Cool, damp, windy
Yesterday was beautiful. Blue sky, sunny, and a strong breeze. Nice temps after morning lows too.
I did my hobby, watched child #2 play basketball, and got some errands run. Getting project materials from HD and Lowe’s was a step toward getting several projects completed or underway. I posted yesterday that there were no N95 masks left. No evidence that they were missing either, so I don’t think they’re keeping the shelves open for the restocking. CDC is worried about running out of masks, and WHO has only a month’s supply left according to an article.
China is forcibly removing people from their homes to take them to places where they can be isolated with a thousand other sick people. And live or die on their own merits. Anyone think getting all those sick people together in one place might have some bad unintended consequences? In light of that news, and the video of people being locked into their homes, anyone think this is just a bad flu that isn’t anything to worry about? It’s in the population in china and that’s what’s driving the increases. SO FAR, we don’t think it’s loose in OUR population, but if it gets loose, we’ll see the same things China is seeing. Anyone here think their employer can survive a month with no employees? Start making plans for how to keep your business going if a Wuhan style lockdown happens here… CDC’s site has a whole section on pandemic flu that I’ve referred to before, and I recommend reading again.
Start making plans for keeping yourself and your family going if that happens too. Act soon. If you wait for confirmation, you’ll be too late. I’m treating it like a Cat 5 hurricane is headed for the Gulf. Next step will be if it crosses into the Gulf, then if it’s heading right for us…. Only instead of bugging out, we’ll likely lock down. I really don’t want to be inside the ring road that would be an excellent natural demarc point if martial law or a quarantine were enforced. No other options at this point though, that wouldn’t be irrevocable and life changing.
We’ve got some time before it’s out in our population, and maybe it won’t break out here. That would be best. But China’s economy is already going to take a huge hit, and the hit just gets bigger every day this continues. THAT is going to have knock on effects all on its own. If anyone wants to see ‘irrational exuberance’ look at a market that goes UP when half a billion people are under movement restrictions, and possibly several million will be sick before this burns out. UP! Look at what happened so far in China in JUST ONE MONTH. More people have been killed by this in 29 days than from SARS in a year, and that’s using the official numbers! No matter what happens going forward, big changes are coming. And I don’t see anything to keep what’s happening now from continuing for some time.
Get prepped people. Seriously.
nick