Can we do a CV19 rumors, weird stories, conspiracies, true/false thread?

[Ginevra]

Nothing too political; nothing naming specific leaders. 

I’ll start with a couple: True? False? Possible? Impossible?

1. This disease started because someone ate bats.  

2. This disease was created in a lab and (Version 1) it got out of control/was accidentally released; (version 2) was perpetrated intentionally on the public for nefarious purposes. 

3. Believe it or not, I know some people who are still underestimating this virus, or dismissing the whole insane reality we’re living as a plot from an opposing political party. 

4. Some people thought toilet paper manufactured after CV19 would be infected. 

Here’s one thing I think about: why is there a novel virus like this? I mean I know viruses mutate and new strains arise but it’s so weird and unnatural-sounding to me. Complex animals - mammals, say - don’t just mutate and become a new kind of mammal. I guess because the gene sequence for an entire mammal is too long so mutations only affect one facet, like size or color or some adaptation. But I don’t really understand the mechanism by which a virus too small to see can mutate and become a whole new thing. 

[Ausmumof3]

That it’s somehow related to 5G and that it’s much worse in areas that have adopted it

that the US took it to China as a bio weapon in November last year.  
 

That there’s already a vaccine but it will only be released when people are desperate enough to pay.

that it’s all a financial plot (by either the Jews or some smart share marker people)

That it’s a bio weapon designed by Bill Gates

that it’s a divine punishment for the persecution of either the Christians or the Muslim’s 

that it can be cured by pot, alcohol or cow urine 

[Ausmumof3]

30 minutes ago, Quill said:

Nothing too political; nothing naming specific leaders. 

I’ll start with a couple: True? False? Possible? Impossible?

1. This disease started because someone ate bats.  

2. This disease was created in a lab and (Version 1) it got out of control/was accidentally released; (version 2) was perpetrated intentionally on the public for nefarious purposes. 

3. Believe it or not, I know some people who are still underestimating this virus, or dismissing the whole insane reality we’re living as a plot from an opposing political party. 

4. Some people thought toilet paper manufactured after CV19 would be infected. 

Here’s one thing I think about: why is there a novel virus like this? I mean I know viruses mutate and new strains arise but it’s so weird and unnatural-sounding to me. Complex animals - mammals, say - don’t just mutate and become a new kind of mammal. I guess because the gene sequence for an entire mammal is too long so mutations only affect one facet, like size or color or some adaptation. But I don’t really understand the mechanism by which a virus too small to see can mutate and become a whole new thing. 

I’m not very good at biology.  But I guess the virus is really just blind but replicates itself over and over.  And then the replication changes slightly in a copying error and one of the copying errors is more successful so all the copied viruses outsurvive the others.  

[Ausmumof3]

This is not a conspiracy theory and I haven’t heard it elsewhere but something did occur to me tonight.  What if the reason Singapore and Japan etc have been more successful in slowing down the virus is because there’s already some immunity.  Maybe at some point in history this virus or something really similar has already gone through that region but not spread further abroad.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Ausmumof3 said:

This is not a conspiracy theory and I haven’t heard it elsewhere but something did occur to me tonight.  What if the reason Singapore and Japan etc have been more successful in slowing down the virus is because there’s already some immunity.  Maybe at some point in history this virus or something really similar has already gone through that region but not spread further abroad.

One of my black friends posted an article (which I did not have a chance to read) about how/why Africa is minimally affected. I wondered (but haven’t seen any info about this) if people who are African or of African descent have some immunity. So, in a population that becomes heavily affected (say, New York) are African people not getting it? I wondered about that. 

[PrincessMommy]

16 minutes ago, Quill said:

One of my black friends posted an article (which I did not have a chance to read) about how/why Africa is minimally affected. I wondered (but haven’t seen any info about this) if people who are African or of African descent have some immunity. So, in a population that becomes heavily affected (say, New York) are African people not getting it? I wondered about that. 

I have wondered about the effect of contracting COVID-19 on our minority populations. Mainly because many of them are the most financially vulnerable.  I don't know if the news ever tells the ethnicity of a person who has the virus when its announced though.   

How are places like Africa, Central and S. America, and India faring with this virus?  

