5 ms·

Why is it terrifying? Are you acting on data or by relying on media scare? It is only somewhat worse than typical flu, Heck lesser than Spanish Flu. Nowhere ne

Why is it terrifying? Are you acting on data or by relying on media scare? It is only somewhat worse than typical flu, Heck lesser than Spanish Flu. Nowhere near plagues humanity weathered already. Much less terrible then wars too. Tests have some 15% false positive rate and are not useful in a viruses that propagate this fast for any other intent than confirmation. They are getting improved. Treatment is supportive, if you're afraid care will be overloaded, get a pulse oximeter, oxygen tanks, reduction and mask, disinfectants (esp. water treatment) and about month store of easily digestible, easy to prepare food, and certainly water to smooth over any interruptions. (Don't kid yourself, you cannot store a month of water. Maybe drinking water, but not technical. Still bulky.) Multivitamin and extra vitamin C which maybe will help. (It is slightly effective in colds, which it is a kind of.) If you're really rich, get some hydroquinone synthesized. Useful chemical even if you won't use it for this epidemic. This, and quarantine, is the most anyone can do. Walking around in protective gear is a joke as operator error will kill effectiveness.

spiderfarmer 7y ago
It's not about me, I'll probably survive. It's about all other people. No matter if it's 1% or 4%, I hate to see people go.
eozoon 7y ago
It is "terrifying" (may be bit of an exaggeration, I'd call it deeply worrying) because if people who are sick is not tested, and is afraid of staying at home due to job concern and/or not caring since the disease is mild, they'd be spreading it further. The sickness is not very serious for the young and healthy, it is quite deadly or the elderly (21%+ for 80+ people https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/ https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-se... ) - speaking as someone who live and work with elderly and/or compromised people, the long asymptomatic period is worrying enough on its own, the thought that there are people who are showing symptom but are still walking around going to work / movies / etc is scary.
- onyva 7y ago
  Nobody is acting on “media scare”, as you and Fox News are calling it. It’s called science, and it’s driven by facts, based on data from sources such as the WHO. The information given explains the risks and precautions that should be considered. You don’t have to believe but please don’t spread misinformation.
senectus1 7y ago
God this post is so full of bullshit. I expect better from HN. but then I just discovered my co-worker is antivaxx. the world seems bent on disappointing me lately.
- belltaco 7y ago
  I've seen some QAnon believers on here a few months ago so all bets are off.
eddyg 7y ago
Perhaps you should go read about what's actually happening in Italy? For example: https://threader.app/thread/1237142891077697538 https://threader.app/thread/1237142891077697538 https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1236933818654896129.html https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1236933818654896129.html
lm28469 7y ago
> It is only somewhat worse than typical flu Yes, and that's why Italy is in full lockdown, and the world economy in tanking for a week now, because "it's just the flu bro". > get a pulse oximeter, oxygen tanks, reduction and mask, disinfectants (esp. water treatment) and about month store of easily digestible, easy to prepare food, and certainly water to smooth over any interruptions. The majority of americans are living paycheck to paychek and you're telling them to setup a basic hospital in their living room. People are dying of diabetes in that country, do you think they can afford all that and a month of supply if they can't afford insulin to literally save their life ? Some of you are so out of touch with reality, that's the terrifying part for me. Recommending vitamin C is laughable at that point.
- AstralStorm 7y ago
  Yes, that is exactly why everyone is in lockdown, because there is enough panic and nothing more can be done. So anything that seems politically acceptable is being done. It won't be effective and is at best false sense of security. It is about as effective as quarantining kids after mumps outbreaks, which is not much, and this thing spreads quicker. The question is not if, but when you will be infected, and if your immune system will be able to handle it. For most, it will be a cold, for the others where it won't, unless they have their own hardware, they're screwed. As seen in Italy. Chinese were able to spin up hospitals, most everyone else does not have enough hardware. Hospitals get overloaded with about few hundred cases, give or take. Coronavirus tests are not effective preventative measures. (Not yet anyway.) Good pulse oximeter costs maybe $20, an O2 tank with hardware and mask $80-100. If you cannot afford that, you're literally screwed. I bet you would pay more off a copay for a bed in the US. If that's the case, good luck. If you cannot afford food, you're also screwed, there's no charity that will help. As a reminder, many people died from Spanish Flu due to malnutrition. And old age. This combination is also problematic for COVID-19. Strict isolation measures do not work reliably against this kind of virus. They did not work for flu nor for cold, they won't for this one. They can at best slow it down a bit and delay, which is ok if you use this time to do something meaningful - China did, others cannot. Government could try to help with this but US is allergic to handouts. There is enough food and production capability to distribute rations if need be. I hope they're being stockpiled. Probably are not.
andygates 7y ago
Bzzt! It pegs critical care facilities if not contained and then a lot of people die.
- AstralStorm 7y ago
  And a lot is approximately what number? (Including secondaries sure to lack of care including other matters.) It might sound callous, but likely not enough to cause even a momentary pause... Because worst case here seems to be a few millions.
  - spiderfarmer 7y ago
    You seem to lack empathy.

