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Post by questa on Feb 25, 2020 10:24:49 GMT
I have long advised my work colleagues and friends to holiday in countries that are going through "Interesting times". Keep away from the places where there are high numbers of foreigners.
If you stay in a family place, they will look after you like family. Hotels are almost paying you to stay there. Pick your sleeping place away from news-worthy locations.Remember the fight is usually between local sides and they take no notice of tourists, or if anything they are grateful for the chance to put their side of any story. It is not good to take sides.
The main advantage is you see the place without the crowds and you get the thanks of the people. *Laos...army removing mines with a big boom.Various groups trying to steal them. *Yogyakarta...Bomb detonated 2 streets from my place at 2am..tried to flatten public toilet. *Cambodia...Khmer Rouge still hanging on with occasional raids on villagers .
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 25, 2020 15:00:05 GMT
I was in Indonesia with a friend just one month after the big bomb in Bali. It was not nice at all to feel that we were the only Western tourists in the entire country, even though the Indonesians adored us for being there, especially in Bali. I must say that I have never eaten such bad food as on that trip -- it seemed to have been waiting for us for a week, and absolutely nothing seemed fresh. And since I had been there before, I was all the more disappointed since I had loved the food.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 continues to spread across Italy, and the situation is even worse in Iran (not that anybody believes what the Iranians are saying any more than the Chinese). I think I read that some people brought a few cases from Italy to Austria now.
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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 25, 2020 15:20:24 GMT
Makes a change from all that Liebfraumilch...
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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 25, 2020 16:56:58 GMT
Mich, so sorry you've been unwell. You've had more than your fair share this winter.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 25, 2020 18:03:49 GMT
Here we go: there are now two cases of Covid-19 in France -- one in Paris and one farther south.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 25, 2020 18:55:27 GMT
Italy is now up to 11 deaths for 322 cases. That's 3.4%.
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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 25, 2020 21:58:10 GMT
Daughter due to go to Japan end of next week. What’s happening there?
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 25, 2020 23:36:04 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 26, 2020 5:13:24 GMT
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Post by whatagain on Feb 26, 2020 11:57:55 GMT
Got a mail from hierarchy forbidding travel to northern italy.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 26, 2020 12:43:01 GMT
12 now dead in Italy.
France has 3 new cases and a death in Paris - a French person who had not travelled anywhere.
There are now more new cases in the rest of the world every day than new cases in China.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Feb 26, 2020 15:17:48 GMT
The advice given by our government is to self-quarantine if you've recently travelled to areas affected by the virus. A couple of schools gave closed as a precaution because some of the sixth form students have been on a skiing trip to northern Italy.
If we suspect that we have the virus then we're told to stay indoors at home and contact the NHS by telephone, the 111 number rather than 999...presumably if coronavirus becomes more virulent there will be a dedicated number to call.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 26, 2020 15:37:49 GMT
Yes, in France, too, you are supposed to call 15 for medical emergencies to let them figure out the risk and come and get you if necessary. You are not at all supposed to go and see your doctor to spread the disease.
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Post by bjd on Feb 26, 2020 16:58:14 GMT
I am nearly never sick and yesterday I had a sore throat, today a runny nose and I'm cold. I haven't been to China, nor to northern Italy -- maybe the group of Chinese tourists I saw across the street in Paris 2 weeks ago?
I'll just sleep it off.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 26, 2020 17:19:39 GMT
My mother lives in an assisted living facility & the whole place was put on quarantine when some of the residents came down with flu. Mama said that everyone was tested & she was one of five people to have it. I don't think this was coronavirus, but will get more information as she feels better. She stayed in her apartment for several days with her meals brought to her, as did the other four flu sufferers. She said the thing really wiped her out and that she still feels weak & with no appetite, although she's now going to meals in the dining room for the social aspect.
So yes, Bjd -- do try sleeping it off and taking it easy. Bad colds are miserable enough & flu is just the worst.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 26, 2020 17:23:03 GMT
There were numerous flu outbreaks at my mother's nursing home over the years, and people were discouraged from visiting. I paid no attention, but it is true that each outbreak freed up at least a half dozen of the 130 rooms as they dropped like flies. My mother was never sick.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 27, 2020 16:41:49 GMT
Japan is closing all schools for a month (13 million students). Friday prayers are cancelled in Iran. Saudi Arabia has halted all visits to Mecca.
