Coronavirus

[johnboy]

Why is this a big deal? A few hundred deaths out of millions of people doesn't seem like a big reason to panic to me. More people die from the flu than this virus so why the big panic around the world? What am I missing here? All conspiracy theories accepted.

[Thumper]

I’d think they’d want to keep as isolated as possible as they have yet to develop a vaccine against it. Keeping it as isolated as possible would make it a lot easier to eliminate than it would if it’s spread all over the world. Of course, that’s JMHO.

[Big Skyz]

My wife is a nurse and all the nurses and doctors at her work are baffled by the concern over coronavirus. They have the same attitude that the flu that is going around the nation this year is much more deadly and dangerous than the coronavirus. To them and many of us the coronavirus is misplaced concern.

[quercus alba]

all the pharmaceutical companies love it. They can push sugar capsules laced with an antihistamine and make a gazillion dollars if the medical industry can create a scare of a world wide epidemic of a new virus (IE a variation of the common cold)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Say what?

BKB

[Penguin]

I don't know fellas.... this thing looks pretty bad to me.

All we know for sure is that it is moving lightning fast and that it has killed quite a few people. Nothing else. The data coming out of China is not accurate or precise. And unless you think the party officials over there are skewing the data to make things look worse than they are? Well, we know it is worse than they say and what they are saying is bad enough. You don't lock down a city of 10 million people and throw away a Trillion USD in economic activity nationwide on a whim, right?

We just don't know. And that goes for just about everyone. Viruses are very hard to predict because they can and often do mutate to become more deadly. Read up about the old Spanish Flu pandemic and you'll see that it went through once and they didn't think it was a virus because it didn't kill enough people. Then it made a second pass through and they didn't think it was a virus because that time it was much too deadly. I've read that doctors think it mutated and went from bad to lethal.

I don't think any flu is something to sneeze at (see what I did there :)), but this one could be something like we haven't seen in our lifetimes. We'll have to wait and see I suppose. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Will

[Thumper]

It’s a Catch-22 imo. Take the precautions we’re taking now and catch hell for over-reacting. Take a soft approach and get skewered for not doing enough if it gets out of hand. I have no clue what is right and what is wrong, but I think it’s a good idea to err on the side of caution until we get the facts, research and vaccines developed. To say the flu is killing more people “now”, doesn’t mean the flu will be more deadly tomorrow. Why ignore it and let it run rampant, then try to play catch-up?

[quercus alba]

I've got a pretty good working knowledge about the Spanish Lady and I'm not convinced that it would have been nearly as lethal if not under under wartime conditions. We lost 8% of the American population primarily young adults due to the fact that they were crammed into over crowded barracks and battle ships. Add to the fact that every doctor and nurse (retired or other wise) was conscripted into service and you had medical students with less than a semester of training operating the hospitals, then you've got a recipe for disaster. Then we had a president (Wilson) and a hand picked Surgeon General that never admitted that we had an epidemic, just the plain old flu they said. Money, Supplies and medical personnel were dedicated 100% to the war effort. Fatigue from battle and training along with a shortage of food and supplies created a perfect storm. Experts estimate that 40 to 200 million people died worldwide from the Spanish Flu but it would have been much less catastrophic under normal conditions. It was very deadly but, our government played a large role in the American causalities.

Wilson was pushed into WW1 but one thing you can say, he was in it to win win it.

If I die of the Cronosvirus then you can mock me for being wrong

[Thumper]

We lost 8% of the American population primarily young adults due to the fact that they were crammed into over crowded barracks and battle ships.

Ummmm, these days, the airlines carry 2.7 million passengers DAILY ... ya' can't pack 'em in much tighter than that. 30 million people per year pack themselves onto cruise ships. It's a different world.

I don't know the answer, I'm just glad SOMEBODY is grabbing the bull by the horns. At least until we figure out what's going on here.

BTW, our military is STILL packed onto ships, planes and barracks.

[quercus alba]

you've got a point there Jim but it wasn't like that in 1917, however, we're probably not any better prepared for an airborne killer today.

[Penguin]

QA: I'd never do that.... :)

I know how it can grate on my nerves to hear people predicting doom (DOOMED I say!) when I don't think it is in the cards. And I don't blame anyone for holding an opinion. In this case I just don't know what to make of it. How could I? I'm an engineer, I don't know crap about viruses! Hell, I have trouble making sense of what the experts do have to say. So although I am leery of predicting that this thing is a potential pandemic of historic proportions I am nowhere near predicting that it isn't any worse than regular flu.

So what can we do? Look at what is being done, not at what is being said.

China? Man they've locked that joint up. It's been closed for business for a week and will stay closed for another one. They've got entire cities and provinces completely locked down. They've got people dying in hospital waiting rooms. Bodies stacked up in hallways awaiting removal. And insiders saying that they are categorizing flu deaths and everything but in order to play down this thing.

Either the Chinese ruling party lost it's shit and overreacted or this thing is an entirely different animal than regular flu.

Will

[Thumper]

Historically, if China admits a problem, what they DO report, is usually just the tip of the iceberg. Time will tell. I’m clueless and am simply watching from the sidelines.

