CoronaVirus ==> Empty Shelves

[woodPixel]

I really dont want to add too much on this thread - I'm fairly sure people know my mindset.

However, I will add that for endless seizures (essentially untreatable brain tumour), my wife takes 5 different anti-epileptics.

4 weeks ago we went to the chemist and I asked for 6 months supply of all of them.

They had to ring FOUR different suppliers to get the Carbamezapine (Tegretol). ALL of them were out of stock.... this was 4 weeks ago. It took 4 full days for them to get everything in for us.

This anti-epileptic is used by literally every single person with epilepsy or a neuronal issue... its ubiquitously prescribed.

We, obviously, forewent the Safety Net - but not having this medication is simply not an option for my wife. Without it its unending seizures (100 in a day).


NOT ONE company makes any of these drugs here in Australia.

From what I can tell from Googling, most of the precursors come from India and China. They are mixed/prepared/packaged in Malaysia or the Philippines. They do a mighty good job of it too.


For those who must take meds - get them now.

I suspect... hmmm, fear.... that this supply chain will break down pretty badly for a while. If we think not being able to get Shellac, nail or bolts is a bummer, wait until your blood pressure meds run out.....


edit - I will say, the chemist, in BobL's case with the $44 vs $6, is they WILL order your stuff in and keep it in store for you WITH your name on it. It is yours. Its reserved. You dont pay for it, but it is there for you to pick up. You simply need to ask them to do this. Obviously, one has to trust the chemist has done this - but I have seen them do this with SWMBOs chemo meds when she did the 6 month course last time - PLUS our local chap said he would do this if we asked for other meds.

[BobL]

Fortunately if I was to stop any of my meds for a while it would not be immediately life threatening. I can control my diabetes for a month or so without meds by cutting out virtually all carbohydrates. Hypercalcemia can also be handled sans meds but requires me to cut out as much Ca loaded food as possible but long term will screw with my possible osteoporosis. These two combined doesn’t leave much I can eat especially if fresh food becomes scarce. But it won’t hurt me to go on a diet as I am about 25 kg overweight! This would also help my heart and BP.

Ive gone for about 3 months on one meal a day last year and it was not as bad as I thought it would be.

could be time to start the diet again!

[woodPixel]

BobL, I think a good hard fast would be ...beneficial ... for quite a few members

Me especially!

[Midnight Man]

BobL, I think a good hard fast would be ...beneficial ... for quite a few members

Me especially!

Shush. You shouldn't suggest these sorts of things. Like Garfield, I enjoy my food too much

[BobL]

SWMBO still has vertigo and I've still got my ankle in a moon boot so no driving for either of us.
SWMBO could with some effort walk to the nearest small supermarket about 500m away but they closed down 12 months ago and that place is now medical spa!
After a few grocery shops by friends and relatives a couple of weeks ago we gave online shopping a try and it seems to be fine - actually very convenient.
Yesterday SWMBO placed an order at order thru Coles, including for a pack of toilet paper, which we needed.
The groceries were delivered today but no toilet paper - oh well we do have a sort of bidet arrangement so I'm not fussed
BUT
SWMBO was somewhat distressed and promptly tried a bunch of other online places - same problem.
Eventually I went down the shed and found 10 rolls of paper that I use to wipe things down like my MW lathe and mill.
Hopefully that will last until the shops are restocked.

[AlexS]

Eventually I went down the shed and found 10 rolls of paper that I use...

I thought you were going to suggest sandpaper!

[thumbsucker]

People are afraid - I took trip to Woolworths today (Regional Victoria). Very busy, crowded.

The staff were sanitising and wiping down shopping trolleys and baskets.

Toilet paper all gone
Baby products i.e. nappies severely depleted
White rice all gone
Cat litter all gone
Salt bulk all gone only expensive small boutique salt left.
Several "sorry this item is out of stock" signs decorating empty shelves.

I have a well stocked pantry of beans, rice, pasta and spices many people do not.

This is only the start and will get worse.

[GraemeCook]

It's sure weird, TS

Was in the local pharmacy on Saturday morning and noted they had plenty of toilet paper on display.

"It's weird," said the pharamacist, "We haven't sold much toilet paper, but we have had a run on paracetamol and isopropyl alcohol. And so has our isopropyl alcohol supplier."

[thumbsucker]

Fear is not rational. We are seeing panic buying.

I do not know what to make of this Covid-19. Governments says its nothing no worse then the common flu (not wanting to cause a panic) but then whole regions/countries are being quarantined. I think many people feel this dissonance between what they are being told by officials and what they see and fear.

All we have to fear is fear itself.

[BobL]

About one third of my northen Italian rellies are in lockdown towns. It’s weird because shops, restaurants and bars can open during the day but patrons are supposed to stay 1m apart. Organizing Italians is a bit like herding cats so I can’t see that working. Most of the Southern Italian working/living in the north have also already headed south so that’s been a real success!!

[woodPixel]

About one third of my northen Italian rellies are in lockdown towns. It’s weird because shops, restaurants and bars can open during the day but patrons are supposed to stay 1m apart. Organizing Italians is a bit like herding cats so I can’t see that working. Most of the Southern Italian working/living in the north have also already headed south so that’s been a real success!!

