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Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

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Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#171
post #99

I guess it's the selective aspect of a question like this but I'm genuinely surprised that so many people in this thread are taking actual measures.

Some measures are easier that others. It is important to have at least a basic level of preparedness. E.g., get sleep and eat nutritious food to keep your immune system optimal.

Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That plan seems predicated on the assumption that COVID-19 will burn itself out and disappear in a matter of months. But there's no current evidence to suggest that will be the case, and if we look to similar diseases, they have been around for tens of years. Even if it depresses in the summer months, it will return in full force next winter (see e.g. flu, common colds, etc). Best case scenario a working vaccine is i…

The mind boggles at how people can characterise preparation of a month’s worth of food, water and other essentials as “bomb shelter”-style hunkering down. The CDC, amongst other US and foreign government agencies, recommend it. When the CDC speaks, I listen.

Indeed. A month is more in the range of a fallout shelter.

Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#173
My father had the misfortune of being a civilian in Kuwait during the first gulf war. What I learned from his stories is that the line between normalcy and utter chaos is thinner than one would think.

The war itself from the perspective of someone not actively participating is mostly boring (his words) - you can't really go outside, cable is down(no internet back then), not much is happening.

But the brief transition period between peace and war is the worst. People desperately trying to stock up in the last minutes, quickly realizing that it's pointless to stand in line and pay when there are so many more of them than the supermarket's staff.

I, for one, "prepared" by weighing 10kg more than a few years ago. I have body fat to spare. My only worry is a good source of water-soluble vitamins.

Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is a virus, more contagious and more lethal than flu/MERS/SARS, a smaller problem?

> more lethal than flu/MERS/SARS WHO reports a 34% fatality rate for MERS, while at present it is around 2.4% for COVID-19 [2]. So it would be helpful if you provide sources when throwing down comments like this. I'll admit it's more contagious, as they state below, but again, most US cases are asymptomatic. 1 - https://www.who.int/emergencies/mers-cov/en/ 2 - http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/02/study-…

The 2003 SARS outbreak resulted in under 8500 confirmed cases and the 2012 MERS outbreak in around 2500. Confirmed COVID-19 cases are currently over 80000. Only considering fatality rate paints a flawed picture.

Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would the water be tainted?

I think infrastructure, in general, is at some risk. The people who maintain infrastructure are going to be as motivated to stay home as everyone else.

If there's one thing public health authorities are going make sure stays on (fails last), it's water.

Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Seriously, stressing out about this is going to create more problems than the virus itself. Humans love starting panic parades anytime something scary happens. Best thing to do is not worry about it. This is absolutely, uncategorically, false.

... because... ?

Because some things are worth worrying about, and that anxiety is an impetus to take actions which may improve the situation for you and the people around you.

Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#177
post #8

We ran a drill a couple of weeks back where everybody worked from home to ensure that if we have to close our office we are able to continue working (assuming we're not ill, of course). This was really just to shake out any issues. Fortunately, since most of us already work remotely for at least some of the time we didn't have any significant issues. Beyond that, nothing really.

If we are constrained to work remotely, the network may experience issues too.

The 4G and internet also need actual interventions. If we must work remotely, internet companies may also have to.

Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Seriously, stressing out about this is going to create more problems than the virus itself. Humans love starting panic parades anytime something scary happens. Best thing to do is not worry about it. This is absolutely, uncategorically, false.

... because... ?

Because it has infected tens (probably hundreds) of thousands of people around the world, completely overwhelmed hospital systems, and there's very little reason to expect it will different where you are.

Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?

#179
I'm making preparations, but I think I'm going to have to make even more. Having one child under two, and another just about to be born, I really can't afford their exposure, when they'll still be in a developmental phase that leaves them especially prone to permanent damage.
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