[Penguin]

Me too Jim. And praying that it doesn't make it over here. We all have people who are young or old or have compromised immune systems. They are all vulnerable to the flu of any kind.

As for myself, I have been battling a chest infection for just over a week now and a good case of the flu would probably kick my bucket.

Will

[Thumper]

If you have what I have ... you're in it for the long haul. I started coughing and hacking the day after Christmas ... and STILL am, along with bringing up phlegm. I blamed it on being around a bazillion runny-nosed little kids on Christmas Eve (party at friend's house with all their grand kids present). Lynn came down with it a couple days after me. At it's worst, she missed 7 days of work plus 2 ruined weekends (she didn't want to spread it), but she's also still coughing. It's been over a month now and I'm .... ummm, WE'RE TIRED of it! :(

We do get flu shots annually, but this isn't flu-like ... it's all in the chest and WILL NOT go away!

[HideHunter]

11207

Just so you know.. You're not allowed to put anything on FB that isn't true..

[HideHunter]

11208

[Thumper]

I ain't askeered ... I DRINK the dang stuff!


11209

[Thumper]

11207

Just so you know.. You're not allowed to put anything on FB that isn't true..

Ha ha ha! Yeppers, it's there!


Numerous social media posts falsely suggest that because Clorox and Lysol products list “Human Coronavirus” on their bottles, the new coronavirus driving the outbreak in China was already known. It wasn’t. There are many human coronaviruses, and these products were tested against a strain that causes the common cold.

Full story: https://www.factcheck.org/2020/01/no-clorox-and-lysol-didnt-already-know-about-new-coronavirus/

[quercus alba]

You win Gene, I can't compete with that

[Thumper]

You win Gene, I can't compete with that

That little thing?? I can. ;)

[quercus alba]

Man, I walked right into that one didn't I. You'd think a guy would learn

[johnboy]

Been reading some interesting papers that strongly suggest that the evolution of this virus has not followed a normal progression. In other words, its genetic code has been manipulated. Did something escape?

[Thumper]

The Russians did it!

[Penguin]

I read that they had documented a very odd (fast) mutation when the disease was transmitted between members of a family. Could be bad news. Who knows? Nobody...

And that scares people. Even more than they already are. I can only imagine what those poor souls in China have to be going through. I seldom pray, but I've sent one out for those folks.

Will

[johnboy]

Captain Trips finally here?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Wasn’t the shifting antigen the thing that made Captain Trips so deadly?

And someone mentioned the big flu pandemic in the early 1900s that killed over a million people. Consider this: Flu viruses have mutated to be less deadly, causing their hosts to spread it more than it did when it more often killed its host. Nature always finds a way doesn’t it?

BKB

[quercus alba]

When you kill your host you do tend to have a shorter lifespan.

Also, if this is Captain Trips then I'm headed to Hemingford Home Nebraska hunting mother Abigail fer sure

[johnboy]

Don't know if any of you are twitter users but some very disturbing video from China (Wuhan in particular) is being posted. This is a way bigger problem than we were first led to believe.

Yeah Barry, Earth abides.

[Penguin]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/21/coronavirus-kills-wuhan-doctor-hundreds-infected-china-prisons

When you have young doctors contracting the disease and shortly thereafter departing for the celestial realm it may be time to admit that this thing is worse than we've been told. These people know what to look for and can count on getting top notch care.

Will

[Thumper]

Well, hasn't anyone here read "The Eyes of Darkness" by Dean Koontz? That'll tell ya' where this Wuhan-400 .... ummm, I mean "Coronavirus" came from. :stirthepot

[BarryBobPosthole]

You and Tom Cotton and Dean Koontz.

What a trio.

BKB

[Thumper]

:biggrin

[quercus alba]

I’ve met Tom Cotton and I’m not impressed to say the least. Of course, politicians in general are goobers and are impressive only in the level of gooberness they achieve

[BarryBobPosthole]

He exceeds most recommended daily amounts of gooberneity.
BKB

[Penguin]

RJ Gottlieb showing the proper response to being told that coronavirus had been diagnosed in his hometown. :p


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu1vswTArOA

[quercus alba]

There’s a young lady in his office that is sharp as a tack and probably keeps his goobernacity from running unchecked. I’d vote for her in a heartbeat

[Thumper]

RJ Gottlieb showing the proper response to being told that coronavirus had been diagnosed in his hometown.

Ha ha Willy! When I first started that video I thought I was gonna see some smokin' rubber. As soon as he started I thought dang ... he's runnin' a mighty tall gear! Then I realized he was shootin' for top end. Wow! 220 on a country road would be a white-knuckler. 187 was my tops on the street and it sure upped the heart rate as I found out a flat stretch of highway ain't really all that flat! 'Course I was rolling on 60's technology also AND it was my daily driver, but I can't even imagine 220 on the “street”.

I'm assuming that video was from the Silver State Challenge? I remember when the rural Nevada highways had no speed limit. I believe the speed limit signs read something like: "Limited to highway conditions" or something similar. All that meant was they suggest you slow down if it's raining. Of course, how often does it rain in Nevada? ;) ('Course, during the SSC, it would be a closed course)

I think the no speed limit thing was also in Montana back in the day. (?)

