covid_19_ama_db.csv

questions,answers,authors,dates,posts,post_titles,subreddits,
"Is there any chance that the 18 month timeline for development of a vaccine can be shortened, and by how much?","This is a great question. There are over 6 different efforts going on to make a vaccine. Some use a new approach called RNA which is unproven. We will have to build lots of manufacturing for the different approaches knowing that some of them will not work. We will need literally billions of vaccines to protect the world. Vaccines require testing to make sure they are safe and effective. Some vaccines like the flu don't for the elderly.

The first vaccines we get will go to health care workers and critical workers. This could happen before 18 months if everything goes well but we and Fauci and others are being careful not to promise this when we are not sure. The work is going at full speed.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:20:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi Mr. Gates,

In your opinion, after this pandemic comes to a close, however long that may be, what should be the first step we as a global community take so that we are better prepared for the next pandemic?","The [TED talk](https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/We-Are-Not-Ready-for-the-Next-Epidemic) I did in 2015 talked about this. We need to have the ability to scale up diagnostics, drugs and vaccines very rapidly. The technologies exist to do this well if the right investments are made. Countries can work together on this. We did create CEPI = [Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation](https://cepi.net/) which did some work on vaccines but that needs to be funded at higher level to have the standby manufacturing capacity for the world.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:00:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What about the current crisis worries you the most? What gives you the most hope?,"The current phase has a lot of the cases in rich countries. With the right actions including the testing and social distancing (which I call ""shut down"") within 2-3 months the rich countries should have avoided high levels of infection. I worry about all the economic damage but even worse will be how this will affect the developing countries who cannot do the social distancing the same way as rich countries and whose hospital capacity is much lower.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:02:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What do you think of the current approach the Netherlands is currently taking to combat this virus? They are not going to a full lockdown but rather try to spread it controllably in order to work towards ‘herd immunity’.,"The only model that is known to work is a serious social distancing effort (""shut down""). If you don't do this then the disease will spread to a high percentage of the population and your hospitals will be overloaded with cases. So this should be avoided despite the problems caused by the ""shut down"".  If a country doesn't control its cases then other countries will prevent anyone going into or coming out of that country. I think the Netherlands will end up doing what other countries are doing.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:17:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Bill, I read the [Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf) report as well as [this explanation in a historical context.](https://twitter.com/jeremycyoung/status/1239975682643357696) 

Essentially, it says that by doing nothing, 4 million Americans die. Through the mitigation strategy - i.e. social distancing and ""flattening the curve"" - it says that 1.1-2 million Americans will die. However, it also says that the suppression strategy, or ""shutting everything down for 18 months"" - will lead to only a few thousand people dying. 

Do you agree with these numbers, and if so, is there any excuse for not immediately issuing a shelter in place order for the entire country?","Fortunately it appears the parameters used in that model were too negative. The experience in China is the most critical data we have. They did their ""shut down"" and were able to reduce the number of cases. They are testing widely so they see rebounds immediately and so far there have not been a lot. They avoided widespread infection. The Imperial model does not match this experience. Models are only as good as the assumptions put into them. People are working on models that match what we are seeing more closely and they will become a key tool. A group called Institute for Disease Modeling that I fund is one of the groups working with others on this.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:40:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
 Is there anything you can do to assist with ventilator production?,"There are a lot of efforts to do this. If we do social distancing (""shut down"") properly then the surge of cases won't be as overwhelming. Our Foundation's expertise is in diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines so we are not involved in the ventilator efforts but it could make a contribution to have more especially as the disease gets into developing countries including Africa.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:03:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Can you provide any estimates for how much of the world's population might become infected?,"This will vary a lot by country. Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore acted quickly and will have very few cases. Even China will stay at a low level of their population (less than .01%) so far. Thailand is another exemplar. Unfortunately in poorer countries doing social distancing is much harder. People live in close proximity and need to work to get their food so there could be countries where the virus will spread broadly.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:35:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Covid-19 testing standards seem grossly unfair in favor of the rich and famous. Testing is happening for people like professional sports players, even those without any symptoms at all. I’m not talking about health care workers or people in essential jobs- I’m talking about actors, actresses, sports players and so on. On the flip side, the guidance from Kaiser in WA is that you must have a fever of 101.5 and either serious shortness of breath or a bad cough, and even then testing results take 5 days or more.

How is it that even with something like covid-19 testing, which the government is supposed to manage, the rich and famous are getting special treatment? Is there a big stash of tests that are reserved for “people that matter”? Isn’t it hypocritical for everyone else to be told they need to look out for the common good and avoid demanding too much of the health care system, meanwhile the rich and famous get whatever they want, when they want it?","We need to democratize and scale the testing system by having a CDC website that people go to and enter their situation. Priority situations should get tested within 24 hours. This is very possible since many countries have done it. Health care workers for example should have priority. Elderly people should have priority. We will be able to catch up on the testing demand within a few weeks of getting the system in place. Without the system we don't know what is missing - swabs, reagents etc..",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:51:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hello Mr. Gates,

As an educator, what is something I can do for my students, especially for my low-income students who don't have access to technology during this time? I have tried to send reassuring emails (including cat pictures), but I worry about the educational impact, as well as the long-term impact to my students' well being.

Thank you.","It is a huge problem that schools will likely be shut down for the next few months. I am impressed by the creative approaches that many teachers are coming up with to teach      remotely. (If you are a teacher reading this, thank you for the work you’re doing.) But I know that not everyone is set up to teach remotely. There are a lot of good online resources out there, including [Khan Academy](https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.khanacademy.org%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cjosh.friedman%40gatesventures.com%7C3094c8f7452240b94ca608d7cb6b8aa5%7Ce38fdd56dd644d67b048e7c0ae321d11%7C0%7C0%7C637201535050995089&sdata=otvLO6MMcaZFw8VrkS3dWJN%2B2oxXoowjHbjbh8oI0Qo%3D&reserved=0), [CommonLit](https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.communications.gatesfoundation.org%2Fe%2F701613%2FzZz25iaTZ5qkA5N8A3D-reserved-0%2Fbp16r%2F98717434%3Fh%3DlEgSOXrYgynF1jO6bh2euzcG4YJP7R_K89J1vnZQqT4&data=02%7C01%7Cjosh.friedman%40gatesventures.com%7C3094c8f7452240b94ca608d7cb6b8aa5%7Ce38fdd56dd644d67b048e7c0ae321d11%7C0%7C0%7C637201535051005077&sdata=uNy9%2BeHIhfqjvtcP2amlG8v9peCDmAim5sXTGlkEMSA%3D&reserved=0), [Illustrative Math](https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.communications.gatesfoundation.org%2Fe%2F701613%2FhQvc2BUR72FepRr9s3D-reserved-0%2Fbp16t%2F98717434%3Fh%3DlEgSOXrYgynF1jO6bh2euzcG4YJP7R_K89J1vnZQqT4&data=02%7C01%7Cjosh.friedman%40gatesventures.com%7C3094c8f7452240b94ca608d7cb6b8aa5%7Ce38fdd56dd644d67b048e7c0ae321d11%7C0%7C0%7C637201535051005077&sdata=3uCjlmquOU2IBntHguFLPBsxJVpZ1aajq2q6hrS4h9Y%3D&reserved=0)[ematics](https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.communications.gatesfoundation.org%2Fe%2F701613%2F2020-03-16%2Fbp16w%2F98717434%3Fh%3DlEgSOXrYgynF1jO6bh2euzcG4YJP7R_K89J1vnZQqT4&data=02%7C01%7Cjosh.friedman%40gatesventures.com%7C3094c8f7452240b94ca608d7cb6b8aa5%7Ce38fdd56dd644d67b048e7c0ae321d11%7C0%7C0%7C637201535051015069&sdata=ZiDjQrDNJ3mwVptprFJ9OGJjtVuL6OpoBiTV0F8AHaQ%3D&reserved=0), [Zearn](https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.communications.gatesfoundation.org%2Fe%2F701613%2FL1gi4mSHl2Qlgr89w3D-reserved-0%2Fbp171%2F98717434%3Fh%3DlEgSOXrYgynF1jO6bh2euzcG4YJP7R_K89J1vnZQqT4&data=02%7C01%7Cjosh.friedman%40gatesventures.com%7C3094c8f7452240b94ca608d7cb6b8aa5%7Ce38fdd56dd644d67b048e7c0ae321d11%7C0%7C0%7C637201535051015069&sdata=stWd27uQ88S5uTeksMSfZdfJ7Mogt0SNKS89A2V0bWs%3D&reserved=0), and [Scholastic](https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fclassroommagazines.scholastic.com%2Fsupport%2Flearnathome.html&data=02%7C01%7Cjosh.friedman%40gatesventures.com%7C3094c8f7452240b94ca608d7cb6b8aa5%7Ce38fdd56dd644d67b048e7c0ae321d11%7C0%7C0%7C637201535051025073&sdata=KEn6dbE1ThxHsj4N80vbP3BlZFOzWpcvzqb9i2%2B7FCc%3D&reserved=0). Comcast and other internet connectivity providers are doing special      program to help with access. Microsoft and others are working on getting machines      out but the supply chain is quite constrained. Unfortunately low-income  students will be hurt more by the situation than others so we need to help any way we can.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:31:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Bill - thank you for taking the time to do this today. I live in Seattle, like you, and it feels like our testing has not increased. Our number of confirmed cases are starting to lag behind other states. What do you think gives? Effective social distancing or lack of testing?","The testing in the US is not organized yet. In the next few weeks I hope the Government fixes this by having a website you can go to to find out about home testing and kiosks. Things are a bit confused on this right now. In Seattle the U of W is providing thousands of tests per day but no one is connected to a national tracking system.

Whenever there is a positive test it should be seen to understand where the disease is and whether we need to strengthen the social distancing. South Korea did a great job on this including digital contact tracing.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:25:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Mr Gates,

Why do you think most world governments weren’t prepared if you and other experts warned of such events such as this?","No one could predict what the chance of a new virus emerging was. However we did know it would happen at some point either with a flu or some other respiratory virus. There was almost no funding. The creation of CEPI which was funded by our foundation, Wellcome, Norway, Japan, Germany and the UK was a step but tiny compared to what should have happened. We prepare for possible wars and fires and now we have to have preparation for epidemics treated with the same seriousness. The good news is that our biological tools including new ways to make diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines make it possible to have a strong response system for naturally caused epidemics.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:44:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
I have friend who is an NHS doctor. Since yesterday he is working without masks as they have run out. Who is hogging all the masks?,I am sorry to hear this. This is an example of why we need the social distancing to minimize the number of cases and why we need the national testing network and database to get running as soon as possible.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:36:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Thoughts on chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine?,There are a lot of therapeutic drugs being examined. This is one of many but it is not proven. If it works we will need to make sure the finite supplies are held for the patients who need it most. We have a study going on to figure this out. We also have a screening [effort to look at all the ideas for Therapeutics](https://www.gatesfoundation.org/TheOptimist/Articles/coronavirus-mark-suzman-therapeutics) because the number being proposed is very large and only the most promising should be tried in patients. China was testing some things but now they have so few cases that that testing needs to move to other locations.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:06:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What is the projected amount of positive cases in 1 month?
3 months? 6 months?

Any thoughts or theories as to what will happen in China when the lockdown is lifted?

Is it possible that a 2nd wave could come out?",China is not reporting much rebound. The number of cases in South Korea is going in the right direction. If people who test positive isolate themselves then the spread can be very low. The sooner people know they are infected the sooner they can isolate.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:46:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How is your foundation helping the current pandemic? Are you donating money, producing products for health workers?","Our foundation is working with all the groups who make diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines to make sure the right efforts are prioritized. We want to make sure all countries get access to these tools. We donated $100M in February for a variety of things and we will be doing more. One priority is to make sure that there is enough manufacturing capacity for therapeutics and vaccines. We have other efforts like our education group working to make sure the online resources for students are as helpful as they can be.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:54:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How long will this go on?,"This will vary a lot by country. China is seeing very few cases now because their testing and ""shut down"" was very effective. If a country does a good job with testing and ""shut down"" then within 6-10 weeks they should see very few cases and be able to open back up.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 12:57:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Why are we not on a lockdown yet??,We are going into lockdown but as usual in retrospect we should have done it sooner. The sooner it is done the easier it is to get the cases down to small numbers.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:29:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Can you explain briefly what most Americans can do to help other Americans in this moment of crisis?,"A big thing is to go along with the ""shut down"" approach in your community so that the infection rate drops dramatically to let us go  back to normal as soon as possible. Some people like health care workers will be doing heroic work and we need to support them. We do need to stay calm even though this is an unprecedented situation.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 12:59:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What changes are we going to have to make to how businesses operate to maintain our economy while providing social distancing?,"The question of which businesses should keep going is tricky. Certainly food supply and the health system. We still need water, electricity and the internet. Supply chains for critical things need to be maintained. Countries are still figuring out what to keep running.

Eventually we will have some digital certificates to show who has recovered or been tested recently or when we have a vaccine who has received it.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:48:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Should there be a national shelter in place order? Why or why not?,Most people can shelter in their home but for people who that doesn't work for there should be a place for them to go. [We are working on seeing if we can send test kits to people at home](https://www.gatesfoundation.org/TheOptimist/Articles/coronavirus-interview-dan-wattendorf) so they don't have to go out and so the tests get to the people who are the priority. The US still is not organized on testing.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:07:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
When will this all end?,To bring it to small numbers globally we need a vaccine. Many rich countries will be able to keep the number of cases small (including the US) if they do the right things but developing countries will find it very difficult to stop the spread so a vaccine is critical. A group called [GAVI](https://www.gavi.org/) helps buy vaccines for developing countries and they will play a key role once we have a vaccine being made in volume.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:56:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Do you think there's any chance of the US doing a staggered approach (with respect to social distancing measures and school closings) to keep the load at health care facilities manageable? I saw this idea presented in the recent paper from Imperial College and I'm curious what your thoughts are.

Edit: specifically, this paragraph:

>Given suppression policies may need to be maintained for many months, we examined the impact of an adaptive policy in which social distancing (plus school and university closure, if used) is only initiated after weekly confirmed case incidence in ICU patients (a group of patients highly likely to be tested) exceeds a certain “on” threshold, and is relaxed when ICU case incidence falls below a certain “off” threshold (Figure 4). Case-based policies of home isolation of symptomatic cases and household quarantine (if adopted) are continued throughout. 

And [link](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf) to the paper I'm referencing just in case.",I think people in the US will be able to largely isolate for 2-3 months. If they can access testing including a home test kit then they will understand who is infected. I keep saying how important the testing piece is.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:42:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Hi Bill thank you very much for all of your assistance worldwide with various diseases and virus'. What do you see as the long-term strategy for fighting this pandemic and do you feel like it will adequately prepare us for the next?,I think that after this is under control that Governments and others will invest heavily in being ready for the next one. This will take global cooperation particularly to help the developing countries who will be hurt the most. A good example is the need to test therapeutics wherever the disease is to help the whole world. The Virus doesn't respect national boundaries.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:33:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How is the economy likely to recover after all if this in your opinion,"Yes eventually. The economic impact of the ""shut down"" will be large but if it is done well (including the testing piece which I keep mentioning) eventually we can open back up.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:08:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Given the economic impact of COVID-related social distancing, isolation, and quarantine, is your foundation committed to anything beyond direct medical intervention? For example, increasing funding to food banks, politically supporting bills that provide income/sick leave for workers, etc.?","The Foundation is focused on its area of expertise which is diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. There will be lots of opportunity to give to social service organizations including food banks and I am sure people will be generous about this. Once we know who tests positive we can figure out how to support them so they can stay isolated and still get the food and medicine they need.",thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:28:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What precautions should I take when delivering things such as groceries to my grandparents to limit my exposure to them?,Hand washing is key. Keeping a distance. Having someone else do it if you have a fever or are coughing.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:45:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What do you think about China's response to the outbreak? How would you rate their response on a scale 1-10?,After January 23 when they realized how serious it was they did strong social isolation which made a huge difference. Of course that isolation created a lot of difficulties for the people involved but they were able to stop the case spread. Other countries will do it somewhat differently but a combination of testing and social isolation clearly works and that is all we have until we get a vaccine.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:49:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Why did Bill step down from his rolls before the Chinese virus escalated?,My retiring from public boards was not related to the epidemic but it does reinforce my decision to focus on the work of the Foundation including it's work to help with the epidemic.,thisisbillgates,2020-03-18 13:31:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fksnbf/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/,"I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Are you concerned there are a lot of asymptomatic carriers and transmissions occurring in densely populated areas like Seoul and Inchon? If so how is the South Korean govt looking to tackle this problem? Also, is the govt aiming to completely eradicate this virus from South Korea? Thank you for the amazing job you guys are doing and showing the world there is hope in this fight!","The cities of Seoul and Incheon--and the surrounding province of Gyeonggi--have the highest population density in the nation, so they are operating surveillance systems with local governments as much as possible. 

It is still unclear whether asymptomatic patients infect others, and even if they do, we consider that they take up a small portion of infections. Right now, the primary goal for Korea is to decrease the number of new outbreaks from 100 patients per day to around 10 patients. 

Thank you so much for your support.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:47:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What is the one thing besides washing our hands and distancing ourselves from others that we can do to help stop the spread and transmission of the virus?,"I would say coughing etiquette is important as well - coughing into the crook of the elbow (or better yet into one's own facemask).

We also need to respect and concede to high-risk patients. 

In addition, we need to control the movements and social activities of young people who expect to suffer only mildly from the disease.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:14:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"It seems like South Korea are clear winners in the battle and the response against COVID-19. I congratulate you on that.. I have a couple of questions--  
1) what measures that SK took that can be easily translated and copied by almost any other country regardless of culture and their democratic status.?
 
2) what do you envision happening in South Korea in 1 month, 6 months, and a year later since it looks like you have already flattered the curve?","1) Social or physical distancing is the most important. 

2) It is hard for anyone to predict what will happen in the future in this volatile situation. However, South Korean experts think that if the situation doesn't get better within the month, it will last up to 6 months. If the situation exacerbates within 6 months, it's apparent that this will become a much more difficult scenario than previously imagined. There would be a high chance of economic repercussions of this outbreak. Moreover, the resources of medical personnel may be entirely exhausted in this situation, which would lead to more deaths. In South Korea alone, 300,000 deaths would be a fair prediction from such a scenario.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:13:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What’s the real deal with a z pack and Hydroxychloroquine?,"Currently, clinical studies of remdesivir are ongoing in Korea. The Korean treatment guidelines recommend using a combination of hydroxycholrquine (HCQ) and ritonavir/lopinavir. However, according to recent research results, ritonavir/lopinavir has no clinical effect, and HCQ is undergoing clinical research on prevention and treatment effects. Nothing has been researched in Korea regarding Zpack yet. 

I am not sure if it would be desirable for President Trump to comment on a particular drug. I would like to leave treatment recommendations to specialists.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:31:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I'm a care worker for the elderly and unfortunately the virus has entered one location I work at. We have generally no protection, only for caring for confirmed patients. And the protection we do have is not sufficient (1 layer paper masks). Unfortunately due to a shortage of tests, once a patient has been confirmed, all other patients will not receive testing.

Do you have any tips for me on staying safe and healthy?

I can not keep distance as I primarily work with patients who have dementia.","That is a very difficult situation. How many patients are confirmed with the virus? Reduce face-to-face contact with the patient as much as possible and practice thorough hand hygiene. And if possible, I recommend taking a shower after the session with the patient. I'm not sure how helpful this will be, but without PPE, I think this is the best you can do.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:36:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What percentage of your patients are under 40 years old?,50% of all patients in Korea are under the age of 40.,Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:33:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hello doctor good evening.

1.) Currently (here in the Philippines) we do not have enough test kits, so only those with severe symptoms get tested. Do you know of any flow chart or algorithm that could help those in triage in deciding which patients to send home, to quarantine or get tested? 

2.) We have trouble setting up the flow of patients in the ER. How do we direct traffic? Do we setup a triage post outside the hospital building and direct everyone with cough and fever to a separate clinic?

3.) What machine do you use in the drive through testing? Because it is very hard to set-up a molecular lab outside the hospital. Do you use those that detect antibodies? Or do you use CepheID?

4.) In your experience, does HCQ produce better outcome? What is your opinion regarding Remdesivir?

5.) Will Korea be publishing any treatment guidelines anytime soon? Thank you.

​

These are the only questions I can think of as of now. I am sure a lot will come to mind soon. Hope you can answer these.","1. Since we are seeing the spread coming mainly from people showing symptoms, I think it is reasonable to focus on testing these people. It is crucial for the medical team to observe whether high-risk patients (aged 60+, chronic diseases, diabetes, and immune-reducing diseases) develop into severe cases, so they can be prioritized for hospital placement. Low-risk groups are more likely to be sent home and be asked to self-quarantine.

2. In Korea, screening clinics are installed outside the exit of the emergency room to prevent suspected or confirmed patients from entering the emergency room. It is advisable to treat patients with fever or respiratory symptoms in a clinic separately.

3. At the drive-throughs, we secure only the samples and send them to the examination room to conduct a PCR test. Korea uses an independently-developed diagnostic kit instead of a CephelID. 

4. Both drugs are still difficult to assess. Further clinical research should be carried out. 

5. It's my understanding that there are no plans to publish additional treatment guidelines  as of yet.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:03:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi Dr. Eom, I live in Germany and what I'm asking myself how South Korea, unlike most other countries, including Germany, have such small numbers of infected people? As I heard the testing in Germany is, like in South Korea, very numerous, but nevertheless the German infected count is way higher than in South Korea. Do you have a plausible reason for this?

Thank you and all the best to you and all your colleagues!","Since Korea is close to China, we tried to find and quarantine infected patients from a relatively early stage. Furthermore, South Korea established a diagnostic system for confirmatory examination 2-3 weeks earlier than had other countries. South Korea also found and isolated patients as quickly as possible, and facilitated wide-scale testing.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 12:04:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"American/western media and health experts advise against the wearing of masks.  Ignoring mask supply, do masks provide any benefit to people?","That is a difficult question to answer. Many experts believe that masks, to a certain extent, have contributed to reducing outbreaks in Korea. That being said, we do not have any quantitative study to confirm how helpful they have been. 

There are some confirmed cases where a mask had been worn by an infected patient thoroughly since the onset of symptoms, and no transmission had occurred to anyone else in contact. Thus, it seems safe to say that it would be beneficial for people with fever or respiratory symptoms to wear a mask than those with no symptoms.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:27:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How is the mental health of you and the staff? We are seeing pictures of some people in the medical field that are at breaking point.,I can say that Korea has a very different medical system from other developed countries. Medical staff are used to seeing a significant number of patients day in and day out. So I suspect personally that South Korean doctors may be more accustomed to the present situation than elsewhere.,Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:20:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Thank you so much for doing this ama.

Im a emergency responder in the UK which as you might have heard, has gone into lock down. As I'm still out and dealing with people on a day to day basis, I am almost certainly going to make contact with numerous people affected by corona. Other than washing hands, keeping some distance, wearing gloves and masks, is there anything I can do  to help manage the risk of contracting/spreading it?

Thank you!",Thank you for your work. The only additional precaution I'd recommend would be to also use a face shield.,Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:24:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What’s the long term game plan for preventing imported cases from starting new clusters and outbreaks? Are you going to screen all international travelers before they enter the country? Require a 14 day quarantine upon entry?,"The biggest issue right now is the start of the academic school year. Korean schools begin in March. If the school starts from the current state, the case trend is likely to grow again, so the government is coordinating the opening period of school which is extremely challenging. 

Starting from April 26th, every inbound traveler from abroad showing symptoms will be required to get tested. Inbound travelers without symptoms will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. It's clear that preventing foreign inflow is critical in this situations. Korea has developed a program to distinguish between patients with symptoms and without symptoms, and to track them. We have also secured self-quarantine facilities for foreigners.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:40:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How bad is am America going to be hit if we don’t mandatory isolate,"Self-quarantine of suspected and confirmed cases is crucial.  The government and local communities should work to ensure that the quarantine period is sufficient. 

Here in Korea, there have been many cases in which people became infected due to patients going outside during their self-quarantine period. COVID-19 is known to have the highest levels of virus emissions in the early stages of infection, so they propagate the most when symptoms are unclear. Thus, maintaining a sufficient quarantine period *before and after confirmation* is critical to mitigating the outbreak.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:23:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"In America, we are being adamantly told NOT to wear masks. To the point of being attacked and demonized if you wear a mask in public and are not elderly or obviously at risk. I've seen very different advice given from South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore etc. Part of the problem is a lack of supply (medical professionals absolutely need them first and foremost), but I've seen a lot of DIY mask options available as well. [Like this DIY mask devised by University of Hong Kong](https://youtu.be/aNjpH5lBZ8w) made entirely from tissues and paper towels. These could be easily made by virtually every American household today if needed.

How important is it for the general population to be wearing masks when out? What guidelines do you give to South Korean citizens?","The Korean Food and Drug Administration has released guidelines for wearing masks. It is recommended that you use it when visiting a medical institution, if you have fever or respiratory symptoms, or when you need to come into contact with high-risk or symptomatic patients.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:10:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What were the most common symptoms in patients? Was there any after effects of the virus for them?,"Patients in Korea typically show symptoms such as sore throat and shortness of breath. 

Most complete recoveries have no aftereffects. A small minority are known to have decreased lung functionality. 

We anticipate some may show mental aftereffects (such as PTSD) due to the challenge of long-term isolation during the treatment period.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:13:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Dr. Is South Korea using antibody testing to track and discover mild case/asymptomatic population?  There is a lot of conjecture on the true size of the infected population vs actual reported cases.   

Or do you believe that most countries that are doing consistent testing like Singapore, South Korea, have a very good idea of the scope and size of the infected population","We still do not have tests using antibodies in Korea. We believe that there are issues concerning the sensitivity of antibody tests. Also, the PCR tests we're using right now are enough to meet the demand for the tests. Korea has a total of 9,037 confirmed cases so far, of which 3,507 have been completely cured. Epidemiologists believe that there are at least three times as many minor or asymptomatic patients.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:21:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Greetings and thank you!

If you’ve had Corona. and you’ve recovered, are you still contagious? Will you still test positive?","After the infection of the coronavirus, there are cases where the PCR test came out positive even though the person has completely recovered. In such a case, we are concerned about the extent to which the virus is contagious, but it is difficult to confirm whether the result is evidence of a viable virus or a dead virus. Most experts believe that even if it is PCR-positive, the spreadability will be very low when recovered. 

In Korea, patients are released from quarantine when PCR results come out negative at least twice within a 24hr period.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:20:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Are cloth masks helpful at all?,"If you have to go to a place where a lot of people are together in an enclosed space, we recommend wearing a cloth mask if you don't have something better. However, it is difficult to guarantee the preventive effect when using it for a long period of time.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:24:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How was South Korea able to get the virus under control, after getting almost a 1000 cases per day for a while?","The virus should not be considered to be entirely controlled. The trend of large clusters in the city of Daegu (and the surrounding Gyeongbuk province) areas has merely diminished. 

To alleviate this epidemic, South Korea has established a strategy to conduct early detection, early isolation, and early treatment by extensively conducting confirmatory examinations centralized in Daegu.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:45:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Does the weather has any effects on the virus spreading capability ?,"It's been speculated that the activity of the virus will decrease in heat and humidity, but whether such is the case is unclear. 

I believe it unlikely for the climate to be a factor affecting the virus, given that the pandemic is also occurring in countries with subtropical climates.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:14:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
South Korea has done a great job containing the Daegu outbreak. What do you think about Japan's current situation? No lockdowns at all but relatively few daily cases. It seems like an anomaly compared to most of the world.,"As far as I know, Japan only tests a small percentage of patients with certain symptoms or pneumonia. Information regarding Japan is very limited and arguably difficult to accept at face value.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:27:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Does immunity gained from a low viral load exposure and subsequent recovery transfer to exposure to high viral loads? Could people who recovered go help in hospitals with no risks of getting sick themselves?,"It's possible, if one is in good condition. However, one should use the same PPE as other healthcare workers.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:25:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I'm in self quarantine for days but my roommate still goes out, if they catch it, how can I prevent myself from getting it?","Get out of the house ASAP, move to a safer place, and self-quarantine yourself while monitoring your symptoms.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:18:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What is your suggestion to countries that have responded slowly? Is there still a way they can flatten the curve or are there things they can still do to ensure that they don’t encounter the worst case scenario.,"It's likely that the outbreak with continue on for some time. It might even go back and forth between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. Thus, I advise that you set up a system for confirming cases and strongly enforce social (and physical) distancing.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:26:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Why is it that face masks are more accepted in SK (or Asia in general) compared to Western culture? That is, what are the psychological, sociological, historical, etc., differences where it is much more accepted there? 

Even if we (the US; I'm American) had the supplies, I can't see it being accepted very well. Especially if you aren't sick, even if it would reduce spread.","It's difficult to answer definitively. I believe most people are motivated to wear masks out of a sense of personal protection, but there is also the eagerness to avoid infecting others.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:47:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
If you are forced to work in an essential job around other people(hundreds of general public) should you be wearing an N95 mask even if you are showing no symptoms?,"Medical staff should be wearing the N95 respirator when contacting patients. However, N95 is not recommended for non-medical personnel. The N95 has a good preventive effect, but it actually dangerous if one is not trained to put on and remove the mask as the chance of contamination can actually increase. In addition, when worn for a long period of time, the mask may lose its preventive effect.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:34:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How do you think India is going to fare given the current response (stopping of all domestic flights, passenger trains, S.144 in 75 districts et al)?

Thank you for the incredibly important work you are doing and I hope you get adequate recognition and compensation.","Considering India's medical resources, economic levels and population levels, I think there's no other way forward besides enforcing strong standstills. Failure to take strong measures in developing countries could have catastrophic results.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:28:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi, just curious what happens if a droplet of a person who has Covid-19 happens to fell into our food? Does this means people who consume it becomes infected?","I believe there is a low chance that COVID-19 would spread through food. The virus is structurally equivalent to the enveloped virus, which is known to transmit poorly through the GI tract. 

The mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, and the eye, should be protected the most.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:17:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What lead to the selection of, and implementation of, South Korea's response? Was there a plan already in place before the virus hit, or was this something that has been evolving since the outbreak?","Since the announcement of the unknown case has occurred in Wuhan, China, experts from the Center for Disease Control and Management have tried to obtain the maximum information and evaluate the crisis. The strategy to prevent the initial influx, the possibility of a second surge, and the countermeasures were continuously discussed. It was a little easier to deal with the large-scale patient outbreak in Korea, especially in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, centered on a particular religious group. In addition, the establishment of an infrastructure that can perform a lot of confirmatory tests every day also contributed greatly.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:59:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Has there been people who have recovered who have then got sick again and tested positive again?,"Yes there are cases. However, those patients did not spread the virus to other people.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:04:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Do you think western governments are overreacting with mass quarantines? The Korean government seems to be succeeding without that.,"Social distancing is emphasized in Korea. We do not enforce mandatory containment or mobility restrictions, we are trying to encourage people to voluntarily refrain from any form of gathering. 

However, as time passes, people seem to be wavering in their commitment to social distancing. As such, the national government messaged all citizens (via news and SMS text message) a couple of days ago to explicitly advise against social gatherings, and to limit going outside except for necessary cases such as going to work.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 10:53:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"First of all, I want to thank you and all the front line workers for all you are doing in the crisis. You are all truly heroes in these times of vast unknowns.


I have seen a few people talk about the possibilities of this virus mutating into a less deadly but more contagious version of itself. Do you think there is any evidence to support this with the data we have that it can be happening? And If it's not happening now do you think it is possible it could in the future?","RNA viruses, such as coronavirus, are characterized by mutations. I think there is a possibility of new virus or mutation like the coronavirus.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 12:01:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What do you have to say to all the doctors in Canada and the US that claim masks are ineffective and that an entire continent is delusional for thinking it may be protective?

In British Columbia, the province is now only testing the hospitalized and health care workers. In your expert opinion, is this a responsible measure? Would you rate Canada's response as closer to South Korea, or Italy?

선생님도 바쁘실텐데 이렇게 와주셔서 너무 감사합니다. 캐나다 사는 교포로 이렇게 이 나라에 대해 실망한 적은 처음입니다. 캐나다에 문제는 제가 알로는 PCR Reagent 부족이라는데, 이 검사 문제, 해결 할수 있는 문제인가요?","Prioritize by inspection with medical professionals. You can do it during the inspection process. It is a very different situation from Korea, as here we implemented a system of early inspection. Fortunately, in Korea, inspections will be conducted systematically and selectively. However, we can only determine after the pandemic whether South Korea's method was effective or not. 

There's no information on how many Reagents Canada can produce. I believe it would be more effective to import from other countries with sufficient production capacity.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:43:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What is your or the overall opinion regarding Trump’s response to COVID-19 in America? Were people in South Korea able to easily get tested if they wanted?,"I don't have enough insight into the U.S. response strategy to assess President Trump's response, but I think he was careless at the beginning stage.

In Korea, if you visit the Corona19 Selective Care Center around you, the doctor present can elect to grant you a free examination.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:17:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I normally have a pulse/ox reading of 98 oxygen but it’s been dropping a little for 3 days... todays reading was 88 and I can feel a slight difference in my chest (headache, sore throat only other symptoms). I live in southeastern US (Georgia) so it is most likely from the pollen...  but at what point does a low oxygen reading become a sign that a person needs to seek treatment for possible COVID?","Oxygen saturation does not determine when to treat a patient. Instead, it can be used to indicate severity. In Korea, if the oxygen saturation in room air is less than 90%, it is classified as a serious disease.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:29:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I just read a report that said the virus actually survived for up to 17 days on the quarantined cruise ships.  Is the advice we are getting so far wrong? 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/23/cdc-coronavirus-survived-in-princess-cruise-cabins-up-to-17-days-after-passengers-left.html","This seems like a special case; I'll have to review that report. If it has been proven by virus culture, it's necessary to evaluate the survival environment to see if there's a special reason, and if it was detected by PCR, there is a high possibility that it's a dead virus.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 12:05:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What is your protocol to treat people who have light symptoms as of now ? And the one who are in more severe conditions ?
Thanks","We evaluate the patient's risk and confirm that it is necessary for PCR testing. If the patient is stable, he or she is expected to wait at home until results are obtained, but if a high-risk patient/group is tested, they will be hospitalized. In cases of unstable patients, they will be sent to isolation facilities. If not, they will still be isolated from others in facilities that have ventilators.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:22:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"1) Genuinely curious about South Korea’s opinion of US response to Covid? 

2) Are you seeing an increase risk of illness for physicians/ medical providers treating Covid? Do you think increased risk observed for physicians is an issue of PPE supplies or abundance of viral load?

3) If you could give one advice to the US during this pandemic (and all other countries really), what would it be. 
Thank you","2) I think the problem is that once the virus has a very high initial transmission capacity, and the PPE supply is not adequate, it is difficult for the medical staff to effectively prevent respiratory transmission. 

3) Please make every effort to secure hospital beds for large-scale patient outbreaks and to ensure adequate protection of medical staff.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:54:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"After a positive test and with mild symptoms, how long until a patient can be considered recovered? How long can people expect to experience symptoms? How long until they can be considered safe for others?","Depending on the patient, symptoms usually begin and recover within 7 to 14 days. In mild cases, the risk of infection is expected to disappear by 3 weeks after the onset of symptoms.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:25:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Have you and your colleagues seen pregnant women, unborn children and newborns/infants sick with coronavirus? What are the risks to these groups of people? Should women delay getting pregnant during this pandemic?","We do have confirmed cases among pregnant women and infants here in Korea. However, it's difficult to compare it with other groups because there have been very few cases. 

It's difficult to assess the risks, but we think that if a pregnant woman is infected, it's quite dangerous because there are more limitations in terms of treatment, as well as the chance for decreased lung capability.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:48:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
are there any possible emergency options to save patients in need of ventilator support who are not able to be intubated as a result of shortages? are you aware of any efforts being developed to address this inevitability? I have heard of doctors in Italy developing ways to support multiple patients with one ventilator: is this a large scale practical solution?,"We need to evaluate Italy's ideas in detail. Because every patient is somewhat unique, it's difficult to determine which condition requires a ventilator. In such cases, it's unavoidable that painful decisions must be made on the basis of survival probability.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 12:01:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Why do you think South Korea has such a low mortality rate?,"I think it can be attributed to early detection and implementation of conservative management. 

Also, more than half of the confirmed patients are in their 40s or younger, and they are relatively healthy. Mortality rates of people in their 70s and older are not so low.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:23:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Thank you for this AMA.

What medical treatments are you using? 

In the U.S. I have seen herbal suggestions, such as green tea, turmeric, and ginger. Do you support or back any herbal remedies as an alternative or preventative treatments?

I have also heard that South Korea and Japan are handling this very well. I have read that in America we give cars a yearly checkup but not ourselves. Do you believe a yearly check up for citizens is beneficial?

And, at what point do those that are sick in South Korea become hospitalized? 

How are you doing / feeling ?

Thank you again for your dedication and service to mankind, with much love.","1. I do not recommend those treatments as they have not been proved to be effective. 

2. In Korea, starting from age 20, we provide necessary annual examinations. We need to analyze how cost-effective this method is, but this method motivates us to look back on the person's health and check.

Thank you for asking about me. It's true that these times are physically and mentally draining. However, if we don't give our best effort, we can't have a chance to minimize the damage.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:09:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi Dr Joong Sik Eom, thank you for your contribution.

Small Open Economies are defined as economies that participate in international trade, but are confined regarding exports due to their limited size and dependency of other economies.

Most islands in the Caribbean have or are closing their borders. Considering most of the islands depend on tourism due to their confinement of making exports, how would you advise such economies moving forward?

Would you advise them to keep their borders shut? If so, what criteria’s must be met globally or regionally to consider it safe to open borders again?

Edit: Additionally, what recommendations do you have for such economies who may not have 100 ICU’s prepared for a doomsday scenario? 

Thank you.","There is certainly a risk of economic recession. For developing nations, it's difficult to set up strategies other than containment and standstill. There are no standards in place for reopening borders. Doing so should be done only in consideration of case trends, not just domestically but looking at other countries with internationally traveling citizens. There is a need for active support from developed countries.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:53:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What actions do you think the US government can take, that it is currently not taking, to help slow down the spread in the United States?",I think we should create a plan to address the lack of hospital beds for large-scale patient outbreaks.,Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:30:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Have you noticed a lot of misinformation being spread in SK? Does the public seem to trust in what the government and health care professionals are saying?,"There has been a lot of misinformation that take advantage of (and create) fear, disgust, and discrimination to generate pageviews and attention. However, experts have been making a sincere effort to get accurate information out to the media. Most citizens tend to trust the information coming from the government because there has been a demonstrated emphasis on transparency.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:58:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Thank you for taking the time to do this!

Do you believe this current social distancing will still be necessary worldwide in September?","It may vary depending on the trend in the future, as well as on the particular local and national circumstances.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:30:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"With all the different sources of information coming to us here in the U.S., sometimes it feels like we have a mass of options for a possible cure/vaccine that we're testing and other times it feels like we'll be stuck at home for multiple months and won't have a cure/vaccine for a few years. With that being said, how close are we to a cure and/or vaccine? I understand that we won't have one for at least the next few weeks, but given the state of this health emergency, how fast can these crucial drugs be brought to the market?","> how close are we to a cure and/or vaccine?

A lot of efforts being put into developing the cure. Unfortunately, it seems very unlikely that we will be able to develop an effective anti-viral drug or a vaccine under a short period of time. Even if we're lucky to find the cure, it will probably take over a year to actually put it into use.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 12:02:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What do you think about everyone wearing masks when they are outside, do you feel like they helped slowing the spread since most people in South Korea usually wear one? What about homemade ones? If they do work dont you think the rest of our governments should promote them more? 

Also how do you think governments can ease lockdowns safely without having a second wave? 

Thank you","I believe the government and advising expert groups are currently working on mitigation strategies for any potential future waves. At present, the start of the school academic year and upcoming April elections (national senate and local level offices) are Korea's current primary issues.",Professor-JS-Eom-MD,2020-03-24 11:51:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fo4pj4/im_joong_sik_eom_md_a_physician_treating_covid19/,"I’m Joong Sik Eom MD, a physician treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Seoul. I serve on a team advising the South Korean government’s pandemic response. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I’m an RN on an Oncology unit in Florida, there is an ever increasing amount of R/O’s everyday. Our hospital has already restricted N95’s and is now rationing surgical masks unless the patient is actually being tested.

I am worried about my health (CVID), that of my son who has respiratory issues and of all the immunocompromised pt i care for on a daily basis especially if I don’t know I have it.

Am I crazy and thinking it’s completely unsafe to be caring for COVID-19 pt’s without N95 if they are actively coughing and symptomatic even if they are not vented or receiving nebulizers? I feel unsafe and worried about the coming weeks as the 60 beds assigned for COVID likely will not hold them.","I think it’s really important we wear full PPE, which includes gowns, gloves, face masks, and eye shields. The virus has been shown to aerosolize and also be able to spread via our eyelashes. What we recommend healthcare workers do is to have an observer - someone to watch them take on and take off this PPE, since many things often get missed and it’s easy to contaminate yourself if you’re not careful. For example, I may touch my face accidentally while pulling off my mask. It’s like when you’re scuba diving: have a buddy and have a checklist so you don’t drown. 

The truth is we’re all rationing right now. Part of the reason that we’re doing this AMA is that we want people to understand that while, yes masks work, healthcare workers absolutely NEED them right now. We see our colleagues across the country getting ill every day - who will take care of the sick patients when all of the healthcare workers are all ill themselves? So /u/Drgrundle we totally agree that we need as many facemasks and N95's possible. To be clear, even at MGH, we are trying to ration and clean and reuse as much as possible, because we are all at a critically short supply as well. It is a frustrating situation. 

That's why we're asking all non-healthcare workers, please self quarantine. That is the best protection.  The CDC is recommending bandanas, scarves, and other homemade masks if you are able to make them. Try to consider the population as a whole and help us healthcare workers by leaving the disposable N95 masks on the shelves. You really don’t want us wearing homemade ones at work and then taking them from room to room. However, homemade masks (made from teacloth or regular cloth) may still confer a significant degree of protection, and you are likely fine to wear one to the grocery store. These masks likely won’t suffer from the limited supply issue we’re having with manufactured facemasks. We are asking the public to help in this way.

**TL;DR Please wear N95 if you can. Otherwise, save, reuse, and frankly we're just all hoping for the best right now**

**References**

* https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24229526/

* https://www.change.org/p/hospital-administrators-us-physicians-healthcare-workers-for-personal-protective-equipment-in-covid-19-pandemic-do-not-donate?fbclid=IwAR0S20XL9M8a-T_ffd_jccu6OWiJTgvHm25pHXfIq-oGphkoJ6i2FXwxtaw&use_react=false",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:36:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Thanks for doing this, Docs! My question is about the [Imperial College report](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf), specifically the chances of Covid-19 returning in cycles (falling when strict social distancing measures are in place and rising when they are lifted for a period of up to 18 months) until a vaccine is developed. I'm wondering how likely this is. Is this sort of cyclical infection something all epidemiologists consider likely or is it just a guess at the moment? Is it common knowledge among epidemiologists that pandemics of this magnitude will tend to re-appear as the report suggests?","/u/H_Fantods We think this is a pretty good model of the likely scenarios we're facing as a society here. To be clear, the report was for the UK, but if you take these models and plug them into the USA, it does a pretty good job outlining this.[ Credit Twitter Jeremy Young for a really nice breakdown](https://twitter.com/jeremycyoung/status/1239975682643357696) (and if you want to have some nightmares)

""You may or may not have seen the Imperial College of London report. This will and should scare everyone. Let’s walk through what they did: The Imperial College team plugged infection and death rates from China/Korea/Italy into epidemic modelling software and ran a simulation: what happens if the US does absolutely nothing -- if we treat COVID-19 like the flu, go about our business, and let the virus take its course?""

**Now specifically addressing a vaccine and trying to paint our own picture:**

We’ve heard a lot of people say we just need to hold out until a vaccine. Then life will go back to what it was like before, and we have pretty significant concern that it is being treated as a magic bullet to reverse time to what it was like before. But let's paint an alternative picture here where the vaccine is more like the Flu vaccine. The vaccine sort of-maybe works, but we’ll still have an outbreak of the flu every year, and every year thousands of people will die (as they have for many years with the seasonal flu). 

Why do we think that? Well, this novel coronavirus is somewhat related and in the same family as the viruses that cause the common cold (which is usually caused by one of a number of relatively benign coronaviruses). And you can’t really make a vaccine for the common cold. Why? Because by the time we come out with a vaccine to the virus, there may be multiple strains across the world with different genetic variations (imagine COVID with 18 months to evolve). I’m not convinced a new strain won’t just travel to an area immunized for a different strain and resprout again, and that's assuming a vaccine is 100% effective for a particular strain (which it likely won't be).  Now, there are vaccines being developed that target parts of the flu virus that are similar across strains, and that may work with coronaviruses as well, but we’re many years from that point.  

So here’s what I think the future will look like. We’ll get this novel coronavirus under control, if, and only if, we do things like self-quarantine aggressively. We’ll develop a vaccine, and the symptoms will be milder, but it won’t entirely prevent it (much like the flu shot, which decreases the symptoms and duration of - but doesn’t entirely prevent - influenza). But every so often, maybe once or twice a year, there will be flare-ups, and we likely haven’t seen the last of things like occasional city-wide lockdowns and travel restrictions. This might be a new reality for us for a long time. This is assuming we actually do quarantine and self-isolate. If not, well, [read up on the numbers people are projecting](https://twitter.com/jeremycyoung/status/1239975682643357696). I want to try to avoid being too pessimistic here today. It's not fun for a Friday afternoon.


**TL;DR We have choices. Either we self-quarantine and lockdown for a short period (months), or lots of bad things will happen.**

This is the report by the ICL

Source: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:53:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Whats the level of concern people should have in supermarkets? More and more in the US people are only leaving their homes to go food shopping only, but there in lies the risk of contracting this virus. My question is, while we should be acutely aware of people sneezing etc around us, what is the RISK of walking through clouds of this virus still being suspended in the air in indoor settings such as a supermarket.","So let’s talk generally about cleaning surfaces, and we’ll also touch on food. 
 
There is some evidence that shows that the virus can be found on surfaces for up to 7 days on a surface if you put droplets of the virus on it. If you cough (aerosolized it) well up to a few hours to days too. A recent study in NEJM showed it can last in the air up to an hour after a sneeze or cough. That is dangerous.
 
In a normal world, I do try to clean contact surfaces every week or two (doorknobs, buttons, etc). In this situation what I recommend is to increase it periodically (perhaps to every 4-6 hours) based on the number of customers and if anyone has symptoms. A person simply handling a doorknob is not an issue, as much as someone coughing and sneezing onto their hand and then handling the doorknob.  This is exceptionally tough for grocery and other stores to gauge, however, and so the important thing is that everyone who is symptomatic (coughing, etc.) absolutely stays home in self-quarantine - you WILL spread the virus if you go out, so please get someone else to bring your groceries to you instead.
 
As we may all be realizing now, in reality, life itself - in every aspect - presents risk factors, but we should use common sense. The most important thing I want to communicate is that people should still continue to live their lives as much as possible with social isolation, continue their normal habits while quarantined, and take care of themselves. This is particular for things like not obsessing with over-cleaning, (which can be harmful). 

However, please be cautious and make sensible decisions about cleanliness when going shopping - for example,* absolutely do wash* your vegetables and food after coming home from the supermarket, where it may have been handled by any number of people before you. Send people to get groceries or have them delivered by people who aren’t coughing or showing symptoms. That would be sensible too. We’ll address wearing masks in public in a different question, but they’re certainly closely related.
 
**TL;DR: Wash your food, hands and surfaces frequently. Stay at home if you have a cough.** 

 **Sources:**

1. [Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. . Kampfa,G. Kampf G. Kampf, D. Todtb, S. Pfaenderb, E. Steinmannb](https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701\(20\)30046-3/fulltext)

2. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:17:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"My five-year-old had her butt kicked by the flu back in mid-December. She was hospitalized for double pneumonia for a few days, and it seemed to take her over a month to fully recover from it all.

How likely would it be that she could have a similar experience with COVID if she catches it?

**Basically, are people that recently suffered from pneumonia more likely to develop the more severe symptoms?**","We are learning a ton about the disease as it progresses. We’re also learning and developing predictive tools to help us figure out how to take care of our patients. For example, a very popular tool called [MDCalc by Graham Walker](https://www.mdcalc.com/covid-19#calcs) just came out based on the science to help us make decisions based on data of when to admit the patients and when to send them home. This will continue to evolve in the next week. The difference in what we could state in our AMA this week just from last is already exponentially better and I anticipate it will continue trending in that direction. Specifically for prior pneumonia? We're not sure. However, we do have enough information to make some guesses and paint a picture of what this disease looks like for most people:

**If you’re on the mild trajectory.**
* Day 1: The first symptom is usually a fever. You might have fatigue, muscle aches, and a dry cough. 
* Day 5: You might get worse shortness of breath at this point, especially if you have other medical problems. 
* Day 17: The symptoms continue, but get milder and milder until you get fully better. The trajectory is a lot like a flu, and how bad it is depends on your baseline health.

**If you’re on the critically ill trajectory**

* Day 1: The first symptom is usually a fever still. You might have fatigue, muscle aches, and a dry cough. Some patients are particularly susceptible with diarrhea and abdominal pain. We think this cohort does worse than the rest (diarrhea).
* Day 5: Your symptoms continue and it feels like a flu. You might get worse shortness of breath at this point, especially if you have other medical problems. 
* Day 7: At this point in other countries, people are admitted to the hospital. You have Dyspnea, which is shortness of breath while speaking. This is usually the symptom that we make that has patients admitted to the hospital
* Day 8: ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome, where a significant amount of fluid builds up in the lungs from leaky capillaries, builds up. This is while you are in the ICU and on a ventilator. At this point you worsen to death or you improve in the ICU. This is the critical time for improvement or worsening.
* 17 days later: On average, the people who make a full recovery from the virus after discharge from the hospital do so after 2.5 weeks. 

So far we don’t know if the things we’ve seen in Italy and China will apply here in the USA. We’re still around day 14 for the first smaller clusters, especially in Boston. It might feel like an eternity ago, but in Boston the first cluster linked to the Biogen cluster was March 8th, almost 2 weeks ago. 

To give all a sense of how rapidly this is changing, on 3/19 the first cohort of data came out of Washington State that looked at these patients. We are still digesting this and rapidly learning new things.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2763485


**Sources**

https://twitter.com/mdcalc/status/1240719669503365121
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2761044
https://www.masslive.com/boston/2020/03/coronavirus-15-new-cases-in-massachusetts-linked-to-biogen-conference-28-total-cases-now-reported.html",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 14:30:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What are you seeing in the ERs as far as this is hitting people in their 20s and 30s? There seems to be conflicting information coming in on that from other countries.  Thank you for your amazing work and dedication to all of us.,"I just admitted a patient to the hospital yesterday who was not old enough to drink alcohol legally in the US. This patient had gone on spring break and come back with a cough and shortness of breath so bad he could barely walk across a room. I am very concerned that younger people look at the mortality numbers from the WHO (0.2%) and not realize they are susceptible too. Sure, they may only die at 0.2%, but they are susceptible to hospitalization, ICU admission. 

14-20% of patients 20-44 needed hospitalization from a CDC report that recently came out. Sure we may be able to keep these people alive 0.2% of the time, but is that really the best way to measure risk? I want to emphasize this because it’s important for young people to do their part with social distancing.

I am also very concerned about what will happen because of spring break. I think there have been reports of younger people ignoring social distancing recommendations and then potentially returning home from vacations and spreading COVID.

Just last Saturday, a digital health thermometer company, Kinsa, showed data that indicated an unusual rise in fevers in South Florida, even though it's not a known Covid-19 cluster. Our worry: is this because of spring breakers? The elderly? A local cluster in Florida? The fear is that this will be a potential new spreading cluster with people flying back from spring break into their homes and igniting thousands of smaller cluster across the USA. Keep in mind that the South Korean outbreak can almost solely be attributed to a single person (Patinet #31) who did not self quarantine, then went to church and buffets while positive with COVID. Please, please let's do our part to not be that patient.

**TL;DR: Please don’t be our patient #31. Self isolate, especially if you’re young and healthy.**

Sources

* https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e2.htm?s_cid=mm6912e2_w
* https://healthweather.us/
* https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/health/coronavirus-fever-thermometers.html?referringSource=articleShare
* https://graphics.reuters.com/CHINA-HEALTH-SOUTHKOREA-CLUSTERS/0100B5G33SB/index.html
* https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_06-508.pdf",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:03:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"ELI5, when studies now show that the virus can live in the air, what exactly does that mean? Clouds when people sneeze that just hang there? When they breathe? Could you sneeze and then have it float across a certain distance before it dissipates?","Unfortunately, the fact that it is airborne means that yes, it looks like it just stays in the air like a cloud. We think this means that it probably stays infectious too. Remember, these are slightly separate things, but at this point we have to assume it does. The study we’re referencing is the NEJM one below. 

“COVID remained viable in aerosols throughout the duration of our experiment (3 hours), with a reduction in infectious titer from 103.5 to 102.7 TCID50 per liter of air.”

What the researchers did was to create an experiment where they simulated sneezing/coughing, and then looked at how the amount of virus decreases while in the air. Remember, clouds of virus don’t just appear and disappear, they slowly dissipate. You can measure that with half life: how long it takes for the initial amount to cut in half. So it's not totally clear how long it is staying around, but it is clear that it can probably be transmitted just by floating in the air. And it probably remains infectious. Ooph. We learned this lesson from the SARS epidemic and we think its probably the same here too.

Sources:

COVID airborne: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973

SARS airborne: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa032867",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:56:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
I definitely would like to know when to go to the ER. I’m a little nervous I can’t get healthcare.,"**Two things:**

**First,** I think its important for people to remember that we’re treating patients here in the Emergency Department for COVID, but we’re also here for all your other emergency medical needs as well /u/ashley_oc . We still see patients with strokes, heart attacks, gunshot wounds, car accidents, blood clots, and all the things that people regularly have, which are quite deadly in themselves. My biggest fear during all this is that someone with shortness of breath will test negative for coronavirus but then be found days later to have a severe pulmonary embolism that was passed over because we were only focusing on COVID. Its important for people who need care to come to the ER, that’s why we’re here. We’re the front door of the hospital - that’s our mission.  The reason that we became emergency physicians was so we could offer that care 24/7/365. We hope to make sure that the message gets out that we’re still here for people, even (especially!) for non-COVID related concerns.

**Second:** the dividing line for when we have told people to come to the ER has and continues to be based on symptoms: If you are having a hard time breathing or feel awful, call you doctor or, if you can’t get a hold of them, come to the ER. We’ve had patients with home oxygen monitors who have noticed that their numbers drop into the 80s (normal is above 95%) when they walk around at home and feel short of breath.  That is something we’d normally only see when you’re ill or at a very high altitude like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. While most people probably don’t need a home O2 monitor, we should all listen to our bodies, because our symptoms can often correlate with vital signs (like our blood pressure or oxygen saturation). If you feel short of breath while doing your day to day activities, I think that's the time to come in.

**TL;DR: Come in when you feel short of breath. It could be a reason to admit you for COVID, or it could be something else that’s dangerous. We don’t know until we see you.**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:26:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Should I wear a mask? I don't have any symptoms as of now. I'm getting different inputs from different sources so I'm a bit confused.. If yes, which mask should I use?","This is something I think is really important to address. Do you remember #flattenthecurve? One of the things that happens in crisis is that valuable supplies, or sometimes even things that have no trouble going around, predictably become scarce because of hoarding/overuse. That means people buy all that they can get their hands on and then it just sits on a shelf somewhere. This goes for hospital ICU beds, toilet paper (are you really using all that toilet paper?), and also for personal protective equipment (PPE) and masks. One of the things we are seeing was that hospitals themselves can’t purchase any PPE because so many people, both government, hospitals, and regular folks are buying masks.

This is because masks work. Of course they do. There is ample evidence that the virus is transmitted by airborne droplets (NEJM report below) and that masks of all types do prevent infections. 

However the mask situation is like the toilet paper situation. When everyone tries to buy toilet paper at once, there is no toilet paper left. That is a peak in the curve. But when everyone buys TP at a slow regular pace, there is usually enough to go around. That is a peak that can hopefully be flattened.

Now imagine that same situation for those of us in healthcare. If everyone buys masks at the same time, then the masks are like your TP—nothing left. This means the nurses taking care of coronavirus patients don’t have masks, which means they will get sick. What happens if there are no doctors, nurses, PAs, NPs, environmental services personnel, or other staff left to take care of the sick, and we are all ill? Essentially, there won’t be any of us available to treat you when you do.  Thus the need to leave masks for healthcare workers. [We talked about it over here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/fl1bm3y/): 

**TL;DR: Wear a mask, but a homemade one if you can. Please save us the reusable N95's, or we might have a shortage of doctors & nurses if/when you get it.**

**Sources**: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24229526/",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:40:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How bad do you think this is going to get?,"https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/fl1dega/

Permalink here. We try to remain optimistic but these numbers are quite scary, frankly.",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:54:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi! I think I may have gotten a mild case of COVID-19 roughly 3 weeks ago: “head cold,” light cough/chest pain, no sniffles, sore throat, and general malaise. I feel mostly better now, except for an occasional cough and “heavy lungs.”

Unfortunately, my coworkers and I were turned away for testing, as we’re not in a high risk group.

So, my question is: **Is there any testing to determine if someone *already had* COVID-19?** 

I’d sleep easier knowing that I had it and survived ok with potential immunity, rather than live in constant fear.",/u/lIIEGlBIE this is a pretty good answer. Thank you /u/Mymarathon,Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 13:53:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"
Thanks so much for doing this AMA. Please feel free to answer any one or more of these questions that you can, or think are legitimate:

1) Doesn’t flattening the curve rely on the premise that people who are infected and recover become immune and can’t get reinfected? Which as I understand it is something that’s not clear yet? 

2)If people can get reinfected after recovering doesn’t it make it that much harder to successfully flatten the curve and to build herd immunity? 

3) Why are people talking in weeks or 6 months, what can realistically change in that time? Isn’t he only real solution a vaccine and/or effective targeted antivirals that will take a minimum of 18 months to develop? 

4) And even then, can’t the virus mutate and wipe out the process made in finding vaccines or treatments? Do you think in the future this will become endemic in the population like the flu but more deadly?","1. Yes, to some degree. Usually infection and recovery presumes immunity. This is generally what we are seeing out of Asia.

2. yes, but we think this is likely an outlier scenario and much less likely.

3. I am not exactly sure the reference to weeks/months, but I think this is in reference to quarantine. In reality true vaccines will take months. 

4. Yes we do think there is some possibility this happens.[ See our answer here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/fl1dega/)",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 14:55:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Is there anything we can do to help fight this, other than staying home as much as possible? Any way to support the health care workers from home?","This is Shuhan. I want to discuss this point specifically. In the past week alone I have been reached out to something like 500 times by people with really unique talents, skills and abilities to help. I absolutely am floored with the care and dedication people have. I posted this below in a Facebook group and I think it bears worth repeating here: We have a lot of needs, and here is how I think people can be most helpful:

1) Focus on consumers. Can you provide PPE that decreases demand from the private sector to maximize supply among the medical community? We are in critically short supply and our husbands/wives/loved ones are starting to make us masks. Before I would have wondered if it really is kosher for me to wear a homemade mask between patient to patient. Now I know that might be a reality. But I beg people to try to save the N95's for us. Of the patients I saw in the ER the other night, something like 60% had COVID. We see many of them and are at very high risk. Increased production of other types of masks would be incredibly helpful for this effort. 

2) Education among the population: can you find ways to decrease barriers to understanding and maximize responsible actions like social distancing, hand hygiene, and self-quarantine? This AMA by itself is incredibly helpful. Please keep spreading the message.

3) Issues with self-quarantine: Can you assist with technology that can make self-quarantine more tolerable, humane, easy for those most vulnerable in the population? (homeless, etc). The truth is the most vulnerable in our society will not be able to self-quarantine, perpetuating infections.

4) Childcare: Schools are closed and many healthcare providers have families. If healthcare providers cannot care for their children, they cannot go to work. This is a major issue being discussed in healthcare right now. Something that we discussed in our recent AMA:

""I do want to mention that closing schools has a HUGE impact on us and everyone in healthcare. Both my wife and I work in healthcare... if our schools close, how do we both continue to see patients when one of us has to stay home with the kids? Sure, we can afford sitters, but demand is high and - more importantly - many of our coworkers (from nurses to the very important environmental staff that disinfect rooms of infected patients) often cannot. The decision to close schools can have far-reaching impact beyond the kids who are students at them.""


Sources:

* Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies is a Facebook group that I want to give a shout out to. 

* https://www.nbcboston.com/news/coronavirus/mgh-desperately-needs-supplies-president-says/2094292/?fbclid=IwAR3hWqnQV54vwxjNT5y-ulYeGPEpd_vT9bW8fz2TB3ZAu9-B07h7A2znG1o",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 14:09:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Are you guys testing Chloroquine/Hydroxychloroquine already? What's your opinion on those?,"Let’s talk about this drug and study, as it has certainly garnered a significant amount of interest in the last 48 hours. First and foremost, yes we are testing these drugs combinations of these drugs in our hospital. Almost every hospital is doing some sort of research to find out how we can better take care of those in need. For confidentiality sake, we can’t say exactly what is happening, but we are working very hard on counting the numbers, and learning about if there is real data on if these drugs work. 

Right now, there is definitely enough data to think that it might work and to study it more. We want to caveat that it is important to keep these results in context. 

Here is the study that is of interest:
https://www.mediterranee-infection.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Hydroxychloroquine_final_DOI_IJAA.pdf

**We want to emphasize again the importance of caution here.** 

These drugs still need more data. This one study by itself is littered problems. Let’s walk through this:

1. First of all, the trial is really small and might not be more broadly applicable. 

2. Second, alot of patients in the treatment group dropped out. This is a really odd signal. Imagine a scenario where you have a drug that actually does harm, causing them to drop from the study. The people left over will consequently look quite healthy. So we might actually just be seeing data about how fast it makes people be removed from a study after being harmed than to be cured.

3. Third, usually, you want the groups who get treated and not treated to be the same so you can really look at the effect of the drug. In this study, we can’t do that. The treated group looks much healthier at the start than the untreated group.

So short to say, we don’t know, but its certainly enough hope and signal to try and look as fast as we can more deeply.

However, even assuming it works, the worst scenario is a run much like toilet paper on Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, so much that we can’t study it or prescribe it to those most in need. Hospitals themselves may run short on supply if we find that we cannot obtain the drug itself and speculation runs rampant.

We both expect this to start some larger trials. These drugs have a long history of safety and efficacy in humans and they’re both relatively inexpensive generic drugs. We are working really hard to find out if this is true.",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 14:51:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I and others in my family have a mild cold/cough.

How do I know if it's COVID-19? Is there any recommended treatment or procedure besides self-quarantine?

If we do have one of the milder/asymptomatic cases, is there a point at which we have enough immunity that we can step into places of known infection to help ease the burden there, or safely bridge a gap between infected and uninfected?

Are the odds likely that it's just a cold? The way it has come up, it's not like allergies.","All the data so far is suggesting that a runny or congested nose, or watery eyes are less likely to be part of COVID-19. 
 
Its a really quick and easy way to tell that you probably don’t have it, especially since we’re facing so many testing shortages. Obviously the best way to tell is more testing, and its something everyone in the medical field is advocating for. But in the interim, those two symptoms (nose and eye symptoms) are a good way to distinguish between the two.
 
Here is what I am doing when I am seeing patients
 
Question 1: Are you sneezing, or have runny eyes? If yes, then its less likely. In fact these two symptoms are not part of our hospital wide algorithm to test as it stands.
 
