March 26, 2020 Updates:
IF YOU GET A FEVER … with dry coughing & or sneezing. DO NOT GO OUT … Wear a surgical mask to catch your contagious sneezed-coughed aerosol droplets to protect your loved-ones around you. Have someone start disinfecting the things you all touch.**
CALL the Yucatan State’s Departamento de Salud SPECIAL line for people with COVID-19 symptoms … 1-800 YUCATAN … 800 – 982 – 2826 …. website: http://salud.yucatan.gob.mx/2020/03/coronavirus-aviso-para-viajeros/
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TODAY’s FUN FUN Updates ! 3/26/20
It’s …. ” ~ Clearing up MISCONCEPTIONs Day ! ~ ”
Misconception #1:
Coronavirus (or any upper respiratory virus) is somehow magically handled like in the same ways you protect yourself from the “24 hr flu” (aka bacterial food poisoning) … imagining that Coronavirus is somehow magically like protecting yourself from Salmonella, fecal coliforms (pooh bacteria), Campylobacter, Listeria and other FOOD CONTAMINANTS … Fortunately … Coronovirus is completely different from bacteria … and the ways you protect yourself are very different from defeating GI-pathogenic bacteria.
Why?
Coronavirus DOES NOT REPLICATE on a surface …. It just slowly degrades ~ dies . So time is on your side…. as the viruses outside our mouth, throad & lungs … dry-out & die out ! … over time. … Time is on your side !
Table of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Median Half-Life Times on Surfaces
| Surface |
SARS-CoV-2 (hr) |
SARS-CoV-1 (hr) |
| Copper |
3.4 |
3.76 |
| Cardboard |
8.45 |
1.74 |
| Steel |
13.1 |
9.77 |
| Plastic |
15.9 |
17.7 |
Notice that it takes 4 half lives for 94% of the viruses to die off…. and just 6 half lives for a 98.5% of a virus to die off… Just 1.5 out of 1000 viruses are alive after 6 x Half Life … Fortunately … at those low levels … the small amounts of remaining viruses (after 4 – 6 half lives) are very unlikely to be able to infect a healthy person, even if they touch the contaminated surface … and IMMEDIATELY stick their finger in their eye, nose, or mouth…
That’s why wearing even a simple paper mask can BREAK THE CHAIN of infection … because even the simple mask BLOCKS the finger-lickers & booger-pickers from sticking their fingers into their noses, and mouths. … and the simple paper mask catches the sneezed-droplets ~launched at 220 mph~ … & it catches the cough launched-droplets at 60 mph … and catches our spitted-droplets from talking (pppp’s,,, ttt’s, ssss’s , fffff’s )
because 5 minutes of talking spews out the same 3000 droplets that a cough launches…
😉
Misconception #2:
Viruses magically reproduce & grown on surfaces, like Bacteria …
Reality… Viruses do NOT grow on surfaces … They die on surfaces.
So why do the CDC & WHO talk so much this past years about cleaning surfaces?
Notice that BACTERIA, like salmonella, fecal coliforms, et al … DO grow and reproduce on surfaces … living & expanding over time on surfaces… while viruses just slowly dry out and die on a surface … dead in 4 hrs on copper, 24 hrs on cardboard (cloth etc), and 2 – 3 days on plastic, steel & tile …
Then realize that the cleaning methods are DIFFERENT for Bacteria vs Coronavirus.
…. Bacteria are not really harmed much by soap … while SOAP DESTROYS Coronavirus … and TIME destroys Coronavirus.
Educate yourself on the KEY DIFFERENCES ….
Corona virus is spread by SNEEZES, COUGHS, & TALKED viruses …sprayed aerosols of SPIT & SNOT … spread by people NOT wearing their little paper masks…. Wearing a mask, catches your 5 minutes of aerosol spit droplets from talking, that equals one COUGH…
3,000 spit droplets from talking for just 5 minutes IS primarily HOW THE CORONAVIRUS is spread by the people who are COVID-19 infected but have no symptoms…
WEAR A MASK … when around others … because you don’t want your ppp’s & bbb’s & tttt’s & ssss’s sprayed droplets floating around for hours…
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
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“Among patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, viral loads in the upper respiratory tract are high; as a consequence, respiratory secretion in the form of aerosols (<5 μm) or droplets (>5 μm) is likely, the authors note. ”
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/926929?src=soc_fb_200318_mscpedt_news_mdscp_surfaces&faf=1&fbclid=IwAR3iAooxQu5JmujwedyCbrTUsHD0xxbddMcl4iEa4AxafmPRI8aFdFVtx2g
The SCIENTISTS (not medical doctors) … found that SARS-CoV-2 was largely stable ~contagious~ in the air … through the full 180-minute test, with only a slight decline at 3 hours. … SO … IGNORE the WHO … IGNORE the CDC … MASKS WORK ! … to stop the virus spread.
MISCONCEPTION #3:
Sadly, the WHO Medical Doctors & CDC Medical doctors have been MISTAKENLY telling people that masks supposedly “don’t work” … while scientists prove that masks DO WORK.
Sadly, Medical Doctors typically have only very limited scientific training on these things (Medical Doctors are NOT scientists) … and … Sadly, for the last 3 months the Medical doctors … and TV DOCTORS … and CDC medical doctors …. have mistakenly CONFUSED Coronavirus upper respiratory-specific virus transmission methods with common Gastrointestinal bacterial transmissions**
**Bacterial infections are SPREAD BY CONTACT ~ “smear” ~ touch … while viruses spread by aerosol droplets … which is why a MASK protects people from Coronavirus spread… by BREAKING the chain of infection… while mask wearing does little to stop bacterial spread…
**Bacteria spread by growing, and often ~ MULTIPLYING ~ on each new surface … While Coronavirus needs human cells to reproduce … by specifically hijacking our nose-lining cells … our throat-lining cells … and our lung lining cells … THAT’s WHY IT IS SO CRITICAL TO wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
MISCONCEPTION #4
” You can catch Coronavirus from: ”
~ petting the dog
~ your clothes
~ the food you bring home from the grocery store…
~ sitting with someone who is 2 meters away, with both people wearing masks…
Notice that all of these routes would require you touching the other person’s still-wet snot droplets or wet spit droplets … and then you would have to nearly immediately SMEAR that wet snot-spit droplet into your eye, nose or mouth ….
and…. the snot-spit droplet would have to come from a sick person actively shedding lots of virus … (in the 2 days before the fever & the 2 days after the fever)…
So, if a sick person sneezes onto your clothes, or onto your dog … then don’t smear their snotty infected droplets into your eye, nose, mouth or throat … Protecting yourself from contact-based “smear”-based Coronavirus transmissions … is as simple as washing your hands … before you stick your fingers into your eyes, nose or mouth…
Or … better still … rub your itchy eye or itchy nose with the back-of-your hand or with your wrist … or … Even better ? Wear a little paper mask … to block yourself from unconsciously inserting your fingers into your mouth, eye or nose…
No more finger-lickin’ … nose-picking behaviors … unless you want to infect yourself.
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
Misconception #5 …
I can get Coronavirus by someone touching my plate, or my food, or sneezing in my food…
REMEMBER
Corona virus selectively attacks just throat, nose & lung tissue linings is also why we have seen ZERO Coronavirus transmissions by food contamination NOR by food packaging contamination … because YOU ARE SAFE, unless you touch slimy sneezed snot droplets … and then touch your own eyes, nose, or throat, with their slimy snot …
” Many studies have shown that people expel aerosol particles containing potentially infectious microorganisms during coughing, speaking, or breathing (Fabian et al. 2008; Morawska et al. 2009; Stelzer-Braid et al. 2009; Lindsley et al. 2010; Fennelly et al. 2012) …
Droplets you eat .. vs droplets you breathe in…
Normal stomach acids digest the Coronavirus immediately … so almost always, the Coronavirus must touch the nasal-lining, throat-lining, or lung lining cells … to infect those target cells in you.
… There are NO … ZERO reported cases of eating food contaminated by Coronavirus, causing a COVID-19 infection … 😉
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
Aerosol Science of Sneezed, Coughed & Spoken (spit-talked) droplets
…. MOST (typically 95%) of the spit, coughed & sneezed droplets are big … and they fall harmlessly to the ground within 1.5 meters of the spitter, talker, cougher (2m) , or sneezer …
Then note that those 99.9% of large droplets & medium droplets from talking, spitting, sneezing, and coughing … are caught~trapped~blocked … by even the cheapest paper masks … SO WEAR A MASK when around others … to protect them… and you.