[Hombre]

MOON

[BarryBobPosthole]

lol that’s an appropriate character for you Hombre!

BKB

[HideHunter]

187 was my tops on the street and it sure upped the heart rate as I found out a flat stretch of highway ain't really all that flat! 'Course I was rolling on 60's technology also AND it was my daily driver, but I can't even imagine 220 on the “street”.

147 - police radar.. my daily driver.. you win.. ;) Edit: oh and for the record - the highway patrolman knew who I was - but didn't come after me.. Knew he couldn't catch me - and knew where I was going.. I later coached his boys in Little League..

[Chicken Dinner]

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[Thumper]

Ha ha ha! Good one! ;)

[Thumper]

187 was my tops on the street and it sure upped the heart rate as I found out a flat stretch of highway ain't really all that flat! 'Course I was rolling on 60's technology also AND it was my daily driver, but I can't even imagine 220 on the “street”.

147 - police radar.. my daily driver.. you win.. ;) Edit: oh and for the record - the highway patrolman knew who I was - but didn't come after me.. Knew he couldn't catch me - and knew where I was going.. I later coached his boys in Little League..

Ha ha! The "patrolman knew me" story reminds me of an old Thump story (college days). Maybe I'll take the time to tell it one of these days. (probably nobody here will read it, but the memories would be fun for me!) ;)

[Penguin]

Yeah that's getting with it for a naturally aspirated 4-speed. More than I would have ever wanted to experience on a two lane asphalt road. :)

Will

[BarryBobPosthole]

Prolly on recap tires too!

BKb

[Thumper]

Yessir, Willie, my fastest mentioned above was in my High School hot rod (completed during the summer between h/s and college) and was my daily driver in college believe it or not. I can't imagine how much more fun that little car would have been with a little bit of today's technology. It was my street car, but set up as a barn burner that was "good" at a standing start, but better at top end (3:55 rear gear), but what added to the fun was it was also set up to be a decent little road racer (over sized sway bars, a nice set of springs, etc) but disc brakes would have sure been nice! To mention your old boss, we snagged a set of sintered iron brake shoes from Mark Donohue when he was running the Trans Am Camaro for Roger Penske. Thanks Captain! (You'll understand that one Willie) ;) . I didn't have power brakes and when those things were cold, I had to STAND ON 'EM to get the car whoa'd down, but the saving grace was, the hotter they got, the better they worked. No power drains on that car, no fan (had electric), no a/c, no power steering ... nothing but the alternator. It was just all motor bolted directly to the transaxel. Dad blueprinted the LT1 crate motor (he was a wiz on head work) and added Manley sodium filled valves, an "experimental" Crane cam that Harvey Crane (an old friend) sent us along with his roller rockers (kind of a bitch on a street car) but it would keep pulling until I'd "chicken out" and shift! I could go on and on, but I know I get excited reminiscing and would bore most here. The sad part is, I had to store that car at Mom and Dad's house when I went into the military. They hauled it with them when they moved from Memphis to Tulsa, OK, but when they moved to Los Angeles, it was a bit of a burden, so wrote me and I ok'd the sale to a Chevy dealer in Tulsa to put on his showroom floor to build a bit of walk-in traffic. I never saw the car again after returning from the military and have no clue whatever happened to it. :(

My second best on the street was 167 in my stock '98 Corvette. I might have been able to squeeze another 1-2 mph in if I'd had a tailwind and more straight road, but the passenger window suddenly sucked out past the blowout clip and scared the bejeebers out'ta me! I thought the Targa top had blown off! Man did things get loud all of a sudden! I slowed her back down and the door glass laid right back into place like nuttin' ever happened. ;)

[Thumper]

Prolly on recap tires too!

BKb

Ha ha ha! Seems I remember a post about re-caps a while back. Do they even still make those for passenger cars? I'm sure they do, but I have no clue really.

[BarryBobPosthole]

There used to be a place in a little town close to where I grew up that recapped old tires, mainly for commercial vehicles. Places still do it, mainly for commercial vehicles. You still see recaps from truck tires strewn all over the highways.
The place in Wister, Oklahoma would take your old ‘cores’ and sell you a recap for $10. I think it was like $12.50 if you didn’t have a core. For a broke country boy they were awesome! I shudder to think of how many times I drove 80+ on two lane blacktop county roads on $10 tires. My buddy Mallard’s tires were so worn on his pickup in our senior year, we called his tires ‘Goodyear Bald Eagles’. But it got us around.

His muffler wasn’t clamped on good either and there is a half true story out there (legend?) about me picking up a hot muffler bare handed. The half true part was it didn’t really stick to my hands like Mallard says it did. It sure enough blistered both of them though!

BKB

[HideHunter]

I didn't "build" my car.. I had a '67 MG for sale and a kid offered me almost exactly what I was asking.. and his car.. He told me it was built to the max - but I didn't know how much until he handed me the receipts along with title.. In short, it was a 406 tri-power - balanced, blue printed.. dual points.. ya da ya da.. Had a ball with it.. sold it.. wish I had it back..

