Coronavirus pandemic

[gonealookin]

I'm on a long-scheduled vacation and am not changing anything.  Have gone to some spring training baseball games and a college basketball game here in Arizona, have eaten in crowded restaurants, am getting on a plane tomorrow, actually a couple planes, to head to Florida for some beach time.  Yeah, on the Southwest flights I'll head to the back of the plane because there are more likely to be empty seats back there, but that's what I always do anyway.

Aside from getting barraged by this news from the TVs in the breakfast room at the hotel every morning, there's no noticeable impact.

[US71]

Since no level of government here in the US is actually trying to contain the Virus, we can only expect the worst.

Hence why I'm worried about the coronavirus

LGL322DL

Don't worry, be happy  ;o)

[Max Rockatansky]

Since no level of government here in the US is actually trying to contain the Virus, we can only expect the worst.

Hence why I'm worried about the coronavirus

LGL322DL

Don't worry, be happy  ;o)

There is no point sitting around worrying about getting sick.  Anyone could in theory end up getting killed from an endless number of afflictions or incidents pretty much at any time.  It seems totally pointless to alter one's life or at least stew about a disease that you probably won't get. 

[US71]

Since no level of government here in the US is actually trying to contain the Virus, we can only expect the worst.

Hence why I'm worried about the coronavirus

LGL322DL

Don't worry, be happy  ;o)

There is no point sitting around worrying about getting sick.  Anyone could in theory end up getting killed from an endless number of afflictions or incidents pretty much at any time.  It seems totally pointless to alter one's life or at least stew about a disease that you probably won't get. 

I am concerned, but not worried...yet.

[Max Rockatansky]

Since no level of government here in the US is actually trying to contain the Virus, we can only expect the worst.

Hence why I'm worried about the coronavirus

LGL322DL

Don't worry, be happy  ;o)

There is no point sitting around worrying about getting sick.  Anyone could in theory end up getting killed from an endless number of afflictions or incidents pretty much at any time.  It seems totally pointless to alter one's life or at least stew about a disease that you probably won't get. 

I am concerned, but not worried...yet.

I'm worried about people overreacting and causing issues.  Case and point the mass clear of disinfectant cleaning supplies at retail stores and those masks so many are wearing.  What usually is a general public safety concern be it real or not becomes a problem for me in terms of what I do for a living.  To that end, I haven't really much compelling evidence to do much beyond monitoring what is going on. 

[jeffandnicole]

Since no level of government here in the US is actually trying to contain the Virus, we can only expect the worst.

Have you put yourself into self-quarantine yet?  You seem to be quite worried about the virus, yet if you're expecting the government to tell you what to do rather than you just doing things yourself, that's ultimately part of the problem.  Many people want less government, but then overly rely on the government to tell them how to live day-to-day.

There's also people that expect unreasonable restrictions.  I saw on one group someone complaining that all flights into the US from Italy should be required to go into Quarantine for 2 weeks.

A) Where would you house, feed, medicate and just maintain decent living standards for thousands of people every day for 2 weeks?

B) There's only a specific section of Italy that is experiencing very significant effects of the virus.  So if a flight comes in from a non-quarantined area, does the US and every other country need to compensate for that?

C) Those people are 'escaping' Italy's quarantined area if they want to.  So if Italy can't contain them, and they make it to other countries and fly to the US, how exactly is the US supposed to stop them?

[vdeane]

Honestly, I'm surprised the other EU nations didn't implement temporary border controls once Italy became part of the hot zone.

[J N Winkler]

FWIW, if you were in Philadelphia in 1918--when the authorities couldn't have screwed up more if they'd tried, and 60,000 cases of flu resulted in 12,000 deaths in a six-week period in October and November--your chances of getting sick with that year's highly lethal influenza strain were only about 4%.

[J N Winkler]

Does the 1/4 part of Italy that is under quarantine even border any other nations? Because in case you are unaware, Italy is a boot shape that is 3/4 surrounded by water.

Yes.  Lombardy (the entirety of which is closed) borders Switzerland.

[kalvado]

Honestly, I'm surprised the other EU nations didn't implement temporary border controls once Italy became part of the hot zone.

Does the 1/4 part of Italy that is under quarantine even border any other nations? Because in case you are unaware, Italy is a boot shape that is 3/4 surrounded by water.

Actually it's the upper part of the boot where action is. A lot of it is mountains, but Venice (orange zone) to Villach, Austria (where one of my friends lives) is 120 miles as crow flies and 155 mile drive. They actually have a few people who commute across the border from Italy - those were told to work from home about a week ago.

[jakeroot]

Honestly, I'm surprised the other EU nations didn't implement temporary border controls once Italy became part of the hot zone.

Does the 1/4 part of Italy that is under quarantine even border any other nations? Because in case you are unaware, Italy is a boot shape that is 3/4 surrounded by water.

Actually it's the upper part of the boot where action is. A lot of it is mountains, but Venice (orange zone) to Villach, Austria (where one of my friends lives) is 120 miles as crow flies and 155 mile drive. They actually have a few people who commute across the border from Italy - those were told to work from home about a week ago.

I suspect the upper bit will remain the problem area, but the entire country is now under restriction (as of sometime in the last hour).

[bandit957]

I refuse to cancel anything over this.

[US71]

I refuse to cancel anything over this.

Don't forget your N95 mask

[renegade]

I refuse to cancel anything over this.

Yeah, me either.

I work on a college campus, cleaning up after the worst slobs, the ones who take their lunch or dinner into the restroom to eat while they sit on the toilet or the floor, instead of into a classroom or common area, rather than practice any type of hygiene, meanwhile I have been given extra things to do in order to prevent the spread of what the students refer to as "corona-beer virus."   If they aren't worried, why the hell should I be?

