Formerly DT: COVID-19 - Featuring Lots of Politics, now CR because political talk not going away

[StruggleBus 3922]

4 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

CNN mentioning how the remaining residents, of that nursing home in Washington, have NOT been tested for coronavirus. Unbelievable. 

What in the actual fuck is going on

[Hate 20259]

Nice. My wife spent ~ $1k at Randall’s last month after it was announced the two locations in The Woodlands were closing and everything was going on sale. 
 
I thought it was quite excessive but one thing that was 90% off was the zinc stuff. We have like 6 bottles of it now. Talk about fortuitous timing.  

Those stores were depressing. That would have been ground zero for this virus since only olds shopped there. I hope something cool takes over the Panther Creek location.

[Neonmoon 38130]

Maybe we should quarantine Armybrat for his safety. Half joking 

[JesusSweatDuck 18158]

19 minutes ago, Tailgate said:

I’m putting odds on myself as first Surly poster to get it. 

Start licking tray tables and arm rests

[MissingInAction 25597]

4 minutes ago, StruggleBus said:

What in the actual fuck is going on

Cant have the Corona if we dont test for it. These fucking cunts.

[Stunns38 3805]

I don’t think I’d brag about fat women having to be drunk on everclear to advance on me if I were you.

I was the victim, quit shaming me!

[Tailgate 3081]

4 minutes ago, JesusSweatDuck said:

Start licking tray tables and arm rests

Wouldn’t that video go viral? Wait.....wuuuuuuut???

[conVINCEd 21477]

11 minutes ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

I wouldn’t say they were underlying.  More like flagrant.  

And that’s fair.  He’s been relatively healthy for a few years due to my mother regulating on him.  He considers himself a healthy person and thus immune from this problem because it only kills unhealthy people.  I will now do a deeper dive to show him that he would be considered unhealthy.  And yes, I’m fully aware that he’s not healthy.

Edited March 6, 2020 by conVINCEd

[Hate 20259]

But are you conVINCEd he’s unhealthy?

[triplehorn 2664]

56 minutes ago, Tailgate said:

Fucking guy behind me must have been holding his cough in for the first hour of the flight and now he can’t stop...right in my ear. Woman next to me is coughing and can’t really talk loud and asked me softly to ask the flight attendant if they have any Rolaids. FML.

The anxiety is real.

You need a hand sanitizer nebulizer STAT

[Skipper 6412]

25 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

CNN mentioning how the remaining residents, of that nursing home in Washington, have NOT been tested for coronavirus. Unbelievable. 

Sadly it's entirely believable.   We're still going to be bitching about the lack of testing this time next week when it's far too late (it already is).

[triplehorn 2664]

fuck_this.

They're reporting risk for permanent lung damage even following recovery.  No messing around here.

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13742]

Cnn running up a town hall on coronavirus right now. They had a believable guy from the govt task force talking about the lack of tests. He says we need millions of tests and it should get ramped up soon. Said 75k tests will be available in the upcoming days and the cdc is working with private industry to get the millions going. Hope he’s right.

theres also promising news out of South Korea that the fatality rate might be lower than thought because they are testing many people which helps get a more accurate understanding of the disease. 

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2651]

Just now, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Cnn running up a town hall on coronavirus right now. They had a believable guy from the govt task force talking about the lack of tests. He says we need millions of tests and it should get ramped up soon. Said 75k tests will be available in the upcoming days and the cdc is working with private industry to get the millions going. Hope he’s right.

theres also promising news out of South Korea that the fatality rate might be lower than thought because they are testing many people which helps get a more accurate understanding of the disease. 

Did he say why it is taking them so long to ramp up production?  Not like this was a surprise to anyone watching the news out of Asia. 

[Hate 20259]

Sadly it's entirely believable.   We're still going to be bitching about the lack of testing this time next week when it's far too late (it already is).

 

Of course it already is. One day after patient zero was probably too late with the global economy now. I don’t know that the average “joe” realizes the amount of international travel that occurs these days. Until China decides eating anything and everything they can get their hands on is a bad idea, we are bound to have these episodes every decade or so. And let me offer this up...FUCK China.

 

[Rip76 5022]

Sounds super man made.

NoAlexJones.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13742]

1 minute ago, Xian said:

Did he say why it is taking them so long to ramp up production?  Not like this was a surprise to anyone watching the news out of Asia. 

Something about a mistake with the early versions of the test set them back. The guy was a doctor and not interested in the blame game but rather how to move forward with solutions. Sounded promising that we’re not just relying on the cdc to produce the tests. 

