[Digitalis]

The young seem particularly unaffected both in terms of chance of infection and probability of severe illness

Another curious statistic that has cropped up is that pregnant women seem to suffer fewer complications from the virus*, however transmission to the child is possible and rather problematic.

Of course, Age and pre-existing conditions are always a factor.


* The current hypothesis is that their innately suppressed immune response results in less cellular damage compared to an individual with a normal and highly active immune response.

---------- Post added 2020-03-11 at 04:30 PM ----------

Regarding testing for Covid-19, us Aussies have drive in testing facilities [ you need to get a referral first ]. Adelaide University issues advisory against travel for staff and students to Italy, China and Iran.

South Korea has been hit pretty hard, I dread to think of what is going on in the north.

At the risk of getting a tad political Biocentury washington editor publishes an article that points out the obvious.

---

Last edited by Digitalis; 03-10-2020 at 11:05 PM.

[Serkevan]

At the risk of getting a tad political Biocentury washington editor publishes an article that points out the obvious.

Well, the response of the CDC and FDA has been objectively wrong - irrespective of who sits in the White House.

[dstar]

Well, the response of the CDC and FDA has been objectively wrong - irrespective of who sits in the White House.

I am look slightly different way
Information to public about first case in China start some in middle November
Before restrict flight to US take place in some middle January So I presume this virus circulated around globe
Almost same time anywhere people flight anywhere
Even they no glue about they sick
My puzzle why real outbreaks suddenly start 3-4 week delay in any country
China next Japan orKorea now in US look like yes I am here ready and slowly
Look like virus rich level critical mass or mutated
Very interesting creature this virus

[Serkevan]

I am look slightly different way
Information to public about first case in China start some in middle November
Before restrict flight to US take place in some middle January So I presume this virus circulated around globe
Almost same time anywhere people flight anywhere
Even they no glue about they sick
My puzzle why real outbreaks suddenly start 3-4 week delay in any country
China next Japan orKorea now in US look like yes I am here ready and slowly
Look like virus rich level critical mass or mutated
Very interesting creature this virus

The short answer: Incubation time of 2-3 weeks. A single person can lead to exponential infection of hundreds or even thousands in a very short period of time, because the virus is highly contagious: if life goes on as usual without extra hygiene and less mingling of people, it's a ticking time bomb. One day you report patient zero... which is followed by hundreds of sudden cases some days or a week later, when everyone who was in contact starts developing symptoms at roughly the same time.
The serious measures get taken ONCE the first wave of cases hits, but by that time, hundreds of people had two weeks to infect thousands. What follows, with COVID-19's high risk of causing respiratory deficiency, is a very real possibility of hospitals not being able to cope with the strain of so many people needing to be in ICUs. And if ICUs get overwhelmed, a mortality of ~1% can suddenly be 5%. And 5% mortality is huge in this day and age.


Wash your hands, people. For yourselves, and for everyone else. Reducing the pressure on healthcare systems is the best defense against the virus.

[aslyfox]

Absolutely; back home my parents are both 60+ and my grandma is 85+. If things get worse here, I will not go visit them... Last thing I want is to endanger them.

I've been thinking about exposure and hoping it is not going to be bad but we are approaching travel seasons

spring break for schools

summer vacations

family reunions around holidays

and more
_____________________

we just got back from Jacksonville Florida and St. Augustine

plane flights -

air ports Kansas City, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Denver

___________________________

future plane trips planned - Kansas City Jackson Hole, San Francisco

Activities: Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Whale watching boat trips, Giants vs. Cubs base ball games, restaurants and hotels

not to mention daily interactions in Topeka Kansas

it can get you a little worked up if you just think about the possibilities vs. probabilities

_____________________________________

conversation I used to have with clients:

" we are in the tornado alley

it is possible that a tornado could hit this building in the next 10 seconds, should I count or will you?

it is probable that when I go home and my wife finds out I didn't do what I am supposed to have gotten done, I will be in trouble

worry about the probable, it is much more likely to happen "

_______________________________________________________________________________________________


not trying to make light of a serious issue but I am hoping you and yours as well as me and mine won't be directly affected

You can't kill something that isn't alive to begin with, and since virusses are not alive (prefer "virii"?) you can't kill them. Some forms can be neutralized if they have a protein or lipid encapsulation that can be dissolved by organic solvents such as alcohol (not many of those and the norovirus isn't one of them), and they can be destroyed by intense UV-A radiation or heating in an autoclave; or they can just be washed away.

