How do epidemics/pandemics stop?


Fether
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I’ve decided to take this Coronavirus thing seriously and start doing some staged preps as it gets closer and closer to home. 
 

But I had a question. Now with confirmed cases in multiple countries (and likely unconfirmed cases in almost every country by now)... how does it stop?

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40 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

You know your odds of dying of the flu are far better, right? 

That was also the case with AIDS, and AIDS was/is completely preventable (once we got the blood transfusion thing figured out).  But we still collectively lost our minds over it for a good fifteen years or so . . .

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7 hours ago, MormonGator said:

You know your odds of dying of the flu are far better, right? 

Yes, but I have a 4 month old at home. I guess this strain is more easily transferred and can cause pneumonia.

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9 hours ago, Fether said:

I’ve decided to take this Coronavirus thing seriously and start doing some staged preps as it gets closer and closer to home. 
 

But I had a question. Now with confirmed cases in multiple countries (and likely unconfirmed cases in almost every country by now)... how does it stop?

Normally after it runs it's course.

That could be within a limited amount of population, or it could be worse.

Quarantines attempt to limit it's spread.  If successful (many times is not) then it burns itself out after it's infected all possible bodies and they either die or develop immunities to it among the population and it is no longer contagious.  Once that happens, it is basically stopped (unless/until it mutates).

If it continues to spread, normally until it cannot find any more hosts and the hosts it is in are either dead or have developed immunity to it and stopped spreading it.

It depends on how contagious it actually is.  Some are more contagious than others.

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8 hours ago, Just_A_Guy said:

That was also the case with AIDS, and AIDS was/is completely preventable (once we got the blood transfusion thing figured out).  But we still collectively lost our minds over it for a good fifteen years or so . . .

Yup. It's funny you mention AIDS because the public freaked out about heterosexuals getting that while the odds were very low of that happening. 

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1 hour ago, MormonGator said:

Yup. It's funny you mention AIDS because the public freaked out about heterosexuals getting that while the odds were very low of that happening. 

Last night at dinner with my parents, I said “we survived the swine flu and the Ebola virus, this will be a cake walk” my dad then Followed up with “the heinie flu!” In trying time do a play in words with H1N1. I misinterpreted it and asked “is that slang for AIDS?”

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When it comes to evaluating the seriousness of this thing, I'm waiting to see if any Americans die.  Just because folks die of this in other countries, doesn't mean it'll happen in 1st world leader in healthcare US.  Even if Canadians die, I won't automatically jump to prepping.  With SARS, about 10% of Canadians who caught it died, because their national healthcare system wasn't flexible and it was treated like something survivable.  I'm thinking the deaths in China is like comparing apples and oranges.  It's possible China will have a high mortality rate, and the US a low (flulike) rate.  Plus, state run media isn't really trustworthy - I am not willing to change anything I'm doing based on what China says is happening in China.

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2 hours ago, mirkwood said:

In all seriousness, looking at your preps and improving or actually starting is a good thing.

It IS a good thing, but it's illogical of you (generic) to be planning to run to the hills (metal reference, get it? Get it? Yeah, you get it.) over a virus that has a 2% mortality rate, yet refuse to get a flu shot (20% mortality rate). If you plan on "hunkering down" over Corona, you really should have been doing that for every flu season. Simply because of you know....odds. During every panic, people lose the ability to reason first.

But we do agree that you should be prepared. 

Edited by MormonGator
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6 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

It IS a good thing, but it's illogical of you (generic) to be planning to run to the hills (metal reference, get it? Get it? Yeah, you get it.) over a virus that has a 2% mortality rate, yet refuse to get a flu shot (20% mortality rate). If you plan on "hunkering down" over Corona, you really should have been doing that for every flu season. Simply because of you know....odds. During every panic, people lose the ability to reason first.

But we do agree that you should be prepared. 

The key words in MY post are "if this thing blows up".  That said, it's equally illogical to poo poo the seriousness of a virus that has up to a 2 week incubation period and indications suggest it could be contagious from day one, regardless of symptoms.    Depending on how long the illness lasts, there can be large ramifications beyond the minor chance of death.

