Good morning everyone.
Mumsee, thirteen is a good age. I got about three good years out of Chuck. He was old enough to help when he got 12-13. But when he got older, he got a job in a local restaurant bussing tables. He worked there all the way through high school. He was elated when he got promoted to dishwasher. He and his friend, Paul, worked there. He thought of not going to college, but noticed that the manager of the restaurant was not where he hoped to be when he grew up.
Chuck also played the guitar. He thought he would be a rock star. That didn’t work out either. We had a long talk one night, Chuck sitting on the piano bench. Discussing his future. I explained to him that I would put him through college, but otherwise, his future was in his hands.
He has done quite well. The story is longer than this, but you get the point.
Continuing water issues and lingering cough. I think the latter is a cold that is not being helped by the moisture in the duct work at home.
I see there is more (in my opinion) overreaction to the Corona virus. What will the NCAA tourney be like without the “6th man”? And what about closing off Europe from coming here? Will we all be confined to our homes for the duration now?
I really believe all the stress caused by media hype is only going to make the virus wore than it is.
Maybe consider this a Pandemic drill for preparedness purposes. It is truly a learn as we go situation. And who knows what terrorist activity may be thwarted by the restricted travel. Only God knows all the nuances of why we are going through this. It does show world leaders that there are limits to their power and ability to control things.
Now I am wondering if my conference will be put on hold. That would give more time to be prepared.
I am feeling sad for all those who have been laid off so far from their work. I am guessing that are a lot of delivery jobs available right now, and personal shopping jobs.
Peter, I do not think there is an overreaction, though banning European travel now is like closing the barn door after the horse has left. But those who have made the mistake of comparing the flu to COVID-19 do not understand the pathophysiology behind the two types of viruses. The flu causes typical pneumonia. COVID-19, like its deadlier relatives SARS and MERS but at a lower rate than either of them, causes interstitial pneumonia. Of the two types of pneumonia, interstitial is the more deadly.
Typical pneumonia is caused by accumulation of fluid in the alveoli. The alveoli are tiny grape-like hollow clusters that are only a cell thick and each surrounded by a lacy network of capillary blood vessels. These extremely thin structures allow gas exchange to take place in the lungs, so that carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood, and oxygen diffuses in. In typical pneumonia, fluid from the bodies fight against the virus or bacteria causing the pneumonia, builds up within the alveoli so that the gases have to bubble through fluid to get in and out of the bloodstream. It is like drowning if the lungs become full of fluid. But fluid can also be coughed or suctioned up, giving the body a fighting chance.
In interstitial pneumonia, it is not fluid that is blocking gas exchange in the alveoli, it is the cell thin walls of the alveoli that become inflamed and swell. That is why COVID-19, as SARS before it, is characterized by a dry cough, not the normal wet one of bronchitis or pneumonia. The lung are trying to remove the blockage, but the blockage cannot be removed because it is inside the cells. If enough alveoli are inflamed, suffocation occurs, as once gas exchange is blocked, the body starts going into respiratory acidosis because dissolved carbon dioxide builds up in the blood and the body cells begin to use anaerobic (without oxygen) reactions that have acidic byproducts to produce energy. Acidosis quickly poisons the body, shutting it down.
The best hope those with interstitial pneumonia have is artificial ventilation, which increases the concentration of oxygen in the lungs, making gas diffusion, even across swollen membranes, possible. But, ventilators are extremely expensive, are generally only needed for a short period of time for a small number of people, and so no country has enough of them. Here in Canada, we have 5000. Our population is 35 million. One in ten people with COVID-19 will need respiratory support, that is ten percent of those infected. If even only 100,000 people got COVID-19 here, 10 percent of that number would still be twice as many as our number of ventilators. This is already happening in Italy, where they are having to decide who gets the ventilators and who doesn’t. The mortality rate from the flu is 0.1%, the mortality rate from COVID-19 is between 2-3%, 20-30 times the rate for influenza.
“These underlying conditions make coronavirus more severe, and they’re surprisingly common
A wide array of people are at risk, including those with high blood pressure and diabetes. Here’s how they can prepare.”
“HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are so commonplace that everyone reading these words likely knows somebody with at least one of these maladies.
They are also the “underlying conditions” most associated with severe cases of COVID-19, based on early clinical profiles on the disease. Even though 80 percent of COVID-19 cases are mild, these reports reveal that the novel coronavirus can endanger people other than the elderly and infirm.
The idea that the virus only poses a threat to older people comes from focusing too heavily on COVID-19’s death rate, which the World Health Organization updated last Wednesday to 3.4 percent. This rate is an average across ages, and the chances of dying do rise among older people.
But evidence also shows that COVID-19 is more fatal across all age groups than seasonal influenza, with death rates six to 10 times higher for those under 50. Moreover, death isn’t the only danger, and severe cases of COVID-19 are more common among young adults than you might think.
A study published February 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine, for example, examined the age breakdown for 1,099 coronavirus patients. The majority of non-severe cases—60 percent—are teens and adults between 15 to 49 years old, which might suggest this group is spared the worst of the virus.
In truth, severe cases were slightly more abundant among this younger demographic. Of the 163 severe cases reported in the study, 41 percent were young adults, 31 percent were aged 50 to 64, and 27 percent were above 65. The only age group spared by severe COVID-19 appeared to be kids under 14.
Millennials and Gen Z are also just as likely to catch the coronavirus as older groups, according to the largest profile to date on COVID-19, a clinical report of more than 72,000 patients published February 21 by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. So rather than rely on age to gauge who is most threatened by COVID-19, doctors say you may want to look at common underlying conditions and how they correspond with the death rates reported by the Chinese CDC. Doing so can offer clues on how to protect you and your loved ones.
“The death rate from this outbreak is high. We shouldn’t categorize it by young or senior,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said during a Monday briefing. “We cannot say that we care about millions when we don’t care about an individual who may be senior or junior … Every individual life matters.””
The difference between the two types of pneumonia may also help explain why younger people were more likely to die of Spanish influenza, while older people are more likely to die of COVID-19. With the Spanish flu, as with all flus, it is the body’s immune system that produces the fluid in response to the infection – a younger person’s immune system is likely to be stronger, and therefore produces that fluid more quickly and in greater amounts (the reason for the increased fluid production is to carry the immune antibodies and enzymes that deal with infection to the area and two flush away the debris and infectious material from the area). In essence, it was the immune reaction itself which caused younger people to die.
But interstitial pneumonia, as already explained, works differently. As we age, two different things happen with diseases of aging that could make interstitial pneumonia harder for the aged to survive. With cardiovascular disease (the highest rates of deaths have been those with CV disease), the oxygen carrying capacity of the circulatory system is decreased in some way (depending on which CA condition is involved), meaning that if the oxygen supply to the circulation is even partially blocked, it causes much more stress on the body because the reserves are already very low. The other thing that happens is damage to the lungs themselves. COPD, a not uncommon condition in the elderly, involves a lung condition called emphysema, caused not solely from years of smoking but also years of exposure to environmental irritants in the air (one man I personally knew developed it from exposure to solvent fumes, and occupational lung conditions such as farmer’s or miner’s lung are effectively variants of COPD). Emphysema is a loss of elasticity in the alveoli themselves, so that the alveoli become distended, looking more like globes than clusters of grapes. This decreases the surface area where gas exchange can take place. People with COPD are already living with a degree of respiratory acidosis, as the loss of elasticity and surface area to blow carbon dioxide out means carbon dioxide builds up in the body (this is why those with advanced COPD develop a bluish skin tone). The effects of interstitial pneumonia on top of COPD would be rapidly devastating, as their alveoli are already damaged.
