Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #46

[otto]

PS - if you're going to peel them, don't worry about soap. No, it won't soak through the skin of the potato.

We don't allow boxes inside (much) either.

I don't wear gloves for all of this, but I do wash my hands several times during the unpacking and stocking process. I suppose if I lived somewhere with a higher rate of CoVid (like NYC), I might be a bit more paranoid.

Just keep in mind that you won't know about a higher rate until after it has been spreading for 2 weeks.

 

[they'll get you]

WTH? I’ve been self isolating close on 3 weeks and only now and people are still being bought in on chartered flights at a cost of $15,000 per ticket at our govt’s cost? I’m thinking we are getting scammed!

Weren’t they been given enough notice to get their own ***** home


Special flights for Australians organised from Cambodia, India
12/04/2020|1min
A special flight is scheduled to depart Phnom Penh on Sunday night to bring home up to 210 Australians from Cambodia.
Special flights for Australians organised from Cambodia, India | Sky News Australia

 

[pocketaccent]

I’m quite accident prone. @anneg saved me, not even kidding. I’m still thinking about that. It scares me to even think “what if”? (Speaking of, where are you @What if... , and @Tadpole12 and @Medstudies and a lot of other people I haven’t seen in a while.)

Yeah I have NO business changing skylights out. None. They’re really high. What was I even thinking.

So, we can put that on the list. Be careful at home as we attempt home projects bc the last place we want to end up is the ER.

Well done @anneg ! Thank you again.

Even during normal, non-pandemic times, if you are alone and have to use a ladder, call someone first to tell them what you are about to do. Tell them to call you back in 15 min or however long it takes to finish the job. If you don't answer, they need to take action.

This has been our house rule ever since my mom fell off the chair trying to hang some plants in her patio some years ago. She was laying on the ground until her neighbor found her and called 911.

 

[margarita25]

Rsbm / BBM:

I don't wear gloves for all of this, but I do wash my hands several times during the unpacking and stocking process. I suppose if I lived somewhere with a higher rate of CoVid (like NYC), I might be a bit more paranoid.

Thank you very much for the responses about the potatoes!

Re: the above bolded, CV is everywhere though. moo. Respectfully, I wouldn’t base that on NYC or not, jmo.

In fact, I heard a doctor comment on this just yesterday re: his opinion on border checks at Texas/Louisiana. He said it’s everywhere so Louisiana being singled out doesn’t make much sense. Let me try to find that. I think it may have been in the article @Herat posted re: vaccination, etc.

—-

ETA:

“Right now we're going mainly state by state, and looking at things like closing state borders — or at least requiring self-quarantine for people traveling to Texas from Louisiana. How do you think that works?

It doesn't reflect the reality of the situation. COVID-19 is in every state in the country right now.

Travel restrictions sound appealing because they make it seem like, “Well, it's over. We just shut that travel down, and that will prevent the virus from coming in.” The president has said that he slowed things down by closing down travel with China. But we have reports now, based on the genetic sequence of the virus, that the virus in New York came in from Europe.

At this point, we have to recognize that the virus is probably everywhere. There's a diminishing return at this point of cutting down traffic between states.”

Coronavirus expert Peter Hotez: ‘Now's the time when you're at greatest risk of contracting the virus by being in crowds.’

—-

As for washing them without gloves, I don’t want that stuff under a fingernail. My nails are short and am being meticulous about keeping them that way. I’m wearing gloves to touch anything that could have the virus on it. Of course again you have to use the gloves properly. No cross contamination.

 

[ilovewings]

IMO this cannot be true. I'm a heavy (3 packs a day) smoker. I have emphysema and am quite aware that this self-inflicted disease has thrust me into the "highly vulnerable" category for a fatal outcome, should I contract the virus.
I've seen studies that say smokers are 14x more likely to die than non-smokers, due to our already compromised lungs. I don't have the source handy but can google it if required by WS.
I'm 62, but my doctor has told me that my lung capacity is the equivalent of someone aged 82. Therefore it wouldn't take much for Covid to take me down.
Yes, I know the hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance projected by my assiduous attempts to avoid the Coronavirus, while continuing to smoke three packs a day. I can't defend it in any sensible way, except that for smoking, I choose to take the risk. Corona seems more villainous because it feels like it suddenly yanks someone from healthy to the grave.
As a postscript, a pack of cigarettes costs $14 in NYC. I avoid thinking about the math.

