I hope all of the disinfectants listen by the EPA will be allowed in CA.
More power to those with the ability to self quarantine as they see fit. There is no universe where my husband would be staying home without obtaining specific permission first- he’d end up in jail.
H’s employer, a factory, no longer offers sick days to management. Two people took advantage of the former generous policy, so the response was to take away everyone’s sick days. Reminds me of everyone missing recess when there was always that one in the class…
Sick days are automatically deducted from “vacation” days that have been earned, and no additional vacation days were added when they took away sick days. Seems like a recipe for having sick workers come to work.
H is >60 and has multiple pre-existing conditions. No one here (rural Midwest) seems much concerned about this yet, but I’m worried about this aspect.
D is in Seattle, working downtown, and says the buses are empty. She’s working 16+ hr/days (so more run down) and also has pre-existing conditions, so I am concerned for her.
Did I miss this? Seattle closed schools.
Thanks, we know it’s just a breather, but at least we’ll not be the ones who brought it in. We celebrated with Chinese takeout, LOL!
@thumper1, you have no idea how fast self isolating gets old when you really have no idea whether it’s even necessary because you can’t get testing. Staying away from work which I know will pile up in my absence something horrible, trying to keep up a semblance of normalcy for the kids who, being symptom free, are legally required to go to school (as was my husband as a public school teacher), needing to be ferried to lessons and appointments, while you yourself are cancelling concerts and birthday parties, kicking out your in-laws and wildly disinfecting yourself before touching any door handle your elderly neighbour you share a courtyard with might touch…the sheer illogic of it all does your head in. I’m glad we are back to “don’t panic and wash your hands” and I can go out and get zinc lozenges and a chicken myself.
@romanigypsyeyes Northshore District
Just spoke with DH who is an ID doc in charge of Covid-19 response for a large healthcare organization (they take care of 3 million people). One of their urgent cares called him because they had a guy come in with a high fever and cough, who refused to be tested for Covid-19. Sick guy said he doesn’t want to stop working and he refuses to isolate at home. He walked out. There was nothing anyone could do.
DH is relieved that they are finally able to test people. He said the virus is widespread here and the numbers are going to jump. He’s still pushing the hospitals to set up drive-through testing and isolation tents in the parking lot. Our hospitals do not necessarily have global health/epidemic people on staff. They really should because no one else has the time/training to prepare for these things. Maybe a federal pandemic response team would have been setting up systems to educate hospitals ahead of time.
Good news is that HCW are keeping track of everything they see and we will soon have more data on who is at risk in an American population, and how best to treat this.
Good share. This bit is important and I’ve read the same advice elsewhere:
“Too much hand sanitiser can irritate the skin and dry it out by stripping the natural oils. Damaged skin is then more vulnerable to infection, so if using hand sanitiser, make sure to only use a very small amount.”
It is a very large SD that spans parts of both King and Snohomish counties. The decision was made in part because so many parents pulled kids out of schools, and quality instruction became next to impossible.
Seattle schools are open.
I still say…too many people go to work when they are sick and especially in the schools.
Parents have child care issues…and sometimes send sick kids.
Teachers say it’s harder to stay home than to just come in sick.
I say…stay home if you are sick. Stop spreading your germs around.
I agree self isolation for 14 days is not realistic unless needed…but if you are THAT sick…why would you be going to work anyway.
@thumper1 thanks! I heard it in passing and then the story was gone. All I heard was Seattle schools.
I have a good friend who works at a VA in Washington (Spokane area, not Seattle). Apparently all possible covid cases’ samples are being sent to the VA in Palo Alto. They have isolation rooms for like MRSA but not much else.
Also, they’ve all been cleared to take “Safety leave” which is like sick days without using sick days. Still paid. They’re being encouraged to use them if they have any symptoms that could possibly be COVID. She said as of now, no one seems to be using it.
But the majority of people self-isolating for 14 days, in the name of not possibly infecting their community, aren’t sick or if they are, are showing mild symptoms or none at all. Remember that 80% present with mild to no symptoms. Plus, many quarantining at home are doing so out of an abundance of caution due to travel or possible exposure.