Good morning. I see you are all in the midst of deep discussion. And, no doubt, waiting for my opinion. In my view, this is a new to us virus and we don’t know so it makes sense to take precautions. DJ pointed out that airborne is also keeping it going. In the interest of others, which Christians are called to pay attention to, we ought to be courteous. Stay away from crowds as possible, wash hands, be prepared for quarantine, trust God for the outcome. God is doing what He does for His purposes. We are to be about the business of proclaiming His Truth to those who come in our path and glorifying Him. Not living in fear, but being courteous. We do not know who will die from this but we do know they need to know Him and be known by Him when they die or it will not be good.
The Real, yes, younger people often already have diagnosis of high blood pressure and diabetes. Some of the people I encounter have all the diagnoses we have mentioned and are not even considered seniors yet. Occupational and environmental hazards can age people quickly.
I’ve seen too many “numbers” from this pandemic to think that much of anything is overreaction. Our daughter who just became a nurse (and is in retraining in her nursing home because she’s now doing different things than she was as an aide) talked to us on the phone a few days ago, and my husband asked her about the virus. She kept pointing out that its means of transmission (airborne) makes it a uniquely frightening illness, and the fact that you can have it–and pass it on–before having symptoms. Add those to how serious the disease itself is, especially for the elderly (one in 12 people in their 80s who get it will die from it), and it’s a disease that a nurse in a nursing home can’t help but take extremely seriously.
I don’t know if anyone else saw last night that the NBA has shut down the rest of its season. Or that the young man who is its first case of the virus in the NBA had made light of the virus and potentially infected other people before he knew he had it (but not before he could pass it on). It seems that in a press conference, they decided to keep the basketball players a good distance from the media (the “social distancing” everyone is recommending right now), and so a player sat in a seat with all the microphones gathered around him, and the media sat a good distance back. So when he stood up after his interview, he leaned down and touched every microphone all over. He was being young and stupid and flippant. But the next day he was sick, and the day after that he was diagnosed.
Cheryl, yes, the nursing homes here are already starting lockdown. They not infrequently do that during flu season or if there is a Norovirus (gastric flu) outbreak, so it is really a very standard precaution. The two cases of nursing home outbreaks, one in Washington, the other in BC (one of whose residents was Canada’s first death), were a too vivid example of how it spreads in those facilities.
Oh, it’ll likely peak in the next few months, drop off and come back — and by then we hopefully will be better prepared with (possibly?) a vaccine and/or treatments in place. It’s also not clear whether having it creates any kind of immunity. And mutations might make it an annual worry for everyone, whether they’ve had it before or not.
It’s actually all pretty sobering. I’m also especially concerned about nursing homes after it swept through the one in Washington state and killed so many.
Our governor late last night called for the cancelation or postponement of all events with crowds of 250 people or more. That is in place through the end of March but my guess is that’ll be extended unless cases magically go down and not up by then.
Son in Virginia says the schools are closing. Kind of tough if dual working parents. Or single working parents. They are supposed to be doing online school.
The closures and cancellations may seem draconian, but the strategy is to try to shut down the spread of this as quickly as possible, or just to maybe stabilize it and buy some time. The fewer people who are infected the better, obviously. And that goes back to limited exposure as much as possible.
I see that Princess now has canceled all their cruises for 2 months … which now changes the story I’ve been working on for 2 days. Sigh.
Mumsee, yes, school closures create another challenge. It is one that Ontario’s parents have already been dealing with, however, as a constant rolling teacher’s strike has been shutting down public and high schools on different days.
Ontario still has no clear cases of community transmission (still waiting for that to change at any moment), but as the province with the largest population and a large number of people with international connections, we are on high alert.
The Big-10 Tournament has been cancelled (and so have several others). I’m guessing March Madness will end up being cancelled–Sunday was supposed to be the selections. IU didn’t get a “buy” and so they played last night and beat Nebraska by 25 points, but today’s and subsequent games are cancelled, after initially saying they’d play without fans.
The Nebraska coach was sitting and looking defeated, and halfway through the game the commentators mentioned that he was sick, and he left before the end of the game–later we heard he was in the hospital. And so of course you wonder “Was he tested for the corona virus and the flu before they let him in an arena with thousands of fans?” It turns out that a doctor had “cleared him” . . . but not tested him for the flu, and after the game he was diagnosed with type-A flu. My husband said that may well be the “straw that broke the camel’s back” in cancelling the tournament, because it really is inexcusable that he wasn’t tested for the flu before the game, and kept out of it. Instead dozens of people, possibly more, got exposed by his presence for most of the game. And it could have been the other virus that they were exposed to. That’s just how easily these things happen in “crowd” events. People in the back rows wouldn’t really have been exposed to him, but players and coaches on both teams, media, cheerleaders, people sitting in the front rows . . . they’ve all been exposed. And some of them will undoubtedly get sick, and they will expose other people.
Cheryl, when I was in nursing school the first time, you could not miss clinical hours, not unless you had a doctor’s note saying you couldn’t come, and even then, if you had more than 12 hours missing from your clinical time, you would fail that clinical. Any clinical you failed must be retaken, and if you failed twice, you were out of the program. Well, I developed symptoms of a respiratory illness before my clinical, and, not wanting to infect patients, I went to get a doctor’s note (I went to a walk in clinic, as my doctor was not available). I explained my situation to the doctor, he looked at my throat, and then said, “Working sick is something you’ll have to get used to”. I had no choice but to go. I informed my clinical instructor, who essentially agreed with the doctor’s words, and wore a mask the whole day (which provoked comment from the staff), but as I worked, I could tell I was feverish. I just prayed I wouldn’t mind infect anyone else. The modern world has long had a problem with not taking infectious illness seriously, and now we are seeing what that means when a highly infectious illness with a high mortality rate hits.
We’re used to having a vaccine or antibiotic for everything. But these things are moving targets, in layman’s terms, they mutate and evolve and become new “things” that we can’t protect ourselves against. And it’s always rather surprising when that happens.
Mumsee, when you read of the havoc historical plagues caused and the responses that them, you realize that the modern world is really very complacent. Historically, people did not have a good grasp on what was and was not contagious – TB, for example, was considered to be inherited because families often developed it and people failed to consider the possibility that might be from living in the same house; while influenza and other respiratory infections were often attributed it to breathing in bad air (not an entirely incorrect assumption, just failing to identify the source of the bad air) – but once they grasped the concept that a serious disease could be passed from person to person, they responded accordingly. London and other large cities regularly were emptied of the wealthier inhabitants when a bout of plague or smallpox went through. Some of those fleeing took the illness with them of course, but the country houses they fled to really helped to isolate those infections, as they were largely self sufficient and needed to have little contact with others.