[Ausmumof3]

4 minutes ago, PrincessMommy said:

I have wondered about the effect of contracting COVID-19 on our minority populations. Mainly because many of them are the most financially vulnerable.  I don't know if the news ever tells the ethnicity of a person who has the virus when its announced though.   

How are places like Africa, Central and S. America, and India faring with this virus?  

At this point here it seems to mostly be more on the wealthy end in terms of schools etc infected, I suspect due to more overseas travel or connection with people doing the travel.  Community transmission will change that obviously.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, PrincessMommy said:

I have wondered about the effect of contracting COVID-19 on our minority populations. Mainly because many of them are the most financially vulnerable.  I don't know if the news ever tells the ethnicity of a person who has the virus when its announced though.   

How are places like Africa, Central and S. America, and India faring with this virus?  

As I understand it, there is a problem in less developed countries of lack of adequate reporting or lack of testing or medical confirmation n the first place. So the official numbers look low but I think it’s hard to know what the true situation is unless you happen to know someone “on the ground” in one of those locales. 

[Ausmumof3]

3 minutes ago, Quill said:

As I understand it, there is a problem in less developed countries of lack of adequate reporting or lack of testing or medical confirmation n the first place. So the official numbers look low but I think it’s hard to know what the true situation is unless you happen to know someone “on the ground” in one of those locales. 

The other thing and it’s pretty debatable but it could be climate related.

[vonfirmath]

1 hour ago, Quill said:

Here’s one thing I think about: why is there a novel virus like this? I mean I know viruses mutate and new strains arise but it’s so weird and unnatural-sounding to me. Complex animals - mammals, say - don’t just mutate and become a new kind of mammal. I guess because the gene sequence for an entire mammal is too long so mutations only affect one facet, like size or color or some adaptation. But I don’t really understand the mechanism by which a virus too small to see can mutate and become a whole new thing. 

 

The virus does not become a whole new thing -- it just mutates enough it can affect humans. (And as I've read, USUALLY when this happen the mutation allows animal to human mutation, NOT human to human. We got very unlucky because after this virus moved to humans it mutated AGAIN very quickly such that humans could spread it to other humans.

[sassenach]

3 hours ago, Quill said:

 

Here’s one thing I think about: why is there a novel virus like this? I mean I know viruses mutate and new strains arise but it’s so weird and unnatural-sounding to me. Complex animals - mammals, say - don’t just mutate and become a new kind of mammal. I guess because the gene sequence for an entire mammal is too long so mutations only affect one facet, like size or color or some adaptation. But I don’t really understand the mechanism by which a virus too small to see can mutate and become a whole new thing. 

Viruses aren’t as complex as human. They are pretty simple, actually. A lot of how they work depends on their shape and a few small chemical attractions. So a small change can be pretty simple and random and result in a different action. Also, viruses replicate inside our cells. They hijack our replication machinery and all their different parts are copied separately and then packaged together into a new virus. It’s easy to imagine how there might be a small change that happens in that process (like when amazon puts the wrong color socks or a random item in your box). 
 

All of this happens (mostly) because of chemical attractions and charges. There’s no “brain” in the operation. It’s very mechanical. 
 

ETA: some of these big crossover viruses happen because the same human or animal gets infected with 2 viruses at once and the viruses commingle as they’re replicating. This unlucky event happens more often in areas with a lot of crowded conditions and human/animal interaction. 

Edited March 18, 2020 by sassenach

[OH_Homeschooler]

3 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

That it’s somehow related to 5G and that it’s much worse in areas that have adopted it

 

This makes me wonder if there's a real correlation where people are assuming causation. Probably more populated areas have 5g, and of course more populated areas are going to be harder hit by the virus. 

[vmsurbat1]

One rumor spreading in Montenegro is that the US has had a secret vaccine, soldiers have been vaccinated and are being sent fearlessly to Europe to take over the nations.  SMH.

[*Jessica*]

3 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

that it can be cured by pot, alcohol or cow urine 

😂 Who is trying to cure this with cow urine?!  I burst out laughing at that one.

Of course, it’s not really funny at all because it’s such a serious situation....but where did they get that idea?!?!

[Jentrovert]

That you can give yourself the same vaccine you give your cows (Lots of cows around here. I guess one common vaccine is for a coronavirus? I haven't bothered to confirm) and be protected.