spiderfarmer 7y ago

It's not about me, I'll probably survive. It's about all other people. No matter if it's 1% or 4%, I hate to see people go.

eozoon 7y ago

It is "terrifying" (may be bit of an exaggeration, I'd call it deeply worrying) because if people who are sick is not tested, and is afraid of staying at home due to job concern and/or not caring since the disease is mild, they'd be spreading it further. The sickness is not very serious for the young and healthy, it is quite deadly or the elderly (21%+ for 80+ people https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/ https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-se... ) - speaking as someone who live and work with elderly and/or compromised people, the long asymptomatic period is worrying enough on its own, the thought that there are people who are showing symptom but are still walking around going to work / movies / etc is scary.

onyva 7y ago
Nobody is acting on “media scare”, as you and Fox News are calling it. It’s called science, and it’s driven by facts, based on data from sources such as the WHO. The information given explains the risks and precautions that should be considered. You don’t have to believe but please don’t spread misinformation.

senectus1 7y ago

God this post is so full of bullshit. I expect better from HN. but then I just discovered my co-worker is antivaxx. the world seems bent on disappointing me lately.

belltaco 7y ago
I've seen some QAnon believers on here a few months ago so all bets are off.

eddyg 7y ago

Perhaps you should go read about what's actually happening in Italy? For example: https://threader.app/thread/1237142891077697538 https://threader.app/thread/1237142891077697538 https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1236933818654896129.html https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1236933818654896129.html

lm28469 7y ago

> It is only somewhat worse than typical flu Yes, and that's why Italy is in full lockdown, and the world economy in tanking for a week now, because "it's just the flu bro". > get a pulse oximeter, oxygen tanks, reduction and mask, disinfectants (esp. water treatment) and about month store of easily digestible, easy to prepare food, and certainly water to smooth over any interruptions. The majority of americans are living paycheck to paychek and you're telling them to setup a basic hospital in their living room. People are dying of diabetes in that country, do you think they can afford all that and a month of supply if they can't afford insulin to literally save their life ? Some of you are so out of touch with reality, that's the terrifying part for me. Recommending vitamin C is laughable at that point.

AstralStorm 7y ago
Yes, that is exactly why everyone is in lockdown, because there is enough panic and nothing more can be done. So anything that seems politically acceptable is being done. It won't be effective and is at best false sense of security. It is about as effective as quarantining kids after mumps outbreaks, which is not much, and this thing spreads quicker. The question is not if, but when you will be infected, and if your immune system will be able to handle it. For most, it will be a cold, for the others where it won't, unless they have their own hardware, they're screwed. As seen in Italy. Chinese were able to spin up hospitals, most everyone else does not have enough hardware. Hospitals get overloaded with about few hundred cases, give or take. Coronavirus tests are not effective preventative measures. (Not yet anyway.) Good pulse oximeter costs maybe $20, an O2 tank with hardware and mask $80-100. If you cannot afford that, you're literally screwed. I bet you would pay more off a copay for a bed in the US. If that's the case, good luck. If you cannot afford food, you're also screwed, there's no charity that will help. As a reminder, many people died from Spanish Flu due to malnutrition. And old age. This combination is also problematic for COVID-19. Strict isolation measures do not work reliably against this kind of virus. They did not work for flu nor for cold, they won't for this one. They can at best slow it down a bit and delay, which is ok if you use this time to do something meaningful - China did, others cannot. Government could try to help with this but US is allergic to handouts. There is enough food and production capability to distribute rations if need be. I hope they're being stockpiled. Probably are not.

andygates 7y ago

Bzzt! It pegs critical care facilities if not contained and then a lot of people die.

AstralStorm 7y ago
And a lot is approximately what number? (Including secondaries sure to lack of care including other matters.) It might sound callous, but likely not enough to cause even a momentary pause... Because worst case here seems to be a few millions.
- spiderfarmer 7y ago
  You seem to lack empathy.