[btoverdrive]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I think I heard yesterday they have about 4 or 5 more here, but again, it is were the flu they would have 100 or so by now. I give this until May or maybe even June at the lasted until it is just another thing pretty much in the past. I just read on another thread someone said he is guessing there will be as many as 5K deaths here in the USA. Obviously he is just picking and number out.

We all need to use sensible precautions, take care of ourselves, etc but not isolate ourselves. I have even heard some suggest we stay home from church and we all know the number of events that have been shut down. When one decides to close, or discontinue all others feel the need to follow.

https://katv.com/news/coronavirus/di...to-coronavirus

This includes Easter Sunday services which is surprising to me since the Easter Triduum is the most important time in the Catholic church.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I think I heard yesterday they have about 4 or 5 more here, but again, it is were the flu they would have 100 or so by now...

Actually, this spreads at least 4 times as fast as the flu, but you just don't hear about the flu until there are a thousand cases in the US. We don't usually go all out on quarantine for flu, either, since we know what it will do, and most of the US depends on their annual flu shot to keep them safe. There is still a lot of unknowns for this virus. It caught us (and the Chinese) be surprise by being both dangerous AND spreading before people show symptoms. This is a first.

We all need to use sensible precautions, take care of ourselves, etc but not isolate ourselves. I have even heard some suggest we stay home from church and we all know the number of events that have been shut down. When one decides to close, or discontinue all others feel the need to follow.

I agree with your assessment. Unless you are going to have over 500 in your service, I wouldn't change anything. Even over 500, I would just take simple precautions, like not shaking hands and washing your hands as soon as you leave the area.

After Easter, until we find out what the summer will bring, I would avoid any unnecessary gatherings, but I doubt that, in your location, you would be going to any really large Church gatherings. (I could be wrong, since I don't know how far you go, to get to Church.)

[Hollynla]

As of earlier today, there is now 12 confirmed cases in Arkansas, all in Pine Bluff.

[explorearkansas]

If we watched the development of flu like we tracked this, everyone would be just as scared. It appears we have made a decision to destroy the economy in trade for slightly slowing the development of the illness. This world has gone nuts. I just gave a friend of mine four rolls of toilet paper as it is unavailable in the stores. People are brawling over supplies they want to horde.

[Hollynla]

Originally Posted by explorearkansas

If we watched the development of flu like we tracked this, everyone would be just as scared. It appears we have made a decision to destroy the economy in trade for slightly slowing the development of the illness. This world has gone nuts.

It does seem like it. I think the hysteria will quickly fade as most realize what it really is. The reality is that for most people who are not immune compromised, it won't be much more than a bad cold. For older people and sick people, it can be more dangerous, but so are all flu's and viruses, so that's not necessarily something unique.

With seeing all those with 20 cases of toilet paper, I have to wonder what we'll think of this when we look back on it by fall of this year.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by explorearkansas

If we watched the development of flu like we tracked this, everyone would be just as scared...

Sure, the panic from this virus is way out of proportion to the problem, and we have seen this before. When H1N1 (around 2009) began invading, people actually got into fights over, and their were thefts of, the vaccine. Some people just like to panic, but don't worry, they will soon stick their head back in the sand.

Before the H1N1 panic, we used to say that people have two dealing with an emerging threat: complacency and panic. With panic, that time around, we discovered that people also engage in abject stupidity. (Has anyone noticed that a lot of those people who tell us we don't need 500 bullets, are now buying 500 rolls of toilet paper?)

It was the H1N1 outbreak that got me interested in tracking pandemics, which I have done, on a weekly basis, for about 10 years. (I have been tracking this one daily, due to some people requesting my opinion, as it spread.)

What would be useful for this, and pandemic flu, and a few other contagions, is a central tracking facility, where each case would be reported. Which county the person resides in, and what counties they may have infected others in. This information could be presented on a map, county by county. This would allow a lot of us to make rational decisions for social distancing measures. Those kind of decisions should be made locally, but information and ideas should be distributed widely.

At least one such map existed in the past, and I used to check it weekly. Sadly, it appears whoever was updating it, just quit making updates. I don't think I even have the link, any more. Too many people want to stick their head back into the sand.

OK, the soapbox is available for others, now

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by btoverdrive

https://katv.com/news/coronavirus/di...to-coronavirus

This includes Easter Sunday services which is surprising to me since the Easter Triduum is the most important time in the Catholic church.

Our pastor is recommending if you are uncomfortable about being around other people or have a condition that makes you more likely to get ill do not feel obligated to come to church. If you know someone that needs communion let us know and we will take it too them and if prefer not to shake hands we understand. At the same time he doesn't want to see us start cancelling church activities unless the conornavirus comes close to BV. Right now the closest case has been over 150 miles away. This does make good sense to me.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Our pastor is recommending if you are uncomfortable about being around other people or have a condition that makes you more likely to get ill do not feel obligated to come to church. If you know someone that needs communion let us know and we will take it too them and if prefer not to shake hands we understand. At the same time he doesn't want to see us start cancelling church activities unless the conornavirus comes close to BV. Right now the closest case has been over 150 miles away. This does make good sense to me.

There are only 24 in my current congregation, so our pastor isn't changing anything yet, although he says if you are leary of shaking hands, an elbow bump is OK, LoL.

Unfortunately, everyone in our congregation, except about three, are over 60.

I am on Mountain Home East Side Baptist Church (1000+ congregation split between two services) mailing list, and they are making a few minor changes, like emailing the bulletin (I call it the "program") instead of passing it out at the front door. I think this is to reduce the time people are in contact with each other at the front door, but I am not sure.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by TRex2

There are only 24 in my current congregation, so our pastor isn't changing anything yet, although he says if you are leary of shaking hands, an elbow bump is OK, LoL.

Unfortunately, everyone in our congregation, except about three, are over 60.

I am on Mountain Home East Side Baptist Church (1000+ congregation split between two services) mailing list, and they are making a few minor changes, like emailing the bulletin (I call it the "program") instead of passing it out at the front door. I think this is to reduce the time people are in contact with each other at the front door, but I am not sure.

I don't think we had even 1/2 the normal crowd in church today and yes, about 1/2 to 3/4 of our congregation in the early service are over 65. What the pastor said today which made good sense was us your own judgement when it comes to communion and any hand shaking. He also did say, the crowds and lack of supplies at Walmart are as frustrating as the thought of getting coronavirus. Of course he was joking, but it is a good point.

[TRex2]

Wonder how many people will catch Covid-19 while
participating in the crowd that is
panic buying their hand sanitizer. [/HUMOR]