[jeffandnicole]

NJ declared a State of Emergency. In the short run, it doesn't mean anything. But it does avail themselves to additional resources if need be.

And unlike what some people may think, no, it doesn't close roads, schools or offices.

[Bruce]

A Boeing employee at their Everett facility (the world's largest building by volume) has tested positive for COVID-19.

https://twitter.com/ByMikeBaker/status/1237191983346544640

[Max Rockatansky]

Made a ton of stops in public places today:

-  The City Court Offices
-  County Recorder's Office
-  Costco
-  The Dentist
-  The Eye Doctor
-  A Restaurant
-  The movies

The lack of crowds is noticeable.  At the City Court the bailiff even noted that they had way less people.  The highest volume Costco in Fresno barely had any traffic nor lines.  Getting food was a snap, we walked into the Dentist an hour early and got service immediately.  I only saw four people in line at the movies for snacks.  This has to be one of the most causal days I've had out in a large city in a very long time, seems like people still want to stay home.

[J N Winkler]

As I write (shortly before 10 PM Central time), the Johns Hopkins coronavirus dashboard reports 709 cases total for the US, but is showing them at the state rather than the city/county level and is showing only states that have four cases or more.  I don't know if this is a temporary glitch or a permanent change.

I went to the gym today and found it to be as crowded as it usually is late Monday afternoon.  Kansas so far has only one confirmed case and it is in Johnson County, 180 miles away.  There have been reports of one possible case local to us, and another in Cowley County about 40 miles away.

Earlier today Italy had a significant jump in cases from 7375 to 9172 (24% increase), which doubtless contributed to the decision to lock down the entire country.

[bing101]

Update various news outlets in Sacramento and Bay Area are reporting the Grand Princess passengers are going to be sent to Travis Air Force Base soon for quarantine.

[bandit957]

Quite frankly, I'm not concerned at all that I'll catch it. I'm very careful about germs to begin with, because I'm used to being around people who literally enjoy spreading germs.

[LM117]

NC's governor has declared a state of emergency.

https://governor.nc.gov/news/governor-cooper-declares-state-emergency-respond-coronavirus-covid-19

[kalvado]

NY got an embryo of a quarantine.

[sprjus4]

Virginia Beach couple says they have tested positive for coronavirus

A Virginia Beach couple tested for the coronavirus on Sunday said lab results show they have the infectious disease.

They are the first known coronavirus cases in Hampton Roads.

The couple, who are not being named by The Virginian-Pilot because they are concerned about community alienation and possible repercussions at the wife's job, said they received a call Tuesday telling them the results. The medical team on the line included Sentara Healthcare and state health department officials, the husband, a 68-year-old man retired from the Navy, said.

He and his wife, 58, were told the finding is only presumed as positive until it is validated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"It confirmed what we thought,"  he said Tuesday. "It was like, "˜I'm not nuts, we really do have this.'"

The Virginia Beach Health Department confirmed that the two are thought to be positive for COVID-19, the infection caused by a new coronavirus rapidly spreading around the world. Their cases and another reported by state officials raised the statewide tally to eight by Tuesday afternoon.

So far all cases in Virginia have been travel-related, health officials said.

"We are aware that exposure for these two individuals are travel related,"  said Virginia Beach health director Demetria Lindsay in a news release. "The Public Health Department is in close communication with the two travelers and their care providers, and is conducting a thorough investigation of potential exposures. The two individuals are in stable condition and remain in isolation at this time."

The Virginian-Pilot first reported on the couple's case Monday, after the two said they had an upsetting experience trying to get medical care and testing at Sentara hospitals in South Hampton Roads on Friday and over the weekend.

They believe they contracted the illness while on a Nile River cruise in Egypt. The husband said he began to feel like he was getting a sinus infection on the last few days of their trip, while his wife felt flu-like symptoms on their returning flight into Dulles International Airport.

They said they first went to Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk on Friday but were sent home because they didn't meet the state health department or CDC's criteria for coronavirus testing. After leaving phone messages with the health department, the couple said they eventually got a call back on Sunday, advising them they could be tested.

Their samples were collected that day at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach and sent to a state lab.

The couple, which has been self-isolating at home, said they will be providing information to public health officials on their whereabouts since coming back to the United States. They expect more calls throughout the day with medical personnel.

"It sounds like they're going to hold our hands through the rest of this,"  the man said.

Without identifying these specific patients, Sentara released a statement Tuesday afternoon indicating it had seen individuals who tested positive for the infectious disease and was monitoring their cases.

The hospital system is reaching out to people who might have come in contact with them.

"Out of an abundance of caution we are proactively communicating with any individual who may have had potential exposure to the patients while at our hospital,"  said Kelsea Smith, a Sentara spokeswoman.

On Tuesday the husband said he was feeling somewhat better, though he had a fever overnight, and his wife is battling a cough. They are treating their symptoms with over-the-counter pain relievers.

State health officials have set up a helpline, 877-ASK-VDH3, for questions from residents about the novel coronavirus situation.

[Rothman]

My daughter's college is having students vacate in a week, go on break for a couple of weeks and then attend class remotely.

[kalvado]

My daughter's college is having students vacate in a week, go on break for a couple of weeks and then attend class remotely.

Many colleges move online. RPI announced that today, for example.
It makes some sense, especially since online teaching is already a big thing for a while. I don't know how labs are going to be arranged (postponed), but for a lot of classes this should be pretty easy.

UPD:What is more interesting, though, is how this plays out in a long term. If you have to choose lectures basically on same subject given at remote community college and MIT, many would choose MIT. In-person interaction is a big thing for going to in-person college, but once in-person is no longer an option things may go in a strange direction.