Coronavirus Discussion Thread

RedBlanketRunner

Opheophagus Hannah Cuddler
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1918 Spanish flu. Mortality rate, 2.3%
Covid-19 Mortality rate: 2.3%
Population density is many times greater today and we presently have 83,000 airline flights per day.
 

SandpitMedic

Crowd pleaser
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1918 Spanish flu. Mortality rate, 2.3%
Covid-19 Mortality rate: 2.3%
Population density is many times greater today and we presently have 83,000 airline flights per day.
I think it is wise to be prudent.
An alarmist, not so much.

It is far too early to be comparing the Spanish Flu with COVID-19. The Spanish Flu infected 500 million people, meanwhile this virus has infected roughly 80,000 (of whom many are unverified).

Furthermore, the mortality associated with COVID-19 is (so far) exclusive to older folks with preexisting cardiac or pulmonary conditions.

Even furthermore, advancements in medical science and the mad dash to create a vaccine in 2020 vs what they had in 1918 make it far less likely that COVID19 will reach the scale of the Spanish Flu.

While we may disagree on the matter- and I hope I am right and it turns out to be a big nothing burger that we just add to our list of seasonal ailments, I am sure we can agree on my final point: Wash your hands.
 

GMCmedic

Forum Deputy Chief
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Meh, the mortality rate will begin to trend down as we learn more and begin to control the current outbreak. Still less lethal than Ebola and we survived that.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Feeling panicked about coronavirus? Media coverage of new epidemics often stokes unnecessary fear

By the way, CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9 million – 45 million illnesses, between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010, including an estimated 61,000 during the 2017-2018 flu season

89195402_10207437109842483_5471514999090315264_n.jpg
 

SandpitMedic

Crowd pleaser
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Can we merge threads into just Coronavirus as a title?
 

Chimpie

Site Administrator
Community Leader
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RedBlanketRunner

Opheophagus Hannah Cuddler
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I think it is wise to be prudent.
An alarmist, not so much.
Interesting quote considering your title on this forum. ;)


Those of us who work in and around the medical profession should feel a sense of obligation to avoid media sensationalism. Stick to the facts, statistics, citing credible sources. Not always that easy to do considering the time it sometimes takes for a morbidity report to come out but...

Personally, I gave up lamestream media in 1990 when half the crap on the stupid tube was politicians vying for attention. I found the best sources of information come from signing on to various medical info sites, getting the daily load in emails. Then simply scan the emails looking for the numbers, statistics, and forming my own opinions. It goes without saying to avoid quoting anything that has questionable sources. We owe that to our fellow health care workers. My quotes on this forum are from CDCs, Walter Reed, Mayo, WHO and so on and some insider info from the likes of MSF, ICRC, Stan. Med. etc and I offer it as a heads up, not to be taken as gospel but for others to check and reach their own conclusions.

My concern of course is as a health care advisor in the third world where keeping abreast of events is crucial. What I find extremely disconcerting, tragically ironic, is how close in understanding basic health care and disease prevention the modern family in the US and Europe is to the average persons in outlying villages where livestock free ranges right into peoples homes.

This present epidemic is much the same as other recent outbreaks the denial/misinformation crowd is citing, but the prevalence, rapid transmission, and mortality rate is disconcerting. Extremely disconcerting considering our last line of defense, quarantine and isolation, is given the same short shrift by the poorly educated as it is by the people who get most of their information from biased pseudo news - propaganda sources, be it the evening news or the village to village coconut wireless (Gossip).

Let's stick to the facts. The statistics. The credible reputable sources.
 

RocketMedic

Californian, Lost in Texas
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You know, RedBlanketRunner has some extremely serious credibility issues, but I think that blind squirrel found a nut after all. Spanish flu hit an estimated 500 million people, over 3 years, and the peak affects were spaced over about six months. This is in a society revolving from war, with less travel and less contact with others in most cases, and weaker reporting and testing systems.

I think Covid-19 is shaping up in the same mold.
 

SandpitMedic

Crowd pleaser
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That was a very articulate way of saying we’re all a bunch of gaboons.
Okay then...

I only have one question: I have a title on this forum?!?
 

RedBlanketRunner

Opheophagus Hannah Cuddler
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He lost his Street Creds long ago.
Considering the source, praise indeed.

I only have one question: I have a title on this forum?!?
Crowd pleaser
You know, like that guy with over 15,000 documented lies, half truths and misinformations to his credit at his poop rallys.


Seriously, something like this virus should be taken in the most serious vein possible. If dead wrong, chagrin and lots of sighs. If real and present danger, misinformation or making light of the problem only exacerbates it.
 
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SandpitMedic

Crowd pleaser
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Crowd pleaser
You know, like that guy with over 15,000 documented lies, half truths and misinformations to his credit at his poop rallys.
What? Take your meds dude. Don’t derail this thread with your politics.
 
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RocketMedic

Californian, Lost in Texas
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Coronavirus!
 

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RedBlanketRunner

Opheophagus Hannah Cuddler
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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, instantly corrected Trump: “Let me make sure you get the ... information.” A vaccine could be ready “at the earliest [in] a year to a year-and-a-half, no matter how fast you go,” said Fauci, noting: “Like I’ve been telling you, Mr. President.”

Fauci also corrected Trump after his first news conference on the coronavirus last Wednesday, when the president insisted a vaccine was “very close.” Fauci later said a coronavirus vaccine could take up to two years.
 

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
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Hand sanitizer and some food items completely ransacked in stores here. Amazon is even out of stock. So what did I do? After I realized I couldn't buy hand sanitizer I got a little nervous. Went to a different store. I saw that Glocks are still in stock at the local gun store. Did you guys know we get a "blue label" discount? Pretty funny I went from lack of hand sanitizer to deadly force. Whoops. Anyway didn't buy a gun. I'm more worried about how society reacts to this than I am the actual virus.
 
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RedBlanketRunner

Opheophagus Hannah Cuddler
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Hand sanitizer is just isopropyl alcohol sometimes with hexachlorophene and other gunk. Go buy a gallon for a $10-$20 and go nuts with it. Lots cheaper than a Glock.
Handy trick: Wear a pair of those cheap cotton gloves. Soak them in alcohol then take a casual walk around your home, vehicle and workplace, rubbing everything that you normally would touch. It's amazing some of the places we touch as we go about our daily lives that get missed when you go on a sanitizing binge.
 

NomadicMedic

I know a guy who knows a guy.
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Things are getting interesting. My friends in Washington State are nervous. 12 firefighters are now quarantined after the nursing home debacle.

Even if they're NOT sick, the quarantine will have a big impact on staffing.

If I had to quarantine 12 EMTs at my service, we would have to go out of service. It would have a huge impact on staffing
 
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