Question 2: Do you feel short of breath? If you do, then you should see a doctor immediately. This is your sign to go to the hospital, just like any other time when you have any other disease. If you can’t catch your breath, or speak without feeling short of breath, or just generally feel crummy, please come in, we want to see you and treat you.
 
Now the caveat to all the discussion above, is that in life, no rule goes unbroken, and there are still some people with COVID that will have sneezing, literally the exact opposite of what we just said. That is why the only way to truly know is more testing, and we are hoping that the capability to test more will come soon. That as doctors we have a responsibility to push for.

**TL;DR: There are 5 main symptoms: Cough, Fever, Shortness of breath, Muscle Aches, Feeling generally lethargic/weak**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-20 14:16:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/flvu7k/im_ali_raja_md_and_shuhan_he_md_emergency/,"I'm Ali Raja, MD and Shuhan He, MD emergency physicians from Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. We're back to report from the front lines of COVID-19. Let's talk PPE, new updates & science, testing, quarantine and more. AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What is the main reason I should decide it's time to go to the hospital with this?,"
I think the best guidance to ask yourself is: if this were any other disease, would I go to the hospitals with the symptoms I am having? If I have what feels like a Flu, I may have muscle aches and feel crummy, but if I’m still able to eat and drink and get some rest, I should stay home.  If, instead, I get really short of breath and can’t keep any food down, I’d definitely head in.  The same is true with suspected COVID. We don’t have the tools to treat the virus, as clinical trials are still underway. But we do have the tools to treat your body and its symptoms when you’re ill and getting dehydrated. 

There is still no objective clear definition, but to me it's if you are having a hard time breathing or feel awful. We are happy to see you and assess you in real-time, but keep in mind that the danger of this virus is that it causes Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome. 

TL;DR: come to the hospital if you feel really bad.",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 13:55:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Does the virus leave permanent lung damage in patients who needed hospitalization and recovered?

Is it possible to be infected by the same strain again? how soon? will it be more severe the second time?","As with much of what we discussed today, data is limited. There is a case study from china following an infected patient who received antiviral treatment in the hospital. While the initial CT scan does show the lung scarring, by day 19 healing was shown and by day 31, there was complete resolution of the lung damage. 

**TL;DR It is unlikely. A study from China showed the damage healed after 31 days.**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:16:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Describe ""mild symptoms"" are we talking a regular cold, maybe a flu? Or does mild mean realy bad but you don't need oxygen or a ventilator yet.","Let’s talk about symptoms. The largest study we have to date is from Wuhan and the Chinese WHO report. It’s actually quite interesting. Let’s take a look together:

**The most common symptoms are:** 

* fever (87.9%)
* dry cough (67.7%)
* fatigue (38.1%) - these are definitely “mild”

**The next most common were:**

* sputum production (33.4%)
*  shortness of breath (18.6%)
* sore throat (13.9%)
* headache (13.6%), 
* myalgia or arthralgia (14.8%) aka muscle aches or joint pains
*  chills (11.4%)
* nausea or vomiting (5.0%) - you might see these with the flu as well

**Things that seem to be quite rare:** 

* nasal congestion (4.8%)
* diarrhea (3.7%) 
* hemoptysis (coughing up blood) (0.9%)
* conjunctival congestion (0.8%) 

**Things we classified as very severe disease (about 13.8% have this)**

* dyspnea (shortness of breath while speaking)
* Breathing more than 30 breaths a minute
* blood oxygen saturation ≤93%, 
* Some lab data: PaO2/FiO2 ratio <300, and/or lung infiltrates >50% of the lung field within 24-48 hours)

**6.1% are critical** (respiratory failure, septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction/failure)


**TLDR Mild really does mean mild, and runny nose/ runny eyes probably means you dont have COVID. If you're breathing fast or can't catch your breath while speaking, that is severe and you should be seen by a doctor immediately**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:14:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What home medications should we and should we not be taking if we have the virus? (Cough syrup, albuterol etc)",/u/antiseptic123 [see my comment below here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/fk87zjf/),Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 15:45:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 and make a successful recovery, can you get the virus again?","With many viral illnesses, a successful recovery means that most people won’t be reinfected, as the body has built up an immunity to the virus.  We sometimes see reinfection in patients who are ill or immunocompromised, but even that is rare.  With the flu, it actually has multiple strains so when there is “reinfection” it’s often a second infection with a different strain.  So, based on what we know so far, it should be very hard to be reinfected with COVID-19.  However, it’s important to emphasize that we really haven’t seen enough data to rule this out since not enough patients have fully recovered and then been re-exposed, and we’re all extrapolating at this point.

**TL;DR: You are unlikely to get reinfected...we think.**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 13:57:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi Dr. Raja and Dr. He! So I live in Boston, I had a question about COVID-19 treatment. In some countries such as Italy, Netherlands, Iran, South Korea, and China -- among others -- we're hearing news that doctors use chloroquine and Remdesivir against COVID-19 patients. Recently, in a press release, China [claimed here](http://news.southcn.com/nfplus/gdjktt/content/2020-03/09/content_190536632.htm) that Chloroquine Phosphate healed patients on average 4.4 days (reddit discussion and translation [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/COVID19/comments/ffztou/expert_chloroquine_phosphate_has_a_negative_time/)). However, we're hearing that US doctors will not be able to use these medicines since they're not FDA approved. Is it true that if I show up to Mass General Hospital with complications from COVID-19 doctors would be reluctant to use these medicines even though there is some (although not peer reviewed) evidence that they work in other countries. What will the process of using new drugs in the US look like. Is the roadmap in the order of weeks, or months or years i.e. if it's proved unequivocally that these are helpful drugs in treatment, how long will it take them to be approved in US so that doctors can give them to COVID-19 patients?","/u/BrokenWineGlass in the ER we aren't doing any experimental testing, but I can't comment about what's happening in the ICU as those are other doctors and other departments. As you can imagine trial drugs usually only get tested on the sickest of the sick--our first pledge as doctors was to do no harm. If you look healthy to me and otherwise well, I'd be really reluctant to give unproven medications, especially ones that have pretty significant side effects like Chloroquine, but thats my 2 cents. My job in the ER is to stabilize you, and we have known methods to do that mostly around ventilation and intubation to help your lungs function. That's my clinical experience. After that, I am an informed scientist and I would only know based on whats published.

-Shuhan",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:57:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Why do we not have better information about some basic questions everyone has:

1) does recovering from covid-19 confer immunity, at least until the virus mutates?

2) are asymptomatic patients infectious? I’ve read conflicting reports and having a reliable source for this is important 

3) does heat kill coronavirus? This seems like a simple piece of research that would be beneficial and assuage a lot of fears.  As we approach spring on the west coast, the temperature in cars is getting over 90F. As it gets even warmer it would be great to know if heat kills the virus. People can park in the sun to kill coronavirus in their cars, and leave the AC off during the day or all day as summer hits to kill coronavirus.","/u/backward_s 

1) This is a tricky question--I'll answer to say that there has been no evidence that people who get it once get it a second time (see our answer below). Thus to most people that would mean you have immunity. 

2) I have also read conflicing reports but my answer tends to be no.
The WHO notes that asymptomatic infection has been reported, but the majority of the relatively rare cases who are asymptomatic on the date of identification/report went on to develop disease. It’s important to note that the proportion of truly asymptomatic infections is unclear since we aren’t yet widely testing asymptomatic patients, but appears to be relatively rare and does not appear to be a major driver of transmission.

3) Heat doesn't kill it, but it does make it harder to spread. See my answer below about how long Coronavirus stays on surfaces. There is data that temps around 80-90 does make it harder to transmit. 

-Shuhan",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 15:32:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"As a healthy, younger person (20-29), but with chronic asthma, am I at a higher risk? I have seen the percentage of fatalities for people with chronic respiratory illness being as high as 6.3%, which is significantly higher than the estimated fatality rate for my age group (0.2%). I have had a cough for the last week, but no fever, and doctor's office advised no need to self isolate. Should I be concerned?

EDIT: Thank you both for taking the time to engage with the general public on these difficult topics. We appreciate your expertise and candor.","/u/4AKlondike[ see my comment below](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/fk85kml/). Asthma certainly is a concerning issue, regardless of coronavirus so it's important to try to get your asthma under control and watch carefully for symptoms of shortness of breath.",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 15:47:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
When should schools be closing? We have 5 cases already in/near my city.,"We're not public health officials, so really can't be commenting on when schools should close.  However, my two kids are still in school today, and will be as long as our public schools stay open.

I do want to mention that closing schools has a HUGE impact on us and everyone in healthcare.  Both my wife and I work in healthcare... if our schools close, how do we both continue to see patients when one of us has to stay home with the kids?  Sure, we can afford sitters, but demand is high and - more importantly - many of our coworkers (from nurses to the very important environmental staff that disinfect rooms of infected patients) often cannot.  The decision to close schools can have far-reaching impact beyond the kids who are students at them.

-Ali",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:22:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I have well-controlled asthma but get a chest infection almost every winter and was hospitalised with pneumonia as a child. Aside from taking the same hygiene precautions as everyone else, is there anything I should be watching out for if I do get infected? I don’t want to go to the hospital unnecessarily if I just get a cough but I also don’t want to, you know, die.","There’s two separate issues here, one is the shortness of breath you get from COVID, and the second is shortness of breath from Asthma. They can certainly go hand in hand and as you probably know from living with it, infections can exacerbate asthma. Specifically for COVID-19, people generally develop signs and symptoms, including mild respiratory symptoms and fever, on an average of 5-6 days after infection (mean incubation period 5-6 days, range 1-14 days). 

On top of that, you might actually start feeling short of breath because of asthma. We can definitely treat that--with steroids and nebulizers. You should make sure you keep these handy. If you start feeling more short of breath and your usual treatments (steroids, nebulizers) aren’t helping the way they normally do with your asthma (after all, you know your disease well!), call your doctor to get checked out. If you feel worse quickly, go directly to the hospital as asthma is still an emergency. We’ll answer the other symptoms question separately because its actually quite interesting and informative

**TL;DR: If it feels like your typical asthma attack, it probably is.  If it doesn’t improve, call your doctor or head to the hospital. Asthma is still an emergency**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:02:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Do you see any value in taking vitamins as a precautionary measure? I'm currently taking Vitamins C & D, Zinc and Elderberry. Figure it couldn't hurt, just wondering if it's worth recommending to others.","So I actually looked this up for recent [Parents.com](https://www.parents.com/health/healthy-happy-kids/is-elderberry-really-good-for-kids-heres-what-parents-need-to-know/) piece. There actually is some evidence that Elderberry makes symptoms of a cold more tolerable, but there is no evidence it prevents infections. Keep in mind it also has to be boiled to prevent cyanide toxicity.

I think this whole discussion gets to two main points

1) I think in medicine we need to do a better job talking about patient-reported outcomes, or how you feel. We don’t have a lot of data on medicines and treatments that just make people feel better. I fully acknowledge that, but at the same time  I have been seeing a lot of talk about the idea of boosting your immune system, but keep in mind that a lot of the reasons why people get respiratory distress is that the immune system is too activated, causing a cytokine storm and causing death. A really overactive immune system is really quite harmful (Shuhan).
 
2) I think its more useful to talk about what makes you feel better, and what prevents illness, rather than what boosts your immune system.
In general, none of the home/over-the-counter medications you will take have yet been shown to decrease the duration of symptoms of COVID-19. 

They may, however, help you with your symptoms.  Decongestants may help with your nasal congestion and your cough, and anti-inflammatory medications (like acetaminophen and ibuprofen) will help with your fever.  

3) While vitamin supplements haven’t been shown to help either, there is currently a trial being proposed in Wuhan looking at high-dose Vitamin C and whether it helps patients who are severely ill.  However, the patients will receive 24 grams of IV vitamin C per day for 7 days. That's more than 260 times the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C for adults and children age 4 years old and up, which is 90 mg per day.  I would caution everyone to NOT take anywhere close to this dose at home, and that vitamin C has not been proven to help patients with other forms of sepsis (a life threatening infection), but it still bears further study. If you get to this point, its probably better to come to the hospital. 

**TL;DR: Lots of medications help your symptoms. No medications really treat the root cause. Take medications because they make you feel better, not for your immune system.**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:24:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I continue to hear mixed advice on the use of masks. Some outlets have recommended against using them. Others say it can reduce my chances of getting COVID-19.

What is the complete answer about masks and COVID-19?","Masks can definitely decrease the risk for infection from COVID-19.  The thought is that it is transmitted via large droplets, which a mask should help prevent.  HOWEVER, we have a shortage of masks worldwide, so rather than making a large purchase of masks if you are young and healthy, it’s best to try to leave them for older patients or those with significant medical illnesses. Thats why you may be hearing mixed messages. We really need them for people who are at high risk of death and contracting COVID.

The reports about masks not working are really based around the fact that - at this time - the evidence is that more restrictive N-95 masks are necessary to prevent the virus’ transmission (this may change - we’ll be watching the CDC’s webpage for those of us in the U.S.).  These require specific fitting, as there are different sizes.  The surgical masks you see most people wearing don’t actually limit much airflow and may - instead - offer a false sense of security.  

**TL;DR: If you’re young and healthy, don’t bother with a mask, if you need one, wear it, but wear it correctly.**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:49:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How much stock do you take in the statement yesterday that in 10 days hospitals are going to be overrun?,"I am very concerned about the capacity of the US hospital system to treat the people most in need. Its why we're doing this AMA!

-Shuhan",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 15:35:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How are pregnant women or newborns affected by this virus? Should I be even more concerned about them, and their safety? -My child isn't born yet, But could be in the next few weeks.

Thank you.","At this time, very little is known about COVID-19, particularly related to its effect on pregnant women and infants/newborns. There are two sources that we look at for this, and we’re all still making best informed guesses right now. Keep in mind we have limited data sets here to make decisions off of. However this question really is three separate questions that we’ll answer separately


**1) Are pregnant women at higher risk for severe disease?**

We look at The JAMA report from the 72,000 cases in Wuhan china 

“As opposed to Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, pregnant women do not appear to be at higher risk of severe disease. In an investigation of 147 pregnant women (64 confirmed, 82 suspected and 1 asymptomatic), 8% had severe disease and 1% were critical.”

However ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) looked at limited data from previous viruses like SARS and MERS (and COVID-19 is often thought of as SARS-2). Based on this, they may be a higher risk. Additionally, there is some data that suggests that there may have been cases of preterm birth in women in China who were infected with COVID-19. 

**TL;DR Right now we just don’t know how bad the risk is, so your friend should take (or not take) whatever action makes her feel more comfortable. As you can see its a bit contradictory.**

**2) Should I breastfeed?**

ACOG recommends against breastfeeding, as the concern is for respiratory droplet transmission during feeding. There has been no evidence to date yet showing transmission of virus in breastmilk. There have been a small number of cases in china where infants were found to test positive for the virus shortly after birth but it is unknown if this was from transplacental, droplet, or breast milk transmission. 

**TLDR Keep away from breastfeeding, not because of the milk, but because you would cough and sneeze on your baby.**


**3) Will this affect my baby?**

If we use old models like radiation, fetuses tend to be most susceptible to issues in the first trimester, but by the third trimester, since they’re mostly fully formed, it's probably safe. The highest infection rate in fetuses is in the first trimester for viruses and we’re thinking about it in those terms until better evidence proves or disproves us. At this point there is just no way to know.

**Overall TL;DR It’s probably safe, we think. The only way to know is once we start taking care of more children with COVID-19, so that we can track how they were infected. Don't breastfeed if you're sick**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:32:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Should I be worried about the virus staying in my clothing if I come in contact with a contaminated surface? If so, how should I manage cleaning my clothing and personal items when I get home?","Normal hygiene like soap and seems to work really well, but it does stay on surfaces for quite a long time

-Shuhan",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 15:35:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Should people who smoke be really worried? I'm in the UK and a large proportion of my family are smokers. How does coronovirus impact those who smoke?,"/u/Bean9661 unfortunately smoking does seem to be a risk factor for developing severe disease. Please be safe and watch your symptoms carefully. If you are having shortness of breath, please see a doctor!",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 15:37:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"My grandparents have been self isolating as they do not want to risk catching the virus. 

We will be providing them with their groceries and other needs. What is the best method of doing this to ensure we don't pass on the virus to them if we have it ourselves and don't know yet?","Coronavirus seems to last quite a while on surfaces for up to 6-9 days! They actually tested this and there is data. Obviously, it does always vary depending on the type of surface, the amount of virus, and the temperature. 

It just sort of depends on the humidity and the type of surface. On different types of materials it can remain infectious for from 2 hours up to 9 days.

On the lower end, it lasts only about 2 hours on paper surfaces but can persist on inanimate surfaces like metal, glass or plastic for up to 9 days. For plastic, its about 6-9 days. There isn’t a clear idea of cell phone screens specifically, but for glass it's about 5 days. 

A higher temperature such as 80 degrees F reduced the duration of how long it persists for.

Similar viruses like SARS and MERS also show about the same time frame, so we think this is pretty accurate.

Here is a quick reference I made and cited in a digital rends piece

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/clean-phones-ya-filthy-animals-232103183.html

-Shuhan",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:43:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How do you self quarantine basically? What is the time period for that and what happens if you exceed that time period without any noticeable improvements?,"So, first, some definitions.  Remember that quarantine isolates people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 to see if they get sick, whereas isolation is a way to separate an already sick person from people who aren't sick. Quarantines last for as long as the upper limit of the virus' incubation (the time between being exposed and showing symptoms), which the CDC is saying should be 14 days.  After that, if you’re still not showing any symptoms, you should be in the clear. Isolation lasts for as long as the virus is contagious, which means until people are free of symptoms and test negative for the virus


So specifically to answer the question how do you self quarantine if you’ve been asked to do so? 

* Stay away from other people in your home as much as possible, staying in a separate room and using a separate bathroom if available.

* No visitors unless the person needs to be in your home. Especially visitors who are elderly and frail.

* If you need medical attention (whether it’s for COVID-19 symptoms or for any other medical emergency), call ahead to ensure you're going to the right place and so that they can take the necessary precautions to isolate you when you arrive. Tell the EMT and tell the doctors early so we don't get sick from you!

* Wear a face mask if you must be around other people, such as during a drive to the doctor's office (We're answering the face mask question in another area)

* Avoid sharing household items, including drinking cups, eating utensils, towels or even bedding. Wash these items thoroughly after using.

* Clean high-touch surfaces daily using a household cleaner or wipe. These include: ""counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables,"" the CDC says.[ Shuhan did a piece about it here,](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/clean-phones-ya-filthy-animals-232103183.html) I'll cite the table in another answer. The virus can stay on surfaces for 6-9 days! 

* Clean any surfaces that may be contaminated with blood, stool or any bodily fluids. This should be obvious for any situation, not just COVID

* This one is really important: Continue monitoring your symptoms. If they worsen, such as you if you begin to have difficulty breathing,, and especially if you have trouble breathing while speaking ,that is your sign to go to the ER immediately. 

- Keep in mind: when you begin the quarantine, you should have one set up for you to check in with regularly. Worst case is you are alone in an emergency.

**TL;DR Stay away from people, clean spaces you cough on, but have someone check in on you every once in a while**",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 14:40:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"If I think I have COVID-19, what should my first few steps be to get treated and prevent spreading it to others?","/u/vivagliazzurri1116 self-quarantine! [see our comment here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/fk89r8n/)

-Shuhan",Emergencydocs,2020-03-11 15:38:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fgy7rg/im_dr_ali_raja_vice_chair_of_the_department_of/,"I’m Dr. Ali Raja, Vice Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. I’m joined by Dr. Shuhan He, an Emergency Medicine physician at Mass General Hospital. Let's talk treatment & self care during COVID-19 outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
There was some data out of China identifying a possible link between hypertension and fatalities. There was speculation that ACE inhibitors negatively affect the body's response. I have genetic high blood pressure and take an ACE inhibitor. There are many millions around the world in the same situation. Has any additional data come out about this?,"Hey, do you mind sending a link to the data?  


Also, we discuss the connection between hypertension and coronavirus in this story:   
[These underlying conditions make coronavirus more severe, and they're surprisingly common](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/)",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 14:59:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Assuming the best case scenario and we all successfully socially isolate as much as we can, thereby slowing the spread of the virus, how long would it take until it’s safe to return to normal life?","Hard to say. I've really loved watching the growth of the ""flatten the curve"" narrative over the past week as it is an awesome way to demonstrate the merits of social isolation. [https://abcnews.go.com/Health/flattening-curve-coronavirus-matters/story?id=69519338](https://abcnews.go.com/Health/flattening-curve-coronavirus-matters/story?id=69519338)  
[https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/science/coronavirus-curve-mitigation-infection.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/science/coronavirus-curve-mitigation-infection.html)

But it doesn't predict when this outbreak might end, because it can't. Nobody can at the moment, because the outbreak hasn't peaked. 

Also, we might be in what is called the initial phase of a pandemic. If COVID-19 has multiple phases like Spanish flu or if it [becomes seasonal](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/what-happens-to-coronavirus-covid-19-in-warmer-spring-temperatures/), then we might see a regular bout of cases every year for the foreseeable future or until we can develop an effective preventive remedy, like a vaccine.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 13:19:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"There have been reports of people testing positive after previously being declared recovered from COVID-19. What are the most likely reasons for this? Are we seeing reinfection, false negatives, or some kind of relapse like with chicken pox and shingles?","If you have links to the reports, I would love to see them. 

We know that cold-causing strains of coronaviruses [can reinfect people](https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540143/all/Coronavirus), most likely because RNA viruses mutate gradually over time or because our immunity after exposure wanes. 

CDC doesn't believe that patients with MERS--a cousin of the novel coronavirus--[were ever reinfected](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/faq.html), and SARS flamed out too fast for anyone to study. Animal models of [MERS](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28817732) and [SARS](https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev.immunol.25.022106.141706?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed) show mixed answers on the reinfection question.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 12:20:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"The prime minister of The Netherlands just decided not to close schools because children don't have a great risk of having the coronavirus, and the impact on our society would be too big. My question is, won't there still be a big risk by keeping the schools open? Children can still catch and spread the vrius onto other people, and the fatality rate might be low on children, but with many children catching the virus the fatalities can still run very high. What are your views on this? Am I overreacting or simply wrong by assuming that keeping the schools open will induce a great risk of the coronavirus spreading faster?","As we [reported](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/): 

""Early tracing among close contacts and in households has found that children [are just as likely to catch the novel coronavirus as adults](https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.03.20028423v1)."" AND ""The school closures seen worldwide are justified, because children are the major spreaders of every respiratory illness known to exist.""  


While kids so far have been spared the worst outcomes of COVID-19, they can still act as prominent carriers that might inadvertently spread the coronavirus to others.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 12:33:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Do you know the true range of symptoms? 

Like I know it ranges from asymptomatic-mild- “mild” (pnemonia)-dying, but is there anyway you can expand on upon the symptoms people face at each stage?","Via the World Health Organization:

As of 20 February 2020 and based on 55,924 laboratory confirmed cases, typical signs and symptoms include: fever (87.9%), dry cough (67.7%), fatigue (38.1%), sputum production (33.4%), shortness of breath (18.6%), sore throat (13.9%), headache (13.6%), muscle or joint pain (14.8%), chills (11.4%), nausea or vomiting (5.0%), nasal congestion (4.8%), diarrhea (3.7%), and coughing up blood (0.9%), and conjunctival congestion i.e., red eye (0.8%).

The WHO says the clinical course for the novel coronavirus--how the symptoms develop stage by stage--has varied case by case. 

The CDC lays out a clinical course based on a review of available medical studies, here: [htt ps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-guidance-management-patients.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-guidance-management-patients.html)",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 15:37:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi. Thank you for doing this. 

Why do you think many countries are not implementing a wide lockdown or quarantining people from various infected countries? Is this a relations matter? Or do they not realize how incredibly dangerous it is? I just don't understand their perspective on this.","At best, the lockdowns can only the [**delay the spread**](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/why-travel-restrictions-are-not-stopping-coronavirus-covid-19/) of the virus. Travel restrictions can't fully stop an outbreak on their own.

We should also keep in mind that widespread lockdowns exact an enormous toll, whether it be emotional, physical, and yes, financial.

Many people under lockdown are physically separated from their friends and their loved ones, while also facing down a once-in-a-generation outbreak. These lockdowns impair [trade and tourism](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/2020/03/is-coronavirus-impacting-your-spring-break-travel-plans/), which can influence the economy. But it can also keep essential resources--like volunteer health care specialists--from reaching an impacted destination.

I imagine that most leaders are trying to balance the massive pros against the massive cons of these lockdowns, which is tough.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 13:49:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What would your best response be to those that are saying ""It's just a flu""?","We tackled those questions in these pieces:

[How coronavirus compares to flu, Ebola, and other major outbreaks](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/graphic-coronavirus-compares-flu-ebola-other-major-outbreaks/)

[Here’s what coronavirus does to the body](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/here-is-what-coronavirus-does-to-the-body/)

[These underlying conditions make coronavirus more severe, and they're surprisingly common](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/)

The easiest response might be to quote us and share [the first graphic in this story](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/), made by Nat Geo's Kennedy Elliott: 

""Evidence also shows that COVID-19 is more fatal across all age groups than seasonal influenza, with death rates six to 10 times higher for those under 50. Moreover, death isn’t the only danger, and severe cases of COVID-19 are more common among young adults than you might think."" 

Also, naysayers need to realize that flu and COVID-19 are separate illnesses, and both deserve our attention for their own serious reasons.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 12:44:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I'm particularly worried about ***Virus Mutation***

How likely is the Coronavirus to mutate, and at what rate? Is it a mutation that restricts the possibility of a one-time vaccine? Is there a possibility that the virus may very well become a seasonal pandemic that mimics the seasonal cycle of the flu? 

*Kindly explain this issue as it is a cause for concern for many of us.*","Coronaviruses, like influenza, are RNA viruses, which means they are more prone to mutation than other types of viruses. 

With influenza, these mutations happen so often that it forces us to make a new vaccine each year to tackle the evolving strains. Hard to know if the same will apply for the novel coronavirus, given a vaccine has not been developed yet.  

But not all mutations are beneficial mutations. While the novel coronavirus is certainly changing in its genetic makeup in real-time, this habit doesn't automatically mean that the virus is becoming more dangerous. Here are a couple resources about that:  
[https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-0690-4](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-0690-4)  
[https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-mutations.html](https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-mutations.html)  


Yes, there is a chance that COVID-19 will become seasonal.   
[https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/what-happens-to-coronavirus-covid-19-in-warmer-spring-temperatures/](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/what-happens-to-coronavirus-covid-19-in-warmer-spring-temperatures/)",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 13:03:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"On a scale of one to ten, how bad is this outbreak currently","9 to 10.   
As it pertains to a novel disease, I would describe SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 as a worst-case scenario, in terms of the speed of transmission, the medical outcomes, and the public response to it.  
A emerging influenza outbreak--like 2009 H1N1 or 1918 Spanish flu--are the only respiratory pandemics on par.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 12:04:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What measures do you expect governments to take in large US metropolitan areas over the coming days?,"I would expect a global push in increase emergency capacity i.e., the construction of hospitals and ICUs, increased production of PPE, the development of rapid assays for coronavirus that work faster than the standard PCR test, more mobile testing facilities. South Korea and Singapore are good bellwethers.    
You could expect additional travel bans and large-scale quarantines, which would likely lead to mass migrations of people who do not want to get stuck behind the restrictions. Those mass movements could work against the effectiveness of infection control strategies.   
In the long-term, if the virus spreads widely, we might expect governments to move away from quarantine methods and divert resources primarily toward medical treatment.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 12:11:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How long does it generally take for herd immunity to form on a new virus? How exactly does that occur?,"This question is tricky, because what you're really asking is ""What is the **herd immunity threshold** for the novel coronavirus?""  


The **herd immunity threshold** is the percentage of the population that needs to develop resistance to a disease in order to stop transmission chains between people. You can find one of my favorite illustrations of this concept [here](https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/science-health-public-trust/perspectives/science-health-public-trust/building-trust-vaccines).   


But this threshold varies by disease. For measles, you need 90-95% of the population to have immunity, either through vaccination or naturally through infection, for effective herd immunity. For mumps, it is 75-86% 

Those thresholds are dependent on transmission rates, as others describe in this thread, but it also depends on how/if our bodies can develop long-lasting immunity to the disease. That, in turn, that depends on the virus' evolution but also on how our bodies respond to the virus. 

For example, the seasonal flu virus mutates so fast that we need a new vaccine each year. Even then the vaccine is only 50% effective, which factors into why it is hard to build complete herd immunity against influenza. For dengue, there are multiple strains of the virus, they circle back at random times to spawn outbreaks, and our bodies can't seem to develop immunity that can cover all of them.   


We need to learn more about all of these matters before we can know if herd immunity is possible for COVID-19 and how fast it might occur.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 17:30:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"If this was to go seriously wrong (worst case scenario), how bad would the pandemic end up?

Are there any estimates on maximum death toll/infected rate?","Partially answered here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im\_nsikan\_akpan\_a\_science\_editor\_at\_national/fkc499h/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/fkc499h/)   


But keep in mind: Those are worst-case scenarios. A lot would need to happen between where the globe is now and there.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 18:01:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"The John Hopkins dashboard shows that infection numbers are very low in Africa. [John Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard](https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6).   


What do you think is happening here? are infections not reported, is testing not done? or is it a matter of time before an outbreak also occurs in Africa. Thank you!","It could be fewer cases are there, but more likely, it is due to a lack of resources for surveillance. Health departments can only report what they can detect.

That said, WHO-Africa is rapidly scaling up its activities in the region. [https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus-covid-19](https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus-covid-19)",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 13:57:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Could you explain whether it's possible to get infected by touching an infected surface? Yesterday I read the following: ""*The good news is there have so far been no recorded cases of coronavirus  transmission from surface-to-person contact, said Dr. Jonas Nilsen, the  co-founder of the travel vaccination service Practico""*.  


Does that mean that it's highly unlikely to transmit the virus between each other through objects and surfaces?","The World Health Organization says that COVID-19 **can indeed be spread via fomites** aka surfaces contaminated by the virus.   


Here's CDC guidance on how to combat such transmission: [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/home/cleaning-disinfection.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/home/cleaning-disinfection.html)",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 18:09:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Do you think COVID-19 is the worst outbreak in modern times in terms of scale and severity (versus SARS, MERS, H1N1 e.g.)?","COVID-19 is definitely worse than its cousins, SARS and MERS.

Time will tell where COVID-19 ranks among influenza pandemics and other major epidemics.

If COVID-19's case-fatality ratio remains the same and the virus infects as many people as the 2009 H1N1 pandemic (60.8 million) or more, then COVID-19 could certainly go down as one of the worst, if not the worst, outbreak of all time.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 14:19:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What one thing do you wish people would stop saying about this epidemic?,"Two things:

1) I wish that naysayers would stop claiming that ""COVID-19 isn't dangerous"" and that ""only the elderly/infirm need to worry about it."" As we [report this week](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/), the disease threatens a wide spectrum of people.   


2) I wish that naysayers would stop claiming that ""the news media is exaggerating the risk."" I can't speak for all of news media, because we're not a monolith and some reporting is more evidenced-based than others. But many members of the news media are risking their lives to report these stories, and public awareness is the only tool available for showing people the importance of infection control tactics like social distancing.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 14:14:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Is what we're seeing in the news an accurate portrayal of the current outbreak?
I get the sense that there's a lot that we do you know.","News media isn't a monolith, but you can trust news stories from major outlets like National Geographic, PBS NewsHour, NPR, ProPublica, STAT News, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, Science Magazine, Nature News, and many others. 

The best journalism tries to objectively convey what is happening as it happens. Early on, we made the decision to cover the outbreak with occasional deep dives, because our readers seem to appreciate the 10,000-foot view rather than an individual piece about every single update.

There is a lot that we don't know about this outbreak, and my favorite stories make mention of that reality. The news can make mistakes because journalists are human, but the overarching goal is accuracy.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 16:16:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What do you think about the current countries who are not closing their schools, especially with countries who have 500+ infected?","Closing schools does cut down on the transmission of respiratory diseases like COVID-19.

But each country must make its decisions based on its individual risk. Hopefully, world leaders are listening to the scientific experts and making sound judgments.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 17:57:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What is the progression of the disease like for people in severe care? Is it just like a bad fever or are there worse symptoms?,"This study tracked the progression of survivors and non-survivors. Check out Figure 1.   
[https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30566-3/fulltext](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30566-3/fulltext)",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 12:50:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What's the situation like in Africa? They seems to have suspiciously few cases and I'm guessing it's because of a lack of testing. So how bad do you think the situation is there really?,Answered here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im\_nsikan\_akpan\_a\_science\_editor\_at\_national/fkbmo21/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/fkbmo21/),nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 18:30:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Can someone please respond to a question really quick. I know it's stupid but I had this problem my whole life. So I have 21 years and I live in a country who doesn't have the best medical system in the world. I know this virus has a high mortality rate for the older people. I don't think I have it yet and I'm worried about myself and the older folks and I already started to stay just in home. I didn't had any medical problems that I know of and I'm curious about one thing...if i get infected what are my chances of dying?,"I don't think that anyone can predict an individual person's chances of being killed by the coronavirus. But epidemiology can glimpse what groups might be at a higher risk. 

We review those risks in this story: [These underlying conditions make coronavirus more severe, and they're surprisingly common](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/) 

And the World Health Organization has put out a comprehensive report on the topic: [https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf](https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf)",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 15:11:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Do you think the virus is manmade or is it natural?,"I would check out [this twitter thread](https://twitter.com/arambaut/status/1229368840473235462) from one of the leading geneticists working on COVID-19. In short, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has genetic elements that **could not be predicted/designed in advance by humans**, based on everything we knew about the virus family.",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 13:39:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I’m a student at a college that just announced it’s closing. There are no confirmed cases here, but I can’t leave for five days and I want to make sure I take the right precautions. The problem is that the nature of a college campus means I’m forced to enter and use public areas every day, like group bathrooms, dining halls, and classrooms. Any advice on my best course of action? Thanks for all your help.","Follow this guidance from the World Health Organization as closely as you can: [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public)   


I know that advice like ""don't touch your face"" can seem infeasible. But once you get in the habit of actively thinking about these tasks, they become easier. Stay vigilant!",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 16:25:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I understand those who smoke and vape are at a higher risk. However, I haven’t seen anything about how to help other than quitting. I am a women in my late 20s and a smoker, and I am just quitting smoking today. I am thoroughly freaked because I put my own self at risk with the habit. What can I do to minimize my risks of becoming seriously ill and being hospitalized aside from social distancing, washing hands, and quitting smoking?","Social distancing, washing hands, and quitting smoking are a great start. 

With a disease like COVID-19, the big key is minimizing risk, whether it be via preventing transmission ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html) and [WHO](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public) guidelines) or by getting the body into its best state for handling an infection. 

We've covered what the virus can do to the body in these stories:

[These underlying conditions make coronavirus more severe, and they're surprisingly common](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common/) 

[Here’s what coronavirus does to the body](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/here-is-what-coronavirus-does-to-the-body/) 

Also, don't be afraid to check in with a doctor, if you have one. One of my favorite quotes from the ""underlying conditions"" story:

“When there's a great deal of misinformation in the public arena and when there's much that we don't know yet about the virus, this is the time to use your medical contacts.""",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 18:27:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What can you tell us about cytokines storm ? Are people really dying because their immune system is overreacting ? I have a fever of 37C + all the time but I couldn't get my blood tested. Is this my immune system overreacting ?,"We reported on cytokine storms here:  
[Here’s what coronavirus does to the body](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/here-is-what-coronavirus-does-to-the-body/)",nationalgeographic,2020-03-12 18:31:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fhhoci/im_nsikan_akpan_a_science_editor_at_national/,"I’m Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic covering the COVID-19 outbreak—AMA",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Has there been any signs of permanent damage after recovery?,"Not at this stage, there hasn't. But we're still early in our understanding of the virus, and its lasting effects. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:02:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I've seen numbers that ~10% of people infected require breathing assistance for several days, potentially even weeks.  If the virus continues to spread in densely populated areas, what are our options when facilities fill up?","Like any other country, we have a limited number of ventilators. IF this virus gets to that, we'll have to make some tough decisions. This is why it's important for the public to do their part and self quarantine, if necessary. But the government is taking steps to increase manufacturing capability / pace of ventilators. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:08:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
[deleted],"Yes, we will have to take serious self quarantine measures. We currently don't have the capacity to do a traditional quarantine. But we're not at that stage yet. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:03:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Is it realistic to attempt to avoid infection, or should I just be preparing to make myself comfortable at this point?","You want to do all you can to avoid an infection: be it COVID-19, or a regular cold or flu. Wash your hands. Avoid touching your face. Avoid large gatherings if there is an outbreak in your area. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:09:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I manage a senior residential care community, and I’m trying to have at least minimal stock of PPE we only need small amounts for case of flu or noro . However every vendor I go to purchase we are on the lowest priority list, infact some places will straight just cancel our order. This is leaving other senior providers with ZERO tools to manage an outbreak or even one or two cases. 

What are some alternative options for protective equipment?","Contact your state public health authorities, because you care for a high risk population. -Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:43:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"If someone is infected with the virus with mild to moderate symptoms, are there any at-home or over-the-counter treatments we can use to prevent more severe symptoms from developing?  

If hospitals become overburdened and deny admission for severe cases, are there any at-home or over-the-counter measures we can take to ease severe symptoms?","It's similar your do with the flu or any other respiratory virus: fluids, lots of rest, keeping distance from other people, so that they don't get sick. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:41:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Although we are told for those that catch this disease, 80% of us will have mild cases, with the reproduction number being as high as it is, isn’t the more worrying scenario an overload on the healthcare system and then a higher fatality rate? How do we combat this?","As the numbers increase, yes, the system will start to get overloaded. But every region of the country has plans and training in place to handle these situations, and they're starting to prepare, just in case. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:23:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How long do you expect this to last?,"At least 1 year. We're optimistically at least 1 year from a vaccine.

We will presumably see a drop in cases in the summer. And even if there is a dip in cases in the summer, the southern hemisphere will be entering its cold and flu season. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:18:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I keep hearing that healthy people do not need to wear a mask.

When I asked healthy people (or at least, not showing any symptoms when I spoke to them) wearing masks why they are doing so, they said that they don’t trust those who are showing symptoms to be responsible ie staying at home, wear a mask when outside etc., instead of carrying on with life as usual.


So shouldn’t we all try to wear a mask (or something equivalent to at least cover our nose and mouth) given the extraordinary spread of the coronavirus right now?","Masks without goggles only protect 2 of 3 known routes of transmission. Most people use masks incorrectly, whereas health care workers are trained in infection prevention and control. Acutely ill individuals may want to consider wearing a surgical mask to help prevent others from being infected. But realize that masks only offer partial protection.  -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:20:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
I read a couple of articles that suggest this virus could be biphasic. What are your thoughts on that?,"Since this virus is so new, and scientists are still analyzing the data from China and elsewhere, we can't say for certain that this virus is biphasic. 

There are always going to be ""outliers"" and until we know more about the course of disease associated with COVID-19, we can't say for certain. --Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:13:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"There has been news that this virus can cause permanent lung damage. Is that true even for mild cases? Also, if you could shed some light on how patients are being treated since there is no known treatment for COVID-19.

Thank you in advance!","Long term effects are unknown at this point, if any. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:42:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Dr. Fair, 

In 1918 we saw the Spanish Flu dissipate during the warmer months only to reappear during the fall. Do we expect the same with COVID-19?",">We will presumably see a drop in cases in the summer. And even if there is a dip in cases in the summer, the southern hemisphere will be entering its cold and flu season. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:19:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I know people with other conditions are at risk, I was wondering if asthmatic people are at risk too because the virus targets the respiratory system?",Anyone with underlying respiratory conditions is at higher risk. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair,nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:16:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What's the one question that people should be asking that they aren't?,"""Are we overreacting? Or are we taking the appropriate measures?"" -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:15:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"The United States testing program has been grossly inadequate. I have seen mathematically plausible estimates  that there are thousands of unknown cases actively spreading cov19 in us communities. Why is the likely true scale of the outbreak in the united states not being publicized, in favor of official counts of confirmed cases that are regarded by nearly all experts as inaccurate and misleading?","The only way we're going to know this answer is by rolling out broad testing. What we do know: 80% of the cases are mild to moderate, and they might not even know they have the virus. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:11:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I’ve seen several reports of patients recovering, but then their symptoms return and in some cases the return of symptoms is when the patient succumbs to the virus. This was most recently reported in the second confirmed case in North Carolina. That patient returned from Italy in February after his original symptoms resolved but now they have re-emerged. How concerned should we be about reports of re-emerging symptoms after a supposed recovery?","We don't yet know if this is just a testing issue, or just a return of the disease in someone who already had it. Although we think the incubation period for this virus is 14 days, that is based on early data and may change. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:14:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Why is it so hard to have widespread (perhaps inexpensive?) testing a la South Korea?,"The US is a lot larger than South Korea, and have a decentralized health care system. That being said, diagnostic tests can be produced on large scale using modern technology. -Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:31:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What should you do if you suspect that you are infected, *but do not have health insurance*?

Edit: Guys, I'm not asking for political reasons. There are a lot of people who don't have insurance right now, myself included, who need actual answers. It's scary to think of the consequences of getting infected with no insurance and we need proper info. Please see the doctors reply if you're like me, and get the number to your local public health office just in case.","Call your public health dept. or call your local ER and ask what steps you should take next. While you're waiting on an answer, make sure you keep your distance from other people. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:47:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Why does Italy have so many deaths and critical cases compared to South Korea? Do you think there's a more aggressive type in Italy?,"No. We have seen no significant evidence of mutation of strains of COVID-19. It has to do with the number of cases they have and the strength of their testing, and ability to control the spread of the virus. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:30:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
In what cases is it required to move the patient to the ICU?,"If the patient is having respiratory issues and require ventilation, or other issues that require constant medical attention. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:51:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Do you think residents of large and densely populated cities (nyc, Chicago etc.) should avoid public transportation?","No, not at this point. But take appropriate safety measures, including rigorous hygiene. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:46:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Why is the [US Surgeon General](https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160) telling people not to buy masks, when there are a number of good arguments in favour of it, including: 

* Wearing one prevents you from touching your face
* You may be asymptomatic and sick without knowing it
* It can lead to [a sense of solidarity](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/opinion/coronavirus-face-mask-effective.html) (we are all in this together, instead of stigmatizing only the sick wearing masks) 
* Any protection is better than nothing 
* China appears to have virtually stopped the virus, and nearly everyone there wears a mask in public

Is it just because of limited supply, and we are prioritizing the supply chain for health professionals over the safety of the public?","Masks without goggles only protect 2 of 3 known routes of transmission. Most people use masks incorrectly, whereas health care workers are trained in infection prevention and control. Acutely ill individuals may want to consider wearing a surgical mask to help prevent others from being infected. But realize that masks only offer partial protection. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 13:14:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"given the lack of containment strategies practiced in the US and the (editorially scandalous) lack of widespread testing to track chains of contact and clusters, how do you predict US infection and death rates will compare to china’s when all is said and done? what resources or assumptions do you use to make this prediction?

what should people in known epicenters like WA state be doing? do you think public health agencies are being cautious enough/ communicating clearly enough? 

where else should we assume the virus is widespread?","Chinas has more aggressive measures under martial law, however, they do have an older, sicker population, and a weaker health care system vs. the US. It's hard to predict, but overall, we likely not have the same situation as China. 

Communication and over-communication of how to prevent infections is a key tool in any epidemic response. People in known epicenters of infection should practice rigorous hygiene and avoid others, if ill. 

We can assume at this point that the virus has spread across the U.S.

\-Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:35:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Is there a reason the CDC and WHO hasn’t labeled COVID-19 as a pandemic? What even constitutes a pandemic and how do responses from governments/organizations/hospitals change if COVID-19 is labeled a pandemic?,"The technical definition of a pandemic means that it has reached all 7 continents. Currently, it has reached all 6, except Antarctica. And calling a pandemic will not change our response measures. And could have further detrimental economic and psychological effects to call it a pandemic. WHO said it well that the word ""pandemic"" has never saved a life. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:29:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How prepared are US hospitals for this? Is it fair to say a big concern could be overcrowded hospitals? Are measures being taken now for more ICU beds, PPE for staff, oxygen devices, ECMOs, etc?","As prepared as they can be at this point. Private hospital systems and the government have plans in place for increased pressure on the system. But the more people with only mild symptoms that show up at the hospital, the harder it's going to be on the system for those people who need it. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:41:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"When a sugarcoated view of a situation like this is presented to the public, I believe this only increases panic when the outbreak grows exponentially — because when people see it getting worse than they were told, they lose trust in authorities, and immediately assume the absolute worst is true (when the reality is likely somewhere in the middle).

1. Why do you think so many nurses and doctors have been saying things like *“the flu is worse, don’t worry about it”* which very much contradicts the real situation in China and the assessment of many virologists/epidemiologists?

2. What do the latest models show for how many people are likely to die worldwide from this? I understand we don’t know an exact number, but do we at least have an interval?","1. We're saying the flu is worse because, at this stage, it tends to kill more people annually: approx. 10M per year. That doesn't mean we shouldn't take coronavirus seriously; we just can't forget the flu. Remember: healthy individuals are likely to survive, but can still infect those in the most high risk categories.
2. The truth is: we don't know at this stage. Mortality rates vary by region, and the strength of the health system, and age groups. High risk categories have higher mortality; low risk groups, including children, have lower mortality.

\-Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:26:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Do you feel as if people should avoid traveling domestically, and if so, why?","No. The main thing is to do what you can to keep yourself protected during the flight. You can use the airplane restroom, for example, but make sure to wash your hands afterward, or use 60% alcohol hand sanitizer. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:52:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Is it true that you can catch the virus again after you've been cured?,"There is no evidence that can happen, but we still have a lot to learn about this virus. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:32:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"You've been to Wuhan, if masks don't work, then what do you think about people there should be wearing them in possible exposure to the virus?

If it does work, why keep telling people do not wear them even it's in great shortage, truth would be more acceptable.",">Masks without goggles only protect 2 of 3 known routes of transmission. Most people use masks incorrectly, whereas health care workers are trained in infection prevention and control. Acutely ill individuals may want to consider wearing a surgical mask to help prevent others from being infected. But realize that masks only offer partial protection.  -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:36:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Why is there a misinformation campaign that N-95 masks do not work. When worn correctly, they have been shown to work effectively and protecting the user from infection. 

Why is the focus on ""some people do not use it correctly, touch their face more, etc, therefore masks do not work"". Most things used incorrectly do not work. Do you think providing false information to the public that masks do not work will lead to distrust in other areas as well?","N-95 masks work, IF its properly made to fit AND worn correctly. Medical workers receive training and made to fit masks. Masks without goggles only protect 2 of 3 known routes of transmission. Most people use masks incorrectly, whereas health care workers are trained in infection prevention and control. Acutely ill individuals may want to consider wearing a surgical mask to help prevent others from being infected. But realize that masks only offer partial protection. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 13:16:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Do you believe the media is downplaying the potential impacts and implications?,"No. In our experience, fear, panic and hysteria do more to exacerbate the effects of a pandemic than they do to mitigate them. But that depends on your media source. Make sure you're listening to trustworthy sources is extremely important. Always refer to CDC and WHO for the most accurate, up-to-date information. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:27:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How is this virus different than influenza?

The context of my question is, I'm a 40 year old, healthy guy. If I get influenza (which I did last year), I'll take NyQuil and ibuprofen and ride it out, but I have near zero fear of dying. Should I treat this any different?","They're both respiratory viruses. 80% of people with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms. Vast majority of people recover without issues. The flu is similar, with the main difference being that the flu has a vaccine and a medical treatment. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:40:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How would you rate USA's response to the coronavirus so far out of 10?,"I've never been part of an outbreak response where the government has not been criticized. Once this is over, there will be after action reports on what worked and what didn't. We'll know more over the next few weeks how robust our response has been. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:38:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How likely is this to become the next seasonal ""flu""?","It is too early to say at this point, but this virus, indeed, could become seasonal or long term. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:45:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How do you personally feel about whether everyone may soon contract this virus or if we'll soon overcome this threat, about how it will influence our lives a year from now?",">I think, if everyone takes the appropriate measures, and if the government is able to ramp up its testing abilities, we'll get a much better handle on this virus, and keep it better controlled. A year from now, we'll be able to look back and see what we did right and wrong. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:56:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Is it present and contagious before symptoms form?,"It doesn't seem to be, but we're still learning a lot about this virus. The flu, which is also a respirator virus, can be contagious 24 hours before symptoms start. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:54:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Would coronavirus make a cpap impossible to use? I use a cpap and I’m concerned about how it would interact...,"No, not at all. But clean it regularly. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:47:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Thank you for taking the time to answer questions.

What do we know about the two strains that have emerged from this virus?",There are no two strains of the virus known at this time. -Dr. Fair,nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:44:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"The CDC has posted Pandemic Response Preparedness Resources for Health Departments in the US on their website, although this is not being called a Pandemic as of now. If this currently is not considered a pandemic at this time, when will it be? Additionally, lack of testing availability in the US has clearly suppressed the amount of cases that are likely present across the nation. At what point should local governments talk about closing schools and cancelling large gatherings? It seems as though people in my area aren’t even considering these measures yet, even though we have confirmed cases within 15 miles of our town in New Jersey.","Schools are being closed out of an abundance of caution. Even thought we know children can be infected, and they have survived it. They tend to have mild symptoms. They are still infectious, and can infect those in high risk categories, especially considering children's' hygiene in general. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 13:12:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"@ Dr. Fair,  


are there any project already starting to collect data from mid november across the world for other people that might have died from covid-19 and were just considered a flu death?  


Is the death report a global standard or a Country, let's say Italy, is considering a 85y.o dead from an heart attack but positive to this particular virus a covid-19 death while another Country, let's say Germany, isn't?","Once there are enough diagnostics to diagnose current cases, retrospective diagnostic studies will be conducted. -Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:48:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Is there a reason recovery numbers in the USA are so low? When do we consider someone recovered?,"Right now what you're seeing is just the worst cases of COVID-19. So, it appears like their recovery is low, but we're not including in that number all the cases that do not report and recover on their own. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:54:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Is there a possibility that the virus can mutate and get stronger?,"The known mutation rates for coronaviruses are relatively low, historically. However, this is a new virus to science, and we will continue to sequence viral genomes to monitor for any change or mutations. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:50:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"In your opinion, how many more cases are there which are either asymptomatic or too mild to require treatment and go completely undetected?","80% of COVID-19 cases have mild to moderate symptoms, and the majority of those probably go unreported / undetected.",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:57:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Are any symptoms known to specifically affect the eyeball that might be a concern to people with complex eye diseases?

(Attempts to google it run into discussions of the eye as a vector of infection, hence asking here)","No. This is a respiratory virus. But if someone gets critically ill from this, other diseases, known as opportunistic infections, could take hold, including those effecting the eye. -Dr. Torres",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:58:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
Does hand sanitizer also work to help protect ourselves? They’ve been selling out everywhere,"Yes, as long as it's used correctly, and contains AT LEAST 60% alcohol. Remember: hand washing for 20 seconds is essential. -Dr. Torres and Dr. Fair",nbcnews,2020-03-06 12:49:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fefj9n/im_dr_john_torres_medical_correspondent_for_nbc/,"I’m Dr. John Torres, medical correspondent for NBC News who practices emergency medicine, and I'm joined by Dr. Joseph Fair, a virologist, epidemiologist and global outbreak responder. We’re here to discuss the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How likely is it this virus mutates? How does a virus mutate and why does a virus mutate?
- Thank you in advance","It's in the nature of viruses to mutate. They copy themselves many times and when they do this they will likely make a 'typo'! They simply put the wrong base in place when making a copy.

So yes - the virus will mutate, and is mutating. But this isn't alarming at all.

&#x200B;

The important thing to remember is that these mutations are largely non-functional. They do not make the virus better or worse in any way (contrary to the movies!). Most mutations do nothing, as I said, the next most likely is that they are deleterious - bad for the virus. These viruses won't replicate and thus they won't leave offspring. 

&#x200B;

The cool thing about mutations it that this allows us to track them! Mutations that are the same in two viruses indicate they came from an ancestor with the same mutations. This is exactly how we put the viruses together into a 'tree' on [nextstrain](https://nextstrain.org/ncov)!",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:11:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"In your opinion, which country has had the best response so far?","In my opinion - South Korea. They have had a big outbreak! However in the last few days they seem to have stabilised cases without taking severe measures (lockdown) that cause social and economic damage. Here's what they've done

\- Strongly encouraged work-from-home - this includes supporting businesses by providing compensation per employee for lost profit due to home working, and making grants available for small business, and 'resuming business' when this is all over.

\- Giving employees extra sick paid sick leave and extra leave for caring for sick relatives

\- Closing schools, but providing free childcare to health care workers & critical workers and those who can't work from home - classes < 10 , or even personal care if needed

\- Cancelling and discouraging large events & gatherings, & unnecessary travel

\- Finally, they **really really ramped up testing**. It's widely available, free, and fast (6 hours results).   
Why does this make a difference? Because we know you can have this virus and be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and can also transmit the virus before you develop symptoms. This means those people go around doing their normal things, and infect others. If people know early on that they are infected, they can go self-isolate - this has a huge impact on transmissions. 

This is why I say: **TEST TEST TEST!**",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:44:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How long will this virus stick around? Will it fizzle out or will it stick around every year like the flu?,"So we wrote a pre-print that covered the possibility of seasonality - you can read some twitter threads that u/richardneher and I made of them \[here\]( [https://twitter.com/firefoxx66/status/1229401845346570241](https://twitter.com/firefoxx66/status/1229401845346570241) ) and \[here\]( [https://twitter.com/richardneher/status/1229487444011233281](https://twitter.com/richardneher/status/1229487444011233281) ).

&#x200B;

In short - we don't know the impact of seasonality. For this preprint we looked at the effect of seasonality that we inferred from other coronaviruses, and applied it to the pandemic COVID-19. It is possible that this virus could become seasonal, but we don't know this for certain. It'll depend on immunity and how much seasons impact transmission likelihood.",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:07:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
When will all of this be over?,"This is hard to know! It will depend a lot on how countries react now. South Korea has managed to stabilise their case counts through interventions that aren't as extreme as lockdowns. They have increased testing (very important), supported businesses for work on home, closed schools, limited sizes of gatherings - and they seem to be seeing great effects. 

Acting sooner will be better, as cases increase exponentially, so it's harder to stop with each increasing generation.",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:14:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I follow you all on twitter and love your work. What is your best guess CFR? And we are hearing some reports of younger patients in serious situations. Is the narrative that it only kills the elderly wrong, or are those cases an exception to the data? Have we just not seen enough young people to see the final clinical endpoint?","Thank you for your kind words! CFR is really hard to estimate - it's a slippery number. It depends  a lot on the state of the healthcare system, who is infected, and the number of cases that are being detected (to make the denominator). If a lot of cases are going untested, and only serious cases are, this will lead to a higher CFR. Also, if health systems are overwhelmed so people can't even get basic healthcare, this will also affect CFR.

&#x200B;

This virus is \*most risky\* to the elderly, but it can certainly kill younger people too - even without pre-existing conditions. We aren't entirely sure why yet. It does seem that younger people are at *much less risk* than the elderly, but this definitely shouldn't be passed off as a 'disease of the elderly'.

&#x200B;

Perhaps even more importantly, young people can be 'fine' and transmit the virus to vulnerable populations!",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:24:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
I have seen so many reports that it's the disease that will kill everything or that it's just a bad flu. I have heard so much misinformation that I dont even know what the misinformation is anymore. Just give it to me straight. Do I need to start preparing for the apocalypse or will it all blow over in a month or 2?,"I agree, the misinformation about this has not helped the situation. I'm not very happy with those who are said it's a 'bad flu' - this is something we've now had to counter. For one thing, people don't seem to realise how many people a 'bad flu' can kill in a year! 

This virus is one worth being alert about. Whether for yourself personally I can't say - if you are young and healthy you will \*probably\* be fine (though note that it does kill young, healthy people).  However what's definitely true is that we can all put vulnerable people at risk, and that there's a real risk this virus moves so quickly, that it infects a lot of people who do get severe infections, and this overwhelms hospitals (see Italy, Wuhan).

This won't be the apocalypse - we won't run out of food. Society won't collapse. But it might need to function difficulty for a while - perhaps fewer delivery drivers can work, so we might need to have a few days for systems to adjust. You might not be able to get your favourite brand of yogurt. But you won't starve. This is why people are advising a little prep now - if you don't have to go to the shop for a few days you give the system 'slack' to adjust - so that they can adjust deliveries and not cause more problems.",emmademiology,2020-03-13 13:03:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What are one (1) very serious concern and one (1) encouraging statements you'd say about the virus?,"1) That countries are not reacting very quickly. This is starting to change in the past few days. However, I think Europe & America have a real chance to slow transmission and have a 'South Korea' approach (see one of my other answers), and there is a limited opportunity to do this. In particular I've been baffled by the US slowness to acknowledge the severity of the disease and ramp up testing. I'm still afraid testing is far below the necessary capacity in the US. 

2) The scientific response to the virus has been hugely inspiring. We've never known so much about an epidemic this early into it. Sequencing is fast & cheap, scientists are sharing data quickly & openly, and we are using preprints and tools like [nextstrain.org/ncov](https://nextstrain.org/ncov) and twitter to share data and critique analyses in real time. Everyone is helping everyone in whatever way they can.  It's really been inspiring.",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:50:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What do you all make of the UKs plan to adopt herd immunity?,"Personally I am sceptical of this plan. I agree that we cannot 'stop' this virus now - it will be spreading in the population for a while (there will be many undetected cases circulating in the UK already, right now). That means that we **will** build up some level of immunity as a population.

The problem with herd immunity is that you need a \*lot\* of people to have it before its effective. That means openly deciding that you will allow a really large proportion of the population to get it - like 70% or more (usually you need more). You might say, ok just the young people get it, and the 30% is everyone over age XX. However, we know this virus \*does\* kill young people - even healthy ones.

So, if you let this virus infect every person under 65... and assume a fairly low estimate of CFR of 0.1% - what do the numbers tell you for the numbers dead? And this assumes we perfectly isolate all those over 65 - which is pretty difficult. (And what about those who have other conditions that make them vulnerable?)

I think the idea that we know enough about the virus to so carefully and preceicly control its spread in a way that would lead to this plan being successful is arrogant. We do not know the virus that well, and we cannot control spread so exactly.

However, I think we can seriously limit the spread and the speed of spread, by taking action now to limit social contacts and large groups, etc.",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:39:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
I believe a correctly worn mask will assist in preventing getting infected by someone else.  I know others who do not agree.  Can you clear it up please?  Thanks.,"The issue is that wearing a mask 'correctly' is really difficult. More difficult than most people understand. And unless it's an N95 mask, it's not really doing much good. 

I strongly do not recommend people buy the N95 masks. There have been reports of shortages, and this means that those who really need them - health care workers, and researchers working on the virus - can't get them. Trust me, that's bad news.  
They are also really, really hard to wear properly - most people don't have proper training (and from reading threads about the training - it's hard!). They are hot and uncomfortable, and have to fit really tight. You can't touch the outside, even when removing. Most people can't do this, they get uncomfortable and adjust them and take them off all the time - and so they end up being useless. So, a waste of a limited resource.

The more common surgical masks can be helpful for sick people, as they do contain coughs and sneezes. However, again, on the balance they are a limited resource for other medical workers. I would recommend wearing them if sick but not if well, unless you are sure there are plenty.   


Masks can also give a false sense of confidence - people then tend to not wash their hands more, to go out more, to get closer to people... all with a mask that isn't really helping.",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:21:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Do you think that governments are purposefully hiding the real numbers, to avoid mass panic? Given that the virus’ mortality rate isn’t that high, but highly infectious?
(A hungarian citizen here. We have 18 confirmed cases, and a lot of my friends in quarantine, without any kind of information. The doctors say they “mixed” their papers. )","I can't speak for every country, but I think in most countries we are under-counting cases because of testing availability and testing criteria, rather than the numbers being  known but hidden. There are many reasons for testing not being available - especially in places where government coordination may be lacking of health care services are not ideally funded. (To be clear I am not saying either of these is the case in Hungary - I can't speculate there.) A lot of countries have just also been a bit slow to respond - there's been a lot of complacency around the virus, people (and govts) thinking it's 'just the flu'. That's led to a slower ramp up in testing.",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:32:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
This may seem very conspiracy. and just say it up front I am a Chinese. may I ask is it really possible that this is a man-made virus? is there any possibility? (not pointing fingers),"No, there's no evidence of this - it's highly unlikely. The virus is very similar to coronaviruses that are circulating in bats and panogolins. This tells us that it's likely that the virus has 'jumped' from another species into humans.

This is really common with viruses - it has happened many times in the past (bats often seem to be involved... dunno what it is about bats) - and it'll happen in the future, too. The fact the viruses fit so well into the tree with animal sequences means that by far the most likely explanation is that the virus was a 'spillover' from animals.",emmademiology,2020-03-13 12:53:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fi14db/we_are_four_swiss_scientists_studying/,We are four Swiss scientists studying COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 - AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
How likely is it that we’ll go back to normal by end of 2020 calender year?,"Given the current trajectory of the virus around the global as well as the economic and social knock-on effects, it's highly unlikely we will be ""back to normal"" by the end of 2020. The situation will vary by between and within countries.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 11:53:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi Jono! Thanks for doing this :) 

As someone who actually understands the issue, what are your thoughts on the threads that have appeared over the last few days regarding hydroxychloroquine as a  potentially viable treatment option? Is it something to get excited about? Why or why not? 

Thanks again!","There are TOO MANY myths online now for me to answer one-by-one.  And the myths keep changing. So learn where to get the best information:  www.cdc.gov, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, New York Time has excellent team. Your local universities provide reliable information. Social media can give you ideas, but GO TO THE SOURCE when deciding for self & family.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 12:02:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What’s the next step after “flattening the curve”? How do we ensure that the curve doesn’t keep peaking?,"Next steps depend on: (1) Virus--does it became less active in warmer months--don't know yet, (2) Government action for testing, healthcare, instructions on social distances, etc. (3) Us - you and me, our families, friends, workmates -- do we self-isolate when sick or exposed? (4) Vaccine - human testing started but safe, effective, mass produced vaccine 12-18 months.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 12:06:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
[deleted],"Covid-19 is proving to be a ""stealth virus"" in that we now know a significant amount of transmission is through people who don't have symptoms. The exact % will depend on setting, but is high enough to make testing and surveillance key tools.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 12:09:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"We're obviously now seeing the huge impact the virus currently has on Europe and USA.

To your best knowledge and understanding of the virus, how likely is it that poorer countries in Africa and South America, will experience similar pandemics? Is the virus likely to continue to grow there, despite the different climate?

If so, what measures or prevention can be employed now, so as not to further destroy and impoverish those countries?

Is there anything we, as individual citizens, can do to help? (Besides the obvious of trying not to spread the virus)","Impact on poorer countries serious concern. Assume it is coming and prepare. The economic knock-on effects from rich countries alone could be devastating. To see your countries preparedness see ghsindex.org.  1-pager for every country scored 1-100.  As of this morning reported ""southern"" cases include Brazil 300+, South Africa 100+, Australia 500+. Not yet clear how much local spread.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 12:19:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
What is the best route for convincing or at the very least leading people in the right direction to educate the deniers on just how bad it really is right now?,"Big lesson from past epidemics is that the MESSENGER matters as much as the MESSAGE. Government & public health leaders at all levels must be aligned in their messages. BUT, top down messages are not enough. Trusted leaders from across the political and social spectrums, in business, social sectors, faith must also understand and communication the threat and agreed response.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 12:28:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What is the current status of this disease in the world? I mean, will it get worse or is it starting to slow down because of the summers?","Nowhere near peak for most countries.  As of today there are only 2 countries that have ""flattened the curve"" (leveled off new cases). A few countries in Asia ""doubling time"" (number of days to double today cases) of 10 days. For US, most of Western Europe: doubling time = 3 days, and for worst hit doubling time close to to 2 days.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 12:48:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What is the best way to avoid contracting it in public areas? Gloves? Mask? Hand Sanitizer? Eye protection? 