ETA I attached a screenshot from WEbMD. I couldn't get the link to copy correctly.

IMO this cannot be true. I'm a heavy (3 packs a day) smoker. I have emphysema and am quite aware that this self-inflicted disease has thrust me into the "highly vulnerable" category for a fatal outcome, should I contract the virus.
I've seen studies that say smokers are 14x more likely to die than non-smokers, due to our already compromised lungs. I don't have the source handy but can google it if required by WS.
I'm 62, but my doctor has told me that my lung capacity is the equivalent of someone aged 82. Therefore it wouldn't take much for Covid to take me down.
Yes, I know the hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance projected by my assiduous attempts to avoid the Coronavirus, while continuing to smoke three packs a day. I can't defend it in any sensible way, except that for smoking, I choose to take the risk. Corona seems more villainous because it feels like it suddenly yanks someone from healthy to the grave.
As a postscript, a pack of cigarettes costs $14 in NYC. I avoid thinking about the math.

ETA I attached a screenshot from WEbMD. I couldn't get the link to copy correctly.

I am impressed with your honesty!

 

[I'm Just Here]

So I’ve got a potato issue.

I’m grateful to have potatoes that the shopper was able to find but they’re not the “protected” kind in the non-net bag,

They’re sitting in the doorway in a closed box. I personally have avoided fresh produce bc it is exposed, moo. I’m buying frozen/jar and cleaning the packaging then transferring it to my own ziplocks, etc if I can. I learned that otherwise I still feel the need to watch my hands even after cleaning the packages, etc. because I feel grossed out or unsure that I got every inch of the surface (the doctor’s “glitter” analogy again comes to mind). Everyone might not go as overboard as me but like I said I’m about the “peace of mind”. I don’t want to have to wash my hands every time I touch something out of my fridge.

Yeah, so anyway, potatoes are sitting there in the doorway. How long does CV live on a potato? I’m not touching them for a while. I know they’ll be okay after boiling but still.
I don’t want to touch them to even clean them or bring them in my kitchen til I know the virus is dead. I’ll wait.

Can I wash the outsides with soap and water in a few days then cut the skin off? Will it soak up the soap? I will wear gloves.

I know I sound like a nutcase. I am.

—

ETA:

I disinfect items at the door before I bring them into the kitchen if they have to come in immediately.

I bring a small tub with bleach and hot water to the doorway (with gloves on).

First the items get wiped with the bleach water or “take a dip”, depending on the container.

Then they go into a different tub where I then bring them into the kitchen to wash with soap and water.

Then I change out the packaging if I can.

All to be sure not to cross contaminate anything while wearing/ switching out gloves.

Oh I also have a separate box outside the door where exterior packaging gets dumped, say the cardboard around a lunch meat packet.

Also, delivery boxes don’t come in. I open them at the doorway with gloves, then put the items like the sealed jars, cans, packages etc in the bleach tub.

Also, when I transfer certain things to the ziplock, I make small portions for rationing.

Who knows how long we’ll be here.

I wash mine with cool water and a small amount of dishsoap but don't scrub. Rinse them well. Do not use bleach or harsh cleaners. I peal skins or bake it with skins.

 

[Chelly]

I wash mine with cool water and a small amount of dishsoap but don't scrub. Rinse them well. Do not use bleach or harsh cleaners. I peal skins or bake it with skins.

I wash potatoes individually by hand with soap and water. Same with tomatoes.

 

[Chelly]

My neighbors and I all have covid-hair. No haircuts, no hair color and we're good with it. No fussing over fingernail polish anymore either. We are all in same boat.

 

[KALI]

Reprehensible. They seem to NEVER learn.

Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, China Bans Domestic Trade of Wild Animals, but Offers Tax Breaks for Exports
China disapproves of ‘recklessly eating wild animals’ as its Finance Ministry offers incentives to ship them abroad

<snip> Chinese authorities have shut down domestic wild animal traders on fears their goods sparked the coronavirus pandemic. Now officials are offering tax incentives to the multibillion-dollar animal-products industry to ship some of the creatures overseas, according to Chinese government documents.

WSJ News Exclusive | Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, China Bans Domestic Trade of Wild Animals, but Offers Tax Breaks for Exports


<snip> Chinese authorities are now offering a 9% rebate on the export of animal products, such as edible snakes and turtles, primate meat, beaver and civet musk, and rhino horns, despite banning their domestic trade, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Why it matters: Encouraging wild animal sales abroad "could spread the risk to global markets," according to a Congressional Research Service report cited by the WSJ.

"Recklessly eating": China encourages export of wild animals despite coronavirus ban

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Happy Easter to all who celebrate today.

Does anyone have one particular insignificant Coronavirus-related thing that you are finding irksome?

Mine is my IPhone telling me every day that I haven't walked as much as I did previously.

My nose or eyes itching from spring allergies and not being able to scratch.

The cat I recently had to euthanize had only 3 legs. I used to feel so sorry for her when her ear on the side of the missing leg itched. I could see her hip joint moving as she tried to scratch with that nonexistent foot. I thought of that today while driving as my nose itched and I couldn’t do anything about it.

 

[SandyQLS]

So I’ve got a potato issue.

I’m grateful to have potatoes that the shopper was able to find but they’re not the “protected” kind in the non-net bag,

They’re sitting in the doorway in a closed box. I personally have avoided fresh produce bc it is exposed, moo. I’m buying frozen/jar and cleaning the packaging then transferring it to my own ziplocks, etc if I can. I learned that otherwise I still feel the need to watch my hands even after cleaning the packages, etc. because I feel grossed out or unsure that I got every inch of the surface (the doctor’s “glitter” analogy again comes to mind). Everyone might not go as overboard as me but like I said I’m about the “peace of mind”. I don’t want to have to wash my hands every time I touch something out of my fridge.

Yeah, so anyway, potatoes are sitting there in the doorway. How long does CV live on a potato? I’m not touching them for a while. I know they’ll be okay after boiling but still.
I don’t want to touch them to even clean them or bring them in my kitchen til I know the virus is dead. I’ll wait.

Can I wash the outsides with soap and water in a few days then cut the skin off? Will it soak up the soap? I will wear gloves.

I know I sound like a nutcase. I am.

—

ETA:

I disinfect items at the door before I bring them into the kitchen if they have to come in immediately.

I bring a small tub with bleach and hot water to the doorway (with gloves on).

First the items get wiped with the bleach water or “take a dip”, depending on the container.

Then they go into a different tub where I then bring them into the kitchen to wash with soap and water.

Then I change out the packaging if I can.

All to be sure not to cross contaminate anything while wearing/ switching out gloves.

Oh I also have a separate box outside the door where exterior packaging gets dumped, say the cardboard around a lunch meat packet.

Also, delivery boxes don’t come in. I open them at the doorway with gloves, then put the items like the sealed jars, cans, packages etc in the bleach tub.

Also, when I transfer certain things to the ziplock, I create small portions with rationing in mind.

If I hadn’t rationed so far J would’ve been in trouble because there was a long delivery wait.

—

Who knows how long we’ll be here.

They're driving us all crazy with this! I left all the dry goods, cans, and things like yams, potatoes, onion, in the trunk of the car. It can sit there for 48 hours and I will deem it "safe" to enter the house.

I will put the potatoes straight into the refrigerator drawer unwrapped so they stay dry. When I want to cook them, to get the dirt off I scrub them with liquid dish soap (contains ammonia, safer for food, I never use bleach in the kitchen or on food). Then cut and cook.

I don't think I would wash them until use because if they get wet, they might rot.

