Does anybody have friends who are freaking out over the coronavirus?

[avebury]

I was talking to a friend last night and she has been trying to buy face masks. She ordered them from some company on amazon and never got them. Apparently some companies have been taking orders and money and not telling people they don’t have them in stock. So she then went online and found a company that sells face masks. This time she called them. They told her that they did not have them in stock but they should come in on Feb. 10th. Friend places an order and tells me will see if I get this order.

Friend proceeds to talk about different scenario wondering if each scenario could pose exposure to the virus. Then she proceeds to tell me that I need to have one months supply of food on hand.

I think that she has gone over the edge. Considering where we live, I am just not that personally concerned.

[Generic Brad]

1. My family has a Susan Collins level of concern

That means we are not really worried, but we speak about it as if we are.

[Corgigal]

5. Susan Collins level of concern,

brilliant , and should be a category of human emotions. Love it.

[Cirque du So-What]

16. It's all in the furrowed brow

If you can’t master that grimace of concern, you can’t pull off the charade.

[MontanaMama]

83. Brilliant.

“Susan Collins level of concern”.

[Dem2theMax]

84. That is too funny.

[mdelaguna]

107. Good one! Nt

[greymattermom]

2. The purpose of face masks is to prevent you from touching your nose and mouth.

So just get a bandana and play cowboy! And wash your hands a lot.

[underpants]

10. I don't know if I knew that

Thanks

[EndlessWire]

20. You need an N95 properly fitted.

You also need to lay up food and stay home. Because, the masks are not meant to be reused.

[brewens]

3. I did health screening at a blood center and all my supplies were made in China. Guaze, alcohol

swabs, the little spring loaded doohickeys we used to poke fingers, masks, everything. That can't be good. If even a small percentage of Chinese people use the masks, guess what? That's pretty much all of their production. If the coronavirus disrupts that production it's even worse. I hope someone is gearing up to start making them here immediately.

[dalton99a]

6. Prices have gone up

"Global stocks of masks and respirators are now insufficient to meet the needs of WHO and our partners," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general, said at a press conference.

Demand is up to 100 times higher than normal for some equipment and prices are up to 20 times higher, he said.

[marble falls]

4. And out of both sides of their mouths. "We're in danger" and "gov't shouldn't be quarantining."

[ret5hd]

7. I don't think having a month supply of food...

is out of line in any situation. Decent amount of water also.

I have no idea if this virus will be a real threat, and don’t dwell on it, but some food and water stocks are universal for any disaster, natural or man made.

[Iggo]

9. That's part of our earthquake kit

Just good sense.

[Newest Reality]

30. Being prepared...

Is reasonable and rational. So, yes, a month of essential supplies is a good buffer to have. All one is trying to do is make it through an emergency because who can be prepared for something that lasts many months or longer without supplies anyway?

Thanks for pointing that out. Now, everybody, it is a sound idea to work on have a little stock of what you would absolutely need and shoot for a couple weeks worth first if you can, add a little more from there.

[MLAA]

85. Agree! Just makes sense to have a buffer these days if you can.

Crazy climate change swings in frequency and intensity of storms will have to have some impact on food supply.

[Corgigal]

8. Let her know the CDC funding was cut,

and Trump is cutting more. She should be freaked out over that.

Fresh Air podcast, had a scientist on who talked about zoonotic infectious diseases. Tell her to listen to that. It wasn’t comforting.

[Quackers]

11. Be wary of scams. Some of these companies

Are posting ads without actually intending on ever shipping anything. This can happen on Amazon too, especially with new and international shippers.

Be wary of substandard product. These companies could be making mask with materials you don’t want to be breathing through or could actually harm you.


Pay attention to ship windows. Especially important for international shippers. Delivery date may be 3-4 months out.

[klook]

12. The flu is way worse.

It kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year: USA Today.

I know some people who are concerned about the coronavirus -- particularly in relation to air travel risks -- but nobody who's freaking out over it.

I hope your friend is aware that washing her hands frequently will do a lot more good than wearing a face mask.

[Blue_true]

31. There are people here on DU that will dispute that claims

that you made all day and night. I am NOT one of them.

[Kaleva]

54. Nations don't shut down air travel to and from other ntions because of the flu

Nor does a nation quarantine over 50 million of it's citizens because of the flu either.

[58Sunliner]

61. +1.

