Covid-19 facts, fallacies, and prepardness

[J. Wilhelm]

all the schools in the state are closing... cool, what are all the working parents supposed to do?

Self-isolate?

I, on the other hand, am going to self-idolate. I have made a model of myself and will pray to it daily for health and continued immortality.

Self Idolatry! Wait... That's not so uncommon these days....in other news, I'm just realizing that being cooped up with my roommates is going to be hell. None of us stay in the house for too long during the week, and we all spend most of the time outside...

My other two roommates are self employed. One of them is the owner of the house (our landlord), but he continuously allows the other roommate to be late in rent because they're friends. I don't think he'd do that for me. The delinquent tenant in question actually has a blue collar background and an extreme amount of experience in the pub, food and hospitality industries, as well in computer installation services; the other (the landlord) is a marketing major (business school). However, right now neither of them have actual paying jobs. They're both working as Lyft drivers, so I'm the only one with a real wage job, meager as it may be, I'm in better shape than they are.

If quarantine hits, it has been said (I still need to comprehend how) that the federal government will pursue "paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave, according to the Speaker of the House" (House of Representatives, equivalent to the House of Commons in the UK) for wage workers. Giventthe gravity of the situation, it looks like both ruling parties will agree to the terms. But my roommates are technically self-employed contractors, and thus will receive no aid from the government.

The roommates are already suffering from a lack of business. They're having a hard time getting calls for rides, for obvious reasons. I'm just wondering how things are going to go on the next few months. I don't think my rent alone covers the mortgage in the house. I'm not so worried about the bartender. He has experience in disaster recovery (Florida hurricanes, Houston), and I trust he'll just return the Lyft car and find something else to do. The other one has wealthy family, but I'm not sure... I wonder if he could get some sort of deferment from whoever is the lender. It'll be tough for him to find a white collar business related job.

These are the things running through my head right now...

[Banfili]

Trump 'offers large sums' for exclusive access to coronavirus vaccine

Sorry, if it is too poltical.  

I don't think there is anything to say ... at least nothing that is printable, or suitable for a lady!

[Deimos]

Sooooooo, the eminent governor of our Grand [Canyon] state has closed all the public schools.

How this affects me personally --being unmarried, childless, retired and 65 (and 1/2)--- means my two woodworking classes, which are held at two different local high schools are canceled for two weeks.
Annoying but that is about it. (I'm enrolled for class in the fall, so I will still be making sawdust for the forseeable future).

Yet, I can't help but think this decision is terribly misguided and/or ill-considered.
In most families both parents are wage earners and very often in jobs that cannot be performed remotely.

I was an aerospace tech for 35 years for one of the big aerospace companies (based in Seattle---anyone want to guess the company name ? ;-D), and there is no way more than  1/4 of the employees (if that many) could ever work from home.

"Ummm, yes, of course, I can do my part of the assembly of a 787 in my garage, or even in my basement, tho' I may have to knock out a wall or two when I'm ready to deliver it...."

He says "the children will be safer at home".

Yep, guv, they sure will, maybe being supervised by a sibling barely older then they are, or not supervised at all because the parent(s)  couldn't take off work without being dismissed or foregoing a paycheck (with which they need to buy TP...or milk....or food....)

Jeez, what a bunch of ultra-maroons (the guv and his advisors).


   

[Prof Marvel]

Sooooooo, the eminent governor of our Grand [Canyon] state has closed all the public schools.

How this affects me personally --being unmarried, childless, retired and 65 (and 1/2)--- means my two woodworking classes, which are held at two different local high schools are canceled for two weeks.
Annoying but that is about it. (I'm enrolled for class in the fall, so I will still be making sawdust for the forseeable future).

Yet, I can't help but think this decision is terribly misguided and/or ill-considered.
In most families both parents are wage earners and very often in jobs that cannot be performed remotely.

I was an aerospace tech for 35 years for one of the big aerospace companies (based in Seattle---anyone want to guess the company name ? ;-D), and there is no way more than  1/4 of the employees (if that many) could ever work from home.

"Ummm, yes, of course, I can do my part of the assembly of a 787 in my garage, or even in my basement, tho' I may have to knock out a wall or two when I'm ready to deliver it...."

He says "the children will be safer at home".

Yep, guv, they sure will, maybe being supervised by a sibling barely older then they are, or not supervised at all because the parent(s)  couldn't take off work without being dismissed or foregoing a paycheck (with which they need to buy TP...or milk....or food....)

