@BunsenBurner rubbing alcohol is out (we have a little left we plan to use). Hadn’t thought of the 150 proof! Thanks!
Selfishly I feel upset for my son not being able to go to these events that I looked forward to having him go to (April college visits for accepted students, overnights, etc). The total damage of this is so much greater than this but I still feel sad he will miss it. And I imagine there might not be an in person graduation ceremony, something I have wanted for him for many years and looked forward to seeing. Again, feels selfish to think about given what others are going through because of this.
Just plain Clorox is good for disinfecting surfaces (dilute as directed).
Very thoughtful of your daughter but do remember that young people often do not show symptoms or mild symptoms but can still be contagious. Ask her to take precautions and keep her distance as much as she can.
We are all trying to be as careful as we can. None of us had a fever or feels bad at all. So far, no community transmissions of COVID have been found (but only 16 or so tests completed in our entire state).
On a normal day, I DO cough due to my chronic lung conditions.
I was in our local BevMo, and cashier mentioned they have had a run on Everclear/grain alcohol…
@ucbalumnus yes. Most ships are flagged to other nations. I was thinking in terms of USA based lines. Carnival is Ft Lauderdale. I think.
I don’t follow the sector.
Airlines will need some help. Companies are simply groups of people. So I have no problem with helping an industry that are vital to putting food on thousands of tables. Like autos and banks. It’s helping people not empty buildings.
On the campus front. BC is still holding eagle for a day sessions with a one on one student host. It’s better than large groups. More schools could offer that in lieu of accepted students say en masse.
I apologize for sharing incorrect info about masks. Here’s one article that provides some better info, about masks and other issues: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/09/can-a-face-mask-stop-coronavirus-covid-19-facts-checked
My employer (higher ed) cancelled classes until March 23. We got the news today just a bit after 5 p.m. Staff and faculty are supposed to report to work this week as usual and make plans to convert to online instruction, if necessary, when classes resume. All group meetings are cancelled.
This is metro-area NYC. Schools who have cancelled classes include Princeton, Hofstra, Columbia. Privates are cancelling. Still no news from state schools.
@INJParent- I believe Delta is currently only waiving all fees for international flights, but domestic flights are still restricted to those purchased between Mar 1 and Mar 31. I spoke to them earlier today about tickets we bought Feb 19 for a flight in July. They said it was too soon, and even checked with 2 supervisors who said the same thing.
CDC info on masks for health care workers–masks work. That is why they recommend them for health care workers so they can protect themselves. They are most at risk, particularly if they do intubations, etc. They should have them over ordinary citizens and it is scary that there are not enough for our medical professionals. That said, I would feel much safer personally (with my preexisting conditions) if our culture here worse masks. At the very least, even less effective masks would cut down on the amount of spittle that flies around from coughing and sneezing.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-use-faq.html
CDC info on masks and such for health care providers.
Say you just recovered from the flu and were still coughing the tiniest bit. It has been over a week. Say you have asthma which makes you cough sometimes for week after having a cold. Do you just stay home forever. How much coughing in public is OK right now? Zero?
Update: NYU and Fordham just cancelled classes effective Wed. They are moving to online instruction.
In China, in an effort to root out anyone with the virus, pharmacies were required to keep a record of anyone who bought cough medicine and fever reducing medicine. Then, those people would get a visit and be tested. Obviously, China’s testing capability was on point vs. ours.
Some of us with chronic lung conditions have chronic cough as one of the annoying side effects. We generally figure out how to minimize it and make peace with it—wouldn’t be out trying to buy cough suppressants.
China did a lot right and well. I don’t think we are as ready and have the structure and manpower they do.
@suteiki77 According tot eh lady sitting in front of me on a plane Saturday coughing all over the place is just fine! 
I flew from Ft. Lauderdale to Hayden, CO this week. Saw a few people in the airport with masks, I don’t think any of them were using them correctly. Most just had big gaps on the sides and one man kept moving his up and down to talk. I did wipe down the seat with a clorox wipe, the lady across from us did as well and she was wearing gloves while she did it but took them off when she was done.
As I mentioned above on the flight home a woman in front of us was coughing the whole flight. She could have had an underlying condition that caused her cough but she did look very wiped out, possible sick. She started off holding a tissue to her mouth. Then she used the tissue to blow her nose and continued to use it as her cough guard. The people sitting next to her finally got up and changed seats. After that she just used her hand to cover her cough but her had was always about 3 inches away from her mouth. 
I did not see anyone that looked too concerned while we were skiing or even out in the town. My friends and I each had a mini hand sanitizer in our jackets and I used it a few times but probably not as much as I should have.
D21 had a school trip planned to NYC to attend a journalism conference at Columbia and do all sorts of other touristy stuff as well. First the conference was cancelled but the teacher still wanted to take the kids and find other educational things to do. Luckily the entire trip was cancelled today because D21 was super upset when I told her I wasn’t sure if we were going to let her go. Now the school district can be the bad guy!
Vanderbilt just cancelled classes- indefinite length of time.
I swallowed an animal cracker wrong at work last week and was coughing. I was afraid I was either coming to be sent home or carried off by men in white coats to be quarantined.
This whole thing has created quite the workload for me as an employment lawyer. It’s pretty much a 24/7 thing right now.
China basically hid the disease from the world.
The ophthalmologist who reported it was banned from discussing and passed away, unfortunately twice. They also monitor tik tok and their Facebook for evidence of infection.
This could have all been avoided to some degree and health officials and politicians in many countries are hopping mad at them.
I hope you don’t get it! I once was next to a man on a plane who got very sick while on a long flight. He needed medical attention for his condition (very pale, cold sweats, hardly conscious). I was such a poor seat mate that I didn’t notice how bad off he was until the flight attendants were coming over to help him. I was traveling with others from my work. I was the only one to get what he had. Same symptoms a few days later. Those in other rows didn’t get it. So, hopefully the same will be true for you.