[Message Board User 12409]

 

[Message Board User 12409]

 

[Pato del Muerto 53593]

It’s so bad that Chinese people are trying to get INTO North Korea?

[Message Board User 12409]

Coming soon to an American city near you...

 

[Message Board User 12409]

A month to recover?  That seems....troubling.  Perhaps vexing.  Very vexed.

 

[Bozo_Casanova 26909]

On 1/22/2020 at 5:48 PM, workswithseed said:

Apparently it's in Washington state

This guy, right?

[Helobious 9825]

16 minutes ago, triplehorn said:

fuck_this.

They're reporting risk for permanent lung damage even following recovery.  No messing around here.

 

A little bit of a click-baity title. The same Chinese doctors said in the article that they’re basing their findings on just 9 autopsies, and that it’s impossible to tell if it’s irreversible damage given how new the virus is. Regardless it really seems like it sucks to get infected.

[Hagbard Celine 11293]

12 minutes ago, Hate said:

Until China decides eating anything and everything they can get their hands on, we are bound to have these episodes every decade or so. And let me offer this up...FUCK China.

welp, it's about fucking time.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/05/asia/china-coronavirus-wildlife-consumption-ban-intl-hnk/index.html

China has made eating wild animals illegal after the coronavirus outbreak. But ending the trade won't be easy.

A strict ban on the consumption and farming of wild animals is being rolled out across China in the wake of the deadly coronavirus epidemic, which is believed to have started at a wildlife market in Wuhan.

Although it is unclear which animal transferred the virus to humans -- bat, snake and pangolin have all been suggested -- China has acknowledged it needs to bring its lucrative wildlife industry under control if it is to prevent another outbreak.

In late February, it slapped a temporary ban on all farming and consumption of "terrestrial wildlife of important ecological, scientific and social value," which is expected to be signed into law later this year.

But ending the trade will be hard. The cultural roots of China's use of wild animals run deep, not just for food but also for traditional medicine, clothing, ornaments and even pets.

This isn't the first time Chinese officials have tried to contain the trade. In 2003, civets -- mongoose-type creatures -- were banned and culled in large numbers after it was discovered they likely transferred the SARS virus to humans. The selling of snakes was also briefly banned in Guangzhou after the SARS outbreak.

But today dishes using the animals are still eaten in parts of China.

Public health experts say the ban is an important first step, but are calling on Beijing to seize this crucial opportunity to close loopholes -- such as the use of wild animals in traditional Chinese medicine -- and begin to change cultural attitudes in China around consuming wildlife.

The Wuhan seafood market at the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak was selling a lot more than fish.

Snakes, raccoon dogs, porcupines and deer were just some of the species crammed inside cages, side by side with shoppers and store owners, according to footage obtained by CNN. Some animals were filmed being slaughtered in the market in front of customers. CNN hasn't been able to independently verify the footage, which was posted to Weibo by a concerned citizen, and has since been deleted by government censors.

It is somewhere in this mass of wildlife that scientists believe the novel coronavirus likely first spread to humans. The disease has now infected more than 94,000 people and killed more than 3,200 around the world.

The Wuhan market was not unusual. Across mainland China, hundreds of similar markets offer a wide range of exotic animals for a range of purposes.

The danger of an outbreak comes when many exotic animals from different environments are kept in close proximity.

"These animals have their own viruses," said Hong Kong University virologist professor Leo Poon. "These viruses can jump from one species to another species, then that species may become an amplifier, which increases the amount of virus in the wet market substantially."

When a large number of people visit markets selling these animals each day, Poon said the risk of the virus jumping to humans rises sharply.

Poon was one of the first scientists to decode the SARS coronavirus during the epidemic in 2003. It was linked to civet cats kept for food in a Guangzhou market, but Poon said researchers still wonder whether SARS was transmitted to the cats from another species.

"(Farmed civet cats) didn't have the virus, suggesting they acquired it in the markets from another animal," he said.

Annie Huang, a 24-year-old college student from southern Guangxi province, said she and her family regularly visit restaurants that serve wild animals.

She said eating wildlife, such as boar and peacock, is considered good for your health, because diners also absorb the animals' physical strength and resilience.

Exotic animals can also be an important status symbol. "Wild animals are expensive. If you treat somebody with wild animals, it will be considered that you're paying tribute," she said. A single peacock can cost as much as 800 yuan ($144).

Huang asked to use a pseudonym when speaking about the newly-illegal trade because of her views on eating wild animals.