Assuming we are talking about necessary shopping and work excursions.","Basics are the same everywhere: Handwashing and/or good hand sanitizer, cover cough & sneeze, keep 3-6 feet. Best source of all such advice is www.cdc.gov. This is our world-renowned Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Remember, we've only known this highly contagious and potentially deadly barely 2 months, so advice will change.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 11:59:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Do you think more people will die from the economic consequences and homelessness caused by shutting down business or from the Corona virus? 

I.e. are these measures worth it?","The last 100 years of epidemics, which I discuss in my book, The End of Epidemics, teaches us epidemics kill in 3 days: (1) The direct impact of the disease, (2) the indirect impact on health system (in 2014 W.Africa Ebola ~ 11,000 died Ebola & 10,000+ from disruption of AIDS, malaria, child health, maternal health care, (3) indirect impact on economy. EG: 2008 recession cost at least 260,000 lives from knock-on effect.  This may be bigger",jonoquick,2020-03-18 12:54:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How big of a factor is culture in preventing/containing epidemics, and what are the most effective ways to tackle cultural barriers?","Cultural factors can be a significant problem -- or an important part of the solution. South Koran's culture of social cohesion contributed to it being the first country outside China to turn around Covid-19. Religious & other cultural factors were a barrier in W.Africa as long as the government ignored cultural leaders. Once leaders from the faith community, 400 market women, 20,000 traditional healers, and local media were respectively and thoughtfully engaged, the epidemic was fairly rapidly brought to an end.",jonoquick,2020-03-18 13:03:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fkqzh9/im_dr_jonathan_quick_call_me_jono_ive_worked_to/,I’m Dr. Jonathan Quick – call me Jono. I’ve worked to improve health more than 70 countries. I’ve seen health leaders imagine the impossible – then make it happen. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Thank you for all that you do. 

How do I respond to people who post things like “if we just quarantine the high-risk people and then let everyone else get it and recover, we will develop herd immunity”.  It’s really frustrating because the people who post those arguments are using their theory as an excuse to break the self-isolation directives and are going out and interacting closely with people and basically acting like honeybees pollinating people flowers with Coronavirus.  Any advice or resources for urging our friends who subscribe to this theory to follow public health directives?","Things you could say to your friends:

The virus is spreading through us like wildfire. It will kill hundreds if not thousands every day. Can you imagine a terrorist attack a day killing 500 people for weeks on end? If you could help stop it, would you?

If there's a bit more time to explain, then maybe tell them that even if you are young, you are still at risk. You may have a horrible illness, you may end up in ICU on a ventilator, you might die.

But maybe you will be one of the lucky ones and get mild symptoms only. Maybe you have it now and don't know it.

Well - consider someone like you who does have it. You feel fine. You think ""Hey, this is OK, I'm going to go out and socialise, what's the harm?"". Every-time you go out, you will pass these virus particles onto other people, even if you are careful. You have it on your hands, on your clothes. You touch a surface or open a door? You'll leave virus there for days for other people to pick up. And suddenly two or three more people have the virus.

Maybe they are lucky too and don't get much in the way of symptoms, and maybe one of them thinks ""hey, this is OK, I'm going to go out as well, what's the harm?"". And then they also spread it.

And one or two transmissions down the line, someone who is vulnerable, or just unlucky, maybe your mother or your grandfather, will get it and need a ventilator or die.

It's not about protecting yourself, it's about protecting everyone in the population. And these measures only work if EVERYONE chips in and does them.

You are used to reading about catastophe in other places in the world. You might think it's like a film, or sometimes entertainment. Well, this is not that - this is happening to you. Right now.

It will take sacrifice, but really not that much. How spoilt are you to think that you are entitled to have a beer, or a picnic, or a trip to the countryside, or a lie down on the beach, or to have a party with some mates? How pampered and dependent on luxury are you? It is NOT a right. 

People in developing countries have had it much, much worse. Some have isolated and starved to death under a lock-down. They have died in droves because they have no healthcare facilities. Elderly and even middle-aged patients in Italy have been refusing ventilators so they will be available to younger patients.

You don't know how good you have it - don't throw it away.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 11:32:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How many of your patients are below the age of 40, and do they all have pre-existing conditions?

I know you’re not an epidemiologist, but do you think the soft lockdowns will flatten the curve of the virus, or will it remain exponential?

Finally, take care of yourself. You’re a hero, and I’m proud of you.","Firstly I have to point out that the ICU population is a self-selecting one. The older you and the more pre-existing conditions you have, the less chance you have of making it to intensive care. This is not because of COVID, this is a medical decision based on how likely you are to survive critical illness.

That said, what national data we have for the first three weeks has shown the following:

\~2% <30yr

5% 30-39yr

10% 40-49yr

20% 50-59yr

27% 60-69yr

28% 70-79yr

8% 80yr

I do not believe the soft lockdowns will work in a population where a significant minority continues to ignore government advice. It may flatten it a bit and buy a small amount of time, but ultimately, I don't think it will be close to enough.   

(and thank you - your sentiment will be passed on)",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 11:02:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"There's been a lot of confusion regarding the UK government policy re Herd Immunity and being contradicted by different officials. Was this ever part of the administrations plan, or was it just a miscommunication from BoJo? I understand if you don't have details and are the wrong person to ask.","I'm sad to say that I do have the details, and there has been intense discussion about this over the past weeks. To answer your question: ""herd immunity"" would have been a beneficial outcome to slowing virus growth to a prolonged period of time. It was not a primary outcome.

That said, the official policy was wholly wrong and when all the dust has settled, when all the costs and lives have been counted, people have to make their governments accountable.

I'll tell you what happened in the UK.

Over the past decade, eminent figures in public health developed complex models that would help inform the UK response to a pandemic. The response plan would allow slow spread through a population and a number of deaths that would be deemed acceptable in relation to low economic impact. Timing of population measures such as social distancing would be taken, not early, but at a times deemed to have maximal psychological impact. Measures would be taken that could protect the most vulnerable, and most of the people who got the virus would hopefully survive. Herd immunity would beneficially emerge at the end of this, and restrictions could relax. This was a ground-breaking approach compared to suppressing epidemics. It was an approach that could revolutionise the way we handled epidemics. Complex modelling is a new science, and this was cutting edge.

But a model is only ever as good as the assumptions you build it upon. The UK plan was based on models with an assumption that any new pandemic would be like an old one, like flu. And it also carried a huge flaw - there was no accounting for the highly significant variables of ventilators and critical care beds that are key to maintaining higher survival numbers ([https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2020/03/government-documents-show-no-planning-ventilators-event-pandemic](https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2020/03/government-documents-show-no-planning-ventilators-event-pandemic)).

So, come 2020 and COVID-19 causes disaster in China, Iran and Italy. Epidemiologists and doctors from around the world observe, and learn valuable lessons:

1. the virus is insidious with a long incubation, any population actions you take will only have an effect weeks later
2. the virus spreads remarkably quickly and effectively
3. **the virus causes an unusually large proportion of patients to require invasive ventilatory support**
4. early large scale testing, and social distancing measures, are effective at stopping exponential growth
5. **stopping exponential growth is VITAL to preventing your critical care systems from being overwhelmed.**

Everyone in the world could see these things. But despite this, very few governments chose to act.

The UK did the opposite of acting. In an act of what I see as sheer arrogance, they chose to do nothing, per the early stages of their disaster plan. There was some initial contact tracing, but this stopped when it was clear that there was significant community spread and exponential growth. And after this? They did not ramp up testing capabilities. They did not encourage social distancing. They did not boost PPE supply, or plan for surge capacity. They ignored advice from the WHO, public health experts in other country; epidemiologists, scientists and doctors in their own. I can tell you with certainty now that they did not even collect regular statistics for how many COVID patients were being admitted to critical care in the UK. They did nothing.

What were they thinking? Maybe that what had happened in China, and was happening in Italy, couldn't possibly happen in the UK, right? It was **impossible**. The persisted with the original plan with no modification. 

Well COVID-19 is not flu. That is perfectly clear. And it was clear that the UK numbers were following, exponentially, the same trend as Italy. But still the government and their advisers stuck to their guns and put out reassuring messages. I would ask here - **why did they still think we would be different?**

Finally, a team at Imperial informing the government's response put up-to-date COVID-19 data into the historical models that the UK plan was based on ([https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf)), and predicted in a best case scenario 250,000 deaths and excess of 8x surge capacity of UK intensive cares. They concluded that our approach was wrong, and that ""Epidemic suppression is the only viable strategy at the current time"".

Where are we now?

1. The government has instituted a number of measures that they previously called ""unscientific"", but has not mandated them.
2. We are far, far into the exponential curve both in deaths and critical care numbers, and there is at least two weeks more growth until any of the half-hearted measures taken might kick in.
3. We do not have sufficient testing capability for even hospital patients, who sometimes wait days for a test result. There are not enough tests for anyone in the community, or any healthcare workers who might have symptoms.
4. Hospitals are scrambling to produce surge capacity, and several smaller hospitals in London are now overwhelmed with COVID and out of ventilators.
5. There is clearly not enough PPE in the country and we are rushing to secure supplies.

Don't believe the UK government propaganda when they say that they are only advancing along the same plan at a faster pace. It is total bollocks. Their plan was wrong, kaput, totally broken. They chose to perform an experiment on an entire population, a trial of 'new epidemic mitigation strategy in UK' vs 'epidemic suppression in rest of the world'. They didn't listen to other experts from all over the world, and in this arrogance they did not observe the lessons or data that was there, plain to see. **They have backtracked completely and are now doing what most world public health experts and what the WHO asked them to do in the first place.** They've wasted a month, at least.

Will they suffer? Hell no. It will be the vulnerable in the population, the unlucky young, and the medical staff at the front line.

When the final counts return in months or a years time, don't let them get away with it.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 11:12:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I'm a British expat in Spain. It's bad here and getting worse by the day. I don't have a question, I just wanted to thank you and every person around the world who is working on the frontline of the fight against the virus, so to all the medical and ancillary staff, retail workers, rubbish collectors, delivery drivers etc, thank you. We salute you","I appreciate it, and I will pass it on. 

Here's some positive things which have come from all of this. 

* The amazing dedication of NHS staff from cleaners and porters to nurses who have to spend their entire shifts in 'dirty' bays, doctors, and senior consultants of all specialties who are volunteering to put in shifts on the shop floor.
* The community groups that are helping deliver food to those in isolation with symptoms, or to vulnerable members of society.
* Many local restaurants, businesses, taxi services, who despite losing most of their business in this time, are still donating food and services to NHS workers on a regular basis.
* The shop assistants, delivery drivers and deliverymen, and other public service employees who continue to perform essential roles on a daily basis with minimal protection but who are responsibly taking precautions to minimise the chances of spreading
* And many others. 

Take care and stay well.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 11:15:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Hi Colleague!

Canadian Anesthesiologist here.

What kind of PPE are you guys using in your centre for:

1-Nasopharyngeal swabbing / testing

2-Intubation/Extubation

&#x200B;

Stay safe and get some rest.  AMA is an awesome idea, but don't skip sleep because of this!","Hey there!

It started off that for all swab confirmed positive patients would would be wearing FFP3 masks, theatre cap, visor with long-sleeved gown and taped gloves.

We very quickly ran out of FFP3 masks and visors.

The guidance was quickly downgraded to wearing surgical masks, pinny apron and gloves for any positive patient during usual care, and only using the previous FFP3 PPE when doing anything that is aerosolising (so HFO2, CPAP, intubation/extubation/bagging, suction, bronchoscopy, traches etc).

So for 1. it would be surgical mask and apron. For 2. it would be FFP3, visor and gown.

PPE is in very short supply, and various things run out on a daily basis, but we have been assured that supply chains are being established and the situation will get better.

You can imagine that not many doctors or nurses are happy about the guidance downgrade which seemed to be driven more from problems with supply, rather than concern for our safety.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 12:13:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"You should listen to him. As an Spanish Redditor everything he said is correct. The massive amount of infected people has been produced for not respecting the social distancing.

The idea is not thinking about what to do to not getting infected, but not to infect others. If it is done by all the citizens you won't be infected and obviously you won't infect others.

This bomb exploded right in our noses because we thought that this was just a flu. Even people In their 30s are dying or developing severe lung effects. And, honestly, you are reaching our number or infected/deaths in half the time it took to us.

Take it seriously, people.

Also, the worst scenario for leaving the European Union. This is going to leave a big breach in the economy of every affected country.","It makes me awfully sad that people I know, friends of friends who are intelligent people, are still going out for leisure, or going away into the countryside, or meeting with some friends for a picnic. When you speak to them they say ""oh but it's only for a short time/we'll be really careful not to touch anything/we just have to get out for a bit!"". No, you don't bloody have to get out for a bit. Frankly we are all a bit spoilt.

Then there's the group of people who compartmentalise things, and all the bad stuff they read or hear is just a distant idea. They won't budge until there's a policeman barring their door, or until there's a personal tragedy. Then there's another group of people again who just don't really care 'as long as it doesn't happen to them'.

The accounts of people in Spain and Italy would make most want to cry. 

[https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2020/03/italy-people-are-stunned-uk-government-s-complacent-response-coronavirus](https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2020/03/italy-people-are-stunned-uk-government-s-complacent-response-coronavirus)",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 13:03:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What (if anything) differentiates COVID-19 from other respiratory infections you see on a day to day basis?

Edit: more specifically the clinical presentation.","The CXRs are very unique, and very similar. 

The sick patients have profound lymphopaenias.

The patients that are unlucky enough to deteriorate - they do so astonishing quickly with very little warning. 

Even if patients do not end up needing critical care, compared to other respiratory viruses, COVID-19 patients tend to need oxygen more because there (observationally) seems to be more pneumonia.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 11:29:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I’ve seen reports that
Ventilators can be hacked to handle multiple people at a time. Are these stories correct? If so how helpful is this for expanding capacity? (Does it wear out the machines faster? Is it sustainable, etc)","It's an emergency last resort measure, it is not safe, and it is not sustainable.

You have to find patients with similar lungs (compliance and required pressure) so you don't risk damaging one patient's lungs whilst under ventilating another patients. 

Patients lung characteristics change all the time, so you will end up having mismatched patients and you will end up causing harm.

It's a stop gap measure when there's nothing else, but nothing more.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 12:08:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"What percentage of your intubated, ventilated patients improve enough to be weaned off vents?  The published Chinese statistics for survival after intubation are all horrible, which would argue for reserving vents for patients most likely to recover.","The British cohort so far has been very slow to wean. While I'd expect our finally mortality numbers to be better than China's, they take a long time to be extubated and often have set backs.

This is problematic, because the patients remain on critical care, occupying a bed. a nurse, and a ventilator.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 10:57:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I'm symptomatic but can't get a test because I don't meet the criteria here in California. I'm isolating at home. Do over-the-counter cold and flu medications like nyquil, dayquil, mucinex, etc. help with the symptoms? Is expectorant a good idea? This cough is nasty.","They will help with symptoms and won't do harm.

Ibuprofen is a different matter and there is debate about this. One to avoid.

There's no 'treatment' as such. Most people's immune system will clear the virus, but it may not be very pleasant along the way. So take whatever makes you feel better.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 11:54:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Is the high number of deaths due to an already overstretched NHS ? 

Switzerland had a much smaller country and more cases yet a much lower death rate 

The UK has half the intensive care beds of Italy so is this going to be a bloodbath in the  UK compared to other European countries ? 

Why isn't the government shutting everything down despite this dire situation ? 

Do you think they are prioritising the economy as more important than our most vulnerable and most at risk ?","As far as I'm aware, we have not had to turn away any patients who would otherwise be suitable for critical care. This is largely thanks to prompt action by hospitals in greatly increasing surge capacity.

I've responded to your other questions in other answers.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 12:58:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"How far off do you think the UK is going to be having patients being treating in the hall floors  (like Spain / Italy), or restricting any treatment due to age. There are reports that in Italy patients over a certain age (65 or 70) are not offered treatment due to the demand, but rather made as comfortable as possible (to die)/

Why do you think countries like Japan / South Korea haven't not had the same number of deaths as other countries.

Other than staying home, any thing else ordinary people can do to help?

p.s. from being in the U.K. thank you for all you are doing!","At the current growth rate, we will be in Italy territory in two weeks, when we exceed our maximum surge capacity in London.

The two things that could stop this are (1) creating more surge capacity - e.g. field hospitals, military staff and (2) if population measures start to slow the exponential growth.

The latter will happen eventually, when *effective* quarantine measures happen, but there will be a two week lag from when the measures take place before we see the difference on critical care.

p.s. you're welcome, it will be passed on, stay safe.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 12:05:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Have you noticed any of these miracle drugs touted by various people actually working in patients, such as remdesivir or hydroxychloroquine?","The problem is, if you give someone a drug and they get better, you don't know whether they got better because of the drug, or because they were going to anyway. It's even worse if you give them multiple things - where did the effect come from. And if they develop a complication, which medication did it come from? What we need are controlled trials - a trial compares a patient receiving the drug, to a patient with similar characteristics who didn't receive it, and with enough patients, you can find a signal of effectiveness. 

We do not have enough data yet to know what might be effective. There is data from in vitro studies (which often do not translate to an effect in humans), there is anecdotal data from case series, and there are a couple of very small, very poor quality trials, none of which actually demonstrate effectiveness.

That's not to say we wont try to use them as long as they are safe. Ritonavir/Lopinavir was used a lot by the Chinese but initial trial data was not promising. The Italians have been using chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, particularly in earlier stage patients. Another promising drug is Remdesivir, which several UK centres are using in critically ill patients (although it is becoming extremely difficult to secure).

There are trials currently in progress, and a large WHO trial which as just been launched that will hopefully give us some answers. Expect some initial data over the next month or so.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 10:55:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"As a fellow Doctor (junior stage) currently in Surgery,  the surgical team spent two days learning ICU and Anaesthetics basics in order to get us to 'SHO level', PPE etc to supplement the critical care staff when needed, whereas the Medical teams have been given training in A&E triage and PPE. 

I was fortunate enough that during my F2 year I had a 4 month block of Anaesthetics and ICU so knew pretty much all of it anyway, but a lot of my cohort came away saying that they really didn't take it in and it was given far too fast and quickly. I know we are all highly trained, but obviously we specialise and forget a lot of the basics. Many of the more senior surgeons even had trouble reading blood gasses and said they wouldn't feel comfortable putting in arterial lines, central lines, VasCaths etc and intubating / or even using an igel. 

Has this been the case in your trust and do you think we will actually be able to help if redeployed?","Welcome, and you will definitely be able to help. We have also been re-training and re-allocating staff.

What you don't know now, you will pick up very quickly, never fear. And there are plenty of senior ICU and anaesthetic colleagues who will support you. You won't be asked to handle airways, or make complex decisions. If you are up for it you will get comfortable with lines very quickly (and get lots of practice doing so). At the end of the day, ICU is a far more supportive and educational environment than surgery. You will learn a huge amount, even if it is in challenging conditions.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 13:02:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"Thank you for doing the AMA.  Are you finding in COVID-19 patients myocarditis or other heart related issues?  There was a case report about fulminant coronavirus myocarditis that the American College of Cardiology described, but it would be interesting to hear about your experience and that of your colleagues.",We have seen one myocarditis locally. Other units have seen more. It's a nasty complication and what we know suggests that mortality is high.,dr_hcid,2020-03-23 13:42:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"The current UK government advice is that being outside and exercising is ok so long as you maintain good social distancing. 

I am following this advice and cycling early in the morning in empty streets (5am London) but some of my friends are describing me as reckless and spreading the disease, while the internet is full of ""stay home"" memes. 

I am assuming this will be months at least so am keen to maintain my physical and especially mental health. 

Do you have an opinion if I am ok or should I totally lock down.","The precautions you are taking are sensible and sound OK. The problem is when many people try to do the same thing, and suddenly you have a crowded park. That is why a 'total lock down' is a safer option for the population.

If you notice things getting busier, then I'd go home.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 12:03:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"The government is informed by some of the best virologist, epidemiologist and other highly rated scientists, so why did they do what they did? should they be brought to justice?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Whitty

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Vallance","They are world experts, as are most of the epidemiologists involved.

They came into this with a game plan.

Unfortunately, when you come into a pandemic with a plan that is based on a number of assumptions, if those assumptions are proven to be wrong then your plan has to change, and quickly. 

We had data for weeks from other countries showing that these assumptions were wrong, and yet the plan did not change until the 16th of March. I'm afraid I do not know why these experts did not change the plan, when many other experts around the world were telling them that their approach was wrong.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 13:49:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"I have a comment more than a question. I think it is important to be a little cautious with the extremely dire predictions such as 250k / 1 million deaths in GB and USA, especially without disclosing how these numbers are reached.  Even with disclosures, a vast majority of people won't understand or care how the numbers are reached and will just grab onto them.

Predicting that GB will have 100x as many deaths as have happened in China, in a country with a population 5% the size of China, so per capita 2000x as many deaths, sounds quite incredible.  Frankly to me this sounds like a scare tactic, probably driven by someone who is very frustrated with their government, and I don't think the public needs any more fear.  I would hope that the members of the medical community would present information that is based more on data and evidence than emotion.","Point taken, thank you. I've replaced that with a link to an article explaining the paper.",dr_hcid,2020-03-23 13:44:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/fnl0n6/im_a_critical_care_doctor_working_in_a_uk_high/,"I'm a critical care doctor working in a UK high consequence infectious diseases centre. Many units are totally full, and we are scrambling to create more capacity. The initial UK government approach has been a total failure. Ask me anything.",https://reddit.com/r/Coronavirus,
"

I know a LOT of people who around mid Jan to mid Feb had “flu” but with exceptional levels of pneumonia way beyond what flu is “supposed to” bring. 

How likely is it that many people have already had this and don’t know it and that there is likely a portion of the population walking around who can’t be reinfected? I feel like if this possibility exists, it needs to be looked at. 

Thank you.","There are lots of causative agents of viral pneumonia and the disease syndrome can also vary, especially with co-infections that could occur.

Here's one source of evidence, and that is that the genetic information from all the COVID-19 viruses sequenced so far (713 worldwide [https://nextstrain.org/ncov?p=grid](https://nextstrain.org/ncov?p=grid)) point to a single origin in late November or early December 2019 ([https://nextstrain.org/narratives/ncov/sit-rep/2020-03-13](https://nextstrain.org/narratives/ncov/sit-rep/2020-03-13)).",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 13:09:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it possible that the virus is suffering mutation as it “passes through” the population?,"The virus is definitely mutating, at a rate of about 1-3 mutations in the genome per month, which is its normal rate in any population (human or otherwise). If it was adapting to humans we would see an accelerated rate of evolution, and would have to follow up any of those mutations with lab work to see if it really has an effect. Check out this site for a summary: [https://nextstrain.org/narratives/ncov/sit-rep/2020-03-13](https://nextstrain.org/narratives/ncov/sit-rep/2020-03-13)",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:17:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What metrics should we look at to know when to relax isolation measures. Should we relax these measures as soon as we are far enough post peak for the healthcare system to not overload? Or is the goal to as fully as possible reduce infections before relaxing measures?,"The key metric is the number of new cases each day. When that number starts to grow MORE SLOWLY then we know we are approaching the peak of the epidemic wave. From the peak, number of new cases per day will start to drop increasingly and isolation measures can be relaxed when we approach the end of the wave with very few new cases per day. This is where China is at now.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:08:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Like most people, my anxiety surrounding this virus has been steadily ramping up over the last few months. 

- I read that it is airborne but I don't quite understand what that means. Does that mean ""Don't leave the house because it's in the air"" or does that mean ""if someone breathes/sneezes/coughs near you, you'll be infected""

- Is infection guaranteed? Is it like a game of tag...basically if you're in contact with it, you're 100% going to get it or is it possible that it will not be transmitted to you?","Sorry! I'm reposting this at the beginning of the conversation!

It is not airborne, like measles, which can float in the air up to 100 feet. This coronavirus is transmitted by airborne droplets, so it doesn't float, and drops off as the droplets fall, in about 6 feet. It can also be transmitted on surfaces, which are called fomites. Wipe of your cell phone, or ""phonite!""

Infection rate is a really good question but hard to answer, because all the data confounds both exposure rate and susceptibility. It would probably depend on dose and a person's innate immunity - we would probably need to do an experiment in a controlled environment to know for sure.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:35:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why did the 1918 pandemic stop infecting the population? Did it lessen in severity or immunity and it didn't mutate?,"The 1918 pandemic essentially ran out of susceptible people to infect. There is an epidemiological model called the SIR model (for Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) that models how viruses (or other pathogens) move through a population. Susceptibles are those exposed (in the line of fire, could depend a lot on behavior) in which the virus can get a foot hold (depends on biological properties including immune status), at which point the Susceptible becomes Infected, stays in this bucket for a while, then moves into Recovered (hopefully) and potentially immune (TBD with this virus). In the case of the 1918 Spanish flu, people that recovered did develop protective immunity.

However, genetic elements of the 1918 Spanish flu did assemble into new combinations with other flu strains (we call this reassortment) and showed up in the H1N1 swine flu virus and pandemic of 2009.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:51:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you think that we will eventually develop an immunity to the virus or is this going to continue to spread until we create a vaccine?,"No one really knows, but a vaccine program is most successful if it leverages some natural immunity we develop. With viruses, in some cases we develop strong immunity that is long lasting (like with measles) but with other viruses immunity wanes (like influenza). Here's hoping!",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:05:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you tell people that say this isn't any different than the flu?,"Firstly, it is a completely different virus in terms of its genetic makeup, way it evolves, host distribution, etc. So, different biology.

Second, it is different epidemiologically and in terms of the disease progression, for example, it doesn't seem to cause as much disease in children (but it definitely infects them at the same rate). The R0 or reproductive rate of the virus (related to how fast it spreads) and case fatality rate have both had preliminary estimates that range higher than seasonal flu. In terms of disease, both flu and coronavirus cause immune disregulation (and ultimately possible death by cytokine storm), but the pathways in our cells seem to be different ... all of this is still emerging knowledge - we don't know enough!

Lastly, flu has become a regular infectious agent for humans, cycling in the temperate zone seasonally and at low levels year-round in the tropics. We have no idea if this coronavirus will follow the same route, and importantly, we don't know if vaccines will be able to control it, the way they can with flu.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 13:42:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How worried should we actually be and if we do become infected, what are our best options?","""Worried"" about your own risk of infection will depend on how much you think you can control your exposure (wash hands, social distance, etc), and your underlying factors such as whether you have certain co-morbidities. If you become infected, check with your health care professional, but at this time there are no confirmed antivirals so it would be supportive care, but this is developing/changing fast.

We can also ""worry"" about the community and our role in propagating this infection, even if we aren't too worried about ourselves. Older people as a population are experiencing high case fatality rates - this article tells you more: [https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762130](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762130)

Because the cases in the US are climbing exponentially, the risk of spreading is substantial, but social distancing will help! Check out this report modeling the dynamics of the outbreak: [https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf?fbclid=IwAR14FfG8zV17eoJ3aFl8JNe-IvjZEcmP3g\_iMYgrAs2xb3TV-SOs7CEvLOs](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf?fbclid=IwAR14FfG8zV17eoJ3aFl8JNe-IvjZEcmP3g_iMYgrAs2xb3TV-SOs7CEvLOs)",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:27:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"At what temperature is this virus destroyed? If I bought a take n bake pizza, and coronavirus was on the pizza, would it survive in the oven at 400° for 10 minutes?","Most certainly pizza is a safe bet - those temperatures will kill any virus! Now I'm getting hungry...

Actually, fever is our own body's protective reaction to killing off pathogens with heat - many don't survive or get knocked back when our body temperatures go above 100 F. Viruses that live outside the host cell, say on surfaces, are even more susceptible to extreme temperatures, and enveloped viruses like the coronavirus are among the most delicate. I ""heard"" that outside on surfaces, 26-27 Celsius might be an upward bound, but this is unverified and needs to be validated in a lab setting.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 13:47:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
It was fascinating to read about your student experiences in Africa. What is it like to be in a hospital in a leper colony? What virus fascinates you the most?,"Actually the leper colony wasn't a real hospital, just a low compound with some nursing staff. But it was wonderful to see how self-contained and reliant the colony was, with very efficient mixed farming methods and a self-contained economy.

My favorite viruses are in the genus Flavivirus, which includes dengue, Zika, and West Nile. All mosquito-borne viruses are particularly fascinating to me!",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 13:34:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"A fair amount of the population of my country (Chile) is under voluntary isolation, under recommendation of the government and the media. With that voluntary isolation we were told that it's the way of flattening the spread curve (or something like that).

My question is: if we have about 14 days of isolation, washing hands and following all the health instructions, do we have less risk of being infected at the end of these 14 days of voluntary quarantine, when we go out again?","Yes, if you voluntarily isolate as a community, there will be a lower risk of infection in general over time (fewer other people sick, fewer viruses on surfaces or being distributed in droplets, by coughs/sneezes). 14 days might not be enough if everyone doesn't do it though.

Flattening the curve means essentially this, that the number of new infections grows more slowly, and that the peak of new infections per day will be lower.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:34:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"When do you think we'll know if the Bay Area's shelter in place orders have been effective or not, based on what we know about COVID-19 right now?  


Edit: I personally feel like this is the right response so far, and I'm interested to see if/when we see this roll out in other metropolitan areas soon. But I'm also curious if you feel like this *is* the right response, if you feel like addressing that, too.","We will know if it was effective when the number of new cases per day stops growing exponentially. In a plot of cumulative cases, that would look like the inflection point in the S, after which the cumulative curve should level off. The leveling off reflects ever-shrinking numbers of new cases per day. I like to tract this site, but it only reports data at the state level: [https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/](https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/)

Yes, I strongly believe shelter in place was the right thing to do. Any means of social distancing helps, and has had a huge positive impact in China and South Korea.

Right now, different urban areas in the US are at different points on the epidemic wave, and virus activity seems to be staggered in seeding outbreaks in other cities - its almost as though we are a metapopulation.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 14:09:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is your opinion on gain of function research?,"One of the hypotheses for why this virus emerged into the human population is that it ""gained"" the function, or ability, to more efficiently infect human cells. This post discusses that further: [http://www.virology.ws/2020/02/13/furin-cleavage-site-in-the-sars-cov-2-coronavirus-glycoprotein/](http://www.virology.ws/2020/02/13/furin-cleavage-site-in-the-sars-cov-2-coronavirus-glycoprotein/)

This would absolutely need to be studied and verified in a laboratory setting. This research could be important in identifying a mechanism for virus infection that could be interrupted with antivirals, for example.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:39:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What is the possibility of a second wave that is just as (if not more) virulent or deadly, like what happened with the Spanish Flu in 1918?","This will depend on the impact of the current wave on the population: will it run out of susceptibles (like Spanish flu did), how quickly will susceptibles re-enter the population (depends on what is driving susceptibility) and do we develop protective immunity (as we did with Spanish flu). See my other post on track susceptibles with an SIR model.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 14:14:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Does the virus attach itself to healthier people and infect others before they show symptoms? Also, does the virus reinfect with stronger symptoms than the previous infection?","I think your question is, can asymptomatic people transmit the virus? The answer is yes, both in the case of asymptomatic people that never develop symptoms, as well as people that are incubating the virus and are asymptomatic because they have YET to develop symptoms - this incubation period can be from 2 to 14 days with an average of 5-7 days.

We actually don't know if the virus can reinfect people.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 13:16:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Are people with heart arrhythmias at a higher risk?

Do disinfectant sprays and wipes kill the virus on surfaces? If you’re being forced to work, could wearing a reusable mask protect you from the virus? I feel like if nothing else it keeps you from touching your face until you have a chance to wash your hands.

Is it a guarantee everyone who gets this virus will get pneumonia?

Can you catch the virus through food if you order takeout? Does microwaving kill the virus?","If you have any health problems, you should definitely check with your doctor. People that are particularly vulnerable to developing sever disease are listed here, and this list does include heart disease: [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html)

Wipes with 60-90% alcohol are believed to kill this virus on surfaces - here are cleaning tips based on your specific situation: [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html)

Masks are actually not that helpful unless you are working with/around people that are spraying droplets (coughing, sneezing) as in a healthcare setting. See here:[https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-use-faq.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-use-faq.html). In terms of transmission of virus particles on surfaces, that is, through fomites, it is definitely important not to touch your face, but one could also argue that wearing a mask might cause you to adjust it more often, depositing fomites on the mask itself or your face...

It is definitely not guaranteed that every infection will lead to pneumonia. In a study from the China situation, 27% developed severe pneumonia aka Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - see this paper: [https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext)",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 14:00:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"In more mild cases, can it cause upper respiratory infection symptoms?","A study reports that ""Symptoms of COVID-19 are non-specific and the disease presentation can range from no symptoms (asymptomatic) to severe pneumonia and death. As of 20 February 2020 and 12 based on 55924 laboratory confirmed cases, typical signs and symptoms include: fever (87.9%), dry cough (67.7%), fatigue (38.1%), sputum production (33.4%), shortness of breath (18.6%), sore throat (13.9%), headache (13.6%), myalgia or arthralgia (14.8%), chills (11.4%), nausea or vomiting (5.0%), nasal congestion (4.8%), diarrhea (3.7%), and hemoptysis (0.9%), and conjunctival congestion (0.8%)."" This is the report: [https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf](https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf)",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 13:13:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Would weather conditions have any effect on mutation of coronavirus?,"Not directly. Mutations are actually occurring all the time to DNA and RNA, no matter what the organism, based on error rates at the chemical level when the genetic strand is being copied for replication, or due to a mutagen, like UV radiation or a carcinogenic chemical. Most mutations are lethal and kill the cell or virus (viruses aren't cellular). When a mutation persists in the progeny, we call that evolution. Sometimes these evolutionary changes are neutral and don't confer any particular fitness benefit, sometimes they can be even bad for the organism under certain conditions, and sometime they can confer a fitness benefit. The larger the population size, the more variants.

So, with many viruses that are seasonal in the temperate zone, they are seasonal because humans cluster together in warm dry rooms with recirculated air, increasing their own susceptible population size artificially, as well as by extension the virus population size. Larger population size of the viruses, larger amount of standing genetic variation, more opportunity for a potential beneficial mutation to occur that could eventually become fixed in the virus population - more fit virus, usually not so good for us.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 13:03:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Maybe a dumb question. But why can't we swab our own mouths and test ourselves? What's in the test kits? Can we not look at our own culture samples through a microscope at home to see if we have the virus?,"No dumb questions!

Yes, in theory you could collect your own mouth swabs but you would need to send them in, because the current test is based on detecting the genetics of the virus by a polymerase chain reaction that uses coronavirus-matching molecules and other reagents to amplify fragments of the virus genome (accelerate its replication) for detection through a series of cycles (e.g. 30) that typically alternate between 95 celsius to 55-65 celsius to 75 celsius. In summary, this is a real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction \[aka real-time RT-PCR\] that includes short sequences of DNA (primers and probes) that bind exclusively to SARS-CoV-2 matching sequence and give off, once bound, a detectable fluorescent signal whose brightness matches the number of binding events aka virus fragments. Although the [test parameters are now open access](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/lab/index.html) you would need this fancy real-time PCR machine plus a centrifuge plus a biosafety cabinet...

The good news is that many folks are working on different kinds of tests, maybe even a protein-based test that could be bundled into a system like a pregnancy test kit, and you could use this RAPID test kit at home...

Normal microscopes won't help because viruses are too small to reflect light (this coronavirus, if it is like others in the family Coronaviridae, is probably on the order of 120 nanometers \[a nanometer is a billionth of a meter in diameter) - you need to use an electron microscope that fires electrons at the virus and reads their reflections.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 13:29:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How worried are you about this virus mutating so quick the vaccines are nearly impossible?,"The virus doesn't seem to be mutating extra fast, see here: [https://nextstrain.org/ncov?p=grid](https://nextstrain.org/ncov?p=grid), but that doesn't mean that if we add a vaccine into the mix as a selection pressure, it might not evolve in response, basically immune escape. This is one feature of influenza A and one of the reasons we have to be re-immunized with a different vaccine each year.",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 12:44:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you know if COVID-19 reacts to Ozone similarly to the way SARS did?

Can we utilize ozone generators to disinfect areas, and kill COVID-19?","I don't know, but look to the CDC first ([https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html?CDC\_AA\_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcommunity%2Fhome%2Fcleaning-disinfection.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcommunity%2Fhome%2Fcleaning-disinfection.html)) or what about this? [https://noai.org/ozone-kills-coronavirus-covid-19](https://noai.org/ozone-kills-coronavirus-covid-19) \- I haven't reviewed it...",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 14:31:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the actual process for testing? Like what are they actually physically doing? And what do they need to do to mass produce those tests?,"Here is some information on testing: The test kit is intended to amplify **only** SARS-CoV-2 viruses in the sample and produce a positive signal when present (the test is a real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction \[aka real-time RT-PCR\] that includes short sequences of DNA (primers and probes) that bind exclusively to SARS-CoV-2 matching sequence and give off, once bound, a detectable fluorescent signal whose brightness matches the number of binding events). Although typically only certain CLIA certified labs can run these, the good news is that all the [test parameters are now open access](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/lab/index.html) and the [FDA is allowing labs emergency authorization](https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/policy-diagnostic-tests-coronavirus-disease-2019-during-public-health-emergency) to develop their own tests based on these parameters: see [https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/bid-rapidly-expand-coronavirus-testing-us-agency-abruptly-changes-rules](https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/bid-rapidly-expand-coronavirus-testing-us-agency-abruptly-changes-rules).",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 14:17:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Are the mutations severe or just average? Is there any way that we haven't heard on the news to prevent the spread? Have we had any step backs with the vaccine?,"Mutations are so far accruing with time at a standard rate, and any tests of the impacts of any particular mutations would have to be studied in the lab. See this website to examine those mutations: [https://nextstrain.org/ncov?p=grid](https://nextstrain.org/ncov?p=grid)

I don't know of any other ways to prevent spread than what is currently talked about: protect yourself from being a host by washing your hands, not touching your face, and maintaining a social distance of at least 6 feet except from people you live with; protect people from you as a transmitter by self-isolating (and calling your doctor) if you're experiencing flu-like symptoms plus all of the above.

Happily, because the data on this virus, especially the genetics, has been open-source, many labs are using the information to explore vaccine candidates. The barrier is actually in terms of regulation and completing the necessary steps of human testing to make sure that the vaccine is safe and effective in humans. This will take time (12-18 months?).",MicrobeExplorer,2020-03-19 14:28:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/flbwei/im_shannon_bennett_a_virologist_focused_on/,"I'm Shannon Bennett, a virologist focused on emerging infectious diseases, here to talk about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Can you describe how you see the world situation   
1-In one week ?   
2-In one month ?   
3-In one year ?","From Dr. Sharfstein:

1--worse than today  
2--much worse than today  
3--hard to predict. that's why we need to take this seriously now",APnews,2020-03-16 11:48:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What’s the most positive news you’ve received over the last 24 hours?,"From Dr. Sharfstein:

My parents have decided to cancel their trip to visit my brother in Tennessee. Everyone should be looking for positive news in helping people most at risk to stay safe. More broadly, I appreciate how quickly so many states and localities are taking serious action, how the healthcare system is mobilizing, and how the conversation has shifted to #flattenthecurve. This is what needs to happen so the US doesn't experiences the challenges of Italy.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:27:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Would it be fine for me to have long walk in open area ? I am a senior citizen.,"From Dr. Sharfstein: Yes, it is generally safe to take a walk outside. However, it's best to avoid close contact with other people on the walk.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:23:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Everyone keeps talking about the projected estimated 40% infection rate among US citizens. With a current mortality rate of 1.2%, that would leave roughly 1.6 million dead in the US in its wake.

How much stock do we need to put in to these numbers, and what is the confidence that this scenario will actually play out? And how long will it take before we know we’ve seen the worst, and what will be the indicator?","From Dr. Sharfstein:

&#x200B;

 So this is a big question. Some are actually estimating infections to 2/3 or so of the US population in the first year. So these kinds of numbers are not fantasy. At the same time, while we have evidence of the case fatality rate, we don't have great evidence of the infection fatality rate. Meaning, we need to include in the fatality rate the denominator the people who were infected but didn't realize it. Some people think there may be a lot of people like this, which would reduce the mortality rate well below 1.2%. So a lot of uncertainty, but yes, those numbers are **possible.** Another key point is that if we slow down the speed of the infections we'll be able to maintain high quality clinical care which will reduce the mortality rate.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:56:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How does a coronavirus pandemic end? When is it decided it's contained/over?,From Dr. Sharfstein: Check out this op/ed by a terrific expert in epidemics Justin Lessler. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/coronavirus-pandemic-immunity-vaccine/2020/03/12/bbf10996-6485-11ea-acca-80c22bbee96f_story.html You can also hear a great podcast interview with him here: http://johnshopkinssph.libsyn.com/understanding-the-spread-of-covid-19,APnews,2020-03-16 11:22:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I am an outpatient psychotherapist at a behavioral health clinic attached to a rural hospital in New England - are there recommendations for whether or not we should be cancelling appointments for clients? I am worried about my clients for whom isolation can be a life or death thing due to depression and suicidality, but it can also be life or death with covid19...",">From Dr. Sharfstein:  
>  
>  
>  
> This may be a good time to consider tele-therapy. Also, we have to figure out ways to practice distancing in person while not distancing psychologically. I share your concern for this vulnerable population.",APnews,2020-03-16 12:07:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thanks for doing this. 

1) Does water temperature matter when washing hands with soap and water?


2) If I order a hot dish from a restaurant as takeout, and the person cooking, preparing, or delivering my dish was sick, am I at significantly increased risk? 


3) Does *exhaustive* exercise (iike running on a treadmill for 3-4 hours) increase or decrease my body's ability to fight off a virus?","Thanks for asking. Here is Dr. Sharfstein's reply:

 There are different perspectives on whether hotter water is better. CDC recommends warm or cold water. See: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html 

-- The bottom line is wash hands with soap X 20 seconds at key points and even if you just feel like it.

2) There is some evidence emerging of the potential for ""fecal-oral"" transmission of the virus, which means it could be passed on by people who don't wash their hands well after going to the bathroom. For this reason, some people might suggest sticking to cooked food, rather than uncooked food, for ordering out. Also super important that restaurant workers wash their hands. Restaurants should take extra steps and assure their customers. And people ordering should wash their hands well before eating. 

3) Running on a treadmill for 3-4 hours? That does sound exhausting. No clinical studies with coronavirus as yet. I have not seen data on this question.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:00:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are the earliest notable symptoms and how do they differ from a normal illness? I imagine it takes a few days to get to the fever and sore throat/dry cough stage.,"From Marilynn: The most common symptoms are fever and a dry cough; sometimes fatigue and shortness of breath. Symptoms may come on slowly; for example, 44% of hospitalized patients didn't have fever at the start but nearly all developed one. 

Here's a story giving tips on telling COVID-19 from flu and ordinary colds: https://apnews.com/fc233effe10f7dcf535f758fb1b0d2ce",APnews,2020-03-16 11:15:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you make of the UK government's response to the pandemic?,">UK

From Dr. Sharfstein: The UK is less aggressive at using social distancing than other European countries. There is a lot of concern that this will lead to a peak of infections that overwhelms the health care system. We'll see soon what happens.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:34:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Would a National shutdown in US be effective? Effective enough for justification?,"From Dr. Sharfstein:

We're going to see what happens in Italy and Spain and France. Most likely, it will slow the spread of the virus. Right now, we're seeing local and state shutdowns of various degrees. In general, we need to educate and inform and inspire efforts at social distancing. Where people are not following (such as going to bars), the power of the state may be needed...but always with good explanation and constant revisiting of whether it's needed.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:30:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you think the difference between reported cases in the US are versus the actual cases?,"From Dr. Sharfstein:

My answer is we do not have a handle on the total number cases in the US because of the delays in testing. As testing becomes more available, we'll know more about actual cases of *ill* individuals. But that's not everyone who is infected. To know the full number, we'll need a different kind of test to be used -- one that measures evidence of past exposure. These tests are under review by FDA.  These tests will identify people who were infected but had no symptoms.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:26:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How long can Covid19 survive on an inorganic surface? For example, on a doorknob or phone.",From Marilynn: Tests by scientists found the virus can live up to 3 days on certain surfaces. Here's a story looking at what the tests show: [https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2020/03/11/tests-show-coronavirus/](https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2020/03/11/tests-show-coronavirus/),APnews,2020-03-16 11:41:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Has there been a lot of cases of people not experiencing any symptoms at all but still being carriers?

Is there anything new or interesting that researchers have learned about the virus?",From Marilynn: We know that people carry virus before symptoms appear and that some spread is due to that but exactly how much isn't known yet.  This story looks at what we know about the virus in more detail: https://apnews.com/545af824f44a22f7559c74679a4f1f53,APnews,2020-03-16 11:04:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
There seems to be a lot of people under the impression that “we all already have it and it’s not that bad”. How wrong are those people in assuming the case of the sniffles they had 2 weeks ago was COVID-19?,">From Dr. Sharfstein:  
>  
>hard to say. but once we have serology tests available, we'll be able to check on how many people really have been exposed.  
>  
>ADDING: But key point -- even if it's not that bad for one person, they could still have been a bridge for someone at higher risk to get the infection ... who could have much more severe illness.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:47:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"We all know the 81% of cases are mild statistic, but do we know the distribution of truly mild cases (few days not feeling great) vs “mild” meaning pneumonia not requiring hospitalization?","From Marilynn:

The best info so far seems to be from the China CDC on nearly 45,000 cases. 

This paper describes the distribution of symptoms and severity, details on age groups, etc: http://weekly.chinacdc.cn/en/article/id/e53946e2-c6c4-41e9-9a9b-fea8db1a8f51",APnews,2020-03-16 11:26:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why is the fact that people under 65 are susceptible to severe symptoms not being broadcast more in order to encourage social distancing in younger people?,"Thanks for your question. We've stressed in our coverage that the risk of death rises with age and is greatest for the elderly and those with other health problems. Recently a couple countries have said a large proportion of ICU cases are in people under 65, and I'll be looking to include that info as it emerges. - Marilynn",APnews,2020-03-16 11:01:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why is Italy suffering a much higher death rate than other countries?,"&#x200B;

From Dr. Sharfstein:  Good question. The disease obviously spread quite a lot before significant actions were taken. I also understand their age distribution may skew older. But the full answer is not yet known.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:32:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"1) How likely is it that there may be asymptomatic transmission? I've been reading things but no one has a definitive answer.

2) If you come into contact with a Covid positive person, are you almost guaranteed to contract it?


Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions!","> If you come

From Dr. Sharfstein: ""Almost guaranteed"" is a bit vague. It depends on the nature of the contact. Generally, it's thought up close contact (including sharing personal space, touching, sharing food) are much higher risk for transmission. Waving at someone across the room --> unlikely, but that's not an invitation to go and wave at people. You could touch something on the way in or the way out and get infected too.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:08:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Should people be getting pneumonia vaccinations? Are they effective in preventing the secondary pneumonia infections brought about by the coronavirus?,"From Dr. Sharfstein: 

Always a good idea to get the flu shot and if indicated the pneumococcal vaccination. Pretty much everyone should get the flu shot. To figure out if you should get a pneumococcal vaccination, check here: https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/vaccination.html. 

Now why is this important? First, to prevent flu and pneumococcal pneumonia, which lessens the burden on the healthcare system at this difficult time. 

Second, so you don't have to go to the doctor, where you could pick up coronavirus. 

And third, for pneumococcal, to reduce the chance of a simultaneous bacterial infection. 

However, it looks like the pneumonia caused by the coronavirus is a result of direct viral pneumonia and appears different on x-ray and CT scan than traditional pneumococcal pneumonia. So the role of bacterial infection may not be particularly large; I'm sure future research will clarify.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:18:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the best estimate of how long it take before you become infectious and when are you not infectious anymore ?,"From Marilynn: Symptoms usually develop five to six days after exposure, but virus has been found in the nose or throat of people infected for a couple days before they develop symptoms, and the incubation period can be up to two weeks. Most people recover within two weeks but how long they remain infectious is still being studied.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:35:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi! Thanks for doing this. Other than social distancing and good hygiene, what else can the average person do to help their families stay safe?","From Dr. Sharfstein:  

Help out the people in your life who are at very high risk of serious consequences from coronavirus infection. That may mean getting them groceries, or convincing them how important it is to stay home. Also help others in your area understand the importance of social distancing.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:40:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you think the weather warming up will affect transmission and number of cases? Will we still have to worry about this in July?,">From Marilynn:  
>  
>  
>  
> No one knows if this virus will behave like the flu and fade as the weather warms, or if it will become a seasonal scourge. Here's a story that looks at that: [https://apnews.com/6c1e20759d8487fba2d8a3ebf5262766](https://apnews.com/6c1e20759d8487fba2d8a3ebf5262766)",APnews,2020-03-16 11:57:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"For Dr. Sharfstein, do you have any policy recommendations for supporting service industry workers and business owners who are shutdown, underpaid, or laid off during a pandemic?  Thanks to you both for taking questions!","From Dr. Sharfstein:

This is a good guidance document from CDC for businesses. The economic issues are really important -- people need income to live. That's a critical question for policymakers, and businesses should be calculating what they need to keep those who depend on them able to care for themselves and others. [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html)",APnews,2020-03-16 11:42:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are the potential long term health consequences for those that have recovered?,"From Dr. Sharfstein: It's hard to know the long term consequences since the first infections appeared in late 2019, but there are certainly some concerns. The condition of acute respiratory distress syndrome can be associated with long-term challenges with lung function. This will be an important area for studies. Also, I'm sure there will be a number of psychological consequences for many people.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:20:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the main mechanism from which coronavirus spreads? Is it airborne or through physical contact?,"From Marilynn: Health officials think the primary way the virus spreads is through droplets, which can be spread when someone coughs. those can be inhaled or touched by uninfected people nearby, which is why doctors say we need to wash our hands a lot and avoid touching our faces. 

This story gives more info: https://apnews.com/545af824f44a22f7559c74679a4f1f53",APnews,2020-03-16 11:17:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"The screening website made by Google for the US Government (https://www.projectbaseline.com/study/covid-19/) recommends you don't get screened if you are showing symptoms. What are we supposed to do in a country that seems to not care if we are reporting accurate numbers?

Edited to say it's not a US Gov site, it's a site made by Google for the US Gov.","From Dr. Sharfstein: 

Actually, that website recommends testing for people showing symptoms. The highest priority for testing is for people with severe illness. As more tests become available, people with less severe symptoms should be tested. In general, the value of testing is much less for people without symptoms, even if they have been exposed. That's because the test may be negative but the person may still be developing an infection. the Quarantine period is 14 days, no matter the tests along the way.",APnews,2020-03-16 11:14:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fjlvma/we_are_the_chief_medical_writer_for_the/,We are the chief medical writer for The Associated Press and a vice dean at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ask us anything you want to know about the coronavirus pandemic and how the world is reacting to it.,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Can you  address the topic of the USA being ""so far behind"" other countries with testing and preparedness? It's so hard to read through the bias of different news sources and would love to hear some direct responses by the professionals themselves.","The CDC initially chose to develop its own test separate from the World Health Organization. But soon after the tests were shipped in early February, there was a flaw in one of the tests components and states could not confirm the test results. This caused the initial delay. 

At that point only the CDC and the New York state department of health were testing. Now the government is allowing more and more private companies and commercial labs to test and we're basically playing catch up, but the virus is just spreading too fast. *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:36:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How scared should 20-something year olds be that we’re spreading the virus asymptomatically?,"I think if you regularly come into contact with high risk groups, its pretty scary.  Keep in mind that even though you can spread it while asymptomatic, its a lot harder.  The symptoms are what allow us to spread those viral particles in droplets onto surfaces and directly to other people in close contact.  If you aren't sneezing and coughing, contact has to be much closer to spread it.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:15:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How can social distancing and self isolation possibly work when most Americans can’t work from home and aren’t being given leave (or even proper PPE) by their companies?  People are already sick and still being allowed, even pressured to work with coughs and fevers.",I agree this is a huge problem.  We need the political leaders of our society need to step up and remove this obstacle. *-Dr. Cioe Pena*,usatoday,2020-03-17 12:39:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why are doctors and nurses not wearing full bio containment suits like other countries?,"So first, its not always necessary because some activities we do as health care professionals are lower risk and we are protected with just the N95 mask or surgical mask.  Secondly, wearing that suit is really hard during a 12 hour ER shift!  Usually we need frequent breaks to rehydrate, etc.  There are some cases where we are doing high risk procedures (like putting patients on a ventilator) where it is necessary and we do put them on. *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:20:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is there a test to confirm if someone has had the virus but recovered? If someone has recovered is it safe for them to go out and be around elderly people to help them?,"Not readily available.  we can test for antibodies, but that is not the test we are currently using.  the test we are currently using detects the virus itself, so if that test is negative you are not likely to be infectious to anyone, including the elderly. *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:22:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I work in MRI and I am currently working at a outpatient facility in PA and I am still scanning routines studies that are non emergent. I am getting little to no guidance on what I should be doing to protect myself or my patients. I have a few surgical masks. I feel bad for using a lot of wipes because I feel all supplies should be taken to the hospital. Any advice for me?,"We are advising all of our clinical providers to wear surgical (procedural masks) in the clinical areas and mask any patient that has a fever or cough.  This is helpful in preventing healthcare workers from getting sick.  Other than that, wash your hands compulsively between patients, definitely before touching your mask.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena.*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:17:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it true that this virus is 5x more infectious than the common flu?,"No, its about as infectious as the flu, more people are getting it because there is no vaccine yet.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:28:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Two questions. My temperature is naturally lower than most people and I don’t get fevers as badly. When I was sick with the flu I wasn’t allowed to leave school early because I didn’t have a fever. Is there any way that I could identify that I’m sick without a fever?

Second question. What do you think about all schools in Ohio closing for 3 weeks because of coronavirus?","1. Aches & chills, difficulty breathing, dry cough and overall fatigue are also other markers. 
2. Many states are following suit i.e. New York *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:44:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you believe things will become so bad that doctors will really have to choose who lives and who dies when hospital resources become too scarce?,I hope not! We need to take the public health measures seriously so we aren't put in this position.  Its the worst thing in the world a doctor could have to do.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*,usatoday,2020-03-17 12:40:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If someone has been exposed to an individual with the virus, does the 14 day quarantine start after your last contact with them?

What about people who are living with someone WITH this virus - at what point should their 14 day self quarantine start?","Correct, 14 days after last exposure.  If you are living with someone with the virus, your quarantine starts 14 days after they are symptom and fever free for 24 hours.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:46:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is there a trick to telling if you have a fever without using a thermometer?

I can't buy thermometers anymore where I'm at, and I often feel ""under the weather"" from separate health issues so I'd like to stay cautious about monitoring my temperature as much as I can.","Unfortunately, there's no way to tell if you have a fever without a thermometer. *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:10:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Are people with asthma at higher risk?,"Yes. However, children with asthma seem to be doing better than adults with asthma. *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:18:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I’m an EMT in Boston. How hard are we going to get hit the next two weeks? I’ve been warning everyone for weeks but just like Italy everyone treated it like a joke.,"Quick clarification question so we can answer as accurately as possible, do you mean how hard is Boston going to get hit or EMTs? *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 11:58:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How much am I at risk as a 13 year old if I test positive? I’ve heard it’s about 1 in ~4,000 deaths per cases in my age group.",There have been no deaths under the age of 15.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*,usatoday,2020-03-17 12:47:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
">President Trump told a group of governors on Monday morning that they should not wait for the federal government to fill the growing demand for respirators needed to treat people with coronavirus. “Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves ...


Which states are handling things better than others?  

Which policies and/or preparedness in terms of having previously invested in resources are working?","I don't think we'll have a solid answer to that until it's all over, but here are a few things I've noticed. Some states -- like Ohio and Illinois -- have been aggressive about implementing community isolation measures, like closing restaurants or postponing elections. (Some, of course, say those actions should have been taken even sooner.) Other states with lots of cases, like Florida, have not taken those same mitigation measures. Speaking generally, the states and counties that include an infectious disease epidemic in their emergency plans will be scrambling less than those that didn't have that component or hadn't done a practice run with it recently. Individual hospitals, too, should have emergency plans and surge plans that give them a template for responding to an infectious disease outbreak that could overwhelm typical capacity. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 13:01:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is it true that recovered patients are having trouble with their lung capacity? I saw something about “frosted glass” lungs. 

I’ve also been seeing that people my age (early 20s ish)aren’t as low risk as everyone makes them out to be, what are your thoughts on that?

Thanks","Its a ground glass appearance on CT scan, it basically means that they have viral pneumonia and ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome).  People can and do make a full recovery from that.  Some people will have residual symptoms for weeks, but it does get better.

There are sporadic cases of 30 year olds and 20 year olds not doing well, most are doing great.  Biggest risk seems to be a healthcare worker.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:51:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"1. How much toilet paper should we really be buying?

&#x200B;

2. What is the best thing to do when your SO has the Coronavirus?

&#x200B;

3. What would you do if you had the Coronavirus?","1. TP - less than what we're currently buying :) I would say 2 weeks worth, and that's a good rule of thumb for any groceries. 
2. Keep your SO in another room and limit contact. 
3. If you have it, stay home. 

*- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:28:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’m in NYC, how long until I can go back outside and do normal things?","There's not much risk associated with being outside (going for a run, being in nature, etc.). But other normal things like bars and gyms will most likely to be closed until at least April. *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:17:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Are your nurses still being provided with appropriate PPE??  What do you consider appropriate?  I’m a RN.  We are being given one surgical mask per patient per shift.  Some other local hospitals are giving their nurses no PPE at all.  As a MD, what do YOU feel is appropriate PPE for YOU to wear when you’re working with a COVID-19 positive patient?

Also, USA Today... TALK TO THE NURSES!! We are being slammed by the virus and by our employers.  Hear our stories please, we need help.

Edit:  Surprised to come back and see this downvoted.  Says a lot about how healthcare workers are treated in this country.","So firstly, I think we do need more nurses to be spoken too, i'll mention this to USA today as well.  We are being given a surgical mask per shift, not per patient.  When doing procedures like intubation, nebs, bipap, etc we use N95 and more PPE like a gown, hood, gloves, goggles etc.  

&#x200B;

Mask the patient and mask on you is fine for pretty much all non-invasive patient encounters and keeping us safe.  I've been working with that for most patients.  I agree though, we need to make sure we are keeping docs and nurses safe.  Our healthcare systems are only as good as they are.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:56:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Should we be wearing masks when going out?,"If you're healthy, you don't need to wear a mask. *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:54:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Has there been any discussion on using drugs off-label that have shown promise in the literature as treatment for SARS and SARS-CoV-2 (like Chloroquine, remdesivir etc.) on unstable patients or as routine treatment in high risk patients with COVID-19?","Some doctors are using anti-virals as a Hail Mary in hopes it slows down the progression of ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). The results are being monitored, but it'll be a long time before anyone has certainty about whether they helped. Blanket guidance is a moving target with so much still uncertain about the virus. Ultimately, each doctor will have to make a judgment call. --Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:06:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"As an ER doc, are you already seeing a large increase in traffic at your hospital?","So we've seen some increase, combined with a decrease in ER visits for everything else though, so far its manageable.  We are bracing for this week to be worse though.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:33:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I'm in my early 30s work for a tour company in Florida and drive a 14-passenger van with a bunch of strangers each night. My wife is similarly aged and pregnant and I'm getting a lot of pressure from family to self-isolate, but my employers are keeping the tours going until someone orders them closed down. Should I refuse to work or just take basic precautions while driving people around?","That's a call you'll have to make based on your own personal risk assessment and all those other things in life like a budget. Most cases result from close, regular contact with someone who is infected. From what we know so far, it seems less common to contract the virus by touching an object then touching your face. Taking precautions like washing hands, not touching your face and disinfecting the van regularly will certainly help. Your regular doctor could give you advice more specific to your family's situation. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:19:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I cant afford masks, if I just put a piece of a t shirt to cover my nose and mouth it would work?","Unfortunately a tee shirt won't work, honestly masks are not necessary if you are healthy. They are helpful if you are sick and self isolating. One surgical mask which is not very expensive (your doctor might give you one if they are sending you home to self-isolate) could last you the entire two weeks in isolation.  *- Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:12:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi, What estimate do you think is NYCs real infection rate? How many people do you turn away from getting tested due to limited testing?","I think its much higher than reported admittedly all state and federal agencies are saying that too.  We turn lots of people away from testing at this point, prioritizing in the EDs patients that need admission or ICU.  If you can drive or walk yourself to a hospital Emergency Department right now, you probably should be going somewhere else. *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:37:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Should we be in self quarantine in the USA?,"If you have a potential exposure or are in an area of high risk, then probably.  Quarantine is when you have a likely exposure to a positive case and are waiting to see if symptoms develop in isolation so you don't infect other people.  Theres a lot of cases where that is true right now in the USA.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:30:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is it true that children are more immune to the coronavirus? If so, why?","They are not more immune per se, but they definitely are getting infected less and having MUCH milder symptoms or no symptoms at all.  They can still get infected and transmit it without symptoms though, so keep them away from Grandma and Grandpa if possible! *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:43:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"It might be an uninformed question, for which I apologise, but: Is it possible for a young person (20-29) with a strong immune system to kill the virus from within or would they just act as a vessel?","The people who are infected but have no symptoms still have the virus in respiratory secretions, so they could spread it if they're slobbering all over things you touch. (Like a child might!) There is no risk from sitting next to someone on the subway who has no symptoms. But people with mild symptoms, no matter how healthy they are, are more likely to spread the virus. Some initial studies show people with mild symptoms initially might not develop severe symptoms until week 2, if at all. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:46:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
If a person is tested for Coronavirus and results come back negative is it possible they have it but are still in the incubation period or does a negative test mean at that particular time they are clear?,"A negative result that day means you're not infectious, but you could have it. It's possible to test positive a couple days later. *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:23:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How many people do you believe to be infected? Is it more than what is be reported by the CDC?,"Short answer is a lot.  Its definitely more than reported because the CDC themselves are saying they are only reporting positive tests so between lack of available testing and people with mild or no symptoms, theres definitely an undercount.  There usually is in epidemics with such wide ranging spectrums of symptoms. *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:32:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is there a recommended medication yet? I have seen some experimental medication given to patients in serious conditions like Remdesivir.,"Not really. Remdesivir is being used as a ""hail-mary"" for people in the ICU and there's not much evidence to back it up. *-Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:48:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the scene like currently in hospitals in US outbreak centers? I've seen unverified twitter threads that paint a particularly grim picture... can any of those terrible conditions be confirmed? What's it like right now to be a frontline worker against the Coronavirus?,"Things are tense, providers are nervous and worried.  I wouldn't call conditions terrible, we are still taking excellent care of people but the air is tense.  Its not a fun time to be an ED doctor but this is why we (I) signed up to be an emergency physician. *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:49:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
There is a lot of confusing information regarding treatment in terms of diet and medication. What is the best way of home treatment in case I am infected and am unable to be hospitalized due to the overwhelming stress in the hospitals?,"COVID-19 can lead to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and, in the worst cases, organ failure. I personally would call your local health department, answer their questions and follow any guidance they give you. If you have an underlying condition that affects your ability to be in a hospital, be sure to mention that. Your regular doctor and local public health officials will know best which resources are available where you live. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:09:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is it really true that 50% to 75% of Covid-19 cases are asymptomatic? If so, does that add another complicated layer of prevention that hasn't really been handled / discussed?",No. *- Adrianna*,usatoday,2020-03-17 12:56:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Compared to other diseases (like ebola, for example) how dangerous is the Coronavirus?","Ebola is much more dangerous, about 50% to 90% fatal.  Coronavirus at its worst is 7% fatal in Italy and will probably average about 0.6% fatal.  Flu averages 0.1%, so a little more deadly than seasonal flu.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:58:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Can someone have both Influenza A/B and COVID-19 simultaneously?

