I hope you And your people are well in this time of Corona virus.
The US media is running rampant with horror stories, most lately that everyone in Italy is quarantined to homes to prevent greater spread of the illness.
In the US, Pacific Northwest, we have had 8 or 9 deaths, but mostly people are staying well and going about business as regular. More hand sanitizer , but not many masks. I can’t speak for other parts of US, Just my little corner.
Our media is full of crisis warnings, and time will tell, whether this is the horrid pandemic or just another year of new virus.
I wonder if PMR makes us more susceptible to the virus?? also, since many of us are in upper decades of life, does the combination put us in a riskier group.
Again, time will tell.
Stay well, Friends.
Kind regards, Jerri
PMR diagnosed 2013
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Purplecrow
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Hi... I suspect age, respiratory and cardiac issues are more pertinent. Just stay away from crowds and wash hands for at least 20 to 40 seconds. 🌻
I tend to wash my fitband and sos bracelet everytime and up my arms near to my elbows. Then have to moisture with doublebase gel. Its the turn of my outdoor coat to be washed today. It is something I do a lot to my dog "walking" coat.
There are some details on the pmr/gca website and a pinned item in the forum already about whether we are more susceptible to corona. Have a read of previous posts as well. Hope you stay well. YBB
We're quarantined to our local area/village - unless you have to leave your community to go to a shop for food, go to work or go for healthcare. But we can food shop and go for walks as long as we don't get too close to others. But if that gets a China result - that's fine and there aren't many complaining too much. It is beginning to dawn on them that is a difficult situation - enough people needing high dependency beds to flood the hospitals and block those beds for others like post-op patients. Routine ops are probably off for now and we are asked to cancel non-urgent appointments. However, I had a PET-CT scan today that was booked.
It depends on your medication - but basically, being immunocompromised probably does put us at greater risk, every 5 years over 60 adds to the overall risk.
Are the local shops able to cope against the large concerns nearby?
Are there still tourists in the area?
They have the maddest law coming out over here. All large meetings (concerts, football matches, etc etc are being cancelled) but ...... those who have less than 1000 can still take place??? So many are going on with 999 visitors! It's a farce!
Umm..... There's an example of the lack of logic in bureaucracy if I've ever heard one , not ever known a Disease to take note of the number of people in a room before it decides to make its presence known. Covid 19 looks out of your eyeballs and thinks , "ooh , there's not enough people in here yet it's not worth trying to infect anyone until there's at least 1000 people to infect !" 🐘😂😂😂😋
Oh yes Constance. We have a big Spar on the industrial estate in the village - just been there to panic shop (gin, brandy, 2 x 1/2 litre H-milch, 2x packs of tomatoes and 1 pack of pasta) and it was wonderful, no-one there, no queues and only 1 empty 1/2 freezer which looked more as if it was being rearranged. Fresh fruit and veg wasn't quite as plentiful as usual but nothing you wouldn't see at least twice a week. But in the middle of the village we have a decent sized supermarket, a butcher and a baker, That market is a bit more expensive for fresh items but many in the village choose to do all their shopping there. The baker has a fridge of dairy products as well as shelves of dry goods which are made good use of. And they come from all over to the butcher because he is good.
To be honest if the US gave the Hygiene Tips early and made sure they were enforced in public places and made good steps in testing they are at the point places like the UK and France were weeks ago and could actually avoid the worst and contain it.
With the right measures , learned from others mistakes and delays , the US could keep it well under control.
Russia , may obviously be more "careful" giving out info on their accurate numbers but considering their proximity to China and links from Iran apparently have as few as 8 , 2 of them had travelled from China.
I was looking at hypothesis on why , "if" the figures were right .
Turns out they moved all flights from China and Italy and hot spots to one Moscow airport even before full restrictions and flight bans were put in place and they were .... "extremely vigilant" in quarantining anybody whom had , had any possible contact with positive people.
Maybe that was what helped , instant crackdown , no excuses.
Exactly - there is a good article in the Guardian about the errors made here in Italy. They assumed the 2 Chinese they identified and took to Rome were the only sources and took their eye off the ball. But early on in the Lombardy focus they knew that only half of the positives they found showed symptoms. So half the cases are wandering around, unidentified and passing it on. Everywhere. The day after the first partial lockdown the head of our local hospital lab said to us that it was already everywhere.
