COVID-19 advice

[UAL744 17]

Hello again and on rather unfortunate circumstances, as you may know, the coronavirus has ravaged the entire world, and upended normal life not only here in Texas or America but everywhere. Any sense of normalcy is completely gone, and I myself am in one of the hundreds of cities under mandatory stay at home orders, but after having gone to check on family and friends, I thought I’d share some personal advice on how to stay safe, at least long enough for the stay at home order to be lessened and you can go back outside. 

1. You probably heard about social distancing guidelines suggesting staying at least 6 feet from a person, but i suggest you should if possible stay 10-12 feet from a person. 

2. If you cannot find face-masks a bandana will be a good if not better substitute. And blue surgical gloves will be easier to get on and off. Or breathe through your shirt.

3. Wash your hands at least 20 seconds 4-6 times per day and in between meals.

4. Get hand sanitizer the first chance you get or the second you see it

5. Stay in touch with family and close friends regularly

6. Regularly watch news outlets or buy newspapers.

7. Obey your Stay at home orders, the more people do this the sooner this virus will end and life can start getting back to normal.

8. Do whatever it takes to not catch this virus!

and lastly,

8. Stay safe and stay alive!

[kevinfirth 1,396]

point one can't hurt, but is at odds with the medical advice from professionals.

point two is more dangerous, the virus is measured in scales far smaller than the weave in any scarf or bandana, and will therefore be completely ineffective in preventing you accidentally inhaling any circulating virus in airborne droplets.  That's why N95 masks or greater are recommended for professional circumstances.  I'd be a little concerned that the OPs advice would lead to people potentially exposing themselves or others to unnecessary risk if they followed it believing it to be able to provide them with any degree of protection.

 

[lownslo 592]

17 minutes ago, UAL744 said:

1. You probably heard about social distancing guidelines suggesting staying at least 6 feet from a person, but i suggest you should if possible stay 10-12 feet from a person.

A county in Florida has replaced the 6 feet rule with their own... they recommend folks stay at least one alligator length from each other.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm headed over to Amazon to see what they're selling alligators for these days!

Greg

[Brisafresca 58]

Hi

two recommendations:

When you go to the supermarket, throw away the plastic bags and also wash with water and soap or bleach all the product containers , and also throw away the outer packaging of the products, plastics, cardboard boxes, etc ...

Leave the shoes in an isolated place in the house and / or disinfect them with bleach, do not walk with your shoes walking on the street inside the house, if someone spit on the street and you step on that floor, you will have the virus in your shoes.

greetings from Spain

[martin-w 3,235]

3 hours ago, kevinfirth said:

point one can't hurt, but is at odds with the medical advice from professionals.

 

 

New research is suggesting finer particles could travel up to 6 to 8 metres. This is according to MIT scientists.

 

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/coronavirus-can-travel-up-to-8-metres-from-exhalation-linger-in-air-for-hours-mit-scientist-says/articleshow/74928356.cms

 

Quote

The current physical distancing guidelines provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may not be adequate to curb the coronavirus spread, according to a research which says the gas cloud from a cough or sneeze may help virus particles travel up to 8 metres. The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, noted that the the current guidelines issued by the WHO and CDC are based on outdated models from  ..

 

We still have much to learn about this virus. They are even saying now that simply breathing can emit the virus. 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by martin-w

[kevinfirth 1,396]

2 minutes ago, martin-w said:

We still have much to learn about this virus

Hard agree.  which just underscores the need to not spread speculative advice which has no obvious basis in scientific fact, lest it fosters a false sense of security and in turn places people at risk

[martin-w 3,235]

3 hours ago, kevinfirth said:

 

point two is more dangerous, the virus is measured in scales far smaller than the weave in any scarf or bandana, and will therefore be completely ineffective in preventing you accidentally inhaling any circulating virus in airborne droplets.  

 

 

 

Official advice in US is to wear a scarf or similar if no mask is available. Its more about preventing the infected person infecting others. As droplets from coughs and sneezes may stay  in the scarf. So not really about the size of the virus itself. 

 

 

Quote

Americans are now advised to use clean cloth or fabric to cover their faces whilst in public. Officials say medical masks are in short supply and should be left for healthcare workers.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51205344

Edited April 5, 2020 by martin-w

[martin-w 3,235]

5 minutes ago, kevinfirth said:

Hard agree.  which just underscores the need to not spread speculative advice which has no obvious basis in scientific fact, lest it fosters a false sense of security and in turn places people at risk

 

6 to 8 metres is not really speculative advice though. It's MIT research. Is it definitive? Probably not, not yet. Needs to be replicated. But increasing the distance beyond 2 metres is not a bad idea if possible. 

[Rogen 1,087]

Got toilet paper ???

There's none at my local supermarket and hasn't been for weeks, no paper products at all (tissues, nappies, hand towels etc.)

Meat ran out, there was no bread, noodles, rice, pasta, spagetti sauce many many shelves completely empty and are still that way weeks later.

Local pharmacy had to ration medicines and there is no hand sanitiser or face masks left anywhere local.

Alothough went shopping today and some bread was back on the shelves.

