wuhan - coronavirus

[Arcadia]

4 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

This from a BBC correspondent on whether or not to trust stats from China

“It’s fair to assume that #China’s official #coronavirus cases aren’t catching everyone (with patients not presenting at hospital etc) but a substantial new outbreak in a large city here would be hard to cover up. Patients/their families would comment. Medical staff would leak it.”

whether or not they’re accurate the general trend seems to be true 

That is quite a diplomatic way of saying Chinese are blabbermouths 🤣

[Ausmumof3]

https://bnonews.com/index.php/2020/02/the-latest-coronavirus-cases/
 

breakdown of US cases by state are available here if you go to the bottom of the table and click USA 

Edited March 9, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[Arcadia]

 @Pen @mathnerd 

WSJ (going thru Google, paywalled) https://www.wsj.com/articles/grand-princess-to-bring-passengers-to-oakland-for-medical-care-testing-11583677515

“U.S. health officials warned Americans to avoid cruise trips and blocked several Princess Cruises ships from leaving or docking in an effort to contain any further spread of coronavirus, which has already hit two of the line’s voyages.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered the Regal Princess to be held Sunday off the coast of Florida with thousands of people on board. The agency issued a no-sail order Saturday for the Royal Princess in Los Angeles. 

A third ship, the Grand Princess, will dock in Oakland, Calif., on Monday to start unloading passengers, who will be quarantined.

Crew from the Carnival Corp.-owned ships were being tested for potential exposure on previous trips of the Grand Princess, where one former passenger died and 21 people currently on board have tested positive for Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus. Princess Cruises said the crews had been transferred more than 14 days ago and were without symptoms.
...

The U.S. State Department and federal health officials have advised U.S. citizens, especially those with underlying health conditions, to avoid traveling on cruise ships.

“It goes without saying that if you are elderly, if you have a pre-existing condition, you have issues of lung disease, heart disease, or you have other medical conditions, I would highly recommend—almost demand—that you not go on a cruise,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a Sunday news conference.

...

Princess Cruises said Sunday its Grand Princess ship would dock at the port of Oakland on Monday to start unloading passengers in need of acute medical care. The ship has about 2,400 passengers and 1,100 crew members.

On Sunday, the Grand Princess was roughly 10 miles off shore, waiting while federal personnel finished prepping the port for the ship, including putting up a security fence. The plan is to disembark people with symptoms and in the most need of medical care first, then California residents, of which there are roughly 960.

“I know that there’s a sense of frustration, deep frustration, that many of the passengers on this ship have that they’re not getting real-time information and I just want to acknowledge that frustration,” Gov. Newsom said. “We’ll have you home soon, and I know this is a very difficult time for you—another 14 days for many of you to be quarantined.”

Following health screenings, other passengers will be transferred to federally operated facilities for testing and isolation in California, Texas and Georgia, company, state and federal officials said. Crew members will be quarantined and treated aboard the vessel, which won’t stay in the Oakland port.

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D., Texas) in a pair of tweets expressed concerns about the Grand Princess passengers headed for quarantine at an Air Force base in San Antonio. “We still do not have the testing kits we need to truly determine community spread,” he said.

After meeting Saturday with cruise industry leaders and Florida officials, Vice President Michael Pence said U.S. cruises will begin to enhance their entry and exit screenings and create new quarantine standards, among other measures, in the wake of the virus’s spread.

“This would be a good time to practice common sense and to avoid activities including traveling on a cruise line that might unnecessarily expose one to the coronavirus,” Mr. Pence said, adding that “it is safe for healthy Americans to travel.””

Edited March 9, 2020 by Arcadia

[Ausmumof3]

https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/coronavirus-update-fifth-case-confirmed-in-western-australia-c-736408.amp?__twitter_impression=true
5th and 6th cases in Western Australia 

[Ausmumof3]

Just realised dividing deaths by infection in Italy gives 4.9pc.  We want to hope this represents widespread undetected infection.

[Ausmumof3]

Yet another doctor dies in Wuhan

“Zhu Heping, a doctor from the ophthalmology department of #Wuhan Central Hospital, died of #COVID19 infection. He was a colleague of "whistleblower" doctor #LiWenliang, who first revealed information about the #SARS-like virus spread on social media.”

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, StellaM said:

Thanks all for the info, esp the AU info, Ausmumof3.

Taking my own advice and avoiding this thread and the others for a while - the persistent sense I'm getting that the 80% is happy to pay the price of the 20% becoming severely ill, in order not to have to change behaviours, is bad for the brain. 

