Coronavirus prep

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  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Report from WBUR's Here and Now program, broadcast on US National Public Radio (NPR):

    https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/03/23/malaria-drug-shortage-coronavirus

    Summary: Hydroxycholoquine (brand name Plaquenil) is an anti-malaria drug being tested for potential use against COVID-19/coronavirus. CDC sounds hopeful, but says proof is needed. US President has touted the drug in press conference as "a tremendous breakthrough" and "a game changer".

    The drug is also important for treatment of people with other conditions, including autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

    In some areas, demand has risen to the point where supplies are challenging to get, for people with the relevant health conditions who routinely need them.

    Some of the increased use is potentially health professionals understandably doing anything possible (even if unproven) to avoid contagion in a context of inadequate protective equipment, but speculative over-prescription and hoarding are also suspected.

    I'm trying really hard here to keep this post a simple factual summary, in light of the MFP community guidelines against political content. I think the core issue would be of common interest, but especially so to those who currently depend on hydroxychloroquine prescriptions.

    I've read two stories about people dying from trying to treat themselves with choloquine. One was about this couple in the link already posted: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/489097-man-dies-after-taking-malaria-medication-in-effort-to-prevent-coronavirus

    And here's the other story: https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/23/africa/chloroquine-trump-nigeria-intl/index.html
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    SisterSue, you get a 10++ for your very thoughtful action of offering freebies to those who need it!!

    I've stuck with my usual once a week shopping, am a little ahead on a couple things, mainly for my dogs. :blush: But am finding stores have little to none of: paper products, cleaners, and bread. I haven't been able to get one loaf of bread in 10 days now. Not even frozen bread dough. I'll have to resort to homemade but I remember trying that a couple times, years and years ago. :(

    Lots of great recipes and tips for making bread in this thread! https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10454582/so-i-was-going-to-bake-my-first-bread/p1

    All you need is flour, water, salt, and yeast :smiley:

    I prefer the Dutch oven method these days, but I have definitely made good bread in regular bread pans, and flatbread, and rolls...

    Here's a fabulous bread book: Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza

    Under normal circumstances I would suggest seeing if your library system has it (mine does) but likely your library is now closed :(
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited March 2020
    Follow up to my post about the Connie Willis book (The Doomsday Book). Now I'm at a point where the unpleasant characters in the book are calling the mysterious illness striking in 2054 the "Indian flu" (the first person known so far to have come down with it is descended (3rd gen) from Pakistani immigrants), and people are picketing and blaming the unidentified flu on the EC (book published in 1992, precursor to the EU) and demanding that England get out since immigrants bringing in the flu can come from Europe.

    Not meaning to be political and obviously details are different, but again weird parallels. (Also, in the Plague subplot, discussion of how the Plague moved from China to Italy and later England -- much slower progress for a while, though.)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    Follow up to my post about the Connie Willis book (The Doomsday Book). Now I'm at a point where the unpleasant characters in the book are calling the mysterious illness striking in 2054 the "Indian flu" (the first person known so far to have come down with it is descended (3rd gen) from Pakistani immigrants), and people are picketing and blaming the unidentified flu on the EC (book published in 1992, precursor to the EU) and demanding that England get out since immigrants bringing in the flu can come from Europe.

    Not meaning to be political and obviously details are different, but again weird parallels. (Also, in the Plague subplot, discussion of how the Plague moved from China to Italy and later England -- much slower progress for a while, though.)

    I belong to three library systems and would normally be able to get a book published in 1992 right away, but "The Doomsday Book" is in high demand these days. I'm on the wait list.

    Meanwhile, I'm reading "Station 11" and have Robin Cook books in my queue.

    Unfortunately, I just reread "The Stand" last year.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Are we supposed to be reading virus books? I didn't get the required reading list. Since I have been in a weight loss induced midlife crisis of sorts I am going back through a bunch of books from my youth. I will probably not re-read the 50 or more Star Trek books I must have read in HS. One of them probably had a space virus which would relate to corona though since it is an astrological term.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    lkpducky wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    Meanwhile I'm mucking around trying to get my hair to curl...

    (it's my apocalypse project #priorities)

    The news should be enough to make your hair curl. :o

    Maybe that's actually what's happening!!

    (my hair used to be straight, it's been getting wavier, way more so than I realised because it often gets plaited/braided or stuck in a ponytail as soon as it's washed, I'm pretty sure with not too much effort I can get ringlets)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Are we supposed to be reading virus books? I didn't get the required reading list. Since I have been in a weight loss induced midlife crisis of sorts I am going back through a bunch of books from my youth. I will probably not re-read the 50 or more Star Trek books I must have read in HS. One of them probably had a space virus which would relate to corona though since it is an astrological term.

    I'm about halfway through the last season of TNG and Data is on some planet and has lost his memory and he is carrying a case that says, "Radioactive." He sold some of the metal pieces in it and now there is an epidemic of radiation sickness but no one knows what "radioactive" means so they're all getting sick...I have it on pause right now while I log my dinner...Data is trying to diagnose and he's honing in on the metal..."When did this illness start? What were they doing when they got sick? What is new and different to those people?"

