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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday March 17 2020, @11:52AM   Printer-friendly
from the sudden-impact dept.

A lot has already happened this year. SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) which can cause COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019) has been making headlines shortly after it was first reported. The first cases were reported to WHO (World Health Organization) on 2019-12-31. The virus spread. It began as an epidemic in China . The world watched apprehensively. Reports surfaced of cases in other countries and the the apprehension grew. For many folk, it turned to fear when it was upgraded to a pandemic: WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020: "We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic."

We have seen increasing efforts to stem the spread of the disease. Efforts have run the gamut. Closing of borders. Cancellation of sporting events. Conferences cancelled. Churches and other places of worship also closed. Schools closed. Panic buying of household goods and supplies. Supply chain disruptions affecting manufacturers. Restaurant, bars, and other such establishments closed. Work-from-home policies established and enacted.

The changes have been many, widespread, and continuing.

Reading about all the ways that "other people" have been affected is one thing. It seems different, somehow, when it hits closer to home and affects us directly. With many of our usual social activities curtailed or cancelled, it is easy to begin isolating and lose perspective. SoylentNews arose from a troubled period (the SlashCott) and a community has formed from that challenging period.

How have you been affected? Have you been infected? Had a family member or friend who was? Helped neighbors who are struggling? Hunkering down and isolating? (In a basement is optional.) Are you suddenly working from home and finding it challenging to manage your time? Still working on site, but now have a faster commute due to all the other people staying home? Catching up on watching TV shows? Reading more SoylentNews? How has your life changed?

From a somewhat different perspective, how have others helped you to cope... and how have you been able to help others? One of the potential impacts of social distancing is isolation and depression. I count myself fortunate, indeed, to have served this site for over 6 years and for all the people I have gotten to know, here. For those who may not be aware, SoylentNews has its own IRC (Internet Relay Chat) server. Feel free to drop in to #Soylent and just say "Hi!"

Social distancing is permanent when you're dead. So, practice good hygiene and stay safe.

Previously (oldest first):
China Battles Coronavirus Outbreak: All the Latest Updates
2019-nCoV Coronavirus Story Roundup
Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Roundup
Coronavirus Roundup
Coronavirus Roundup (Feb. 17)
Roundup of Stories about the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus and COVID-19 Disease
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 - CoronaVirus) Roundup
CoronaVirus (SARS-CoV-2) Roundup 2020-03-12
Working from Home: Lessons Learned Over 20 Years


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  • (Score: 2) by RS3 on Tuesday March 17 2020, @03:38PM (1 child)

    by RS3 (6367) on Tuesday March 17 2020, @03:38PM (#972272)

    I too thank you for being involved, and almost at the front lines. And thank you for those supplement tips.

    One of my biggest concerns is that someone could be infected or a carrier and not know it. Do you know if there's a way to test for this? IE, does the current test show positive before you have symptoms but are a carrier?

    I'm trying to figure out how I can help the efforts. Any suggestions?

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  • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday March 19 2020, @12:20AM

    by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Thursday March 19 2020, @12:20AM (#972989) Journal

    Honestly, I don't know. What makes this little single-stranded motherfucker so insidious is that you can be asymptomatic for well over a week while shedding virus like a Persian cat sheds hair. I don't even know how the current test kits work or what they're looking for, though I'd assume it's testing for an antibody titer specific to some part of the virus itself.

    Regarding the supplements, this may not work for you, or anyone but me, and it may not even continue working for me. Peoples' body chemistries are different enough that what works for one could be actively harmful to another; that much vitamin C, for example, will give normal people what Nanny Ogg persists in referring to as "the dire rear" and only works for me due to massive physiological demand brought on by untreated PTSD and constant stress. High doses of vitamin D3 (though 2000IU is only half the tolerable upper intake) can screw around with your calcium homeostasis, in particular dragging it out of your bones and depositing it in a nice thick layer all over your circulatory systems unless you take magnesium with it. Magnesium and zinc antagonize one another, I am told. The standard cheap B-complex pills could be harmful to someone with a bad MTHFR polymorphism due to having folic acid rather than 6(S)-5-methylfolate in it. And so on, and so on. Please listen to your body and be careful with supplements!

    --
    I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...