Cheers

[martin-w 3,235]

9 minutes ago, Rogen said:

Got toilet paper ???

There's none at my local supermarket and hasn't been for weeks, no paper products at all (tissues, nappies, hand towels etc.)

Meat ran out, there was no bread, noodles, rice, pasta, spagetti sauce many many shelves completely empty and are still that way weeks later.

Local pharmacy had to ration medicines and there is no hand sanitiser or face masks left anywhere local.

Alothough went shopping today and some bread was back on the shelves.

Cheers

 

 

Are you in the UK? Hear in the UK, I've found the trick is to arrive at your local supermarket as early as possible, because they restock over night. I arrived at Tesco at 7:30. Nabbed a large 24 roll pack. Only one per customer allowed. 

Kitchen roll seems easy enough to get now in the UK, but if used in place of toilet paper.. .DO NOT flush it down the toilet. It will block the drains, as it doesn't dissolve as well as toilet paper. 

Pasta is still an issue in the UK, and beans of all things. 

You don't need hand sanitiser. Plain old soap is just as good. the virus has a fatty, protective, outer layer. Soap breaks that fatty layer down well and kills the virus... not that a virus is alive. Technically viruses are not alive.

[lzamm 143]

The real issue with face masks is that you're forcing air through them all the time and they basically trap everything on their outer surface - that's how particulate air quality monitors work, drawing air through a filter paper which is then weighed and analysed.   Look at the fans in your PC to see what I mean 🙂 .  So after a few hours' use there's a lot more gunk on the filter than you're likely to experience at any one time - gunk that can be easily transferred to your hands and respiratory system.  Health workers follow a protocol when removing and disposing of masks, but it's not feasible to expect the general population to do so.

When removing the masks, cleaning or disinfecting or otherwise handling them, minimise contact (and movement) as much as possible and wash your hands well immediately afterwards.

[G-RFRY 1,712]

The best advice of all is don't go out unless it`s important stay in, the problem is some are interpreting the advise that you are safe to go out if you follow the advice, result it`s still spreading in London the police had there hands full clearing people from the parks in the sun.

[martin-w 3,235]

Trinity Colledge Dublin are reminding us of the important role Vit D plays for the immune system and how many of us in cloudier parts of the world are deficient.

https://www.newstalk.com/news/vitamin-d-help-fight-off-covid-19-irish-research-finds-994221

Research from Trinity College Dublin has found that Vitamin D could be beneficial to older adults who are 'cocooning' during the current coronavirus pandemic.

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by martin-w

[F737MAX 5,607]

4 hours ago, UAL744 said:

1. You probably heard about social distancing guidelines suggesting staying at least 6 feet from a person, but i suggest you should if possible stay 10-12 feet from a person. 

2. If you cannot find face-masks a bandana will be a good if not better substitute. And blue surgical gloves will be easier to get on and off. Or breathe through your shirt.

3. Wash your hands at least 20 seconds 4-6 times per day and in between meals.

4. Get hand sanitizer the first chance you get or the second you see it

5. Stay in touch with family and close friends regularly

6. Regularly watch news outlets or buy newspapers.

7. Obey your Stay at home orders, the more people do this the sooner this virus will end and life can start getting back to normal.

8. Do whatever it takes to not catch this virus!

and lastly,

8. Stay safe and stay alive!

Your best and most accessible source of information about the virus is from this doctor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwx3JMRTz8U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTsBM-GRx6U (longer version)

1. Can't hurt, but you need prolonged exposure or to be coughed on.

2. Bad advice, creates a false sense of security. Also more likely to cause hygiene and respiratory issues if bandana, scarf, or other item is not cleaned often.
Putting something across the face when it's not sterile nor aware of the proper safe procedure when adorning is more likely to infect.

Additionally, it's a huge waste of surgical gloves when frontline healthcare workers need all the supplies that they can get.

3. Regular soap is the best.
Also, get some moisturiser. Washing your hands frequently will cause the skin to get dry and crack - creating another entry point for the virus.

6. Do not watch or read the news regularly. Once a day is plenty.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical. The media love finding the worst-case examples when discussing the virus. A constant narrative of how terrible everything is will take its toll. A happier person is usually a healthier person.

7, 8 and '8' Agree.
It's a minor inconvenience compared to being ill - take it from someone that knows first hand!
 

[ailchim 207]

3 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

 

Are you in the UK? Hear in the UK, I've found the trick is to arrive at your local supermarket as early as possible, because they restock over night. I arrived at Tesco at 7:30. Nabbed a large 24 roll pack. Only one per customer allowed. 

Kitchen roll seems easy enough to get now in the UK, but if used in place of toilet paper.. .DO NOT flush it down the toilet. It will block the drains, as it doesn't dissolve as well as toilet paper. 

Pasta is still an issue in the UK, and beans of all things. 

You don't need hand sanitiser. Plain old soap is just as good. the virus has a fatty, protective, outer layer. Soap breaks that fatty layer down well and kills the virus... not that a virus is alive. Technically viruses are not alive.

I think the increased consumption of baked beans probably lies behind the high demand for toilet paper.

Edited April 5, 2020 by ailchim
Can'r spell