Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...out/index.html

For confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms can include:

Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath

CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS-CoV viruses.

It looks like this thing spreads really easily.


Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet)
Via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.


Good luck if your immune system is compromised...

Also remember to buy low in the stock market when day traders get stupid.

There is now a case in California. Dude wasn't traveling and has no known contacts with primary cases.

Given the 14 day incubation period, that means a ton of people are probably infected.

Yeah, I was listening to a Black Plague podcast recently, incubation period is a big deal.

Took my wife to urgent care last night. She had all the symptoms. 104 fever. I was pretty sure it was the kung flu, because I'm convinced it is already here. But they did a nose swab and it came back as regular old influenza (type A, whatever that means.)

She had gotten the flu shot, but I guess this is a different strain.

I think of COVID-19 as just another strain of the flu, and just about as dangerous.

My wife should be OK. She's staying home, but it ruins a big weekend of plans.

She wanted to crawl into bed last night after getting back from urgent care, but spent two hours coming up with sub plans for work.

At urgent care, they asked if she had been to China.

Mr. Clod is just barely over a moderately severe bout of flu-like illness (kept him out of work for almost a week, but nothing that needed hospital attention,) and now the rest of us all have it. Kids have been out of school since Tuesday.

I, too, believe it's already here and thoroughly widespread, and I think it's telling that a lot of people test negative at first, and then test positive up to 28 days after exposure. I'm actually hoping that we do already have it, and then we'll get better and have immunity for the remainder of the lockdown that is sure to happen to some degree in the coming months. Certainly the kids would appreciate a month or two of school closures.

It was only a couple years ago that I first heard what sounded to me like the plausible explanation for why the winter months see more illness.

Droplets stay airborne longer in the winter because the cold air is drier than humid air in the summer, and the little atomized spittle droplets dry out more and are lighter and float around on air currents longer than in the wet humid summer. They are simply suspended in the air longer, giving you more time to breathe them in.

Indoors, the air is heated, and it gets super dry. Just think about your lotion needs in the winter. There are virus particles floating around all over the place.

Public buildings should install misters like in the vegetable section of the grocery stores just to keep everything damp and knock the germs to the floor.

Yeah, it seems like this thing is probably already widespread. The symptoms being the same as every other damn thing is going to mask it for a while.

Plus, people are concentrated indoors for more of the day.

Other people, I mean. I'm indoors most of the day either way...

I have a gaming controller coming from China. I'm gonna soak the package down with Lysol before handling/opening it.

I'm wondering if it will get quarantined at some point along the way?

From what I gather, it's actually less dangerous on a case-by-case basis, but also more contagious.

Yeah. I never bought that argument. The overwhelming majority of people are inside all year long.

All this has got to be made worse by the pollution in eastern China. People already face a respiratory disaster just waking up in the morning.

Like the poop molecules. ;)

Yeah, we'd expect worse outcomes there.

Plus, 68% of Chinese men are smokers, including 41% of male physicians. China accounts for slightly more than half of all smokers, worldwide.

Something like 2 to 3% die from this virus. Typical influenzas only kill 1.3%. That alone makes it more dangerous than other flues. Apparently it can also be spread by urine and feces. Even SARs was not spread by that method. Isolated people in their cabins (having no contact even with crew members) got sick on the Diamond Princess in large numbers. This one is clearly much more contagious than SARs. Maybe as contagious as Ebola.

We do not yet know of additional methods that can spread this disease. Only speculate that a two week quarantine is sufficient. No problem. Tests can only report one had the virus - not report if one is still contagious.

Medical people must wait for a naive politician to authorize us to have knowledge. That should be the Surgeon General's job. But he is not a right wing political extremist. His entire life has only been about medicine and health. Worse, he is black. So he might not be extremist enough.