She said she doubted the ban would be effective in the long run. "The trade might lay low for a few months ... but after a while, probably in a few months, people would very possibly come back again," she said

Beijing hasn't released a full list of the wild animals included in the ban, but the current Wildlife Protection Law gives some clues as to what could be banned. That law classifies wolves, civet cats and partridges as wildlife, and states that authorities "should take measures" to protect them, with little information on specific restrictions.

The new ban makes exemptions for "livestock," and in the wake of the ruling animals including pigeons and rabbits are being reclassified as livestock to allow their trade to continue.

Attempts to control the spread of diseases are also hindered by the fact that the industry for exotic animals in China, especially wild ones, is enormous.

A government-sponsored report in 2017 by the Chinese Academy of Engineering found the country's wildlife trade was worth more than $73 billion and employed more than one million people.

Since the virus hit in December, almost 20,000 wildlife farms across seven Chinese provinces have been shut down or put under quarantine, including breeders specializing in peacocks, foxes, deer and turtles, according to local government press releases.

It isn't clear what effect the ban might have on the industry's future -- but there are signs China's population may have already been turning away from eating wild animals even before the epidemic.

A study by Beijing Normal University and the China Wildlife Conservation Association in 2012, found that in China's major cities, a third of people had used wild animals in their lifetime for food, medicine or clothing -- only slightly less than in their previous survey in 2004.

However, the researchers also found that just over 52% of total respondents agreed that wildlife should not be consumed. It was even higher in Beijing, where more than 80% of residents were opposed to wildlife consumption.

In comparison, about 42% of total respondents were against the practice during the previous survey in 2004.

Since the coronavirus epidemic, there has been vocal criticism of the trade in exotic animals and calls for a crackdown. A group of 19 academics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leading universities even jointly issued a public statement calling for an end to the trade, saying it should be treated as a "public safety issue."

"The vast majority of people within China react to the abuse of wildlife in the way people in other countries do -- with anger and revulsion," said Aron White, wildlife campaigner at the Environmental Investigation Agency.

"I think we should listen to those voices that are calling for change and support those voices."

Traditional medicine loophole

A significant barrier to a total ban on the wildlife trade is the use of exotic animals in traditional Chinese medicine.

Beijing has been strongly promoting the use of traditional Chinese medicine under President Xi Jinping and the industry is now worth an estimated $130 billion.

As recently as October 2019, state-run media China Daily reported Xi as saying that "traditional medicine is a treasure of Chinese civilization embodying the wisdom of the nation and its people."

Many species that are eaten as food in parts of China are also used in the country's traditional medicine.

The new ban makes an exception made for wild animals used in traditional Chinese medicine. According to the ruling, the use of wildlife is not illegal for this, but now must be "strictly monitored." The announcement doesn't make it clear, however, how this monitoring will occur or what the penalties are for inadequate protection of wild animals, leaving the door open to abuse.

A 2014 study by the Beijing Normal University and the China Wildlife Conservation Association found that while deer is eaten as a meat, the animal's penis and blood are also used in medicine. Both bears and snakes are used for both food and medicine.

Wildlife campaigner Aron White said that under the new restrictions there was a risk of wildlife being sold or bred for medicine, but then trafficked for food. He said the Chinese government needed to avoid loopholes by extending the ban to all vulnerable wildlife, regardless of use.

"(Currently), the law bans the eating of pangolins but doesn't ban the use of their scales in traditional Chinese medicine," he said. "The impact of that is that overall the consumers are receiving are mixed messages."

The line between which animals are used for meat and which are used for medicine is also already very fine, because often people eat animals for perceived health benefits.

In a study published in International Health in February, US and Chinese researchers surveyed attitudes among rural citizens in China's southern provinces to eating wild animals.

One 40-year-old peasant farmer in Guangdong says eating bats can prevent cancer. Another man says they can improve your vitality.

"'I hurt my waist very seriously, it was painful, and I could not bear the air conditioner. One day, one of my friends made some snake soup and I had three bowls of it, and my waist obviously became better. Otherwise, I could not sit here for such a long time with you," a 67-year-old Guangdong farmer told interviewers in the study.

Changing the culture

China's rubber-stamp legislature, the National People's Congress, will meet later this year to officially alter the Wildlife Protection Law. A spokesman for the body's Standing Committee said the current ban is just a temporary measure until the new wording in the law can be drafted and approved.

Hong Kong virologist Leo Poon said the government has a big decision to make on whether it officially ends the trade in wild animals in China or simply tries to find safer options.

