EscondidoCal said:
BTW, why use disinfectant for your pets? No problem outdoors.

My pets do go out but one neutered male feline tends to mark his territory. I use the disinfectant to clean and remove the odor.

Maybe we should save our seed catalogues in case TP runs out.

Better do so, I don't get Sears or Montgomery Ward catalogues any longer. Online catalogues don't work as well.

plantladylin said:Thanks Cal for letting me know about this thread, I'll be following and reading!

My husband and I both just got over common colds. I'm pretty much a homebody anymore and haven't been anywhere in the past couple of months, except the grocery store. My husband rides motorcycles twice a week with a group of his buddies and on every ride, they stop for lunch at different restaurants around Central Florida. He thinks he likely picked up a virus on one of his restaurant stops and brought it home where I contracted it. I'm now once a week going through the entire house and using Clorox Wipes to wipe down every door handle (inside and out, including the screen doors at the front and back of the house), faucets, telephones, light switches, cell phones, remote controls, etc.

Before retiring 7 yrs ago, I worked 40 yrs in the Microbiology Dept at Palomar Med Center in Escondido, California,
as a "Clinical Lab Scientist II" aka Medical Technologist.
Rather than try to decontaminate everything at home, we just wash our hands, and keep them away from our
faces. Wiping down the door knobs seems reasonable. Everyone has to do what they need to feel safe.

Neither of us get sick very often and I'm always concerned when I catch something because it seems to progress to a bad case of bronchitis and as I've gotten older, recovery time can be long!

re: Bronchitis.......my nemesis since I had asthma as a kid, then made my own rocket fuel on the stove in our
home in the '50's. Never smoked, but did inhale a lot of rocket smoke.....cough! cough! Probably why I have a
slight case of COPD now, and have tended to get bronchitis.

I finally got smart (even after many years as a microbiologist ) when I finally 2&2 together, and now have not had a serious bronchitis in ~12 yrs since.

If anyone tends to get bronchitis, please send me a treemail, and I will be happy to share how
I figured it out & how I have prevented it. I've run it by the Infectious Disease docs, and the Pulmonary docs
as well as my own physicians, and they all agreed it was a reasonable approach. You would still need to get your physician's approval but if you give him or her my "recipe", they may just say, "That makes sense. Sure, why not?"
Not rocket science, just common sense.

BTW, has everyone who is over 65 has already gotten their Pneumovax
or other pneumococcal vaccine?
https://www.pneumovax23.com/
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/v...
Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the "bugs" that I have great respect for
(afraid of, actually) when I worked with it in the lab.
It's one of those that are especially dangerous for older folks, but also for any age.
I saw many septicemias (i.e.positive blood cultures) caused by it.

S. pneumoniae resides asymptomatically in healthy carriers typically colonizing the respiratory tract, sinuses, and nasal cavity. However, in susceptible individuals with weaker immune systems, such as the elderly and young children, the bacterium may become pathogenic and spread to other locations to cause disease. It spreads by direct person-to-person contact via respiratory droplets and by autoinoculation in persons carrying the bacteria in their upper respiratory tracts.[3] It can be a cause of neonatal infections.[4]

- Wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

COVID-19 would make anyone more at risk to secondary bacterial infection by Strep pneumo.
Please check with your doctor.

@EscondidoCal, as a lab person can you help me understand what the difference is between the testing provided by the WHO that is apparently used in Korea and Italy where they are testing many many more than the CDC kits here in the US. For me the uncertainty of the extent of true infection rates is the scary part. It could truly be all around us now and we don't know it.

teacup754 said:@EscondidoCal, as a lab person can you help me understand what the difference is between the testing provided by the WHO that is apparently used in Korea and Italy where they are testing many many more than the CDC kits here in the US. For me the uncertainty of the extent of true infection rates is the scary part. It could truly be all around us now and we don't know it.

Wish I knew. I really don't know how they are testing either way.
We used rapid tests for flu that took about 20 min to run, so a STAT from the ER could be resulted in 1 hr or less.

I doubt they could develop a rapid test to ID COVID-19 this soon. Need to make sure it has low false negatives & false positives, which takes a lot of testing before being released for use.

Maybe someone else here has better info (?)

I never have had the flu vaccine. Haven't gotten the flu since 1990. Doc told me a long time ago that I am not at risk. That while I will feel puny for 10 days or so, the flu won't kill me like it would some others. That was some time ago. I see a different doctor now who agrees with that statement except that now that I frequent many doctor's offices, and hospitals with DH it is is a good thing for me to get the flu vaccine. However, the deadline she said was Feb. She told me that on Feb. 8th. So I will be just as careful as always until next fall. But the pneumonia vaccine makes sense to me. IDK think there is a "season" per se. And since one of the results of getting Coronavirus can be pneumonia, I think it is a smart move. The flu vaccine won't help with COVID19 at all. DH and I will get vaccinated tomorrow. While we are there we will start the shingles vaccine series, too. IDK if this is smart. But...

