Hubei province in China from entering South Korea. This could have enabled people who picked up the infection elsewhere to enter the country without any hassle.

"It is like claiming that the gatekeeping is being done well without knowing that your back door is still left open," Dr. Lee Hoanjong, a professor at Seoul National University Children's Hospital, told the Post. 

"Medical staff and health infrastructure in Daegu are now being stretched to a breaking point. If we have another Daegu in this country, I can't imagine what would happen."”

[Carrie12345]

My risk reduction plans have gone down the toilet. It looks like we may be fostering our 8 and 5yo relatives.  If we get approval, I’ll be in a ton of medical offices and dealing with the public school system shortly. Germs, germs, germs!!!

[Ausmumof3]

US - CDC issued a level 3 avoid non essential travel warning to South Korea 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/coronavirus-south-korea

[Terabith]

So, who can declare a pandemic?

[Aura]

12 minutes ago, Terabith said:

So, who can declare a pandemic?

No one. We don't use that word anymore. We have a "global health emergency."

At least that's my takeaway.

It's like my local school system that does not use the words "tests" or "quizzes" because they cause too much stress on the students. Instead, they have "summatives" and "formatives". I don't know which is supposed to be which, but my 8th grader promises that she gets just as stressed as when she took tests or quizzes.

 

[Pen]

21 minutes ago, Terabith said:

So, who can declare a pandemic?

 

Seems like start to “Who’s on first base?” Type joke.

WHO probably Can declare a pandemic if they wish to — but apparently has decided not to because it sounds too scary— unless things are at Wuhan stage all over.  

But if that were case, then likely the people at WHO may themselves be incapacitated so that they could not meet or get a quorum or majority vote or whatever they might need.

Or something.

Or maybe not. 

[Ausmumof3]

“Mohammad Reza Qadir, head of Qom University of Medical Sciences, is in charge of dealing with coronavirus infections in the city, and he has been quarantined.
Mr Qadir said on state television yesterday that "the situation in Qom is not good" and expressed concern about "the number of coronary patients being broadcast across the city" and asked the Ministry of Health and Government for help.
He also said the Ministry of Health was "told" not to be "statistically disclosed."
 

this is quoting from BBC Persian via google translate

sounds like lack of transparency 

[Ausmumof3]

15 minutes ago, Aura said:

No one. We don't use that word anymore. We have a "global health emergency."

At least that's my takeaway.

It's like my local school system that does not use the words "tests" or "quizzes" because they cause too much stress on the students. Instead, they have "summatives" and "formatives". I don't know which is supposed to be which, but my 8th grader promises that she gets just as stressed as when she took tests or quizzes.

 

Ministry of truth

[Katy]

I suspect if/when more than 3 countries have more than 100 deaths the media will start using the word pandemic whether the WHO acknowledges it or not.

[Ausmumof3]

4th passenger from the Diamond Cruise, a man in his 80s, has died.

[Arcadia]

14 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

“Mohammad Reza Qadir, head of Qom University of Medical Sciences, is in charge of dealing with coronavirus infections in the city, and he has been quarantined.
Mr Qadir said on state television yesterday that "the situation in Qom is not good" and expressed concern about "the number of coronary patients being broadcast across the city" and asked the Ministry of Health and Government for help.
He also said the Ministry of Health was "told" not to be "statistically disclosed."
 

this is quoting from BBC Persian via google translate

sounds like lack of transparency 

This link says the same thing in English https://irannewsupdate.com/news/socially/6886-head-of-qom-university-of-medical-sciences-goes-into-quarantine-after-disclosing-iran-corona-statistics-censorship-order.html

[Pen]

https://irannewsupdate.com/news/socially/6883-shocking-confession-of-iranian-regime-s-secrecy-over-the-coronavirus-two-doctors-die-in-one-night.html

this also seems interesting in re Iran situation 

[YaelAldrich]

5 hours ago, Pen said:

 

They look good and I wish I’d known about them for my usual mask needs for chemical/ fragrance/ smoke / smog/ vehicle exhaust/dust/pollen  etc reasons.  

Do you think it’s okay to get that now or should they be for health workers etc?  Or maybe they aren’t certified for health workers? 

 

I feel like it’s important for health workers to have what they need.   I can lay low mostly, probably,  but people on infection frontlines can’t.   

I think you'd be ok getting these.  People who travel use them as far as I know.  I got them because they were advertised as being awesome for China's pollution.  They just also happen to be good for this purpose as well.