"If this is part of Chinese culture, they still want to consume a particular exotic animal, then the country can decide to keep this culture, that's okay," he said.

"(But) then they have to come up with another policy -- how can we provide clean meat from that exotic animal to the public? Should it be domesticated? Should we do more checking or inspection? Implement some biosecurity measures?" he said.

An outright ban could raise just as many questions and issues. Ecohealth Alliance president Peter Daszak said if the trade was quickly made illegal, it would push it out of wet markets in the cities, creating black markets in rural communities where it is easier to hide the animals from the authorities.

Driven underground, the illegal trade of wild animals for consumption and medicine could become even more dangerous.

"Then we'll see (virus) outbreaks begin not in markets this time, but in rural communities," Daszak said. "(And) people won't talk to authorities because it is actually illegal."

Poon said the final effectiveness of the ban may depend on the government's willpower to enforce the law. "Culture cannot be changed overnight, it takes time," he said.

[Hate 20259]

Coming soon to an American city near you...
 

Those people live on active volcanoes. It’s unlikely they also exercise best hygiene practices.

[Hagbard Celine 11293]

Poon.

[UTGrad98 2343]

Every time I read this thread my lungs burn and I start coughing....the rest of the day I’m fine. 

[atomheartbevo 90674]

 

[atomheartbevo 90674]

Link in case that embed doesn’t work

https://www.facebook.com/zulhilmi/videos/10157766715294029/

 

[Grade of D as in David 13256]

59 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

CNN mentioning how the remaining residents, of that nursing home in Washington, have NOT been tested for coronavirus. Unbelievable. 

We'll find out one way or the other in a couple of weeks.

[Brisketexan 107021]

The lack of tests, and of testing...that’s just fucking amazing.
We are utterly unprepared.

[Trey3216 15453]

Saw this email on another message board:

 

 

Hi folks,

A number of you have asked me what I think is going to happen with coronavirus (COVID-19) and what we should be doing to prepare. I have a few thoughts about what's likely to happen and what you should do about it. For those of you who don't know me well, I am a preventive medicine physician and infectious disease epidemiologist. I graduated from the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service and have over 17 years of experience in the field, most of that with CDC.
Wishing everyone good health,
Juliana

Who should I listen to?
The CDC and your state health department are your best place for information about COVID-19. Be cautious about other sources of information - many of them will not be reliable or accurate.

How bad is this going to be?
It's possible that COVID-19 will be similar to a bad flu year but there are a number of indications that it will be very much like the 1918 Flu Pandemic. To put that in perspective, the 1918 flu did not end civilization as we know it but it was the second-deadliest event of the last 200 years. Expect people you know to die from this.
However, there is one critical difference between COVID-19 and the 1918 flu - the 1918 flu virus hit children and young adults particularly hard. COVID-19 seems to be most severe in older adults. Children and young adults generally have mild infections. We are grateful for this.

What can we expect?
This is not the zombie apocalypse. Core infrastructure (e.g., power, water, supermarkets, internet, government, etc.) will continue to work, perhaps with some minor disruptions.

There will be significant economic disruption: a global recession is very possible and there will probably be significant shortages of some products. The healthcare system will be hit the hardest. The number of people who are likely to get sick is higher than our healthcare systems can handle.

Daily life will be impacted in important ways. Travel is likely to be limited and public gatherings will probably be canceled. Schools will probably be closed. Expect health departments to start issuing these orders in the near future, especially on the West Coast.
The acute pandemic will probably last at least for several months and quite possibly for a year or two.

What can we do?
We can't keep COVID-19 from being a global pandemic but the more we can do to slow the spread of the disease, the less severe the impact will be. With that in mind, here are the things you can do:

Stay calm but take it seriously. This will likely be bad but it's not the apocalypse.
Stay home if you're sick or someone in your house is sick.
Leave medical supplies for healthcare workers. You shouldn't be stockpiling masks or other medical supplies. They are needed in hospitals to keep our healthcare workers healthy.
Wash your hands. Get in the habit of frequently washing your hands thoroughly and covering your cough.
Minimize your exposure. Now that we're seeing community transmission, it's time to start seriously cutting back on your exposure to other people. Depending on your circumstances:
Cancel all non-essential travel (and most of it is non-essential!)
Avoid large-scale gatherings
Work from home if possible
Minimize direct contact with others including hand shakes and hugs
Reduce your trips out of the house. If possible, shop for two weeks of groceries at once or consider having your groceries delivered.
Remember, keep calm and prepare. This is likely to be bad but if we respond calmly and thoughtfully we can handle it.