[58Sunliner]

60. Yes the flue does kill. But what you need to look at are the infection rates,

Last edited Sat Feb 8, 2020, 08:18 PM - Edit history (1)

the death rates, rate of transmission, and the hospitalization rates. Also need to know if there is a vaccine or treatment available. For us in the US it isn't much of an issue. If it spreads, it will be. We don't have a vaccine, we may have drug treatment, like we do for the flu. So look at the death rate from the flu, what percent die from total infection rates, and look at the coronovirus. Not the same. Now look at hospitalization rates. Not the same.

[Flaleftist]

13. If she really wants, she can check out local hardware stores.

Auto parts stores may also have them.

[NickB79]

14. A friend of mine has survived multiple bouts of cancer

Her immune system is shot to hell, so she is legitimately scared of any new disease.

[apcalc]

15. I bought some face masks to wear if I need them. I know hand washing is best , so they say.

Especially for going to my pulmonologist’s office or our local hospital. My local Walgreens sold 15 cases in 30 minutes.
I Do all the proper preventive stuff, wash hands, not sticking fingers in eyes,nose etc.
I can’t be too careful. I also live in a heavily populated area.

This is spreading way too quickly for me not to be ready in every way I can.

[apcalc]

37. N95 masks btw

[MissB]

17. If I were a retailer I might panic

Given how much stuff is made in China nowadays. I assume this may impact their production of goods.

On a personal level, I’ve just made an effort in the past two weeks to check my 72 hour kits. I’ve also checked my pantry room in the basement to add a few items I was running low on. But in general I have at least a months supply of food here.

I still have some N95 masks from when we had forest fires awhile back. I’ve only thought of pulling them out to see if I could make some $ on them. kidding of course

[Blue_true]

32. Mark those masks up 30x. I am sure that you will have people

fighting on your lawn.

Darn, I really hope that a truly zombie is not spotted walking around. People would be binge-watching "The Walking Dead" for zombie killing techniques.

[MissB]

39. Baseball

bat, nails.

I’ve watched too many seasons of the show

[Blue_true]

40. I will have to remember that in case a zombie apocalypse strikes. nt

[mantis49]

18. My husband posts on/ reads a forum where some people are freaking out.

They are disinfecting anything they receive in the mail that was shipped from China.

[Blue_true]

35. Yeah, some people are really wound up over something that

they won't come in contact with. But the flu, "oh, we know a lot about that and there are therapies", even as the flu has killed many multiples of the Wuhan Virus and infected millions.

[lunasun]

19. I believe practicing Mormons keep a year's worth of food in the house at all times

They really don’t know much but last I read the disease is spread mostly by air droplets so mask is the way to go if concern
S/b N95 of course

CDC

Most often, spread from person-to-person happens among close contacts (about 6 feet). Person-to-person spread is thought to occur mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It’s currently unclear if a person can get 2019-nCoV by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/transmission.html

[mr_lebowski]

45. They are indeed big into disaster prep ... I can vouch first hand (nt)

[lunasun]

46. I only know about it from my residential mover friends

If they pulled up to a job with the moving truck and they found out the family was Mormon and it was a house with a big family they knew it was going to be miserable moving all that food and water - 1 year’s worth for everybody plus the regular furniture , couch and beds etc.
It was one of their dreads - moving Mormons (just for that reason only )

[mr_lebowski]

48. My ex-wife grew up in the church ... she left when she was 16 but the WHOLE rest of her big family

Well, nearly all of them ... still practicing.

Damn near every extra square inch in her folks garage ... was occupied by water. They also had two large freezers full of food, a couple generators, a giant walk-in pantry full of extra food in buckets and bins ... all types of dried and freeze-dried foodstuffs ... it's just what you do when you're LDS.

[lunasun]

57. I heard the stories That sounds about right . They would shudder with horror 🙀oh no Mormons

Probably is something predicted or an observance dictated in their book of Mormon

[2naSalit]

101. I think it's two years...

for every family member. There's something about taking care of neighbors too.

[HAB911]

21. I'm concerned if this continues

my hotel stock will plummet and probably any other stock for companies where people are forced into close proximity to each other.

[Codeine]

22. Yes, in the face of a possible pandemic

we weep over your portfolio.

[HAB911]

23. thank you

[HAB911]

24. and the resulting recession

might obviate the need for a portfolio to be personally injurious

[Blue_true]

38. Oh well, the Benjamins!!!!!!!! My gawd!!!!!!!

I think your portfolio will recover at some point, a dead person from the flu or Wuhan virus, no so much.

