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Corona Virus Blog - March 18, 2020

So, another day as the world seems to spin out of control.

We've been debating on the other board about the role of the Royals in this crisis, and noted that the Norwegian and Belgian monarchs had already spoken to their populations.

I just read a local report about the Queen of Denmark's speech last night.

She was tough. She said it was "thoughtless and inconsiderate" for people to continue to hold social gatherings. "It is totally unacceptable."

FWIW, Queen "Daisy" is 80 years old and a good friend and cousin of QEII. 

No word from the Swedish or Spanish monarchs, but the latter is mired in scandal.

The Dutch king is quiet too, but he has been traveling in Indonesia.

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Also, on a personal note, for the past 12 hours I've been experiencing the headache, low-grade fever and aches that is a common symptom of the virus.

My best friend had the same a few days ago and she is now much better. We spent time together right before the quarantine.

Hopefully this will be a low-grade version of the illness and I will then be immune going forward.

That said, if I'm a bit quieter than usual on this and the other board, that is why.

Comments

Portcitygirl said…
Nutty

I hope you and your friend get better! I have had the same!
I will pray for you!
PaisleyGirl said…
@Nutty, get well soon!
@Elle, you were absolutely right about the virus being airborne. I read on CNN that the virus can survive in air particles for 3 hours, on cardboard for 12 hours and on plastic and stainless steel for 3 days. This is not good news.

And I just wanted to give you all an update from the Netherlands, as we still seem to be about 2 weeks ahead of the USA and a week ahead of the UK.
We now have 1705 registered infections and 42 dead. However, only people sick enough to be admitted to hospital are being tested, due to a lack not of tests, but of people to do the testing and of testing fluid, which is produced in China and now has to be produced locally.

The shops are being restocked 5 times a day, but are still quite empty of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, pasta, cleaning materials and bread. They are also very busy, so social distancing is difficult. I have tried to order my groceries online, but all supermarkets have either quit taking online orders or have delivery times more than a week from now.

King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima and their girls are in self isolation, as they were recently on holiday in Lech, which now turns out to be a major Corona hotspot and has been completely closed off by the Austrian authorities.
Portcitygirl said…
Tennessee Nurse Viral Coronavirus Rant is AWESOME

I tried to get this link to paste but on my tab it's iffy.
This is hilarious. I actually lol for the first time in a week.
Ava C said…
Get well soon Nutty and thank you so much for giving us this space during this time. It helps to hear first-hand accounts from fellow Nutties from so many parts of the world.

I have had the same low-grade symptoms for a couple of days now but am feeling a bit better today. Paracetamol seems to help.

All my best wishes to all of you on this blog.
Ava C said…
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abbyh said…

Nutty - my thoughts and prayers are for you and your friend and all the connecting friends.

My sister has had to self isolate as she had attended an event where some people tested positive later.
Meowwww said…
Feel better Nutty!! Prayers and love to you.

I suspect hubby and I also had the virus, but this was 2 weeks ago or so.
Low grade fever. Fatigue. Body aches. Sore throat. No cough though, so who really knows. We are in Wisconsin USA. We stayed home and it passed rather quickly. Someone at work had a cold though, but no fever.
Meowwww said…
And PortCityGirl, prayers and love to you too!
Miggy said…
Big Vaccine Breakthrough as Dutch Researchers Find World’s First Coronavirus Antibody.

https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2020/03/18/big-vaccine-breakthrough-as-dutch-researchers-find-worlds-first-coronavirus-antibody/?fbclid=IwAR0vRBzTT_1rS4ooHPrfsNmN1_VVVEXaMre1Yt_OqubR6mWSQp56it3BtY4#.XnIK7nJKjIV
Portcitygirl said…
Thank you, Meowwww! Right back at you!☺

Miggy, thank you too for the above article!
CatEyes said…
@Nutty I am reposting what I had just put on the Sussex board in response to comments about chicken soup and garlic.

There is actual scientific evidence chicken soup helps you with upper respiratory infections.

