Corona Virus.

[Dawn.]

How many of you are concerned about the coronavirus?

[Blackwing]

Flu is still by far the more concerning one to be worried about
Flu has still killed more by millions
This is just a fear driven by the media

[Celyn]

I'm more concerned about myself catching it and then passing it on to my mum. But not really concerned.

I do think the media makes things worse though. My friend forwarded me an article the other day that stated there were plans to increase mortuary space...like that's not going to panic people

[Ennui.]

I'm not concerned basically because of what was already mentioned. The media is kind of over hyping it and creating a mass panic. Take the same precautions you would to avoid the flu.

Me. I've had a cold that's going into its second week literally as we speak.

If I am not better by Monday, I am going to the walk-in clinic to get tested.

[Everglow.]

I am concerned because it's new and there's no way for anybody to know the effect it will have on our bodies should we catch it. But at the same time, I do think the media are sensationalising it quite a bit.

To the point that in my local supermarket there is NO soap left on the shelves at ALL.

[eaty]

One tiny nitpicky thing, its called Coronavirus. No space.

Honestly. I am not at all worried about it. And that is because I have literally spent my last few weeks keeping up with the research on it, and the news. And this is a case where the news is MAJORLY ramping everyone up. But the truth is? It only looks so bad, because it is new. Remember all the hype about SARS? Swine Flu? Ebola? This is the same media issues as those.

This is just another version of SARS, like literally the technical name for COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1 is SARS.

Another thing the media is NOT talking about and they SHOULD. The majority of the fatalities are elderly. Every age group is at risk, but kids and young healthy people are not in the same risk as elderly. Some numbers I actually heard tonight at a lecture about the virus mentions that 80% get mild-moderate symptoms, 15% get severe, and 5% are the worst off, which tend to be the ones who die. I know that the lecture I went to only took his info from the CDC and WHO

So because of all of that info. I am not at all worried for myself or my family, because we are not in the demographic that is the most affected. Take same precautions as the flu, and all should be good. Wash hands, don't touch your face, cover coughs, clean surfaces.

I'm worried simply because I have asthma and if 8 get it there's a chance I could die since I already have respiratory issues that I'm not taking care of.

Personally, I think the media is over hyping it. People need to take the precautions they'd take with the flu or any illness.

I'm concerned I'll get it and I'll be quarantined for ages and miss Mt wedding but that's because I have anxiety and worry.

[Dawn.]

Originally Posted by Everglow.

I am concerned because it's new and there's no way for anybody to know the effect it will have on our bodies should we catch it. But at the same time, I do think the media are sensationalising it quite a bit.

To the point that in my local supermarket there is NO soap left on the shelves at ALL.

Over here, there are no toilet paper, baby formula, soap, antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizers...it's crazy.

[Odyne]

I’m not so worried about me, but the people I love.

[Rivière]

There's a case that's 30 minutes away from me. I'm not overly concerned about it but I am cautious and ensure to keep up with the news as well as take the necessary precautions in terms of cleaning and whatnot.

I do have to wonder a few things though:

I don't see how paper masks will really do much of anything (besides make people feel more safe) since we're talking about a microbial virus which can easily seep through the fibres of cheaply made/bought face masks.

How good is sanitiser? While it's meant to kill 99.9% of all bacteria, how do we know it kills this virus too? What if it's the 0.1% that it doesn't? Naturally companies omit that last percentage to cover themselves, and I'm sure sanitiser does well... but I still have to wonder how well.

Finally, what type of weather conditions does it thrive in? Hot? Cold? Mild? I was wondering if when it starts getting summer, then maybe it'll help kill it off, but then I've read that there are places in Australia and California in the US, which are much warmer and have several cases of the virus... so at what temperature does it struggle?

[Odyne]

I'm quite worried now. The doctors said me and my bf can't go places with many people, because our medication makes our bodies weak
I'm a bit scared now tbh.

[Jordioa18]

I am worried as I am a heart-lung patient and there are cases 20 minutes away from my home and 5 minutes away from my school. I've ramped up the hand-washing and using hand gel after going off public transit (because I cannot wash my hands when traveling of course)

[hocus pocus]

My concern is about the same as it is with all other illnesses, but nothing more than that. I just hate illnesses and germs more than the average person. My body isn't the healthiest so there is that.