 

[Chelly]

Just occurred to me, I haven't worn make up in nearly two months due to self-isolation. I haven't gone this long without makeup since I was 13. No one in my city has EVER seen me without makeup. The only 2 times I ventured out was to Walmart, where I wore a cap over my hair, a mask, scarf and a spare pair of eye-glasses. Unrecognizable.

 

[katydid23]

So I’ve got a potato issue.

I’m grateful to have potatoes that the shopper was able to find but they’re not the “protected” kind in the non-net bag,

They’re sitting in the doorway in a closed box. I personally have avoided fresh produce bc it is exposed, moo. I’m buying frozen/jar and cleaning the packaging then transferring it to my own ziplocks, etc if I can. I learned that otherwise I still feel the need to watch my hands even after cleaning the packages, etc. because I feel grossed out or unsure that I got every inch of the surface (the doctor’s “glitter” analogy again comes to mind). Everyone might not go as overboard as me but like I said I’m about the “peace of mind”. I don’t want to have to wash my hands every time I touch something out of my fridge.

Yeah, so anyway, potatoes are sitting there in the doorway. How long does CV live on a potato? I’m not touching them for a while. I know they’ll be okay after boiling but still.
I don’t want to touch them to even clean them or bring them in my kitchen til I know the virus is dead. I’ll wait.

Can I wash the outsides with soap and water in a few days then cut the skin off? Will it soak up the soap? I will wear gloves.

I know I sound like a nutcase. I am.
—

ETA:

I disinfect items at the door before I bring them into the kitchen if they have to come in immediately.

I bring a small tub with bleach and hot water to the doorway (with gloves on).

First the items get wiped with the bleach water or “take a dip”, depending on the container.

Then they go into a different tub where I then bring them into the kitchen to wash with soap and water.

Then I change out the packaging if I can.

All to be sure not to cross contaminate anything while wearing/ switching out gloves.

Oh I also have a separate box outside the door where exterior packaging gets dumped, say the cardboard around a lunch meat packet.

Also, delivery boxes don’t come in. I open them at the doorway with gloves, then put the items like the sealed jars, cans, packages etc in the bleach tub.

Also, when I transfer certain things to the ziplocks, etc., I create small portions with rationing in mind.

If I hadn’t rationed so far I would’ve been in trouble because there was a very long delivery wait. Who knows how long we’ll be here...I am rationing. Logistics and delivery is obviously an issue.

I wouldn't put soap and water on the potatoes. I think that would be a mistake and they would taste soapy.

You can wear gloves when you touch them, and put them in the oven, slit at the top, as baked potatoes. Once they are baked, you can make them in other ways. Turn them into mashed potatoes, or hash browns, or just salt and butter them as yummy baked potatoes.

You will not get CV from them after they are baked in a hot oven. JMO

ETA---guess I am wrong about the soap...just saw the above post by someone who washes them that way.

I just use water and vinegar to rinse them off before baking.

 

[Gardener1850]

Do any of you remember the date when you personally became aware of this virus, at first vaguely in the news, and not yet in your area?

In So. California, I know I was already aware of the virus but as only a distant threat.

On Jan. 23--I saw a disgusting video of a woman eating Bat Soup and mentioned it in an email.

On Feb. 9-- around the Chinese New Year celebration here, I got on an elevator after a bunch of Chinese people got off on their way to the celebration, and it crossed my mind. I was hearing things and beginning to worry.

By Feb. 14th-- I was starting to feel cautious. I went to a gathering and it crossed my mind again.

By Feb 22nd-- I wondered if it was safe to babysit my granddaughter.

By March 3rd-- I finally was convinced I should be careful, but I never imagined this full-blown Pandemic. Still seems unreal.

When did you become aware of something happening elsewhere and then in your backyard?

I first became aware of it when this thread was started on Jan 17th. I followed the first few threads lightly but I was completely engaged in the JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan threads. That case was super complex with breaking news daily and I had taken on doing a timeline there. I couldn't keep up with the Coronavirus news. I could barely keep up with my other case threads at that time and do the case timeline I was doing. So I mostly didn't pay attention to Corona in January.

