COVID-19/corona virus mega thread/prepping thread

[cordex]

I saw by a two to one margin. That's pretty significant.

So women are losing both their jobs and their sons/husbands/fathers.

Proof that they are being disproportionately impacted.

[Ben]

So women are losing both their jobs and their sons/husbands/fathers.

Proof that they are being disproportionately impacted.

You'd make a great CNN spin doctor! 

[WLJ]

So women are losing both their jobs and their sons/husbands/fathers.

Proof that they are being disproportionately impacted.

Isn't pretty much the same logic one of the female congress critters used when they said women suffered more than men in WW-I?

[Doggy Daddy]

He's more concerned about the geese than the virus. 

Somehow the little bastard caught a snow goose and ate it last week, while I never got a shot off. Steve-1, Ben-0.

     Made my day.  And my wife's day too.  She's still cackling.

[Ben]

Isn't pretty much the same logic one of the female congress critters use when they said women suffered more than men in WW-I?

During these layoffs and temporary work stoppages remember that a man is losing $1 for every $0.79 a woman loses.

 

[Ben]

On those checks, this Fox article says even longer than 4 months:

When and how are payments made?

Payments, according to the bill, will be made “as rapidly as possible” and no later than Dec. 31, 2020. They will be made via direct deposit to an account that the person has authorized for tax refunds or federal payments on or after Jan. 1, 2018.

Notice will be sent to the person’s last known address within 15 days of payment informing them of the method and amount of payment. A phone number will also be provided so people can call the IRS in the event they did not receive it.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/do-you-qualify-for-a-stimulus-check-in-senates-coronavirus-response-bill

[MillCreek]

I got this from work, and the author has posted it elsewhere. A handy one page summary of COVID 19. Note the code to see more current versions as they are developed.

[Ben]

And the first thing Idahoans did when the lockdown was announced? 

[Ben]

Aaaaaaand... plastic bags are cool again! 

https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2020/03/25/massachusetts-governor-bans-reusable-shopping-bags-lifts-restrictions-on-plastic-bags/

[Ron]

Experts who think this panic is crazy

https://off-guardian.org/2020/03/24/12-experts-questioning-the-coronavirus-panic/?

[Angel Eyes]

https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/state/rural-america-watches-pandemic-erupt-in-cities-as-fear-grows/article_4133bd1b-7438-51c9-9208-546a55d4af74.html

[MillCreek]

^^^The rural medical infrastructure is already on a wing and a prayer in many parts of the country.  It will not take much in the way of COVID 19 to completely overwhelm the hospitals and clinics, and then you will start to see the bodies pile up if the patient cannot be transferred to a higher level of care.

[Hawkmoon]

I received an e-mail today that included a link to a report saying Connecticut has had its militia (the official militia, which functions sort of like a junior varsity National Guard) set up field hospitals on the grounds of two hospitals around the state. I wonder if other states have that capability? (I also wonder what these field hospitals will be used for. The article mentioned "triage," but didn't provide any explanation.)

Also heard from a friend who works for a major hospital (in a non-medical support role). What he's hearing is that the actual number of proper, negative-pressure ICU beds in each state is quite limited, and the cononavirus is expected to overwhelm that number. He said once that happens, expect entire hospitals to become COVID-19 facilities, and all other patients will be diverted to other hospitals. It's just not practical (or maybe not even possible) to convert positive pressure rooms/beds to negative-pressure rooms/beds with the wave of a magic wand.

...

A bit of Google Fu brought up this: https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Public-Health-Preparedness/Mobile-Field-Hospital/The-Ottilie-W-Lundgren-Memorial-Field-Hospital

Looks rather low-tech. Probably to be used as an adjunct to the emergency rooms. M*A*S*H revisited.

[Jamisjockey]

So all that talk about how masks are ineffective?
My agency is going to have our facility test run working with masks to see if it affects voice quality etc.

[Jamisjockey]

Interesting.  New guidance coming down.  We're probably moving to a new schedule for a little while.
Might be something like 5 days on 10 days off. They'll be putting in 3 crews, so there's little contact or overlap.  Straight shifts (days, nights, or mids). 
It's only taken 2 weeks post emergency declaration to do something. 
With the airlines parking planes, we've seen a drastic drop off in traffic. 

[makattak]

So all that talk about how masks are ineffective?
My agency is going to have our facility test run working with masks to see if it affects voice quality etc.

I'm reading commentators suggesting that was blatant propaganda because we didn't have enough masks.

[Ben]

Not completely related to this linked article, but it got me to wondering: Among the other changes people are making, whether real and sensible long term or short term panic decisions, I wonder if we'll, in the short term once this calms down, see any kind of real estate movement of people selling out in big cities and moving to lower density suburban or rural locations? I'm not talking about the boonies necessarily, but from say, NYC to "50K population, USA".