Our stores don't have any disinfectant wipes or sprays. People were on some talk show the other day discussing how to make your own disinfectant wipes.

Originally Posted by Rivière

I do have to wonder a few things though:

I don't see how paper masks will really do much of anything (besides make people feel more safe) since we're talking about a microbial virus which can easily seep through the fibres of cheaply made/bought face masks.

How good is sanitiser? While it's meant to kill 99.9% of all bacteria, how do we know it kills this virus too? What if it's the 0.1% that it doesn't? Naturally companies omit that last percentage to cover themselves, and I'm sure sanitiser does well... but I still have to wonder how well.

Finally, what type of weather conditions does it thrive in? Hot? Cold? Mild? I was wondering if when it starts getting summer, then maybe it'll help kill it off, but then I've read that there are places in Australia and California in the US, which are much warmer and have several cases of the virus... so at what temperature does it struggle?

I think the masks and the hand sanitizers are more of a mind thing. They make people feel more secure than anything else. I always have hand sanitizer on me and I don't think it works overly well but I like having it anyway.

And that's a good question, about the temperatures. You have me wondering now too.

[Tigereyes]

I'm not concerned, and I'm on immunosuppressants (humira specifically), and there was a confirmed case near me. For reasons everyone said.

Also don't buy face masks unless you are sick; they don't help, especially when everyone wears them wrong, and people who need them for PPE at jobs and hosptials can't get them.

[Rivière]

Originally Posted by cynefin

I think the masks and the hand sanitizers are more of a mind thing. They make people feel more secure than anything else. I always have hand sanitizer on me and I don't think it works overly well but I like having it anyway.

That's what I think. They're just to give people a piece of mind, but really given that it's a new strain of a virus, sanitiser and whatnot hasn't been tested, so really we can't guarantee that it would ever protect against it.

Not worried at all. I have had a cold for a while and so has my Grandpa and we know all it is is a cold because we get them around this time. I think all this panic is pointless and dumb.

[Ennui.]

Even regular alcohol wipes are out in some places. I’m on a few chronic illness FB groups and people who need them to clean their skin for medication injections can’t. There’s a shortage of masks so medical professionals are screwed. I even saw a post where they’re getting dust masks from like Home Depot and stuff so construction workers etc can’t get them. I think when the media does talk about it they take the spin of it being a horrible catastrophe type thing.

I have a conference coming up and people are emailing my professor (she’s also the president of the organization this year) asking if the conference will be canceled because someone in Atlanta has it. So far it’s not canceled but Georgia can ban large gatherings and effectively cancel it. I’d be out tons of money and I guess it would be in the name of safety but unless we come in contact with the person we should be fine.

There’s a case in my state now too but it’s far away.

[eaty]

Originally Posted by Spoons

Even regular alcohol wipes are out in some places. I’m on a few chronic illness FB groups and people who need them to clean their skin for medication injections can’t. There’s a shortage of masks so medical professionals are screwed. I even saw a post where they’re getting dust masks from like Home Depot and stuff so construction workers etc can’t get them. I think when the media does talk about it they take the spin of it being a horrible catastrophe type thing.

I'll just add onto this.

My mom has a friend on FB whose husband is a painter. He can't get refill cartridges for his respirator because they are sold out everywhere, including Amazon. He needs them to do his job painting. And is now out of work for his own safety due to not being able to wear his respirator.

I'm a member of a volunteer fire department, and when I last spoke to my EMS director a MONTH ago. All of our suppliers for N-95s are out till June, and this was when the US was just getting the first cases. I am pretty sure the date has moved, but I won't know till I talk to him on Monday for our monthly meeting. And I believe we use same suppliers as hospitals. And for health care workers, we don't ONLY have this virus to worry about, there are so many other more contagious airborne virus that now we don't have masks to protect ourselves?

And to top it off, the CDC and the US Surgeon General spoke this week about how a mask is not as effective as people think. It is actually MORE protective to put them on someone who is sick, than someone who is not sick.

I also went to the grocery store today with my mom. One store is completely sold out of: Gloves, face masks, toilet paper, anything containing bleach, running very low on tissues, all the antibacterial hand soap is sold out (I love how people are thinking "Yeah! Antibacterial soap will kill... a virus..." and all of the other soaps are still in stock, which work JUST as well for this) I didn't even look at hand sanitizer because at this point I was just tired.