[Thumper]

Wow H/H, I’d totally forgotten about the old Ford 406! I assume you had a ‘62-‘63 Galaxie? I believe they only had that engine for one year. I think that was when EVERYBODY had engines over 400 cid, but Ford just had the 390. They just bored the 390 to 406 if I remember correctly. Dang, I wonder how many of those still exist?

[Penguin]

I know that feeling.... getting the itch myself. Haven't built one for quite a while.

Thinking (if I do a build) that I'll reskin my 2004 Silverado and then do a build on the engine. Reprogram the shift points on the transmission. On this truck I think a 350 hp/400 ft-lb engine ought to make it scoot without doing too much damage on mileage. On the Gen III it is easy to go in thinking restraint and end up with a 450 hp engine that gets about 10 mpg...

Will

[BarryBobPosthole]

I’ve never heard of the 406. I assume it was like the GM 409, just an overbored short block? Did they blow up a lot?

BKB

[Thumper]

Hidey-ho, that MG reminds me of a story. I had a (rich) buddy (a few years older than me) who got a brand new TR4 for his birthday (or Christmas, or graduation, can’t remember). We were out cruising one night and I had just finished drinking a Coke and was going to toss the empty can at a street sign as we drove by. I hung my arm out the window and was going to “flip” it up toward the sign as we passed. Man-o-man, big mistake! My hand hit the ground and I ended up with major pavement rash on all four of my knuckles! That thing was like a frigging go-kart!

[HideHunter]

Wow H/H, I’d totally forgotten about the old Ford 406! I assume you had a ‘62-‘63 Galaxie? I believe they only had that engine for one year. I think that was when EVERYBODY had engines over 400 cid, but Ford just had the 390. They just bored the 390 to 406 if I remember correctly. Dang, I wonder how many of those still exist?

Body was a '60 Sunliner convertible.. engine was out of a '63.. if I remember right.. BIL is big into vintage muscle (he's a Chevy man).. Said just a few years ago, interest really piqued in these motors.. I guess Tri-power was really rare.. anyway.. said the motor would probably bring 20 grand.. (I didn't get quite that much ;) )

[BarryBobPosthole]

I had a good friend that own a mid 60’s model Triumph in the early 70’s. He had kinky hair and had it grown out pretty long. He used to don a top hat sometimes when he’d drive with the top down. We got some pretty hostile reactions from rednecks in those days.

BKB

[Thumper]

I’ve never heard of the 406. I assume it was like the GM 409, just an overbored short block? Did they blow up a lot? BKB

TBH P-hole, I don’t really remember. They put out some pretty decent power, but not quite what the big boys were doing. Plus, I think it was only available in the Galaxi which was a pretty heavy car. They were decent runners, but anything more than your bread and butter street racer would take it. It could be a bit of a sleeper though because most of the Galaxies weren’t running that option. I think the three 2’s HH mentioned was a factory option.

Edit: I see HH added a few details as I was posting.

[BarryBobPosthole]

11280

[Thumper]

Ha! Good one!

(Izzat Johnboy?) ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

It may be!

One little factoid I learned from this is that facemasks don’t keep you from getting germs, itkeeps you from spreading them.

So why are all these assholes wearing facemasks then?

BKB

[Penguin]

Food for thought....


11331

[BarryBobPosthole]

It is food for thought for sure. Everybody seems to that statistic means they won’t be affected. Yay. Both of my parents are in their 80’s and my MIL is 79. I am seriously worried as my parents are out in the public all the damn time.

No big loss though as long as its just old people I guess. That seems to be the popular opinion.

I know that’s not what you meant, Willy, but I definitely get that vibe from seeing reactions to thatnumber here and there.
BKB

[BarryBobPosthole]

Also is that US deaths or world wide?

[Thumper]

I just got off the phone with a nurse at the VA Clinical Contact Center. She wanted me to report directly to the ER, but said she had a few questions to ask me first. It was basically screening for the possibility of Corona Virus contact.

[BarryBobPosthole]

The first documented case of the dreaded Coronaclap.

BKB

[Penguin]

Also is that US deaths or world wide?

Posty I think that is a) world wide and b) the best that can be guessed at this time. There's a bit of uncertainty with the numbers BUT the death toll is more firm outside China than inside it. So it is evolving. That's the best we have at this point.

It will be interesting (in a really morbid and tasteless way) to see how the US health care system works through this. We have a lot of uninsured people who would be bankrupted just by getting tested and put into isolation. You have a lot of people with unbelievably high deductibles who are in similar shape. Hell, we are showing our ass just trying to get our system in position to test for this. So how does a system designed to extract as much money as possible from anyone who comes in contact with it perform when it is called on to deal with a real health crisis and help actual people get healthier..... in service of the health of the whole?

I don't know but I'm guessing the answer is not what we would like.

Will

[BarryBobPosthole]

The outcomes could be pretty enormous as we’re already seeing.

Its like the world is one big biology experiment. I think in biology its called an ‘overshoot’?