I've talked to a few people in LA and DC who are semi-freaking about both the virus and dealing with going to the store, etc. and are worried if they could even get into the hospital if they needed to. Certainly some of it is "in the moment" panic, but I'm going to be curious if some people decide they don't want to be "trapped" in a densely populated large city anymore if something like this happens again. Or if six months from now everything is forgotten and they wouldn't consider moving because they would miss their Amazon three hour delivery and other urban amenities.

https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2020/03/26/big-jump-in-reported-coronavirus-cases-in-nyc-elmhurst-hospital-in-queens-overwhelmed/

[Jamisjockey]

One thing we should see, but I don't know if we will, is a move towards working from home. 

[zahc]

I wonder if we'll, in the short term once this calms down, see any kind of real estate movement of people selling out in big cities and moving to lower density suburban or rural locations? I'm not talking about the boonies necessarily, but from say, NYC to "50K population, USA".

You mean, accelerate what's already happening? This is in full force already everywhere I have lived. In Raleigh, it was hoards of yellow NY license plates. In Dallas it was hoards of Californians and in Boise it's swarms of Californians and PNWers.

[Hawkmoon]

Looks like Bernie is holding things up

Coronavirus bill hits hurdles as Sanders threatens to stall package over bid to change unemployment aid
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sanders-threatens-to-stall-coronavirus-package-over-gop-bid-to-change-unemployment-aid

Just ... Wow!

Then, late Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said unanimous consent was a nonstarter in the House, and implied that quick passage in the lower chamber may be unrealistic. Pelosi has called for members to have at least 24 hours to review the bill text once it's available.

Lemme see -- 1800 pages, 24 hours -- that's 75 pages per hour, with no time out to eat, drink, pee, poop, or sleep. Whatever happened to "We'll just have to pass it to find out what's in it"?

“That’s not gonna work," she told reporters shortly after 7:30 p.m. ET, referring to unanimous consent. "Republicans have told us that’s not possible from their said. ... What I’d like to see -- because this a $2 trillion bill -- I’d like to see a good debate on the floor."

But Nancy, you didn't want a "good debate on the floor" over Obamacare. Why the change of heart?

[zxcvbob]

One thing we should see, but I don't know if we will, is a move towards working from home.  

At Enormous Computer Company ("wanna buy an Enormous computer?"â„¢) the workers have been working from home whenever we could get away with it for years -- most of us just when we're expecting a delivery or something, or not feeling well but not really sick either.  And the upper management hated it.  Good people have lost their jobs because they lived 100 miles from campus, and that was deemed just too far, even if they were willing to come in to the office every day.  Anyway...

Now with the coronovirus epidemic, ECC has locked the doors and mandated that all employees work from home.  With no acknowlegement of how exactly we're already good at that.

Just down the road at World Renowned Hospital (I don't know their clever slogan), they have declared that anyone with kids at home younger than 10 is not eligible to WFH because they will be distracted.  Like nobody is ever distracted when trying to work in their office.  

[Ben]

You mean, accelerate what's already happening? This is in full force already everywhere I have lived. In Raleigh, it was hoards of yellow NY license plates. In Dallas it was hoards of Californians and in Boise it's swarms of Californians and PNWers.

Granted, but most of that is people fleeing because of policies, taxes, etc. I may read way too many zombie apocalypse books, but was thinking along the lines of people afraid that they might be trapped in the big city during a disaster, pandemic, etc.

[Jamisjockey]

https://www.nytimes.com/video/nyregion/100000007052136/coronavirus-elmhurst-hospital-queens.html

From the front lines

[charby]

Granted, but most of that is people fleeing because of policies, taxes, etc. I may read way too many zombie apocalypse books, but was thinking along the lines of people afraid that they might be trapped in the big city during a disaster, pandemic, etc.

I live in a town on 25k, we have the same problems too. Hospital is usually pretty full even during a non panic. Getting a new GP DR or Dentist to see you will be at least a 3 month wait for "non emergency" type things, right now if it's nor Covid-19 or Flu, you're not getting in.

Our town was out of TP, paper towels, Bleach, wipes and water in less than 24hrs after the panic began.

[Ben]

I live in a town on 25k, we have the same problems too. Hospital is usually pretty full even during a non panic. Getting a new GP DR or Dentist to see you will be at least a 3 month wait for "non emergency" type things, right now if it's nor Covid-19 or Flu, you're not getting in.

Our town was out of TP, paper towels, Bleach, wipes and water in less than 24hrs after the panic began.

How's your town on crime, riots, and looting during disasters? :)