Coronavirus (NO POLITICAL OR SOCIAL COMMENTARY PLEASE)

[Himmel]

New Yorkers, Once Again at Ground Zero, in Their Own Words.

NEARLY 19 YEARS after the 9/11 attacks tore a hole through the New York City, the eight million residents of the metropolis find themselves once again at ground zero. While other cities, like New Orleans, Seattle, and Detroit, have struggled or are struggling with their own dire outbreaks, no city’s toll has generated the fear, the headlines, and the human drama of New York’s battle against the fast-spreading novel coronavirus.

As of Thursday afternoon the state of New York faced 79,017 cases, roughly a third of all the 213,144 confirmed cases in the United States, and roughly 8 percent of all of the confirmed cases in the world. Source

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[zman73]

Originally Posted by bruceames

State by state projections...

https://covid19.healthdata.org/?fbcl...MAIf_XdCGEUm5Q

Uh yeah, this projection for Alabama is off greatly, no way Alabama is going to have twice as many deaths as Texas at their prospective peaks, or more than 4 times as much as Louisiana which is in bad shape right now in places like New Orleans. Think someone entered the data in wrong when doing it

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Hitman Horton

There's a lot of discussion about masks so here's the information. The first thing that everybody needs to know is that the research into the effectiveness of masks is inconclusive. Nobody REALLY knows for sure.

Having said that, people who are sick or are treating people who are sick are told to wear a mask. Why? If you are sick, you will be expelling the microscopic droplets of water that will be containing the virus. Wearing a mask may provide a barrier to catch at least some of those droplets. It is VERY important to know that if the mask gets wet it MUST be changed because it is no longer effective and may actually attract other moisture to it. Health care professionals wear masks because it may provide some protection against those microscopic droplets. Keep in mind, they KNOW the people they are working with are contagious.

Can a mask worn in public protect you from getting the virus. NO. Why? A properly worn mask will cover the mouth and the nose and that is it. The virus can still get into your eyes and onto your face. If you have it on your face and touch it when removing the mask, you now have it on your hands. In addition, the virus can get onto your body and/or your clothes. Touching those items, you now have the virus on you. So, if a properly worn mask was 100% effective against the virus, there are still many ways that you can become infected, as I've just pointed out.

If you are somebody that is wearing a mask or gloves, do your research. Look for videos from health care professionals on how to properly use these things. If you're not using them properly, you're wasting your money.

Clothing is very porous and if you wash your hands after removing the mask, then you're gonna be fine wearing the same clothes until you get home and change.

Also odds of airborne transmission through the eyes is extremely small. Someone would basically have to cough sneeze in your face or breath heavily on you. The eyes aren't an inhaler and so can't draw in enough microns to cause transmission, for example, just by walking around in a supermarket.

So yes, a mask does offer protection. Sure, it can get in airborne, through your eyes , but the odds are really small, and not enough to worry about. Most transmission occurs from inhaling and nearly all the rest from touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands. Please stop with the misinformation about masks not worth the bother because it can still get in your eyes. Some protection is better than none.

Also, we have to start assuming that any of us can be asymptotic carriers and wear them for that reason alone. That's why the CDC is changing their stance on masks, and so should the WHO.

[dobyblue]

RE: masks



Data as of 03/13

[Member-222782]

I wonder if these health nuts out on the streets jogging without masks are helping to spread the virus by exhaling breath every 5-10 seconds as they jog. I always cringe when they run past me.

The uncertainty about the effectiveness of masks is driving me crazy. I certainly can't take the advice of random posters on a Blu-ray forum regardless of how well-intentioned their advice is but there doesn't seem to be any real, official reliable sources that'll give a definitive answer - including the WHO's own site. The "experts" on TV tell us that regular citizens don't need to wear masks as we go about our business in public areas but that seems to be for purposes of giving frontline health professionals more access to masks for their work, not necessarily so the public themselves can be protected. I paid $12 for two masks earlier this week and plan to re-use them for a few days a piece but if they don't offer any real protection I won't use them. Can't breathe in them anyway.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

I read an article recently on the BBC that said Ventilator pricing went up from around $20k to circa $90k plus in range. There's no way companies are NOT trying to take advantage of this crisis and some people are getting very RICH from this disaster.

Someone mentioned the other day, if these companies held off supplies and services for profit when Spitfires needed to be for built WWII the government would commandeered their factories in a heartbeat. They wouldn't (and didn't) mess around. If they needed land - they took it.

