Coronavirus

[Twoapenny]

Well it's chaos here.  The schools have gone back, with instructions that any child with cold type symptoms is kept off school until they receive a negative covid test and they're running out of tests!  People are queuing for days to get one with some being told they have to do round trips of hundreds of miles to get to a testing centre.  Schools are closing as quickly as they open with parents getting back to work for a couple of days before being told they all need to stay home again until the tests have been done - which is taking days for many.  Apparently the phone lines are constantly jammed and the website keeps crashing so people can't get tests sent out to them at home either.  The papers are constantly publishing all sorts of conflicting and speculative articles which is causing panic and a lot of people are pissed off with the whole thing and just doing what they like now anyway.  I've honestly never witnessed anything like it in my life.  The rules are changing so often that no-one knows what they're meant to be doing and everything's so contradictory that a lot of people have given up even trying to follow them (me included).

It really doesn't bode well with winter coming.  Everyone gets coughs and colds in the winter and presumably everyone will be wondering whether it's Covid or not.  I'm putting together our two week supply box in case we get locked down and the supermarkets are empty again but other than that I don't feel I can do much else.  I'd love to head out a bit further afield with son now; it's been months since we did anything other than laps around our local area but the information is so patchy and contradictory that it's difficult to assess risk.  It's hard for him to not have an end point to all of this.  What an absolute shambles.

[Hopalong]

I hear you, Tupp. I think perhaps our first six months of quarantining will have been easier than the next, because of the season. I just ordered another case of TP. Will be replenishing dried beans, canned fruits, frozen everything. I won't go hungry, this town is small and elite enough (for the privileged) that there will be food, and my neighborhood is calm. But I can't imagine what it'll be like for people under the most stress to start with.

BUT. The challenge is still there. It's not too late to buy or make dehydrated everything (one can dehydrate fruits and veggies in one's own oven). They can then be stored in strong bags anywhere--under a bed, stuffed in a closet, any odd corner. I ordered bags of dried veggies that are probably an eighth of their full weight/size! I have them atop the fridge but after a closet purge they can go in with the coats if need be. In winter when I make crockpot stews/soups, that nutrition will be there.

As to socializing, as of now I'm averaging a Zoom call [EDIT] about half the weekdays (and one friend visit almost every week) in the late afternoon. Sundays, church activity gives face-connection by Zoom, and I normally don't bother about Saturdays. If I'm seeing a human face most weekday, and one in person almost weekly, I think that'll get me through the cold months, psychologically, though in-person visits will get harder. A friend is getting one of those propane heaters for her yard (which I thought about for my patio) -- so I can go see her from time to time too.

One thing I always forget about winter is that for me, the anticipation of the cold and dark is half the battle. A couple months into the cold weather I've mentally adapted and am always surprised by how lovely I find winter light, and the days of unexpected sunniness. With exercise, as much social contact as I can construct, and more attention to health and well being in every way I can cobble together, I think it's going to be okay.

Plus, it's not guaranteed but possible we'll have a sane administration again by then, so the dark tide may begin to turn. If that's the case, daily news will include hopeful things, not only more horrors.

hugs
Hops

[Twoapenny]

I'm with you on the winter light, Hopsie, it's so beautiful at times and I find winter sunsets stunning to watch.  We are pretty stocked up; I should be able to get the last few bits we need over the next week or so and it's all tins and packets and I'm putting recipes on cards to put in the box so I don't even need to faff about working out what to put with what.  Plus I've ordered bleach, loo roll, soap and so on.  It's just such a chaotic way that it's being handled - people can't really follow the safety advice because the things they need to do so aren't available!  I think what I realised this morning is that I really need to find a routine that I follow first thing.  Because I get up before my son, that early part of the day is the only time I get completely to myself so I'm reluctant to spend it doing anything - I just want to sit, maybe watch some TV or read.  But my mind wanders then and I find myself getting anxious so I think perhaps I need to get up and just get on with something straight away so that I don't start ruminating.  I do want to make myself get out to different places for walks now; son's reluctant so I haven't been pushing it but I think I need to bite the bullet tomorrow and just get us on the bus and go for a walk on the beach.  Numbers here are low but our dumb arse local MP has been declaring that numbers are so low there's virtually no risk here so people have been turning up to enjoy the risk free environment! So numbers are going up again, still low compared to some places but honestly, the wandering about needs to stop.

I was talking to a friend yesterday who joked that at least you can clear a queue quickly now by coughing loudly which did make me laugh (she was only kidding lol).

I do find I keep wobbling as well about how best to cope - buy a car so we can get out more, do the house up so it's more comfortable to be in, move somewhere more remote so there are just fewer people (and less noise!).  I do keep coming back to making the house more comfortable as the most sensible thing but in those moments of not being sure what to do I start to feel anxious.  I'm trying to focus on what i can do in the here and now but it's not always easy to keep your mind on one track xx

[sKePTiKal]

I'll make a suggestion here - in case of flu, cold or covid (not the severe type) while you're still isolating.