>>>Chicken soup may contain a number of substances with beneficial medicinal activity including an anti-inflammatory mechanism that could ease the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, according to a new study. The study was reported in the October issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.<<<

And garlic is very well known to help with a variety of ailments and promotes good health. Maybe it is the stink of garlic which automatically causes social distancing. lol

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853#benefits

@Nutty Hope you get well soon!! Have said a prayer for you.
Get well soon, Nutty, may your immune system be strong and the virus strain weak. The World needs you.

Meanwhile, on Yahoo news:

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/queen-coronavirus-prince-andrew-prince-harry-123558550.html

How Prince Andrew or Prince Harry could be called on if the Queen gets coronavirus
Rebecca Taylor, royal correspondent
Yahoo News UK1 hour ago
Anonymous said…
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SwampWoman said…
Elle, I think I'd add the garlic, lime juice, cayenne and maybe jalapenos to some avocados, make guacamole, maybe have the ginger separately. Or maybe a guacamole smoothie with tequila.

I have the limes, garlic, jalapenos, cayenne, but I need to get avocados. You can never be too prepared.
SwampWoman said…
For people in other states, have y'all deployed mobile hospitals yet? Florida has one set up in Orlando, one heading to Broward and another to Ocala.
Many of the onion family have been shown to have anti-viral properties, as long as they are raw.
A traditional remedy for a head cold was once a cheese-and-onion sandwich, or three! Nothing fancy, could be sliced white bread, buttered, slices of `mousetrap’, ie Cheddar cheese, and slices of raw onion, ideally from a large, Spanish one, as much onion as you can tolerate.
The cheese takes the edge off the fierceness of the onion.
In the past, I’ve been able to deal rapidly with a cold by eating raw onion, until I feel the vapour filling my sinuses and my eyes water. It was challenging stuff but, by heck, it worked like a charm. Sadly, my mouth’s got very sensitive with age and I wouldn’t care to risk it now.
This may be a London recipe, as it came from my mother, born in Wandsworth, before First World War. Fifty years ago, the Bull and Last pub at the top of Kentish Town Rd, NW5 used to serve liver sausage and onion sandwiches, I recall; I’m sure they would have been effective too – they certainly smelled powerful. I don’t know if liver sausage is still available – it was soft and spreadable, a sort of greyish pink, in a thick natural casing. Not for vegetarians or vegans - Tofu and onion, anyone?
Raw garlic, too, has similar properties.
@Elle, ... I read on CNN that the virus can survive in air particles for 3 hours, on cardboard for 12 hours and on plastic and stainless steel for 3 days.

Oy. I am not surprised, but I wish I'd been wrong about the airborne bit. It's just I've known it had to be more serious and transmittable than originally stated because otherwise, the world would not be coming to a crashing stop. And think of what is not public information.’

I read about it in the DM last week...it’s public knowledge.

‘Killer coronavirus can survive in the air for THREE HOURS and on plastic and steel surfaces for up to three days, scientists reveal’


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8100999/Tests-new-virus-lives-surfaces-3-days.html

Wishing everyone who’s poorly a speedy recovery! 😍
The virus can survive up until a day on paper and card.

We’ve been wiping over all post and packages with bleach soaked (or fairly moist) cloth for well over a week now, and I’ve left a parcel unopened for 3 days when I know the contents will be safe to handle (an IKEA parcel containing metal and plastic). Anything other people have handled, we wipe and leave until it’s safe. 🤗
Significantly, the Harkles' charity seeks to help that sector of the population which is least likely to suffer badly from Covid 19.

I bet they're `Secretly' hoping it will wipe out all us oldies, although HM Government's plan is to keep us as safe as possible as we are most likely to succumb to it and need hospital treatment for longer. Hence the exhortations to us to accept being `confined to barracks'/`under house arrest' from this weekend.

We have a small jack-staff on the garage from which we fly the Red Ensign on Royal Occasions (my husband was a Merchant Navy ship's engineer and our republican/ internationalist neighbours would sneer if we flew the Union Flag or that of St George - this way, we let think we're flying the Red Flag). I'm thinking of trying to find a `yellow jack’ Quarantine flag before the deadline.

On a more optimistic note, one of our local worthies, 2 or 3 years younger than me, has just recovered after 3 days intensive care, in a locked room, seeing only medical staff in hazmat kit. It sounded really unnerving.
Shaggy said…
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Yet another plea to buy only what we need this time I've got an email from the CEO of the Coop.

