wuhan - coronavirus

[Aura]

1 minute ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

In case people haven't seen this article (didn't read through the pages to see if it had been linked) https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/02/covid-vaccine/607000/ 

40-70% worldwide is huge.  I'm not sure hiding from it (trying to prevent getting it) is going to be an effective strategy.  If it is that contagious, it seems exposure is ultimately inevitable.

I actually think laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, soap, toilet paper are things I would want to make sure I had enough of for a few weeks on top of basic food supplies in case you feel too sick to go out shopping. 

 

Agree! Stocking up accomplishes several things.

1) no one really knows where this might hit next and what community might be quarantined for a couple weeks (as it appears to me) they may even start making longer quarantines, but people will eventually have to go back to work. They can't shut down society for months at a time. (If that were to happen... well, pick your disaster movie to watch)

2) there will be supply disruptions, so getting ahead and making sure you don't HAVE to have something is wise

3) activity helps reduce stress

[MEmama]

2 hours ago, Farrar said:

No trip insurance, but I've read on multiple sites that trip insurance does not cover this anyway. And yeah, in April, so there's no use doing much now. We'll see.

I'm also getting nervous about my kid going to San Francisco in June, yeah. And yeah, that would be an even bigger amount for us to eat. UGH.

We have a college planning trip overseas bought and paid for this spring.  After WOW went out of business less than 2 weeks before our trip to Iceland last year, we vowed to be more cautious in the future. Our upcoming trip is the first time we’ve ever bought trip insurance. 
 

TBH I have no idea if insurance will cover this, or how bad/uncertain things will have to be for us to cancel. I think at this point it could go a few different ways, and while I think it’s smart to be flexible and prepare ourselves however we can, I don’t think it’s time yet to panic. That said, I’m stocking up on essentials—buying ahead, as it were—yet at the same time planning our trip as though it’s a certainty. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Right, I'm not saying you shouldn't stock up....it's the balance of what people are stocking and the thought processes behind it that I'm pondering.  I think everyone has to do what they are comfortable with.

But....if most of us are going to get it in the next two years (as the current modeling shows, with this becoming endemic), and most of us are either going to be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms for three weeks.....then why the six months of rice and beans? I think it unlikely in the US that they will shut down society for months at a time....it may be that they encourage people to remain at home during peak times to try to minimize impacts to local healthcare. I *do* think we will probably see some supply disruptions---but again, those are likely to be of something other than rice and beans.

What *would* I buy? Cold and flu medicines, OTC meds that you normally use that are likely to be disrupted (Benadryl, Zantac, etc.), electronic items that keep life going for you---a spare phone charging cord, an extra toner cartridge for the printer, household items that keep life comfortable for you like laundry soap, dishwasher tabs, etc.   Like, think about what you normally use in life and just buy a little extra.

But six months of rice and beans and a water filter and calling it good? Eh, maybe a bit shortsighted.  Same with going on the flip side and running up a credit card bill and buying all the things.

Again, YMMV, just my .02 pondering....

[prairiewindmomma]

This just posted....going to look for a more reliable recap than dailymail, but: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8043325/Top-CDC-official-says-parents-need-prepare-tele-schooling-coronavirus-pandemic.html

[Arcadia]

4 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

This just posted....going to look for a more reliable recap than dailymail, but: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8043325/Top-CDC-official-says-parents-need-prepare-tele-schooling-coronavirus-pandemic.html

CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/02/25/cdc-outlines-what-closing-schools-businesses-would-look-like-in-us-pandemic.html

“"We are asking the American public to work with us to prepare for the expectation that this could be bad," a top CDC officials told reporters in a conference call outlining what schools and businesses will likely need to do if the COVID-19 virus starts to spread throughout the U.S.

Schools should consider dividing students into smaller groups or close and use "internet-based teleschooling," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters on a conference call.

"For adults, businesses can replace in-person meetings with video or telephone conferences and increase teleworking options," Messonnier said.

She said local communities and cities may need to "modify, postpone or cancel mass gatherings." Hospitals may need to triage patients differently, add more telehealth services and delay elective surgery, she said.

"Now is the time for businesses, hospitals, communities, schools and everyday people to begin preparing," she said.”

[prairiewindmomma]

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/t0225-cdc-telebriefing-covid-19-update.mp3 Transcript hasn't posted yet onto cdc website. 