BKB

[Penguin]

Maybe so Barry. I do think this exposes US weaknesses in ways that haven't been made this evident in a long time.

I do hope it can be slowed down enough to where it might recede with warm weather. Then maybe they can get a vaccine for next autumn. Mean time I'll tell you one thing, If I was president and I wanted to get this thing slowed down the first thing I would do is call on congress to make everything related to this virus taken care of gratis via the taxpayer. Letting people spread the virus (and keep it coming back again and again) due to lack of ability to pay? Madness. Get it done and quit screwing around.

Will

[Thumper]

FREE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL!!! ;)

[Thumper]

Says the guy who just had his credit card swiped to cover Lynn’s $800 copay charges. :(

[Penguin]

I feel your pain Jimmy. :p

Call it what you wish, I am not alone in the rural hinterlands in my views on the HC system. A lot of country folks, hell a lot of Trump supporters even, feel the same. Our system is a disgrace. I wish I could change it. I can't.... so I just gripe about it to everyone who will listen. :o

Will

[Chicken Dinner]

The first documented case of the dreaded Coronaclap.

BKB

Bam! Pure comedy gold, Jerry.


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[BarryBobPosthole]

Jerry?

if it did spread across a large part of the US population, it could potentially affect our demographics in many ways. Take out 20% of the 65+ crowd and what happens to political bases? What happens to marketing strategies? What happens when decisions have to be made about who gets treatment and who doesn’t? And lastly and maybe most importantly, will there still be 70’s classic rock and roll on most of the commercials?

If what is happening on that cruise ship that is parked off of SF with 3500 people on board and the people in that nursing home in Washington state is any example its gonna be brutal.

Never seen anything like it. We ought to be marching in the damned streets.

BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

Obscure Seinfeld reference. Hear George Costanza in your head when you read it.


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[BarryBobPosthole]

The latest from the CDC....because hand sanitizer and masks are sold out now, this is available now at Petsmart. Keeps you from touching your face.

BKB


11332

[Thumper]

Hmmm, interesting thought about the changing demographics if the virus kills off all us old folks. The younger crowd is where Bernie has his biggest draw. Get rid of the old farts in this country and make room for Socialism! Ummm, you don’t think the Russians are meddling with our virus’ do you? ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

It seems to be perfectly tailored to do just that.

But thats tin foil hat stuff!

BKB

[BarryBobPosthole]

Austin just cancelled SXSW. That’s a YUGE economic hit for Austin.

BKB

[DeputyDog]

Formula 1 has stopped ticket sales for the Bahrain GP and the Formula E race in Rome has been canceled. That’s some big money there too.

Indiana has its first confirmed case now. A guy from Indy that has recently traveled to Boston.




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[Thumper]

Songkran (Thai New Year) celebrations have been cancelled in Thailand. That will devastate the tourist areas, hotels, restaurants, etc. Songkran is HUGE in Thailand.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I will say one thing that I think is happening. I thought that Pence was an odd choice for this task force when I heard it. But when you consider that its a no-win situation for whoever leads it, I think Trump is going to use it as an excuse to dump Pence in November and make Nikki Hailey his running mate.

Pence is too dumb to see it coming.

BKB

[DeputyDog]

First Formula 1 decides to hold their race in Bahrain without any spectators, Italy is on virtual lockdown, now the Ivy League has canceled their basketball conference tourneys.

I wonder how that and the whole corona thing will affect the NCAA tournament?

I also saw where a college in Kentucky cancelled their entire second semester and is making the students move out by this weekend even though there has been no documented cases there.

Is this an overreaction or is this stuff that dangerous?


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[BarryBobPosthole]

my own take on itis that its dangerous to older folks and for those folks who have compromised health. I guess it does seem an overreaction for those it wouldn’t kill. the upshot if it isn’t contained we have the potential to lose not tens but hundred of thousands of people.
Would it be considered an overreaction then?

BKB

[Penguin]

It's very hard to tell if it's warranted or not. I heard a doctor who's treated a good many of the victims of this thing say it was only serious for maybe 20% of those who catch it. These were the ones where it moved from the sinuses into the lungs.

But it "seemed" to start damaging the lungs like pneumonia almost as soon as it moved into the lungs. Permanent damage? He didn't know.

In any event, even if it only kills one in several hundred of the young who get it... Who would willingly roll the dice?

[DeputyDog]

I just checked the CDC’s stats and from Oct. 1 to Feb. 1 there have been over 12,000 deaths from the flu in the US and by the time the final stats are in it could be as high as 30,000. That’s 2,400 - 6,000 people a month. Why isn’t there a panic over the flu? It seems to target the same people as corona.


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[Penguin]

People are getting spooked because this new virus has a fatality rate maybe 20 to 30 times that of the normal flu.... at least that's what it looks like now.

And it seems to be much easier to catch. The best way I've heard it described is that IF these numbers hold most of us will get it and all of us will know someone who does from it.

Will

[Chicken Dinner]

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[DeputyDog]

I see that several major universities are going to online only classes and are advising students to go home and stay there for the next several weeks.

