Coronavirus

[DaveM]

Well we now have 7 confirmed cases in South Africa all from the same tour group that was in Italy. The problem with African countries is the public health systems are not very good and we also have the cultural aspect that come into play here. So this virus sure is looking like a huge threat worldwide and also affecting the economy in most countries. Let us hope they get on top of this before it really gets out of hand worldwide.

You can only do so much to protect yourself against something like this and we already running dry on hand sanitizer as people are doing panic buying now by the looks of it.

So how is it affecting where you live and what precautions are you taking against this.

 

[Rocky]

I wasn't going to open this thread in case I might catch it

No cases in eastern Canada that I'm aware of so all is calm here - so far - and I have a spare roll of toilet paper .
From what I'm hearing, hand sanitizer is only marginally effective. Good old soap and warm water is the only way to wash your hands effectively.
I've been a hand washer for years anyway so nothing has changed for me. I also have an alcohol spray bottle in my car that I use after touching shopping carts and the like.

 

[CarlS]

I am avoiding crowded places and have decided not to attend Bike Week activities. We have two cases in Volusia County in which Daytona Beach is located. Both are ladies in thir 60's and recent;y travaled to Europe. The grocery stores here furnish sanitizing wipes for the grocery carts. They have been doing this for a couple years - prior to the coronavirus.

 

[DaveM]

The grocery stores here furnish sanitizing wipes for the grocery carts. They have been doing this for a couple years - prior to the coronavirus

At our small shopping mall both the food stores have these wipes. I tend to forget to use them as both have the wipes just off from where the trollies (carts) are situated. I must start making a point of using them in future.

I always do the hand washing thing as well. When I use the public rest rooms after I have washed my hands I try and not touch anything in the restroom on my way out as well.

 

[shanered6]

We've got just under 400 comfermed with 6 deaths it seems italy has been a worse spreader than china and most cases originate there .
If everyone takes some responsibility for there own hygiene then it should die out fairly quickly , it isn't as deadly as a common cold or the flue can be it just spreads quicker as it is very contagious.

 

[DaveM]

We now have 13 confirmed cases and it seems they returned from holidays in European countries.

 

[Rocky]

We've got just under 400 comfermed with 6 deaths it seems italy has been a worse spreader than china and most cases originate there .
If everyone takes some responsibility for there own hygiene then it should die out fairly quickly , it isn't as deadly as a common cold or the flue can be it just spreads quicker as it is very contagious.

That's the key to this whole thing. People need to take more responsibility for their personal hygiene, habits and activities.
This is not a 100% guarantee, but it will go a long way in helping knock it out.

The grocery chains here also have had those alcohol wipes by the cart rack for years and I use them all the time - then I have to touch all the merchandise that others have handled so it's a losing battle to some degree. That's why I have the alcohol spritzer in my car.

 

[CarlS]

We now have 23 cases in Florida alone. 21 of these are travel related - France and Italy. Florida is a large state and there are no cases in the county I live in, Seminole County.

1,039 cases in the US.

 

[DaveM]

Just looking at the news now it looks like the stock markets are taking a huge hit worldwide because of this virus.

So if the virus does not get you the crashing economy will

 

[Rocky]

The cruise ship season is due to start in this port and ships will be arriving in a couple of weeks.
Many of us are concerned what might arrive with all those thousands that will be in our streets, but the season is going ahead.

Oh well, I won't be interacting with any of the passengers or the mainly downtown area they will frequent.

I guess I'll just "keep calm and carry on"

 

[CarlS]

The cruise ship season is due to start in this port and ships will be arriving in a couple of weeks.
Many of us are concerned what might arrive with all those thousands that will be in our streets, but the season is going ahead.

Oh well, I won't be interacting with any of the passengers or the mainly downtown area they will frequent.

I guess I'll just "keep calm and carry on"

That is my approach also.

 

[shanered6]

The people that have died up to now would have died from a common cold or the flue due to there health issues ! .... so unless we are not being told something ??? i dont see what the fuss is about ! .. its no more deadly than a cold or flue outbreak so just let it run its course and keep up the hygiene warnings , i dont see why the worlds economy should be hit its just over reaction .

 

[hemibee]

I've quit shaking peoples hands. Not because of the bug, instead because people have all of a sudden discovered soap, sanitizer and TOILET PAPER!!! What were they doing before????

25 or so people have died in the States from this virus, 20,000 have died of the flu. 22 Veterans commit suicide every day. 566 people have died on Texas highways since New Year's Day but all the news is about a Chinese bug that over 99% of the folks recover from. Hey people, it's from China, it will only last a month, maybe three and the news organizations will have to find something else to overreact to.

YMMV

 

[Rocky]

Those are my sentiments too hemi.
There is carnage all around us every day with loss of life - and you never hear about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But I will say that 566 killed in Texas traffic since 1 January is a staggering figure!

 

[Greyfell]

Well, just like California, traffic laws in Texas are just advisory. At least, that's how people observe them anyway.

 

[CarlS]

The real risk of the coronavirus is to those of us 70 and older. Of course, in this age group, many have underlying health issues. In this age group, the mortality rate is about 4 times higher than the mortality rate from influenza. That still is not a high mortality rate. So far, every deceased victim in the US had underlying health issues. And not all of these were over 60 either.

The other factors are that this virus is much more contagious than than the flue viruses and can be transmitted by a carrier who has no symptoms. It can also live outside the body on metal, glass and plastic surfaces for up to 9 days.

I am not living in fear of it; but I am not going to expose myself to it either. I am in the high risk age group; but I have no underlying health issues except prostate cancer - which is not a fatal health issue. And my immune system is good.

 

[DaveM]

I see Tom Hanks and his wife have tested positive for it.

Considering that my side around 57 people are murded each day it seems right now I have more chance of being murdered than dying from this virus.

 

[CarlS]

The US has banned travel to and from Europe with the exception of GB and Ireland. I think this is a good move since the EU countries did very little to halt the spread. And most of the cases in the eastern US came from Europe.

 

[DaveM]

We now have 17 confirmed cases.

 

[CarlS]

It spreads quickly