Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 12:26     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In Italy the hospitals are near the breaking point. It is spreading like wild fire. Wake up.
A first step to stem the tide of this virus is to close schools. People need to start preparing for this, and the local government needs to put a plan in place for parents who need help with food and child care.
We can?t just bury our heads in the sand.


There are so so many old people in Italy though, and they largely live at home and move around a lot. Here in the US they are mostly in nursing facilities and not very mobile.




No. This is a pandemic. In a pandemic, the differences you mention are non-existent.

We are just as much at risk as the Chinese and the Italians. Why? Because the age pyramids in all these countries, including the USA, is the same - there are many elderly and people with pre-existing conditions, due to our nations' wealth and healthcare systems. Third world countries don't have as many sick and elderly people (they die off much sooner because they don't have good healthcare or living conditions!), and may ironically not have as many deaths per infected people.

The point is: learn what not to do from China and Italy. Learn what to do from South Korea. In no particular order (because it all needs to happen now):

1. Do not visit the elderly without protection. Prevent them from attending church services, concerts and any group setting where they can be easily contaminated, especially by kids.
2. Close schools now, because they are hotbeds of viral spread.
3. Encourage telework for those who can, to protect the workers who cannot.
4. Cancel large group gatherings.
5. Block entry to people coming from hotspot countries, and quarantine US citizens returning from hotspots.
6. Disembark all cruise passengers into mandatory quarantine, and discourage all large cruises during the pandemic. You've seen that cruises have been responsible for the dissemination of the virus all around the globe.
7. Accelerate production of hand sanitizer, disinfectant, gloves, gowns and masks for medical personnel.
8. Create drive-through testing locations, or walkable testing locations in cities, with adequate protection for staff and people waiting in line.
9. And continue to wash hands frequently, sanitize hands while out and about, and not touch your face.


your suggestions are an under reaction.
1. Those gatherings should be canceled.
2. yes
3. yes
4. yes
5. any country with more than 2 cases instead of hotspot. Any country with 8 cases can become Wuhan 2.0 in 2 weeks.
6. yes, and ban not discourage
7. citizens need masks too
8. yes
9. yes
10. Each State must show its work in how it is preparing as best it can to provide intensive care 1% of its entire population over less than a month.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 12:10     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:No one wants to have their kids at home, but think of the teachers. Many are in the older age brackets. Myself included. Many kids don’t show symptoms but are highly contagious. It’s not enough to wait and see how many get sick.


+1000

Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 12:06     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:While the elderly may be the hardest hit in Italy, the widespread testing being done there shows that it is spreading throughout the population - over 7000
cases. Our population in the US is a lot less healthy, despite fortified foods, because of obesity and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Not to mention large swathes of uninsured.
We can?t continue to think we are so different from other places and thus protected.


Don’t we have a lot of people in poor communities with diabetes?


Yes, thus the need to intervene aggressively right now.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 12:00     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:While the elderly may be the hardest hit in Italy, the widespread testing being done there shows that it is spreading throughout the population - over 7000
cases. Our population in the US is a lot less healthy, despite fortified foods, because of obesity and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Not to mention large swathes of uninsured.
We can?t continue to think we are so different from other places and thus protected.


Don’t we have a lot of people in poor communities with diabetes?
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 11:23     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In Italy the hospitals are near the breaking point. It is spreading like wild fire. Wake up.
A first step to stem the tide of this virus is to close schools. People need to start preparing for this, and the local government needs to put a plan in place for parents who need help with food and child care.
We can?t just bury our heads in the sand.


There are so so many old people in Italy though, and they largely live at home and move around a lot. Here in the US they are mostly in nursing facilities and not very mobile.




No. This is a pandemic. In a pandemic, the differences you mention are non-existent.

We are just as much at risk as the Chinese and the Italians. Why? Because the age pyramids in all these countries, including the USA, is the same - there are many elderly and people with pre-existing conditions, due to our nations' wealth and healthcare systems. Third world countries don't have as many sick and elderly people (they die off much sooner because they don't have good healthcare or living conditions!), and may ironically not have as many deaths per infected people.

The point is: learn what not to do from China and Italy. Learn what to do from South Korea. In no particular order (because it all needs to happen now):

1. Do not visit the elderly without protection. Prevent them from attending church services, concerts and any group setting where they can be easily contaminated, especially by kids.
2. Close schools now, because they are hotbeds of viral spread.
3. Encourage telework for those who can, to protect the workers who cannot.
4. Cancel large group gatherings.
5. Block entry to people coming from hotspot countries, and quarantine US citizens returning from hotspots.
6. Disembark all cruise passengers into mandatory quarantine, and discourage all large cruises during the pandemic. You've seen that cruises have been responsible for the dissemination of the virus all around the globe.
7. Accelerate production of hand sanitizer, disinfectant, gloves, gowns and masks for medical personnel.
8. Create drive-through testing locations, or walkable testing locations in cities, with adequate protection for staff and people waiting in line.
9. And continue to wash hands frequently, sanitize hands while out and about, and not touch your face.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 11:14     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
While the elderly may be the hardest hit in Italy, the widespread testing being done there shows that it is spreading throughout the population - over 7000
cases. Our population in the US is a lot less healthy, despite fortified foods, because of obesity and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Not to mention large swathes of uninsured.
We can?t continue to think we are so different from other places and thus protected.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 11:12     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.





Contact the MD state health department here to close schools. Apparently the state has the last word on school closures, not individual public school systems:

https://health.maryland.gov/Pages/contactus.aspx


ALternatively, here is the phone directory of the State employees:

http://www.doit.state.md.us/phonebook/


Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 11:04     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In Italy the hospitals are near the breaking point. It is spreading like wild fire. Wake up.
A first step to stem the tide of this virus is to close schools. People need to start preparing for this, and the local government needs to put a plan in place for parents who need help with food and child care.
We can?t just bury our heads in the sand.