[Ausmumof3]

17 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

This link says the same thing in English https://irannewsupdate.com/news/socially/6886-head-of-qom-university-of-medical-sciences-goes-into-quarantine-after-disclosing-iran-corona-statistics-censorship-order.html

Thank you.  Wasn’t sure about other sites reliability so I used the bbc link instead.  Good to know.  

[mommyoffive]

4 hours ago, ByeByeMartha said:

Yeah, it doesn't look to me like most people here in the US are really concerned--at least that's the way it appears in my neck of the woods. Nobody is even bringing up the subject to me. 

 

Yeah nobody around me is either, except me and dh.  Anyone I bring it up with they just laugh.  I am in the stage of stockpiling things so that we could stay home for a month if need be.  Nobody else that I know is doing anything of the sort. 

People also bring up the fact that Coronavirus is nothing compared to the Flu.  I am not even going to go into stats, but they are different.  One is a brand new virus that hasn't even hit the whole world yet.  It has no vaccine or treatment. 

The other has a vaccine that is 45% effective this year and also has treatments.  Tamiflu and the other one I can't remember.   

I am not saying I am right and the worst is going to happen.  I just want to be prepared if something does.  I am sure people in China didn't think this was going to happen to them 3 months ago.  The city a ghost town and people not leaving their homes.  I think people see what has happened there and don't think for a second that it could happen here.  Not will, just could. 

Edited February 25, 2020 by mommyoffive

[Pen]

article on “pandemic” 

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/pandemic-coronavirus-outbreak-economic-impact/

Yikes !  Don’t know why type so big!!! It explains what happens if pandemic is declared and seems worthwhile, but I’m deleting rest because it’s like the giant emojis days.

Edited February 25, 2020 by Pen
Massive typeface

[Shoeless]

4 hours ago, ByeByeMartha said:

Yeah, it doesn't look to me like most people here in the US are really concerned--at least that's the way it appears in my neck of the woods. Nobody is even bringing up the subject to me. 

 

I know of a few people who've discussed it, but they've veered off into a political blame-game: "The US is/is not going to be impacted by COVID-19 because of who we do/do not elect this year!"  Makes my head hurt.

Locally, we've got people that are using COVID-19 to promote their CBD oil business. I'm unaware of any evidence that CBD oil will help with this, but ok. 

There's a bunch of really confused people in a local fb group that are under the impression that the area schools are working with the CDC to test the kids for coronavirus, so they aren't worried. (??????).  They also think a vaccine is coming within the next few weeks, but they won't let their kids get it, because it's poison and the tests will be enough.  (??????)

The preppers I know are quiet. They are probably checking inventory and making sure everything is ready. 

[Ausmumof3]

https://amp.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3052129/coronavirus-infected-health-official-leading-south?__twitter_impression=true
 

wow
 

[Ausmumof3]

Global Times:

“Wartime discipline” emphasized! Dereliction of duty will be punished and “deserters” be dismissed on the spot. More than 20 prisons officials in Hubei Province have received punishments after 323 new #COVID19 cases were confirmed”

If you’re afraid of being punished when new cases are confirmed it’s not really encouraging people to report new cases at all.  I hope the apparent drop off is not due to fear of reporting truth.

[Ausmumof3]

There seems to be a bit more local video claiming to come from Wuhan again.

[Pen]

9 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

https://amp.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3052129/coronavirus-infected-health-official-leading-south?__twitter_impression=true
 

wow
 

 

Weird creepy seeming to have it be a doomsday cult. 

[Pen]

2 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Global Times:

“Wartime discipline” emphasized! Dereliction of duty will be punished and “deserters” be dismissed on the spot. More than 20 prisons officials in Hubei Province have received punishments after 323 new #COVID19 cases were confirmed”

If you’re afraid of being punished when new cases are confirmed it’s not really encouraging people to report new cases at all.  I hope the apparent drop off is not due to fear of reporting truth.

 

I agree.  It’s a Big problem. 

[Pen]

2 hours ago, Terabith said:

So, who can declare a pandemic?

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/pandemic-coronavirus-outbreak-economic-impact/

The Telegraph article I linked above actually seems to have a good explanation.  

Edited February 25, 2020 by Pen

[Paige]

11 hours ago, BeachGal said:

I eat about 50 grams of broccoli sprouts per day. They are very easy to grow. They are also incredibly high in sulforaphane which is very beneficial for lungs. Jed Fahey at Johns Hopkins has studied it extensively if you want to learn more about all it can do. Researcher Rhonda Patrick also has studied it and talks about it a lot. Her online site is FoundMyFitness. She is giving some research-backed advice to stay well as the virus moves through the world.