My not-a-scientist brain says you get sick from the common flu, have a weakend immune system and are more likely to contract the coronavirus and are taken down faster.","I'm not a doctor, so I can't say for certain if you can get them simultaneously. I have, however, heard experts talk about secondary conditions. If you get one or the other, your immune system is weakened, so you are more likely to pick up something new. Some of the deaths in China, for instance, were not from COVID-19 directly, but from secondary infections and ongoing complications. --Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:57:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What are the outcomes we are expecting with the current 2 week shutdown? How long are we expecting the shutdowns to last? As in, are we expecting restrictions on our daily lives to grow over the next few weeks and months?","That's a tough one. Some studies show that community closures work best when implemented the entire duration of an epidemic. If not, cases can spike again. But leaders are weighing multiple factors when they decide to make emergency declarations. The decisions aren't based on medical outcomes alone. There also is one unanswered question about the virus that could affect how long all of us are holed up: Is this virus seasonal? If so, the spread could slow to a crawl as we enter summer than reemerge in the winter. --Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:14:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do we need to ban/limit domestic travel to limit the spread or are current measures such as social distancing enough to curb this virus?,"It depends on how long the mitigation measures are in place. Limiting travel on any scale reduces the chance of the virus reaching a new community, but some studies show that only works as long as the bans/limitations are in effect. As more places in the U.S. have cases of community spread (it wasn't a result of travel), domestic bans would be less effective at containment. These decisions likely will balance non-health concerns, too. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:54:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Which city do you think will ""lead"" the way in cases, and what will make them first?","It's safe to say whichever city is the biggest and has the most people i.e. New York. However, the Seattle area had a head start and has a high number of cases. *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:50:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"My country aswell as other european countries take action to control the spread of the virus, planning for a slow but steady spread of the virus throughout the population. Anyone, but especially the elderly and those with comorbidities are at risk of being hospitalized from this virus. 

Others have a higher chance of none to mild symptoms, able to get better at home over a certain period. This group however, will not be tested for the virus in my country and we will have to rely on estimates from our healthservices to establish how widespread the infection is. 

To my question: as the description mentions this will mean a lack of true reliable info on:
- the percentage of people, from whatever age group, requiring hospitalization.
- the symptoms people with ""mild complaints"" suffer from, on average. (As this can vary alot, from agonizing headaches, fever and chest pain to virtually no symptoms)

Question: on the above two points, is there any reliable source reporting on this. What country produces reliable info on these points (southkorea?)?

Thank you","Data nerd here! Generally speaking, data quality tends to be better earlier in outbreaks because officials and researchers have more time to keep track of the details. As cases spike, it becomes less of a priority and more difficult to maintain the same level of detail. ""Line listing"" data is what most infectious disease experts are working with right now to try to answer the big questions, like those you mention. Groups like The MIDAS Network are compiling data and research results. It's not just the data quality that can affect the figures you see. Demographics of any given country, access to health care, underlying conditions, etc. vary between nation. For instance, we generally see older people as more likely to need hospitalization but we don't know yet if that's purely a function of age or because older people tend to have more underlying conditions, like heart disease. Results also might vary if the country's had different treatment strategies. All anyone can do right now is make the best decisions they can with the best information they have and be willing to remake those decisions if they get new or better data. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 13:08:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I've been seeing a lot of articles recently about vaccines, some saying that it'll be a long time before a vaccine is released and others that have stated we may have a vaccine within the next few months. What's your take on this? Do you think it's sooner or later than we think?,"It'll be a year to 18 months before a vaccine is widely available. There might be initial tests of possible vaccines developed within a few months, but they won't be mass produced and distributed until they are vetted for efficacy and safety. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:27:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA
"There’s a bunch of misinformation going around and it’s hard to find any true answers so I wanted to ask.

1. How bad is it really? 

2. What will the US look like cases/death wise by the end of this?

3. What must happen now to stop the spread?","1. Right now, not as bad as it will be. How bad it gets ultimately depends on several factors, including: length of and diligence to mitigation measures, availability of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, whether this virus is seasonal, and demographics in the communities where cases spread. For quick comparison, less than 1% of people who get the typical flu end up hospitalized at any level. So far, about 5% of people with COVID-19 have needed intensive care, including a ventilator. 
2. Studies analyzing the % of deaths in various Chinese communities have reported death rates between 2% and 10%. It's very tough to know what could happen in the US, including for the reasons in No. 1. That said, here's some back-of-the-napkin math: If 7.4% of Americans are infected -- the infection rate for the most mild flu season in the U.S. in the last 5 years -- that would be about 24 million infections. If 2% die, that's 480,000 deaths. 
3. There is no real way to ""stop"" spread in the U.S. at this point. We can slow the spread so we don't overwhelm health workers and we can do our best to prevent the spread from reaching vulnerable people. Social distancing and good hygiene are the best things we can do as individuals. The tough part is that we, as individuals and businesses and governments, make decisions on more than medical outcomes alone. 

\--Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:41:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Missouri has only tested 208 people with 8 positive, none in Kansas City.   How many people do you think have it and can’t get tested?","It's impossible to know. Some people who are infectious have hundreds of contacts before being isolated. Others come in contact with fewer people. Almost certainly there are lots of people who are not being tested. In most places in America, doctors and health officials won't approve a test unless someone has symptoms AND has had contact with a confirmed case OR traveled in certain countries. One early study has suggested there could be 5-10 undetected people for every confirmed case, but some experts guess its higher than that. --Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:52:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"It appears that even though testing supplies were and still are extremely limited (in the US), there has been an influx of patients in ICUs with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 over the last 1+ weeks.  How was the media not more on top of this?  How did we not know sooner that this virus was likely completely un-contained in the US.  Were alarm bells being rung by ICU doctors and ignored by people who should have been reacting?","Public health officials had been raising the alarm before the United States had any confirmed cases. There was reporting then, but it certainly has ramped up as the crisis has grown. Several outlets have covered Seattle particularly well, highlighting the concerns of local doctors and their efforts to start testing much sooner. I hope other places in the country have robust newsrooms that can ask those questions in their communities. Sadly, that's not always the case. I expect there will be reporting and retrospectives on COVID-19 for years to come. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 16:56:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What is the primary goal of social distancing? Is it realistic to expect restaurants, bars, pubs, and large social gatherings to remain closed until “flattening of the curve”?","The primary goal is to slow the spread enough that hospitals don't run out of beds and ventilators, that we have more time to improve treatment, and we have time to manufacture supplies being depleted worldwide, including protective equipment, ventilators, masks and medications. If the rate of new cases is slowed enough, doctors won't have to ration care and will be able to practice medicine with all the best available tools, keeping more people alive. 

But emergency declarations like closing schools and bars, etc. factor in more than medical outcomes. It's common for cases to spike again once such bans are lifted. Experts are hoping that this virus is seasonal, but it's too soon to know. Fingers crossed. --Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 17:02:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"  • Do we have a better idea of the transmissibility factor of this?  Early on I heard estimates between 1 and 1.5, now I'm hearing somewhere between 4 and 4.5.  I understand that the data is still evolving, but do we have confidence in the 4-4.5 range?
  
  • How much of the decrease of growth of new cases in China (or Italy for that matter) is because we've reached the asymptotic carrying capacity of the disease, and how much is due to effective countermeasures, the largest of which seems to be uarantine?

  •  I've been thinking and hearing for about 6 weeks now that we'll know more in 2 weeks, since that seems to be the incubation period of the virus.  Do you really think we'll have a clearer picture in 2 weeks, or do you think  

Thank you for doing your part to try to reduce the confusion if only a little bit.","I wish I could answer your first two questions with any confidence, but it sounds like you're reading the same pre-print studies as me, so .... 

I'm getting tired of the ""2 weeks"" comment, too. It's true that we know more now than we did 2 weeks ago and that will still be true in another two weeks. One thing we could start to see in the next couple months is evidence of whether this virus is seasonal or not. Personally, I look at China. It's been months since the outbreak started there and we still have lots of analysis and research being done on what happened. We are just beginning to see research about cases in other countries, but nothing nearly as detailed yet. Unfortunately, a lot of the questions we have about new diseases can only be answered retrospectively and we're all making decisions based on the best available knowledge of the moment. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 17:08:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How much have we found out about how this virus affects people in the long term? A lot of articles are talking about the virus staying inside bodies long after symptoms go away, and it possibly being neuroinvasive. 

I'm in my low 20s so I was being cautious no doubt but this kind of news is has made me extremely paranoid. I live in an apartment in Seattle so it's hard for me to think about even leaving my house until I know more.","If you're reading the pre-print studies, you know as much as anyone else. And almost nothing is definitive yet. Since this virus is only months old, it's way too early to know what the long term complications are. That said, the vast majority of people will have mild symptoms and the early numbers show 5% of confirmed cases result in ICU care. If you don't have any underlying health conditions, your risk of severe symptoms is low. I think there's a big difference between prudence and panic. If your personal risk is low, you can still help protect others with high risk by following the advice of your local health department. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 17:12:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I fly to New York on the 17th of June for a Camp America work placement. What's the likelihood this/my flights will be cancelled? They've said it's full steam ahead as of now. I'm from the UK.,"There is one big unanswered question: Is this virus seasonal? If so, things might have calmed down by June. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 17:13:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the weakest link? A lack of respirators? A lack of staff? What is the straw that will break the health care systems back?,"Everything is local. Some hospitals, towns and states might be better prepared for one of those than others. Experts widely agree, however, that protecting health care workers has to be a top priority. The number of respirators, beds, etc. are not going to decrease, even if they are not enough. But if health workers get sick or quarantined, there might not be enough qualified people to use that equipment. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 17:16:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How are Drs. And Nurses who are treating CV patients getting infected? Are preventive measures (masks/washing hands/etc.) not effective?,"Most are getting it from direct exposure, coughing in our faces, etc.  Its a numbers game, we do mostly 12 hour shifts, and are exposed all day.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:45:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"what do you think is the overall reason (if there is one) that east asian countries with china as an exception seemed to have fared better in their individual outbreaks as compared to western countries?

thank you for giving your time!","Two factors that have been talked about the most are the structure of government and healthcare. Many of the nations hit so far have nationalized health systems, which means there can be more consistency from the top down in response -- for better or worse. Also, the Chinese government has much more power to control more facets of everyday life than American leaders. Here, decisions are made and enforced by a patchwork of leaders: federal, state, local, hospitals, businesses, etc. -- again, for better or worse.

Edited to add: Testing also is a factor. China and South Korea have done MUCH more testing than the U.S. or even European nations. Because they had better data about where the virus was, they had better information to make decisions with. In the US, a lot of public officials and hospitals are making decisions with limited data. 

\-- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 17:22:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello, thank you for doing this AMA.

&#x200B;

It seems the constant theme with the way our government has prepared for this has been ""too little, too late"". Given the exponential growth curve, how are healthcare providers within their practice setting planning to deal with the imminent overwhelming of capacity, especially in a city such as NYC? I realize there is discussion of building additional hospitals through the army corp of engineers, but without significant reduction in R0, would this even be enough?

 Without getting political, our healthcare system is ran much differently than a country with universal healthcare. Do you think this will significantly impact the prognosis of this infection?

&#x200B;

In addition, the looming threat of inaccessibility to medications and medical equipment is becoming more apparent. How has acquisition of these supplies been discussed and planned for, as far as you know?","You're asking great questions that a lot of the doctors and leaders I talk to are thinking about. America's largely private health system will definitely change how the response happens. Without strong federal or state direction (which has limited feasibility to begin with), many of the important decisions will be made by individual hospitals or hospital chains. So we might see different outcomes in different places. Medical equipment is something that's been heavily discussed by providers and with states making requests from the national stockpile. Some pharmaceutical companies have started ramping production of common ICU drugs for ARDS. Tough to say if it will be enough, particularly given that much of the supply chain is global. -- Jayme",usatoday,2020-03-17 13:14:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
[deleted],"There are a number of contributing factors: 1.) Some countries aren't testing as much as others 2.) People who are infected wait until their symptoms are severe enough until they need to go to a hospital before they're tested 

The numbers will get more and more inaccurate as more cases pop up. *- Adrianna*",usatoday,2020-03-17 13:02:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Are there any good news re: treatment, medication, and containment of this?",The good news is over 85% of people get better from this without ever having to leave their homes or see a doctor.  Most have mild to moderate symptoms.  Other good news is that it is mostly sparing kids - No one under 15 has died worldwide from COVID-19.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*,usatoday,2020-03-17 12:34:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is surfing okay??,"As long as you are 6 feet away from other people, have fun! *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 12:44:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is hcq good drug to ask for if I test positive in the USA?,I'm not familiar with that one.  Most people are getting better without any meds.  *-Dr. Cioe Pena*,usatoday,2020-03-17 12:45:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Directed at Dr. Cioe-Peña.

How difficult was it to get the time outside of the ER to do this AMA? I applaud your informative efforts but I know nurses are working insane shifts to contain and comfort victims.

The long and short being, respectfully, why aren't you currently with those affected, especially in the state with the highest infections?

Thank you for all you and all health care workers are doing in these trying times.","Thanks for the question.  I'm a part time ED doc and a public/global health expert.  Part of my life is dedicated to educating large populations of people as well as my practice taking care of individual cases.  As the ED visits in my hospital system increase (they haven't significantly yet), I will appropriately pull back from these appearances and get down in the trenches with my colleagues for the duration of this epidemic.  Thank you for your question. *-Dr. Cioe Pena*",usatoday,2020-03-17 13:00:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fk7cb9/were_dr_eric_cioepeña_an_emergency_physician_in/,"We’re Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, an emergency physician in New York, and Jayme Fraser and Adrianna Rodriguez, two USA TODAY reporters covering the coronavirus outbreak. Ask us anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi! Thank you for being available for AMA. 
This might be different question than what you’ve intended, but I just need someone else’s opinion as I’m being shut down by my hospital and program.... I’m a resident physician in a NY program. Many of my co-residents are ill with covid like symptoms or in quarantine. We are not being tested because we don’t meet the hospitalization criteria. We are asked to work after being afebrile for 24 hours. 
We have not geolocalized our ICU for covid patients yet so they are in all the icus with potential exposure to other patients and staff. 
I’m not sure what the best way to go is, but I don’t think we are doing the best job for our people and our patients. 
What do you think? What is your ideal scenario? What can we do better?do you think surgical masks are enough for health care providers given healthy Chinese doctors ( in the 20s) have died from this while wearing Hazmat suits?","It certainly sounds like not ideal circumstances. I would keep advancing your concerns up the administrative ladder. 

We have isolated an entire floor in our main hospital (ICU and floor beds) for coronavirus and have dedicated specific ORs for them if they need surgery. We are reserving our N95 and PAPRs only for confirmed Covid-19 cases, because otherwise we will run out. (Apparently Columbia University has run out of masks because they used them all up in the first 4 days due to huge volumes of suspected Covid-19 patients). 

I would certainly be persistent with your concerns until changes are made. Good luck, and stay safe - hand hygiene with soap and water is still your best defense.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:30:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How long should we keep the social distancing going to flatten the curve enough? In the Netherlands all measures are until April 6th for now. This seems like a really short time to me. I see organisers planning new events for April and May already (concerts, festivals etc).",I think those dates will be extended as this crisis unfolds and the true costs and burden emerge.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:18:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you have any good news? We could all use some cheering up right now.,"There are a lot of smart people working on cures around the globe. We need to support them - now and after this crisis passes - with funding. Maybe coronavirus will be a lesson, for humanity in general, and the U.S. in particular, that the war on science and medicine has contributed to the extent of this pandemic. Support candidates who believe in science - whether it's in regards to the coronavirus or climate change - and vote out people who defund the sciences, education, etc.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:20:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I work in a grocery store produce department and am really scared. Is there anything you think I can do besides washing my hands? My company says no masks and no gloves.,Social distancing. Stay about 6 feet away from everyone else and keep practicing good hand hygiene.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:03:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Bit of an unusual question here. 


I’m a private practice Neurosurgery physician assistant at a large hospital in NJ. Our MICU is full, the SICU is starting to add vented covid or suspected covid patients, the medical step down is now full of non-covid ICU patients and the orthopedic nurses are being pulled to medical step down beds that are being created from other units.  It’s only been 10 days since our first case...

My team is not hospital employed but we are close with the Surgical ICU team and have at least some experience managing critical patients. We all feel like if the medicine teams call for help we should do our best to answer but none of us us much experience with vents, vasopressors or ARDS at this point. I’ve been perusing my old copy of The ICU Book but I’m at last coming to my question, any resources you recommend to get someone up to speed as quickly as possible to at least help medical teams in dealing with critical Covid cases?  Speaking with some critical care friends/residents they do not have enough staff and will need help pretty soon. Meanwhile our service is quiet because elective surgery is cancelled.","First of all, you are awesome. Thank you for stepping up and helping us out. 

At this point, there is little time to learn the basics of critical care and what I would focus on is learning as much about Covid-19 specific treatments as you can. There is ""A Seattle Intensivist's One-pager on COVID-19"" that a lot of us are using as a reference. This is probably a good place to start. Message me if you can't find it on google. 

Again, thank you and your colleagues so much!",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:40:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Should I request to leave work if I am in a non-essential support role? I just don't know why my employer is not moving towards work from home

Edit:  Now they are giving teams free lunch tomorrow and Friday. Salad, wraps and fruit. Healthy, but sounds like a great way to cause more contamination. Is it just me, or is this nuts?",Yes.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:44:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’ve heard that we may need to have significant social distancing (including closure of restaurants, no gatherings of more than a few people, etc.) for as much as 18 months. Is that true?",It may be that long. But I'm thinking more like 6 months. We don't really know yet.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:05:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi folks, I've answered a bunch and need to take a break. I'll try and be back in a bit. Thank you for your questions, and please, please, please, STAY THE FUCK HOME!",Run your run. Stay away from people.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 22:43:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If you can without it directly doxxing your work.  How many ICU beds at the moment? How many filled with non Covid-19 patients, How many Covid-19?","Our larger hospitals in the area are about full now - which is frightening because this is just beginning. The next step will be to utilize the smaller community hospital ICUs, which almost never see patients of this acuity. All the hospitals are in emergency contingencies and at ""surge"" capacity - ORs, floor beds, preop/postop areas, will all be used to treat the incoming flood of patients. 

We have a few Covid-19 patients in the various ICUs in our system, many are suspected, but again, due to a shortage of tests, we don't know.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:16:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
" If we manage to “flatten the curve” and most hospitals are thus able to handle severe cases, does that not mean that people will continue to get ill over many months, albeit at a lower rate? At what rate of new cases can we consider the epidemic under control?","Correct. I think when we hit a peak of new infections we can say we at least have a handle on things. We will not know that until people are adequately tested, which is still not the case here in the U.S.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:07:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I'm in Texas and I've noticed the lack of police on the highways. DPS, Local, County, and even the constables are scarce, which is uncommon. Many areas are shutdown, including toll roads, and schools, but I'm still going to work everyday. Should I be doing something different? Why is nobody worried about the fact that nothing else is being done? What's a plan of action to take??","If you are at a job that can be done at home, you should urge your employer to let you work from home. Otherwise do everything you can to limit your interactions with other people.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:14:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My primary care physicians office just closed.  What are your thoughts on this?  Appropriate or do you think PCPs are still needed to help prevent ER overload?,A good question. I honestly haven't thought about this enough to render an opinion.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:20:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How does contraction of the virus by a pregnant woman impact the development of the fetus or labor and delivery?,"So far we haven't seen that. Most sources say there is a higher risk of severe illness in pregnant women, but I do not believe that has been confirmed. There was a recent article about 4 women in China, infected with coronavirus, who gave birth to healthy non-infected babies. Unfortunately, there still isn't much good data out yet about this.

It can be hard to practice social distancing because of the frequent appointments necessary for prenatal care - for all those prenatal visits and everything, you probably would want L to wear a mask while out and about.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:41:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"My wife is immunosuppressed due to a kidney transplant (glomerulonephritis) but has no underlying medical conditions besides that. I know that she is more susceptible to being sick because of her immunosuppressants but I also know that COVID-19 is being treated with immunosuppressants in several places so does that also possibly lower her mortality risk? Sorry, just being hopeful and thank you for doing what you do.","I would say she is at high risk of contracting the disease and unfortunately definitely not a lower mortality risk. We are not using immunosuppressants as a treatment as far as I know (would love to see your sources). The Chinese use steroids, a type of immunosuppressant, for treatment, but that's likely because their standard of care for treating Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) utilizes steroids. ARDS is what most of the patients with severe Covid-19 infection experience. In the U.S. generally we do not treat ARDS with steroids unless under particular circumstances. Use of steroids in ARDS is associated with increased superimposed infections, especially fungal infections.

I am sorry you and your wife are subjected to this virus scare on top of everything else you've already been dealing with. Stay away from everyone you can, practice good hand hygiene, and keep up to date on what's going on in your community with regards to the disease. I wish the best for you both - keep fighting.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:02:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"The discussions are to stay indoors and minimize any crowd exposure for the next few weeks to help flatten the curve but what happens after that?  Do we say ok, back to normal but keep social distancing?  That seems like it would just cause another spike in cases.

Are we realistically looking at shutting ourselves in for the next few months?",I think it will be months. We won't have a clear picture until testing catches up with the number of cases.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:02:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do reinfections occur frequently, and how does that affect flattening the curve?","We are still learning about reinfection, and though it appears rare, there are documented cases of reinfection being lethal. With respect to reinfection and flattening the curve, the message remains the same: stay the F home and practice social distancing.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 09:57:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Assuming that social distancing and staying home work to stop disease spread, when does it become safe for people to start living their lives again? Wouldn’t the spread start back over (assuming no treatment or vaccine)?",I don't think we know yet. I am guessing this new way of life may persist for months.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:22:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"As a person with asthma, how worried should I be if I contract the virus?
Since I have asthma, is it automatic death?","You are at higher risk. It is not automatic death. If you have daily, long acting inhalers use them as prescribed. Use your rescue inhaler liberally. Wash your hands, don’t touch your face, stay the fuck home.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:54:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If keeping everyone home for a determined period of time helps flatten the curve, is there a risk in a significant uptick once people go back out into their communities? Will there be a secondary spike in cases?","We expect a second spike after the initial. Probably sometime in the fall, if I had to postulate.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:09:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Given that this appears to be transmitted by droplets, are vape clouds an infection vector? This occurred to me as I walked through someone's candyfloss-flavoured cloud earlier today",Very interesting point. I would assume yes. There is also some anecdotal evidence that vapers are at higher risk of severe infection require ICU support.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:40:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"As a regular person I’m trying to do my part and staying the fuck home. Is there anything else we can do to support the frontline healthcare workers such as yourself?

Thank you for doing this AMA and for producing such concise, digestible replies. You and fellow healthcare workers are true heroes during this crazy time.","Thanks for your kind words. 

Spread the word about social distancing to everyone you know. Convince them about how important this is. If they care about themselves, their family, friends, fellow citizens and humans, they need to stay the F home and practice social distancing.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:50:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi! 
I am from the netherlands and we currently have the approach to limit social activity. We are however not in ‘lockdown’ since our icus are still able to handle the load. Ive read many times online that this ‘herd immunity’ theory is stupid and that we are doing it all wrong. However, from my limited understanding i dont know why this would be so wrong. As long as our icus are able to handle the load this is the right response since the virus has to go ‘through’ the whole population before this is over correct? Why do you say that we should just all stay inside. Wouldnt this be counter productive since the moment we all go back outside the virus will come back?

Also, since this virus is supposed to be spread via ‘liquid particles’, how does a healthy person without any symptoms (no coughing, runny nose etc) infect others. If you are not coughing you cannot spread it right? Thanks!","Well, the thought is that a vaccine would emerge in time to help give immunity without having to get the actual disease. Remember that herd immunity doesn't require infection with the actual, live virus.

If you wipe your nose on your sleeve, then your sleeve on a surface, and someone else comes and touches that surface, the 'liquid particles' can be transferred that way. This is why hand hygiene is probably the most important part of preventing spread of the virus.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:20:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"You say about to be overwhelmed, How many pts on ventilators d/t corona in your unit? 

How many total icu beds is your hospital? 

Do areas without community spread need to practice social distancing prior to confirmed community spread?

Can infected drs and nurses safely treat confirmed corona patients?","We don't have enough tests so we don't know the number of actual Covid-19 positive cases in our ICUs. We have at least 5 or so confirmed, with several unconfirmed. Our main hospital has about 100 ICU beds. Many of our community hospitals are already full with non-Covid19 patients.

I think we should assume there is spread in all communities, so by default everywhere should be practicing social distancing.

Our policy on this is changing but I believe right now confirmed Covid nurses and doctors are being sent home, for at least 4 days (previously 14 days) or until symptoms subside. When they are well again, they can return to work but must wear PPE when interacting with patients and masks at all times.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:27:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’m still trying to understand, what makes this novel coronavirus so much more serious and dangerous than other diseases we’ve seen such as ebola, h1n1, etc  such that it warrants the response we’re seeing from the government and medical communities which is unlike anything I’ve seen in my lifetime?","It's more infective and more lethal. Its prodromal (before you see symptoms) period is very long (14 days or longer). It can stay viable on surfaces for up to 3 days. It can linger, alive, in the air, for up to hours. It was completely dismissed by the upper echelons of this government and certain segments of the media for weeks.

For these reasons, this virus is much more deadly that the other diseases you listed.

Edit: it is also very lethal.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:44:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Flattening the curve seems like an AWESOME plan. Unfortunately, many Americans will lose their healthcare coverage if they don’t work. Not to mention they don’t have 2-3 weeks of paid leave, sick or PTO-wise. Then there’s the problem of few Americans having more than $500 in savings so how will they feed their families?

I’m a healthcare worker in the medical lab so I do agree with the idea of flattening the curve and staying home for the greater good. Sadly, for many, it’s just not realistic. Most Americans will consider their jobs to be ESSENTIAL.","Well, this problem has been a long time coming and exposes how weak we are as a country, especially on the health care front. Most people in this country have been one healthcare disaster away from bankruptcy for years. Now, we have millions of people who will experience health care disasters all at the same time. Access to medical care and paid sick leave are two components of American society that are tremendously lagging compared to actual advanced countries. 

So yeah, we will all pay the price now for a crappy system that forces people to work because they don't have access to healthcare other than through their jobs, and because they don't have paid sick leave. This is the system we built, and now we are paying the consequences.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:04:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do we for sure know if it is airborne or just droplet?,"Right now we are operating under the idea that this coronavirus is transmitted via droplets, and thus all our personal protective equipment is tailored to preventing droplet transmissions. However, there is some evidence that there may be airborne transmissions so our PPEs may change accordingly.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:02:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I am a dentist and we are now shut down for 3 weeks. Most states are advising dentists to shut down for 2-3 weeks. My big concern is aerosolizing the virus. Though PPEs are mostly effective, I do fear the awesome from the virus will stay airborne longer similar to if the virus actually becomes airborne. Even with perfect cleaning, what is the best way to approach this for patient safety and the safety of staff? This virus will be here for a long time and I know we will unknowingly encounter the virus at an increasing rate when we reopen. Any other thoughts about minimizing risk here?","Excellent question. My sister in law is a dentist and dentists and dental hygienists are most at risk for exposure and infection (more than anesthesiologists and EMTs, for example, according to the NYT). I don’t know if three weeks is long enough. N95s should be sufficient - if they are properly fitted. Tell patients to stay home if they are at all ill. Wipe and clean everything. Wash hands. Not sure there is much else you can do.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:58:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"My son has been in ICU for 2 months for a million post op complications & has ultimately ended up needing a tracheostomy indefinitely. In the past few weeks, he has been spiking fevers with +secretions & all cultures are coming back with nothing. He has been on contact precautions the entire time for MRSA, but after awhile, most ppl only wore gloves for ppe, unless there was a sterile procedure going on. ID has gotten involved, & does not think that he needs to be tested for covid. Do you think this is a wise decision? (We are in AZ).","Unfortunately I cannot comment on specific cases because I do not have the details. It may be worth talking to a couple different members of the ID team to see if they have different thoughts on whether a test for Covid is warranted.

I am sorry about your son and I hope you and your family are managing OK during these tough times. Hang in there.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:43:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’d say worst public health emergency in the world, not just the US. I work in healthcare too, at an ER, and it’s been quite the process the last couple weeks. Now starting to implement a drive through program so pts don’t have to enter the building. I definitely know that flattening the curve matters and feel that most people are waking up. There are still many that simply don’t understand it though, saying things like “flu killed x many of people”, “people die from cancer and no one cares about that”, “we only have X number of cases here in X.” What do you say to these people to explain? And what do you think the impact of the college students on the Florida beaches will be after the governor said he won’t close beaches statewide? I would personally think that will work against the efforts of everyone else socially distancing when those students all head back home.","Unfortunately, some people are unreachable and intolerant of common sense and medical advice. I am not sure how to convince those people of the threat they pose to themselves, their loved ones, friends, and neighbors, and other countrymen and women. All of these people who ignore recommendations of social distancing - those who go to pubs and beaches - are, in my view, complicit in the spread of this disease.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:08:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Realistically, how long will it take to see results from the measures we are taking?

Do you think we are doing enough to limit social interactions and flatten the curve?

How long will this social distancing need to last? I have a fear that people will not adhere to it for longer than 2 months, putting us all back in this very spot.","Months.
No.
Months. and I agree.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:06:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
" Here in India which is densely populated and a large demographic variance in society,there is clear lack of social distancing and general hygiene how do you think the effects of a community transmission would be when comparing to what has been happening elsewhere.

Community transmission is not yet major still though that may be cause of under testing and also unlike china that can enforce orders rapidly we also lack in that aspect

what are your thoughts on the situation here in india?","My parents actually just returned to the U.S. from India yesterday. I would say actually that the response there - both by the government and the people - seems to be (from my parents' accounts) more serious than our government and people have taken the threat, especially initially. The densely packed cities of India do pose a serious threat though and it seems to me almost impossible to practice adequate social distancing there. Like you, I believe that undertesting is the reason we have not seen a huge number of infected in India. I am worried...",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:24:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Realistically, around how many more months can this pandemic continue till?",I'd say into the fall at least.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:54:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi, I work in an amazon facility in a city that has a 30 day lock down for non-essential businesses. 

It seems like nobody cares about the health of the workforce, they are hiring more people cramming more bodies into warehouses that already have hundreds of employees.


It feels like it is just begging for a massive outbreak, like it is the hotspot. And Amazon employees will be the ones spreading the virus.

What can we do?
There’s so many reports throughout my facility and others of people getting sick. Some say people are testing positive. Who knows! Inside the warehouses is an absolute madhouse right now. Yet nothing is being done. Everyone just expects their packages.","Amazon doesn't care about you or your fellow workers. Generally I don't think any companies (including hospitals) care about their workers. They care about their bottom line. This won't change until they are made to, by government regulations. 

I don't know that there's much you can do, unfortunately, other than the basic precautions (washing hands, don't touch face, keep distance if you can).",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:54:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
If flattening curve means we stay home longer and how long? Would we stay home?,"I don't think there's a way to give a number on that. My guess would be months. It would have to be at least until we peak in the number of cases, which we don't know, since we still do not have enough tests.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:11:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you believe all hospitals should be postponing elective procedures at this point, given the growth of test positive cases?","Absolutely yes, for 2 main reasons: bringing patients to the hospital for elective surgery puts them at risk for contracting the disease from the hospital setting and puts other patients and hospital staff at risk if the elective patient is bringing the virus in; and hospital staff should be focused on preparing for the upcoming onslaught of patients - that includes training, simulations, etc - so performing elective cases should not be a priority. 

Most places I know that are continuing to perform elective cases are doing it purely for the monetary reasons, not for the health of those elective patients.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:34:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do we have numbers on recovery of t1 or t2 diabetics?,"I have not seen them, but it appears they may be at increased risk due to increased infectivity and viral load burden due to increased expression of the ACE2 receptor on pneumocytes, which is the receptor the virus uses to enter the cells in our lungs.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:10:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What are your thoughts on patients continuing with wellness visits (vaccination schedules, follow-ups, yearly exams, etc)? Should this be postponed to reduce the spread of COVID-19?","I am still thinking about this. Vaccines should be administered, I think, but other non-urgent visits like physicals etc should be delayed. This bring up a very important point - the ""maintenance"" health cares that are going to be ignored over the next several months - physicals, check-ups, cancer surveillance like imaging and colonoscopies, elective surgeries like joint replacements - are going to continue to pile up and when they will be restarted there will be a huge backlog. Not to mention that people's health will suffer by not getting this ""routine"" care.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:37:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If we get sick, what should we be looking out for in terms of catching serious cases early? If I get sick I don't want to take up a nurse's or doctor's time and risk infecting them just to tell me to go home and rest. But I also don't want to stay at home when I need help. 

Thank you for doing what you are doing. Stay healthy and take care of yourself!","Cough, fever, shortness of breath should spur you to seek medical care.

&#x200B;

Thank you for your kind words.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:41:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"PhD pharmacology here as well. Am I off base in being a bit skeptical of people saying that vaccines are the only long term play (e.g. Imperial college study). Chloroquine and Remdesivir look pretty promising. Couldn’t we use these prophylactically for at risk patients?

Also, thank you for doing an amazing job at this AMA!","Chloroquine and Remdesivir will treat the disease, but will not confer immunity, which will be required to keep the virus under control long-term. Unlikely they would be good choices as a prophylactic because they are not benign drugs.

&#x200B;

Good luck with grad school! It's a grind...",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:47:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If most of us are going to get it eventually anyway, why not just have a massive WW2 style manufacturing of ventilators and public health facilities? Probably a short term quarantine strategy needed but then let herd immunity happen. Stretching this out over a year or more may not even work. Is it worth a trillion dollars to 
(hopefully) flatten the curve? We’re only on this earth so long.",Yes! We need something exactly like that. Will the private sector answer the call? Or will the federal government need to step up?,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:18:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What can the average person staying at home do to help beyond social distancing?,Encourage others to stay the F home. Make sure every single one of your family members and friends know how serious this is.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:36:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why do I have nurses in my family/see nurses & health care professionals - that seem to disregard all the available information? 

Is it ""trying to ignore the obvious"" for some strange attempt to bolster self confidence? Or do they think that by not taking a hard line stance with family and contradicting their delicate sensibilities - these relationships will be lost/is more important? 

How are you handling this?","I have experienced that as well. 

I really don't know how to reach these people. They obviously have the intelligence but they don't have the curiosity or temperament to be proven wrong. All I can think of is to keep repeating the facts - and the fact that they are not only putting themselves at risk by ignoring recommendations, but they are also putting everyone they care about at risk as well.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:04:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I've read that there have been no cases of children showing symptoms. But, could they be carriers instead and infect others?","They are absolutely carriers, in fact, they have been found to have very high viral loads. So while they can appear perfectly healthy, they could be spewing virus everywhere. They seem not to bear the severe effects of the disease possibly because of lower levels of ACE2 receptors in their lungs and also because of a more robust T-cell driven initial response to the disease.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:46:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What to do if one of my roommate is down with it? We share kitchen and stuff,"Have they been tested positive? Your roommate needs to stay in their room, and you need to clean any surface they may have touched. You should stay 6 feet away from the at all times. Wash your hands frequently. If you are able to get an N95 mask, wear it. Unfortunately, if they have true Covid-19, you may also have it already.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:10:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Any suggestions for immunocompromised patients like myself? (On Actemra and Imuran) I am alone and do not have anyone to do groceries for me, so I am having to go out every few days to grab what I need, unfortunately having to be around people while I do so. Just trying my best to keep a good amount of space between myself and others and washing hands a whole bunch. Any other suggestions you think I should do?","I am sorry that you are dealing with this virus on top of everything else you are dealing with. Are there grocery delivery services in your area? Any nearby friends or neighbors who might be able to help?

If you have to go out, wear a mask if you have one. Doesn't need to be a fancy N95. Keep taking care to keep space between you and others, and keep up the good hand hygiene.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:12:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"More and more articles are coming out saying it will be 18 months at least before we’re in the clear.  Do you agree with this assessment?  Even if we “flatten the curve” over the next 28 days, we still don’t have enough immunity to have this go away, which means it keeps coming back until we have a vaccine, which may or may not work, and will take 18 months at least to produce. So is this our life now? 

Also, what do you think about the news going around about cures for coronavirus, such as Dr David Paterson in Australia and Didier Raoult in Marseille?  I’ve seen everything from using Kaletra to Faripiravir to Raoult suggesting using Hydroxychloroquine with a z pak. The thing is, the US doesn’t have a lot of these drugs stockpiled and chloroquine is pretty toxic, and it will take 3 months to get clinical trial results so we’ll still be in the throes of it for some time.","This is our new normal, yes. For months, at least, I believe.

These ""cures"" are still anecdotal, without robust numbers and trials to prove their efficacy. As you say, these drugs are not readily available either. Our institution is to be starting trials with chloroquine so we will see how effective that will be.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:26:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What do you think is the correct way to prevent contagion in hospital wards?

My unit in Italy is still admitting new patients for elective surgery (mostly abdominal, cancer patients, etc.) and not testing the patients that come in unless they show symptoms.

Also patients aren't required to use masks and the staff is given one surgical mask a day and plenty of gloves as protection. No glasses or visors. No masks with filters.

They only tested the whole staff when the head nurse figured she had been infected, took the test and turned out to be positive. They all suspiciously came out negative (about 40 people tested).

I feel like this is being mishandled on several levels but I'm not sure, could you provide some insight on the matter?","I am very surprised they are doing elective surgeries. We have stopped those.

Eye protection seems mandatory to me. 

We have designated floors for Covid patients. And designated ORs.

Honestly, though, I should be asking you for advice, you have seen more than we have.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:57:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I am an Anesthesiology resident in Texas. At this point should is wearing an n95 mask for all intubations?,"We are not. Only for confirmed coronavirus cases. The reason is that we have a mask shortage - if we use them for suspected cases, we will not have enough for test-confirmed Covid-19 cases.

We are using standard surgical masks with face shield, and double gloves, and throwing everything (outer glove, blade, handle, oral airway, etc) away into a nearby trashcan immediately.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:13:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"So by social distancing, does it mean to distance yourself from places like resturants? Me and my girlfriend live apart and I would like to still see her every now and then.","Any place where there are other people, so sadly yes. 

Maybe a picnic or something?",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:57:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is there anything surprising about the imperial college study that has seemingly upended the previous laissez-faire attitudes of the UK and the U.S?

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/17/health/coronavirus-uk-model-study/index.html",What surprised me was that these numbers did not come out earlier.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:10:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How do we come out of this? Seems like social distancing is only stemming the spread of the infection, but as soon as people start going out more frequently / let their guard down infections will begin spreading more rapidly. Is there a way to return to normal life? Social distancing has resulted in millions of lost jobs and lost wages - feels like we can only sustain that for so long before everyone starts to feel really acute pain.",There will probably be a second peak. This will likely continue for months. I will leave it up to economists and labor and business experts to figure out how to fix all those monetary issues.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:35:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What physically happens to the patients who need to be intubated/ICU'd? I know the details of intubation and care, but what are the symptoms that the covid-patient goes through causing a need for intubation?

Do the lungs collapse, does the nervous system malfunction, are they overheated due to fever, etc?","Great question, thank you.

Essentially most of these patients get ARDS (clarification - most of the patients that are in the ICU with covid-related illness) - acute respiratory distress syndrome - in which there is massive inflammation of lung tissue in response to the virus, which ends up ""flooding"" the lungs (pulmonary edema), and making it hard to get blood from the lungs to the heart (pulmonary hypertension). This inflammation leads to scarring, and the alveoli (air sacs that exchange gases) are involved, making oxygenation difficult. This usually requires intubation to provide high concentration of oxygen at (usually) higher pressures. Overinflating the lung or providing too much pressure with each breath can, at this point, cause irreversible damage.

For those that survive the pulmonary ordeal (younger patients, it seems), there is a cardiac phase, in which the virus causes weakness of the heart, so that it can't properly distribute blood to the body (the heart may pump only 10% of the blood within it versus 60% normally). This heart failure can be lethal as it may cause decreased delivery of oxygen to the heart itself (leading to heart attacks), or other organs, like the kidneys (kidney failure requiring short- or long-term dialysis) or strokes from poor perfusion of the brain.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:33:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"do you think china’s heavy-handed approach contributed significantly to their recent slowdowns of virus transmission and if so, would it change how governments might respond to the next pandemic?","Yes, but remember that their heavy-handed approach (like the U.S's) to suppress information about the initial stages of spread of Covid likely contributed to its explosive dissemination in the first place. So the effectiveness of authoritarian governments to tamp down pandemics is a double edged sword. 

I think many governments were caught flat-footed in their response - authoritarian or otherwise. Certainly our government and its propaganda outlet contributed to the outbreak and now they are trying to recover using heavy-handed approaches.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:30:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is there any data on how younger people with underlying diseases handle this illness? I've only seen mortality by age for the whole population. E.g. are children with cancer as likely to die from this as old people with cancer?,Most children have done ok. The fatality rate is very very low (under age of 9 years 0.002%). But that doesn't mean they can't get sick or die. But they are known to be carriers and potent distributors of the virus.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:32:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What good news is there? My anxiety already can't take much more of this. I've essentially lost one of my jobs because all events are canceled, and will be canceled for almost half a year? I'm already staying home (I quit my job before all this started because I have another one lined up) but with the incubation period so long, what do you suggest to help the mind alongside the body?

(asides from washing hands yadda yadda)","I'm sorry I don't have much good news.

I am trying meditation.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:45:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If the biggest bottleneck in treating everyone will be caused by the number of available respirators, has there been any word or news releases from manufacturers about throwing production and distribution into overdrive?","Very good question. I wish our president offered some leadership and had a ""send a man to the moon"" type challenge to manufacturers to help us out a bit.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:43:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is the R0 significantly higher than posted? I wonder because in every place it pops up, immediate steps are taken to contain it by the time we get 200 or so infections. How do we know this number is accurate?",I think it's impossible to determine that accurately right now because we are not testing everyone who should be tested.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:31:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you for this

Any real updates on the NSAID v acetaminophen rumors on treating symptoms and fever?",Latest I have seen is to avoid ibuprofen and other NSAIDs.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:40:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is there a brief message that you would like to be seen by the masses? If you could say anything that everyone in this thread would then share with everyone they know, what would it be?",STAY THE FUCK HOME.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:14:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"The Netherlands want to do a ""purge"" where they infect all the people at once. It's basically ripping of the band-aid fast instead of slowly. Thought?","It's drastic, and a lot of people will die. How do you decide who gets the limited resources when they all start dying at the same time?",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:23:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
When do you think governments will stop under reacting?  Medical experts have been pretty clear social distancing isn't enough at this point yet we still allow non-essential businesses run where hundreds or even if thousands of people gather.,"I believe that over the last 10-20 years, there has been a robust anti-science movement in many countries, including the U.S., that has become entrenched in the upper echelons of government. I think the response to this crisis has been paralyzed by these officials' lack of understanding of the importance of science and medicine. The poor responses by governments won't change until people change their governments.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:00:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"1. How will you intubate safely?

2. What have you heard about the implications of finding the virus in CSF? There was a case study out of China where pts readmitted, 45% of ICU pts had LP which tested positive for Covid19.

3. Strong work!

4. Is this a new normal for the next 18 or so months until a viable vaccine is approved? Should we come to terms with the prospect of having a flu season AND a SARS-Covid season indefinitely?

5. What about antibody therapies which give passive immunity in the meantime? Could those be implemented to buy us time until vaccines are a go?","1. We have the appropriate PPE on, we throw everything away immediately after use. We use indirect imaging like glidescopes or Mcgraths to increase the distance between our faces and patient airway. If you want details, we have some guidelines I can share if you message me.
2. I do not know much about Covid in CSF.
3. Thank you
4. I saw some recent knows about antibodies for conferring passive immunity, but I don't know how far away from clinical trials that is.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:45:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"1. Are we trying to slow down the inevitable spread to protect our healthcare system, or is there a real chance that good social distancing and other measures will actually stop the pandemic before its run its course? I know it's worth doing, but are we headed to the same end point in either case? (everyone who would be infected has been infected)


2. How transmittable is this virus? Like, if I wash hands often and keep them to myself, and cough carefully, can I walk into my office to get files and go home again? Or am I seriously risking others with even a brief careful encounter like that?","1. The pandemic is already in motion, I do not think it will be stopped. Our only hope to save as many people is to spread out the number of people in our hospitals.
2. Extremely. If you have test-confirmed Covid, what you describe can still place your coworkers at risk.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:20:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Best treatment choice ATM?,"Supportive care. There is increasing evidence that anti-malarials (chloroquine and derivatives) and antivirals (remdesivir) may have a role in treatment, but for now we are just trying to support failing organs.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:05:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you think there needs to be more messaging talking about the need to disinfect our personal technology along with washing our hands?,Very good point. We need to wiping down our disgusting phones frequently. My wife is always getting on my case about that.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:33:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Would a tracking app help people by showing who they came in contact with who was later diagnosed with Coronavirus?

For example, I go to the grocery store on 3/1 and the bank on 3/3. I start getting symptoms and get a positive diagnosis on 3/8. Health care professionals activate a “positive” covid-19 thing on my phone. It then alerts anyone who came within X number of feet of me that they may have been exposed. Could we utilize modern technology in such a way?","Israel I believe has such a system. It's a good idea. But will need to contend with our rights as citizens to privacy, however.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:16:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Doc, give it to us straight, given the fact that the US has done nothing to stop the spread of the virus, that there are not nearly enough ICU beds to serve all those who are going to need it and that we don’t have enough ventilators, people to work them and equipment to service all the cases that are going to be presenting at the hospital, how fucked are we?

/I am not remotely making fun of this situation. I might be in that ICU ward fighting for my life.","Frankly, we are very fucked.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:37:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Realistically, is martial law necessary to really get control of this?","I do not think so. If we had had solid leadership from the beginning of this crisis, I would say absolutely not, but it may be too late for that.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:17:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I keep seeing people say ""we may have to do this for 12-18 months until there is a vaccine.""  I see that as fearmongering and not remotely realistic.  It seems to me more than 2-3mo of near lockdown would completely collapse the global economy, and might well be a situation of ""the cure is worse than the disease.""  Isn't the purpose of these measures to be relatively speaking short term, and blunt the peak of the curve, to allow the health system to gear up, and hopefully get a lot more testing, which would then allow more targeted measures?  I also point to Korea and China, both of which are on the downslope and it has only been 2ish months.  Appreciate any thoughts from an expert -- I just feel like all the talk of ""years"" makes people become despondent and have an attitude of ""F it, it's not possible to live like this forever,"" which is very unhelpful.","I think 18 months may be a bit of a stretch. I think we can get over the peak by June. The problem will never be truly solved until the vaccine is developed, which may take a year.

And complete collapse of the global economy is our own doing - we knew this was coming and we didn't prepare properly.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:46:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Can we get infected more than once? If yes, do you genuinely think (and how) we can see the end of this?","It appears so.

Yes we can, if people stay the F home and continue to practice social distancing.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:12:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If everyone suddenly pops out of hiding in two weeks, won't that just cause an even bigger crisis? Seriously wondering.","Yes, two weeks is insufficient.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:53:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I work for a fortune 500 company in a major US city that has been heavily affected by the virus. There’s about 500 employees in my office, not including our warehouse attached. 90% of the office jobs can be done from home. My job and my team specifically were never allowed to do from home, but there were some positions in the office were allowed to work from hole before.

The company has decided to resume operations as normal, minus the warnings for how to prevent viral spread, and adding some more and sanitizer around the building. In addition, the people who used to be able to work from home are now on mandatory office attendance since Monday. Essentially they have forced everyone in the building to be here at once everyday.

2 people on my team have pre-existing conditions that could be a risk for them by catching the virus. Their options were pto or unpaid leave. I’m sure there’s similar cases as such around the office.

How can I convey to my managers (so they can convey up the chain) the importance that we are not contained in this environment?

Side note: the company has the money to invest in temporary work from home programs

Side note 2: the lady who sat in the cubicle across from me had called in sick. She had symptoms of the virus but was not tested as she did not meet the dangerous criteria, and told to self-quarantine for 14 days. Our company is aware of this, and taken no action.

How can I (and my coworkers) convey a strong message to our leadership about this?","Scare them. Tell them their employees are going to bring the virus to work, and the managers are then going to bring it home to their families. This isn't a scary story, this is a likely scenario. Covid 19 doesn't care if you're a secretary or a janitor or a CEO. This is a trickle-up disease - the powerful and wealthy may think that this is a lowly worker disease, but it will get to them.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:57:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is there any estimate for the number of people that have it but don't have any symptoms?,I have seen many numbers out there - in the tens of thousands - increasing day by day.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:07:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi, thanks for the AMA.

I'm a final year high school student and my board is refusing to cancel exams, despite this pandemic clearly being so dangerous.

Are younger people (18-30) less susceptible to the effects of this virus? And what is your view on how certain educational institutes have tackled the virus?

Lastly, can you explain to me exactly how and why COVID-19 is so dangerous when it appears that other COVID strains are barely harmful to us humans?","Younger people seem to be less susceptible to severe disease, but there have been some very sick young people, and young people (including children) who have died. For young people it's not the respiratory part that seems to be lethal - it's the cardiomyopathy (heart weakness) that the virus causes. That's one of the reasons it's so dangerous.

I don't know much about other Covid strains, but I'd say Covid 19 is also so dangerous because of its long prodromal period, its ability to stay alive on surfaces for days and in the air for hours.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:01:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How long can people reasonably be expected to hole up in their houses and avoid social interaction? I think most folks understand it's for the best, and all experts say ""months"" of this, as you have. But what about the mental health cost of no social interaction for months and months? 

Note, I'm not asking how long we should do this, I'm asking how long do you think we will reasonably keep this up for as a society?",I don't know. We've never had to do this before. A psychologist or sociologist may have better perspective.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:47:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I feel like quarantining is really just delaying the virus from spreading not stopping it. If we don't find a way to bolster the hospitals now, won't we just be overwhelming the system in a couple of months?","The delay is the whole point of ""flattening the curve"". We want to spread out the number of patients over months, not concentrate them into weeks. By quarantining, we are not going to stop everyone from getting the disease right now and pushing it down the road. Despite quarantines, people will still get the disease. But at least if it comes as a trickle, our systems can handle the volume better.

As you say, at the same time we are indeed bolstering the capacities of hospitals. Hiring staff, moving staff from the ORs to the ICUs, building tent hospitals, etc.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:53:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you think Americans need Medicare for All? I am worried about medical bills through all of this. Thanks,"I support M4A. This disaster has exposed many of the core health care problems in this country, especially access to care. I worry about the medical bills for my patients too. ICU stays will bankrupt most normal people.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:12:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why will the social isolation last for months? Do we know how long the virus can survive both in a host and on surfaces?

 I live in a populated area so I can’t even go outside without meeting people (no full lockdown here yet). I’m getting serious cabin fever.","Virus can infect someone and that person can be asymptomatic for 14 days or more. It can stay on surfaces up to 72 hours (especially plastic) and can linger in the air for up to 3 hours.

I'm sorry. This is the new normal, sadly.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:59:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Other than overloading hospitals, why wouldn't herd immunity be the most plausible course of action? The virus isn't going to just pack up and leave. As soon as we get back to life, we're back to square one. This is certainly no way to live, nor is it going to end all human life on earth. At what point does the potential from crime for individuals that live pay check to pay check outweigh our elderly populace? As soon as people can't eat it will get far uglier than this virus. All of this is the presumption of no vaccine in the near future.","Yes, but herd immunity doesn't require active infection of live virus that can kill people. The hope is that by ""flattening the curve"" we are buying time for treatments and eventually vaccines to be developed.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:20:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Aside from equipment, the real resource roadblock for the massive amount of cases about to flood the health systems seem to be critical care experts. Italy is graduating nursing students and doctors early. Do you expect this to happen in the US as the crisis worsens? What other measures do you foresee or think would be helpful?","Actually, our shortages are going to be equipment and ICU nurses. Us docs will work long hours and be exhausted but we have the numbers. My wife is a Nurse Practitioner in a clinic in another hospital system, and she has previous experience as an ICU nurse, and she is being drafted to work in the ICU. Our CRNAs are also being pulled from the ORs to the ICU.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:41:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My girlfriend works at a hospital where there has been 1 patient confirmed positive. She then comes home and is near me. Should I be self quarantining? In general what do you recommend for the significant others of healthcare workers?,"Unless she was in direct contact with that patient, neither of you should need to quarantine. If she has symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath) you definitely should quarantine. I would recommend she wear a set of clothes (e.g. scrubs) at work, change into street clothes before leaving the hospital, take a shower as soon as she gets home. Wipe down everything that went to work with her. Keep a little more distance if you can (3 ft or more). Some people are sleeping in separate beds, which is not practical or even possible for many.

Continue to wash your hands, don't touch your face, and stay the F home as much as you can.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:10:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Currently the number I keep seeing is a 1.5x growth rate in total infections (50% new infections daily) in countries that haven't implemented a lockdown, or haven't felt the effect of it yet. Is this correct, or have the numbers been adjusted?

In a similar vein, I'm seeing 12 days as the average time between infection and symptoms showing up. Is this correct, or have those numbers been adjusted?",Those numbers are in the ballpark of the ones I have seen.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:45:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why is quarantining only people over, say, 60 and other high risk individuals, then gradually releasing them not the solution to flattening the curve? It seems like they are the lions share of deaths by orders of magnitude, and so are presumably the lion's share of ICU cases.",Because younger people spread the disease and can get very sick and die from the virus as well.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:02:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What do you think of Zeynep Tufekci pointing the contradiciton with the advice we citizens hear on masks?

Ref: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/opinion/coronavirus-face-masks.html","I am personally telling folks to wear masks when they are going to be around large numbers of other people. But the better solution is to not even be around large numbers of people. If it can't be helped though, a mask is better than no mask. It doesn't necessarily need to be an N95.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:07:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you have any sense of what non-coronavirus hospital care will look like in the coming months in areas that do this semi-lockdown (like the bay area)? For example, labor and delivery.","Labor and delivery should not be affected. There are designated OB physicians and anesthesiologists who will be ready for laboring patients. They will not be pulled to take care of Covid patients. Usually the OB wings and ORs are completely separate from other areas of the hospital. If you have to go to prenatal visits, wear a mask when you go out. Wash your hands frequently, especially while at the doctor's office.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:14:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I work in Northern Virginia in an office with 3 others. My boss has told us that he will not let us telecommute unless the national guard is turning us away from the building. He also has told me that I have no reason to worry because I am in my 20s.

Is he correct to think that our office is too small to benefit from working from home? Do you have any information that may help sway a stubborn 60 year old boss?","He sounds like an idiot. 

You are not risk-free being in your 20s. You could be carrying the virus, bring it to work, go talk to him about something and lean on his desk (or whatever), and he could get it. He could then die of it. Or he might bring it home to his family, where they could get sick and die from it. Even if he doesn't care about himself or his family he is putting you, your colleagues, and your families at risk.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:22:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I contracted the virus and am close to remission. Once the quarantine period ends for me, will I be immune and not a possible carrier for the virus?",We hope so. But there is some evidence people may get reinfected.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:43:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi thank you for doing this!  


I have a question about social distancing.  My question is why not implement a hybrid of our social distancing method and the tragically flawed British ""herd immunity"" method?   


It seems like we're fighting a losing battle w/ social distancing since as soon as we stop shacking up (which for economic/sanity reasons seems inevitable) the virus would spread as normal (and there's no way we can maintain this for 18 months which is how long it would take to get a vaccine).

&#x200B;

We start exposing young healthy people to the virus and then put them in full isolation (which is basically what we're in right now). After this, it seems we'll have more and more people with antibodies/immunity who can actively aide the community/deliver food/go back to work without concern.  


Is there a reason not to do measured exposure with already isolated individuals? Or is the assumption that the natural spread of the virus will essentially do this over time anyway?","Unfortunately, young, healthy people are not immune from this disease. We have a 30s-year-old with no medical problems in the ICU. Dallas has a 20 year old and 30 year old intubated in critical condition. Italy has had a number of young, healthy people die. 30 year old doctors in China have died. In a free society we cannot conscript young people to take on this burden while knowing that they could be at significant risk (albeit less than older folks).",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:50:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What advice would you give to those who are still in denial about the severity of the current outbreak, and more specifically, what would you say to the given the chance to have a conversation with a person/group of people who are still treating this pandemic as a conspiracy & how do you feel we, as a world population, should address the misinformation being spread?

How do you feel about the large numbers of people who are hoarding sanitizer/masks/toilet paper when there are huge amounts of people who would be considered the most vulnerable that are in need of such products, such as seniors, immunocompromised persons, and healthcare workers.","This cult of denial about the virus seems impenetrable to me. Facts don't matter to them. I truly do not know how to reach those people.

The hoarders are scum. But they can point to pharmaceutical companies that do the same thing (ridiculous prices for insulin, epinephrine) as well as the president himself, who tried to hoard the vaccine for just Americans. So yeah, those people are awful but so are our political and industry leaders.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:05:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you for your work and for doing this AMA.

What do you think of the models/projections shown here?

[https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615370/coronavirus-pandemic-social-distancing-18-months](https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615370/coronavirus-pandemic-social-distancing-18-months/?te=1&nl=coronavirus-briefing&emc=edit_cb_20200317&campaign_id=154&instance_id=16859&segment_id=22332&user_id=9dde142660e554039c9fe6fe2242d5b7&regi_id=55173711&fbclid=IwAR0MUCGaBA8I_lr94eVbAw30bdGg_rhS0uf9XdHt3L2lC92FJLS8ID9UMaY)

What I was able to take from that was, even if we maintain this level of social distancing for a year and a half, and hugely increase testing, quarantine, and contact tracing for infected people there is still no way to avoid massively overwhelming the availability of icu beds and ventilators.  

Is it true that the curve can be flattened, but it can't be flattened anywhere close to enough?","Thank you for linking this article, I had seen the graphs before but not the entirety of it. 

I agree with your summary - I think there will have to be a massive paradigm shift because of Covid-19. Our old system will not suffice and while flattening will certainly help, more will need to be done to prevent repeat outbreaks and overwhelming the system.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:50:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I've seen some local/state departments put out statements or announcements on their website encouraging the public to get a flu shot as a safety measure.  The current vaccines shots that are available to the public are designed to innoculate someone against previously known flu strains.  (Or do I have the wrong understanding of that?)  So I have to ask, what good does it do to get a flu shot now?  Shouldn't we wait until there's been an effective vaccine developed for it?",Because the last thing we want is to deal with is an outbreak of influenza on top of dealing with this outbreak.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:26:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How will the US system cope with uninsured patients who develop severe complications, e.g. requiring ventilation?","We will treat them and deal with the money part later.

I am sure the insurance companies will come after them for every dime they can milk. I hope there is a massive change in the way we deliver health care after this.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:48:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything you do! 
I'm not sure if this was asked yet because I'm on mobile so I can't search: Do you think Medicare for All would be helpful during a Pandemic?","I believe Medicare for All would have helped a lot in this situation. Many of those who are going to die have underlying conditions that are inadequately managed because of poor access to health care. The fact that NBA players, actors and actresses, and other rich people have access to tests and the rest of us (even healthcare workers!) do not is illustrative of the problems that M4A would help solve. There needs to be a fundamental change in our healthcare system after this.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:19:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Given that we'll have to cancel everything for months or years (most of the ""flatten the curve"" graphs don't show [the actual numbers](https://medium.com/@joschabach/flattening-the-curve-is-a-deadly-delusion-eea324fe9727)), does it make more sense to quarantine off cities and make red-zones and green-zones and try to eradicate it that way?","Your link is pretty interesting, but as he notes ""don't cite [his] numbers"". His examples about China are interesting as well, but (for better or worse) we are not an authoritarian state so this would be very difficult to implement, I believe.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:16:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"When will we know more about how this affects pregnant women and their fetuses in the 2nd and 1st trimesters? I keep waiting for data out of Italy, but haven’t seen any yet. All I see out of China is a tiny study with 3rd trimester women, and I don’t find it reassuring.

(21 weeks pregnant here, and worried as hell.)","I don't have an estimate on when that data will come out, hopefully in the next few months. I am sorry this is causing you so much stress. Keep listening to your OB and the other experts, take common sense precautions, and stay the F home. If you need to go out for prenatal appointments, wear (any type of) mask if you can.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:13:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello!

I have two questions.

1. I am a type 1 diabetic, but in overall good health. I rarely get sick and consider myself fit and able. In what way does covid-19 put me in a risk group?

2. My daugther is six years old and ususally meet my parents every week. They have a great relationship. If the strategy of social distansing is to continue for several months, I'm afraid of all the love and interaction they would miss from not being together. Would it be over reacting to not let them see each other?","1. Diabetics are known to be a high risk group. This is because the virus enters pneumocytes (cells in the lung) via a receptor called ACE2, and these are upregulated in diabetics. These means there are more ""portals"" so to speak, for viral entry. Diabetics are more likely to suffer severe disease as a result. Wash your hands, don't touch your face, and stay the F home.
2. I don't think it would be overreacting. You can explain to your daughter that the only reason she can't be close to them is to protect her grandparents from getting ill. What about skype, facetime, etc?",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:05:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I’m 19 and don’t have any underlying health conditions despite being on the chubbier side. I’m also a hypochondriac and have been scared like hell hearing that there are reports of more young people ending up in ICU’s and could eventually die once those ICU beds are all taken up and can’t get cared for. My question is how likely are young people are to die from this and how can we best prevent others like our siblings and parents from getting this when we may not know we have it?,"Here are some numbers: 0.3% of 10-19 year olds have symptoms that require hospitalization. Of those, 5% require critical care (ICU). for 20-29 year olds, those numbers are 1.2% and 5%, respectively. (This is good data but I can't find the source for the chart I have at the moment).

So it's very unlikely you would end up in the hospital, let alone the ICU. Keep practicing good hand hygiene, don't touch your face, stay away from other people - you should be fine.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:17:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Not sure how to phrase this right so I'll just throw it out there. Staying home and isolation just isn't an option for some ppl. I work 60+hrs a week as someone who works in the food processing industry. Someone has to go to work every day to make sure ppl have food. End of story. So I'll continue on as I always have and when/if I get it I'll hope to survive and say goodbye to the old unhealthy ppl I live with because they'll surely die. I suppose my question would be is there another option? There's no way I'm the only person in this situation.,"Unfortunately, many people are in your same situation. This is because the entirety of the U.S. health care system is build on a weak foundation. We assume no one will ever get really sick. We have poor access to health care. We don't offer sick leave. I know it's easy for me to say ""stay the F home"", and it's hard for many people like yourself to do that. It's not your fault. It's our hypercapitalist system that puts the profits of a company like yours over the health of employees like you. This is will never change unless there is a fundamental shift in how we provide healthcare. Medicare for all.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:01:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Someone told me all of us have to get this and become immune for it to go away because even if we all quarantine and we come out and 1 person has it, it will start again. Is this true?",No. People that have had it already may develop immunity that will protect them. Vaccines that are in development will hopefully be patient-ready in the next several months that can confer immunity without requiring people to experience actual infection.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:44:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi and thanks,

Have you heard of new methods to process equipment used by anesthesiologists such as glidescopes and fiberoptics? 

Stay safe","We are now using indirect laryngoscopy for all intubations - glidescopes and mcgraths. This allows us the advantage of better first time success, as well as distancing our airways from our patients'.

