It's amazing what a little testing reveals, no?

Too bad we weren't doing it weeks ago!

Think it's all hype? Read this

This is the best summation of why this coronavirus outbreak will be so serious, and why comparing it to the flu is nonsense.

Very worthwhile read.

Now *that's* what I call a retriever!

Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treatment of COVID-19

Has there been a run on chloroquine yet? Forewarned is forearmed........... ??

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/32074550/

Breakthrough: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treatment of COVID-19 associated pneumonia in clinical studies.

Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus is spreading rapidly, and scientists are endeavoring to discover drugs for its efficacious treatment in China. Chloroquine phosphate, an old drug for treatment of malaria, is shown to have apparent efficacy and acceptable safety against COVID-19 associated pneumonia in multicenter clinical trials conducted in China. The drug is recommended to be included in the next version of the Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Pneumonia Caused by COVID-19 issued by the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China for treatment of COVID-19 infection in larger populations in the future.

ETA: There are recent posts that question the above. Please see https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213042640

So some additional links:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166354220301145

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41587-020-00003-1

Aseptic technique

I'll share some habits used by folks trained in aseptic technique:

1) learn to use your knuckles rather than fingertips, for things like pressing elevator buttons, keys on ATM pads, POS keypads, etc. Start doing it today. Eventually it will become your habit.

2) open swinging doors using your shoulders and elbows. Hold doors open using your knee or foot. Do this most especially with public restroom doors.

3) if you *must* touch your face/nose, use the back of your hand

If you can incorporate just these three things into your daily routine, in addition to of course handwasing, you'll be far ahead of the curve.

I've decided my coronavirus prevention will involve GARLIC

Massive quantities ingested daily. Great for the immune system, and will keep EVERYONE at least six feet away!

As of last night's presser with WA health officials, there were only 2 cases

One was a teen male, the other a middle-aged woman.

It would have been a natural assumption that today's fatality was the woman.

So why weren't these other cases known about last night?

Does vodka kill coronavirus?

Please, some scientist needs to test this ASAP. It seems to be 40%.

I've read that using vodka for disinfecting is nice since it doesn't leave the smell that isopropyl does.

75,000 hospital respirators in the U.S.

If there weren't already documented cases of Covid-19 reinfections (illness, positive tests-->recovery, negative tests-->renewed symptoms and positive test), I might consider that it were better to get it sooner rather than later. Assuming we're all going to get it anyway, right?

I'd end this with "/cynism" but there is no end to my cynicism.

I bet Trump is privately delighted that the first death is on the West Coast

He's probably giddy about California and Washington being on the front lines. And just wait, you'll hear him blaming our states for it, too (CA here).

But the joke will be on him when his magats end up infected disproportionately because the don't believe in science and will continue to attend his germ fest rallies.

There's some small consolation in knowing that such a lifelong germaphobe was eventually done-in, politically, by the very lowest life form possible (aside from himself).