[Ausmumof3]

Bahrain has 23 cases from Iran in just over a day.  
Italy - 322 cases 11 deaths

France 2, Barcelona 1, Switzerland 1, 

Link to the CDC briefing if anyone wants to watch.  I haven’t watched it yet.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=AUBFWGJvZA8

 

[beaners]

25 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Right, I'm not saying you shouldn't stock up....it's the balance of what people are stocking and the thought processes behind it that I'm pondering.  I think everyone has to do what they are comfortable with.

But....if most of us are going to get it in the next two years (as the current modeling shows, with this becoming endemic), and most of us are either going to be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms for three weeks.....then why the six months of rice and beans? I think it unlikely in the US that they will shut down society for months at a time....it may be that they encourage people to remain at home during peak times to try to minimize impacts to local healthcare. I *do* think we will probably see some supply disruptions---but again, those are likely to be of something other than rice and beans.

What *would* I buy? Cold and flu medicines, OTC meds that you normally use that are likely to be disrupted (Benadryl, Zantac, etc.), electronic items that keep life going for you---a spare phone charging cord, an extra toner cartridge for the printer, household items that keep life comfortable for you like laundry soap, dishwasher tabs, etc.   Like, think about what you normally use in life and just buy a little extra.

But six months of rice and beans and a water filter and calling it good? Eh, maybe a bit shortsighted.  Same with going on the flip side and running up a credit card bill and buying all the things.

Again, YMMV, just my .02 pondering....

 

I wouldn't say plan for six months of groceries or die, but if people are saying they literally don't have enough food for two weeks on hand then a couple bags of dry goods are better than nothing. Throw a blanket over them and let the kids use them as spare seating LOL! (Just had this discussion with the 9 year old after our last shopping trip. "Mom, it's just like a bean bag chair!" "Yes kiddo, because it is a bag of beans. Now get off so I can put it away.")

There are people in my neighborhood whose kids get two meals a day at school and sometimes don't have a third meal that day. I have no idea how it would work for people in the housing projects here to be quarantined with kids home from school all day. 

All that other stuff is a good idea to get too. We have just recently switched to monthly ordering, and it is wild what things we go through. Chargers and universal remotes, every month.

Some things people might not typically have on hand like pulse oximeters are good too. The little finger clip ones are good for spot-checking heart rate and O2 sats. You don't need to be a medical professional to use those, and that's good information to have if you need to make a decision on whether or not to see a doctor.

We have a kid who uses oxygen so we are getting tanks refilled now rather than waiting, even though we usually wouldn't swap out a single empty tank. Not panic kind of stuff. Just "Hey, might be a good time to be ahead of the game on this," sort of thinking.

[Ausmumof3]

4 more diamond princess cases takes US total to 57.

[Katy]

50 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Right, I'm not saying you shouldn't stock up....it's the balance of what people are stocking and the thought processes behind it that I'm pondering.  I think everyone has to do what they are comfortable with.

But....if most of us are going to get it in the next two years (as the current modeling shows, with this becoming endemic), and most of us are either going to be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms for three weeks.....then why the six months of rice and beans? I think it unlikely in the US that they will shut down society for months at a time....it may be that they encourage people to remain at home during peak times to try to minimize impacts to local healthcare. I *do* think we will probably see some supply disruptions---but again, those are likely to be of something other than rice and beans.

What *would* I buy? Cold and flu medicines, OTC meds that you normally use that are likely to be disrupted (Benadryl, Zantac, etc.), electronic items that keep life going for you---a spare phone charging cord, an extra toner cartridge for the printer, household items that keep life comfortable for you like laundry soap, dishwasher tabs, etc.   Like, think about what you normally use in life and just buy a little extra.

But six months of rice and beans and a water filter and calling it good? Eh, maybe a bit shortsighted.  Same with going on the flip side and running up a credit card bill and buying all the things.

Again, YMMV, just my .02 pondering....

 

Because if an area is quarantined for even the weeks they've already had in China there will be food shortages here, just like there are there.

Because truck drivers in the USA tend to be older men with higher rates of heart disease and diabetes, so the supply chain will likely face major issues if truck drivers start dropping dead.

