So, ironically, tossing them in the freezer is probably the worst thing you can do. They aren't perfect conditions of course, but we use huge freezers to store viruses for long term. Also, I predict that you have food in there too...
A few things:
Gloves won't really protect you out in public from something like this coronavirus. The virus doesn't get in through your hand (unless you have open wounds), it's that you touch things and then touch your mucous membranes, usually the ones on your face (eyes, nose, mouth). If you are wearing gloves, that is still a risk unless the gloves only real purpose is to stop you from touching your own face as a reminder.
I also would not recommend reusing gloves unless you literally have to. They just aren't that strong. But, if need to, same rules apply for skin. Wash with soap in warm water. More than sufficient. You can also cover in >70 percent ethanol/isopropanol or use 5-10% bleach. But soap and water is very very effective.
Thanks, I wasn't thinking too hard when I asked that question.
Here's something I picked up from the Washington Post
"Meanwhile, Taiwan disputed an assertion by the Egyptian government that a Taiwanese American woman was the origin of the coronavirus infections of 45 passengers and crew aboard a Nile cruise ship. After isolating the strain of the virus from the woman, known as Case #39, Taiwanese researchers found it different than those of other infected Taiwanese, the nation’s Centers for Disease Control said in a statement.
“It is determined that Case #39 contracted the novel coronavirus in Egypt, and developed symptoms after returning to Taiwan,” read the statement."
Looks like there are distinct stains in different places.
Here's something I picked up from the Washington Post
"Meanwhile, Taiwan disputed an assertion by the Egyptian government that a Taiwanese American woman was the origin of the coronavirus infections of 45 passengers and crew aboard a Nile cruise ship. After isolating the strain of the virus from the woman, known as Case #39, Taiwanese researchers found it different than those of other infected Taiwanese, the nation’s Centers for Disease Control said in a statement.
“It is determined that Case #39 contracted the novel coronavirus in Egypt, and developed symptoms after returning to Taiwan,” read the statement."
Looks like there are distinct stains in different places.
You aren't doing anything wrong. Making sure you clean surfaces that have come into contact with others or yourself when your out is a good idea. That said, what you are describing is overkill in all but the worst circumstances. Bleach works great but is very harsh on everything including your own skin. Nothing wrong with it except for the fact that soap and water is just as effective.
And remember, it's the direct contact with infected individuals that is most likely to get you sick. Its not that they touched the elevator button, you touched the button, then touched your keys, then brought the keys home. It's that you were on the elevator with them in the first place and their parents didn't teach them to cough into their elbow. Sad truth. Now, the "whole" elevator is covered in virions. In that situation, yes, wash everything and keep your hands away from your face!
There definitely are tractable point mutations in the virus that can be followed by virologists and epidemiologists. Although there aren't many. All life mutates at rates dependent on a truly overwhelming number of factors. But viruses take that to the next level and utilize the inefficiencies of their own replication machinery as a weapon. Basically, their RNA "polymerases" are very error prone, at least in comparison to ours and other prokaryotic and eukaryotic polymerases.
However, based on sequencing data, this virus does not appear to mutate nearly as fast as some other viruses. So the number of point mutations to track aren't nearly as much as other viruses that mutate much more rapidly such as HIV-1. But it will mutate. It is inevitable.
Heard a doctor say today that you can make your own gel sanitizer.
Just get isopropyl alcohol and aloe and mix.
Fight COVID-19 on the go with homemade hand sanitizer | Popular Science
A collective quantum (En) organism maybe similar to the Armillaria ostoyae but as a virus analog. So yes the total IQ could be higher than humans.
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I like the new separation of threads.
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Better than all the other hand sanitizer tips so far is to just buy a little girly-girl pinkish toy-thingy dispenser so your young daughter will use it willingly, like my 7 year old.
I actually bought a ton of hand sanitizer, I managed to be in the window where Costco had not sold out yet. Considering that you only need it as a supplement to hand washing and doesn't expire, this may last until I finally drop dead.
I actually bought a ton of hand sanitizer, I managed to be in the window where Costco had not sold out yet. Considering that you only need it as a supplement to hand washing and doesn't expire, this may last until I finally drop dead.
Interesting background on why soap is so effective against viruses Deadly viruses are no match for plain, old soap — here’s the science behind it - MarketWatch Is there anything its overlooking?
Leaves me feeling a little silly getting some commercial sanitizer (SaniDate(R) 5.0 - BioSafe Systems) for cleaning counters but I wanted something that would not be toxic.
Leaves me feeling a little silly getting some commercial sanitizer (SaniDate(R) 5.0 - BioSafe Systems) for cleaning counters but I wanted something that would not be toxic.
I read today from some good source that there are 280-odd variations of this new virus, in 3 groups. There are different groups prevalent in different areas - so the Italy outbreak is mostly a different group than Northern Europe. And the Italian version is harder b*stard.
I find it difficult to imagine that smoking wouldn't make a case of pneumonia worse. I know my ex has asthma and that makes pneumonia worse...
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Certainly the generation length is a lot shorter. One can run a few more iterations of the genetic algorithm in the mean time.
Apropos nothing of the above (but would love our friendly immunologist to give a crack 😀): I cannot remember which stats-based (read: epidemiological) site I was reading emergent information on this years coronavirus, but they made allusion to indicating immunosuppresants for a number of patients as the overall immune response/cytokine storm may be killing more than the disease itself. This is not necessarily unusual among viral infections, but if someone has some good links/explanation for the underlying mechanism why this is (even if pretty jargon-y) I'd be most appreciative.
I'll let him respond, but I am pretty sure that there is only one strain circulating at the moment. The paper describing two types has been refuted by more than one source.
Response to “On the origin and continuing evolution of SARS-CoV-2” - nCoV-2019 Genomic Epidemiology - Virological
There are always small changes that occur as a virus passes through hosts, but saying they are clinically relevant is this case is quite a leap.
RNA viruses mutate quickly but Coronaviruses are among the slowest of that group because my understanding is they have their own proofreading mechanism.
The WHO data seem to lag what is available from the US Press about our own specific situation, but it should serve as an adequate baseline. I am happy to modify the presentation.
Italy has the highest percentage of Chinese-born population in Europe and has received (or promised) tens of billions EUR in Chinese investment (according to the FT).
Ambient air quality is also a factor.
Italy has the highest percentage of Chinese-born population in Europe and has received (or promised) tens of billions EUR in Chinese investment (according to the FT).
Ambient air quality is also a factor.
I found this and thought I'd pass it along. Seems to relate to the smoking comment.
COVID-19 Fatality Rate by SEX:
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%). This probability differs depending on sex. When reading these numbers, it must be taken into account that smoking in China is much more prevalent among males. Smoking increases the risks of respiratory complications.
Male 2.8%
Female 1.7%
51.4% of men and 27.3% of women. Further, China has the worst air quality in the world.
As long as we don't lose power we are food ready for a year or so. We have not taken any steps to increase our stock. We already have too much. That's one of the advantages/disadvantages of being a foodie. You see something you like on sale? You buy the max quantity and freeze it. My wife and I have sworn off most food shopping so we can get things under control. We don't want to be throwing away freezer burnt items.
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