A 13th case appeared today in another county. Schools are making plans on how they will manage closures.

First US COVID-19 containment zone in NY, 51 more cases in Massachusetts

Stephanie Soucheray | News Reporter | CIDRAP News | Mar 10, 2020

Today during a press conference in Albany, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the country's first containment zone in New Rochelle, Westchester County, the epicenter of New York's COVID-19 outbreak.

Schools, churches, synagogues, and other spots that hold large gatherings will be closed or canceled for 14 days, and the National Guard will help disinfect the 1-mile zone and deliver meals to families inside. Cuomo said the move will help protect older Americans at risk for the most severe symptoms of the novel coronavirus.

"This will be a period of disruption for the community," said Cuomo, who noted that the strategy was necessary due to steadily increasing numbers of cases in New Rochelle.

As of today, Cuomo said New York State had 173 confirmed cases, up 31 since yesterday. Westchester County has 108 cases, many linked to a lawyer diagnosed 2 weeks ago who infected several community members.

Today the New York Times identified the man as 50-year-old Lawrence Garbuz, who was hospitalized for 4 days with pneumonia before he was correctly diagnosed with the novel virus. At least one healthcare worker who came into contact with Garbuz has contracted the virus, and many others are self-quarantined.

So far, New York has had no deaths, and only 14 of 173 patients with confirmed infection are hospitalized, Cuomo said. Neighboring New Jersey, however, reported its first death today, in a 69-year-old man with pre-existing health conditions. Media reports said that the man traveled often to New York City. New Jersey has 15 infections.

CDC advises high-risk people
Yesterday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published new guidance for people at high risk for complication from the coronavirus, including older adults and those with serious chronic health conditions.

The CDC recommends avoiding crowds, cruises, and non-essential air travel. High-risk individuals living in an area that has seen community spread should stay home.

"Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick," the CDC said.

FDA suspends foreign inspections
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today said they were halting most foreign inspections through April.

"The FDA based this decision on a number of factors, including State Department Level 4 travel advisories in which travel is prohibited for U.S. government employees, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel recommendations, access restrictions being imposed on foreign visitors by certain countries, guidance from the Office of Personnel Management and the importance of the health and safety of our employees," the agency said in a press statement.

Universities move to online instruction
Today The Ohio State University—despite having no confirmed cases on campus—said it would move to online instruction until at least March 30. Ohio reported its first three cases of the virus yesterday, in Cuyahoga County.

Harvard University also told students today to not return to campus after spring break and said that online instruction will begin by Mar 23. According to the Washington Post, The Ohio State University and Harvard join Amherst College, Princeton University, Stanford University, New York University, and the University of Washington, as well as several colleges in New York in moving to online instruction in an effort to prevent COVID-19 cases on campus.

A Biogen conference in Boston in late February has been linked to more than two dozen cases in the United States and abroad. Today the Raleigh News & Observer said that five North Carolinians tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the conference. North Carolina has seven confirmed cases of the virus now, all linked to travel.

Today health officials in Massachusetts announced 51 new presumptive positive cases in that state, bringing the state total to 92. Of the 92 cases, 70 have been linked to the Biogen conference.

More states report cases
Wisconsin reported its second and third cases today, the first being in Pierce County. The case-patient had recently traveled within the United States, as did a subsequent case in Dane County.

"As this is the second confirmed case of COVID-19 in Dane County, we have the experience in caring for patients in isolation and contacting those who may have been in contact with the patient. We will continue working with DHS and CDC, as well as our local health care providers and other partners, to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the community," said Janel Heinrich, MPH, Director of Public Health Madison and Dane County, in a press release.

Minnesota also reported its third case of the virus, a patient in their 30s in Anoka County. Local media report that the patient, who had contact with international cases, is in critical condition.

In a tweet, the University of Washington's Virology department, which is testing for COVID-19, said yesterday that it ran tests on 450 people on Mar 8, with a roughly 13% positive for the virus. On Mar 7, the group tested 400 people and saw a 10% positivity rate.

"Many samples coming from other parts of the US so unclear what this rate means for the Seattle outbreak. Clearly there are many people infected," the department said on Twitter.

Today King County, the site of the US's first COVID-19 outbreak, announced 12 more cases, including two deaths, bringing the county's total cases to 83. The two deaths occurred in residents from Life Care Center in Kirkland, the nursing home at the center of Washington's outbreak. Of the 17 deaths reported by King County, 16 were Life Care residents.

Virginia reported the fourth and fifth cases in that state, including a woman who was aboard an Egyptian Nile cruise linked to cases across the United States, including in Iowa and Texas.

In California, community spread was confirmed in Los Angeles County, which now has 20 cases of COVID-19. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Los Angeles County Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer, MD, asks close contacts of current cases to self-quarantine, and she defined close contact as anyone who has spent 10 minutes with an infected individual or came within 6 feet of him or her.