” … Current infection control guidelines distinguish between “droplet precautions,” which are needed for diseases thought to spread primarily by larger spray droplets, and “airborne precautions,” needed for diseases that spread via small aerosols (Siegel et al. 2007). Large droplets (greater than ~50 µm) are primarily affected by gravity; they follow a ballistic trajectory and impact on surfaces or fall onto surfaces within a meter of the source. Intermediate-sized droplets (~10–50 µm) can deposit by impaction but can also be carried further from the source by the cough air flow and can travel 2 m or more before settling. Small droplets (less than ~10 µm) are much less prone to impaction or settling; they can remain airborne for an extended time and be spread throughout a room by air currents, especially after drying (CDC 2006).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4615563/
“The geometric mean of the (sneezed) droplet size of all the subjects is 360.1 µm for unimodal distribution and 74.4 µm for bimodal distribution with geometric standard deviations of 1.5 and 1.7, respectively. “
These sneezed (possibly SARS-CoV contaminated) droplets are HUGE and launched at upwards of 220 mph – so they are blasted into even the simplest paper or cloth mask …
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2013.0560
Meanwhile, a coughed aerosol “has a size range of 0.1–30 µm, a VMD of 3.4 µm, and a GSD of 2.3. ” …
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4615563/
This big droplet effect is also why SOCIAL DISTANCING works … Almost ALL of the nasty persons spoken or sneezed droplets … fall harmlessly to the ground or onto some surface ( counter or phone )
It’s the fine aerosols less than 5 um … and especially those less than 1 um that are a problem – AND … a well-fitted N-95 mask blocks 99.8% of even tiny tiny 0.045 um fine aerosols.
So … Is it clear now … why the WHO & CDC medical doctor’s bad advice that “masks don’t work” … is neither scientific … nor is their advice true … 🙂
Wear your masks ! 😉
To stop ~ block ~ catch … this ….
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
March 23, 2020 Updates:
If you have just the one well-fitted N-95 mask, what should you do?
Because the Republicans spent so much effort eliminating funding to so many disaster response programs (as the Dems did nothing), even at the beginning of the crises, weeks ago, we have had so few masks
… that US Nurses, Doctors & Firefighters have chosen to disinfect their masks, daily… re-using the same mask day … after day .. after day … after day … for the past weeks … because they decided a disinfected used-mask … is better than no mask. 😦
Sadly, since the USA was not prepared … with just 3 million masks at the beginning of the crisis … where 3 million masks was not enough for even NY City for a day …. Our fine nurses, doctors & firefighters have had to get creative … working outside the box …
The result? Our healthcare professionals, nationwide, are STERILIZING their masks, and reusing them, daily … over and over and over …. because of critical shortages …
while the DINOSAURS in Washington DC (aka the FDA & CDC) claim that masks “should not be reused.”
~ What safe effective PROVEN sterilization options do ordinary people have … at home … for solid objects … ? ~
Note that Dr. Louis Pasteur, and the following 145 years of doctors & scientists have used ordinary heat … to kill 100% of ALL microbes, bacteria, parasites & viruses….
Ordinary people … generally have an oven in their house … an oven that can heats consistently at warming oven temperatures 180ºF – 200ºF (88ºC) … Pretty much any solid object (except wax etc) can be safely completely sterilized by heating it to 180ºF … and baking it for 20 minutes at that temperature (no higher than 200ºF).
Dry Heat Sterilization:
THE standard for over 100 yrs.
Realize that you can sterilize coins, paper money bills … and even plastic bills, by spreading them out on cookie sheets and baking them for 20 minutes at warming oven temps (180ºF to 200ºF)…. We can also safely sterilize pretty much ALL paper & plastic items using this same technique.
Dry heat sterilization has been used for over 100 yrs, for sterilizing surgical instruments … for sterilizing solids …. per US APHIS protocols. … Sadly …. The CDC & FDA Medical doctors may have forgotten … but the scientists at USDA have known & published for over 50 years … that dry heat works for sterilizing soil and even sewage sludge samples…
Notice that common Mexican gas ovens do NOT have a “warming oven” setting … Read details here:**
Dry Heat Sterilization:
THE standard for over 100 yrs:
Realize that you can sterilize coins, paper money bills … and even plastic bills, by spreading them out on cookie sheets and baking them for 20 minutes at warming oven temps (180ºF to 200ºF)…. We can also safely sterilize pretty much ALL paper & plastic items using this same technique.
Just like baking cookies proves that our ovens have hot spots & cold spots … the cookies do not all bake the same way at the ends of the sheet vs the centre … Notice that YOU MUST WATCH your first baking operation like a hawk … 
You don’t want to fry the plastic in your N-95 mask because your oven thermometer isn’t quite right, or because your oven has a hot-spot …
Watch the heating process carefully… to quickly open the door if your objects start to look different during heating.
I have successfully dry sterilized plastics, papers, bill, masks … and it WORKS … to get the OBJECT up to 175º F for 3 minutes (using a special professional lab-grade laser-temp gun heat pistol thermometer) … Aimed NOT through the glass … but through just air – with the laser pointer on the sterilized object.
Since not many people have a professional temperature gun, you may have to carefully slowly heat the oven to 180ºF … especially if it is a (generally crappy) gas stove oven …and only then put your precious item onto the preheated cookie sheet … and WATCH IT LIKE A HAWK …
Background Science:
Dry heat sterilization has been used for over 100 yrs, for sterilizing surgical instruments … for sterilizing solids …. per US APHIS protocols. … Sadly …. The CDC & FDA Medical doctors may have forgotten … but the scientists at USDA have known & published for over 50 years … that dry heat works for sterilizing soil and even sewage sludge samples…
Heat is a fine sterilizer:
If you doubt this, remember heating water to 145ºF (65ºC) kills all microbes (including giardia) … as Dr. Pasteur’s sterilized flasks of clear broth … still sterile after 140 years … with just 3 minutes of heat, with the broths at 175ºF …
Notice the broth in Pasteur’s flasks are still clear .. sterile … after 140 years … even with a tube that open to the air ..
So, if you are one who has no additional cases of N-95 masks … if you are someone who must reuse their well-fitted N-95 mask, then … know that dry heat sterilization at 180ºF – 200ºF (88ºC) in a simple warming over, for 20 minutes … kills all microbes on the surfaces of solids.
… and … those temperatures do not harm paper nor plastics.
Just like sterilizing paper money bills & plastic money, by spreading them out on cookie sheets and baking them for 20 minutes at warming oven temps (180ºF to 200ºF), … as a private citizen, … you have a personal choice of safely sterilizing paper & plastic items using this same technique.
Dry heat sterilization has been used for over 100 yrs, for sterilizing surgical instruments … for sterilizing solids ….for completely sterilizing soil … and even sewage sludge solid samples… per US APHIS protocols.
**NOTE … DO NOT PUT ANY PAPER OR PLASTIC OBJECTS close to the electric heating element of ANY oven, especially your Toaster Oven….
and DO NOT PUT ANY PAPER OR PLASTIC OBJECTS close to the bottom plate of a gas oven, where the gas flames heat that bottom plate….
**Mexican Gas Ovens
Most Mexican gas ovens do NOT have temperature indications on the dial … and MOST Mexican gas ovens keep the burner ON constantly … ON too long for staying in the 180ºF to 200ºF range …
If you fire up your Mexican gas oven, and set the dial to it’s lowest setting… it still gradually automatically, uncontrolled … OVERHEATS to OVER 245ºF … I test-baked plastic & paper bills$$ at this temperature … and the plastic bills got a little bit shiny … but came out fine, even after OVER HEATING for 20 extra minutes…
SO … To STAY BELOW 200ºF (93ºC) … you need to use a decent oven thermometer … and open your oven door a little , to let out the hot air … briefly cooling the oven back to the 180ºF to 200ºF range … for 20 minutes of your stuff sitting on the cookie sheet.
