How does your faith or worldview help you cope and help others during the pandemic?

[Dawnofhope]

From China...

That’s not really saying a lot, is it? The borders with Canada and Mexico have just been closed and community spread appears well advanced. This virus is deadly and rapidly spreading. How effective America’s respond to this pandemic will be clear in the next two to three weeks. As an outsider looking at the States, its very concerning.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Hey, pleased to hear you’re doing OK.

We had the first two cases in my town earlier in the week. A father and son had contracted the disease from Europe. The son was a teenager at a local school that needed to be shut down for a few days while 150 potential contacts were put in voluntary isolation and tested. All tests were negative so the school will reopen next week.

It seems that we are doing much more testing in NZ. We’ve done more tests here in the last two days than Virginia has in total. If you’re not testing then you have a lot of people roaming around with a low level of the disease spreading to others but oblivious to their carrier status.

Its a rapidly evolving epidemic so it will be interesting to hear where Virginia is in a week. I found the link you provided really informative, particularly from a public health perspective. Thanks for your response.

You're welcome. I was thinking, though, of how this became a world-wide pandemic. It seems like a missing link. For example, in some cases in the U.S. they have evidence the people affected came from overseas in affected areas; that's fine. However, the U.S. is huge and the states just as much. So, what is the likelihood that the virus would end up in tens and twenties in the same area?

I know its transferable by touch etc but it isn't airborne and it's not in itself deadly. So, it makes me think did a group of people come from China and just start going to different countries to affect people by one to one contact? (Like Adam and Eve type of thing, to put it in a weird context)

Even over where you live, how do cases just pop up unless in all cases we have proof the common denominator was from China. Then the symptoms are so light it's hard to even tell how the disease migrated (if it did?).

 

[Dawnofhope]

You're welcome. I was thinking, though, of how this became a world-wide pandemic. It seems like a missing link. For example, in some cases in the U.S. they have evidence the people affected came from overseas in affected areas; that's fine. However, the U.S. is huge and the states just as much. So, what is the likelihood that the virus would end up in tens and twenties in the same area?

I know its transferable by touch etc but it isn't airborne and it's not in itself deadly. So, it makes me think did a group of people come from China and just start going to different countries to affect people by one to one contact? (Like Adam and Eve type of thing, to put it in a weird context)

Even over where you live, how do cases just pop up unless in all cases we have proof the common denominator was from China. Then the symptoms are so light it's hard to even tell how the disease migrated (if it did?).

First of all the main mode of transmission of the coronavirus virus is through aerosol droplets passed on through coughing, sneezing and just being in close proximity to someone through breathing the same air (eg being in the same room with someone 2 meters away for 15 minutes). The virus can linger on surfaces such as keyboards used publicly. So someone sneezes over a keyboard, you type on that keyboard soon after they have left then touch your mouth or nose.

The virus may have originated in a food market in Wuhan, China through transmission from an animal to human. Because its very contagious its spread rapidly. There is a lot of international travelling. So while the first case may have come from either an American returning home or someone from China visiting, the epicentre of the virus soon moved to Europe. Border restrictions for travellers from Europe should have been implemented much sooner. By the time this was enacted over a week ago there was already extensive community spread in the USA.

The mortality rate from coronavirus is much higher than the usual flu.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

First of all the main mode of transmission of the coronavirus virus is through aerosol droplets passed on through coughing, sneezing and just being in close proximity to someone through breathing the same air (eg being in the same room with someone 2 meters away for 15 minutes). The virus can linger on surfaces such as keyboards used publicly. So someone sneezes over a keyboard, you type on that keyboard soon after they have left then touch your mouth or nose.

The virus may have originated in a food market in Wuhan, China through transmission from an animal to human. Because its very contagious its spread rapidly. There is a lot of international travelling. So while the first case may have come from either an American returning home or someone from China visiting, the epicentre of the virus soon moved to Europe. Border restrictions for travellers from Europe should have been implemented much sooner. By the time this was enacted over a week ago there was already extensive community spread in the USA.

The mortality rate from coronavirus is much higher than the usual flu.

I read that the pneumonia (and SARS) have higher mortality rate but coronavirus spreads much easier (has a lesser incubation period-think 6-14 days remembering off hand) than the other two. Even with that, most cases aren't severe and people get better. But, even though many people with various types of coronaviruses sneeze and cough, and everyone who does have traveled around the world, there's got to be more than sneezing around people that can cause such an outbreak in various countries around the same time in so short of time period. In other words, the media and the way people describe the seriousness of the virus doesn't match up with what the information sites like CDC are describing how the virus works, how it spreads, and why.