Feel free to share this email as you see fit.
**************************
Juliana Grant, MD MPH
Public health and epidemiology consultant

[Anastasis 23717]

4 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

The lack of tests, and of testing...that’s just fucking amazing.
We are utterly unprepared.

I have 3 months worth of canned blacked beans, 2 mi tienda al pastor from HEB, 3 spare ribs, 2 brisket flats (for pastrami you fucking heathens), a freezer full of venison and chicken, a case of israeli 556, and enough semi auto rifles to man every person on my block. 

 

[triplehorn 2664]

17 minutes ago, Helobious said:

A little bit of a click-baity title. The same Chinese doctors said in the article that they’re basing their findings on just 9 autopsies, and that it’s impossible to tell if it’s irreversible damage given how new the virus is. Regardless it really seems like it sucks to get infected.

The reference to possible irreversible lung damage was also substantiated from findings reported in The Lancet:

Quote

An earlier study published in The Lancet which examined the CT scans of 81 patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan found the imagery “indicated the appearance of interstitial changes, suggesting the development of fibrosis”.

I take it to mean those 81 patients were living when they got the CT scans and showed fibrotic changes which is basically scarring.  They don't elaborate at all on what kind of immune system dysfunction might result (wrt the AIDS reference).  

[crimsonlonghorn 2313]

22 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

welp, it's about fucking time.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/05/asia/china-coronavirus-wildlife-consumption-ban-intl-hnk/index.html

China has made eating wild animals illegal after the coronavirus outbreak. But ending the trade won't be easy.

A strict ban on the consumption and farming of wild animals is being rolled out across China in the wake of the deadly coronavirus epidemic, which is believed to have started at a wildlife market in Wuhan.

Although it is unclear which animal transferred the virus to humans -- bat, snake and pangolin have all been suggested -- China has acknowledged it needs to bring its lucrative wildlife industry under control if it is to prevent another outbreak.

In late February, it slapped a temporary ban on all farming and consumption of "terrestrial wildlife of important ecological, scientific and social value," which is expected to be signed into law later this year.

But ending the trade will be hard. The cultural roots of China's use of wild animals run deep, not just for food but also for traditional medicine, clothing, ornaments and even pets.

This isn't the first time Chinese officials have tried to contain the trade. In 2003, civets -- mongoose-type creatures -- were banned and culled in large numbers after it was discovered they likely transferred the SARS virus to humans. The selling of snakes was also briefly banned in Guangzhou after the SARS outbreak.

But today dishes using the animals are still eaten in parts of China.

Public health experts say the ban is an important first step, but are calling on Beijing to seize this crucial opportunity to close loopholes -- such as the use of wild animals in traditional Chinese medicine -- and begin to change cultural attitudes in China around consuming wildlife.

The Wuhan seafood market at the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak was selling a lot more than fish.

Snakes, raccoon dogs, porcupines and deer were just some of the species crammed inside cages, side by side with shoppers and store owners, according to footage obtained by CNN. Some animals were filmed being slaughtered in the market in front of customers. CNN hasn't been able to independently verify the footage, which was posted to Weibo by a concerned citizen, and has since been deleted by government censors.

It is somewhere in this mass of wildlife that scientists believe the novel coronavirus likely first spread to humans. The disease has now infected more than 94,000 people and killed more than 3,200 around the world.

The Wuhan market was not unusual. Across mainland China, hundreds of similar markets offer a wide range of exotic animals for a range of purposes.

The danger of an outbreak comes when many exotic animals from different environments are kept in close proximity.

"These animals have their own viruses," said Hong Kong University virologist professor Leo Poon. "These viruses can jump from one species to another species, then that species may become an amplifier, which increases the amount of virus in the wet market substantially."

When a large number of people visit markets selling these animals each day, Poon said the risk of the virus jumping to humans rises sharply.

Poon was one of the first scientists to decode the SARS coronavirus during the epidemic in 2003. It was linked to civet cats kept for food in a Guangzhou market, but Poon said researchers still wonder whether SARS was transmitted to the cats from another species.

"(Farmed civet cats) didn't have the virus, suggesting they acquired it in the markets from another animal," he said.

Annie Huang, a 24-year-old college student from southern Guangxi province, said she and her family regularly visit restaurants that serve wild animals.

She said eating wildlife, such as boar and peacock, is considered good for your health, because diners also absorb the animals' physical strength and resilience.

