On Corona

[manolitode]

If you're in a country that is affected by Corona, no need to worry yourself sick about the disease. But please prepare for the possibility of getting isolated when your society tries to limit the spread of the disease. Buy a few cans of food that will last for a while, fill a bucket with water and cover it, make sure you have whatever medical supplies you need or whatever. Take a good look at the countries that are a few weeks ahead of you for clues. See what measures they've taken and be a couple of steps ahead. No need to go fullblown prepper or let every alarmistic article get inside your head, just please have a plan and a backup plan. 

[Guest kristaok]

I started getting prepared back when it was just in China, I have tons of rations, and guns in case anyone tries to come around and pilfer. <.<

[ajb1978]

It's blown WAY out of proportion. It's a serious cold, that's it.  It doesn't even have half the mortality rate SARS did and they're closing down entire towns because of it.  I blame the proliferation of social media outlets for the unprecedented level of mass hysteria surrounding the phenomenon.

I mean the local Wal-Mart actually ran out of toilet paper, yet the canned goods and dry goods were still well stocked.  Who plans for a disaster by stockpiling toilet paper and neglecting the pantry?  It makes no sense.

[Guest kristaok]

I wouldn't say it's blown out of porportion, there's already over 5,000 deaths, AND it's a now confirmed Pandemic.  

As for stockpiling, it's better safe than sorry. I do agree about the Toilet Paper though, what's more valuable to me is Seed Banks, Food, and Water. Eventually TP runs out, that's why it's good to have white (bleachable) wash cloths for the future.

[stratvox]

55 minutes ago, ajb1978 said:

It's blown WAY out of proportion. It's a serious cold, that's it.  It doesn't even have half the mortality rate SARS did and they're closing down entire towns because of it.  I blame the proliferation of social media outlets for the unprecedented level of mass hysteria surrounding the phenomenon.

I mean the local Wal-Mart actually ran out of toilet paper, yet the canned goods and dry goods were still well stocked.  Who plans for a disaster by stockpiling toilet paper and neglecting the pantry?  It makes no sense.

It's at least as lethal as the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. That was kind of a big deal. Yes, SARS was more lethal, but way less contagious than this one is. That matters; if you're going to compare it to SARS let's look at how many have died so far: 774 from SARS, 5,397 from covid-19. 

If the current death rate holds up, you can expect it to kill well over a million people in the USA over the rest of this year.

[jhickie]

27 minutes ago, stratvox said:

It's at least as lethal as the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. That was kind of a big deal. Yes, SARS was more lethal, but way less contagious than this one is. That matters; if you're going to compare it to SARS let's look at how many have died so far: 774 from SARS, 5,397 from covid-19. 

If the current death rate holds up, you can expect it to kill well over a million people in the USA over the rest of this year.

Covid-19 is very highly contagious and the fatality rate is higher than the average flu virus by an order of magnitude (and in some places, three). It's important to make the distinction between infection rate and fatality rate. I have heard estimates that in my country (USA) this will take anywhere from 3 to 9 months to get a handle on and could kill up to 500,000 people. That's insane.

Regarding your comparison to the Spanish Flu:

 

I would agree, this is a big deal and we should all prepare for what the following days and months may bring. No reason to be alarmist and start hoarding gasoline and guns, but I think it's rational to not want to be caught unprepared if stores start closing, especially if you have a family to consider.

[Guest kristaok]

The way everything is going... I would suggest preparing for at least a year or more. 

[Guest kristaok]

2 hours ago, micah6vs8 said:

Respect to you all. I do not think a gaming forum is the place to discuss this topic. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe it should have its own sub forum?

I believe this is in the right Forum Area, as it's in the General Discussions & Misc Topics Section.

[Guest jeffpeng]

11 hours ago, ajb1978 said:

Who plans for a disaster by stockpiling toilet paper and neglecting the pantry?

It's the same here in Germany. You can buy virtually everything. Certain types of noodles might be short on supply, but if you don't really care for the particular shape of your noodle you're fine. But toilet paper! There is a national shortage in butt-wiping-applicances. Like toilet paper is the magical can-all-do-all survival MacGuffin.

Need to take a dump? Toilet Paper! Need spontaneos makeshift clothing? Toilet Paper! Nuclear Winter? Burn Toilet Paper! Home invasion? Throw some burning Toilet Paper! Hugry? Fry yourself some Toile --- wait what?

