The Coronavirus Thread

My own business has struggled for the past few years. Since this epidemic has started, I've been "busy" once again. Now that people are home it's become increasingly important for home computers to work and work well so that folks can tele-commute successfully. To a large degree I've been able to complete my work by remote connections with programs like Team Viewer (damn good software BTW also offers a free version).

But the critical requirement for me to repair computers remotely is that the customer have internet service. If they have no internet, obviously I can't remote connect. I've worked 9 days in a row and only done on-site work on two of those days. But if I'm honest, that's two days too many. It's a risk that I struggle with. Even if I'm asymptomatic, I could be a carrier and MANY of my customers are seniors which is the group most at risk. I take every precaution available when I work on site, but truth is the keyboard is a nasty germ carrying mofo. I spray Lysol and wipe everything down that I touch both before and after each job.

I'm a one man show with no sick days, no paid time off and will likely not get any assistance from the stimulus package. And I have five kids with two still at home. I'm hoping to be able to pay my bills at the end of the month...just a week away now, but it will be very close.

 

Not to criticise you at all @Riotvan - we have a horriffic perfect storm brewing here is all. Hope you make it through this illness without too much trouble!

 

Yeah no kidding man, most 3rd world countries are going to be hit really hard with this.

Thanks for the well wishes

 

One of the small silver linings in this is that you should get some really clean air days when traffic and factories come to a grinding halt. Some of the cleanest days I've seen over here were just as this was hitting during Chinese New Year and factories went on extended shutdown.

 

Just reached home in India from New York and now under 14 days quarantine. Had a painful experience and the whole experience was like some mental trauma but was not left with any option as my Visa was coming to an end. Couldn't even pack all my stuffs. Whole India is now under lockdown for 3 weeks till 14th April. Hopefully together we will beat this corona threat.

 

Without what you call with contempt "economy" there are no ventilators, less and less other necessary things, less and less food or more difficult to get. The supply chains are pretty complex and fragile, particularly with the level of outsourcing that was going on for years. The idea that people working on vaccines and medical supplies are going full speed, everybody else just stays home was maybe good in 1918. So someone somewhere must be thinking how to keep making things and keep people working even in the face of CV. That will not be easy and may not be even safe but at some point it will be necessary. The world where you can lock down humanity for 4 months and we all stay safe and well fed just does not exist.

 

I’m going to duck out of this thread out of respect for y’all and to avoid the likelihood I will completely lose my shit. It’s true: I do feel contempt. A lot of it. And sadness and fear. I’ve had this thing in my house for 3 weeks.

 

Speaking of which, the cure for 97% of the population with it, is to just stay home & let it cure itself in 2 weeks?

 

Based on China and Italy data 70% have mild or less, but the remaining 30% may require hospitalizations.

Something like 7% (across all age groups) are critical and will not make it without ICU support. Severe cases will depend on other factors.

This is based on a paper working on data up to 2nd week of march so that may change, and there are undetected mild cases, as well as deaths attributed to other factors which were actually COVID-19.

Most complete picture would an analysis of the south Korea data as they had the most thorough testing, but I haven't seen one yet.

That is all for % of infected, % of total population depends on infection % which depends on measures taken and vaccine availability by the time this is over, that is impossible to guess at.

 

From my wife's friend, hope this helps people stay safe:



The following is forwarded from Irene Ken physician, whose daughter is an Asst. Prof in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University, quite informative.


In our community chat, here, they sent this excellent summary to avoid contagion . I share it with you because it is very clear:

* The virus is not a living organism, but a protein molecule (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.

* Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.

* The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam). By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.

* HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 25 degrees Celsius for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.

* Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.

* Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.

* Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.

* NO BACTERICIDE SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; they cannot kill what is not alive with anthobiotics, but quickly disintegrate its structure with everything said.

* NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only between 3 hours (fabric and porous), 4 hours (copper, because it is naturally antiseptic; and wood, be cause it removes all the moisture and does not let it peel off and disintegrates). ), 24 hours (cardboard), 42 hours (metal) and 72 hours (plastic). But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.

* The virus molecules remain very stable in external cold, or artificial as air conditioners in houses and cars. They also need moisture to stay stable, and especially darkness. Therefore, dehumidified, dry, warm and bright environments will degrade it faster.

* UV LIGHT on any object that may contain it breaks down the virus protein. For example, to disinfect and reuse a mask is perfect. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen (which is protein) in the skin, eventually causing wrinkles and skin cancer.

* The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin.

* Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.

* NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol, and you need 65%.

* LISTERINE IF IT SERVES! It is 65% alcohol.

* The more confined the space, the more concentration of the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated, the less.

* This is super said, but you have to wash your hands before and after touching mucosa, food, locks, knobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, etc. And when using the bathroom.

* You have to HUMIDIFY HANDS DRY from so much washing them, because the molecules can hide in the micro cracks. The thicker the moisturizer, the better. * Also keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide there.

 

TeamViewer is awesome; it's what I use in my role as involuntary universal tech support for friends and family. It's particularly good for collaborating with someone else who's physically in front of the remote PC.

But it costs money if you're using it for business. An alternative that's always free is Chrome Remote Desktop: https://remotedesktop.google.com/. It's a straightforward remote-access system without all of TeamViewer's collaboration features; I use it for remote access to my own computers whenever SSH isn't enough.

 

I've used Teamviewer and it does indeed work very well. That said, I would not encourage people to install tools like this without the approval of your IT department. Certainly where I used to work it would be cause for disciplinary action.

 

My Work Laptop is on full lockdown. I can't install anything.

 

As an alternative to TeamViewer which is terribly expensive (and they will lock you out if they detect enough traffic to suspect that you are no longer using it for "personal" use), I've recently been using Cloudberry Remote Assistant. The UI is similar enough that it makes me wonder if people left the original teamviewer team to start up their own thing. So far it seems to be free without any hidden gotchas.