wuhan - coronavirus

[Pen]

17 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

Gates-funded program will soon offer home testing kits for new coronavirus (Seattle Times)

 

 

👍👍

if that works  maybe it could expand to other states or other foundations could pick up in other states

[Murphy101]

Sooooo. Is anyone suggesting yet that Cali, Washington, Tennessee and Florida be mandated quarantined like Italy has their northern regions?  Any state guards moving to their borders?

[YaelAldrich]

55 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

Sooooo. Is anyone suggesting yet that Cali, Washington, Tennessee and Florida be mandated quarantined like Italy has their northern regions?  Any state guards moving to their borders?

The rumor is that Israel will make any American who is from NYC, Wash State, and CA either not be allowed in the country or be made to quarantine (no hotels allowed). Native Israelis already have to quarantine and/or stay out of crowds larger than 100 people and all events with more than 5000 people are out for everyone, sick, quarantined or otherwise.

Edited March 8, 2020 by YaelAldrich
number change

[Amira]

Saudi just closed all of its schools.

[prairiewindmomma]

36 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

Sooooo. Is anyone suggesting yet that Cali, Washington, Tennessee and Florida be mandated quarantined like Italy has their northern regions?  Any state guards moving to their borders?

The reality is that the time for containment as in limiting the spread of disease was over by mid-January. Nearly every state has an international airport that received passengers from China in January, and from elsewhere in hot zones through February. It *is* everywhere but because those in power are choosing to extremely limit testing we have no real idea of the numbers of cases. The western states and now Florida and NY had a greater saturation of exposure meaning that replication happened more intensely.

I doubt we will move past voluntary quarantines, but if we do it would be to try to limit the influx of people needing hospitalization, not to keep one state from getting it:

[Jean in Newcastle]

36 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

Sooooo. Is anyone suggesting yet that Cali, Washington, Tennessee and Florida be mandated quarantined like Italy has their northern regions?  Any state guards moving to their borders?

As a matter of fact, Governor Inslee of Washington is talking about the possible need for mandatory quarantines. And prior to this in Twitter (which I don’t know how to quote) he did talk about a regional quarantine before walking it back somewhat. 
 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article241010121.html

[Murphy101]

10 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

The reality is that the time for containment as in limiting the spread of disease was over by mid-January. Nearly every state has an international airport that received passengers from China in January, and from elsewhere in hot zones through February. It *is* everywhere but because those in power are choosing to extremely limit testing we have no real idea of the numbers of cases. The western states and now Florida and NY had a greater saturation of exposure meaning that replication happened more intensely.

I doubt we will move past voluntary quarantines, but if we do it would be to try to limit the influx of people needing hospitalization, not to keep one state from getting it:

I don’t think Italy thinks they will completely contain it. But it also allows them to divert medical needs to where it is needed the most and to slow down the spread so they have a limited chance to shore up their medical infrastructure. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I misread your tone. Suggesting that state guards are moving to the border is an idea also being promoted by some to keep those of us in certain western states in and protect others in a different state from us. (Sorry, trying to do a delicate avoiding political speech dance here.)

I just don’t expect Idaho to put up barricades to keep Washingtonians and Oregonians out. 

And that is an idea being promoted in some circles. 🙄

[DoraBora]

Just now, prairiewindmomma said:

I misread your tone. Suggesting that state guards are moving to the border is an idea also being promoted by some to keep those of us in certain western states in and protect others in a different state from us. (Sorry, trying to do a delicate avoiding political speech dance here.)

I just don’t expect Idaho to put up barricades to keep Washingtonians and Oregonians out. 

And that is an idea being promoted in some circles. 🙄

Where have you seen that?

[prairiewindmomma]

3 hours ago, Pen said:

Another bad smelling spice that I have read people used to sometimes wear in a pouch around neck to ward off sickness is asafoetida. 

https://draxe.com/nutrition/asafoetida/

(about it generally not particularly its use to keep people at bay due to odor) 😁

Axe mentions blood pressure, asthma, irritable bowel, and blood sugar regulation as among things asafoetida can possibly help with. 

