I read this online, and make no claims to it's validity, but I like the jist of it.

"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, openmindedness 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."

#washurhands #geturflushot #respect #patiencenotpanic

I've just forgotten for a while about this thing and sent some of my demos to some restaurants (because I remembered that I want some money)...

In Russia it's in an early stage, I guess, or there's a lot of denial. But large public events are banned (people still have to use overcrowded public transportation).

Now there's also a new wave of economical crisis. Well. It's still either trying to do some work or just going crazy.

One girl I know who had graduated conservatory has been playing guitar and singing just outside in the street for about 4 years now, it's her income.

I picture how in terms of crisis street will be a place to work... Or maybe playing online would be a more up-to-date version of it.

It's true that information can work like a virus itself. In some sence we are just walking servers, processing every bit of information which comes through eyes and ears.

Hi Dave,
That post says it all.

We’ve had 3 deaths here, and they were all elderly. Roughly in their 80’s /90’s.

The young kids and babies haven’t been affected, and that’s one age grouping that they usually worry about with flu.

What the media doesn’t tell you over here, is the survival rate, the amount of people who have actually gotten over it. They just just want to keep spreading the fear, by telling everyone how many got it overnight and how many died around the world.

If the Chinese are actually telling us the truth, woke up this morning and heard on the news that their rate of contracting the disease and deaths , is going down rapidly. More of a seasonal problem, and that things might be improving with warming weather. Hopefully not a lie.

Same crazies over here, hoarding toilet paper, hand sanitizer and tissues.
Had a mother and daughter charged with brawling in a supermarket the other day.. Trolley stacked to the brim with toilet paper, and some other poor woman just wanted a pack. They started to beat her up. Limit was 4 packs, but they had a trolley full., limit now is 1 or 2 packs .
Crazy part is they make the stuff in Sydney, a few miles away.

Kind of reminds me of these zombie horror movies , humanity going nuts,

Half expected my grocery delivery guy to be carrying a shotgun, just in case the delivery truck got hijacked for the toilet paper, might become a more dangerous job than driving an armoured truck , full of cash.
( just joking, we aren’t allowed to own firearms).

Insanity fueled by the media. Just watched the local news here and there was exactly one story that wasn't about the corona virus. On the other hand, people have to be smart enough to ignore the hype and just use common sense.

...still, given the fact that it seems to be most lethal to the elderly, and given the closed environment of a nursing home, wouldn't this be a place to exercise extra caution? Plus, most of the NH entertainers aren't exactly 'spring chickens' either. Just sayin'.

chas

Follow medical advice as they will be the best to tell you what is going on.

All of the above say that youngsters are sound, as are fit people, however if you have underlying medical problems then make sure to take precautionary measures, as you are a high risk category.

The biggest problem is that you can be infected and contagious for 5 days before you show any symptoms, thus you can pass it on without even knowing about it.

Like all these things it is fine balance between what you do, and don’t do, and is very difficult to get 100% right.

As I said at the beginning, follow the medical expert’s advice and we should get through it.

Bill

Just today, 4 out of 7 NH facilities cancelled for March. Others are awaiting corporate guidance/orders. I'm disappointed, but totally understand as they are concerned for the well-being of their residents ... bring on that 'global warming', heat is said to allay the virus ...

The curve of infections is jumping up at a pace in Germany now that is making authorities cancel all big events. Like France and Spain (!), we will soon have numbers like Italy if nothing is done immediately.
Top virologists are warning the death rate among the elderly can reach more than 20%. So, no, it is not about artificial panic.
A recent study has crushed hope that the virus will be significantly weakened by warmer temperatures, so there is no time.
In Germany there are 28,000 intensive care beds. If the curve goes up as steeply as at the moment, hospitals will have to make brutal decisions whom to put on oxygen blood enrichment and whom to let pass away. That’s the situation.

In North Korea, patients can be simply shot to death. Talk about a brutal decision..... https://bdnews24.com/world/south-east-as...-in-north-korea

Yet, North Korea claims that it has no Coronavirus case. https://www.newsweek.com/north-korea-cla...-deaths-1491172

OK, it can always get more brutal...