Jeez, what a bunch of ultra-maroons (the guv and his advisors).


   

Well, here are my thoughts on it:

- OK. Yes. Lockdowns suck, They are BEYOND inconvenient. BUT
     after China implemented the lockdowns, they not only "flattened the curve:" but the numbers show that the lockdowns
     literally stemmed the expansion! China is now approaching "getting better".

- Japan is taking it seriously and it seems to be working  to "flatten the curve".

- Look at the mistakes Italy made. 
      "Italy has extended its emergency coronavirus measures"
      Not soon enough - "Coronavirus first started to make a minimal appearance in Italy  January — and then things progressed quickly."
      Italy is now second only to China in number of infections. Italy's death toll is now over 631,  with over 10,000 infections reported

- Look at history - this is EXACTLY like the greaqt Swine Fllu pandemic of 1918.
       At that time, towns that took quaranteen seriously did well 
       Cities that poo-poo'd the idea and held parades anyway suffered fast and long

from https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/15/us/philadelphia-1918-spanish-flu-trnd/index.html

(CNN)The spread of the novel coronavirus has resulted in events being postponed or canceled across the country --
everything from the NBA and concerts to universities and schools has been affected.
It might be enough to make people wonder: Is all this necessary?
The answer is yes. Just look at Philadelphia in 1918, and the spread of the flu.

The virus spread to Philadelphia on September 19, 1918, through the Philadelphia Navy Yard, UPenn states.
In a matter of days, 600 sailors had the virus. Yet Philadelphia didn't cancel its Liberty Loan Parade, scheduled for
just a little more than a week later. Meant to be a patriotic wartime effort, the parade went on as scheduled on September 28,
bringing 200,000 Philadelphians together.

By October 1, there were 635 new cases in Philadelphia, according to UPenn.  Within three days, every bed in the city’s 31 hospitals
was filled. There were thousands of influenza patients. More than 12,000 people died in six weeks, with about 47,000 reported cases,
according to UPenn. By the six-month mark, about 16,000 had died and there were more than half a million cases.

St. Louis, for example, canceled its parade while Philadelphia did not. In the end, the death toll in St. Louis did not rise above 700, according to the CDC.
"This deadly example shows the benefit of canceling mass gatherings and employing social distancing measures during pandemics," the CDC said.

SO...
this is going to sound harsh.  Too Bad. Facts are often harsh.

This is the Biggest Crisis of this century. Of the last 70 years
.
Quarantines and Lockdowns are Absolutely Necessary to stop this thing.
Both for personal safety and THE GREATER GOOD.

For a relatively short period of time life is changing dramatically.
For a while Life is gonna suck. But these inconveniences are better than DEAD.

People in Italy ( close proximity, crowded like crazy, lots of kissy face, hugging, touching, etc) got sick fast
becasue they  were whining about losing their "social contacts" and "night life" and etc. 
Guess what - its better than losing your life.

Compared to the past, this so-called hardship is piddle.

Consider the Siege of Stalingrad.
Consider the Warsaw Ghetto under the Nazis.
Consider gulags in Siberia.
Consider the Siege of Sarajevo, Yugoslavia and the so called "ethnic cleansing"

This is actually a War.
This Corona Virus is the "War of the Worlds" . 
We need to all pull together and support each other as much as we can.
We have to put up with these short term hardships in order for Humans to survive.  (Even if Humanity may not deserve it).

these forums can help us with reaching out, connecting, and keeping a Stiff Upper Lip.

BTW we can also use these forums to share hints, encouragement and resources !



yhs
prof marvel

[Deimos]

Pace, my dear Prof Marvel, but this is not quite the same situation as the 1918 flu pandemic.

1) how many people in AZ (bear in mind I'm questioning only the edicts of the AZ powers-that-be) live in tenement housing?
You can be absolutely certain that the majority of workers in Philly (and especially the shipyards) lived in tenement housing which, any virus aside, is a petri dish for all kinds of bugs.  

2) Shipboard life (especially on subs) is obviously very close living. No one in AZ lives/works on ships.

3) I don't object to shutting down huge venues (e.g. sports complexes) or concert halls

4) But apparently any gaps are dangerous, so why not Lockdown the whole state?
And if you say well, that is not practical, well, then what is? Where do you draw the line?
I'm saying that you draw the line at shutting down University classes and high school classes (univ like ASU and Uof A having huge populations and holding classes packed lecture halls.)

