Covid 19 Updates Part 2

[Alan Klein]

William Walker,

South Korea had a pretty well developed testing infrastructure due to H1N1, which they used to their advantage in this outbreak.  By pure luck, H1N1 caused this infrastructure to already be set up in their country and helped them immensely. 

In comparison, the USA, and every other western country, did not need to worry about H1N1 nearly as much and did not have a need to develop this infrastructure.  This disparity is what is making SK so much more prepared then many others, including the USA. 

Thanks for the left wing propaganda though. 

Second, as Slobo points out, population surely has a big part of it as well.  Namely the fact that the USA has a much higher population than SK. 

South Korea is a much more insular country than the USA.  People including foreigners travel more freely in America especially to the big cities like NY and New Orleans. Americans pay less attention to rules.   

[Alan Klein]

Wow.  Frankly, I don't think it would help.  The cat's out of the bag.  But if Trump is suggesting it, then even he thinks this thing is getting out of hand.  But is it stoppable?

Trump says he's considering short-term quarantine of parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/28/politics/trump-new-york-new-jersey-quarantine-coronavirus/index.html

[Robert Roaldi]

South Korea is a much more insular country than the USA.

That's not at all my experience nor the experience of others I've know who lived and taught there. Are you basing that on something or just gut feel? Nothing wrong with gut feel but you can't often rely on it unless you have some special knowledge.

[Craig Lamson]

Wow.  Frankly, I don't think it would help.  The cat's out of the bag.  But if Trump is suggesting it, then even he thinks this thing is getting out of hand.  But is it stoppable?

Trump says he's considering short-term quarantine of parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/28/politics/trump-new-york-new-jersey-quarantine-coronavirus/index.html

I don't think he has the authority to do this, based on what I'm reading. 

[Alan Klein]

That's not at all my experience nor the experience of others I've know who lived and taught there. Are you basing that on something or just gut feel? Nothing wrong with gut feel but you can't often rely on it unless you have some special knowledge.

I could be wrong.  I spent two years in Japan in the 1960's in the USAF.  Japan then and now is an insular society.  You can't immigrate there and become a citizen without huge difficulties.  I assume it's the same in SK, but I could be wrong.  The point is the people think similarly because they have the same heritage, same genes, same language, same background.  In  America, we're so diverse due to being an immigrant nation.  That's a blessing and a curse.  A blessing because the variety of people's allows huge creativity, experience, thought and action.  The curse is we bicker a lot and and like our independent thinking and action at times when it might be better to act together.  I could be wrong about that now.  After all, this is like war which has united us in the past to great and united action.  Maybe the virus will bring that out in us again.  I certainly hope so but the politics of the upcoming election seems to keep getting in the way. 

[degrub]

South Korea is a much more insular country than the USA.  People including foreigners travel more freely in America especially to the big cities like NY and New Orleans. Americans pay less attention to rules.

Alan,if you have never lived or worked there don’t speculate. Some of us have spent time in the culture and at least grasp the basics. SK was able to get better initial control due to their previous experience as mentioned previously and set up a plan and structure to respond when the next epidemic hit. Their government had the ability to force compliance as well. Not too different from what China did. As you mentioned, many Americans don't like to be told what to do.

[LesPalenik]

On a per capita basis, the two states are rather close to each other, without taking all other differences, cultural, political, etc. into account.

Also Italy and Spain show very similar counts. Maybe because both nations have similar life styles in terms of socializing?
The most surprising thing is Switzerland on the top. One would think, that the Swiss are very law abiding and safety minded and that they practice the social distance recommendations. Why then such a high mortality?

[degrub]

I could be wrong.  I spent two years in Japan in the 1960's in the USAF.  Japan then and now is an insular society.  You can't immigrate there and become a citizen without huge difficulties.  I assume it's the same in SK, but I could be wrong.  The point is the people think similarly because they have the same heritage, same genes, same language, same background.  In  America, we're so diverse due to being an immigrant nation.  That's a blessing and a curse.  A blessing because the variety of people's allows huge creativity, experience, thought and action.  The curse is we bicker a lot and and like our independent thinking and action at times when it might be better to act together.  I could be wrong about that now.  After all, this is like war which has united us in the past to great and united action.  Maybe the virus will bring that out in us again.  I certainly hope so but the politics of the upcoming election seems to keep getting in the way.

Alan,

Were you able to live away from the base and get out of the American culture while you were there ?
I don’t mean the weekend pass kind of opportunity around the bases.. it really makes a difference.

[elliot_n]

Please explain this.

Face masks

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Also Italy and Spain show very similar counts. Maybe because both nations have similar life styles in terms of socializing?...

If I would try to be flippant, which I would never do, of course, I would point out the similarities in national attitudes: la dolce vita for Italy, and siesta i fiesta for Spain

[LesPalenik]

Face masks

My example of Slovakia in post #2 would confirm that, they didn't report any fatalities yet. Another such example is Singapore with only 2 deaths.
Both countries mandated wearing masks all the time while outside their homes.