However, I checked back in on the threads a couple times thanks to @margarita25 posting in the Breaking News thread. She posted on Jan 28th and Jan 30th: ***BREAKING NEWS!*** NO DISCUSSION
And then again on Feb 25th/26th: ***BREAKING NEWS!*** NO DISCUSSION
(A couple others posted the breaking Corona news there too).

I'm pretty sure I checked back on the Corona threads because of Magz posting those times, but again I was too engaged on other threads and I could not keep up with following here for most of Feb. I didn't really start to worry about Coronavirus coming to the US until around late Feb. Before that I thought it was going to turn out just like the Ebola situation a few years ago had turned out. Just before Ebola resurfaced my DH was supposed to travel for his job to one of the African countries that was badly hit with Ebola (I can't recall which one now). DH's trip got delayed for a non-Ebola reason and his coworker went to that African country instead. This was before it was a very bad crisis there. The coworker came back sick and suddenly we were hearing a lot about Ebola in the American news. His dr diagnosed it as Malaria but the coworker had to self-quarantine with his family at his house "just in case" it was Ebola. DH had worked closely with this coworker for 1 day after his return before he got his fever. We were terrified and canceled vacation plans and self isolated ourselves back then as well. Thankfully we never got sick and the co-worker's illness really was only Malaria. Still no picnic, I'm sure, but the coworker fully recovered. We've been super careful to ask our dr for anti-malaria prescriptions prior to travel ever since that whole ordeal.

Anyway, back in January I figured this whole Corona thing would turn out like Ebola for the US. I was watching it sort of peripherally because my DH and I travel frequently. But I thought if Ebola could be controlled by quarantine procedures then a "flu-like" illness would be easily contained in the same way. That was before I knew much about Corona, of course. I think my main concern early on was that I might not be able to get things made in China or with a Chinese cultural connection anymore, due to discrimination closing down Chinese restaurants and businesses in the US. We eat a lot of rice products because of being Gluten Free and Asian is my favorite type of take-out food. And I love to go to the Asian grocery stores when I get a chance to go to a big city.

Strangely, the first thing that I noticed shortages of at my grocery store was Gluten Free Soy Sauce. I don't really understand why because the regular soy sauce that has wheat in it was fully stocked but I went to several stores in late Feb/Early March and there were holes where the GF soy sauce used to be. I hadn't yet connected the lack of GF soy sauce to Coronavirus in my mind, however. One of the Organic Grocery Stores that I would sometimes take a mini road trip to if I couldn't find something locally had abruptly closed all of it's stores in January: Earth Fare - Wikipedia
At the time I thought the GF soy sauce shortage might be due to the closing of those stores and people having to get their GF and Organic items elsewhere.

It was early March when I saw the rice shelf in a store was completely empty. A light bulb went off in my head and I knew right away that had to be because of Coronavirus. I panicked at that time. Rice is the equivalent of bread to a Gluten Free person. We are heavy on veggies and meat as well but when times are lean we sometimes depend on rice as a staple to stretch our food until payday. I drove to all the stores I could think of looking for rice. I went to stores I never go to such as dollar stores. I found small 1 lb or 2 lb bags and got about a dozen of them. Every store I went to was low on rice. Then I came back and read the Coronavirus threads a bit more. Then I went out and shopped more for things I thought might run out. I beleive I first posted in these threads on March 12th: Coronavirus COVID-19 *Global Health Pandemic* #20

I've been following this thread closely ever since then, so at least a month now. I wish I had paid closer attention earlier so we would be more stocked up, but I figured things out a lot sooner than most people in my area or in my circle of friends and family. That's all thanks to you wonderful people posting updates constantly.

 

[margarita25]

They're driving us all crazy with this! I left all the dry goods, cans, and things like yams, potatoes, onion, in the trunk of the car. It can sit there for 48 hours and I will deem it "safe" to enter the house.