[58Sunliner]

63. Have you shorted cruise stocks?

[HAB911]

97. No, but that's a thought

[58Sunliner]

100. I'm sad I did not when I first heard of this.

[HAB911]

102. the market is just looking for something

RIGHT NOW. I'm feeling this may be it. But then, like everyone, I'm terrible at timing, LOL.

[58Sunliner]

103. Same here.

[Blue_true]

25. There are people on DU that are is a wet panic about the Wuhan virus.

But the flu that has killed far more Americans and which has a greater chance of killing them, meh!!! Me thinks some people love being afraid of the unknown.

[cwydro]

27. DU panic attacks are sometimes amusing.

I remember some people expected bombs to be falling on our mainland the night of the Iran attacks.

A few years ago, someone posted about a carrier steaming for Korea or some such, and there were a few DUers asking how to find bomb shelters...and could they take their cats.

[jpak]

36. ummmm....

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[Blue_true]

43. You have a far greater chance of catching and dying from the flu right now.

Maybe the Wuhan Coronavirus turns into the 1917-1918 Spanish Flu. But so far, that seems highly, HIGHLY unlikely (The Spanish Flu killed MILLIONS worldwide in about 1 year). The Wuhan Virus has killed almost 800 in 6 weeks, the flu kills 3,000 in 4 weeks, from a smaller population base.

[jpak]

47. There are vaccines for the flu - but there is no vaccine for this new corona virus

Last edited Sat Feb 8, 2020, 07:37 PM - Edit history (1)

And we have therapeutics like Tamiflu for the seasonal flu - there are none for the new corona virus.

The mortality rate for the Wuhan virus is currently 2,2%

The Spanish flu mortality rate was 2.5% - it took 2 years to kill tens of millions. this virus is just getting started.

The "seasonal flu" mortality rate is <0.14%

Seasonal flu is worldwide and kills tens of thousands each year - even though we have vaccines for it.

Most of the cases and deaths due to the news corona virus are currently in China - not worldwide.

What is happening in China is a preview of what it would do in a major American city.

Currently, 16% of the Chinese coronavirus cases are "severe" requiring hospitalization - if 100 million Americans (1/3 of the population) contracted this virus - they would require 16 million hospital beds.

Do we have 16 million ICU or other hospital beds?

Nope.

Anyone that thinks this is a nothingburger is whistling past the graveyard.

[Blue_true]

49. You are wrong. Two vaccines have been tested against Wuhan, both stopped it.

One is the vaccine used for Ebola and I forget the other. They are made by a company called Gilead (sp?). China is applying for a patent for use of the drugs vis a vis the Wuhan Virus.

[jpak]

50. You are making stuff up

Stop

[Blue_true]

52. Look it up yourself. Use the string "China Wuhan vaccine patent".

I don't have to lie, and I don't.

[jpak]

55. LOL - I did, and this is the first hit on the search

Bogus coronavirus conspiracy theory about patents, vaccine spreads on social media

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/25/wuhan-coronavirus-bogus-conspiracy-theory-spreads-social-media/4569180002/

Following the outbreak of a respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus in Wuhan, China in December and the announcement of the first American case Jan. 21, several groups and individuals are circulating false rumors on Facebook about the mystery pathogen.

Numerous posts claim the virus has been patented — and some even suggest, incorrectly, that the virus was made in a lab and a vaccine already exists.

“The new fad disease called the ‘coronavirus’ is sweeping headlines,” one Facebook post, taken from Twitter, reads.

Another, which was shared by others, and is part of a series of false coronavirus posts, proclaims that the virus is “‘new’ yet it was lab created and patented in 2015 (in development since 03’).”

<more>

[Blue_true]

64. As the old saying goes, open one's mouth and remove all doubt.

I honestly have never learned to post links on DU. But, I did the search and all the stuff below popped.

The company that has the drug is Gilead Sciences.

News.yahoo.com/china-lab-seeks-patent

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020/China wants to patent Gilead's experimental coronavirus drug

Finance.yahoo.com/china's drug patent grab makes coronavirus scary for pharma

Www.straittimes.com/asia/east-asia/coronavirus/China wants to patent Gilead's experimental coronavirus drug

Honestly, even if I had taken the time to post links, I would still have gotten finger cramps there were so many. Maybe you should back up and learn basic Internet search. back at ya.

[58Sunliner]

72. They are beginning testing, not available yet.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/06/health/coronavirus-treatments.html
"The drug has to be given intravenously, is experimental and not yet approved for any use, and has not been studied in patients with any coronavirus disease. But studies of infected mice and monkeys have suggested that remdesivir can fight coronaviruses.