Watercress is also good for the lungs. Arugula. The bitter greens.

Rhonda Patrick also has studied sauna benefits (hyperthermia creates heat shock proteins among other things). Recently she mentioned that sauna use twice per week reduces viral pneumonia by 27% (iirc) and four times per week, reduces it by 40%.

I've avoided sprouts because I've read that they are difficult to clean and often lead to food poisoning. Is that risk only when buying store bought?

 

The higher fatality rates in Iran and Italy may also be related to who is infected and where the local patient 0 went. If it's an elderly person walking around his retirement community, for instance, it would be much different than if it were a college student going back to class. The numbers in both countries are so small anyway, that no reasonable estimates of risk for a larger population can be made.

Where do you all store all your pantry stockpiles? This will be a privilege issue too. Not everyone has the space to store 2 weeks-1 month of shelf stable food even if they have the money. We aren't poor, but with a family of 7, multiple pets, and a small pantry, I don't know where I'd put extra stuff. DH will think I'm crazy if I put boxes in our bedroom! We could clean out our garage to make space, but that's been on my to do list at every house we've had for the last 15 years! 

 

[Ausmumof3]

Hong Kong school closures extended till after Easter

https://amp.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3052199/coronavirus-hong-kong-school-closures-extend-beyond-easter?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=article&utm_source=Twitter&__twitter_impression=true

[Ausmumof3]

10 minutes ago, Paige said:

I've avoided sprouts because I've read that they are difficult to clean and often lead to food poisoning. Is that risk only when buying store bought?

 

The higher fatality rates in Iran and Italy may also be related to who is infected and where the local patient 0 went. If it's an elderly person walking around his retirement community, for instance, it would be much different than if it were a college student going back to class. The numbers in both countries are so small anyway, that no reasonable estimates of risk for a larger population can be made.

Where do you all store all your pantry stockpiles? This will be a privilege issue too. Not everyone has the space to store 2 weeks-1 month of shelf stable food even if they have the money. We aren't poor, but with a family of 7, multiple pets, and a small pantry, I don't know where I'd put extra stuff. DH will think I'm crazy if I put boxes in our bedroom! We could clean out our garage to make space, but that's been on my to do list at every house we've had for the last 15 years! 

 

I suspect in Italy it’s because it spread through the hospital meaning it affected already ill people.

[Renai]

2 hours ago, Terabith said:

So, who can declare a pandemic?

WHO (my interpretation): Pandemics are no longer a thing in our vocabulary. It will cause a panic if we use that word. However, it is just a word, so it doesn't really matter what we call what is happening. We will call it a "global emergency." BUT, we will treat it like the nonexistent pandemic it is by preparing for one. We will never call it one because we have wiped that category from the official charts. But, prepare for one anyway.

 

In other news, one of my students (in China) just told me that there have been no new cases in Hubei for the past two days. I'm pretty sure we got different information, but it's not my place to tell anything different to a 10 year old.

[Arctic Bunny]

We’re just going to call it a pandemic, apparently...

 

[Ausmumof3]

US labs ask FDA for permission to create their own test kits

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN20I2G8?__twitter_impression=true

[Ausmumof3]

From Caixin Global

“Exclusive: A cluster of 19 deaths since Dec. 23 was found at a nursing home near the Wuhan seafood market with only one Covid-19 case reported though 10 others died of respiratory failure.”

Edited February 25, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[Pen]

29 minutes ago, Renai said:

WHO (my interpretation): Pandemics are no longer a thing in our vocabulary. It will cause a panic if we use that word. However, it is just a word, so it doesn't really matter what we call what is happening. We will call it a "global emergency." BUT, we will treat it like the nonexistent pandemic it is by preparing for one. We will never call it one because we have wiped that category from the official charts. But, prepare for one anyway.

 

 

The explanation from the Telegraph article was (though better to read yourself than my attempt at summary) that using the word “pandemic” legally obligates countries to mobilize preparations — which preparations are costly and difficult— and can be very, very difficult for some countries to do.  And that for H1N1, which turned out not to be as bad as feared, WHO was criticized for calling it a “pandemic” too soon and bringing much cost and difficulty onto countries which turned out not to have been needed.  So apparently the word still exists, WHO can still declare it, but is seeming to try to tell countries to prepare for pandemic as best they can, but not to use a word that legally forces them to do so in particular ways that might be too costly or onerous. 

