[Fillmore]

The Karnataka Govt last night decided to shut down all LKG and UKG classes in Bangalore districts as a precautionary measure until further notice.

Govt of Karnataka shuts down LKG/UKG Schools

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

A few unrelated questions:
1. Are there any tips from anyone who has been in Colombo in the last week and/or passed through Colombo Airport recently? Need to go on a work trip.

2. Any shops selling masks in KIAL?

3. Any place in BLR where I can source an alcohol-based handrub (like 3M Avagard etc.) Both in a larger format to keep at home and also to carry with me on travel or daily workplace etc.

Hi, there's a Bangalore based seller on Amazon called ETCPHARMA, who has Sterillium hand rub and masks in stock, at least as of this morning. However, I couldn't order any as he/she doesn't deliver to Pune. But maybe you will have better luck.

Disclaimer: I am not related to the above online seller in any way.

Cheers,
Vikram

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

...hand rub and masks in stock...

Guys healthy people do not need masks AT ALL. And if you are at home/ office, use soap and water to wash your hands properly, instead of using sanitizers.

Leave the masks and sanitizers for the nursing and other health service people who actually need them.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

A few unrelated questions:
1. Are there any tips from anyone who has been in Colombo in the last week and/or passed through Colombo Airport recently? Need to go on a work trip.

2. Any shops selling masks in KIAL?

3. Any place in BLR where I can source an alcohol-based handrub (like 3M Avagard etc.) Both in a larger format to keep at home and also to carry with me on travel or daily workplace etc.

Yes, I was in Colombo for 3 days each in Jan, Feb and March 2020. Absolutely no hassles in going to and fro from Delhi.

Before my February visit, my colleague in SL requested me to purchase 30-40 regular masks and get it for him. Schools had made masks compulsory and chemists were rationing the sale to 3-4 masks per person. So I took about 40-50 masks for him.

When I traveled last week, the situation was reversed. Delhi was out of hand sanitizer, so I purchased 4 bottles of proper alcohol based sanitizers from Colombo and got them with me. I suggest you do the same.

I got it from a medical shop in the newly opened One Galle Face mall near the ShangriLa hotel.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Every international passenger should be asked where they have come from, and departure stamps in their passports should be shown and checked.

Ministry should ask everyone who travelled abroad from 1st January to get themselves tested. Authorities should try to make this exercise seamless.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

Guys healthy people do not need masks AT ALL. And if you are at home/ office, use soap and water to wash your hands properly, instead of using sanitizers.

Leave the masks and sanitizers for the nursing and other health service people who actually need them.

+1 to this

Originally Posted by itwasntme

2. Any shops selling masks in KIAL?

3. Any place in BLR where I can source an alcohol-based handrub (like 3M Avagard etc.) Both in a larger format to keep at home and also to carry with me on travel or daily workplace etc.

If it helps, please have a look at the post by this professor of chemistry who has explained why a simple soap-handwash works so well as a prevention tactic for the virus. I'm planning to carry a small tube of soap (liquid) with me on my travels going ahead.

Link

[Visaster]

The world wide panic is justified considering all the effects of this disease. I understand protection is better than cure. Having a good personal protection equipment at all times is impertinent. Try not going overboard with it. Avoid buying masks and hand rubs in bulk causing shortage and unwanted panic.

Basic rules I suggest:

Wash hands as often as possible
Don't share food or utensils at work
Avoid going near anyone closer than 3-5 feet
Cancel all your summer travel plans
Avoid huge gatherings or public arenas
Don't allow children to play outside
Make sure people who come to work at your house and your friends follow the same.

[Sawyer]

There is reason for alarm and concern, and a need to be careful, but I don't see any reason to panic.

On an average there is a 97% chance of surviving an infection. This improves if you are a child or a healthy adult with no serious underlying conditions. Seniors/smokers/those with underlying health conditions are more at risk - the 97% drops to 85%.

Ebola on the other hand often has a 10% survival chance.

