Covid-19 Observations

[mon]

Oh ya, sorry. Rapidly changing hospital policies, what a concern. Hope it works out exactly how you want, 🌈🤞🏾

[Vette]

A friend of mine sent me this, it sounds like good information. However, I believe there are differing opinions on whether face masks work or not.

Internal email for staff in St George’s Hospital
Virus Detection:
The simplest way to distinguish Coronavirus from a Common Cold is that the COVID-19 infection does not cause a cold nose or cough with cold, but it does create a dry and rough cough.
The virus is typically first installed in the throat causing inflammation and a feeling of dryness. This symptom can last between 3 and 4 days.
The virus typically then travels through the moisture present in the airways, goes down to the trachea and installs in the lungs, causing pneumonia that lasts about 5 or 6 days.
Pneumonia manifests with a high fever and difficulty breathing. The Common Cold is not accompanied, but there may be a choking sensation. In this case, the doctor should be called immediately.
Experts suggest doing this simple verification every morning: Breathe in deeply and hold your breath for 10 seconds. If this can be done without coughing, without difficulty, this shows that there is no fibrosis in the lungs, indicating the absence of infection. It is recommended to do this control every morning to help detect infection.

Prevention:
The virus hates heat and dies if it is exposed to temperatures greater than 80°F (27°C). Therefore hot drinks such as infusions, broths or simply hot water should be consumed abundantly during the day. These hot liquids kill the virus and are easy to ingest.
Avoid drinking ice water or drinks with ice cubes.
Ensure that your mouth and throat are always wet, never DRY. You should drink a sip of water at least every 15 minutes. WHY? Even when the virus enters water or other liquids through the mouth, it will get flushed through the oesophagus directly into the stomach where gastric acids destroy the virus. If there is not enough water, the virus can pass into the trachea and from there to the lungs, where it is very dangerous.
For those who can, sunbathe. The Sun's UV rays kill the virus and the vitamin D is good for you.
The Coronavirus has a large size (diameter of 400-500 nanometers) so face masks can stop it, no special face masks are needed in daily life.
If an infected person sneezes near us, stay 10 feet (3.3 meters) away to allow the virus fall to the ground and prevent it from falling on you.
When the virus is on hard surfaces, it survives about 12 hours, therefore when hard surfaces such as doors, appliances, railings, etc. are touched, hands should be washed thoroughly and/or disinfected with alcoholic gel
The virus can live nested in clothes and tissues between 6 and 12 hours. Common detergents can kill it. Things that cannot be washed should be exposed to the Sun and the virus will die.
The transmission of the virus usually occurs by direct infection, touching fabrics, tissues or materials on which the virus is present.
Washing your hands is essential.
The virus survives on our hands for only about 10 minutes. In that time many things can happen, rubbing the eyes, touching the nose or lips. This allows the virus to enter your throat. Therefore, for your good and the good of all, wash your hands very often and disinfect them.
You can gargle with disinfectant solutions (i.e. Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide) that eliminate or minimize the amount of virus that can enter the throat. Doing so removes the virus before it goes down to the trachea and then to the lungs.
Disinfect things touched often: cellphone, keyboard, mouse, car steering wheel, door handles, etc

Great list!

i love to add ice cubes to my glass of water. will not be doing that anymore anytime i am sick.

as for the etc part in the car make sure to wipe down the key/s too. my dad likes to grab the key from his pocket an as soon as he sets down he puts the key in the ignition before wiping anything down an totally forgets the keys along with the gear shift an turn signal knob. after reminding him however many times he does it by routine now

[snakemama]

You just stay strong an positive, sounds like you are . It is going to be just fine for you and your baby. Do you want someone in the delivery room that isn't allowed?

Mostly I just hope my hospital is still allowing a support person in there. My plan was to have hubby with me and another friend swing by with sushi when I was ready for it. I can do without the sushi, but having my hubby in the delivery room via facetime or something is less than ideal. Two weeks ago it was one support person and one visitor, but so much has changed since then and with nine weeks until delivery I'm not going to scare myself trying to keep track of updates to the policy.

[mon]

You are very smart not to concern yourself as they may change the protocol many times before the baby is born. The babe will be perfect and you'll be fine! 😍🤜🏻🤛👍🏿

[Randi]

I'm sorry to say that the list I posted earlier is not quite true. Here are some links I trust more:

https://www.livescience.com/how-long...-surfaces.html

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/debunk...ry?id=69578209

Do take the restrictions seriously!

