# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2020 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [February 11, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758 "2020-02-11T01:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 48
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/942 "2020-03-15T17:56:21Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Since my headache and cough has gotten worse and I’m starting to show signs of a fever I’m self-isolating now. The NHS website here says to self-isolate for 7 days. i.e. they are not testing people unless they need more urgent care. > > It might be a cold but since I’m unlikely to be tested I may never know. I’m in the same boat. Only I plan to self-isolate until 72 hours after the last symptoms, per [https://www.uptodate.com/contents/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19](https://www.uptodate.com/contents/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19) > [@](#): > > COVID-19 testing not readily available — In some cases, testing for COVID-19 may not be accessible, particularly for individuals who have a compatible but mild illness that does not warrant hospitalization and do not have a known COVID-19 exposure or high-risk travel history. > > In the United States, there is limited official guidance for this situation, and the approach may depend on the prevalence of COVID-19 in the area. If the clinician has sufficient concern for possible COVID-19 (eg, there is community transmission), it is reasonable to advise the patient to self-isolate at home (if hospitalization is not warranted) and alert the clinician about worsening symptoms. The optimal duration of home isolation in such cases is uncertain. Clinicians should contact their local public health department for guidance. In the state of Washington, the Department of Public Health suggests that individuals with compatible symptoms without exposure to a diagnosed case should continue home isolation until 72 hours after fever and symptoms have resolved > [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > …Me, still feeling sick, but not much worse. Yeah, maybe it is a cold, but I am lucky to not catch many bugs. I go whole years without calling in sick to work. The unique thing about this one is the cough- feels like gooey phlegm down low that doesn’t want to come up. I can see how that could turn into a breathing issue if it got bad enough, but so far for me it is just a hassle. **Fiendish Astronaut** , are you experiencing anything like that? That’s pretty much my symptoms. I have a chest cold, thick mucus in the base of the lungs, a slightly drippy nose (different from my brother, who is in a hot spot, and had extremely dry sinuses when he was ill.) and a slightly elevated temperature – it’s been above 99F several times, never above 100F. But my normal temp is 97 and change, so that’s a symptom of my having _something_. My first symptoms were last Tuesday. Even if it’s just an ordinary cold, I expect to be here for 2 weeks, since it takes me a long time to throw off the common cold. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/943 "2020-03-15T18:07:52Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Active cases have been at a new all-time high for the past couple of days, and are fast approaching the number of cases with an outcome, after which there will be more cases active than have so far gone through the illness. And we’ve blown past that point: current active cases (84,523) now outnumber cases that have had an outcome (83,046). ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/944 "2020-03-15T18:33:28Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Due to increased screening at customs and everyone trying to get into or out of the US before the expanded travel ban takes effect Monday, major airports are a clusterfuck at the moment. I’m seeing a lot of tweets with pictures from O’Hare and other airports of people crammed together cheek-by-jowl waiting for customs ([example](https://twitter.com/twhitfill/status/1239017436491505664)). So while much of the country is shutting down to prevent people gathering together, airports have become a public health tinderbox The Governor of Illinois complained about the hours it’s taking to get through customs by US citizens, There are photos of people crowded together in these days of social distancing. The Governor told the federal government to get their shit together. He then said he got a call last night at 11 PM from a White House staffer who yelled at him, though he didn’t say what the substance of the call was. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/945 "2020-03-15T18:42:49Z")
noticed Dr. Fauci is 79 , thought he was more like 60. Glad I am not waiting in any long line. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/946 "2020-03-15T18:51:55Z")
Things just got real here in Austria. Everyone is now under home quarantine. Following an extraordinary Sunday session of Parliament, it is now legally prohibited to leave your home for anything other than the following four reasons: (1) to go to work, but only if you are in a critical job (doctor, pharmacist, police officer, grocery store employee, etc.), (2) for urgent, essential needs such as grocery shopping, (3) helping other people who cannot help themselves, and (4) going for a short walk alone or with another member of your household for urgent purposes, such as taking your dog for a walk so that it can relieve itself. The home quarantine is being enforced by police officers on patrol. Anyone caught outside without a good reason faces a fine of €2180; flagrant violations, such as taking your children to a playground, carry a fine of €3600. The government is calling up the militia as well as former conscripts into the civilian service. (Austria has mandatory conscription for all school-leaving males; conscientious objectors have the option of doing civilian service instead, which involves things like working for the Red Cross.) All gatherings of more than five people are banned. Contrary to what the government previously announced, cafés, bars, and restaurants will no longer be able to operate on limited hours; they are now completely closed. There are rumours that the airport will close, which would be a first in Europe. Tomorrow Germany is to seal its borders with Austria, Switzerland, and France. Current coronavirus statistics: 860 infected, 2 dead. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/947 "2020-03-15T18:51:56Z")
