MERs/Coronavirus - watching? Will it change your behaviour if it shows up in Canada?

It has absolutely effected my behaviour.

Last at night at dinner I asked my wife if she thought we could go 2 weeks under a state of emergency with all stores closed and travel restricted and no prep time. She thought yes, and shes right, however it didnt stop me from buying some extra non-perishable goods today at the store and tucking it away. Sack of rice. Canned veg. Apple sauce. Pasta. Oatmeal etc.

I dont see this as a SHTF scenario where world order breaks down. Could I see communities being put under a state of emergency and quarantine (effectively what Newfoundland experienced in that blizzard a few weeks ago)? Yes absolutely.

Im not going to kid myself, if things go longer then a month we'd be in real trouble, but then again that would be a world changing event.

I watched Dr. Jen Ashton on GMA this morning. She said 90% of people who catch the virus will maybe get the sniffles and sore throat. The danger is for older folks in retirement homes and hospitals and for young children with reduced immune systems. I still say this is media-driven irresponsible sensationalism.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

I watched Dr. Jen Ashton on GMA this morning. She said 90% of people who catch the virus will maybe get the sniffles and sore throat. The danger is for older folks in retirement homes and hospitals and for young children with reduced immune systems. I still say this is media-driven irresponsible sensationalism.

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Such as with the flu....I agree....more people have died from the flu, but the media doesn’t report that...too common.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

I watched Dr. Jen Ashton on GMA this morning. She said 90% of people who catch the virus will maybe get the sniffles and sore throat. The danger is for older folks in retirement homes and hospitals and for young children with reduced immune systems. I still say this is media-driven irresponsible sensationalism.

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Normally I would agree with your "media" analogy, they are famous for those tactics. However, what I'm seeing is the media simply providing a platform for the experts to get this message out. The WHO is on record about the seriousness of this virus. Many world renown medical officials are on record advising of the potential of this virus. This isn't just some dough head reporter looking for sensationalism.

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Originally Posted by Bushmoose

Normally I would agree with your "media" analogy, they are famous for those tactics. However, what I'm seeing is the media simply providing a platform for the experts to get this message out. The WHO is on record about the seriousness of this virus. Many world renown medical officials are on record advising of the potential of this virus. This isn't just some dough head reporter looking for sensationalism.

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Yes, the flu kills people however the difference lies in the rate that people contract the virus. Coronavirus spreads far quicker and easier than the flu (from what I read).

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This isn't an airborne virus like E-Bola or other catastrophic disease. It's passed by contact with hands to surfaces. Frequent hand washing with soap is the best defense. I just got my flu shot today and that's what the MD told me. With dire news reports,some people are needlessly being panicked into irrational behavior. That's just wrong.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

I watched Dr. Jen Ashton on GMA this morning. She said 90% of people who catch the virus will maybe get the sniffles and sore throat. The danger is for older folks in retirement homes and hospitals and for young children with reduced immune systems. I still say this is media-driven irresponsible sensationalism.

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Heres the issue

The death rate is orders of magnitudes higher then influenza. In China, its currently around 3%. In South Korea its about 7%. Its widely bel;ieved China is under-reporting its numbers too, if theyre even capable of keeping track of it. The flu, for comparison, is about 0.05%. More people die from the flu because more people get it. So far. We have no idea how this will mutate, evolve, and spread. Its not only the elderly or young either; two of those deceased in China were middle aged Drs working on treating the virus. They above anyone should have been prepared and able to handle the virus but could not.

Its not yet known every way it spreads (from your other post). Airborne has not been ruled out.

The WHO, CDC, and our own health ministries are not media. They are advising you to stock up and be ready. Wash our hands often and properly. I'd listen.

Some believe this escaped from a secured government lab in Wuhan.

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Originally Posted by canadaman30

Some believe this escaped from a secured government lab in Wuhan.

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Yep just 250 yards from the restaurant they accused lol.

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Originally Posted by blasted_saber

It has absolutely effected my behaviour.

Last at night at dinner I asked my wife if she thought we could go 2 weeks under a state of emergency with all stores closed and travel restricted and no prep time. She thought yes, and shes right, however it didnt stop me from buying some extra non-perishable goods today at the store and tucking it away. Sack of rice. Canned veg. Apple sauce. Pasta. Oatmeal etc.

I dont see this as a SHTF scenario where world order breaks down. Could I see communities being put under a state of emergency and quarantine (effectively what Newfoundland experienced in that blizzard a few weeks ago)? Yes absolutely.

Im not going to kid myself, if things go longer then a month we'd be in real trouble, but then again that would be a world changing event.

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Originally Posted by blasted_saber

Heres the issue

The death rate is orders of magnitudes higher then influenza. In China, its currently around 3%. In South Korea its about 7%. Its widely bel;ieved China is under-reporting its numbers too, if theyre even capable of keeping track of it. The flu, for comparison, is about 0.05%. More people die from the flu because more people get it. So far. We have no idea how this will mutate, evolve, and spread. Its not only the elderly or young either; two of those deceased in China were middle aged Drs working on treating the virus. They above anyone should have been prepared and able to handle the virus but could not.

Its not yet known every way it spreads (from your other post). Airborne has not been ruled out.

The WHO, CDC, and our own health ministries are not media. They are advising you to stock up and be ready. Wash our hands often and properly. I'd listen.

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Please understand that I'm in no way advocating for ignoring independent qualified advice. You raise some excellent points about being prepared "just in case".