[xyzcf]

I think this is really important:

WALKING

5. It boosts immune function. Walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking

As well as the many other benefits including dealing with stress and depression, something we can do to help ourselves.

[OldPilot]

Our healthcare system has been in trouble for a while. This is just making it more visible.

So our great govenor just told hospitals to increase their beds by 50%.
I dont know if there is a time limit on this order but where and how are they going to accomplish this.

Its not like they have hundreds of extra beds sitting in a wharehouse or the space to just throw them into a room.

Thats not to mention the staff to take care of extra beds.

[OffRoad]

I would like to see a test that tells us if we already HAD  COVID-19. What if we found out that 90% of the population has already had it and didn't know (not likely, I understand, but we have no idea). My friend was self quarantined, a few weeks ago because she had been exposed to someone who test positive for COVID -19. Out of the four people present at that gathering,  2 tested positive, 2 did not. Of the two who tested positive, one barely got the sniffles. The other it was like a standard cold, no chest issues or flu like symptoms. Her husband, on the other hand, is now in the hospital (he is 10 years older than she is).

If the husband hadn't ended up in the hospital, none of those 4 women would have been tested. No one thinks twice about a cold or the sniffles. This would have looked like a 20 % infection rate, when it was really a 60% infection rate. And if the husband hadn't ended up in the hospital? It would have looked like a 0% infection rate. If only he had been tested, and IF he died (he has not), it would have been 1 tested, 1 died, not 3 had COVID 19 and 1 died. 33% (in this simulated death example) case vs 100% mortality rate. That's a big difference to throw into the statistics.

Right now, all anyone can say is that out of the X people who were tested, Y many died or were seriously ill. We cannot actually say that out of X people who actually HAD COVID-19, Y many died. I'd like to know what the herd immunity REALLY is. That would calm some of the panic, IMO.

ETA: What if the two who tested negative had actually previously HAD COVID-19? That changes the stats even more.

[xyzcf]

 It's quite possible that people may have had COVID and did not know that they had it.

However, stats aside, that doesn't explain the huge surge in ICU cases and deaths that are happening globally right now. We were not seeing that in the US even 2 weeks ago.

As well, there is not any proof that once infected with COVID that you would be immune, that is to say that you could not get it again. Most diseases act that way but from what I have read they still do not know enough about the virus to say that for sure.

What I am seeing are tons of severe cases requiring ventilators and causing an overwhelming stress on the medical system globally. That is what concerns me.

The reason for testing is to identify where there are large numbers of people infected and place greater restrictions in these areas to slow down the spread of the virus so the medical system can cope. In countries like Italy, doctors are having to decide who lives and who will die because they do not have enough ventilators nor do we.

[Treasur]

Uk government has just announced something closer to an Italian approach. Clear message to stay at home for anything but real essential needs or unless you are a key worker. Public groupings limited to two people, non essential businesses to close, weddings/baptisms banned, people allowed out once a day for solo exercise etc. And police given powers to enforce this. Given our culture/history, this is a big step for the government to take - presumably bc we are seeing some rapidly increasing numbers - and it will be interesting to see how people react. I suspect it will be more of a problem for the police in big cities than in little coastal resorts like mine. And as Xyzcf said, the purpose is very much about the sustainability of our healthcare resources and frontline staff....to reduce the spike of seriously ill people if we can.

Although interestingly my second home owning (not very friendly) neighbours rolled up from London for the weekend and then drove back....and a lot of folks in parts of the country like mine with wealthy Londoners with second homes are starting to see this as rather anti-social now. I thought it was a bit inappropriate too tbh. Partly bc London is a hotspot and partly bc some of the prettiest rural areas of our country also have more limited healthcare resources. Hmmm, will my neighbours quickly flee London again or will their house stay empty now for a while? Idk.

I am a bit bewildered that anyone might not see Covid 19 as something real and potentially serious now tbh. There is a lot we don't know yet, true, but some pretty clear bits of scientific data and patterns that we do know from lots of different countries. Perhaps it is just that the current belief about high risk groups leads us to see ourselves as less vulnerable. Perhaps it is as simple as people struggling to think the unthinkable until they see more and more real effects in their own lives or with people they know. I'm not sure ignorance holds water now....but denial as we all know is a powerful response to traumatic events. And of course, there will always be a small percentage of narcissistic entitled a$$hats.

