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CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

cnbc.com

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Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#131

Post by SpicyLemonZest »

robomartin wrote: post #125
SpicyLemonZest wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Preparing to stay at home is reasonable. Expecting for no stores to be open isn't - even in Wuhan, stores have been open and selling essential goods.

Riddle me this one: If EVERYONE stays home, how do stores remain open? Do we think they are run by robots? I try to use language with some degree of precision. I said "assume no stores will be open during that time". ASSUME, not "stores will definitely be closed during that time". Assume, as a part of planning, not categorically know, because the assumption will make for better planning. It is far safer to make this…

There's always some risk that infrastructure will catastrophically fail, and in general I think a month-long self-sufficiency stock is a perfectly reasonable thing to have. (I have one myself, although primarily because I live in an earthquake zone.)

But when people are reacting to the coronavirus, the implicit question isn't what preparations are good to have for general worst case scenarios; it's which preparations you're likely to need, which ones you can no longer afford to be without. As many a doomsday prepper will attest, there's always one more contingency you could plan for, but telling people to start with extreme measures makes it less likely they'll plan at all.

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#132

Post by AWildC182 »

soared wrote: post #115
dekhn wrote: post #77

Basically every household should already have, regardless of the origin of the disaster: 1 month of clean drinking water or reliable (tested) filtration devices and a impure water source (local streams likely to have various bacteria that will make you sick). 1 month of food that requires minimum water and fuel to cook (quick oats > slow cook oats). Enough fuel to cook that food (most of your food should not require…

Why should I prep for a disaster? The odds of needing those supplies is effectively zero, and I don’t have the storage space for them.

The stuff described would mostly fit in a backpack as it's all backpacking gear to begin with. The only thing that wouldn't would be 30 days of food and water which is probably overkill. A reasonable food supply would fit in a couple cubic feet and multiple redundant water purification options could fit in a pocket.

I'm just a backpacker though not a doomsday prepper, the stuff we carry isn't always appropriate for an emergency situation and is generally geared towards being very portable rather than robust/100% reliable.

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#133

Post by DyslexicAtheist »

mehrdadn wrote: post #88

Anyone know if surviving with this coronavirus results in immunity to it afterward?

surviving it might not be much fun either depending on the severity of the case. survivors have a 45% risk of pulmonary fibrosis (onset within 3-6 months after initial infection), then there is testicular damage in men, among others, see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22412112

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#134

Post by celdon25 »

humaniania wrote: post #70
numakerg wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are the chances that residential electricity, gas or water get shut off as a result of an outbreak in North America? I live in a mid-sized town and we have enough dry beans and cereals to last a few months, but without hot water it would be a week at most.

Extremely low IMO. From what I have read it's like a stronger version of the flu.

While I don't expect the power to shut off from this, I want to point out that the flu virus doesn't directly destroy heart and kidney cells as COVID-19 does in some of the patients.

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#135

Post by allovernow »

hodgesrm wrote: post #76
allovernow wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The WHO is still using Chinese figures without any sort of disclaimer. The director of the WHO has been accused by the new York times of covering up multiple epidemics in how home country[1]. Hopefully this virus will upend the blind Faith that people recently have come to put into international establishments. 1. https://cloverchronicle.com/2020/01/30/world-health-organiza...

Just checking but what concrete alternatives would you recommend to international organizations, imperfect though they may be?

Personal reliance. Empowering people to take protective steps at their own discretion. If you encouraged your population to, say, keep a small stockpile of rice and beans on hand (not expensive) store overruns wouldn't be such a problem during times of panic.

But this would require a radical cultural shift outside of urban areas. And unfortunately individualism I think has become a bit of a slur in many circles, a manifestation of the two party split among collectivism (leftist) and individualism (rightist).

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#136

Post by orhmeh09 »

jcranmer wrote: post #5
Reedx wrote: post #2

It's looking like Coronavirus will be rocket fuel for all things remote. Work, schooling, conferences... I think we'll see a lot of new tools and processes emerge. More companies, schools, conferences being remote friendly. Anyone seeing concrete signs of this at your employer or school yet? And what other second-order effects do you think we'll see?

My workplace sent out this update not an hour ago: > From March 2nd, employees should not attend any large meetings or events that are not hosted and controlled by [company], or where attendees cannot be confirmed as following a comparable travel policy. Individual or small group meetings where you can verify the travel histories of all attendees are fine.

To clarify: Is your workplace asking you to refrain from attending meetings or events, even in your private life, unless it is directly concerning your job there?

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#137

Post by banana_giraffe »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #124
joshstrange wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I'm not building a bunker or anything. I just wanted to stock up of medicine/water/food in case there was a rush.

Medicines have me a little worried. I can get a three-month supply, but only when my previous supply is almost exhausted. I can't get three months extra "just in case". Anybody have a good way of dealing with this?

In the past when I've told my pharmacy I'm traveling somewhere with less medical facilities than the US, they can get a refill sooner from my insurance provider than I'd otherwise be good for.

That said, it doesn't work for all drugs. One of the medications I'm on now I can't get filled one day early under any circumstance, nor can I get it shipped to me. For extra fun points, if I'm late by more than a week, it's doubtful I can get it refilled ever again.

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#138

Post by 0xffff2 »

rsync wrote: post #102
joshstrange wrote: post #17

Not sure if this is the right place but what would be best for one stock up on ahead of time? I'm thinking non-perishables or stuff with a high shelf life but what else should you consider buying?

"I'm thinking non-perishables or stuff with a high shelf life but what else should you consider buying?" This is by no means my area of expertise, but in provisioning for earthquakes and other disruptions, I have simply bought more of what we're already using . Not only will you not waste the items, you will keep them refreshed and current as you cycle through your (longer) queue of normal foods you eat.

This seems like odd advice to me. Nearly all of what I eat is composed primarily of meat and fresh vegetables. No amount of stocking up one what I already use is going to get me a month's worth of food. Am I really that much of an outlier?

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#139

Post by 0xffff2 »

whb07 wrote: post #121

Know what’s worse than this virus? Panic. This shit is no deadlier than the regular flu. If you’re not 80+ or have a bad health you’re fine. They need to fire these officials.

a) AFAICT we don't have enough data to reliably say how deadly it is yet.

b) Despite that, what data we do have suggests that it's at least quite a bit deadlier, we're just waiting to see how much.

Re: CDC outlines what closing schools, businesses would look like in US pandemic

#140

Post by CWuestefeld »

abathur wrote: post #130
vkou wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do the N95 face masks that you can buy at the grocery even do anything to prevent the spread of coronavirus?

I'm not knowledgeable about the efficacy of the masks themselves, but I suspect there's a forest-for-the-trees issue, here. There are at least a few ways to think about whether masks (broadly, or any specific mask) "work"... - Whether wearing a mask makes it less likely someone will pick up an infection in constant conditions (direct mask efficacy, reduced touching, etc.) - Whether wearing a mask makes it less likely…

Good questions. You remind me of some of the arguments against wearing a helmet on a bike. In particular, real studies show that automobile drivers are more careful in the presence of bikers without helmets - that is, if you're wearing a helmet, drivers are more careless around you.
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