This thing is going to shut this country down.


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[Penguin]

It might well do it. I'm hoping when some of this uncertainty gets better defined it isn't as bad as it looks now. The numbers have a big error bar now... Later?

Will

[Arty]

My job is 60%-75% travel. 3-4 days a week I travel, and cover the entire state of Virginia and West Virginia.

Was told today that there will be no more travel effective tomorrow until further notice. I have to have my ass home by COB tomorrow.

We will work virtually until further notice.
And as cool as that sounds to people that can’t work from home... that starts to suck after a week. I was home bound after my thumb surgery for about 6 weeks, and I thought I was gonna go insane.

I do find the timing of this be very interesting. Read into that what you will.


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[BarryBobPosthole]

George Soros conspiracy theory in 5,4,3,2,1.....

BkB

[Arty]

I didn’t say anything about a conspiracy.
I said it’s interesting.


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[DeputyDog]

George Soros conspiracy theory in 5,4,3,2,1.....

BkB

This coming from the guy who said the Trump put Pence in charge of the response so he could replace him. That kinda sounds like a conspiracy theory to me.


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[BarryBobPosthole]

at least with my story, we’ll get to see it happen!

BKB

[Penguin]

Yeah, we just got news that spring break has been extended to two weeks starting next week.... and that we have to transition to "digital format" after that. Except that I don't know what in particular that means. Online lectures? Just assigning and taking up homework online? Both neither? Something else entirely?

Needless to say we're in a bit of a snit here figuring out what is what. :p

Will

[HideHunter]

11342

[DeputyDog]

Wow, this is huge! NCAA tournaments to be played without fans.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28885422/ncaa-says-tournament-go-fans


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[Thumper]

Wow, this is huge! NCAA tournaments to be played without fans.

Don't they have a/c? ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

^^^^^there’s one in every crowd.

so🐝

[Thumper]

^^^^^there’s one in every crowd.

so��

:biggrin

[Thumper]

I belong to a "chat group" (like GoodHunting) in Thailand and a doctor in the group posted this a couple days ago. It's food for thought. (sorry, I guess you could call this a "Thump post")

I'm a doctor and an Infectious Diseases Specialist. I've been at this for more than 20 years seeing sick patients on a daily basis. I have worked in inner city hospitals and in the poorest slums of Africa. HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis, TB, SARS, Measles, Shingles, Whooping cough, Diphtheria...there is little I haven't been exposed to in my profession. And with notable exception of SARS, very little has left me feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed or downright scared.

I am not scared of Covid-19. I am concerned about the implications of a novel infectious agent that has spread the world over and continues to find new footholds in different soil. I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19.

What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. I am scared that our hospitals will be overwhelmed with anyone who thinks they " probably don't have it but may as well get checked out no matter what because you just never know..." and those with heart failure, emphysema, pneumonia and strokes will pay the price for overfilled ER waiting rooms with only so many doctors and nurses to assess.

I am scared that travel restrictions will become so far reaching that weddings will be canceled, graduations missed and family reunions will not materialize. And well, even that big party called the Olympic Games...that could be kyboshed too. Can you even imagine?

I'm scared those same epidemic fears will limit trade, harm partnerships in multiple sectors, business and otherwise and ultimately culminate in a global recession.

But mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, open-mindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested.

Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviors and "fight for yourself above all else" attitude could prove disastrous.

I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let's meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing.

Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts.
Our children will thank us for it.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I dunno Jimbo. I hate to see all of those things that people and governments and companies and teams are doing too. But I also think your doctor friend is sticking his head in the sand a bit. Or maybe its the same false bravado we see some public figures displaying?

The numbers of older people that it could (and I said ‘could’ not ‘would’) kill are staggering. Are we willing to risk that so we can have big weddings? Baseball season, basketball season? What message will we be sending our kids when grandma and grandpa are gone and werefused to change the way we do things and went to those soccer games?

I don’t like over-reaction either and I get the message he’s saying. I’ll just say I don’t know. There seems to be no real voice of authority in America that is telling us enough facts to know what really is the logical and effective thing to do. And IMO, its that uncertainty that’s why the stock market is doing what its doing and is why we’re startingto see overreactions right and left.



BKB

[DeputyDog]

I think the biggest concern to me is all of the conflicting messages we are getting on it. The cancellations of large events world wide, the travel bans, hell, Italy has basically quarantined the entire country in their homes. Then on the other side it’s don’t panic and just wash your hands.

The solution is somewhere in the middle but the uncertainty is what is unnerving to everyone.


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[Penguin]

Well if it makes anyone feel better, most every government has mishandled this thing. We aren't unique... except in that we have a health system that is geared to make this type of situation worse than it needs to me. No one in power wants to looks weak or scared. They will not be ahead of the curve. The personal risk is too high if they turn out wrong. What we are doing now should have been done a month ago. Steps that should be taken now won't be. Not until public opinion allows it.

The mortality rate is still very much in the air. We know for a fact, now that the numbers aren't coming from China, that the death rate is substantially above that which the Chinese reported. The rate for Italy and Iran are VERY much higher. That will come down after the fact as they can get a good model on how many got it but displayed no symptoms. For now, if you have symptoms this thing is very serious.