I know people have always abused situations, but we seem to find ways to sink to lower depths.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Cinema84

I wonder if these health nuts out on the streets jogging without masks are helping to spread the virus by exhaling breath every 5-10 seconds as they jog. I always cringe when they run past me.

The uncertainty about the effectiveness of masks is driving me crazy. I certainly can't take the advice of random posters on a Blu-ray forum regardless of how well-intentioned their advice is but there doesn't seem to be any real, official reliable sources that'll give a definitive answer - including the WHO's own site. The "experts" on TV tell us that regular citizens don't need to wear masks as we go about our business in public areas but that seems to be for purposes of giving frontline health professionals more access to masks for their work, not necessarily so the public themselves can be protected. I paid $12 for two masks earlier this week and plan to re-use them for a few days a piece but if they don't offer any real protection I won't use them. Can't breathe in them anyway.

Unless the jogger gets close enough to you to breath on you, I wouldn't worry about it. Virus particles from breathing, even heavy breathing, dissipate very quickly outside in the vast air, especially if there's any wind. I'm a jogger too and I'm keeping to areas where I can maintain social distancing, such as fire roads, wide trails or streets (which fortunately have less traffic, making them safer to run on).

As for masks, since no is required or going to be required to wear them (at least, for now), it's an individual decision to wear or not. But think about it. If they help protect doctors and nurses from contracting the virus, why wouldn't they help protect the general public too? I only wear mine in a grocery store (which happens to be a requirement in Austria), not outside, so it's not on my face for more than 15 minutes or so.

[Lacit170]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

● https://academic.oup.com/ije/advance...yaa044/5813980

○ https://www.nepr.net/post/yale-resea...masks#stream/0

ugh! i thought those were links to buy masks... if anyone knows where to get any, shoot me a PM, greatly appreciated.

all the stuff currently on Amazon looks like ghetto trash. basically every review saying they came stuffed in plastic bags from China. if its professionaly packaged from china, sure, but someone putting their hands all over the masks and packaging etc... no thanks.

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Apparently we could have gotten millions of KN95 masks, the Chinese equivalent of an N95, a long time ago, but because they weren't approved by the FDA (despite the CDC's approval of them), hospitals, and companies weren't allowed to import them. Only earlier today did the FDA finally okay them.. It sucks that this red tape stuff likely cost people's lives, and put healthcare workers in greater danger.

i thought they were fakes when i was looking yesterday. should have bought! lets see if theyre still available

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Lacit170

ugh! i thought those were links to buy masks... if anyone knows where to get any, shoot me a PM, greatly appreciated.

all the stuff currently on Amazon looks like ghetto trash. basically every review saying they came stuffed in plastic bags from China. if its professionaly packaged from china, sure, but someone putting their hands all over the masks and packaging etc... no thanks.



i thought they were fakes when i was looking yesterday. should have bought! lets see if theyre still available

I thought the same too at first. Even 3M, the makers of the N95, stated the KN95 is a suitable alternative.

[zman73]

Originally Posted by Cinema84

I wonder if these health nuts out on the streets jogging without masks are helping to spread the virus by exhaling breath every 5-10 seconds as they jog. I always cringe when they run past me.

The uncertainty about the effectiveness of masks is driving me crazy. I certainly can't take the advice of random posters on a Blu-ray forum regardless of how well-intentioned their advice is but there doesn't seem to be any real, official reliable sources that'll give a definitive answer - including the WHO's own site. The "experts" on TV tell us that regular citizens don't need to wear masks as we go about our business in public areas but that seems to be for purposes of giving frontline health professionals more access to masks for their work, not necessarily so the public themselves can be protected. I paid $12 for two masks earlier this week and plan to re-use them for a few days a piece but if they don't offer any real protection I won't use them. Can't breathe in them anyway.

When I jog in the rare instances I do see someone on the sidewalk up ahead, I will cross over into the street or whatever, don't blame those of us who actually want to keep healthy instead of sitting indoors 24/7 stuffing our faces because we know being healthy and having good cardiovascular fitness is a surefire way to remain healthy in the event we somehow are exposed to this virus, the vitamin C from the sun helps too. But as I have mentioned, I wouldn't run into many people jogging before all this began, so overall my routine isn't changed too much other than on the rare occasions I see someone. I am sure location factors into that as well, I live in the south, known for its fried food and obesity.