&#x200B;

Thank you.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:15:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I live in Alaska and we only have 6 confirmed cases. Is this still enough reason to stay home from work? I currently don't rely on my own income and work a non essential position so I've been wondering if it's worth it.,"If you don't need to go to work, I would just take some time to stay at home.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:35:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you for your AMA! My question mostly comes from why flattening the curve when from my understanding, there is no evidence that covid19 will wane in the summer like normal flu/colds, and there are cases (but I agree needs a lot more research and looking into) where people have been reinfected by covid19 after having it (possibly another strain?). Generally, why 'flatten the curve' when it seems like it won't be going back down and we need to greatly expand our medical care and support systems, but are not beyond just 'stretching it'?","A great verb there - ""stretching"". Yeah, beyond stretching our health care system, there needs to be a fundamental change requiring expansion, especially in the areas of preventative health.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:50:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"The author of this article argues that flattening the curve won't work the way we want it to because given finite hospital resources, we'd need 2000-3000 days of isolation to flatten the curve in a way that avoids overloading the hospital system. ( [https://medium.com/@joschabach/flattening-the-curve-is-a-deadly-delusion-eea324fe9727](https://medium.com/@joschabach/flattening-the-curve-is-a-deadly-delusion-eea324fe9727) )  He's very transparent that his math is only back-of-the-envelope.

Setting aside quantitative measurement issues, do you agree with his qualitative analysis or have thoughts on how we might plug actual numbers into the abstract ""flatten the curve"" graphs that have been circulating?",I have read that article, it raises interesting points. We need to expand our hospital capabilities at the same time as we develop treatments and a vaccine.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:17:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA
" [41 minutes ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/fkuqb8l/)

One of my best friends in getting married on Saturday. I keep thinking it will inevitably get cancelled but it hasn't yet. (They've just downgraded to wedding parties and close family). Do you think this should go on, or should I voice my opinion that it should be pushed back? (We just had our first confirmed case in our area, USA)",Stay at home.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:06:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you think that the virus has been here for longer than just the past couple weeks? 

I've seen people saying they had all these symptoms before but no test showed positive for anything.

Do you think no one was testing for it before so it just slipped under the rug?",Yes and yes.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:06:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I am a current student in master's degree program in the medical field. While most clinical sites have stopped allowing students, mine continues to require us to come in as the hospital has not cancelled elective procedures. The concern that I, and my fellow students, have is we are being put at increased risk of exposure every day we show up. Thus leading to our families having higher risks of being exposed.

Are we merely overreacting, or would it truly be more appropriate for us, as students, to be dismissed until this pandemic begins to resolve?",I think all classes - or any meetings or events with more than 10 people in close proximity to each other - should be cancelled. You are not overreacting.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:46:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I have a concert tickets for late May as a surprise birthday present for my partner. Do I need to get a new birthday gift?,Yes,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:45:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you think people understand the difference between ""the flattening of the curve"" and ""the flattened curve""? I'm worried people see a slight improvement and jump on this to go back on any differences made and things get worse than they had been...I worry they've not prepared for that and it just seems inevitable to me. 

As someone immune compromised, living alone and no money, I rely on other people taking care as I am in a heavily populated are and need to do basic things like get out to the shops to feed myself for example (online ordering isn't working- they just cancel stuff the night before saying it's out of stock even if you order weeks and weeks in advance and they had it in stock in that time...) 

I worry for my health, sure, but I also look at the bigger picture- what I worry about is the virus coming back for a second wave and reeling it in will be too late when people have their guard down the second time around or think it's NBD, it's gone now :/",I can understand the fear and stress you are experiencing right now. I wish our fellow citizens would care about each other as much as they care about themselves. Hang in there.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:17:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"A recent Wired article ""Is the Split Over Covid-19 Really About Politics?"" talked about how Democrats and Republicans are seeing this pandemic differently.  If this is true would we expect to see worse patient outcomes red states?  If so, why wouldn't Republican's want to protect their constituents?",I don't know if we will see worse outcomes in red states because they tend to be more spread out and rural so they may have a de facto social distancing built into their situation. But it does alarm me that there is a whole party in this country that at first denied this was a problem in the first place and spread misinformation about the virus via its cable news channel.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:21:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If the virus has extremely low mortality rates among the young and healthy, with some sources saying as low as .1%, would it make more sense to expose the vast majority of the healthy US population to the virus that is not in the known danger population?  

As dangerous as the virus is, a complete economic and societal breakdown I feel like could be far more deadly.  

Paying every American $1,000 a month for months on end sounds like it will destroy our country with increased certainty over losing a small percentage of the population.  This way the at-risk population can be cared for and receive a stipend or supplies while they are staying at home for however long it takes to create an effective immunization, be it months or over a year.

Getting the healthy back to work and ideally now (largely?) immunized against the virus sounds on the surface like a callous but effective way to gain herd immunity, or is that just my ignorance showing?","Who will choose those ""young and healthy"" to get infected? How do you select them? Will you pay them? How much? What are ""acceptable losses""? One 18-year-old who dies? 10? 1000? One 25-year-old father or mother? 10? 1000? 

0.1 percent of the 30-40 million 18-24 year olds (estimated American population in that range) is 30-40k people. Are those losses acceptable to you?

I find it distressing that we can't pay Americans 1000$ a month (about 3.8 trillion dollars per year) when for the past 70 years we've been dumping a trillion dollars a year into our military. Maybe we can prioritize better and rather than bailing out airlines and hotels, we bailout actual American people?",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:00:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I understand the importance of flattening the curve for now, but what's your stance on preparing for annually recurring c19-variant infections ?

Is it realistic to having a small personal ventilator at home and a prescription of whatever drug that's found to be best at combating c19 in the future?","We need to properly fund the organizations that can help in these situations. Perhaps Dr. Trump's elimination the pandemic response team was a horrible idea. Perhaps defunding the CDC was a horrible idea. Perhaps the war on science and medicine that one party has waged for the last 20 years has been a horrible idea.

To prepare for what you correctly note is coming, we need to believe in science again and properly fund the organizations that bring us scientific advances - colleges and universities, the NIH, the CDC, etc. - while also encouraging the private sector. 

No. Vents are not simple to use. You need to be intubated to be on a vent. Whatever drug is found to be best at combating c19 will likely have some significant side effects so, again, no.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:09:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I have a serious question. Instead of quarantining/social distancing everyone why do we not just put these restrictions on the elderly and immunocompromised? It seems that the whole reasoning for flattening the curve is for resource management in the Healthcare system, so with the smaller population of affected people ICUs should be able to handle them if we kept all the old people away.

If this works this would have much less economic impact and should seemingly be more sustainable.",Because the elderly and immunocompromised don't always live alone.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:39:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If more poeple are going to lose their jobs and go into significant debt that they'll have issues paying off once they return to low paying jobs, is it not better to simply let the virus pass through the population allowing people to develop immunities to it as it spreads? I saw a really ignorant comment from a Colorado governor that said something like ""we won't have an economy if we're all dead"" but its an absolute joke to act like all of us or even a significant portion if us will risk death from a disease that's only truly dangerous symptom is shortness of breath and damage to lungs in people who are unhealthy or who are very old/ have a select few health conditions. Basically,  has anyone actually done the math on how long we need to be in a lockdown and whether or not more people suffer from the lockdown than would suffer from the disease. Thanks!","I don't know where everyone is getting this dangerous misinformation that this virus only affects those ""who are unhealthy or who are very old/ have a select few health conditions"" (though I have my suspicions). We have young, healthy people dying in our ICUs right now from Covid-19. And I totally agree with Gov Polis's brusque statement: F economic concerns right now, we are trying to save people's lives.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:41:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I don’t know if this has been asked yet, so sorry if has. I read that they are testing a vaccine in Seattle and I happen to live about 50 miles from there. Do you know if this is true? And if so, how long does it take for a vaccine to work? Doesn’t the subject have to build up an immunity which takes some time? I would also assume that they would then be exposed to the virus to see if they “catch” it. So another assumption is that it could still be awhile for the results,  plus time to manufacture and make available the vaccine if it works? My thinking is that we shouldn’t expect a vaccine to be available for this outbreak, but rather for future prevention.","I think you're right - even if/when a vaccine comes out (probably at least months away) it will be more for future prevention of recurring outbreaks. Still critical though, because there will likely be second, third, fourth peaks until we have acquired herd immunity.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:52:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Sounds like some hospitals are not following protocols for isolating those who are possibly infected on the staff.  Sounds as if some hospitals are likely to be a hot zone sooner than later.  Should not the whole hospital consider quarantine?  As a lay person, I am asking not suggesting.  The medical professionals are critical to our well being and our ability to flatten the curve.  That action seems to require not only social distancing but also the ability to triage those who are mildly impacted versus those that will require acute care.  The ability to spread out the sick across a longer interval of time; aka “flattening the curve” in order to assure they receive the proper isolation and treatment is critical.  To do this well, we need our medical professionals at 100% operational capabilities.  Who is in charge of putting out hospital guidelines?  Is it the CDC, WHO, or someone else??","There has been a lack of decisive action from the very top since the beginning of this crisis. As such, most hospitals are responsible for the guidelines, which is why you see so much variability.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:17:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can you tell me why schools are still open in the UK? Whats the logic behind it or is Boris Johnson getting bad advice,"Dr. Boris Johnson is the equivalent of Dr. Donald Trump.

I'll leave it at that.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:25:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi Doc.

Bit of a stupid question here. What does a ventilator need to do, other than (gently) pump fresh air into the lungs of patients? 

Do you think that DIY/open source versions of them would be viable for emergency circumstances? 

In addition, I've read some talk about the use of sedation and lower pressure ventilators to prevent people from ""fighting"" it, which prevents the alveoli from being damaged. Does that change the way that large numbers of people are treated?","You're basically right - it pumps in a given volume (or pressure) of oxygen enriched air in periodic intervals. 

They are very complicated, especially because they have computers in them that calculate the amount of pressure needed, the timing of the breaths, and all sorts of other parameters. Perhaps basic vents can be open-sourced, and honestly even basic vents would help in these emergency circumstances.

You are right about preventing alveolar damage - for the type of lung pathology Covid-19 patients suffer (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) it is critical not to use too high pressures otherwise the alveoli can be damaged. The vent settings therefore need to be carefully titrated to the patient, and his/her condition. This can require a lot of micromanagement of the vent. If the ICU is full of ARDS patients, this can make overall vent management of the unit a huge burden. Respiratory therapists are key in this regard.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:30:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What would you tell someone who has a derm appointment for a punch biopsy or two, in a couple of weeks, to do? Wife is a doc so we’re constantly exposed via that route anyhow. If this weren’t *potential* cancer I would 100% cancel the appointment.",Go to it. Take all the precautions you know you're supposed to.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:49:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How safe is it to go grocery shopping? No stores in my area will deliver for the next two weeks and I live with an immunocompromised husband and my mother who has type 2 diabetes. :-(,"If you have a mask, wear it. Keep about 6 feet between you and other shoppers. When you get home, jump into the shower and scrub with soap. Wipe down your phone and purse/wallet. You all should be be protected better with those basic measures.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:02:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it ok for individuals who contract and survive c-19 to resume everyday life?,There is new evidence that even previously healthy young people have long-term sequelae of the disease such as 20-30% reduced lung function. But generally I think resuming life would be fine.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:03:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I'm a physical therapist in a SNF setting in Southern California. I worry that we are putting unnecessary risk for patients who are already at risk for developing COVID-19. The SNF is still a business and I'm not sure how much more comfortable I will be working there given the current situation. My OP orthopedics physical therapy office has already gone remote through Telehealth. My question is, do you have any advice for those who are technically still considered essential personnel but don't necessarily feel essential?","It's a tough spot. Do whatever you can to protect yourself and your patients - the usual stuff: good hand hygiene, limited contact if possible. I'm not sure there's much else you can do.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:04:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I am out of school in the San Francisco area. There are 11 cases in my county. Our governor is saying our schools my be closed for the year. Do you think public schools on the west coast will reopen?  
EDIT: we are also in a shelter in place indefinitely. Pretty much a 24/7 lockdown with the ability to leave for essentials","I know it's extreme, but I think those measures are appropriate.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:17:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Provided adequate respiratory protection (P100 or similar), what is the likelihood of infection via the eyes?",New evidence emerging that virus can be spread through conjunctiva (the red parts of your inner eyelids and the covering of your eye). The virus can also live on eyelashes and other hair for short period. Wear eye protection if interacting with Covid patients.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:10:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Lots of questions here asking ""how long to quarantine?"" Not much discussion about how the low number of hospital beds, ICU's, and ventilators per capita impacts the capacity of our healthcare system. See post: https://medium.com/@joschabach/flattening-the-curve-is-a-deadly-delusion-eea324fe9727?fbclid=IwAR3LmF5U3cEkOAE1sJz2-jF3e6hsfK-tZDnMYhzMnbTveXvTs2RxmrwCIzo

We rarely see an accurate y-axis scale and comparison of those two peaks in ""flattening the curve"" articles.

Isn't merely ""social distancing,"" ""work from home (if you can),"" and all that really just creating a false sense of security? Shouldn't we be far more aggressively quarantining, like what's happening in Wuhan? Everyone says ""draconian! Not possible in the US"" Why? Of course we can. It need not be apocalypse.","We probably should be quarantining, but I don't know that the federal or state governments have the balls to do that, nor do people have the willingness to do that.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:07:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How easy is it to catch the virus from being in the same airspace as an infected individual? Such as an elevator or a hallway? And how long do the airborne droplets remain contagious? I’ve been reading conflicting reports.,We don't know exactly yet. It can stay in the air for up to 3 hours according to some sources. More likely is transmission by skin to surface to skin contact.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:10:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"42 yo male here who experienced last July what was ruled as a TIA. They found the cause to be a Large PFO and ASD with grade 4/5 shunting at rest and 5+ with valsalva.  I’ve only been taking Plavix  waiting for closure, otherwise I’m in decent health.  Would you consider me at  higher risk?   The cardiomyopathy you mentioned has me puzzled.","I think you would be at higher risk. You may have some element of pulmonary hypertension already because of the PFO/ASD. These would have been noted on your echocardiogram. Folks with ARDS (the critical illness commonly associated with Covid-19) can get bad pulmonary hypertension. If you were unlucky enough to experience heart involvement as well, it could be lethal. Do everything you can to avoid contact with other folks, wash your hands, don't touch your face.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:00:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My office building has about 3500 workers. My employer as of today still hasn't followed any social distancing protocols and has us all coming to work daily. They insist we are not at risk. Thoughts?,"Your employer is putting you, your colleagues, and your families at risk, while also putting himself and his family at risk.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:56:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"You may not see this as it's been a while since you started but here goes..

First of all, are pregnant women more susceptible to this disease? I'm currently 12 weeks pregnant and my OB clinic has said their patients should avoid going anywhere for obvious reasons I'm just wondering if there's a higher chance of me getting sick. 

Secondly, we had a vacation planned for Florida in June. I'm guessing the answer will be not to go, but do you think by then it will be safer or will it still be a significant risk to travel? 

Thank you so much.","I would listen to your OB docs - there may be increased risk of severity of the disease in pregnant women, though there is no large-numbered study to prove that. Stay away from people. Wash your hands. Don't touch your face.

I would cancel your June trip.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:42:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Best case scenario right now?  Can we flatten the curve below the cases needed to prevent Hospitals from being forced to triage patients for beds and vents?  Or are we past that point?,"We are past that point, I think. We are at the ""let's bring the clusterfuck down from a 10 to an 8, hopefully"".",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:37:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What happens when we run out of Propofol, Precedex, Actemra, Acetaminophen, and all insulin?  Local drug distributor (McKesson) was out of all as of today with no ETA.  Also out of Micafungin, Ambisome, Teflaro, and Zerbaxa....plus ALL alcohol products including sprays, pour bottles, wipes, etc...",Yay capitalism!,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:52:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I hope OP (or someone in the med field sees this)

I'm an IT contractor and if I don't come into work, I don't get paid.

I have stage 3 CKD (creat around ~175-180, stable) and I am on a few blood pressure meds such as Irbesartan 300mg and Furosemide 40mg, both daily.

My work doesn't have a work from home policy for contractors so I am pretty much forced to go in, but I am very worried that I'll get sick and due to my CKD, I am at higher risk , even though I'm only 32 years old. I live in Canada and our PM has said that there will be financial aid for such cases, but who the hell knows when.

3 years ago I underwent a treatment to reduce my immune system for about 5 months until I fell neutropenic and the treatment stopped. I am worried that my previous immuno-suppressed system is weaker than the average 32 y/o

Anyway, trying to contact my nephro is quite hard right now due to the pandemic. What would you recommend I do? Stay home and not get paid.. or go to work and get paid but be exposed?",Can you direct message me with this info please. I will be able to get to it by tomorrow morning.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:43:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I get the stay the fuck home.  A few questions:
1. If you need supplies, make trips quick and keep 6 ft distance and wash hands?
2. Ordering food delivery - I’ve read it’s safe.  Thoughts?
3. If my brother in law, sister in law with diabetes, and 3 year old nephew come here and we go there every other Friday, would you postpone that during isolation?","1. Exactly.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:51:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"We can slow the spreading to protect the weak. But what about putting forward the strong to speed up herd immunity?

Would it make sense to introduce ""drive-through controlled infection centers"" where volunteers can have themselves screened and purposely infected in a planned, monitored and controlled manner at the moment when health conditions are optimal?

Next there could be a certificate of immunity which can be worn somewhere visibly. These people would be allowed to come back to shops and public places. Help get the economy started again.","This is an interesting thought. However, there is some evidence that people who have had and recovered from the virus can be reinfected. What then?",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:22:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Ok folks. I need to wrap this up. Wash your hands. Don't touch your faces. And please STAY THE FUCK HOME. And tell everyone you know to do the same.

Stay safe out there.","cmon man, google this shit. it's not hard.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:48:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello.
I have travel plans in May that involve several flights.  Should I cancel my plans?",Yes.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:46:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
[removed],maybe. why?,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:21:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If the virus is primarily transmitted in droplet form, would wearing a non-N95 dust mask be better than nothing if you absolutely have to be in close contact with others? My justification for thinking this is because I’d imagine those droplets are much larger than the virus itself.","Yes, we are only using N95 masks for known Covid positive patients. Other non-N95 masks should be just fine.

The only thing is there is some question whether this is only droplet, or if it is airborne as well...",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:22:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I understand and am complying with the recommendations to generally stay home and avoid large gatherings, but I'm confused about how much we should be limiting visits with friends and family. For example, my mom watches my baby 2-3 days a week while I work. I can't figure out if it's safe for her to continue doing so, especially because she is not in a high-risk demographic. Also, is it okay to visit local friends and family in small numbers (1-2 people at a time) for nonessential reasons as long as none of us are showing symptoms?","Not being able to have social interactions is going to be very difficult. I think your mom watching your baby should be OK as long as neither is showing symptoms, as I assume you have to go to work. Small gatherings can be OK as well, but try and make a game out of staying 3-6 feet apart from each other during your visits.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:09:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I am a 15 year old healthy male. Should I be very worried? Because I am.,Most likely you'll be ok. Worry about your parents/grandparents. Do your best to not spread the virus.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:35:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I am in a bit of a unique situation but your answer will probably apply to others my age (26 millennial). I suffer from allergies and I have had a scratchy throat on and off for the past several weeks and a runny nose here and there. I work at a small business with 2 other people over 70. What should I do? I don't know what would be a sign of I should self quarantine or not? We are a small business trying to stay afloat so they need to me to come in but I really don't want to hurt them if I catch corona and don't realize it.,"Not much you can do other than good hand hygiene and maintaining 6 ft distance from those folks. If you have symptoms other than your baseline allergies, don't go to work.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:58:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hospitals are basically dictating to us what we need to do to maximize total hospital patients serviced over time.  Should this trump all other concerns, socially and economically?  Because I know counselors that are falling apart at the seams advising families wrt money.",All these corporations and hospitals care about is their bottom line - they could give a crap about your health. Remember that.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:12:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How can I do my best to practice social distancing in a crowded office?  I sit in a cubicle with others, we’re seated around 3 1/2 feet from each other.  We have begged and pleaded for staggered schedules, limiting the number of people in the office at once, etc.  Some building within the organization have send home janitorial staff so no one is cleaning.  Are we completely screwed?","You're in a tough spot. Your employers are fucking you over. Let them know about that. Let them know if you catch the virus, they will too.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 22:18:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Have a question for AMA? I’m recovering from having pneumonia for the last six to eight weeks third time in five years. I am finally getting back to feeling better/normal. I have partial heart failure as well with approx 75% functionality and take lisinopril and coreg for it. In your opinion how much greater is the risk of contracting covid-19 for people recovering from this type of illness with existing health issues than individuals who have not been ill recently and/or don’t have existing health issues? I’ve been isolated due to pneumonia for two months now and am now staying inside and avoiding any and everyone I can as much as possible but will have to do something relatively soon due to not having any income for so long and not having any reserves left to last much longer unfortunately. Trying to get a idea how much higher risk category I’m in?,You are very high risk. You are in a horrible situation. Stay away from everyone. Wash your hands every chance you get. Don't touch your face. Wear a mask whenever you are around anyone else.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 22:24:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Many schools were closed for 2 weeks. I live in NY which has the most cases do you think more closing will need to take place? They also closed all restaurants, bars, movie theatres etc.",it should and will be longer,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:19:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If we are assuming that most of us will be infected with the virus in the next 12 months or so, are the people who get severe COVID now actually in a better position to survive compared to people who avoid infection for longer but get sick when there are less resources (beds, doctors, ventilators, antivirals, etc)?","No, the first folks who get it at most at risk because we still don't know the best treatments.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:22:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
So you have an MD as well? Damn. How long did it take?,"I got all them degrees.

Doesn't really matter in the end though.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:23:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
[deleted],"Of course. Can you study the structures of the viral ligand that interacts with ACE2 receptors on pneumocytes? Modeling those 3D structures would be huge for developing ways of blocking that interaction and preventing entry of the virus into pneumocytes. Back in the day when I did xray crystallography or computational models of proteins we were limited by computing power, but I imagine that has advanced significantly in the last 20 years.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:09:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you say to people who think this is a hoax or that this is blown out of proportion?,They are fucking idiots.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:54:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Not related to Corona, but any advice on how you studied pharmacology? I'm taking it now and it's just overwhelming the amount of drugs and information to cram for each exam. Also thank you and all the medical professionals for your services!",Don't focus on the particular drugs. Those will always be new and changing. Learn the physiology.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:38:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What EXACTLY would it look like if we did no social distancing, quarantining, and just assumed that we would mostly all contract COVID-19? Wouldn't all the at risk populations just rapidly die off, with healthy populations returning to a somewhat normalicy, albeit with millions less living far sooner than this crisis would otherwise be over? THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO SEE HAPPEN, but I am curious in a morbid dystopia kinda way.",We would be more fucked than we already are.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:48:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If 70 million adult Americans weren't obese, and if 34 millions didn't smoke, how many more ICU beds and ventilators would be available now?",Great point. We are a fat as fuck and unhealthy country.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 01:22:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How much do you make? How does pay work for an anesthesiologist? hourly? salary? case by case? month by month? I've always been fascinated with an anesthesiologist's pay,I make enough to pay back my exorbitant medical school loans.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 01:28:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"This feels like a horrible question to ask, but in the face of real crisis I think its important to be as cold and rational as possible. Everything Ive seen about flatting the curve suggests that it will extend the duration of the outbreak, as the cost of saving lives by not overburdening the healthcare system. 

Given the TREMENDOUS economic impact of our current outbreak response, are the consequences of flattening the curve being considered and weighed against the benefit? People can/will die from economic impacts as well. Or am I just totally off-base in that significant curve flattening could extend the economic impact of the outbreak?","I don’t know. I don’t care about the economic impact, quite frankly. I have enough on my plate trying to keep people alive. Sorry.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:53:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you see any logic to a potential plan for a complete isolation of the most vulnerable members of society for an extended period whilst those likely to suffer less severe effects from the virus continue working and becoming infected. Although it seems massively cruel to almost accept giving a large  portion of the population the virus  this  way, the economic downturn  may in fact result  in  even more loss of life?",I can't think like that. I am a doctor. Economic anything does not figure into my equation about saving lives.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:24:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the government not telling us? To decimate the US economy because 6000 got sick and 143 died seems to be an over reaction of epic proportions.,"Since the beginning, they have not told us how catastrophic this will be. They ignored and denied the problem as their first response. It's 143 now, it will be in the thousands soon.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:21:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Two questions.  

First, how come this type of response wasn't instituted during swine flu or H1N1?  This response feels disproportional.

Second, my bro-in-law is a nephrologist.  He doesn't seem overly concerned about the novel Coronavirus.  Is he under-reacting or are we all overreacting?","1. So swine flu is H1N1, first of all. Covid-19 is much more lethal and more easily transmissible.
2. There are a lot of medical professionals with their heads in the sand. He is underreacting.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:39:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why are your counterparts at my hospital refusing to see/intubate suspected patients due to lack of PPE, but threatening CRNAs with termination if they refuse to see the same patients for the same reasons?","I’ll get on the phone with the Official Anesthesiologists Organization of America, where all us anesthesiologists know each other, and find out.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:50:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you know if anybody's done a QALY analysis for the shutdown we are going through? We're going to experience major economic effects and it would be nice to know what we're getting/spending for it.,"I don't know the economic costs of this. I imagine it will be on par with the World Wars, etc.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 12:21:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How do we flatten the curve when we still have people working at Dollar Tree within 6 ft of customers in an area with community spread? Companies are pretending to provide proper supplies. They send out memos stating requirements but don’t provide the supplies. They aren’t helping to stop the spread. They are threatening to fire employees if they have symptoms and want to self quarantine because the hospitals don’t have enough tests. We have an employee in forced quarantine but they won’t test him. Why is it up to us? The ones not in control. What are poor people supposed to do with greedy corporations and the government not doing enough to stop the spread?,"Socialism for the powerful and wealthy, rugged capitalism for the rest of us.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:07:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you for doing the work that you do, I truly appreciate it.

My question stems from anti-vaxxers and my recent discovery that they think herd immunity will never work.

I fear anti-vaxxers will say we all survived and proved that vaccinations are not needed (I recently left social media because I couldn’t handle anti-science that was being shared in a time like this).

What is your clearest message to someone who is anti-vaccination about COVID-19?","""You're a selfish fucking idiot""",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:16:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you for doing this!

Do you know anything about the risk for people with autoimmune diseases (specifically hashimotos) who do not take immunosuppressants? All the research I have done implies people with those diseases are at risk because of the medication and not necessarily the disease itself. Some people I love have the disease, and I’m frustrated by the lack of information.

Thank you!","I believe the risk is because of the immunosuppresants, not the disease itself. Keep in mind, however, that people who have autoimmune diseases have over-active inflammatory reactions, which may put them at increased risk of an over-active response to the virus, which can be dangerous as well.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 13:39:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"
My honest question:

I know they're trying to flatten the curve by having us isolated for a month.

But when we ALL come out of isolation here in a month, won't the virus then spread like wild fire?

Aren't we just postponing it from happening?

In our minds we think we're now flattening it, but aren't we just delaying it instead?","Flattening is delaying. It's not like right now by having everyone isolated no one is getting the virus. The virus is already out there, many many people will be coming in in the next few days. We already know that. We are trying to prevent the wave after that, and the wave after that, from crashing down on us all at the same time. That's why one month isolation may not be enough.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:32:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I might come off as dumb here, but solely based on the graphics I’ve seen, it looks like flattening the curve extends the duration that we have with disease which seems kinda bad (although not as bad as overloading hospitals). My question is that actually an accurate take on flattening the curve? Is there a trade off between intensity and duration?",We could probably keep most people alive if we have the resources to. We cannot if we have to decide which patient gets a ventilator and which does not.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:40:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"At what point do we think to expect to hear news of the results of the historic and unprecedented levels of shut down we are conducting to stem the possible spread? If symptoms generally show up for people in a month, wouldn’t we see clear reduction effects within a month?",I'd say in a month or two we will know if what we are doing now has helped.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:41:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If reinfection is possible, does that mean a vaccine would not work?",That's possible. It could mean the virus is rapidly mutating and a vaccine that is tailored to the unchanged areas of the virus would need to be developed.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:42:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"With all this time on my hands I was thinking of batch cooking, chili, spaghetti sauce, stews etc. and freezing them. I am also currently getting over a cold. Would this be not advised? If what I had was COVID-19 can the virus still be transmissible after freezing/cooking?",So far we don't think the virus can be spread by oral ingestion. You should be fine.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:43:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can regular non-medically trained folks do anything to help hospitals? I'm young(ish) and I don't have any direct contact with any at-risk people. Could I do anything to help?,This. And tell everyone you know to stay the F home.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:44:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What would your message to the UK government be?,"You've bungled this already, get your shit together.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:44:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Thank you for doing this. What is the best way to go about food acquisition right now? Going to the grocery store on off hours (if those exist now)? Getting groceries delivered in compliance with “stay the F home”?How about outdoor recreation?,Grocery delivery is a great idea. Go for a run or a bike ride! Stay away from other people though. Avoid the gym.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:47:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How long is someone who has it but doesn’t show symptoms, a potential carrier?","14 days, or more.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:48:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How long until we get proper levels of testing in the US? Such as the constant drive through testing they were doing in South Korea for example?,We are days to maybe a week away.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:49:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How well do you think UV sterilization works against this mess?  Boss wants to buy some large devices for cell phones, laptops, backpacks, etc. since we are ""essential"".","From what I have read, it's a pretty effective method. That doesn't mean, though, that the other precautions shouldn't be taken (hand washing, no face touching, social distancing).",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:51:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Recently at work we were handed a list of new rules for the duration of the outbreak. One of them is that some (bit not all) of the staff is now required to wear nitrile gloves. We are not a healthcare organization, nor are most of the people this rule applies to in a public-facing role.

* is this just ""security theater"", or is there an actual benefit to wearing gloves? My understanding is there is not, but I am ready to be wrong

* If gloves are not helpful, is there an official source that could be cited? Most of the CDC info I could find was focused on getting people to stop wasting masks, and gloves go unmentioned either way.","Gloves are... eh. I don't think there is proven benefit, but I can't imagine there is overt harm. Probably more for show than efficacy, but from a common sense perspective it just ""seems"" like gloves are a good idea.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:53:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How can someone determine at home whether they likely have Covid19 or a common cold/flu? Is there a unique color/taste/texture of phlegm/sputum? Unique symptoms or lack thereof?,"No. Cough, fever, shortness of breath are the symptoms you should look out for.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:58:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Should someone wait until they have difficulty breathing to begin a therapy like chloroquine?,I would not self-administer chloroquine.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:01:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How does it feel to be preaching to the choir? Maybe try telling all this to the idiots on Spring Break, my cousin included.",Keep yelling at those idiots.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:05:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Nursing student here. My school closed amid coronavirus concerns prohibiting my fellow nursing students from completing our clinical hours. I was supposed to graduate with my Bachelor's in May and have had just as many, or more clinical hours at this point than most Associate's level nurses. We are being told that the closure may impact our graduation date and we may not be able to assist in a nursing capacity during this crisis.

Now, given that this is just the beginning and resources for supplies and personnel are already being exhausted, from the perspective of myself and other nursing students, we feel that we should be able to graduate and be available to assist. What are your thoughts on this? Should medical professionals that were slated to graduate in May be able to graduate on time (or even early) in order to be available to provide care? Do you think we'd actually be a helpful presence? If so, how do you suggest we go about making graduation happen?",We might not have a choice soon. Italy has mobilized medical and nursing students to help. I think they should let you graduate. You're going to get a hella hands on experience right away.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:24:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If I do get sick, will cough suppressants help at all? I've read that I should avoid ibuprofen and only lower fever if it's 102 or above, but what about cough suppressants? Will they help fight it or are they more of a comfort thing?","The problem with cough suppressants is that they inhibit your body's natural drive to ""cough out"" the secretions and other debris in your lungs during an infection, a physiological response that is a good thing. An expectorant (which helps mobilize those secretions so you can get them out) is a better choice. There are some combo expectorant-cough suppressants which never made sense to me because why would you want to mobilize secretions and then just let them sit there in your lungs?",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:22:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thanks for doing this AMA! I am an RN that works in a small, elective surgery clinic that employs 14 people. Our physician has chosen to stay open, despite the need for social distancing. We have given notice to patients about staying home if symptomatic, increased the frequency of disinfecting we do on every surface in the office, and make every patient wash their hands when entering exam rooms/don masks if coughing, etc. Do you think these measures are enough to reduce our exposure risk? I’m concerned staying open is doing way more harm than good, especially for our staff.",I think your physician is putting all of you at risk unnecessarily. What procedures are you doing?,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:15:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"A simple question. 
What exactly is the coronavirus? 
Why are people panicking?","It's an easily transmissible disease that can be lethal to everyone, mostly the elderly.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:11:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are your thoughts on some city’s issuing shelter in place orders to create a kinda forced quarantine. Do you think more city’s should take this action?,Yes,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:07:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is going on a walk/run/hike with friends okay if you stay 6+ feet apart?,Should be OK.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:07:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey doc, im currently taking immunosuppressants (remicade) to control my crohns symptoms, would you say it’d be a smart idea to stop taking them for now?",Chat with your GI doc.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:07:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you think a majority of this will be subsided by the end of the summer? Or will it continue as badly into the fall?,"I think we will peak early summer, but this overall won't end for months.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:07:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I work in a non emergency EMS service. We are very unique in that we are primarily available for underserved populations like the homeless and mentally ill. We also provide a huge relief of public service resources by responding to non emergency welfare check and subject down calls that would otherwise be handled by police and fire.

Because we work with some of the most vulnerable populations and the fact that we lack the funding, and resources to actually mitigate exposure and risk spreading it from client to client as well as to ourselves from lack of appropriate PPE. There has been talk of temporarily suspending the service. But of course there's the huge portion of our city who rely on us to get around and for medical and mental health counseling services.

What are your thoughts? I'm in the camp of I think we should suspend services as we could very easily transmit this disease unknowingly and harm a lot of people.","I think you guys provide a very important service and if it weren't for you, a lot of these people would get no healthcare at all. I would try to get the appropriate PPE, remembering to change and dispose in between house visits and good hand hygiene.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:03:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Paramedic here- what kind of timeframe do you think we'll have for the initial surge of patients? Is there anything EMS can do to assist, during encode and turnover? And do you think we could be as overrun as Italy?",I think we won't get to our peak for a couple months. I think you guys are gonna be busy in the field. I think we will be as overrun as Italy.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 16:01:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thanks so much for doing this AMA.

It’s just my husband and I (and our dog) quarantined in our house. We have only gone to the store in the past couple of days to see if we can find the groceries we need to hold us over. Do we need to be disinfecting our house every day? Just after we go out to the store? I’m seeing people on social media saying they are disinfecting their house daily and that seems excessive to me. Interested to hear your thoughts. 

Also, is it safer to by supplies/food online right now or is it the same risk as walking into a local grocery store?",I don't think disinfecting your house daily is necessary. I'd suggest getting groceries delivered if it's within your budget.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:58:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How does this affect people who will need hospital care (ex: woman giving birth, people having a stroke or heart attack, etc.).will there be room, beds, resources, doctors, nurses available for these patients?",That's the tough decision we are all going to have to make as ICU providers. Who gets the vent? Who gets the blood? Who do we with withdraw care on first?,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:56:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How can we get stupid people to listen to smart people?,Education from a young age. Probably too late for half of Americans.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:55:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"(This is not a coronavirus-related question.)

How in the heck did you manage to become an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, AND have a PhD in Pharmacology?? 

You are GOALSS!! I hope in my next life I achieve even 30% of the success you’ve had so far.

Much respect and thank you for doing this AMA and also what you do for the world. 

Also my question is a serious one, I’d really like to know:)","Well, I was in school/training until I was 37.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:55:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How long will it take to flatten the curve.. when do you think we're past the peek and can start seeing our friends and family again?

i.e. when 50% of the population has it? more or less? or based on another factor?",I think we will peak around June.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:54:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"The way I see it the less social interaction the better. On the other hand the less social interaction the quicker people will get fed up I suspect. What's your opinion on a small group of friends, say 3-5 people meeting up? Is this something that can be done, or perhaps could be done after a few weeks in order to ""stay sane"" for lack of better words.","I get it. We are social animals. If you do get together, try and make a game of staying at least 6 feet apart. (And all the other hygiene stuff I've mentioned so many times in this thread).",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:49:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My wife works as a sonographer at a very large hospital. We currently have no confirmed cases but have several pending. She is 36 weeks pregnant with our first child and I am very concerned for her as pregnant women have a lower immune system. They have limited her contact with patients as not having to go “portable” with patients with fevers or symptoms of covid. My question is she gets 12 weeks leave with our son but can take the leave early if she wants but will have less time with him after he is born. Should she take leave now or keep working and maintain the best hygiene she can? What would you suggest to your wife? Thanks.,"If it were my wife, I would say start the leave early. Stay home and only go out for prenatal visits and labor/delivery. Wear masks when you go out, if available (she should be able to snag 2 - only 2! - from work).",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:48:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Response to this article? Seems like flattening the curve enough will be nearly impossible given the capacity of the healthcare system

https://medium.com/@joschabach/flattening-the-curve-is-a-deadly-delusion-eea324fe9727",Addressed this a couple times below.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:42:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello! 

I have asthma but it's very well controlled (I take Singulair daily, but haven't used my resuce inhaler in over a year). How much more likely do you think I am to have an issue if I become ill? Am I at a greater risk because of the asthma?

I work from home already, but my husband is military and they're continuing like nothing has changed. He is worried about bringing it home to me because of the asthma. 

Thanks!","Answered this question below, please search ""asthma"" on this thread.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:38:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it okay to go for a hike in the mountains? I’m in home with literally zero personal space(I sleep in the living room). Being indoors 24/7 damages my mental health and hiking usually helps balance me out. Is there still significant risk for spreading/contracting the virus if I were to go hiking?,A great idea. Get away from people and get some exercise.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:29:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"When there is a virus they often speak about flattening the curve, why is this better than having a sharp uptick and having the outbreak substantially reduced right away? One would think it would be preferable to have the crisis end quicker.",We cannot handle all the patients at once.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:29:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey! My spouse is an anesthesiology resident, and I have asthma. His hospital initially said that residents would **not** do airways on COVID-positive patients, but have since reversed that decision. How risky do you think it would be for me to be around him right now? Should I stay with family for the next few weeks?","He should wear street clothes to work, change into scrubs at work, shower before he leaves work (if those facilities are available - otherwise shower as soon as he gets home), and change back into street clothes before he leaves work. Make sure he cleans his phone as soon as he gets home. If he is exposed to a known covid patient, you may want to consider distancing yourself at home - separate beds, 3 ft apart, etc...",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:40:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Does your treatment plan for intensive care patient vary country by country or is it ultimately the same?, adopting a standardised ventilator to help the patient breathe.

Side note: [Challenge to build 1m ventilators here](https://helpwithcovid.com/projects/13)","It does vary country to country. For example, in China ARDS patients (what most Covid-19 patients in the ICU have) are routinely treated with steroids while here in the US we do not. With regards to ventilator strategies, I believe a low peak/plateau pressure with higher PEEP is a general rule for treatment of ARDS internationally. I love the idea of crowd-sourcing for ventilators because no one else seems to stepping up to the task.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:48:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I work ambulatory surgery. Privately owned. Ophthalmology. Medical Director does not think we should close. 

Thoughts?",Show him the recent studies that show coronavirus can be spread through conjucntiva.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:41:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is Gary Oldman the greatest actor ever?,Pretty damn good. I prefer Daniel Day Lewis.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:41:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Sorry if this has already been asked, but what is the point in flattening the curve rather than stopping it? 
Wouldn’t it be wise to take the already established measurements a step further to not allow the virus to spread at all?",Is that possible?,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:40:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"
First off thank you for answering our questions.
I’m not a medical professional so my words may be a bit elementary.

Wouldn’t the virus go into hibernation(?) if we self quarantine/isolate? 
Basically I am  wondering if someone who is a carrier and never gets sick self quarantines for however long is recommended, then they come out and carry on as usual. Couldn’t they still pass it on to someone who is susceptible? 

How long does the virus live in a host(?)?
I know it has an estimated life span of a certain number of days or hours on a surface. 

Won’t the virus still be viable(?) in those who carry but don’t get sick?","Please read through this thread, all those questions have been answered.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:46:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I work in corrections (county jails) where this could most certainly spread like wildfire. There are only 6 reported cases in my state. We quarantine anyone with fever, cough, SOB. We try to test for flu but there are no more tests available in our county and others surrounding.

We just got an inmate (30’s) in who visited San Francisco (1 wk ago) and reports he was bedridden with flu like s/s during his stay. Reports his family is now actively ill. Currently afebrile but does have a dry cough and SOB. I placed him on quarantine due to where he was and s/s...is this overkill? The health department seems to think so. Just looking for another prospective! Thanks!",I am so worried about folks in prison. They are at huge risk and it seems society has written them off. It is very reassuring to hear that there are folks like you who care about their health. Can you provide hand sanitizer for the prisoners? I understand there are some issues with the alcohol content in that. What about alternatives such as frequent soap hand washings? That would be the best way to protect them and yourself.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:50:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How many cases of coronavirus will there be in the US? I tried to find betting websites to get the break-even number, but they shut down betting on COVID-19 so it's hard to find real numbers. 50,000? 100,000? 1M? 10M? 100M? Not looking for worst-case-scenario predictions, looking for a bet on the most likely outcome, given the current govt reaction, actual transmission rates, self-isolation, etc.",I've seen rational estimates that say 50% of the population in the US will be infected this year. I think that's a reasonable number.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:51:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is the area under both curves the same?  Does that suggest that the number of fatalities could be the same in either scenario?,"The AUC for ""flattening the curve"" would not represent fatalities. If you think it does, I would review your knowledge of basic algebraic functions.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:03:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’m interested in becoming an anesthesiologist in the future. What college major do you think is most relevant? I know your bachelors degree doesn’t matter at all for medical school, but do you think anything you learned in undergrad was particularly helpful?","A science background is great but not necessary. I would say use your college years to explore areas you are interested in. Take the basic courses you need to qualify for medical school. Study hard for the MCAT. You can be a polisci major and be a great doctor. Hell, we need some leaders in the medical field to combat the anti-science anti-medicine politicians we have now.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:11:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How did you know you wanted to get into medical stuff?,"I liked science, physiology and interacting with people.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:23:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Does flattening the curve mean it will last longer?  Or the peak will be at a further date?  How is this curve modeled?,"Yes, and that is the point.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:18:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can you list here all the symptoms from the first day of the virus?,"The major symptoms are cough, fever, shortness of breath.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:46:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My wife is an ICU nurse currently taking care of critically ill COVID positive patients. How can we minimize the risk of her bringing the virus home?,"I've addressed this below. Please search ""scrubs"" in this thread.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:51:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Would you consider us being in a state of emergency?,Yes,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 22:12:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I've already asked one question, so I apologize, but - what about grocery store employees, or those having to run the only few things keeping us together? What can we do to protect them? And what about a scenario in which they all get sick, how do we acquire supplies?","These folks are brave individuals who are in risky situations. We can protect them by washing our hands, staying 6 ft away from them.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 22:25:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can people who recover from this get reinfected?,We don't know yet.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 22:27:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
We’ve hear that elective surgeries and other more serious surgeries are being cancelled to preserve PPE and to make room for COVID-19 related surgeries. What procedures are being done to COVID-19 patients?,"We haven't had any yet here. But I can foresee choles, tunneled catheters, trachs being some of the more common procedures necessary for this population.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:00:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"My question is about the increased risk for medical care providers.  I understand why doctors who treat COVID are more likely to contract it, but is that the only explanation for the young, healthy doctors who died in Wuhan?  My mother is a 61-year-old oncology nurse, working on an infusion floor.  Her colleagues are all much younger with small children and so they have started staying home to care for their kids (statewide school shut down).  My mother is committed to doing her job and takes precautions, but I would rather see her just take all her banked time.  She could even retire.  Should nurses and other healthcare workers take into account how high risk they are before reporting for duty?","This is a controversial question. Hospitals and employers will want her to stay at work. I think she should get the fuck out. She is higher risk and if she were my mom, I would be adamant that she stop participating in the treatment of anyone in hospital.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:14:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Wouldn’t it be better to just do China/South Korea-style full lockdowns so you can flatten AND limit the area of the curve? Why just flatten the curve and not decrease the number of cases as well by locking down cities quickly and swiftly?,We are not authoritarian or docile societies. that won't work here.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:19:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why are other countries testing so much faster? And WHERE are all the test, I'm just flabbergasted there are not tests available?! If someone is at the point of needing hospitalization what is even the point in testing them, they will need care regardless? I don't mean to sound cruel, genuinely curious. I feel it's more effective to just do blanket testing as the people with mild or no symptoms are likely spreading it very rapidly and unknowingly.",Because our president is a complete turd.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:41:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What effect will cancelling elective surgical cases for the next 2-3 months have on anesthesia job outlook for the next year, if any? I’m asking specifically regarding CRNA positions.

I just saw Boise laid off 54 crnas which I’m told is the entirety of one of two groups in the city.","this is part of the vulnerability of being a crna. but, you were once an icu rn i imagine? we need you for that. maybe it's a short term thing, but your expertise in that field is needed now more than ever.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 23:49:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey, thanks for all you do!  The last time I went under, things went really badly, and I didn't come out... went on a ventilator and a bunch of really awesome people saved my life.  What is the best way to make future doctors aware of this?",Excellent question. Do you know exactly what happened? Knowledge is power - you should know what happened to you and you should let every future provider know.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:05:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"A lot of people are saying that ""everytime you leave your house, you put yourself and others at risk"".

I'm of the mind that being outside with fresh air and sunshine is actually GOOD for our immune systems and mental health, as long as we keep our distance from others and don't touch things.

Am I off base?  Is getting outdoors okay?","Get outdoors, but avoid human contact. 6 feet or more.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:08:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I don't live in the US, but in a country where there's no \*evidence\* of community spread, just ppl coming from abroad and tourists yet. Unis and schools are still open. I live in a dorm, share a bathroom with other students and a cafeteria etc, and have no way to live somewhere else. (International student, my country closed its borders, idk if I \*could\* fly back, but I wouldn't bc airports seem dangerous).

I'm planning to do as many lectures as I can online already, but some things require me to be present in person, and until uni closes down (which, tbh, will inevitably happen), what can I do to protect myself and others? I'm washing my hands so much that they're starting to get dry, so I think I've got that covered.","you're doing it right. wash those hands. if you have to give lecture to a live audience - make sure they are sitting far apart from you and you are far apart from them, and they are far apart from each other.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:13:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
If you already have a strong lingering cough from a previous illness (sinus infection) is this virus more likely to cause severe distress to your lungs and possible death even without an underlying health condition? (I am 28 yo F),"If you have underlying disease, you are at higher risk.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:17:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How much have / can the military help? In theory they have significant resources that can be brought the bear to augment your capabilities right? Or are they being held back in case Martians takes advantage of this to invade?,The fact that the military has such a huge budget despite the fact that viruses such as Covid-19 have the potential to kill more Americans than any war could is astonishing to me. More Americans may die from this virus than WWII. And yet we fund the military at ridiculous costs while our public health services languish.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:28:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why dont we let the virus let it run its course?,We cannot handle the acute phase of the virus running its course. That's too many inpatients at the same time.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:32:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello, thanks so much for doing this. I live in Hawaii and I’m not sure if I should not be going to any beaches whatsoever, even the non crowded local ones and still practicing social distancing, not using any public facilities, etc. I’ve not seen any resources answering this question yet. Should we be avoiding all of them?",Just stay away from people. If those beaches are empty - awesome!,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:40:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How much do you make? I’m seriously considering going into school for anesthesiology.,"Not enough. If that's your main consideration, medicine is not for you, in general.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:50:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What advice do you have for the family of health care workers? My spouse is an APP and we have kids at home.,"I've addressed this below. Search ""scrubs"".",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:51:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can COVID-19 patients in respiratory failure be treated with options other than a ventilator? Or do those other options aerosolize the virus and make it unsafe for care providers?,"Yeah, you've pretty much answered your own question.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 01:24:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Based on the data we have (e.g. the virus affecting the elderly and those with underlying conditions, ~80% of cases in China having not been detected, ~80% of those infected not requiring serious medical intervention, etc.) and having an appreciation that we're fighting a war on multiple fronts (medical, economic, etc.) shouldn't the best course of action be to quarantine all those in the at-risk category and allow all others to return to work, school?",No.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 11:21:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
So I take that you did an anesthesia residency and then a critical care fellowship? Do you feel like that was the best route to critical care medicine? I’m stuck between choosing between the 5 different specialties which have critical care fellowships. I really enjoy all of Medicine so I can’t choose. I’m a third year DO med student if that helps.,"Do it through anesthesia. Lots of hands-on physiology that other specialties don't get to do. Medicine, pulm, surgeons, they all have to ask nurses to administer meds, adjust pumps, start IVs, have to ask RTs to adjust vents etc., have to ask anesthesiologists to intubate. We can do that all on our own and we are good at it. The only other specialty that is close is EM. There are some EM-CCM residency/fellowship paths at some programs.

&#x200B;

Good luck!",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 14:35:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I'm a healthy young adult, and the virus has a very low rate of mortality in people like myself. In Italy, only 17 people under 50 died, and no one died under 40 who did not have a serious underlying condition (https://www-bloomberg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-03-18/99-of-those-who-died-from-virus-had-other-illness-italy-says). Why are people like myself being told to stay home? Why are we not just isolating the middle aged, elderly and sick?",Because you can spread the disease to those at risk without knowing it.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:51:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"China managed to get things under control by militarized isolation.  That kind of loss of personal freedoms might not be tolerated in a more democratic society.  Do you think western democracies have the ability to contain the spread, or do you anticipate a slowing spread until some equilibrium or herd immunity threshold is reached?",I think in democratic societies it would take an educated populace. Which is lacking in the U.S.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:20:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Asking to calm my anxiety - I'm 22 years old, with no underlying health problems. Assuming I stay home and limit my social contact, what are the odds that I'm alive to see next year? I've seen a lot of reasons to be afraid, but what are the reasons to be hopeful?",You will likely be OK. Keep being smart about your hand hygiene and social distancing. Tell everyone you know how important it is.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 21:48:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"My partner Brewster and I were arguing about whether the coronavirus can be transmitted through sexual contact. As the virus is transmitted through droplets, if my partner gets infected couldn’t he infect me if some of his sexual fluids are shot into my mouth or anus? Or what if I become infected… Would I be able to transmit the virus to Brewster through my anal sexual juices?","Hi Brewster, I do not believe that Covid-19 can be transmitted via anal sexual juices, but I will do some research and get back to you.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:32:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I have two options -

1. Stay with my parents in Duluth Minnesota

2. Stay at my place in Philadelphia Pa

Which would you pick?",Having been to both places many times... Go with MN. It's in your frickin name.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 20:18:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What original research are you doing on the epidemic? What unique perspective do you bring compared to the rest of the thousands of physicians on reddit who don't feel the need to post an AMA flaunting our degrees?,"Aww, you can do an AMA too if your feelings are hurt!",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 19:10:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
The hell does 'flattening the curve' mean?,Google is your friend.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:17:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’m an SRNA in NY due to graduate in November. All of our classes have been moved to an online format, however we are still being assigned to the OR for clinical.  I don’t feel it is necessary for us to be in clinical and potentially exposed to asymptotic carriers. While we are contributing members of the anesthesia team I would argue we are non-essential. What are your thoughts on this?","We are short staffed. Anesthesiologists and CRNAs are being pulled to the ICUs. We need you to step up.

You will still be dealing with Covid-19 in November, why not get the experience with how to safely deal with it now?",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 15:44:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why don’t we ‘flatten the curve’ with all other infectious diseases? Why is convid-19 so unique or has the situation been blown out of proportion?,Covid-19 is more deadly than other diseases. I've addressed this already. Look below in this thread.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 22:08:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Northeastern city in which country and why do you think that your country is the belly button of the world or of reddit? 
With so many graduations I would think that your horizon would be a bit more larger and therefore you should know that reddit is used worldwide and not only in the US. Ty.","So you obviously know that I'm talking about the US, given your last sentence.",drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-19 00:31:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Earlier in this thread you said that Donald Trump was handling this situation better than you could’ve possibly imagined and that we as a nation would be best served in electing him for at least 1 to 2 more terms in office. Don’t you think we should have diversity of thought at the top?,Dr. Trump has sabotaged the response to this pandemic from the start. His minions at Fox News have contributed to the deaths of many with their denials and misinformation about the virus.,drdrintensivistmdphd,2020-03-18 10:56:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkpjjh/hello_i_am_an_anesthesiologist_icu_physician_and/,"Hello, I am an anesthesiologist, ICU physician, and have a PhD in Pharmacology. I'm here to discuss why ""flattening the curve"" matters. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What would you most like to tell us that no one is asking about?,"It is important for the US (and the world) to be focused on preparedness. Preparing between outbreaks, rather than waiting for new ones to emerge, can be accomplished for a fraction of the cost.

The common theme we're hearing visiting with delegates on Capitol Hill is that this is transcending politics. Both parties want to find fast solutions for the purpose of helping the US and the world.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:42:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Overall thoughts on the situation? Worse than you expected? Better?,"We have been tracking COVID-19 since the end of December '19. There is no need to panic, just prepare, wash your hands, and take care of your health. 

The CDC and OSHA websites have wonderful guides for businesses, hospitals, and individuals to protect themselves from respiratory infections.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:16:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"The data shows a relatively low fatality risk for those that aren't elderly or in an at risk population group. Do you believe that people  in general are overreacting, and if you are a healthy person you can resume life as normal while practicing good hygiene like washing hands etc?","Absolutely! We want people to be prepared, not alarmed. Stay tuned to reliable sources, stay home when you're sick, get a thermometer to measure your temperature, and prepare for this disease like you would for any flu season. We suggest finding a good show to binge watch while you rest.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are mild to moderate in healthy adults. Many may not realize they have anything more than a cold or flu.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:37:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What are the reinfection chances like? 
Does the recent news about there being two strains of coronavirus impact your progress?

World applauds the great work you are doing.","Reinfection is unlikely with natural infection. There are two main methods of gaining immunity: one is through vaccines and the other is your body's natural response to the disease. Therapeutic treatment increases the likelihood of reinfection because it mitigates the body's immune response.

We have heard about two strains, but as far as we know, one lab in China recently reported having sufficient evidence of mutation to identify a second strain. Thus far, it seems as though news agencies are running with that sound bite more than there is significant data to support it.

That said, we would need to evaluate therapeutics and vaccines against both strains, if there indeed are two.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:17:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi guys, thanks for your work. Two questions:

- what is the current estimated timeline for successful deployment of a vaccine? 

- what are the chances for this particular virus to mutate and render a vaccine useless?","The US government's projected timeline for deploying a vaccine is 12-18 months. This is impressive given that most vaccines and drugs take 10 years and billions of dollars to develop. 

Coronaviruses do mutate, but that wouldn't necessarily render the vaccine ineffective.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:13:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Which antiviral drugs, or antibody therapies are showing the most promise against this virus?   What's a realistic time frame we can expect to see some of these drugs hit the market?","Therapeutics are still early in the development phase, and they will require a similar process to vaccine development. Blind, randomized clinical trials must be conducted. Early data is speculative and needs to be confirmed.  

It's our understanding that the US Government's goal for these therapies is also 12-18 months.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:48:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is my dog able to catch the Coronavirus?,"Overall, there is a canine coronavirus. We are not sure yet if there is a canine COVID-19 disease. Researchers are currently working to answer this question.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:25:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it true that children are less susceptible to COVID-19 than adults?,"So far, individuals under 18 years old make up less than 5% of all reported cases. It’s too early to say whether that low number is due to these individuals being less susceptible to infection entirely, or whether they’re less likely have been tested for the virus at all due to presenting with milder symptoms.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:50:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi! And thank you for the work you are doing.

I have three related questions around biosafety.  

1) We are hearing various reports on contracting the virus and it’s ability to stay alive on surfaces for days.  Can you tell us what you are seeing in your research?

2) Some governments are recommending masks and others are saying they are useless to stop the spread.  In your experience handling the virus, what are your thoughts?

3) Since you are handling the virus and have the tools to see what may kill the virus,  what do you use for disinfection?  And what would you recommend to average people?

Thank you!","1. Generally, coronaviruses can stay on surfaces for 7-9 days. There is no data yet for COVID-19 in particular. We are working on this research right now to get an exact answer. 
2. It depends what you're doing and it's always based on risk assessment. If you're healthy and just out and about in public or traveling within the US, there is little evidence that wearing a mask makes a difference to prevent disease. If you're growing the virus and working with it in large quantities in a lab, you'll need to wear a suit ala Gene in his proof photo!
3. For disinfection, it's recommended to use 10% bleach, Lysol, or hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol. And don't forget soap and water!",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:34:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Once the vaccine is ready how would it be rolled out to billions of people?,"Great question! 

In the US, the vaccine will go through pre-clinical safety and efficacy testing. Then, phase one begins when it is given to a limited number of individuals and make sure the vaccine is safe and causes no adverse reactions (this process takes about 1-2 months when expedited). For the next 4-6 months, efficacy will be closely monitored to see if the vaccine is working on the virus. 

The vaccine manufacturing scale-up is just as important as these clinical trials in order to meet the demand for the vaccine. To receive the vaccine after clinical trials, people would go to health clinics, pharmacies, or family physicians.

Globally, the US government will then look at international partners who can manufacture and distribute the vaccine.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:09:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Honestly, you guys are all heroes. 

When working to create a vaccine,  how do you know where to start? Do you work off the back of similar vaccines or start from scratch?

Edit for grammar.",">Can you tell, when working to create a vaccine,  how do you know where to start? Do you work off the back of similar vaccines or start from scratch?

We begin with past science and experience, using data from SARS, MERS, and other similar viruses. After this initial research, a laborious, methodical process to develop a vaccine begins. We apply old tricks to the new problem (and occasionally new tricks as well).",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:47:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How can people sign up for the human trials to test the vaccine?,You can visit [https://www.niams.nih.gov/clinical-trials](https://www.niams.nih.gov/clinical-trials),MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:27:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is your opinion on the truth of the numbers that have been made public? Does the virus seems more contagious than we’ve been told?,"We trust the public numbers of tested individuals. As testing becomes more widespread, we may find more cases. This is a normal aspect of infectious disease and diagnostics. 

It's still too early to tell how contagious it is, but early evidence shows that COVID-19 is somewhere in the middle of respiratory disease transmission rates. Again, hand washing reduces the transmission of diseases like the flu by 85%!",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:19:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How does this virus compare to other coronaviruses out there?,"This link below has a really good answer, but we'll try to summarize

[https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762130](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762130)

SARS-2 CoV seems to be able to spread while asymptomatic, which is not seen in SARS-1 or MERS. This is definitely contributing to its ability to spread more than SARS-1 and MERS. A total of 8096 SARS cases and 774 deaths across 29 countries were reported for an overall case fatality rate (CFR) of 9.6%. MERS is still not contained and is thus far responsible for 2494 confirmed cases and 858 deaths across 27 countries for a CFR of 34.4%. Despite much higher CFRs for SARS and MERS, COVID-19 has led to more total deaths due to the large number of cases, but the deaths per infection are lower.

We, like others, have observed that the inter-example variance of this new coronavirus is much lower than previously observed species.

However, there could be some sample bias here. The amount and speed of the data being produced here is unprecedented and drawing conclusions is somewhat speculative, still.

Much like other recently emerging coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS, it appears that the new SARS-COV-2 had its origins in a bat reservoir with passage through some intermediate species that we have not yet observed. This is based on its sequence similarity to the bat coronavirus RaTG13. MRIGlobal has been using novel machine learning techniques to build models of many of the viruses that have been identified as high concern to human health, including coronaviruses. However, the diversity in bat coronaviruses observed so far is very high, and our sampling of this community is sparse. We think that this emerging pathogen highlights the need to increase data collection, data quality standards, and leveraging of new computational tools.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:40:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi all, very much appreciate the hard work and effort being on display. 

My question would be whether or not you think the global response to COVID-19 has been adequate in proportion to the scale of the outbreaks taking place? We see in countries like the UK and US the advice is primarily at a level of maintaining personal hygiene, while nearby countries (Italy and France for example) face wide-spread disruptions to daily life. Should countries with lower infection rates be **more** proactive in order to prevent spread?","There are definitely advantages to being proactive. The key is instituting good behavioral changes within the population, properly training healthcare staff, and following guidelines for pandemic responses. 

Countries that haven't been as impacted by COVID-19 have mainly benefited from good luck.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:13:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Many people are talking about the risks that antibiotic resistance will pose in the future. Do you think this risk could become greater than the COVID-19 risk that we are currently facing?,"Absolutely a bigger concern. COVID-19 is obviously a big problem, but it will come and it will go. Even if it goes fully pandemic and maintains endemic nature in multiple countries, it’s overall impact on society will be dwarfed by the current trends in antibiotic resistance – see tuberculosis in India for an example of this playing out",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:55:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What would you think is more difficult to create, a vaccine or a cure?,"The goal is to prevent disease. Other than taking care of yourself, vaccines are the only method of medical prevention we have. Therapeutics are good to reduce the symptoms & duration of a disease and to support critically ill patients. 

Supportive care that hospitals provide can't be understated and severe symptoms should always be treated in a hospital setting.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 11:23:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA
What are your thoughts on Corona the beer?,We think it's best with a lime,MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 10:49:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How many flights were necessary to evacuate patients from the cruise ship with your containment system?
Amazing.
https://www.mriglobal.org/containerized-bio-containment-system-cbcs/","The US State Department and the CDC were responsible for these evacuations, so we don't know how many flights were necessary.  We're very proud that the containment systems we designed and fabricated were used in this event. This is exactly what they're built for!",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:37:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is there a way that the public can donate money to help you guys?,We're so glad that you find our work interesting and worthwhile! We are very passionate about the work we do. MRIGlobal is a not-for-profit organization and (tax-deductible) donations are always welcome! Inquiries about donations can be directed to [info@mriglobal.org](mailto:info@mriglobal.org),MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:53:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Excuse my ignorance here. Couple of serious questions. If you can answer that's cool, if not, that's also fine. 

If I get it once. Am I potentially less susceptible to getting it again? If I do get it again, will it be more severe than the first? 

Can you Eli5 why there are currently so many positive tests returning negatives the first time (in some cases first 2 - 3 times) is it hard  to test for? 

What is your understanding / opinion on there being potentially 2 strands? Is this good or bad? I read it's potentially mutated into a less aggressive variant? But that also has down sides?

Why are children much less impacted?

Why does Africa seem to have low impacted? Purely low travel, or genetics / weather. 

Any good podcast episodes you may have listed to recently about corona? 

I'll leave it at thar for now.","Our assessment of the CDC assay is that it is robust and rigorous. Sample storage and transport could be the culprit of positive tests following negative tests. This is common with respiratory pathogens and is part of the disease process. 

There is only very preliminary data on the potential of a second strain. There are thousands of coronaviruses and this data could be the result of laboratory contamination, etc. It is simply still too early to tell. Viruses tend to become less infectious over time and more transmittable.

Most people that end up in the hospital with severe complications are older and typically have co-morbidities. Until there is more epidemiological testing done, we won't know the infection rate in children. Most people will have a mild infection, much like a cold, and may never be tested for COVID-19. 

In Africa, the low impact could be explained by the lack of testing available in the area for now.

For a good podcast, we recommend TWIV (This Week in Virology) and episode 43 of ""This Podcast Will Kill You"" about coronavirus. The Economist also has great coverage of COVID-19 globally.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:20:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What software and/or mathematical tools would you recommend for an undergrad interested in biotechnology/bioinformatics?,"Learn Python (or any coding language, but Python has a broad user base that already tackles a lot of bioinformatics processes and it’s easier than others) and get familiar with the modules Biopython, matplotlib, pandas, numpy, and scipy. With those, you can do an awful lot of different tasks and by becoming familiar with those, you’ll learn enough to know what else you need for any given problem. 

Statistical knowledge and knowledge of machine learning techniques will also help you go far as those are a large part of where any data science driven field are heading.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:20:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is there any chance the virus can stay dormant inside the host's cells and than return again?,No members of the virus family Coronaviridae are known to cause latent infections.,MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:02:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Does MRIGlobal have any podcasts or platforms people can follow to keep up on your progress?,"We do not have a podcast on this particular event, but we do have a podcast series in production detailing our work on the Ebola eradication efforts in West Africa. Stay tuned!