In other words… PUT THE OVEN thermometer ON THE COOKIE SHEET … with whatever you are sterilizing…
Again… We at Yucalandia are NOT giving medical advice … just offering proven scientific information … information for educational & entertainment purposes only.
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
Practical Considerations for Dry Heat Sterilizing solid items:
Notice that your solid paper item might be contaminated, so handle it with care, like how our professionals remove a dirty surgical glove, by grasping it at the uncontaminated edge … or using a gloved hand … and placing the contaminated solid object either in the trash … or on a metal cookie sheet for sterilizing at 180ºF to 200ºF temperatures for 20 minutes …
Fortunately, 180ºF to 200ºF is not that hot … so things do NOT burn … just like keeping your medium rare steak warm – to relax the meat, … while but not cooking it further ….
Things at 180ºF – 200ºF cool quickly … and are safe to handle within minutes after opening the warming-oven door.
Keep your paper & other solid objects safe … watch them carefully as you bake them in case your oven is not reliable.
March 22, 2020 Updates:
Why is it likely safer to get take-out food, or delivered (servicio a domocilio)?
Can you get COVID-19 from touching … or eating contaminated food?
Reality: There is no current evidence that COVID-19 has spread through food or food packaging.**
Remember this SARS-CoV-2 virus is transmitted primarily by contagious invisible airborne aerosols from sneezes, coughs and talking* … lingering in the air for up to 3 hours … SARS-CoV-2 is ~not likely~ transmitted by touching things, or by “smear” transmissions.
Realize that the COVID-19 disease virus in the back of that sick guys throat (when he has not symptoms) … does not magically jump into your eye, nose or mouth. …
*3 minutes of talking … Sssch-peak-ing consonants .. Popped P’s, schusshed Ssssss … B’s , T ‘s, Ffffs … ALL SPRAY as many fine aerosol droplets as a single cough … up to 3,000 droplets sprayed by talking … where the big majority of talked aerosols are the BIG droplets that fall to the ground or onto the counter …
That’s why Social distancing of 1.5 protects you (and me) from their sprayed-talked aerosols…
It’s NOT the pizza guy making you a salad … It’s the person your standing too close to, as they gesticulate & pop-their-P’s, and hiss-their-Ssss’s … and THAT’s why it’s courteous to wear a surgical mask, to catch ALL of your coughed, sneezed, and TALKED aerosol sprayed-droplets.
Notice that even the CDC finally, after months of mistaken reporting and factually false announcements, .. finally the CDC changed, and reported last week that sprayed AEROSOLS … invisible, contagious sprayed by talking, sneezing, coughing ARE THE PROBLEM. … which is why masks & social distancing are important.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.html
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**Can I get COVID-19 from touching or eating contaminated food?
Seriously, there no current evidence that COVID-19 has spread through food or food packaging
Multiple health & safety organizations worldwide, (inc. the CDC, the USDA, and the European Food safety Authority), report that
” there is no evidence that COVID-19 has spread through food or food packaging. “
… Coronoavirus is primarily transmitted by AIRBORNE aerosols …
and possibly – but highly-unlikely by sneezed, coughed & talked-aerosols that land on surfaces. So you are safe touching things … unless you touch the contaminated aerosol on the counter, pizza box, etc … and then put your finger in your eye… or pick your nose.
It’s ALL up to you …
Don’t sneeze on Grandma or Grandpa …
… Stop putting your fingers in your mouth … Use the back of your hand or wrist to rub your eye or nose…. and WASH YOUR HANDS … before touching your face.
Whistle Yankee-Doodle … twice, while scrubbing your hands with soapy suds… 😉
Seriously … Previous coronavirus epidemics (SARS & MERs) … showed no evidence … of having been spread through food or packaging.
ENJOY !!!
but … Keep your distance from that guy who spits as he is talking
Do NOT shake that guy’s hand … who sticks his finger in his mouth.
Do not grab your change … $$money$$ from the cashier, and then rub your eye, or touch your nose…
Wash your hands after touching possilby nasty things … or sanitize (with gel) … before going into an at-risk person’s home … Care for our beloved Diabetics, elderlies, cardiology patients.
and NO … COVID-19 disease is not transmitted by pooh – fecal matter … unless you touch poo and then touch your eye …. 😉
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
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Why make so many posts on how to stay safe from COVID-19 disease?
There is so much published on the internet & FB, that it’s difficult to know whom to trust.
As such, I offer this Post Script for people who do not know the author:
Dr. Steven M. Fry … Ph.D., Former Laboratory Owner of USA highest rated (7 yers) Environmental Health & Saftety laboratory, professor of Chemistry & Msmt Science, Public Health & Environment, participant in 12 yrs of NIH & Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation viral disease control programs here in Yucatan, former staff editor of a medical journal & public health journal Revista Biomedica, with a 44 yr background in protecting & improving peoples health, managing $37 million of cleanups at USA’s worst contaminated DOD & DOE sites (protecting & improving the health of over 150 million down-wind, down-stream Americans), along with participating in large, successful public health programs for 37 US state governments, Canada, Mexico, Italy, Scotland, and Ukraine, including getting the Tetra-ethyl lead out of gasoline that was causing lead-poisoning worldwide … A small (grateful) cog in the big machines that improved & the health of over 300 million Americans, and over 2 billion people worldwide.
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
.
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March 20, 2020 Updates
Superb quality reports are saying:
Digestive symptoms, including diarrhea and anorexia, are common in COVID-19 patients (data from China). Hubei Province reports almost 50% of coronavirus patients reported digestive symptoms as their main symptoms.
… Just like the months of CDC’s & talking head Medical Doctors on TV … very mistaken public reported very wrong, very risky information about how COVID-19 disease is actually spread … and how the people without symptoms actually present “very low risks of COVID-19 transmission”, IF YOU TAKE PRECAUTIONS
Notice the facts that good scientists have reported for months:
The upper respiratory viruses are spread PRIMARILY by…. coughed, sneezed, and TALKED** aerosol droplets … That makes all the difference in how you protect yourself…
Notice that we reported how effective proper mask usage (cheap readily available surgical masks on sick people to catch their sneezed, coughed & TALKED** aerosol droplets – to protect everyone around them , and … use a well-fitted N-95 mask to protect at-risk HEALTHY people) can protect you and your loved ones….
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
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AND … Use dilute bleach to disinfect things (SANITIZING is not enough) … 4-6 tsps of Mexican laundry bleach (or 2 tsps of US 8.25% bleach) per 500 mL of water (make it fresh daily) … sprayed or wiped-wet onto surfaces to disinfect them …. and allow that surface to STAY WET (damp) for 10 minutes, to allow the bleach time to do it’s job…
and… regularly create “zones of disinfection” where you disinfect the pinch points … that are regularly unavoidably touched … car steering wheel, cell fone, keyboard, front door handles, car door handles … faucet handles … TV remotes … ~ fridge handles ~ … (read the other update details below) …
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Where to get good reliable information … update.
Notice that the Big Media’s Talking Head ‘Medical Doctors’ and the CDC’s medical gave months of very mistaken (very unnecessarily risky, bad) public advice about wearing masks …
Yes, the correct advice is to follow the German’s superb example … with their 0.2% death levels from COVID-19, versus the USA’s 20X times higher death rated … Appropriate mask use: USE Cheap readily available surgical masks on sick people to catch their sneezed, coughed & TALKED** aerosol droplets – to protect everyone around them , and … use a well-fitted N-95 mask to protect at-risk HEALTHY people.
Notice that not only did the Trump admin temporarily muzzle the CDC…. The CDC and the Big Media’s Talking Head ‘Medical Doctors’ sadly … gave very unnessarily-risky advice and bad non-scientific advice for months…
**Talked Droplets:
Each 5 minutes of talking makes as much aerosol as a cough …. making up to 3,000 droplets. … So … we have to assume 5 minutes of talking … IN CLOSE PROXIMITY … of someone creates about the same risk as their cough (with no surgical mask worn by the sick person to catch their coughed aerosol droplets) …
Close Proximity = less than 1.5 m between people … and up to 6 ft is the current standard.
Then notice the big majority of coughed droplets are large – shot out at surprisingly high speeds.. at distances of at least 1.5m … are heavy enough to land on a surface (like you) and remain contaigious for up to 3 DAYS on plastic & steel (and our local tiles) ….