Winter means a virus lasts much longer. Many viruses only last ten minutes if warm. But can remain intact for hours in a cold environment. Wet environments also prolong potency. That is the life expectancy of a typical virus. Unknown yet is the life expectancy of this virus. However a package shipped from China could only have degraded proteins - a threat to no one. The way customs works, it would sit around too long.

How much preparation has America done? Only 200 testing kits exist in one state. Only the CDC has labs that can test for it. Obviously, American should have been stocking tens or hundreds of thousands test kits in each state. And labs should have been constructed/expanded so that testing can be done at the county and state levels. But our government, at highest level, had been downplaying their inaction. Since it might impact his re-election. It is about image - not about protecting Americans.

An ostrich position was obvious. Even increased manufacturing of facemask was done only by a few manufacturers. Because the Federal government kept saying, "Don't worry. Be happy." Did not even start stocking them.

Americans might finally learn that America has done virtually nothing (except ask questions at immigration points). But the President has created a Czar as the only spokesman. He can silence all medical people at Federal and maybe at State levels. Job was assigned to a politician who has less experience in disasters that Brownie did in Katrina.

Somehow he will know what to tell us; what we need to know. Because he is loyal to a man whose long history is to lie. To harm all others - to advance only himself. So Pence can be trusted?

A man whose long history was to even stiff his contractors and employees. Right wing extremists also said that is good. So he knew two month ago what was good for us?

Make Urbane Guerrilla the Czar. He too is just as knowledgeable. Also has healthy ability to invent lies. Has a history of promoting fiction to advance an extremist right wing position. Since that (and not America) is most important. He also would silence medical people who expose extremist lies. Since that would be in our interest?

America is unprepared for a pandemic. Past two months were wasted by doing nothing. No problem. We now have a Czar so that informed medical people must get permission to explain a threat, what must be done, and to be helpful.

We can test for other influenzas. So one does not have Covid-19 if they first test positive for other influenzas - the assumption. Only if other tests are negative, then can one be tested by a scarce Covid-19 test kit. And then wait even longer for that kit to be shipped to the CDC - the only place it can be tested.

No problem. Pence (or UG) will then tell them whether they can inform your doctor. "Trust me. I am a right wing extremist who also said Saddam had WMDs."

Wuhan province is in central China. Not on the east side where air quality is inferior.

Wuhan is also a major transportation center - similar to what Chicago is in America.

My friend does this with every delivery. He says he has to "wash the China off it"

The federal government refuses to take this seriously, even as tertiary cases are popping up in California.

https://apnews.com/57177e2e35d7d0d518361166935c614e

Dr Watt has already been proven wrong. Prior to saying that. As TW says above, it is already known that the virus can linger on surfaces for a very long time.

Sadly no. I look at the PM2.5 maps all the time

Greenpeace has a list of PM2.5 rank averages in 74 cities and Wuhan is 14th.

Real-time maps of PM2.5 have shown particulate matter DOWN in recent times. Here is windy.com's PM2.5 in China right now. But generally, in the recent past when you look at this map, it is deep orange over Wuhan. Greenpeace put the 2013 average at 88.7 (Beijing 90.1).

Compare with NYC's averages which are around 10.

The very worst air pollution in the world is India's, these days.

That's not an issue according to the US's man in charge of coordinating our response. By his stats, less than 33% of smokers die of smoking-related illness, and less than 10% even get lung cancer!

I just read it can live on surfaces for up to nine days.








Shipping, from China, was $1, btw.

Wuhan should be way down since the city has been in virtual shutdown for weeks with everyone ordered to stay home that hasn't been assigned a job.

Is he counting heart attack and stroke as smoking-related illnesses?

But smoking drives away biting insects which bring Malaria, Lyme, and stuff.

I have no idea where he got his statistics; I just thought it was remarkable that he thought that a 1/3 chance of death supported his "smoking doesn't kill" premise.

