Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
It's fascinating to watch the different coverage and stats from different countries. There are so many ways to spin the numbers it's amazing. For example, if you under-test, your death rates look terrible. Test everyone you can, and your death rates look great. Comorbidities (did a patient die from corona, or because of heart disease?) and long hospitalization times (death from corona can take more than a month) are blurring the data.

I'm watching Italy as closely as I can. Modern nation, Western, well-rated healthcare system. Their fatality numbers are bad, and the anecdotal accounts we see on social media are piling up too high to dismiss.

Government's rational goal is to spread this out as long as possible, so that it's akin to just a very bad and very long flu. Corona is overwhelming healthcare systems, and hospitals are having to triage resources; specifically CPAPs, oxygen concentrators, ventilators, etc. That video we posted a while back, of China rapidly building additional hospitals, makes a lot of sense right now.

Individuals' rational goal is to protect themselves and their families, and that goal is conflicting with the government's messaging. For example, here is the NYC mayor claiming that an infected person can sneeze in your water glass, and you can drink it and not get infected. I'm not a virologist, but I know that when compared to larger and more established health authorities, this is a very unusual view. Note also how NY established a 1-mile "red zone" today, so the National Guard can "help" people. I'm happy about these efforts to control infection, but I know that it's an American way of attempting to present a quarantine in a culturally-palatable manner.

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Supply chain issues are starting to surface, and will likely worsen. We may see this impact our hobby.

Corona cases outside of China are increasing exponentially.

In response to this. While I nor anyone else apparently has all of the true specifics of the corona virus at this time I do know first hand that viruses bacteria and germs in general can live for years outside the body. the Anthrax bacteria can lay dormant in the soil for a very long time. and diseases that effect dogs such as parvo The Canine Parvovirus can last in soil several months and even a year or years when conditions are favorable for the virus to survive. Parvo is hearty and can survive snow, ice and extreme heat. And can effect small children as well.
here is an excerpt copy from the mayo clinic regarding cold and flu viruses in general

old and flu virus-laden droplets may remain infectious for several hours, depending on where they fall. Viruses generally remain active longer on stainless steel, plastic and similar hard surfaces than on fabric and other soft surfaces. Other factors, such as the amount of virus deposited on a surface and the temperature and humidity of the environment, also determine how long cold and flu viruses stay active outside the body.

It's possible to catch the flu or a cold after handling an object an infected person sneezed or coughed on a few moments ago. But personal contact with an infected person — such as a handshake or breathing in droplets from a cough or sneeze — is the most common way these viruses spread.
The best way to avoid becoming infected with a cold or flu virus is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or with an alcohol-based sanitizer. Also avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes or biting your nails
Now then does any of this mean that the corona virus can survive and remain contagious for long periods of time? I think we just don't know it has apparently been around for a very, very long time, but In 2019, a dangerous new strain called SARS-CoV-2 started circulating, causing the disease COVID-19.
Covid-19 or corona virus is believed to have come from bats