Next consider that not even “talked aerosols” are equal to “coughed aerosols” … Notice the cough launches the droplets at higher speeds … so the big droplets go farther (landing further away) … landing further — requiring a bigger spraying of surfaces disinfection area (2m?)… while small aerosols (like from lisps and sss-sounds etc) …. float and move from the patient’s room out into the hallways … floating, contagious for up to 3 hrs … and then they land …. (far away) and possibly last dry, but contagious, for up to 3 days…
So … make up your dilute bleach disinfectant daily … and use it at-on all the affected surfaces, with special attention to frequently touched pinch points … maintain 1.5m social distance … wash hands (20 seconds of soapy suds … whistle Yankee Doodle twice) … and READ ALL ABOUT the rest of it … below:
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
March 18, 2020 Updates:
The latest scientific reports show that the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) remains viable & infectious in coughed-sneezed aerosol droplets … in the air for up to 3 hours … and infectious on plastic & steel surfaces (and likely TILE) up to 3 days.
but … after 3 days on plastic, steel (or tile) … the remaining active viral counts had fallen roughly 1000X times from their initial sneezed-coughed values. AT THESE LOW LEVELS, it is very unlikely a healthy person would be infected, because their immune system should stop those very low levels of SARS-CoV-2 virus.
When the sneezed droplets land~settle on plastic & stainless steel, then viable virus was detected after three days. … On cardboard, the virus was not viable after 24 hours. … Even on copper, (a mild germicide), it took 4 hours for the virus to become inactivated.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) research scientists found that it takes about 66 minutes for half the virus aerosol particles to become inactive.
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/new-coronavirus-stable-hours-surfaces
That means that by 132 minutes (66 more minutes), three quarters of the SARS-CoV-2 virus IN FLOATING DROPLETS … are inactivated … but 25% are still viable. … 3 hrs after the sneeze~cough … the droplet’s active virus levels are down to 12.5%.
Notice that after 3 hours, the sneezed virus droplets have very likely ALL settled onto surfaces, or and or dried out. … but the dry contagious aerosols (from sneezes) can swirl surprising distances, out of patient rooms & into the hallways, as a person opens the door – swirling the air.
Finally note …It takes 7 half-lives, after 8 hours … just 8 parts in 1000 (0.8%) of the active virus in those sneezed-deposited-settled droplets …
Why care?
Even if someone sneezes on the can of beans you bought at the store… that virus lasts a mere 3 days … TIME FOR SURGICAL MASKS on possibly sneezing grocery store shelf stockers?? … or have the grocery store stockers wear gloves? 😉
Why Surgical masks? Surgical masks catch up to 99.9% of sneezed-launched droplets…
Finally … Notice that the path to you becoming infected with COVID-19 disease … is a CHAIN … (just like a cold virus) … BREAK any link in the chain, and the SARS-CoV-2 virus does NOT get into your eyes, mouth, nose etc…
Disinfection & Personal hygiene are the key … Disinfect your PHONE! … Disinfect~Wipe that front door knob, don’t touch common surfaces (doors, counters, pens, light switches) that others touch … Don’t touch your face, hands, mouth …
Wash with soap & water to kill viruses, but soap & water don’t kill bacteria. => that takes hand sanitizer or dilute bleach**.
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Dilute bleach disinfectant … (4-6 tsps of Mexican bleach or 2 tsps of 8.25% US bleach in 500 ml of water) sprayed & wiped on surfaces (doorknobs, handles, counters, etc) is pretty important to breaking the COVID-19 chain …
1:50 => 4 tsps of MEXICAN “Concentrated” laundry bleach in ½ liter of water
For the very strong US versions of bleach with 8.25% Sodium Hypochlorite, use just 2 tsps of bleach per 500 ml of water.
BUT MAKE up that very dilute-chlorine disinfectant solution fresh ~EVERY DAY~ … because the chloro-dissipates. 😉
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
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March 14, 2020 Updates:
Fortunately, the latest research report out yesterday (READ IT … link above) … is saying the people without symptoms ARE NOT very contagious, at all…
As many of us scientists suspected weeks ago, and reported weeks ago… SNEEZED – COUGHED aerosol droplets are …. “the primary source of COVID-19 infections” …
That means the real risks are now know to be from ACTIVE sneezers & coughers with fevers.
https://www.jwatch.org/na51083/2020/03/13/covid-19-incubation-period-update?fbclid=IwAR1N_zoCeP9mmJLnlYAmuckaiDPWEh9cDdzpawKNkKTm9v7z5BYv1f9qWuE
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
= = = =
IF YOU GET A FEVER … with dry coughing & or sneezing.
DO NOT GO OUT … Wear a surgical mask to catch your contagious sneezed-coughed aerosol droplets to protect your loved-ones around you. Have someone start disinfecting the things you all touch.**
CALL the Yucatan State’s Departamento de Salud SPECIAL line for people with COVID-19 symptoms … 1-800 YUCATAN … 800 – 982 – 2826
Their website: http://salud.yucatan.gob.mx/2020/03/coronavirus-aviso-para-viajeros/
lists 1 phone number to report possible COVID-19 infections 800 – 982 – 2826
Then note:
Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 … ” is primarily spread by (sneezed – coughed) droplets.”
This means that wearing a well-fitting N-95 MASK for a healthy family member, around sick people … is really key … because sneezed droplets are the primary method of spreading …
and … It also means that sick people, sneezing & coughing can very-effectively KEEP THE REST OF US much safer, by them wearing a cheap surgical mask that are superb at catching their sneezes & coughs.
Their sneezes may produce as many as 40 000 droplets between 0.5–12 μm in diameter (Cole & Cook, 1998; Tang et al., 2006) that may be expelled at speeds up to 223 mph… (100 m/s )… which is what drives the sneezed droplets into masks …
Then notice.. ” coughing may produce up to 3000 droplet nuclei, about the same number as talking for five minutes.”
(Cole & Cook, 1998; Fitzgerald & Haas, 2005; Tang et al., 2006).
and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143281/
… Dispose of the cheap contaminated (sneezed-into) surgical masks every hour or 2, depending on when they get wet. Handle them like toxic waste, and dispose of in a non-leaky plastic bag… (We don’t want our beloved basureros & the people who pick through the trash, getting sick !! )
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
= = = =
Notice that AKULAB in Merida is now offering the COVID-19 test . They are located in Los Pinos .
= = = =
How is the SARS-CoV-2 virus infecting people …. and Why?
What’s your real risk of a COVID-19 infection?
Are the people around you coughing directly onto each other?
Are the people around you sneezing onto each other?
That’s the primary way how the COVID-19-disease is transmitted.
The top virologists & top epidemiologists have been saying for a month, that SARS-CoV-2 virus is transmitted JUST LIKE cold viruses … and the CDC finally joined their scientific realizations & the latest best scientific results.
CDC head & top virologists explain that:
“It is very unlikely that you can catch the SARS-CoV-2 virus … from a person without symptoms” …
The medical doctors (who have relatively little scientific training, and even less training in viral disease transmission) have sadly been spreading misinformation and false reports for a month… of other people supposedly catching COVID-19 disease from people without symptoms.
How can you catch COVID-19 Disease from a person with no symptoms?
You can catch the SARS-CoV-2 virus from someone without symptoms by
~ swapping spit – kissing…
~ contact with their saliva …
~ contact with that infected persons boogers & snot
… yes, nose pickers who you shake hands with, can give you Coronavirus if you don’t bother to wash your hands…
~ handshakes with nose*pickers … with people who lick their fingers … people who stick their hands in their mouths … face touching…
Otherwise …. just like colds & flu, the PRIMARY mode of transmission of COVID-19 disease are the sick people’s SNEEZED & COUGHED droplets …
yet … IF those sick people wear a cheap simple surgical mask, the surgical masks catch 99.99% of the sneezed~coughed droplets…
AND … if the sick person sneezes~coughs into the air … it affects an area about 6 ft around … for 10 minutes… and the contagious droplets either land or settle out on nearby surfaces…
THEN … Healthy people who touch that surface, and THEN touch their face, eyes, nose or mouth … (without washing or hand sterilizing with gel) those people with sloppy hygiene… contaminate themselves.
If you are a person who goes years without a cold … then you have proven you have good personal hygiene.
