SARS-CoV-2: Electric Superflu

Isn’t a map of the interstate system just a map of population density?

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Withdrawing this post–flu is lab tested and closely monitored by the CDC, and it’s clear that there really was an unusually severe flu season, not some sort of stealth coronavirus spread.

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Yep, this pretty much compares with the peak of typical “extremely bad” flu season rates, but with far faster onset and a more sustained peak. What this means exactly, I’m not sure.

Sure would be nice if we had widespread testing and an antibody test. Not knowing if your current symptoms are COVID-19 and not knowing if you’ve already had really sucks. Things would get back to normal so much quicker if both of these tests were widely available.

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My GF’s best friend is getting tested for Covid-19. He went to dialysis and had a 100 degree fever. Not sure if there are any other symptoms. He stopped by the house on Saturday to pick up a couple items we got for him. We stayed away from him and wiped everything down after he left but we still technically had contact I guess. Starting to get close.

UK has ordered 3.5 million antibody tests from China and South Korea.

I hear Donnie has asked South Korea for a few supplies and SK are seeing whether they have any spare. US awaiting return call from China.

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Following up on my last post

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Making my first grocery curbside pickup later today. Hopefully it goes smoothly. I feel bad for the poor soul who has to gather my 80+ items.

Good luck. If it’s anything like my pickup yesterday, the picker will be like, “Here’s all the substitutions we made, and here are all the items that were out of stock and there were no substitutions available.” We ended up not getting a bunch of basics like chicken breasts, apples, flour, milk, and tortillas. I understand how difficult these logistics are, but I wish there was a way they could let you know their stock at the ordering process rather than when you show up for pickup. If we had known all of those would be unfulfilled, we probably would have just cancelled the order.

Side note: At one point are people going to start cutting their own hair? I’m wondering what I’d look like if I just took a #2 guard to my entire head.

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I had something like that in November. My whole family as we were together for my daughters wedding. I blame one of my brothers.

I talked to a lot of people w similar. Certainly not this coronavirus but maybe the same family?

Coughed so bad I had to go to urgent care after a night I was calculating how much robotussin I could take without ODing and by 4am I was Ok with if I did OD. Codeine finally stopped it.

Quarter of the world now under lockdown

India’s decision to enforce a lockdown on its 1.3 billion people means that at least a quarter of the world’s population of 7.8 billion is now living under tough restrictions on movement and social contact.

From Rwanda to California and New York to New Zealand, the coronavirus has shut down large parts of our planet – leaving normally heaving streets deserted and towering office blocks empty.

And there’s more to come – about half the US population are believed to be living under stay at home orders and measures are expected in further states. From midnight on Thursday, all South Africans will have to stay at home for a 21-day period.

Over the last few weeks, you will have kept hearing that the coronavirus crisis has changed the world. The fact that so many of you reading this will be doing so from home, because you’ve been told to stay inside, is perhaps the starkest illustration of how this has affected all of us.

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There was an announcement a few days ago that NY was going to prioritize testing of patients who were already hospitalized. I think this is so they can figure out who needs to be isolated and who can participate in drug trials. They still seem to be doing some other testing. There was a story yesterday about how 100 NYPD members have tested positive, and I don’t think any of them are hospitalized.

Zomia isn’t always like that and failed states don’t exist in vacuums. The war lords are all supplied by non-failed states.

Zapatistas

We will be zooming past the worst flu season in 10 years about today. (200/day dead)

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Sorry to nit but that interstate running down the middle of Alabama to the FL panhandle does not exist

You must not get stuck behind very many city buses during your commute. More white people ride public transit buses than minorities. How the hell are you turning this into a racial thing?

Edit: Oops, this is wrong. It’s apparently 60/40 toward minorities. TIL.

Yeah, I’m very concerned about things I ordered a few days ago not being available, particularly meats. Substitutions, whatever. I would love to avoid actually going into the grocery store, particularly because from the couple times I’ve driven past, it looks like a good number of people are still going there.

Got mine cut late Feb so I’m ok until April then it starts to get Wild. Remember these from the 80s?

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Coronavirus antibody test ‘available within days’ in UK

The public will soon be able to conduct coronavirus antibody tests at home, the director of the national infection service at Public Health England says.

Prof Sharon Peacock told the science and technology MPs’ committee that 3.5 million tests had been bought and would be available in the “near future”.

She said the tests would allow key workers, such as doctors and nurses, to return to work if they have developed antibodies.

“Once we are assured that they do work, they will be rolled out into the community. Testing the test is a small matter, and I anticipate that it will be done by the end of this week,” Prof Peacock said.

“In the near future, people will be able to order a test that they can test themselves, or go to Boots, or somewhere similar to have their finger prick test done.”

Asked if tests would be available in days, rather than weeks or months, she added: “Absolutely.”

Antibodies are produced by the body to fight off infection, and tests could indicate whether someone has had the disease in the past.

These tests could also help work out how widespread the disease has been.