Coronavirus in the US

Parent Cafe
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You would think the government would have a fact sheet answering questions like this but they don’t seem to provide anything much. There isn’t even any info for travelers coming from any place other than China on the CDC website. It doesn’t look to be updated at all.

I think stocking enough food for a couple weeks and some medicine to provide relief from symptoms, same as you would for a cold or flu, would be a good idea.

As far as your other questions, who knows? The info hasn’t been imparted like it has in some other countries. If you feel you might have Covid-19, contact your health care professional. Call, don’t pop in.

"Former top Maine CDC official on coronavirus: Don’t panic but do prepare

Stockpile up to two weeks of food and toiletries, talk to your boss about working from home if need be, keep an eye on the news and keep your hands washed.

While Dora Anne Mills on Wednesday likened most of her advice to preparing for a long blizzard, she said Mainers need to prepare for the spread of coronavirus infections in the U.S., which the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week is likely. Mills is suggesting people stockpile food and toiletries in case they become sick or they find themselves caring for a sick family member." (Portland Herald Press 2/26/20)

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ITALY - Italy’s tourism industry has been dealt its final blow, the head of its hotel federation has lamented, after the US advised its citizens to reconsider travelling to the country.

"Hotel reservation cancellations have already reached about 90% in Rome, while Venice has seen bookings plummet after regional officials cancelled the final two days of carnival celebrations this week in an unprecedented move in modern times.

On Friday, the US government issued a level three advisory, the second-highest level of warning for the whole of Italy, and announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended avoiding non-essential travel to the Mediterranean country.

We had already registered a slowdown of Americans coming to Italy in recent days, Federalberghi president Bernabo Bocca said in a statement on Saturday, adding that the final blow had now arrived…

More than 5.6 million Americans visit Italy every year, the second-largest national group behind Germans, representing 9% of foreign tourists in Italy…

Other major countries have only issued warnings about defined areas of northern Italy where most cases of the coronavirus have been recorded. " (Guardian)

IRAN - "The death rate from the virus in Iran, about 7%, has caused global consternation and fuelled speculation that the country could be underreporting the number of cases affecting it.

However, Jahanpour (Iran’s health ministry spokesperson) attempted to put the public health crisis into perspective. He said that more than 480 people in Iran had been killed in traffic accidents, but no one noticed them.

Saturday’s new toll of 593 confirmed cases represents a jump of 205 cases, a 52% increase from the 388 reported the day before.

Jahanpour has warned that large increases in the number of confirmed cases would happen as Iran now has 15 laboratories testing for the virus, as spray trucks and fumigators into the streets are sent into streets.

He went on to suggest tens of thousands could seek testing for the coronavirus, while encouraging people to continue to avoid mass gatherings, even funerals for those who died of the virus. The safest place is our homes and our cities, he said."

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^^^Adding, make sure you are up-to-date on vaccinations…including the flu shot. It’s not too late to get your flu shot.

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FRANCE - 16 new cases for a total of 73.

France bans gatherings of more than 5,000. “All public gatherings of more than 5,000 people in a confined space are temporarily banned across France,” Health Minister Olivier Veran told journalists.

SWITZERLAND Switzerland is up to 17 cases of coronavirus infection - 12 confirmed and five awaiting confirmation - according to local media.

UK - 3 more patients have tested positive bringing the total to 23. 2 had recently returned from Italy and 1 from Asia.

Algeria deports Italian national infected with coronavirus

ALGIERS (Reuters) - “An Italian national who tested positive for coronavirus on his arrival in Algeria has been transferred to his home country, Algerian official media reported on Saturday. Algeria announced on Tuesday that the 61-year-old man, who works in projects involving Milan-based energy firm Eni, had become its first confirmed case of the virus. He has been flown from the airport of the southern oil and gas town of Hassi Messaoud by an Italian airline”

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[quote=“BunsenBurner, post:2429, topic:2080517”]

Thanks, my suggestion was a bad one. While I keep denatured around for wood finishing, it’s been too long since I looked up the dangers of the additives. Google is your friend, in situations like these.

Another try: if you’ve missed out on hand sanitizer, google for alternatives that can be prepared and kept in the car. I’ve seen several suggested elsewhere, with the literature to support.

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Researchers suspect that:

Coronavirus may be infectious for up to nine days on materials such as cardboard & plastic, and up to 2 hours on copper & steel surfaces. This has prompted concern about packages mailed from locations with a high rate of infections.