And there is no need to stock up on anything except paracetamol. Facemasks are close to useless/unnecessary for the normal citizen, but an elevated level of personal hygiene practice is necessary. Including self isolation if infected, or down with the known symptoms.

There will be more harm caused by panic/overstocking and other such hysterical reactions.

[srishiva]

I wonder if the govt has an action plan on treatment as the next step. Not sure how good exchanging information with China is. There are more recovered people who have donated their plasma which is being used to treat patients there.

Ideally this should kick start a major plan to tackle such cases in future. Should include mass quarantine facilities, boosting production of drugs that need to be used etc.

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Ideally this should kick start a major plan to tackle such cases in future. Should include mass quarantine facilities, boosting production of drugs that need to be used etc.

There is no cure of the virus. Period. All the reports we get from the media are speculative. If and when something positive happens, WHO will be the first to disseminate information.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

Guys healthy people do not need masks AT ALL. And if you are at home/ office, use soap and water to wash your hands properly, instead of using sanitizers.

Leave the masks and sanitizers for the nursing and other health service people who actually need them.

Originally Posted by Eddy

Yes, I was in Colombo for 3 days each in Jan, Feb and March 2020. Absolutely no hassles in going to and fro from Delhi.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

. Try not going overboard with it. Avoid buying masks and hand rubs in bulk causing shortage and unwanted panic.

Basic rules I suggest:

Wash hands as often as possible

Originally Posted by Sawyer

There is reason for alarm and concern, and a need to be careful, but I don't see any reason to panic.

Just to clarify: I wanted to buy a couple of 500 ml bottles of handrub to avoid buying smaller ones to reduce plastics.

Again, my specific job profile is conducting due diligence and visiting / assessing various manufacturing units. When I'm on these tours, I routinely meet 30+ unknown individuals and have various formal and informal meetings with them while on the shop floor. I anyway have to wear a N95 mask on some of these tours due to regulations. Frankly, it's just not possible for me to wash my hands thoroughly unless I'm carrying a portable basin with me.

Hence my query. I'm not planning to buy up all available supplies of masks and hand sanitizers as of now

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

There is no cure of the virus. Period. All the reports we get from the media are speculative. If and when something positive happens, WHO will be the first to disseminate information.

Exactly, and this is the kind of hysterical talk that will cause problems, via fake news. The only thing that can be done that is known as of now is symptom management, largely fever reduction, hence the paracetamol. And, if one believes in it, prayer.
PS: While there is no external cure, the fact remains that in 97% of the cases, the body defeats it.

[Thad E Ginathom]

There is no cure for lots of things.

First on the list would be common cold. Then there are things like flu, which kills many worldwide every year. Then there are risks of living in a tropical country such as Dengue. (Not mentioning malaria: it is curable).

Why no panic about these things? Because they are nothing new; not news.

Just me, and I might be sticking my head in the sand, but I am not going to worry about this virus at all, until it crops up in my part of this huge country. But, ok, nobody wants to be first... But should ask themselves, what is the odds, the real risk, in their place, in their situation.

On the other hand, I'm not going to be daft. This is not the time to plan trips to certain places in the world.

Please note that I am a little bit old. I am at higher risk than many of you reading this. I still feel that we should all get real about actual risk assessment. Most of us stand a higher chance of death on the road than of even encountering the Corona virus.

The well-publicised basic hygiene precautions (even being played as ring tone now) remain important. So is debunking the WhatsApp School of Medicine. This will actually protect us from many diseases. These should be learned by all anyway, and not forgotten between now and the next superbug. I wonder why spitting is not on the list? Please do according to international medical advice. And please do not be the person who returns from Italy and skips the screening.

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

There is no cure of the virus. Period. All the reports we get from the media are speculative. If and when something positive happens, WHO will be the first to disseminate information.

Well, yes we know there is no specific cure. I am talking about treatment which will still happen for associated maladies and symptoms.

[volkman10]

Qatar has temporarily suspended entry of travellers from 14 countries, including India, South Korea, Egypt and Iran, as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19.


Link