We'll be allowed out for exercise but no word about going to food shops - how do we eat for the next 3 months if we haven't got stores in?

We need rationing, like we had in the War.

I hated the idea of `contactless' card shopping but now see it as a godsend.
@wild boar, I hated the idea of `contactless' card shopping but now see it as a godsend.’

Well yes, if you’re able to go out, 😩 we can’t. No online booking slots, stuffed for weeks till more slots become available.
SwampWoman said…
SwampMan went for his yearly CT scan of his heart valve this morning as well as an echocardiogram. He said traffic between here and the beach was incredibly light and he got to the (small rural) hospital half an hour early. The parking lot was empty. There was security at the entrance as well as people in protective clothing asking questions and taking temperatures. SwampMan was impressed; he wasn't expecting them to be that much on guard. (He was wearing his N95 mask and glasses.) He said there were hand washing and sanitizing stations EVERYWHERE in the hallway along with people spraying things with disinfectant; he was called back for his procedure with no waiting and got home two hours early. He used his own pen to fill out paperwork and sanitized between every interaction with people. (His hands are too big for the gloves.)

He tried to get out of wearing the mask because he would feel silly by telling me that he would just have to take it off to get his T-shirt off for the procedures. I rolled my eyes at him and told him to wear a button up shirt. He said none of the other people there for appointments were wearing masks. Yes, and maybe none of the other people there for appointments have had valve replacements and are old and fat.

He stopped along the way back checking out stores (he figured he had the mask on so just leave it on and go inside). There was no milk. No beef or chicken. A little bit of pork. He got his personal favorite, orange juice, 5 quarts. I asked "Was this REALLY necessary?" and he said "Well, it isn't like you're going to let me out again!" He did say that at least half the people in the stores and the service station (he got a half gallon of milk there) were masked and gloved.


SwampWoman said…
Nutty, I pray that you are in the majority of those for whom it is an inconvenience instead of a serious illness.

Shaggy said…
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Portcitygirl said…
If I have said this before please disregard.

My friend, who is immuno suppressed, received these guidelines from her personal doc. She is trustfund and he makes house visits. Remember those? Haha.

1) if you have to make a store run, go early before too many germs are in the air. Try to limit visits to twice a month and/or curbside if possible

2) put groceries on a plastic bag in the backseat and discard this before entering home.

3) have one surface for depositing groceries when inside. After unloading disinfect all surfaces and discard bags. Wash hands and arms.

4) take clothes off in laundry and including shoes and go straight to the shower.

5) spray and wipe all services down every time you return home.

6) mail is contagious. After opening, discard and wash hands.
If it touches your clothes, they are now infected.

Be safe Nutties!

PS- also don't forget to disinfect your car and car doors!
.
SwampWoman said…
Unknown said...
NJ is rapidly getting worse now. We've jumped to 427 cases with 162 new ones overnight. And we now have had 5 deaths.



We jumped 98 cases overnight and have 7 deaths now; maybe 8. We have 25 cases positive in out-of-staters and 289 in Floridians for a total of 314 cases in Florida. This is getting ugly quickly.
PaisleyGirl said…
@SwampWoman, it is indeed getting ugly quickly.
In The Netherlands we now have 2051 people infected and 58 dead. The number of new cases is still doubling every three days. And these are only the people that are admitted to hospital.
In other Corona related news, our Health minister collapsed in parliament tonight during a Corona virus debate. He was so overtired due to working day and night during the crisis that he just collapsed on the floor. It does make me wonder how much of a panic is going on behind the scenes in our governments, they must feel pretty desperate as well.
CatEyes said…
@Wild Boar Battle-maid said...