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Just now, Grunt said:

The key words in MY post are "if this thing blows up".  That said, it's equally illogical to poo poo the seriousness of a virus that has up to a 2 week incubation period and indications suggest it could be contagious from day one, regardless of symptoms.    Depending on how long the illness lasts, there can be large ramifications beyond the minor chance of death.

No one is dismissing the seriousness of any virus that kills people. Each death is a tragedy.

There could also be ramifications of scaring people and inciting panic. But those who preach that a wolf is around every corner are incapable of understanding that. Did the people who panicked everyone by spreading the false rumor that Ebola would kill us all ever apologize? Just asking. 
 

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4 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

No one is dismissing the seriousness of any virus that kills people. Each death is a tragedy.

There could also be ramifications of scaring people and inciting panic. But those who preach that a wolf is around every corner are incapable of understanding that. Did the people who panicked everyone by spreading the false rumor that Ebola would kill us all ever apologize? Just asking. 
 

I didn't see any panic or harm from that.  I don't see anyone panicking from this.  People are just taking precautions, which is smart.

Edited by Grunt
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Just now, Grunt said:

I didn't see any panic or harm from that.  

You don't see any "harm" from scaring people? Creating panic? From spreading lies? Causing anxiety? Okay. I see it differently. I think it's a major problem. 

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3 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

You don't see any "harm" from scaring people? Creating panic? From spreading lies? Causing anxiety? Okay. I see it differently. I think it's a major problem. 

Who is scaring and panicking people??  Who is spreading lies?  Who is causing anxiety?   All I've seen are factual contraction and death rates.  

Edited by Grunt
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Just now, Grunt said:

Who is scaring and panicking people??  Who is spreading lies?  Who is causing anxiety?   All I've seen are factual contraction and death rates.

https://www.wsmv.com/news/doctors-say-to-worry-less-about-coronavirus-and-more-about/article_33b5ec6e-3e64-11ea-9f48-6b625be879be.html

Anyone who is saying that Coranavirus is a virus worth panicking over is lying. Or medically ignorant. Or scientifically ignorant. Or just spreading hype.

That causes anxiety. That scares people. And yes, that is spreading lies. 

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Just now, MormonGator said:

https://www.wsmv.com/news/doctors-say-to-worry-less-about-coronavirus-and-more-about/article_33b5ec6e-3e64-11ea-9f48-6b625be879be.html

Anyone who is saying that Coranavirus is a virus worth panicking over is lying. Or medically ignorant. Or scientifically ignorant. Or just spreading hype.

That causes anxiety. That scares people. And yes, that is spreading lies. 

Who has said that it is?

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5 minutes ago, Grunt said:

Who is scaring and panicking people??  Who is spreading lies?  Who is causing anxiety?   All I've seen are factual contraction and death rates.  

People are just trying to find something else to panic about so they won't have to deal with this anymore.  ;)

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18 hours ago, Fether said:

I’ve decided to take this Coronavirus thing seriously and start doing some staged preps as it gets closer and closer to home. 
 

But I had a question. Now with confirmed cases in multiple countries (and likely unconfirmed cases in almost every country by now)... how does it stop?

<sarcasm> Get a doctor, have them come up with a vaccine. Make sure you "force" everyone and title it "herd immunity" so you have something to blame (make fun of or mock) when it doesn't work fully. ;)</sarcasm>

Joking/Kidding/Poking aside, the one thing I don't understand about virus' is the inability to kill them like we kill bacteria. You get a virus they say your stuck until it works through you, but some don't work through you. If a virus is a living thing, then it should be able to be killed off like any other living thing.  Like when I had every symptom of Strep Throat and went to the doctor and they said, "Nope, not Strep, you have a virus. Sorry, you will have to deal with it until it passes." $200 dollars out of my pocket for no help. :(

How then do you protect against a virus if there is no vaccine? It seems the only thing at this moment is to keep kids and ourselves, fed, strong, vitamins, and hopefully they are less susceptible to the virus.

If they are like me with Strep, I used to get Strep all the time. I don't anymore, or I simply don't know I have it. I went to the Doctor once with Strep, by the time they provided us with the diagnosis I had already overcame it. Have good hygiene and hope for the best.

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