But grade schools? Classrooms  usually aren't packed to the gills and really young kids aren't nearly susceptible to the virus.
 Also here in AZ fully 70% of kids rely on the schools here for free breakfast and lunch.
So now these kids are without 2 of 3 meals per day for the next 2 weeks...10 out of 14 days they get one meal a day (maybe no meals if those free meals are the ONLY food they get).  

[Prof Marvel]

But grade schools? Classrooms  usually aren't packed to the gills and really young kids aren't nearly susceptible to the virus.
 Also here in AZ fully 70% of kids rely on the schools here for free breakfast and lunch.
So now these kids are without 2 of 3 meals per day for the next 2 weeks...10 out of 14 days they get one meal a day (maybe no meals if those free meals are the ONLY food they get).   

My Dear Deimos -
I beleive we are "in general" on the same page.

One exception is "schoolkids" - whilst I have no hard facts, I find anectodotally that schoolkids are little vast moving disease vectors,
who have not yet learned to wash hands and not lick doorknobs or friends...

over here in NM, they are continuing meals by handing out meal  bags each day as parent drive/walk up.
and informal neighborhood daycare is helping working parents. Smaller daycare groups means less contagion than the entire school. Its a matter of scale.

Unfortunately "dumb Announcements" without planning from "The Govt"  are exacerbating things.

yhs
prof ( I don't have all the answersbut I havePlenty of Opinions) marvel

[Deimos]

I beleive we are "in general" on the same page.

One exception is "schoolkids" - whilst I have no hard facts, I find anectodotally that schoolkids are little vast moving disease vectors,
who have not yet learned to wash hands and not lick doorknobs or friends...

over here in NM, they are continuing meals by handing out meal  bags each day as parent drive/walk up.
and informal neighborhood daycare is helping working parents. Smaller daycare groups means less contagion than the entire school. Its a matter of scale.

Unfortunately "dumb Announcements" without planning from "The Govt"  are exacerbating things.

yhs
prof ( I don't have all the answersbut I havePlenty of Opinions) marvel

You would have thought that AZ might do the same thing....but I have heard no announcements about it.

[Deimos]

Just read that AZ public schools are doing the same thing (starting it this morning) of "drive-up" delivery for lunch.
For brekkers tables outside have been set up for the kids.

Not to  beat a dead (or Sp. flu infected) horse, but this comparison by the media of then and now sets me off.
Aside for the "we don't have tenements" argument, there  are a lot of other apple and oranges comparisons that could be made.

1)LOTS of people smoked, even kids
2) Cities' air was absolutely befouled by the burning of coal, oil, wood and kerosene.
3)TB was still everywhere a possibility

So these factors all contributed to a much higher risk of contracting respiratory illness, and having contracted it, a much higher risk of it being serious and so a much greater chance of dying from it.

The air was foul everywhere, it was difficult if not impossible to quarantine an entire district full of tenements, and how many men defied the quarantine because their families "have to eat" and they were the sole breadwinner?

It is irresponsible and just plain fear-mongering for the media to make these comparisons to pandemics that occurred 100 or more years ago.      

[rovingjack]

All schools are closed in our state for several weeks, and all restraunts are order to not serve food in (only delivery or takeout). and here is a picture of the largest grocer store within 20 minutes drive of where I live.

[J. Wilhelm]

But grade schools? Classrooms  usually aren't packed to the gills and really young kids aren't nearly susceptible to the virus.
 Also here in AZ fully 70% of kids rely on the schools here for free breakfast and lunch.
So now these kids are without 2 of 3 meals per day for the next 2 weeks...10 out of 14 days they get one meal a day (maybe no meals if those free meals are the ONLY food they get).  

But grade schools? Classrooms  usually aren't packed to the gills and really young kids aren't nearly susceptible to the virus.
 Also here in AZ fully 70% of kids rely on the schools here for free breakfast and lunch.
So now these kids are without 2 of 3 meals per day for the next 2 weeks...10 out of 14 days they get one meal a day (maybe no meals if those free meals are the ONLY food they get).  

My Dear Deimos -
I beleive we are "in general" on the same page.

One exception is "schoolkids" - whilst I have no hard facts, I find anectodotally that schoolkids are little vast moving disease vectors, who have not yet learned to wash hands and not lick doorknobs or friends...

Adults: cleaning countertops with alcohol, wearing masks, and quarantining

Children: https://ifunny.co/video/hQrxTFfU7

Schools is the very first thing they need to shut down. This virus largely doesn't affect children, and seems to kill older adults, but not the child-bearing age, thus guaranteeing a new generation of carriers. The virus remains hidden in carriers (children) indefinitely with no symptoms to give it away. Same for young adults. It's an evolutionary tactic that maximizes contagion, apparently.

