Covid-19 closer to "home" than I'd anticipated...

[eeyoreandtink]

Ok but if they’re just reporting facts how is that they media hyping it? It is what it is.

Over reporting is hyping it . making this the single newsworthy topic works people into a frenzy about it pretty quickly.

 

[wenrob]

It's NOT the flu!

No, it’s not, but as mentioned above it’s more likely that in the end it will prove to be milder.

My DD is living in the heart of this. Not just in Seattle, she works in King County right up the road from that nursing home. I admit as a mom I freaked a little bit. Half the threads on The DIS being about it and the media creating mass hysteria did not help. I had to step away and apply a little critical thinking and common sense.

I’m not a statistician or a scientist but what I do know is that there are 3,433,000 people in Seattle and as of this morning 179 cases of Covd-19 in the entire state. I don’t for one second believe those cases are an accurate number. There are probably 100s if not 1,000s of people who have or have had it and had no idea. My DD most likely has had contact with more than a few people with it. IMO we will never have a true accurate number. It seems impossible.

My biggest concerns for my DD are:

1) She’ll run out of toilet paper.

2) She won’t be able to pay her rent. She’s stuck between a rock and a hard place here. She signed a contract and has a lease. If she breaks that contract because they’re not working her she will owe thousands of dollars. They on the other hand are not obligated to give her hours they don’t have or compensate her for unknowingly moving her into a crap show. We can help her out but only so much, her rent is as much as our mortgage. She will have to make a hard decision if things don’t turn around and it will probably hit us both pretty hard financially.

3) In the highly unlikely event they were to ban travel to and from I wouldn’t be able to get to her or her to me if something were to happen.

It’s not the flu but we need to treat it as if were. Wash your hands and don’t visit anyone who is immune compromised if you or your kids have been sick. There really isn’t anymore that we can do. Not living your life and bringing everything to a screeching halt is not going to stop it. It’s already here.

 

[Wendy31]

Yesterday, in one day, on my Facebook feed, I first read an article linked by a local news station that said something about how maybe the virus isn’t as bad as initially assumed & referred to the China data. Then, later, ABC news posted an article stating how things are going to get worse in America.

Now, today, the CDC is saying, again, Americans, especially those over 60, need to prepare to be able to stay home & not have to go out if the virus hits a person’s community.

So it’s hard for someone like me, who is a natural worrier, to stay calm. Just when I begin to agree that, yeah, it’s really not a big deal, then I see something posted by a supposedly reputable source which contradicts that.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I’m not a statistician or a scientist but what I do know is that there are 3,433,000 people in Seattle and as of this morning 179 cases of Covd-19 in the entire state. I don’t for one second believe those cases are an accurate number. There are probably 100s if not 1,000s of people who have or have had it and had no idea. My DD most likely has had contact with more than a few people with it. IMO we will never have a true accurate number. It seems impossible.

I think that there are probably tens of thousands in the Seattle area with this right now. That is both scary and refreshing. Scary because we have no idea, and because it spreads so efficiently. Refreshing because so few have ended up in the hospital.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I wish people would stop with the flu comparison. I don't worry about the flu. We get flu shots, take probiotics, keep hands clean and in the event that we catch it we can get Tamiflu. There's a test available that can be accessed easily.

Now I am not particularly worried about catching this virus, but it's the unknown that makes people concerned.

I'm going to have my yearly physical on Monday and plan to ask my doc any questions I have.

You SHOULD worry about the flu if you worry about this virus. If you are at risk for this, you are at increased risk for death from flu, and much more likely to catch it that COVID 19. Flu has killed tens of thousands of people this year alone. That's why the comparison keeps being made. Flu is a widespread respiratory virus that can an does kill large numbers of vulnerable people EVERY YEAR. No one freaks out about it simply because it has always been around. This is something new, so everyone is now panicking needlessly.

 

[cabanafrau]

There is always an unknown with everything, but we do actually know a lot about this virus. There are LOTS of other coronaviruses out there. We know about its structure, its mechanism of infection, and have a good idea of how to develop a vaccine. In fact, it is nearly ready for testing. No, we don't have a lot of reliable data on infection rates ect, but those are statistics, nothing more. They are not important to fighting this thing.The science behind how to treat and how to vaccinate for it are and we have a solid foundation in that based on what we know about other coronaviruses and what is rapidly being uncovered about this one.

