Yeah, but this ain’t you father’s flu virus. I believe that there is evidence that it lives longer. I’ll try to find the cites.
There’s good studies on how long coronaviruses generally last, which is longer than the flu. I don’t think China’s bulk spraying makes sense though because infection points are still things like door handles that get immediately re-infected, not the ground or walls.
So with spreads over the weekend in multiple countries, the “P word” has started to be applied.
I have to admit there was a lot to learn from that article about what a pandemic is and is not. I guess it’s time to queue more preparedness threads.
I also linked to that article from this write-up on Techrunch:
So I’ve been thinking: is there anything I should do to prepare for a pandemic potentially happening? I guess I’m talking about small, non end-of-the-world type stuff.all I can think of is to stock some hand sanitizer and masks before they are impossible to get, but what else?
Also, as it happens, we booked a European river cruise for July for a bit anniversary. Any thoughts on that?
Mentioned in the articles and links but the best thing you can do is plan around a potentially swamped healthcare system. Stock up extra on prescriptions if possible. Get any planned medical care taken care of now. After that it’s mostly staying away from others who are infected, so your cruise … well that might be fun but it depends on how things are by July.
Thanks @skipper. I get my prescriptions via mail order and good luck loading up on them early! I guess all I really need to do then is bury some gold bullion in the backyard so when society collapses I have something to barter with!
Whiskey probably works, too.
That’s probably all you need to prep for. Stock up your pantry for 2 weeks minimum so you don’t have to stand in lines at the grocery stores. Two months worth of canned and dry food items won’t break the bank and you will eventually consume them. Like Skipper suggested, yeah, get your meds refilled now.
One interesting phenomena related to this mess is the point where “conspiracy theories” evolve into “shocking new facts!” More and more media outlets are suggesting the virus “may have leaked” from the Wuhan research center.
What’s interesting is when these kinds of reports were based largely on conjecture, they were mocked. I’m not saying the virus did originate from a biolab, but it’s not impossible.
I think it’s disingenuous to say it’s unlikely but then to post exactly that. That and many others are debunked daily.
This is a great read on how many papers are published / preprinting articles.
The Reuters analysis scanned material on Google Scholar and on three preprint servers bioRxiv, medRxiv and ChemRxiv. Of the 153 studies identified, some 60% were preprints.
Preprints allow their authors to contribute to the scientific debate and can foster collaboration, but they are not peer-reviewed and can also bring researchers almost instant, international media and public attention.
“Some of the material that’s been put out - on preprint servers for example - clearly has been… unhelpful,” said The Lancet’s Horton. “Whether it’s fake news or misinformation or rumour-mongering, it’s certainly contributed to fear and panic.”
Maybe it was fucking aliens too.
I have deja-vu:
I know, I always hear “debunked” but I rarely see the debunking. I’m just told it’s debunked.
You can google it up.
The other part of my post from the other thread I linked just above yours:
Well, first we have to establish there are aliens, then further that they instigated the virus.
The rapid, open, and transparent sharing of data on this outbreak is now being threatened by rumours and misinformation around its origins
So, China has been open and timely with disclosures?
.
No, you misunderstand me.
I’m saying that maybe it came from having sex with aliens. You don’t know it didn’t.
I’ve never heard of this “media outlet.”
Ah, ok. Well, anyway, I am not saying I support any theories, how can I know, I only know what I read in the news. I’m simply intrigued with the conspiracy/cover-up aspect of this situation, more or less like many other situations where there is a level of uncertainty with the facts and beliefs.
The virus did not “escape” from a lab. A bio lab cannot have an accident. Someone who has access to these things cannot make a mistake or have bad intentions. The Chinese communist leadership would never try to obfuscate the facts, or silence anyone who reveals something that they want to keep secret. Anyone who says otherwise is foolish or trying to spread fear.
There is zero, zero reason to believe this is some kind of conspiracy or man-made virus.
My mother, who owns a maga hat, told me over the weekend that corona virus was engineered to kill old people by the Chinese government to depopulate the country. That’s why the party leaders are remaining out of the public.
She read this on Facebook. So it has to be true.