Right now, put together a box with your usual OTC symptom reducers, very easy to make foods (or pre-freeze single servings to easily reheat). And all the comfort items you might require. Even a sinus infection is going to be miserable when you're stuck home alone... and if you have any fever - well, chances are you won't be seen by any docs UNTIL a covid test indicates infected or not.

I am a fan of Traditional Medicinal or Yogi tea - I can't remember which brand makes the Breathe Easy tea or Gypsy Cold Care. Both are VERY GOOD and soothing for the usual winter ailments. Stock up on lemon juice & honey - an old wives remedy is the hot toddy: an ounce of bourbon, teaspoon of honey, teaspoon or more to taste of lemon juice, and boiling water. The hot toddy right before bed, also helps induce sleep. I'm also a fan of mucinex (decongestant type) at night to facilitate sleep during a cold.

Sore throat lozenges, nasal spray or neti pot, epsom salts to soak away aches in a hot bath, even aspercreme helps... or tiger balm. Plenty of tissues and toilet paper. I have gotten some temporary relief from a sinus infection by boiling a pot of water, putting a towel over my head and just inhaling the steam.

Chicken soup!!! Home made is best, but canned works too. You can easily freeze a big batch of soup for later. Myth or no, this is the world's best comfort food for winter sicknesses.

Put everything in one box, handy to access, except frozen stuff. That way, if you're on your own when a bug strikes... you can cope without having to think too hard about "where did I put that?" or when even the idea of retrieving x, y or z seems too daunting.

Knock on wood, but I haven't had the flu in over a decade. Washing my hands first thing, when ever I return to the house, is now a religious rite for me. Soap is a lot more plentiful right now than hand sanitizer - and some studies say it's more effective. Buy a 12 pack of ivory soap bars or if you can find them, the liquid pump soap.

[Twoapenny]

All good advice, Skep, which I will act on today as the science people are calling for another two week lockdown to stop the virus spreading again so no doubt people will be stampeding the shops as soon as they hear.  We're pretty well stocked already; I've been putting bits away over the last few weeks and we use quite a lot of natural/old wives' remedies anyway so I've usually got the bits we need to look after ourselves but I'll do a stock check today and order whatever else we need to put by.  We are still doing pretty well in this part of the country compared to other places, I think because we just have more open spaces and fewer people in them most of the time.  But caution, none the less.  I just feel sorry for kids if their schools get shut again and businesses that have only recently reopened having to shut down but we'll see what happens.  This one's a stayer!  When it all started I honestly thought it would be over and done with within a few months, I think the ongoing stress of it is very hard for a lot of people.

[sKePTiKal]

Think I read yesterday that 60% of businesses that closed for the virus (voluntarily or forced to) - are now closed permanently. That would be local restaurants and small retail shops, mostly. I know it's still a month to month thing, keep my fingers crossed, situation at my business.

[Hopalong]

How to cut your use of toilet paper/loo roll in half or more (after urinating, not #2):

Get a:
1) A--bike bottle (the cheap squeezy kind), OR a
    B--repurposed other squeezy bottle
   
2) Old washcloths

Aim the stream you know where, sit for a moment until dripping's done (meditate!), blot with clean washcloth or few squares of TP. 

Wash hands. Drop cloth in laundry bin or wash with soap/rinse out in sink. Hang to dry.

Ta da! Since I pee 10 times to one poo, this idea makes me happy. On a couple levels:

--No fear of running out of TP
--results are far cleaner than with TP (researched)
--Way less water use
--Way gentler on home (and city) sewage systems
--Environmentally friendlier (saves trees)
--saves $$

Tip: Urine is sterile. Major frugalizers just use water and a hand to sploosh around there and rinse urine traces away. Then wash hands. Simple!

There. Now we know each other even better! LOL.

hugs
Hops

[Twoapenny]

The police in our county and the neighbouring one have just announced that there is to be no Trick or Treat this year   There is still talk of another national lockdown, with many areas around the country already having tighter restrictions and curfews in place.  There are rumours (online) of panic buying; I've yet to hear anything locally but yeah, signs are not great.  We are apparently at the same number of hospital admissions now that we were in March (before it got really bad) and they have got one of the temporary hospitals they built then on standby as they brace themselves for high admission rates.  Medical staff have (apparently) been told to buckle in and get ready for an onslaught of cases.  It's difficult to know what's true and what isn't.  I wish we had one information source that we could be absolutely certain is completely reliable and without agenda.

What I do feel differently about know that we're facing (possibly) another six months indoors is that I feel more able to focus on what we can create in that time.  The last one was just such a welcome break that I didn't really have thoughts of doing anything (or not for long, anyway).  It was more just about resting and getting through what was to come.  Now I feel more like we can get good routines and habits in place and work on what we want more of in our lives and I like the idea of that.  I just kind of wish it didn't have to come with people dying and endless arguments about hand sanitiser and face masks

PS, Hopsie, you are far more dedicated than me - if I'm out of loo roll I just shake and go!  Lol xx

[lighter]

Oldest DD woke up with sore throat Thurs morning, which drew attention to preparedness in our house.