Seriously … If you are a person who gets a cold virus or two every year … then CHANGE YOUR HABITS …
Read this scientific article by a Dr. of Public Health & Environment … former medical journal editor, former Public Health journal editor …. for details on WHAT WORKS.
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
= = = = =
The fact that Mexican officials caught ALL of Mexico’s first 26 cases … as travelers returning with COVID-19, means … maybe … we can metaphorically stop it … or slow it way down “at the border” … “at the airport” … and minimize it’s spreading by RAPID EARLY TESTING… Testing that was NOT available in the USA for a full 6½ weeks. …
~ By having PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL immediately sequester themselves at the first signs of symptoms … we literally have SLOWED the SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission … to a crawl … with ZERO reported “community transmitted” cases during the first month of COVID-19 infections in Mexico. 😉
The Mexican Health officials are literally ALL OVER this … well prepared (compared to the USA) … and taking good appropriate actions … while the US public health experts remained in the dark for over 6½ weeks … with no accurate testing available… and US officials still complain they do not know how many COVID-19 confirmed positive patients there are because the US private labs are keeping their test data “secret”… … withholding the results from officials.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/peter-wehner-trump-presidency-over/607969/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share&fbclid=IwAR0yhblChGu4rdOG47oUl6tLnbKiX8Lnstgdp8PYjN26YDZTB5dyfVV2IjQ
So … Let’s hope that the prepared Mexican approaches … work better than the USA’s 6½ choice to delay … and fly blind.
= = = =
Staying Safe … & Keeping Loved Ones safe:
Handwashing?
Handwashing has been shown to be reduce your COVID-19 risks on your hands, to near zero, if you wash with soapy suds for 30 seconds, because while soap does little to kill bacteria … soap is VERY GOOD at de-activating viruses (by washing the virus’s fatty lipid protective coating off – exposing & damaging the underlying viral proteins) … 😉
Effective handwashing takes some surprising effort … 30 seconds
(whistle Yankee Doodle, twice) with brisk rubbing with soapy suds …
Hand-sanitizers?
Hand-sanitizer gel usage can be very effective IF the handsanitizer has over 60% alcohol…
Handling Money??
… Bake the money for 20 minutes** in a 200º F warming oven …
and Yes … That’s a proven old-school technique from the 1930’s => Dry Sterilization …
Why??
… BEST CURRENT EVIDENCE says “The COVID-19 disease’s SARS-CoV-2 virus can linger on surfaces for 2 – 3 days.”
**Notice that if an object is at 145º F (65º C) for at least 3 minutes, the heat kills all viruses & all bacteria and even Cryptoporids & their encysted spores. That means that if we spread the bills & coins out on cookie sheets in an already warm 200ºF warming oven – the bills & coins temperatures heated for 10 minutes, would easily exceed the 145ºF @ 3 minutes standard. … Since some people’s ovens may not be at 200ºF, and since some people may put in small clumps of bills, then 20 minutes at 200ºF gets typical clumps of bills upt to 145ºF for 3 mnutes.
Why aren’t the Big Media talking heads reporting this?
It’s not clear … but China reports it’s Central Bank is now sterilizing their money.
… Notice that today’s latest report ALSO says that
“Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 … is primarily spread by (sneezed – coughed) droplets.”
The key to recognizing people who can spread the COVID-19 disease, is their fever, sneezing & coughing. 😉
which also says that wearing a well-fitting N-95 MASK is really key … because sneezed droplets are the primary method of spreading …
and … It also means that sick people, sneezing & coughing can very-effectively KEEP THE REST OF US much safer, by them wearing a cheap surgical mask that catches their sneezes & coughs.
YAY!
= = = =
IF YOU GET A FEVER … with coughing & sneezing.
DO NOT GO OUT … Wear a surgical mask to catch your contagious sneezed-coughed aerosol droplets. Have someone start disinfecting the things we touch.**
CALL the Yucatan State’s Departamento de Salud …
Their website: http://salud.yucatan.gob.mx/2020/03/coronavirus-aviso-para-viajeros/
lists 1 phone number to report possible COVID-19 infections 999 930 3050 ext 45042
Then note:
Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 … ” is primarily spread by (sneezed – coughed) droplets.”
This means that wearing a well-fitting N-95 MASK for a healthy family member, around sick people … is really key … because sneezed droplets are the primary method of spreading …
and … It also means that sick people, sneezing & coughing can very-effectively KEEP THE REST OF US much safer, by them wearing a cheap surgical mask that are superb at catching their sneezes & coughs.
… Dispose of the cheap contaminated (sneezed-into) surgical masks every hour or 2, depending on when they get wet. Handle them like toxic waste, and dispose of in a non-leaky plastic bag… (We don’t want our beloved basureros & the people who pick through the trash, getting sick !! )
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
= = = =
Notice that AKULAB in Merida is now offering the COVID-19 test . They are located in Los Pinos .
http://www.akulab.com.mx/contacto
= = = =
GOING OUT of the House?
Me? … for now …. I’ll continue to go out
but, because my wife is extremely immuno-compromised from Lupus medications … I’ll be taking a few precautions.
1. … The 2m rule makes sense. People’s sneezes & coughs go into about a 6 ft radius … and the sneezed aerosol droplets can persist (float around) for up to 3 hours in that area.
This may be cause to wear a well fitted N-95 mask … in any area where people have coughed in the last 3 hrs.
2. Wuhan Corona virus (aka COVID-19) has just NOW been shown to last about 2 – 3 days on surfaces… 😉
“The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The results provide key information about the stability of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, and suggests that people may acquire the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects.”
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/new-coronavirus-stable-hours-surfaces
3. SOAP disrupts the lipid (fatty) coating on virus molecules … and literally inactivates the viral proteins – so the virus molecules are no longer contagious – NOT transmittable after contact with soap.
4. People may have COVID-19 for as many as 14 days without showing any symptoms – gradually spreading their virus to surfaces and to things they touch during that 14 days.
4. a. … Those surfaces touched by the COVID-carrier, then can remain contaminated for 2 – 3 more days.
That results in an apparently healthy person contaminating things they touch (counters, door handles, fruits, veg … COINS … BILLS ) contaminating things unknowingly for up to 17 days.
5. #4 means that about anything you touch from being out in public … during the next 20 – 30 days … could be contaminated.
6. #3 means that you can either use soap to wash your fruit, veg & counters… and STEERING WHEEL on the car when you go out … and CAR DOOR HANDLE … gear shift knob-lever, etc.
Avoid big crowds … knuckle-bump … fore-arm bump …open doors with your butt or forearm~elbow …
Do your best to not touch your face…
Me? … I plan to wash hands before eating and … every time I leave home & enter home – to get into a habit ~ routine. ..
… After going out, plan a a few minutes of cleanup time** … Use dilute bleach (1 L spray bottle with 4 teaspoons of bleach … 1 part bleach in 50 parts water) … Backtrack to the car … Wipe ~ Disinfect doorknobs, light switches, the car door handle, the steering wheel, gear shift knob … the driver’s door interior handle.
Then either wash fruit & veg & coins in soapy water… or in a 5 minute VERY dilute bleach solution (just 10 drps of bleach in 1 L of water. … rinse coins & fruit w/ water…
7. I personally like using very dilute bleach versus soap, because soap only does less than ½ the job. Soap DOES NOT KILL BACTERIA, like SALMONELLA … soap only de-activates viruses … Soap also does not kill our common parasites …
Instead the dilute bleach solutions kills:
~ kills parasites, their eggs, etc.
~ kills amoebas
~ kills paramecia
~ kills cryptosporids & their cysts (like giardia)
~ kills bacteria
~kills viruses…
😉
8. Because of the 17 day window of well-meaning infected people (with no symptoms) transmitting their illness to bills, & coins … I’ll be gently baking our cash in a warming oven – for 20 minutes at 180ºF to 200ºF … => superbly proven dry disinfection that kills EVERYTHING…
Dry disinfection at less than boiling water temps is a proven approach for sterilizing surgical instruments … for sterilizing soil samples (US-APHIS protocols) …
Just like 175ºF has been used for PASTEURIZING FOODS …. killing everything, for the last 160 yrs. 😉.
= = = =
#9 … CLEAN THE FRICKKEN FONE … and DISINFECT THE FRIKKEN COMPUTER KEYBOARD … and THE MOUSE** ….
and 9. b … wipe down the remotes (TV, A/C etc) that others touch.
