What a wonderful article, informative and terrifying because I have a feeling I know which course we will choose. Thank you for posting this.

One thought that this article didn't take into account is number of deaths due to current isolation procedures occurring in the months to come, here are some examples:

People that are no longer able to obtain groceries

People that are no longer able to obtain medications (l can't get mine now so this could be what happens to me)

People that need urgent medical care but can't summon it themselves as in hypo or hyper-thermia

People killed in violent crimes as society breaks down, high likelihood of rising crime rate

As of March 19, China has reported NO NEW COVID-19 cases. Link to article

China is closing wet markets for good! Link to article

We ARE taking this threat seriously. We do stand a chance. There's a VERY high probability ......of stopping the spread of this virus. We all have to pull together on this.

Raye....do you have neighbors that can help you out? Or....Safeway just sent an email out...they deliver prescription meds.....

Raye, what is the reason you can’t get your meds?

People killed in violent crimes as society breaks down, high likelihood of rising crime rate

Domestic violence rates have already increased, with so many staying home. But I would think that isolation will cause other types of crimes to plummet.

I also don't believe that society will 'break down'. In a crisis people tend to pull together and help one another. If you want some encouragement, listen to Andrew Cuomo: https://youtu.be/l3h9Z4u4icM?t=968

The company that produces and ships the medication is reporting that they will be unable to fill any orders due to their postal facilities being closed.

Do you really think that criminals are going to say home? As supplies dwindle they will become bolder and obtain what they want regardless of the circumstances.

UPS and FEDEX are still available for the company to ship your medications to you. I would call the insurance company and ask them to help you find an alternative way for you to get your medication.

WONDERFUL article. Thanks, nickel_kg

I did a fast read. Will go back for more. Day 20 at home. I seem to have the time!

I'm not sure how South Korea is able to trace everyone's contacts...follow the cell phone location?

Lukki - would that be home or auto insurance cause medical doesn't cover medications

Where do you live Raye that your medical insurance doesn’t help with meds?

Jumping in, Raye have you called your doctor to ask his or her help/advice? I'm very sorry to hear that you can't get what you need. Edited to add: call your local newspaper or tv news team? write your Congressperson?

As to behavior, any crisis will bring out both the best and the worst in some people. Celebrate and honor those who step up and help us all.

That article certainly makes things look like the Armageddon.

It's only armegeddon if we let it become that.

Raye call your doctor's office on Monday. Tell them what the company is telling you although it sounds to me a little strange. Ask for a script or ask the doctor's office to call the nearest pharmacy to you. You may have to pay more than you normally do.

Making an assumption that you have part D. You can check your provider on line to see if they have a pharmacy in your area that they accept. Use that pharmacy. I do not think the provider can switch scripts which is where you need to contact your doctors office.

I'm a baby boomer but I'm not that old yet so I'm still on regular insurance. This is medication taken at home not at a hospital so no, insurance doesn't cover it.

Olychick, that's exactly what I got from it -- a sense of horror AND a sense of hope. There is a sane way through this mess. Sane, not "easy."

The news from Italy yesterday was terribly depressing. Apparently they have not been isolating properly and so their infection rate keeps climbing. The government has tightened the quarantine rules, closing parks and not allowing running and "long" walks ( with or without dogs, they specify.)

I don't see us as being more disciplined than them.

From NPR:

The number of coronavirus cases in Italy continues to soar. In what has become a grim daily ritual, Angelo Borelli, the chief of the country's Civil Protection agency, announced that in the last 24 hours, the death toll from the virus had risen by nearly 800 to a total of 4,825.

That is the largest daily increase since the outbreak was revealed a month ago today. Italy has already surpassed China with the largest number of deaths from the pandemic. It now has 55,578 cases of the coronavirus, up from 47,021 on Friday.

Italian officials warn that too many citizens are flouting the lockdown measures put in place almost two weeks ago. Earlier Saturday, Health Minister Roberto Speranza appealed to Italians to observe the lockdown rules which have been further tightened.

All parks and playgrounds are closed and people are forbidden to travel to weekend homes Friday through Monday. In the northern region of Emilia Romagna, officials issued a decree that bans jogging, cycling and long walks with or without dogs.

The chief of the National Health Institute, Silvio Brusaferro, warned that it is the flouting of the lockdown rules that produces the latest nefarious body-counts.

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/03/21/818971466/despite-lockdown-italys-coronavirus-cases-continue-dramatic-climb

Where is OUR national response to this? Where's the LEADERSHIP? Where are the test kits, the masks, hospital beds, ventilators -- the orders from Washington commanding production...not this namby-pamby "Companies are volunteering." On national TV this morning the spokesperson for FEMA couldn't answer a single question about *anything*. (What's in stock? What's being produced? How are you getting supplies where they are needed? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED or WHERE?) Pfffft!

For very good reason, this falls under the states authority not the federal government. It's much faster and easier to have those closest to the resources in charge of them.

In WV our Senator, Joe Manchin, has asked people who know how to sew to sew masks for health care workers--cotton masks!!! You might as well tie a bandanna around your face! Gave a link to the pattern and listed where to drop off the masks. I guess we're officially a third world country now.

Even a homemade mask can help slow transmission from an infected person to a currently uninfected person. Masks can help psychologically, too -- at least you are doing something to fight! You are showing others you are taking measures to fight!