To keep up with the latest at MRIGlobal, we encourage you to visit our blog! [https://www.mriglobal.org/news-events/](https://www.mriglobal.org/news-events/)",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:00:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it true that this is the type of virus that will mutate slightly and return every cold season?  Will it become part of the regular flu vaccine?,"For a virus to return every season, like you describe, it needs to be able to infect enough people that, even when it’s not “in season”, there is a minimum amount of person-to-person transmission continuing at all times. Maintaining that transmission requires the virus to mutate over time, or else eventually it runs out of susceptible people infect. 

One of the goals of the massive global effort to contain SARS-coronavirus-19 that we’re seeing right now is to prevent this virus from becoming permanently established in humans. Current efforts to develop a vaccine against this virus appear to be focusing on targeting SARS-coronavirus-19 specifically, or this virus as well as SARS-coronavirus-1 and MERS. 

It’s a little early yet to see whether a vaccine for SARS-coronavirus-19 would be formulated as part of a multi-component vaccine, like influenza, or if it would be produced as a single-component vaccine.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 14:51:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thanks for sharing your expertise!   
What do businesses, large venues, etc need to do to prepare for this? What extra steps should be done to ensure safety for staff and visitors?","Extra steps to help ensure the safety of staff and visitors, whether you’re a small business or a large venue, include ensuring that you have extra supplies of hand soap, hand sanitizer, and tissues readily available and easily accessible, as well as evaluating whether your current housekeeping/facility hygiene practices should be enhanced for the near future (such as by disinfecting doorknobs daily). Large venues, or businesses with a large number of daily visitors, may want to consider whether they can establish a designated location where staff, visitors, or or event attendees who fall ill on site can be temporarily isolated until they can be transferred to an appropriate health care facility.

Businesses of all sizes should assess what plans they have in place for minimizing potential infection of employees in the workplace and for ensuring continuity of operations in the event that large numbers of staff are absent due to illness or to caregiving responsibilities. Are employees able to/allowed to work from home? Is your current sick leave policy adequate? Are your staff discouraged from going in to work when sick? What about your part time/contract staff/vendors? Are there essential operations that can be shifted to an alternate site? Is there a plan for ensuring that critical job functions and positions are covered if the primary staff performing those roles are absent?

Large venues in particular should stay abreast of their local public health authorities’ recommendations on mass gatherings, and have a strategy mapped out in advance for determining when events should be postponed or cancelled, and what actions need to be taken if an event is postponed or cancelled. For more information on large venue preparation, we think the CDC has some good recommendations posted here: [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html)",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:03:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
This is all so fascinating. I would love to learn more about your work and keep up with updates on projects you may be working on. Does MRI global have a podcast?,"We do not have a podcast on this particular event, but we do have a podcast series in production detailing our work on the Ebola eradication efforts in West Africa. Stay tuned!

To keep up with the latest at MRIGlobal, we encourage you to visit our blog! [https://www.mriglobal.org/news-events/](https://www.mriglobal.org/news-events/)",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 14:59:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"In your expert opinion(s), what do you think will ultimately happen to this disease?  Will it be just be a single pandemic that'll eventually fizzle out for one reason or another (too few hosts, or mutation into a much less virulent strain).  Or is there some possibility that it might eventually become another (albeit hopefully less lethal) seasonal resperatory disease like the cold and flu, as a number of scientists have predicted (essentially becoming the 5th seasonal disease that reaches global pandemic levels each year like influenza)?","Our best case scenario is that we'll see the disease pop up and either through interventions with medical or good hygiene practices, it will dissipate and disappear. 

The concern at the moment is that it will become a seasonal disease on top of influenza that will increase the number of deaths from respiratory disease.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:35:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How does the corona virus affect other viruses (like colds) floating around? Are we more/less likely to get regular-sick?,"COVID-19 itself isn't going to affect other viruses. But if you're taking extra care to avoid the disease (washing your hands more, disinfecting surfaces, being cautious about large public gatherings) you'll be less likely to pick up other viruses that are circulating because of your improved hygiene. 

This is a new additive pathogen for humans, so it won't compete. The good news is, good hygiene practices and self-care protects you from all of them!",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:43:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why do you have so many owls around your building in Kansas City? A few I understand, but it's so many!",So we can send messages to/from Hogwarts,MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:51:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What concerns should pregnant women have about COVID-19 and what can we to keep Mom and Baby safe?,The CDC has a page on its website about pregnancy and COVID-19! [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/pregnancy-faq.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/pregnancy-faq.html),MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:03:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What's the BSL of the lab? Do you really have to go through a bleach shower like they do on TV?,"WHO guidance suggest BSL-2 for non-propagative diagnostic work and BSL-3 for propagative work. However, we always recommend conducting risk assessment prior to starting work.

Based on a risk assessment, we may spray down our suits when we come out of the laboratory. Enhanced BSL-3 requires showers, yet it is unnecessary here.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 13:02:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How does one end up working in such a field? How do you obtain samples of the virus in order to test it? Does someone physically travel to one of the infected countries (do they get the sample from another lab)?,"We’ve all got our own stories for how we got here. For example, one of us started working on SARS-CoV2 by transitioning from chemistry to data science to bioinformatics and then working deeply in infectious disease and lately, RNA virus genomics.

In the old days, a sample might be carried back to the lab in someone's pocket but this is now illegal. There are strict legal requirements and procedures for packaging and shipping of biological samples using certified shippers.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:49:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey guys, wondering if there’s any truth to what is being spread about the origin of it. Is it a lab made as something that was being weaponized?","Mother nature is actually significantly more creative than humans. Plus, our research suggests that COVID-19 is a naturally-emerging coronavirus.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:32:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
China has recommended iv high doses of vitamin c for preventing and treating the virus. What do you think of this? Is there too much of an emphasis on creating new solutions instead of considering what we already have?,"The clinical data for Vitamin C or Zinc is still lacking. However, studies have proven that good hygiene and keeping yourself healthy are highly effective measures for preventing disease.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:50:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What will the vaccine cost?,"Vaccines typically run from dollars to several hundred dollars per dose. Part of the   
debate on supplemental funding through US Congress is making sure a vaccine will be affordable for all.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:30:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why isn't Africa as affected as the rest of the world? Is it cause of lack of diagnostic kits, apathy or something else?","Many countries in Africa are definitely aware of COVID-19. Right now, lack of diagnostic capacity (equipment, skills, & kits) is the reason for the perceived lack of presence. We are currently working with several potential partners to identify ways that we can use our expertise to support our colleagues in sub-Saharan African countries.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:01:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why is no one concerned about Covids 1-18?,"The number 19 is based on the year it emerged (November-December 2019), there is nothing sequential about the name. The original SARS & MERS could have been assigned numbers too, but they emerged before the current disease naming conventions were established. Technically, the virus responsible for SARS is named SARS-CoV-1 and the virus responsible for COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:25:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What does it take to create a containment unit that can be used in transit for something like this? Does it need to be completely airtight? Can non-infected humans be on the same flight?,"Designing a system that can safely contain an infectious disease on an airplane requires a unique marriage of several engineering disciplines and bio-safety protocols.  The key is to create negative pressure inside the containment unit through a series of high grade HEPA filters.  While designing the unit to be airtight is the goal, holding the interior at a negative pressure to the outside keeps any contaminated air from escaping. This allows the containment unit to safely operate in an environment around non-infected humans. 

The added difficulty in operating a containment unit in an aircraft is that it must be designed to not interfere with the aircraft operation and also needs to be able to withstand crash loading and rapid decompression scenarios.  Extensive modeling and testing has proven the containment unit capable of meeting all these requirements.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:56:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are some good ways to keep up general good health other than the obvious. Things such as diet? Would you reccomend sorta healthy young adults who vape and smoke to stop?,A well-balanced and nutritional diet will help maintain a stronger immune system and is always a good idea. Smoking and/or Vaping both damage the lungs and will put anyone at greater risk. Especially since those are preventable.,MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:36:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the major difference between testing for the coronavirus and testing for the flu? Much appreciated,"The laboratory procedures will be similar, but a COVID-19 test cannot detect influenza and vice-versa.  Both tests may require a nose swab, but you're more likely to have your sputum tested for COVID-19.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 15:35:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
[deleted],"This is an international concerted effort to achieve a goal with significant government investment. It's an extremely aggressive timeline, but we are leveraging our experience with other diseases like SARS. Furthermore, we are using 5th generation vaccine platform technology. 

All therapeutics are based on a risk-to-benefit ratio. Of course, with longer trial periods there is identification of potential long-term side effects. Clinical studies will be designed to look for adverse effects early on. The FDA will hold any vaccine to its stringent standards.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:57:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Somebody told me Covid19 is not a virus, but a disease. Is that true?",What s/he said!,MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:53:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Alibaba has developed an AI that helps in diagnosis with 96 percent accuracy? I would like to know does this kind of analysis help to identify or its takes longer than that?

Also can we have cause of this virus since its child of both sars and mers will covid-9 mutate ?

Thanks for the all the hardwork","For those who aren't aware of this, here's a good place to start: [https://thenextweb.com/neural/2020/03/02/alibabas-new-ai-system-can-detect-coronavirus-in-seconds-with-96-accuracy/](https://thenextweb.com/neural/2020/03/02/alibabas-new-ai-system-can-detect-coronavirus-in-seconds-with-96-accuracy/)

We are not familiar with this particular AI, but we don't believe it is a practical diagnostic. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) would be best because it’s more accurate, more portable, and more scalable while also almost definitely being faster than a series of CT scans, while being potentially multiplexed to process hundreds of samples simultaneously. Plus, until this is peer-reviewed, we need to be skeptical about the 96% figure because the training data can be misleading.",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:16:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’ve heard a lot of people compare COVID-19 to the typical flu. I think it’s much more complicated than that, but what would you’re response be to someone with that thought process?","We are not clinicians, however clinical experts are telling us that the symptoms of COVID-19 could be very different from the symptoms of the flu. 

COVID-19 is a cold virus, not a flu virus, and the symptoms are expected to be more closely related to the common cold. 

Check out this chart posted on Twitter by WebMD for a further explanation of the symptoms: [https://twitter.com/WebMD/status/1234622016692654080](https://twitter.com/WebMD/status/1234622016692654080)",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 17:02:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you guys do/research when there isn't a major virus outbreak?,"MRIGlobal conducts applied scientific and engineering research impacting the health and safety of millions of people each year. To learn more about all the areas we work in, visit our website [https://www.mriglobal.org/](https://www.mriglobal.org/)",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 16:20:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I live in Oklahoma... what can I do to prepare for the coronavirus?,"The CDC and OSHA websites have wonderful guides for businesses, hospitals, and individuals to protect themselves from respiratory infections.

[https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html?CDC\_AA\_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fpreparing-individuals-communities.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fpreparing-individuals-communities.html)",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 14:54:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How can I sign up for the clinical trials of this vaccine? Can I even sign up? I'm a 19 year old male,We recommend visiting [https://www.niams.nih.gov/clinical-trials](https://www.niams.nih.gov/clinical-trials),MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 14:54:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What basic preparing steps should I take living in one of the busiest areas of the US?,"The CDC and OSHA websites have wonderful guides for businesses, hospitals, and individuals to protect themselves from respiratory infections.

[https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html?CDC\_AA\_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fpreparing-individuals-communities.html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fpreparing-individuals-communities.html)",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 14:53:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Are there any side effects of the vaccine?,"All vaccines and therapeutics have side effects. Some of these are perceived and some of them are real. 

General side effects of vaccines include tenderness at the injection site, low fever (which means your immune response is working!), rash, and general fatigue. 

Keep in mind there is not yet a vaccine for COVID-19. The goal is to use technological approaches that reduce adverse effects (which are monitored as part of the process all vaccines and drugs during aftermarket review).",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:07:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What's your favorite kind of sandwich?,We're partial to heroes 🦸,MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:03:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Does it transmit via semen?  I'd be happy to send some samples for testing purposes.,"Yes, it is possible the virus can be transmitted thru multiple routes.  There was evidence of SARS shedding thru stool and sewer systems. Gene was part of semen testing for Ebola in West Africa....PLEASE don’t send us samples!",MRIGlobal,2020-03-04 12:57:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fdemjd/we_are_researchers_at_mriglobal_developing/,We are researchers at MRIGlobal developing testing methods ＆ biosafety procedures for COVID-19 ＆ will test the efficacy of the vaccine. AUA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How worried should we be about the Coronavirus?,"Each time a new disease emerge, make people sick, some seriously, and kill some people, we should be worried. However, we cannot predict how each of these disease evolves. Some like SARS disappeared after 6 months. Others can be much more severe. But often, overreacting and panic can cause more harm than the disease itself. This one like many other respiratory diseases can best be avoided by applying basic good gesture in our daily life:

 [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public) 

For more info on the disease :

 [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019)",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:20:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are some of the major myths surrounding covid-19 that you would like to dispel?,"Here are some of the main ones:

 [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters) 

Also see our Q&A:

 [https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses](https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses)",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:23:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What's the possibility of food being contaminated by the virus if you live in an area with known coronavirus cases?,"Very low probability. This virus like other coronaviruses can persist/survive on surfaces (door handle, elevator buttons, handrails, etc.. and also on foods if an infected person transfer the virus inadvertently to these surfaces. But it will not survive long. A few min to a few days, depending on combination of temperature, humidity and light. On foods, it will not survive usual cooking temperatures.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 15:56:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What needs to be done in order to eradicate this virus?,"This is what the world is trying to do now. 1) identify and treat cases, 2) identify their close contacts and follow these contacts for sign of symptoms, 3 for each contact that become sick and is confirmed to be infected, repeat 1 and 2. It is about breaking chains of transmissions. The more cases and the more chains of transmissions, the more difficult it becomes. It worked in 2003 with SARS after 6 months.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:01:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Question about the name COVID-19. It was chosen to not evoke a geographic, animal or otherwise biased thought. However, the virus' name is SARS 2 (basically). Why is COVID-19 not named something like SARS-2 or SARS-19?","The naming follows best practices for naming of new human infectious diseases.

It’s common to have different names for viruses and diseases; HIV and AIDS is one example. Very often, members of the general public may not even know the names of viruses that cause common diseases – everyone has heard of measles, for example, but fewer people could name the virus that causes it (rubeola).

Diseases are named to enable public health professionals to discuss the prevention, spread, transmissibility, severity and treatment of disease. Viruses are named so that virologists and other scientists can study them, understand how one virus relates to others based on its genetic structure.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 16:00:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Thank you so much for the huge interest and the many questions. I will revert tomorrow with more answers. Sorry for not being able to answer all of them tonight.,Most welcome.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 15:52:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How did you get into this? How did you know that this was the career for you, and what was your career path?","When i decided on my studies, i wanted to work with something concrete. Food production was an obvious choice. I did not want to work with virtual issues like finance, bank, or the like (nothing wrong with it, just not me). Then while studying food science and nutrition, i opted for food safety. then i got a chance to work with international organizations and what started as an initial 3 years project abroad, ended up as a lifetime path.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:59:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is it known how long the virus can survive on artificial surfaces, thinking about the goods that are shipped from China to all over the world?

Is there anything to keep in mind if receiving a parcel from China?

Edit: questionmark","The review is looking at other coronaviruses, not this particular one. Studies on this new one are underway. we will soon know if it more or less persistent compared to other known coronaviruses.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 16:09:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are the chances of survival of the coronavirus? How is it treated?,extremely good. Most people will only experience a relatively mild disease. But even a small proportion of severe cases can give substantial numbers when the affected population is very large.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:02:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I'm curious about the origins of this ""new"" virus.  Is it related to an old virus?  Supposedly it ""started"" at a food market?  What does that mean?  Why/how is that relevant?  Do viruses like food or something?

(assume I'm totally ignorant to this whole topic) THX!","This virus belong to a group of viruses that is found in bats. This is their ecological reservoir or niche. Once in a while , they manage to adapt to another animal species through mutations and then from there, adapt to humans. We saw this scenario with SARS in 2003 with palmed civet cats as the intermediary host. Civet cats were farmed for food, so they were sold in markets. In the current case, a number of the first case identified had a link to a wholesale market, so it is believed that as similar scenario has also happened here. but this time, the animal source has not yet been identified.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:47:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"First of all thanks so much for doing an AMA, I’m wondering exactly HOW worried we should be, it seems like there has been a lot of inaccurate data reported and perhaps this is far worse then the public is lead to believe?","Thank you. A new emerging disease is always something to take seriously. Follow our daily update for the most accurate info and analysis available.

 [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019)",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:29:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
We are a SQF certified food manufacturing facility in the US that imports some ingredients from China. Should we be worried about the ingredients we import?,"No. these ingredients will most likely be sometime underway and any viruses that may have been present (unlikely in the first place) would have lost their viability. Also, most probably these ingredients will be further processed into foods.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 16:13:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How are you guys doing? I can imagine it would be stressful times. Hope you’re all able to keep your spirits high,"Stressful times indeed. Long days and long weeks. junk food most of the time, and no time for family and friends. But happy to contribute a tiny bit to a safer world",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 16:38:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What's the latest on the suspected fatality rate of COVID-19? It's been confusing because we get numbers on ""confirmed cases"" but those are likely only the worst most obvious cases, when fatality's denominator is all people who catch it.","good question. Since it appears that the vast majority of cases re mild, a number of cases are probably missed.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:54:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What precautionary measures do you recommend for those in outbreak areas, as well as everyone else?  Is this virus something the average person should be concerned about, beyond being informed enough to help avoid its spread and recognizing the symptoms?","follow the recommendation of your local public health authorities. they will always be the best informed about the local situation. Otherwise, you are right, being well informed (via trusted sources and mainstream media is recommended.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:34:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How do you think everyone could help?,By getting properly and seriously informed. And by practicing good hygiene practices. It will contribute to reducing transmission.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 16:30:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If it does make it out of China in large numbers, what advice do you have for primary care physicians in terms of diagnosing it and also protecting ourselves from the virus?",A lot of guidance on this @ :  [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019),FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:52:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi Peter, 
I'm about to graduate with degrees in global health and international relations, and I'd love to support WHO's efforts. How can I get involved?",Sounds great. Internship is a great way to start. Look on our website for the procedure. or pm me.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:25:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"My wife bought me a Japanese crate of goodies and it has yet to arrive. It’s tracking notes mentioned it passed through Hong Kong. When it arrives, how careful should I be with the package and it’s contents?

Should I handle it with gloves and keep it aside for a week or two to ensure any possible lingering viruses it may have on it dissipate? How long does COVID-19 survive on surfaces?

Edit: I should have read this thread in more detail. His website addresses my question in the myths section. Their belief is that this virus, like other coronaviruses, does not survive long on surfaces. Minutes to hours and, in rare cases, a couple days. 

Parcels from China would take longer than a couple days to arrive in Canada where I am so presumably any contamination of the virus would have dissipated by the time it’s delivered to me.",yes :-),FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:11:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How likely will COVID-19 evolve to be lethal to humans?,Nobody can predict how viruses evolve.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:24:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"So you are calling the disease Covid-19 and the virus SARS -CoV2, I though the virus is called Covid-19? Is there a fixed nomenclature yet or is it still a bit fluid what's called what?","yes, there are is nomenclature and naming procedures in place. See another similar reply above.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 16:40:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What’s the best way to decontaminate before coming into a residential dwelling?,wash hands with water and soap or hand sanitizers,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:11:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I know it can be a little hard to compare due to the relative to lack of early communication regarding SARS, but what is the difference in infection rates in COVID19 vs SARS. Are there ""super spreaders"" apparent with COVID19?","The 2 are very different indeed. See our Q&A n the topic. If i remember, it is one of the first questions answered

 [https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses](https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses)",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:10:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What food should i keep in bulk if an outbreak happen in my city ?,"ice cream, chocolate !! on a more serious note, making large stocks is not a good idea. if many people do the same, it will create shortages in the food supply and disrupt the well functioning of our supply chains and how our modern societies operates. It will do more harm than good.  A small supply of essential foods for a few days is always a good idea but no more.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:14:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What can we do up prepare for the possibility of the virus spreading in our neighborhoods?,"keep informed and follow good recommendations.

 [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019)",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:06:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How can we learn more about food safety \[from humanity's perspective\] other than containing and stopping the diseases? \[like SARS - from what I have read, the learning from the outbreaks have made the world a better place\] - however, what can precautionary measures/ methods can we adopt on global scales for such outbreaks to never pop-up in the first place?","for foodborne diseases, we can do a lot as consumers :

 [https://www.who.int/activities/promoting-safe-food-handling](https://www.who.int/activities/promoting-safe-food-handling) 

We can also push for strengthening our national food safety systems. this will indirectly, reduce the opportunities for new diseases to jump to humans via our food systems.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:09:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
On a scale of 1 to 10. How fucked are we?,Pick any number between 1 and 100. Your guess is as good as anybody else's guess or mine.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 16:42:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How much of the infection is passed through food contamination under your estimation?,"Probably none. But food could function as a ""contaminated surface"" and could play a role in the transmission. However, probably negligible. Just a guess. We know so little, still. It is early days.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:56:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Any thoughts on the drug: Favipiravir? There were articles claiming it was a cure.,"not my area of work, sorry",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:18:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you believe that the Chinese have built giant crematoriums to burn bodies?,No.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:06:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Have you been watching 12 monkeys to try and figure out the next best strategy since we don’t have a time machine ... yet?,A great movie.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:27:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How come every year there is a new ""super"" virus that we all have to be scared of?  Next year there will be some other virus or disease to worry about while forgetting about last years false freak out virus. Where do all these mad cow, west nile, bird flu, swine flu and this year corona virus go at the end of the news cycle?","Mad cow was manged by making important regulatory changes in the way we feed cows and how we produce and treat feed. Bird flu is still around but improvements in hygiene, biosecurity and management of poultry farms have reduced its prevalence. So, a lot of work is done to manage these risks. They don't disappear just by themselves.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:16:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I know I’m late to the party, but I have a question to ask. My school is planning to do a trip to China during June, but since the Coronavirus has been happening, we’re worried it might get canceled. Do you think things will get better soon?",Difficult to predict how thins will evolve.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:11:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey I’m a fellow microbiologist & just want to say I think you’re doing a great job answering these questions with accuracy & diplomacy. 

I was wondering what organism do you think the public should be more concerned with, aside from corona virus? What do you feel hasn’t had it’s time in the spotlight but should?","Thanks. good to know. :-)

Other organisms of concerns ? I am biased so i would say most of the foodborne diseases. Every year, 1 in 10 people in the world suffer from a foodborne disease and about half a million people die of a foodborne disease. A huge public health concern worldwide. And yet, most people are unaware and do not pay attention to the safety of their food.

 [https://www.who.int/health-topics/food-safety/](https://www.who.int/health-topics/food-safety/)",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:10:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What did you study to get to your current job?,Food science and technology.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:04:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What are your thoughts in general about Plague Inc? If you play it, what’s your favorite disease type?",I have not tried. it. But i think i will try it.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:04:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Question about food safety. In the fast food industry, things are left out until reaching room temperature from hot, and then refrigerated (I've been told it moves through the danger zone quicker), but everything I've read says to put food away immediately as it will cool through the danger zone faster. What is right, and is it different advice for large amounts of hot food vs small amounts (i.e. The other food in fridge would warm up too much if you put a large amount of hot food into it)?","Ideally, food should be cooled down as fast as possible. As you said it rightly, to get it through the danger zone (approx 50C down to approx 5C) rapidly. Common sense should also prevail. You should not put large amounts of very hot food in a fridge at the same time. fridges in homes are not design for that.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:56:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If the name of the Wuhan virus was changed to COVID-19 because under the WHO guidelines it should not target a specific location, animal, individual or group of people, why has MERS’s name not been changed?","Good question. Once a name has been given and everybody is used to it, it is difficult to change it.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:52:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Could someone get it from the packing bubbles in items from China?,no,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:50:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thanks for answering these questions for us!

Would you get on a cruise ship, either inside or outside of Asia?",I wish i had the time to go on a cruise ship...or any other holiday. Too busy these days.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:50:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Based on the cases reports of COVID-19 and two recent news of supplies for toilet papers running out at Hong Kong and panic buying at Singapore - what do you feel about the food security situation around the world? Which countries are better prepared and how? Which ones have work to do and what?,"Unfortunately, a country can be well prepared but if people panic and buy stocks of items, shortages will appear. Usually only for a short time. Modern supply chains for foods and daily items operate with very small surplus and stock margins. But usually after a few days, shops would replenish their stocks.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:47:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why is it that airports are letting people through even if they show no symptoms yet? A fever might not be present but they still might have the virus.

I'm not sure I understand how this could be more beneficial than locking down airports.",There have been several studies published in the past showing that travel restrictions do not have a dramatic impact on reducing the spread or the impact of an outbreak compared to the negative impact of disruption in movements or supply chains for goods.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:38:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you personally think the public in the United States should fear the coronavirus? Also, how do they get such unique names?","The names of coronaviruses come from their shape. they look like a crown with spikes. Try to find pictures of coronaviruses on the net. We should always be concerned and keep ourselves well informed about new emerging diseases wherever in the world we are. But not ""fear them"". Fear usually generates inappropriate and not helpful behaviors.

For info:  [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019)",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:34:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can a coronavirus get into your food?,"Yes, it could potentially, in the same way as it can get on a door handle or a handrail from an infected person. But cooking temperatures above 70C would inactivate any viruses present.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:30:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"First thank you for taking the time to answer questions.

My question is how long the virus lasts on a sticky poured glue surface? I know it is approximately nine days on metal/glasss/plastic. But could a tacky (non dry) surface like thick glue could allow the virus to ""live"" longer?

(The specific item is a craft project like paint by numbers, but with rhinestones onto a prepoured glue that is being prepared and shipped from china)

Thank you again.","Interesting one. No, I would think that the glue which has probably a low water activity level (= free water, non bound , available) would not be a protective environment for viruses. Secondly, if shipped, this product will probably take several days to reach you and any viruses potentially present at point of departure would be inactivated by the time it reach you.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 15:28:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Seeing as you work for (the) WHO, what do you think of anti-vax?


In my opinion they're problematic.","Off topic but in my opinion, they have not understand it. Vaccination has 2 functions. 1 to protect an individual against a serious disease and 2, to keep the disease from getting a grip in a population . As long as approx 80-90% of a population is vaccinated, it works. It also allows for a few individual not to be vaccinated either by omission or due to medical conditions or similar reasons. But if a substantial fraction of a population does not get vaccinated, then suddenly, the disease can start spreading among the non vaccinated. There are enough bodies  to sustain the spread of the disease. Vaccines has saved millions of lives.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-19 16:21:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you believe the Coronavirus will become a worldwide global issue or be more contained like Ebola was?,It is already a worldwide concern with cases in all continents,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:02:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How much do you get asked whether people have to be scared?,"a lot, which is normal.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:05:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"* 1. How bad do you think it's going to get, realistically? 
* 2. What do you make of the theories going around suggesting that it's man-made, for the sake of profiting off of vaccinations? o","1) see above. 

2) There is a growing consensus among experts who are analyzing the genetic sequences of the virus. The ecological reservoir of this virus is in bats and has probably jumped to human through an intermediary animal host. It belongs to a group of viruses found in bats in many parts of the world.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 16:42:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Taking necessary precautions, would you think traveling to Japan is ok? And do you think the virus will be contained outside China? Or cases would continue to grow at a more slower pace? Than you!",We do not recommend any trade or travel restrictions. It has no beneficial results. The world is working towards containment everywhere.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:18:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do we know the definite cause of the virus?,not yes. see above,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:11:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What virus is currently the one we need to be most wary about? We see new coverage of the Coronavirus, but is this the threat we need to be watching for? Or is there something more widespread or worse that should be on our radar as well.","New emerging diseases are always worrying. But, we have the seasonal flu every year that kills hundreds of thousand of people each year. We also have now large outbreaks of measles, both largely preventable diseases with vaccination. Just to mention a few.",FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-16 17:05:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Shouldn't you be doing real work instead of being on Reddit?,I am on reddit after 21:00. After a day at work.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-18 16:23:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I aspire to be a food safety scientist (starting the master next month) what was your study track?,I started with a Bachelor and a master in food science and technology. Then a PhD in food safety including a few years of research in a national lab. Then i started to work in international organizations. Good luck. IT is a fascinating field.,FoodsafetyPeter,2020-02-17 16:45:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/f4wvh9/hi_i_am_peter_ben_embarek_a_food_safety_scientist/,"Hi, I am Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), currently part of the international response to the new disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2 . AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How can you distinguish between symptoms of coronavirus vs symptoms of influenza?,"To start, there are many different types of influenza viruses and the symptoms can vary depending on the virus and how healthy the person is. Therefore, it's not really possible to distinguish coronavirus from influenza virus symptoms in many cases if at all. What's exceptionally important is to confirm through laboratory tests. The symptoms of coronavirus infections also differ according to age and overall health.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:01:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How useful are the average available masks that the general population can get in pharmacy's or hardware shops against infections diseases?,"Great question.  There are many different products on the market, some better than others.  The best choice would be an N95 face mask. But the mask should be one that fits properly. If you can get a ""fit test' for an N95 mask, that would be great. Also important are proper don and doff of the mask.  Some people put themselves at risk when they remove a mask, for example, by sticking ungloved fingers at the bridge of their nose and pushing those fingers downwards as they remove their mask, and that places potentially contaminated fingers close to the nose. This creates a situation where one could deposit fomites or other virus-contaminated particles close to the nose, and these might be inhaled.  Stay away from flimsy face masks, especially those that look like a gauze or net, as they will not be protective.  The better face masks, even if they are not N95 masks, will offer some protection from contaminated droplets.  But don't forget: consider wearing goggles also! many respiratory viruses can infect you through contact with the surfaces of your eyes.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:06:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Many media outlets are comparing the nCoV to SARS - How genetically related are these two viruses? Is it erroneous to compare the two epidemics?,"Many people are scrambling to provide an answer about how closely related the viruses are. An early study indicated about 70%. But that may be at the genetic level, and different nucleotide sequences can encode the same amino acid sequence. In any case, many experts say this new virus was actually a progenitor of SARS CoV (ie, it was teh virus that evolved into SARS CoV). Lessons learned from the SARS epidemic are being applied to understanding the new epidemic, but your question regarding ""erroneous"" is hard to answer because there is not enough information available yet. Moreover, the situation in China was very different back when the SARS outbreak occurred. For one, people are traveling a lot more now. And the Chinese are expert in infection control procedures based on their previous experience.  The problem is transparency in communication may be sub-optimal, so we have to wait and see how the situation changes over the next few days.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:44:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"(Some) Media sources in Germany are arguing that it is foolish to worry about the Coronavirus because flu is just as infectious and has similar levels of lethality, but we don’t worry about flu.

I assume this line of reasoning is flawed, but could you debunk it?","It is not foolish to worry about the new coronavirus in that we don't really know what the outcome will be regarding how the virus spreads worldwide and whether a 'pandemic' will occur. But influenza viruses affect people every year, and depending on the year, 50000 or more people die in the US due to influenza virus infections.  And note that ebola is a deadly disease, but in the US, we 'don't worry"" about it because the virus that causes that disease has not become established here. The issue regarding 'not to worry' boils down to fear of the unknown.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:15:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What can be done to protect from coronavirus exposure? Are good handwashing techniques enough? Or do we need to invest in masks to be ready? Also, what's the real lethality rate for it?","Best approach is to use well-established infection control practices. First and foremost, avoid being around people who have respiratory infections. Hand washing is important, but it should be done properly: running water for 20 seconds, soaping between fingers and the back of the hand, etc. This is because we can pick up viruses from contaminated surfaces and inoculate ourselves by touching our nose, eyes, perhaps our mouth.  Coronaviruses can be spread through airborne routes...they can be present in large droplets that are formed when we cough, sneeze, talk, but they can also be associated with smaller particles that can stay airborne and thus inhaled.  Coronaviruses can stay ""viable"" (infectious) on some environmental surfaces for up to a week, so hygiene is important as we can contact contaminated material in public places, especially if they are ""high touch"" surfaces such as doorknobs.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:12:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi John! Does airline travel really exponentially increase your chances of coming into contact with the virus? And if so, what precautions should someone take if they are about to be going on a flight?","Good question, depends on where you're going! About the only thing you can do is make sure you're not touching a lot of things and touching your facial area. A mask and possibly goggles could help, too.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:02:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My question is how exactly does the virus lead to deadly symptoms of pneumonia etc.?,"Exactly? We need more information. But basically, if the virus is truly similar to SARS CoV, what we know is this: The virus targets epithelial cells of the respiratory tract when it first causes an infection (other organ systems are affected subsequently).  The danger is when our alveoli are infected. Alveoli are the site in our lower lungs where oxygen uptake occurs. If the alveoli are killed, that of course creates breathing difficulties. As the cells die, fluid from the bloodstream leaks into the lower lung area, and pneumonia results. With fluid present, bacteria and fungi can proliferate, and cause secondary infections, making the situation much worse.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:25:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is it true that once signs and symptoms occur, you are no longer contagious?","No!  You remain contagious! And though this depends on the type of coronavirus, people with coronavirus infections can excrete infectious virus for weeks after the symptoms subside, not necessarily through coughing or sneezing but in their urine and stools.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:07:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
SARS blew over.  This one doesn't have me worried.  How will we know when it's time to actually take it seriously and get scared?,"One has to stay tuned to current developments; the CDC and WHO post information daily and if you are in the USA, refer to the CDC posts. Internationally, the situation differs depending on where you are. We should always 'respect' the situation 'by taking it seriously'.  But not to panic.  So common sense approaches regarding infection control are a good idea. In Gainesville, Florida, there are many people ill with respiratory infections. The flu, respiratory syncytial virus, etc. That is typical for this time of the year. So residents here should not panic when they encounter sneezing and coughing folks at this time, as there have been NO confirmed cases of Wuhan coronavirus in Florida to start with. But stay tuned to what the public health folks are saying in the USA. Florida is a choice vacation destination for many internationals, so there is always the possibility of the virus showing up in this state.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:53:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What's your favorite part of the research you do? What's been your favorite finding in ypur career?,"The favorite part of my career is that there is something new everyday. Everyday brings a new challenge. 

My favorite finding changes everyday, but my most recent favorite is finding three new viruses affecting Florida animals. I also like that we were able to find Madariaga virus and Keystone virus in humans. We were the first lab in the world to do so.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:27:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Based on sequence alone, how well can you model or predict (virus) virulence, transmission from host to another and stability outside host ?","Profound question that would take days to answer! Bottom line is sequence information gives clues but does NOT answer the question about virulence. Clue because if a new virus is similar to a known virulent virus, the first assumption is both new and old virus may be equally virulent. But that has to be tested/proven through medical observation, and laboratory tests. For transmission from host to another host, epidemiology studies are required, and aerobiology studies also. The latter are technically difficult to do (look up review articles from my laboratory group about that), and some animal modeling must also be done. If the virus originated from an animal, surveillence tests must be performed, and the virus isolated from the animal.  determining stability outside the host requires laboratory tests. In my laboratory, we take pure preparations of a virus, deposit those on test surfaces, and determine how long the virus stays infectious under controlled humidity, light, and temperature conditions over an observation period that may be one month long.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:33:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Could you estimate how long the development of a cure for the coronavirus may need? What are the key variables that influence the timespan needed for development?,"Considering there is really no ""proven"" antiviral against SARS CoV, this should be a wake-up call for government agencies that they need to fund research in this area. \[The virus came and went before a PROVEN antiviral was developed\].  A vaccine would take another year or so to produce and test, so this is another area that needs research funding.  The major issues are that the laboratory studies are expensive to set up, and proving the remedies (antiviral medication or vaccine) are SAFE and effective requires testing.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:57:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Well, you said anything, so...can birds get rabies?","Not that we know of. But there are many different birds. Each would have to be tested. And there are many different variants of viruses called 'rabies virus"" and each would need to be tested!",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:28:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How are the viruses collected once they are detected? 

And does your work contribute to the making of vaccines, if so, how does that work?","Collected once they are detected? We 'isolate' the virus by taking a sample such as sputum from a patient and trying to 'grow' the virus in cell cultures. in my lab, we use a variety of cell types and different temperatures. This we call 'casting a wide net"". We do that because we cannot predict with exact certainty which cells a particular new virus might grow in. If the cells show 'cytopathic effects,' which  are signs a virus is present, we attempt to get a 'pure' culture and that provides virus that can either be killed to produce a 'dead' vaccine, or purposely weakened to make a 'live vaccine'. The genetic sequence of the virus is important also, as we can genetically engineer ""subunit"" vaccines based off the sequence.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:43:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
There are already talks of producing a vaccine. How soon could we reasonably expect to see one?,"There are many different approaches to making a vaccine. Success depends on good science, luck, and having enough funds to produce the vaccine, show it is safe, and prove it works. How long will that take? hard to say!",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:30:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Statistically speaking (just a guess would be fine), if a healthy adult got the virus, what are the odds of pneumonia and death?  How about for a child/senior?

Clarification:  Asking about the current Coronavirus.","Not a simple question. Depends on many variables. With SARS and MERS CoVs, for example, most of those severely impacted or dead had/have underlying health issues, such as diabetes, etc. They tend to be people older than about 50 years of age. For the new virus, more information is needed.  My understanding is that most of those that have died of the new coronavirus are also people in the older age group (50 and above) with underlying health conditions.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:22:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How does the corona virus compare to ones like H1N1?,It's totally different virus, like cat vs. dog. But both cause respiratory illness.,ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:04:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA
"How can one determine how fast a virus mutates? Does that depend on the virus type or do the mutations occur at random? 

How come certain viruses are more contagious than others? 

I'm very interested in microbiology myself and seeing this AMA made me very excited. I hope I can call myself a virologist someday.","In general, RNA viruses mutate faster than DNA viruses, and that is because their polymerases (enzymes that replicate their genomes) tend to be 'error prone'. That is an evolutionary advantage to the virus in the sense that by mutating constantly, antibodies to previous versions of the virus are not able to prevent spread of the virus (ie, the virus would likely go extinct if enough hosts had antibodies the virus). There are many ways viruses are transmitted. All things kept equal, the viruses that are easiest to transmit human to human are those that have mutated ('Adapted') to attach to and enter human cells.  That also affects 'contagion'. Those that are easily transmitted through airborne routes are easiest to transmit.  Virology is an interesting field.  Hope you can call yourself a virologist someday!",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:54:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How are you doing?,"Great, but so many questions, I can't type fast enough!",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:16:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
One theory is that the coronavirus was created in a lab in Wuhan as a bioweapon and it accidentally got out. Is there any credibility to this theory?,"Those who engage in bioweapons work do so in very highly secured laboratories and work under exacting rules.  It would be kinda silly if this was an accidental release or purposely done, as this would be a state targeting its own people.  But one can never fully know state (government) secrets. I think a better likelihood is that the virus was from some animal sold for food at the live animal market. It is a zoonotic virus. For example, this virus and SARS CoV are highly related to various bat viruses, and at the live food market in Wuhan, bats and animals that might consume them (civet cat? badger?) if a sick bat was grounded are sold for food.  The animals are caged and crowded and maintained in unhygenic conditions, creating conditions wehre urine, fecal material, and so on containing this and other viruses get deposited onto surfaces or are aerosolized. It is possible then to self-inoculate with 'fomites' or breathe in particles containing the virus.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 12:02:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the current priority: a vaccine or a cure?,Both are priorities. There are many antiviral agents that are being tested. Scientists are now scrambling to produce both.,ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:08:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I have studied Biology only till high school, and don't have much understanding of Biological experiments. I know its complicated, but can you ELI5 how genetic analysis is performed? Like what kind of experiments do you do? How are they done?

I have always been curious about what is done in advanced Biology labs.

Thanks in advance","Genetic analyses are performed through various ""nucleotide sequence"" analyses methods. This would take lots of biochemistry and other deep science to explain. But basically, if you have a pure form of the virus, you can extract its genetic material, and through biochemical methods, determine the genetic code (sequence). To those who understand it (geneticists, etc.) is like looking at a computer program's code. Once you have the code, bioinformatics specialists use sophisticated computer programs to determine how closely related the virus is to other known viruses.  The Wuhan coronavirus, for example, is closely related to SARS coronavirus. From that, we start developing hypotheses about how the virus might cause disease, and where it came from (based on what we already learned from SARS CoV studies).  But then we have to prove our hypotheses through research!",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:19:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Have you actually interacted with samples of the coronavirus or is this all theory crafting?,"Samples of the new coronavirus have not been made available to most American laboratories yet. I have not worked with the new coronavirus. But, my lab routinely works with human and animal coronaviruses, and I have worked with SARS coronavirus.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:17:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Sooo how at risk are we from catching this corona bullshit from simply ordering things from China?   Memes got me paranoid lol,"Probably nothing to worry about.  But in biology, exceptions to the rule are common. For example, I would not be overly concerned about electronic gadgets from China. However, if someone were to tell me they had fresh-frozen bat or civet cat meat from Wuhan, and that they would prepare and cook that for me, that might raise some level of concern.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 10:36:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Would a pharmacy degree holder be able to work with you?,"Depends on how much biochemistry and microbiology they studied.  Generally, they have a good background in biochemistry, and would be suitable especially for work involving tests of antiviral agents, and the production of the agents also.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:32:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Coincidence that both SARS and the current outbreak both began in China?,"Not surprising because live animal markets exist there. The animals are crowded in unsanitary conditions and big crowds circulate around the caged animals. There are tens of thousands of animal viruses that remain to be discovered, and the situation in China creates a good space for jumping of virus from one host to another.

Luckily, in the United States, we have the USDA that controls how we raise and market our animals, and this keeps us safe.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:47:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Have you ever played Plague Inc? If so, what do you think bout it",Never heard of it!,ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:10:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why the flu shot effectiveness is so low every year?

E.g. ""The overall vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the 2017-2018 flu vaccine against both influenza A and B viruses is estimated to be 40%."" Source:  [https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2017-2018.htm](https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2017-2018.htm)","Depends on the year. And remember, there are different flu viruses. So if the viruses chosen for the vaccine match the viruses in circulation, the vaccines work. When one says 40% effective, that is not a simple concept. It really means that 40% of the people who got that vaccine did not subsequently develop an H1N1, H3N2, or FLu B Victoria or Yamagata infection.  Flu h1N1 and H3N2 viruses mutate rapidly, and so that makes it difficult to produce a vaccine that works at the start of flu season and is effective throughout the season. So there are many efforts now to produce different types of vaccines compared to the standard ones.",ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:36:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How do you pronounce your last name?,Properly?...Lednitski,ufexplore,2020-01-30 11:24:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why don’t we see more awesome pandemics?,Awesome virologists and public health professionals establish effective infection control practices that tend to keep pandemics from occurring!,ufexplore,2020-01-30 09:57:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ew6jfh/i_am_a_research_professor_who_detects_isolates/,"I am a research professor who detects, isolates and performs genetic analysis of respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses and animal and human influenza viruses, as well as arboviruses. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I've seen the question asking whether or not someone can contract the virus again after fully recovering. All responses tend to be mixed, do you have a more definitive answer?","  Although there is a complex answer to this question, the simple answer is that viruses mutate and can re-infect patients. But this is a hard process to predict.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:41:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Will antibodies be detectable at a later date to determine who was once exposed and potentially now has immunity?,"Many viruses leave ""fingerprints"" inside cells. There's more complicated answers but I'll leave at that.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:36:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I've been tracking confirmed cases and deaths from DPH sites in the US, and have just started tracking negative/total tests as well. I have the data for 32 states which includes both public and private labs, would this be of any assistance? I am also aware of another spreadsheet that has a more complete negative/total cases report than mine, just I am not sure where their data is coming from.

Edit: [link for anyone wondering](http://bit.ly/covid19ms)

2nd Edit: uploaded my second update video, on sheet linked above","Yes, you are exactly whom we want to talk to. Please PM.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:34:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How can we tell the difference between new case rates declining (as Italy's appears to be), versus merely reaching the limit of testing capacity? Would recording negative tests help with that?","If public health officials would tell you they’re running out of test kits, then there would clearly be a decrease in positives. And we are all certainly limited by the number of test kits available. The answer is not so much recording negative tests as much as being able to gather universal data by another means, such as [https://Aitia.app](https://aitia.app/)",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:44:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I am a retired Primary Examiner. Have you thought about volunteering your services to help expedite patent applications for COVID19 related inventions?,"Do you/anyone know of a process for doing so? I'd like to know, I would feel good about volunteering.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:02:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What's the most ridiculous thing you've heard about COVID-19, but somebody believes it?","Made me laugh!

Most absurd is that gargling with bleach prevents this...you'd be better off drinking alcohol!

Joking aside, seriously, do not drink bleach.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 08:49:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How long before things go back to the way they were? Months? Years? Thank you.,"Short answer: The projection from the cdc is months.

Longer answer: Those who haven't had it aren't immune to it. And, the scary thing is that virologists don't even know the answer to this question.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:28:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can you speak to why you are advocating for a more robust database? Should we be doing more testing?,"The limitation right now is there are only around 1M tests available in US and \~350M Americans, so everyone cannot be tested. https://Aitia.app can instantly be available for free and be able to record for public health officials the earliest symptoms so that without official testing public health officials are given the means to track viral spread.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:40:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I'm worried that the growth in numbers in the US is more due to a growth in testing capacity. At some point the US is going to see growth flatten because testing has reached capacity. Since this change in the curve won't be due to a reduction in transmission I'm worried it'll be used to erroneously convince people the crisis is abating.

How do you feel about this?","You made a couple good points. 

I think the same logic applies to how seriously people took the virus from its onset. Early, our numbers were artificially low because of the number of tests. Unfortunately, it takes alarmingly high number before the masses are convinced they actually need to change behavior. 

And yes, I think the number of positive tests can be used to construe the situation on either end. Part of our initiative to collect data is to capture and represent how the average person is handling the pandemic. This include medical science, social science, etc.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 11:03:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What gives negative cases such importance in your opinion? What specific data may be overlooked?,"It is as important to know where the virus has spread, as it is to know where it hasn't spread. For example, to know where to lock people down, and where not to lock people down. 

But it is also important to know where infected people have traveled, because there is a high likelihood that they have infected an otherwise silent population who can then exponentially increase the spread of the virus, unless they are identified and isolated. This is why we see such value in collecting daily location data via [Aitia](https://aitia.app)

More generally, we also find great interest in the intersection of COVID-19 symptoms with symptoms of other infectious and non-infectious conditions (cold, flu, allergies).",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:29:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I've been collecting Canada's data, plotting it. One thing that has become apparent here is the lack of consistency when it comes to publicly available data, different numbers on the same page, and different counting methods between provinces. Can you explain why it's so difficult for these different organizations to report; is there no protocol or ""industry standard""?","My guess is that the big issue with medical records is patient privacy.  It prevents sharing not only of patient's ID, but of anything that could be an ID.  So most policies of hospitals, doctors, etc, is not to share medical records.  In fact, there are hospital associations that don't share records between their own hospitals.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 13:46:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Does the fact that only the severely ill get tested skew the data to disproportionately show a higher death/ infection rate? Or is this accounted for in statistics given by agencies like the CDC,"That is an interesting point. By testing only the severely ill, we are getting an incomplete picture of the virus. While the death rate may indeed be lower, the rate of infection is likely much higher than what's being reported. This is not to minimize the lethality of this virus but instead suggests it's more widespread than reported.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:28:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I was informed a CBC panel could help test for COVID-19, is this true? If so, how accurate are the results?",A CBC panel would be an indicator of infection but I doubt it would be able to distinguish COVID-19 from another infection.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:45:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Hi Dr. Kohn. What do you think is the biggest problem with tracking the spread of ccovid at the state and federal levels? Is aitia any different?,"Present tracking gathers data from confirmed infected patients, 2-3 weeks after infection. During that time, instead of being isolated, those patients are transmitting to others. Need tracking that identifies carriers earlier, to isolate them earlier, and save lives.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:09:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How can we best hope to help others in this time? I'm 35 and know there are more at-risk age groups that need assistance. How can I get groceries if they are hesitant to receive anything from me?,"That's a hard question. The yin and yang is that you'd like to bring geriatrics groceries, what they need from drugs stores, etc., yet you don't want to infect them and any kind of in person communication can infect. There's no easy answer for that one.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:15:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I spent 4hrs with a customer, who was positive, in a room with limited ventilation, i am a tattooist so i was exposed to everything he had, he coughed on me, he bled, we shook hands and i was extremely close to him, he called us a day later and told us he was positive, after 5 days my wife had symptoms so we got tested, nose and mouth, 2 seperate test each, myself, wife and daughter all came back negative, was this just luck or does the virus not contagious after some time?",Luck,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 16:43:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"You aren't tracking loss of smell.  I've had this, along with my husband and lots of people here on Reddit.  I think it's important to add it to your survey -  [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/03/24/coronavirus-symptoms-loss-smell-taste/2897385001/](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/03/24/coronavirus-symptoms-loss-smell-taste/2897385001/) 

The survey also doesn't collect symptoms people have had.  I'd like to contribute, but I'm mostly feeling fine now, after experiencing symptoms for 10 days, so I feel like contributing my data for today isn't helpful.  Maybe a section that just collects all symptoms from the past, and how long the person has been experiencing symptoms?","We actually have it in the next rollout. Thank you!

Also: We like your point about getting some history to get us ""up to date"" we will be implementing that in soon. A big reason for doing this AMA is to get feedback...we are in a unique position to be able to quickly make changes",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:35:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Thank you for your willingness to step up and address us. My question: will the change to warmer spring and summer temperatures effect the virus ?,"Possibly, but nobody that I've heard from has any certainty.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:36:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I have friends who claim they got COVID-19 back in December or January, and they live in Utah. They do travel frequently, and they did get pretty sick. But is this even possible? Utah’s first reported positive test case happened in March. Do you think the disease has been spreading around much longer than that and we just weren’t testing for it yet?","Transmission is a complex process.  it can depend on where they traveled, where there friends traveled, and/or where some guy in the seat next to them who sneezed their way travelled.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 13:44:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you for taking the time to do this, I have two questions. How does not reporting negative test results benefit private companies, why would they keep that information to themselves?  And what can we citizens do in order to make this, and other important data, available to the public?","What type of company? Testing companies or healthcare companies? Not clear why it would benefit a company, except the suspicious of an infection could lead to a lockdown of their workplace...I suspect they would like to avoid this as much as possible.

They might not be hoarding data, the issue might be the lack of means to report more broad data. 

https://aitia.app is a means for collecting de-identified data from all users regarding the onset of COVID-19 infection and it compiles it in such away to make it available for public health.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:18:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"> there is no mandatory reporting to the CDC

Why the CDC though? Should this not be 100% handled by the WHO? And related to that, do you have any thoughts on the trials started so far by the WHO?

On a more vague note, in the UK Ben Goldacre has been very vocal in the past about the AllTrials campaign - are you aware if he, or others related to the AllTrials campaign, are doing things similar to what you've done with the aitia app?

Keep up the good work, this is so much more important than most people realise!!!","Thank you for recognizing the importance. It has been a battle for us to breakthrough to public health officials and we are continually looking for voices to support us. With regard to the CDC vs WHO, what you recognize is a lack of coordination due to a lack of international cooperation and leadership.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:52:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Have you heard of any data scraping initiatives?  

I know you're talking about a different type of data collection initiative, but a friend of mine has created a public repo to allow any developer to help write a scraper for this site: [https://coronadatascraper.com/#home](https://coronadatascraper.com/#home)

It's a place to collect and scrape data from government and healthcare websites and put it all in one place. He's about to get a lot of help from volunteers at google and I hope this can get big. I've started writing some scrapers, but it's a somewhat slow process. Anyone is allowed to help!","Thanks for sharing....we hadn't been looking in this area yet. From a quick glance the link you shared still relies on postings from official testing sites, but we will be taking a deeper dive!",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:44:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you plan on making this data publicly available? I am a data analyst and have been kicking around this idea since the get-go. There are a lot of analysts out there who could take this data and push out insights quickly, but detailed case-level detail is lacking to say the least.

Great idea!","Hi there, yes, absolutely. We have put together an API for our dataset and will be making that available to researchers shortly. PM me separately and we can get access going.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 11:25:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Dr. Kohn, I keep reading about local community sewing groups hand-sewing masks for medical personnel to help them with the current mass shortages.  I suspect these are neither effective or acceptable, yet there continue to be requests (via Facebook and things like the NextDoor app) for sewers to come forward to mass produce these.  These groups claim the hand-sewn masks are at least 50-80% effective, which is ""better than nothing"" and that hospitals and medical offices are grateful to get them.  What are your thoughts about this?","For the average person, partially effective preventative measures like these masks can induce the wrong behavior, i.e., exposing people to virus that they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to because they're relying on an ineffective means of protection. So is it better than nothing? No. It's better to be quarantined.

For medical professionals, these masks are slightly better than nothing. But are they protected? Absolutely not.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:35:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Don't hospitals share information on a linked network like law enforcement? If not,  why?","They should, and that was the promise of digitized health records, but they currently do not do so in a way that's actionable in the case of an epidemic. 

The ""why"" is very complex and surrounded by policy, but the reality is that the HL7 data standard is insufficient and we need more than just some software integrations to get independent systems communicating in a way that truly helps individuals patients as well as public health as a whole.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:10:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Any good news as of late? :(,More and faster tests are being developed.  State governments are taking all of this seriously.  Use of [aitia.app](https://aitia.app) is growing.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:01:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
ALmost every day I read news about databases being breached and peoples data being hacked/exposed to bad actors. What is your response to people that dont want their information gathered and exposed to this type of risk?,"We collect data in a de-identified way....we do not store truly sensitive information--just data related to the virus. Further, we only collect location data at the time the user is entering responses...we are not data hoarding in the way that so many tracking apps do.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:54:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi Dr. Kohn!

I have a few questions, an answer to any would be very much appreciated.

1) how could we expedite the process to create more tests? In a realistic way, how can we mass produce the tests and QUICK?

2) what is the trouble with finding treatments? Or how come it’s so difficult for us to find reliable treatment? And how can we expedite this process? Is it true about the malaria and z-pack?

3) To add to that, same questions for finding a vaccine; besides the trial phases which I know take time, I feel like we’ve had much difficulty creating a vaccine. How does this process go quicker?

Sorry to overload you with questions, again any answers would be so much appreciated!","I'll answer your first question... The creation of tests is limited to the production capacities of factories. If more factories were enlisted, there'd be more production of tests. Since there are effective tests, there is no reason why production shouldn't be increased. It's a matter of capacity, which is a matter of enlisting other companies to make it.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:08:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If the tests are available, in countries that are in lockdown, should as many people as possible be tested? So that an accurate number of infected can be assertained.

If so, what kind of population percentage could we expect to actually be infected?

If not, why not? Other than the obvious logistical issues.","Your first question is a classic sampling question. If everybody in the population was tested, we would know exactly who was infected and who to isolate. The problem is that there are not enough tests. [https://Aitia.app](https://aitia.app/), a free application, can reach a critical amount of people to be able to track and locate viral spread, which can help public health officials.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:11:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What's the best way that a software developer with extra time on their hands can help?,"PM us! We are considering open sourcing the whole project, but would love some assistance either way.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:08:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"So you want this:

https://ncov2019.live/data

But official and not supported by one 17 year old kid out of his parent's home?",This is a good site that aggregates official data. There are many of these sites. But these are limited by test data and there is a shortage of tests. Our app collects data from anyone and is not limited by testing capacity.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:32:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey I'm a graduate student in a drug development lab at Wayne State School of Med! Thanks for taking the time to answer questions. I was wondering if you've been keeping up with the literature regarding therapeutics for covid-19 and if so which do you feel are the most promising? 

I read an article in Cell that a clinically proven protease inhibitor targeting TMPRSS2 protease can inhibit viral entry into the cell (I'll include the link). Do you think it's possible that a double or triple therapy with this drug and maybe Hydroxychloroquine could be promising?

&#x200B;

[https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0092-8674%2820%2930229-4](https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0092-8674%2820%2930229-4)","I was just visiting the pharmacology department last week at WSU.

The problem is vaccines take time to prove efficacy and safety.  But we're familiar with them so they move through the process relatively quickly.  What would be considered more exotic approaches, even if mechanistically making sense, have totally unknown side effects which, with drugs such as the protease, could easily have dramatic off target effects.  Hence even if the drugs make sense based on mechanism, dosing, efficacy, and toxicity will take years to derive and gain approval, as they should.  Ergo, the medical community went to the familiar, vaccines.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 15:06:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I am a PhD student in bioinformatics, in a lab studying emerging infectious diseases (until the last few weeks, primarily Ebola virus). My lab has now changed our primary focus to COVID-19, but as a bioinformatician, there is not much I can do until more data is collected. Are you sharing the [aitia.app](https://aitia.app) data publicly, or would you be willing to share with university researchers?",Please private message us your contact information.  OptimDosing is in constant search for collaboration.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:05:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"1. Even if there was an actual 100% worldwide lockdown for months, how would that stop any virus?  It is still in the world, it is still on various surfaces, it was created, either by man or nature, and is not going to just disappear from the Earth.  Wouldn’t someone wind up getting it once we are back doing regular daily routines and then it would spread again?  Isn’t the only way for the world to start living again just to expose everyone and have them build up immunity?  And how are any drugs being given under the guise of helping when the world health organization says there are no drugs that help, nor prevent.  Plus if something does happen from any of those drugs you cannot sue anyone for any reason regarding taking any drugs prescribed for covid19.

2. I’m unclear about the influenza pandemic from 1918.  Once the world got back to regular routine after the 3 rounds of it, how did that work?  Did everyone just have to be exposed and then just either build up immunity naturally or die?  Is that influenza still making rounds in our time and we just get it at some point and build immunity when we are young?","Lots of questions in here, I'll speak to a couple of them:

Virus degrades on surfaces after a relatively short period of time, although it is prudent to disinfect surfaces regularly. The virus is carried by patients and sometimes other vectors (such as animals) so yes, the virus can hang around a while. But, lockdowns effectively prevent mass transmission of the virus between people thereby decreasing the amount of people infected at any time allowing healthcare professionals to not be as overwhelmed.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:11:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I never get sick, never get the flu, don't get the flu shot, and I work (currently) as a flight attendant and I used to be an Emergency Medical Tech. I got bled on, puked on, sneezed on. I was always fine. I traveled for fun at the end of last November, and I came down with an aggressive flu that I almost died from. It was so bad that I collapsed the second I got out of bed. I had such bad fluid in my lungs that I couldn't breath, and it felt like there was spackle on my lungs. Being an idiot guy, I took a handful of mucinex and passed out for 12 hours. I was delerious with fever, and kept quarrantined from everyone for about two weeks. SO, my question is, that if I had the Corona back in November, and I got tested today, would i test positive, and, what is the likelyhood I could get it again, or a similar strain, or am I immune?","I doubt anyone has absolute answers to any of your questions.These types of viruses have to be studied and characterized.  They require epidemiologists to study their spread, movement, and danger, as well as the effects of drugs for treating the symptoms as well as irradiating the virus itself.  I suggest acting like everyone else to protect yourself and others from you transmitting it if you are exposed to it.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 16:42:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
[deleted],I would refer you to the CDC for this one.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:38:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"currently in a neural networks course where we’re all trying to find different countries’ data and negative test cases is hard to find.

is this being left out out of malice or convenience?","Great question--I'm not sure why there is no mandatory case reporting for negative cases. From what I've seen, some hospitals were submitting data to CDC via a paper form. Perhaps there was no mechanism in place for more wide-scale eCR (electronic Case Reporting). I think it goes under convenience, because it is not like negative test results contribute to panic in the same way that there might be an incentive to artificially keep the confirmed cases lower.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:16:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Should states that have high cases, like FL, go on lockdown if they aren’t already?","In my opinion, yes.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:24:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I am a 30 year old male in great health (eat healthy, exercise many days a week, take care of myself) but I am also a Type 1 Diabetic. While everyone has told me to be cautious, others claim I might still be okay if I catch COVID-19. My fear is that I’ll literally die because my immune system is compromised.

What is the realistic outlook for this, for people like myself who are young with a compromised immune system, but still quite healthy?","On the one hand, consult your doctor.  But know that anxiety doesn't help immunity and probably won't change things.  So relax and keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.  Be well.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:23:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How worried should we be about getting COVID-19? And what are the best preventative strategies we can use to stop ourselves from getting it? Especially for people still at work e.g. working in supermarkets,"I think we should all be worried. It is highly contagious and can be dangerous for all age groups but especially the elderly. The best preventatives will be familiar: self-quarantine, washing your hands, and wiping down high traffic surfaces.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 14:45:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’m gonna need groceries soon (wife is immune compromised). We ordered them online and will be picking them up. 

How safe is this!? 
Thank you.","It's probably the best you can do.  And that's the challenge, trying to find out what is the best.  Again, reference to your state HHS and to CDC guidelines is the best guidance.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:03:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I've read articles about whistleblowers in China suggesting that their numbers have stopped increasing because China has stopped testing and retesting suspected cases.  Do you have any perspective on that?,No I don't.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 14:59:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Not sure this is relevant, but I'll ask anyway. My partner has Lupus SLE and is on hydroxychloroquine. She's heard that it's being looked at as something that can help with covid-19. Is there any truth to this, and if so, do we know the reason why it might help?",I've been referring people asking this question to the CDC website.  It discusses the drug vis a vis COVID-19 in detail.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 15:26:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How can technology help here?  


I'm a computer scientist and wondering what I can do to help.","The challenge is that the people you want to help are so swamped, they don't have the bandwidth to listen to you. So help at the personal level.  Maybe by phone help the elderly get on line so they're not so alone, as nobody can visit them as of now.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 14:58:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What happens to patent filings during pandemics?,"Nothing special that I know of.  I interviewed an application today.  Examiner was hoteling (working from home) but I think he always works from home.  I expect that a lot of examiner's are staying home that otherwise wouldn't.  But as far as I know, all else is running.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 14:55:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Why are you trying to monetize on the pandemic by paying essentially a marketing post? What in the world makes you think that you are a patent attorney who hasn't done any actual biotech work for decades, have any special insight in what needs to be done to combat the disease?",[https://Aitia.app](https://aitia.app/) is free,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:19:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Hello dr! How are you? I wanted to ask whether remdesivir is really turning out to be a game changer against coronavirus or not?,"As Dr. Fauci says, the jury is out. The good news is that testing for this could get a product, if it worked, out a lot sooner than a vaccine.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:05:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are your thoughts on Donald Trump recommending medications?,"Leaving politics aside, one word comes to mind: inappropriate. Medical experts should be talking about medications.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 09:29:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Does the current patent system trouble you that drug companies will spend less on R&D due to a loss of protection in medical methods such as administration and dosing? Namely, the decisions in Bilski, Mayo, and Alice.

It seems the onslaught of attacking “patent trolls” has left casualties such as practicing entities to suffer more than the licensing entities. It is a real double edged sword that the public, in my opinion, doesn’t fully understand the consequences to small business and R&D departments. For every “patent troll” we kill a 10 fold wave of entrepreneurs and startups sit unprotected and vulnerable to counterfeiting. This the incentive to build a unique product, drug, method is left to some form of trade secret. 

