I’m stocking up on soylent type powder. That plus water can probably keep me alive for a fair amount of time
LOL sure it will.
Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
351–360 of 566 posts
Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#352This is very likely to overwhelm not just medical infrastructure, but shut down supply chains for basic necessities for months. If the pandemic hits, most businesses will shutter, just like in China. It is prudent to stock up now for 1-2 months of cheap, non- perishable foods like rice and beans (complete protein together) at a minimum. There's just no excuse not to now if you make a tech salary - a couple hundred do…
I find this to be pretty alarmist. "If the pandemic hits" ... the virus has already hit. The WHO itself has backed off the Pandemic classification [1]. The virus has an overall 98% survival rate, and most diagnosed cases in the US, are not actually showing any symptoms (which itself is a cause for concern re: spread). The annual Flu, MERS and SARS were far far worse. The flu kills between 26,000 and 52,000 annually i…
the virus itself is not the biggest threat. It's the sideeffects of everyone's fear. Once fear starts to take hold, anything can happen.
Also, the steps that authorities might take in response to that fear...
Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#353Earlier quoted context omitted.
I find this to be pretty alarmist. "If the pandemic hits" ... the virus has already hit. The WHO itself has backed off the Pandemic classification [1]. The virus has an overall 98% survival rate, and most diagnosed cases in the US, are not actually showing any symptoms (which itself is a cause for concern re: spread). The annual Flu, MERS and SARS were far far worse. The flu kills between 26,000 and 52,000 annually i…
>The virus has an overall 98% survival rate You say this as if 2% of people dying is somehow nothing. Think about everybody in your life that you care deeply about. Relatives, friends, mentors, etc. If this goes pandemic, at least one person in that category will likely die.
People should not just focus on the mortality rate of the virus itself, as people can also die:
- if the health care system is overwhelmed and they can't get treatment for other life-threatening illnesses
- if there are medicine shortages (because a lot of medicines are made in China, and it has shut down a lot of its manufacturing)
- if people lack necessities like food as panic sets in people start hoarding
- if people start refusing to help each other out of fear they'll get infected
In addition, something like 20% of the people who do survive can suffer lung damage that can seriously impact their life.
This is not something to be complacent about. Prepare and take care.
Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#354https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/26/opinions/colleen-kraft-corona...
If you enjoy posting crap on the internet to make other people freak out, by all means go ahead, if you want to read a professional opinion, check the link.
A very, very low effort troll this guy.
Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#355Earlier quoted context omitted.
Masks don't help because of low quality and people lack proper training... you shouldn't touch the mask, you shouldn't reuse it, you should properly dispose it, etc. A saner advice is to wash your hands frequently and to avoid touching your face when in public. Because you can get this virus by touching infected surfaces and then touching your face. It doesn't seem to be an airborn virus, but it does survive on surfa…
is it possible to reuse a mask if you put the mask through an autoclave?
What if you microwaved it? To be clear, I don't have any idea if this works or not, I'm just asking. And of course it couldn't have any metal parts.
Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#356Earlier quoted context omitted.
>most diagnosed cases in the US, are not actually showing any symptoms Where did you hear this? Why would these people even be tested, much less diagnosed, if they are not showing symptoms?
See 1. It's Because they were evacuated e.g. from Cruise ships with other symptomatic patients, and were quarantined + tested, it's a CDC standard protocol [2]. They even put one of them down the street from me as we speak [3] 1 - https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/15th-us-corona... 2 - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2020/posttravel-eval... 3 - https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10751105-181/sonom…
There have been reported problems with the CDC tests.
Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#357I’ve spent about $300 to prepare, that includes paying a lazy fee ordering some stuff off Amazon, and optimizing for things I’ll eat in April if this all blows over.
Food and water: Added 25 gallons to my normal water delivery
Protein bars, jerky, dehydrated cheese
Peanuts, trail mix, peanut butter
Big sack of rice (save for earthquake kit after April, don’t usually eat rice)
Canned chili, canned stew, canned beans (Carry over to earthquake kit)
Canned tuna
All of this (sans water) is boxed and in a closet.
Supplies:
Already have plenty of n95s
9x12 plastic tarp
Duct tape (specific for this use, not relying on the roll in the drawer)
Bleach
Extra soap and toilet paper
Big thing of hand sanitizer (noticed a lot of out of stock on Amazon)
I already have a significant medical kit.
I’m mostly optimizing for people panicking and it becoming hard to get supplies for a week or two.
Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#358Earlier quoted context omitted.
I find this to be pretty alarmist. "If the pandemic hits" ... the virus has already hit. The WHO itself has backed off the Pandemic classification [1]. The virus has an overall 98% survival rate, and most diagnosed cases in the US, are not actually showing any symptoms (which itself is a cause for concern re: spread). The annual Flu, MERS and SARS were far far worse. The flu kills between 26,000 and 52,000 annually i…
>The annual Flu, MERS and SARS were far far worse This is NOT TRUE. I urge you to stop relying on the news and look at the literature that is being published in real time. I don't have time for a full response but 15% of cases require ICU care to survive. There are less than 100k ICU beds in the U.S. and the virus spreads 2-5x (R0 estimates from 3 up to 8 depending on source) more readily than SARS or MERS or the 191…
What led you to believe I cited the news? I cite the WHO and CDC where I could. If I am interpreting that information incorrectly based on my previous experience in epidemiology, please educate me.
- SARS case fatality rate = 15% (WHO - 1)
- MERS case fatality rate = 34.4% (WHO - 2)
- COVID19 case fatality rate = 2.3% (WHO - 3^)
1- https://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/WHOconsensus.pdf
2-https://www.who.int/emergencies/mers-cov/en/ MERS case fatality rate =
3 - https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situati...
^ estimation efforts are ongoing and may change.
Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#359Re: Ask HN: How are you preparing for COVID-19 disruptions?
#360Refill your medication(s), that's the biggest one. India produces a lot of drugs and if they get infected, we will see shortage. China also produces a lot of the base chemicals used in medication, so this is worry some. If you have chronic conditions, you really don't want to be without. Soap and sanitizer. Mostly soap. Soap is equally effective as sanitizer in washing hands, etc. Soap is also much cheaper and more a…
>Refill your medication(s), that's the biggest one.
I take a prescription medication that is a controlled substance. I feel like a criminal each time I fill it. I'm only given exactly the amount I need for the next 30 days and it routinely causes problems when I need to travel out of state around the time of my next refill.
I really wish there was some way of saying "I've been taking this stuff for years, I've clearly never abused it, please give me some buffer for emergencies."