Because 6 months of rice, beans, oatmeal, oil and salt, and some canned produce will cost most families less than $200 so it's very cheap insurance, and much less than stocking up on almost anything else.  Most families can spend $200 on this now and not worry about it in the future, assuming it's stored properly.

Because that's not the only thing they are likely buying.  We got a bunch of paper products, water, and medication too.

Because THIS might not be the catastrophe we need to worry about, but $200-300 on nonperishables isn't a terrible insurance investment.  We've spent more than that on an umbrella liability insurance policy over the course of our marriage and we've never been sued.  I doubt we ever will be sued, but I don't worry about it because we have the insurance.

[alewife]

My son's friend just found out that the college has cancelled her study abroad program in Italy this spring.  

My son and daughter are both supposed to fly to CA the middle of next month.  I am not thrilled about the thought of them getting on an airplane at this point, but they both think I am overreacting.  

[Arcadia]

20 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

4 more diamond princess cases takes US total to 57.

from abc7news https://abc7news.com/health/2-coronavirus-patients-being-treated-in-contra-costa-co-officials-say/5966684/

“They were transported early Tuesday morning from the air force base, which is where some international travelers were being quarantined because they may have been exposed to the virus.

The patients were among recent U.S. evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, officials say. They're being cared for in Contra Costa County due to lack of space at facilities closer to the base. Officials say they were not infected with the virus in the county.

Health officials say that while the patients have tested positive for the virus, they have yet to show any symptoms.

"Our county's healthcare system is prepared to handle COVID-19," said Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costa County Health Officer. "We have been working with our hospital partners to follow safety protocols to keep patients and healthcare workers safe and minimize the risk of the virus spreading in Contra Costa," said Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costa County Health Officer.”
 

[MEmama]

10 minutes ago, alewife said:

My son's friend just found out that the college has cancelled her study abroad program in Italy this spring.  

My son and daughter are both supposed to fly to CA the middle of next month.  I am not thrilled about the thought of them getting on an airplane at this point, but they both think I am overreacting.  

My parents are planning to spend time in Vienna in late spring. Right now my dad is insisting there’s zero concern. I disagree and suspect the threat will be far reaching by then. 
 

My sons high school just sent kids on a trip to Vietnam. I would imagine there might be more precautions there than here at this point, but who knows. 

[Terabith]

1 minute ago, Thatboyofmine said:

Do the people in China who are under lockdown, still have electricity?  

Yes

[Katy]

The dow dropped 800 points in the 15 minutes after the CDC speech.

[Kassia]

29 minutes ago, alewife said:

 

My son and daughter are both supposed to fly to CA the middle of next month.  I am not thrilled about the thought of them getting on an airplane at this point, but they both think I am overreacting.  

 

I am going through the same thing with my adult son.  He has a lot of travel plans next month (three major cities, one round trip by air, one by train, one by subway) followed by an international trip in May.  

[Susan in TX]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/02/25/cdc-outlines-what-closing-schools-businesses-would-look-like-in-us-pandemic.html

Schools should consider dividing students into smaller groups or close and use "internet-based teleschooling," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters on a conference call.

 

This is totally unrealistic where I live. Our public schools are over-crowded. There would be no way to divide students into smaller groups. And our schools are not set up to be able to provide internet instruction. This is something that would take a year or more to implement. Also, if we close the schools then the parents won't be able to go to work. I guess that won't be a problem if they tell everyone to stay home though.

Does the federal government have the authority to order schools closed or would that be decided on a local or state level?

Susan in TX

[Katy]

3 minutes ago, Susan in TX said:

 

This is totally unrealistic where I live. Our public schools are over-crowded. There would be no way to divide students into smaller groups. And our schools are not set up to be able to provide internet instruction. This is something that would take a year or more to implement. Also, if we close the schools then the parents won't be able to go to work. I guess that won't be a problem if they tell everyone to stay home though.

Does the federal government have the authority to order schools closed or would that be decided on a local or state level?

Susan in TX

 

I think from an authority perspective if a state of emergency is declared the government can do whatever they want.

[Arcadia]

4 minutes ago, Susan in TX said:

Does the federal government have the authority to order schools closed or would that be decided on a local or state level?

Susan in TX

For California wildfires, school closures were decided by school districts. I guess it would be similar if there is a local (city, town, county) outbreak.

[klmama]

Maybe someone posted and I've missed it, but is there reliable info about what can help prevent/alleviate cytokine storm?  Or is it totally unpredictable?

