Coronavirus discussion thread - NO POLITICS, or "POLITICS by PROXY"

[SimonSays32]

Man the news cycle on this is just crazy - if it really is as bad as it sounds / looks there isn't much that can be done other than to just ride it out and see where everything ends up.

I knew it was going to be a big deal just after new years when I first started hearing about it, and initially people at work just wrote it off as a nothing-burger and continue to not take it seriously (one person was reprimanded for asking if there was a plan in place for it).

 

[HaphAsSard]

It would be nice if we can avoid the alarmist posts and the repeated calls to action and sensibility.

I myself would be wary of bundling together "alarming" posts (which is an at least partly subjective judgement, by the way) with calls to sensibility. The only thing potentially wrong with encouraging folks to be reasonable is the interpretation of where reason stands.
But anyway, different strokes.

I'm curious: would you find it just as nice if the "it's just a flu"/"don't believe the media hype"/"mass hysteria" type of posts were avoided as well?

If you have medical advice to share, think very carefully before clicking Post Reply.

This part, without context, I find one we can all agree with.

This is a global audience you are 'talking' to.

This other part is less clear.

That's my point.
I'd caution against appointing yourself the one to educate the TalkBass community about COVID-19.

[Emphasis mine.] Fair enough, I guess. Since I fail to see where @J_Bass has done as much, I take it to be a warning against doing that in the future.

I understand you're a medical professional, and appreciate the time you've taken to share your thoughts. In that line of thought, you know better than I do the danger of giving medical advice over an internet forum.

Again, I must have missed the parts where he gave medical advice. But hey, I, for one, am fully aware how biased and selective I am in my post browsing.

By the way, over at TB:Band Management they were telling people to just take their vitamins and it'll be all right. Now that's some advice-giving. In fairness, I've seen moderation has intervened.

 

[Stewie26]

I realize how fortunate I am that I can do my job from home. My wife works in retail, but most of her shift each day takes place before the store opens--she's typically gone within an hour of the open, so she sees few customers and interacts with even fewer. In addition, the pre-open staff is fewer than 10 people and they're typically spread out across a big store.

I'm thinking about all the cashiers everywhere right now and wishing them the best. They're often stuck on registers for a long time with no chance to wash their hands. Hopefully employers are diligent in providing cleaning materials at their checkout stands.

I understand your comment on the cashiers. They say handling currency is the dirtiest jobs you can have as far as exposure to who knows what is attached to the money..

 

[oldrocker]

...

As far as my neck of the woods, I received an email from our church today saying that the school where we have our service will be closed this weekend. No activities what so ever will be allowed this weekend due to concerns. Whoa!!

Whereabouts is your neck of the woods?

 

[La Faro]

I understand your comment on the cashiers. They say handling currency is the dirtiest jobs you can have as far as exposure to who knows what is attached to the money..

I had to go to my bank today, the staff were totally on edge. Really aware of the shared contact. Even just passing me the pen to sign and then taking it back.

 

[Boogiepop]

Antimalarial drug confirmed effective on COVID-19 - Xinhua | English.news.cn what the...

Chloroquine Phospate anti malaria drug works on Covid 19 according to China.

If it's stupid but it works, it ain't stupid. (Furry's Rules)

Let's hope that it really does work. Could be a game changer if it does.

B.

 

[J_Bass]

That's my point.
I'd caution against appointing yourself the one to educate the TalkBass community about COVID-19.
I understand you're a medical professional, and appreciate the time you've taken to share your thoughts. In that line of thought, you know better than I do the danger of giving medical advice over an internet forum.

-Mike

Thank you, Mike, I understand your point now and agree with you.

I wasn't giving clinical advice. I was just pointing out the differences between the viruses and the recomendations that the national health services were giving.

But I will refrain myself from now on. Thank you for letting me know.

 

[shwashwa]

i have not yet heard a good reason why the situation in the US will not become like the situation italy. geometric growth, and many people running around thinking its not serious virtually guarantees it. are there any confounding factors that make Italians more susceptible to this than us? by the way, in the US as of earlier today, roughly 1300 cases, 36 deaths. that's 2.77% death rate. that makes it 27 times more deadly than the flu. yesterday morning 1000 cases, today 1300. that's a 30% increase over night

 

[Mike JV]

Whereabouts is your neck of the woods?