As to the original question, the only remedy is to wash the camera and lenses thoroughly with lots of soap or detergent and water, or put them in an autoclave. But since the virus is already "wild" and doing its thing just like any other "flu" virus, those who survive will have some measure of immunity and we'll all just ignore it as we do the "common cold" once it runs its course. It is going to spread throughout the entire human population sooner or later, and there is no way to stop it. All "lockdowns" and "quarantines" are going to do is slow the process (which may be a good thing if it allows time for vaccine development but probably not worth the cost).

So if you feel strongly about it, put some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel and wipe it down (which may physically remove things that shouldn't be there and kill the bacteria which are living organisms). It may make you feel better, though it won't have much real effect.

Keep in mind that the news media exist to sell advertising and for that they need viewers/readers/listeners. And to keep people coming back they need to instill fear, worry, and anxiety. They make money by exaggerating the effect of the virus. That's why everyone's in a panic, and not because this virus is any worse than any other. It's not the plague - that comes later (and it will, it's inevitable). And when a real plague hits, well, put it this way: between 1100 and 1500 A.D., the population of Europe was diminished by two-thirds. Of course you also had your basic Hundred-Years War, and a brief "nuclear winter" that lasted three years, but the main cause was the recurring plague and the economic disaster caused by the loss of population (you know, famine and such - dead farmers and butchers don't produce much in the way of food).

[aslyfox]

. . . It is going to spread throughout the entire human population sooner or later, and there is no way to stop it. All "lockdowns" and "quarantines" are going to do is slow the process (which may be a good thing if it allows time for vaccine development but probably not worth the cost). . . .

Keep in mind that the news media exist to sell advertising and for that they need viewers/readers/listeners. . . . .

slowing the process may give our medical personnel and hospitals a necessary break from time to time

yes media is interested in surviving

but it does help to give necessary information

when you can winnow it from the chaff

[Serkevan]

You can't kill something that isn't alive to begin with, and since virusses are not alive (prefer "virii"?) you can't kill them. Some forms can be neutralized if they have a protein or lipid encapsulation that can be dissolved by organic solvents such as alcohol (not many of those and the norovirus isn't one of them), and they can be destroyed by intense UV-A radiation or heating in an autoclave; or they can just be washed away.

They are not "alive" only because they must hijack other cells' metabolism to reproduce, it's a matter of accurate scientific nomenclature. A neutralized virus is for all intents and purposes "killed". The Coronavirus (not a norovirus) family is an encapsulated virus, and will be neutralized with surfactants (such as soap) or organic solvents - 70% EtOH is one of the best ways as it's safe to use on skin.

As to the original question, the only remedy is to wash the camera and lenses thoroughly with lots of soap or detergent and water, or put them in an autoclave. But since the virus is already "wild" and doing its thing just like any other "flu" virus, those who survive will have some measure of immunity and we'll all just ignore it as we do the "common cold" once it runs its course. It is going to spread throughout the entire human population sooner or later, and there is no way to stop it. All "lockdowns" and "quarantines" are going to do is slow the process (which may be a good thing if it allows time for vaccine development but probably not worth the cost).

Slowing the spread of a pandemic (ideally, containing it completely, but good luck with that with how infectious the little bugger is...) with a lockdown reduces the maximum pressure on health care systems, which literally saves lives. Mortality increases by a factor of ~5-10 when acute care units collapse. And that affects not only COVID cases, but also people who might die of preventable diseases that cannot get proper care, because there aren't enough ICU beds and hospital staff is getting thrown into the breach restlessly until they get infected themselves. If you consider the economic impact to be an unacceptable consequence, and that we need to let people die, well, that's an entirely different story.

So if you feel strongly about it, put some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel and wipe it down (which may physically remove things that shouldn't be there and kill the bacteria which are living organisms). It may make you feel better, though it won't have much real effect.