The link below is updated every day and shows the numbers of infected/deaths etc. for the whole world. If you click on USA, you can see how many cases in each State.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

[cats4ever]

I have to admit, amidst all the concerns, that I enjoy our curbside service at the vet hospital. Even though it is a lot of footwork, we don't have to deal with the clients as much. It's only us and the animals in the hospital.
Don't get me wrong, most of our clients are great, but there are always some that complain, don't have any money and nothing we do for them is ever appreciated.

[cassiesmom]

Dear PT Friends, I hope you are able to get cat, dog and pet food and other needed supplies right now. Sending socially distanced HUGS.

[cats4ever]

Thank you, Elyse!
I got up at 6 am today to go to Walmart. They open at 7 am now ( no more 24 hr), and it was already busy. They limit toilet paper to one pack/ person. No more bottled water available. Pet food is still pretty well stocked.
I got what I needed.
I am worried about people starting to loot.

[phesina]

Thank you, Elyse, and socially-distant HUGS and PURRRS back to you and to all our wonderful friends out there!

We're pretty well stocked up for the next few days. Lots of cat food and litter and frozen people-food.

[Vette]

Yeah theres so much miss information out there but even still the wipe down list is good

if its possible its better to be there first thing as the store opens up. lots of stores are letting high risk people in to do their shoppings an hour before anyone thats not high risk an since the store just opened the picking on supplies is a bit better

[Randi]

A Chinese teacher's reflections on Covid-19 and the lock down...

We are just finishing our 7th week of E-Learning, seven weeks of being mainly housebound and seven weeks of uncertainty. We are healthy, we are happy, and we are humbled.

We are allowed to move around freely now with a green QR code that we show when we get our temperature taken. You get your temperature taken everywhere, and it's just become part of the routine. Most restaurants and shopping centres are now open, and life is coming back to our city.

As we watch the rest of the world begin their time inside; here are some of my reflections on the last seven weeks:

1. Accept that you have no control over the situation. Let go of any thoughts of trying to plan too much for the next month or two. Things change so fast. Don't be angry and annoyed at the system. Anxiety goes down, and you make the best of the situation - whatever that might be for you. Accept that this is what it is and things will get easier.

2. Try not to listen to/read/watch too much media. It WILL drive you crazy. There is a thing as too much!

3. The sense of community I have felt during this time is incredible. I could choose who I wanted to spend my energy on - who I wanted to call, message and connect with and found the quality of my relationships has improved.

4. Appreciate this enforced downtime. When do you ever have time like this? I will miss it when we go back to the fast-paced speed of the 'real world'.

5. Time goes fast. I still haven't picked up the ukelele I planned to learn, and there are box set TV shows I haven't watched yet.

6. As a teacher, the relationships I have built with my students have only continued to grow. I have loved seeing how independent they are; filming themselves to respond to tasks while also learning essential life skills such as balance, risk-taking and problem-solving, that even we as adults are still learning.

7. You learn to appreciate the little things; sunshine through the window, flowers blossoming and being able to enjoy a coffee in a cafe.

To those just beginning this journey, You will get through it. Listen to what you are told, follow the rules and look out for each other. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[phesina]

Thank you, Randi. This is beautiful, and encouraging!

Good health and safety to you and all our friends,

From Sparkler and Galaxy and Pat

[Karen]

It was an extremely busy day here at the Post Office, and for the most part, my dear postal patrons were vigilant about maintaining social distance. I do have bleach wipes and hand sanitizer on the counter, and several people sanitized the door handle on their way out for the next person.

Many people were mailing packages - more than normal - so I was busy with postal matters even in my midday "off" time, though I did get to go home briefly and see the animals, pet the puppy and Dusky, and enjoy the sunshine.

I am also working the next two days, the woman who usually works Friday and Saturday is maintaining quarantine out of an abundance of caution, as she was in Washington State just as it broke out there, and her husband may have come down with Covid 3 days after they got home, and two weeks later she is symptomatic. She has not been tested, but many of the PO box holders and people who come in are elderly, so we agreed she should err on the side of caution.

Vermont is on a lock-down of sorts, people in nonessential businesses are only supposed to leave home for groceries, pharmacy, etc. Lots of businesses have closed for now - theoretically until April 15th. We will see.

[snakemama]

I quit my job today. I was planning to work until the end of April, two weeks before my due date, but I just can't. Need to put the baby first. I miss my job and my coworkers and my patients.

[Karen]

I quit my job today. I was planning to work until the end of April, two weeks before my due date, but I just can't. Need to put the baby first. I miss my job and my coworkers and my patients.

Absolutely understandable. You will be in our prayers.