 

[Quagmire]

Sorry to create another Covid 19 Pandemic thread but I thought it would be useful to hear stories for anyone interested about how we are coping or struggling during this rapidly escalating crisis.

I live in New Zealand and we now have 52 cases with another 13 confirmed in the last 24 hours. For the first tine we have a couple of cases we can’t link to those who have entered the country recently. Perhaps its the beginning of community spread. We shut our borders to overseas visitors two days ago. Now we are implementing further measures. Asking our over 70s and those with significant health conditions to stay at home as much as possible. Those workplaces that can implement work from home plans should. Any non essential domestic travel should be deferred. An alert system has been devised.

Coronavirus: New Zealand at level 2 of COVID-19 alert system

I’m on the frontline as a GP so we’re looking at setting up designated testing stations for coronavirus so we don’t have infected people walking into our practices. We’ll probably start implementing telephone consultations this week.

As a health provider I follow developments closely in my country but overseas too. We’ve got it easy here in NZ compared to some parts of Europe and the States. So I’m trying to stay positive and make practical and sensible decisions. I think my faith encourages that but recognise faith isn’t necessary at all for many of us here.

Anyway, just thought I’d check in.

Stay safe, Adrian.

I have faith that in the big picture everything turns out the way it's supposed to.

These days it pays to focus on the big picture.

 

[dfnj]

How does your faith or worldview help you cope and help others during the pandemic?

My faith is strengthened. Having faith in an omnipotent God is easy. How can you lose or be disappointed. But having faith in the people around you now that takes real faith!

Listen to what Andrew Cuomo says from 30:50 mark in the video to 32:00 minute of the video and he makes me proud to be a human being! Andrew Cuomo justifies my faith in humanity. This is what we need to be thankful for. Honestly this 2 minutes of video brought me to tears. This is what we all should be aspiring to. Not some lofty impossible to define or understand religious concept that has nothing to do with reality.

As a health provider I follow developments closely in my country but overseas too. We’ve got it easy here in NZ compared to some parts of Europe and the States. So I’m trying to stay positive and make practical and sensible decisions. I think my faith encourages that but recognise faith isn’t necessary at all for many of us here.

You might like this site for tracking what is happening in NZ:

Coronavirus Update (Live): 308,227 Cases and 13,064 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Outbreak - Worldometer

 

[stvdv]

I’m on the frontline as a GP so we’re looking at setting up designated testing stations for coronavirus so we don’t have infected people walking into our practices. We’ll probably start implementing telephone consultations this week

That's good, here many corona cases spread in hospitals (nurses and doctors get it), so best to at least cover mouth, nose and eyes (ffp3), I think, when working with patients directly.

As there is no cure and it's very contageous, direct contact best be avoided IMO, so telephone sounds good. Here in Holland they do it now also. Whatsapp video call might be better, easier to diagnose and gives it more like real consult; just a thought I had.

Be careful Adrian.
Love, Peace and Blessings

 

[oldbadger]

Sorry to create another Covid 19 Pandemic thread but I thought it would be useful to hear stories for anyone interested about how we are coping or struggling during this rapidly escalating crisis.

I live in New Zealand and we now have 52 cases with another 13 confirmed in the last 24 hours. For the first tine we have a couple of cases we can’t link to those who have entered the country recently. Perhaps its the beginning of community spread. We shut our borders to overseas visitors two days ago. Now we are implementing further measures. Asking our over 70s and those with significant health conditions to stay at home as much as possible. Those workplaces that can implement work from home plans should. Any non essential domestic travel should be deferred. An alert system has been devised.

Coronavirus: New Zealand at level 2 of COVID-19 alert system

I’m on the frontline as a GP so we’re looking at setting up designated testing stations for coronavirus so we don’t have infected people walking into our practices. We’ll probably start implementing telephone consultations this week.

As a health provider I follow developments closely in my country but overseas too. We’ve got it easy here in NZ compared to some parts of Europe and the States. So I’m trying to stay positive and make practical and sensible decisions. I think my faith encourages that but recognise faith isn’t necessary at all for many of us here.

Anyway, just thought I’d check in.

All the very best to you, and I hope that you and all your colleagues keep safe and well in the months ahead.

Our GP surgeries in the UK have reduced all patient visits by stopping paper prescription collections. Where a patient cannot request a prescription by email they just need to call a special prescription telephone number to arrange a repeat. I don't know how the repeat is then issued, probably by post, but I won't know the answer to that until my neighbour gets his. .

My wife and self don't have very high-social lives, and because we tend to focus in to each other and our pets we haven't been affected much by social exclusions, but the Baptist and Salvation tea-n-chat mornings have been cancelled which I sometimes attend. (You might wonder, but I never did argue and aggress at either venue, a really well behaved oldbadger).

