Do you know anyone with the virus?

[ronburgundy]

I am curious how many people here personally know someone whose been diagnosed with the disease, limiting it only to people you had actually previously met and interacted with (not just a friend of a friend you were told about).

One thing about this virus is that it's all about the potential for it's growth and lethality (I'm saying that's a word).

Yet, given the absurdly incompetent lack of testing, even for people with clear symptoms, only about 1 in 5000 Americans have been diagnosed with it, which is likely a small fraction of those who have it. If we estimate that most people know about 50 people who they would hear about if they got it, that means that only about 1 in a hundred people actually personally know someone who they know has it. That makes the virus seem like an abstraction.

I know only 1 person and although I met him once and saw him maybe 5 times at a bar, he's a minimal acquaintance whose name I'd never recognize, and although not relevant, I thought he was a bit of a dick. But he circulated his story on social media in a way that I think is quite positive to get people to take it more seriously and "put a face" on the abstract data for those who know him. I think it would be good for all infected people to do that, to both humanize the suffers and make it more real for those still dismissing how serious it is. He's only 40 and generally healthy, caught it from a doctor's office, couldn't get tested despite clear symptoms then finally had to go the emergency room due to a 104 fever. He should recover okay but had to be hospitalized. That helps dispense with the myth that this is solely a concern for the old or immune compromised.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Personally? One guy whose desk was about thirty feet from mine. First recorded 'presumptive' case at this end of Massachusetts. He's currently recovering, doing well.

 

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I know two, so far. Both recovering. I got sick as well, but I don't know if it was extremely coincidental flu or the Trump Virus as there aren't enough kits to test in Oregon unless you are in the high risk category (over 65 and/or with respiratory symptoms). I had a fever that broke, then came back, then broke, then came back, then broke. In all, it was at least a weak and a half of some sort of flu-like symptom (bone aches; fatigue; etc), but nothing respiratory.

 

[Toni]

No one. To date, no cases identified in my county but that could mean that no one in my county has been tested.

It's a college town. Fortunately, while students were still on spring break, the decision was made to extend spring break and to return only online 'learning.' Not sure how classes which rely on laboratory work or performance, physical training, or the arts will manage. Or the nursing students or students doing their student teaching as schools are closed as well. And now we are on state wide time out for a couple of weeks. But as of now, will be free for Good Friday Mass and Easter gatherings. These are a really big deal in my neck of the woods.

Just heard from a friend in another state whose cousin owns a meat packing business in still another state. The cousin has been contacted about using the company's refrigeration units and trucks to store bodies. Human ones.....

We have friends who left the state in anticipation of a lock down so that they could be near their daughter/son in law and grandchildren. They don't anticipate being back until sometime after Easter.

We've barely talked to a person in real life for a week and a half now.

But we haven't killed each other.

Yet.

Updated: Just checked my state map. My county now has 4 diagnosed cases.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I know of no one that has tested positive for it. Though one coworker might have it, but we'll never know as the symptoms started improving.