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The plan here is to have people with symptoms such as fever/cough/body aches self-isolate at home and check-in with their doctor’s office by phone. No appointments at doctor’s offices for flu-like symptoms.

If people are in a high risk group and/or develop trouble breathing, their doctor will decide whether they need to go to an affiliated urgent care or the hospital. Those facilities will be prepared, and alerted for each patient.

DH is chief of ID for a large group of doctors of all specialties (they take care of about 2.5 million patients). He is communicating with our hospitals right now to advocate for setting up infection control tents in the parking lots so Covid-19 patients would not enter the main hospital. Of course, it would be best if we could test people for Covid-19 in order to know what level of caution is needed.

Here, they are also trying to figure out what to do about protective disposable gowns. Supply is low as they are made in China. There is discussion about using washable gowns because washing apparently kills SARS-CoV-2.

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Let’s use the correct terminology, please. You can get SWABBED in your car… whether the swab gets tested, that is a different story. No testing is done while you wait in the car - there are no “sample in, answer out” drive through kind of tests for this virus.

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I was able to order large refill bottles of Purell from Walmart at regular price ($30 for 1000ml), whereas Amazon prices are through the roof. I don’t think Amazon should allow their merchants to do price gouging. I shipped a bottle to both of my kids.

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If we are to remain vigilant, then it would be wise to wipe down mail and packages delivered to your home, too. Sometimes I feel like I just want to throw my arms up in the air.

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That is if the people still have a paycheck and money to shop and be able to afford the prices driven to the sky by gouging.

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How do they know if the packaging is safe? The virus can live up to 9 days on plastic or paper. IOW, pachaging material

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This was pretty predictable. CA makes plans for when virus erupts in the ‘not housed’ communities. Of which there are too many to count.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/02/28/coronavirus-could-hit-bay-area-homeless-camps-hard-experts-warn/

So already over taxed heath care facilities may be asked to operated as temporary hotel rooms for the homeless.

Yikes

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Source please.

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There is no guarantee that hand sanitizer will kill the active virus. In fact it can dry out the skin significantly allowing a source of entry for bacteria and viruses. Proper hand washing will be most effective.

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How Long Can the New Coronavirus Last on Surfaces:
https://www.livescience.com/how-long-coronavirus-last-surfaces.html

Short answer: we don’t know,

However, cleaning with disinfectant works, and the corona viruses usually become inactive much faster at temps of 86 degrees and higher. UV also most likely inactivates it. Soap and water works, so you could always wash your hands after opening a package. However, everything I’ve read says the main mode of infection is actual droplets from a sick person coughed or sneezed onto you, or touching a sick person and then touching your mouth/nose/eyes.

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So best way to prevent is would be using gloves, eyeglasses and a regular mask that would prevent you from touching your mouth

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https://nypost.com/2020/02/29/suspected-coronavirus-patient-isolated-in-new-jersey-hospital/

“A patient with a suspected case of the coronavirus is being treated at Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, NJ.

The person is being held in isolation while the hospital awaits the results of a test for the virus. It will be a few days before the test is returned, CBS New York reported.

“Please rest assured that our health care team is taking every precaution in caring for this isolated patient and determining an accurate diagnosis,” the hospital said in an email to its clinicians Friday from Dr. Jerry M. Zuckerman, vice president of Infection Prevention and Control for Hackensack Meridian Health Bayshore Medical Center, according to the Asbury Park Press.”

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SCOTLAND - A total of 630 tests had been carried out by Saturday in Scotland, up from 500 on Friday. All have so far proved negative.

On Friday, NHS Lothian announced it has introduced a “drive-through” testing centre for the virus.

“The drive-through facility and the community testing teams allow us to test patients without them coming into healthcare facilities.

“Patients will be referred on by their GP or NHS 24 if they are at risk of the virus and meet the clinical criteria.

“They will then be referred on to our teams, who will decide whether they need to be tested in their own homes or if they are well enough and can use their own transport to drive to the Western General Hospital.” (Guardian)

The Paris half-marathon, which was scheduled for Sunday with 44,000 registered runners, has been cancelled.

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“But if this new coronavirus resembles other human coronaviruses, such as its “cousins” that cause SARS and MERS, it can stay on surfaces — such as metal, glass or plastic — for as long as nine days, according to a new study. (In comparison, flu viruses can last on surfaces for only about 48 hours.)”

@3SailAway this explains the community spread by people that are not sick (coughing and sneezing). But not a lot is being said about this via the CDC and the media.

I am going to be more vigilant about what I touch and keeping my hands away from my eyes mouth and nose.