My understanding is the CDC activated an emergency response at its lowest level which given the current status probably makes sense. And most of the folks I know are trying not to panic because...
My understanding is the CDC activated an emergency response at its lowest level which given the current status probably makes sense. And most of the folks I know are trying not to panic because they're traumatized from 2020. So some people are taking things seriously
I get the point of this, but also don't know why the author expects Trump to give a fuck given that he didn't in 2020 either, or change anything. They're not likely to "un-cut" the funding or do more.
I don't know, I guess I'd care more about this if it were a factual scientific article not an opinion essay with the frame of "those people shouldn't do this, we should care more" when "we" care and "they" don't. May just be my mood today. Maybe I'm just tired of being considered "we" with our administration. But like yeah, I don't want RFK Jr in charge of public health when it's cold and flu season, much less when there's an epidemiological crisis.
Given Trump disbanded the pandemic response directorate in 2018, it is mind numbing to hear anyone talk about any of their expectations about this administration's response to hantavirus. As you...
Given Trump disbanded the pandemic response directorate in 2018, it is mind numbing to hear anyone talk about any of their expectations about this administration's response to hantavirus. As you said, "we" have cared the entire time. "They" have not cared the entire time.
I live in the rural south so the culture of being on my own for everything is pretty much already my life. No aid, no benefits, no disaster response, no support from any government, this is all...
I live in the rural south so the culture of being on my own for everything is pretty much already my life.
No aid, no benefits, no disaster response, no support from any government, this is all just life for us and has been for a long time. The city is just too far away, civilization is too far away, the only tangible reason we know the government even still exists is that theres someone working at the DMV and our mail still arrives.
Its interesting watching everyone else transition to this way of life.
Fwiw that isn't my experience - I don't know anyone transitioning to no aid, no benefits, etc. but I have solid state government and my governor declares emergencies to gain access to funding even...
Fwiw that isn't my experience - I don't know anyone transitioning to no aid, no benefits, etc. but I have solid state government and my governor declares emergencies to gain access to funding even in very rural areas.
No "benefits" means my partner is in a nursing home, hospital, or dead, so it's not something I can currently live with.
Yeah I just live in a really shitty state lol Those mfs been stealing taxpayer money for decades and everyone keeps voting for them to continue doing that cause “democrats would do the same thing”
Yeah I just live in a really shitty state lol
Those mfs been stealing taxpayer money for decades and everyone keeps voting for them to continue doing that cause “democrats would do the same thing”
They don't seem necessary right now, but measures to prevent the spread of lethal diseases are sensible and necessary, especially if it's as lethal as currently estimated. Protest. When things get...
Preemptive lockdowns? No, I would rather actually die.
They don't seem necessary right now, but measures to prevent the spread of lethal diseases are sensible and necessary, especially if it's as lethal as currently estimated.
There is nothing the public can do about this. Why should I even be concerned?
Protest. When things get bad, protest. Reduce spending. Encourage negative narratives to promote a recession. Society is made up of all of us, and the people at the top require the tacit support of a willing populace.
I’m one of the lucky ones but I’d expect another good year for myself if there were lockdowns (if you don’t own property, have kids, pets, or a long term lease, have money for travel, a good...
I’m one of the lucky ones but I’d expect another good year for myself if there were lockdowns (if you don’t own property, have kids, pets, or a long term lease, have money for travel, a good friend group in the same boat then turning society upside down is a huge opportunity). But I don’t think society would accept it so it won’t happen short of a true apocalyptic disease.
While I get where you're coming from on a lot of this, I will always point out that the question is not what are you willing to risk having happen to yourself, but what are you willing to watch...
What is the actual proposal for society? Preemptive lockdowns? No, I would rather actually die.
While I get where you're coming from on a lot of this, I will always point out that the question is not what are you willing to risk having happen to yourself, but what are you willing to watch happen to others.
People are always quick to say they'd rather die (true or not as covid proved), they're a lot less quick to say they'd rather their parents/kids/friends die.