😉
= = = =
Why ignore the mistaken medical doctor’s advice?
Are you really at risk from infected people who have no symptom?
Yes, the day before they have symptoms & the day that symptoms start have their viral loads peaking, and with high viral shedding rates IN THEIR THROATS.
How does that that SARS-CoV-2 virus shed in their throat … get into your eyes, nose, mouth … if the asymptomatic person is NOT coughing & NOT sneezing?
There are chains of successive events, where the sick-os lick their fingers, pick their noses, contaminate their hands … and then touch things that you touch.
Break any link in the chain, and you stay safe.
What can you do about it:
If we don’t disinfect that door handle, airline-counter, glass, plate, grocery store checkout counter .. the credit card the clerk handled … the shopping cart handle ,,, then the virus can remain viable, contagious … for up to 2 -3 days.
Then … you have touch that thing … the thing that the finger-licker, nose-picker touched …. and then you have to touch your own eye, nose or put your finger in your mouth … contaminating yourself.
Avoid areas where some infected person has sneezed or coughed in the last 3 hrs.
😦 …. or wear a well fitting N-95 mask in those areas.
Work to break those chains … pay a bit of attention to your personal habits & personal hygiene …. to keep yourself, family & loved ones safe.
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
= = = =
Why ignore the mistaken medical doctor’s advice?
Are you really at risk from infected people who have no symptoms?
Yes, the day before they have symptoms & the day that symptoms start have their viral loads peaking, and with high viral shedding rates IN THEIR THROATS.
How does those high levels of SARS-CoV-2 virus, shed into their throat … get into your eyes, nose, mouth … if the asymptomatic person is NOT coughing & NOT sneezing?
There are chains of successive events, where the sick-os lick their fingers, pick their noses, contaminate their hands … and then touch things that you touch.
Break any link in the chain, and you stay safe.
= = = =
What can you do about it:
If we don’t disinfect that door handle, airline-counter, glass, plate, grocery store checkout counter .. the credit card the clerk handled … the shopping cart handle ,,, then the virus can remain viable, contagious … for up to 2 -3 days.
Then … you have touch that thing … the thing that the finger-licker, nose-picker touched …. and then you have to touch your own eye, nose or put your finger in your mouth … contaminating yourself.
Work to break those chains … pay a bit of attention to your personal habits & personal hygiene …. to keep yourself, family & loved ones safe.
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
= = = =
**Disinfecting & Home Cleanup … Personal Health Protection Protocols:
For surface disinfection:
= = = =
URGENT NOTE:
Chloralex, Blancatel , El Cheapissimo, … “Concentrado” … “Maximum Concentración” ???
I just finished a fun hour long dialogue~exchange with a good US pharmacist friend on … “How much bleach to use” …
and I realized that I was advising twice as much bleach as he advised in his FB post, and was intrigued.
It turns out that bleaches in Mexico range from 2% up to 5% Sodium Hypochlorite … (cheaper$ = lowest concentration … most expensive => highest concentration)…
The first hurdle? … The fine pharmacist didn’t realize that he chose an 8.25% super-bleach USA concentration advice from US Public Health websites…
but… if you’re using El Cheapo brand Mexican bleach (2%) … then you need 4X more bleach when making your disinfection solution, than if you can get “the Good Stuff” from the USA. 😉
= = = =
**Disinfecting & Home Cleanup … Personal Health Protection Protocols:
For surface disinfection:
So… Here’s how many teaspoons of bleach you need to add to your 500 mL spray bottle of COVID-19 disinfectant for fridge handles, car steering wheels, front door handle, light switches, etc.
US MAXIMUM Concentration 8.25% => 2 tsps per ½ liter.
Chloralex “MAXIMUM Concentracion” 4% => 4 tsps per ½ liter.
Blancatel “Concentrado” 3.25% => 5 tsps per ½ liter.
Blancatel (regular) => 6 tsps per liter.
El Cheapo => 8 tsps per liter.
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
= = = =
Using Mexico’s best bleach (Chloralex “Maxima Concentracion) dilute bleach ( ½ L spray bottle with 4 teaspoons of bleach … 1 part bleach in 50 parts water) … Remember … Backtrack to the car … Wipe ~ Disinfect doorknobs, light switches, the car door handle, the steering wheel, gear shift knob … the driver’s door interior handle. … anything you touched …
If you are NOT familiar with making dilute bleach solutions for disinfecting … READ THIS:
Procedures for preparing and using diluted bleach
To prepare and use diluted bleach:
-
use a mask, rubber gloves and waterproof apron; goggles also are recommended to protect the eyes from splashes;
-
mix and use bleach solutions in well-ventilated areas;
-
mix bleach with cold water (hot water decomposes the sodium hypochlorite and renders it ineffective);
-
if using bleach containing 5% sodium hypochlorite, dilute it to 0.05%, as shown in below.
Precautions for the use of bleach
-
Bleach can corrode metals and damage painted surfaces.
-
Avoid touching the eyes. If bleach gets into the eyes, immediately rinse with water for at least 15 minutes, and consult a physician.
-
Do not use bleach together with other household detergents, because this reduces its effectiveness and can cause dangerous chemical reactions. For example, a toxic gas is produced when bleach is mixed with acidic detergents, such as those used for toilet
cleaning, and this gas can cause death or injury. If necessary, use detergents first, and rinse thoroughly with water before using bleach for
disinfection.
-
Undiluted bleach emits a toxic gas when exposed to sunlight; thus, store bleach in a cool, shaded place, out of the reach of children.
-
Sodium hypochlorite decomposes with time. To ensure its effectiveness, purchase recently produced bleach, and avoid over-stocking.
-
If using diluted bleach, prepare the diluted solution fresh daily. Label and date it, and discard unused mixtures 24 hours after preparation.
-
Organic materials inactivate bleach; clean surfaces so that they are clear of organic materials before
disinfection with bleach.
-
Keep diluted bleach covered and protected from sunlight, and if possible in a dark container, and out of the reach of children.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK214356/
and …
“”Disinfection by WIPING of nonporous surfaces: a contact time of ≥ 10 minutes is recommended.”
“Disinfection by immersion of items: a contact time of 30 minutes is recommended. ”
= = = =
Then either wash fruit & veg & coins ~possibly~ in soapy water… (TASTES NASTY & does NOT affect bacterial contamination like Salmonella) … or safely & easily SOAK FRUIT & VEG in a … 5 minute …. VERY dilute bleach solution (just 10 drps of bleach in 1 L of water. … rinse coins & fruit w/ water…
7. I personally like using very dilute bleach versus soap, because soap only does less than ½ the job. Soap DOES NOT KILL BACTERIA, like SALMONELLA … soap only de-activates viruses … Soap also does not kill our common parasites …
Instead the dilute bleach solutions kills ALL of it:
~ kills parasites, their eggs, etc.
~ kills amoebas
~ kills paramecia
~ kills cryptosporids & their cysts (like giardia)
~ kills bacteria
~kills viruses…
😉
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
= = = =
USA just put in travel bans (restrictions) on UK flights… starting Monday night.
49 out of 50 US States now have COVID-19 diseased patients.
Trump did “come into close contact” with 2 CONFIRMED sick Republicans.
In spited of their own orders … Trump & top Republicans keep shaking hands … as proven by yesterday’s fotos….
Over 60 deaths in the USA with 3000 confirmed cases … 2% death rate …
Does preparedness & good healthcare work?
Well prepared … effective Germany similarly has 3,000 cases … but just 6 deaths … So …. USA’s #37 in the world … low quality healthcare is sadly having 10X times more dead, than Germany.
So far … Mexico has 41 COVID-19 disease cases.
= = = =
Interesting Research Results from Yesterday, Friday the 13’th…
Estimated median incubation times (IT) for COVID-19 is 5.1 days; mean IT was 5.5 days.
For 97.5% of infected persons, symptoms appear by 11.5 days
Finally consider … the SARS-CoV-2 is just now proven to remain active-viable infectious … transmitting COVID-19 contagion … for 2 – 3 days on surfaces.
