Coronavirus, how are you preparing for it and how it is affecting you so far?

[jone]

It is a 'perfect storm' Gator

In the midst of a health crisis, those same hard-working folks that get laid off will lose their health insurance driving hospitals into insolvency.

Maybe, in the end, this will provoke some deeper thought and change.

BC,

Sorry, Buddy, but that's the dumbest post you've ever put on this forum.

The government will pay for patients being treated by the hospitals.  That was a portion of the bill that just was passed by Congress.   The hospitals will wind up with more money than they have ever had before.   And the cries for a system to combat this in the future will result in government subsidies for the creation of hospital beds in the time of a crisis. 

If ever there was a call for universal health care, it will be because the hospitals will be gouging everyone they can to line their coffers.   Not because the hospitals are becoming insolvent.   

[ML]

After reading about high death rate in Italy, started doing some research as to some reasons for this.
Someone mentioned an older average age of population.
These are some stats( close to what I have found in other articles).

-Over 99% of coronavirus deaths in Italy were from patients who have previous medical conditions.
- The average age of those who have died from the virus in Italy is 79.5.
- The median age of those infected is 63
-

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-18/99-of-those-who-died-from-virus-had-other-illness-italy-says

Wife just reported to me her completed talk with cousin who lives outside Florence, Italy.
She told of the 600 deaths overnight.
But yes, most had other serious illness before Corona came along.

One scary  thing if true . . . all those who are placed on ventilators have died.

Apparently those medical people who were trained in proper operation of the ventilators have died themselves and now untrained people are operating the ventilators.

[msmob]

The UK govt ( FINALLY) woke up and realised that we couldn't rely on the money working it's way from the top, downwards..

ANYONE employed on Feb 28th will get 80 percent of their salary - up to £2500 / month

A bit less unclear for the self employed and how this will all work in practice, but 'our' govt (UK) just became extreme socialists

[ML]

THE NEXT CONCERN - THE ECONOMY

            -  This will be the first time in history that our nation purposefully created a recession.
           

This is very inaccurate wording.

No one created a recession on purpose.

A recession is following appropriate actions that are being taken to lessen the death toll of our citizens.

[ML]

I don't know if it has been mentioned by others here, but after the economy recovers, the worst lasting result from all of this will be . . .

MASSIVE INFLATION.

Those who hold hard assets (real estate, gold, etc.) will have windfall gains.

For real estate, those gains will have to wait until buyers recover enough to move forward.

[ML]

At Donnie's press conference today, heard something new to me from the medical gal in charge at White House.

She said the death rate from Corona for males was twice the rate for females.

- - - - - -

Also was pleased when Donnie called out some reporters, and one in particular, for asking ridiculous questions designed to lead to panic.  He told the guy he was a terrible reporter and should be ashamed of himself.

Of course a couple of other reporters tried to get in their questions about what message this sends when Donnie 'goes off' on a member of press.

I don't know why Donnie doesn't just refuse to recognize some of these folks when they try to ask questions.

[BC]

BC,

Sorry, Buddy, but that's the dumbest post you've ever put on this forum.

The government will pay for patients being treated by the hospitals. 

Mind pointing me to that part of the legislation?  Sure costs for test and related expenses associated with the test, and a billion dollars for uninsured, until it runs out which will be quick.

Or did I miss something?

Don't forget that those that do lose their health insurance don't stop getting sick and injured from causes other than the Coronavirus.  They will still show up at the ER.

Hospitals asking for 100 Billion bailout - before the wave hits.

 

Hospitals bracing for a flood of coronavirus cases are demanding a federal bailout.

They want $100 billion in the next relief package along with targeted changes to tax laws they say are needed to free up the money before the first surge of cases sweeps in.

http://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/19/hospitals-coronavirus-funding-138383

[GenMish]

I don't know if it has been mentioned by others here, but after the economy recovers, the worst lasting result from all of this will be . . .

MASSIVE INFLATION.

Those who hold hard assets (real estate, gold, etc.) will have windfall gains.

For real estate, those gains will have to wait until buyers recover enough to move forward.

