[IR + Misc.] Covid-19 Discussion and Birna's C-19 Photo-Collage

[Andy Perrin]

Cadmium, I think he was kidding, not mocking you. He also acknowledged your point there.

[dabateman]

.

 

Yes just joking. My smilly face with a tongue sticking out didn't show up.

 

I try to add some humor.

 

Well, went out grocery shopping today. Boy is it a different world out there. Waited in line for an hour. Store was only letting in certain number of people. Old people in one side. Younglings on the other. The elderly got first dibbs.

We were all 6 feet apart from each other in line. So the line went out really far.

Everything was there. My raspberries were a little old though. Not all were salvageable when back home.

But they were cleaning the carts after each use. Really interesting.

Tape on the floors to mark out 6 feet to keep people away. Signs also everywhere to remind us we are horrible germ factories and need to keep away from each other.

 

I saw people wearing surgical masks, used N95 masks, gloves, glasses.

No one coughed or deaired to cough. One store clerk reconized an old friend wearing a mask and threatened to touch him. I thought it was funny.

 

Things are a changing.

 

 

 

[bvf]

One of the things I find distressing about the Covid-19 is what it shows us about the societies we live in. Most people act responsibly, and thankfully there are a lot of heroes. (Last night at 8pm the UK public were asked to go to their gardens, balconies and windows to shout out their support and gratitude to health care workers. There was a reasonable response in my area, with lots of clapping, banging of saucepans, and some fireworks. I know they have been doing this in Spain for some time, and probably elsewhere too.)

 

But there is the distressing end of the spectrum, with significant numbers of people acting stupidly and selfishly. What has prompted me to make this post, though, is the evidence of the amoral xxxxxxxs (I really can't think of a word that expresses my anger and disgust about these people) who are using this global tragedy to make money by robbing people. I've added some links below (I'm sure there are lots more) that you may want to read to understand what these members of our societies are doing and what to look out for and how to react. In reality these are the scams we were already exposed to and that you are probably aware of, but now with new added Covid-19.

 

https://blog.pcisecuritystandards.org/beware-of-covid-19-online-scams-and-threats

 

https://www.secretservice.gov/data/press/releases/2020/20-MAR/Secret_Service_Coronavirus_Phishing_Alert.pdf

 

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/covid-19-fraud-page

 

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing

[Stefano]

Sadly you will ALWAYS find “xxxxxxxs”. I didn’t guess the word but I can guess the meaning. Here if you exit your home without a valid reason you can be fined up to 3000€. You have to compile a “self-certification” (autocertificazione in Italian) if you want to travel, and lying is a crime. I don’t think that society is wrong, but disrespectful people are always out there.

[Andrea B.]

Yes, there is *always* distressing behaviour from some people. In a crisis like this, you quickly learn who you can respect and who not.

 

I am attempting to help here in the US by making some donations to food banks. I especially wanted to do this after I see that our *XXXXX* federal government is going to give literally millions of dollars to big businesses to "help" them through this crisis. A couple of weeks ago this same *XXXXX* government removed a couple of million people off the food stamp list because you can only be on the food stamp list if you are working. But right now nobody can work. Our country is seriously screwed up government-wise. The people are good, the spirit is good, but the government is terribly corrupt. I despair.

[nfoto]

I expect the US to be in a truly terrible state when the C-19 figures climb into the millions. Which they will do in the not too distant future at the present rate of increase.

 

When I posted my C-19 photo collage just 10 days ago, the US had about 4.000 cases. Now they are at the 100.000 mark. Do the math. This doesn't look good. C-19 spreads like wildfire.

[Stefano]

In Italy we are raising again. We reached 969 deaths per day.

[Stefano]

Schools will likely not reopen this year. I am also in the process of getting my driver's license, and I should have the theory exam "in the 3^rd decade of April". It will probably be postponed.

[Stefano]

Corriere reports that at least 14 Italian physicians have died from Coronavirus. Very frightening.

https://www.corriere...8c20e9d2e.shtml

Now 51.

[Andrea B.]

Frightening.

 

There is now a movement here in the US for everyone to go out on their balconies at 8 PM and applaud for the First Responders, Nurses, Doctors and other Health Care Workers as is done in other countries. We don't have a balcony, but we will go outside and do this anyway simply as a gesture of solidarity. I don't think anyone will hear us, but we will know we did it.

 

At Worldometer (link below) the coronavirus statistics are posted as "Cases per 1 Million Population" which is a kind of per-capita proxy. Given that the US population is quite large, the number of cases hasn't quite yet reached the terrifying stage, merely the very frightening stage.

