Coronavirus Pandemic

[gilesgoat]

$3200 .. sounds "excessive"

Welcome to US healthcare. Because the system has been propped up by private insurance it's meant costs have gotten to be utterly insane. There are some extreme examples cited here, but it's an eye-opener nonetheless:

.. and because of all this virus thing, now Italy is even hiring more doctors/improving the NHS !! .. really !

[Cloudane]

I don't understand the bog roll thing. Why? Are people expecting the runs?

[tufty]

When you run out of masks, you can wrap your head in bog roll.

Or use coffee filters.

or not.

Spoiler: show

[zip accident]

they have to smear it on an agar plate, let it grow a day or 2 and then look.

Agar is for bacteria, it's a virus so that won't work.

[Baggypants]

they have to smear it on an agar plate, let it grow a day or 2 and then look.

Agar is for bacteria, it's a virus so that won't work.

Maybe that's why the published number of infections in the US is so low?

[gilesgoat]

they have to smear it on an agar plate, let it grow a day or 2 and then look.

Agar is for bacteria, it's a virus so that won't work.

Maybe that's why the published number of infections in the US is so low?

I don't think they test people that much as other nations do.

[Daniel]

Maybe that's why the published number of infections in the US is so low?

I don't think they test people that much as other nations do.

According to todays numbers US has 233 confirmed cases and 19 deaths (8% death rate).
In comparison Sweden has 136 confirmed cases and 0 deaths (0% death rate).
Either the US is not testing at the same scale or Swedes are much tougher than Americans...

[rowan]

Welcome to US healthcare. Because the system has been propped up by private insurance it's meant costs have gotten to be utterly insane. There are some extreme examples cited here, but it's an eye-opener nonetheless:

A couple of years back, A US colleague was over in Vienna with various other guys from around Europe.
He ended up having a bit of a nasty turn one evening & just keeled over. Fortunately one of the others was trained in 1st aid, got his heart going again whilst the ambulance was on the way.
He was taken to hospital and they sorted him out properly + fitted a pacemaker.

As soon as he came round, he was absolutely panicking "Oh my God, how'm I gonna pay? What's it going to cost? Oh man.."
Everyone else was saying "Relax Bill, it's totally not an issue, you can just get it on your credit card or something".

Ended up costing about €400. Was he grateful!
Once he got back home, he decided "well I should get it checked out by my clinic, make sure they did it properly etc."
They told him "yeah seems a really neat job but the device they fitted, it's the latest tech and our equipment cannot read it yet, better than anything we fit ourselves"

[Whiteball]

I don't understand the bog roll thing. Why? Are people expecting the runs?

I think people use it instead of handkerchiefs or tissues to blow their noses when they get colds.
Its a long lasting roll, easily kept near by and disposable in the bin once used. Also works out cheaper than other options you could buy.

[PFVA]

I use toilette paper at home and paper towels outside to protect myself from strong allergy inducing smells such as parfums or some car and motorcycle exhausters. If someone using a strong parfum sits nxt to me in the bus it's easier to place a paper towel in the front of the nose than a mask, and cheaper too.

[Rhythm]

Paper's for when you're away from home. Full water wash at home, paper when you're out and about

Not sure why people are stocking up :-/

[PFVA]

We have now 13 confirmed cases.

The head of the 24h health phone emergency system has been fired. I'm not sure if that will help their problems but they are also increasing the number of employees.

The tourism industry is the one screaming the most, they have hi percentages of cancellations. Actually i noticed there is a lot less planes in the sky.

Some residents though go about their usual business as usual :

Bookstore Cat

Yesterday in the old portion of the town the bookstore cat was going about is daily business of sitting outside catching the sun.

[Baggypants]

[NorthWay]

My national VMware vForum the 17th was cancelled by decree from VMware US.
National ski festival in Holmenkollen is closed for the public.
Confirmed cases around the country is now totaling approx 100.

[PFVA]

21 confirmed

2 tent hospitals being installed one in Lisbon, one in the North because 2 of the latest cases diagnosed apparently had contact with a great number of people.

Note: In Spain they are saying that a single event that led to 60 cases was a funeral (Basque Country). It makes sense, people have a tendency to hug and kiss people at funerals to give support.