Stay well, all.

@Pen, I'm joining you in that Covid meditation! It makes some kind of intuitive sense to me. Bet you thought I'd think it was woo 🙂

Take care and thoughts with you.  Stay strong 💪🏻 

 

[Ausmumof3]

OIL prices dropped 25pc.  I know that’s not just because of coronavirus there’s some kind of thing going on between Saudi and Russia but that seems kinda huge.

[Ausmumof3]

Carey Baptist school in Melbourne is closing.  No one diagnosed but an adult who had contact has symptoms that may be Covid19.  
https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/coronavirus-fears-force-temporary-closure-of-elite-melbourne-private-school-c-736796.amp?__twitter_impression=true

[Pawz4me]

China has approved the use of Actemra (tocilizumab) to treat lung issues in severe cases of Covid 19. They believe it will help stop cytokine storms. Actemra is an older (approved in 2010) biologic drug used to treat RA and some other conditions.

Quote

By Roxanne Liu and John Miller

BEIJING/ZURICH (Reuters) – China has approved the use of Swiss drugmaker Roche’s <ROG.S> anti-inflammation drug Actemra for patients who develop severe complications from the coronavirus as it urgently hunts for new ways to combat the deadly infection that is spreading worldwide.

China is hoping that some older drugs could stop severe cytokine release syndrome (CRS), or cytokine storms, an overreaction of the immune system which is considered a major factor behind catastrophic organ failure and death in some coronavirus patients.

Actemra, a biologic drug approved in 2010 in the United States for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), inhibits high Interleukin 6 (IL-6) protein levels that drive some inflammatory diseases.

China’s National Health Commission said in treatment guidelines published online on Wednesday that Actemra can now be used to treat coronavirus patients with serious lung damage and high IL-6 levels.

Separately, researchers in the country are testing Actemra, known generically as tocilizumab, in a clinical trial expected to include 188 coronavirus patients and running until May 10.

Roche, which donated 14 million yuan ($2.02 million) worth of Actemra during February, said the trial was initiated independently by a third party with the aim of exploring the efficacy and safety of the drug in coronavirus patients with CRS.

It added that there was currently no published clinical trial data on the drug’s safety or efficacy against the virus.

More than 3,000 people have died and 93,000 have been infected by the novel coronavirus thought to have originated in Wuhan, China, before spreading to around 90 countries including the United States, Italy, Switzerland, France and Germany.

The Swiss company, for which China is its No. 2 market behind the United States, also makes diagnostic gear to detect the coronavirus.

Since Actemra’s approval a decade ago, it has become a go-to drug against other inflammatory conditions, including cytokine storms in cancer patients receiving cell therapies from Novartis <NOVN.S> and Gilead Sciences <GILD.O>.

In 2012 it helped save the life of a young U.S. girl, the first child to be treated for leukaemia with Novatis’ Kymriah, from a post-treatment rush of IL-6.

Priced at between $20-30,000 annually for RA according to SSR Health, Roche’s medicine is also used for rare juvenile arthritis and giant cell arteritis, or inflammation of the blood vessels.

China’s National Medical Product Administration has yet to give its approval for Actemra to be sold for use in coronavirus infection cases and Chinese drugmakers are also racing to develop alternatives to Roche’s treatment.

Bio-Thera Solutions Ltd <688177.SS> expects to file new drug approval for a version of Actemra in 2021, while Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co Ltd <600267.SS> in 2016 got regulatory approval to hold trials for an Actemra copy, company filings showed.

($1 = 6.9293 yuan)

 

 

[Ausmumof3]

595 new cases and 43 new deaths in Iran - totals 7161 and 237 deaths.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, StellaM said:

Thanks all for the info, esp the AU info, Ausmumof3.

Taking my own advice and avoiding this thread and the others for a while - the persistent sense I'm getting that the 80% is happy to pay the price of the 20% becoming severely ill, in order not to have to change behaviours, is bad for the brain. 

Stay well, all.

@Pen, I'm joining you in that Covid meditation! It makes some kind of intuitive sense to me. Bet you thought I'd think it was woo 🙂

I’m sorry. I’m feeling similarly about the FB Europe Travel group I am a member of. If I see one more person blithely say they are going on their trip to Italy because they can’t lose their deposit over some “crazy hypochondriacs”, I’m going to lose my mind. 