Exotic animals can also be an important status symbol. "Wild animals are expensive. If you treat somebody with wild animals, it will be considered that you're paying tribute," she said. A single peacock can cost as much as 800 yuan ($144).

Huang asked to use a pseudonym when speaking about the newly-illegal trade because of her views on eating wild animals.

She said she doubted the ban would be effective in the long run. "The trade might lay low for a few months ... but after a while, probably in a few months, people would very possibly come back again," she said

Beijing hasn't released a full list of the wild animals included in the ban, but the current Wildlife Protection Law gives some clues as to what could be banned. That law classifies wolves, civet cats and partridges as wildlife, and states that authorities "should take measures" to protect them, with little information on specific restrictions.

The new ban makes exemptions for "livestock," and in the wake of the ruling animals including pigeons and rabbits are being reclassified as livestock to allow their trade to continue.

Attempts to control the spread of diseases are also hindered by the fact that the industry for exotic animals in China, especially wild ones, is enormous.

A government-sponsored report in 2017 by the Chinese Academy of Engineering found the country's wildlife trade was worth more than $73 billion and employed more than one million people.

Since the virus hit in December, almost 20,000 wildlife farms across seven Chinese provinces have been shut down or put under quarantine, including breeders specializing in peacocks, foxes, deer and turtles, according to local government press releases.

It isn't clear what effect the ban might have on the industry's future -- but there are signs China's population may have already been turning away from eating wild animals even before the epidemic.

A study by Beijing Normal University and the China Wildlife Conservation Association in 2012, found that in China's major cities, a third of people had used wild animals in their lifetime for food, medicine or clothing -- only slightly less than in their previous survey in 2004.

However, the researchers also found that just over 52% of total respondents agreed that wildlife should not be consumed. It was even higher in Beijing, where more than 80% of residents were opposed to wildlife consumption.

In comparison, about 42% of total respondents were against the practice during the previous survey in 2004.

Since the coronavirus epidemic, there has been vocal criticism of the trade in exotic animals and calls for a crackdown. A group of 19 academics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leading universities even jointly issued a public statement calling for an end to the trade, saying it should be treated as a "public safety issue."

"The vast majority of people within China react to the abuse of wildlife in the way people in other countries do -- with anger and revulsion," said Aron White, wildlife campaigner at the Environmental Investigation Agency.

"I think we should listen to those voices that are calling for change and support those voices."

Traditional medicine loophole

A significant barrier to a total ban on the wildlife trade is the use of exotic animals in traditional Chinese medicine.

Beijing has been strongly promoting the use of traditional Chinese medicine under President Xi Jinping and the industry is now worth an estimated $130 billion.

As recently as October 2019, state-run media China Daily reported Xi as saying that "traditional medicine is a treasure of Chinese civilization embodying the wisdom of the nation and its people."

Many species that are eaten as food in parts of China are also used in the country's traditional medicine.

The new ban makes an exception made for wild animals used in traditional Chinese medicine. According to the ruling, the use of wildlife is not illegal for this, but now must be "strictly monitored." The announcement doesn't make it clear, however, how this monitoring will occur or what the penalties are for inadequate protection of wild animals, leaving the door open to abuse.

A 2014 study by the Beijing Normal University and the China Wildlife Conservation Association found that while deer is eaten as a meat, the animal's penis and blood are also used in medicine. Both bears and snakes are used for both food and medicine.

Wildlife campaigner Aron White said that under the new restrictions there was a risk of wildlife being sold or bred for medicine, but then trafficked for food. He said the Chinese government needed to avoid loopholes by extending the ban to all vulnerable wildlife, regardless of use.

"(Currently), the law bans the eating of pangolins but doesn't ban the use of their scales in traditional Chinese medicine," he said. "The impact of that is that overall the consumers are receiving are mixed messages."

The line between which animals are used for meat and which are used for medicine is also already very fine, because often people eat animals for perceived health benefits.

In a study published in International Health in February, US and Chinese researchers surveyed attitudes among rural citizens in China's southern provinces to eating wild animals.

One 40-year-old peasant farmer in Guangdong says eating bats can prevent cancer. Another man says they can improve your vitality.

"'I hurt my waist very seriously, it was painful, and I could not bear the air conditioner. One day, one of my friends made some snake soup and I had three bowls of it, and my waist obviously became better. Otherwise, I could not sit here for such a long time with you," a 67-year-old Guangdong farmer told interviewers in the study.