 

Asofetida was used a lot during WWI. I inherited some family letters describing this.

Interesting, asofetida is used in some Indian dishes. It has a shallot flavor and the smell mellows when cooked in fat like ghee or oil. I have asofetida in my kitchen, double zip locked and inside of a gasketed glass container. The kids flee the house to the backyard when I cook with it. 😂

[prairiewindmomma]

14 minutes ago, DoraBora said:

Where have you seen that?

Facebook chatter. 

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Murphy101 said:

Sooooo. Is anyone suggesting yet that Cali, Washington, Tennessee and Florida be mandated quarantined like Italy has their northern regions?  Any state guards moving to their borders?

 

Too late.  

We are on to University class closures; public event closures; work from home as much as possible notices; elementary, middle, high school individual school closures; and starting into whole district closures to halt speed of spread. 

It’s already penetrated the western side of all 3 states. Way too late to stop the spread up and down the coastal and I5 north south vehicle and train corridors (not to mention airports and ocean ports).  There is probably way less spread to east sides of the 3 states, and IMO nothing guards can do better than the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges to limit significant West to East travel for the PNW.    

These are huge states.   The whole country of Italy and the state of California are of similar size.  A border across the narrow part of Italy and trying to surround the 3 western states with patrols is not of the same size scale. 

For southern Calif there’s much easier west east travel via routes like interstate 10. But the states along that already also seem to be infected. 

 

IMO It pretty much needs a whole lot of people to practice personal containment rather than expecting government to mandate and enforce it for you. 

 

(I’m not speaking at all to Tennessee or Florida as I don’t live there.  I feel I have better personal sense of the western states situation.) 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Pen

[Pen]

17 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Asofetida was used a lot during WWI. I inherited some family letters describing this.

Interesting, asofetida is used in some Indian dishes. It has a shallot flavor and the smell mellows when cooked in fat like ghee or oil. I have asofetida in my kitchen, double zip locked and inside of a gasketed glass container. The kids flee the house to the backyard when I cook with it. 😂

 

Interesting!  I think I want some!  😁  

I’ll have to look up its typical effects on migraines. If the odor induces them then I don’t want any. 

How bad is the smell?

Maybe it’s time for a neck pouch or belt pouches of the stuff when going out.  Probably far more effective than a mask 😷 

Might deter muggers too. 

[prairiewindmomma]

3 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

Interesting!  I think I want some!  😁  

I’ll have to look up its typical effects on migraines. If the odor induces them then I don’t want any. 

How bad is the smell?

Maybe it’s time for a neck pouch or belt pouches of the stuff when going out.  Probably far more effective than a mask 😷 

Might deter muggers too. 

It's like Level 10 Putrid.  I find it on par with rotting rodents, meat found in the freezer when the freezer has broken down, and Especially Bad Skunk.  

It goes by Hing Powder in the local Indian stores.

[prairiewindmomma]

Pretty much, if you want your own car on the Max line, it's the way to go. 😂

[Pen]

20 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

It's like Level 10 Putrid.  I find it on par with rotting rodents, meat found in the freezer when the freezer has broken down, and Especially Bad Skunk.  

It goes by Hing Powder in the local Indian stores.

 

We have a carnivorous bulb near our house that flowers every summer and has a putrid rotten dead animal smell that attracts flies.  It’s interesting and exotically gorgeous looking—but after a week or so I can’t stand it!  (Figure it has eaten its share of flies to survive for the next year and cut off the flower.) 

 

But lookee what I found!  (And it might keep perfume wearers away along with the virus spreaders and muggers which could also help prevent headaches. 😅) 

10 Amazing Health Benefits of Asafoetida We Should All Know About - NDTV Food

Mar 19, 2018 · Reduces Headaches Asafoetida has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation of the blood vessels in the head, which in turn reduces headaches. All you need to do is to heat a pinch of asafoetida in some water. Drink this solution a couple of times in a day to see effective results.

