Coronavirus Updates

[Aribeth Zelin]

Amazingly useful stuff, baking soda.

I use it and vinegar to clean and unclog pipes.

 

[Beebo Brink]

Where would the city leaders have gotten the information from?

The CDC first made the announcement that they thought this could end up being a serious problem in the US after all, on Mardi Gras night.

I can't read the article (subscriber only), but I concede your point about the timeline. This is a very fast moving target, and I'm probably not giving them enough credit. On the other hand, there were some people who were paying better attention.

Inside the Story of How H-E-B Planned for the Pandemic

Justen Noakes: So when did we start looking at the coronavirus? Probably the second week in January, when it started popping up in China as an issue. We’ve got interests in the global sourcing world, and we started getting reports on how it was impacting things in China, so we started watching it closely at that point. We decided to take a harder look at how to implement the plan we developed in 2009 into a tabletop exercise. On February 2, we dusted it off and compared the plan we had versus what we were seeing in China, and started working on step one pretty heavily.

 

[Beebo Brink]

As for the accuracy of the coronavirus fatality numbers from the U.S., this jumped right out at me tonight when I read the obituary:

Maurice Berger, Curator Outspoken About Race, Is Dead at 63

Maurice Berger, who as a curator and a writer was a forceful voice against both overt and subtle racism in the art world and other arenas, died on Sunday at his home in Craryville, N.Y. He was 63.

His husband, Marvin Heiferman, said the official cause was heart failure. He said Mr. Berger had been exhibiting severe symptoms of coronavirus for five days but was not tested for the virus either before or after his death.

 

[Sovereignty]

I can see the local and state pols viewpoint. There was a total absence of foresight and leadership from the people who had previously taken up the task of national pandemic preparation. Also, realization of a) the leadership vacuum and b) the obligation of local governments to step up had not set in. No Cuomo, for instance. Also, no Bel Edwards who ironically has become more proactive now (better late than never) than many state governors.

On the other hand, yes, people knew what was happening. MedCram and John Campbell were putting out videos in January.. It's kind of like 9/11 where some people knew there were bad guys in the country with plans of some sort, but no one acted.

Thank god for the NBA and NCAA! Without Rudy Gobert and March Madness we'd be even worse off. Along with Washington state, they supplied needed political credibility. (H.E.B., a Texas grocery store chain, was busy preparing since January, but who did they share their info with? Probably thought of it as a competitive advantage.)

It all leaves the Mardi Gras organizers kind of off the hook of having to explain why they did nothing. As far as I know no one with enough credibility came directly to them telling them to stop though we know, I think, how they would have reacted. Party on!

 

[Roxanne Blue]

I read the first intelligent explanation for the run on paper products, including toilet paper and paper towels in this column by Dr. Jennifer Randles, the head of the Sociology Department at Fresno State.

I know we have some members who live in very tight financial circumstances, but I suspect very few of us have ever been as poor as many of the families she describes. They don't have the resources to cope without having choices like these.

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article241537891.html

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

 

[eku zhong]

Nothing against eku, but .....

Searched for that and found it on Breitbart. I do think the right wing media is trying to play up China as a villain to distract from Trump's mismanagement. Who knows why they were disconnected? Look! A cell phone someone could not afford to keep during lock down! Maybe, I don't know, but that's also assuming these 21 million cell phone accounts are real in the first place.

Wouldn't know since I don't read Breitbart.
China’s Mobile Carriers Lose 21 Million Users as Virus Bites

 

[Kara Spengler]

Yeah. No.

Holding Mardi Gras was a bad idea, and they had all the information they needed to know that. They're just using the lack of federal action as cover for their decision to prioritize business over public health.

Maybe the news is different over there? Here it was not on the radar until March sometime. I only know one person in my office who started working from home around the start of the month.

