The Coronavirus thread

Poll
2 votes (13.33%)
2 votes (13.33%)
2 votes (13.33%)
1 vote (6.66%)
2 votes (13.33%)
4 votes (26.66%)
No votes (0%)
No votes (0%)
1 vote (6.66%)
1 vote (6.66%)

15 members have voted

April 7th, 2020 at 3:26:29 AM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 154
Posts: 5054
Quote: fleaswatter
[shows people looking funny in their masks]
Now that we are all asked to wear masks, homemade if necessary, I decided we could go along with it and got out bandanas. We went to the grocery store and it seemed to me ridiculous to put them on unless forced to be close to someone like the cashier. And when I put it on, I had to think i looked ridiculous, even with the act of putting them on which reminded me of the Western movies/TV genre where the bad guys pulled on their bandanas to go in and rob a bank. Then it occurred to me: maybe I look ridiculous but I have a mask on and nobody can see who I am!

Many people wore the mask the whole time in the store. I got the feeling they thought they were protecting themselves, which is poor protection after a few minutes as we know, except for a really good one. What the masks do is protect *others* from your own exhaled moisture!
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
April 7th, 2020 at 5:22:00 AM permalink
ams288
Member since: Apr 21, 2016
Threads: 29
Posts: 12419
I wore a mask to Walmart Sunday night. I felt kind of silly at first, but I'd say most people in the store were wearing some sort of mask.

One thing about wearing a mask - it definitely made me aware of how often I wanted to habitually touch my face.
“A straight man will not go for kids.” - AZDuffman
April 7th, 2020 at 6:03:10 AM permalink
AcesAndEights
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 6
Posts: 351
In case anyone out there is still comparing this shiz to the flu

"You think I'm joking." -EvenBob
April 7th, 2020 at 6:21:46 AM permalink
SOOPOO
Member since: Feb 19, 2014
Threads: 22
Posts: 4157
Quote: AcesAndEights
In case anyone out there is still comparing this shiz to the flu



Well, I am, and do! STILL not as bad as a bad flu season (2017-2018) in number of deaths. (I know it will well surpass the worst flu season shortly). NOT EVEN CLOSE to an average year for cigarette smoking related deaths. AND (most likely, by all projections) WILL NOT GET CLOSE to smoking related deaths. Difficult to find accurate statistics, but will pale in comparison to sugar (diet, obesity) related deaths.

That all being said, the per day totals at the peak will surpass all other causes, and since we have found an EXTREME way (social distancing, 'closing' the economy) to combat it, it IS different from all the other causes.

I will bet next year flu deaths are WAY DOWN, as the lessons we learned from social distancing, cleanliness, etc., will somewhat help curtail them.

Already posted on WoV, but synopsis..... Spoke with NYC anesthesiologists last night. If the experimental treatments, including chloroquin, are working, it certainly is not a cure, but rather an incremental help. Two at very hard hit hospitals believe while still a disaster, the peak was a few days ago and they have seen a decrease in need to put people on ventilators.

Not that many will care, but if you are a hospital employed anesthesiologist you are still making your very nice salary. If you are in private practice, meaning you do a case and bill the insurance company, you are almost working for free now, as there are not enough cases to even pay your expenses. They are not paid to just wait around to intubate people, and each intubation pays a fraction of what an OR case does. Before this pandemic, it was hard to visualize a real advantage of being an employee as opposed to an owner.....
April 7th, 2020 at 6:38:53 AM permalink
AcesAndEights
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 6
Posts: 351
Quote: SOOPOO
Quote: AcesAndEights
In case anyone out there is still comparing this shiz to the flu


Well, I am, and do! STILL not as bad as a bad flu season (2017-2018) in number of deaths. (I know it will well surpass the worst flu season shortly). NOT EVEN CLOSE to an average year for cigarette smoking related deaths. AND (most likely, by all projections) WILL NOT GET CLOSE to smoking related deaths. Difficult to find accurate statistics, but will pale in comparison to sugar (diet, obesity) related deaths.

Poor choice of words on my part. Comparing fine, but uttering the words "it's just the flu" or downplaying it based on the comparison is more what I meant.

The bold (my effect) is the main point here. That line is still heading up UP UP! We may ALMOST be past the worst point. But still, today, globally, it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Hopefully one won't be able to say that anymore soon.

To your point on smoking and obesity, I find those comparisons a lot less useful since they are self-inflicted lifestyle diseases.
"You think I'm joking." -EvenBob
April 7th, 2020 at 8:23:02 AM permalink
Gandler
Member since: Aug 15, 2019
Threads: 27
Posts: 4236
I forget if I posted this already.

But, one good thing that will come from all of this is just how wasteful most physical encounters are.

I know many others are having similar experiences.

But, weekly meetings at work that used to be a big waste of time whole the director just lists off points that could be done over an email. Guess what now they are emailed and no meetings are necessary.

Meetings involving back and forth can now be done via zoom or just a telephone.

Classes that required a physical presence now moved online (showing that the physical lecture could have easily been posted online the whole time)...

I am also in the Army Reserves and now we have drill online (showing that driving all the way to the unit to sit through some presentation could have been online this whole time). Even some Army Resident courses are now online, allowing them to be taken from home (saving everyone a lot of money)....


If you think about how much money this will save governments, companies, universites if this continues, no more driving hours for a meeting that should have been an email or at most a Zoom conference. No more flying across the county for a course that could be taught just as effectively online. No more eating up half your world day to meet everyone you are required to at various times


I think this situation will pass, and we will all learn that we can do most tasks remotely and not have to spend the personal, company, or environmental resources to travel all over. I hope the one good thing of thos crisis is the spur towards almost everything being online and telephonically. This would be good for productivity, and the environment. There are already studies showing how much better the world is right now when less people are driving and flying everywhere. Hopefully this trend continues.
April 7th, 2020 at 8:45:56 AM permalink
Tanko
Member since: Aug 15, 2019
Threads: 0
Posts: 1964
Quote: Gandler
I hope the one good thing of thos crisis is the spur towards almost everything being online and telephonically.


Any job than can be done online and telephonically, can be done by someone in India for one sixth the cost.
April 7th, 2020 at 8:52:19 AM permalink
Gandler
Member since: Aug 15, 2019
Threads: 27
Posts: 4236
Quote: Tanko
Any job than can be done online and telephonically, can be done by someone in India for one sixth the cost.


I don't mean 100% of a job.

I am talking about "mandatory" weekly meetings, conferences, trainings, etc.....
April 7th, 2020 at 9:25:51 AM permalink
kenarman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 14
Posts: 4470
Currently although the US has the most cases it is only 9th on the list of deaths / million of population if we only count major countries, more like 17th if we start counting the very small countries. Current numbers US 1,150 deaths / million. Spain 3,005. I post this after hearing a reporter just trying to inflame things by saying "the US now has more deaths than Italy, Spain and France combined". What a meaningless thing to say.
"but if you make yourselves sheep, the wolves will eat you." Benjamin Franklin
April 7th, 2020 at 10:55:03 AM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 154
Posts: 5054
more deaths or more cases?
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]