I’m not disagreeing with the numbers or anything else. I don’t think there’s evidence we should do much more than we are about the virus so far. Im just pointing out that “I’d rather die “ is...
I’m not disagreeing with the numbers or anything else. I don’t think there’s evidence we should do much more than we are about the virus so far.
Im just pointing out that “I’d rather die “ is basically never the question really being asked.
I’m glad Zeynep wrote it, but for nearly everyone, I don’t see this as “news you can use.” The people who might need to hear this are other journalists and the medical establishment. But I will...
I’m glad Zeynep wrote it, but for nearly everyone, I don’t see this as “news you can use.” The people who might need to hear this are other journalists and the medical establishment. But I will support disaster preparedness efforts when it comes up.
I haven't read this specific article, so I'm not responding to every point in it. But I do think we should avoid treating it like "the next COVID." Hantavirus is serious for the people who get...
I haven't read this specific article, so I'm not responding to every point in it. But I do think we should avoid treating it like "the next COVID."
Hantavirus is serious for the people who get infected, and Andes virus (the strain linked to this cruise-ship outbreak) can cause severe lung disease. But it does not spread like COVID. Most hantaviruses spread from rodents to humans through contaminated urine, droppings, or saliva; human-to-human spread has only been documented for Andes virus, and even then it is considered rare and usually linked to close or prolonged contact. WHO and ECDC both say this is not the same kind of broad outbreak risk as COVID.
So yes, hantavirus deserves medical seriousness, especially for exposed people. But public panic is not useful. The evidence so far points to a dangerous but limited outbreak being managed through known public-health measures: early detection, isolation of cases, clinical management, and contact tracing. More info about it
This is tangential but I have some mouse droppings I have to clean up because they love to get in my cabinets. I've done a lot of preventative work but apparently still left something unaddressed...
This is tangential but I have some mouse droppings I have to clean up because they love to get in my cabinets. I've done a lot of preventative work but apparently still left something unaddressed where they got in. I think it's one particular gap I forgot to cover. I use a certain level of steel wool to plug any areas they could squeeze through- from what I've heard it's scratchy enough that if they can't easily move it, it's too sharp for them to want to fight or gnaw on. I might create some kind of 3D printed panel I can glue or screw down and wrap with steel wool for the remaining gap I found
Thankfully they haven't come back since this most recent one night visit. But I realize this is often a source of hantavirus- and I think sometimes people don't realize the potential danger mouse droppings can pose because it seems like such a mundane thing to deal with.
What I typically do is soak any surfaces (and the droppings themselves) in the area with a heavy spray of Lysol (or similar virus-killing spray) and let it sit until it's dry to give it time to work. To be extra safe, I'll often re-apply once later just to be sure and shortly before using a shop vac to vacuum it all up. Any items remotely nearby I will thoroughly sanitize / clean however necessary or toss if this is not possible.
I figure there may be some danger to vacuums potentially spreading particles and viruses/etc in the air they expel when vacuuming the droppings, so I am aware this could be a bad idea- but my hope is the Lysol has done most of the work through the initial application, and vacuuming it up while slightly damp from the second round of spray (not wet, but not completely dry) might help reduce any of it from becoming dry dust that can escape the vacuuming process.
Copper wool may be more effective than steel wool at deterring mice. That's what my uncle said anyway when he used it to plug the gaps in our cabinets at our old house. Apparently mice really...
Copper wool may be more effective than steel wool at deterring mice. That's what my uncle said anyway when he used it to plug the gaps in our cabinets at our old house. Apparently mice really don't like the taste or smell of copper compared to steel wool.
Not an expert but from my own research on the topic of virus potency over time in ordinary conditions (curiosity drove me), it’s rare for a virus to remain potent for very long in the environment....