And it appears to be safe. It was tested without ill effects in Ebola patients, although it did not work well against that virus, which is in a different family from coronaviruses.
Doctors in Washington State gave remdesivir to the first coronavirus patient in the United States last week after his condition worsened and pneumonia developed when he’d been in the hospital for a week. His symptoms improved the next day.

[58Sunliner]

65. Oh please.

[Blue_true]

67. ....nt

The presumption made my day.

[58Sunliner]

75. It's not a vaccine. Try again.

They are trying to develop a vaccine. Oh yeah- Since apparently you like ridicule.

[Blue_true]

79. It works against the virus. That is all that I care about.

You are free to mosh on semantics all that you want.

[58Sunliner]

80. It's not semantics. They serve 2 different functions. Nice try.

Oh yeah-

[Blue_true]

88. The drug cures coronavirus in patients that it has been tested on.

Last edited Sat Feb 8, 2020, 09:12 PM - Edit history (1)

Who give a shit about what it's original patented purpose was, a patent for a new use can be filed, maybe if you knew that you wouldn't have put up the post that you just did.

Ok, on math. Maybe it was you who posted a chart today. It bent near the Y-intercept, otherwise it was a rapidly rising straight line. Given the cluster-fuck that China made near the start of the virus, who knows what the curve for the first few days actually looks like. Given that the slope for the infection rate has been constant for 3-4 weeks, my bet is that data near the true Y-intercept is straight. See, if you understood graphing data from unfiltered raw data, MAYBE you would understand that.

On edit: about that chart. I noticed that the most recent slope declined a tad. Based upon my work with non human data, a couple of inferences can be drawn from that. But human population data can be screwball because people are involved and they behave in unpredictable ways sometimes. What I would surmise, leaving the human part out, is that China's attempt to isolate people is starting to work, people are not in the streets infecting other people. Another possibility is that people changed their habits, washing hands, being careful about what they touched, staying away from sneeze clouds that they see a person do.

[58Sunliner]

95. 1 patient, but it looks promising. A vaccine is supposed to prevent infection, not treat it.

A good article that explains the process of drug treatment and anti-virals and the challenges. I posted no charts.
https://www.livescience.com/possible-treatments-new-coronavirus.html

[Blue_true]

96. Preventing infection seems to be a good starting point, BTW, that would make it a vaccine.

If I read correctly, there was a second drug that cured infected patients. I thought there were more than one or two, like several showing the same improvement.

[58Sunliner]

73. One of them is not a vaccine. It is an experimental drug. Where is the other "vaccine"?

[Blue_true]

78. I read an article that stated the drug that is used to treat Ebola was

successful at killing the Wuhan virus. I read the article early one morning, I think that I assigned both to Gilead Sciences.

Generally, from what I understand of the process, if an experimental drug shows ability to cure a disease and there are no side effects or the side effects are small, it gets fast tracked through the approval process. The drug is more than experimental, Gilead has a patent on it for treating another virus, so there is human interaction data in existence. At any rate, it's good news that effective drugs are already in existence.

[emmaverybo]

87. Which one of you is right? Is there hope or all doomed? I read that this virus either has SARS

virus in it or like SARS so we should be able to develop a vaccine.

I just don’t want to leave my dogs to fend for themselves. I better get more water in anyhow for any catastrophe.

[Blue_true]

89. There are two drug that already exist for other purposes.

But the drugs are for humans.

What you should do with your dogs is call your Vet first thing Monday morning. That person should have professional advice for you over your concern.

[emmaverybo]

94. Thank you.

[dewsgirl]

56. +1000 I'm watching closely, I believe they are lying about the

actual numbers. Some researchers say to multiply by 10.

[cwydro]

98. Which researchers?

[Blue_true]

42. I have seen people have real panic attacks.

My heart has always weeps for them.

But I am also a cold-blooded realist, I only worry about things that have a decent statistical probability of harming me or loved ones. The Wuhan virus doesn't make the cut.

[58Sunliner]

66. Since it's new and hasn't spread here, that's a no-brainer.

[Blue_true]

69. Ok, you can panic for both of us. I just can't find the time to panic. nt

[58Sunliner]

74. Maybe you could work on your math.

[Blue_true]

81. No. I am set. Thanks for the thought, though. nt

[Dream Girl]

106. But it has spread quickly and killed a lot of people in a matter of weeks

[Blue_true]

109. Then you should be really terrified of the flu that is all around you.

It has killed more people in the matter of weeks of which you spoke, sonething like 3,000-4,000 people (versus 600 for CV at last count). Plus, you or a loved one are far more likely to contract the flu.

