COVID-19 updates

[Robert Roaldi]

To address my own earlier question about Italy, I read one plausible explanation and that is that Italy is NOT a special case. It's just what will happen everywhere to a greater or lesser extent. They were just the first (or nearly the first) European country that was hit and so were late with preparations.

[Alan Goldhammer]

In the UK, paracetamol is widely sold in corner shops and supermarkets as well as in pharmacies, both in "pure" form and as a component of proprietary cold and 'flu remedies. It's stacked on shelves, not "behind the counter". I've bought it in supermarkets in France, Italy and Spain, and I'd be very surprised if it weren't readily available in other countries too.

Like all effective drugs, it has side effects and like all effective drugs it's toxic, potentially lethal, in acute overdose. That doesn't make it "problematic"; and I've no idea what you imagine would be accomplished by "moving it behind the counter": anyone who wanted to acquire a lethal dose could simply go to more than one shop.

Jeremy

My post about 'behind the counter' availability came from drug safety experts during our yearly Drug Induced Liver Injury workshops that we were coordinating with the US FDA and academic researchers.  There are some countries where it is behind the counter and your experience points that this is not universal.  Products containing pseudoephedrine were moved behind the counter here in the US because the compound is easily converted into crystal meth a la 'Breaking Bad'  One can only purchase a limited supply an in order to acquire the necessary amount to do what Walter White did, one would have to visit lots of pharmacies.

Some drugs that are OTC here in the US are not available unless by Rx in other countries.  When we were in Ireland several years ago, my wife was running low on naproxen.  I went across the street to a pharmacy in Galway and didn't see any on the shelf.  The pharmacist said it was Rx only.

The point about acetaminophen is that there are tragedies occuring all the time here in the US.  You may cavalierly believe that its safe and let's not worry.  During our DILI workshops we covered a lot of problem areas, including a mother who bought the wrong strength drops to administer to her infant.  There are case records also of patients going into liver failure from taking both pills and elixirs containing acetaminophen and in inadvertently over dosing.

This is it for me regarding this topic.

[elliot_n]

It's anticipated (but not confirmed) that the virus does not withstand heat and dies if exposed to temperatures of 26-27 degrees (80F)

That doesn't make sense. The human body temperature is 37C.

If this really is from a 'Professor of Infectious Diseases, CHu (Switzerland)' please provide a link.

[Alan Goldhammer]

To address my own earlier question about Italy, I read one plausible explanation and that is that Italy is NOT a special case. It's just what will happen everywhere to a greater or lesser extent. They were just the first (or nearly the first) European country that was hit and so were late with preparations.

Italy has the second highest concentration of old people next to Japan.  I don't know what the smoking rate in Italy is, maybe not as high as France but that could be contributory as are other health issues that come as one gets older.  We'll have to see what the full epidemiological data show

[Craig Lamson]

I’m 67, and diabetic, my wife 66 and mostly healthy and my 90 yo mother lives with us. She is a cancer survivor.  We have been stockpiling for a few weeks And are good for a month or two.  Given my compromise and my mothers age, we closed our doors to the world on Friday. 

We are fortunate that we have the money to survive this, others will be hard hit.  My wife father, 90 lives alone having lost his wife a year ago.  He’s not in the best position mentally since the loss but is in good health.  He refuses to join us her for the short term. My wife has been visiting him daily when possible since her mother’s death, but is very conflicted, as am I about her continuing that practice now.  I’m advocating FaceTime, but there is resistance.

We have no mandatory lockdown yet.  Some business is still open but, based on reports, food stores are near empty.  No word on resupply.   As of today my county has no reported cases.   But cases are present in the state and nearby counties.

We had just stared an 11 unit RV project and I have photographed three as of Friday.  The next prototype is not due until the end of the month and as of today the plant was still open.  I have no idea if they will continue to work and I’ll consider the situation as we get closer to the end of the month.  But I’m fully committed to saying no to the work should it be required. 

We have long considered retiring and have funds ( dwindling quickly as the markets drop today) and availabe Social Security.  I’m reluctant to stop working because I still enjoy it and in physically capable...plus the money is very good for a few months work.  Maybe now might be the time.