Not an expert but from my own research on the topic of virus potency over time in ordinary conditions (curiosity drove me), it’s rare for a virus to remain potent for very long in the environment. It’s not alive but it’s kinda fragile and gets damaged beyond potency in 10–30 minutes at ambiant temperature and regular humidity. Obviously lasts longer in the cold or more favorable conditions but that’s the kind of time period you’re looking at. So if the drippings are dried and a few days old the virus is probably not potent anymore I’d think. But you’re right, better be safe than sorry.
From reading up about droppings I have seen "infectiousness" being mentioned as anywhere from "a few days" at room temperature in general (longer when colder) but some mention up to "9-15 days in...
From reading up about droppings I have seen "infectiousness" being mentioned as anywhere from "a few days" at room temperature in general (longer when colder) but some mention up to "9-15 days in contaminated bedding" per some unlinked Canadian health study (unless the articles that mention this are just AI-written and making shit up which is very possible) but given other contaminants in them to always treat them as if they're a risk regardless
I am thinking it may be days and not minutes because of it being trapped in the substance of the dropping rather than just free floating in the air. Though some did mention "days" on surfaces also
My understanding is the CDC activated an emergency response at its lowest level which given the current status probably makes sense. And most of the folks I know are trying not to panic because they're traumatized from 2020. So some people are taking things seriously
I get the point of this, but also don't know why the author expects Trump to give a fuck given that he didn't in 2020 either, or change anything. They're not likely to "un-cut" the funding or do more.
I don't know, I guess I'd care more about this if it were a factual scientific article not an opinion essay with the frame of "those people shouldn't do this, we should care more" when "we" care and "they" don't. May just be my mood today. Maybe I'm just tired of being considered "we" with our administration. But like yeah, I don't want RFK Jr in charge of public health when it's cold and flu season, much less when there's an epidemiological crisis.
Given Trump disbanded the pandemic response directorate in 2018, it is mind numbing to hear anyone talk about any of their expectations about this administration's response to hantavirus. As you said, "we" have cared the entire time. "They" have not cared the entire time.
I live in the rural south so the culture of being on my own for everything is pretty much already my life.
No aid, no benefits, no disaster response, no support from any government, this is all just life for us and has been for a long time. The city is just too far away, civilization is too far away, the only tangible reason we know the government even still exists is that theres someone working at the DMV and our mail still arrives.
Its interesting watching everyone else transition to this way of life.
Fwiw that isn't my experience - I don't know anyone transitioning to no aid, no benefits, etc. but I have solid state government and my governor declares emergencies to gain access to funding even in very rural areas.
No "benefits" means my partner is in a nursing home, hospital, or dead, so it's not something I can currently live with.
Yeah I just live in a really shitty state lol
Those mfs been stealing taxpayer money for decades and everyone keeps voting for them to continue doing that cause “democrats would do the same thing”
They don't seem necessary right now, but measures to prevent the spread of lethal diseases are sensible and necessary, especially if it's as lethal as currently estimated.
Protest. When things get bad, protest. Reduce spending. Encourage negative narratives to promote a recession. Society is made up of all of us, and the people at the top require the tacit support of a willing populace.
I’m one of the lucky ones but I’d expect another good year for myself if there were lockdowns (if you don’t own property, have kids, pets, or a long term lease, have money for travel, a good friend group in the same boat then turning society upside down is a huge opportunity). But I don’t think society would accept it so it won’t happen short of a true apocalyptic disease.
In many ways I agree, but it is still your (our) problem even if we did all the right things. That’s what makes it even more frustrating.
While I get where you're coming from on a lot of this, I will always point out that the question is not what are you willing to risk having happen to yourself, but what are you willing to watch happen to others.
People are always quick to say they'd rather die (true or not as covid proved), they're a lot less quick to say they'd rather their parents/kids/friends die.
I’m not disagreeing with the numbers or anything else. I don’t think there’s evidence we should do much more than we are about the virus so far.
Im just pointing out that “I’d rather die “ is basically never the question really being asked.