    I suppose he's gonna lock everyone down.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member
    If you really want nightmares, re-read Edgar Allen Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red Death". 😄
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    bmeadows380 wrote: »
    ...

    I ran some math numbers for my mother yesterday which I hope she understood and took to heart: if you have 50% of the some 330 million people in the US get this, with 10% of that number being hospitalized for serious cases, you have some 16.5 million people needing extreme care. If only 1% of those people die from this, that's still 165,000 people. And yet there are still some people who claim this isn't any worse than the flu!...

    My understanding is NOT that 1% of people who are hospitalized die. It's 1% of people who get infected will die. So if you run your numbers again, if half the people get it, then 1% of that half dies = 1,650,000. That's 10 times as many.
  • GummiMundi
    GummiMundi Posts: 396 Member
    veganbaum wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Report from WBUR's Here and Now program, broadcast on US National Public Radio (NPR):

    https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/03/23/malaria-drug-shortage-coronavirus

    Summary: Hydroxycholoquine (brand name Plaquenil) is an anti-malaria drug being tested for potential use against COVID-19/coronavirus. CDC sounds hopeful, but says proof is needed. US President has touted the drug in press conference as "a tremendous breakthrough" and "a game changer".

    The drug is also important for treatment of people with other conditions, including autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

    In some areas, demand has risen to the point where supplies are challenging to get, for people with the relevant health conditions who routinely need them.

    Some of the increased use is potentially health professionals understandably doing anything possible (even if unproven) to avoid contagion in a context of inadequate protective equipment, but speculative over-prescription and hoarding are also suspected.

    I'm trying really hard here to keep this post a simple factual summary, in light of the MFP community guidelines against political content. I think the core issue would be of common interest, but especially so to those who currently depend on hydroxychloroquine prescriptions.

    I am really upset by this because my grandmother is one of those who is prescribed hydroxychloroquine for a medical reason. Now she has yet one more thing to worry about, in addition to being in a very high risk group.

    It's unbelievably irresponsible to tout that something might be helpful with only anecdotal evidence - both for those who currently rely on the medication and those who might be tempted to take it because of what-ifs.

    ETA: just in case it's not clear, I'm not saying Ann is irresponsible for sharing.

    If it makes you feel any better, I think it was pretty clear (for me, at least) that you weren't referring to Ann, and I completely agree with what you said.
    I truly hope your grandmother doesn't have issues getting her meds.
    Hugs to you and your family!
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    bmeadows380 wrote: »
    ...

    I ran some math numbers for my mother yesterday which I hope she understood and took to heart: if you have 50% of the some 330 million people in the US get this, with 10% of that number being hospitalized for serious cases, you have some 16.5 million people needing extreme care. If only 1% of those people die from this, that's still 165,000 people. And yet there are still some people who claim this isn't any worse than the flu!...

    My understanding is NOT that 1% of people who are hospitalized die. It's 1% of people who get infected will die. So if you run your numbers again, if half the people get it, then 1% of that half dies = 1,650,000. That's 10 times as many.

    Latest numbers from China are 1.4% mortality rate for those who tested positive. Other information indicates around half of those infected never show symptoms and thus never are tested. That puts the mortality rate at closer to 0.7%. This is still a lot of deaths.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    mph323 wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    Meanwhile I'm mucking around trying to get my hair to curl...

    (it's my apocalypse project #priorities)

    I'm going to have to go for it and cut my bangs pretty soon. I did it routinely when I was younger but it's been years. I'm not optimistic.

    I always cut my own. Start longer than you want them, so you have extra for straightening up. Also, if you have thick bangs, it can be easier to get straight if you do it in layers. And at worst, no one's gonna see them for a while!

    Thanks! And yeah, if I botch it, it's not like the fashion police are coming for me 😄

    Next tip, cut the bottom layer slightly shorter than the top, so it's not too blunt :)
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,145 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    @BarbaraHelen2013 I've been wanting to pull out and reread The Stand too! I just finished a few Robin Cook (medical thrillers) though they weren't related to an outbreak.

    I downloaded a bunch of Robin Cook thrillers from my library last week. I love love love being able to get library books for my kindle. (Digital books can also be read on a computer - no ebook device required.)

    My library is closed now - people without library cards can check to see if they can get these remotely. Library systems are a fabulous resource. I've been using Overdrive for 10 years, but apparently there are all these other services as well:

    Your library is committed to keeping you entertained and informed throughout this difficult time. Here
    are just some of the great resources we offer online:

    ● Hoopla – Download/stream music, movies, ebooks, audiobooks, and comics
    ● Overdrive – Download ebooks and audiobooks
    ● Kanopy- Start watching the Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, Sundance and Oscar winning
    films and documentaries.
    ● RBDigital – Download magazines
    ● ODILO – Foreign Language e-books in Spanish, French, Portuguese and Russian
    ● Creativebug – Arts and Crafts classes for all skill levels. Class topics include: Art and
    Design, Knitting and Crochet, Sewing and Quilting, Papercrafts, Jewelry Making, Food
    and Home Decor, Holiday and Party Ideas, and Crafts for Kids
    ● Freegal Music - Download music and music videos from your computer or mobile device.

