I accepted a civilian IT position with the Army outside of Naples, Italy, and I was supposed to start on March 30th. Italy, ground zero for the coronavirus in Europe this week.
CraigM
6310
When life goes: hahahaha, fuck you.
Any guidance or updates? Its a month out so who knows what the situation will be then.
KevinC
6311
My niece is flying to Florence this Saturday to start on her Masters program. She just found out her school is getting shut down for a while due to the virus. What makes it extra unfortunate is she is a total germaphobe, serious anxiety over it. It’s put a damper on her once in a lifetime opportunity, to say the least.
None, I emailed today, but the local base passport office is saying they think the Italian govt will start delaying issuing new visas.
That is terrible, hate to hear it.
antlers
6313
Fortunately, Naples might as well be another country as far as Lombardy (where the virus is established) is concerned.
And my sponsor, a 1st Lt, told me today that it’s now confirmed just north of Naples. It’s spreading that fast.
The one that annoys me are all the people who say: oh well, it’s going to spread anyway, so what can you do. So yeah - I agree that fears may be a bit overblown and one shouldn’t be alarmist, but that’s no excuse to not be careful and take precautions. Even if you or I might not be in a high-risk group, there are people whose odds of dying are painfully high, and who can’t afford to be so cavalier - or to have others treat this in such a cavalier manner.
KevinC
6316
I agree. And besides, my worry extends far past the mortality right. I find it annoying when people talk about it “only” being 1 or 2 percent, if you have access to medical care. So, a potential long hospital stay or quarantine is no big deal? Caring for sick family for weeks is no big deal? And what about the massive economic impact?
This thing can absolutely be a major problem even if it “only” kills a percent. I know this isn’t Ebola, it doesn’t mean it’s not cause for alarm. Especially when we still don’t know the full picture.
I think this is the sort of thing that @Nesrie is always pushing back on about things “only” being like the flu.
There also is no guarantee of a return to normal health if you’re in the roughly 15% that develop severe symptoms (requiring ICU etc) but ultimately survive.
Pneumonia is no joke. I know someone that lost about 20% of their lung capacity on one side after a bad case. They live a mostly normal life and are lively to eat, drink, talk with, but it’s noticeable how easily they get winded relative to others climbing the stairs, even many years later.
Sadly pretty common with pneumonia; happened to me as well and it took years to feel like I got “my breath” back.
KevinC
6319
I got clobbered with pneumonia when I was in my twenties. I let it go far too long, assuming it was a bad cold, until one day I was reading in bed and just couldn’t catch my breath after a coughing fit. Went in to a clinic and my left lung was at 40% capacity or so. My other lung wasn’t as bad, but still not good. I was laid out for probably two weeks from that, and I mean laid out. Getting to try get a glass of water left me sweating and exhausted for an hour.
That was my no more “just the flu” realization.
Oh look, Orange Shitgibbon is talking and congratulating himself again (live right now).
If a major outbreak of this thing is prevented in the US, it’ll be in spite of this Administration, not thanks to it.
And now Pence is talking, and of course had to begin his remarks by fluffing Trump’s ego lest it go flaccid.
Mr.GRIM
6321
“Since the start of the outbreak, I have taken the most aggressive action in modern history, the most aggressive actions of any country” -Trump.
He really can’t help himself hahahahahah. Like he has actually done I think nothing that I can point to.
Well, he did ship all those infected people back to the US and then allow a bunch of unprotected folks into the quarantine area, so maybe he means he’s aggressively working with the virus? It’s tough to tell because he never gets specific.
Japan is closing its entire school system. China basically locked-down an entire province. Etc, etc, etc.
Timex
6324
Donald Trump looks like he already has the coronavirus.
Mr.GRIM
6325
You can look to Singapore for the most effective response in the world right now.
During the press conference thingy on Wednesday, when the doctor from the NIAID was talking (Fauci) Trump looked like he was SO BORED and wanted to be anywhere but there.
CraigM
6327
Don’t you get my hopes up like that.
KevinC
6328
Don’t you tease me like that! How poetic would the be if coronavirus took him out.