Treatment will get better as time goes by. But that won't help in the next month or so while this thing descends on us.

Will

[Arty]

I dunno Jimbo. I hate to see all of those things that people and governments and companies and teams are doing too. But I also think your doctor friend is sticking his head in the sand a bit. Or maybe its the same false bravado we see some public figures displaying?

The numbers of older people that it could (and I said ‘could’ not ‘would’) kill are staggering. Are we willing to risk that so we can have big weddings? Baseball season, basketball season? What message will we be sending our kids when grandma and grandpa are gone and werefused to change the way we do things and went to those soccer games?

I don’t like over-reaction either and I get the message he’s saying. I’ll just say I don’t know. There seems to be no real voice of authority in America that is telling us enough facts to know what really is the logical and effective thing to do. And IMO, its that uncertainty that’s why the stock market is doing what its doing and is why we’re startingto see overreactions right and left.



BKB

Quid pro joe just gave a speech in some state and he said almost verbatim what trump said last night, except he kept saying “unlike trump, I will do x,y,z”.
But it was 1 billion percent the same thing trump said last night. Just in an uncle joe twist.

He then said “we need to knock out this bird flu and I’m the man to do it!”

Kidding on the last part...


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[Thumper]

It wouldn’t be the first time he’s been accused of plagiarism. ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

This social distancing deal carries more weight than I think we’re giving it credit for.

From a pandemic in our history


11346

[Penguin]

All true Posty.

AND it helps to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed. When that happens people die needlessly.

Will

[Chicken Dinner]

That really is the best argument for just shutting everything down for a couple of weeks. Overall illness won’t be change that much, but spreading it will allow our healthcare system to better deal with it.


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[Arty]

This social distancing deal carries more weight than I think we’re giving it credit for.

From a pandemic in our history


11346

And that flu peaked at 250 deaths per 100,000 based on that chart.
Corvid 19 has that beat by a mile.


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[Penguin]

And just like that.... I believe I have contracted it. And given it to my lovely wife. I was careful. Just to work and back. Couple trips to the store. Would get tested but I'm not sure southern WV even has tests yet.

Being a professor just doesn't lend itself to isolating yourself.

Anyway we're set up ok. And it isn't as bad as the stuff I had in January yet. And I've my fingers crossed that it won't get that way. Hell my lungs sounded like an acordian every time I let out a breath.

Will

[Thumper]

I was wondering when it was going to affect one of us here. Good luck with it Willie and try to keep us informed. You're young and strong, so I'd imagine it'll just be a temporary setback. Wishing you and the wife a speedy recovery.

I worry about the same scenario here. Although business is WAY down, I worry about Lynn working at the hotel. There are nothing but traveling visitors in and out of there. It doesn't seem like a good situation, but what can you do? If she gets it, I get it ... simple as that. I'm pushing 70 and already have enough health issues to deal with. :(

[BarryBobPosthole]

Take care of yourself Willy!

Thumper you’re immune system prolly has superpowers from all the crazy shit you eat.

BKB

[HideHunter]

Best of luck Will!

Good friend of mine was renting a place in Spain.. Sounds like he had a hell of a time getting out and they are in a self-imposed two week quarantine.. He has a beautiful place in the country a few miles from me. His neighbors are already plotting to place some kind of humorous "Quarantine" sign in his yard. I thought I'd buy a good bottle of bourbon, pull up to his house, set it in the driveway - honk and drive away..

[Penguin]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

I did stock up on Mucinex so we have decent flu medicine. If you can get it and Delsym it really helps with coughing and chest congestion.

This morning I tried an experiment to see if habanero sauce on eggs kills flu virus. :p

At least the power came back on. It went out at bedtime last night and didn't come back on till an hour ago. That would have made things more difficult. Maybe our luck is getting better.

Will

[BarryBobPosthole]

So, here’s a poser.

Companies are racing to develop a vaccine and the FDA is providing expedited processes to help it along. What the odds the companieswho get a product ready get exclusive patents on the vaccine?

And, should they?

BKB

[quercus alba]

They probably will but unless they can mass produce and distribute in a matter of weeks they shouldn’t.

[BarryBobPosthole]

The CDC holds a lot of patents on flu vaccines and bring in mucho denero with licensing fees.

I’m not sure how this one will work since its being developed by drug companies. Although much was provided for free, such as the dna sequence.


BKB

[Thumper]

And who gets sued 10 years from now when it's discovered the vaccine makes some people grow a third eyeball?

[Penguin]

Well I'll give a quick update on this end.

From first symptom to now is 5 days. And although it got bad on Saturday it didn't hit me nearly as hard as the flu in January did. I think I'm getting over it and have my fingers crossed.

My wife otoh is getting hit pretty hard by it. Fever, vomiting, persistent cough, extreme congestion, achy all over. The whole works. Its bad but I've got my eye on her and we're in touch with the doctors in case I need to run her in for care.