Please, please, don't spread nonsense. Most types of virus die outside a host within hours (Flu example: Survival of Influenza Viruses on Environmental Surfaces | The Journal of Infectious Diseases | Oxford Academic) However, the new Coronavirus has been shown to last for up to a week, so cleaning stuff that you touch regularly is ABSOLUTELY a real effect.

Keep in mind that the news media exist to sell advertising and for that they need viewers/readers/listeners. And to keep people coming back they need to instill fear, worry, and anxiety. They make money by exaggerating the effect of the virus. That's why everyone's in a panic, and not because this virus is any worse than any other. It's not the plague - that comes later (and it will, it's inevitable). And when a real plague hits, well, put it this way: between 1100 and 1500 A.D., the population of Europe was diminished by two-thirds. Of course you also had your basic Hundred-Years War, and a brief "nuclear winter" that lasted three years, but the main cause was the recurring plague and the economic disaster caused by the loss of population (you know, famine and such - dead farmers and butchers don't produce much in the way of food).

I cannot even begin with this paragraph, there is just so much wrong with it. I'll try.
Hospitals in Italy are getting overwhelmed because of the sudden spike of respiratory failures, to the point where they are performing triage to decide who gets to be treated. If you want to live in a bubble and believe only what you decide regardless of source (although the only sources of "keep calm this is all fake" are conspiracy nuts and some choice politicians that have a lot at stake), it's your choice.
The plagues in Europe happened in a world in which washing hands was unheard of, with no functional medicines, no pest control, no logistics for relief and supply, and semi-permanent armed conflict continent-wide. It cannot happen in the same way. It just cannot. Saying that "oh the plague was worse this is nothing" is like saying that Katrina was "just some bad weather" because it certainly wasn't nearly as bad as the 2004 tsunami in SEA.


Unbelievable.

[ZeljkoS]

You can't kill something that isn't alive to begin with, and since virusses are not alive (prefer "virii"?) you can't kill them. Some forms can be neutralized if they have a protein or lipid encapsulation that can be dissolved by organic solvents such as alcohol (not many of those and the norovirus isn't one of them), and they can be destroyed by intense UV-A radiation or heating in an autoclave; or they can just be washed away.

As to the original question, the only remedy is to wash the camera and lenses thoroughly with lots of soap or detergent and water, or put them in an autoclave. But since the virus is already "wild" and doing its thing just like any other "flu" virus, those who survive will have some measure of immunity and we'll all just ignore it as we do the "common cold" once it runs its course. It is going to spread throughout the entire human population sooner or later, and there is no way to stop it. All "lockdowns" and "quarantines" are going to do is slow the process (which may be a good thing if it allows time for vaccine development but probably not worth the cost).

So if you feel strongly about it, put some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel and wipe it down (which may physically remove things that shouldn't be there and kill the bacteria which are living organisms). It may make you feel better, though it won't have much real effect.

Keep in mind that the news media exist to sell advertising and for that they need viewers/readers/listeners. And to keep people coming back they need to instill fear, worry, and anxiety. They make money by exaggerating the effect of the virus. That's why everyone's in a panic, and not because this virus is any worse than any other. It's not the plague - that comes later (and it will, it's inevitable). And when a real plague hits, well, put it this way: between 1100 and 1500 A.D., the population of Europe was diminished by two-thirds. Of course you also had your basic Hundred-Years War, and a brief "nuclear winter" that lasted three years, but the main cause was the recurring plague and the economic disaster caused by the loss of population (you know, famine and such - dead farmers and butchers don't produce much in the way of food).

You can see all the information you need on this page, without ads or "exaggeration"
Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS

[aslyfox]

just in case, you have to make changes in travel plans

Some U.S. airlines are offering flexible policies as coronavirus spreads. Here’s what travelers need to know.

.. . To help quell travelers’ worries, airlines have begun changing their policies to create flexibility in bookings. If you’re planning — or have already scheduled — a trip for the near future, here are your options. . . .