[Ausmumof3]

235 new cases in Spain

[Ausmumof3]

Just now, Quill said:

I’m sorry. I’m feeling similarly about the FB Europe Travel group I am a member of. If I see one more person blithely say they are going on their trip to Italy because they can’t lose their deposit over some “crazy hypochondriacs”, I’m going to lose my mind. 

Same people that will be asking for an evacuation flight back if things don’t go right. 

[Ausmumof3]

Qatar is closing all schools till further notice 

[Guest]

I don’t know if this has been posted before in this thread, but Johns Hopkins has a really terrific interactive world map here. It gives number of cases, number of deaths and number of recoveries in descending order from largest to smallest. 

[hmvaughan4]

Our local schools are closed today after an elementary student was diagnosed.  The system is closed today and the affected school is closed until April. 

[Pen]

31 minutes ago, hmvaughan4 said:

Our local schools are closed today after an elementary student was diagnosed.  The system is closed today and the affected school is closed until April. 

 

Do you mind saying where? Country, state at least? 

[Carrie12345]

CNN now using the term pandemic, as previously defined but “censored” in official circles.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/09/health/coronavirus-pandemic-gupta/index.html

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Quill said:

5 hours ago, StellaM said:

Thanks all for the info, esp the AU info, Ausmumof3.

Taking my own advice and avoiding this thread and the others for a while - the persistent sense I'm getting that the 80% is happy to pay the price of the 20% becoming severely ill, in order not to have to change behaviours, is bad for the brain. 

Stay well, all.

@Pen, I'm joining you in that Covid meditation! It makes some kind of intuitive sense to me. Bet you thought I'd think it was woo 🙂

I’m sorry. I’m feeling similarly about the FB Europe Travel group I am a member of. If I see one more person blithely say they are going on their trip to Italy because they can’t lose their deposit over some “crazy hypochondriacs”, I’m going to lose my mind. 

 

@Stella - 😁 yeah, you surprise me! But let’s meditate together!  I am definitely avoiding The Who Cares (or rather The Who is Not Concerned) thread for awhile as of now!

This one doesn’t bother me—Or actually the opposite—I guess it’s the information sharing as “Love Language “ idea @Ausmumof3 suggested.  I feel better, and happier checking in on this thread and with some PM sharing about herbs etc.

Probably people from outside might see me making herb tinctures and think I am panicking, but I am not.  I feel really happy and personally resourceful as I do that. Really I have wanted to for a long time, and now have a reason. 

@Quill guess I am spared that sort of thing by not being on FB!

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by Pen

[Pen]

12 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

CNN now using the term pandemic, as previously defined but “censored” in official circles.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/09/health/coronavirus-pandemic-gupta/index.html

 

Yes. I hope that CNN doing that helps break the news to people in a gradual non panic inducing way. 

[Lanny]

Our family believes the Corona Virus is very dangerous and some travel plans were changed in January. I hope they can slow the spread of it ASAP.  However compared to the normal flu in the USA, this article shows the CDC says that 20K people in the USA have died from the Flu, so far this flu season, including 136 children, the regular flu should not be forgotten.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/cdc-flu-killed-20k-americans-children

DD is on Spring Break and participating in an activity about 3 or 4 hours (by bus) from the UNC campus and I am happy that she didn't fly somewhere.  

The UNC web site has a list of places, including States and Cities in the USA that I will try to find. Recommendations for Discourage Travel,   https://www.unc.edu/coronavirus/

[Pen]

 

Quote

The UNC web site has a list of places, including States and Cities in the USA that I will try to find. Recommendations for Discourage Travel,   https://www.unc.edu/coronavirus/

 

I think that’s very wise! 

Quoting from the site you linked:

• University-affiliated travel to Level 3 countries as defined by the State Department and the CDC is prohibited. This includes China, South Korea, Iran and Italy.
• The University is also restricting travel to Level 2 countries, which includes Japan.
• Students, faculty and staff returning from Level 3 will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days off campus effective immediately.
• The University is restricting students, faculty and staff from University-affiliated travel to locations within the United States where a state of emergency has been declared related to COVID-19 and coronavirus. We strongly discourage personal travel to these areas. This includes the cities of Austin and San Antonio in Texas, and the states of California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington.
• Personal travel to these areas is strongly discouraged. Anyone returning from locations where a state of emergency has been declared may be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.

———-

As someone in one of those listed states  I would say a 14 day self quarantine makes sense. The pattern of illness I am seeing around me is not what I typically see.  I believe the actual cases number to be higher and to affect more counties than indicated in the official confirmed cases. 

