Change of plans? (coronavirus)

[Ian Sutton]

In today’s UK news they say they will soon ask everybody over 70 to self quarantine for 3 - 4 months! Steve is over 70, I am not. Would this mean we can’t go out hiking? I will go crazy!

I think there are pragmatic compromises e.g. do go out hiking, but in quiet rather than touristy spots, avoiding human contact (drive there and back). The slightly arbitrary cut-off of 70 should be viewed as such, but also worth bearing in mind this has been taking a greater toll of men rather than women.

The bigger challenge appears to be that just one of you isolating makes no practical sense. Either both do it, neither do it, or you find a practical low risk strategy for reducing contact to a minimum. Not an easy choice for sure.

 

[Ian Sutton]

I am impressed by the local groups springing up, offering to provide a support network when the need is there e.g. collecting food shopping etc. Whilst that itself represents a risk, it helps reduce it to a single point of (potential) contact, rather than a journey (say) on public transport and potential infection points in the shop. There are more good people out there than we realise.

 

[BryanS]

I am impressed by the local groups springing up, offering to provide a support network when the need is there e.g. collecting food shopping etc.

Our small town of 600 people has set-up a volunteer group to deliver to the many elderly we have. I delivered some of my home-brew to our priest this morning - left the bag at his door and sent him a WhatsApp message so he knew it was there.

 

[NoSpin]

Nice, real community!

Would it be possible for you to deliver a little home brew here to Massachusetts.

 

[SMJ]

Pauline: Here in Canada we are calling it Self-Isolation if you are not sick but want to stay safe and separate.
Self-Quarantine is if you have been in another country and are recently returned, or have been in contact with someone with the virus.
So if you both are the former, then you would both be able to go out hiking, to the store, etc; but staying away
from others, and staying inside your own home and garden as much as possible

 

[Joana]

Here in our state of MD in the US, our governor has shut down all public schools for at least two weeks, and now has closed all bars, restaurants, movie theaters, gyms, casinos, and race tracks as of 5 PM. There are limits on the size of groups that can gather. Most colleges and universities were set for Spring Break, and will now extend that time, with some classes going online.

We are in “the 60 and over” group, practicing social distancing, and leaving home for necessary trips like food store. The weather has been sunny so we’ve enjoyed neighborhood walks, which helps. Our younger neighbors have kindly offered to do some shopping for us, but we don’t feel the need at this time.

 

[JustTravel]

Here in San Francisco BayArea we just received an order of "shelter-in-place" starting at midnight tonight through April 7th. People are encouraged not to panic shop (as has been happening since Friday), as grocery stores, pharmacies, banks and essential services will still be open.

 

[Cameron]

At 66, and having had pneumonia twice, I'm staying at home until I must buy more food. I'm still taking walks with my dog because I don't touch anything others have touched, and walkers give each other plenty of space as we pass on the wooded trails.

For those living in high-density cities, it must be difficult to take walks without exposure.

The difficult situation for me, is that I can't babysit my grandkids now. I saw them today, with extra measures of safety and no touching. I live alone, so there's no one to help me if I get sick--my son has his hands full with his three children (1, 4, 6) and his wife is an anesthesiologist, who will be on the frontline to intubate COVID-19 patients that need ventilators. There may soon be a time when I can't see the kids at all, as she will be around the patients. I'm so grateful that children don't seem to be getting this virus.

Today, we were told that our count, here in North Carolina, will probably be 110 by Friday, and 4,000 by 2 April! Unless, people stay home, stop the spread. This is serious folks.

On a travel note, the White House press conference today reported that this will go on into July and August for the US.

Sad. Scary.

 

[Pauline]

In the UK they said they will ask everyone over 70 to self isolate (quarantine was the wrong word) for 3 months!! But it hasn’t started yet.

“On people isolating for 14 days, Johnson said: “That means that if possible you should not go out, even to buy food or essentials, other than for exercise and in that case at a safe distance from others,” he said.” - - - I guess that means we can go for a walk. The footpaths are not busy here.