Am I worried? Nah. Just frustrated.

When I was on holiday earlier this week, mum stopped by the local pharmacy in that city to pick up a few things and they were out of sanitizer wipes. Completely out of stock!

It's also a freaking hysteria because when I flew down there last week, every little cough—I had a cold—would set people off in a panic. I can only compare that type of panic to hearing a gun shot going off?

What strikes me as being the most bizarre is this: people are so hysterical over the coronavirus but yet they keep going to work or are sending their kids to school. One teenager in a nearby town had it and the school was put on lock-down. Like, why didn't you just keep him home?

[Tigereyes]

I'm most worried about not being able to work, so no income for bills, necessities, and student loans. Oh and also my concern with being on immunosuppressants is that since I'm more likely to get it, I'm more likely to have to be quarentined if anyone found out I got it.

[Proud90sKid]

I am only concerned about the impact it will have on the economy and job market. I am looking for a job and this could negatively affect that. The death rate for people under 40 is only 0.2 percent . If you aren't elderly or have a compromised immune system, you will probably be fine. I'm not worried about something that I have a 99.8 percent chance of surviving IF I even get it in the first place.

[Odyne]

My country have just shut down. We cant go anywhere.

The more this goes on the more concerned I get. I think it'll be fine but the way the world is responding to it is freaking me out. My brother also mentioned what's going on in Italy and how the US isn't testing enough people. He said we could end up having the same thing happen here. That worried me. I have asthma so I know I'm a bigger risk but I'm healthy aside from that so I hope it'll be okay.

I'm actually starting to worry my wedding will get canceled. If the venues we are using are forced to shut down we'd have to postpone. Currently they're only shutting down gatherings of 1000 or more. However, a county over has a case and the person had interacted with the public. That could cause a terrible outbreak here too. My county and a neighboring County have a case each but that was travel related and the people didn't interact with a ton of people. If the one the county over causes an outbreak we could get more cases here simply because people here and there commute for work.

[Odyne]

We can't go out for 14 days, only to buy food.
Everything is canceled.

At this point, we all have significant reason to be concerned. I have a sister who is a type 1 diabetic and has a history of asthma and pneumonia, and who has already almost died once and has had some medical crises the last couple years. To say that it's not a big deal or that you're not worried about it because YOU'RE not at risk, is more than a little insulting.

Originally Posted by Proud90sKid

I am only concerned about the impact it will have on the economy and job market. I am looking for a job and this could negatively affect that. The death rate for people under 40 is only 0.2 percent . If you aren't elderly or have a compromised immune system, you will probably be fine. I'm not worried about something that I have a 99.8 percent chance of surviving IF I even get it in the first place.

Death rate for diabetics is between 7 and 9%. Do the elderly and people with health issues not mean anything? She is one of my only biological family members. Even if you are not at risk, you could give it to someone who is. It is the responsibility of all of us to stay inside as much as possible, to wash our hands, to disinfect surfaces, and to not travel.

[Odyne]

I wasn't scared before..
I am now.

[Alittlebitofpositivity]

Sending lots of strength to everyone, I know it's feeling worrying and scary right now but we will get through this together.

[Dawn.]

Originally Posted by Odyne

We can't go out for 14 days, only to buy food.
Everything is canceled.

What country do you live in if you don't mind me asking?

[Ennui.]

Everything is sold out. We hit up basically every store in my city including dollar stores to try and do our regular grocery shopping and couldn't really find food. People are hoarding so bad. I just want to be able to have food for the week.

My university and many others in Connecticut shut down. My niece's grade school/the other grade schools in my city, as well as others in the state also shut down.

[Odyne]

Originally Posted by Omen.

What country do you live in if you don't mind me asking?

I live in Denmark

[Arabesque- golfing girl.]

My school is closed for 3 weeks. Tonight we we're going to the ballet and they emailed us saying it's canceled and we don't get back our money. They grocery stores are running out of everything and the people are acting crazy. I can't take this anymore. It's too much.

Sending strength and love to all. <3 It's definitely feeling very scary right now. Things are getting canceled around here, too, and my university is also moving online. Try to remember that the cancellations are a good thing, though, because it means we're being proactive and will hopefully find a solution to this that much quicker, while at the same time minimizing the strain on our healthcare systems.

But I am concerned about the grocery situation as well.