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

26. I'm more concerned about the racists

As someone of East Asian descent, being stereotyped as a dirty disease-carrier is much more of a concern to me.

[lunasun]

59. Racists ? Like this ?

As an example, Treyger pointed to the shocking case in which an Asian woman wearing a surgical mask on her face was assaulted by a suspect as she entered the Grand Street station in Manhattan’s Chinatown at around 6 p.m. on Feb. 2.

Treyger also cited incidents he had heard about anecdotally, including cases in which Asian students and teachers have been bullied and harassed in schools.

“There is an uptick in comments and slurs against Asian students and staff. That is bullying. That is wrong. That is unacceptable,” Treyger said at the press conference at the Salvation Army’s Bensonhurst Corps at 7307 18th Ave.

State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, a Democrat representing several neighborhoods in Southwest Brooklyn, agreed.

“We will not let this be an excuse for racism,” Gounardes said
https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2020/02/07/asian-community-warns-of-coronavirus-backlash/
Or this ?
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-03/fear-panic-around-the-coronavirus-fuels-racist-sentiment

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

62. Are you being rhetorical or sarcastic?

I’m sorry, I can’t tell from your use of question marks.

[lunasun]

77. No I'm just saying it is already happening across the country it's scary . I'm not trying to relay

any panic it has been isolated incidents of course, but still, I already was afraid this kind of stuff would start up with the usual suspects before I read of actual incidences

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

93. Thanks for clearing that up

I’m afraid that as this drags on, incidents are going to be much less isolated.

Here’s a couple of more links for you.

Lyft and Uber drivers refusing rides to Asians: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/03/uber-and-lyft-riders-of-asian-descent-face-coronavirus-panic.html

Rapper 50 Cent Wants Donald Trump to Send Chinese People ‘Back to China’ Over Coronavirus: https://nextshark.com/50-cent-trump-china-coronavirus/

[MLAA]

86. A lot of ignorance crawling out from under the rocks into the light of day since the reign of

impotus began.

Take care! 🙂

[RandySF]

28. My wife and a coworker

Both are Asian immigrants who are fed a daily diet of rumors from overseas.

[Blue_true]

29. Tell her to try the local Autozones or other auto parts suppliers.

They sell dust masks that can be fitted to the nose and mouth. They also sell goggles that enclose the eyes.

Most importantly, see whether she knows how to properly wash her hands (at least 20 seconds of warm water and anti-bacteria soap). Lastly, tell her that she should be more concerned about the flu.

[Clash City Rocker]

33. Yeah, it's turning into the new Bird Flu

Most Americans don’t worry enough about the regular flu, but when a flu bug gets its own exotic name, they fly into a panic. That’s largely because the media is telling them to panic, because fear is good for their ratings. But decisions made out of fear are by definition irrational, and rarely the right choice. The real concern is that Trump is making it harder for healthcare professionals to fight any outbreak that may be coming. That’s a concern that we can do something about, by working together to get a grownup in the White House again.

[Lefta Dissenter]

34. Frankly,

I’m not freaking out, but I am concerned on a personal level because I have family in Tokyo, working in jobs in which they have significant contact with the public. My only grandchild is there. My daughter and her husband are going to Japan in spring, and I’m going after that.

So yes, I have some N95 masks on hand for my family’s travels, and I sing the “ABC” song while I wash my hands many times a day. And I try not to stick my fingers up my nose.

Last year we spent a lot of time at the harbor in Yokohama, right where that cruise ship is parked for quarantine.

By the way, my first attempt to place an order for masks through Amazon was aborted. It wouldn’t load into my cart after numerous tries, and then when I closed and reopened the Amazon app, the price for the masks had more than quadrupled and were backordered! 😤. I ordered the 3-M masks from a drywall supply house, and have received my order.

[pansypoo53219]

41. NPR experts. masks are FOR THE SICK. wil not help, wash your hands. a lot.

[Kaleva]

51. Washing your hands alot doesn't do much unless you do it properly.

"“Yes, a surgical mask can help prevent the flu,” Sherif Mossad, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, tells Health. “Flu is carried in air droplets, so a mask would mechanically prevent the flu virus from reaching other people.” It would work both ways, says Dr. Mossad, preventing transmission of the flu virus to others and for keeping a mask-wearer from picking up an infection."

https://www.health.com/condition/cold-flu-sinus/surgical-mask-flu-prevention

[mr_lebowski]

44. Mr L when someone asks if he thinks they should be worried about the Wuhan ...

[Kaleva]

53. Prepared and informed people don't freak out.

[justhanginon]

58. I have both asthma and COPD so already take precautions

for flu prevention. Flu shot, pneumonia shot and constant handwashing. I cook a lot so the handwashing is automatic. Fortunately I live in a small rather rural village so don't come into contact with world travelers very often so that lessens the odds. No panic but people should be aware and act accordingly.