But...and this is the kicker...none of us knows what the world looks like in a few month.  Let’s hope it’s still a world we can still recognize.

Here is hoping everyone here survives this mess.  To those of you who are ill, prayers for your swift recovery.  Try and stay safe.  Despite our many differences we are all still here for a common reason and I hope the best for all of you.

[Alan Goldhammer]

That doesn't make sense. The human body temperature is 37C.

If this really is from a 'Professor of Infectious Diseases, CHu (Switzerland)' please provide a link.

best paper on aerosol and surface stability of COVID-19:  https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v1.full.pdf 

I have not seen any data on heat stability of this particular virus.

[Alan Klein]

What’s the point of economic stimulus when there is no economy??? It is like flogging a dead horse.

Exactly.  So the DOW shut down when "Circuit breakers" popped after 5 minutes after the opening down another 2300 points or 10%.  Someone mentioned above that the young won't put up with this too long and let the old people die.  The flattening of the curve won't last too long.  Meanwhile someone died in a nearby hospital but she was around 50, relatively young.  On the bright side, the post office is supposed to deliver my large format 90mm lens this morning.  My wife told me she won't answer the door and sign for it though.  Things are getting testy already. 

[JoeKitchen]

Exactly.  So the DOW shut down when "Circuit breakers" popped after 5 minutes after the opening down another 2300 points or 10%.  Someone mentioned above that the young won't put up with this too long and let the old people die.  The flattening of the curve won't last too long.  Meanwhile someone died in a nearby hospital but she was around 50, relatively young.  On the bright side, the post office is supposed to deliver my large format 90mm lens this morning.  My wife told me she won't answer the door and sign for it though.  Things are getting testy already. 

90mm, for what format?  4x5, if so, did you get the center filter for it? 

I just looked up the price of an used mint Schneider Super-Angulon 90mm, my God what an insanely low price for a lens that was once very expensive.  If you could, I'd suggest buying a spare Copel shutter.  I have had all the springs in my Copel shutters replaced at least once in the 8 years I have been using my system, some twice.  Although, as a professional, I am sure my gear gets a lot more wear and tear then others. 

[kers]

It always surprises me that old people are so much more afraid of dying compared to young people that have so much more to loose.

[JoeKitchen]

It always surprises me that old people are so much more afraid of dying compared to young people that have so much more to loose.

Experience teaches you lot, including your mortality.  Eisenhower specifically picked young troops who never saw battle for the D-Day landing knowing full well experienced solders would be trepidatious to say the least about storming that beach. 

[Alan Klein]

As from last night, Serbia is in a state of emergency, after only 48 confirmed cases. Borders closed, schools, kindergartens, gyms, etc. closed through the rest of the year. Restaurants and bars open till 8pm. No one over 65 shall be on the streets or risk a 3-year jail sentence. Police and military would patrol the streets. I am in a self-quarantine, day 6, with some sort of the flu or even corona. Tired of sleeping all day, all night. I have no idea how they expect elderly, especially those who live alone, to remain in isolation for months.

I'm over 65 and have doctor and dentist appointments.  What would I do if I was there?

[Craig Lamson]

I'm over 65 and have doctor and dentist appointments.  What would I do if I was there?

My DR cancelled a med check appointment for Weds.  I would have done it myself had she not.

[Craig Lamson]

It always surprises me that old people are so much more afraid of dying compared to young people that have so much more to loose.

I don’t fear death, but that said I would prefer not to do it now.😎

[Alan Klein]

As from last night, Serbia is in a state of emergency, after only 48 confirmed cases. Borders closed, schools, kindergartens, gyms, etc. closed through the rest of the year. Restaurants and bars open till 8pm. No one over 65 shall be on the streets or risk a 3-year jail sentence. Police and military would patrol the streets. I am in a self-quarantine, day 6, with some sort of the flu or even corona. Tired of sleeping all day, all night. I have no idea how they expect elderly, especially those who live alone, to remain in isolation for months.

I'm over 65 and have doctor and dentist appointments.  What would I do if I was there?