First, the forehead thermometer said she was dead....91.7 degrees. So frustrating and gives me doubts about all forehead thermometers.

The oral thermometer was buried in a go bag.  We made the island plan months ago, then all ports shut down.  Bag stayed packed.  I guess all the new Zinc is at the bottom, cause I only found older products in med cabinet.  DD started taking 6 lozenges a day, but won't do nose zinc.

Amber, your advice to put everything in a box is really helpful.

It became apparent I haven't stayed on top of quick reporting labs. 

In the meantime, I'll ask hospital head friend what lab she uses, bc it's super quick.  We plan to have a bonfire and BBQ on Sunday.

DD's was dehydrated and slept 10 hours with the fan on.  We quarantined her till I found the thermometer.... no fever, her sense of smell/ taste all normal.

She felt fine by that evening.  Everything fine now, but whew....now I'm thinking about asking doc and hospital head about blood thinners to have on hand, just in case.

That's my greatest fear....blood clotting issues I could have prevented.

I'm looking up breathing teas to order.

Lighter

[Twoapenny]

I'm glad she got better quickly, Lighter.  It is a worry, making sure you've got everything you need together (and easy to find).  We have had the 'you must be dead' readings from thermometers before lol, I guess they just don't work so well after a while.  They've run out of tests here, apparently, people are unable to have them delivered at home and others are having to make long trips (hundreds of miles) to get to testing centres that are functioning right now.  Madness.  How do you prioritise opening McDonalds over testing people quickly so they know whether or not they're safe to go to work?

I hope you can get all the things and info that you need and that the bonfire is good at the weekend xx

[Hopalong]

Lighter, is your daughter at genetic risk of blood clotting disorders?
If not, I doubt a doctor, even if head of hospital, would prescribe them.
Might be a nuclear approach unless she has a clotting disease, or I might've missed part of her story. Apologies if I have.

There are no secret weapons available only to those with access (I hope). Unless we're in the administration, we're all working with the same tools. Rapid testing wouldn't do much for a teenager, except to alert the household to quarantine themselves and her. Don't forget "normal" viruses are everywhere.)

Aspirin is a non-Rx blood thinner, and is advised if one might be having a heart attack.

I feel your fear and sense you're in fight mode right now. I hope that passes or proves unnecessary. But responding with a renewed commitment to precautions is a gift. No more socializing without masks, eh? My doc said, "There's nothing magical about six feet." So I've gone to 8 or 10.

hugs and calm,
Hops

[sKePTiKal]

Well, the CDC has published new revised numbers... and honestly, this doesn't seem to be as bad as the hype would have it. That said - stories still exist of people being severely ill and dying from it. And those stories are true too. So I don't have any faith this information will help anyone cope any better with the uncertainty surrounding this. Just posting it, for being able to assemble your own big picture... and make your own decisions.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/planning-scenarios.html

So, statistically, chances of INFECTION look like this:

1 out of 34,000 for ages 0 to 19;

1 out of 5,000 for ages 20 to 49;

1 out of 200 for ages 50 to 69; and

1 out of 20 for ages 70 and up.

Here’s another way to look at the same numbers. If you get infected, your chances of surviving are as follows:

Age Group Probability of Survival

0-19: 99.997%
20-49: 99.98%
50-69: 99.5%
70+: 94.6%

Stats from here:

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/new-cdc-estimates-fatality-rate-covid-19-drops-again-and-may-surprise-you

[Twoapenny]

That looks like a lot of dead old people to me?  1 in 20 seems high, I don't get how they work out who's more likely to get infected?  It seems to be the opposite here at the moment; mostly younger people getting it with a lower fatality rate (presumably because they're fitter/stronger/not getting such a high viral load?  Not sure).  It's all so confusing.

[Twoapenny]

I just checked our local numbers and they've shot right up in the last week, I wish I hadn't looked now!  Lol x

[Hopalong]

Reputable sources mean everything, as I look at stuff. Thanks for the link, Amber.

Wikipedia:

Zero Hedge or ZeroHedge is a far-right[12] libertarian[17] financial blog,[13][14] presenting staff-written articles and aggregating news and opinions from external sources.[18] Zero Hedge, per its motto,[a] is bearish in its investment outlook and analysis, often deriving from its adherence to the Austrian School of economics and credit cycles.[22] While often labeled as a financial permabear,[23][24] Zero Hedge has also been described as a source of "cutting-edge news, rumors and gossip in the financial industry".[25]

Over time, Zero Hedge expanded into non-financial analysis,[c] such as conspiracy theories and fringe rhetoric[27] that has been associated with the US radical right[

hugs,
Hops