 

 

(Apparently also helps lower blood pressure, but there might be less smelly ways of doing that.) 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Pen

[Ausmumof3]

In Italy 1,492 new cases and 133 new deaths.  Totals are 7,375 and 366 deaths

[Ausmumof3]

Saudi Arabia are closing all schools and universities 

[Ausmumof3]

177 new cases and 3 new deaths in France.  total 1,126 and 19 dead.

[Twolittleboys]

A 7th case in Illinois. No travel and no connection to any known cases.

[Ausmumof3]

a German tourist died in Egypt from Coronavirus - 1st death for Africa 

[Ausmumof3]

Germany passed 1000 cases.

[Ausmumof3]

And in case it hasn’t already been mentioned Oregon declared a state of emergency 

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/486521-oregon-declares-state-of-emergency-over-coronavirus-outbreak?amp#click=https://t.co/Rm58jPgjbz

[Ausmumof3]

https://m.facebook.com/ChristChurchGeorgetown/
 

rector of Christ Church, Georgetown, Washington DC has tested positive just in case that’s relevant to anyone here.

[Ausmumof3]

Abc news( not Australian version):

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says 114 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in California, and one person has died from the virus. "That number is fluid, that's the number that we have from this morning."

[TravelingChris]

2 hours ago, whitehawk said:

On one hand, lots of exposure could help teachers develop strong immune systems; but on the other, it could also weed out people whose bodies aren't up for it. I have a 40ish friend with asthma who teaches in an elementary school, and she's always on the verge of running out of sick days, or having to go back to work as soon as she's had a day or two of antibiotics, or being sent home from school when she winds up with the latest ick. It wasn't so bad, IIRC, when she taught older kids. She's looking for something else.

I was a math and reading volunteer tutor at a title 1 school. I kept getting sinus and bronchitis infections. I had to quit after I got a rare form of pneumonia.  Since I quit doing it, I still get sick but not anywhere as frequently.

[Pen]

@prairiewindmomma  and tag at people interested in medicinal herbs- 

I started onto asafoetida as a joke in re odor and keeping people away at safer increased Social distance, but more seriously I found this of interest:

(and James Duke is an herbalist I very much respect and have confidence in):

https://www.townsendletter.com/April2010/DukeLTR0410.html

I may gravitate to learning to make some Indian foods with it at home.  I like Indian cuisine a lot, but haven’t much tried to cook it at home. 

[JennyD]

1 hour ago, YaelAldrich said:

The rumor is that Israel will make any American who is from NYC, Wash State, and CA either not be allowed in the country or be made to quarantine (no hotels allowed). Native Israelis already have to quarantine and/or stay out of crowds larger than 100 people and all events with more than 5000 people are out for everyone, sick, quarantined or otherwise.

 

Cases here are now up to 39 and they're talking about extending the quarantine to anyone coming from abroad, period.  The Health Ministry has been pressing to restrict travel from the US for a couple of weeks now but Netanyahu and the Foreign Ministry are very worried about both the political (esp angering the US administration) and social costs of such a ban.  It seems like it's inevitable, though, esp with all the Pesach (Passover) travel coming up.  A deputy health ministry has warned that Israel should expect thousands, maybe tens of thousands of cases.  

Most big Purim events have been cancelled but tonight DH was out and texted me that a huge basketball game was going on at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, so I guess that the no-5000+ person event thing is being enforced selectively.

Netanyahu also floated a plan to have Israeli teenagers disinfect bus and rail stations that seems -- unsurprisingly -- to have gone over like a lead balloon.