Do the leaders of these countries know something that we don't know?
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Post by mich64 on Feb 27, 2020 17:14:32 GMT
Do the leaders of these countries know something that we don't know? My initial response as well! A one month school closure seems like an extreme response to what we have been told thus far. bjd, I hope you are feeling better today.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 27, 2020 17:17:33 GMT
A one month school closure seems like an extreme response to what we have been told thus far. You can imagine the reaction of Japanese families where both parents work.
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Post by mich64 on Feb 27, 2020 17:53:13 GMT
You can imagine the reaction of Japanese families where both parents work. Absolutely! People must be scrambling to figure out what to do. Parents here deal with "snow day closures", like we are having today! Many parents do have plans in place for when they happen. Last year there were at least 14 snow day closures through the winter season, this year maybe 6 so far. Planning for a month would be incredibly challenging to say the least.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 27, 2020 17:57:21 GMT
I'm wondering about day care centers as well. That's where kids not yet in primary school go and those are often private businesses. Working parents are stuck with the dilemma of needing to go to work, but probably not wanting their children in a nest of other kids right now.
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Post by mich64 on Feb 27, 2020 18:05:28 GMT
probably not wanting their children in a nest of other kids right now. Actually Bixa, since this is how most parents will have to resolve their childcare needs, how is it even different from them being in school? Keuroac is correct, most parents both work so it is not realistic that the children will be staying home with a parent, so it makes me wonder what is the point? You are also correct, there will still be many children together, just in smaller groups.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 27, 2020 18:14:14 GMT
Thank god for grandparents, but not everybody has them at hand, not to mention the ones you don't like, or who would refuse, and also the ones who are really nice and deserve not to have such a burden thrown on them.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 27, 2020 19:16:50 GMT
Okay, here comes the surge in France -- the health authorities just announced 20 more cases, due to the hospital where the French man died yesterday -- and how many other people were in contact with these 20 people?
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 27, 2020 19:48:20 GMT
650 cases in Italy, 48 in France. (Yes, I know I'm being a bit euro-centric at the moment.)
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Post by bjd on Feb 27, 2020 20:03:47 GMT
Thanks Mich -- I'm better today, it's just a cold now.
Since children don't seem to be affected by this Covid 19, I don't see the point of closing schools for a month.
I watched a debate by some French doctors this evening -- they said the masks are useless, other than for people who are very sick and might be coughing a lot. And that most masks being sold don't stop anything. They also said that decision about closing borders, schools or whatever are political precautions. Politicans have to look as though they are doing something to prevent the spread of the disease.
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Post by bjd on Feb 27, 2020 20:13:02 GMT
Just adding that I saw that Trump has named VP Pence as the guy in charge of dealing with the virus in the States. This should be interesting -- prayer as a solution.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 27, 2020 22:43:35 GMT
My mother has vented about the @#$%^&* packs of home-schooled children turned loose into her assisted living center. Really, it fills me with fury as well. There's the whole smarmy do-gooder crap about the little darlings bringing love to the lonely shut-ins. People in assisted living are not shut-ins and choose assisted living for pragmatic reasons. They own cars and can come and go as they please. The choice to live there in their own apartments is predicated on disabilities or frailties of age. I've seen the youtube videos of the little darlings going up to some elderly lady trying to eat her supper and piping out, "Would you like a hug?" In one, the lady looks disconcerted, but then says, "Sure, I'll give you a hug." The trained brat looks pleased. The lady looks politely tolerant. And, as my mother points out, all too often the home-schooling parents are the same wackos who decide not to have their children vaccinated.
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Post by spaceneedle on Feb 28, 2020 9:30:58 GMT
www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Coronavirus-solano-county-state-emergency-15090858.phpNorthern California has a new twist in this case. A person in Solano County (between San Francisco and Sacramento) has tested positive for the virus after having no known connection to travel abroad or another known case. What is even more interesting is that some of the passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship were brought to Travis Air Force base for quarantine. Travis AFB is in Fairfield, CA, which is also in Solano County.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 28, 2020 15:27:05 GMT
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