So, how well is your pantry stocked? Do you have 2-3 weeks of food?

On a normal day I worry about opening the freezer or food cupboard when the cat is in the room. So

far she has not been maimed by the excess of food tumbling down. It always seems as though I have too much for one person and a cat.

I think I can't be bothered to stock up any further. But I am trying to stay out of masses of public.

Here's another article, also like me on a normal day. I am reluctant to touch anything and if I do, it's with my knuckle or elbow. I may be just a little neurotic. But I don't get colds or flu.

GOOD ADVICE REGARDING CORONAVIRUS February 26, 2020
As some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University last of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s). I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Since then, I have kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources.
The current projections for its expansion in the US are only probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread in the US by mid to late March and April.
Here is what I have done and the precautions that I take and will take. These are the same precautions I currently use during our influenza seasons, except for the mask and gloves.:
1) NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.

2) Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.

3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip - do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.

4) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.

5) Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involves locations where other people have been.

6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home's entrances. AND in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can't immediately wash your hands.

7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!


What I have stocked in preparation for the pandemic spread to the US:

1) Latex or nitrile latex disposable gloves for use when going shopping, using the gasoline pump, and all other outside activity when you come in contact with contaminated areas.
Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average - everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon.
This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs) The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth.

2) Stock up now with disposable surgical masks and use them to prevent you from touching your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you - it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth - it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth.

3) Stock up now with hand sanitizers and latex/nitrile gloves (get the appropriate sizes for your family). The hand sanitizers must be alcohol-based and greater than 60% alcohol to be effective.

4) Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY "cold-like" symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available.
I, as many others do, hope that this pandemic will be reasonably contained, BUT I personally do not think it will be. Humans have never seen this (edited: animal)-associated virus before and have no internal defense against it.
Tremendous worldwide efforts are being made to understand the molecular and clinical virology of this virus. Unbelievable molecular knowledge about the genomics, structure, and virulence of this virus has already been achieved. BUT, there will be NO drugs or vaccines available this year to protect us or limit the infection within us. Only symptomatic support is available.

I hope these personal thoughts will be helpful during this potentially catastrophic pandemic. You are welcome to share.
Good luck to all of us!
James Robb, MD FCAP

 
smileys/wink.gif Yep!

Finally our extensive "pantry" is an advantage! Hoping power stays on smileys/smile.gif Colleen

 
I think so, I have a good supply of dried beans, canned beans, lots of tomato products

grains, pastas, probably should store more bottled water. I have a garden full of herbs,big pot of lettuce growing right now. Two freezers are full, two fridges are full of stuff, as well. Frozen raviolis, applesauce, soups, pesto, chili, pot pies, and usually have some frozen enchiladas. Frozen peas are always in there, for soups I make. My pooch has her own stash, too. Not always well stocked, because I run low on certain things which are seasonal.

 
Thank you Marg. Clear and sensible information. I'm just going to hang out up here in my moutain

with the bears.

 
FYI all these things are sold out here. Store shelves are empty

I went to 3 stores yesterday and couldn’t get several food things. Forget hand sanitizer and the like, that stuff is long gone. Yesterday, an article from my city came out saying folks over 50 should avoid large gatherings.

As a food person and someone who lives in earthquake country, I have a pretty good pantry, not nearly as good as when it was two of us. But I was kind of surprised to see this run on food/stuff.

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/preparing-for-coronavirus-to-strike-the-u-s/

 
My mom laughed at me, she said, Barb, you can go 2 years. The funny thing is that I don't know why

I purchased some of my pantry items. I think I saw a recipe on here, and was inclined to purchase the ingredients, but didn't have time to make it. As an example, I have pineapple chunks in a can. WHY?

 
Can anyone tell me why people are buying cases of bottled water? I also want your opinions, please.

I am supposed to fly from NY to California in 2 weeks. It's just a vacation and 6 of us are meeting up. All the others are getting angry at me because I suggested cancelling. Would you go?

 
Hope I bought the correct zinc lozenges today. One says TheraZinc Elderberry Brand is Quantum

The other package says Elderberry Zinc lozenges with 5 MG zinv, brand is Zand.

 
I'm on well water so not buying + have gallons in basement for storm problems. I wouldn't go on

trip. You may be able to control who are you with, but you can't control the exponential contact of other travelers who may have been in unknown travel contact with someone carrying the virus.

 
No, I would not go. I have a friend who is flying out of Medford OR and going direct

to LAX. The plane originates in Seattle, and the virus is there. Like you, she is meeting girlfriends, and they have many activities planned that involves a lot of crowds. My friend is very concerned about this. I know a couple who fly on long trips every year and each time they come home, they are both sick for three weeks. Airplane air is filled with stuff.

 
I used to do a lot of flying. Flyers knew that the 2 worst airports were LHR and MIA for picking up

sicknesses. They are hubs to the huge world. That's just the airports. I had a good immune system but H didn't and it would sometimes take a toll on him.

I do think there is some truth to the story about the quality of air being better in Bus or Fst but still, you must cope with the air in AIRports. (makes sense)

So, trying to support my contention: If you don't HAVE to go anywhere, better to stay home.

Furthermore, this dreaded virus is showing up as coming from all over with people contacting it supposedly innocently and unsuspectingly. The more we move ourselves around, the further it spreads.

I feel such sympathy for the travel industry. I think this is going to be one dead summer.

I remember at the outset of this virus scare, in the first few days of it, I told a friend that I had an creepy suspicion, completely unfounded however, that this was going to be a massive one and that we ought to take notice. He said that I was an alarmist. HAH!

And now, I think we cannot be too careful.

 
I think you

All five of them, interact with people from all over the globe daily. UN and International School. That plus the plane and having to change in Newark and spend 5 hours in the lounge convinced me. Why chance it if you don’t have to? Airlines are being pretty lenient with their fees and changes now.

 
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