That would be unusual for a virus. And the problem. Since no such number has been reported from responsible sources. Even a two week quarantine is only a best guess. After two months warning, we still do not have any serious information. In part, due to top management totally ignoring it. The 'power that be' has only recently decided it is a problem ... because the stock market finally tanked.

This all goes right back to what Steve Bannon (Trump's top campaign manager) said in TV interviews. Trump's attention span is less than 30 seconds. His campaign was tapered around issues that a 30 second attention span could grasp. Obviously this virus was too complicated until the stock market crashed. Only then was he able to grasp that one "less then 30 second" fact.

Pence has always been a tool. Trashing Indiana's economy to show how much he hated the LGBT community comes to mind.

He's like something out of Dilbert, really.

But not unheard of. The smallpox virus could survive for up to 21 days on a room temperature surface.

Under ideal situations, it could last for years.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2538235/

Which is why it was obvious two months ago - serious research was needed.

Which brings us right back to a concept well understood by people who come from where the work gets done. 85% of all problems are direct traceable to top management. In this case, a boss with a less than 30 second attention span. (As publicly stated by his close ally.)

Your venom is dripping. You were OK until the last sentence, but it's Xi Jinping the heat should be directed at.

:rotflol: so scarily true

Hmm...

FIRST!


That's just ... great.
:(

Another example of "85% of all problems are directly traceable to top management." Curious. Both Xi and Trump have communist attitudes. Everyone works to advance them.

China's problem was clearly defined in an obituary in The Economist. A 33 year old hero was jailed in less than 24 hours for discovering and posting the threat - in Weibo - a Chinese version of Facebook.

Ironically, in January, an 82 year old patient did not have symptoms. So he treated her glaucoma and took no precautions. He did not know she came from the same building that his infected patients had come from. So he died in February.

Eventually Chinese at highest levels admitted the little people knew what they were saying. But communists find it difficult to see that in time.

Te Don is doing something similar. But he silenced the people who come from where the work gets done. Silence the truth rather than address an obvious threat two months ago.

How anti-American is he? Pence is saying no Americans need masks. Reality, there are only 40 million masks available - because Trump did nothing for two months. 3M finally has contracts to make more. So 3M only started hiring two days ago. Another example of how 85% of all problems are traceable to that diclicking scumbag.

You are irrelevant. Only health workers need masks - according to an administration more ignorant than George Jr. Trump supporters will deny that reality. We do not have enough and were not making them - thank you Donald.

The president also said we will soon have a vaccine. Lying business school graduates are always obvious to the educated. He provided no numbers - the indication he is lying. A vaccine will not be available for one to 1.5 years. Don't worry if you are the 3% who are dead.

He also blame a stock market crash, in part, on actions not taken by the Federal Reserve. Again, he counts on Americans being dumb. Since we have been in a recession, the Fed has already lowered rates three times - almost as low as possible. Due to the scumbag's tax cuts and welfare for the rich, the Fed has very little ammunition left to soften (address) a recession. The dumb business school graduate does not even know that - due to a less than 30 second attention span.

We know the oncoming recession will only be made worse by Covid-19. What we do not yet know is a relevant number - how bad. Don't expect The Don to provide any. Otherwise, even his brainwashed supporters might realize he really is that dumb.

In the past 24 hours, maybe four Corvid-19 infections have been located. Worse, none have any apparent connection to infected people. Implying there are many already infected people who have no symptoms. And unknown are many others who are also infected.

Again, we had two months to prepare and to learn. To even stockpile protective suits, facemask, and stock diagnotic labs. America's health system was obstructed by a president with a 30 second attention span. Whose "Don't worry; be happy" believes that a vaccine will soon arrive.

He then promised to put abut $1.2 billion into Covid-19 prevention. What did he not say? It will be paid for by cancelling ongoing research into HIV ($half billion) and from other research programs. Funny how he forgot to mention those numbers. As any good (criminal) business school graduate does when stiffing contractors and promoting SNAFU - situation normal; all fucked up.