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/03/02/airlines-are-offering-flexi...ge%2Fstory-ans

[photoptimist]

Keep in mind that the news media exist to sell advertising and for that they need viewers/readers/listeners. And to keep people coming back they need to instill fear, worry, and anxiety. They make money by exaggerating the effect of the virus. That's why everyone's in a panic, and not because this virus is any worse than any other. It's not the plague - that comes later (and it will, it's inevitable). And when a real plague hits, well, put it this way: between 1100 and 1500 A.D., the population of Europe was diminished by two-thirds. Of course you also had your basic Hundred-Years War, and a brief "nuclear winter" that lasted three years, but the main cause was the recurring plague and the economic disaster caused by the loss of population (you know, famine and such - dead farmers and butchers don't produce much in the way of food).

The virus isn't the plague but it is much worse than the average influenza. It's probably right in the middle - being about 20X as lethal as flu but only about 1/20th as lethal as plague.

If it's not stopped, it's going to kill a lot of people (mostly older people with pre-existing conditions).

If it's not slowed, it's going to kill a lot more people because many people who could be saved won't be due to lack of hospital resources. The US runs a lean healthcare system -- there's not a lot of spare beds or ICUs to handle uncontained contagion with this one's rate of hospitalization.

It's up to the politicians (and the public) to decide how many people die. Personally, I doubt the Western nations will take the kinds of steps required to stop the spread the way the Chinese have -- draconian quarantines seem politically palatable. However, slowing the spread to keep the case load manageable is more feasible.

Panic isn't warranted, but prudent action is.

[beholder3]

Panic isn't warranted, but prudent action is.

I think for the locals in the USA the first step would be to provide test kits quickly. I read that so far a total of 5,000 americans have been tested only, which is less than what South Korea tests in a week. But all the time the virus did not wait.


It doesnt take a lot of imagination to think about the possibility of thousands of infectious people running around this very minute, undetected.

I do have the same view as our chancellor who stated that experts expect 60-70% of the population to contract it. The only question is: can we slow it down. And slowing it down means real action and detection.

[PDL]

I read that this flu season 20,000 people have died from the flu in the US. COVID-19, the disease created by the new virus, has killed around 3,200 people across the world. However, the new virus is still spreading and has not really covered the globe.

It will get worse through time. In my state/county, groups over 250 are forbidden. The University of Washington is closed until the end of March, the concerts/Events I was going to attend have been officially canceled. I am thinking of going into downtown Seattle and hanging out at my favorite bar - just because the people who work there need to be able to make a wage. Other than some real pinheads here and there, we seem to be taking it in stride.

I know from my studies of Anthropology, that it is the collapse of the underlying infrastructure that is the greatest issue. Hospitals get filled up, supplies get reduced, doctors/nurses get ill, Police get sick, firemen get sick and those who panic and move out of the "infected" areas tend to take the virus with them and spread it. The Smallpox epidemic on the Upper Missouri River dropped the indigenous village population by 90% as people got sick and the non sick people moved up river to the next village. The 1918 so called Swine Flu killed an estimated 20,000 million world wide and over 600,000 in the US - where it was first reported to exist.

This is not a good thing but spreading rumors about what does and does not work is not the thing to do right now. So how about we stop this garbage about Hand Sanitizers working on this new virus but Isopropyl Alcohol not working to bed. Hand Sanitizers use Isopropyl Alcohol and aloe vera gel, if Hand Sanitizers can kill the virus on the surface - so can Isopropyl Alcohol.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC

I suggest that those not believing that Hand Sanitizers work i.e Isopropyl Alcohol read this page:
Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC

Pay attention to this paragraph bullet point:

• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

[aslyfox]

it is being reported that " March Madness " has been canceled

NCAA Tournament canceled because of the ‘public health threat’ from coronavirus

NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships

NCAA Tournament canceled - Chicago Tribune

[Serkevan]

it is being reported that " March Madness " has been canceled



NCAA Tournament canceled - Chicago Tribune

The NBA season has also been cancelled, right?

Spain has cancelled classes (my brother is going home for a couple weeks), public buildings are closing, events are limited to 50/500 indoor/outdoor attendees, and breaking quarantine is now considered a crime against public health.