 

 

[Ausmumof3]

8 minutes ago, JennyD said:

 

Cases here are now up to 39 and they're talking about extending the quarantine to anyone coming from abroad, period.  The Health Ministry has been pressing to restrict travel from the US for a couple of weeks now but Netanyahu and the Foreign Ministry are very worried about both the political (esp angering the US administration) and social costs of such a ban.  It seems like it's inevitable, though, esp with all the Pesach (Passover) travel coming up.  A deputy health ministry has warned that Israel should expect thousands, maybe tens of thousands of cases.  

Most big Purim events have been cancelled but tonight DH was out and texted me that a huge basketball game was going on at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, so I guess that the no-5000+ person event thing is being enforced selectively.

Netanyahu also floated a plan to have Israeli teenagers disinfect bus and rail stations that seems -- unsurprisingly -- to have gone over like a lead balloon.

 

 

Apparently a decision is being made Monday to decide whether to quarantine all international travellers for 14 days?

this is what Beijing have.  The abc correspondent had done 14 days, zipped over for a quick report on South Korea I think and came back to another 14 days.  Even going to another region in China will see you back in 14 day quarantine when you return.

[Corraleno]

4 hours ago, Farrar said:

Because it happened here, the most upsetting thing I read today was a viral post by someone who claimed to be a DC resident who had traveled to Asia. I don't know if it's verified, but given everything else I'm reading in verified sources, it sounds super possible. She had a short layover in S. Korea just as the virus hit then was on to a conference for work. She didn't worry too much about it but said that every airport she visited was checking everywhere and big signs and so forth, so she was shocked when she got back to Dulles and there was nothing. Nada. Well, then she started to develop symptoms. And so did one of her colleagues. Colleague can't get checked because she's in rural Indonesia or something. She called her doctor, who said, it's not C19. Then she called DC Health Dept. Who also said, you don't qualify for testing. It's not C19. More symptoms. More calls. Still no testing. Finally, she was sick enough that she needed to go to the ER. There, they tested her for everything under the sun... but because the testing capacity is limited, they can't get approval to test her for C19. The nurse told her she probably has it. Every symptom. Ruled negative for flu a, b, strep, lots of other viruses, etc. etc. They treated her as she was getting worse, but when it was clear she was going to be okay, sent home. No quarantine orders.

Like, dang.

There are so many stories like this, so many cases of people with all the symptoms AND contact or recent travel who have been refused testing, even when requested by a doctor, that I am starting to believe this is actually a policy decision and not the result of incompetence. Once the market starting dropping precipitously, suddenly all communication has to be approved by the VP, the CDC removed the number of tests from the website, and government officials are insisting there are millions of tests available and no one is being refused, while doctors and patients are saying the exact opposite. I think there has been a decision at a very high level to minimize testing as much as possible so that the 80% who are not hospitalized will not be counted in the Covid stats, and it will look like the government did a good job of containing it. 

[Ausmumof3]

US travel advisory on cruise ships

“U.S. citizens, particularly travelers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship.”

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/cruise-ship-passengers.html

 

[Ausmumof3]

Good thread on hand washing, surfaces and virus science if anyone is looking for something sciencey to read with the kids.

https://mobile.twitter.com/PalliThordarson/status/1236549305189597189

 

[Twolittleboys]

17 minutes ago, StellaM said:

 

Society is the problem if it can't support workers to stay home for the common good.

Punish those who create the conditions in which a worker can't afford to stay home for two weeks for the good of his co-workers.

Are any of those people all outraged at his decision to go to work going to chip in to pay his rent? I don't think so.

Either we care enough about our societies that we make them able to function effectively at times or crisis, or we don't.

And if we don't, well, don't blame the individual who is between a rock and hard place. 

I don't think you understand that for a casually employed worker in hospitality, there is no fat to trim. It's not as if there's been an announcement from the Landlord's Association that unpaid rent will be forgiven if you can't work (and therefore can't pay rent) due to testing positive and needing to self-isolate for 14 days.

I mean, maybe this guy is rolling in it, and he's just a d*ck. Who knows? But the situation for the casually employed is pretty dire. Fix it from top down, don't expect workers to risk eviction and homelessness for the sake of your health.

