At what point did you / will you take the coronavirus epidemic seriously?

[LVAllen]

What the hell is wrong with the FDA? Let this company release their test and write all over it that it is for "instructional purposes only." The risk that I see is that someone tests false positive- then with this preliminary test as proof, let them get the real FDA-approved test. If someone tests false-negative, that would be a problem but not more of a problem than we have now- with no testing.

If we did that, it might call undue attention to the fact that we are out of tests. Southern Nevada Health District is stopping testing because they have run out of a necessary reagent.

[BigFatMeanie]

Store update:

Mrs. Meanie when shopping again this morning. It's her way of dealing with stress, I suppose.

There was a line at the Sam's Club - they're limiting the amount of people in the store at one time to help maintain social distance.

No line at the Walmart. Walmart had chicken, ground beef, eggs, and most of the stuff that was out of stock on Monday.

Still no syrup though. What is the deal with people and Mrs. Butterworth's?

[Goatnapper'96]

Store update:

Mrs. Meanie when shopping again this morning. It's her way of dealing with stress, I suppose.

There was a line at the Sam's Club - they're limiting the amount of people in the store at one time to help maintain social distance.

No line at the Walmart. Walmart had chicken, ground beef, eggs, and most of the stuff that was out of stock on Monday.

Still no syrup though. What is the deal with people and Mrs. Butterworth's?

I went last Saturday morning to Fred Meyers in Pocatello- this was about the time panic was setting in in SE Idaho. I got everything I needed but they were out of sugar and flour, IIRC. I did purchase the last remaining box of non-organic sliced portobello mushrooms, so if you shopped at Fred Meyers in Pocatello last Saturday and had to spend an extra $2 to have bugs in your sliced portobellos - HA SUCK IT!

Likely going to head back to town the next couple of days as my daughters butane torch ran out of butane and the creme brûlée's are just not the same when the sugar is carmelized via Bic lighter.

On the other hand the realization that I likely won't have this track season with my oldest and her two younger twin sisters has been pretty unsettling we have a good shot to win it all if the season isn't completely cancelled.

[wuapinmon]

Why is the death rate in Italy so much higher than in neighboring countries?

[creekster]

Why is the death rate in Italy so much higher than in neighboring countries?

My guesses:

Aging population (oldest in Europe)
Unusually high social interaction between generations
High smoking rate
General Italian efficiency

[Jeff Lebowski]

Why is the death rate in Italy so much higher than in neighboring countries?

Partly because they have overwhelmed their medical system in certain regions. Good (and scary as hell) description here of what is going on:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/every-d...d=hp_lead_pos4

The coronavirus is devastating Bergamo and pushing a wealthy region with high-tech health care toward a humanitarian disaster, a warning for the U.S. and other developed countries. The city’s experience shows how even advanced economies and state-of-the-art hospitals must change social behaviors and prepare defenses ahead of a pandemic that is upending the rules.

In normal times, the ambulance service at the Papa Giovanni hospital runs like a Swiss clock. Calls to 112, Europe’s equivalent of 911, are answered within 15 to 20 seconds. Ambulances from the hospital’s fleet of more than 200 are dispatched within 60 to 90 seconds. Two helicopters stand by at all times. Patients usually reach an operating room within 30 minutes, said Angelo Giupponi, who runs the emergency response operation: “We are fast, in peacetime.”

Now, people wait an hour on the phone to report heart attacks, Dr. Giupponi said, because all the lines are busy. Each day, his team fields 2,500 calls and brings 1,500 people to the hospital. “That’s not counting those the first responders visit but tell to stay home and call again if their condition worsens,” he said.

“Until three weeks ago, we did everything for every patient. Now we have to choose which patients to put in intensive care. This is catastrophic,” said anesthesiologist and intensive-care specialist Mirco Nacoti.

[Northwestcoug]

What the hell is wrong with the FDA? Let this company release their test and write all over it that it is for "instructional purposes only." The risk that I see is that someone tests false positive- then with this preliminary test as proof, let them get the real FDA-approved test. If someone tests false-negative, that would be a problem but not more of a problem than we have now- with no testing.

Many companies are getting FDA emergence use authorization now. Our hospital system will soon be using one of them in the next couple of weeks.

You need to be absolutely careful flooding the market with a test with relatively high false positives or false negatives. Think of how many people would be put in quarantine needlessly, and how that would further impact the economy and health care system. In this instance, I think the FDA is working well.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Partly because they have overwhelmed their medical system in certain regions. Good (and scary as hell) description here of what is going on:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/every-d...d=hp_lead_pos4

Good hell.

“The most devastating part is that they are dying alone,” she said. “Families see the patient for the last time at the emergency room. The next time is at the mortuary.”

Such a lonely death is hard to take, the nurse said: “It’s not our culture. We’re very connected here.”

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Why is the death rate in Italy so much higher than in neighboring countries?

They don't have a handle on how many people actually have it so the numbers are being taken from a pool of symptomatic to extremely symptomatic people.

Amongst other things of course.

[Clark Addison]

I don't think I've ever seen you cuss before. Wow!

Before yesterday she didn't know she could turn on 25% of the board by doing so.

[Northwestcoug]

Before yesterday she didn't know she could turn on 25% of the board by doing so.

25%?!?

Wow, active participation on this board has really declined.

btw, I don't get hot and bothered by a simple 'hell'. A little intrigued, maybe.

[Clark Addison]

25%?!?

Wow, active participation on this board has really declined.

btw, I don't get hot and bothered by a simple 'hell'. A little intrigued, maybe.

I assumed there were a bunch of folks who were too embarrassed to admit it.

[Walter Sobchak]

KL is a dude. Y'all are being catfished.

[wuapinmon]

Before yesterday she didn't know she could turn on 25% of the board by doing so.

Did I miss something?

[Katy Lied]

hah, you've found me out.