I get a weekly veg box (from Riverford) so that gives me all the fruit and vegetables we need, plus a few other things. I can probably get what we need this way. I order online from a natural foods shop too. It will all take some planning.

 

[susan]

Here in Colorado, on Saturday afternoon, it was announced that all ski mountains would be closed starting Sunday (yesterday). Our governor just announced a few minutes ago that all theaters, gyms, casinos, on-site dining at restaurants and bars across Colorado need to close for 30 days. Delivery and takeout will still be available. Smart move before St. Patrick's Day celebrations. We haven't been ordered to stay home but I have been staying home as much as possible and when I am out, keeping a distance from others. We still have some skeptics in our town but all in all, I think the majority are taking this seriously. I am grateful that we have a small Natural Grocer's store in town. I have pretty much only shopped there the past few years. I had to go to City Market last week for one item and freaked out as soon as I walked inside. SO many people, so many tourists. Thankfully, the tourists are now all leaving. Not great for our economy but very helpful for our health and safety.

 

[NoSpin]

Cameron, certainly you make the decisions you are most comfortable with, but reports show that kids are almost immune to this virus. I was watching a TV report this morning (I forget which network) with a lawyer who has the virus and it appears his wife may have it, but his three kids (I think they were 1,3 and 5) are just fine. In fact during the webcam interview he was hugging the 5 year old.

Not meant to sway you, just adding some additional info to consider.

 

[SuzanneF]

Reporting in from Rhode Island. Schools and colleges closed. Theaters closed last week. Today all restaurants, bars, pubs closed - pick-up from restaurants allowed. No gatherings over 25 people. Churches all closed. Libraries and some town halls closed. Grocery stores cutting back hours to allow for restocking and more thorough cleaning at night.

We still have pretty low numbers with only 21 confirmed, but I don't think they ran many tests over the weekend. Anticipating that number to go up tomorrow. As far as children - I know that two of the cases confirmed over the weekend were children, ages 4 and 6. One was attending a pre-school and the other in second grade. They are the only two cases in our county. So I wouldn't necessarily count on kids being immune.

As for us, we are in self-imposed isolation. We are both in the age category where we would be considered higher risk, but we are also primary caretakers for my 93-year-old mother and her 91-year-old sister. They are both still living in their own homes - mom next door, aunt one mile away. So, we are being extra cautious. No trips anywhere other than to each other's home. We are fortunate that we have my son and daughter-in-law who can stop and pick up and groceries we need and leave them on the porch. DIL works in a doctor's office, so she had already informed us last week that while she would be available to run errands, she would not come around us.

And, it's looking less and less likely that our trip to France at the end of May (and our stay at Le Mas Perreal) will happen. C'est la vie!

 

[joe]

Cameron, certainly you make the decisions you are most comfortable with, but reports show that kids are almost immune to this virus.

That's quite true. In South Korea, where the virus has been spreading since January and there are around 8000 confirmed cases, only 1% of the sick are under 10 years of age.
Another interesting statistic from here in Israel (about 300 cases today, but probably much more) is that a quarter of the infected are asymptomatic (no symptoms). So this virus is not only invisible, but somewhat silent as well....

 

[Allen]

Are you all sure kids can’t be asymptomatic carriers of this virus, and totally innocent vectors of disease spread to more illness prone grannies, parents, teachers? I think these are such tough social interactive choices.

 

[Beverly]

We are in Vienna, Austria in our fifth year of home-free traveling that has come to a halt! Vienna is a surreal ghost town. The good news is that we are in a lovely Airbnb with large windows overlooking a grand avenue so that we do not feel so isolated. Our gracious host is keeping us informed of local developments.

