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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?

#111

Post by natalyarostova »

lurquer wrote: post #48

Wouldn't it be prudent to try and get the virus as soon as possible? Apparently, it's not that dangerous of a disease assuming you have medical care available. So, now is the time to get it... when you have the entire intensive care unit st your disposal. If you hide out in your bunker, wear your mask, and follow the CDC's advice, you'll probably not get it for a few months. But when you do, instead of having a nice…

Not necessarily. There is going to be some education involving how to optimally treat it, and/or vaccines (in the longer run).

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

#112

Post by exclusiv »

lurquer wrote: post #48

Wouldn't it be prudent to try and get the virus as soon as possible? Apparently, it's not that dangerous of a disease assuming you have medical care available. So, now is the time to get it... when you have the entire intensive care unit st your disposal. If you hide out in your bunker, wear your mask, and follow the CDC's advice, you'll probably not get it for a few months. But when you do, instead of having a nice…

I had to go to the ER for my son and it was already full of sick people for flu season. So no, you don't probably wouldn't get the care all to yourself. There were also way more masks in use than the last time I had to go.

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

#113

Post by geophile »

Cyph0n wrote: post #29
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.

> - Putting a large amount cash in my checking account. Shouldn't you be doing the opposite? Banks go down pretty quickly when society panics.

I'm moving money into checking from investments.

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

#114

Post by ttcbj »

Over the last few weeks, we have acquired enough food/supplies to stay isolated at our house for about 2 months (a combination of bulk rice/beans/grains, and pre-purchasing anything we use regularly which has a long expiration date). We also have medicines/toiletries/etc to last that long.

Maybe 10-12 years ago I read the book 'The Great Influenza'[1], and there are enough similarities between that outbreak and this one that we are taking it fairly seriously.

Although that book isn't perfect, it has a lot of detailed and fascinating explanation on (a) the development of scientific medicine in Europe and then the US (b) the way flu works, is transmitted, etc (c) the way that specific pandemic played out.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Great-Influenza-Deadliest-Pandemic-Hi...

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

#115

Post by bradyd »

nabla9 wrote: post #40
tmaly wrote: post #13

I wash my hands well and try to avoid touching my face. I try to avoid touching bathroom door handles and use some type of napkin or glove. I have been doing this for a long time, so its not really something I am doing just for this virus. If you read CDC website they also recommend washing hands and avoid touching your face. It is much harder if you have small kids, just don’t forget to also wash their hands if they…

General advice for any bug that transfers trough fecal-oral route, not just for COVID-19: 1. Dot's store your toothbrush in the bathroom (at least during the times when you suspect that some family member might get infected). There are fecal matter particles in the bathroom air. You can get the ass-to-mouth transfer in the same household from toothbrushes stored in the bathroom. 2. Close the toilet lid before you flu…

Mythbusters tested storing toothbrushes outside the bathroom and found it doesn't really make a difference.

https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/surpris...

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

#116

Post by riquito »

cbHXBY1D wrote: post #89
Buttons840 wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do not overstock on masks or other supplies. Masks especially should be available to the sick. It's ironic that (I'm sure) someone out there will stock up on 10,000 masks and it will cause them to be in even greater danger because the sick people around them will have fewer masks. The CDC recommends that sick people wear masks to keep droplets in, and that people who directly interact with sick people wear masks whil…

2-3 weeks ago people on here were advocating stocking up on masks and selling at a high profit.

In Italy it's illegal, you cannot hoard or speculate on basic necessities (as the masks are being considered during the epidemic).

https://www.repubblica.it/economia/2020/02/26/news/coronavir...

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

#117

Post by pwg »

dsteinman wrote: post #30

My last order of assembled PCB's has been on hold since late December. I don't even know of an affordable alternative that isn't also in China.

While not a source for 'assembled', https://oshpark.com/ claims to manufacture just the PCB's in the USA for $5/sq inch in three board units.

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

#118

Post by bluGill »

lurquer wrote: post #48

Wouldn't it be prudent to try and get the virus as soon as possible? Apparently, it's not that dangerous of a disease assuming you have medical care available. So, now is the time to get it... when you have the entire intensive care unit st your disposal. If you hide out in your bunker, wear your mask, and follow the CDC's advice, you'll probably not get it for a few months. But when you do, instead of having a nice…

Who knows. Viruses that become widespread tend to mutate. Most often they mutate to become less deadly - a virus that doesn't kill the host has a better chance of spreading. However the 1918 Spanish flu that was so deadly mutated from a less deadly version in spring to the more deadly version in fall so nothing is guaranteed.

Make your bets... If you think this will get worse get it now and live with lifelong heart problems. If you think this will get better wait as long as you can in hopes you get the less deadly version.

I'm personally holding out for a breakthrough in vaccines that mean I don't get it at all. Time will tell if I'm right. Time will also kill me - the only question is when.

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

#119

Post by sauwan »

yuy910616 wrote: post #47

I joke with coworkers that I want to get it on my own terms. Since the death rate is relatively low, I'd rather get it first when the medical infrastructure is not overwhelmed and that I'm 100% healthy. I can even scheduled ahead and finish some projects to work around the virus.

Just until it starts mutating just like the common cold...

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

#120

Post by cycrutchfield »

0x1221 wrote: 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.

Not too farfetched if you read a lot of news and see what is going on in other countries that are affected.
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