I'm in Oakland county, Michigan. In the email yesterday from our pastor he said there were 2 confirmed cases of the virus in Michigan. Didn't say where specifically.

 

[MJ5150]

I myself would be wary of bundling together "alarming" posts (which is an at least partly subjective judgement, by the way) with calls to sensibility. The only thing potentially wrong with encouraging folks to be reasonable is the interpretation of where reason stands.
But anyway, different strokes.

I suppose we could now breakdown what alarmist means and what it doesn't mean.
They are not bundled together. It was one sentence with three thoughts. Here you go:
It would be nice if we can avoid the alarmist posts. It would be nice if we can avoid repeated calls to sensibility. It would be nice if we can avoid repeated calls to action.
If someone wants to make a comment about how serious this is and that we need to take it serious, go for it. Doing it repeatedly? Probably not a good idea.
As you mention, people will read/hear/believe what they want and there is no shortage of information about COVID-19 on the internet. I refer specifically to the internet since everyone posting in this thread and on this forum is using the internet to do so, and thus has access to other websites and information.
Although, perhaps I should not make that assumption. Maybe someone comes to this website only and never goes anywhere else on the internet.

I'm curious: would you find it just as nice if the "it's just a flu"/"don't believe the media hype"/"mass hysteria" type of posts were avoided as well?

Yes, and that has already been addressed by one of the Talkbass admins.
Early on that seemed to be a common feeling. As the week has gone on and more information has been revealed, we are all finding out just how serious this is. Since this is new to everyone, there is going to be adjustments to our understanding. The CDC made this comment on their website: COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning how it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and to what extent it may spread in the United States.

This part, without context, I find one we can all agree with.
This other part is less clear.

[Emphasis mine.] Fair enough, I guess. Since I fail to see where @J_Bass has done as much, I take it to be a warning against doing that in the future.

A general comment to anyone who may be inclined to post repeated warnings in this thread about how serious the situation is. About how to treat the virus. About how people need to act now. About how people need to be more responsible, and additional comments along those lines. Myself included.

Again, I must have missed the parts where he gave medical advice. But hey, I, for one, am fully aware how biased and selective I am in my post browsing.

A general comment to anyone who may be inclined to post medical advice.

By the way, over at TB:Band Management they were telling people to just take their vitamins and it'll be all right. Now that's some advice-giving. In fairness, I've seen moderation has intervened.

As you may, or may not, have seen mentioned, the folks who moderate at TalkBass are unpaid volunteers. We're dealing with COVID-19 just like everyone else while trying to gig, work, and support our families while tending to our moderating duties here. It's becoming increasingly difficult to stay on top of these threads for a few different reasons.

-Mike

 

[La Faro]

If it's stupid but it works, it ain't stupid. (Furry's Rules)

Let's hope that it really does work. Could be a game changer if it does.

B.

This video discusses the relevance of Chloroquine and why it could be effective.

 

[MJ5150]

Thank you, Mike, I understand your point now and agree with you.

I wasn't giving clinical advice. I was just pointing out the differences between the viruses and the recomendations that the national health services were giving.

But I will refrain myself from now on. Thank you for letting me know.

Thank you for providing your thoughts and experience to this community. You didn't have to do it, yet you did.
That speaks to the quality of person you are and how much you care about the folks who visit this website.
I am not acting as a moderator and telling you to stop.
I just worry that when someone like you who is qualified to speak on this matter does so, then the thread fills up with misinformation from others later, your comments may be lumped in with the bad info by readers who are unable, or maybe unwilling, to see the difference.

-Mike

 

[Tom Bomb]

Hopefully employers are diligent in providing cleaning materials at their checkout stands.

They are here. While they're not selling sanitizer to us, they have ample staff supplies on hand (sorry). I'm using rubbing alcohol. Does the trick.

I talked to a couple of kids at the checkouts. They were interested but knew next to nothing about the virus. Poor souls. I gave them a bit of background. At least they're young and healthy. But I worry for them.

