Deadly SARS Spreads World-Wide: Death Rate Increases and Doctors Worry About Mutating Virus

NewsPundit.net ^ | 4/18/2003 | Douglas Oliver

[Judith Anne]

I already live out in the woods. On the other hand, I work in two hospitals.

I'm watching this closely for US cases and locations.

[Judith Anne]

I don't think they had N95 masks in 1918, so I'm definitely hoping they're effective. Ordinary dust masks are about useless, imho.

[Nebullis]

Oh, and the masks did NOTHING in 1918 (gotta put that out there so people can use the money on better things).

There's been a slight improvement in masks since 1918. Back then they were made of cloth with pores large enough to let anything smaller than a fly through. The tuberculosis mask used today filters out most particles larger than 0.1 micron.

[CathyRyan]

I am begining to think things are worse that they are letting on.

[Judith Anne]

"...A waterborne virus can gain entry either through direct contact with contaminated water or airborne via earosols. These are not mutually exclusive."

A good point.

[Nebullis]

The tuberculosis mask used today filters out most particles larger than 0.1 micron.

I meant to say it filters out particles smaller than 0.1 micron. This will cover viruses smaller than that because they travel on dust or droplets which are larger.

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

we are taking extraordinary measures to keep SARS from exploding in the USA

Good! I certainly hope so. I'm just saying that it is way too early to panic about this....

[Judith Anne]

"I am begining to think things are worse that they are letting on."

The China Syndrome.

[Nebullis]

What is important is not just how contact is made with the virus, something that can vary greatly even for a single species, but what kind of contact constitutes effective transmission. We won't know that about SARS until we study it more.

[Judith Anne]

I think a lot of people with reason to be concerned would like all the information they can get. FR is the best all-round look at the virus I've seen anywhere.

Concern does not equal panic.

[Judith Anne]

I'm guessing mucus membrane contact with the virus, most likely aersol, is the way it's transmitted.

[Democratic_Machiavelli]

I stand corrected. :)

By TB mask, do you mean the kind they show people in China wearing?

[Nebullis]

I'm guessing mucus membrane contact with the virus, most likely aersol, is the way it's transmitted.

That's a good guess. That's how the monkeys were infected with coronavirus at Erasmus University. They developed SARS.

[Democratic_Machiavelli]

Can't help but think of The Stand (Stephen King for those who don't know). Especially the scene where a disc jockey is trying to tell the truth about "Captain Tripps".

[Nebullis]

By TB mask, do you mean the kind they show people in China wearing?

I'm referring to the 3M N95 mask. Looking at the pictures of Asians wearing masks I suspect they are wearing surgical masks. They protect against most bacteria. The N95s are a bit more substantial and don't carry the creases of the typical surgical mask.

[_Jim]

From what I can tell _Jim doesn't let logic get in the way

YOU haven't been paying attention then. Too bad - you've learned nothing (obviously) - LOGIC is all I use.

[_Jim]

I wouldn't say that, remember we are talking about

IF ALL you've got to go by are 'scare pieces' like as posted at the beginning of this thread THEN I can see why you'd say that.

I'M NOT going simply by these essential-detail lacking 'scare pieces' so I of course I have a different view *and* opinion fo the situation ...

[per loin]

I've seen no panic yet, not a single naked person running down the middle of the street screaming. None of my neighbors leaping from their basement windows. No one mounting speaker horns on the top of Volkswagons. No mobs attacking the local furniture store. Even human sacrifice is down 14%, which is always a good sign.

[Judith Anne]

Shows you what I know...I don't remember reading anywhere that monkeys got it, although I do know that some coronaviruses are transmitted interspecies.

[Democratic_Machiavelli]

Moving to the country didn't help during the Black Death. People thought they weren't infected (it was incubating) and ended up spreading it farther.

BTW, know you're joking. Just wanted to throw that out there in case anyone reading decides they can run from this thing.