There are so so many old people in Italy though, and they largely live at home and move around a lot. Here in the US they are mostly in nursing facilities and not very mobile.

What you're describing suggests that overall Italian seniors are healthier than American ones. Should that not worry us more?


Those seniors are routinely exposed to many more circulating viruses is the takeaway.


And generally have little to no vaccinations. Studies have shown that there is residual immunity to other diseases with vaccination in that your body is better able to recognize invaders and destroy them earlier. Nutrition also plays a big part. This virus apparently depletes potassium so people who weren't low to begin with are faring better. Vitamin C is also helping critical patients.

Everything here is fortified. Most people take supplements.


Source:

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/03/04/699328555/the-unintended-benefits-of-vaccines?t=1583766215366
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 11:02     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In Italy the hospitals are near the breaking point. It is spreading like wild fire. Wake up.
A first step to stem the tide of this virus is to close schools. People need to start preparing for this, and the local government needs to put a plan in place for parents who need help with food and child care.
We can?t just bury our heads in the sand.


There are so so many old people in Italy though, and they largely live at home and move around a lot. Here in the US they are mostly in nursing facilities and not very mobile.

What you're describing suggests that overall Italian seniors are healthier than American ones. Should that not worry us more?


Those seniors are routinely exposed to many more circulating viruses is the takeaway.


And generally have little to no vaccinations. Studies have shown that there is residual immunity to other diseases with vaccination in that your body is better able to recognize invaders and destroy them earlier. Nutrition also plays a big part. This virus apparently depletes potassium so people who weren't low to begin with are faring better. Vitamin C is also helping critical patients.

Everything here is fortified. Most people take supplements.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 10:59     Subject: Re:Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know - what did China and Korea do regarding work requirements, kids? education, etc during their lockdowns and quarantines?


Online education; Switch summer break to extend winter break. Here we have Spring Break is coming, why not have a early spring break to allow people have a self quarantine? Especially here is the fact:

Many students from both Wootton High and RFMS volunteered at the Village at Rockville after Feb. 28. We are extremely concerned that these individuals are NOT considered at risk of contracting the virus. The incubation period of this virus can be as long as 24 days or longer. Some people who have contracted the virus may not even exhibit any symptom but can still be contagious.

Also please read what experts say:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/opinion/coronavirus-schools-closed.html


I bolded the hysteria


That's not hysteria, that is what the perood has been extended to in china. I trust their experience more than your opinion.


Their experience is with a population full of people with unhealthy, polluted lungs. Whatever the incubation period, we don?t have the same problem.


In addition, they were massed in hospitals, one of the worst vectors of this disease.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 10:58     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In Italy the hospitals are near the breaking point. It is spreading like wild fire. Wake up.
A first step to stem the tide of this virus is to close schools. People need to start preparing for this, and the local government needs to put a plan in place for parents who need help with food and child care.
We can?t just bury our heads in the sand.


There are so so many old people in Italy though, and they largely live at home and move around a lot. Here in the US they are mostly in nursing facilities and not very mobile.

What you're describing suggests that overall Italian seniors are healthier than American ones. Should that not worry us more?


Those seniors are routinely exposed to many more circulating viruses is the takeaway.


Plus, cigarette smoking continued in much greater numbers years longer in Italy than in the US.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 10:57     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In Italy the hospitals are near the breaking point. It is spreading like wild fire. Wake up.
A first step to stem the tide of this virus is to close schools. People need to start preparing for this, and the local government needs to put a plan in place for parents who need help with food and child care.
We can?t just bury our heads in the sand.


There are so so many old people in Italy though, and they largely live at home and move around a lot. Here in the US they are mostly in nursing facilities and not very mobile.

What you're describing suggests that overall Italian seniors are healthier than American ones. Should that not worry us more?


Those seniors are routinely exposed to many more circulating viruses is the takeaway.
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 10:57     Subject: Re:Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know - what did China and Korea do regarding work requirements, kids’ education, etc during their lockdowns and quarantines?


Online education; Switch summer break to extend winter break. Here we have Spring Break is coming, why not have a early spring break to allow people have a self quarantine? Especially here is the fact:

Many students from both Wootton High and RFMS volunteered at the Village at Rockville after Feb. 28. We are extremely concerned that these individuals are NOT considered at risk of contracting the virus. The incubation period of this virus can be as long as 24 days or longer. Some people who have contracted the virus may not even exhibit any symptom but can still be contagious.

Also please read what experts say:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/opinion/coronavirus-schools-closed.html


I bolded the hysteria


That's not hysteria, that is what the perood has been extended to in china. I trust their experience more than your opinion.


More than anywhere else?
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 10:54     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In Italy the hospitals are near the breaking point. It is spreading like wild fire. Wake up.
A first step to stem the tide of this virus is to close schools. People need to start preparing for this, and the local government needs to put a plan in place for parents who need help with food and child care.
We can?t just bury our heads in the sand.


There are so so many old people in Italy though, and they largely live at home and move around a lot. Here in the US they are mostly in nursing facilities and not very mobile.

What you're describing suggests that overall Italian seniors are healthier than American ones. Should that not worry us more?
Anonymous
Post 03/09/2020 10:49     Subject: Here is why we should close schools now.
Anonymous wrote:In Italy the hospitals are near the breaking point. It is spreading like wild fire. Wake up.
A first step to stem the tide of this virus is to close schools. People need to start preparing for this, and the local government needs to put a plan in place for parents who need help with food and child care.
We can?t just bury our heads in the sand.


There are so so many old people in Italy though, and they largely live at home and move around a lot. Here in the US they are mostly in nursing facilities and not very mobile.