 

[Sovereignty]

Wouldn't know since I don't read Breitbart.
China’s Mobile Carriers Lose 21 Million Users as Virus Bites

I didn't think you did, but I'd note that the Bloomberg article begins "China's wireless carriers are reporting drops in users as the coronavirus cuts business activity". They don't seem to be talking about things in terms of deaths. I can't read the whole article, but I would be surprised if they talked about that many people dying. If they did, it would be the worst case of burying (eye roll) the lede I've ever seen.

 

[eku zhong]

I didn't think you did, but I'd note that the Bloomberg article begins "China's wireless carriers are reporting drops in users as the coronavirus cuts business activity". They don't seem to be talking about things in terms of deaths. I can't read the whole article, but I would be surprised if they talked about that many people dying. If they did, it would be the worst case of burying (eye roll) the lede I've ever seen.

Just to let you know.. be nice if you could do a self introduction aka who you are as we should know you.
I am guessing you're bored at home and looking for some sport, but man (or lady) up and put a face behind your account, so that its true devil's advocate and not a flurry of cowardly fly by

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

 

[eku zhong]

blahblah fishpaste.

Ok so now you changed your SL rezdate from 2002 to 2007, so I know you read what I wrote.

Let me just chuck it all out here about what is bothering me...
You are trying to be all edgy arguing one way and then the other...
ONLY posting in this thread.. which is really low hanging fruit for a troll...
Making ho hum youre accusing me of boohoo whatevering...

you might be having fun.....

BUT

before you continue, consider the reality of the situation you are exploiting for a little bit of fleeting thrills to your nethers..

1. the people posting and reading here are incredibly stressed out, in fact some afraid for their lives and the lives of their loved ones
2. things are going to get decidedly worse before they get better
3. in a week or month or so, several people posting here might quite possibly be terribly ill or not be alive anymore... myself and yourself included

Go and find another topic to muddy the waters about.. or start one about gacha .. or furries, or sex in SL ..
but if you want to post here, do it as yourself and with an honest heart and I promise you, you will be well received.
Don't be a dick at a time like this about a topic like this... please and thank you.

 

[Essence Lumin]

I read the first intelligent explanation for the run on paper products, including toilet paper and paper towels in this column by Dr. Jennifer Randles, the head of the Sociology Department at Fresno State.

I know we have some members who live in very tight financial circumstances, but I suspect very few of us have ever been as poor as many of the families she describes. They don't have the resources to cope without having choices like these.

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article241537891.html

That might explain some of it however the store I shopped in was in a quite affluent area for miles. They had none either.

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Climatologists Grimly Watch As People Who Ignore Science Suffer Real And Immediate Consequences

“It’s almost as if advanced computer modelling has the ability to warn us of imminent threats,” says Dr. Foch-Ensseireos, a climatologist who – like many of his colleagues &…

outabouter.com

We remain an intransigent group of luddites who don’t believe in catastrophes until they happen to someone we have opened Christmas presents with. As such, we remain more closely related to cavemen than the interstellar future-sapiens we try to pass ourselves off as.

 

[Sovereignty]

...[eku's concerns]...

Some of the things you said could be very frightening if true. I think it is important to carefully examine those kinds of assertions, and from what I can tell the ones in question are not true.

I take the rest of your comments seriously as well and can assure you that I do post in good faith. I posted in this thread because I thought I had information that would benefit others. I have used mild gallows humor. In fact, I pointed it out previously. I think I do it as a way of coping.

Here are a couple of other ways I deal with anxiety. They are not perfect, do not work for everyone, but they have helped me in some situations. No, I don't have an answer for every situation.

I. Disassociate
When I disassociate, I stand outside myself and look at my predicament with curiosity and amazement. Watching the MedCram videos helps me do that since the narrator gets quite technical. It is interesting to learn how cells work which takes my mind off the predicament I am in.

A long time ago I had what some people would call a nervous breakdown. Back then, 40 years ago, disassociating was very helpful to me. If I stayed within myself, within my own mind, the anxiety could become overwhelming. Instead I took long walks, engaging my body in the simple act of walking, and let my mind free up from the physical sensations of constant anxiety I was having. I walked along marveling at my situation because previously I had no idea that people could feel quite like that. At those times it was an amazing experience not a frightening one.