I will put the potatoes straight into the refrigerator drawer unwrapped so they stay dry. When I want to cook them, to get the dirt off I scrub them with liquid dish soap (contains ammonia, safer for food, I never use bleach in the kitchen or on food). Then cut and cook.

I don't think I would wash them until use because if they get wet, they might rot.

Good point about washing right before, etc. How long can I keep them there in the doorway before they get those eyes and roots on them? Those give me ickies and heebee jeebies even though it’s safe I think.

 

[10ofRods]

Just keep in mind that you won't know about a higher rate until after it has been spreading for 2 weeks.

Yes, I know that. That's why I subscribe to journals and use dashboards that account for that.

Due to the fact that the US has now tested more people (by far) than any other nation and due to the fact that we are mostly testing people who have symptoms, you have to look up algorithms for that as well - which the dashboard makers who are virologists and epidemiologists do quite well for me. I don't have to do it on my own (but I do follow the research on which they're basing their assumptions).

For example, New York got more test kits but uses them pretty much only when a person is sick enough to be admitted to the hospital. Generally speaking, developing algorithms for those cases is different than simply trying to predict how many patients on average got the virus 2 weeks earlier. Right now, US based research on the more populated coast seems to indicate that the average person was spreading the virus to 5.9-6.0 people before social distancing.

Whereas in some places (South Korea), they were able to round up their small number of early cases and keep those people from spreading it to 6 other people by quarantining all of them and all of their family members and work cohorts.

We can't do that in the US because we don't have the testing capacity nor the ability to track patients once the number is as high as it is.

It's very concerning that the number of new cases each day in New York and New Jersey continue to climb significantly. They will be on a "death plateau" for quite some time, even with improvements in care. However, it's crucial to notice that the overall daily increase is not, itself, indicating further exponential increase - it's a more moderate curve, which is very encouraging.

Since it's a more moderate curve that means that approximately two weeks ago, the virus was spreading less like a wildfire - and the experts modify their predictions accordingly. That's why Dr Fauci is cautiously optimistic about reopening parts of the economy by May 15.

It will be a long time before we know the total number of people infected.

Florida, alone, with its late and increasingly desperate management of testing and hospitalization, has way more cases than it yet realizes. It's my belief that no one knows how many have already died in Florida, when they got the disease, or what's real growth rates in that state are.

While CoVid can be diagnosed after death, almost no place is doing that due to the need for PCR machinery to be used on behalf of the still-living. There's no way that New York or New Jersey or Michigan or Florida could possibly provide autopsies to all the dead, they're having to make assumptions.

I really like this site:

IHME | COVID-19 Projections

because it shows where all the various predictions have led scientists to believe the numbers will go - and then the actual numbers as each day unfolds. You can see, for example, where scientists thought we might be in California based on February projections (the very high pink peak on the death graph) and where we actually are, with the current projection (which has now become pretty accurate). While no one knew for certain waht was going on two weeks ago, the epidemiologists have refined their predictions to be very, very close to predicting tomorrow's mortality.

California was originally (in February) predicted to have 122-125 deaths per day at our peak, but after we took radical steps in social distancing, it has dropped steadily and now sits at 60-65 deaths per day.

While New York has roughly peaked and is on a plateau with 799-800 deaths per day. All of this is based on statistical modeling and has been very accurate - NY will almost certainly be at around 700-750 deaths a day for the next few days, then it will slowly start to drop.

 

[LadyL]

They're driving us all crazy with this! I left all the dry goods, cans, and things like yams, potatoes, onion, in the trunk of the car. It can sit there for 48 hours and I will deem it "safe" to enter the house.

I will put the potatoes straight into the refrigerator drawer unwrapped so they stay dry. When I want to cook them, to get the dirt off I scrub them with liquid dish soap (contains ammonia, safer for food, I never use bleach in the kitchen or on food). Then cut and cook.