• The Austrian Federal Government has imposed restrictions on freedom of movement: Please stay in your accommodation if possible and only leave it if absolutely necessary (e.g. food shopping or a necessary walk to the pharmacy).
• From March 17, 2020 all restaurants, bars, cafés, playgrounds, sports fields etc. are closed.
• Museums closed March 11.
• The home carrier Austrian Airlines will temporarily suspend regular flight operations from Thursday, March 19, 2020. The aircrafts of Laudamotion will remain on the ground from March 17, 2020 until April 8, 2020.
• The borders with Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are closed.
• Entry stop to Austria for persons from Italy, Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein (exception: with medical certificate). Passenger traffic by train and airplane is suspended.
• Entry stop to Austria for persons from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Ukraine and Russia.
• From March 16, 2020 flight and train connections from Spain and France to Austria will also be discontinued.
• The Austrian police has been tasked with controlling the new regulations and if you break the rules, fines of up to 2,180 Euro can be applied.

 

[Tina]

Are you all sure kids can’t be asymptomatic carriers of this virus, and totally innocent vectors of disease spread to more illness prone grannies, parents, teachers? I think these are such tough social interactive choices.

Yes, Cameron, don't take the risk given your previous health problems. While it's clear that very few children are affected by the disease they may well be healthy carriers. Recent research here in Italy of the entire population of Vo' has shown that 50/70% of people positive for the disease have no symptoms.....

 

[chachalaca]

Same, same, same here in Seattle. Everything is closed except grocery stores and pharmacies. Schools are providing take and go breakfast and lunches for those who rely on school meals. Everyone is pretty much self-isolating (now that all bars and restaurants were closed!). I teach and we've been told the earliest we might return is April 27...and that date is just a guess at this point.

I see a lot of walkers, more conversation in the neighborhood and people checking in on each other. Stay healthy everyone.

 

[Christian]

At 66, and having had pneumonia twice, I'm staying at home until I must buy more food. I'm still taking walks with my dog because I don't touch anything others have touched, and walkers give each other plenty of space as we pass on the wooded trails.

For those living in high-density cities, it must be difficult to take walks without exposure.

The difficult situation for me, is that I can't babysit my grandkids now. I saw them today, with extra measures of safety and no touching. I live alone, so there's no one to help me if I get sick--my son has his hands full with his three children (1, 4, 6) and his wife is an anesthesiologist, who will be on the frontline to intubate COVID-19 patients that need ventilators. There may soon be a time when I can't see the kids at all, as she will be around the patients. I'm so grateful that children don't seem to be getting this virus.

Today, we were told that our count, here in North Carolina, will probably be 110 by Friday, and 4,000 by 2 April! Unless, people stay home, stop the spread. This is serious folks.

On a travel note, the White House press conference today reported that this will go on into July and August for the US.

Sad. Scary.

Hug-worthy person of the week!

 

[Colo]

At 66, and having had pneumonia twice, I'm staying at home until I must buy more food.

Cameron,

Just in case you are short a Bordeaux or Burgundy... one of my favorite wine stores is in Hope Valley. The store is closed because of COVID-19, but they are now doing curb side delivery!

However, with it being Spring in NC, I would grab a couple bottles of his Bandol Rosé. Drew has an amazing shop and with curb delivery now - and how sweet is that?

Let me know if you need directions. Tell him Tom in Virginia sent you

Once home - Open a bottle of Bandol... Sit in the back garden... Taste this wonderful spring wine with maybe a salmon tartare...

And In the classic lyrics of Poppa Staples "I'll take you there!"

 

[joe]

I found this interesting :

Lungenfacharzt Dr. Wodarg beantwortet Fragen zum Corona Virus – Gesundheits-, Sport- und Fitnessstudio Fitter Hirsch Sebersdorf / Bad Waltersdorf (Hartberg / Fürstenfeld / Oberwart)

European monitoring of mortality rates show that so far in 2020 mortality in Europe has been at its lowest in 4 years. The doctor quoted is a rather contradictory voice, but just goes to show how complicated it is to analyze the situation.