[Innisfree]

1 hour ago, beaners said:

Some things people might not typically have on hand like pulse oximeters are good too.

This sounds like a great idea for our situation, and I'm wondering if anyone has other suggestions.

Based on all the descriptions of risk factors, dh sounds like he'd be in danger of serious illness if/when he were to encounter Covid-19. He's over sixty, with a history of respiratory issues. If we get a respiratory bug, he's always sicker than the rest of us, and it always lasts longer. He works with lots of people from all over, and he can't avoid getting fairly close to them.

Other than making sure normal prescriptions are filled (with extras if possible), inhalers, antihistamines, etc., and keeping over the counter meds,  thermometers and an oximeter on hand, is there anything else we could do? Good nutrition, good hygiene...then what? I wouldn't have thought of the oximeter, so maybe there's more. A blood pressure cuff? What else? I kind of doubt his workplace would let him wear a mask or gloves, but this situation might change some norms, perhaps.

And, a separate thought-- do you all suppose schools that normally send kids on class trips in the spring are thinking about staying home this year? Has anyone heard anything about that?

[Terabith]

I'm concerned about the call for tele-schooling in our district with extremely high poverty rates, where they have to balance when to cancel school for snow with the reality that that may mean many kids don't eat that day.  I'm concerned about the economic impact on people who are extremely marginalized and do not have jobs that can be from home (service workers, etc).  And many of these people don't have reliable internet access, let alone enough devices for multiple children to be doing tele-schooling at home.  

Frankly, while it would really, really suck, we're fairly equipped to work from home and home school.  But this could be devastating and not at all workable for a lot of families.  

[regentrude]

I saw several folks mention gloves. Can you explain how gloves are going to be helpful for a healthy person? You still touch things with your (gloved) hands and spread whatever germs are on those surfaces onto the other things you touch. 

[regentrude]

3 minutes ago, ByeByeMartha said:

Thinking back to the discuss about handwashing--it's recommended that the length of time you wash is by singing "happy birthday" twice. Unfortunately if you're using a public restroom with an automatic faucet, the water doesn't stay on long enough. 🙄

Isn't the time that counts the time you rub your soapy hands together? You don't have to have the water running for that.

Here's what the CDC says about hand washing.  (underline emphasis mine)

Follow these five steps every time.

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Edited February 25, 2020 by regentrude

[MEmama]

3 minutes ago, ByeByeMartha said:

You're right, but if I have to touch that germy faucet again--what's the point?

Use your wrist, or elbow. Or a paper towel.

For that matter, it’s good to be in the habit of not touching door knobs/handles in public. I use my jacket sleeve if an elbow won’t do, and always a paper towel when leaving a public washroom. 

[YaelAldrich]

5 minutes ago, ByeByeMartha said:

You're right, but if I have to touch that germy faucet again--what's the point?

I read that both the rubbing on of soap AND the rubbing of your hands on a towel (not air drying) are helpful in dislodging germs.

[Acadie]

To teach my girls proper hand washing technique when they were little, I wet their hands and sprinkled them with some glitter. When they put one hand under water, not much glitter came off. When they rubbed their hands under water with soap, much more came off. And a few remaining pieces of glitter came off on the towel, when they dried their hands. 

It was actually a great visual for me as an adult, too, to see how each component of hand washing contributes to removing germs. Sharing in case anyone needs a good way to teach this to littles.  

Amy

[fairfarmhand]

24 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I'm concerned about the call for tele-schooling in our district with extremely high poverty rates, where they have to balance when to cancel school for snow with the reality that that may mean many kids don't eat that day.  I'm concerned about the economic impact on people who are extremely marginalized and do not have jobs that can be from home (service workers, etc).  And many of these people don't have reliable internet access, let alone enough devices for multiple children to be doing tele-schooling at home.  

Frankly, while it would really, really suck, we're fairly equipped to work from home and home school.  But this could be devastating and not at all workable for a lot of families.  

And frankly, the level of unrest that could potentially occur when people are frightened and hungry scares me a bit. Not only in the inner cities, but also other places where people are struggling. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Gloves are a reminder not to touch your face or eat something while your hands are dirty. It sounds obvious, but for people like my daughter who naturally touches her face a lot, it’s helpful.  Gloves also cut down on the overall amount of germ exposure on your hands. Even if you wash after de-gloving, you aren’t washing off the same quantity of germs. If you are careful with glove use you can also avoid some hand washing, which is helpful if you have eczema or otherwise fragile skin.