And yes … we can disinfect surfaces easily with dilute bleach (4 tsps of bleach in 1 L of water in a spray bottle) … or sudsy-soap inactivates-destroys the SARS-CoV-2 virus …
aka the virus that causes COVID-19 infections.
https://www.jwatch.org/na51083/2020/03/13/covid-19-incubation-period-update
At AKULAB we have the COVID-19 test . We are located at los pinos .
Notice that At AKULAB in Merida is offering the COVID-19 test . They are located in Los Pinos .
http://www.akulab.com.mx/contacto
Things are in flux …
Keep coming back to read the latest info…
~ Stay well, stay informed, stay safe. ~
.
.
./
Feb. 29, 2020
As USA has just recorded their first Coronavirus death …**
(and now … just 3 days later, the US Death Toll is up to 6)
How is the Wuhan Coronavirus (aka COVID-19) affecting the people we know & love?
Are you at risk? … What are the risks of death for Covid-19? … 2% ? … as reported by the talking heads of Big Media outlets?
What is your personal risk?
Curiously, as we consider men vs women, young vs old, healthy vs sick people … What about healthy people with underlying conditions – that are under control? … Diabetes? … Lung Problems? … High Blood Pressure?
What about people with immune system problems, or cancer … people who are being treated with steroids or other drugs suppress their immune systems, but who are currently living healthy lives?
Considering all those real world factors … realize that that no group on Earth has the “2% death rate” described by Big Media.
So far … The actual statistics are not quite what Big Media … FaceBook … and other people claim… Sadly, UNLIKE FLU …. COVID-19 infected people with ~no symptoms~ are shedding as much virus as COVID-19 people hospitalized with critical infections.
= = = = = = = = =
Sadly, unlike Flu … COVID-19 death rates are 46X – 75X higher than Flu, for the higher-risk groups … Cardiovascular disease patients … Diabetics … High Blood Pressure & people with respiratory (lung) problems ... people over age 60 … and Cancer patients & others with compromised immune systems.
= = = = = = = = =
First US Death reported …
Supposedly moderately healthy man “in his ’50’s” … no history of travel or contact with a known COVID-19 case … 😦
Before we dive into the actual current (Feb. 29, 2020) COVID-19 statistics, consider this graphic:
Notice that depending on your age, you may take very different precautions.
Then consider the consequences that many contagious people with COVID-19 are infecting the people around them for a full 2 weeks … before they show any symptoms.
Even scarier: Some contagious people spreading COVID-19, never show symptoms.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/?fbclid=IwAR3nS0l8iVKfUZVRWTSQaX60ufwevH5T2__SuoRyDuA5pFsPj7hA428hkzA
“COVID-19 Fatality Rate by AGE:
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%). This probability differs depending on the age group. The percentage shown below does NOT represent in any way the share of deaths by age group. Rather, it represents, for a person in a given age group, the risk of dying if infected with COVID-19.
|
AGE
|
DEATH RATE
confirmed cases |
DEATH RATE
all cases |
|
80+ years old
|
21.9%
|
14.8%
|
|
70-79 years old
|
|
8.0%
|
|
60-69 years old
|
|
3.6%
|
|
50-59 years old
|
|
1.3%
|
|
40-49 years old
|
|
0.4%
|
|
30-39 years old
|
|
0.2%
|
|
20-29 years old
|
|
0.2%
|
|
10-19 years old
|
|
0.2%
|
| 0-9 years old |
|
no fatalities
|
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%).
In general, relatively few cases are seen among children.
Sex ratio
COVID-19 Fatality Rate by SEX:
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%). This probability differs depending on sex. When reading these numbers, it must be taken into account that smoking in China is much more prevalent among males. Smoking increases the risks of respiratory complications.
|
SEX
|
DEATH RATE
confirmed cases |
DEATH RATE
all cases |
|
Male
|
4.7%
|
2.8%
|
|
Female
|
2.8%
|
1.7%
|
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%).
Pre-existing medical conditions (comorbidities)
Patients who reported no pre-existing (“comorbid”) medical conditions had a case fatality rate of 0.9%. Pre-existing illnesses that put patients at higher risk of dying from a COVID-19 infection are:
COVID-19 Fatality Rate by COMORBIDITY:
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%). This probability differs depending on pre-existing condition. The percentage shown below does NOT represent in any way the share of deaths by pre-existing condition. Rather, it represents, for a patient with a given pre-existing condition, the risk of dying if infected by COVID-19.
|
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION
|
DEATH RATE
confirmed cases |
DEATH RATE
all cases |
|
Cardiovascular disease
|
13.2%
|
10.5%
|
|
Diabetes
|
9.2%
|
7.3%
|
|
Chronic respiratory disease
|
8.0%
|
6.3%
|
|
Hypertension
|
8.4%
|
6.0%
|
|
Cancer
|
7.6%
|
5.6%
|
|
no pre-existing conditions
|
|
0.9%
|
*Death Rate = (number of deaths / number of cases) = probability of dying if infected by the virus (%). ”
Other Current Statistics on COVID-19
86,000 People are confirmed sick with Coronavirus at the moment across 47 countries,
of which 79,000 are in China. This means that if you are not in or haven’t recently visited China, this might reduce 94% of your concern.
If you do contract Coronavirus, this still is not a cause for panic because:
82% of the Cases are MILD
18% of the Cases are Serious or Critical …
Which means that even if you do get the virus, you are more likely to recover from it. … but … there have been 3,000 deaths out of 86,000 confirmed cases.
Latest data here:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?fbclid=IwAR3uSe5VOzGNmgjA7o-JQ7pFXr5EAUeyrCJVRydCHLGbylzgZb1wpNhYSII
Some have said, “but this is worse than SARS !.
SARS had a fatality rate of 10% while COVID-19 has an overall fatality rate of 3.5%… but as we saw from the results above, your actual risks of death may be as high as 15%.
This means that:
if you are under 50 years of age and don’t live in China – you are more likely to win the lottery (which has a 1 in 45,000,000 chance).
Handwashing?
Handwashing has been shown to be reduce your COVID-19 risks from your hands, to near zero, if you wash with soapy suds for 30 seconds, because while soap does little to kill bacteria … soap is VERY GOOD at de-activating viruses (by washing the virus’s fatty lipid protective coating off – exposing & damaging the underlying viral proteins) … 😉
Effective handwashing takes some surprising effort … 30 seconds (whistle Yankee Doodle, twice) of brisk rubbing with soapy suds …
Hand-sanitizers?
Hand-sanitizer gel usage can be very effective IF the handsanitizer has over 60% alcohol…
Handling Money??
… Bake the money for 20 minutes** in a 200º F warming oven …
and Yes … That’s a proven old-school technique from the 1930’s => Dry Sterilization …
Why??
… BEST CURRENT EVIDENCE says “The COVID-19 disease’s SARS-CoV-2 virus can linger on surfaces for 2 – 3 days.”
**Notice that if an object is at 145º F (65º C) for at least 3 minutes, the heat kills all viruses & all bacteria and even Cryptoporids & their encysted spores. That means that if we spread the bills & coins out on cookie sheets in an already warm 200ºF warming oven – the bills & coins temperatures heated for 10 minutes, would easily exceed the 145ºF @ 3 minutes standard. … Since some people’s ovens may not be at 200ºF, and since some people may put in small clumps of bills, then 20 minutes at 200ºF gets typical clumps of bills upt to 145ºF for 3 mnutes.
Why aren’t the Big Media talking heads reporting this?
It’s not clear … but China reports it’s Central Bank is now sterilizing their money.
https://www.livescience.com/how-long-coronavirus-last-surfaces.html
Further Examples … Notice that “Pasteurization” of foods & drinks has been proven for over 150 years … Pasteurization temperatures are 63º – 65º C for 30 minutes. … The 200º F (93º C) money-sterilization for 20 minutes very nicely exceeds typical ‘Pasteurization’ protocols. 😉
Wearing a Mask?
“That’s the problem … you should only be wearing a mask if you are sick.”
Notice that wearing a well-fitting N95 mask can keep BOTH the caregivers and the AT-RISK healthy patients (who have compromised immune systems or lung problems) … from inhaling over 99% other people’s sneezed droplets.
None of us want to inhale this gunk … floating around for hours. 