>>> Fifty years ago, the Bull and Last pub at the top of Kentish Town Rd, NW5 used to serve liver sausage and onion sandwiches, I recall; I’m sure they would have been effective too – they certainly smelled powerful. I don’t know if liver sausage is still available – it was soft and spreadable, a sort of greyish pink, in a thick natural casing.<<<

Is Liverwurst what you are talking about? In America we call a liver pate-consistency in a round tube shape liverwurst. I remembering eating it and liking it. With onions it would be a natural yummy pairing!
Portcitygirl said…
Prince William stepped up today! And did a great job!
God bless the future King of England!!
Anonymous said…
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Anonymous said…
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SwampWoman said…
@Elle, I believe you should do an empirical study re chardonnay vs. Corona virus. There should be some study money there somewhere! Seriously, the Plaquenil plus Azithromycin study looks rewarding except for that sudden cardiac arrest danger thing. (Always has to be a downer tossed in.)
SwampWoman said…
@Elle, re quantity of protective chardonnay to protect from CV (or co-workers), I would advise "all of it".
Meowwww said…
We call liverwurst “Braunschweiger “ up here in WI. Is it the same thing? I don’t know. But it’s delicious.
I was at the store earlier (actually 2 stores). Still no toilet paper.
At one shop, I was at the register paying and the lady in line behind me was so close I could feel her breath on the back of my neck. She was huffing and puffing because she was carrying a big bag of small animal bedding. I mean come on lady! Geez.
CatEyes said…
@Elle d. R. A. said...

>>>Seriously, what does one even say to someone like that?<<

That us older folks should have done a better job at birth control! (if you get my drift)
Hellobluesky said…
@ Nutty, hope you get well soon

Here too, contagion is increasing : we have now 9100 people infected and 244 death.
Only the people with severe symptoms are tested, so the number of infected is certainly more important.

That's the reason why we're locked down, just like Italy : all the shops are closed except grocery shops, drugstores, tobacco stores and gas stations.
We can just go outside if we absolutely need to. We have to carry a certificate and we can be fined (135 €) if we don't show it to the police controls or if we don't follow the rules.

You know French don't like to obey to orders, so 4100 persons have been fined today...
SwampWoman said…
Hellobluesky said: Here too, contagion is increasing : we have now 9100 people infected and 244 death.
Only the people with severe symptoms are tested, so the number of infected is certainly more important.


I read the comment of a man from Switzerland that said something to the effect of "It doesn't matter the quality of the healthcare but the quantity. When this thing gets out of hand, there is neither."
Portcitygirl said…
Found out today that a family member has been called up to triage all COVID cases in their area. They are scared.
Shaggy said…
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Meowwww said…
@unknown
Those are horse people from the racing world, so it hits close to home for me. How awful.
Shaggy said…
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Anonymous said…
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Animal Lover said…
The stock exchanges need to be shut down for week to stop the panic selling. The world's economy is a giant mess.
Portcity girl - Blimey, that sounds like dealing with ebola!

We, as 70+s, start self-isolating this weekend.
We've got a good stock of dried goods in but are counting ourselves as v. fortunate as both our greengrocer and health-food shop are offering to deliver, and we have a local voluntary group offering to shop, collect prescriptions and so for us. I don't greatly care for where I live but it's a godsend having independent retailers.

I made a final visit to our local pharmacy today, a less than happy experience. Here's the bulk of the letter I'm writing to the manager

“…When I entered the pharmacy, there was one lady at the counter, being attended to, a gentleman sitting on the chair by the window and a lady on the chair by the items for sale.
Once the counter was clear, I moved forward, still keeping 2m from anyone, expecting to be next. One of your assistants approached but, with alacrity, the waiting gentleman came up on my right, as did the lady to my left, in response to another assistant.

Suddenly, I found myself shoulder to shoulder with two people. I am well over 70, so I asked them not to crowd me in. I was taken aback, however, when one assistant seemed to blame me, telling me to step back as if it were I who had barged in. Moreover, it was implied that not only was I at fault but that I was going to eavesdrop on the conversation.

May I ask, therefore, that your staff check if there is anyone waiting at the counter before indicating the person they need? I could have been asked to move safely aside; it wouldn’t then have mattered that neither patient had said `excuse me’.

This would help avoid any embarrassment, breach of social distancing or infection risk.”

I'm not expecting an apology but at least it makes me feel better.

Did I post a link to today's snarky Guardian pieces? Or was I on the other blog? I do understand the UK Government's rationale and it seems a good response to the situation, albeit unconventional.

The idea is to protect us from being in the general initial wave, which may be relatively brief for the younger ones, before letting us out. If we then go down with it, it won't matter quite so much if individuals have to be in hospital longer than younger folk are.

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