I, in general, agree with you on everything else
I’m glad Zeynep wrote it, but for nearly everyone, I don’t see this as “news you can use.” The people who might need to hear this are other journalists and the medical establishment. But I will support disaster preparedness efforts when it comes up.
I haven't read this specific article, so I'm not responding to every point in it. But I do think we should avoid treating it like "the next COVID."
Hantavirus is serious for the people who get infected, and Andes virus (the strain linked to this cruise-ship outbreak) can cause severe lung disease. But it does not spread like COVID. Most hantaviruses spread from rodents to humans through contaminated urine, droppings, or saliva; human-to-human spread has only been documented for Andes virus, and even then it is considered rare and usually linked to close or prolonged contact. WHO and ECDC both say this is not the same kind of broad outbreak risk as COVID.
Public-health authorities are already treating it seriously: WHO, ECDC, CDC, and national authorities are coordinating contact tracing, isolation/monitoring, testing, and clinical care for exposed passengers and crew. CDC currently says the pandemic risk from this outbreak and the overall risk to the general public/travelers is extremely low.
So yes, hantavirus deserves medical seriousness, especially for exposed people. But public panic is not useful. The evidence so far points to a dangerous but limited outbreak being managed through known public-health measures: early detection, isolation of cases, clinical management, and contact tracing.
More info about it
This is tangential but I have some mouse droppings I have to clean up because they love to get in my cabinets. I've done a lot of preventative work but apparently still left something unaddressed where they got in. I think it's one particular gap I forgot to cover. I use a certain level of steel wool to plug any areas they could squeeze through- from what I've heard it's scratchy enough that if they can't easily move it, it's too sharp for them to want to fight or gnaw on. I might create some kind of 3D printed panel I can glue or screw down and wrap with steel wool for the remaining gap I found
Thankfully they haven't come back since this most recent one night visit. But I realize this is often a source of hantavirus- and I think sometimes people don't realize the potential danger mouse droppings can pose because it seems like such a mundane thing to deal with.
What I typically do is soak any surfaces (and the droppings themselves) in the area with a heavy spray of Lysol (or similar virus-killing spray) and let it sit until it's dry to give it time to work. To be extra safe, I'll often re-apply once later just to be sure and shortly before using a shop vac to vacuum it all up. Any items remotely nearby I will thoroughly sanitize / clean however necessary or toss if this is not possible.
I figure there may be some danger to vacuums potentially spreading particles and viruses/etc in the air they expel when vacuuming the droppings, so I am aware this could be a bad idea- but my hope is the Lysol has done most of the work through the initial application, and vacuuming it up while slightly damp from the second round of spray (not wet, but not completely dry) might help reduce any of it from becoming dry dust that can escape the vacuuming process.
Copper wool may be more effective than steel wool at deterring mice. That's what my uncle said anyway when he used it to plug the gaps in our cabinets at our old house. Apparently mice really don't like the taste or smell of copper compared to steel wool.
Well, now I have to find copper wool to taste and smell, and ascertain whether this is true. Thanks
Are you.............a mouse?
Not an expert but from my own research on the topic of virus potency over time in ordinary conditions (curiosity drove me), it’s rare for a virus to remain potent for very long in the environment. It’s not alive but it’s kinda fragile and gets damaged beyond potency in 10–30 minutes at ambiant temperature and regular humidity. Obviously lasts longer in the cold or more favorable conditions but that’s the kind of time period you’re looking at. So if the drippings are dried and a few days old the virus is probably not potent anymore I’d think. But you’re right, better be safe than sorry.
From reading up about droppings I have seen "infectiousness" being mentioned as anywhere from "a few days" at room temperature in general (longer when colder) but some mention up to "9-15 days in contaminated bedding" per some unlinked Canadian health study (unless the articles that mention this are just AI-written and making shit up which is very possible) but given other contaminants in them to always treat them as if they're a risk regardless
I am thinking it may be days and not minutes because of it being trapped in the substance of the dropping rather than just free floating in the air. Though some did mention "days" on surfaces also