Quote Originally Posted by Lloyd Braun View Post
Mortality rate is unknown currently and fluctuates wildly. Current WHO estimate is 3.4%.

The tests are easy to produce if given the appropriate funds, it’s a simple RNA PCR test similar to the flu. The problem was we were waiting until it was in the US to allocate funding. I’m not blaming Trump but at the same time when it is eradicated and he says what a great job all of his people did to prevent so many deaths (which he will inevitably take credit for) I will be happy to call BS on those saying it’s not his fault now for rapid spreading and lack of testing.

Oh, and toilet paper is nice to stock up on if you don’t leave the house... I bet there are a lot of Italians in need of a nice roll of charmin.
The mortality rates are unknown due to how it's being reported (aka some countries may not be honest with their numbers, etc.), but I tell you whole heartedly without any doubt in my mind, with a lot of medical jargon crap that I won't bore you guys with, that the numbers I said (1-3% in the general population, 10% with a risk factor, 20% with two risk factors) are how it plays out. The reason the mortality rate is fluctuating wildly is really because it depends who gets infected, the ones more at risk are obviously have a higher chance to die, and as it is a respiratory droplet transmission virus it's much easier to transmit. If you remember the Ebola scare a few years ago, the US only had 1 case I believe, and it was pretty well contained in Africa, that's because that virus spreads through human contact (ie bodily fluids basically), couple that with the fact that this one does decently well in warm weather, it's going to play out longer, so the mortality rates will continue to fluctuate, again depending on who gets infected.

You are very correct about the testing, and I will agree that the US government has dropped the ball on appropriately preparing for this endemic. Unfortunately because the strain is very different from past Coronaviruses we aren't exactly sure the complete characteristics on it, how long it can live on surfaces, etc. There's probably not going to be a vaccine for it made (ie in 2003 when SARS was going on, they were making a vaccine for it, but then the endemic stopped before the vaccine reached clinical trial), but it absolutely blows my mind that when it first started becoming a major thing in China why we weren't already pushing out testing for places. Though testing is going to be more available in the next coming weeks, it was a complete misstep to not prepare for it properly.

Here's what Harvard's Medical Department had to say about it, I haven't read it, but I have a feeling if you read it, it'll basically be saying the same things I have: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/...-2020022719004

Quote Originally Posted by nuts4xu View Post
Why are people stocking up on toilet paper? Does the corona virus give you the shits?
Lmfao well actually some percentage of people have been reporting GI symptoms with it, but in general no, I think it's just in case you run out of toilet paper and there's a shutdown like what's going on in Italy. I'm sure you could go the old European way and figure out a makeshift bidet.