 

Currently Italy has ~1400 cases of Coronavirus per million, Norway has ~693 cases per million, and the US has 306 cases per million. By next Friday I am sure that the US will have caught up.

Worldometer Reference: Coronavirus - Worldometer

 

We had 19 million cases of flu per year in the US with about 10,000 deaths in 2019. When we get to that level for number of Coronavirus cases, then I suppose certain parts of the US population might then understand we have a bit of a problem. Currently not everyone in the US believes that Coronavirus is any different from just the flu. *I* do not think that. I'm just sayin'. We have an unfortunate number of uneducated people here. Or naive people. Who knows?

 

Flu Reference: Contagion Live

 

The number of cases in the US is (obviously) greater in the densely populated areas. Out West though it takes longer to spread and many states have only a small number of cases at this time. My state of New Mexico has about 150 cases currently. New Mexico has a population density of 17.2 people per square mile = 6.62 per square kilometer. New Jersey, the state where I used to live has 1,213 people per square mile = 467 per square kilometer. Currently New Jersey has about 8000 cases of Coronavirus.

Reference:

NJ Department of Health

NM Department of Health

 

Statistics in the time of plague.

Always fascinating.

 

 

Please, everyone, do take good care of yourselves and your families.

 

EDIT: I messed up my flu cases number. Back soon with the correction.

And I added the appropriate links/references.

 

DONE.

[dabateman]

In the US we may have added the frog and slowly turned up the temperature to the pot. It hasn't jumped yet.

If you add the frog to the heat we are currently at, it would have jumped immediately.

 

 

[dabateman]

Post Corona Imaging Prediction

 

I think this is going to change the world quite a bit.

I predict that in the comming years we will see high speed high resolution thermal IR imaging cameras. These will be used to screen people entering attractions, concerts and theatres. Measuring peoples temperature from a distance so they can be pulled a sided and edumicated if breaking the fever rules.

 

I also see more UVc being used. With it much more UVc sensors to measure dose. I have already read two DIY sensor hacks to measure 254nm for $5.

But also possible would be UVC cameras, to look at dose, reflections and possible killing. Gpixel already has a good UVc sensor, I see these moving to main stream in the future.

 

Could be great down the road for IR and UV imaging.

[nfoto]

Contingent upon our survival, of course

[Andrea B.]

edumicated ??? I've never heard this word !!!

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The basic problem with using UVC to sterilize (other than that it requires an industrial set-up) is that light cannot see around corners, under rims or into nooks and crannies. So while UVC is quite useful for air and water sterilization or for hard smooth surfaces, there are major problems to solve if using it for masks, ventilators or other complex, non-smooth surfaces.

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David, given that we are a UV photography website, I am going to fold your Post Corona Imaging comment into the existing coronavirus topic.

[dabateman]

No problem on the move just got confused at first.

 

Edumicated, comes from my working at 3M days in the plant. Some people needed re-edumicated in the back parking lot or at the bike rack if you get the idea.

I thought it was funny when a manager said it once to a very high level manager about handing over a patent, basically with a settlement rather than a court fight.

[Stefano]

My mum has two cousins with Covid-19. I am still fine, as well as my close relatives.

[nfoto]

Do us all the favour and keep it that way.

[Andrea B.]

Yes, please stay healthy Stefano !! Young people are our future !!

[Andrea B.]

BBC Article. I'm happy this information is being shared.

 

https://www.bbc.com/...s-with-uv-light

 

[Damon]

We are at over 11,000 cases now in NJ. Couple grand added every day.The state is on lockdown/shelter in place or whatever the correct term is. Most cases are near the top where the population centers are and are closer to NY. I think Andrea you used to live up there somewhere.

Our high maintenance/low conscience president is stating he is preparing to quarantine NJ, NY, and Connecticut. (Connecticut?) I am not against that. The transmission rate is just staggering. Soon after proper testing begins, the cases explode. Makes me wonder - if you magically tested every single person in the US right now, I bet the numbers would be in the millions.

 

I work for The Nature Conservancy and manage all of our land/preserves in NJ. We have found that preserve visitation has absolutely skyrocketed. I am assuming some of the reasons are being cooped up with the whole family and not working Plus it just gives a boost psychologically to go out in nature and social distancing is pretty easy as our preserves are pretty big. We don't have playgrounds and things you are encouraged touch either.