Italy announced 368 deaths in one day, bringing the total there to 1809. [https://twitter.com/BevanShields/status/1239238224213610502?s=19](https://twitter.com/BevanShields/status/1239238224213610502?s=19) As I understand it, the US is a few days behind Italy on the outbreak curve. Italy has about 1/5 the US population. Their population is older and therefore I presume the rate of death there will be higher. But it looks like the US will see fatality numbers at least comparable to 9/11 before it’s over. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/948 "2020-03-15T19:32:40Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > noticed Dr. Fauci is 79 , thought he was more like 60. Glad I am not waiting in any long line. I wish him well. > [@psychonaut](#): > > …(4) going for a short walk alone or with another member of your household for urgent purposes, such as taking your dog for a walk so that it can relieve itself… I am self-isolating, in case this cold isn’t just a cold. But I have been going on short walks around the block, staying away from the few other people I see, basically for my mental health. I hope that doesn’t get curtailed here in the US. ☹ Be well. ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/949 "2020-03-15T19:56:14Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 160,994 confirmed infections > 5,973 dead > 75,959 recovered > > In the US: > > 3,045 confirmed infections > 60 dead > 56 recovered Another data point that may become relevant as we wait to see how much this will strain our health system: 2 Emergency Physicians on the east coast are critically ill ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/950 "2020-03-15T19:59:22Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I am self-isolating, in case this cold isn’t just a cold. But I have been going on short walks around the block, staying away from the few other people I see, basically for my mental health. I hope that doesn’t get curtailed here in the US. The original source of my information was _Der Standard_, a newspaper here in Austria. I’ve since seen a televised address by Sebastian Kurz, the federal chancellor, who has clarified that it is alright to take occasional recreational walks in the countryside or in cities provided this is done only alone or with members of one’s household, and that all other pedestrians are given a wide berth. Police will be actively breaking up any public gatherings of more than five people. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/951 "2020-03-15T20:04:41Z")
I don’t know if this has been brought up but I see multiple reports like [Trump ‘offers large sums’ for exclusive access to coronavirus vaccine](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/15/trump-offers-large-sums-for-exclusive-access-to-coronavirus-vaccine): > [@](#): > > The Trump administration has offered a German medical company “large sums of money” for exclusive access to a Covid-19 vaccine… The German government is trying to fight off what it sees as an aggressive takeover bid by the US… The US president had offered the Tübingen-based biopharmaceutical company CureVac “large sums of money” to gain exclusive access to their work… Trump was doing everything to secure a vaccine against the coronavirus for the US, “but for the US only”. A US-only vaccine? FTW\* indeed. Might a vaccine (which won’t appear for a year) be issued mostly to (R)ed states? - Fuck.The.World. Fuck everyone whose lips aren’t attached to POTUS-ass. Fuck us all. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/952 "2020-03-15T20:10:41Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > … > > - Fuck.The.World. … That will probably be his 2020 slogan. The MAGAts will love it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/953 "2020-03-15T20:11:03Z")
Now there are six confirmed cases in Hawaii – three on Oahu, two on Kauai and one on Maui. There were only two cases as of Friday, then they announced two more early yesterday and two more last night. I know we’re talking small numbers yet, but that is a tripling of cases since two days ago. > [@RioRico](#): > > - Fuck.The.World. Fuck everyone whose lips aren’t attached to POTUS-ass. Fuck us all. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > That will probably be his 2020 slogan. The MAGAts will love it. If I’m not mistaken, that was Chump’s 2016 campaign slogan. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/954 "2020-03-15T20:20:45Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > I just got an email from my usual grocery store that they will be closing an hour earlier each day for the present, to allow more time for the workers to be restocking shelves. Also suspending drive-up deliveries, though in truth I have never witnessed a single such delivery in all the years I’ve gone there. > > Anyway. For your amusement: I did my usual Friday-after-leaving-work shopping trip yesterday. Except it was not at all as usual. My first clue was the bread aisle. There was a SINGLE loaf of bread on it. Literally, in the exact meaning of literally. It was cinnamon-raisin swirl, so I left it to someone more desperate than I. I did score one of just three remaining packs of English muffins. > > The dairy section was mostly fine – plenty of milk and eggs and cheese, with a few varieties gone. Yogurt had been hit, though. I bought the last five cartons of regular yogurt they had. Not my usual brands or flavors, but oh well. Beggars \<\>choosers. > > I’d planned on buying some pasta. Again the aisle was nearly denuded. All the regular pastas were gone, all brands and shapes. All that was left was a few boxes of gluten free spaghetti. > > On to the baking aisle. Hey, no problem, I know how to bake bread… except there was no flour. Not white, not wheat, not rye, any size