Possibly a 14 day self quarantine should be done if having traveled from anywhere with reported cases even if no state of emergency ywas declared there. 

(Also, my mother is in NC and it doesn’t sound from talking to her that she’s seeing the same things I am, so I think stopping rapid flow of virus from being brought in, whether from other countries or from other parts of USA, is excellent !) 

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by Pen

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

@Stella - 😁 yeah, you surprise me! But let’s meditate together!  I am definitely avoiding The Who Cares (or rather The Who is Not Concerned) thread for awhile as of now!

This one doesn’t bother me—Or actually the opposite—I guess it’s the information sharing as “Love Language “ idea @Ausmumof3 suggested.  I feel better, and happier checking in on this thread and with some PM sharing about herbs etc.

Probably people from outside might see me making herb tinctures and think I am panicking, but I am not.  I feel really happy and personally resourceful as I do that. Really I have wanted to for a long time, and now have a reason. 

@Quill guess I am spared that sort of thing by not being on FB!

 

You are, though FB also has its positive points. I gleaned some great travel information before coronavirus was all anyone could talk (argue) about on that page. 

[Guest]

@Pen, I agree with reducing/restricting travel in the states listed but here’s something I want to throw out there for the sake of knowledge. A governor declaring a state of emergency is not necessarily correlated precisely to the actual risk or identified cases in that state. Declaring a state of emergency unlocks access to federal resources. I have a hunch that states with a well-funded and more progressive government are likely to declare a SOE earlier than a state with lower funding and less progressive governance. 

IOW, *I personally* would look to case numbers more for decisions about travel than whether or not SOE has been called, though, realistically, I have no inclination to travel (more) at this time due to how quickly the situation is changing. 

Just my personal info-nugget. 

[Joker]

39 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

Do you mind saying where? Country, state at least? 

I don't know about the original poster but we just had an elementary school here in Indiana shut down for four weeks due to a student testing positive. Two weeks of online learning followed by their regularly scheduled two weeks for spring break. 

[Aura]

Things are picking up in GA, mostly in the Atlanta area. 5 presumptive cases and 6 confirmed brings us to 11 with 7 of those hospitalized. They don't know where the 4 new cases from yesterday picked up the infection.

[Pen]

2 minutes ago, Quill said:

@Pen, I agree with reducing/restricting travel in the states listed but here’s something I want to throw out there for the sake of knowledge. A governor declaring a state of emergency is not necessarily correlated precisely to the actual risk or identified cases in that state. Declaring a state of emergency unlocks access to federal resources. I have a hunch that states with a well-funded and more progressive government are likely to declare a SOE earlier than a state with lower funding and less progressive governance. 

IOW, *I personally* would look to case numbers more for decisions about travel than whether or not SOE has been called, though, realistically, I have no inclination to travel (more) at this time due to how quickly the situation is changing. 

Just my personal info-nugget. 

 

I know that about the state of emergency declarations.

And also that in some places they may be calling State of Emergency because price gouging statutes depend on called state of emergency. 

I think the University probably needed something it could list as a policy. 

I also see around me what on paper looks like relatively few cases, and none for my county.  Yet a number of people sick with what fits descriptors for CV19 (or maybe there’s some other new infectious thing as yet unidentified). 

I would look at both, declared emergency areas, and known case areas.  

[Valley Girl]

Maybe this has already been discussed (not checking all 95 pages for it), but some clown in Missouri whose older daughter was the first coronavirus patient there (was in Italy), broke self-quarantine to take his younger daughter to a school dance. What part of quarantine don't these fools understand? I know there apparently isn't any force of law behind self-quarantine, but if people aren't going to comply, the government is going to have no choice but to take more drastic measures. I can't imagine how furious the families of all those other kids must be at him.

Edited March 9, 2020 by Valley Girl
Spelling

[Carrie12345]

41 minutes ago, Lanny said:

owever compared to the normal flu in the USA, this article shows the CDC says that 20K people in the USA have died from the Flu, so far this flu season, including 136 children, the regular flu should not be forgotten

 

All of the recommended preventatives for COVID also prevent the flu from spreading, so there you go.  

I propose that the only people allowed to compare the two should be those with their flu shots.  In reality, I wish the comparison would just go away entirely, but I’ll settle for 43% of adults shutting their traps. (And that’s as someone who used to be in the 43%.)

