[Jonathan Mac]

I hear IKEA Jansjö no only clears yellow casts but also kills viruses. Don't hold me responsible when there is a run on Ikea though.

Takumar yellow casts are removed by the UV wavelengths of light, which I believe is also responsible for killing bugs as it acts as a bleaching agent. Seems to have given rise to the idea that Coronavirus will disappear when summer comes along which is not the case.

"UV light can kill novel coronavirus in the lab!"

Yes, but so can a handgun, or napalm. Not much help when it's in your lungs.

[bertwert]

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition Coronavirus!

[photoptimist]

Going pretty far out on the limb, there, aren't we? I suggest you check what I wrote and see if I said anything at all about what 'ought to be done', before laying into me about what I think 'ought to be done'.

Here it is:

deaths from corona virus is nothing compared to deaths from the irresponsible use of motor vehicles. But no one panics about motor vehicle deaths, do they?

That's "what you wrote" that is so deeply ignorant and wrong.

The math on epidemics implies that people must take significant, perhaps even draconian actions BEFORE the death toll rises. With a current doubling time of about 4 days and a 2-3 week delay between exposure and death, the death toll is a severely lagging indicator of severity of the problem.

If government/society/individuals don't act until deaths from coronavirus equals deaths from motor vehicles (about 39,000), the results will be truly horrifying. Waiting until there are 39,000 COVID-19 deaths before doing something ensures that the number of latent and developing cases in the population is high enough to kill at least 16X that many (576,000 in the US).

However, even that estimate is the optimistic number because it assumes the 39K response halts all further infection (HA!) and that all the existing/exposed/developing cases have the same access to hospital beds, ICUs ventilators, etc. as the early cases did. But, in reality, most of those post-39k cases will face inadequate treatment, no ICU beds, no ventilators, and 5X-10X higher death rates.

So now we're looking at the potential for 2.5 to 5 million deaths in the US in the space of a few of months under that "lets wait till things look bad to act" strategy.

As @Serkevan noted, traffic accidents are not wildly infectious so comparing the existing death tolls to optimize the reaction is wildly misleading.

This is not the most serious problem facing the world today

What other problem in the world today has the potential to double or treble this year's death toll in the US if the response is delayed?

But my observation wasn't about disease control, it was about panic control.

There we do agree but aside from the bizarre fixation on hoarding toilet paper, people's recent buying habits seem exactly what they ought to do under that realistic case that most people do not have 6-8 weeks food at home. It only looks like panic because grocery stores generally only carry 4 weeks inventory at a time so they really couldn't handle everyone trying to do 6-8 weeks shopping in a couple of days.

Moreover, given that: 1) the US has totally botched the testing of people for disease; 2) people can be infectious with no symptoms (before, during, and after having COVID-19), the only prudent action is to practice social distancing because any one you meet could well be infectious. That prudent act of social distancing does imply that large swathes of the economy (air travel, restaurants, theaters, festivals, schools, churches, etc.) will be curtailed either voluntarily or by government edict.

[photoptimist]

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition Coronavirus!

Please! Please! Let's not bicker and argue about WHO killed who!

[bertwert]

Please! Please! Let's not bicker and argue about WHO killed who!

Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!

[Serkevan]

Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!

But I'm not dead yet!

---------- Post added 03-17-20 at 12:24 PM ----------

-A very informative post as usual-

Thanks for yet another very well put post.


To put the situation in perspective: Spain is now considering to fast-track the habilitation of last year nursing and medicine students, because at this rate we are gonna end up with severe personnel shortages. There is also consideration to bring back retired doctors*. Private hospitals have been requisitioned, cargo containers are being dropped in front of hospitals in preparation for the impending need to have isolated "rooms" to triage before admission...

Perhaps some people should go read the numbers, see that Spain has -as of this post- 509 coronavirus deaths in three weeks after the first cases appeared. Traffic-related deaths in the entirety of 2019 were 1098. Do we have a right to get worried yet?


*If "maybe we should bring a risk group to the frontlines" doesn't sound like a desperate measure, I don't know what would qualify.

[cartesio]

I do not know how reliable this website. If true, it's encouraging.


Coronavirus outbreak in Hubei spring 2020

[aslyfox]

I would like to see this spread in the world

A supermarket in Northern Ireland was the first to announce its plan to provide a dedicated shopping hour for the elderly from 8-9 a.m. The slot provides them with space to do their shopping before stockpilers can enter and raid newly stacked shelves.

“We are focused on being able to feed the nation and to support those most in need,” the chain known as Iceland said.

With online delivery slots booked up for weeks, Sainsbury’s announced that as of March 23 that vulnerable shoppers and customers over the age of 70 will be given priority to have their shopping delivered.

Australia’s largest supermarket chain, Woolworths, implemented similar measures, opening stores early for elderly customers. The chain said the move was in response to panic buying and noted that vulnerable shoppers were “missing out on vital items they may need.”

Stores such as Tesco have also imposed limits on how many items customers can buy, in an attempt to clamp down on those bulk buying foods such as pasta. On Monday, supermarket chain Aldi announced: “Customers are currently limited to buying four items of any one product during each visit,” adding that “not everyone has the financial or practical resources to buy in bulk, including our elderly customers.”

Coronavirus live updates: Cases confirmed in all U.S. states as American death toll surpasses 100 - The Washington Post

[Steve Beswick]

This thread is just depressing now. Unsubscribed.

[SointulArt]

Given everything that is going on at the moment I thought more people may be interested in this blog post from pntrs.com/t/TUJGRktHSkJHRkpISUVCRkpOSkVN?url=lensrentals.com on how to disinfect camera gear. I looked around to see if it had been posted previously but didn't see it, but apologies if this has been posted before.

[sergysergy]

I think it was...but good to have it handy

[Astro-Baby]

Its a tough call but someone has to be willing to make the supreme sacrifice. For those of you worried about Covid19 from camera gear I am volunteering to take all your camera gear off your hands - just mail me for address details of where to send it. Preference would be for Pentax LXs,and medium formats and priority will be given to metal bodied cameras and lenses

[photoptimist]

Its a tough call but someone has to be willing to make the supreme sacrifice. For those of you worried about Covid19 from camera gear I am volunteering to take all your camera gear off your hands - just mail me for address details of where to send it. Preference would be for Pentax LXs,and medium formats and priority will be given to metal bodied cameras and lenses

That's a generous offer! It's nothing to sneeze at!

[dbs]

Silly me ..... I thought cameras and lenses didn't catch Carona ......... well I haven't heard of any being in ICU units in hospitals



Dave

[Merv-O]

Let's face it fellow Pentaxians: The risk of transmission from out personal cameras s ridiculously low. If you use a sling type strap, the camera rarely if ever is not within your side or personal zone. I seriously doubt anyone is going to cough, puke or spit on your camera/lens.
What I do think we should be concerned about is putting the camera down on surfaces or what we touch collectively. Others on this thread have all of you invest in already indicated that it"s not who touches the camera it is what one touched prior to the use of the camera. I would say to all you to invest in nitrile gloves, replacing them at every new photo session. Most of us already know that the caustic chemicals in hand sanitizers and wipes can breakdown the rubber weather resistant seals and lens covers.
In closing, please be safe and I wish all of Pentax Nation a safe return from these extraordinary times.