Will

PS: I forgot to pick up taters at the store... Now there ain't a spare spud in a hundred miles of here. :o

[Thumper]

Wishing you and especially your wife the best Willie.

Lynn and I were out doing a bit of shopping this weekend (food). The produce isles looked like they'd been attacked by a heard of buffalo. All three stores we went to were sold out of toilet paper and supplies such as Lysol, hand sanitizer, etc. This morning, I had to drop a package off at our local Walgreens and there were notices on the doors that they were sold out of TP, as well as a long list of other irems like rubber gloves, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, etc. etc. From there, I went to the Post Office and noticed the parking lot was practically empty .... waaaay different than any other Monday I've ever seen. BUT ... when I got to the door, the line was backed up all the way to the entrance! I thought, WTF? Where are all these people parked? Once I was able to enter the door, I realized there were very few people in line, but they were all standing 6-8 feet apart ... hence the backup to the door. On top of that, half the people in there were wearing face masks. The lady (customer) at the counter next to me was wearing a face mask AND plastic gloves. She paid her postage with cash and when the clerk handed her back her change (ONE NICKEL), she told the clerk to keep it because he's not wearing gloves, so she doesn't want it, then she walked out.

Ok, think about that last one folks. She was wearing gloves and had handed him money from her purse, but refused the "dirty" change! I looked at the clerk, he looked at me with a puzzled look and asked, "Did that make any sense?" I busted out laughing and said, "Not one bit!"

Caution is fine, but this whole thing is making some people stupid!

[Thumper]

Almost every restaurant in town, National chains included, have ended their dining room service, it's take-out or delivery only (should be a boon to Uber Eats, etc).

I just heard all AMC movie theaters are now closed. Lynn's dentist called this morning to inform her that they are closing the office for 2-months. (I hope she doesn't have a dental emergency!)

[johnboy]

Anybody wonder if we are in a war right now with China and don't actually know it?

[Thumper]

Like a typical Hollywood movie. Chinese scientists were developing a virus for the Chinese biological warfare department and some dufus dropped a vial, contaminating all scientists in the room. They were afraid to report it to their Commie supervisors, so went home after their shift, in turn, passing the virus on to their families. The rest of the story is developing on a daily basis.

[DeputyDog]

Wasn’t there a Tom Clancy book involving the plot to spread some sort of worldwide pandemic?


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[quercus alba]

Moron



Kentucky Man with Coronavirus Who Refused to Self-Quarantine Being Guarded by Police Officer

March 16, 2020, 10:08 am
One man who refused to follow quarantine orders despite his coronavirus diagnosis is now under guard as he’s forced to stay indoors, multiple outlets report

[BarryBobPosthole]

Wasn’t there a Tom Clancy book involving the plot to spread some sort of worldwide pandemic?


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Damn, he wrote so many I can’t remember if there was a pandemic one or not. I think there may have been a spin off series written by someone else that uses his name but he didn’t write. Kind of like the series on Amazon. It says ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan but Clancy never wrote a letter of it.

BkB

[Thumper]

He wrote two identical books? ;)

[DeputyDog]

Finally bothered to look it up. It was part of the plot of Rainbow Six. The plot was an Ebola like virus was released during the Olympics and the company that developed the vaccine was part of the plan to destroy the population as part of some environmental groups hope to save the earth from humans. The vaccine turned out to be fake and killed people like the virus.

New green deal, virus causing drop in carbon dioxide emissions in China, Olympic year, kinda sounds familiar.


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[BarryBobPosthole]

John Clark was my favorite Clancy character. He kinda took it over the line with all of the follow on Rainbow Six stuff. Without Remorse is my 2nd favorite Clancy book where he introduces John Clark.

BKB

[Thumper]

Ohhhh brother!


Ohhhh brother!

:D

:D

[quercus alba]

I thought Clear and Present Danger was a really good movie but I didn't like Willem Dafoe as the John Clark character. I wish they could have used somebody like Hugh Jackman or Daniel Craig. Or maybe Dolph Lundgren. Somebody that actually looked tough. Dafoe looked like a salesman on vacation

[BarryBobPosthole]

lol I agree! He was a navy seal for chrissakes. Marky Markwould’ve been good in that role.

Speaking of, if you’re looking for a good tvshow, checkout Spencer Confidential on Netflix. Modern day throwback to the old private eye tv shows.
Only with cussin and matress dancin.

BKB

[quercus alba]

I dunno, without Robert Urich and Avery Brooks it’d be hard to watch. That’s why I didn’t watch the new Hawaii Five-0, no Jack Lord or James McAuthur. As a matter of fact, when Robert Parker died, I tried to read the next Spenser written by Ace Atkins I got two paragraphs into it and knew it wasn’t Parker.


Some things just aren’t meant to be changed

[BarryBobPosthole]

Marijuana sales surge amid coronavirus outbreak - https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/488588-marijuana-sales-surge-amid-coronavirus-outbreak

[johnboy]

The Three W's - whiskey, wine and weed. Get you through any emergency. As Virgil Flowers would say: fuck a buncha Chinese virus!

[BarryBobPosthole]

or as the old saying goes....weed will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no weed.

BKB