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Valley Girl said:

Maybe this has already been discussed (not checking all 95 pages for it), but some clown in Missouri whose older daughter was the first coronavirus patient there (was in Italy), broke self-quarantine to take his younger daughter to a school dance. What part of quarantine don't these fools understand? I know there apparently isn't any force of law behind self-quarantine, but if people aren't going to comply, the government is going to have no choice but to take more drastic measures. I can't imagine how furious the families of all those other kids must be at him.

IMHO, the situation is not helped by a Certain Political Individual mixing messages and sending misinformation which is glommed onto by people who respect the hare-brained opinion of C.P.I 

Someone in the Europe travel group said to me yesterday, “People who ‘might’ get it will self-quarantine. The rest of us have nothing to worry about.” I had to block that person before I said a lot of bad words. 

[Teresa in MO]

12 minutes ago, Valley Girl said:

Maybe this has already been discussed (not checking all 95 pages for it), but some clown in Missouri whose older daughter was the first coronavirus patient there (was in Italy), broke self-quarantine to take his younger daughter to a school dance. What part of quarantine don't these fools understand? I know there apparently isn't any force of law behind self-quarantine, but if people aren't going to comply, the government is going to have no choice but to take more drastic measures. I can't imagine how furious the families of all those other kids must be at him.

As someone who lives just 15 minutes from the area where she lives, I am furious!  This is the timeline:

Student returned from studying in Italy.  Flew into Chicago on Monday, took an Amtrak train to St. Louis on Wednesday.

Started feeling ill on Thursday and called the county Health Department.  The family was told at that point to quarantine themselves.  They arranged for her to be tested at a local hospital on Friday, was taken to secure area to not expose others.

Before the results were back, the father took the students high school sister to a Private party before the dance, then proceeded to the dance, which was held in a very high class hotel.  Was there about an hour when they received the positive diagnosis and left.  It is also being reported that the father/daughter went to a pharmacy where he talked about the self quarantine and possible diagnosis.

This infuriates me.  Two private Catholic schools have been shut down that had students at the private party and at the dance.  They have taken the Amtrak train out of commission and are trying to contact the other passengers.  This is just beyond stupid!

 

[Lecka]

https://poststar.com/news/local/glens-falls-hospital-cancels-covid--event-begins-strictly-enforcing/article_3f356aca-3e0e-5071-a73f-e96959f7a4b8.html

This isn't particularly near us, but we get some of the same radio stations as Glen Falls, NY.  A pharmacist at a CVS has tested positive.  

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by Lecka

[ikslo]

Woman at work was, up until last night, still planning on leaving on her scheduled cruise.  She was adamant about not canceling her trip until the US DOS updated their recommendations:

"While the U.S. government has evacuated some cruise ship passengers in recent weeks, repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for U.S. citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities."

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/cruise-ship-passengers.html?fbclid=IwAR23mRlu4-382HLuSM8i0KWQBSaZ4heDniggmxR3kBR6e2EgWiKr6B0EseM

She was going to go UNTIL she realized she might not be let back in the country.  Why was she still going, despite being diabetic and thus at higher risk?  Because this trip would put her in the "Silver" category.  She didn't want to lose out on all the perks. 

ETA: She was sure they would just air-lift her off the boat and bring her home her if she got sick.

Edited March 9, 2020 by ikslo
Removed unnecessary info, added more info

[Pen]

9 minutes ago, Teresa in MO said:

As someone who lives just 15 minutes from the area where she lives, I am furious!  This is the timeline:

Student returned from studying in Italy.  Flew into Chicago on Monday, took an Amtrak train to St. Louis on Wednesday.

Started feeling ill on Thursday and called the county Health Department.  The family was told at that point to quarantine themselves.  They arranged for her to be tested at a local hospital on Friday, was taken to secure area to not expose others.

Before the results were back, the father took the students high school sister to a Private party before the dance, then proceeded to the dance, which was held in a very high class hotel.  Was there about an hour when they received the positive diagnosis and left.  It is also being reported that the father/daughter went to a pharmacy where he talked about the self quarantine and possible diagnosis.

This infuriates me.  Two private Catholic schools have been shut down that had students at the private party and at the dance.  They have taken the Amtrak train out of commission and are trying to contact the other passengers.  This is just beyond stupid!

 

 

A couple of civil law suits brought against the father to recoup closure and cleaning costs might be helpful 

I was personally glad that the Westerdam comedian who bragged about breaking quarantine lost his job

even if there aren’t criminal sanctions I think some negative thing needs to happen so as to discourage this sort of behavior. 