Chloroquine has a pretty bad side effect profile which is why it is not used as a Malaria prophylactic any longer.  We'll see if there is any positive clinical data.  Redesivir is a difficult molecule to synthesize at scale and as I noted is an infusion drug.  Still it could prove useful for acute cases.  There are multiple clinical trials going on in China with combinations of products.  One hopes that the data will be expeditiously published.  I presume that the same thing will be done at US teaching hospitals as case loads increase.  It would be good to test out biologicals that affect the cytokine pathways as these seem to be affected in the worst cases.

The first vaccine will go into trials at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle today according to reports.  It's one of the new gene based vaccines produced by Moderna.  We really will need good safety and potency data as quickly as possible.  There's still going to be the issue of how many people ultimately to vaccinate since the majority of patients only get mild symptoms.

One would think the elderly would get first preference since they are most susceptible to not surviving the virus.

[Manoli]

In the UK, paracetamol is widely sold in corner shops and supermarkets as well as in pharmacies, both in "pure" form and as a component of proprietary cold and 'flu remedies. It's stacked on shelves,

My post about 'behind the counter' availability came from drug safety experts during our yearly Drug Induced Liver Injury workshops that we were coordinating with the US FDA and academic researchers.  There are some countries where it is behind the counter and your experience points that this is not universal.

Paracetamol and Aspirin where part of a "colds & flu' may be for sale, stacked on shelves. Walk into any Boots (generic chemist chain) and 'pure' Solpadeine (paracetamol) and Nurofen is for sale 'behind the counter'. Ask for a pack and you'll likely be interrogated asto what you want to take it for. Ask for two and expect Armageddon.

None of which prevents 99% of the clientele from walking 100 yards down the high street to the next chemist and asking for, yes, you guessed it - another pack.


Alan,
thank you for the link:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v1.full.pdf

[elliot_n]

best paper on aerosol and surface stability of COVID-19:  https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v1.full.pdf 

Thanks, that's reassuring. Someone on the radio was saying that it can last 9 days on cardboard, whilst this paper says just 24 hours. My amazon deliveries can come out of quarantine

[Manoli]

That doesn't make sense. The human body temperature is 37C.

The reference (26C) is to outside ambient temperature.
Hot teas, soups, coffees etc are higher than the 37C body temperature.
I agree with you, some of the assumptions are indeed that, assumptions.

[JoeKitchen]

The most interesting I find about this is just looking around at the grocer to see what people are stocking up on, perishables.  What?

Yes, there was a lack of canned/dried goods as well, but nearly the entire meet department was emptied out.  If this really hits, utilities will shut down.  Refrigerators wont work and you're not going to be able to cook anything unless you have a wood burning stove. 

All that will go to waste, unless you're crazy like me and know how to cure meats and make your own cheese. 

[Alan Klein]

90mm, for what format?  4x5, if so, did you get the center filter for it? 

I just looked up the price of an used mint Schneider Super-Angulon 90mm, my God what an insanely low price for a lens that was once very expensive.  If you could, I'd suggest buying a spare Copel shutter.  I have had all the springs in my Copel shutters replaced at least once in the 8 years I have been using my system, some twice.  Although, as a professional, I am sure my gear gets a lot more wear and tear then others. 

Yes, I just took up large format photography and got a new Chinese made Chamonix 4x5 camera, the 45H-1.  It came before the cirus outbreak so I didn;lt have to disinfect it.   The lens on order is a Nikkor 90mm f/4.5 with a CF from member of a different forum.  I also ordered a 75mm Fujinon f/5.6 from Japan but no CF was available at this time.

Speaking of Copal 0 shutters, the first LF lens I bought was a 150mm Schneider APO Symmar MC f/5.6  I tested the shutter (using my cellphone sound recording and Audacity app) and it's about 1/3 stop fast on speeds from 1 sec to 1/30.  People say I should live with it.  But I wonder if that can be corrected either with a new Copal or spring or escapement adjustment?  And whether it's worth it?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... If you are true to this believe just get it, deal with it and see if you survive.

As I posted, I do seem to have it.