Well, I don't disagree with you that society is a problem. Of course noone should be losing their home etc. just because they are sick. I definitely agree that something should be done to help in such cases. Aside from basic decency it is also much cheaper for society/government to pay some people what they would have earned (presumably not that much anyway) than having to pay for dozens of additional infections.

I also understand that it isn't easy and can lead to severe consequences for the individual. I really do BUT I still can't agree that it is okay to go to work in such a case. I also don't think it is okay to rob a bank because you can't pay your bills (even if through no fault of your own).

I definitely think governments have to come up quickly with a clear rule on how to make it possible for people in such circumstances to stay home and to communicate the solution clearly.

 

[Twolittleboys]

14 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

There are so many stories like this, so many cases of people with all the symptoms AND contact or recent travel who have been refused testing, even when requested by a doctor, that I am starting to believe this is actually a policy decision and not the result of incompetence. Once the market starting dropping precipitously, suddenly all communication has to be approved by the VP, the CDC removed the number of tests from the website, and government officials are insisting there are millions of tests available and no one is being refused, while doctors and patients are saying the exact opposite. I think there has been a decision at a very high level to minimize testing as much as possible so that the 80% who are not hospitalized will not be counted in the Covid stats, and it will look like the government did a good job of containing it. 

Yes it almost seems like it. However, the death rate for the US is going to look absolutely horrible. Not exactly a glowing endorsement either.

 

[Ausmumof3]

https://mobile.twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1236767236490215427

3rd death in the uk - a man in his 60s with underlying health issues 

[Arcadia]

“Nearly 1,000 California residents aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship will complete mandatory quarantine at Travis Air Force Base, officials say.” https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/passengers-aboard-grand-princess-cruise-ship-to-be-quarantined-at-travis-air-force-base/2250222/

[Matryoshka]

1 minute ago, Twolittleboys said:

Yes it almost seems like it. However, the death rate for the US is going to look absolutely horrible. Not exactly a glowing endorsement either.

At the rate they're going, testing almost only people who are already severely ill or even posthumously, our death rate's going to be like 80%... 😬  it just skews the numbers a different way (while allowing way more people overall to be infected because less-ill and asymptomatic people won't know they have it and will continue to spread it, which will drive up total numbers of deaths, not just percentages)

[melmichigan]

42 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

There are so many stories like this, so many cases of people with all the symptoms AND contact or recent travel who have been refused testing, even when requested by a doctor, that I am starting to believe this is actually a policy decision and not the result of incompetence. Once the market starting dropping precipitously, suddenly all communication has to be approved by the VP, the CDC removed the number of tests from the website, and government officials are insisting there are millions of tests available and no one is being refused, while doctors and patients are saying the exact opposite. I think there has been a decision at a very high level to minimize testing as much as possible so that the 80% who are not hospitalized will not be counted in the Covid stats, and it will look like the government did a good job of containing it. 

More and more that is what is seems like to me.  Stories like on this thread aren't reassuring. https://twitter.com/Mom101/status/1236340167411195911

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by melmichigan

[prairiewindmomma]

John Campbell’s video today is quite good.

[Ausmumof3]

Why self quarantine isn’t going to be an option soon

https://7news.com.au/news/wa/was-latest-coronavirus-patient-saw-waso-at-perth-concert-hall-while-infected-c-735240.amp?__twitter_impression=true

This woman attended a wa symphony orchestra concert with 1500 people after being tested for Covid19 and before receiving her results.  She tested positive.

[prairiewindmomma]

@Pen, you might watch the press conference video from this morning. Oregon admits they are low on test kits but also that from an epidemiological point of view that they are only interested in the severe cases. They continue to speak out of both sides of their mouth. 

Quest and LabCorp are opening up private pay testing this week, so I expect numbers to zoom up soon.