[LesPalenik]

If I would try to be flippant, which I would never do, of course, I would point out the similarities in national attitudes: la dolce vita for Italy, and siesta i fiesta for Spain

Lot of hugging, kissing and close-contact fighting in both countries.

[Alan Klein]

Alan,

Were you able to live away from the base and get out of the American culture while you were there ?
I don’t mean the weekend pass kind of opportunity around the bases.. it really makes a difference.

Well,  the point I was making is that the cultures of America and Japan or South Korea are very different.  How Americans react to government and other authority is very different than how Koreans and Japanese react.   

[Alan Klein]

My example of Slovakia in post #2 would confirm that, they didn't report any fatalities yet. Another such example is Singapore with only 2 deaths.
Both countries mandated wearing masks all the time while outside their homes.

Where do you find face masks?  I've ordered them, but they're not coming until April something if they come then.  The price is about 4 times what they should be.  One mask I was following suddenly disappeared off of Amazon including the seller.  He must have been ripping people off.  If the infection rates go up and it spreads more widely, there's going to be shortages of all kinds of stuff.  Maybe I should stock up on toilet paper. 

[Craig Lamson]

Cuomo: Travel Restrictions On New York Are ‘Federal Act Of War’

http://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2020/03/28/cuomo-travel-restrictions-on-new-york-are-federal-act-of-war

Cuomo also criticized Trump’s suggestion of limiting travel from the tri-state area. Trump told reporters he is concerned about travel from New York to Florida, which is a frequent destination for retired New Yorkers.

“This would be a declaration of war on states, a federal declaration of war,” Cuomo said of any travel ban.

[LesPalenik]

Where do you find face masks?  I've ordered them, but they're not coming until April something if they come then.  The price is about 4 times what they should be.  One mask I was following suddenly disappeared off of Amazon including the seller.  He must have been ripping people off.  If the infection rates go up and it spreads more widely, there's going to be shortages of all kinds of stuff.  Maybe I should stock up on toilet paper. 

Personally, I don't have any flu or Covid-19 mask, but I don't go out much.
I was thinking about using my underwater mask with the snorkel, because in that configuration I would need just a small piece of fabric to wrap around the snorkel opening, but such a mask would be much heavier than a cotton-based mask.

Health authorities in parts of Asia have encouraged all citizens to wear masks in public to prevent the spread of the virus, regardless of whether they have symptoms. And the Czech Republic and Slovakia took the uncommon step last week of making nose and mouth coverings mandatory in public spaces, prompting a grassroots drive to hand make masks.

Many people make their own masks using cotton pieces. Although they are not quite as effective as the expensive head masks with face shields, they can be much better and longer lasting than the flimsy mass-produced masks.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/would-everyone-wearing-face-masks-help-us-slow-pandemic
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a31902442/how-to-make-medical-face-masks/

 

[John Camp]

I think Cuomo may have effectively chilled Trump's NY quarantine idea. He said the stock market "would drop like a stone."

[John Camp]

Also Italy and Spain show very similar counts. Maybe because both nations have similar life styles in terms of socializing?
The most surprising thing is Switzerland on the top. One would think, that the Swiss are very law abiding and safety minded and that they practice the social distance recommendations. Why then such a high mortality?

Milan (and the surrounding area) was hit hard, I suspect, because of extensive travel between that fashion center and the fashion manufacturers in China. New York was hit hard because thousands of travelers from everywhere, including China, Milan and other hot spots, arrived there daily. New Orleans got hit because they went ahead and held Mardi Gras, attracting tens of thousands of people both nationally and internationally. Switzerland is a major destination for people who need to do safe, confidential banking, and also for skiing. Many, many Chinese traveled there. The travel/tourist nodes are the one getting hit the hardest.

[JoeKitchen]

I think Cuomo may have effectively chilled Trump's NY quarantine idea. He said the stock market "would drop like a stone."

Maybe.  Remember, Cuomo initially said, in so many words, that De Blaiso was crazy to call for a shut down of NYC, then two days later called for a shut down of NYC himself. 

I dont see Cuomo having much foresight right now.  It's a sad world when De Blasio can out see someone. 

[Alan Klein]

Personally, I don't have any flu or Covid-19 mask, but I don't go out much.
I was thinking about using my underwater mask with the snorkel, because in that configuration I would need just a small piece of fabric to wrap around the snorkel opening, but such a mask would be much heavier than a cotton-based mask.

Many people make their own masks using cotton pieces. Although they are not quite as effective as the expensive head masks with face shields, they can be much better and longer lasting than the flimsy mass-produced masks.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/would-everyone-wearing-face-masks-help-us-slow-pandemic
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a31902442/how-to-make-medical-face-masks/

 

Dump the snorkel and be a real man. Put on a scuba tank and carry your own air.  All the girls will be impressed. 

What should make good fabric for homemade face masks is the mite proof fabric you use on mattresses and pillows.  No covad-19 would dare try to get thru something a mite can't handle.