Seriously people. In a die hard survival situation one of your least concerns will be to comfortably wipe your backside. 🤣

I have enough food for me and my family for two weeks if I really need to. Plus having received a self financed academic education prepared me for life in poverty and awarded me the cooking skills to thrive on what I have left in the cupboard.  But my stock of Toilet Paper does not exceed the forseeable amount three healthy digestive tracts should require for said amount of time. We (assumedly) all have the priviledge of living in countries that won't just let their population starve for weeks on end, at least not in the forseeable future.

4 hours ago, micah6vs8 said:

Respect to you all. I do not think a gaming forum is the place to discuss this topic. Maybe I am wrong.

You're not wrong. Personally if I want to get worried about some maybe, maybe not overstated pandemic and financial and social implications my local and national news outlets do a superb job at this. On this forum I really want to discuss how to survive The Long Dark. Not saying people shouldn't discuss it - but I'm not particularly convinced this is the best place to do it. But .... well, since we're at it ... ^^

I would say.... It's actually something that at some point inevitably had to happen. Simulations for such events have been circulating for some time (The Gates Foundation ran one literally weeks before the outbreak), and everyone I know with a medical background pretty much echoes the same sentiment: If you interconnect a large enough number of humans at short enough travel times, a pandemic eventually will occur by sheer inevitably of chance. It's one of the costs of globalisation, and it should serve us as a warning that there are downsides to free trade and free travel that have to be factored in when everyone is praising how much money they are making from the world becoming ever smaller despite being ever fuller with human beings. That's not saying that globalisation is right or wrong - that's a topic for itself. But as much as industrialization propelled society to unknown heights, there are costs to it which have to be accounted for, and which are eventually due to be paid.

All I can really say ... be careful as in actually being full of care. Awake, mindful, concerned, alert, caring, compassionate - for yourself, your significant others and your neighbors. With a clear mind, a caring heart and a resilient soul. I'm not a practising Christian, but I believe in the humanitarian Christian ideals. Work together in your small communities when the need arises - within reasonable precautions. I will show up for donating blood as I do every two months - not despite the crisis, but because of it. When in doubt let your inner Vulcan take the lead. Logic and calm are far better advisors than fatalism and fear. Realize that the greater danger to any catastrophe is the fear of that catastrophe - well, mabye short of Asteroid impacts, Alien Invasions, Nuclear War and the resurgance of Eurodance.

We as a people will survive this. We will take casualties, we always do. But we have survived worse - far worse.

[manolitode]

12 hours ago, jhickie said:

I would agree, this is a big deal and we should all prepare for what the following days and months may bring. No reason to be alarmist and start hoarding gasoline and guns, but I think it's rational to not want to be caught unprepared if stores start closing, especially if you have a family to consider.

I think you phrased it very well, preparation is key. 

13 hours ago, ajb1978 said:

It's blown WAY out of proportion. It's a serious cold, that's it.  It doesn't even have half the mortality rate SARS did and they're closing down entire towns because of it.  I blame the proliferation of social media outlets for the unprecedented level of mass hysteria surrounding the phenomenon.

The way media depict the pandemic seem to vary from country to country, media channel to media channel. Our public service media is somewhat balanced and provide updates on what's about to go into pause mode here (everything) and describe whatever precautions my government take (none). I'm not concerned with the virus itself but the fact that some folks aren't preparing for the second hand consequences, such as long periods of paused infrastructure and isolation. The same people may become desperate, that is not a good thing. 

7 hours ago, micah6vs8 said:

Respect to you all. I do not think a gaming forum is the place to discuss this topic. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe it should have its own sub forum?

Thank you for raising this question. I believe it is helpful to share your thoughts on this very unique situation. We have simulated survival and loneliness for some time so the topic is close at hand. Also, this is a sober forum as can be seen in the sensible comments and advice above. One thing I'd like to add to the bank is, it's a good idea to prepare to be lonlier than before when schools/activities/workplaces shut down (many are on pause where I live). Loneliness is a risk in itself and the way to minimize the effects of it is to maintain a daily routine. Don't stay in bed, do your daily exercise, stay sharp by reading etc. Play TLD 😉

Edited March 14, 2020 by manolitode

[Ice Hole]

The Lucky Horseshoe.

Ever wonder why a horseshoe is consider good luck?  The reason goes back some time during a dark period in history.  The black plague was relentless.  Many did not survive.  Transmitted from rats to humans caused the plague to spread.  Oddly the livery stable hands lived.  The horse was infected by the rat which then passed it to the stable hand.  A form of inoculation.  The people working around horses were the lucky ones that survived.   Passing down their family heirloom from their ancestor is the lucky horseshoe.

This story was just a story.  A little distraction if you prefer.

