[I.Greyhound Fan]

I really appreciate the various posters in this thread who have been providing critical information and informative perspective - all the while keeping your heads (and mine!) cool.

I have invested in the stock markets for nearly four decades now. One particular forum that I have belonged to since its inception is mostly populated by members in their 60s to 80s. I've known many of them for 25+ years. Back then, they used to be curious to learn; used to be voracious researchers, and used to be open to new ideas. Now, most of them rely heavily on talking heads on various news channels for their health news. I have posted CDC reports, Public Health officials' reports, and other scientific papers discussing this virus. All but 5 to 10 of the members either ignore me (the majority) or accuse me of conspiring to confuse them with fake facts. They won't read/believe the CDC reports.



I find this behavior worrisome at best.

Keep posting, please.

That does not surprise me.  Just look at the anti-vaccination people.  They believe the British doctor who falsely published data on the MMR vaccine  stating it was causing autism and other problems because he wanted to come out with his own vaccine and make hundreds of millions of dollars.   He has been discredited and he can no longer practice medicine.  But millions of people still believe him.

It will certainly be interesting to see what the anti-vaxers do if and when a good vaccine becomes available for COVD-19.

[mresseguie]

I censored myself. My post was OT.

[charmerci]

  But I don't see the pro players wanting to play and put themselves or their families at risk even if it means losing millions of dollars.

Uh, I do. (Of course, not all of them.)

[Wind Chaser]

Just look at the anti-vaccination people. 

It will certainly be interesting to see what the anti-vaxers do if and when a good vaccine becomes available...

The problem is freedom of speech applies to everyone including stupid people who think they are smart. Alternative facts have usurped legitimate facts in the minds of many and that's the new norm. It's no wonder we're in the situation we're in now. I generally like to be optimistic but it's become increasingly challenging, especially in recent years.

The stress on our health care workers and the body count will continue to get much worse because of the thirst and adherence to misinformation presented the early days of this outbreak.

[SteveFord]

That and those nitwit Spring Breakers who are set to disperse hither and yon.

[stlrman]

[OzarkTom]

This might be over paranoid, but the word going out now is you and get the virus from gas pumps and paper money. Iran has told their people not to use cash.

[kmmd]

This might be over paranoid, but the word going out now is you and get the virus from gas pumps and paper money. Iran has told their people not to use cash.

It is not over paranoid at all.  All it takes is one cough or sneeze onto one's hand and then for them to touch something.  I carry gloves, disinfectant wipes and hand gel / sanitizer in my cars at all times.

"But how long can the new coronavirus linger on surfaces, anyway? The short answer is, we don't know. A new analysis found that the virus can remain viable in the air for up to 3 hours, on copper for up to 4 hours, on cardboard up to 24 hours and on plastic and stainless steel up to 72 hours. This study was originally published in the preprint database medRxiv on March 11,  and now a revised version was published March 17 in The New England Journal of Medicine."

https://www.livescience.com/how-long-coronavirus-last-surfaces.html
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973

[kmmd]

Another good article: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-long-can-coronavirus-live-on-surfaces-how-to-disinfect-2020-3

[OzarkTom]

Another good article: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-long-can-coronavirus-live-on-surfaces-how-to-disinfect-2020-3

That means credit card machines with push buttons will not be safe either.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

That means credit card machines with push buttons will not be safe either.

Nothing that you touch that other people have touched or coughed/sneezed around is safe.  Even money is not safe. about 15  years ago either 20-20 or 60 minutes looked at how quickly a virus or contagion could spread.  So they applied an invisible dye to someone's hand who was holding a meeting in a small conference room.  There were 10-20 people in the meeting and at the end of 1 hour, everyone had the dye all over them.

By the way, there are some corona viruses that affect animals that remain viable on surfaces for 3-4 weeks.

[Wind Chaser]

That means credit card machines with push buttons will not be safe either.

Last week the local Walmart had closed off their self serve check outs, I noticed others businesses had done the same or something similar.

Had an emergency visit to the vet last week, when I arrived there was a bottle of hand sanitizer sitting on a stool outside. The dollar store had their outside doors open wide ajar so no one would have to touch them. It’s amazing how quickly this has unfolded.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Last week the local Walmart had closed off their self serve check outs, I noticed others businesses had done the same or something similar.

Had an emergency visit to the vet last week, when I arrived there was a bottle of hand sanitizer sitting on a stool outside. The dollar store had their outside doors open wide ajar so no one would have to touch them. It’s amazing how quickly this has unfolded.

My Vet clinic will greet you at your car and take or bring your pet to and from the clinic.  No people allowed in the clinic.  Consultation is done over the phone.

[Wind Chaser]

Yep, that's better / more cautious approach. OTOH I'm not sure it work so well with my dog.

[Wind Chaser]

The IOC has postponed the 2020 Olympics till 2021, I guess they’re not as optimistic as some Americans are about how long this C-19 virus is going to be around.

[DavidS]

the good news is if the President gets the country open for business by Easter we could have basketball games in 3 weeks.  No doubt some challenges like expanding rosters so players don't have to play with the virus and moving the world champion Raptors to Syracuse or maybe Springfield Mass for balance of season (Canada won't after all follow the bold US lead).  But think of the marketing opportunities - a free collectable mask in team colors and with logo to first 5000 on re-opening night (with more for sale in team shop).

I can only watch American Idol for so long - lets get our spectator sports back.  Cv-19 has been an off-season diversion but time to make way for football season, which is pretty much upon us!

 

[SteveFord]

I guess if the players maintain a 6' distance between each other it will be okay.

[ctviggen]

the good news is if the President gets the country open for business by Easter we could have basketball games in 3 weeks. 

I don't see how that's possible.  As of today (early morning, March 25th) we (the US) have almost 55,000 cases of Covid-19:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

We're currently in third "place" globally and positioned to blow by both Italy and China at the rate we are going:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries



That's from:

https://www.ft.com/coronavirus-latest

And there's this:

The White House warning came as Governor Cuomo offered a grim forecast for the outbreak in New York, saying that it would flood the state’s strained hospitals with as many as 140,000 stricken patients in the next few weeks.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/nyregion/coronavirus-new-york-apex-andrew-cuomo.html

If that turns out to be true, NYC will be overwhelmed with patients at about the time we're supposed to be reopening everything.  That doesn't seem like a good idea. 

[kmmd]

https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2020/03/25/craig-spencer-ny-hospital-trump-magical-thinking-sot-ac-vpx.cnn

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/24/bill-gates-us-missed-its-chance-to-avoid-coronavirus-shutdown.html

Thanks for posting the graph ctviggen.  One word comes to mind...epicenter. 

Please, please stay home and stay safe.  Let us pray for Karl Anthony Towns’ mother.

[Letitroll98]

Looking at the curves posted here, that I'd already seen from several outlets so I'm confident in their accuracy, indicate cancelling social distancing in a few weeks is optimistic at best, and possibly negligent at worst.  And I doubt very much most Americans will resume going to sporting events, restaurants, movies theaters, the workplace, until medical professionals give the all clear anyway.  I'm tired of watching the "Best Games of 2019" on the NFL channel as well, but I'd also like to live a little longer than April.