This was from someone my dh knows. Sigh.

Also, many in my area still think it is completely overblown, same as the flu, or as I heard yesterday, "fake news. Nothing but a hoax."

People are just now raiding the local grocery store, as the schools have shut down and they are hearing of things shut down in the cities 2-3 hours away, they can no longer ignore it.

Edit: This morning from the pharmacy tech: There will be no shortages of anything, people are just panicking. All it takes is one person to start the panic.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Jentrovert

[Jentrovert]

20 minutes ago, *Jessica* said:

😂 Who is trying to cure this with cow urine?!  I burst out laughing at that one.

Of course, it’s not really funny at all because it’s such a serious situation....but where did they get that idea?!?!

Probably related to what I posted above.

[Corraleno]

19 minutes ago, *Jessica* said:

😂 Who is trying to cure this with cow urine?!  I burst out laughing at that one.

Of course, it’s not really funny at all because it’s such a serious situation....but where did they get that idea?!?!

Cow urine is used in Ayurvedic medicine as well as folk medicine in many cultures. I remember from my anthropology classes that nomadic pastoralists in East Africa bathed babies in it, because it's warm, sterile, has components that are good for skin (urea, which is included in a lot of moisturizers), and is usually safer and cleaner than the available water. I've seen claims that it is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral, but don't know if there is actual research on that. But apparently drinking cow urine as protection against CV19 is now a "thing" in some parts of India. 🤢

[Guest]

40 minutes ago, sassenach said:

Viruses aren’t as complex as human. They are pretty simple, actually. A lot of how they work depends on their shape and a few small chemical attractions. So a small change can be pretty simple and random and result in a different action. Also, viruses replicate inside our cells. They hijack our replication machinery and all their different parts are copied separately and then packaged together into a new virus. It’s easy to imagine how there might be a small change that happens in that process (like when amazon puts the wrong color socks or a random item in your box). 
 

All of this happens (mostly) because of chemical attractions and charges. There’s no “brain” in the operation. It’s very mechanical. 
 

ETA: some of these big crossover viruses happen because the same human or animal gets infected with 2 viruses at once and the viruses commingle as they’re replicating. This unlucky event happens more often in areas with a lot of crowded conditions and human/animal interaction. 

Thanks for that. 

Why hasn’t a known horrible germ, like Anthrax or Polio mutated into a new version? Or maybe that’s part of the goal of eradication plans. No host = no or virtually no ability to mutate. 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

Cow urine is used in Ayurvedic medicine as well as folk medicine in many cultures. I remember from my anthropology classes that nomadic pastoralists in East Africa bathed babies in it, because it's warm, sterile, has components that are good for skin (urea, which is included in a lot of moisturizers), and is usually safer and cleaner than the available water. I've seen claims that it is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral, but don't know if there is actual research on that. But apparently drinking cow urine as protection against CV19 is now a "thing" in some parts of India. 🤢

One time my pedicurist told me that toenail fungus remedies have urine in them. “Look on the bottle! ‘Urea’!” She also told me that Premarin, the progesterone cream, means “Pregnant Mare Urine”. I never had reason to investigate that claim but honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me that much. 

[DesertBlossom]

That Bill Gates, who has been warning of a pandemic eerily similar to exactly this, is somehow involved. 

[fairfarmhand]

Yeah I heard of the cow pee cure, which means I’m gonna be sitting pretty! (Joking)

[happypamama]

17 minutes ago, Quill said:

One time my pedicurist told me that toenail fungus remedies have urine in them. “Look on the bottle! ‘Urea’!” She also told me that Premarin, the progesterone cream, means “Pregnant Mare Urine”. I never had reason to investigate that claim but honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me that much. 

That one is true. 