Look at the Dollar Index, soaring this week. As risk off trades take place, a shortage of dollars will be the result

[jone]

Mind pointing me to that part of the legislation?  Sure costs for test and related expenses associated with the test, and a billion dollars for uninsured, until it runs out which will be quick.

Or did I miss something?

Don't forget that those that do lose their health insurance don't stop getting sick and injured from causes other than the Coronavirus.  They will still show up at the ER.

Hospitals asking for 100 Billion bailout - before the wave hits.

 
http://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/19/hospitals-coronavirus-funding-138383

And you think they aren't going to get it?   Hospitals are the middle of the war effort right now.   It is like the tank industry during WWII.   Anything they want, they get.

[LAman]

At Donnie's press conference today, heard something new to me from the medical gal in charge at White House.

She said the death rate from Corona for males was twice the rate for females.

That is because they are bundling the corona drinkers with the corona virus!!!

[GQBlues]

Dow opened at +200, then closed @ -900. Unbelievable!

[Gator]

Maybe, in the end, this will provoke some deeper thought and change.

Yes, profound thoughts about how precious health is (brings to mind the Russian favorite toast is "to your health"). 

Yes, regretful thoughts about what could have been done. 

Yes, hopeful thoughts about the changes and hard work needed to recover. 

Meanwhile, hug you loved ones. 

[Gator]

This is very inaccurate wording.

No one created a recession on purpose.

A recession is following appropriate actions that are being taken to lessen the death toll of our citizens.

Yes, but they we knew the actions would create a recession, and took the actions without hesitation,  akin to falling on a grenade.   

[BC]

And you think they aren't going to get it?   Hospitals are the middle of the war effort right now.   It is like the tank industry during WWII.   Anything they want, they get.

Well, guess universal healthcare has arrived then

Meanwhile, hug you loved ones. 

Thanks Gator.. we've always been a family of huggers so no worries there

Hug yours as well.

Stay home, stay safe.

[Gator]

And you think they aren't going to get it?   Hospitals are the middle of the war effort right now.   It is like the tank industry during WWII.   Anything they want, they get.

Agree, we will have hospitals.  In fact, we could have more than we have now by converting unused hotels, unused cruise ships, etc. 

We will have medical equipment for the hospitals (your example of tanks)

The question is whether we will have healthcare staff to man the hospitals.

In the war against the viral epidemic, we don't have the time to train new tank operators needed not just for the new tanks but to replace the fallen.   

[GQBlues]

Mind pointing me to that part of the legislation?  Sure costs for test and related expenses associated with the test, and a billion dollars for uninsured, until it runs out which will be quick.

Or did I miss something?

Don't forget that those that do lose their health insurance don't stop getting sick and injured from causes other than the Coronavirus.  They will still show up at the ER.

Hospitals asking for 100 Billion bailout - before the wave hits.

 
http://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/19/hospitals-coronavirus-funding-138383

I've no idea where the point of universal healthcare is when an Italian doctor is reduced to pleading for funds via GoFundMe in the internet. This is the golden universal care the US needs to adopt?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iUFskknWNs&feature=youtu.be

[Gator]

I don't know if it has been mentioned by others here, but after the economy recovers, the worst lasting result from all of this will be . . .

MASSIVE INFLATION.

Probably before the economy recovers. 

Treasuries got hammered, suggesting the world governments will be selling massive debt to fund bail-outs, stimulus plans,.... Supply of new bonds will greatly exceed demand unless bond interest rates are raised.

Or the world could simply print more money. 

Or the option I like best - devalue Western currencies thereby significantly devastating the value of all those US/Euro bonds China holds.    That will teach them not to eat bats and armadillos. 

[Boethius]

I've no idea where the point of universal healthcare is when an Italian doctor is reduced to pleading for funds via GoFundMe in the internet. This is the golden universal care the US needs to adopt?

It's not a lack of funding.  It's timing.  Don't assume the US would do better under the same circumstances.  There's already a reported shortage of ventilators and masks in US hospitals.  The difference is, they have the time to correct that.


This post was composed without the aid of google.

[jone]

In the US, we sell out of Toilet Paper.   In France, they sell out of wine and condoms.