[Ausmumof3]

Italy had a riot in a prison yesterday over coronavirus fears.  Iran released a tonne of prisoners temporarily over coronavirus fears.  Hope our public health officials have some decent planning in place for how to handle cases in prison.

[Ausmumof3]

Just now, StellaM said:

 

And this, I have no sympathy for. 

Missing out on your subscription concert is a shame, but not a reason to go mingle with the public. 

That's selfish.

100pc

and also the typical classical music audience is on the older end of the spectrum (not all I’m generalising but many) meaning they are much more vulnerable.

[Ausmumof3]

From la repubblica run through google translate on the prison riot

ROME - A prisoner died during the riot that broke out in the afternoon in the Modena prison. Investigations are underway to understand under which circumstances the death occurred. The riots were born out of fear of what's going on outside. Coronavirus infection is feared, restrictions on contacts with loved ones. And fear, when you can't do anything, turns into anger, protest. In some cases revolt. The protest in Pavia was very harsh, where the prisoners in revolt took two prison police officers hostage in the district house of Torre del Gallo. Inmates stole cell keys from officers and freed dozens of prisoners. This is learned from the Uilpa and Sappe unions, who speak of "devastation" with the detainees who are beating each other. According to the same sources, reinforcement agents are said to be arriving from San Vittore and Opera.

[Ausmumof3]

But the protests also involved Salerno, Naples and Frosinone, Vercelli, Alessandria, Palermo, Bari and Foggia. In the early afternoon the prisoners of Poggioreale, protesting for the prevention measures for Covid-19, barricaded themselves in the institution. Two officers were slightly injured in the most hectic stages, before prison staff - around twenty policemen and health workers - were released. The prefect also arrived on the scene, together with the police who lined up in front of the structure from which smoke was seen coming out, probably due to a mattress fire.

According to Sappe, the prison police union, the prisoners "ask for measures against the risk of infection", explains the secretary Aldo Di Giacomo. The suspension of the talks, foreseen by the anti-coronavirus measures, is at the basis of the protest in the Neapolitan prison of Poggioreale, where some prisoners would have climbed the walls of the so-called 'walk', in the internal area of the penitentiary. At the same time, outside the prison, there was a protest from the relatives of the prisoners, also for the same reason. Relatives asked for pardon, amnesty or house arrest for their inmates, also blocking the passage of trams. The protest only came back in the late afternoon.

Similar situation also in the prison in Bari, where a group of relatives of some prisoners protests against the provisions taken to deal with the coronavirus emergency which provide for a limitation of talks and meetings with prisoners. In response to the protests of family members, it is about thirty women, the prisoners set fire to some handkerchiefs that they threw between the bars of the windows.
"Free, free amnesty", they shouted from the cells beating objects against the grates. Police officers intervened on the street.

The new law decree - the comment of Patrizio Gonnella, president of Antigone, the association for the rights of prisoners - contains the opening to measures such as increasing the duration of the telephone calls and the incentive to adopt alternative and detention measures We therefore appeal to the directors of prisons and surveillance magistrates. "
 

And there is the fear that the protest will widen again: "The tam tam - according to the leader of the National Association of Prison Police Officers and Officers Daniela Caputo - will soon create an emulation effect". The manager proposes an iron fist: "the army around all the surrounding walls, severe punishment of those who are fomenting the riots, immediate prohibition of any access to exponents or associations that because of their historical campaigns of protection and promotion of the rights of detainees can see their voice exploited by violent and violent people 

[Ausmumof3]

4 minutes ago, StellaM said:

Question re. voluntary reduction in social outings...

What's the optimal timing for dialling down non-essential travel/gathering? I'm thinking of ds more than I am of me - restricting his ability to get out and about too early will have dire impacts on his mental health, but on the other hand, if exposed and infected, he is most likely to share his germs with his dad or with me. It's a balancing act re risk. Suggestions?