Cheers,

JW

51 year old 30-something looking unmarried childless Aerospace Engineer, with no defined direction in life.

[Deimos]

OKAY.... I stand corrected on the shutting of the schools post.

[MWBailey]

Question:
Should I stay inside and avoid getting chronic hayfever? Will Hayfever really lead to coronavirus? I know that sounds ridiculous, but that was said to me by my folks not three hours ago, and I've found in previous times that what they yell about and I ignore tends to come back and bite me in the arse, so...

[Banfili]

Question:
Should I stay inside and avoid getting chronic hayfever? Will Hayfever really lead to coronavirus? I know that sounds ridiculous, but that was said to me by my folks not three hours ago, and I've found in previous times that what they yell about and I ignore tends to come back and bite me in the arse, so...

If your hay fever season looks like being bad, avoid going out if you can, and make sure you take your antihistamines first! Our Spring/Summer just past was an unmercifully bad hay fever season, added to by the smoke from the bushfires, which meant I did stay home a lot more than I would ordinarily. Also, when the temperature is in the mid 40sC there isn't any temptation to go out. Air con on!

Having hay fever WILL NOT GIVE you Covid-19, but your compromised respiratory function may mean that if you are unfortunate enough to get Covid-19, you may get it quite badly.

[Banfili]

My University, in northern new South Wales, has just released the following bulletin:
"Update on COVID-19 arrangements
17 March 2020

University of New England (UNE) is putting in place arrangements to maintain core operations during the increasing pandemic situation in New South Wales. The university is in constant communication and consultation with both Federal and State authorities.

As of today, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at UNE and the campus and study centres remain open. Sensibly, a number of individuals have chosen to self-isolate while they wait for test results.

The University is following approved Emergency Management protocols and has established a Special Incident Group who meet daily.

Actions taken so far include preparing to move all remaining courses to online (including assessments and exams) and preparing staff to work from home where possible.

As of today, face to face teaching continues at the Armidale campus. Campus shut down is our last resort.

Facilities for on campus quarantine are being expanded (current capacity at over 200) and events and gatherings have been limited or cancelled. Events of over 500 people have been cancelled or postponed, including Open Day and May Graduation.

We are in the process of considering how to support casual staff affected by any reduction in hours as needed."

I may add that the vast majority of UNE students study off-camps - there are only five or six thousand on-campus students, so the disruption to lectures will be minimal - 90% of course material is available as an on-line resource.

[J. Wilhelm]

Question:
Should I stay inside and avoid getting chronic hayfever? Will Hayfever really lead to coronavirus? I know that sounds ridiculous, but that was said to me by my folks not three hours ago, and I've found in previous times that what they yell about and I ignore tends to come back and bite me in the arse, so...

I've had allergy periods that facilitated infection from some other agent. Seems to me that a runny nose is a welcome mat for whatever else wants to get in. The inflammation of the mucosa opens up blood capillaries, making it easier for pathogens to get in. I don't know how significant this process is for COVID, but it seems logical to me same rules apply.

[Deimos]

For the US at least.... there is no shortage of food per se...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/business/coronavirus-food-shortages.html?utm_source=pocket-newtab

[J. Wilhelm]

For the US at least.... there is no shortage of food per se...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/business/coronavirus-food-shortages.html?utm_source=pocket-newtab

The US is the number one producer of food in the world. I would expect no food shortages either. But the delivery mechanisms can't cope with this exaggerated demand driven by fear.

Attention must be shifted south of the border, however, where leaders with a certain political ideology are trying to downplay the spread of the virus. This is a potentially catastrophic situation, and we in the US probably won't be able/willing to help at all. I fear it's about to blow up in Mexico. They're aware of the virus and local governments have started closing events, but so far only a tepid campaign has taken root between local governments and the private industry. Fear is starting to grip the population as they see what is happening in the US, and what happened in Italy.

EDIT.

I'm at the local super (same as in the pictures above). It's insanity. They started by restricting hours from 8am to 8pm - which I think is a good idea to allow restocking. The local store looks much better, but they're now "throttling" incoming traffic at the door, with a bouncer (all stores in town) and not allowing any one walking out to come back in. Even at 8:30 am you already have most canned produce depleted as well as paper goods like toilet paper. Fresh bread is back on the racks, but packaged bread is in short supply Business centers (paying your bills) are closed for the duration

Honestly, the US may have plenty of food, but supermarkets simply can't cope with the demand, period. Supply lines are saturated

[Deimos]

OKAAAY ...it's been a mostly successful hunting/gathering day for me.