What can the administration do to help solve this crisis?","From my practice, the Alice line of cases have been greatly tempered by the patent office and have not affected our rate of allowances. Having spoke to and worked with major pharmaceutical companies, they haven't affected their overall strategies.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:47:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
If you are aware of any: What research is being done to understand the effects/effectiveness of the  communications during this pandemic?  It would be interesting to examine how information moves and how communication impacts the data for positive and negative test results... How do those communications stress or alleviate stress on the health care system?,"This is a great question! I don't know of any research to that effect, except for folks looking at social media data. Could be an interesting thing to add to the work we're doing.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 14:46:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"1. Early on I heard that PCR test kits have to repeated, and only after three negative results somebody is considered (very likely) as not having an active infection. So, when I look at the statistics on how many tests different countries have done I wonder whether these are per patient or per single test, and if they all send in the same data. 
2. I also wanted to ask how the development of antibody tests is coming along. 
3. And, when I looked at the stratification of positive results in my country yesterday I saw there were about 60% male cases, 40% female. Is there any data on whether mild to moderate cases are milder in women, or more asymptomatic cases in women? (Not that I'd complain, but as there is a majority of female health care workers I wonder if that might have consequences on local outbreaks.)","There is no present normalization of test data from shared data between countries.  So whether the test is PCR based or otherwise, the basis for the data is unclear.  There is news regarding a 48 hour test that was approved, but it needs to be mass produced and distributed.  Regarding male and female disparity, my wife would say that the females are just smarter.  But there is no conclusions that can be drawn at this time.  One of the benefits of [Aitia.app](https://Aitia.app) is that it can provide the kind of data to allow public health officials and experts to derive those kinds of conclusions.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 14:47:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"So I went to the app and saw a sign up. Is there a place where this information is being publicly displayed for those of us who have been watching and keeping track of the numbers in our spare time to keep our opinions informed?

Edit: also, saw comments regarding PPE, are cloth / cotton masks effective at all as a possible reusable tool to help lessen the burden on hospitals?","We've been getting over the hump of getting data. But with the boost from this discussion, we hope to start sharing results within the week. That being said, all data entered will be anonymized and aggregated.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:22:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Who do you consider to be trusted/reliable sources to get news from? What publications, labs, scientific journals, are your “go to” sites? Thanks for doing this btw!! Great info you’ve been sharing!!","I like NPR and BBC and, in this case, the CDC site. The trick is to weed out the politics to get the actual news.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 10:30:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I’ve been searching for days but can’t seem to find this answer. I ruptured my spleen a while back and now do not have have. How much more effed am I than a normal person if I catch covid19? 34/m. Thanks so much for everything you’re doing.,"Search ""no spleen cover-19"" and a fair amount of credible articles appear.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 14:39:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I am someone with asthma and catching this disease terrifies me. Have you heard of patients recovering from Covid-19 that also had asthma?,"I have no first hand knowledge, but you should be careful.  Be well.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 13:29:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What’s your opinion on the most recent drive for ventilators without proper testing and risk analysis before entering production?,"Same issues with drugs as there are for medical devices.  In this situation, regulatory approval assures that the device does what its supposed to do.  If it doesn't, it's as dangerous as the disease.  So proper testing is critical.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 13:33:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Isn’t it the case that other SARS vaccines had to be shelved due to their causing ARDS and sudden death?  Why would a vaccine suddenly not do this?  Do you think it’s safe to go straight to human trials given this history?,"You have an agency balancing public need against public safety, pretzeled together because the need is for public safety.  Layer over the politics, and you get the result of things being pushed through the system.  This doesn't even take into account liability for gross negligence, etc.  Not an easy situation to manage.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 13:36:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Will a vaccine be possible? We don't have one for the other coronaviruses.,Experts say yes,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 13:03:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"The issue I'm seeing locally, is there simply aren't enough testing kits available to test everyone. How can this supply chain issue be resolved?",Watch Ford v Ferrari.  The Deuce claims Ford won the war.  They certainly helped by making a load of planes instead of cars.  We need increased manufacturing capacity in a similar way for a similar result.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:21:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why do you think the word 'robust' is having such a huge comeback?,Scientists use it all the time.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:21:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the accuracy of the test being provided?,"Good question. There is no test being provided.

There are lots of quality screening tools out there: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/preparing-for-coronavirus

Instead, our app is intended for everyone, everywhere, so researchers can get a better understanding of the virus and its spread.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 11:21:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Governments have to give simple messages. Which source(s) do you go to for *detail*? Things like:

- What should you do with deliveries that some random person drops off? You can't bleach everything.
- Do you feel 'going for a walk' is reasonable, as long as it's possible (crowds..) to keep that 2m distance at all times? 
- Is it true that if you are fighting off another illness (say a common cold) you actually are ""slightly"" immunocompromised? Would you change behaviour if you had a cold?","Going in order of your questions, I refer you to CDC guidelines re what to do and not do.  But know that very little is absolute and there is some degree of risk in going out.  But my understanding is spacing is recommended as well as getting out to walk.  And yes, fighting another illness could make one immune compromised to some degree.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 11:57:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the point of testing people with symptoms if they are already sick and need help?  Should not symptom free people be tested so they can self isolate and stop being carriers?,"Good question.  Testing people with symptoms confirms whether they have the virus or a simple cold or flu.  The symptoms, especially initially are similar.  And the patient response is different.  Re testing symptom free people, there just aren't enough tests to do so.  That's why us of [aitia.app](https://aitia.app) is so critical because it is not user limited.  It is available for free to everyone.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 11:59:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is hydroxychloroquine & azithromycin the cure for the virus? If it's true, do you mind explaining why.",I refer you to the CDC website.  It discusses in detail drug treatments and specifically addresses hydroxychloroquine.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 15:13:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Interesting.

I don't think this is the case in Canada as my wife's sole job for the foreseeable future will be faxing negative results to public health.   

Im sorry to hear that this data is not being reported.  

 Are the total number of tests being reported? 

Are NO states reporting negative results or are some reporting?","From these responses, it seems that Canada has been far more cognizant of compiling data.

Some states have mechanisms in place for keeping better track of data, but nothing other than reporting positive test cases from the (US) federal government.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:06:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How does what your asking for, differ from other healthcare interoperability initiatives that are already in place to share patient information across vast hospital networks?



For instance, hospitals utilize data feeds to share demographics and PAMI data between facilities and applications.



If people simply call in when sick, their symptoms can be recorded and shared with other facilities in the hospital network,  the state, or whoever else is allowed to access this data.



The data is out there. Why not just tap into it?



Edit: Also, as a bonus, how do you feel about testing people for covid 19 anti bodies as well? With the death toll for this pandemic so low, I feel like it's very likely this has been going on for a while and we just keep getting isolated snapshots of areas.","First, in the US where we are based, many healthcare centers do not truly have interoperability, especially on the scale of being able to conduct public health research.

Another, is that documentation is still limited to billable encounters. Screening hotlines, online screening tools, urgent care centers, drive-through screening, etc, all have people walk away if they aren't admitted or given a test. Those are the people we need to be getting data from.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 12:03:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My county has suspended outpatient testing and is prioritizing tests for those hospitalized and sick health care workers. Their reasoning is a limited supply of resources and that testing does not change clinical management of a patient. What are your thoughts?,Exactly why [aitia.app](https://aitia.app) is needed.  Its free.  It is totally accessible to all potential users.  And it provides information on viral spread to those that need and analyze the information.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 15:16:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I am supporting local businesses (mostly breweries, haha.) and they are hand delivering me cans and bottles of beer. Should i be washing these cans and bottles thoroughly before consuming them for extra safety precaution or am I being too paranoid?

TL;DR can you catch the virus from beer delivery from your local brewery?!",One of the best bits of advise I heard from CDC is that it's better to a be bit too cautious than be too reckless.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 15:17:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Did you have any thoughts on the patent protections (or lack thereof) in TPP?,"Yes, but not pertinent to this line of discussion. Perhaps another time.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 15:19:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"This isn’t necessarily related to the COVID-19 cases, although I appreciate your work in the field. I was however interested in your current role as an IP/Patent lawyer. I am currently pursuing this career track. 

What field of study would you suggest as an undergraduate - I am considering biomedical sciences/biotechnology or biochemistry. I want to be sure that I have job prospectives after I graduate, before going into law school, so a broader major like biology or chemistry may not be as fruitful. Also is it necessary to have a masters or doctorate in order to practice IP/Patent law?

Thanks for your consideration on the off-topic question.",bioengineering is an excellent background.  It also sets you apart from other candidates applying for law school.,OptimDosing,2020-03-24 15:24:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Should I take responsibility and stay working at my grocery store? Or rather quit for the time being to protect my family in case I get exposed?,"Good question.  Hard personal decision.  If you do work, it's certainly greatly appreciated.  If you don't, everyone should understand.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 15:27:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Could you explain the dangers of Chloroquine? I've been seeing many people advocate for the drug, including the president, but people don't seem to know the true side-effects.","It isn't a matter of advocating.  Its a matter of safety and efficacy. In a nutshell, FDA oversees  trials confirming that a drug is safe and effective.  Absent both, the patient is at high risk that the drug doesn't' work and/or its toxic.  Absent such testing, one should not experiment with a drug in this environment.",OptimDosing,2020-03-24 13:31:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fo4gc5/im_phd_pharmacologist_immunologist_and/,I'm Ph.D Pharmacologist + Immunologist and Intellectual Property expert. I have been calling for a more robust and centralized COVID-19 database-not just positive test cases. AMA!,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Verified.,Thank you! But I’m having trouble seeing my other comments,juscar,2020-03-23 11:58:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’m a custodian disinfecting schools.  Do you and I both use similar chemicals?? 

We use a lot of quat and “aids” (red top) disinfecting wipes, as well as a backpack sprayer. 

What more can I do to disinfect my building?","Same thing you’ve been doing just more often and things you wouldn’t think to clean due to politeness do it. 

I told a man I needed his cell phone to wipe down cause it was sitting in a sick cases office. 

Let me clean your damn phone or you’ll get sick.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:59:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"For people asking about how to get a job in this field I recommend looking up the job “hazmat technician”. Usually all the training is provided upon hire where ever you go.

Also don’t expect only helping with just the crisis this job involves a wide scope of work and environments that you’ll be in. 

Expect long hours hard work.

Saying this cause I did not expect everyone to dm is such mass lol.",I felt this comment,juscar,2020-03-23 16:02:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What do you do? Meaning, I’m not too familiar with what decontamination work- getting rid of everything that has been in contact with a COVID-19 patient?

Also, what do you wear??? How do *you* stay protected?","PPE usually consists of a hazmat suit with a filtered respirator, gloves taped, and booties taped. 

Every job is a little different, but the end job it trying to decontaminate every surface that has been in contact with a case or suspected case.

Air is usually scrubbed if it’s confined work space.

Decon to ourselves is lots of bleach to our ppe",juscar,2020-03-23 12:18:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I run a petrol station in a small town, where pretty much everyone (except a precious few) completely ignore what’s going on, and many even laugh about it. They disrespect safety measures put in place, disregard guidelines and staff requests and other people.

What would you tell them if you met one of them (or many of them over the course of weeks)?

And also: thank you for doing what you’re doing! We would be screwed without you guys! Of course we already are, but this does put the control back into damage control.","If someone you know becomes sick with the virus, we recommend cleaning everything they have been near since you last saw them. 

Also for the people who are ignoring it I recommend telling them to look up the news, and honestly say if I get sick could I endanger someone else? 

I’m less worried about if I get it I’m young, but my girlfriend is the one I’m worried about getting sick, she is a CNA if I get her sick it has the potential to kill a lot of old people. 

If a person gets it you have a chance to give it to your whole family. Think about getting others sick not just yourself.",juscar,2020-03-23 14:20:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Does anybody know for sure for how long the virus stays ""alive"" in room temperature on every day surfaces like clothes, door handles, faucets or wooden furniture?","We have been checking the CDC daily for updates on this information, as well as if recontamination is possible after someone gets it. 

We’ve been treating it as worse case for air, as for surfaces were treating it as serious as any serious blood borne pathogen. 

Bleach and alcohol everything, if you can’t clean it we recommend getting supplies to clean it, if it’s electronics you made need to do it differently like aerosols or dry clean.",juscar,2020-03-23 13:44:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Have you ever full send farted inside your suit?,"“That smell still haunts me” 

My coworker after unzipping his suit after farted for 9 hours and working in one.",juscar,2020-03-23 16:32:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How many hours of training does one need to get a job decontaminating sites for COVID-19?

Is a GED enough education to apply it in the job training?  What keywords on Indeed or LinkedIn should a resume contain?","If you message me privately I can dm you some companies that are doing this.
As for training ged is fine for my company it’s 40 hour hazwoper training for Our company.",juscar,2020-03-23 12:14:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you foresee the cloth masks people are making at home being useful in the future? I’ve heard lots of groups making cloth covers to prolong usage of n95 masks.,"For in public I believe it’s better than nothing. But you should be avoiding crowded areas. 

The masks help the most by help stoping people from spreading rather more than catching.",juscar,2020-03-23 14:45:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Trying to find some joy in all this, any funny stories or just mindblowing bullshit that would give us some laughs?

What can an ordinary person do to make your day a little better? Do all the ""thank yous"" help or should we just quietly leave you some takeout and let you sleep when we see you?","This is the the stuff that makes friends lol.

We’re keeping dark humor close to us through all this, somebody’s already made “contagion jokes” jokes daily.

As to help us I’d say be don’t be spreading panic, and be extra careful if you work near and hazardous jobs that could need environmental services as were strained during this time and if we could not get called because you accidentally spilled over a “unknown white powder” that turns out to be sugar. We would appreciate it.
 
Also if you are forced to work and are still needed admits this crisis can pleases clean daily as that fights the virus before anyone is even needed. Just take a minute to Wipe down your keyboards and daily use items.",juscar,2020-03-23 13:39:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Just a serious thank you from all of us. You guys are the heroes of this crisis.,Thank you! Long hours so far and hoping ourselves we’re not gonna get it!,juscar,2020-03-23 12:05:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I'm a nurse in a hospital and will be caring for Covid-19 patients. CDC keeps going back and forth between droplet vs airborne precautions, regular mask vs N95. I have a respirator at home with charcoal filter. Will that protect me from the virus?","I would look up your specs on your respirator and filter to know for sure if it’s for vapor and airborne chemical and what not, a lot of people have filters meant for dust and particulates and are really not wearing protection at all.

As for n95 face mask vs respirator a n95 

N95 masks help but are no guarantee that drop lets or air will get too you your nose or mouth. Full seal will completely stop it. 

We’re using gas masks because it’s Safest since we don’t have all the facts atm.

TLDR is masks help but gas mask is always safe.",juscar,2020-03-23 12:53:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How’s the pay?,"Not enough in my opinion, but I was never into working for big money.

I’m more worried about becoming sick and getting someone else sick. 

But we’re essential personal so we need to be out there doing our jobs other wise it just helps make this situation worse.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:40:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I work in a grocery store, as does my wife. We’ve got 4 kids and are both worried about exposing the fam. Is it overkill or wise to have us come in through our basement door when we get home, put clothes straight into the wash and shower before heading upstairs to see everybody? We’re also considering her stopping work since she just works part time to further mitigate the risk of us both being exposed.","Wise, this is solid. 

If you can survive with out the income I’d say go for it",juscar,2020-03-23 17:14:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What level of education and training have you attained? I’m was formerly a hazmat technician in the Army Reserves and hold a BS in Public Health with certificates in public health preparedness. Incident commander course, hazmat tech cert, etc","I hello! I’m former active duty! Was active for 3 years so aside from basic gas mask stuff you learn in basic most of my hazmat training as been from my company.

I also have some fire training.

My hazmat experience has been with Railroads and hazwoper. 

We hold a lot of on the job and self classroom stuff. I’ve been doing this for about 6 months so far.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:35:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do women find you sexy in the hazmat suit? And did you get some because of it?,Makes my butt look yellow.,juscar,2020-03-23 15:54:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How do you lighten the mood?,"Jokes, talking about what we’re gonna get to eat when we get home. 

Dark humor is common around my circle. 
Helps keep your mind off everything being crazy.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:48:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey! I decontaminate our ambulances at work prior to crews coming on shift and after every suspected patient. What are you guys using to decontaminate? We have a tri-jet fogger with vitaloxide solution. It's a machine that sprays the mist a pretty good distance and we just blanket the inside of the ambulance, gurney, all surfaces, doors and handles. I'd be curious to see what you guys use?  I have video of our older system which we just replaced which is a antimicrobial spray with a electric static charge to cling to anything it passes by and hits surfaces not in the direct line of spray.","This is literally what we’ve been doing the digger is a god send for wide areas and offices.  Aside from that we have a sprayer also with anti microbial and other it’s just lots and lots of bleach solutions.

Supplies are low so we’ve started to use more and more bleach solutions and alcohol solutions.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:31:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I need to know what cleaning products legit work on the virus? Just because something says works on 99% of germs doesn't mean it sanitizes properly,"The CDC answers are what we go off of. Alcohol and bleach solutions. 

Cleaners like the cdc says work as well if you can get them.

Edit for spelling",juscar,2020-03-23 15:39:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How do you typically decontaminate an infected area? Is it manual cleaning or do you use some kind of aerosolised process? 

Keep up the good work btw!","Both actually it depends on the area and what specifically we’re deconing. But solution on rags, foggers, sprays, pretty much anything that will do our job at this point. Large stuff we may hose with a solution to cover everything quickly like large walls and floors in factories.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:44:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Yesterday I came home with a load of groceries from Walmart pickup. My girlfriend spent two hours wiping down each individual item with Clorox wipes. Is that necessary for staying safe in your home?,"It’s overkill, but from Walmart I would do it myself honestly lol. 

But in all reason if it’s already bagged or boxed your fine. It’s stuff like the apples that 30 something people have handles you should wash.",juscar,2020-03-23 16:18:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
i see people in hazmat suits spraying themselves. is that Lysol?,It’s usually a bleach solution or anti-microbio solution. It’s to decon them selves. So that way they don’t infect themselves coming out of there get up.,juscar,2020-03-23 15:50:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How long does it take to put a suit on? How does it affect bathroom situations where you’re at?,"Pretty much when your in your in. There no bathroom till you decon. Then decon your equipment. 

Takes about 20 minutes to get it on and taped.
Then a lot longer to take off.

Taking it off we’ve been standing in little kiddie pools while are decon team sprays us down.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:46:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it safe for kids of divorced parents to shuffle around parents and cities? Should their kids stay at one home until this is over?,"Kids are the mother of all sick spreaders in my opinion so keeping them in clean areas and away from people other than there parents who are taking care of them would limit there chances of getting sick.

If a parent gets sick it gets the kid sick, If a kid gets sick at school he gets other kids sick which in turn gets another household sick.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:53:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you admit most about Covid?,"It’s not a scary enough name.

Like the Black Plague sounded way cooler and scarier.",juscar,2020-03-23 17:20:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"hello, how do you avoid not being in panic during this situation? thanks in advance for your answer and thank you for your work",Honestly for me I just keep taking one day at a time and think what I’m gonna do to relax at home till the chaos starts the next day.,juscar,2020-03-23 15:48:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do the suits only get worn once or do they get cleaned and used again somehow?,We’re thankfully not that strained yet so we’re using them once and done for each job. But we do clean and reuse if it’s possible,juscar,2020-03-23 16:11:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How can I get this job? I have a TON of experience with decontaminating things, wearing tyvek, respirator, whole nine yards. I used to apply novel agricultural chemicals to see if they are safe for consumption and the residue limits were VERY tight so I had to not cross contaminate and disinfect everything. I'd be kick ass at this job.","I’d say google environmental company’s like I’ve stated above. 

A lot of them are big so you apply online.",juscar,2020-03-23 18:23:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is this you?[is this you?](https://imgur.com/gallery/EdUdk0V),That’s not far off.,juscar,2020-03-23 17:49:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Hi! Any advice on this? What needs to be done to decontaminate the house? I’m worried about my immuno-compromised elderly parents.,"I’m not a medical professional so I can answer every to your specific situation, best I can say is to shower every time your coming back to your house after you leave it, And wash your clothes. 

I’d also suggest anyone who goes to see them if they aren’t leaving the house to wear a mask. That way they don’t bring there own germs to them.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:38:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What PPE do you have when you are on the job?,"Are standard for Decon atm is a gas mask filtered respirator and tyvek hazmat taped with gloves and booties.

We’re not taking chances with half face masks or non full seal.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:42:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you have small children at home? Is family life at home being affected by you being infected?,"Thankful I don’t have kids atm,
But sadly my sister does and my household watches him regularly.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:58:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you see UV-C lights as viable option to decontaminate masks to make them reusable?,"We haven’t used them in my experience, which decon are mask with wipes after use and before use every time.",juscar,2020-03-23 15:54:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How is the day-to-day activites (non-pandemic)? Is there someone always on call to go to the accident site?

Did you ever do crime scenes? Or is that ouside your line of work. 

Also, have you worked on a Superfund (or your country's equivalent) site? Where does that massive amount of waste goes?",Day to day is more strained I say because we have our past work load somewhat still there but a massive workload on top of it.,juscar,2020-03-23 16:09:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"it is said that the virus only spreads through dropplets when somebody coughs or sneeze .. but it's that really the only way ? 

If yes, so why everybody in Asia is wearing masks right now ?

Thanks","Part of it is panic and hysteria but because those germs get spread and the facts on airborne spread are little thin. 

Masks help when your in crowds both you spreading and getting. But like some medical professionals are finding out you can do everything right and still get it. 

So taking precautions helps",juscar,2020-03-23 16:08:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I work as an RN at a psych hospital and have been on medical leave for the last 6 months. I’m supposed to go back to work soon (~2 weeks) and am terrified. I’ve really been out of the loop and am getting second hand info from some of my coworkers. The communication from our administration is severely lacking and we are being discouraged from wearing masks and gloves. I’m at least young and healthy but my partner is immunocompromised and his dad is an elderly smoker and they both live with me. What can I do when I come home to protect them?,"Honestly I would say if you have any medical authority to tell that there not taking precautions if your essential personal.

Don’t let your employer put your loved ones at risk.",juscar,2020-03-23 19:36:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What is your opinion on how the trump administration handled this situation? I'm Canadian and our government has been taking far more precautions than our next door neighbors, and many in the world believe they dropped the ball causing more panic.","Most of my supervisors and co workers believe that it’s being more fueled to panic than handled, the administrative response I think should’ve been on task before it has reached this point. 

Mask shortages and repurposing faculty to make equipment for the the crisis should been in the works weeks ago. But I’m just the low man on the bar for a question like this.",juscar,2020-03-23 12:12:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What's it smell like in the suit?,"Swamp asssss, thank god for a gas mask I can’t smell myself",juscar,2020-03-23 16:18:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How do you make sure you stay safe?,By taking everything about this seriously and take every situation as it comes smartly.,juscar,2020-03-23 16:28:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How often do you play that funky music?,Till I die!!!!!,juscar,2020-03-23 17:02:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’m an ICU nurse in Houston. We have been told to reuse our droplet masks and gowns. What do you think the safest way is to do this? 

I’m betting my own PPE is what’s going to get me sick eventually","Honestly I’m sure how to answer this question, but I think it still better than nothing.",juscar,2020-03-23 17:51:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"If I wear N95 mask & the virus gets on it. If I leave it for 7 days.
Will the virus have died? 
If it does, can I wear it again? 
If I can, can I keep doing that for months?",I would recommend no. Just for safety.,juscar,2020-03-23 16:15:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Should I be worried about getting covid from the food I buy from the grocery store? Eating it or touching it?,No you should be fine as long as your cleaning your produce like veggies and stuff you grab off a rack.,juscar,2020-03-23 16:14:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it safe to go out for a jog? I live in cali,So long as your away from other people yes.,juscar,2020-03-23 16:25:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is Gary Oldman the greatest actor?,"No. 

I’m tied for bale or Tom hardy.",juscar,2020-03-23 17:17:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"My company has said they closed down one of the buildings for a deep clean, and explained that they used a ""special machine that kills COVID-19"" in order to do so. Can you offer any insight as to what such a machine might be? The company won't actually tell us what's been employed to do so.","May have been a fogger.
But I I would still take care because that’s not saying that it couldn’t be spread around again.",juscar,2020-03-23 17:39:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What's your biggest concern with this new virus?,"People think this is a hoax, those are dumb people and should be avoided.",juscar,2020-03-23 19:30:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"For the companies that are not necessary and are trying with every fiber of their being to stay open, what would you say to them?","If your not essential personal as defined by homeland to keep our country running, or help with the crisis.

STAY HOME.",juscar,2020-03-23 16:22:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is their a way to home build a relatively safe hazmat suit to go get groceries?,"You do not need to go that far but, some gloves and a n95 mask are fine. 

Mask to limit your potential exposure to your lungs and system. 

Gloves so your not picking it up on your hands,
Afterwords wash your gloves or dispose of them if there disposable.",juscar,2020-03-23 18:03:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Hello. Thank you for your hard work at these trying times. I’m a medical resident physician in New York City hospital. We’re scrambling around to find some hazmat suits for our resident physicians. Are there any extra supplies for us? We are a class of 200 physicians.,I’m not sure where I can direct you.,juscar,2020-03-23 19:21:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What’s your thought process to muster up the courage to work in such a high risk area?,"This is a hard question I ask every morning and call I get for a decon job. Basically I just keep telling myself “at least you got a job in the crisis” and “someone got to do it”.

Not what I signed up for but it’s the job.",juscar,2020-03-23 16:30:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"So I work at a pharmacy and we're exposed to sick patients without PPE. I luckily have an n95 mask already, but what's the most effective way to wash my clothes coming home from work? I always shower immediately after coming home from work but I'm afraid washing my clothes normally may not cut it",That’s enough I would also recommend eye pro.,juscar,2020-03-23 17:15:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you have enough masks?,"So far yes we’re watching diligently, we are mostly using respirators with filters so the reuse isn’t too bad. we just need to keep up with a supply of filters other than that we should be fine on our end we think.",juscar,2020-03-23 17:26:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How bad is it seeing it in reality? Is it similar to the common cold or is it worse or what?,Thankfully I’m not a medical professional so I m only around areas patients have been and not the patients themselves.,juscar,2020-03-23 17:50:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you have to do when you decontaminate the area?,"Clean, basically cleaning everything to the extreme.  

But when you need to decon crazy shit like electric switches and sensitive electronics it’s very very carefully.",juscar,2020-03-23 19:29:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How long could coronavirus last in your honest opinion do you think it will last longer than April?,No idea atm. All depends on medical research,juscar,2020-03-23 19:27:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"My brother is coming home from Cambodia tomorrow.  Can we hug him if we are wearing morph suits, or something that covers our entire body (painting suit, Dupont suit)?",That would work but he should get tested before anything. And you’ll need a mask,juscar,2020-03-23 19:22:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’m going through chemo right now. I am washing my hands, wiping surfaces down, avoiding going out unless it’s to the treatments. How screwed am I?",Following all your precautions like your doing is the best I can say.,juscar,2020-03-23 22:14:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi there, I always wondered how do people deal with thirst, hunger and need for toilet when in hazmat suit for few hours or you cannot take it off?","Basically it’s hold it until you can’t, drink lots of water and Gatorade and pee before you suit up.",juscar,2020-03-23 21:15:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
" 

Hazmat response supervisor here, thanks for making this thread. I'm curious what outfit you are with, but I won't ask xD

Thanks for holding down the fort in your region, we've been swamped with COVID decontaminations as of late. It's getting tiresome running around in saranex.

Have y'all had any luck with foggers? And if so what solution are you fogging?",I’m unsure about the it is all I know is it’s a anti microbial that are supervisors decided on.,juscar,2020-03-23 21:12:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you for doing this AMA. So I also work in healthcare. While not a nurse or physician, I need to go to an exam or procedure room to perform an inspection when patients are not in there, which can take about 2-4 hours. Do you think wearing a surgical mask is necessary? Is PPE or disposable gown neccessary? Thank you!",I’m not a medical professional but I’d say PPE like gloves and mask at all times don’t hurt.,juscar,2020-03-23 21:57:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What color is your toothbrush?,Blue with a hint of white,juscar,2020-03-23 13:40:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What kind of decontamination practices should I adopt in my house? Bleach is not a commonly available cleaning item where I live.,"I recommend as soon as you get home take a shower and wash your clothes.

That’s the CDC recommendation.

Also whip down regular use items you use daily outside your home, car steering wheels, phones, things people touch everyday.",juscar,2020-03-23 14:35:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What does ""working admits"" mean?",Working during this crisis. Sorry spell check changed my amidst time it. Fat fingers,juscar,2020-03-23 14:02:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
[deleted],I don’t have the power to hire you but I recommend looking into your nearest companies nearby most hazmat services are strained at the moment for techs.,juscar,2020-03-23 23:48:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi Bill, a lot of people use Lysol to decontaminate household surfaces. Is ammonia just as effective as alcohol or bleach against SARS-CoV-2?",We have not used it yet so I’m not sure. I’d have to look into that.,juscar,2020-03-23 17:21:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Any kind of folks you think are *not* suited to this type of work?  Obv for you any potential negatives are outweighed by the positives so far, but any warnings or at least things to consider for people considering this line of work, that many people might not think of?","Work requires a psychical, and lung test.

It’s also hard works.

So heavy physical demand. Any immune system problem usually means you’re not cut out for it.",juscar,2020-03-23 17:19:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
We deal with hazardous materials including asbestos and mold. How did you get the contracts to do this work?,"I’m not a project manger so I don’t handle setting up, but we do handle business connections by directing people to our company",juscar,2020-03-23 19:25:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Are home made masks effective?,They are better than nothing imo.,juscar,2020-03-23 19:24:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Will homemade/DIY masks work in case they run out of proper ones?,Somewhat there better than nothing.,juscar,2020-03-23 19:34:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Flamethrowers: When do they come into play?,When we quit and go mad max.,juscar,2020-03-23 21:11:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you do when you get home to make sure your home stays clean?,"I immediately take off shoes, go to my bathroom and take a shower, and then wash my clothes that I wore for the day. Then I wipe down my phone and keys.",juscar,2020-03-23 22:09:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why do you think governments lied about the effectiveness of N95+ masks? Maybe because of a world shortage?,No,juscar,2020-03-23 22:07:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey James, how do you spell amidst?

PS Sorry, I couldn't help myself.  Thank you for your service to humanity.",Damn spell check strikes again,juscar,2020-03-23 22:10:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Thank you for all your hard work and please stay safe.

If we had to go outside to buy groceries and come back into our homes, what is the best way to wash our faces/hair? Even if we wash our hands I’m worried anything on our face/hair could get into our eyes/nose/mouth when we take a shower.

What do you guys do?",Just take a normal shower and you’ll be alright.,juscar,2020-03-23 23:58:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"So, how are you feeling?","Everyone asks “where’s HAzmat but never how’s hazmat.”

In all seriousness strained long hours are my normal extreme lately",juscar,2020-03-24 05:37:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do I have your support in the up coming election? 

A vote for covid-19 is a vote for life.",NO MR PRESIDENT GET DOWN!,juscar,2020-03-24 05:18:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What are you doing that is covid related? I have never seen anyone use hazwoper for pathogen cleanups, seems shady and outside the scope of the limited training.",Mostly just offer cleaning services to business places that are extra worried admit the panic but don’t want to get sick cleaning it. That’s the short answer,juscar,2020-03-23 16:01:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What part of the world are you working in? 

How come when this first started in China you saw people falling over, having seizures, etc.. Yet in North America there has been no such cases. What is making this drastic difference in symptoms?",I’m not a medical professional so I can’t confidently answer this one.,juscar,2020-03-23 16:06:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Shouldn’t you be working?,Lol shssshhhhh,juscar,2020-03-23 16:00:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What's in those bug bomb style things they use for the superbugs?  
I watched a guy with a hazmat and what looked like a oxygen supply and a sealed room","That is probably insecticide and tyvek suit.

You don’t have to be hazmat tech to work around hazardous materials.",juscar,2020-03-23 18:05:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How long do you think the “stay in place” will last in California?,No idea. Hopefully not long,juscar,2020-03-23 19:29:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I have my HAZMAT Technician certification from my time in the Army. How can I flex this in the private sector??,Come do it as a civilian lol,juscar,2020-03-23 21:14:30+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What kinda of equipment do you use besides the sprays and PPE? I'm working on a project where I need to compile a report about what kind of equipment is used for COVID-19 decon. I'm more interested in any decon chambers, tents (and equipment therein), temporary constructions, etc. Anything out the ordinary? Any practical UVGI stuff? Do you set-up on a job site? Like trailers and stuff?   
    
Basically if someone was compiling a list of everything you could possibly ever need on any job site, what would be on that list?","That is a lengthy question to answer.

TLDR is we set up tents and then small kiddie pools like children use, we stand in them and spray ourselves down when coming out of site to decon

As for all of it I recommend calling a company to help set you up.",juscar,2020-03-23 22:06:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My 6yo and I live in a house with another adult. Kid and I are very cautious and have been quarantined at home almost 2 weeks. The other adult however is not following distancing guidelines with the general public and goes in and out of the house. Is there anything I can do to protect my child and myself?,"I recommend staying in your rooms and have a serious conversation with your roommate, also possibly send your child to a family household that will follow the guide lines if it helps ease you.",juscar,2020-03-23 22:04:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
In Hazmat Tech School were you trained for crisises such as Covid-19?,"Didn’t go to hazmat tech school I’m just some shmoe who walked in they and gave me training. 

Had no idea I was gonna be dealing with this covid business",juscar,2020-03-23 22:03:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey, I'm at the hospital right now heading home to folks who are high risk. What should I do after discharge to keep them safe? The staff didn't get PPE in until today and there's not enough to go around so folks like food delivery aren't wearing masks at all. I don't have any way to know if I've been exposed. And there are no tests available so no one in my area knows if anyone in town has gotten it yet.

Are we talking ""wash clothes immediately and take a shower"" or like ""burn everything a la *The Velveteen Rabbit* and stay somewhere else for a week"" levels of paranoia to actually be safe?","Wash,wash,wash. Your doing everything atm you can I would suggest wearing a mask if possible around everyone since your in a high risk area.",juscar,2020-03-23 22:01:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How many deaths do you expect from this?,"I’m not the person to ask for the numbers but all I can say is , hopefully not us!",juscar,2020-03-23 22:17:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How clean is your house?,Cleaner than most I hope lol,juscar,2020-03-23 23:13:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the funniest joke you've heard while decontaminating an area?,Someone likes to dip and we laughed our ass off we he accidentally coughed his dip up in his mask lol. Not a joke but I couldn’t stop laughing.,juscar,2020-03-23 23:56:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello, do you know if the Coronavirus is considered airborne? Meaning, if you are in the same room as a person infected, your risk of getting it is high, even if there is no contact with the infected person? Have you had to air sweep from any cases of this virus?","We are treating it as a extreme atm, for our own safety. If your in the same room as someone even if your wearing PPE the risk is there but never zero.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:42:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you do crime scene clean up as well?

Like homicides,suicides,and accidental deaths?

If so what is your worse story?",I have not personally done that so I can’t say.,juscar,2020-03-24 05:41:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are people using the toilet paper for that’s not the usual application that we all know?,"TPing someone’s house now is the ultimate power move.

But in all seriousness the to crisis is dumb and created by panic.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:41:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I live in a three floor, 6 apartment building in a major canadian city.  The gentlemen in the apartment above mine has started running a fever but I don't know if he has been tested for COVID-19 or not.  I am thinking of mixing a solution of bleach and water and spraying it on all of the common area railings and the laundry room machines.  Is this a waste of time, or not?  What concentration should i make the solution?","This is absolutely not out of the question. 
1/10 bleach 9/10 water 

I would talk to your land lords and if they are not cleaning I would suggest finding legal help maybe they can help in this time.

It’s everyone’s job to clean there own living spaces in this hard time.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:39:40+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How fucked are we?,"Well if all the doctors get sick then it’s bad.

I’m not a medical professional.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:25:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I'm pretty late here but you're the perfect person for a question that's been bugging me.  What's the deal the pics from other countries of guys in hazmat suits fogging sidewalks and streets?  Why would you need to disinfect open areas like that?  Is that something we would ever see in the states or is something fundamentally different?,"I’m not a big brain enough to answer that one yet, my suspicion is there going to the extreme over there because of media.
Also facts about the virus are developing so they could’ve been taken when we knew knowthing of how it lived and they treated as a extreme.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:24:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How long can the virus live on inanimate objects? Should we be paranoid about our groceries, packages, and/or clothing after getting home?","No you should be fine, clothes I would wash though.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:21:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can you pee/drink while in the suit?,"Nope once your in, your in.

Basically you have to wait till you can decon and find a bathroom. Then you de suit, de glove, and then clean your PPE .",juscar,2020-03-24 05:20:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"where can i buy myself a knock off but still like somewhat functioning hazmat suit?

Preferably one that looks terrifying lul

always wanted one","You can buy old military ones online if that’s what your into.

You can buy the ones we use straight from tyvek and amazon.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:18:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is Dettol effective in decontaminating surfaces from the Corona virus?
(Composition: Chloroxylenol 4.8%, Terpineol B.P. 9%, Denatured alcohol 13%)","I’m not sure, we haven’t had to swap our methods yet because bleach is readily available in bulk.

I would look up dettol effectiveness as a clean and make the call yourself.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:17:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are some of the challenges you face in your day today life around the Coronavirus decontamination?,"It’s my past workload combined with a new workload.

Before we worked mostly spill, waste removal, and generally other environmental jobs.
But decon work is slowing taking over our workload and we are strained.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:13:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What’s it like having PPE?,Are you asking what it’s like for daily use?,juscar,2020-03-24 05:48:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hey James! I have a question, if you knew the COVID-19 crisis was going to happen would you have still taken your job?","Honestly that’s a hard answer, I didn’t sign up for COVID 19 so I think it would have affected my choice heavily.",juscar,2020-03-24 06:00:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"A month ago I purchased something from China, but just before corona virus pandemic. Should I be worried?","Honestly, if you haven’t gotten sick from it yet you should be fine, but wiping down mail from China is not a bad idea. 

With the world of overnight shipping it’s possible.",juscar,2020-03-23 18:26:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What happens if I drive somewhere while the state is in lockdown? Because I need a dirtbike,I would recommend against that.,juscar,2020-03-23 21:15:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Do you put gloves on when you jerk off?,We call that one the dirty glove.,juscar,2020-03-23 22:54:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
On A scale of 1-10. Just how fucked are we?,"I don’t think we’re fucked, like society and the world will go on. 

But I’m not some scientist staring at statistics on the virus in a basement. 

If a man looks at a shit load of algebra the size of a wall and it’s data and goes “my god we’re fucked” then I think we have reason to concern.",juscar,2020-03-23 17:29:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are they not telling us ?,"They know that thing you did with you know who, at that place.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:30:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is it blown out of proportion.??  Like is the media causing un needed panic.??,"The media is totally causing unneeded panic, but people still need to take this seriously. 

But the media should not be telling people to stock up on unneeded items so people can’t get it who need it. 

We needed batteries for our equipment and someone bought all them. My coworker said the new ran a story and suggest people stock up on them. You don’t need batteries if you get sick you need medicine and tissues like any other sick human being.

I am not a medical professional.

But if some one you know has been contagious and has been walking around and working in your workplace we come to make it safe again.",juscar,2020-03-23 13:49:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is the hardest drug you’ve ever done?,I plead the 5th,juscar,2020-03-23 21:13:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Why are you an attention seeker?,"Not really, made this post to be informative",juscar,2020-03-23 22:54:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Would you agree that that vaccine will come in 12 to 18 months, more likely 18 months?",I’m not a medical researcher so I’m not sure. Hopefully soon!,juscar,2020-03-23 22:32:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
How long do you think schools will be closed for in Pennsylvania USA?,"I’m not sure but both my neighboring states as well as my own have shutdown.

I’m just hoping we get back to normal like the rest of us.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:26:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I’ve been trying to get an answer here on Reddit for a while now and can’t!  Maybe you can answer me. 

Why is it so difficult to find a vaccine, specifically for COVID-19?",I’m not a medical professional so I can’t answer that.,juscar,2020-03-23 19:31:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can you take a pucture of the test package for us?,I’m not sure what your asking.,juscar,2020-03-24 05:37:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What is your favorite song?,"Stairway to heaven - Led Zeppelin 

Want it played at my funeral.",juscar,2020-03-24 05:34:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Did you read or watch The Toxic Avenger comic growing up?,Nope but that  isn’t the first time I heard that I should read it!,juscar,2020-03-24 05:31:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fnm7b2/hi_i_became_a_hazmat_tech_working_admits_the/,"Hi I became a hazmat tech working admits the current COVID-19 crisis, I do Decontamination and have been working on the front line in exposure during the crisis. Ask me anything!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What would you recommend to do in terms of preparation and prevention of Coronoavirus?,"Good question.  Here are the CDC guidelines:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

Basically on an individual level, it is everything that you have been hearing and all the same things you do to prevent getting influenza: 

- Wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds; 
- Avoid touching your face after you have been touching surfaces used by others;
- Cough into your elbow, not hands or on other people (which is rude and bad infection control!)
- If you can, keep a distance of 6 feet from those who are visibly sick
- Stay home if you feel sick

Don't buy masks. You don't need them unless you are sick, and our health workers who work very closely with sick people really do need them. 

Hope that helps!
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 12:26:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
"Should people taking public transportation (NYC/London Subway) take any extra precautions? 

I keep reading “if someone sneezes move 6 ft away from them” but that’s not really a reality for those of us who commute to work.","Good question. China did close down public transportation and most believe it was effective to do so. 

There may come a time when other nations or communities need to do the same.  That said, we are not there yet in London or NYC. As of today, the risk is still low and, as of today, there is no reason not to take public transport. Look to advice from those local public health authorities. I have good confidence in the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. I know that the UK Department Health and Social Care released a report. Today, I have not read it yet, but people whom I respect have given it positive reviews. Read for yourself to know for sure:  

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan

all best,
T",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:06:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
How does COVID-19 compare to the Spanish flu from 1918?,"*It looks like the original reply here was removed because of a shortened link. Here it is again:* 

Great question and hello to all participants. I am glad to get to have this discussion with you.

The short answer is that we don’t know yet. It is still a relatively new virus and with each day we’re learning more.

We are pretty certain that COVID-19 will become a pandemic (with worldwide spread), but we don’t know yet for sure if it will a mild, moderate, or severe one.

The issue is knowing more about (1) the transmissibility of the virus and (2) its severity. We have pretty good idea that COVID-19 spreads pretty easily, with each infecting person one to 3 other people. That is more transmissible that SARS in 2002-2003 or Ebola, but not nearly as transmissible as measles.

The big known question is how many people does the virus kill or make seriously ill. In China, the fatality rate per case was about 3 percent and one out of 7 got severely ill. That is pretty severe – the 1918 flu had a case fatality rate of about 2 and the average flu has case fatality of about 0.1 percent

That said, outside of the overwhelmed health system of Hubei province, the case fatality rate from COVID-19 has been a lot lower. As I wrote yesterday in Foreign Affairs, China has some of the poorest lung health in the world. Singapore has had 110 cases and no deaths.

Here is the FA link for those interested: [https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2020-03-02/what-world-can-learn-chinas-experience-coronavirus](https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2020-03-02/what-world-can-learn-chinas-experience-coronavirus)",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 12:14:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
"Considering what China had to do to reduce the R0 number, do you believe that the lack of initiatives in the United States to quarantine cities, apartment buildings, drones monitoring people, etc will eventually result in a worse outcome in the United States than what China has experienced?","Another great question.  Thanks for submitting it.  Governments are going to have to consider carefully which parts of China’s experience will be generalizable to their countries.

Understanding the factors that affect a person’s immune response to COVID-19 will likely matter as much as or more than understanding the virus itself. Poor lung health abounds in China more than in other nations. One out of two adult men in China smoke. The effects of smoking on COVID-19 have not yet been determined, but previous studies have shown that smoking increases the severity of influenza and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, another coronavirus. China is heavily urbanized and has terrible rates of air pollution, which may contribute to spread.

On the positive side, China is constructing new hospitals, taking whole hospitals out of general service and devoting them to COVID-19 response, and has mobilized thousands nurses and doctors, respirators and other pneumonia-support equipment. That will be tough for other nations to match, including the US where hospitals operate at or close to capacity.

On the issue of quarantine and surveillance, my feeling is that no other nation can or should seek to replicate China’s action. Speed, transparency, and accurate, science-based risk communication are what really matter. Research shows that China’s most effective measures against this virus have also been those that can be undertaken without trampling on human rights: suspending public transport, closing entertainment venues, and limiting public gatherings. Health-care facilities and departments in the United States and other nations should be preparing now—with training, equipment, and detailed operational plans—for the surge in COVID-19 patients, especially among the elderly, that China’s example shows will soon come.

Here is the study assessing China's effectiveness on COVID-19:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.30.20019844v3.full.pdf

Hope that helps,
T",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 12:19:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
"How long does recovery from a mild to medium case take?

Does there appear to be any permanent damage associated with the virus?","Good question.  According to the report released by China CDC, it has taken about 2-3 weeks for mild cases to recover and 3-6 weeks to recover

Here is the China CDC report:

https://github.com/cmrivers/ncov/blob/master/COVID-19.pdf

hope that helps!
best,
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 12:30:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
What's the (realistic) best case scenario? And what's the worst case scenario?,"Based on what we know today, the best case scenario based is that this is roughly equivalent to a moderate to bad seasonal flu. 

The worse case scenario, again, based on what we know know, is this is closer to the 1957 and 1968 flu pandemic.  I don't think that many people *yet* think this is likely to be as bad as 1918. 

Here is a great piece on this topic by former CDC Director Tom Frieden on Think Global Health:

https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/how-save-lives-covid-19-pandemic

Hope that helps.

all best,
T",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 12:57:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
What's the most prominent misconception that you'd like to address right now?,"Thanks. I still get questions about whether COVID-19 is a bio-weapon released by China. One source of rumours was a paper posted by scientists in India claiming that short insertions in the viral genome had an “uncanny similarity” to HIV. And, to be fair, there have been US politicians who promoted this theory as well.  

The credible papers that I have seen on the genetic analysis of the virus suggest that the mutations are completely consistent with natural evolution.

Trevor Bedford at the Hutch is your best source source on this and a good person to follow on twitter: @trvrb

thanks,
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 12:37:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
Are you personally changing anything in your life or suggesting changes to friends or family based off this outbreak?,"Good question. I have three small kids. My wife and I have been going back over the lessons on good hand washing and making sure they coughing into their elbows.  I myself have also been extra vigilant about washing hands with soap after touching surfaces that get a lot of traffic. Everyone in the family has gotten their flu shot; it won't keep you from catching COVID-19 but it has been a fairly bad fly seasons and there may be overlap in the spread of these viruses. We want to prevent the illnesses that we can.   

thanks for participating and the good question.

all best,
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:42:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
Do you think it will get so bad that Japan will cancel the Olympics?,"Good question. Japan and the International Olympic Committee have repeatedly said that the games will be held, on schedule, during the summer 2020. However, Japan's Olympic minister said today that, “The IOC has the right to cancel the games only if they are not held during 2020. This can be interpreted to mean the games can be postponed as long as they are held during the calendar year.”

https://apnews.com/dab1f417226069194819c8c8c168a0b5

My hunch is that Japan eventually decides to postpone, but not cancel the games. 

all best,
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:33:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
"What are definitive symptoms that one should recognize and go to the doctor? Early symptoms, that is. Not when you have a full blown flu going already. Also, how to prevent going to the doctors without a real cause, so you don't clog up the system and/or get put into quarantine ""until the lab results are back"" over a simple cold.","Good question. Symptoms can appear within two to fourteen days after exposure. According to CDC, most common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. CDC advises that you call your healthcare professional as soon as you develop symptoms and either have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or have traveled from or through an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of the disease. If you are a resident in a community where person-to-person spread of COVID-19 has been detected and you develop symptoms, CDC advises that you call your healthcare provider and describe your symptoms.

For those with mild cases of COVID-19, CDC says patients can be treated at home with a healthcare provider's approval if the patient is stable enough to receive care at home, is capable of adhering to home-care precautions (e.g. respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette, hand hygiene, etc.), and meets other requirements. For instance, Georgia's Public Health Department said yesterday that the two cases confirmed yesterday in the state are currently in home isolation, as their symptoms are minimal.

Hope that helps. Helpful links below:

https://www.ajc.com/blog/politics/kemp-expected-address-coronavirus-late-night-press-conference/VqbHGt7Z0p8U9KTx6bClJM/
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-home-care.html",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:18:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
"Hi sir,

What is done to carry out fast tracking of clinical trials of potential vaccines? Also, when do you think it will be ready?","Great question. The US National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (part of the NIH) has been working the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to fast track several vaccine candidates. Part of the supplemental budget request to Congress is for  additional resources to support the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs. 

That all said, I would not expect a vaccine this season and, probably, not before next year sometime. Most vaccine candidates take years to  get through clinical trials and most, if not all, of  these COVID-19 vaccine candidates have not even entered phase I clinical trials.  

In the 2013-2015 West Africa Ebola outbreak, there was a rush of pharma companies working to develop vaccines for that virus, taking advantage of the fact that there were already several candidates for ebola that had already been through phase II clinical trials (testing safety and preliminary effectives).  Even that vaccine did not get all the way through the develpment process until the DRC outbreak of Ebola in 2018.

For the foreseeable future, it will be our healthcare systems and shoe leather public health measures that get us through COVID-19, not waiting for a miracle medical intervention like a vaccine.

hope that helps!
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:16:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
Does the Administration have to approve your answers?,"No winks. We're good. It's just me here and I am not a US government employee. 

all best,
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:36:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
"Do you forsee any policies restricting movement, work, transit etc being implemented in the USA as they were in china? If so, what kinds of economic or societal impacts would we see if it did escalate to that point? Thanks in advance.","It's a fair question, but I think it is much more likely that such actions will occur at the state and local levels than at the USA level. This is for both public health reasons -- the need and usefulness of those policies are going to vary by community -- and legal reasons -- the legal authority to exercise that authority rests for the most part with states.

There is no question however that such measures have a dramatic effect on economies and societies. In most epidemics, it is not the direct effects of epidemics that do the most damage to health and economies. It is the indirect effects that add up --  all the economic activities like shopping and traveling that people forego, the physician visits and ordinary vaccinations people avoid in their effort not to get sick.  

hope that helps.
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:29:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
"Have societal and technological changes over the past century made world more or less vulnerable to epi/pandemics?


I.e. it seems as though healthcare and treatments have gotten much more advanced and the internet allows for more social distancing to combat disease. Conversely, air travel and increased urbanization have made it presumably easier for disease to spread.","Great question! The short answer is yes and this is a major theme of my book.  

Emerging and treatment-resistant pathogensveasily cross national boundaries, given increases in global trade, faster travel, and rising global temperatures (resulting in warmer, more virus-friendly climates).  Another factor has been that we have gotten healthier (less infectious diseases) without that the same improvements in healthcare systems that once had to accompany reductions of infectious and child deaths before the development of most vaccines and increased availability of availability of antibiotics after WWII.

Even in countries with the most rudimentary health systems, better medicines and more international aid in developing and disseminating
medical advances has yielded longer lives, fewer dead children and grief-stricken families, and less human suffering more generally. Yet it has also made many nations more vulnerable to contagious viruses for which there are no available drugs to treat and no vaccines to prevent
infections, and against which people have no preexisting immunity.

COVID-19 is an example of such a disease.

thanks for the question and sorry for the worrisome answer,
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:51:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
"Thank you for taking the time to do this; I'm sure you must be quite busy these days.

Do you think that indirect casualties (due to overwhelmed hospitals, shortage of medicines and possibly looting/lawlessness) will become an important component of the final death toll?","Thanks for this question. 

Yes, I think hospitals overwhelmed with actual and suspected COVID-19 cases will have a direct and indirect effect on casualties. This novel coronavirus has so overwhelmed the health-care system in Hubei Province, which includes Wuhan and is the epicenter of the outbreak, that it is killing people there at a rate four to six times greater than that in the rest of China. 

See this report from the China CDC: 
https://github.com/cmrivers/ncov/blob/master/COVID-19.pdf

In the West Africa Ebola outbreak, a significant part of the health toll were due to falling vaccination rates. It is no accident that the DRC has had a measles outbreak amid the stuggle to contain the Ebola virus outbreak there. 

https://www.afro.who.int/news/deaths-democratic-republic-congo-measles-outbreak-top-6000

Hope that helps,
Tom",the_mit_press,2020-03-03 13:57:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/fcwnw5/im_thomas_bollyky_the_director_of_the_global/,"I’m Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Plagues and the Paradox of Progress.” I’m here to answer your questions about the coronavirus and infectious diseases. AMA.",https://reddit.com/r/worldnews,
Is the maternity ward impacted? I'm currently pregnant. Not due until June but it has been stressing me out.,"While I don't know for sure, I can't imagine they would close the delivery room. Be prepared to give birth in a mask.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 14:38:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Are the hospitals already seeing a dramatic increase in patients with pneumonia and signs of the virus?,Thankfully not yet here in London. We are preparing as best we can.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 13:48:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"My family doctor’s office is closed for non-emergent cases. Is this an office by office decision or has there been government directive around this? Is there a tiered plan for closing in this situation?

I’m concerned around upcoming appointments for non-hospital based specialists like seeing my neurologist, psychiatrist etc. Everyone seems to be standing by. 

I know you can’t answer on behalf of other offices, I’m just curious about mandated closures or anything else you can say about what else could be coming. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.","The OMA has recommended (but not mandated) that ALL offices close to ""non-essential"" visits. It's up to each office to determine what is non-essential. As mentioned elsewhere, all elective surgery has been cancelled.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 14:25:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"There have been a couple cases in London where people got infected but don’t know from where (as far as I heard and understand). Do you think there’s at least one or two people in London who are undiagnosed, walking around getting people sick?",Agreed. And for the record limo4emos is also an emergency doctor.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 14:50:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
[deleted],"Disclaimer I am not a pediatrician or GP. However most GP & pediatricians have closed their offices to non-essential visits. I would consider routine immunization non-essential. Not a big deal to delay it, especially because your child shouldn't have contact with others given social distancing we should all be practicing.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 13:44:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
When would you best they cancel all scheduled procedures in Day Surgery at LHSC?,I am told that all elective surgery is cancelled as of tomorrow.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 14:39:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Is a bad for large businesses not to shut down if they have hundreds of employees?,"In my opinion, yes. But thats just my opinion.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 15:40:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I live in a low density area, can I still run outside?",Yes,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 15:45:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I've spent a ton of time in the paeds ICU with my child and her lung disease. Is LHSC concerned about the amount of equipment available to deal with the extreme cases? Bipap machines, ventilators, steroid medication, etc.?","Yes, its an issue we are aware of.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 13:59:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Unfortunately, the pandemic comes to us at the beginning of allergy season. For some of us it may be difficult to distinguish between low-level Covid-19 symptoms and seasonal allergies. What symptoms should worry us?",Fever & cough are the two big ones.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 14:00:33+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Any virus prevention yet?

&#x200B;

Whats the big deal about this over..say...SARS?","Stay home. That's the only way to prevent.

RE:SARS. That's a big question but here's the quick and dirty. The numbers of infected have already far exceeded what was seen in SARS. While the case fatality rate is lower, the infectivity of the virus appears to be much higher.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 13:56:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I am a paramedic in the city. Our company is of course giving us frequent updates and revisions to the pt screening and PPE processes. Although, we have yet to be advised on any revised PPE indications, which was very vague in the first place.   
  
For example I wish we worked out a protocol with dispatch where they ask specific questions (fever, SOB, cough, etc) and definitively advise what level of PPE to wear (gloves, gloves + N95, or full gown and mask etc).  
  
Im not asking you to override or write our protocols, I think I know how I intend to practice, but I’m curious of your opinion.   
  
If we are attending a call where the pt states they have flu like symptoms to dispatch, would you recommend gloves and N95 until we assess further? Or full gown etc right off the bat?  
   
It obviously goes without saying we gown up for suspected covid-19, in any form. But it’s only a matter of time when the “have you been out of the country” indication is not enough anymore.",I think you should do what we are doing. Anyone with symptoms (fever/cough/SOB) we are using droplet/contact PPE aka shield/mask/gown/gloves. N95 only indicated if you are intubating. N95s are essentially like gold - don't use them unless indicated.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 18:58:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"There have been a number of doctors and epidemiologists in the GTA that have been publicly speaking out about the need for stricter measures immediately. Are you and other physicians speaking out to our MPP or MP about the need for more action, or are you comfortable with the measures taken by our chief medical officer thus far? I don't mean to make this political at all. I'm just curious how you are feeling - are you getting more anxious at the implosion looms or are you feeling like we will fare better than Europe based on our actions taken thus far?","Difficult question to answer. I am happy they have taken the measures they have. I am more frustrated that people aren't abiding by them. People need to stay home unless absolutely necessary. This is the most important thing we can all do to limit spread. And people need to stop traveling. Hopefully the PMs message delivered earlier will help with that.

We have enough local issues (mask/gown/swab/test supply) that I honestly don't have time to think about the bigger picture right now.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 14:48:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"General question: how many ICU beds are there in London, what is their current occupancy, and how many ventilators are there?","Very difficult question to answer. Bottom line, if we experience the numbers here as they have elsewhere (US, Italy, China) our resources will be severely stretched.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 15:43:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Most of my team is able to work from home, but I am not able to yet. Today the team, those who can, started working from home. On a conference call this morning, my boss said that was experiencing flu like symptoms and quarantining himself just in case. The other staff and myself who are still at the office are wondering if we should be concerned about quarantine ourselves, since we were working alongside out boss last week.","You might want to visit the assessment center for that question. But ultimately, it's safer to quarantine than risk spread.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 15:42:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"First, thank you so much for doing this - it's a great community service.

Similar to other questions regarding non-essential medical appointments/ services I have a question regarding prescriptions.

I'm finishing a second degree at Western (so I've been here....awhile....) and as such my GP for years has been a specific physician at the Western University Clinic. Today I received a call from the clinic instructing me to come in immediately to pick up serum vials that I keep there for injections - in case the clinic shuts down. Now I'm in the midst of figuring out where to continue my injections, but my real worry is that if they shut down I won't have access to my GP to refill my ADHD stimulant prescription. 

I'm not sure if a walk-in clinic would write a stimulant prescription without having seen me before, and as of now (since I've just been titrating dosages) I don't have any refills on my script. I have an appointment with my GP Thursday but I am admittedly a little worried about the situation. I kind of need a daily dose to manage (especially now with the semester ending AND being unstructured online lectures) and if there is a shut down before Thursday I’m not sure what my options are. 

If you have any thoughts on this situation, it would be much appreciated.","Tough situation. Scripts for any scheduled medications (pain killers, benzos, stimulants) are going to be hard to get if your own doc won't/can't fill them. You're probably correct about walk-ins not filling. Unfortunately you may simply have to do without.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 16:47:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Hey Doc, thanks for the AMA.
My question: is this ""flattening the curve"" phenomena an equilibrium? I.e. In the next few months, if we don't maintain our self quarantine or cautious behavior, will the flattened curve go off the rails again?

Basically, I'm concerned how long we have to keep this behavior up considering the vaccine won't be out in a year or so","I'm not an epidemiologist, but from what we've seen elsewhere, we're looking at a minimum of months, not weeks until the threat dissipates. My basic understanding is that it's hard to model the exponential growth in cases we're seeing. Not being able to test for new cases (as is the case in London as of right now) is going to make it even harder.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 17:28:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Disclaimer: I don’t have COVID-19.
but if I were to get it: Should I go to the hospital? Stay at home? How do you know when you’re sick enough for the hospital? I’m immunocompromised and allergic to most antibiotics and flu meds. I’m really afraid.","If you just have a cough/sore throat/fever it's likely best managed at home. Difficulty breathing would be the symptom that is most concerning. Again, it's hard to gauge electronically, but if you're at risk - elderly, immunocompromised, lung disease - then you should seek help sooner.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 17:32:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Are individuals in smaller communities less likely to catch coronavirus? 

Should I be cancelling appointment I had scheduled with my family doctor for a regular checkup? i.e. the appt had nothing to do with coronavirus.",Your GP should be postponing all non-essential visits. I would recommend not going.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 14:49:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"3 questions:

1. If you already got it once can you get it again? Or do you build an immunity like some other coronaviruses?

2. If you are thinking back to previous illness at the start of February and wonder if perhaps you were infected, is there a way to test now to confirm (residual antibodies?)

3. How can you tell the difference between a really bad flu/cold/pneumonia and covid-19?","1. Assuming the virus doesn't mutate significantly, you can only get it once.
2. Not to my knowledge.
3. You can't. Clinically they look the same.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 16:07:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Thank you for doing this ama. Couple questions.

1. Is the media blowing this up out of proportion? If not why?

2. Is CorVid-19 really just a flu like virus and should continue treating it like so?","1. No. Look to China, Italy, New York, Seattle for the reasons why.
2. The virus itself is actually called SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 is the disease it causes. It is much more virulent than influenza, hence all of the measures being taken.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 17:38:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Am I okay to ride the bus still or is that officially a no go?,"If you can avoid it, then do that. But otherwise use common sense. Keep your distance, wash your hands frequently, don't touch your face etc.

One of my colleagues posted something about riding the bus below in the comments.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 17:40:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Should people come into work even if they live with someone that just returned from international travel? My friends work said to try to maintain a 2m separation and sleep in a separate room if possible but to wash your hands and come into the office. Is this safe?,Anyone in close contact with someone who just returned from travel should also self isolate. I would not recommend going to work. That goes for anyone else that lives with you.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 15:56:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Is there anything an average healthy person can do to help with the situation, beyond staying home and social distancing? Any charities or efforts that could use unskilled volunteers? Or is this best left to the professionals?","Honestly I would just stay home. If there are needs for specific skills later on, I'm sure people will be called on.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 16:06:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Should we report to public health if we have symptoms that are manageable from home?,You do not need to report anything to pubic health if you are managing at home.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 18:14:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
My Mom is a 65 year old retired RN currently working two casual shifts a week at Parkwood hospital. She’s in great health but I’m terrified of her contacting it there. Should I be lobbying harder for her to give up those shifts? She thinks she’ll get sick then be available to help more due to immunity once she gets it. I have a baby at home and she’s at my house daily.,"I don't want to discourage your mom from working, this may well become an all hands on deck situation. But if she is going back and forth from the hospital, it is probably best to keep your distance from her.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 18:40:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Is it true that survivors, even healthy young adults will have severely reduced lung function? Or do I assume that whatever the media is saying that 4/5 is mild symptoms- which kinda implies no residual effects","As a global statement, not true. People that are severely affected (ICU, ventilator) may have residual effects, but what that looks like remains to be seen.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 18:42:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
I need a prescription for basic everyday meds and because of this mass hysteria cannot get in anywhere. So I guess my question is do you have a prescription pad.,"My own GP has waived all fees for call-in scripts and has an online portal where things can be requested. Hopefully others will follow suit. If thats not an option, you could try a pharmacy where you have previously been - pharmacists can fill meds for a limited time without a Rx in special circumstances.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 13:47:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I have an appointment this week to go in and see my family doctor to get a booster shot for my immunizations (nothing related to Covid-19, an appointment I booked a month or more back).  Doctor is in Sarnia, which I believe has no confirmed cases yet.  Should I cancel this appointment and get the booster shot in a few months from now?  Is there any reason not to go in now?",It's probably safest to re-book. Your booster can wait.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 16:34:28+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Are there different corona virus strains out there or is it just one?,"AFAIK, only one had been identified. But if there are reports of people being re-infected, then there may well be more than one.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 17:06:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I'm currently undergoing dialysis at Vic in london, today they had a screening table set up to check people before they entered. Any other changes I can expect?","They are limiting entrance through a few specific doors. Visitors are limited to 1 per patient for adults, 2 for children. No one under 18 allowed. Other than that, no.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 18:22:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I was sick this weekend, am not sure if I had a fever (if I did it wasn't very high), but I was coughing a bit, my nose was stuffed up, and my lips were constantly dry (so I kept drinking water).  I took tylenol and stayed in bed until yesterday, and today (monday) I feel better and the symptoms are 90% gone.

I worked from home today.  I have a job that makes it easy for me to do so.

I am planning on working from home for the rest of the week and probably the next.  I might get some push-back from my employer.  What are some things I could share that would convince him that I should stay at home?

