Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Quarantine Projects

Good afternoon to all in Corona quarantine.  These are strange times but nothing like getting to home projects My weeks and days have been keeping up with the Homefront.  It doesn't seem like much, being home but I assure you we find quite a bit to do throughout the day since our quarantine started March 13th.   Long time but hope you all are getting progress done with your projects or started new ones.    
I have noticed a lot of people in our neighborhood are utilizing their time with yard projects or home projects.   Might you be one of them?  We transitioned our daughter's bed to a loft bed.   Anything inspiring you to do the same?  

We had to empty out the books to move the bookcase under the bed, but quite a nice little library for them and a little sofa on the otherside.  As you can see, quite nice!  It does seem like our quarantining is going to end soon and we'll get back to it soon.    Quarantining has its benefits if you are an introvert.  I know some who are not doing well and need more interaction.  Lots of people are making bread or cookies etc.   I tend to like putting meals together that are healthy and simple.   The best I could try to make is banana bread or green tea bread.  

Friday, April 24, 2020

Here's the bigger picture: "What we know about this mess." [by NG]

The motivating idea: Real facts about epidemiology, viruses, and disinfectants.  Ok:

Rule number 1:  Don't drink bleach. It could kill you.
Rule number 2: Don't inject any cleaning product.  It could kill you.
Rule number 3: Don't take random unrelated drugs because someone has a "good feeling".  You wouldn't jump off a bridge because someone told you to, would you?  It could kill you.
Rule number 4: Don't cut open your abdomen or chest cavity to insert a UV light bulb.  It could kill you.  And it will probably give you cancer if you live that long.

People with a background in logistics intelligence are not medical doctors.  People with a background in commercial real estate are not medical doctors.

Basics on infections (I'll keep this simple):
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What does wearing a mask get you?
1. N95 masks block a portal of entry. (Keeps you from getting it.)
2. Cloth masks block a mode of transmission.  (Protects other people.)

Washing your hands and sanitizing door knobs block a mode of transmission.  (Protects you and other people from getting it.)

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Maybe  that's as much science as people can handle.  If not, continue below. 

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What does testing do? 
Identifies the infected. 

What kinds of tests are there, and what do they do?
1.  Molecular tests - run on swabs and sputum samples.  
  • These tests directly test for the genetic material of the virus.
2.  Serological tests - run on blood
  • a) Antigen tests look for fragments of the virus/viral proteins
  • b) Antibody test looking for fast acting immunological response (IgM) indicating recent infection.
  • c) Antibody test looking for slow acting immunological response (IgG) indicating past infection and current protection. 
What can this information do?  
1. Who needs to be isolated.
2. Who is recovered.
3. Who has not been exposed. (negative tests)  And, they are still in danger.


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Still good with the science?
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What is a "co-morbidity"?  
  ~This is something that weakens a person.  This could be obesity, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, cancer, etc.  Anything that compromises a person.

What does having a co-morbidity at the time of infection do?  
~When the virus starts damaging the lungs and filling them with fluid, reducing the body's ability breath, those co-morbidities can add to the problem by consuming more oxygen, piling on the damage.  By itself, diabetes wouldn't have killed the person.  With the virus, they die. 

Doctors count the thing that pushed the patient over the edge, not the thing that put them on the edge. 



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Anyway,   That's enough for now. 

I would hope this would be helpful for people. 


by: NG