Do you touch public faucets with your hands? I always grab paper towels as I come in (or some out of my purse) so I don’t have to deal with that in public restrooms. I have really loved auto-on faucet technology. (Fwiw, i also never use air dryers, and hold my breath when others do. The studies on those are pretty gross.)

 

 

[Melissa in Australia]

23 minutes ago, regentrude said:

I saw several folks mention gloves. Can you explain how gloves are going to be helpful for a healthy person? You still touch things with your (gloved) hands and spread whatever germs are on those surfaces onto the other things you touch. 

if you are gloved you are less likely to touch your face. it is a sensory thing. it is spread by getting stuff on your hands then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

 one of my twins went through a phase of wiping his hands all over public toilets then licking his hands ( disgusting I know) . we were told to glove him up. sure enough he still ran his hands over everything, but didn't touch his face afterwards, so no licking 

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by Melissa in Australia

[Lanny]

1 hour ago, MEmama said:

My parents are planning to spend time in Vienna in late spring. Right now my dad is insisting there’s zero concern. I disagree and suspect the threat will be far reaching by then. 
 

My sons high school just sent kids on a trip to Vietnam. I would imagine there might be more precautions there than here at this point, but who knows. 

 

IMO your dad should spend more time reading about Current Events. Zero concern in Europe?  That seems unrealistic, considering what is going on there now. Far reaching by then? It is far reaching now...

And if your sons High School sent kids, very recently, to Vietnam, the School Administrators, like your dad, should follow Current Events. Many Foreign Trips and Programs have already been cancelled and many more will be cancelled in the near future.

To add something to this very long thread: Last night on my Android phone in the Google Feed, or on FoxNews.com there was a video of a segment with Marc Siegel, M.D., one of their consultants.  He went to the International Departures Ticket Counter in Dulles International Airport, which is in Chantilly, VA, near Washington DC. 

There was space for  one person working for Air China. The flight apparently originates at Dulles and then goes to NYC and then to China. Dr. Siegel asked one of the passengers, "How will you get back in".  The response was something like, "Don't ask me that question".    Very scary IMO...

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Innisfree said:

Other than making sure normal prescriptions are filled (with extras if possible), inhalers, antihistamines, etc., and keeping over the counter meds,  thermometers and an oximeter on hand, is there anything else we could do?

Have medical information like these on paper and maybe stick it to the back of your insurance card:

medical ID number 

GP name & contact

Specialists name & contact

My oncologist told me and my husband that if I ever need to go to ER, I should let them know which drugs I am taking and to get them to page him.

So a list of medications you and your spouse are taking would be useful to have handy. There have been times when my health portal is down so having that information elsewhere (like a note stored on the phone) is useful.

ETA:

Mayo Clinic “When an emergency happens, whether it's a heart attack or a hurricane, it's critical that medical service providers have access to health information for anyone who needs assistance.”

https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/emergency-health-information/basics/art-20134333

Edited February 25, 2020 by Arcadia

[pitterpatter]

How does one stock up on prescription medication when insurance won't pay for a refill until you get down to about a week's worth of pills in your bottle? We usually try to get 90 days worth at a time, but that doesn't always work out.

[MEmama]

2 minutes ago, Lanny said:

 

IMO your dad should spend more time reading about Current Events. Zero concern in Europe?  That seems unrealistic, considering what is going on there now. Far reaching by then? It is far reaching now...

And if your sons High School sent kids, very recently, to Vietnam, the School Administrators, like your dad, should follow Current Events. Many Foreign Trips and Programs have already been cancelled and many more will be cancelled in the near future.

To add something to this very long thread: Last night on my Android phone in the Google Feed, or on FoxNews.com there was a video of a segment with Marc Siegel, M.D., one of their consultants.  He went to the International Departures Ticket Counter in Dulles International Airport, which is in Chantilly, VA, near Washington DC. 

There was space for  one person working for Air China. The flight apparently originates at Dulles and then goes to NYC and then to China. Dr. Siegel asked one of the passengers, "How will you get back in".  The response was something like, "Don't ask me that question".    Very scary IMO...