This will be terrible to say - but perhaps Italians will now get their wish that immigrants leave

My dad stays in Sorana Italy. It is REVOLTINGLY cute. So gorgeously picturesque. Beyond belief actually. He does stone work, restoration, helps during several of the "collection festivals" (stones, nuts, beans, etc). Rebuilds/repairs peoples "new houses" (they are only 500 years old).... stays quite some months, quite frequently.

He was talking with some of the local residents many years ago (I was going to say old residents, but they are all old) and they retell stories of frequent invasions, influxes, wars.... there is a saying, I cant recall it properly (non parlo bene l'italiano) but its "they come, they go"..... it is said with a blasé look and a shrug!

They are a tough bunch. I suspect they'll ride it out like every other disaster that's befallen them... with stoicism.


Edits: I've many stories that were recounted to me about the area. Rich in cultural and historical heritage beyond belief. Here is a picture if you are interested.
(I've a nice container of Sorana beans too. Collected right from the hard rubble and rocks they like to grow in. Tasty!).

[BobL]

This will be terrible to say - but perhaps Italians will now get their wish that immigrants leave

that would be as disaster as just like many other first world countries there would be insufficient low level job workers.

[woodPixel]

I posted this video to the other discussion, but I felt it *may* be worthwhile doing it here.

This is the Los Angles container port. It handles about 20% of all container movements into the USA.

According to Wikipedia... (3,000 ha) of land and water along 43 miles (69 km) of waterfront, 9.3 million containers moved per year, 27 cargo terminals, 86 container cranes, 8 container terminals, and 113 miles (182 km) of on-dock rail.

It was posted 3 days ago by a longshoreman.

Well.... um.....

[Bushmiller]

Today SWMBO asked me if I thought the government should be doing more to combat the Coronavirus and, going on from that, whether the government should be providing additional stimulus to bolster the economy. A parallel would, I think, be the way the GFC was tackled. Now I am sure it could have handled better than it was, but at least some attempt was made. Australia came out of that crisis better than most countries.

My reply was that the government should take the reins and give a detailed and truthful appraisal of the situation. Hell; That might be requiring a bipartisan approach. This might go some way to allay the fears of the fearful or if indeed they should be afraid it will be a heads up for everyone. The government should develop some balls and tell it how it is. By this I mean explaining whether or not it is a more severe disease than any other flu or illness. We have been encouraged in recent times to have flu vaccinations. Is Corona virus a problem only because you cannot at this moment in time vaccinate against it? Is it more contagious than other flu (let's restrict it to flu rather than smallpox, ebola etc)? Do more people die from Corona Virus than other fluor even the common cold? Is it being called Covid 19 because a Japanese car company thought sales might suffer on one of their most popular models?

At the moment if you live in america you are far more likely to be shot dead than die from the flu so have we got the whole affair out of proportion? Having said that I heard on the radio this morning that the share market took a king hit and woodPixel posted that disturbing picture of Los Angeles where it looks like the angels have deserted the sinking ships (how's that for some mixed metaphors? ) and clearly there is an issue bearing in mind that if California were a country in it's own right, it would be the sixth largest economy in the world! Of course the oil debacle is not helping.

I am reminded of the phrase that "perception is reality." If the world thinks it is in dire straights, it will find itself in dire straights, particularly bearing in mind that the world economy is fundamentally a bubble where everybody hopes the debts will not be called in.

Sorry: More questions than answers.

Regards
Paul

[woodPixel]

There is probably a better set of information than the media.

I'm sure they are trying to publish what they can get through their editors, owners, government head stompers and outright censorship. Maybe I'm wrong.

The picture in the world is vastly different that being reported.


Here are some of the links I've bookmarked and view each evening.

1 - "Subversive" information - https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus
2 - "Official" information - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
3 - A bit hit and miss. Many off topic rants and a bit of anti-certain-countryism but not bad - COVID-19 Discussion and COVID-19

4 - The CDC - Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC
5 - CDC info presented graphically by Johns Hopkins - https://experience.arcgis.com/experi...beeeee1b9125cd
6 - and another independent view with more (not necessarily better) information - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/


On the 3 links above, there is a rather violent turf war going on with what appears to be an enormous amount of Chinese censorship, bulldozing, demands for apologies, cries of "racism", disinformation, historical revisionism and outright shilling.

I'm not into that game or personally entering the discussion on it - but its pretty blatant that the CCP has employed *armies* of people to post spin, re-profile events, put positive spin on how the CCP has handled things, diminish their responsibility in the S-storm, deny/lie about events and/or blame others. Its not very subtle (the wording is all the same and the communist-propaganda-talk is all textbook) and the attacks are always personal (Ad Hominem).

The moderators on Reddit are apparently having a bit of Whack-a-mole with them.

BUT, Reddit is an excellent source of man-on-the-street viewpoints and I've been aware of events WEEKS ahead of the MSM (e.g. I was first discussing this on 15 Dec with others).


It appears these are the facts so far:

-- 80% of people will catch this disease
-- 15% of all people will experience an extreme reaction that will require hospitalisation
-- 6% of all people will die


These are a bit rounded off, but the stats haven't changed that much... other than the ones from China, which show a MUCH rosier picture that every one else.

Be safe friends.