[Sunsky]

68. My friends and family

are aware but don't seem to care. They see it as a China issue. Some say it's a hoax I don't see the "hair on fire" level of panic like what I saw with Ebola and Zika here in South Florida.

I did see a lady at the grocery store telling everyone to wipe their carts with disinfecting wipes. I asked her, if you should also wipe the shelves, products and wear mask. She told me to do what I feel is best. I told her I will and went about my business.

[SMC22307]

70. Nope. (n/t)

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

71. People who are freaking out about this are idiots.

The danger is quite minimal.

I'm reminded of the Ebola freak out here a few years ago. In defense of that freak-out, Ebola did have a high kill rate, which this corona virus does not. Ebola is very hard to contract. Corona virus not so hard, but, rather like any other illness, not all that many who are exposed actually get sick. And most of those who do, don't get very sick.

[Kurt V.]

76. no

[Dem2theMax]

82. Is she a Republican?

If so, I have masks and I will sell them to her at $50 a pop.

If she's a Democrat, first slap her upside the head to get her to be reasonable. Then I will give her some masks for free.

I live in a fire prone area and I have masks on hand all the time. Regular and N95.

[Silver1]

90. From Johns Hopkins ...

It's still too early to make accurate predictions, but more data is emerging every day. We should know much more in a couple of weeks. A biologist at Michigan State University posts recent developments regularly: https://telliamedrevisited.wordpress.com/2020/01/30/updates-on-the-wuhan-corona-virus-ncov2019/

And an excerpt from Johns Hopkins:

(Feb 6): Tom Inglesby is the Director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security. He has a must-read twitter thread calling on the US and international community to undertake coordinated action to prepare for a possible pandemic. Some of the points Dr. Inglesby makes (with my emphasis in bold):

“Continued efforts are being made toward containing and ending the nCoV outbreak before it leads to widespread community transmission in countries around the world. However what we know about this virus /epidemic suggests this goal is likely not attainable”

“… extent of nCoV in China w/daily rise in numbers; high connectedness of China to rest of world; high r(0) of virus; spread of cases before containment started; cases in other countries that seem only explainable by community transmission – all suggest nCoV not containable.”

“Domestically — Is there community transmission in US? Given the thousands of passengers arriving daily from China in last 2 months prior to the recent travel restrictions, and given how transmissible nCov is seems possible, if not likely, there is already US transmission.”

“Need plan of action for ramping up preparedness of US hospitals to care for high numbers of ARDS [acute respiratory distress syndrome] patients. Training & protecting HCWs [health care workers]. Assessment and management of PPE [personal protective equipment] supply. Understand vent supply in private sector and SNS [social netork services]. Screening and triage practices.”

[bamagal62]

91. We were in Hong Kong during SARS...

So, there’s no freaking out in our house. But, I will say that N95s do no good if you pull them off and then spit on the sidewalk. Which is what happened everywhere in Hong Kong. I did finally see people washing their hands, which was a positive and no one touched an escalator handrail. But, for some reason, spitting was a-ok.

[moniss]

92. I don't

understand some of the comments from further up about not putting your fingers in your nose. I was raised by Republicans in the rural Midwest and we always had our fingers in our noses. The whole town was that way. You should see my wedding pictures. Both of us were raised the same way.

[jpak]

105. LOL!!122

[cwydro]

99. This is the second or third post I've seen saying masks are not available.

Curious, while on errands yesterday, I decided to look in each store I visited. I saw them EVERYWHERE, including Lowes, where I suppose they sell them for dust protection.

Amazon has oodles of them available.

[Lefta Dissenter]

104. That's interesting

Are they the N95 NIOSH masks? Are they jacked up to $5 per mask? My local building supply store had empty N95 mask shelves several weeks ago, and I haven’t looked on Amazon lately because I have what I need. Maybe the manufacturers are catching up with the demand.

[Bayard]

108. Go to the local hardware store

Buy painters' masks. I usually have them around for when I'm sanding.

Just not as fashionable.