I agree! He’s prone to being difficult though, even when the reality is obvious. Very frustrating.
 

I was surprised that the school trip wasn’t cancelled. Perhaps had it been this week instead of last? Still, even though we knew less last week it couldn’t have been an easy decision. I wouldn’t have wanted my kid to go, tbh. 

[pitterpatter]

I ordered some gloves yesterday from a medical supply store (you get more for less money than at Walmart). I noticed that the least expensive ones that I usually order to change my mom's osotomy bag are out of stock, so gloves are finally starting to sell. (I've been scratching my head for quite a while about store shelves being empty of masks but fully stocked with gloves.)

How I envision us using gloves is to wear them when we have to go out in public. We will wear them in addition to masks (looks like the masks are going to be homemade, at this point...sigh) and glasses. When we get home, we will peal them off inside out and throw them into a designated bin. Depending on how bad things get, we will also wash our clothes and shower. The gloves will help with germs hiding under fingernails and between the fingers, which may not get as clean with washing with soap alone.

58 minutes ago, regentrude said:

I saw several folks mention gloves. Can you explain how gloves are going to be helpful for a healthy person? You still touch things with your (gloved) hands and spread whatever germs are on those surfaces onto the other things you touch. 

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by pitterpatter

[Pawz4me]

18 minutes ago, pitterpatter said:

How does one stock up on prescription medication when insurance won't pay for a refill until you get down to about a week's worth of pills in your bottle? We usually try to get 90 days worth at a time, but that doesn't always work out.

All you can usually do is get refills the day you're eligible instead of waiting a few days to do it. Do that month after month and you can work up a little extra supply over time.

[mathnerd]

1 hour ago, regentrude said:

I saw several folks mention gloves. Can you explain how gloves are going to be helpful for a healthy person? You still touch things with your (gloved) hands and spread whatever germs are on those surfaces onto the other things you touch. 

I go around my day with a canister of lysol disinfectant wipes in my bag. I use a wipe to open doors, push buttons, wipe shopping carts etc because I suspect that my county has many undetected cases of coronavirus already.

Edited February 25, 2020 by mathnerd

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-mayor-London-Breed-declares-state-of-emergency-15083811.php
 

behind a paywall but a San Francisco mayor declares a state of emergency for coronavirus.  I don’t think they have confirmed cases so I suspects it’s about unlocking funding.

[prairiewindmomma]

23 minutes ago, pitterpatter said:

How does one stock up on prescription medication when insurance won't pay for a refill until you get down to about a week's worth of pills in your bottle? We usually try to get 90 days worth at a time, but that doesn't always work out.

Depending on the medication cost, you might also look to see if the goodrx website gets the price down to "good enough" to pay out of pocket for a critical med. 

I actually do this with one of my meds. My insurance will only cover the version that makes me violently throw up, so I pay cash price for it. Likewise, Costco gives a 20% off the top cash discount if you are uninsured. Even if you *are* insured, sometimes the cash price + discount is a better deal.

[pitterpatter]

What kind of spray should we disinfect our clothes, shoes, etc. with before coming back into our houses? I plan to directly wash them after returning home, of course, but what about spraying our clothes in the garage or outside before entering our house (or someone else's house) if we don't have the option of disrobing outside first? At least, what about for our shoes, some really can't be washed.

[Arcadia]

9 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-mayor-London-Breed-declares-state-of-emergency-15083811.php
 

behind a paywall but a San Francisco mayor declares a state of emergency for coronavirus.  I don’t think they have confirmed cases so I suspects it’s about unlocking funding.

from NBC Bay Area https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco/sf-mayor-london-breed-declared-local-emergency-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/2241796/

“SF Mayor @LondonBreed declares local emergency to mobilize resources in defense of the corona virus. There are no confirmed cases among SF residents..but mayor says “we need to step up preparedness”.”

[Farrar]

I saw the glove thing recommended twice in articles where they were quoting infectious disease doctors, so I assume there's some validity? I agree that if you just behave with the gloves on as if they've protected you, then it's pointless. 

The administration is a mess over this. The agencies responsible are all understaffed and all have a difficult relationship with the White House because they're scientists. Ugh.

[Ausmumof3]

1st case in Madrid 5th for spain

new case in Germany 

1st in Algeria (Italian citizen)

1st case in Romania was a man who returned from Italy 3 weeks ago!

