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KY_EnviroGuy

KY_EnviroGuy's Journal
KY_EnviroGuy's Journal
April 13, 2020

Here's another downside to using bleach-based sprays.

If you spray (or over-spray) the stuff on your faucets or valves in the kitchen or bath, it will ruin the rubber seals in those devices. Chlorine-based products cause common rubbers used for seals to swell.

I speak from painful experience, as a good friend years ago liked to use Clorox Cleanup in her kitchen sink regularly and she damaged her fancy sink faucet. I had to replaces all the seats and seals. After researching the issue, I found there's only a few specialized rubbers like Viton that are compatible with bleach.

Be careful and avoid those calls to plumbers.......

April 13, 2020

You make a good point.

I thought most nations had ran off all the tourists, as their home nations have had to arrange special flights to get them home.

Apparently, there's still a lot of them stranded in India and they have set up a web site to help:

Link: https://strandedinindia.com/

and, this article reviews the situation in The Times of India:

Link: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tourism-ministry-launches-site-to-help-stranded-foreign-tourists/articleshow/74910492.cms

My impression is that a lot of people around the world were on vacations and rather than waste the remainder of their vacation plans and spending, they decided to stay in denial and remain where they were. Now, they can't get flights home and are suffering, and many will die in a foreign land.

I can't imagine the stress from being stranded like that at this time......

April 13, 2020

This news clip reminded me of my days in grade school.

(snip)

Meanwhile in India, ten tourists have been forced to write ‘sorry’ 500 times after breaching the country’s lockdown.

AFP reports that the travelers - from Israel, Mexico, Australia and Austria - were caught taking a walk in Rishikesh, flouting the rule that allows people to leave their homes only for essential services like buying groceries and medicine.

Over 700 foreign tourists from the US, Australia, Mexico and Israel staying in the area had disobeyed the lockdown rules, a local police officer said, adding the unusual punishment was handed out to teach them a lesson.

Police said they would direct hotels in the area to allow foreign guests to step out only if accompanied by local helpers, with establishments that do not follow the order facing the threat of legal action.

From: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/12/coronavirus-live-pope-easter-lockdown-us-death-toll-uk-boris-johnson-donald-trump-


I remember having to do that a number of times until I got writer's cramps. It usually started with "I must not........"

I'm now to damn old to remember what I was doing to receive punishment.

KY.........
April 13, 2020

93-year-old woman's 'I Need More Beer' sign goes viral as she quarantines

93-year-old woman’s ‘I Need More Beer’ sign goes viral as she quarantines during coronavirus pandemic
By Peter Sblendorio
New York Daily News
Apr 12, 2020



Link: https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-93-year-old-woman-beer-20200412-h4gcitxy35hk3opg4djrksiodi-story.html

(snips)
Olive Veronesi of Pittsburgh, who is quarantining herself at home amid the coronavirus pandemic, has garnered widespread attention after she held a sign that reads “I Need More Beer!!” in her window.

A photo showing Veronesi with the sign in one hand and a Coors Light in the other was recently shared by a relative, and then by local TV station KDKA. “I have a beer every night,” Veronesi said during an interview with the Pittsburgh news outlet.


KY.............
April 13, 2020

One of the largest pork processing facilities in the US is closing until further notice

One of the largest pork processing facilities in the US is closing until further notice
By Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Business
Updated 12:42 PM ET, Sun April 12, 2020

Read here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/12/business/meat-plant-closures-smithfield/index.html

Excerpts:

One of the country's largest pork processing facilities is closing until further notice as employees fall ill with Covid-19. The closure puts the country's meat supply at risk, said the CEO of Smithfield, which operates the plant.

"The closure of this facility, combined with a growing list of other protein plants that have shuttered across our industry, is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply," the meat processor's chief executive, Kenneth Sullivan, said in a statement Sunday.
+++
The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, facility accounts for 4% to 5% of the country's pork production and employs about 3,700 people, according to Smithfield.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said during a Saturday news briefing that Smithfield employees accounted for more than half of the active coronavirus cases in the state. About 240 employees are sick, she said, out of roughly 430 active cases in the state. Because of that, she and the mayor of Sioux Falls recommended that Smithfield suspend operations for at least two weeks. The problem extends beyond South Dakota. Meat processors in Iowa and Pennsylvania have also shut their doors because of sick employees.

This is our society's payback for demanding dirt-cheap products from A-to-Z in any quantity and 24/7 availability.

KY............
April 12, 2020

IRS deposits first wave of stimulus checks

IRS deposits first wave of stimulus checks
By Sam Fossum and Kelly Mena, CNN
Updated 7:53 PM ET, Sat April 11, 2020

Read here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/11/politics/irs-coronavirus-stimulus-check-deposit/index.html

(snips)
The Internal Revenue Service sent out the first wave of stimulus checks to Americans on Saturday, the agency said. "IRS deposited the first Economic Impact Payments into taxpayers' bank accounts today. We know many people are anxious to get their payments; we'll continue issuing them as fast as we can," the IRS wrote Saturday evening on Twitter.

Deposits will continue in the days ahead, starting with people who have filed tax returns for 2018 or 2019 and authorized direct deposit. Others -- including people who haven't filed returns, authorized direct deposits, or receive Social Security -- will probably have to wait weeks or months before seeing their money.