People now are expected to work through their illness, as soon as may be. I remember meeting one young pastor who was still recuperating from having contracted dengue fever while on a mission trip. He looked so unwell that I wondered whether anyone actually grasped the seriousness of the infection he had had and why they hadn’t made sure he rested more before having him work. Historically, failing to stay home and rest when ill made one more likely to die of an opportunistic infection. Rest was the one treatment available for all ailments. Now, if one develops pneumonia, one takes an antibiotic and goes back to work after a day or so. Very seldom does one hear of someone being put on bed rest for pneumonia anymore.
Yesterday the Michigan state universities announced classes cancelled the rest of the week, resuming with online classes next week at least to the end of the month. That includes UM, MSU, and Eastern Michigan U, where Flyboy is on track to graduate at the end of next month.
I heard from a source that it’s pandemonium at our local Costco this morning. The store has had to put up yellow police tape to control the mobs trying to get inside. Now that’s just not good (though fear causes human beings to react sometimes rather unwisely, no?). Poor guy just went over to pick up something from the deli and found himself immersed in a scene right out of a disaster film.
Two cruise lines (Viking and Princess) have canceled all cruises for 2 months now. I suspect the rest of the industry will probably follow suit.
The economic impact of this virus alone will hit a lot of people (if not all in some way) — travel agents, restaurants, hotels, those who work as crew members.
Mike made sausage gravy and biscuits as two of the grown boys stopped by and held babies. I uess he did not need a nap so much as to serve his children.
My work inbox is filling up with “CANCELLED” “POSTPONED” notices for all kinds of upcoming big spring events, regular gatherings such as farmers’ markets and craft fairs, and government (public) meetings. No spectators at L.A. high school sporting events for now.
I hope I have enough toilet paper. … I have no time to shop right now and wouldn’t find stocked shelves if I did.
The guy standing to Trump’s left just tested positive for coronavirus, according to Brazilian media. Fabio Wajngarten posted this photo, taken during meetings at Mar-a-Lago, five days ago. pic.twitter.com/qioU4qIlxl
The British health minister has COVID-19. The Iranian deputy health minister also has COVID-19, and an Iranian MP has died from it. I guess the travel and meeting with the public that politicians do both makes them likely to be infected and likely to pass it along to others.
You wonder why I love the students at @BoyceCollege so much? Listen to them sing out the gospel as they gathered just after announcement of suspension of on-campus classes last night. No power of hell, no fear of man… no virus. AMEN pic.twitter.com/wNFEMTYy81
The way society was different before the understanding of germs and viruses has often struck me when reading books from the 19th century. For instance, in one of the Little House books, the town has a July 4 event that Laura describes in great detail. One detail: for a dime, a person could drink a dipper of lemonade from a big bucket of it. It’s an extravagance and Laura doesn’t expect to get any, but her Pa pays the dime and she revels in the sweet drink. After she has drunk her dipper full, she wants another, but she reluctantly hands the dipper to the next in line. We don’t generally even share drinking utensils within a family–can you imagine a whole town using the same dipper and considering it a treat?
I’ve just read several books by Louisa May Alcott. In one book, she is writing about a boarding school for boys, and one boy comes in as a new boy, deathly ill with a bad cough. Jo gets the cough medicine for him, and her own toddler son starts coughing because he likes the taste of it so much he wants some. But he is only allowed to suck the spoon after the sick boy gets his dose from it. Yikes!
I actually went shopping. I fasted and then went to get the blood work done for my
physical. Then I got some breakfast and headed for Trader joe’s. Outside the store a fellow working there told me that all of the carts had just been wiped down. As I took a cart, I could smell and feel the disinfectant that they had used. I got enough of a few things to last me for a while. I even bought all of my Vitamin D for taking with me to PNG.
I figure it is safe to go walking in the woods behind me. Empire Mine State Park has some great trails. Oh, I emailed the church and asked if I could pay to have the tv on for the ten channels.
I gave in and paid Carol’s phone bill, just feeling too uncomfortable not having any contact with her right now. I did speak with the home administrator, Lucy, who said she (Lucy) was overwhelmed right now, that they’re not allowing many if any outside visitors which I told her was good. She said Carol is “fine” but she seemingly has her phone turned off as she didn’t respond to my texts or call earlier this afternoon so Lucy said she’d let her know the phone service is back up again.
Schools, sporting events, cruises, nothing beats Disneyland closing down in our view here in California. Strange times indeed.
Mr. Covid Task Force just came in and briefed me for 45 minutes. Our schools close tomorrow “until further notice,” which could be the rest of the year. They’re setting up some sort of video learning but I can’t imagine how you do that for 16K students. And what if you don’t have access to a computer or a parent to supervise?
Strange new world.
In other news, the Georgetown seniors visiting me are having a challenging time wrapping their brilliant minds around the difference between “online learning,” and vacation.
Mr. CTF, in discussing our fires years ago, noted the main problem is overcoming incredulity. “How can this be happening? Is this real?” and then acting. “Run!”
For those who are not panic buying all the supplies, others can’t seem to understand anything might be amiss. 😦
Choir has been canceled for the next three weeks. Our cantata has been postponed until May (good call, for rehearsal reasons if nothing else. I really ought to spend time learning the music).
Our church, of course, is down to under 200 regular worshippers, so if we split them–as usual–between two services, and spread out, we should be okay on Sundays.
I have drunk well water from the bucket it was pull up in with a share dipper. I remember it being fresh and cold.
Of course I was in the hospital with mono before I ever started school. 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
Our county has it’s first confirmed case, hospitalized 10 minutes up the road.
The local schools are closed for intense cleanings until at least Tuesday. However the SAT my daughter has a ticket for is Saturday morning at the high school, and has yet to postpone. We may keep her home either way, and just repay and reschedule.
Meanwhile 2 counties over all schools are closed til further notice, many with plans to work on assignments from home. Non-essential retail, those other than pharmacies, groceries, and gas stations are strongly urged to close and people are being told to stay home.
My wife was tipped off this afternoon that it was looking like tomorrow will be their last day in the office for a while. Work from home until further notice.
So Saturday we will begin our self-imposed isolation for 2 weeks. We have plenty to go much longer, but by then, with a 2-14 day incubation period, we’ll know whether we’ve dodged it for now and if we can ride it out exiled at home for however long we need.
We’ve prepared for the worst, are hoping and praying for the best, and know God is in control either way, and this too shall pass.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus will earn their money the next month or so. 🙂
The next few months will be interesting in the education field. If this method can be used with widespread success, look for renewed calls for expanding this type of learning nationwide. Our single highest state level tax is our schools. Those taxes could be lowered if we could incorporate a 2 in, 3 out, or 3 in, 2 out kinda schedule. This is a test, albeit a forced one no one wanted, but we shall see what the results are.
