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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?

#191

Post by lsllc »

millettjon wrote: post #168
Someone1234 wrote: post #2

I'm not. There's no meaningful preparations for avoiding what is essentially a really dangerous variant of the common cold at an individual level. Now governments and the medical field should be preparing for it. But most of that is logistical problems (e.g. number of hospital beds, preparing quarantine plans, test kits, etc). You can order a bunch of masks if it makes you feel better, but countries with common mask…

You can maximize immune system functioning by making sure you get proper nutrition and plenty of sleep.

Don't forget exercise.

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

#192

Post by geophile »

bluGill wrote: post #132
geophile wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but we still have the ability to get things done when we want to. Please provide examples. - We used to be able to build Hoover Dam. Now it takes literally years to pass a bill to maintain our highways. - Do I need to remind you what a joke Infrastructure Week has become? - How are those gun violence stats? Number 1 in the world at something, at least. - The fastest-growing approach to paying for medical bills, in…

Take a look at are highways. Despite constant complaints about them being in trouble, we build a lot of them including many bridges. Take a look at your city there is someplace in the metro area they are building something big. Fasting growing doesn't mean much. Most people have insurance which covers everything. Yes there are too many people on the edges who don't have it, but most people do and don't need gofundme…

WE DON'T NEED THEM?!?!?!

OK, Candide, you may be living in the best of all possible worlds, but I would rather be in one where health care was guaranteed. And yes, while most are "insured", that insurance is often unreliable. This is a solvable, society-wide project, to use your phrase. This country is incapable of pulling it off. (And some of those people resorting to gofundme have insurance, but it is inadequate.)

Look at the superbug problem. We are heading to a time in which antibiotics just no longer work, and what are now minor infections will be fatal. Where is the impetus to solve this society-wide (even world-wide) project? It is not in the financial interest of pharma companies to solve the problem, so we don't. You would think that society would be interested in solving this problem by structuring incentives appropriately. It doesn't happen.

What about climate change? Miami is starting to drown. Other coastal cities are not far behind. The Paris climate agreement is pretty weak, and this country couldn't even stomach that.

Get your head out of the sand.

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

#193

Post by azemetre »

Just stocked up on more food to last a month. Additional items that might be hard to find if mass buyouts ensue at stores like toiler paper, kitchen towels, cleaning supplies, anti-bacterial wipes.

I always make sure I have at least 3/4ths of a tank of gas in my car.

Stuff like a decent first-aid kit plus some batteries.

For entertainment, making sure I have enough movies, ebooks, and music downloaded in-case the internet goes down but electricity is up.

I'm only envisioning that the local government might declare a state of emergency which means working from home, closing schools, possibly public transit, and having the local stores completely sold out of necessities.

No water as I rely on tap water.

I'm working under the assumption that if things get bad under "lock-down," it'll only last three weeks. I live in a small apartment and I'm unable to prepare for any prolonged period of time (3+ months).

If society were to collapsed I am not prepared at all.

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

#194

Post by jrs235 »

Recursing wrote: post #184
paulgb wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ironically, when I considered the likely outcomes, the one that convinced me to stock up on food was not actual supply chain distruptions (which I see as possible but fairly unlikely), but that mass hording will lead to shortages (which I see as very likely).

Shortages of what? Supermarkets in northern Italy have been restocking without problems, there is a shortage of N95 face masks on amazon, but they're not even proved to be useful for healthy people

There aren't shortages until there are. All seems normal until the tipping point. Don't go out and buy up 2 months of supplies in one swoop, unless you want to raise eyebrows and lead to the perception of shelves emptying and then causing it to come true. Buy a weeks worth of extra supplies every other day for a week or two.

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

#196

Post by geophile »

ryan-allen wrote: post #162
geophile wrote: post #3

Things are simpler for me than for many, since I am retired. - Planning purchases for hunkering down for a few weeks: Food, water, batteries, water purifier, battery-powered radio, hand-crank power generator for radio, etc. - Sold 50% of my stock holdings. - Putting a large amount cash in my checking account. - Getting a smaller amount of cash (paper) to have at home.

Why would you sell 50% of your stock?

You mean, why that much, or why not all of it? I was tempted to sell all of it, but decided to wait a while.

I sold because I think the risk of further, large declines is greater than the likelihood of a continuing increase.

(In 2008, as that crisis was developing, I also sold everything, and bought back once things returned to a new normal.)

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

#197

Post by logfromblammo »

The best way to prepare for COVID-19 is to already be prepared for a wide variety of civic disruptions.

Have enough food and water on hand to shelter in place for up to 2 weeks. Never let your gasoline dip below a quarter tank. Have some paperback books and candles on hand. Have some duct tape and plastic drop cloths. Keep some camping gear. Practice not panicking. Keep a bottle of plain, unscented bleach on hand, and practice diluting it to 10% of the bottle concentration.

If you don't already have supplies specific to COVID-19, the desperate and the hoarders have probably already snapped up what you might want, and the opportunists reselling it at a 400% markup.

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

#198

Post by m3kw9 »

_nkl1 wrote: post #65
8iterations wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is only a ~2% mortality rate from COVID-19, less than the usual flu. If one is prepping to survive from this, it is much more likely you have deeper emotional & psychological issues that prevent you from holding long lasting intimate relationships. And are at a higher risk of death from depression, anxiety, loneliness,and general social isolation. Thank you for listening. P.S. I work in this field and attached…

This is so infuriatingly false. The mortality rate for the flu this season has been ~0.1% . The coronavirus is over 10x deadlier than the usual flu according to early estimates. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/03/the-flu-has-already-killed-1...

10x deadlier for 50+ yr olds for younger folks is probably 5-7x lower

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

#199

Post by xiphias2 »

m3kw9 wrote: post #195

You just need to look at China for its worse. Prob no worse than what’s happening there. Prepare accordingly, don’t hoard 4 months worth of stuff, if things does get that worse you have bigger things to worry about

What can be bigger than that?

I have seen interview with a person in Wuhan and his biggest problem is running out of food.

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