[istillluvpink]

My 19 year old dd works at a pet supply store.  Last week she got a call from someone asking if they carried hand sanitizer.  She was confused and said no, but they do have it by the register to use while shopping.  She thought maybe that's what they meant.  But no, the caller wanted to know if they carried hand sanitizer for PETS!  🙄

[SamanthaCarter]

New, improved masks!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OH_Homeschooler]

23 minutes ago, istillluvpink said:

My 19 year old dd works at a pet supply store.  Last week she got a call from someone asking if they carried hand sanitizer.  She was confused and said no, but they do have it by the register to use while shopping.  She thought maybe that's what they meant.  But no, the caller wanted to know if they carried hand sanitizer for PETS!  🙄

 

The thinking there could be  that someone who handles pets would find it convenient to have hand sanitizer nearby, so a pet store might have some to sell. I've always seen bottles at the reception desk at vet offices. My biggest bottle of hand sanitizer is near the cat litter. I always wash my hands after cleaning the litter boxes but I just like to have it nearby in case I need to touch something before I get to a sink. Same after I pet my dog.  I'm kind of impressed with someone thinking a pet store might have some TBH.

And heck, now they sell horse hair conditioner in people stores, so why not? 😂

 

[cintinative]

36 minutes ago, istillluvpink said:

My 19 year old dd works at a pet supply store.  Last week she got a call from someone asking if they carried hand sanitizer.  She was confused and said no, but they do have it by the register to use while shopping.  She thought maybe that's what they meant.  But no, the caller wanted to know if they carried hand sanitizer for PETS!  🙄

 You are supposed to sanitize your hands after handling reptiles like snakes or turtles. They can carry salmonella on their skin/shell.

[Katy]

Someone I know posted something slightly misleading on Facebook last night about this all being made up, but then said to make sure to click through and read the comments.

When I clicked through even by three pages of scrolling I couldn't find the original post, but I did find that the woman who posted it is very confused about whether this is totally fake and doesn't actually kill anyone (apparently as evidenced by people in Wuhan yelling fake), OR if it is a plot to reduce the population of the world to 500 million, who knows to what end.

 

I've also seen a surprising number of liberal athiests post things indicating this is mother earth getting revenge for pollution and if we don't change our ways she will kill us all with another outbreak even worse than this.

Then there's the wikipedia page on Misinformation about Covid-19.

[sassenach]

1 hour ago, Quill said:

Thanks for that. 

Why hasn’t a known horrible germ, like Anthrax or Polio mutated into a new version? Or maybe that’s part of the goal of eradication plans. No host = no or virtually no ability to mutate. 

There are 3 types of polio. I think 2 are eradicated. Anthrax is a bacteria so it’s a little different. Bacteria obviously mutates but it’s way more complex than a virus so the mutations behave differently. I’d have to go look it up but I think sheep are anthrax carriers? It’s definitely more connected to agriculture. Anthrax is still out in the wild but now we have antibiotics. 
 

ETA: Quill, mutations and cross species leaps are what pathogens have always and will always do. This is their nature. I think because we have grown up in an age of antibiotics, antivirals, and sanitation, we have become disconnected from that reality. 

Edited March 18, 2020 by sassenach

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Katy said:

Someone I know posted something slightly misleading on Facebook last night about this all being made up, but then said to make sure to click through and read the comments.

When I clicked through even by three pages of scrolling I couldn't find the original post, but I did find that the woman who posted it is very confused about whether this is totally fake and doesn't actually kill anyone (apparently as evidenced by people in Wuhan yelling fake), OR if it is a plot to reduce the population of the world to 500 million, who knows to what end.

 

I've also seen a surprising number of liberal athiests post things indicating this is mother earth getting revenge for pollution and if we don't change our ways she will kill us all with another outbreak even worse than this.

Then there's the wikipedia page on Misinformation about Covid-19.

Twice now, I have been thisclose to putting up a post on FB informing my “friends” that any friend of mine who is still posting some version of this is a hoax/it’s just the flu/there’s no such thing will be at minimum snoozed by me for 30 days. It angers me.  But then I ask myself what the purpose is of informing people rather than just carrying it out, so I haven’t posted. But there is a part of me that wants those people to know how hurtful and upsetting their dismissals are to those of us with loved ones in harm’s way, or who are experiencing the fallout from this disease. (Lost income, unable to go to nursing home, etc.) 

[gardenmom5]

Some ER told a person that it was impossible to have both the flu and coronavirus at the same time.  thunk.  (this was a *medical* person who said it!)