One expert thinks the asymptomatic proportion is nearer 80%. The only consolation in that figure is that it means the death rate is very low. But there are 3 cases in our region in ICU: one young, one middle aged and one old. You can still be very ill even if you are young - and there have been a lot of "it isn't any worse than a cold" comments. It MAY be no worse than a cold - but if you are unlucky it won't be.
It's funny , I was saying to the OH yesterday that actually this outbreak may make it the ideal time for me to go and visit lots of usual tourist hot spots and busy places as so many other people will be keeping away I'd be less likely to catch the sort of bugs I usually catch in Winter from being around lots of coughing , non aware people.
The Physio Department was very quiet on Friday , my Physio said 50% of his clients had cancelled last minute everyday , only 25% of his patients were arriving at all . While I was waiting the poor old Podiatrist keep coming into the hall calling names then walking back in his room alone . From a whole list of names none had arrived or been respectful enough to cancel early , the only Patient I saw was one whom came rushing in with his Mum because she had rang up and asked if they had cancellations they could come in and fill so they got a nice long slot.
Maybe this week would be a good time to ring and see if Rheumatology has any cancellations that I could rush over for , I might get to see the Specialist before Hell freezes over 😋😂😂😂😘
Very worrying times but the main advice is hand washing.
Based on what I’ve heard, the virus cannot enter your body through your skin. It can only get in through eyes, nose, mouth, ears so stop touching your face and wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with soap. No kissing either.
If someone was coughing near me I’d get away, hold my breathe till out of range.
I’m keeping 3 ft from anyone if I can, avoiding busy places or getting in and out as quick as I can.
Every meal I cook I make two lots and freeze one, so we have ready meal in case of emergency.
Try not to worry as stress reduces you immune system and that’s the last thing you want. ❤️
Hi Jerri... All we can do is wash, wash, wash, keep at least a metre distance and limit our outings to the minimum... The roads where we are are very quiet... My son says London trains and underground are pretty much deserted... One day at a time is perhaps the easiest way of dealing with it...
We are not allowed to go outside our town/village of residence - except for medical reasons or work. I don't know if that means I have to stay in the village - it is joined up with the town next door - but our village industrial zone has the biggest supermarker in the region so I assume they can come here!
As of today all shops except food stores (butcher, baker, supermarkets) and, strangely, electrical shops are closed although kiosks may stay open to sell tobacco products and newspapers. No empty shelves though - just very very quiet. All tourists were sent home on Tuesday - and that makes a massive difference to the number of shoppers anyway.
All non-urgent hospital appointments are being cancelled and will be rearranged. I had a PET-CT scan on Tuesday morning - just got it in before the closedown but the appointment to get the results on April 1st will almost certainly be cancelled. OH has had one cancelled too. Waiting to hear about the orthopod one - which I do hope happens because otherwise he'll be wearing the corset for the fractured spine for a very long time!!!!!!
We’re waiting for a government announcement that’s thought will close schools next week - therefore no after school clubs where they eat and of course no school dinners so depending on age they’ll probably be roaming around seeing what they can pilfer from supermarkets......
The only thing we can’t get is handwash - but we have loads of hibiscrub at home........
Overall let’s hope we don’t catch it! Take care both of you.
There was a very sharp post on FB from the mayor last night telling teenagers hanging out on street corners and pensioners meeting for their usual coffee that that wasn't actually what was intended! Then the Boss in Rome closed the cafes so that's dealt with! Officially we are supposed to carry a completed form saying where one is going from and to when out, even on foot, but I had thought it was just if you ventured outside your own village - but according to the paper, maybe it is more comprehensive.
And the mayor has just confirmed it in FB so form duly turned into a Word file, basic stuff completed and printed out to carry - after all, home to supermarket in the car is fairly constant!
Minnesota has five (known) cases so far, but each had lots of contact with others prior to symptoms as they contracted it from an international traveler whom they didn't know carried it. So tragic about the nursing home. Worst case, its getting started in a place where it is difficult for the residents to even comprehend the danger. A friend's mother was told she had to stay in her room as they tried to quarantine some residents who were ill with the flu and she kept wandering out, totally oblivious to their wishes. Not easy for the staff.
I marvel at our discussing this across the world, literally. Can you imagine the state of affairs if this level of communication were not possible?
I am staying put to the extent possible. Here, they are describing a 10 minute/6 foot rule. Don't spend 10 minutes within 6 feet of an unknown person. Of course, if they sneeze on you in minute one, all bets are off!
Take care, each and every one of you. Not the time to be cavalier.
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