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by Pen

[BarbecueMom]

10 minutes ago, Teresa in MO said:

As someone who lives just 15 minutes from the area where she lives, I am furious!  This is the timeline:

Student returned from studying in Italy.  Flew into Chicago on Monday, took an Amtrak train to St. Louis on Wednesday.

Started feeling ill on Thursday and called the county Health Department.  The family was told at that point to quarantine themselves.  They arranged for her to be tested at a local hospital on Friday, was taken to secure area to not expose others.

Before the results were back, the father took the students high school sister to a Private party before the dance, then proceeded to the dance, which was held in a very high class hotel.  Was there about an hour when they received the positive diagnosis and left.  It is also being reported that the father/daughter went to a pharmacy where he talked about the self quarantine and possible diagnosis.

This infuriates me.  Two private Catholic schools have been shut down that had students at the private party and at the dance.  They have taken the Amtrak train out of commission and are trying to contact the other passengers.  This is just beyond stupid!

 

And this is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of the metro area, not someone taking train rides out of financial necessity.  Zero reason this girl had to take Amtrak OR a flight home; they could have done the 10 hour drive to pick her up in Chicago.  LESS THAN ZERO reason to go to the party and dance.

(Don't quote) My kid's coach works in this town in what I assume is an essential personnel role.  Wonderful.

ETA:  And this was a Catholic school event, pulling from MANY Catholic parishes, in a heavily Catholic city... on a weekend during Fish Fry season.  Geez.

Edited March 9, 2020 by BarbecueMom

[hmvaughan4]

1 hour ago, Pen said:

 

Do you mind saying where? Country, state at least? 

 Hendricks County, Indiana.  I believe there are now two confirmed cases in the county and one in Marion county (Indianapolis).  DH’s office has closed one building and essentially put the most critical department in quarantine.  They are the only department allowed in the closed building because if they get sick and cannot work, it would be disastrous. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 hour ago, Lanny said:

Our family believes the Corona Virus is very dangerous and some travel plans were changed in January. I hope they can slow the spread of it ASAP.  However compared to the normal flu in the USA, this article shows the CDC says that 20K people in the USA have died from the Flu, so far this flu season, including 136 children, the regular flu should not be forgotten.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/cdc-flu-killed-20k-americans-children

DD is on Spring Break and participating in an activity about 3 or 4 hours (by bus) from the UNC campus and I am happy that she didn't fly somewhere.  

The UNC web site has a list of places, including States and Cities in the USA that I will try to find. Recommendations for Discourage Travel,   https://www.unc.edu/coronavirus/

As an immunocompromised person I have to be very careful about the flu. Especially since I have the kind of “flu body aches” 24/7/365 days a year and don’t always know initially that I have it or if I am in a flare. But-  I can get vaccinated for the flu (now- at one point I couldn’t handle it) and my friends and family always get vaccinated in part to protect me. I also get the pneumonia vaccination which protects me from some of the known causes of pneumonia (but not COVID19). My biggest danger from the flu is complications like pneumonia or secondary infections that can run rampant.  Vaccination doesn’t always keep me from getting sick but it does keep me from getting as sick and going into the danger zone. 
 

There isn’t a vaccination for COVID19. And it’s not covered by my pneumonia vaccination. And it’s a new illness which means that my doctors can’t necessarily predict potential issues and take timely intervention. 

Edited March 9, 2020 by Jean in Newcastle
Typo

[Aura]

I lay a good portion of blame for people not taking this seriously on the media, the CDC, and the WHO. Part of the need for transparency and accurate reporting is so that people can adjust emotionally to a new situation. Without that, many people simply cannot adjust in time to act appropriately. It is the CDC and the WHO's job to know and understand this. But they totally dropped the ball. Now they're (somewhat) trying to get people to fall in line, but still refusing transparency and reporting. And the media is just following right along. For WEEKS, they all did their very best to convince people that this was just the flu, nothing to worry about. 

Now suddenly, people are supposed to forget all that? There's going to be a lot of people who are rushing around from place to place who are only catching snippets of news here and there, mostly still reassuring them that's this isn't that bad. They're not getting the full story, they haven't had the chance to adjust emotionally, so they're not going to react properly.