 

[Pen]

15 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

US labs ask FDA for permission to create their own test kits

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN20I2G8?__twitter_impression=true

 

We certainly need more testing ability!!!

 

 I wonder if “inconclusive” results were really bad test kits or were showing a reality about this virus which can be in slight levels or off than on again or contagious without symptoms.  Maybe “inconclusive” actually fits some cases.  

[Ausmumof3]

15 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

We certainly need more testing ability!!!

 

 I wonder if “inconclusive” results were really bad test kits or were showing a reality about this virus which can be in slight levels or off than on again or contagious without symptoms.  Maybe “inconclusive” actually fits some cases.  

China are reporting about 40pc accuracy with their tests as well I think and sometimes needing 5 tests to confirm.  I’m not sure how to interpret that but it sounds to me like it’s quite hard to test for.

https://amp.scmp.com/tech/science-research/article/3049858/race-diagnose-treat-coronavirus-patients-constrained-shortage?__twitter_impression=true

Edited February 25, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Paige said:

I've avoided sprouts because I've read that they are difficult to clean and often lead to food poisoning. Is that risk only when buying store bought?

 

As long as running water is available I think they can be managed properly and cleaned well.  If there weren’t running water, I would prefer the system of sprouting in soil, then cutting above soil line and rinsing as best as able for raw. Or for sprouts like beans etc done in a jar to cook them.

Quote

The higher fatality rates in Iran and Italy may also be related to who is infected and where the local patient 0 went. If it's an elderly person walking around his retirement community, for instance, it would be much different than if it were a college student going back to class. The numbers in both countries are so small anyway, that no reasonable estimates of risk for a larger population can be made.

 

Yes.   But some reports seem to suggest a faster more deadly illness progression for some people.   Like relatively young doctors not lingering weeks and dying as in China, but seemingly exposed followed quickly by very sick (Italy), or exposed, followed quickly by very sick, and dead (Iran). 

Quote

Where do you all store all your pantry stockpiles? This will be a privilege issue too. Not everyone has the space to store 2 weeks-1 month of shelf stable food even if they have the money. We aren't poor, but with a family of 7, multiple pets, and a small pantry, I don't know where I'd put extra stuff. DH will think I'm crazy if I put boxes in our bedroom! We could clean out our garage to make space, but that's been on my to do list at every house we've had for the last 15 years! 

 

 

I am lucky to have basement area for things not harmed by basement conditions.  (Which I had to learn hard way basically means cans and jars.) 

I have friends who have a one bedroom small house, no basement, and keep one or two I think 50 (maybe only 25? big looking anyway) pound sacks each of rice and beans behind their couch— when each gets down toward half they reorder, so sometimes they have only around 25 and sometimes nearly 75 (or equivalent of going half way down then reorder whatever the size was) pounds in rice / beans, but always some.  And then for regular food they try to restock when they still have some left rather than when fridge is bare.  And in winter when we tend to have yearly troubles in our area they aim for keeping about half full and rotating foods.    Sort of like refilling a gas tank when 1/2 or 1/4 full instead of at nearly empty.  So they are only using regular kitchen cupboards and fridge, plus the bags behind couch. 

 

(I have such a small house we don’t have room for a couch, but I have thought of having a real true edible beans inside beanbag chair or footrest or big hackey sacks or something —with the beans in something to protect them well, obviously.  Never done it though. I do have sprout seeds, but not in massive quantities, just like two pint canning jars plus a pound container for chia seeds which I use regularly not sprouted, but could sprout them I presume.  ) 

Edited February 25, 2020 by Pen

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Paige said:

Where do you all store all your pantry stockpiles? This will be a privilege issue too. Not everyone has the space to store 2 weeks-1 month of shelf stable food even if they have the money. We aren't poor, but with a family of 7, multiple pets, and a small pantry, I don't know where I'd put extra stuff. 

We are a family of four with no pets. My pantry stockpile is mainly on the top shelves of kitchen cabinets. My husband and kids can reach the top shelves so they can bring the “spares” down to the kitchen countertop when I need.

My kid like Milo (chocolate malt drink) so we tend to buy a dozen 1.5kg cans at a time and the box stays on my kitchen floor. Rice in 15lb sacks also stays there.

If I need to store more food, I could use the dining room which we use as store room.