And that Babylon Bee above cracks me up. Thinking about how this will effect some of my neighbors is amusing me. Some of them are about to be full time parents for the first time in their child’s life. 🙂
Not crazy about being in the city or separated from the family during this virus phobia but still be with family and this life is only temporary and for service.
I had been in town all day and thought I would stop off at King Soopers for some fresh fruit, bread and salad. Never in my lifetime have I ever seen longer lines at the grocery. Empty shelves everywhere. But, the young workers were cheerful and helpful. 😊
Well, when I finally talked to Carol tonight, I told her I paid her bill because I miseducating her but also because I felt uneasy not being in touch with everything that’s going on right now.
“What’s going on?” she said.
She had no clue, said no one watches the news there (she has a basic TV in their room but it’s usually turned to “Little House on the Prairie if it’s on at all). And her phone, of course, is her usual source of online news so without that … She had no idea what was going on. (My conversational ‘lede’ in filling her in was, of all things, “Disneyland closed!”) This truly is shocking to Southern Californians.
But I’m not sure if I did her a favor now or not, however. Maybe being in the dark would have been better.
But it was good to talk to her, she sounded good.
Enjoy the family-time seclusion, AJ (you can watch “Contagion,” it’s supposed to a pretty realistic look at something like this happening). I’m sort of doing the same thing, I guess; other than walking the dogs at night I’m not going too many places unless I have to; working all day inside the house.
We have confirmed cases in our area, also. Just watched the evening news on CBS where the reporters were all in their homes. Anchor had a very pretty kitchen that I was coveting. My bathroom is my cutest room.
The Royal Princess curse ship remains docked and looking forlorn down at the port.
Our school superintendent isn’t considering closing because she figures the children would be just as likely to be exposed out of school as in it. Plus the state board of ed isn’t encouraging closing schools because of the extra burden on child care.
Ann Arbor schools are closed starting tomorrow. Our church will have online services and all other events at the church are cancelled at least the next two weeks.
A relative posted on Facebook that this as an introvert’s dream come true, a break from all the emotionally taxing socializing.
Work is telling us to feel free to work at home, and PLEASE work at home if we feel sick or know we’ve been exposed. So far, though, most people are still showing up at the office (myself included).
Schools around here are adding an extra week off to the upcoming Spring break. After those two weeks are up there will be a re-evaluation concerning the situation.
We are waiting to hear if we will be allowed to have church at the elementary school where we currently meet. If not it might be suggested we all attend the west campus…and that is something I am not going to do…..waaay too many people…I kind of think like Kevin’s relative!! 😂
Several nursing and assistant living homes quarantined around us. My husband’s group has had several cancellations. I haven’t heard of anyone being diagnosed with Covid, but I know quite a few in medical crisis.
Our church is meeting this Sunday but will cancel SS. There is some discussion going on about how to handle our weekly communion time.
Extra cleaning is being done of the facilities.
I’m an introvert, somewhat, and am used to living by myself. So I’m good with all this so far. 🙂
Watched the last part of “Cast Away” tonight, just happened to catch it on TV — I’d seen it in the theater when it was released in 2000. That was a difficult film to watch at many points but very well done, poignant but hopeful at the end. Love Tom Hanks.
I think everyone is running around like their hair is on fire and acting like fools. How about if we did something real to help those who are greatest risk rather than turning the schools out.? Maybe we could check on our elderly neighbors and those who are ill, making sure they have plenty of nutritious food, their medications, heat and drinking water. Making sure they have all they need to stay in and not be exposed. When you look at the numbers, the deaths are very much at the older end of the age bracket. I am weary of seeing all of the talking heads from the government telling us what to do. I would be quite interested to hear what Ben Carson would have to say about it all, as he is a doctor. Not so much with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. I probably should end my rant. We have been inundated with those wanting to be tested for the virus, despite having no exposure or risk factors. I will go next week, on spring break, to help the medical reserve with response to this virus in Santa Fe.
RKessler, the first case in Ohio, the person was denied the test–twice–because of not having known risk factors. But once finally tested, they were found to have it. I’m guessing the actual numbers (and also the numbers of people thus exposed) are higher than known because so few have been tested. How do we know mailmen aren’t passing it on in some communities, for instance? I had a cashier at the grocery store this week who kept licking her fingers between separating the bags. I didn’t happen to see it till she got to the last bag, but she licked her fingers at least three times just on that last bag. She’s probably passed a few cases of flu to her customers and she could pass on this virus, too, before even knowing she has it. Licking her fingers while touching the bags also means, of course, that her saliva was on our food, since she’d been touching it too. There are a while lot of transmission possibilities for this one, and some pretty stark realities once it has entered a community, esp. one such as a nursing home.
And no, people who don’t have any symptoms don’t need to be tested–but not having “risk factors” doesn’t seem, at this point, to be a good reason not to test, if a person presents with relevant symptoms.
Cheryl, currently in NM, you must have approval from the state health dept in order to access a COVIOD 19 test. Flu and RSV are ruled out first, then they have to meet risk criteria on the algorithm. Not as simple as they are doing it in South Korea.
Wash hands, stay away when sick, stay away from crowds, be prepared for potential quarantine. All normal precautions one should be normally taking. For flu,colds,norwalk,etc. No different really. And, of course, as with those, keep an eye on the elderly and otherwise compromised. Not that difficult. And we, as believers, ought to be open to serving wherever God directs us.
It would seem to me, as well, that people need not rush out to get tested unless they are in the spectrum of people at high risk of complications. The rest of us, if we think we are exposed or think we have symptoms, should be staying away from others regardless.
Wandering Views 
Good morning everyone.
Mumsee, thirteen is a good age. I got about three good years out of Chuck. He was old enough to help when he got 12-13. But when he got older, he got a job in a local restaurant bussing tables. He worked there all the way through high school. He was elated when he got promoted to dishwasher. He and his friend, Paul, worked there. He thought of not going to college, but noticed that the manager of the restaurant was not where he hoped to be when he grew up.
Chuck also played the guitar. He thought he would be a rock star. That didn’t work out either. We had a long talk one night, Chuck sitting on the piano bench. Discussing his future. I explained to him that I would put him through college, but otherwise, his future was in his hands.
He has done quite well. The story is longer than this, but you get the point.
LikeLiked by 5 people
So I’ve missed a day or two here. What’s new?
Continuing water issues and lingering cough. I think the latter is a cold that is not being helped by the moisture in the duct work at home.
I see there is more (in my opinion) overreaction to the Corona virus. What will the NCAA tourney be like without the “6th man”? And what about closing off Europe from coming here? Will we all be confined to our homes for the duration now?
I really believe all the stress caused by media hype is only going to make the virus wore than it is.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I agree 100% with Peter’s assessment.
It is a media plague.
If they could exploit ingrown toenails somehow, they would do it.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Good morning.
Maybe consider this a Pandemic drill for preparedness purposes. It is truly a learn as we go situation. And who knows what terrorist activity may be thwarted by the restricted travel. Only God knows all the nuances of why we are going through this. It does show world leaders that there are limits to their power and ability to control things.
Now I am wondering if my conference will be put on hold. That would give more time to be prepared.
