Conavirus......

[ApatheticNoMore]

Or the VPN at work might not be able to handle everyone working at home. That seems likely the case.

The paid time off for sick days, yes it's very needed, but haven't we all seen people come into work sick even so? So we have 3 paid sick days a year, which is the legal minimum in CA for full time non-contract work I believe (I also save up at least a couple vacation days for sickness, and I never even get sick almost, like once in the past 4 years or something, but saving up for once in a blue moon). But despite having *some* sick time people are always coming in sick even so and it's that way everywhere even where there is a more generous 5 sick days a year.

[bae]

Well, a few days ago, State and local governments were moving along relatively smoothly, using protocols and such established during the Ebola outbreak, and I was fairly happy about the state of affairs.

With the Federal government stepping up with some top-notch know-nothings yesterday, and clamping down on information flow and testing/reporting protocols, I am much less happy. It's as if they took everything we learned from the Ebola situation, and all that has been developed since then to deal with these things, and thrown it out the back door.

Good luck.

[Yppej]

I've wondered what happens to people quarantined for two weeks. Are they eligible for sick time if they even have that benefit? Short term disability if they even have it?

[sweetana3]

Just watched a documentary on Youtube about the 1918 Spanish flu. Amazing how similar except that the death rate back then was much much worse. But the handling and government mistakes are so similar.

[LDAHL]

I can’t help but think we are also seeing an element of panic here. An overpriced market looking for reasons to tank. A media in search of a juicy disaster. A political party hoping the usual Trump Teflon won’t be virus proof. Conspiracy theories about lab bred diseases,

A significant portion of the public associate this virus with the beer of the same name.

[dado potato]

Corona beer should be safe to drink with a wedge of lime stuck in the bottle neck. (wink)

Speaking of bottle necks... I understand that to test a patient for coronavirus, a hospital needs a specific kit, which is only available from the CDC. I heard a talking head on television say that the entire state of California has 200 kits available. (I don't know if it is a fact.) But I wonder if there might be significant numbers of people who are sick "with a bug" who are not tested, and may be infected without anyone knowing.

[SteveinMN]

I can’t help but think we are also seeing an element of panic here. An overpriced market looking for reasons to tank. A media in search of a juicy disaster. A political party hoping the usual Trump Teflon won’t be virus proof. Conspiracy theories about lab bred diseases

All. Of. This. I read a news article this morning about someone who had contracted H1N1 ("swine flu") years ago and remembered the crisis around that. Then I remembered the crises around H5N1 ("bird flu", which also centered prominently in China), SARS, ...

It's way too early to tell if COVID-19 is going to be worse than those or if this is just another example of a global infectious disease that lends itself well to pearl-clutching. Not saying it won't be -- it's just too early to know now.

A significant portion of the public associate this virus with the beer of the same name.

[LDAHL]

All. Of. This. I read a news article this morning about someone who had contracted H1N1 ("swine flu") years ago and remembered the crisis around that. Then I remembered the crises around H5N1 ("bird flu", which also centered prominently in China), SARS, ...

It's way too early to tell if COVID-19 is going to be worse than those or if this is just another example of a global infectious disease that lends itself well to pearl-clutching. Not saying it won't be -- it's just too early to know now.

The beauty of the Chicken Little approach, for those who stand to benefit from it, is that you really can’t lose. On the small chance you’re right (enough), you can say “I told you so”. And if you’re wrong, you can either claim your timely warning saved the day or be almost certain the whole thing will soon be forgotten.

[JaneV2.0]

A town nearby quarantined two people and has shut the high school down as a precaution, as one of them is on staff.
Meanwhile, I'm laying in supplies and looking forward to cocooning.

[sweetana3]

And this is why I concentrate on "real" news from medical sources. Our media fluctuates from ignorance to sensationalism (much like our government officials.)