Coronavirus and Pandemics

Also, the N95 isn't very effective if you haven't been trained how to put it on and wear it properly.Me, I'm going to put my trust in the trained experts. They may be wrong, but they are going to be more likely to have the correct advice to follow, and follow up corrections will be better information than random guys on the internet.

I was responding to your message responding to Percy's post about face masks? Does the guy in the video recommend healthy people walk around wearing N95 face masks? Is he making recommendations that contradict the official guidelines published by the established representatives of the scientific community?I have to be honest, though. I almost never click on video or audio links. I don't absorb information very well that way and don't retain it very Well. Plus, I'd feel I'd have to verify it against trusted print sources, and if I'm going to do that I may as well just go to the print sources to begin with and save time. Added by edit:Oops. That was intended to be a reply to Faith at Message 34.Edited by Chiroptera, : No reason given.

From the New York Times: Trump Now Claims He Always Knew the Coronavirus Would Be a Pandemic'Course that'll work well with his cult: if Trump says he knew it was serious all along, then by god once again he's shown himself to be the Wise and Benevolent Leader.In a related vein:From the Guardian: 'We have a responsibility': Fox News declares coronavirus a crisis in abrupt U-turnAccording to the article, Tucker Carlson was one of the few hosts to try to treat coronavirus with the seriousness it deserved.

I was told that one of our grocery stores - it may be the local Walmart - announced it's going to limit toilet paper purchases to one package per customer.I guess a person can go back in several times or have several family members grab a package, but it may reduce the panic impulse.

Actually, I'm more concerned is the health and safety of the workers at the shipping warehouses.There are some very non-essential items I've been meaning to order. But is it ethical? Would I be contributing to the exploitation of vulernable workers who need the job? Or would I be helping people who can't go without the paycheck?Thoughts, anyone? Added by edit:I should add that the online venders I use most often are themselves small businesses that will be probably seriously hurt by a total shut down.Edited by Chiroptera, : No reason given.

From the New York Times: 'Terrified' Package Delivery Employees Are Going to Work SickFor some reason I wasn't thinking about the employees of the shipping companies, but this is the situation I was afraid of.The article describes how the people who work for the delivery companies (notably UPS) have been going to work sick, often with symptoms associated with coronavirus, because they simply cannot afford to miss work.By the way, I'm not worried about contracting contagion from delivered packages. I'm more concerned about sick workers going to work and spreading illnesses to their coworkers who then spread it to the rest of the community.But then, I'm also worried about people being out of work in a nation that doesn't have an adequate social welfare safety net and, it appears, doesn't have a clue about how to get one going.Ah, well. The Invisible Hand is a jealous god who demands human sacrifice, I guess.

Hi, Faith.If these things do have an effect on the virus - even if not quite miraculous - that would be good. We already know a lot about these drugs, so essentially a lot of testing has been done.But there still needs to be a lot of testing, to make sure that they really are effective and to determine appropriate doses and such.So don't expect them to be prescribed next week! And if you do find someone willing to sell them, I'd hold off on any buying until and unless they are shown to be suitable treatment and is prescribed by your physician.

Are we speaking about the Senate Democrats holding up the Senate bill? 'Cause here's the "liberal crap" they demanded:From the New York Times: Democrats Near Deal With White House on Stimulus PackageOne would think that oversight and accountability would simply be "good government", not "liberal crap". Does giving money to hospitals during a pandemic make a country a third-world socialist swamp? Apparently so, just like giving money directly to states and local governments is no longer an idea conservatives are trying to claim? Okay, this part I agree with. It has mainly been liberals who are concerned that people in need can continue to pay the rent and buy groceries.But maybe Faith is talking about the House version? I admit I don't know much of the details there, but maybe someone can fill us in on the "liberal crap" it contains.Edited by Chiroptera, : Changed the subtitle.Edited by Chiroptera, : Fixed tags.

I'm pretty sure someone must have created a drinking game based on Trump's press conferences."I know more about coronavirus than anyone.""EVERYBODY CHUG!"

From the Guardian: Coronavirus mapped: which countries have the most cases and deaths?I say this article yesterday. (It's dated this morning, so perhaps it's updated regularly.) It has several graphs comparing various countries around the world.Whereas China's rates of new cased and deaths have flatten out, the US curve is pretty much a straight line - on a logarithmic scale, which means the rate is pretty much exponential.

Of course it's worse than that. As previous messages point out, Trump had three goddam years to prepare for this. The outgoing Administration gave briefings to the incoming Trump Circus about the threat of a pandemic and minimum steps needed to be prepared. These warnings were repeated over the last three years by government health experts.The problem is the Republicans refuse to listen to experts. Anything they don't like to hear gets labeled as "Deep State" or "Cultural Marxists who hate America".I hope that when Biden finally resurfaces to campaign, the Democrats not only hammer the Republicans over Covid-19, but draw the connection how every goddam policy decision they make is completely disconnected from the advice of experts who know what they are talking about.Oh, and for good measure, they should also point out how our response to Covid-19 is a dress rehearsal for global climate change: deny the problem, drag your feet on solutions, take action that is counter productive, and then, once things are collapsing around you, take pathetic steps to try to mitigate a catastrophe that could have been largely prevented.

Not to mention the people with conditions like, say lupus who are now having trouble getting their essential medications because people are buying into quackery.

I'm sure Trump occasionally does a good thing, but we never hear about it because it wouldn't be the sort of thing he could brag about to his followers.

Or so our Constitutional Originalists would tell us.

Yeah, I'm assuming most of us don't have access to actual surgical masks and are improvising with bandanas andpaper towel.Throw away the paper towel lining, boil the bandana.