~Kylie

[Celyn]

I'm scared now, though trying to remain positive. Toilet roll, hand sanitiser, pasta is all out around here. The rugby has been cancelled and my university has a plan to move everything online next week, if need be.

I worry about getting it and I worry about my family getting it too. And I get paranoid when it comes to health things and just worry and obsess over stuff. But I don't go out much, and I'm trying not to touch things and wash my hands after I go out (since I have to use public transport to get to university). I'm just trying to keep distracted.

Sending everyone strength

[Arabesque- golfing girl.]

Sending lots and lots of Hugs to everyone.

[Odyne]

Originally Posted by Golfing girl

Sending lots and lots of Hugs to everyone.

Same to you

[Everglow.]

Luckily we get our toilet roll from a supplier who my dad works with so we're all stocked up with that. But the supermarkets are running out of tinned foods as well as rice and pasta. My uni is not offering face to face sessions until after Easter now. The UK hasn't closed down as much as most other countries, but I almost wish it would because the level of anxiety I'm dealing with at the moment is really bad. I'm washing my hands almost compulsively and my skin is having a horrible, painful flare up. I feel a bit suffocated by it, and I'm scared about it now for sure.

I hope everyone's holding up okay. It's all really hard to face right now.

[Storyteller.]

Originally Posted by Omen.

How many of you are concerned about the coronavirus?

In the words of my favourite celebrity doctor, I'm alert, not anxious. On a personal level I'm not incredibly concerned, since I'm reasonably socially isolated to begin with so my risk of getting it or passing it on is pretty low. Even if I were to get it, my age and overall health tip the odds in my favour, and I don't interact with any people in a high risk demographic so that's not something I need to be overly worried about.

However, on a broader scale, I'm getting more concerned as time goes on. The way the pandemic is being handled, both by the media and world governments, is contributing to a state of growing panic. People are panic buying, hoarding, price gouging, and revealing their true ableist/racist/xenophobic colours all over the place, at a time when we all need to work together to slow the spread of a disease that poses a real risk to a lot of vulnerable members of society.

That said, as with any crisis, I've been looking for the helpers - there are some, though they're few and far between. I've seen people going out of their way to donate to or commission creative freelancers who are missing out on income from cancelled conventions, and low risk individuals helping their elderly or otherwise vulnerable neighbours by buying them supplies or even just checking in on them. Amidst all of the chaos, such selflessness is a welcome sight.

My community in particular is going to take a major hit from this. I live in a touristy area, and the community had only just started to recover from the bushfire crisis earlier in the year. Now with the pandemic closing down borders and necessitating social isolation, a lot of small businesses and creators will likely struggle to make ends meet. My heart also goes out to every retail and health worker out there, who are likely to face unprecedented levels of stress in the coming months, as well as anyone whose livelihood will be affected through either travel restrictions, bans on public gathering, or shutdowns.

As I said, I'm not terribly worried for myself, but for the people around me and communities all over the world who are being affected by this. We can all do our part to help slow the spread of the disease and to minimise its impact. Complacency kills, so remember to stay alert (not anxious), follow restrictions and guidelines put out by those in the know or in charge, and hope that others are doing the same.

[Rivière]

I've had some people from my workplace asking me if it's going to close. I don't think it will as of yet, but I am worried, because I've spent so much time trying to get there and be employed there and make a living... and now it's going to be destroyed by closures.

I'm not concerned about getting the virus myself still, but I've read that those over 60 are vulnerable, and 2 members of my family whom I live with are over 60. Plus since I work at a gym where it's all germy and nasty since not everyone is clean despite all the virus measures that have been put in place, I worry I may bring it back and infect them.

There's also been more reported cases of the virus around where I live, and I certainly don't want anything to happen.

In terms of bulk-buying, I get that people are panicking, but to be frank, people in panic are not very logical and lack common sense. If there's no food or necessities for people because others keep hoarding it, it means they can't function. And not only that, if you think about it, bulk-buying all that stuff may save you, but what about the people that actually manufacture those goods and may need certain essentials to continue? If they don't have what they need because someone nitwit has gone panic-buying half the super market (I know I'm exaggerating but you get the idea) then how exactly are they going to be able to come into work and making those things for other people? It's very selfish.

[Blackwing]

Here's a picture of a grocery store In Phoenix Arizona in United states