It's just another respiratory virus that has been overhyped by the media into a needless frenzy. The flu and the common cold mutate at a ridiculous rate. No one freaks out when we need a new flu vaccine every year because it has mutated. We cannot develop a vaccine for rhinovirus (common cold) because it mutates too quickly. So far, it doesn't appear that this one has that kind of mutation rate.

By the very nature of the process it takes over a year at minimum to develop a vaccine. That's simply the development, and a year is incredibly optimistic. Then it has to be tested, which is a very involved process.

Suggesting a vaccine is around the corner is simply not based in scientific reality.

 

[LSUmiss]

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS plastered everywhere as the banner for news stations. Daily reports on the stock of supplies and how shelves are bare. Basic fear mongering tactics. The reaction to that is that schools and businesses start shutting down because they need to look like they are "responding to the crisis".

I guess I’m not seeing those kinds of reports locally or hearing that on npr or the bbc (usually the only places I get my national/international news). I don’t think schools are making decisions based on media reports, however. In one of the Seattle districts, they said it was b/c by the time they take out the staff who needs to stay quarantined b/c of exposure or they’re sick, they don’t have enough staff to actually safely run the district. That decision is not b/c CNN showed a picture of sold out shelves of Clorox wipes. I think there is a dangerous trend these days to dismiss any news you (collective) don’t want to hear. I’m carrying on with my daily life as usual & being as proactive as I usually am about staying healthy; however, that doesn’t mean that this will be a non event. It might be, but we don’t know that yet.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Yesterday, in one day, on my Facebook feed, I first read an article linked by a local news station that said something about how maybe the virus isn’t as bad as initially assumed & referred to the China data. Then, later, ABC news posted an article stating how things are going to get worse in America.

Now, today, the CDC is saying, again, Americans, especially those over 60, need to prepare to be able to stay home & not have to go out if the virus hits a person’s community.

So it’s hard for someone like me, who is a natural worrier, to stay calm. Just when I begin to agree that, yeah, it’s really not a big deal, then I see something posted by a supposedly reputable source that contradicts that.

Iti s going to spread in America, there is no doubt. The fact that so many people have it with little to no symptoms means it will be difficult to contain, but that should also be an indicator to people that this isn't some kind of apocalypse. Yes, vulnerable populations should definitely limit their exposure, just like is recommended when a community is hit hard with flu.

 

[wenrob]

I think that there are probably tens of thousands in the Seattle area with this right now. That is both scary and refreshing. Scary because we have no idea, and because it spreads so efficiently. Refreshing because so few have ended up in the hospital.

Exactly.

 

[LSUmiss]

You SHOULD worry about the flu if you worry about this virus. If you are at risk for this, you are at increased risk for death from flu, and much more likely to catch it that COVID 19. Flu has killed tens of thousands of people this year alone. That's why the comparison keeps being made. Flu is a widespread respiratory virus that can an does kill large numbers of vulnerable people EVERY YEAR. No one freaks out about it simply because it has always been around. This is something new, so everyone is now panicking needlessly.

I guess that’s my issues. By so many saying “it’s just the flu”, ppl let their guard down. I don’t want the flu either!

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I guess I’m not seeing those kinds of reports locally or hearing that on npr or the bbc (usually the only places I get my national/international news). I don’t think schools are making decisions based on media reports, however. In one of the Seattle districts, they said it was b/c by the time they take out the staff who needs to stay quarantined b/c of exposure or they’re sick, they don’t have enough staff to actually safely run the district. That decision is not b/c CNN showed a picture of sold out shelves of Clorox wipes. I think there is a dangerous trend these days to dismiss any news you (collective) don’t want to hear. I’m carrying on with my daily life as usual & being as proactive as I usually am about staying healthy; however, that doesn’t mean that this will be a non event. It might be, but we don’t know that yet.

There are several schools and universities closing without a single reported case among students or staff or anyone at the school under quarantine. The decision is definitely influenced by the media. The PR departments of those schools are saying "There is a media frenzy right now better to do something and not need to than to appear like we didn't react swiftly enough". They wouldn't be making such reactionary decisions without the constant media blitz about this.