Or am I wrong in that I need to stay at home right now?  Dealing with my boss gives me stress, but I would prefer to do the right thing.",You should definitely stay home. I don't know what to tell you re:the boss. They should not be giving you push back. All they need to do is read ANY of the recommendations from any of the local or national authorities - symptomatic individuals need to remain isolated at least 14 days or until asymptomatic for 48 hours. Worst case point them here.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 21:01:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I work for a financial institution. Although we are separated from our clients by glass, I have a 4 year old. I am also taking Brenzys which suppresses my immune system. my workplace is willing to pay us for the time off but they reduced our hours to minimize exposure time until businesses need to close. 
Anyways, do you think I should voluntarily quarantine my family? I am in contact with about 10-15 clients daily.","It sounds like a fairly low risk environment. Having said that, the safest option is of course to self quarantine.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 22:04:47+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Would you recommend wearing surgical masks when going outside for necessary reasons (i.e. grocery shopping)?,"I wouldn't say I recommend it, but it also wouldn't be the worst idea.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 22:05:58+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
There was someone who was just confirmed infected with it at the LHSC - That she was working with patients and interacted with staff.,My understanding is that they are working to contact everyone that had contact with her. I have no details beyond that.,-AEJ-,2020-03-17 18:20:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
My son is due for his 4 month vaccinations next week but I am a bit hesitant to take him to his ped office as it is also a walk-in... is it better to risk it to get the vaccines on time or wait until this blows over and catch up on them then?,The latter for sure. It won't hurt to delay his vaccinations especially if you're practicing good social distancing.,-AEJ-,2020-03-18 09:54:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Thanks for doing this. Is it still safe to go out to get groceries or medicine? And are you suspecting any large community spread? Thanks so very much.,"Community spread is going to happen. It's really just a matter of when. I don't think going to the grocery store etc for essentials is unreasonable, as long as you get in get out. Wash your hands, don't touch your face etc etc. The other option for groceries is clink n collect if you have the means. I've been using it since it's inception and it's great. Just be sure to wash everything washable once you get home.",-AEJ-,2020-03-19 13:17:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Dr Tam said yesterday that we had like 800,000 swabs coming soon to alleviate that issue for now. Have you been able to expand testing now? 

p.s. You've answered quite a few questions of mine and I wanted to offer a huge thank you for doing this. You are a hero and I feel comforted that if I fall ill that there are smart and caring doctors like you (and the others that have contributed) in the ER. THANK YOU.","We have expanded our testing to this. Keep in mind, this stuff changes rapidly.

Testing should be performed ONLY on SYMPTOMATIC individuals that fall into any of the following categories:

a. Admitted, or likely to be admitted to hospital

b. Health Care Workers who provide care in bed-based institutions with
  i. close contact with confirmed or probable COVID19 
  ii. travel history in last 14 days

c. Residents of long-term care facilities
  i. Close contact with confirmed or probable COVID19 
  ii. travel history in last 14 days

d. Part of an investigation of a cluster or outbreak (proceeding 2 cases at a time)

e. Sentinel surveillance in community ambulatory with very high clinical suspicion",-AEJ-,2020-03-19 16:48:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Are you reviewing the treatment protocols released from other countries so far? For example, there is some evidence of chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, maybe Remdesivir showing some efficiacy. I know we will see more  clear blind-trial study results in April but, in the meantime, are you able to use these in compassionate use in Canada? Who makes that call?","We are aware of all the evidence/experience with those meds. We have colleagues in Seattle and New York who are feeding us information. Ultimately, most of that info is more applicable to the inpatient/ICU side of things.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 15:00:01+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Hi. I don't know if you're still here. I just got in. 

What can we do to prevent pulmonary fibrosis - if the worst comes to the worst and we can't get into a hospital?","I haven't seen anything about pulmonary fibrosis being a significant complication. If anyone knows otherwise, post it here.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 16:43:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
How much should people be avoiding public transportation? Can we really trust a company that is going to do the cheapest thing possible to keep their buses free from disease?,We have answered the bus question a couple of times. Search the thread.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 20:18:36+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Thank you for doing this and for the work you do! 

Is there any talk of having private labs (Lifelabs, Dynacare, Alpha Labs) do/process swab testing to take the pressure off public health? To me, it makes good sense. Similar to how STI/hep/TB testing works - the labs run the samples and only things being flagged as positive go to PHL for confirmation testing. Seems we could have far more widespread testing by mobilizing skilled workers.","We will be running the test soon in house, as is being done already in other centers. The rate limiting step right now is lack of swabs, not lack of tests.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 20:42:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Any special advice on prevention of spread and hygiene when living with young children (with their propensity towards slobbery kisses and wiping their snot everywhere)?,"It's really more about social distancing. If you and yours keep your distance from others, then your kids are less likely to become infected. The biggest problem with little ones is that their symptoms are most often mild and so you won't know they are infected. That's why social distancing is SO important.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 20:33:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I am breastfeeding and am wondering if you’ve heard of any impact the virus can have on BFing mothers and their milk supply? 
Would you have any recommendations for mothers who become infected?","The virus is almost certainly passed into breast milk. The problem is, by the time you know you're infected, you will have already passed it onto your child. I have not however, heard of any specific problems with the virus affecting milk supply.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 22:10:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Once you’ve has the corona virus i assume you cannot get it again ? Could it mutate ?,Answered previously. But apparently there is a small cohort of patients who had previously cleared their infection and then tested positive again.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 22:14:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Rumor has it that the ER isn't doing many tests. I understand there is a shortage of viral swabs but is this skewing the case number to lower than what it really is. Could this make things harder to slow? South Korea implemented mass testing which seems to have helped them flatten their curve significantly.,"South Korea was very proactive in getting ahead of this. They commandeered factories to make only swabs and masks early on, which is why they have been able to test virtually the entire country. If only we had done the same.",-AEJ-,2020-03-17 13:26:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
When should people return to work if they’ve been sick?,The recommendation from PH is to self isolate until symptom free for 24H. I have been advising people to wait 48H based on a recommendation from one of our infectious disease specialists.,-AEJ-,2020-03-17 13:22:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I have an extremely severe tooth-ache.  I have contacted local dentists, but they aren't seeing patients right now.  What do you recommend I do?

Self-diagnosing, I strongly suspect I have pulpitis.  Many thanks for the input!",Agreed. Some dentists are still seeing people. I would also say keep calling.,-AEJ-,2020-03-17 18:40:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Any idea what the hospitalization rate is? It seems like almost all the cases are people isolating themselves at home whereas a lot of people on the internet are claiming 10 to 20% of cases need to be hospitalized.,"That's what I've read as well. We're not seeing that. Yet. I think it's coming, but there is still hope that all the closures and social distancing will help with that. Stay tuned.",-AEJ-,2020-03-17 19:11:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"So one of the confirmed cases in london is a prosecutor. Other prosecutors who had direct contact were asked to quarantine along with their families. If I spent the weekend with one of these families quarantined for having direct contact, we shared meals and car rides, should I self quarantine too?","Yes, I would.",-AEJ-,2020-03-18 09:55:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Hi u/-AEJ and others. Thank you for doing this AMA.

&#x200B;

I'd like to know if any of you have a known case of an asthmatic person with COVID so I can understand what to expect in the off chance I got it (I'm a student practicing social distancing as classes are going on-line only).","London has a low case volume right now, so none of us have seen any unwell COVID patients, or patients with significant co-morbid conditions. Having asthma definitely puts you at higher risk, but other factors, including the severity of your asthma and your age will also play a role. It's impossible to predict how you will respond to the virus if infected.",-AEJ-,2020-03-18 17:16:26+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
What is patient volumes like in general in the ER? How about the day to day ER happenings? same as always or lessened due to more people staying home and not getting into car accidents and other mishaps?,It's definitely lower. Having said that seeing patients with any respiratory symptoms or fever has become more time consuming given the fact that there are strict procedures for putting on and taking off PPE when seeing such patients.,-AEJ-,2020-03-18 17:18:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Do you feel the hospitals are doing enough to midigate the spread amongst current and returning staff? There is no mandatory quartine period for workers returning from outside the country.

Also, do you feel current screening procedures at entrances for staff and visitors is enough?

Thanks.","I'm on the fence about the quarantine thing. It's a double edged sword. If we quarantined everyone we'd run into staffing shortages. On the other hand, someone who is infected but minimally symptomatic could be spreading the virus. I don't know what the right answer is. Ideally we would test them all, but we don't have enough swabs to do that. Hello rock, welcome to the hard place.

LHSC is locking down entrances and funnelling people though specified entrances as of today. That should help things.",-AEJ-,2020-03-17 13:21:19+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"My place of employment has more than 50 people. Provincial government has mandated no gatherings more than 50 people. There is also an employee here who says his roommate is under investigation for the virus and he refuses to leave work and hasn’t been sent home. No talk of ANYthing being done here.

Can I expect this to change anytime soon? We went from concerned to incredibly worried.","The 50 people gathering concept is more about people in close proximity (<1m). Presumably you're not packed in like sardines at work. As has been mentioned previously, stay as far apart from others as possible, wash your hands, don't touch your face, don't share food or utensils etc.

The person who has had contact with a probable case should be self-isolating. Not sure how you can force him to do that however if your employer is not being supportive.",-AEJ-,2020-03-17 13:51:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
I heard Chris Mackie talking about the shortage of testing swabs because we get them from Italy. Why not an urge to seek help from China or South Korea with testing supplies? It sounds like they have an ample sample and are happy to help?,"This is beyond my level of expertise, but I am told ""we are looking at all options"". My basic understanding is that the government is procuring swabs as best they can and then rationing them to each hospital. We got a small influx today, but nowhere near what we actually need.

As an aside, one of the swabs we have appears (from the label) to be manufactured in Etobicoke.",-AEJ-,2020-03-17 13:55:09+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Is it true that Advil (and any NSAIDS) can make covid-19 worse and should be avoided?,"That is the current understanding. It is not based in rigorous science, but given there is an alternative (acetaminophen) it's best to avoid them.",-AEJ-,2020-03-17 18:19:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Is Outpatient Mental Health services being cancelled? I called today and no one called me back to answer. This is obviously troubling for those of us with anxiety/panic disorders.,"My understanding is that psychiatry is generally excluded from the closure of ambulatory clinics. I know some of the clinics were operating as normal this AM, but I can't speak to any specific clinics or doctors. I'll see if I can dig up more info.",-AEJ-,2020-03-17 18:23:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"There is a prominent epidemiologist from UofT who is tweeting graphs from this ED ILI surveillance site and alarming people by stating that this recent spike in respiratory-related visits to ED is due to COVID-19; however, based on my understanding of sentinel surveillance and the comments that you've made, this seems unlikely. I took a screenshot below of the graph showing the spike. Do you have any idea?

Graph: [https://imgur.com/XyakCyT](https://imgur.com/XyakCyT)

Source: [http://mapper.kflaphi.ca/ilimapper/analysis](http://mapper.kflaphi.ca/ilimapper/analysis)","I'm not sure I understand the graph and the source site is not functioning. What are the numbers at the top? Total visits over what time frame?

Having said that, I'm not sure how he/she could come to this conclusion when we here on the ground don't know ourselves. I've seen a number of patients since we stopped testing with fever/cough/SOB who might have had the virus, but now we won't know. They might simply be assuming they are due to COVID, which would of course be a huge overestimate.",-AEJ-,2020-03-17 18:46:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Is there anything that can be done/reported if someone should 100% be isolating and are not at all?,Report them to the Middlesex London health unit.,-AEJ-,2020-03-19 16:41:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I work nights at a food production plant, I can't say which one (company has a super strict social media policy). When our break room is at max capacity during the night it's probably 70 to 80 people in there, all quite close together. The change rooms are also super packed at shift change.

On any given night I have to be rubbed up against people in the change room, and I also have to be in a sometimes busy break room as it's the only place I'm allowed to eat. I guess I'm a little concerned because both the company and union have made it clear they don't plan on slowing down production at all. Ideally some production lines would be slowed down just so there are fewer people there at one time, but at the same time what do I know. What worries me is that the province has declared a state of emergency banning gatherings of 50 or more people.

I'm young and healthy so I'm not worried about me, but I know of people I work with who have health issues like diabetes and heart disease. All it'll take is for an infected person to cough in the break room and things are going to get bad.

I'm trying to take precautions. I wash my hands every chance I get and I'm very conscious about not touching my face. If I  can't avoid crowds at work, is there anything else I should be doing? Thanks so much for reading and answering all of these questions and for all the work you're doing. Stay safe.","Thats a tough situation you're in. Don't have a great answer. I'm hoping now that the state of emergency has been declared, the government will use it's power to force businesses to close and/or change how they operate. Some of the states in the US are proceeding that way. Hopefully we follow suit quickly.",-AEJ-,2020-03-20 02:40:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I was wondering how hospitals in London are doing on supplies? When will supplies of masks, gowns and gloves run out? Is there any where in Canada that produces these things? As for ventilators is there anywhere these are produced in Canada or must we rely on international markets? 

Another question. How is the supply of test kits? Can university labs across the country be used for testing to expedite the process?

Thank you very much for all the work you do. I wish you all the best of health.","The supplies for the hospital come down from the region, so we're somewhat at their mercy. We are trying to ensure we have enough of everything, but if/when the surge happens, we're going to be in trouble.

Ventilators are again being procured at the provincial level and handed down. I know here in London we obtained a few from Fanshawe college earlier today.

My understanding is still that the rate limiting step with testing is not the test kits, but the swabs used to collect samples. We just got a small influx of swabs so we have expanded our testing population as I outlined in a previous post.",-AEJ-,2020-03-20 02:46:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Is there a shortage of health care workers?,"Right now, no. This may become an issue as things get worse and HCW get sick and need to be off/quarantined. That's why having all the appropriate resources and protocols in place to keep everyone safe is so important.",-AEJ-,2020-03-20 02:49:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
I heard Tarek's interview on CBC right after I noticed that Princess Auto has a stock of [these](https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/replacement-face-shield-visor/A-p8181745e) face shields. Is that the type you're short of?,"You can see the type of face shield he's talking about in the online article
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5502964",-AEJ-,2020-03-20 11:57:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Sorry if this has been asked before..

If I'm using a disinfecting spray with bleach, how long do I have to leave it on for it to leave the item properly cleaned? I've been cleaning my groceries before putting them away, wiping with the spray and leaving it on for about 2 mins, then wiping it off. Hopefully that's long enough.

Also, I have no idea if I'm on the right track here, but since drying out the virus will kill it, would salt be somewhat useful in making some food products safe? I don't want to wipe down an apple with bleach for obvious reasons, but if covering it in salt will do the trick I could do that. Even if it's just 50% effective at least that is something.",Agreed.,-AEJ-,2020-03-20 21:47:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Is it advisable to consume more caffeine in order to treat respiratory symptoms if they develop?,"I'm not aware of any evidence to support that. I assume your theory is based on the fact that it's a methylxanthine? Or is it based on something you've read elsewhere? If the latter, please post here.",-AEJ-,2020-03-20 22:02:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
At what stage of alert is the hospital on? How many stages are there? Can you explain the stages? Thank you for your service!,I'm not sure what you mean by this. I'm not aware of any alert system. Where did you get this idea from? There is always the possibility that I'm in the dark about it.,-AEJ-,2020-03-21 15:02:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"My infant son was hospitalized 7 days with RSV last month. He's recovered, but would you say he is at any more at-risk of complications than the average when it comes to COVID-19?","Again it is hard comment on any one particular case without knowing all the details, but assuming your son is healthy otherwise, he should not be at any increased risk.",-AEJ-,2020-03-21 15:03:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Me and my family leave in Toronto but have a house in London we is safer to self isolate ?? Over the next few week,"I'm assuming you're asking if it's safer to isolate in Toronto or here in London? If so, that's a difficult question to answer. Given the population density in Toronto, it's probably safer here, however it all depends on whether people are being compliant with self isolation, quarantine & social distancing. Undetected COVID is almost certainly present in both communities, so no matter where you choose to be, make sure you are practicing social distancing and good hygiene.",-AEJ-,2020-03-22 13:25:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Some ER doc just leaked that there are only 15 swabs for testing left in London. Is this true? If the situation is that dire (or even close to this), then don’t more ER docs feel compelled to speak out to the media or walkoff the job to draw more attention? It sounds like we need some hero whistleblowers right now. There is an ICU doc in Toronto making rounds this weekend asking for a lockdown and I’m hoping our leaders listen.","I'm not sure what the actual swab count is, but I suspect it is low. The problem is, yelling and screaming won't do any good, and will only serve to divide us. We need to work as a team on this, now more than ever. Don't get me wrong, I'll be the first to speak out if working conditions become unsafe, but for now I'm putting my faith that the powers that be are doing everything they can to secure the supplies we need for us to do our job safely.",-AEJ-,2020-03-22 15:07:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"This is now 6d old so I don’t know if you still check in, but how’s the PPE situation at the hospitals?  If supply lines are running low, the hospitals could consider hitting up research labs; many if not most are shut down for the time being at least.  We’re only a lab of four, but I’ve got a few cases of nitrile gloves (some sterile), a case or two of surgical masks, and probably twelve packs of (20 each?) N-95s at work.  Multiply me by hundreds (though not everyone will have the masks).   Davy Cheng could put the word out to all of Schulich with one email.
Just a thought if things get desperate.  Hopefully you’ve got all the PPE you’ll need though.  Take care.","Thanks for the offer. I believe there are people doing just that. Someone already retrived a lot of supplies from the dentist's offices. We scored some vents from Fanshawe. We're definitely running low on things, but the powers that be are working on it and I have to trust that they will get the job done. I do not want to see a bandana situation here.",-AEJ-,2020-03-23 07:01:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Is there any need for folks to donate face masks? And if so, what's the process for doing that? My wife found a few unopened N95 face masks in our house.","Hang onto them for now. The hospital is working to secure them from the correct supply chain, however we may well need them at some point. Very much appreciate the offer!",-AEJ-,2020-03-23 15:15:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Potentially someone in my house had a mild case last week.  She has since recovered but  I have a history with pneumonia and liver damage and am afraid.  I am currently detoxing alcohol with some very similar symptoms to virus. And hoping it gets better as the alcohol leaves my system in a few days.  How worried should I be.,"Again, it is very difficult to comment on specific cases over the internet. In general people with serious comorbidities are at higher risk and should take extra caution. Alcohol withdrawal can be a serious condition in the absence of COVID, although the highest risk is in the first 72H. If you are concerned about the symptoms you are experiencing, you should seek medical attention.",-AEJ-,2020-03-24 00:26:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"March 23 today, what is the situation looking like in the hospitals with COVID-19 patients?

Are the cases (or at least people with COVID-19 symptoms) starting to add up?","Unfortunately we are again critically low on swabs, and so have not been testing everyone. Anyone with COVID symptoms who is well enough to go home is not being tested and so the actual number of cases we're seeing is unknown. Ultimately I don't think we're seeing the numbers that they are seeing elsewhere, yet. The suggestion has been that we are about 2 weeks behind New York and if so, the surge will be coming soon. Hopefully the measures we are taking to flatten the curve will help with this.",-AEJ-,2020-03-24 00:30:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Any suggestions about quarantining in a home where there are older parents (65ish) where there is a younger family member that likely has the virus? Have a particular situation in mind, the parents lead an active and healthy lifestyle but with age comes issues such as arthritis and other age related maladies. Curious what your take on the best procedure would be, and if it's most airborne proximity or touching of infected surfaces that the parents should worry about.

Also, does speed in onset of symptoms generally tend to correspond to illness severity?","I'm not aware of any formal data that links speed of onset to severity however there are anecdotal reports of this.

As far as isolation goes, having elderly people in a house with someone who is a known positive is not a good idea. The ideal scenario would be to have the infected person move out (or vice versa) but I understand this is not always possible. Keeping the infected person as far from everyone else is the key.",-AEJ-,2020-03-24 00:35:25+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
I have a box of 50 DisposaMed isolation face masks missing a few from use about 6 years ago that I don't have a way to get to a hospital. I'm wondering if there is anyone that can grab them for the hospital if needed?,"I am told HMMS is handling all the donations for LHSC.

https://www.hmms.on.ca/",-AEJ-,2020-03-26 19:58:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Thank you for all your hard work! I hope this all blows over sooner rather than later. It’s weird seeing a sudden shift in society happen like this. 

Anyway, I have two quick questions: 

If I only go out for like, groceries and clean my hands when I get home/sanitize, don’t touch my face etc. am I likely to be alright? 

Why is there a shortage of tests? I don’t mean this to be accusatory as I know everyone is doing the best they can, I just don’t understand how there is a shortage. Are the tests expensive to make, not enough workers to make them etc?","First answer is yes. Keep your distance, wash your hands, don't touch your face & you'll be alright.

Second answer. It's not the test that we're short on. It's the nasopharyngeal swabs used to take the sample on which the test is run that we are short on. Apparently all the swabs are made internationally, and Canada's main supply came from... Italy. We have sourced more but still don't have the volume to do the kind of mass testing that has been done in Asia.",-AEJ-,2020-03-26 20:02:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
are you seeing alot of people in the er due to this? is the numbers increasing everyday and are there enough equipment for everyone if we do possibly get this?,"So far we have not seen very many patients. According to the epidemiologists, we are 10-14 days behind NYC. If that holds true, the surge will happen next week. It's so hard to tell from the numbers coming in each day as we are still not able to test everyone we should be testing. The increased numbers being reported in the last few days is likely not an increase in the number of cases, but simply increased detection as more swabs were released into the system. We will soon find out I'm sure.",-AEJ-,2020-03-26 20:06:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Hi there, I would first just like to thank you for the consistent effort you have put into this thread, and even more so for all that you are doing on the front lines of COVID-19 pandemic. 

My question is, if my roommate gets hired on as an RT at the hospital, is it true that she will be advised to quarantine her self from others? If this is the case, would it be better for me to move back into my parents house for the time being? I have some concerns, because I will have to continue to pay rent but obviously my health and the health of my family takes priority. 

If anyone else is currently living with any health care providers working in hospitals, please let me know how you have managed your situation.

thanks","There is no rule that says if you work at the hospital that you can't be around other people. If they are wearing appropriate PPE, change out of their work clothes before coming home and perform proper hand hygiene you should be fine. If you want to be uber careful, you could move out. Some of the docs I work with are living separate from their families.",-AEJ-,2020-03-27 18:25:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"I have a CT scheduled for April 6th to check for metastatic lesions (stage 1 classical seminoma). Assuming the CT isn't cancelled, would you recommend any particular precautions I cant take to protect myself and those in the hospital? Masks, gloves etc? I have a n-95 mask I bought for drywalling in the summer. I'd wear it but I'm concerned I'll look like a mask hoarder.","I don't think it's unreasonable to wear the mask. Who cares what people think. Having said that, I'm sure you'd be OK without it. Same advice as always, keep your distance, wash your hands, don't touch your face etc.",-AEJ-,2020-03-28 18:03:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Are there any plans to rapidly scale up the capacity to handle cases in London?  Are there any ways that youngish healthy people with no medical qualifications can help out by volunteering?,"There are plans yes. Right now I'm not aware of any need for volunteers at the hospital, but I'm sure if/when things get worse, there will be ways to help out. Stay tuned.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 20:56:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
"Thanks for doing this AMA.

The infograph you posted says ""underlying medical conditions"" and lists cancer.

I had surgery for stage 1 testicular cancer in October and I am wondering if this would still be considered an underlying medical condition since I'm technically in remission? I'm just trying to figure out how seriously I should take this self-isolating. My last CT was in January and there was nothing concerning at the time. I had blood work done last week and everyhting was good. I havent had chemo or radiation and my oncologist said I was more than likely cured (10% chance of it returning in the next 10 years)

How vulnerable do you think i am? Would you recommend I isolate myself from my wife who will still be going to work during this time? I'm 34, very active and no other health issues. Obviously there's a chance that its metasized but let's assume it hasn't. 

If you have any thoughts I'd appreciate it. I've considered calling my oncologist to inquire but I'm sure they have their hands full with more serious cases",If you are not receiving active chemotherapy for active disease then you are not at any higher risk than other people your age.,-AEJ-,2020-03-16 22:07:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
Is this whole Corona thing as overblown as I think it is? Isn't it nothing more than a severe cough with people in my age group (25-35),"While I don't want to incite panic, it is NOT overblown. If anything, we are not responding fast enough. And if you don't think young people can get sick, think again. The famous whistle blowing doctor in Wuhan who died back in February was 29.",-AEJ-,2020-03-16 20:37:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/londonontario/comments/fjoscm/ama_about_covid19_i_am_an_er_doc_in_london_ontario/,"AMA about COVID-19 - I am an ER doc in London, Ontario",https://reddit.com/r/londonontario,
If you were fully in charge of the U.S. response what's the first thing you'd do?,started the response in early January!,slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:51:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Regarding the spread of COVID 19, at what point would recommend the public stay home from work as a precaution? I'm in an area with a little over 70 confirmed cases in a city with a population of just over 1,000,000. I work closely with the general public daily and my work has no plans to close or stop business as usual. At what point should I use paid vacation time to stay home? Is this an overreaction?","I would say right now.  

If you are in the US, that number of 70 confirmed cases is most likely a huge underestimate, as we have not been doing sufficient testing.  Federal guidance is to work from home if possible.  If not possible, take all precautions you can. Social distancing (can you stay 6 feet away from people at work?) washing your hands, not touching your face

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/03.16.20_coronavirus-guidance_8.5x11_315PM.pdf",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:20:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello Dr. Rebecca Katz,

Thank you so much for doing this! There have been conflicting reports as to how long SARS-Cov-2 lasts in the air, and on certain objects. I read some articles saying hours in the air, and 9 days on certain objects at room temperature. Then I read other articles saying it lasts half an hour in the air, and 3 days on certain objects. I'm wondering if you perhaps have an idea on what the averages are for the air and on objects, or if this is something that is still being looked at?

Thank you so much, and have a lovely day!","The latest study I have seen (by authors from NIH, CDC and Princeton) show that it lasts on surfaces up to 3 days.  (less time on cardboard and copper, more time on plastics and steel)",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:36:11+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What do you think people with non-coronavirus issues should do about going to the doctor? Should they avoid it and wait it out or go like normal?,"Depends on what the issue is.  If it is not a critical appointment, consider postponing.  In fact, many providers are changing their hours  or postponing non-critical procedures/appointments themselves.

But, clearly if it is a necessary appointment (like dialysis) you should keep it.  Your provider will no doubt have new processes in place to keep people as safe as possible

Also, note that a lot of providers are moving to telemedicine, if possible",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:09:05+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Do you recommend people watch Contagion if they haven't already?  And beyond entertainment, what valid takeaways does it provide for us these days?","It is a good movie, so recommend watching for entertainment. I also think there are some aspects of it that are very educational (love that Kate Winslet explains R0), and there are some parts that feel very relevant to today (sitting in a coffee shop and realizing all of the opportunities for virus transmission.).    
But there are some parts that are very much Hollywood - like self injecting an experimental vaccine. 
Also, the movie was based on a virus that had a much higher case fatality rate than COVID",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:13:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Is there any reliable information you’ve seen as to whether or not otherwise asymptomatic people have any decrease in lung capacity? 

(Basically, I know the hold-your-breath-for-10-seconds thing going around was nonsense, but would otherwise healthy individuals with Covid-19 have any way to measure their own health given most don’t qualify for tests.)

Also thanks!","To my knowledge, there is no way for the general population to know if they are asymptomatic or not. Which means, if you have an elderly or at risk person in your family, please be very careful and maybe just connect with them virtually",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:26:02+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can COVID-19 be classified as an airborne virus at this time?,"My understanding is that a recent study has shown that the droplets can be suspended for an increased amount of time, particularly in certain healthcare settings/result from specific medical procedures, but I do not believe it should be classified as airborne at this time",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:28:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
I've recently read that over time it is estimated that 40% to 70% of the U.S. population will be be infected with the virus.  Is this a virus that is a one-and-done per individual or is it possible to contract COVID 19 multiple times?,"There are multiple models out there for how much of the population may become infected.  These range from 10% to over 80%.  These estimates, though, are directly related to how many social distancing measures are put in place and for how long

It appears that earlier reports of 're-infection' were really just people having a very long course of disease (or period of time when they are still testing positive).  I think everyone is hoping that people who recover develop a natural immunity, but we are still waiting for additional scientific studies to confirm this, as well as to confirm how long such immunity might last.   This will be critical information for the response",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:32:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi Rebecca, thanks for giving your time. Can you suggest some ways we can help our local doctors, nurses and healthcare providers? Is there anything regular citizens can do for them during this time?","What a great question. 

Acknowledge that they are the front line responders. They are putting their health and wellbeing at risk every day to fight this pandemic.   They may be tired.  They made really love a nice meal- or maybe delivery to the hospital.  They may be trying to figure out how to provide childcare for their families.

But ask them directly!",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:46:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"I remember reading about COVID-19 back in early January when it was still ""pneumonia of unknown origin."" Are there concrete steps the WHO or even individual countries can take to improve upon disease surveillance and international broadcasting/reporting?","China reported these cases to the WHO in late December. There will no doubt be arguments for a long time re: whether they could have reported earlier. But they reported the end of December, and the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern at the end of January. 

Are there steps we can take to improve capacity for surveillance and reporting? Absolutely.  Under the International Health Regulations, countries are obligated to develop core capacities to prevent, detect, report and respond to public health emergencies.  Many countries, however, have not had the resources to build and sustain these core capacities.  The global community knows how to provide technical guidance, but requires financial resources (and national level commitment) to put these capacities in place",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:42:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Someone suggested that we should quarantine all people over the age of 65 + immunocompromised and let everybody else continue as usual.  With the idea to put the virus everywhere and allow it to spread and run its course over some several months to avoid loss of jobs and school and so on.  then once it has spread, and eventually dies in the environment, we can allow old and immunocompromised people 2 go out and about. What do you think about this? 
I thought that people that go home to older family members would be putting them at risk so that's probably not a good idea.","I think there are a lot of problems with that plan

First, everyone is at risk of contracting the virus and having a severe course of disease.  The elderly and immunocompromised are just more at risk.

Second, Kaiser Family Foundation did a study to identify the number of elderly and at risk adults in each state.  Please note that this ranges from 30-50% of the entire adult population, depending on location

There is a lot more I can write about this, but I firmly believe we have an obligation to our ENTIRE community",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:15:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"In the film, researchers find that the pathogen mutates as it spreads through the population. Is it something that scientists are concerned about with the new coronavirus as well?","So far this coronavirus has been pretty stable.  There was some research published around two different strains of the virus, though, and that is being more thoroughly investigated.",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:24:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
how is the development of the vaccine against COVID-19?  Is development being effective?,"Vaccine development is happening at lightening speed.  There is already a candidate that started Phase 1 trials this week.  Know, though, that it is a long process to get through clinical trials and we are still probably about a year to 18 months out",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:54:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What question are your family and friends asking you the most these days?,"I think the most frequent question I get is 'how long is this going to last'?  There is a fair amount of uncertainty around this, but I can definitely say it will be longer than 15 days",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:05:49+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What’s the easiest way to donate supplies to hospitals right now? What kind of supplies will hospitals take? Do masks, gloves, etc. need to be unopened to be donated?

ETA: Are there other kinds of contributions or donations we should be thinking about right now? Blood or plasma? Food?","If you have supplies, I'm sure hospitals would be very thankful.  I'm not sure what normal procedures are for donating supplies, but I do know that many hospitals and healthcare providers across the country do not have sufficient numbers of masks
There are also call out right now for donating blood, particularly in more hard hit areas of the country, as there are severe shortages",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:23:10+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Am I really safe in my home? Will self-quarantining guarantee I don’t catch it?,"After a full 14 days, if you have totally quarantined yourself, and have not developed symptoms,  you should be confident that you are virus free.  But after those 14 days, are you re-exposing yourself?",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:17:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Welcome to Reddit AMA, Dr. Katz.  
My question is: why aren't US hospitals releasing clearer statistics of the deaths (age group, if they had pre-existing condition or not) in order to calm some people down?I feel like so many people are freaking out in fear, when they should be able to understand that self-isolation is a matter of precaution, to avoid mass infection of those in risk-groups.

Side note: Hah, just watched ""Contagion"" two days ago. :)","The public health and medical community is indeed sharing information.  Data should be reported to CDC.  CDC is releasing some of this (not all- which I, too, take issue with). And clinicians are publishing academic papers as fast as possible (and putting pre- publication papers online as preprints)",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:31:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What are your recommendations on ambulatory elective surgery centers? I am an RN and ours remains open for business in Calif.!  This seems irresponsible!  Staff is worried about exposure.  How effective can our screening process be if people can remain asymptotic for up to 14 days.  Patients will have no idea if they have been exposed or not until its too late!  It has been clear regarding recommendations regarding elective surgeries in hospitals but very confusing regarding ASC's.  Some clarification would be great, although I have already emailed our CEO to voice my concerns that we should close, not only to protect staff and their families but also to protect the patients in our community.","My recommendation - and that is all this is- a recommendation- would be to stop elective surgeries.  For all the reasons you have mentioned. 

(although I would note that on average, people who develop symptoms most often do so between day 5 and 12)",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:37:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
What are your thoughts about the relatively low number of cases in Africa and what can be learned from Africa about COVID 19?,"Unfortunately, I fear that there are probably many unreported cases in Africa. 

But what can we learn? Senegal has developed a rapid test for COVID,  Nigeria is involved in aggressive contact tracing.  Africa CDC is working closely with nations to help them prepare.",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:43:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Can you tell us if you have been seeing GI symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea in COVID-19 patients?,"GI symptoms have been documented in COVID patients, but it is not all that common.",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:47:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hi Dr, are there currently any projections as to when the COVID-19 situation will peak in Italy?","Italy had an ~12% decrease in the number of new cases reported yesterday.  They are still really struggling - particularly in the north- and their healthcare systems are overwhelmed, but it appears the  social distancing measures are starting to help",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:48:35+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is there a chance of other respiratory illnesses like the flu going to render a person vulnerable to Covid 19? Should I get the flu shot?,"Two months ago we were urging people to get the flu shot because flu was circulating, and also helped to keep people out of drs. offices.  We  are heading to the end of flu season now, though, so best to check how much flu is still circulating where you live",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:53:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
[deleted],A paper was released yesterday in Pediatrics that you might want to take a look at. Includes new data from a study of 2000+ children infected in China and had specific information about difficult courses of disease in babies and preschoolers.,slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:55:45+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello Dr. Katz, 

I was told the coronavirus would peak in mid-June.  Can you confirm that based on your resarch/models? Thanks","It is  pretty hard to tell when the peak will be, as we are still seeing new social distancing measures implemented.  My best guess, though, is that we may see a peak sometime between late May and mid July",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:56:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Dr Katz,

You indicated that there is a shortage of blood donations.  Is there any concern that donated blood could be infected or is that not how it works with a virus?  How do I know if it is safe to donate?","I don't know enough to answer that question (as the daughter of a hematologist, I know what I don't know!)
But I can share that the American Red Cross has tweeted this: 

American Red Cross
@RedCross
·
Mar 17
We now face a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this #coronavirus outbreak. Make an appointment to help patients counting on lifesaving blood: https://rdcrss.org/2weMYZI",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:10:22+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Will this pandemic be as bad as Spanish flu?,"It has a similar transmission, and a similar case fatality rate.  It is,though, a different virus, so it will act differently, and we now have the ability to develop effective medical countermeasures.

All of the social distancing measures currently being discussed are in an attempt to save lives and do what we can to ensure fewer people die",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:40:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is our current administration taking and implementing your expert advice about managing this public health crisis?,"The current administration is drawing upon its internal USG experts, but also using the National Academies for advice.",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:49:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"* Why are there such large differences between different country's tests in terms of both deployment and the rapidness with which results are found? 
* Do you know if there has been any tangible ramp up of production for both testing and treatment (i.e. ventilators)?

I understand the US turned down WHO tests, but I'm still confused why some places have ""rapid"" tests and others don't.","I'm pretty confused to.  We should be in a much better place right now re: testing. 

My understanding is that testing has ramped up, but it is still difficult to get a test for everyone who wants/needs one and the results take way too long",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:59:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Hellon. I am filled with anxieymty. When can TV shows and other parts of normal life resume? When do you think social distancing will end?,"Honestly, it may be a while.  But it will be ok. 

There will not be any major disruptions in the food supply. Or water. Or electricity.  These sectors are doing the best they can to provide critical services. 

And we will hopefully see some of the best of humanity- communities doing everything in their power to provide support to each other. 

I also fully expect to see some new ideas, interventions and technologies I've never even dreamed of.  One of the few good things happening right now is that many smart people from many disciplines and sectors of society are now focussed on COVID.  I imagine we are going to see things our (pretty small professional community) had never even dreamed of",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:27:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Having spent so much of your career on disease surveillance and public health emergencies, what has surprised the most you about 1) governmental response worldwide and 2) public response to COVID-19? Does this seem like previous outbreaks/pandemics, just on a different scale?","There are a lot of things that I'm finding pretty surreal right now

I think one of the things that has surprised me is decision makers not taking this seriously enough early on.  I'm also struggling with trying to convince the general public that they need to take action....now.  I found it very distressing to see so many people out at bars Saturday night.  This is dangerous.  For you. For your parents and definitely for your grandparents. 

We haven't seen anything at this scale in ~100 years",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:21:29+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Good afternoon, and thank you for doing this! I currently live with my mom whom is 58 and use to smoke. She stopped about 6 years ago, and has never been diagnosed with any sort of immunodeficiency or breathing issues. How worried should I be for her safety compared to mine? Is she at a super high risk of critical sickness/death?

She works at a daycare that isn't closing (for now) and I'm afraid of her getting sick. It's honestly been keeping me up and night and I'm not sure what to do.

Thanks again for doing this AMA and for what you do. Stay safe!","Suggest you have your mother call her provider, who should be familiar with her health history and be able to provide specific guidance on whether she should stay home",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:52:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
My employer in an office of 20 has instructed me to use household spray disinfectant twice daily to clean door handles and stair rails throughout the office. I’m using a separate piece of kitchen towel for each surface. I don’t mind doing this but how affective is this likely to be?,Very.  Household disinfectants work!  CDC and the EPA have additional information on their websites,slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:07:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Good Afternoon, Dr. Katz-

How does obesity contribute to less favorable outcomes with COVID-19?

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your knowledge and insight!",My understanding is that obesity may be a contributing risk factor,slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:10:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"What does the longer term look like for those most at risk, i.e. will outbreaks continue to occur periodically, so basically they will always be at risk until a \[hopefully safe, effective\] vaccine is developed?","Basically Until the population becomes immune- either through natural immunity or through a vaccine. 

But you also never totally know.  SARS was fully controlled through very aggressive social distancing measures.",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:35:31+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Hello DRK!
Would tests show if one already had the COVID19 virus or does it only confirm if presently carrying?","I believe the current test only shows if you currently are infected, and doesn't capture past infection.",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:22:51+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"How can we expect the economy to restructure during this pandemic? Historically, what has happened economically in past pandemics and/or in wartime? What can we expect recovery to be like after the dust settles, and what changes will persist?","This isn't my area of expertise, but to repeat the phrase a true expert used this week....the economy may be in a coma. I imagine things will be pretty bad for a while, but then the economists and government decision makers will no doubt do everything they can to revive the economy and get us to a better place.",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:34:04+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
If a person had Covid-19 a month or so ago and didn't know or recovered would a test now or later indicate they had been infected?,probably not- at least not the tests that are currently being used,slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:31:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Could this pandemic lead to governments (Canada or the US) asking temporary residents (e.g. international students and foreign workers) to leave the county? In case of shortage of resources and other challenges.,I really don't know.,slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:38:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"As a student that's deeply interested in the interdisciplinary aspect of medicine and politics, what do you think of how various governments have reacted to COVID-19 and how do there ""stack up"" against each other in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, economic protection, and rates of testing/recovery? Particularly of interest are Italy, South Korea, China, and the U.S.

(Also, Georgetown is one of my dream schools!)","Apply to our programs!!!

I imagine I will be supervising dissertations on these questions for years to come",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:06:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Appears a health Emergency was declared on Jan 30th, is it common practice to hide this information from citizens? 
https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/6819-covid-19-response-plan/d367f758bec47cad361f/optimized/full.pdf#page=1","The public health emergency of international concern was declared on January 30th- announced in a live presser, watched by interested parties all over the world and open to the public.   It was the reported on in the press and the subject of multiple journal articles and blogs (including some by me!)",slatedotcom,2020-03-18 17:37:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
Is this the end of humanity?,no :-),slatedotcom,2020-03-18 16:50:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fkvx2a/hello_i_am_dr_rebecca_katz_the_director_of_the/,"Hello, I am Dr. Rebecca Katz, the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/IAmA,
"Just wanted to chime in that I've been listening to your podcast lately while I run and I thoroughly enjoy it. You tackle heavy issues in America in a way that's easy to digest and explain to others. I was excited to vote for you in the MI primary and was disappointed you lost, but I'm glad you have an outlet to continue fighting the good fight. Thank you for what you do","Really appreciate you listening. I'll be out here, and I'm grateful for your support :)",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:18:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hey Abdul! 

My mother is an nurse currently working in Chelsea and Ann Arbor. Due to her previous ICU experience she was deemed as an essential health care worker, and is now fighting to save lives on the front lines of this pandemic.

I couldn't be more proud of my mom, but I am must admit that I am scared and very concerned of her health and safety of all of our brave healthcare workers during this time.

The stories I have been hearing are quite concerning. Reports of personell being told they may need to make impromptu mask during a shortage, extremely long hours of non stop rushing, and most recently 2 MAs my mother had been directly working with tested positive. Since then my mother has fallen ill, she has a fever between 100 and 100.3 degrees. She had previous respiratory issues and she is still being asked to come in to work in Ann Arbor.They say they refuse to test her until she is above 100.5 degrees and showing active signs of coughing or SOB.

 I'm very concerned if all of what I have been hearing is indeed the normal, or if we should expect it to get worse, or if I should be concerned for my mom and ask her not to work. Again, I am very proud of her and dont want to selfishly ask her to stop when she is saving lives, but I am concerned and living in Washington state now where I cant easily be there if needed.

I really appreciated the information you shared during Bernies most recent covid roundtable! I'm am just curious if  there is anything else you can share relevant to what we should expect and what sort of responses we need in order to keep our workers safe.","God bless your mother. She's the kind of person we should all be so grateful for. And she's lucky to have you as a daughter. I'm hoping she's fine and grateful for her work. 

We need to be pushing our electeds to rush to facilitate more personal protective equipment on the front lines. People like your mom shouldn't have to go into this battle w/o basic gear. It's shameful that we haven't done more for our frontline healthcare workers.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:05:16+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
I voted for you in the Primary here in Michigan. Really wish that would've panned out. I really appreciate all that you're doing for MI and now the rest of the country. Thank you! And keep up the good work!,"Thank you - deeply appreciate your support. Wish I could be taking on this pandemic in that role right now. The current governor's done an admirable job considering the circumstances. But given my background and what I ran on, I think we could have really demonstrated how to anticipate what's coming next and get ahead of the response.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:04:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
What can we do if president Trump tries to open everything back up in two weeks before we've gotten a handle on this? How can we pressure the senate to reconvene? How do we get to a place where we can do mass testing & what can civilians do to help ramp up this process? I'm calling my reps every day but that doesn't feel like enough.,"The truth is that he really can't. Most of the ""stay at home"" orders are state or local anyway. He can say he wants to--but it doesn't quite matter. And mostly, the economy isn't going to ""reopen"" until people feel comfortable going out and interacting w/o the risk of getting sick. The only way around it is through it.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:29:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
How do you feel the different European Countries handles the pandemic?,"Generally poorly. None of us in Europe or North America did a great job preparing when we had the time. Fighting a pandemic is like fighting a fire--the earlier you put it out, the easier it is and the less damage the response causes. We should have generating testing material, preparing hospitals, and manufacturing vents before this ever took off. In fact, here's what I thought we should have started doing 2 wks ago:https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/14/opinions/coronavirus-parallel-healthcare-system-gondi-el-sayed/index.html",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:07:53+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Can you give an ELI5 on why we are so behind on testing?  I’ve seen mixed reports on whether or not the US “turned down” test kits from the WHO, e.g.

Also I voted for you in the MI primary!

(Edit for typo)","Three issues:
1) We did turn down WHO testing kits, which was a grave mistake.
2) Initial test kits had faulty reagents so were useless
3) The CDC's initial testing guidelines were way too restrictive, which left others who could have generated/run tests w/o that ability.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:32:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"How would you start healing the current health crisis, at the state level?","1) Flattening the curve is critical, so social distancing is key
2) We need to ANTICIPATE the curve. That means ramping up our ability to care for the number of cases that are coming. It means activating the national guard, building MASH style hospitals or building hospitals in dorms or hotels or convention halls. It means training up staff to work under healthcare professionals. It means using Defense production act to force ventilator, testing, and PPE production.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:14:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"DMC represent! 

I hope I see you on the ballot again in years to come.",Appreciate you!,IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:27:54+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"No question, just really wishing you were governor of Michigan rn!","Not gunna lie, me too.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:23:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"There are people saying that COVID19 is mutating into a more advanced virus. Is there any merit to this, is this possible, and what would be the indications of that being true?","All biological beings that replicate mutate. So as the virus spreads it WILL mutate. That said, there's no evidence that I have seen that the virus is getting more virulent right now.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:20:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
What was the reasoning for cutting our CDC / pandemic response team? It seems like the economic impact covid-19 has had on us is FAR GREATER than an expense we would have paid those experts,Preparedness never seems necessary until you're unprepared.,IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:24:52+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"I'm a healthy person out for a walk on the nearly empty streets of my locked down city of one million.

Mask or no mask?

There seems to be conflicting opinions on this. 

(in my city you can go out for exercise once a day, I am a walker, I live ""downtown"" & walk between 2 & 3km a day)

Thanks!","No mask. Just stay 6 feet away from folks. It's better. Plus we need those masks on the front lines. Generally, if you're talking about the usual pedestrian surgical mask, it does a better job keeping bad stuff in, rather than bad stuff out. It's why surgeons wear them (don't breathe in your patient's open body!)",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:27:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hello Dr. El-Sayed, NYT is reporting Michigan as having the steepest death rate from COVID-19 of any state. My initial reaction is this has to have been due to a lack of testing in the earlier stages, but I'm curious your thoughts. Thank you and keep fighting for the people!

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/21/upshot/coronavirus-deaths-by-country.html","That's tragic. I think it's because of the outbreak in Detroit, and the baseline worse health among Detroiters because of high asthma and high diabetes--because of pollution, poverty, and low quality food access. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/coronavirus-spreading-faster-detroit-nearly-anywhere-united-states",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:50:50+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"How should we be approaching the stats and what do the numbers of confirmed covid-19 cases actually mean in reality?

For example there will be around 80k confirmed cases in US when you read this comment, up almost 20k from yesterday this time. However there's up to a 2 week lag in symptoms and a lack of testing. Does this mean US is already doomed to having millions of cases, and tens of thousands of deaths?  

I remember the morning of 9/11 before the 2nd tower was hit, everyone just assumed it was a freak accident and more-or-less carried on with their day. Doing the math on this pandemic is like watching the 2nd plane hit before it happens.","I hear you. It's SO anxiety provoking. 

Your math is right. We're far behind. The way I think about it is this: the doubling time is 2.5 days. The average lag between infection and test outcome is 8-10 days. That's up to 4 doubling times. So the number we hear today is a multiple of 2^4 off. It's 16x off :/ We're generally watching 2 weeks lagged, and so everything we do RIGHT NOW, we'll only see 2 weeks from now.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:44:07+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"What do you think of chloroquine+azythromycin as a treatment for COVID19?

&#x200B;

The reported effectiveness C+A treatment is virus free in 6 days versus current 20 days.  If accurate, what would that do to the pandemic?  It seems to me that a 2/3 cut in infection would end the pandemic.","""if accurate"" is the real question. We just don't have strong RCT-level evidence yet. Until then, it's one of many potential treatments.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:30:24+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"What can hospitals learn now that they didn't normally prepare for in the past? And how should the public view public and private hospitals? Should there be a support for more public, possibly state or city ran hospitals for the public?","It's not necessarily about whether or not hospitals are public or private. It's about how they're funded. I did a tweet thread about this earlier today, in fact: https://twitter.com/AbdulElSayed/status/1243177453381734400?s=20",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:08:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Thanks for this Q&A. 

Why is it that so many young people are now getting this virus in the U.S.A in your opinion?

I live in Brooklyn and NYC is blowing up with COVID now. Its still very difficult to get a test here. Im able to work from home but my hubby works at a grocery store and doesnt have that luxury. Are there any additional precautions that we should take besides santizing everything?



What do you think the trajectory will be for NYC in the next couple of months based on the  current situation?","Take good care. It's always affected lots of young people--they're just less likely to die. And part of that is because young folks just tend to be more lax. We assume we're invincible. 

Sanitize, stay in as much as you can, wear gloves, wash hands, stay as far from others as possible.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:31:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Big supporter from Michigan here, I was wondering have you ever considered running for some other form of leadership in Michigan, because I believe you would be a great leader.","That's kind of you to say. I'm not running for anything in 2020, but we'll see what the future holds. To be honest, this pandemic has reminded me how critical science-driven, rational, progressive leadership is right now.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:37:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
What other metrics should people look at when comparing cases and mortality rate to the raw numbers of past epidemics or other incidents?,"It's hard to compare this to anything else considering the sheer magnitude. That said, we should focused more on proportions than raw numbers. It's hard because when testing isn't universal, you're always getting a biased sample. But how many test positive? How many of them die? How many of them survive? These are the kinds of metrics that are more helpful than sheer numbers (which are themselves a function of testing!)",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:05:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
What are things going to look like in two weeks?,"I hate to say it, but a lot worse than they look right now. The ""doubling time"" is the amount of time it takes for the number of cases to double. It's 2.5 days. In two weeks, we're talking about 8-16x the number of cases that we have right now--and hospitals are already struggling.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:15:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"If you had won the Michigan Governor's race, are there any additional strategies that you would put in place currently?",I'd be working extra hard to GET AHEAD of the curve. It's not enough to just flatten it. I'd have rolled our the National Guard. I'd have deployed hospitals in major metros. I'd have pushed for federal manufacturing of PPE and ventilators three weeks ago.,IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:26:15+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Thanks for doing this AMA! 

I'm curious - what downballot progressives do you have your eye on for 2020?","I was really excited about Jessica Cisneros. Remain really excited about Cristina Ramirez in TX-SN, Morgan Harper in OH, and Nabilah Islam in GA. All amazing candidates--and amazing people.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:48:37+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
Is the pneumonia caused by COVID-19 different than the stuff that was attributed to vaping last year?,"It's actually a very similar presentation--both look the same on a CT scan w/  ""ground glass opacities""",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:46:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"I just listened to the latest episode of America: Dissected, and I just wanted to say that I really appreciate your steady and reassuring voice through this madness. Thank you for stepping up to lead how you can in this leadership vacuum.

My wife has asthma, and we are preparing for the long haul of social distancing for a year or more if we must in order to keep her safe. I'm very lucky in that I have a middle-class white-collar job I can do remotely for the foreseeable future. We're implementing your recommendations for handling necessary outings and groceries. 

I know you're an epidemiologist and not a childhood development specialist, but we're very concerned about the social development of our 1-year old during this time. Do you have any recommendations for resources or books/people to read, listen to or follow to help us navigate that uncertainty?","I hear you. I have a 2 year old. I really like 'The Whole Brain Child,"" as a general resource for child development. It's definitely made me a better dad. I will say though, that one of the best things for a young one around that age is having you guys present so much. There's always a silver lining in the cloud.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:58:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Your podcast is awesome and has been the steadiest hand that isn't covering Dr. Fauci's face. What's a responsible way to start transitioning back to normal life without seeing a second spike? Do you have an idea of a timeline for that, or is it too early/do we not have enough data?",I wish I could tell you we had a timeline. It really depends on the epidemic curve. It really sucks.,IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:57:12+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
What are the chances we see over 2 million COVID cases in the US?,"I would say that given how fast the disease is spreading, that's not an unheard of number.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:26:00+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hey man, love your podcast! Wondering if you could give us your guesstimate as to when you think the “peak” of the curve will be? 

Thanks for doing this.","Hard to say, I would say we're in for at least another 6 weeks. But I REALLY hope I'm wrong.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:55:08+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"What is your concern for those of us staying home in regards to bringing the virus into our homes via takeout, grocery shopping?","Key to just wipe down anything from outside, and wash your hands!",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:55:27+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"What is a rational metric as to when we can restart the economy? 

When can most of us go back to work?","You can't put a timeline on a virus. The economy won't really ""restart"" so to speak until people are confident they can go out and be and do in society without risking their life or a loved one's. So we have to beat this. It's probably going to be bad news for the next 6 weeks. And after that, if we really can buckle down and socially distance NOW, I think we can start to ""flatten the curve"" which would lead to a faster ""normalization."" Key point though, normal isn't good enough. I hope this moment allows us to reflect on WHY we got to this place, and why we were so ill prepared.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:12:21+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"As a public health professional intersecting with political process,  how would you communicate to the media and public about unknowns that are part of scientific process when it comes to timelines for vaccine development or timelines for  social distancing. Unknowns fuels conspiracy theories and political division.","It's a good point. We've only dealt with this thing for 5 months--as a human race. Science takes time, and it means filling in those unknowns.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:36:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hi Doctor Abdul!!

Proudly voted for you in the Michigan primary!! Can you expand on the effects in Michigan, and around the country, if Enbridge Pipeline 5 fails???","It could be catastrophic. It sits in the straits of Mackinac, and would dump thousands of barrels of natural gas into two of the Great Lakes. And as fresh water becomes less and less abundant it'll do irreparable harm to our future.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:47:39+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hi Dr. El-Sayed, I voted for you in Michigan in 2018 and was fortunate enough to see you speak on behalf of Bernie in Ann Arbor just before the shutdown of, well, everything. I'm also a big fan of all of your work with Crooked Media. Thanks for all you do!

As a teacher in Michigan, I am curious if states and districts should make the decision soon to just shut the schools down for the remainder of the academic year. If we allow schools to reopen too soon wouldn't that just create another wave of the virus's spread? Thus send us back to where we were at the beginning? Considering schools, when do you think it will be safe to reopen?","Thank you :) It was such a wonderful day, wasn't it?

I suspect that this will likely be the case. The probability that there's much school year left after this is low. That said, I'm not so close to the decision-making there.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:48:46+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"If I'm not leaving my house for days on end how often do I need to be washing my hands? Every 20 minutes still? My mom goes to work & comes straight home, but other than that nobody is really coming or going anymore.","I would be washing my hands before I do anything near my face - eat, blow my nose, etc. I would also wash them after I've touched anything from outside.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:49:41+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hey doc, From Mi big fan. Abdul Primary voter here. Question is this, as a medical professional what do you want from our leaders right now, what can our officials do to get us to the ""best case scenario"" on Covid-19? Bonus Question: who do you think is doing the best job of that right now?","Thank you!

We need more personal protective equipment on the front lines. RIGHT NOW. Then its hospital capacity and ventilators. Then its tests. Had you asked me three weeks ago, I would have put tests first, but we've missed our window.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:11:56+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"A quick question about blanket testing in our current situation.

I have been quarantined at home with my wife and son now for 2 weeks in Michigan. I know it's impossible right now, simply because of availability of tests, to blanket test everyone, but in the event a lot more tests become available, would testing *just* one person from each household be anywhere near as effective as total blanket testing in finding out where infected people are?","There's no doubt that we need more tests. The old adage in medicine is you only run a test that will change your management. Right now, we're focusing on testing folks who are acutely ill. If we had more, the first group I'd advocate testing for would be exposed people who don't have symptoms--these are the folks most likely to spread it, and the one's we'd want to focus on isolating.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:09:06+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
Listening to America Dissected keeps me feeling uplifted about what we can do and frustrated at what we haven't done.  And aren't doing.  What can I do about that latter part?  Besides stay home?,"I'm really glad. 

Stay home. Make sure your friends and family stay home. Organize with folks for mutual aid. Donate to local small businesses and charities. Connect with the people you love and tell them you love them.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:00:20+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
I remember that you did something to help with eye glasses for the public in your state ... can you tell us anything about that? We all want you in political office so badly.,"I was really grateful we were able to get a free pair of glasses delivered at school to every child in Detroit who needed a pair, free of charge. It was my proudest moment.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:54:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hi Dr. El-Sayed! Part A: I am part of the younger generation of Americans and it baffles me that a lot of my demographic doesn't believe that the current pandemic is an emergency. Why do you think the youth in this country are apathetic or how would you get the youth of this country to care?

Part B: I've been working with a couple of large Facebook groups with millions of students across the country/world and to set up a live Q&A about coronavirus with doctors and leaders. We really think it could make an impact to spread the word about staying home and quarantining. Would you be available to join the live Q&A next week and answer a few questions? There are a lot of students on both sides of the spectrum, from panicked to apathetic and it would be amazing if we could give them the opportunity to get some information from someone who understands the pandemic and current health situation well!

Thank you!","Yes, absolutely - reach out to me: https://abdulelsayed.com/inquiries

And I think it's because it's hard to believe something you can't see. It's the same reason people are reticent to believe in climate change. You can't SEE it happening, just that someone tells you it is. I think that it's going to change a lot when we start seeing what hospitals look like in the next week or so, sadly :/",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:53:38+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hi, Abdul!

When do you think you'll find yourself on the ballot in Michigan again? Frankly, we're in desperate need for more people like you making decisions. While I'm not unhappy with Whitmer, I would have been overjoyed to have you as governor instead.","That's kind. I'm not running in 2020, but let's see what the future holds!",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:24:57+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Greetings from Flint. You had my vote in the primary.  


I'm a hospital IT guy and was curious about what your thoughts are regarding data exchange between institutions in a time of crisis from a policy perspective, and if you have insight from a technical or clinical perspective?","It's SO critical. Right now it's too cumbersome, so grateful for what you do.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:25:23+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"If nationalized healthcare would have helped this pandemic, as the leftwing of the Dem party claims, then why has Italy fared so poorly?

Thank you, and go blue","GO BLUE!

My big contention is that we have NEVER compared ourselves to Italy, a small, under-resourced country. Why start now? I'd rather compare to South Korea who managed this as best you can. And yes, they have a government-driven system.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:31:44+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
I like listening to your podcast!,I like that you listen to my podcast :),IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:32:18+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hi Abdul,

I love your podcast and so happy to have your voice in my ear.

Currently, are we having any impact on the virus? Are we flattening the curve?

What will this world look like after we beat this thing with a vaccine?

Have you seen skeptics in the anti-vaxxer community even as this thing is ravaging through?

Thanks for your time and effort!","Thank you for listening. Unfortunately, right now it's accelerating. But we have to keep committing to this to get there. I do hope the world looks differently after this--I wrote my book about the idea of an epidemic of insecurity--we need to heal that, along with the pandemic of COVID if we're going to succeed--because ""Normal"" wasn't so great for a lot of folks.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:54:42+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"What do you think of America's pandemic response compared to other countries? Anything you could be doing better?
Thanks!","Poor. We could have--should have--done so much more, anticipating and addressing this. The machine's only as good as the operator, though. So here we are.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:55:55+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Also now seems like the perfect time for Bernie to reintroduce Medicare 4 All bill and attempt to pass it. This is the time to bring up why employer based insurance is not ideal now that so many people are unemployed and during a pandemic at that.

Do you have any thoughts for why Bernie and his cosponsors are not bringing this bill up for a vote right now?","I believe deeply in M4A. I also know that undergoing a major health reform package in the middle of a pandemic probably isn't going to be easy. I think coming out of this, we have to push HARDER THAN EVER to make it happen.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:45:13+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hi Dr. El-Sayed, thank you for doing this AMA.

I am a current MPH Epidemiology student who is set to graduate in a few weeks, so I am eager to do all I can to help!

I have a few questions about the reproductive number of COVID-19 and if you have any more up-to-date information on it? I see estimates from over 10 days ago stating ~1.5-3.5, but no real concrete number. Similar to this, what is the average latent period you have seen (if any), and how long does it seem to remain transmissible in cases? (I understand this is probably a way too early question).

My father is the head of a large section of Vermont's response (and is severely immunocompromised himself but is still seeing patients) and calls often to vent about lack of testing. The thing that strikes us a lot is the lack of reporting number of tests provided so that we can get some sort of denominator to go off of when looking at incidence and mortality. Have you heard any talk about publishing the number of tests used?","These are all great questions. Clear your MPH really empowered you. Glad you're going out to to do this work.

You're right, it's just too early right now to really have characterized this. The R0 can be calculated from the disease curve, latency can be poorly inferred, though. So we really need more direct analysis of actually patients to understand this.

And you're right. W/o good denominator data, it's hard to make ANY sense of these numbers, and how they change!

And grateful for heroes like your father.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:29:43+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"No question, just wanted to say how much I am enjoying hearing a voice of authority on COVID on your pod!",Appreciate you!,IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:25:14+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Let's pretend our president listened to the scientific community back in January and actually tried to do something about the spread of coronavirus (see: Obama's effective response to H1N1). Do you think we still would have ended up with states shutting down, even for small periods of time?","It might have. But had we had ample tests that were produced before this ever hit our shores, our approach would have focused much more on containment (a la South Korea) than on mitigation (a la Italy)",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:01:17+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hey Abdul, I voted for you in the primary and am so excited to read your book. Do you see yourself running for another office in the future? I'd gladly vote for you again.",Perhaps some day :),IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:49:34+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"First off, thank you for America Dissected. Season one helped me really understand the benefits of a healthcare for all system, and season 2 is a needed source of education right now. 

My question is about how you feel this will effect younger children, both physically and mentally and what we can do for them. My daughter is 4 and an only child, and I wonder what affects a prolonged isolation may have, along with how contracting the virus would impact her.","Thanks for listening!

If there's a silver lining in the cloud of COVID, it's that it doesn't seem to affect kids. If it did, I'd have wrapped my daughter in bubble. 

I know this is hard--and particularly missing other loved ones. But the good news is that your daughter has you--and more time with parents at this age can be a great thing.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:51:32+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Hi there Abdul, I voted for you in Michigan's primary. What is your current opinion on many workplaces in Michigan deeming themselves to be ""essential"" when it's sketchy at best that they should stay open? I've heard many cases of Michiganders here saying that their workplace staying open when they really don't seem 'essential'.",It's dangerous--and it hurts us all.,IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:51:59+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Are you hiring?

Okay, having half jokingly gotten that out of my system I can move on to the real issue:

One of the major frustrating failings being highlighted in our response to this pandemic has been the sheer number of resources being ignored. We have countless unlicensed MDs who could be doing...Something.

Myself included, I'm an IMG with ER experience and, thanks to COVID, nothing but time on my hands and an ever growing sense of irritation that I'm not scrubbing in to do something, anything to help.

Are you aware of avenues for those of us who want to help in some capacity? Even if it's just doing scutwork to help take some pressure off senior residents and attendings?","I wish I was. 

I hear you. It may very well change as the reality of this becomes more vivid.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 16:53:03+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,
"Though I disagree with you on a few political points, I admire your activism and respect you for your straightforwardness and commitment to progressive causes. And it's always great to see other Wolverines doing great things! 

My question is: in a best case scenario where everyone commits to social distancing and we successfully flatten the curve, is there an estimate for when life can return ""back to normal""? 

Thank you for doing this, and go blue!","Appreciate you. And thanks for your support. Disagreement is always an opportunity for growth for everyone involved.

There's a theoretical issue and a practical one. In theory if we all just stopped everything for 14 days and froze in spot, we could end this in 14 days. But that's not going to happen. Practically, we have to watch the numbers. When they start to go down, we'll have a sense of when the end is in sight. That said, it's plausible that we could relax these measures--and it would shoot right back up. So we have to be vigilant and committed to this for some time.",IAmAbdul,2020-03-26 15:35:48+00:00,https://reddit.com/r/politics/comments/fph4aj/im_dr_abdul_elsayed_physician_epidemiologist/,"I’m Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, epidemiologist, former health commissioner, and progressive activist, and author of Healing Politics: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of our Political Epidemic--AMA!",https://reddit.com/r/politics,