Changing the culture

China's rubber-stamp legislature, the National People's Congress, will meet later this year to officially alter the Wildlife Protection Law. A spokesman for the body's Standing Committee said the current ban is just a temporary measure until the new wording in the law can be drafted and approved.

Hong Kong virologist Leo Poon said the government has a big decision to make on whether it officially ends the trade in wild animals in China or simply tries to find safer options.

"If this is part of Chinese culture, they still want to consume a particular exotic animal, then the country can decide to keep this culture, that's okay," he said.

"(But) then they have to come up with another policy -- how can we provide clean meat from that exotic animal to the public? Should it be domesticated? Should we do more checking or inspection? Implement some biosecurity measures?" he said.

An outright ban could raise just as many questions and issues. Ecohealth Alliance president Peter Daszak said if the trade was quickly made illegal, it would push it out of wet markets in the cities, creating black markets in rural communities where it is easier to hide the animals from the authorities.

Driven underground, the illegal trade of wild animals for consumption and medicine could become even more dangerous.

"Then we'll see (virus) outbreaks begin not in markets this time, but in rural communities," Daszak said. "(And) people won't talk to authorities because it is actually illegal."

Poon said the final effectiveness of the ban may depend on the government's willpower to enforce the law. "Culture cannot be changed overnight, it takes time," he said.

I am still amazed at the serendipity of how wild animals managed to pass this virus to humans in the middle of the same large city where there is a virology lab studying corona viruses in bats. Just an amazing coincidence. 

[BrickHorn 18450]

2 minutes ago, crimsonlonghorn said:

I am still amazed at the serendipity of how wild animals managed to pass this virus to humans in the middle of the same large city where there is a virology lab studying corona viruses in bats. Just an amazing coincidence. 

[triplehorn 2664]

Pure horror show :

 

The Neuroinvasive Potential of SARS-CoV2 may be at least partially responsible for the respiratory failure of COVID-19 patients

"Following the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), another highly pathogenic coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 (previously known as 2019-nCoV) emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spreads around the world. This virus shares highly homological sequence with SARS-CoV, and causes acute, highly lethal pneumonia (COVID-19) with clinical symptoms similar to those reported for SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The most characteristic symptom of COVID-19 patients is respiratory distress, and most of the patients admitted to the intensive care could not breathe spontaneously. Additionally, some COVID-19 patients also showed neurologic signs such as headache, nausea and vomiting. Increasing evidence shows that coronavriruses are not always confined to the respiratory tract and that they may also invade the central nervous system inducing neurological diseases. The infection of SARS-CoV has been reported in the brains from both patients and experimental animals, where the brainstem was heavily infected. Furthermore, some coronaviruses have been demonstrated able to spread via a synapse-connected route to the medullary cardiorespiratory center from the mechano- and chemoreceptors in the lung and lower respiratory airways. In light of the high similarity between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV2, it is quite likely that the potential invasion of SARS-CoV2 is partially responsible for the acute respiratory failure of COVID-19 patients. Awareness of this will have important guiding significance for the prevention and treatment of the SARS-CoV-2-induced respiratory failure.

cont."

---> implications that Covid-19 can invade the brainstem affecting CNS respiratory drive pathways contributing to acute respiratory distress and/or inability to carry out normal involuntary breathing.

---> The draft article above is described as accepted for publication but has not been formally published, so bear that in mind.  The rest of the article is technical and reads as a legitimate report.

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by triplehorn

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2651]

Sooo. Any update on that ace2 shit posted earlier?  Was it just bullshit?

[atomheartbevo 90674]

But it’s just like the flu.  Or a cold.  Oh but it only affects the elderly.  Or those with cancer, immune system problems, diabetes, heart disease, smokers, or those named Edna or Fred who live in Chickenfucker, Texas.  And the heat will help keep it at bay, it’ll never take hold in Africa or South America at this time of year.   And a mask will protect you - don’t worry about your eyes and hands and clothes.  And we don’t need to test, we know it’s here, just make sure and wash your hands and drink your Ovaltine.  

[triplehorn 2664]

7 minutes ago, Xian said:

Sooo. Any update on that ace2 shit posted earlier?  Was it just bullshit?

The ACE2 receptor is referenced in the article I just linked.