[BillyB]

After reading about high death rate in Italy, started doing some research as to some reasons for this.
Someone mentioned an older average age of population.
These are some stats( close to what I have found in other articles).

-Over 99% of coronavirus deaths in Italy were from patients who have previous medical conditions.
- The average age of those who have died from the virus in Italy is 79.5.
- The median age of those infected is 63
-

The old and sick has a greater chance in dying from anything. Coronavirus, flu, a fall or a bullet. Coronavirus is more dangerous for everybody across every age group.

~ Construction, including housing construction, is listed as an essential need during this crisis. ~

Construction workers are important. People need their pipes, gas, heat, and electrical fixed. They may need to fix a leaky roof. Some lonely women who are self isolating may just want a hardbody construction worker to play with.

For those attempting to use the existing data to calculate morbidity and mortality, I suggest you leave the task to the epidemiologists who have access to more data and better statistical tools.  They will also factor the differences in data sets  from each nation.   

Instead, I suggest the following guideline, something I synthesized intuitively from listening to various  health professionals.   

                   IN COMPARISON WITH ORDINARY FLU, COVID-19 IS
                  3X  MORE CONTAGIOUS AND 10X MORE FATAL.

If this guideline is accurate, it means if we live and work as we do in normal years, 30X more people will die from COVID-19 than die each year from flu.   

No need for experts. Many of them are wrong. Italy has 47,000 cases of COVID-19. The flu kills .1% of people. If 47,000 Italians got the flu, 47 of them would be dead. Right now 4032 Italians are dead from COVID-19 and most of them are not even finished with their battle with the virus. COVID is a LOT MORE deadly than the flu. A lot more than 10x more fatal that the flu.

I know there is an argument there's a lot of people are walking around with COVID-19 and aren't counted. Most of the times in my life when I got the flu, I sat home and wasn't counted. There's a lot of uncounted people for every illness.

There is NO WAY she'd have been coming to the UK to be quarantined, then locked up with Ma and I for 12 weeks

She doesn't want to come to the UK. Russia doesn't want you. So you must expect to be separated for as long as governments ban travel and foreign nationals. You can expect to be separated for years. In Maxx's thread you said nobody seen this coming. You were warned in January with travel bans being place on Chinese. How can you watch the sh!tshow in China all through January and February and not think that virus would come to your shores?

[BC]

It's not a lack of funding.  It's timing. 

In addition, where there is great need a supplier will inevitably show up.  Sometimes only cash will do.  I get the sneaky feeling that some of the many vans that come from parts east to bring grocery items and mail packages to serve UA and RU folks here are now filled with medical supplies.   I estimate there are at least a hundred of them that run regular tours to each major city in Italy.  My wife can order some special homemade honey collected by a babushka in a little town in RU and it shows up a week or so later in a plain white van. Who is going to argue in this time of crisis?

Aside, millions are being donated for adding hospital wards and equipment just as is done in the US.

[GQBlues]

It's not a lack of funding.  It's timing.  Don't assume the US would do better under the same circumstances.  There's already a reported shortage of ventilators and masks in US hospitals.  The difference is, they have the time to correct that.


This post was composed without the aid of google.

That hasn't escaped me. Tit for tat! But that's BC's point regarding universal care by pointing out US hospitals are already requesting assistance. Any system will be flexed when hit with unforeseen condition. So your 'point' can, or should be, directed at his since the situation in Italy where he is already well underway. No advantages there. Zip. Nada. Zilch. Zero. There, it seems they're BEYOND government funding since they're already going GoFundMe already.

He sounds like a used car salesman who drove in with a lemon, attempting to convince anyone it's a lean, mean driving machine.

[Boethius]

I think his point was that no one will be turned away in systems with universal healthcare.


This post was composed without the aid of google.

[jone]

Went to the grocery store today.   Pretty much normal.   I kept my spacing in line.   A lady crowds up directly behind me and says to everyone that she doesn't have the Corona Virus.  I turn around, let out a nice long breath and say "And you're willing to trust me that I don't?"

[GQBlues]

I think his point was that no one will be turned away in systems with universal healthcare.


This post was composed without the aid of google.

No one is turned away in the US either. Even illegal immigrants get free healthcare.

Next point.