from any company. There _were_ a few bags of spelt flour and a big heap of, wait for it, BANANA flour. I did not even know there was such a thing! > > And that was how it went throughout the store. No paper good, obviously. No sanitizers/cleaning liquids. Maybe 5% of the usual amount of canned vegetables. Tuna and canned chicken and canned pastas…Gone. A few cans of soup, mostly weird ‘gourmet’ specials combos. The produce section was reduced to those little clamshell boxes of herbs and such. No lettuce, no tomatoes, no bananas, no apples, no oranges… no, no, no, no. > > The deli seemed fully stocked though. I guess with schools canceled and people working from home they don’t need as much lunch meat for sandwiches? > > Anyway. The store was actually nearly empty of customers, too. I felt like I was in one of those post-Apocalypse movies with the tiny amount of dazed survivors wandering through the remains of civilization. > > So I decided to stop off there at 8:15 a.m. on my way to a meeting – and they actually had some food! The overnight stockers had clearly put in heroic efforts. I was able to get bread and some other things I’d missed last night. Still big gaps everywhere – the produce department was still wiped out, and items stocked by manufacturers were still missing (like pretty much all breads except for the store brand) – but it was much better than last night. > > Then after my meeting broke up a bit after noon, I decided to swing by again on my way home. > > Yay! I got fruit! And lettuce! Even green peppers and tomatoes! > > But then I walked past the bread aisle…and it was again completely empty! Yep, every single loaf that the workers had been able to put out overnight had been scooped up by noon. > > I know this kind of desperation buying will have to taper off quickly – how much room do people have to store food, anyway? – but it’s genuinely starting to make me freak out. > > Maybe they are right and I’m the foolish optimist? Why didn’t I buy three, no five loaves of bread this morning?? Maybe I could fit seven loaves into the freezer if I rearrange things… > > Will I turn into a hoarder? Stay tuned. Yeah, it’s weird. I stopped in at a random grocery store today to pick up a few things and scope out the situation. Toilet paper and hand sanitizer are all gone, of course. At every store I’ve been in during the past few days there’s been a few bottles of liquid hand soap left. It’s weird, because the store I was in today had, 6 bottles - 2 bottles each of three different brands and scent. Which was exactly what the grocery I checked out yesterday had. Most food items were still fairly well-stocked, although there were some half-empty spaces on the canned goods shelves. The bean section mainly. But you could still get what you needed. I haven’t seen an issue with bread at any of the stores I was in. But there seemed to be a run on rice at the grocery I stopped at today. I grabbed a large bag, simply because it was the last one. I hope hoarding and supply chain issues don’t cause serious problems. I’ve decided I’m going to stop by a grocery on a daily basis just so I can stay on top of any impending shortages - not a big deal because it’s really close and convenient and I’m usually there daily anyway. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/955 "2020-03-15T20:35:09Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > We need to be thinking for the long term. Remember that the 1918 flu actually went around three times before dying down and the third cycle was the deadliest. The third wave was also coincidental with the demobilization of troops after the Armistice. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/956 "2020-03-15T20:38:44Z")
The rice shelf was practically cleaned out at the store I went to. So was the freezer case with the frozen chicken tenders and hamburger patties. I was impressed with how uncrowded the store was. I was expecting long lines and hordes of people everywhere, but it wasn’t like that at all. Maybe the hordes came yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/957 "2020-03-15T20:49:24Z")
I went to our local store yesterday, needed potatoes for dinner and a few other things. Didn’t need any paper products, fortunately; all the toilet paper was gone and nearly all the paper towels as well. The refrigerated section contained virtually no Hillshire Farm lunch meat but they curiously had a full stock of cheaper meats like Land O’ Frost. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/958 "2020-03-15T20:53:14Z")
The wife and I noticed something yesterday. While all the wipes have been sold out for a while in the stores we frequent, there are still lots of pet wipes, in the Pet section. Any reason those wouldn’t work well? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/959 "2020-03-15T20:54:25Z")
Ohio governor DeWine ordered all bars and restaurants to close indefinitely. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/960 "2020-03-15T21:02:45Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > The wife and I noticed something yesterday. While all the wipes have been sold out for a while in the stores we frequent, there are still lots of pet wipes, in the Pet section. Any reason those wouldn’t work well? Oh, and makeup-removal wipes in the Cosmetics section. The wife just reminded me of that. Those still seem to be well-stocked here. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/961 "2020-03-15T21:46:57Z")
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology sent out a notice to all of its students abroad to return home, then threw in this little dig: “This applies especially if you are staying in a country with poorly developed health services. **This also applies for countries with poorly developed collective infrastructure, for example the USA** , where it can be difficult to get transport to the airport if you don’t have a car. The same applies if you don’t have health insurance.” [https://www.ntnu.edu/corona/students-abroad](https://www.ntnu.edu/corona/students-abroad) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=47) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=49)