COVID-19, the fear of the flu

Thanks Merry for your posts. I appreciate what you write and also agree whole heartedly with what Lioness also posted. Most members in the Mayo Connect groups have one or more serious chronic health issues. It only makes sense for each of us to safeguard our health to the best of our abilities.

As an elder with serious health issues, I approach most personal lifestyle decisions now with much more caution than before my diagnoses. Wishing us all the best going forward with the health challenges that brought us to this very helpful support group.

Good morning ladies, (Lioness, Fiesty and all others) Yes I do agree. As a small added note: There is a woman that has a child in school who visits me; She is very active with the church and other group activities. I asked her not to come to my house until further notice so I will not be exposed to added germs. We can talk on the telephone. I am 82 and have three autoimmune diseases and other illnesses. I will keep busy planting the yearly annual flowers and watch more television and listen to the radio talk shows, etc., etc. (But going to the doctors will be a trip trying to avoid the virus germs). Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Love and caring to all, Peach

Good for you, Peach, in taking additional precautions. Like you, I've been able to spend a couple of hrs the past 2 days in my yard....wonderful therapy for the spirits!

Merry, no reported virus cases in my small city yet and while grocers and pharmacies are limiting certain items per customer, mgr for one of our more pop. groceries said there had not yet been any disruption in deliveries of fresh meats, veggies, fruits or dairy products. That may change but so far so good.

@peach414144- Good morning Peach. As someone said here, we are all trying to find our way, do what's in the best interest of ourselves and our families. With a virus that is so contagious, it also will take a village to stop it from spreading. All we can do is our best. Has anyone on this thread contracted the virus, or know someone personally who is ill?

I have yet to know anyone personally with this virus. What a difference a week makes! Universities are going online, parade is postponed, NBA games shutdown! Yikes! I like the few media items I've read regarding H1N1, 1918 Spanish Flue, SARS, etc. This is what I'm saying, these conditions have been around , even back to 1918 Spanish flu. As a statistician, business analytics, anyone with Covid-19 in 2019, would have been ICD 10 coded, for example to a flu code. Lumping covid-19 in with influenza. Impossible to know exactly when this virus came to be.

@johnbishop.. HI I live in L.A. county we every day get a update from our Gov. The surrounding counties including Orange show the covid-19 cases and the deaths. About a month or so the Orange county opened up the beach it was so crowded you could'nt do any social distancing. People just didnt think this virus is serious . After they did this the death total started to go up the cases of COVID went up also . We here in Long Beach thanks to the gov. and our mayor have opened up slowly In Long Beach our counts have gone down ,our hospital 's here doen't have as many Covid
patients as they did in beginning as the majority of people listened to our Gov and our Mayor Garcia was on top of this virus in the beginning rounding up the public health dept and other hospitals ,clinics . This is why in Calif our numbers are not going up now there are some but not like use to be as curve is flattening some. Anyway that's what I wanted you to know about Orange County .

@lioness @johnbishop.. I live in Orange County, the Orange County Health Agency published an updated cases/deaths everyday as reported by local hospitals in their website, as well as the numbers by city. I'm not sure if LA county does that. I see some cities such as Santa Ana and Anaheim are spiking up and some are leveling off. My city will be offering all residents antibodies test next week. Anyone who would like to do that can register online. We are not opening restaurants and non essential services yet. You can get curbside take out for food from restaurants. Our city requires all grocery stores/drug stores employees and customers to wear masks, and they are complying. I really need some physical therapy and massages for my back and legs and I guess it may not be until July.

Yes, we are all doing our best. My background is that I had a family member, my mother, with copd. My children would infect her with the latest bug from the daycare. We had the worst flu in our homes, we called this covid-19 type situation with the flu or pneumonia back then. We didnt have the flu shot yet. I worked in post acute care for awhile, and yes, folks with compromised health situation are more susceptible to a viirus. Is the death rate really higher,? We didnt have social media in the 1990s to spread fearful information like we do now. I've had walking pneumonia, maybe it was covid-19 back then? New technology, scaring people in 2020.