[Hilayla]

I can't stop myself from laughing about the toilet paper shortage. Worst case scenario: we have to wash our nasty behinds.

Edited March 14, 2020 by Hilayla

[JMK]

My wife told me a collegue had to go to his grand'ma funeral (not corona, just old fashioned age), but the family couldn't hug each other, he couldn't comfort his grand'pa.

He said that was the weirdest and most akward funeral ever.

[Guest kristaok]

@JMK Yea that would be REALLY awkward.... then again I live in isolation, even before Corona... I prefer it that way.

[deathbydanish]

On 3/12/2020 at 9:58 PM, kristaok said:

I started getting prepared back when it was just in China, I have tons of rations, and guns in case anyone tries to come around and pilfer. <.<

I do feel a little distraught that it has come to this. The food prep I can get behind, but even though I wholeheartedly support responsible gun ownership, I do feel its an unfortunately situation we all find ourselves in if it really does come to that. People are panic buying ammo where I am at, it really is looking like life imitating art at this point, I bought one of the last boxes of .308 ammo. I haven't bought ammo in 6 months and this was just meant to do a slow and low replacement of what I had used for practice.

[Guest kristaok]

@deathbydanish I definitely don't intend to hurt anyone, but I do have a family to protect... so if someone breaks in I would definitely have to do whatever is necessary even if it means taking a life (which again I'd never want to do).

[manolitode]

There, toilet paper gone here too. Not shortage, it's all gone. But only til mid April.

[Hotzn]

Brief report from the Southern parts of Cologne, Germany: Toilet paper shortage, but not catastrophic. You can still get the moist & expensive toilet papers, also kitchen tissue and other stuff. No need to panic, you'll get your ass clean. Desinfectant is still available, prices are steep though at the moment. Spaghetti were short for a couple of days, but noodles weren't out. We all asked ourselves why toilet paper of all things is running out in the scenario we're in, what people will do with toilet paper, noodles & disinfectant in a potential lockdown. A satirical German online magazine has published 10 recipes for delicious dishes you can make with the named three ingredients. If you can read German, have a look, it's hilarious:

10 Recipes for noodles with toilet paper (in German)

A lot of shops are closed now, but everything you really need (supermarkets, drugstores etc.) is open. Some of the closed shops have switched to home delivery. People are calm and can move freely, but are advised to stay at home. A medical institution and telecoms providers are reported to be currently scrutinizing mobile phone data to check which portion of the population is actually following the advice (interesting, huh?).

I think people have understood here that it's not about avoiding the virus altogether, but instead slowing it down so we don't all get it at the same time. In order to allow hospitals to cope with the patients who have severe problems with it.

The economic side is a different beast. Nobody knows how much lockdown can be practiced around the world before we spin into an economic downturn which spirals out of control. That is really my concern, that all the health precautions will trigger something which goes wide and deep in a way our generation has not yet seen. Well, we'll get to know more as time passes. Take care out there. Let's hope we don't meet in a Long Dark scenario after all.

[Guest kristaok]

Hope everyone is doing good, nobody sick here.

[Jimmy]

I work in healthcare, so I'm on the front line of the pandemic. I'll be pretty much guaranteed to be exposed to the virus if I haven't been already, and self isolation or working from home aren't really an option, since if I do, the most vulnerable of our population receive no care.

Frankly, I'm not worried. I have a fridge and cupboard full of food just like any normal week. If I run out of toilet paper, there's always the shower. It'll be painful to have the kids home from school, but either myself or my wife can be at home with them, so we'll make it work.

 

[Guest kristaok]

I couldn't imagine how hard it is for those who can't work from home, I guess my family here is lucky in that sense. 

I was born with asthma that's why I have to be very careful to not catch this. 

[MarrowStone]

Mild Spoilers:

I guess the quarantine in Perseverance Mills has failed. 

[Jimmy]

Looks like the virus has finally reached my town.

I have a friend who's in the morgue at the local hospital. We're seeing our first deaths now.

They should be announcing it officially in a few days to prevent panic and give us time to prepare.

I'm doing what I can to protect my team. It's hard when access to basic medical supplies are so low now.

Been trying to take the riskiest jobs personally where I can. No sense spreading risk across the other staff if I can help it.

I hope my wife and kids will be okay.

[singapore]

In our area, lockdowns have started already. I believe that is the best thing we can do for now. Cooperate, stay at home and be safe.

[Admin]

Please use our forums to discuss your life, how you and your families are reacting and dealing with the situation and so forth. If this thread turns into a political debate then we'll have to lock it.