I don't think I would wash them until use because if they get wet, they might rot.

you shouldn't refrigerate potatoes fyi
it turns the starch into sugar
also can end up with a nasty taste after cooking

ETA: 10 Foods You Shouldn't Keep In The Fridge

 

[10ofRods]

So...what do you all think is going to happen when we "reopen" and what do you think will happen in your locale?

They think only about 15-17% of Californians have had CV19 (no one knows for sure, I sure wish we'd wait to find that out before reopening).

Is it going to become a thing where the vulnerable (people over 60 mainly) continue to stay home and the rest of the world goes back to regular life - with more new cases of CV19, but at lower mortality rates?

What do you think? What is mid-May going to be like?

 

[jjenny]

Virus dies eventually, so presumably one can just put their potatoes in a dry dark place and leave them there until one deems it's safe.

 

[margarita25]

Published: 10:23pm, 26 Jan, 2020

5 million left Wuhan before lockdown
5 million left Wuhan before lockdown, 1,000 new virus cases expected

Oh believe me we agonized over this when it happened. I’m pretty sure I posted that article actually. A few times.

This is very important and deserves a bumping so thanks for bringing forward.

So...what do you all think is going to happen when we "reopen" and what do you think will happen in your locale?

They think only about 15-17% of Californians have had CV19 (no one knows for sure, I sure wish we'd wait to find that out before reopening).

Is it going to become a thing where the vulnerable (people over 60 mainly) continue to stay home and the rest of the world goes back to regular life - with more new cases of CV19, but at lower mortality rates?

What do you think? What is mid-May going to be like?

It seems this is on the forefront of my mind, all of our minds.

Honestly I’m quite depressed about a recent article I posted yesterday that focused on the potential of more “waves”.

I’m mentally dealing with the fact who knows how long we’ll be here.

I’m thinking we will gradually release lockdown in certain areas. Maybe not as gradually as I’d like. I’m afraid the pressure to reopen the economy, or something else, is going to cause a huge second wave.

I’m very concerned about the “back flow”, “boomerang effect”, and resurgence, last I heard Singapore, iirc, wanted to take a look at that today. They were successful in the early days with their “disease mapping”, iirc.

ETA / re: “waves”:

Additionally:

“This disease may come in waves, like the flu pandemic of 1918. That came in several waves between the beginning of 1918 and the end of 1920. That was a three-year pandemic, and that's a possibility for us as well.

Figuring out a plan for the country in the event that we don't have a vaccine is going to be very important for us. Some people are not happy that I said that because it sounds so pessimistic. It isn't.

I do think we will have other technologies coming out. We've already got the convalescing the antibody therapy. We've got some new drugs that will come online.

But let's consider a realistic timeframe too, in case the vaccines are not out, and figuring out if this virus comes in waves.”

What would that look like in terms of getting people to back to work? How would we manage that? That includes mental health aspects. Will people have PTSD in terms of going back to work?

We’ll also have governors from some states unwilling to go back to social distancing once we're off that first hook. Even in this month, when things are so dire in the country, you've got about a third of the governors who are pushing back against aggressive social distancing.

What's it going to be a year from now if we're off social distancing, then we have to go back on?

And who organizes it? Who organizes the response? Who charts the plan for us?

How do we figure this out as a nation? How do we look at all the models and say, what's a realistic model? And and if this virus does show a waxing and waning course, how do we deal with that, working with governments, working with businesses, and working with health systems? This is going to be a very complicated situation.”

[...]

“”Then let's say the levels of transmission continue to stay down for the next few months. When are the predictions this virus might return? Is in the fall of this year? Is it January of next year? April next year? Getting guidance about that will be really helpful.

Other questions are, who goes back into the workforce? Is that only people that have been infected and have antibodies that make them resistant to infection? Or is it or is it everyone?

I certainly don't have the answers to that. We're going to have to have some meaningful dialogue and convene some of the best minds in the country. I suggested on CNN that bringing in the National Academy of Sciences, or a similar organization, would be very helpful. We need some of the best scientists in the country around the table, looking at the models and charting a path.”

[...]

“I’m really scratching my head figuring out what the next two and three years look like. That's a big one.””