 

[Wendy31]

You SHOULD worry about the flu if you worry about this virus. If you are at risk for this, you are at increased risk for death from flu, and much more likely to catch it that COVID 19. Flu has killed tens of thousands of people this year alone. That's why the comparison keeps being made. Flu is a widespread respiratory virus that can an does kill large numbers of vulnerable people EVERY YEAR. No one freaks out about it simply because it has always been around. This is something new, so everyone is now panicking needlessly.

I DO worry about the flu each year.

It started when our older son was diagnosed w/ asthma when he was 6, & then my worry ramped up exponentially during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak - in addition to our asthmatic son, we also had a baby who was 2 months old when H1N1 started circulating. I was a basketcase. Thankfully, because we had 2 at-risk family members (our son w/ asthma & our baby), we were some of the first in our community to get the H1N1 vaccine.

We get our flu shots annually. We take extra vitamins & elderberry during cold & flu season. We also basically hibernate.

So, now, I’m worried about COVID-19. And, when I look at what’s happening in Italy, it makes me more concerned.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

By the very nature of the process it takes over a year at minimum to develop a vaccine. That's simply the development, and a year is incredibly optimistic. Then it has to be tested, which is a very involved process.

Suggesting a vaccine is around the corner is simply not based in scientific reality.

I worked in vaccine development as part of my undergraduate research project. I understand the process. No one said a vaccine is around the corner, but we do have a leg up on the development of this one because we know so much about other corona viruses and their mechanisms. I have read at least 2 reports that they are ready to start preliminary testing. This one may not take a full year because a good portion of the work is already done.

 

[tink89]

Ok but if they’re just reporting facts how is that they media hyping it? It is what it is.

I agree with the It is what it is. I just can't seem to get away from it all. I don't mind facts. I much appreciate facts. But repeating the same thing is not giving me new facts. I think i saw about 4 or 5 different post on the ship that is docking here in Oakland. All with pretty much the same info and all from the same news station. And all in the same day

I have not posted much on these threads about corona virus because it seems you can't just comment your views but have to agree with what everyone else thinks or you get people rebutting you. I do think my local news is adding to the frenzy. I'll go back to reading the comments on the threads and not commenting on here.

 

[SaintsManiac]

You SHOULD worry about the flu if you worry about this virus. If you are at risk for this, you are at increased risk for death from flu, and much more likely to catch it that COVID 19. Flu has killed tens of thousands of people this year alone. That's why the comparison keeps being made. Flu is a widespread respiratory virus that can an does kill large numbers of vulnerable people EVERY YEAR. No one freaks out about it simply because it has always been around. This is something new, so everyone is now panicking needlessly.

Ok. I’ll freak out about the flu instead.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Ok. I’ll freak out about the flu instead.

That's not what I am saying. I am saying you should take the same precautions for this as you would for the flu and there is no reason to panic.

 

[SaintsManiac]

That's not what I am saying. I am saying you should take the same precautions for this as you would for the flu and there is no reason to panic.

I am not in a panic about either.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I guess I’m not seeing those kinds of reports locally or hearing that on npr or the bbc (usually the only places I get my national/international news). I don’t think schools are making decisions based on media reports, however. In one of the Seattle districts, they said it was b/c by the time they take out the staff who needs to stay quarantined b/c of exposure or they’re sick, they don’t have enough staff to actually safely run the district. That decision is not b/c CNN showed a picture of sold out shelves of Clorox wipes. I think there is a dangerous trend these days to dismiss any news you (collective) don’t want to hear. I’m carrying on with my daily life as usual & being as proactive as I usually am about staying healthy; however, that doesn’t mean that this will be a non event. It might be, but we don’t know that yet.

Don’t watch CBS national news. They are insane right now.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Don’t watch CBS national news. They are insane right now.

Yes, they are, and a LOT of people get their news from the major networks. They are getting a major ratings hike form this.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

You SHOULD worry about the flu if you worry about this virus. If you are at risk for this, you are at increased risk for death from flu, and much more likely to catch it that COVID 19. Flu has killed tens of thousands of people this year alone. That's why the comparison keeps being made. Flu is a widespread respiratory virus that can an does kill large numbers of vulnerable people EVERY YEAR. No one freaks out about it simply because it has always been around. This is something new, so everyone is now panicking needlessly.

Covid 19 mortality rate as of now, is thought to be higher than any strain of the flu according to scientists but if I didn't live in a high outbreak area, I would be cautious but not too overly concerned. I do avoid mainstream media.