I am feeling sad for all those who have been laid off so far from their work. I am guessing that are a lot of delivery jobs available right now, and personal shopping jobs.
LikeLiked by 3 people
The Staycation industry will be booming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Peter, I do not think there is an overreaction, though banning European travel now is like closing the barn door after the horse has left. But those who have made the mistake of comparing the flu to COVID-19 do not understand the pathophysiology behind the two types of viruses. The flu causes typical pneumonia. COVID-19, like its deadlier relatives SARS and MERS but at a lower rate than either of them, causes interstitial pneumonia. Of the two types of pneumonia, interstitial is the more deadly.
Typical pneumonia is caused by accumulation of fluid in the alveoli. The alveoli are tiny grape-like hollow clusters that are only a cell thick and each surrounded by a lacy network of capillary blood vessels. These extremely thin structures allow gas exchange to take place in the lungs, so that carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood, and oxygen diffuses in. In typical pneumonia, fluid from the bodies fight against the virus or bacteria causing the pneumonia, builds up within the alveoli so that the gases have to bubble through fluid to get in and out of the bloodstream. It is like drowning if the lungs become full of fluid. But fluid can also be coughed or suctioned up, giving the body a fighting chance.
In interstitial pneumonia, it is not fluid that is blocking gas exchange in the alveoli, it is the cell thin walls of the alveoli that become inflamed and swell. That is why COVID-19, as SARS before it, is characterized by a dry cough, not the normal wet one of bronchitis or pneumonia. The lung are trying to remove the blockage, but the blockage cannot be removed because it is inside the cells. If enough alveoli are inflamed, suffocation occurs, as once gas exchange is blocked, the body starts going into respiratory acidosis because dissolved carbon dioxide builds up in the blood and the body cells begin to use anaerobic (without oxygen) reactions that have acidic byproducts to produce energy. Acidosis quickly poisons the body, shutting it down.
The best hope those with interstitial pneumonia have is artificial ventilation, which increases the concentration of oxygen in the lungs, making gas diffusion, even across swollen membranes, possible. But, ventilators are extremely expensive, are generally only needed for a short period of time for a small number of people, and so no country has enough of them. Here in Canada, we have 5000. Our population is 35 million. One in ten people with COVID-19 will need respiratory support, that is ten percent of those infected. If even only 100,000 people got COVID-19 here, 10 percent of that number would still be twice as many as our number of ventilators. This is already happening in Italy, where they are having to decide who gets the ventilators and who doesn’t. The mortality rate from the flu is 0.1%, the mortality rate from COVID-19 is between 2-3%, 20-30 times the rate for influenza.
LikeLiked by 8 people
Great explanation, Roscuro. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Also something to consider. I’m no medical professional so others can speak to it’s accuracy……
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/?cmpid=org%3Dngp%3A%3Amc%3Dsocial%3A%3Asrc%3Dfacebook%3A%3Acmp%3Deditorial%3A%3Aadd%3Dfb20200310science-coronavirusunderlyingconditions%3A%3Arid%3D&fbclid=IwAR3iIIZFkJWtzT7_MVKueRqm25n4BXz4cHGce1mydwAfRx_F4vvta61WS94
“These underlying conditions make coronavirus more severe, and they’re surprisingly common
A wide array of people are at risk, including those with high blood pressure and diabetes. Here’s how they can prepare.”
“HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are so commonplace that everyone reading these words likely knows somebody with at least one of these maladies.
They are also the “underlying conditions” most associated with severe cases of COVID-19, based on early clinical profiles on the disease. Even though 80 percent of COVID-19 cases are mild, these reports reveal that the novel coronavirus can endanger people other than the elderly and infirm.
The idea that the virus only poses a threat to older people comes from focusing too heavily on COVID-19’s death rate, which the World Health Organization updated last Wednesday to 3.4 percent. This rate is an average across ages, and the chances of dying do rise among older people.
But evidence also shows that COVID-19 is more fatal across all age groups than seasonal influenza, with death rates six to 10 times higher for those under 50. Moreover, death isn’t the only danger, and severe cases of COVID-19 are more common among young adults than you might think.
A study published February 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine, for example, examined the age breakdown for 1,099 coronavirus patients. The majority of non-severe cases—60 percent—are teens and adults between 15 to 49 years old, which might suggest this group is spared the worst of the virus.
In truth, severe cases were slightly more abundant among this younger demographic. Of the 163 severe cases reported in the study, 41 percent were young adults, 31 percent were aged 50 to 64, and 27 percent were above 65. The only age group spared by severe COVID-19 appeared to be kids under 14.
Millennials and Gen Z are also just as likely to catch the coronavirus as older groups, according to the largest profile to date on COVID-19, a clinical report of more than 72,000 patients published February 21 by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. So rather than rely on age to gauge who is most threatened by COVID-19, doctors say you may want to look at common underlying conditions and how they correspond with the death rates reported by the Chinese CDC. Doing so can offer clues on how to protect you and your loved ones.
“The death rate from this outbreak is high. We shouldn’t categorize it by young or senior,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said during a Monday briefing. “We cannot say that we care about millions when we don’t care about an individual who may be senior or junior … Every individual life matters.””
LikeLiked by 1 person
The difference between the two types of pneumonia may also help explain why younger people were more likely to die of Spanish influenza, while older people are more likely to die of COVID-19. With the Spanish flu, as with all flus, it is the body’s immune system that produces the fluid in response to the infection – a younger person’s immune system is likely to be stronger, and therefore produces that fluid more quickly and in greater amounts (the reason for the increased fluid production is to carry the immune antibodies and enzymes that deal with infection to the area and two flush away the debris and infectious material from the area). In essence, it was the immune reaction itself which caused younger people to die.
But interstitial pneumonia, as already explained, works differently. As we age, two different things happen with diseases of aging that could make interstitial pneumonia harder for the aged to survive. With cardiovascular disease (the highest rates of deaths have been those with CV disease), the oxygen carrying capacity of the circulatory system is decreased in some way (depending on which CA condition is involved), meaning that if the oxygen supply to the circulation is even partially blocked, it causes much more stress on the body because the reserves are already very low. The other thing that happens is damage to the lungs themselves. COPD, a not uncommon condition in the elderly, involves a lung condition called emphysema, caused not solely from years of smoking but also years of exposure to environmental irritants in the air (one man I personally knew developed it from exposure to solvent fumes, and occupational lung conditions such as farmer’s or miner’s lung are effectively variants of COPD). Emphysema is a loss of elasticity in the alveoli themselves, so that the alveoli become distended, looking more like globes than clusters of grapes. This decreases the surface area where gas exchange can take place. People with COPD are already living with a degree of respiratory acidosis, as the loss of elasticity and surface area to blow carbon dioxide out means carbon dioxide builds up in the body (this is why those with advanced COPD develop a bluish skin tone). The effects of interstitial pneumonia on top of COPD would be rapidly devastating, as their alveoli are already damaged.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good morning. I see you are all in the midst of deep discussion. And, no doubt, waiting for my opinion. In my view, this is a new to us virus and we don’t know so it makes sense to take precautions. DJ pointed out that airborne is also keeping it going. In the interest of others, which Christians are called to pay attention to, we ought to be courteous. Stay away from crowds as possible, wash hands, be prepared for quarantine, trust God for the outcome. God is doing what He does for His purposes. We are to be about the business of proclaiming His Truth to those who come in our path and glorifying Him. Not living in fear, but being courteous. We do not know who will die from this but we do know they need to know Him and be known by Him when they die or it will not be good.