II. Progressive relaxation
Another technique I have used over the years is called progressive relaxation. At one time I had a set of tapes I listened to. They first guided me through the process of learning the difference between being tense and being relaxed. Next they went into making my arms and legs feel heavy and warm. Eventually I was finding small muscles in my scalp to relax. I slept better after doing those exercises.

Hypnosis commonly (not always) starts with progressive relaxation. The hypnosis HUD's in SL use it, and those things really do work. Most of them are quite strange, but a couple I've found are limited to relaxation. I've done those lots of times. Of course, they do contain a hypnotic suggestion to do the trance again!

I'm told that the US Army teaches recruits progressive relaxation to help them sleep at night. Basic training is stressful. It makes sense.

III. Subspace
I'm not into SM, but I have read about it, and there is a phenomenon called subspace. A submissive goes into a state of mind where they can endure surprising amounts of pain. That's not for me, the pain I mean, but I think there is more to subspace than just what happens in SM.

This isn't so much a technique as something that just happens. I cannot do it at will, but I know it exists.

I was faced with undergoing a medical procedure a few years ago and really did not know how I was going to manage. I was highly motivated to go through with it, but I have phobias. I did not know what would happen. At first when they prepped me I was full of tears. To my surprise a strange calm came over me. They then moved me to the table where they would anesthetize me, but we had to wait for the doctor to show up. No problem. I was laying there as calm as could be. The anesthesiologist and nurse were quite surprised when I joined in with their conversation. Strange experience but reassuring to know subspace exists.

I watched a documentary about Navy seal training and I think that is what happens to their recruits during the final hell they go through to pass their first training course.

Spoiler: Navy SEAL training description, a bit grim--WARNING

A trainer pointed to men in 55F surf doing sit ups past the point of exhaustion. He said, "There is no point in continuing the exercise from here. They will keep doing that until they die." Words to that effect.

Somehow they had transcended experiencing hardship. (No, I'm not a military nut, apologies to all military nuts.)


I have no idea if any of that will be useful to you, but perhaps others reading this forum might find it helpful.

ETA: text to get quote box to show

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

The more realistic number is probably the 21million mobile phone users who disappeared.
What is being seen in Italy etc is the real face of covid-19 when managed badly.

Fixed that for you.

 

[Caliandris]

Maybe the news is different over there? Here it was not on the radar until March sometime. I only know one person in my office who started working from home around the start of the month.

The peak prosperity guy was warning from January 28. I was worried in early February. We are neither of us public health specialists nor clairvoyant. The people whose job it was to register the danger and react to it were asleep at their jobs or had been removed from them by austerity or cuts.

There were already a lot of reasons to close down public gatherings by the beginning of march, not least what was happening in Italy and other countries in the far East by then. But the UK, Spain, US and others prioritised businesses and tourism over public safety.

Could they have seen it coming? Yes. Acted earlier? Yes. Prevented it? Not without cutting off all contact with the rest of the world early and doing aggressive testing and contact tracing, which none of them did.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Trump only helps people/states who appreciate him!

 

[Innula Zenovka]

'Chaos and panic': Lancet editor says NHS was left unprepared for Covid-19

The NHS could have prevented “chaos and panic” had the system not been left “wholly unprepared for this pandemic”, the editor of a British medical journal has said.

 

[Beebo Brink]

I take the rest of your comments seriously as well and can assure you that I do post in good faith. I posted in this thread because I thought I had information that would benefit others. I have used mild gallows humor. In fact, I pointed it out previously. I think I do it as a way of coping.

Welcome to VVO, and thank you for this introduction, but most especially for your non-defensive response to eku's queries, which is VERY refreshing. In case you're not aware, this forum is often a target for trolls or for some emotionally-disturbed individuals, so we're wary of new voices who jump into the deep end right away.

You'll find some kindred souls here when it comes to gallows humor. It will go down better now that we have a sense of who you are. Thank you.