[bruceames]

I never jog on a sidewalk and especially wouldn't now. But I guess if the streets are narrow and have a lot of traffic, it would be the safer alternative. I just don't like having to deal with uneven surfaces and dealing with curbs every block, not to mention crossing paths with walkers, many of them children playing or people with strollers taking up the whole sidewalk. Fortunately where I live I have access to wide streets with low traffic, and most of the time I'm on a trail or fire road anyway (it helps to vary your terrain in order to minimize repetitive strength niggles or injuries).

[Lee A Stewart]

Target to limit number of shoppers in stores

Target announced Thursday that it is adding new measures to promote safety and social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Minneapolis retailer said in a news release that beginning Saturday, April 4, it "will actively monitor and, when needed, meter guest traffic in its nearly 1,900 stores nationwide to promote social distancing."

Occupancy limits will vary by store and based on a specific location's square footage "to enhance the average space per person and reduce the possibility of congestion," Target said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/comp...cid=spartandhp

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Target to limit number of shoppers in stores


https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/comp...cid=spartandhp

So I guess Target will have lines outside the door like Costco? Hopefully not long. I can't even go to Costco now, the lines wrap around to the back of the store and I'm not waiting in that like it was an unemployment line. Fortunately no lines yet to get into Safeway and I can get in and out in 15 minutes (although I admit with a lighter wallet than I would have spent at Costco, but time is money and for is by far the better alternative as I'm not sitting home all day).

[Lee A Stewart]

What are the latest guidelines on wearing masks in public?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/hea...cid=spartandhp

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Target to limit number of shoppers in stores


https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/comp...cid=spartandhp

This should be happening in every store.

[Lacit170]

Originally Posted by zman73

When I jog in the rare instances I do see someone on the sidewalk up ahead, I will cross over into the street or whatever, don't blame those of us who actually want to keep healthy instead of sitting indoors 24/7 stuffing our faces because we know being healthy and having good cardiovascular fitness is a surefire way to remain healthy in the event we somehow are exposed to this virus, the vitamin C from the sun helps too. But as I have mentioned, I wouldn't run into many people jogging before all this began, so overall my routine isn't changed too much other than on the rare occasions I see someone. I am sure location factors into that as well, I live in the south, known for its fried food and obesity.

vitamin D i assume you meant

[Batman1980]

FWIW I loathe side walk running and would much rather stick to the trail I've used over the years. However, in the interest of cooperating with my family, I will continue to try running by our house. Will see how long I stick with it, I prefer running on Triviz due to minimal stoplight interruptions and the safety of a trail that's not a sidewalk.

[DVD Josh]

First and last time I use Instacart. 8 days to wait for shop. 15 out of 40 items wrong. I would take the entire tip back if I could.

[intoanewlife]

Originally Posted by Lacit170

ugh! i thought those were links to buy masks... if anyone knows where to get any, shoot me a PM, greatly appreciated.

all the stuff currently on Amazon looks like ghetto trash. basically every review saying they came stuffed in plastic bags from China. if its professionaly packaged from china, sure, but someone putting their hands all over the masks and packaging etc... no thanks.

I bought some off ebay, but I'm in the UK. You could give it a try though.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

FWIW I loathe side walk running and would much rather stick to the trail I've used over the years. However, in the interest of cooperating with my family, I will continue to try running by our house. Will see how long I stick with it, I prefer running on Triviz due to minimal stoplight interruptions and the safety of a trail that's not a sidewalk.

Fortunately I'm close to a nice network of fire roads, although they are very hilly and usually steep. But at least there my mind can be at ease when encountering others since it's easy to pass 6 feet apart.

I'm avoiding most of my favorite trails now unless they are wide or flat. Even though I'm comfortable passing within 6 feet of someone outside (since there's a huge difference in airborne transmission risk in being outside vs. inside a grocery store), I know others, mostly hikers, are uncomfortable seeing an approaching jogger.

Plus the trails are more crowded now, what with people having more time on their hands, with fewer places to go and with the benefits of exercise on their minds in raising immunity levels (not to mention just being at home means they are less active than before and need exercise just to not gain weight).

But streets are a nice alternative to trails, and I see more joggers and walkers on them now, so cars are kinda getting used to that too and will be anticipating them more, making it safer (and fewer cars anyway).