A second thought on price gouging by those on-line entrepreneurs: If they are selling stuff across state lines (which they are), do the states have any authority to regulate it?
Is this something that only Congress can crack down on, under the Commerce Clause?
I’m watching a newscaster read questions being sent in, and it’s all things like, “If I isolate myself at home and order groceries online, can the virus be hiding in the bags and boxes being delivered?” And I’m thinking, Jesus, if you’re really that paranoid, maybe suicide is not a bad option.
Someone just asked, “Should I advise my elderly mother not to attend Mass tomorrow?” And I’m thinking, “Depends. How much do you like her and/or are you mentioned in her will?”
The idea that it was all the Americans fault is getting a big run in (government-controlled) Chinese media, because the popular belief is that it’s pretty much the fault of the Chinese government (similar to the American theory that it’s Trumps fault).
By now, there are several minor variations of COVID-19. The fact that America is pretty much infected with an early variation is taken, by sensible people, to indicate that American was infected in December, before the first major split, and has been living in self-inflicted ignorance since.
Rudy Gobert plays basketball for the Utah Jazz. A few days ago he made headlines because of a joke/stunt he played at the end of a press conference: he touched every microphone and recorder in use on the table in front of him before exiting the room. Moments later, he tested positive for COVID-19 and the NBA suspended the season.
Mr. Gobert immediately apologized, saying he was embarrassed and ashamed of his actions. Today he showed a lot of class.
Good job, Mr. Gobert; you totally fucking rock!
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). So while much of the country is shutting down to prevent people gathering together, airports have become a public health tinderbox
Well, damn. Next month’s annual Waikiki Spam Jam has been canceled due to the coronavirus.
First death reported in Oregon.
I stand corrected!!
(Also … thx snowthx)
Damn. 
And we’ve only tested 524 people in the whole state.
Yeah.
Huh? Why a flippant answer?
I would advise her to stay home. Catholic and Jewish congregations in my city have cancelled services. Also some non-denominational mega-churches.
The state of testing up here is abysmal. It would sure make it easier if we could get tested to know if we’re a danger to others or in danger ourselves. Self isolation is all well and good but more concrete knowledge of where we stand would go a long way toward making this shit bearable–it’s stressful not knowing.
I’m bummed we’ve had a death from it. I hope there are few more since it’s unlikely there will be no more. Sigh.
A list showing the percentage of people with given symptoms would not be very accurate at this stage. It seems quite a few people have cases with no symptoms. Until enough get tested, the results are biased to the sicker patients much more likely to be tested.
Coronavirides were first discovered in the 1960s. Four types usually cause colds or similar symptoms. People are not known to develop lasting immunity to these.
SARS was a “novel coronavirus” thought to have started as an animal virus. It killed a significant percentage of people who acquired severe cases. H1N5 was worse - a very significant percentage of infected succumbed, but fortunately the number infected remained small (in the hundreds).
Covid-19? Some specialists think that since lasting immunity is not prominent for other coronavirides, it is likely to stick around, this becoming “a fifth coronavirus”. In other words, there may be influenza season and Covid-19 season every year. Hopefully not. But if this is the case, a vaccine becomes more important. It is unclear whether some of the steps being taken now can be skipped or may need to be repeated. No one knows. Widespread testing may show many mild cases. A number of treatments showed promise for SARS and may show promise for other severe coronavirides too.
Just the fact that someone would even have to ask. Does the asker really think the answer would be sure, no problem, send her along?
This re-raises the question I asked yesterday: Why would a vaccine create immunity to a disease, if having the actual disease itself does not?
Several vaccines require booster shots. For pertussis or tetanus, immunity is impermanent. The antibodies don’t seem to stick around forever. I am a generalist who has mainly done emergency and hospital medicine, but a few other things too. I am not an expert on viruses.
People after coronavirus still produce antibodies. They just don’t get lasting immunity. So a vaccine with antibodies might still be helpful. But like a flu shot, it may need to be repeated often, perhaps annually.
On weaker ground, the damage from coronavirus is often because it causes the immune and inflammatory systems of some people to overcompensate. Instead of antibodies, perhaps it could use antigen presenting complexes, complement, lymphocytes, interfere with inflammatory modulators like interleukins, leukotrienes, cyclooxygenase, thromboxanes, prostaglandins etc. At some point, this may be a medicine rather than a vaccine. But it could perhaps be “vaccine like” using something similar to antibodies. Immunology has changed so much since I studied it in medical school that this is beyond my knowledge. I keep up to date as best I can. But immunology and cancer treatments change so quickly you need to specialize to go beyond the basics.
I’m getting worried about seeing headlines talking about a “second strain”. Is something like that possible for a coronavirus?
Great crap, this is why I have GOT to stop thinking random thoughts before bed.
(BTW, feeling fine, no symptoms, and seriously freaking wishing all of you and family/friends stay healthy. 
)
