It’s not clear if controlled high blood pressure is not a risk factor. I’ve been reading some information about comorbidity with ACE inhibitors for those with high blood pressure. Seems there is some evidence that the medication opens pathways for the virus to take hold more efficiently. My H takes Lisinopril and we are worried.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30116-8/fulltext
@frazzled1, I have a dental cleaning appointment scheduled for next Wednesday. When I called last week (Thursday maybe?), the person said to come in unless I’m sick. I don’t know if that will be the suggestion tomorrow. If it is, I’ll keep the appointment.
I also have a dental appointment scheduled for next Saturday - I currently have a temporary crown that will be replaced with a permanent crown. I’m planning to keep that appointment unless the situation changes.
I have controlled high blood pressure and I consider it a risk factor. I’m not confining myself to home all the time yet, but I’m only taking short walks alone and being sure to wash hands when I return.
We’re supposed to host a small seder for Passover. We haven’t cancelled yet (the guests are immediate family so we can wait to make decisions), but it’s not looking good since S1 and his family have to travel here.
Our school district is closed from 3/16 to 4/13. The district is providing no cost breakfast and lunch to any child ages 1-18. No ID is required and any child may receive the meals regardless if they live in the school district or not. The only rule the district has imposed is that you pick up your meals and leave so as to reinforce social distancing. The meals will be available M-F.
I think you are smart to take precautions. Massachusetts has a lot of cases, I’m sure many yet to be diagnosed. You are in an age bracket and have health conditions that make it even more serious. I am switching to having groceries delivered. I dread having to go to the pharmacy.
I plan to keep my eye (specialist check up) appointment this Thursday and would also keep a dental appointment if I had one. I think that is OK and I’ve always felt that the practices were quite sanitary and took precautions. My eye doc is a hand shaker, so that will have to stop! (middle Tennessee)
@Knowsstuff - sorry, I didn’t mean to sound judgey about your analysis of well managed hypertension. I have asthma, along with my D and children, and while I consider us all well managed, there is just so much we don’t know. “All those cases in the middle” are driving me crazy.
I know I’m much better off than someone with COPD or emphysema but even that is no guarantee of anything.
This link lists 5 pre-existing medical conditions and how they generally affect Covid19 patients. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension, and cancer. It is quite sobering.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/
High blood pressure is one of the most strongly associated health conditions with needing to be hospitalized from what I have read. My father has it and is on mediation and he thinks he isn’t at risk because it is normal now but my husband who has been reading all he can on data of out China says that normal while on mediation doesn’t mean doesn’t have high blood pressure and it is still a big risk factor.
One of my neighbors (like me, in his 50s) has pancreatic cancer. The moms of two coworkers also have cancer. One mom is in her 60s, other in her 50s. I’m very concerned about them either getting the virus or having their essential health care needs interrupted because of the virus’s effect on the health care system.
My future niece-in-law just got email on Saturday that the venue is postponing her wedding and reception (was scheduled for 4/11), due to covid-19.
My nephew was told by his residency program that he can’t fly and assume my NIL can’t either (risk to patients and need to self-isolate after flying—both are MDs doing residencies). Nephew is in DC and NIL is in HI.
Looks like things will be delayed for some time. 
I work by editing and writing stuff. I’m only productive in a coffee shop. Working at home is weird.
I need an app that makes coffee shop noises …
I wonder if others would feel comfortable continuing in physical therapy or not if this were the situation. I benefit greatly from the PT and go weekly. The PT place’s owner is super OCD. She cleans the table and changes the covering for the pillow between patients. Now she also has everyone wash their hands when they arrive. She treats patients in a room by themselves with the door closed and washes her hands in front of the patient before working on them. She does a thorough deep cleaning each night in addition to the cleaning between patients. I have a small amount of n95 masks from my husband’s woodworking. I went and used my first mask (watched a video about how to put it on properly and believe I did). I washed my hands afterward, and used Purell in my car, too. I also took a shower when I got home. I am not over 60 but I have genetic condition that impacts my immune system and have to be careful even in a regular winter (the things people are being told to do now are things I do usually in cold and flu season). I felt reasonably safe. The PT is in a state that has a growing number of cases of the virus. I’m thinking at some point I am going to be too nervous to go, even with all these safety precautions. My father things I shouldn’t go anymore. My husband thinks I should consider stopping going.
I have a dental appointment for regular check up tomorrow. I plan to keep to go. I am more concerned about eye appointment that is coming up in a week. You come very close face to face. I would need a haircut shortly but my salon decided to close for a few week. No go there. I use a cleaning company, not an individual, who sends whoever is available. Rarely the same person twice. I plan to cancel cleaning next few weeks.
@Gourmetmom but if he doesn’t take those meds then what? Maybe change to a different type of med if adequate.
Also age has little to do with it. A 25 year old female with Chrons disease and taking medicine for it IS compromised and should self quarantine.
Our gym, which is large and rarely crowded, is closing after today. One teen had spring break work out plans there. Other teen is at weekend retail job where all the cashiers seem to be teens or older people and didn’t feel right about not going in. Someone has to sell the toilet paper! We will reassess this for next weekend.
The other thing I don’t get is the hoarding of bottled water. But then I don’t get why people in most of the US buy bottled water when the tap water is safe to drink.
It’s official at my med school lad’s current rotation hospital (the place that just received their first Covid-19 patient).
All elective surgeries are cancelled and they are only working with half their surgical staff now (presumably either redirecting the other half or resting them based upon talks before). My lad’s rotation is cancelled. He’s hoping he gets credit for it as he was almost finished, but time will tell. None of this is coming as a surprise. He’s been well updated along the way (and has sent things on to us too).
Now he’s wondering what he’s supposed to do tomorrow. I told him he’s not the only one in that position. Sooner or later higher ups will figure out how they want to handle things. For now, I suspect they just want to get through the crisis.
On a different note, I really don’t understand those who feel keeping school in session is a good idea. Since it’s public knowledge now, the case at his hospital is a school teacher. Kids aren’t generally harmed by this virus, but staff sure can be. I hear they don’t want the kids at home with grandma babysitting if they close schools. Well, now the kids have all been exposed and are going home anyway. Those who have health care parents will also be exposed. They wouldn’t have been if school had been cancelled.
Kids are home on weekends and vacations. Someone takes care of them then. Someone can take care of them now. Small groups offer more protection than the large mixed groups. If neither grandma nor Suzy have the virus, both are fine. If Suzy brings it home from school, it’s no longer fine.
Food (for many) is an issue. Kudos to those companies working on helping out there.
No system will be fail safe or protect/help everyone, but having school in session is far more risk than having it out. Let the kids gather in their small friend groups and play Frisbee or video games or watch TV or garden or whatever. If the group remains the same and no one has it, all will be fine. If the group stays the same and someone has it - they should still be fine, albeit going through the infection first. If they continue to mix and spread among groups and “whoever” is at home after school, then there will be problems.
@sorghum, my HS D uses a coffee shop noise app. I tried it at work and it really helped.
I’m spending the day cleaning my home office. It’s dusty because I haven’t used it in a couple of months. I work in education and schools are closed but there’s still work I can do remotely.
D is taking over DH’s home office to work remotely. He still has to report to work albeit on a shortened schedule.