Purdue has cancelled all study abroad programs.
No idea what happens to the program costs and airfare costs. When they changed from Japan to Purdue, they said it was unlikely anyone choosing not to go would receive a refund.
Getting a Japan refund may have been possible if/when United added the travel waiver based on CDC Level 2. Now that it’s a Peru flight, it’s unlikely.
Sadly, staying home is not an option for millions of Americans. I read somewhere that the administration is looking into ways to pay those in quarantine. That’s what it will take to make people stay home. Quarantines will not work in this country until people don’t have to choose between going to work sick or making rent.
PTO days (time off for any reason: vacation, sick, attend kid’s soccer game) are not uncommon.
Big upticks in cases the past few days in Europe. Some of today’s tallies:
**GERMANY - 281 new cases 
for a total of 543. No wonder the German health minister has been saying over the past 24 hours that it is a pandemic.
FRANCE - 138 new cases for a total of 423, 3 new deaths for a total of 7. First 3 cases in Corsica.
SPAIN - 54 new cases for a total of 282 and 1 new death for a total of 3.
SWEDEN - 42 new cases totaling 94.
NORWAY - 30 new cases totaling 89.
AUSTRIA - 12 new cases totaling 41.
Rhode Island to limit the number of people that can visit health care facilities and nursing homes
"Rhode Island officials are working on a policy to limit the number of people that can visit health care facilities and nursing homes due to fears over coronavirus, Rhode Island Department of Health officials said in a statement.
The policy restricts people from visiting staff or patients if they are under the age of 18 or if they are sick…
Additionally, officials have asked employers, if possible, to ask their employees who have traveled to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, or Japan in the last 14 days to remain at home until they have been symptom-free for 14 days.
Rhode Island currently has two confirmed cases of coronavirus." (CNN)
Los Angeles County confirms 4 more coronavirus cases
"Los Angeles County Public Health is reporting another four cases of novel coronavirus. All four patients recently traveled to Northern Italy and are being isolated.
This brings L.A. County’s total to 11." (CNN)
An 11th person has died from coronavirus in Washington state
"An additional person has died of novel coronavirus in King County, Washington, according to the local health department. In a written release, the department describes the victim as a woman in her 90’s who died on Tuesday. Her death was not included in the daily report issued earlier today from the state Department of Health.
This brings the total number of coronavirus deaths in Washington state to 11. A 12th death was confirmed earlier this week in California. The King County announcement does not affect the overall number of positive coronavirus cases reported in Washington state, which stands at 70.
Due to the increased amount of testing and results expected in coming days, King County says it will no longer provide personal details about coronavirus patients going forward." (CNN)
2 new cases of coronavirus reported in Texas’ Harris County
The Harris County Public Health (HCPH) reports two new cases of novel coronavirus in Harris County, Texas.
According to a press release from the agency, a man and a woman from the unincorporated area of northwest Harris County, outside Houston, tested positive for COVID-19. These cases are travel-related and, at this time, there is no evidence of community spread. The tests were verified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The first case in Texas was reported Wednesday, in Fort Bend County, Texas." (CNN)
We received notice that a Vanderbilt student who had been studying in Italy tested positive. This student did not return to Nashville but is receiving treatment in his hometown.
Guardian article on the Grand Princess, much of which addresses the number of UK citizens onboard.
"It confirmed that 142 UK nationals - made up of 121 passengers and 21 crew - were on board the Grand Princess, which was carrying a total of 3,533 people…fewer than 100 people had been identified for testing, according to the operator.
“Public health officials have advised that no guests will be permitted to disembark until all results have been received,” it said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, all guests who have been identified for testing have been asked to remain in their staterooms.”
…Meanwhile, it has emerged that three passengers on the Grand Princess’ previous voyage have been confirmed to have the new virus, and one of them became California’s first fatality from the illness yesterday, after it disembarked hundreds at four Mexican ports last month."
So, how is this not going to turn into another Diamond Princess? How can you only test 100? At least on the DP, all passengers were confined to their cabins - doesn’t seem like that is the case on this ship so far…