Had several (non-scavenging) errands to run so I decided to search for food also.
Was low on packaged bread....I eat TJ's  bread and had  zero hope of finding any on their shelves last week, so didn't even try.
Walked in this morning and their bread shelves were about half full, and my fav was there. Got two pkgs. (one to freeze).
Also picked up a container of fresh basil (basil is high in antioxidants, boosts your immune system).
I eat basil and tomato sandwiches pretty often (tomatoes are also high in antioxidants) but it seems like a really good idea to be eating them now.

I don't buy bananas at TJs  but I noticed they didn't have a one. This "yes, we have no bananas" scenario was to be repeated at the next 2 stores.
Next store (my reg chain, but upscale location), had no bananas or canned beans or my sourdough baguette (Yep I was still searching  for one). Milk, eggs and cheese were cleaned out.
(It's a given that the TP, sanitizers, paper towels, wipes etc are non-existent, so I won't waste time relating the status of those items.)

Next store (same chain, not quite so upscale,) had a few cans of kidney beans...I only needed one so I took only one.
But they had sourdough baguettes so I got a couple of those, 2 avocados, a bulb of garlic, for making soup and dressing up some plain frozen pizzas, but no bananas. Again, milk and eggs and cheese and also meat pretty well cleaned out.

3rd and final stop, the Wal-mart near me. Wonder of wonders, there was a completely full display of bananas (they must have just put them out).
There was also about half the normal amount of milk, cheese, eggs, meat ...I don't need these latter 4 items, just relating the "shelf stock" situation.

But like the other stores there were very few canned goods, there was no dry cereal at all.
I got the bananas, some onions, about a dozen individual containers of plain yogurt, and checked out.

I'd still like to find a few more cans of beans. I am not hoarding .... as I explained previously, I regularly "stash" anywhere from 12 to 24 cans of a given food.  I let my stock of kidney beans get too low, and the panic hit before I could replenish my supply.

Yet, despite my [for the most part] very successful foraging, those empty shelves are still pretty disturbing to see.
        

[J. Wilhelm]

Panic just got the better of me with the job situation. I can deal with pretty much anything, but not the repeated specter of homelessness. Traffic at my shop is understandably low, but not zero, and today was better than yesterday, but coming to work with word that the business owner wants to do inventory sent me into a mental tailspin, because it sounds too much like she's getting ready to close the shop. We've only seen a downturn in the business for 6 days, but in COVID years, that's an eternity...  I'm running wishful scenarios in my head where I can offer a 25% decrease in my hours and will be able to keep my job and convince my college loan lender to give me a deferment. I've only started repayment on my college loan for less than a year after many years of deferment due to bankruptcy. Scenarios of Federal Government help are running in my brain, but we don't have anything concrete by way of legislation yet and I'm pathetically spending gobs of the little money I have in supplies for an assumed quarantine and/or illness. I'm basically having a rhetorical heart attack now.

Jobs available in the area are naturally temp jobs as supermarket stocker and pharmacy clerk. And they're hiring. Then there's the 2020 census (which I did 10 years ago) but requires a car and driver license which expired in 2015.

I'll just drop this here. It might be useful. I'll see if I can give it a try.

Gel Desinfectante y liquido para manos - Recetas Oficiales de la OMS

[Banfili]

And the insanity continues!

Chinese government now blaming US & US Army for Covid-19 (of course!)

And in Australia, bunch of idiots (being polite, here!) from Melbourne, with a bus, on a rural supermarket pillaging trip, stopped partway up the highway and turned back to Melbourne. Their final port of call was the small town down the road from where I live.

[J. Wilhelm]

And the insanity continues!

Chinese government now blaming US & US Army for Covid-19 (of course!)

And in Australia, bunch of idiots (being polite, here!) from Melbourne, with a bus, on a rural supermarket pillaging trip, stopped partway up the highway and turned back to Melbourne. Their final port of call was the small town down the road from where I live.

I'm not even going to pay attention to the blame game. Propaganda may work with their ideology, but the rest of the world knows better!

UPDATE : This may be of interest to other Brassgoggles members who are residents in Texas (at least 3 that I know)

Austin *confirmed* COVID 19 cases more that doubled overnight from 7 to 17 (March 17). It is thought that community spread has started but remains hidden due to lack of testing (none of the known cases are due to the community transfer, they're all people coming from other parts).