Bahrain are closing schools and kindies, universities and training centres for 2 weeks.

 

[Pen]

If a lot of people “do the right things” it may well help hugely for it to not be that bad—in which case, ironically, many people may feel like it wasn’t that bad and the precautions weren’t needed, not realizing that precautions helped make the situation “not that bad.”

[Pen]

5 minutes ago, Farrar said:

I saw the glove thing recommended twice in articles where they were quoting infectious disease doctors, so I assume there's some validity? I agree that if you just behave with the gloves on as if they've protected you, then it's pointless. 

The administration is a mess over this. The agencies responsible are all understaffed and all have a difficult relationship with the White House because they're scientists. Ugh.

 

Except for people who are needing to protect due to skin issues (or health care workers etc), I think the most useful gloves may just be washable ones — like not too thick winter fuzzies that would discourage touching hands to eyes, nose, mouth (because, yuck, fuzzy 🤢) and when taken off and washed would take a bunch of germs with them, leaving less for the soap and water.  

Unless you have cuts, or perhaps eczema, yeah if you just behave in usual way but with gloves on, IMO, it’s pointless. 

[Ausmumof3]

Am I the only one that’s been looking at crowd pics of carnival and trump touring India and thinking... it only takes one unidentified case.

[Pen]

5 hours ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

In case people haven't seen this article (didn't read through the pages to see if it had been linked) https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/02/covid-vaccine/607000/ 

40-70% worldwide is huge.  I'm not sure hiding from it (trying to prevent exposure) is going to be an effective strategy.  If it is that contagious, it seems exposure is ultimately inevitable.

I actually think laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, soap, toilet paper are things I would want to make sure I had enough of for a few weeks on top of basic food supplies in case you feel too sick to go out shopping. 

 

If people get sick more gradually the medical system has a better chance of coping. 

So not hiding to prevent, but to slow it down. 

[Katy]

50 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-mayor-London-Breed-declares-state-of-emergency-15083811.php
 

behind a paywall but a San Francisco mayor declares a state of emergency for coronavirus.  I don’t think they have confirmed cases so I suspects it’s about unlocking funding.

 

I'm sure it is about unlocking funding, but statistically they are likely to be one of the major outbreaks first.  There's a big Chinatown area, and the Bay area is one of the places Chinese investors like to buy property.  There was a senator that raised concerns about it last year because technically the Chinese government can still seize property of any private citizen at any time and properties were being gobbled up in strategic areas like SF, NYC, and DC.  I don't know if a bill passed to block purchases or not (I think maybe I saw that report in an airport on a news station we don't typically watch), but it was a concern.  Anyway, if you had the money to invest millions in overseas real estate and you heard there was a weird outbreak in your town...  I bet a lot of rich Chinese people fled to the Bay area in the few weeks before the travel ban.  All it takes is one that was infected.  And if the reports today that the CDC test is worthless and we're going to be importing them from Japan are correct we may already have an outbreak here and just not know it yet.

 

8 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Am I the only one that’s been looking at crowd pics of carnival and trump touring India and thinking... it only takes one unidentified case.

 

I had the same thought today.

[beaners]

1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Depending on the medication cost, you might also look to see if the goodrx website gets the price down to "good enough" to pay out of pocket for a critical med. 

I actually do this with one of my meds. My insurance will only cover the version that makes me violently throw up, so I pay cash price for it. Likewise, Costco gives a 20% off the top cash discount if you are uninsured. Even if you *are* insured, sometimes the cash price + discount is a better deal.

 

Just keep an eye out if you want to get a built up supply that it is not a controlled substance, which several of ours are. Which stinks. 

Another thing we are doing? Keeping up on aerobic exercise. It only takes a couple weeks to greatly increase your body's aerobic capacity. Get healthier, especially if you have a complicating medical condition and it's something that diet and exercise can influence. That's honestly the case for my husband and his medical needs. Typical American lifestyle hypertension and cholesterol stuff. I'm trying to make the point to him that if it was the difference between life and death, would that be a motivator? Because coronavirus or not, in the long term it is the difference between life and death. On the other hand it would be impossible for my teen to exercise away lung failure, so the options for some people are limited. 

[Ausmumof3]

Apparently the report on a case in Romania was incorrect a couple tested positive in Italy after returning from Romania.