That does not excuse people from not taking personal responsibility to educate themselves! But I am more angry at the "official" lack of across-the-board, appropriate guidance.

https://virologydownunder.com/past-time-to-tell-the-public-it-will-probably-go-pandemic-and-we-should-all-prepare-now/ from Feb 23, 2020 [emphasis mine]

Quote

Preparedness is emotional too
Suggesting things people can do to prepare for a possible hard time to come doesn’t just get them better prepared logistically.  It also helps get them better prepared emotionally.  It helps get them through the Oh My God (OMG) moment everyone needs to have, and needs to get through, preferably without being accused of hysteria.

It is better to get through this OMG moment now rather than later.  

Offering people a list of preparedness steps to choose among means that those who are worried and feeling helpless can better bear their worry, and those who are beyond worry and deep into denial can better face their worry.  

Yet another benefit: The more people who are making preparedness efforts, the more connected to each other they feel.  Pandemic preparedness should be a communitarian experience.  When a colleague offers you an elbow bump instead of a handshake, your mind goes to those lists of preparedness recommendations you’ve been seeing, and you feel part of a community that’s getting ready together.

This OMG realization that we have termed the “adjustment reaction” (see http://www.psandman.com/col/teachable.htm) is a step that is hard to skip on the way to the new normal.  Going through it before a crisis is full-blown is more conducive to resilience, coping, and rational response than going through it mid-crisis.  Officials make a mistake when they sugarcoat alarming information, postponing the public’s adjustment reaction in the vain hope that they can avoid it altogether.

 

[Sneezyone]

2 hours ago, Aura said:

I lay a good portion of blame for people not taking this seriously on the media, the CDC, and the WHO. Part of the need for transparency and accurate reporting is so that people can adjust emotionally to a new situation. Without that, many people simply cannot adjust in time to act appropriately. It is the CDC and the WHO's job to know and understand this. But they totally dropped the ball. Now they're (somewhat) trying to get people to fall in line, but still refusing transparency and reporting. And the media is just following right along. For WEEKS, they all did their very best to convince people that this was just the flu, nothing to worry about. 

Now suddenly, people are supposed to forget all that? There's going to be a lot of people who are rushing around from place to place who are only catching snippets of news here and there, mostly still reassuring them that's this isn't that bad. They're not getting the full story, they haven't had the chance to adjust emotionally, so they're not going to react properly.

That does not excuse people from not taking personal responsibility to educate themselves! But I am more angry at the "official" lack of across-the-board, appropriate guidance.

https://virologydownunder.com/past-time-to-tell-the-public-it-will-probably-go-pandemic-and-we-should-all-prepare-now/ from Feb 23, 2020 [emphasis mine]

 

Which media, be specific. Some outlets/hosts have made much more concerted efforts to misinform their viewers and listeners. Talking to my 72yo, carcicosis-having, oxygen-using, VERY religious dad was like swimming upstream. I agree that some media are doing/have done this. The problem is not systemic. Chuck Todd, Sean Hannity, I’m looking at you.

Edited March 9, 2020 by Sneezyone

[Pawz4me]

9 minutes ago, Aura said:

For WEEKS, they all did their very best to convince people that this was just the flu, nothing to worry about.

 

Goodness. What media outlets do you follow?? I've been following this virus fairly closely since right after Christmas, and I don't recall any reputable source implying that it was just the flu, nothing to worry about. Quite the opposite. But I'm very choosy about where I consume news.

[Aura]

2 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

Which media, be specific. Some outlets/hosts have made much more concerted efforts to misinform their viewers and listeners. Talking to my 72yo, carcoidosis-having, oxygen-using, VERY religious dad was like swimming upstream. I agree that some media are doing/have done this. The problem is not systemic. Chuck Todd, Sean Hannity, I’m looking at you.

Which media did NOT, several weeks ago, assure everyone that the flu was worse/the numbers higher/your risk greater and completely ignore the exponential growth factors we were seeing from infected countries? Which ones did NOT spent more time emphasizing the need to "not panic" and downplay the need to prepare? (Why does preparing automatically equal panicking, anyway?)

IIRC, CNBC has done pretty well with this from the beginning. I am also thankful that some others seem to be catching on, like CNN now using "pandemic" even though WHO refuses.

But generally, they all now have to undo what they did before. And yes, some aren't even trying to do that!

[Sneezyone]

18 minutes ago, Aura said:

Which media did NOT, several weeks ago, assure everyone that the flu was worse/the numbers higher/your risk greater and completely ignore the exponential growth factors we were seeing from infected countries? Which ones did NOT spent more time emphasizing the need to "not panic" and downplay the need to prepare? (Why does preparing automatically equal panicking, anyway?)