Realities of Well-fitting N95 Masks versus stylish & chic Surgical Masks:
Sadly … Many talking heads on TV and even some Medical Doctors & Nurses are quoting results for leaky surgical masks … because as non-scientists, they aren’t familiar with the scientific test results – and they inappropriately substitute their knowledge of surgical masks (SM’s) in place of N-95 FFR mask performance.
Typical Doctor’s & Nurses surgical masks leak roughly 40% of the contagious sneezed aerosol droplets – through gaps around the nose & cheeks.
Surgical masks are designed to catch Doctor’s sneezes & Nurse’s coughs in the ER … to keep the patient safe from the Doctors & Nurses – protecting the patient … not the Doctor nor the Nurse.
Well-fitted N95 FFRs masks are INSTEAD designed to protect the patient from inhaling contagious sneezed aerosol droplets floating around in the air … protecting the wearer from inhaling 99.8% of small airborne liquid aerosol.
Again … Notice that a well fitted N95 mask is proven to block 99.8% of the contagious droplets sneezed~coughed by others.
Notice that both caregivers & people with lung problems or compromised immune systems … diabetes patients … cancer patients … and cardiovascular disease …. need well fitting N95 masks … NOT SURGICAL MASKS …
NOT this … These styles leak air around the nose & cheeks:
Instead, consider a well-fitting N95 mask, that has no gaps around the nose or cheeks, like this:
Proofs:
Tests using aerosols in the size range of sneezed droplets showed … two different N95 FFRs showed just 0.17% and 0.86% “Filter Penetration”… blocking even tiny 0.045 micron (um) aerosol droplets.
while the basic leaky Surgical Mask had 88.1% “Filter Penetration” …
For comparison, sneezed contagious droplets at 0.5 um – 12 um are much easier to block (stop from inhalation) than the 99.8% efficiency found for 0.045 um test aerosol droplets.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4589201/
WHEN to Wear a Mask:
Virologists are saying that when a Coronavirus patient sneezes or coughs, it can be inhaled by people within a 6 ft (2 meters) radius … and within 10 minutes of the infected person sneezing or coughing.
That means anyone sick with COVID-19 should wear a mask, to catch their sneezed droplets, and anyone within 6 ft of an uncovered sneeze or cough can benefit from wearing a well fitting N95 mask.
Example: You’re in the grocery store line, and the infected person in line behind you sneezes, and the person in front of you coughs – you’re pretty jammed up, without a mask. … and if those people in line coughing & sneezing were wearing masks … the it’s a seriously good help for everyone within 2 meters.
Then … Consider the scientific study results for contagious viral transmission contact on a plane.
One sick person walking down the aisle to the bathroom is shown to potentially contaminate every single person they walk by (15 rows x 2 people on each side) – if they happen to sneeze or cough.
Well fitting N-95 Masks on the sick people, and on the people on the aisle seats … get help = protection from the masks.
That means that for all the contagious people with no symptoms, walking around, infecting others with COVID-19… it points to contact mechanisms.
Stopping Transmission that happens When We Touch Things:
Unfortunately, it means that we touch a surface that they touched, and then we (without thinking) we touch our face, nose or mouth … or casually rub our eye … or we touch a snack that we pick up.
Since Coronaviruses are shown to remain viable on surfaces up to 9 days … it points to some real risks we may not normally think about,
like touching a contaminated counter (at a bank, grocery checkout, or airport) … or touching the handle on a shopping cart or basket … or the grocery store cooler doors…or touch the keypad on a CC machine (to enter a PIN) or ATM keypad …
or touching money … that’s passed through many hands during the previous 9 days.
or worse yet … a shared keyboard at the nurses station or an ER’s tech-station ???
That perspective may mean re-thinking a bit about how we go through our days.
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So, yes, even with washing hands (20 full seconds of soapy suds & aggressive-brisk rubbing to get a 25% reduced risk) … and a good N95 well fitting mask (reducing airborne respiratory virus to near zero) … we are still left with the risks of eye contact …
but hopefully, nobody sneezes into your eye.
Finally, Follow your doctor’s advice … If COVID-19 appears in your area, consider avoiding crowds and avoiding areas where previous people’s sneezes & coughs contaminated aerosol droplets linger in the air – and are transmitted by the building’s big air-handling systems (like on cruise ships) … and maybe even consider sterilizing your money (??)
… Bake the money for 20 – 30 minutes in a 200º F warming oven … 200º F is 93º C …
It’s a well proven old-school technique from the 1930’s => Dry Sterilization …
If you or loved ones have loved-ones with pre-existing medical conditions … including suppressed immune systems, diabetes, cardiac conditions, respiratory problems, cancer, and even high blood pressure … consider restricting their visitors … and apply the same handwashing, hand sanitizer, & N95 mask protections for their caregivers – so the caregivers do not unknowingly challenge the patient with a Coronavirus infection that is not showing symptoms.
* * * * * *
Be well … Take reasonable precautions … Do your best to protect loved-ones with pre-existing medical conditions … including suppressed immune systems, diabetes, cardiac conditions, respiratory problems, cancer, and even high blood pressure.
Disclaimers:
As always, consult with your physician for any health issues. This article is only for informational & entertainment purposes. It is not to replace your Doctor’s advice.
and …. Stay current with the updates on local & regional health concerns for where you live …
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Final Scientific Notes:
For people who are curious:
Strong UV of the correct wavelength (high energy) light KILLS germs, by wrecking their DNA & RNA…
Germicidal UV ranges from 100-280 nm wavelengths … known as UV-C …. The peak wavelength for germicidal activity is at 265 nm. (like in a UV light sterilizer)
The DNA and RNA of microorganisms absorbs “UV-C”, damaging the DNA & RNA molecular structures, rendering the microbes (germs – bacteria – viruses) unable to replicate.
This means that direct intense sunlight … may kill SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces. 😉
but … the kill rates per exposure time have not been determined…
and …. the closer you are to the sun is REALLY key … the time of day (mid-day max UV) …. where high altitudes (5000 ft, 10000 ft, 12000 ft) and how close to the equator your are … give less air-atmosphere that absorbs UV ..
and the length of exposure to the sun’s UV-C light increases the DNA & RNA damage = harmful to both microbes & you => nasty cancer risks for humans out in the sun due to altering your skin’s DNA.
Shortest most intense pathlengths through the atmosphere, happen at mid day (look at your solar system output) … at high altitudes, and closer to the equator.
😉
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Published data have suggested that sneezing may produce as many as 40 000 droplets between 0.5–12 μm in diameter (Cole & Cook, 1998; Tang et al., 2006) that may be expelled at speeds up to 100 m/s (Wells, 1955; Cole & Cook, 1998), whereas coughing may produce up to 3000 droplet nuclei, about the same number as talking for five minutes (Cole & Cook, 1998; Fitzgerald & Haas, 2005; Tang et al., 2006). Despite the variety in size, large droplets comprise most of the total volume of expelled respiratory droplets.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143281/
In the classic study of airborne transmission, Wells (1934) was able to identify the difference between disease transmission via large droplets and by airborne routes. Wells found that, under normal air conditions, droplets smaller than 100 μm in diameter would completely dry out before falling approximately 2 m to the ground.
Droplet nuclei floating on the air may be carried by the movement of air. Entrainment of air into neighbouring airspaces may occur during the most innocuous daily activities; for example, as a result of people walking, or the opening of a door between a room and the adjacent corridor or space (Hayden et al., 1998; Edge, Paterson & Settles, 2005; Tang et al., 2005, 2006). In addition, the air temperature (and therefore air density) differences across an open doorway will also cause air exchange to occur between the two areas, providing a second mechanism to allow air into other areas (Tang et al., 2005, 2006) (see ).
A higher air temperature directly above the patient’s head (or body, if lying down) will create convective air currents that may entrain potentially infectious air from neighbouring spaces into the higher temperature column rising air above the patient (Craven & Settles, 2006). Patients lying in bed, breathing or sleeping, may produce exhaled airflows that can reach the airspace of a patient in the neighbouring bed, and even further in the presence of certain types of ventilation systems (see below) (Qian et al., 2006).
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Resource Article describing why food is safe:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/03/food-safety-and-coronavirus-a-comprehensive-guide.html?fbclid=IwAR1rr2V-_xyNdhsHWwIGPwSPFdDakobd4k5d-Ph6P1HGbLOQ0F8w22WKl-Y
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Surviving Yucatan 