LikeLiked by 6 people
The Real, yes, younger people often already have diagnosis of high blood pressure and diabetes. Some of the people I encounter have all the diagnoses we have mentioned and are not even considered seniors yet. Occupational and environmental hazards can age people quickly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve seen too many “numbers” from this pandemic to think that much of anything is overreaction. Our daughter who just became a nurse (and is in retraining in her nursing home because she’s now doing different things than she was as an aide) talked to us on the phone a few days ago, and my husband asked her about the virus. She kept pointing out that its means of transmission (airborne) makes it a uniquely frightening illness, and the fact that you can have it–and pass it on–before having symptoms. Add those to how serious the disease itself is, especially for the elderly (one in 12 people in their 80s who get it will die from it), and it’s a disease that a nurse in a nursing home can’t help but take extremely seriously.
I don’t know if anyone else saw last night that the NBA has shut down the rest of its season. Or that the young man who is its first case of the virus in the NBA had made light of the virus and potentially infected other people before he knew he had it (but not before he could pass it on). It seems that in a press conference, they decided to keep the basketball players a good distance from the media (the “social distancing” everyone is recommending right now), and so a player sat in a seat with all the microphones gathered around him, and the media sat a good distance back. So when he stood up after his interview, he leaned down and touched every microphone all over. He was being young and stupid and flippant. But the next day he was sick, and the day after that he was diagnosed.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Cheryl, yes, the nursing homes here are already starting lockdown. They not infrequently do that during flu season or if there is a Norovirus (gastric flu) outbreak, so it is really a very standard precaution. The two cases of nursing home outbreaks, one in Washington, the other in BC (one of whose residents was Canada’s first death), were a too vivid example of how it spreads in those facilities.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What roscuro and cheryl said.
Not an overreaction, guys.
Oh, it’ll likely peak in the next few months, drop off and come back — and by then we hopefully will be better prepared with (possibly?) a vaccine and/or treatments in place. It’s also not clear whether having it creates any kind of immunity. And mutations might make it an annual worry for everyone, whether they’ve had it before or not.
It’s actually all pretty sobering. I’m also especially concerned about nursing homes after it swept through the one in Washington state and killed so many.
Our governor late last night called for the cancelation or postponement of all events with crowds of 250 people or more. That is in place through the end of March but my guess is that’ll be extended unless cases magically go down and not up by then.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Son in Virginia says the schools are closing. Kind of tough if dual working parents. Or single working parents. They are supposed to be doing online school.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The closures and cancellations may seem draconian, but the strategy is to try to shut down the spread of this as quickly as possible, or just to maybe stabilize it and buy some time. The fewer people who are infected the better, obviously. And that goes back to limited exposure as much as possible.
I see that Princess now has canceled all their cruises for 2 months … which now changes the story I’ve been working on for 2 days. Sigh.
LikeLiked by 2 people
mumsee, yes, for working families — and I believe most households are 2-income now — that is a significant challenge.
LikeLike
Mumsee, yes, school closures create another challenge. It is one that Ontario’s parents have already been dealing with, however, as a constant rolling teacher’s strike has been shutting down public and high schools on different days.
Ontario still has no clear cases of community transmission (still waiting for that to change at any moment), but as the province with the largest population and a large number of people with international connections, we are on high alert.
LikeLike
The Big-10 Tournament has been cancelled (and so have several others). I’m guessing March Madness will end up being cancelled–Sunday was supposed to be the selections. IU didn’t get a “buy” and so they played last night and beat Nebraska by 25 points, but today’s and subsequent games are cancelled, after initially saying they’d play without fans.
The Nebraska coach was sitting and looking defeated, and halfway through the game the commentators mentioned that he was sick, and he left before the end of the game–later we heard he was in the hospital. And so of course you wonder “Was he tested for the corona virus and the flu before they let him in an arena with thousands of fans?” It turns out that a doctor had “cleared him” . . . but not tested him for the flu, and after the game he was diagnosed with type-A flu. My husband said that may well be the “straw that broke the camel’s back” in cancelling the tournament, because it really is inexcusable that he wasn’t tested for the flu before the game, and kept out of it. Instead dozens of people, possibly more, got exposed by his presence for most of the game. And it could have been the other virus that they were exposed to. That’s just how easily these things happen in “crowd” events. People in the back rows wouldn’t really have been exposed to him, but players and coaches on both teams, media, cheerleaders, people sitting in the front rows . . . they’ve all been exposed. And some of them will undoubtedly get sick, and they will expose other people.
LikeLike
Cheryl, when I was in nursing school the first time, you could not miss clinical hours, not unless you had a doctor’s note saying you couldn’t come, and even then, if you had more than 12 hours missing from your clinical time, you would fail that clinical. Any clinical you failed must be retaken, and if you failed twice, you were out of the program. Well, I developed symptoms of a respiratory illness before my clinical, and, not wanting to infect patients, I went to get a doctor’s note (I went to a walk in clinic, as my doctor was not available). I explained my situation to the doctor, he looked at my throat, and then said, “Working sick is something you’ll have to get used to”. I had no choice but to go. I informed my clinical instructor, who essentially agreed with the doctor’s words, and wore a mask the whole day (which provoked comment from the staff), but as I worked, I could tell I was feverish. I just prayed I wouldn’t mind infect anyone else. The modern world has long had a problem with not taking infectious illness seriously, and now we are seeing what that means when a highly infectious illness with a high mortality rate hits.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ve been wondering if, ever since college started closing, this will mean the rise of online colleges–which will be cheaper to attend. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do not think it is a modern world problem.
LikeLike
We’re used to having a vaccine or antibiotic for everything. But these things are moving targets, in layman’s terms, they mutate and evolve and become new “things” that we can’t protect ourselves against. And it’s always rather surprising when that happens.
LikeLike
A fallen world, indeed. 😦 Thorns and thistles everywhere
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mumsee, when you read of the havoc historical plagues caused and the responses that them, you realize that the modern world is really very complacent. Historically, people did not have a good grasp on what was and was not contagious – TB, for example, was considered to be inherited because families often developed it and people failed to consider the possibility that might be from living in the same house; while influenza and other respiratory infections were often attributed it to breathing in bad air (not an entirely incorrect assumption, just failing to identify the source of the bad air) – but once they grasped the concept that a serious disease could be passed from person to person, they responded accordingly. London and other large cities regularly were emptied of the wealthier inhabitants when a bout of plague or smallpox went through. Some of those fleeing took the illness with them of course, but the country houses they fled to really helped to isolate those infections, as they were largely self sufficient and needed to have little contact with others.