As of late this afternoon, the New York Times case tracker showed 955 cases and 28 deaths in 36 US states. The deaths include the single fatality recorded today in New Jersey, 2 each in Florida and California, and 23 in Washington state.

ShadyGreenThumb said: DH and I will get vaccinated tomorrow. While we are there we will start the shingles vaccine series, too. IDK if this is smart. But...

Yes, very smart, imho.
Thanks for reminding us about Shingles, too!
https://www.mayoclinic.org/dis...

ShadyGreenThumb said:DH and I will get vaccinated tomorrow. While we are there we will start the shingles vaccine series, too. IDK if this is smart. But...

Hope you all don't mind if I go OT a bit. About the shingles vaccine, please be sure you're getting Shingrex. Previously, they were saying that the only side effect might be redness, swelling and pain in the injection area. I got my first one in November, 2019 and that's exactly what happened. It didn't slow me down at all. But the second one? OMG! It made me so, so ill. I was completely out for almost a week. Now they're saying that this is also a possible side effect. Just thought I'd let you know.

So one of my young students came in today with a full-blown, fresh cold. Thanks a lot to her parents. And as if that's not enough of a kicker, she also told me that her parents just scheduled a vacation for the entire family on a cruise ship.

Regarding the Shingrex vaccine. I have never been bothered by getting a vaccine, but both times my arm really hurt for about 4 days. I felt out of sorts, like you do when you are coming down with something, for about 2 days. But if it will protect from shingles it was worth it.

I totally and completely agree (Shingrex).

joannakat said:So one of my young students came in today with a full-blown, fresh cold. Thanks a lot to her parents. And as if that's not enough of a kicker, she also told me that her parents just scheduled a vacation for the entire family on a cruise ship.

I received my first Shingrex shot last week , I did not feel sick at all but my arm sure did hurt for a few days. But still worth it.

Rutgers cancels classes, tells students to leave campus due to coronavirus fears . Many of the schools in N.J. are getting ready to close and go to online classes. This is going to be very hard on working parents who will now have to stay home with their younger children. I have been told that movie theaters and restaurants are pretty empty. I work retail and business is down other then cleaning supplies . I also saw that some states are talking about no fans at sporting events, a good idea but that will be strange.

Good info: https://futurism.com/neoscope/...

In the global health war against the COVID-19 coronavirus, there are two measures we know of that effectively prevent the spread of the outbreak while the world waits on a vaccine: Quarantine/social isolation, and cleaning your hands. But what's the best — if not only surefire way — to get that right?
Washing them with soap and water.

Sad but this time of year with the pollen, everyone is coughing and sneezing. Cold or flu? Probably not.

A good friend is a Nurse Practitioner and also working in an emergency room in San Antonio. We were discussing the Covid - 19 and I asked him if the pneumonia vaccination helped with the respiratory issue from this flu. He indicated that it did not seem to. Any thoughts? I have had both pneumonia vaccinations recently.

I don't take flu vaccinations either. I work with the public and am in good health. I and the Dr. both believe my immunity is better when my system can fight it off. Obviously there is no benefit from the current flu vaccine with this flu.

I don't need a face mask but could use one of these....

One sure-fire way to tell if it's pollen or a virus is personal history. So if someone has seasonal allergies, then it could be the pollen, or an allergy to something else. Also, a virus is usually accompanied by a fever, not so with allergies.

I once had a student who was allergic to snow. Snow? Yes! Snow! I didn't know one could be allergic to snow so I asked her mom. She explained to me that as the snow thaws and refreezes, mold spores grow and disperse. So it's actually the spores that her daughter was allergic to, but it only happens when it snows. Go figure!

Yep, that what happens to me every year when the snow melts!

So much is unknown about this 3+ month old virus. Then toss in the individual human element and it's a head scratcher. While kiddos seem to get sick a lot in general, catching every cold virus out there (and there are a lot!)they seem to have the mildest symptoms of COVID-19 and recover rather quickly. Go figure! I'm boosting my immune system with supplemental vitamins and focusing on eating right.

"They" say warm weather will stop it. Glad to live in the Tropical part of the US for many other reasons as well. It will be 80° today. But again at this point. They are only best-guessinh intol a new case proves them wrong. All precautions to stay healthy are being done here. One main reason why we stocked up 2 weeks ago was so I didnt have to frequent crowded stores. I ran in and out, self check to get bananas the other day. No more window shopping, lingering in long lines and touching dirty carts. Just being prudent and smart about this.i have wipes in the car.

My work say it will be affected by this through Fall 2020. Right now, they are planning 70% reduction in force(!). While I have seniority to keep actively employed, many junior people are scared to lose their job even temporarily. This will affect even those who remain healthy and unaffected.