The gift of being an LBS, of surviving the previously unthinkable in our own lives, is that we learned some things. Including that what we choose to believe or deny affects how we act. Perhaps the biggest change in our mindsets is that we need to start seeing ourselves as part of a whole, that what we do might be less about our individual wellbeing and more about countless others that we don't even know. Bc each number on a chart is a person, each number is a team of healthcare people exposing themselves to increased risk to care for them, each number is a family affected by potential loss.

[MyBrainIsBroken]

So our great govenor just told hospitals to increase their beds by 50%.
I dont know if there is a time limit on this order but where and how are they going to accomplish this.

The great and powerful Oz has spoken! 

It seems like a logistics problem to me. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that there are ventilators sitting around unused somewhere in Italy while patients elsewhere in Italy are dying because of a lack of ventilators.

In the US we need a national entity that can control the flow of supplies like masks and equipment like ventilators and even emergency personnel if necessary so that these are all used effectively. If this is really an emergency we should start doing something more proactive than avoiding each other or trying to outbid each other for scarce resources.

[marvin4242]

FWIW a study in Iceland shows 50% of people who have Covid are completely asymptomatic.

[OffRoad]

I suppose I look at it as I can't get anyone any ventilators, I can't magically make masks appear, I can't keep stupid people from doing stupid things, I can't make the disease go away. I can maybe help if I can help keep people calm. Why go out for toilet paper if you don't need to? So I log on at 1:30 am at night, get my drop slot for Amazon or Costco, get the toilet paper (and whatever else) when it's available, break it up and deliver it to the doorstep of people who need it and aren't awake at 1:30 am when the time slots open up. THAT I can do. That keeps those people out of the stores. I'm three weeks housebound, so supposedly free and clear as far as being contagious.

If I knew I had already had COVID 19 (I suspect I did, but don't know), then I would go to the stores for the things I can't get online, and drop those things at the doorstep of people who need it. Because that keeps people who are vulnerable out of harms way, and will keep them from panicking that they can't get what they need when they need it.

It's no point for me to be concerned about something I have no control over. It's my point to DO something that may make a difference, even if only for the mental health of someone else.

[barbiedoll]

We had our 1st confirmed case of this virus in our city today at our local hospital. The news is saying that he is a "carrier"  and has no symptoms . He has however, been active and out in the community , so how many people could he have infected? . Not to mention nurses , doctors  in the hospital. What has many of us confused is how or why he was even tested as he had no symptoms and apparently at hospital for something totally unrelated.  And there are "carriers" that feel completely well and carry on as if they were healthy . How would anyone ever know you were a "carrier" ?.  Ontario is shutting down all non-essential services tomorrow at midnight . A list will be announced tomorrow specifying exactly who that means. It appears they will shut down construction sites tomorrow .. that will put my husband at home for atleast 2 weeks.  Very concerning situation for everyone.

[Songanddance]

Like Treasur I am UK  and find it almost a relief that we have moved into more stringent measures.

As an asthmatic I had already chosen to limit my time in public places and managed to do any form of shopping in "quieter times" so that I could maintaing the 2m social distance.
This morning though I woke up with a feeling of gratitude and posted my thoughts on my FB coaching page.  I wrote:

I am grateful for this latest Government clampdown in these difficult times. Why? Because ironically it's liberating. In taking away your "freedom" of choice it now highlights how we have only to make the essential choices. Yes it stops us from seeing our friends and family, yes it stops us from being able to do what we want when we want it but that is because we have been used to being spoilt for choice. Now we can choose how to use our time,rather than having to make sure we get everything in. Now we can choose to read a book, admire the sunrise/set, have meaningful telephone/skype conversations with those dear to us, prioritise what matters to us and more importantly begin to understand our feelings and work on our self growth. I am grateful because I know that what I have will turn into enough.

As LBSers we know well the need for gratitude and how it helps us through dark times and moments of crisis.

Being enormously cheeky though......If anyone would like to follow my page then please PM me and I will send you the link.