    All you need is your library card!

    Wow, I didn't know about the majority of this, thank you! I've been decluttering and the hardest thing to get rid of is books, I've been rereading stuff and then donating it to the library for their friends-of-the-library program (left with a few too!) so my Kindle's been resting. I met with a career coach at the library the other week and there's also resources for making and having your resume reviewed among other things. I wonder if this means the two cookbooks I checked out don't need to be returned next week!?

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    Ruatine wrote: »
    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »

    I went out both Saturday and Sunday -- I had errands, but it had the feel of what in my youth was called "going for a Sunday drive," where you piled into the car and just drove someplace, maybe looking at houses or flowers or scenery in a more rural area ... No need to have human contact that could spread a virus just because you get in your car for a drive.

    Generally the roads are a lot less busy around here. However, yesterday I went for a run in the state forest. There's a gravel road that leads back into the mountains. There's not much to see but trees and a small creek, and it seems mostly to be a hunting/fishing area in season. Normally when I run there, I'll see 1 or 2 cars an hour. Yesteday I saw 18 during my 8 mile run. Nobody on foot, though there were a couple of cars parked there, so presumably someone was running or biking. I just never saw them. I figured it would be a lot less populated than the state park or running in town. I was right.

    Re the bolded, I've noticed that where I am too. Normally my house street is quite busy throughout the day as it's a main thoroughfare for multiple subdivisions. I walked out to retrieve our trashcan this morning, and there wasn't a single car as far as I could see in either direction. It was a little eerie.

    I had an 8 a.m. appointment to give blood today at a location that normally would have easily been 40 minutes away under "good" rush hour conditions, and it barely took me 20 minutes to get there today. And we weren't even under statewide shutdown of non-essential businesses yet at that point.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    veganbaum wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Report from WBUR's Here and Now program, broadcast on US National Public Radio (NPR):

    https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/03/23/malaria-drug-shortage-coronavirus

    Summary: Hydroxycholoquine (brand name Plaquenil) is an anti-malaria drug being tested for potential use against COVID-19/coronavirus. CDC sounds hopeful, but says proof is needed. US President has touted the drug in press conference as "a tremendous breakthrough" and "a game changer".

    The drug is also important for treatment of people with other conditions, including autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

    In some areas, demand has risen to the point where supplies are challenging to get, for people with the relevant health conditions who routinely need them.

    Some of the increased use is potentially health professionals understandably doing anything possible (even if unproven) to avoid contagion in a context of inadequate protective equipment, but speculative over-prescription and hoarding are also suspected.

    I'm trying really hard here to keep this post a simple factual summary, in light of the MFP community guidelines against political content. I think the core issue would be of common interest, but especially so to those who currently depend on hydroxychloroquine prescriptions.

    I am really upset by this because my grandmother is one of those who is prescribed hydroxychloroquine for a medical reason. Now she has yet one more thing to worry about, in addition to being in a very high risk group.

    It's unbelievably irresponsible to tout that something might be helpful with only anecdotal evidence - both for those who currently rely on the medication and those who might be tempted to take it because of what-ifs.

    ETA: just in case it's not clear, I'm not saying Ann is irresponsible for sharing.

    The New York Times has reported a case of a couple who decided to self-medicate with some sort aquarium fish anti-fungal that contained hydroxycholoquine (even though they hadn't been diagnosed with covid 19). One of them died, and the other was in the hospital but apparently will recover.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    cosmiqrecovery wrote: »
    hello i'm back from my fight with the rona, let's never do that again. my dad's also doing much better. called into work this morning to tell them i'm on the mend only to have just caught my boss on his way out because surprise, they're shutting down for at least the next two weeks. i work for a school district, and the state superintendent wants to shut down school for the rest of the year. just hoping like hell that the district still needs people to run routine maintenance while the kids are out. i was so craving having at least a bit of my routine back, now i'm not sure when i'll get it back, or if.

    my fiance's job's in the air too. jewelry's not exactly in high demand these days. i'm trying to be light about it and joke with them that they're gonna have to open back up in a few months once all the post-quarantine shotgun weddings are on but they're really devastated, and frankly as much as i'm trying to hold it together, i am too. precarity and being a giant humanoid ball of anxiety don't mix right, and there's no way, absolutely no way in hell that things just fall right back into their normal places once this deescalates. the unemployment numbers and predictions coming out right now alone are as unfathomable to me as a billion dollars, absolutely bone-chilling.

    Welcome back, @cosmiqrecovery :). Glad you are feeling better!

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