 

I am currently still working in bits and pieces. I don't even see people most times I am out. I live near the bottom of the state where it has not taken over yet. It will make it down here no doubt.

To find hand sanitizer or isopropyl alcohol, you might be better off digging for gold with a pix-axe in your back yard.

[Andrea B.]

Damon, it’s good to hear from you and that you are healthy. Please try to remain so!!!

I lived in Middletown in Monmouth County. It is hit hard now.

 

I didn’t know you worked for Nature Conservancy. I’ve donated to that group for years now. I’ve always liked their practical approach and their effort to link habitats so that migratory animals can move.

 

It is certainly a good thing right now that you can keep working outdoors and not see people. Don’t forget to also practice social distancing from the black bears!

 

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EDIT: I removed my semi-political comment. I won’t do it again! It is extraordinarily difficult to watch what is happening in the US.

[SteveE]

It is not just the xxxxxx that ignore the isolation rules that society is going to have to contend with. In Maine USA, armed vigilantes chopped down a tree to block the access road of renters that they feared had coronavirus, because they had New Jersey license plates. The renters had been in Maine since September. As things get worse, in addition to the many stories of sacrifice and selflessness, I fear we are going to also see an increase in some people reacting badly.

 

CNN story (has ads):

https://www.cnn.com/...trnd/index.html

[nfoto]

In my country, Norway, the effect of the very strict measures enforced since 11 March is slowly reflecting on the C-19 curves. The increase of daily new cases have levelled off and might even be going down. The number of severely ill patients on ventilators levels of as well and we are well below the overall national capacity for treatment -- yet. A warning sign is that approx. 10% of the new cases comprise hospital staff. The next two weeks hopefully will confirm whether the C-19 situation really is improved.

 

The price to be paid for these nation-wide measures is immense. The money drain on the State coffers is extreme and we can only praise our good fortune that we did have a robust economic buffer to deal with the emergency. Unemployment figures due to jobs being temporarily laid off have risen to 11%, unprecedented levels not seen since the Great Depression of the '30s. To prevent the yearly Exodus of Norwegians into the mountains at Easter, use of our winter cottages has been made illegal by law which initially caused a heavy uproar. However, now cottage owners have resigned to the fate of being banned from their beloved remote cottages. Physical distancing apparently works well and only a few situations necessitate action by law enforcement officers. Those found guilty of breaking the implemented regulations face very stiff fines or might see jail time.

 

Spring is approaching and Norwegians try to be a little more optimistic. Meanwhile, there is time to follow the latest fashion !!

 

 

I do hope other arenas heavily impacted by C-19 will see development for the better as soon as possible. My thoughts go to UVP friends all over the world right now. Stay at home, keep physical distance to others, and do keep up the spirit. We *will* prevail in the end.

[Andy Perrin]

Hey, girl! I'm glad things are looking better in Norway, and I hope we all stay safe.

[Andrea B.]

How is everybody doing? Are you able to maintain your equanimity while remaining isolated? I do hope so.

 

Please do stay in contact with us here at UVP. We will all get through this together, yes?

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I watched a fascinating documentary a couple of nights ago about the Influenza Pandemic of 1918. That Flu ended, rather abruptly it seemed, by "burning itself out". That is, so many people caught the Flu then that a kind of herd immunity developed, and the Flu could not find any new "fuel". You hear people say now that our current pandemic is unprecedented, but it seems not. In the 1918 documentary people were wearing masks in some scenes. But there were photos of hospital wards where nurses, attendants and doctors were not wearing masks and gloves. Rather shocking to see that! There was some effort in some places to cancel events and stay at home. In those locations, there was of course less infection.

 

It is always said that if you do not learn the lessons of the past, then history will repeat itself. And so here we are. We can only pray that this time the lesson is learned.

 

I'm going to link to the 1918 documentary film but please be warned that it has some graphic moments. Also, I apologize in advance, but I don't think this link will work for everyone. However, the point is that there are articles based on the documentary if you scroll down.

Link to articles based on documentary (scroll down): https://www.pbs.org/...ilms/influenza/

 

It is said that this pandemic will also end eventually by burning itself out or when the world's scientists get a vaccine developed. I'm hoping for that vaccine as soon as possible! Here is a good reference article in Atlantic magazine from which I drew. It uses the US as the bad example, but has much material relevant to non-US. I'm not sure how long it will be available online.

Link to Atlantic article: https://www.theatlan...rus-end/608719/

 

Edit: Added add'l info re documentary viewability.