The toilet paper isle was a ghost town — one slightly nervous lad, guarding a near empty pallet in the center of the wasteland. Nice kid. I asked him where his gun was. That got a laugh. I was lucky to get a few rolls. And facial tissues are just as rare. I had to swing by a few times to grab a fresh stash. Even paper towels are being rationed. So is rice and baby wipes.

One of the ladies at the post office looked unusually gaunt today. That place surely must be a danger zone. I didn't want to touch the stylus to sign for my package but I did, sheepishly, after she gave me a tissue. Lovely lady.

It's surreal. Everything looks different. People are more kind than usual, it seems to me, incongruously. Times like these perhaps we're more appreciative of each other. I don't know. I talked to a pharmacist too. Everyone's resigned to the fact that it's upon us, putting on a brave face. I doubt that many are truly aware of what we may be in for, 'round the corner.

We really need to be more efficient, across the board, so that it's not so hard to reason these things out. Maybe we need to be more honest too, and more deliberate.

 

[Boogiepop]

This video discusses the relevance of Chloroquine and why it could be effective.

Fingers crossed. Thanks for posting.

B.

 

[J_Bass]

I myself would be wary of bundling together "alarming" posts (which is an at least partly subjective judgement, by the way) with calls to sensibility. The only thing potentially wrong with encouraging folks to be reasonable is the interpretation of where reason stands.
But anyway, different strokes.

I'm curious: would you find it just as nice if the "it's just a flu"/"don't believe the media hype"/"mass hysteria" type of posts were avoided as well?

This part, without context, I find one we can all agree with.
This other part is less clear.


[Emphasis mine.] Fair enough, I guess. Since I fail to see where @J_Bass has done as much, I take it to be a warning against doing that in the future.

Again, I must have missed the parts where he gave medical advice. But hey, I, for one, am fully aware how biased and selective I am in my post browsing.

By the way, over at TB:Band Management they were telling people to just take their vitamins and it'll be all right. Now that's some advice-giving. In fairness, I've seen moderation has intervened.

Thank you for reading my posts the way I thought they were being read.

And thank you for explaining my point better than myself.

I will continue to contribute to this thread if I think it's a plus for the community, but with more caution.

I know no medical advice was done in my posts. I would never do that.

I gave, not my opinion, but the facts. Supported always by literature. Science is not opinion. Science is facts.

 

[J_Bass]

Thank you for providing your thoughts and experience to this community. You didn't have to do it, yet you did.
That speaks to the quality of person you are and how much you care about the folks who visit this website.
I am not acting as a moderator and telling you to stop.
I just worry that when someone like you who is qualified to speak on this matter does so, then the thread fills up with misinformation from others later, your comments may be lumped in with the bad info by readers who are unable, or maybe unwilling, to see the difference.

-Mike

I understand, thank you.

 

[J_Bass]

I had a few hours to spare today and decided to go buy some things we were missing at home. Increasing activity at the supermarket. All the isles were full, but one. Only one was almost empty.

I really don't understand this global need for toilet paper!

 

[La Faro]

I really don't understand this global need for toilet paper!

Bum guns seem a much better solution. Toilet paper for drying, not cleaning.

 

[Mike JV]

My next door neighbor works at the school where our church services are held. Asked her about it and she said school is open for daily classes but once over, that's it. No after school sports and no rehearsals for the upcoming play. Hmm.

Tomorrow I have to venture out to the bank and grocery store. Not being an alarmist nor am I blowing it off, just wondering if I'll notice anything different.

 

[Yonni]

We really need to be more efficient, across the board, so that it's not so hard to reason these things out. Maybe we need to be more honest too, and more deliberate.

If nothing else this will be a good learning opportunity for future outbreaks; what works as well as what doesn’t. It’s going to be very interesting to see how our government in the UK’s gamble on postponing school closures etc until later in the outbreak plays out. Full disclosure: I work in public health and we’ve spent the day trying to decide whether or not we cancel events in the more than 15 people size group. Still no decision or communication made and we’re public health! We don’t even know which way to jump as we’ve never seen this before. I’m not involved in these decisions but it affects my work.