 

I’m not booking into new stuff much here but keeping up with our regular outings.  Prioritise things that happen outdoors over indoor activities.  Prioritise small group activities over large events.  Maybe avoid public transport if that doesn’t cause undue hardship.
however there’s not widespread community spread identified here yet and we aren’t in the really high risk categories.  I’m most concerned about picking it up at church or spreading to there due to the number of elderly.  We stayed home this weekend because dd has a slight sniffle and headache that may have become a cold (it didn’t). 
 

I do think mostly following the health advice of authorities will be ok now they are dealing with it fairly seriously.  

[Ausmumof3]

Saudi Arabia bans travel to and from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, South Korea, Egypt, Italy, and Iraq due to coronavirus

[Pen]

51 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

“Nearly 1,000 California residents aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship will complete mandatory quarantine at Travis Air Force Base, officials say.” https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/passengers-aboard-grand-princess-cruise-ship-to-be-quarantined-at-travis-air-force-base/2250222/

 

Have not read link yet.

I hope the people moving them will wear proper protection gear this time, and use it properly too.

[SoCal_Bear]

I just found out that they have cancelled CA state science olympiad that was scheduled for 4/4 at Cal Tech in Pasadena.

On a separate note, this was posted today in a moms group that I moderate written by a mom in the Seattle area:

A number of Seattle friends and acquaintances had COVID-19 in mid-February. One of them wrote an insightful post that shares some important info about what it feels like. I cut and paste it below.

—

I had Covid-19 and here is what the media and medical providers are getting wrong:

First how easily you can get it. I believe I caught it when attending a small house party at which no one was coughing, sneezing or otherwise displayed any symptoms of illness. It appears that 40% of the attendees of this party ended up sick. The media tells you to wash your hands and avoid anyone with symptoms. I did. There is no way to avoid catching this except avoiding all other humans. 40% of folks were all sick within 3 days of attending the party all with the same/similar symptoms including fever.

Second, the symptoms appear to be different depending on your age. Most of my friends who got it were in our late 40s to early 50s. For us it was headache, fever (for first 3 days consistently and then on and off after 3 days), severe body aches and joint pain, and severe fatigue. Some folks had diarrhea also. Once the fever is gone some were left with nasal congestion, sore throat. Only a very few of us had a mild itchy cough. Very few had chest tightness or other respiratory symptoms. Total duration of illness was 10-16 days on average. Younger folks seemed to recover much quicker and have much milder symptoms. The main issue is that without reporting a cough or trouble breathing many of us were refused testing. My doctor refused to see me entirely. I know I had it because someone I was in close contact with at the party tested positive and they had similar symptoms and similar time frame of illness and recovery.

I also truly believe the lack of testing is leading to folks believing that they just have a cold or something else going out into public and spreading it. And worse folks with no symptoms are also spreading it as in the case of a person attending a party or social gathering who has no symptoms.

These are my unanswered questions for the CDC (I’m not asking for any response here):
1. Can a person who was infected and recovered get it again?
2. Am I still infectious to others?
3. When will testing be available for anyone that wants it to insure they don’t spread it?

I know folks especially on the east coast are thinking that this can’t / won’t impact them. I hope it doesn’t but I believe that the CDC’s overall lack of early and pervasive testing damaged the public’s ability to avoid the illness here in Seattle. “Someone” doesn’t want the true numbers of Covid-19 cases reported and it will hurt everyone. All I know is that Seattle has been severely impacted and although I’m almost better now I would not wish this very uncomfortable illness on anyone.

I hope this information helps someone avoid getting sick and and/or push and get tested sooner rather than later so you know to isolate before it gets worse or to get medical care if you have respiratory distress. Hand washing doesn’t guarantee you won’t get sick, especially when folks without symptoms are contagious and could be standing right next to you in any given social situation. You more likely than not will not die, but do you want to risk spreading it to a loved one over 60 or someone with an immunity issue? Stay healthy folks!

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

In Italy 1,492 new cases and 133 new deaths.  Totals are 7,375 and 366 deaths

 

My gosh.  It has just exploded there.