Corona Virus

[rlown]

We're not there yet but like the Andromeda Strain, another good movie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_ ... 1964_film)

[TahoeJeff]

[Wandering Daisy]

The per capita hospital bed statistic is only as relevant assuming that along with the "bed" is the staff, equipment and drugs needed to treat severe lung problems. In some hospitals, it is not the "beds" but lack of sufficient ventilators and safety clothing/masks for the staff that is the problem. Evidently, after the SARS and other virus scares recently, progress was being made to prepare for the next virus outbreak, but funding was cut by the federal government. Stupid short-term thinking. Now we are paying the price.

On the brighter side, I have observed that every day here has been a "green"(good) air quality day. Skies are so clear- a good lesson on what cars do to our air quality, granted that spring breezes and moderate temperatures help too. I find it useful to get out of the "coronavirus" bubble each day and simply appreciate nature. Weeds popping up all over my yard reminds me that time marches on, regardless. I remain hopeful that some backpack plans will still work this season.

[SSSdave]

Avalanche against official mask advice nonsense, is picking up strong momentum, rolling across media, lots of "told you so's". It's over CDC and WHO, big mistake, and no way for you policy experts to save face. Instead lets go after greedy middle men with US warehouse control that are selling vast numbers of masks that our health care and other essential workers critically need right now, at huge mark ups to overseas buyers while ignoring domestic use.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/shoul ... =home-page

On social media, the #Masks4All campaign was started by Jeremy Howard, a distinguished research scientist at the University of San Francisco and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global AI Council...
In an opinion piece for the Washington Post, Howard said, “The senseless and unscientific push for the general public to avoid wearing masks” should rank among the worst missteps made by policy makers.

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/tucker- ... stop-lying

Tucker Carlson: We understand there's a shortage of medical masks. Stop lying to us and tell the truth
The government has told us dumb lies about the medical mask shortage from the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

www.politico.com

Mask mystery: Why are U.S. officials dismissive of protective covering?
Other nations recommend wearing masks to avoid coronavirus, but the Trump administration has not seen a benefit.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/heal ... masks.html

More Americans Should Probably Wear Masks for Protection
Experts have started to question whether masks may offer at least some protection to healthy individuals and essential workers.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisal ... 81639756d4

By the end of the day, roughly 280 million masks from warehouses around the U.S. had been purchased by foreign buyers and were earmarked to leave the country, according to the broker — and that was in one day.
To his knowledge none of the masks had been purchased by buyers in the U.S.
Remington told me that his focus now is to try to sell masks to federal agencies like FEMA responsible for securing PPE so the items can go directly to the states that will distribute to hospitals, but it’s been extremely challenging to close a deal and the number of “middle men” in the negotiations keeps rising.
“Many people are marking up the prices in the middle,” he said. “People are just trying to make as much money as possible.”

More here:

https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/31 ... ual-price/

Someone says they have 2 million N95 masks for sale. The asking price is six times the usual cost.
As health care professionals beg for supplies to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection...

[rlown]

You should walk more and research less.

[maverick]

An example of why staying out of the backcountry is a good idea: https://www.outsideonline.com/2411094/b ... L1-A#close

[Ikan Mas]

Meanwhile:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/on ... you_missed

[maverick]

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday confirmed that schools in California won't reopen after state Superintendent Tony Thurmond said students may not be able to return to campus for the remainder of the school year - but classes would remain in session, he said.

https://abc7.com/governor-newsom-today- ... s/6069047/

[franklin411]

Just got the word...a confirmed case of a student w/ coronavirus (symptomatic and later confirmed by testing) on campus when I was there three weeks ago. I spend 3-4 hours a day with in the same classroom while 3 rotations of 65 students each go through. And everyone was sick, including me. The student was tested 2 weeks ago and has recovered.

So I'd say the odds increasingly favor my having had corona and now being immune =)

[Wandering Daisy]

more closures on the PCT

https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail/ ... rmit-info/