Under the economic relief package, individuals are due up to $1,200 and couples will receive up to $2,400 -- plus $500 per child. But payments start phasing out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes of more than $75,000. The amount will then be reduced by $5 for every additional $100 of adjusted gross income, and those making more than $99,000 will not receive anything. The income thresholds would be doubled for couples.

Meanwhile, the IRS expects to start issuing paper checks the week of May 4, according to the House Democratic memo.
The paper checks will be issued at a rate of about 5 million per week, the memo says. Individuals with the lowest income, based on adjusted gross income, will receive their checks first.

IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief and Economic Impact Payments web site:

Link: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments


KY............
April 11, 2020

Thanks for sharing your story. We wish you a successful recovery.

Just curious:

Has anyone documented your infection stage and recovery process regarding what you went through and particularly has anyone documented the side effects you've experienced so far?

It seems to me our medical experts should be tracking the stories of those who have recovered in order to better understand this virus. In particular, it surely is important for them to hear about any long term effects (say, one or two years minimum) but there would have to be a documentation chain established to do that sort of study.


KY........

April 11, 2020

Coronavirus found in air samples up to 4 metres from patients: China study

Coronavirus found in air samples up to 4 metres from patients: China study
11 Apr 2020 11:57AM (Updated: 11 Apr 2020 12:05PM)
Original source: AFP

Link: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/coronavirus-airborne-4-metres-patients-covid-19-china-study-12632608

(snips)
WASHINGTON: A new study examining air samples from hospital wards with COVID-19 patients has found the virus can travel up to 4m – twice the distance current guidelines say people should leave between themselves in public. The preliminary results of the investigation by Chinese researchers were published on Friday in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

They add to a growing debate on how the disease is transmitted, with the scientists themselves cautioning that the small quantities of virus they found at this distance are not necessarily infectious. The researchers, led by a team at the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Beijing, tested surface and air samples from an intensive care unit and a general COVID-19 ward at Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan. They housed a total of 24 patients between Feb 19 and Mar 2.

The team also looked at so-called aerosol transmission - when the droplets of the virus are so fine they become suspended and remain airborne for several hours, unlike cough or sneeze droplets that fall to the ground within seconds. They found that virus-laden aerosols were mainly concentrated near and downstream from patients at up to 4m – though smaller quantities were found upstream, up to 2.4m.

They also offered advice that bucks orthodox guidelines: "Our findings suggest that home isolation of persons with suspected COVID-19 might not be a good control strategy" given the levels of environmental contamination. Aerosolisation of the coronavirus is a contentious area for scientists who study it, because it is not clear how infectious the disease is in the tiny quantities found in ultrafine mist.

(4-meters approx. equals 13-feet)

This suggests some droplets become aerosolized after traveling some distance, perhaps from vaporization, depending on ambient temperature and humidity and air movement in the space.

The article goes on to describe their findings on contamination of surfaces such as floors and frequently touched surfaces like computer mice, rubbish bins, bed rails and doorknobs. They also discuss contamination found on hospital worker's shoes.

(cross-posted to Health)


KY............
April 11, 2020

South Korea reports recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again

South Korea reports recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again
Josh Smith, Sangmi Cha
Reuters World News
April 10, 2020 / 7:25 AM / Updated 10 hours ago

Link: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-southkorea/south-korea-reports-recovered-coronavirus-patients-testing-positive-again-idUSKCN21S15X

Excerpts:
South Korean officials on Friday reported 91 patients thought cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again. Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), told a briefing that the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being re-infected.

South Korean health officials said it remains unclear what is behind the trend, with epidemiological investigations still under way. The prospect of people being re-infected with the virus is of international concern, as many countries are hoping that infected populations will develop sufficient immunity to prevent a resurgence of the pandemic.

The KCDC’s Jeong raised the possibility that rather than patients being re-infected, the virus may have been “reactivated”. Kim also said patients had likely “relapsed” rather than been re-infected. False test results could also be at fault, other experts said, or remnants of the virus could still be in patients’ systems but not be infectious or of danger to the host or others.

“There are different interpretations and many variables,” said Jung Ki-suck, professor of pulmonary medicine at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital.

This is why it's called a "novel" virus. We have a long way to go in achieving a thorough understanding of the nature of this tiny beast.

KY................
April 11, 2020

3M sues distributor for alleged price gouging of N95 respirators in New York

3M sues distributor for alleged price gouging of N95 respirators in New York

Read it here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-3m/3m-sues-distributor-for-alleged-price-gouging-of-n95-respirators-in-new-york-idUSKCN21S1RA

Snips:
3M Co. said it filed a lawsuit against Performance Supply LLC on Friday, alleging that the New Jersey-based company had posed as an authorized vendor of 3M-branded N95 respirators and offered millions of them for sale to New York City officials at prices as much as 600% over the list price.
+++++
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, said Performance Supply “offered to sell $45 million in N95 respirators to New York City officials at prices 500-600% over 3M’s list price.” According to the lawsuit, Performance Supply offered about 7 million 3M masks to city procurers on March 30 at over $6, up to 600% of 3M’s list price.


Let's hope this legal action results in closing the doors of this evil establishment........

Profile Information

Gender: Male
Hometown: TN, KY
Home country: USA
Current location: KY
Member since: Thu Jul 6, 2017, 07:43 PM
Number of posts: 14,489
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