Who so hates humanity as to still like (or believe) that scumbag.

He completely ignored Covid-19 until it affected something he understands - a stock market. Since he probably needs a robust market to maintain Ponzi schemes.

He cannot post even one fact in support of a Nazi and White Supremacist fan who has a 30 second attention span. Instead posts a video as if it is somehow relevant. As if insults are better than honesty and numbers.

If not brainwashed, then facts can be disputed. Apparently insults will somehow avert Covid-19. Don't worry. Be happy.

Meanwhile watch so many patriotic Americans work their asses off in these next months to lessen damage and deaths created by Trump's 30 second attention span.

As his Secretary of State said, he is a moron. He was being polite.

I vomited an amazing amount last night putting the kaibosh (?) on the ski plans for today. Pete's blaming the chicken. Once again not Covfefe ;) but not cool.

hope you're on the mend today.

BTW, my wife with the flu was basically 100% better after 48 hours. I suppose the flu shot she got might have made her bout shorter than it would have been. And the Tamiflu sped the recovery too. Whatever it was, she was symptom free after 48 hours, and was fever free after only 24 hours. Yay!

That's good, we don't want anything lingering.

Im so sorry buddy,ill say a prayer for your wife....

I hope she feels better soon :)

A seminar at Michigan Law focused on cholera, Spanish flu, polio, AIDS, SARS, and Ebola. Every disease provokes its own unique dread and its own complex public reaction, but themes recurred across outbreaks.
https://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/contagion/

Trouble with sick workers? Just import slave labor hard workers from your minority reeducation camps migrant labor force.

Guardian: China transferred detained Uighurs to factories used by global brands – report

To be clear, they already were in forced-labor camps, they've just changed locations. It absolutely does not excuse the Chinese treatment of the Uighurs overall, but honestly it's probably better for them in the factories than where they were.

No argument here.

Hell, his insistence that you hire doctors and researchers after the epidemic has already started is all you really need to hear about that.

But but free trade...

Now second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. Tragic. There's a nursing home(?) where most of the deaths have occurred,but some in the the next county. Governor Inslee has declared an emergency. Schools have been closed. No masks or hand sanitizer to be found. Read an article today about how to make your own hand sanitizer, 2/3 99% alcohol mixed with 1/3 aloe vera gel or vegetable glycerin.

It feels grim.

Masks: Three bandanas. Wear them around your face like you're robbing a train, change them out regularly, wash daily.

Sorted.

Be safe out there V. We are under assault from the plain old flu here but it's only a matter of time.

It's natural, it's organic, it's Libertarian, thinning the herd, culling the weak and unfit. Economic opportunity abounds, that $12 a week we were wasting on Grannie can be put to better use. Selling people what they think they need for obscene profits. Raise the cost of funerals to push people into buying insurance so we can raise the cost of funerals. The Soylent Green processing kills all viruses and germs.

PSA: you can make your own hand sanitizer, as long as it has as least 60% alcohol content.

Also PSA: Knob Creek makes a single barrel 120 proof bourbon.

We are still learning how this virus is transmitted. Through a stomach? Is 120 proof strong enough?

Why would anyone waste good bourbon on their hands? If you are going to go, then go happy.

120 proof is barely 60%, 750ml for $53.
A quart of 91% isopropyl is $2.59 at target.

Suit yourself.

If the end of your tongue sticks out further than the rest of your body.

I have visions of Osmosis Jones

Mr. Clod's entire company just shut down their offices indefinitely; everyone working from home until further notice. They have a Seattle branch, but this applies to all branches.

We have 1 more week until spring break. I'd lay money on our school remaining closed after that.

Interesting.

I'm going to need to review our remote computing procedures. I do it very rarely.

Let's say you had a wedding scheduled for May 2 at Niagara Falls, with 25 people driving up to attend, including 3 people over 80 and 1 two-year-old. What would you do?