The State of Texas and the City of Austin are taking this very seriously. The governor activated the Texas National Guard.

For more details visit this page
http://www.austintexas.gov/COVID19

Texas is currently in "Phase4" of the emergency COVID-19 response protocol (no community spread other than isolated close person to person cases) , but the Mayor advices that we should act as if we are on Phase 5 (active community spread), based on the recommendations of a panel of health professionals.

The City has banned gatherings of more than 10 people. All food establishment diners are closed as well as all pubs and bars, to remain closed for 6 weeks. Food establishments may continue operating as long as all interior and exterior dining tables are not used, which leaves takeout service alone provided less than 10 people are present within the perimeter. Same for food carts.

As of two days ago all public buildings like libraries and offices as well as courthouses were closed to the public. Essential services like supermarkets and mass transport will remain operating, albeit with modified schedules.

Public transportation will move to "Sunday schedule" (reduced hours unavailable service in some cases) and all passengers must use the middle entrance to the bus, not the front entrance.

*sigh*

Here we go. I seriously doubt our business will remain open for much longer. We're a non-essential service. I don't think my boss is aware of the situation (none of us were this is literally changing by the minute).

Tomorrow I will venture out early in the morning to hunt for a bottle of Clorox surface cleaner, more cans of vegetables and or fruit and a thermometer to monitor body temperature should any one us gets symptoms).

[Banfili]

And the insanity continues!

Chinese government now blaming US & US Army for Covid-19 (of course!)

And in Australia, bunch of idiots (being polite, here!) from Melbourne, with a bus, on a rural supermarket pillaging trip, stopped partway up the highway and turned back to Melbourne. Their final port of call was the small town down the road from where I live.

Texas is currently in "Phase4" of the emergency COVID-19 response protocol (no community spread other than isolated close person to person cases) , but the Mayor advices that we should act as if we are on Phase 5 (active community spread), based on the recommendations of a panel of health professionals.

My next door neighbour said that she saw shoppers with trolleys piled high with fresh vegetables - which is insane unless they intend to spread them around their neighbours! Fresh veg have a very limited lifespan, and they will probably end up throwing most of the veg out - what a waste!

[Prof Marvel]

Tomorrow I will venture out early in the morning to hunt for a bottle of Clorox surface cleaner, more cans of vegetables and or fruit and a thermometer to monitor body temperature should any one us gets symptoms).

70% Isopropyl alcohol and common Peroxide work equally well on covid

prf mrvl

[rovingjack]

Tomorrow I will venture out early in the morning to hunt for a bottle of Clorox surface cleaner, more cans of vegetables and or fruit and a thermometer to monitor body temperature should any one us gets symptoms).

70% Isopropyl alcohol and common Peroxide work equally well on covid

prf mrvl

horders already got all of both from the stores in the surrounding areas here.

we've has community spread for a while. our first case was a guy (healthcare workers actually) tested positive on returning from Italy, they tested positive before returning to work and was ordered to stay home and isolate with their mild case... and instead went to a social gathering anyway. That's how the second person confirmed to have it got it. That person was a symtomatic and attended a church gathering before finding out they were exposed... and so it became a cluster of confirmed cases. and now me have something like 20 cases in multiple areas around the state.

those are just the confirmed cases. they don't test anybody who didn't travel from an infect region of the world, or who isn't staying in hospital for serious complications. Literally you can have all the symptoms and they will tell you to isolate at home but never test you and you are not counted as a confirmed case. So the numbers are probably much higher now everywhere.

brace yourself, (pardon the language) shit's about to go sideways. statistics show we are lining up worse that Italy was this many days into there spread and we look to be following their course only slightly worse over the next couple weeks.

[Rockula]

My wife and I are now self isolating.

We don't currently have the virus (as far as we can tell).

But my Mother-In-Law is 88, has Emphysema, recently survived bowel cancer, and she lives with us.

She is classified to be at Highest Risk.

As the official Carer staying home is nothing new to me but my wife works in the City of London and she'll be tearing her hair out in less than a week. Her job can only partly be done on computer.

On top of that my wife's 'secure' laptop, supplied by her employer so that she can 'work from home', has no connectivity due to IT problems at the main office. She's been asked to work from home but doesn't have the tools to actually do it. And the IT department are short staffed because some of them are now self isolating as well.

Oh, how quickly things fall apart.