Quote

The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV-2 It is believed that the tissue distributions of host receptors are generally consistent with the tropisms of viruses 20-22. The entry of SARS-CoV into human host cells is mediated mainly by a cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is expressed in human airway epithelia, lung parenchyma, vascular endothelia, kidney cells, and small intestine cells 23-25. Different from SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV enters human host cells mainly via dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), which is present in the lower respiratory tract, kidney, small intestine, liver, and the cells of the immune system 26-27. However, the presence of ACE2 or DPP4 solely is not sufficient to make host cells susceptible to infection. For example, some ACE2-expressing endothelial cells and human intestinal cell lines failed to be infected by SARS-CoV 28-29 , while some cells without a detectable expression level of ACE2 such as hepatocytes could also be infected by SARS-CoV 20. Likewise, the infection of SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV was also reported in the CNS, where the expression level of ACE2 30 or DDP4 31 is very low under normal conditions.

also take note of this:

"If the neuroinvasion of SARS-CoV-2 does take a part in the development of respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients, the precaution with masks will absolutely be the most effective measure to protect against the possible entry of the virus into the CNS. It may also be expected that the symptoms of the patients infected via facal-oral or conjunctival route will be lighter than those infected intranasally. The possible neuroinvasion of SARS-CoV-2 may also partially explain why some patients developed respiratory failure, while others not. It is very possible that most of the persons in Wuhan, who were the first exposed to this previously unknown virus, did not have any protective measure, so that the critical patients is much more in Wuhan than in other cities in China."

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by triplehorn

[Sbbruin 22147]

1 hour ago, conVINCEd said:

Dumb question:  I’m having a little argument with my father.  What constitutes an underlying health issue?  He smoked 2 packs a day for 40 years and had quintuple bypass surgery 7 years ago.   He also has diabetes which requires daily insulin injections.  If he croaked in this deal, would he be listed as having underlying health issues?

Those are the main contributing conditions.  So yes.

[atomheartbevo 90674]

1 hour ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

CNN mentioning how the remaining residents, of that nursing home in Washington, have NOT been tested for coronavirus. Unbelievable. 

Families too.  For those who didn’t see this early

 

[Sbbruin 22147]

6 minutes ago, triplehorn said:

The ACE2 receptor is referenced in the article I just linked.

also take note of this:

"If the neuroinvasion of SARS-CoV-2 does take a part in the development of respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients, the precaution with masks will absolutely be the most effective measure to protect against the possible entry of the virus into the CNS. It may also be expected that the symptoms of the patients infected via facal-oral or conjunctival route will be lighter than those infected intranasally. The possible neuroinvasion of SARS-CoV-2 may also partially explain why some patients developed respiratory failure, while others not. It is very possible that most of the persons in Wuhan, who were the first exposed to this previously unknown virus, did not have any protective measure, so that the critical patients is much more in Wuhan than in other cities in China."

 

So if you catch it through the nose you’re more screwed than through another orifice?

[conVINCEd 21477]

3 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

So if you catch it through the nose you’re more screwed than through another orifice?

If you take it in the nose, it’s pretty much a given that you have already taken it through your other orifices.

[staboner 5098]

2 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

 

[Anastasis 23717]

2 minutes ago, conVINCEd said:

If you take it in the nose, it’s pretty much a given that you have already taken it through your other orifices.

[Helobious 9825]

21 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

But it’s just like the flu.  Or a cold.  Oh but it only affects the elderly.  Or those with cancer, immune system problems, diabetes, heart disease, smokers, or those named Edna or Fred who live in Chickenfucker, Texas.  And the heat will help keep it at bay, it’ll never take hold in Africa or South America at this time of year.   And a mask will protect you - don’t worry about your eyes and hands and clothes.  And we don’t need to test, we know it’s here, just make sure and wash your hands and drink your Ovaltine.  

What I truly don’t understand from reading that article, is if it’s infecting the brain stem, causing fibrosis in the lungs, and fucking up the heart that bad, why doesnt everyone or even most people that get it die immediately or need critical care? It doesn’t sound like an infection that could ever only cause mild symptoms. 

[atomheartbevo 90674]

With the exception of one news outlet, it’s good to see all of the other MSM outlets in the US are covering this.    Anyways, tomorrow is the day we find out if Austin has it’s first officially confirmed case.   Or is that Tuesday.  

[atomheartbevo 90674]

Just now, Helobious said:

What I truly don’t understand from reading that article, is if it’s infecting the brain stem, causing fibrosis in the lungs, and fucking up the heart that bad, why doesnt everyone or even most people that get it die immediately or need critical care? It doesn’t sound like an infection that could ever only cause mild symptoms. 

That I wonder, is the whole “underlying issues” things, because I’ve seen interviews with survivors and they didn’t seem fucked up.