Is it enough -- by itself no. With other measures, maybe it could help.

This is a worldwide pandemic. States cannot find supplies. This is a war. States haven't raised armies since the Civil War. Our Federal goverment needs to act and act fast -- or we will see States fighting one another again -- competing for medical supplies.

"Where is OUR national response to this? Where's the LEADERSHIP? Where are the test kits, the masks, hospital beds, ventilators -- the oders from Washington commanding production...not this namby-pamby "Companies are volunteering." On national TV this morning the spokesperson for FEMA couldn't answer a single question about *anything*. (What's in stock? What's being produced? How are you getting supplies where they are needed? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED or WHERE?) Pfffft!"

Do you think they can be fabricated out of thin air? We don't have enough. CLEARLY. More are being made, as fast as possible from what I have heard. A lot of companies that had private stock, have donated it.

Were we prepared? Hell no. What country was??

Homemade masks for healthcare workers on the frontline of the pandemic are a really BAD idea. Off the top of my head:

homemade masks could easily be contaminated with cat/dog dander that throws a wearer into an asthmatic attack, or worse. For that matter, the corona virus is known to live on some surfaces for days & some unknowingly + Covid-19 mask maker might share that virus, or other viruses/germs. There are fabric dyes that could be problematic for some wearers. Loose or ill fitting masks actually cause wearer to touch their face to adjust which is a big NO-NO. There’s a reason makers of all medical equipment have very strict quality control standards...you don’t want to cause harm.

And finally, viruses are infinitesimally tiny. A bazillion can fit on the head of a pin. So, no, a scrap of fabric from home isn’t going to slow down viruses nor protect. Even surgical masks are not appropriate. One nurse on tv said this is likened to handing a firefighter a squirt gun as he enters the burning building. Another said that the CDC’s loosening the standard (a bandanna if absolutely noting available) is not to keep the worker safe, but simply to keep them working. When the caregivers get infected, then help spread the virus to other patients, then are off sick & dying we are going to be in even more of a world of hurt. The situation is absolutely dire. The healthcare workers MUST have proper PPE.

bee since the health care workers can not get proper PPE do you have a suggestion as to what they should do?

First, from what I have been reading hospitals have been exceedingly slow in cancelling all elective surgeries and discharging as many patients as possible. That process should have been done at the start, in early February at the latest.

Second, hospitals should be separated into those that are for the treatment of only Covid case and those for all other emergency and necessary services. These two patient populations should never mix.

Third, when I worked in hospitals during emergencies such as hurricanes or floods all necessary staff was required to stay at the hospital, we couldn't go home. Keeping staff separated reduces the risk of infecting their family members.

Maifleur, some are reusing their N95 masks, like all day long, or even for days. They are begging entities that are now closed that might have some PPE to please share it & some are stepping up, but that’s probably a drop in the bucket for ever increasing need.

President/VP both said last week that PPE is on the way. Well they aren’t seeing it yet. I’m hoping the manufacturing has ramped up. There is no coordinated federal response. Ohio has outstanding leadership in our Governor & Director of Health. Other states, not so much. But we too have extreme shortages of PPE.

My heart aches for the healthcare workers & first responders.

In my county (Hillsborough (Tampa) Florida) as of last night, there were 75 confirmed cases of COVID 19.

Seven hospitalized. - at least 3 major hospitals in the area.

I know the number will go up, but not every hospital is currently having a shortage of PPEs. I understand that PPEs are also needed for those doing the testing, but even that is not happening in huge numbers here yet.

Maddielee - if those hospitals had emptied out at least 70% of there patients over the past month there would be thousands of empty beds and very little of their PPEs supply used. I can't remember a time in my years of working in hospitals that seven additional patients was an issue much less a disaster.

That is poor planing on the part of the hospitals administrators, maybe their boards will replace them with administrators capable of planning for an epidemic.

Raye, that’s what I was saying. So far there is not a shortage of PPEs at the hospitals here.

raye I wonder if your area hospitals have done similar things to what has happened here. Because of HIPPA and the fear of lawsuits many hospitals now only have single rooms. This has affectedly halved the number of beds that each hospital has. While some have added rooms most seem only to be adding outpatient clinics as they build on to the main building.

Interesting thing is that the local children's hospital has built many smaller hospital units in the surrounding area. They are first treated there then sent to the main hospital if they are critically ill.

While elective surgeries have been cancelled, that did not reduce patient counts in my hospital. Those patients usually do not take up a hospital bed or if they do it is usually just for one night. The hospital can not tell the COPD, CHF, renal failure, cancer, pregnant patients, etc to stay home. They still need medical care in the midst of this.

We have a newer hospital that was built with private rooms but if patient numbers didn't decrease that doesn't give you many empty rooms. We are near capacity frequently as is our local competitor. An additional 7 patients during the winter could take every empty bed. Like hotels, hospitals are built to run at a certain occupancy number. They are not built with 50 extra beds that sit empty.

PPE is not used often for a normal hospital patient so I believe we are still in good shape. We are just getting our first Covid 19 positive patients here. My hospital is not accepting home made masks at this point.

I have 100+ employees on my unit and 20 working per shift. It would be impossible to house and feed all of us for any period of time. The hospital is not built for that.