IIRC, CNBC has done pretty well with this from the beginning. I am also thankful that some others seem to be catching on, like CNN now using "pandemic" even though WHO refuses.

But generally, they all now have to undo what they did before. And yes, some aren't even trying to do that!

I’ve watched a lot of MSNBC coverage these last few weeks and, with the notable exception of Chuck Todd, most included experts who disagreed with the happy, happy, joy, joy WH assessments. They also have several midday hosts who specialize in money matters (Dominic Chu, Ali Velshi, Stephanie Ruhl) who’ve discussed, in depth, the global economic impact/reality. I don’t watch all networks equally but agree some folks are clearly negligent. There’s also been EXCELLENT investigative reporting on the efficacy of the federal response. 

Edited March 9, 2020 by Sneezyone

[HeartString]

I’m hearing people complain both that the media is over hyping this virus and that it’s sugar coating it.  I guess it’s different outlets.  Or maybe different interpretations.  It’s a weird thing through.  

[Aura]

1 minute ago, Pawz4me said:

Goodness. What media outlets do you follow?? I've been following this virus fairly closely since right after Christmas, and I don't recall any reputable source implying that it was just the flu, nothing to worry about. Quite the opposite. But I'm very choosy about where I consume news.

Typically Google likes to feed me CNN, ABC, NBC, NYT, NPR, and the main ones like that. 

[HeartString]

NPR, Slate, VOX, and The NY Times have been talking about COVID in a factual, prep but don’t be crazy, kind if way for weeks.  At least as long as this thread has been going. I haven’t seen any sky-is-falling hype, but I’ve seen a LOT of downplaying on Facebook. And a lot of complaining about the media hyping it up on Facebook too.  

[Pen]

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/10/ian-lipkin-scientists-worry-coronavirus-could-become-worse-than-flu.html

from February 10 was sort of shift starting to happen in media from reporting  that the novel coronavirus was equivalent to ordinary flu

[DoraBora]

1 hour ago, Lanny said:

Our family believes the Corona Virus is very dangerous and some travel plans were changed in January. I hope they can slow the spread of it ASAP.  However compared to the normal flu in the USA, this article shows the CDC says that 20K people in the USA have died from the Flu, so far this flu season, including 136 children, the regular flu should not be forgotten.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/cdc-flu-killed-20k-americans-children

DD is on Spring Break and participating in an activity about 3 or 4 hours (by bus) from the UNC campus and I am happy that she didn't fly somewhere.  

The UNC web site has a list of places, including States and Cities in the USA that I will try to find. Recommendations for Discourage Travel,   https://www.unc.edu/coronavirus/

They are discouraging travel to Austin and San Antonio but not Houston(?).

[Sneezyone]

37 minutes ago, Pen said:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/10/ian-lipkin-scientists-worry-coronavirus-could-become-worse-than-flu.html

from February 10 was sort of shift starting to happen in media from reporting  that the novel coronavirus was equivalent to ordinary flu

Maybe I was ahead of the game (re:concern) because of the impact on my students in China? For me, this was front and center beginning in January. The demand for online English classes went through the roof as students’ Chinese New Year vacations were extended...indefinitely. Most of my students are still at home, two months later, especially kids in Wuhan. Seeing Americans largely blow it off on FB chaffed from the beginning. When I went to China last year, I got to see for myself, this is NOT the third world. It is crowded and congested in the cities but these are not stupid, backward people. It never made any sense to think they were taking these measures for any reason other than they HAD to. The idea that we’d be immune to the basic science because those other people are Chinese...Italians...Iranians... and so on was just crazy.

Eta: oh, and my (freaking amazing) Chinese tour guide (connected to me on FB) is now unemployed. This is our future too. When this is over and someone wants to travel to China, seriously, I can hook you up with THE best tour guide!

Edited March 9, 2020 by Sneezyone

[RootAnn]

One school district in Nebraska shut down s a small university, several others are trying to decide what to do as the first patient there participated in a Special Olympics event in which other students/schools participated. Now two family members have tested positive & another school district is involved.

https://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/health/coronavirus-scare-temporarily-closes-fremont-schools-midland-university/article_888d66b9-adb1-55ec-ba33-ef0961814ae7.html

https://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/two-family-members-of-nebraska-s-first-coronavirus-disease-patient/article_ad4ac887-0714-5b21-a93e-66f220c22c52.html

No details, but she made 5 visits to 3 health care sites before they tested her for COVID-19.