People now are expected to work through their illness, as soon as may be. I remember meeting one young pastor who was still recuperating from having contracted dengue fever while on a mission trip. He looked so unwell that I wondered whether anyone actually grasped the seriousness of the infection he had had and why they hadn’t made sure he rested more before having him work. Historically, failing to stay home and rest when ill made one more likely to die of an opportunistic infection. Rest was the one treatment available for all ailments. Now, if one develops pneumonia, one takes an antibiotic and goes back to work after a day or so. Very seldom does one hear of someone being put on bed rest for pneumonia anymore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yesterday the Michigan state universities announced classes cancelled the rest of the week, resuming with online classes next week at least to the end of the month. That includes UM, MSU, and Eastern Michigan U, where Flyboy is on track to graduate at the end of next month.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Historically, I was under the impression most people (being poor and living coin to coin) continued to work, spreading illness and dying.
LikeLike
I heard from a source that it’s pandemonium at our local Costco this morning. The store has had to put up yellow police tape to control the mobs trying to get inside. Now that’s just not good (though fear causes human beings to react sometimes rather unwisely, no?). Poor guy just went over to pick up something from the deli and found himself immersed in a scene right out of a disaster film.
Two cruise lines (Viking and Princess) have canceled all cruises for 2 months now. I suspect the rest of the industry will probably follow suit.
The economic impact of this virus alone will hit a lot of people (if not all in some way) — travel agents, restaurants, hotels, those who work as crew members.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And some definite concerns about how hospitals are going to be able to handle a large influx of patients, should that occur.
LikeLike
On a more upbeat note, it’s (finally!) raining here this morning. Not just sprinkles, but a decent little rainfall with dark clouds and everything. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Mike made sausage gravy and biscuits as two of the grown boys stopped by and held babies. I uess he did not need a nap so much as to serve his children.
LikeLiked by 2 people
My work inbox is filling up with “CANCELLED” “POSTPONED” notices for all kinds of upcoming big spring events, regular gatherings such as farmers’ markets and craft fairs, and government (public) meetings. No spectators at L.A. high school sporting events for now.
I hope I have enough toilet paper. … I have no time to shop right now and wouldn’t find stocked shelves if I did.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not good news.
LikeLiked by 2 people
God knows what He is doing.
LikeLiked by 5 people
The British health minister has COVID-19. The Iranian deputy health minister also has COVID-19, and an Iranian MP has died from it. I guess the travel and meeting with the public that politicians do both makes them likely to be infected and likely to pass it along to others.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Tweet, tweet little bird in the header. So sweet. God cares for it and for us, too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I drove by my local Publix earlier and the lot was packed like around Thanksgiving. Do you think the tax clients could use newspaper for toilet paper?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No kidding AJ, I had the same thought when I saw the photo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I knew when they started closing things that nothing good was going to come of this.
I hear on TV that Disney Land is closing.
Chas
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, see there, Chas? A good thing!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You know it’s good/bad when DL closes. 🙂
Actually, some really serious financial and job repercussions that’ll hit nearly everyone before it’s over.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
But God …
LikeLiked by 3 people
The way society was different before the understanding of germs and viruses has often struck me when reading books from the 19th century. For instance, in one of the Little House books, the town has a July 4 event that Laura describes in great detail. One detail: for a dime, a person could drink a dipper of lemonade from a big bucket of it. It’s an extravagance and Laura doesn’t expect to get any, but her Pa pays the dime and she revels in the sweet drink. After she has drunk her dipper full, she wants another, but she reluctantly hands the dipper to the next in line. We don’t generally even share drinking utensils within a family–can you imagine a whole town using the same dipper and considering it a treat?
I’ve just read several books by Louisa May Alcott. In one book, she is writing about a boarding school for boys, and one boy comes in as a new boy, deathly ill with a bad cough. Jo gets the cough medicine for him, and her own toddler son starts coughing because he likes the taste of it so much he wants some. But he is only allowed to suck the spoon after the sick boy gets his dose from it. Yikes!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Decatur City Schools are closed indefinitely, and Atlanta City Schools, too.
LikeLike
I actually went shopping. I fasted and then went to get the blood work done for my
physical. Then I got some breakfast and headed for Trader joe’s. Outside the store a fellow working there told me that all of the carts had just been wiped down. As I took a cart, I could smell and feel the disinfectant that they had used. I got enough of a few things to last me for a while. I even bought all of my Vitamin D for taking with me to PNG.
I figure it is safe to go walking in the woods behind me. Empire Mine State Park has some great trails. Oh, I emailed the church and asked if I could pay to have the tv on for the ten channels.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I gave in and paid Carol’s phone bill, just feeling too uncomfortable not having any contact with her right now. I did speak with the home administrator, Lucy, who said she (Lucy) was overwhelmed right now, that they’re not allowing many if any outside visitors which I told her was good. She said Carol is “fine” but she seemingly has her phone turned off as she didn’t respond to my texts or call earlier this afternoon so Lucy said she’d let her know the phone service is back up again.
Schools, sporting events, cruises, nothing beats Disneyland closing down in our view here in California. Strange times indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mr. Covid Task Force just came in and briefed me for 45 minutes. Our schools close tomorrow “until further notice,” which could be the rest of the year. They’re setting up some sort of video learning but I can’t imagine how you do that for 16K students. And what if you don’t have access to a computer or a parent to supervise?
Strange new world.
In other news, the Georgetown seniors visiting me are having a challenging time wrapping their brilliant minds around the difference between “online learning,” and vacation.
Mr. CTF, in discussing our fires years ago, noted the main problem is overcoming incredulity. “How can this be happening? Is this real?” and then acting. “Run!”
For those who are not panic buying all the supplies, others can’t seem to understand anything might be amiss. 😦
Choir has been canceled for the next three weeks. Our cantata has been postponed until May (good call, for rehearsal reasons if nothing else. I really ought to spend time learning the music).
Our church, of course, is down to under 200 regular worshippers, so if we split them–as usual–between two services, and spread out, we should be okay on Sundays.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have drunk well water from the bucket it was pull up in with a share dipper. I remember it being fresh and cold.
Of course I was in the hospital with mono before I ever started school. 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
LikeLiked by 3 people
LikeLike
Just saw the county schools are closed. Anyone in the market for a retired homeschool teacher?
This is going to be the undoing of some previously well balanced people. At home with kids all day? Not only a nightmare, but a daymare, too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Our county has it’s first confirmed case, hospitalized 10 minutes up the road.
The local schools are closed for intense cleanings until at least Tuesday. However the SAT my daughter has a ticket for is Saturday morning at the high school, and has yet to postpone. We may keep her home either way, and just repay and reschedule.
Meanwhile 2 counties over all schools are closed til further notice, many with plans to work on assignments from home. Non-essential retail, those other than pharmacies, groceries, and gas stations are strongly urged to close and people are being told to stay home.
My wife was tipped off this afternoon that it was looking like tomorrow will be their last day in the office for a while. Work from home until further notice.
