Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

[Undertoad]

And a commenter tells us why cloth masks like bandanas don't really work, and it's immediately understandable:

The droplet that would have entered your mouth instead lands on the fabric, where the water evaporates, leaving airborne virus that you inhale.

N95 masks work in part because the holes in the mask/filter media are smaller than some dimensions of the virus. Fabric has holes on the micron scale.

[Luce]

Originally Posted by sexobon

Iran gave us another slap in the face by outdoing our dead guy, who consumed chloroquine phosphate from fish tank cleaner, and having over 300 of their people kill themselves by consuming methanol:

That's some Olympic grade stupidity.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Why should I believe Slate Star Codex over a dozen other pieces I've read?

[Undertoad]

Because he summarizes the actual published science and I vouched for him.

[sexobon]

My masks are reusable and have replaceable filters. It costs a little more; but, to me, I'm worth it. Go figure.

Data sheet.

… A particulate filter element exceeding the requirements of NIOSH 42CFR84 P100 and EN 14387 (P3) is incorporated, ensuring effective performance against all dusts, mists, fumes, biological agents (bacteria, virus, fungal spores etc), including radioactive dusts. When combined with an appropriate chemical protective mask, the CBRNCF50 filter canister protects the face, eyes and gastrointestinal tract of the wearer against known chemical and biological agents in aerosol, liquid and vapor form including: ...

[monster]

Originally Posted by Griff

Urn numbers would seem to be a good indicator.

Originally Posted by glatt

Urns should be fairly reliable for tracking deaths.

I wonder if anyone died of other causes during that time period. I wonder how many urns the funeral homes normally go through.

unless urn suppliers are cashing in and doing family deals..... one's gone, you're all doomed, think ahead....

[monster]

Originally Posted by sexobon

Iran gave us another slap in the face by outdoing our dead guy, who consumed chloroquine phosphate from fish tank cleaner, and having over 300 of their people kill themselves by consuming methanol:

Originally Posted by Luce

That's some Olympic grade stupidity.

It really is about time Florida got on board with the whole COVID thing..... we must be #1 in all things at all times

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

And a commenter tells us why cloth masks like bandanas don't really work, and it's immediately understandable:

Does he talk about whether cloth masks reduce the wearer inadvertently spreading the virus?

I'll answer my own question, yes it does reduce transmission from wearer to others. He agrees.

[sexobon]

Simple cloth masks will also help prevent exposing others to the scourge of civilized peoples, halitosis.

[Griff]

hmmm... maybe I'll brush my teeth again.

[Undertoad]

My theory is that in the US this is hitting the rich people first. Probably due to the fact that only the well-off do trips to China and northern Italy.

In Montgomery County PA where I live they have a map of cases and one township currently has more than double the numbers of cases than any other township.

It's Lower Merion township, where all the rich folks are!

Delaware County has a similar map and it's Radnor and Haverford where all the rich folks are... but then, Upper Darby where there are no rich folks at all, so it broke the streak.

Chester County, it's Tredyffrin and Easttown right down the main line from Montgomery's Lower Merion.

In all counties, the rich people who live out in the sticks seem protected.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

My theory is that in the US this is hitting the rich people first.

UT's evidence is distorted by one fact. Towns with highest numbers are also towns with most of the county's population. Numbers by percentages would say something more accurate. But his conclusion may be true. Since many of those towns also contain a large number of commuters to NYC.

Some of the first counties that were ordered shutdown include Wayne and Pike counties in NE Pennsylvania and Leigh county. These counties also have plenty of rich people who commute daily to NYC on Interstates 78 and 80 - completely across NJ.

Counties in New Jersey also hard hit are those adjacent to NYC.

[glatt]

Business travelers tend to be richer than others. Conventions, client meetings, giving talks, trying to woo new clients. All of that is consistent with covid exposure.

[Undertoad]

Originally Posted by tw

UT's evidence is distorted by one fact. Towns with highest numbers are also towns with most of the county's population.

Yes but

Lower Merion population: 59,000. lower-upper class to upper-upper class. Cases: 71

2 miles away, Norristown population: 35,000. lower-lower class to lower-middle class. Cases: 4

Just saying, it's an interesting phenomenon

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

2 miles away, Norristown population: 35,000. lower-lower class to lower-middle class. Cases: 4

Those people in Norristown do not commute to NYC.

I was rather amazed how many in Lower Merion and other rich towns will even drive to Trenton to take a train into NYC. Blue collar workers in Norristown would not do that kind of commuting.

I was amazed, even in the 1970s, how many people commuted daily from PA across NJ to NYC and Newark. Those are counties that have higher Covid-19 cases. Blue collar workers cannot afford such commutes.

Was rather surprised that Montgomery County (not Philadelphia County) was Pennsylvania's first hot spot. And that was (as your map shows) mostly in the heavily populated eastern towns (Upper Providence being the exception).