[gardenmom5]

3 minutes ago, Quill said:

Twice now, I have been thisclose to putting up a post on FB informing my “friends” that any friend of mine who is still posting some version of this is a hoax/it’s just the flu/there’s no such thing will be at minimum snoozed by me for 30 days. It angers me.  But then I ask myself what the purpose is of informing people rather than just carrying it out, so I haven’t posted. But there is a part of me that wants those people to know how hurtful and upsetting their dismissals are to those of us with loved ones in harm’s way, or who are experiencing the fallout from this disease. (Lost income, unable to go to nursing home, etc.) 

my friend gave up begging people to believe and take it seriously (most unbelievers are starting to understand as it's arrived here).  finally - she posted a picture of herself geared up for work.  she's a phlebotomist at Evergreen Hospital. (where they've had over 40 deaths.)

[Katy]

36 minutes ago, Quill said:

Twice now, I have been thisclose to putting up a post on FB informing my “friends” that any friend of mine who is still posting some version of this is a hoax/it’s just the flu/there’s no such thing will be at minimum snoozed by me for 30 days. It angers me.  But then I ask myself what the purpose is of informing people rather than just carrying it out, so I haven’t posted. But there is a part of me that wants those people to know how hurtful and upsetting their dismissals are to those of us with loved ones in harm’s way, or who are experiencing the fallout from this disease. (Lost income, unable to go to nursing home, etc.) 

 

Then you're more patient than me.  I've put three people on a 30 day snooze already!

[MercyA]

2 hours ago, Quill said:

She also told me that Premarin, the progesterone cream, means “Pregnant Mare Urine”. I never had reason to investigate that claim but honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me that much. 

This is true and it is a horribly cruel industry. 😞 The mares used for drug production are confined in tiny stalls for six months at a time, without room to turn around or take more than a few steps forward or backward. Cumbersome urine collection devices are attached to them, which makes it difficult for them to lie down comfortably. Their water is restricted to make their urine more concentrated. Their foals are taken from them early and the whole process is begun again, until the mares are worn out and sent to slaughter. 

What a world.

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, Katy said:

 

Then you're more patient than me.  I've put three people on a 30 day snooze already!

Oh, I’ve put people on snooze. I just haven’t told them, publicly or privately, that I’m doing it. That is the part I have debated about. 

[Slache]

The Fed knew they were causing a huge economic collapse so they created the virus as a cover up.

[istillluvpink]

3 hours ago, OH_Homeschooler said:

 

The thinking there could be  that someone who handles pets would find it convenient to have hand sanitizer nearby, so a pet store might have some to sell. I've always seen bottles at the reception desk at vet offices. My biggest bottle of hand sanitizer is near the cat litter. I always wash my hands after cleaning the litter boxes but I just like to have it nearby in case I need to touch something before I get to a sink. Same after I pet my dog.  I'm kind of impressed with someone thinking a pet store might have some TBH.

And heck, now they sell horse hair conditioner in people stores, so why not? 😂

 

No, they didn't want sanitizer for human hands.  They were calling to see if the store sold hand sanitizer to use on their pets.  Specifically their dog!

[rebcoola]

That china  genetically engineered it to rid them of their elderly cheaply.

That it's a plot to get Trump out of office.

That it is conspiracy to get us all home so they (Democrats?) can confiscate our guns.  Really no clue how being home with your guns makes it easier to take them💭

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

 

Wouldn't that be foot or wing or fin sanitizer?  

maybe they had a pet monkey.

 

[Matryoshka]

On 3/18/2020 at 11:23 AM, Quill said:

Thanks for that. 

Why hasn’t a known horrible germ, like Anthrax or Polio mutated into a new version? Or maybe that’s part of the goal of eradication plans. No host = no or virtually no ability to mutate. 

Fortunately,  with a virus it's absolutely (not virtually) no replication  (or mutation) without a host. Biologists don't even currently classify viruses as being 'alive' at all, since they can't reproduce on their own - and I think another criteria is that they don't have to 'eat'. But unfortunately,  it only has to be in one host to start spreading all over again. 

Bacteria (like anthrax) are completely different - living organisms that take in nutrients and process to waste, and can reproduce all on their own.  They can mutate much more easily/quickly than multi-celled organisms due to their super-short life cycles and just being one cell, but nowhere as easily as a virus, which needs to hijack someone else's genetic material to copy itself (and has a relatively tiny amount of its own, which magnifies any changes)

Edited March 24, 2020 by Matryoshka