So Saturday we will begin our self-imposed isolation for 2 weeks. We have plenty to go much longer, but by then, with a 2-14 day incubation period, we’ll know whether we’ve dodged it for now and if we can ride it out exiled at home for however long we need.
We’ve prepared for the worst, are hoping and praying for the best, and know God is in control either way, and this too shall pass.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus will earn their money the next month or so. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
The next few months will be interesting in the education field. If this method can be used with widespread success, look for renewed calls for expanding this type of learning nationwide. Our single highest state level tax is our schools. Those taxes could be lowered if we could incorporate a 2 in, 3 out, or 3 in, 2 out kinda schedule. This is a test, albeit a forced one no one wanted, but we shall see what the results are.
And that Babylon Bee above cracks me up. Thinking about how this will effect some of my neighbors is amusing me. Some of them are about to be full time parents for the first time in their child’s life. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
If the employees keep it up and running.
LikeLike
Sounds like I am up for a little trip.
LikeLike
Not crazy about being in the city or separated from the family during this virus phobia but still be with family and this life is only temporary and for service.
LikeLiked by 1 person
fifty seven again?
LikeLike
I had been in town all day and thought I would stop off at King Soopers for some fresh fruit, bread and salad. Never in my lifetime have I ever seen longer lines at the grocery. Empty shelves everywhere. But, the young workers were cheerful and helpful. 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
I can see the church parking lot and the choir is meeting tonight. I had a nice walk in the woods.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, when I finally talked to Carol tonight, I told her I paid her bill because I miseducating her but also because I felt uneasy not being in touch with everything that’s going on right now.
“What’s going on?” she said.
She had no clue, said no one watches the news there (she has a basic TV in their room but it’s usually turned to “Little House on the Prairie if it’s on at all). And her phone, of course, is her usual source of online news so without that … She had no idea what was going on. (My conversational ‘lede’ in filling her in was, of all things, “Disneyland closed!”) This truly is shocking to Southern Californians.
But I’m not sure if I did her a favor now or not, however. Maybe being in the dark would have been better.
But it was good to talk to her, she sounded good.
Enjoy the family-time seclusion, AJ (you can watch “Contagion,” it’s supposed to a pretty realistic look at something like this happening). I’m sort of doing the same thing, I guess; other than walking the dogs at night I’m not going too many places unless I have to; working all day inside the house.
We have confirmed cases in our area, also. Just watched the evening news on CBS where the reporters were all in their homes. Anchor had a very pretty kitchen that I was coveting. My bathroom is my cutest room.
The Royal Princess curse ship remains docked and looking forlorn down at the port.
The day the earth stood still.
LikeLiked by 2 people
*because I missed her, not mis-educating her 🙂 Although I do plenty of that I suppose lol
LikeLiked by 2 people
Our school superintendent isn’t considering closing because she figures the children would be just as likely to be exposed out of school as in it. Plus the state board of ed isn’t encouraging closing schools because of the extra burden on child care.
LikeLike
Oh, and our Aldi and Walmart are out of TP.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ann Arbor schools are closed starting tomorrow. Our church will have online services and all other events at the church are cancelled at least the next two weeks.
A relative posted on Facebook that this as an introvert’s dream come true, a break from all the emotionally taxing socializing.
Work is telling us to feel free to work at home, and PLEASE work at home if we feel sick or know we’ve been exposed. So far, though, most people are still showing up at the office (myself included).
LikeLiked by 2 people
DJ, was the Royal Princess “curse ship” a typo? I could see it either way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Schools around here are adding an extra week off to the upcoming Spring break. After those two weeks are up there will be a re-evaluation concerning the situation.
We are waiting to hear if we will be allowed to have church at the elementary school where we currently meet. If not it might be suggested we all attend the west campus…and that is something I am not going to do…..waaay too many people…I kind of think like Kevin’s relative!! 😂
LikeLike
Several nursing and assistant living homes quarantined around us. My husband’s group has had several cancellations. I haven’t heard of anyone being diagnosed with Covid, but I know quite a few in medical crisis.
LikeLike
I forgot to even look whether there was TP or not in our local stores.
LikeLike
Kevin (10:45), am I funny or what?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Our church is meeting this Sunday but will cancel SS. There is some discussion going on about how to handle our weekly communion time.
Extra cleaning is being done of the facilities.
I’m an introvert, somewhat, and am used to living by myself. So I’m good with all this so far. 🙂
Watched the last part of “Cast Away” tonight, just happened to catch it on TV — I’d seen it in the theater when it was released in 2000. That was a difficult film to watch at many points but very well done, poignant but hopeful at the end. Love Tom Hanks.
LikeLike
I think everyone is running around like their hair is on fire and acting like fools. How about if we did something real to help those who are greatest risk rather than turning the schools out.? Maybe we could check on our elderly neighbors and those who are ill, making sure they have plenty of nutritious food, their medications, heat and drinking water. Making sure they have all they need to stay in and not be exposed. When you look at the numbers, the deaths are very much at the older end of the age bracket. I am weary of seeing all of the talking heads from the government telling us what to do. I would be quite interested to hear what Ben Carson would have to say about it all, as he is a doctor. Not so much with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. I probably should end my rant. We have been inundated with those wanting to be tested for the virus, despite having no exposure or risk factors. I will go next week, on spring break, to help the medical reserve with response to this virus in Santa Fe.
LikeLiked by 2 people
RKessler, the first case in Ohio, the person was denied the test–twice–because of not having known risk factors. But once finally tested, they were found to have it. I’m guessing the actual numbers (and also the numbers of people thus exposed) are higher than known because so few have been tested. How do we know mailmen aren’t passing it on in some communities, for instance? I had a cashier at the grocery store this week who kept licking her fingers between separating the bags. I didn’t happen to see it till she got to the last bag, but she licked her fingers at least three times just on that last bag. She’s probably passed a few cases of flu to her customers and she could pass on this virus, too, before even knowing she has it. Licking her fingers while touching the bags also means, of course, that her saliva was on our food, since she’d been touching it too. There are a while lot of transmission possibilities for this one, and some pretty stark realities once it has entered a community, esp. one such as a nursing home.
And no, people who don’t have any symptoms don’t need to be tested–but not having “risk factors” doesn’t seem, at this point, to be a good reason not to test, if a person presents with relevant symptoms.
LikeLike
Cheryl, currently in NM, you must have approval from the state health dept in order to access a COVIOD 19 test. Flu and RSV are ruled out first, then they have to meet risk criteria on the algorithm. Not as simple as they are doing it in South Korea.
LikeLike
Wash hands, stay away when sick, stay away from crowds, be prepared for potential quarantine. All normal precautions one should be normally taking. For flu,colds,norwalk,etc. No different really. And, of course, as with those, keep an eye on the elderly and otherwise compromised. Not that difficult. And we, as believers, ought to be open to serving wherever God directs us.
LikeLike
Oh,look, seventy five.
LikeLike
It would seem to me, as well, that people need not rush out to get tested unless they are in the spectrum of people at high risk of complications. The rest of us, if we think we are exposed or think we have symptoms, should be staying away from others regardless.
How that works in essential lines, I don’t know.
LikeLike