We are awaiting what I call 'The Italy peak' here, but of course Italy has not yet reached its peak, and with a % mortality out of the known cases this is reaching up beyond 8% now. Most of our specialists hoped for a lower % between 1% and 3%, so I think the message has rammed itself hard in to most folks here.

Unless a total isolation lockdown of every home is ordered, we can get out on to the foreshore or its grassy perimeter, but I reckon that a lockdown must come soon if we are to stop this sickness and hold it.

Good luck in New Zealand. Health workers are so 'in the firing line' and with our retired health workers coming back to help we have a special thought for these older people.

All the best to you.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Sorry to create another Covid 19 Pandemic thread but I thought it would be useful to hear stories for anyone interested about how we are coping or struggling during this rapidly escalating crisis.

I live in New Zealand and we now have 52 cases with another 13 confirmed in the last 24 hours. For the first tine we have a couple of cases we can’t link to those who have entered the country recently. Perhaps its the beginning of community spread. We shut our borders to overseas visitors two days ago. Now we are implementing further measures. Asking our over 70s and those with significant health conditions to stay at home as much as possible. Those workplaces that can implement work from home plans should. Any non essential domestic travel should be deferred. An alert system has been devised.

Coronavirus: New Zealand at level 2 of COVID-19 alert system

I’m on the frontline as a GP so we’re looking at setting up designated testing stations for coronavirus so we don’t have infected people walking into our practices. We’ll probably start implementing telephone consultations this week.

As a health provider I follow developments closely in my country but overseas too. We’ve got it easy here in NZ compared to some parts of Europe and the States. So I’m trying to stay positive and make practical and sensible decisions. I think my faith encourages that but recognise faith isn’t necessary at all for many of us here.

Anyway, just thought I’d check in.

Basically, I believe that God is in control. It is allotted for all of us to die someday.

I believe that when God created, at that moment of the Big Bang, God put into effect the exact laws of physics that would lead to the evolution of sentient life. Not that the details were fixed. That evolution could have gone many different way. But inevitably a species with moral sentience would have evolved with whom God could have a relationship.

In the meantime, a myriad of other life forms would come into existence and either further evolve or go into extinction. Viruses is one such result of the natural consequences of evolution. God could have prevented the evolution of viruses, but it would have meant no evolution, which would have meant no human beings as well.

I am on immunosupressants, as well as being 58. That places me in very high risk. But I'm okay with it. I've lived a rich full life, full of experiences and love. It's not that I don't want to live -- life is good. It's just that I don't fear death.

I think that one of the things that gives meaning to life is the fact that it has an end. If life went on forever, it would become boring and stagnant. I already am beginning to feel like all my experiences are just replays of what I have experienced before. And so I don't want to live forever. If I could change anything, I would simply allow people to choose they day they leave this world.

Life must renew. The old make room for the young. I leave behind my children, my grandchildren, and the knowledge that I will have great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. It gives me a feeling of contentment.

What is important for me is to live in the now, in obedience to my Lord God, to make everyday the best it can be. I have always thought that I can do this by asking myself, "What if today were my last on earth? How shall I live it?" My motto in life is Ecclesiastes 12:13 "When all is said and done, this one thing remains: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of man.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I think the biggest thing is not so much that it's dangerous since it's not contagious

Was this a typo? It certainly is very contagious.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I believe that when God created, at that moment of the Big Band,

Typo? I think many seem to see God as the conductor.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Was this a typo? It certainly is very contagious.

It's a respiratory virus, though. We don't always catch other coronaviruses like colds right a way if any by touch. High risk. This virus just spreads faster than some others under the same coronavirus category. Not everyone is affected especially life and death because of physical contact. It's a risk factor but not a given fact. I'd say contagious means it's a definite transmission not a high risk one. I actually did mean "not" now that I read it.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Typo? I think many seem to see God as the conductor.

Yes LOL typo.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

It's a respiratory virus, though. We don't always catch other coronaviruses like colds right a way if any by touch. High risk. This virus just spreads faster than some others under the same coronavirus category. Not everyone is affected especially life and death because of physical contact. It's a risk factor but not a given fact. I'd say contagious means it's a definite transmission not a high risk one. I actually did mean "not" now that I read it.

This virus lives for days on surfaces. Even for day on cardboard. I'd call that highly contagious.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

Basically, I'm not coping.

My "best friend" has a job working at the library, despite the thing being closed. She's basically like the father in the song All The Lonely People, who writes a sermon that nobody will hear. She's got shelf sorting to do, and cataloguing, and shuffling out unread books, and probably ordering new ones, and asking for donations (which ppl are unlikely to give if it stays closed because ppl prefer to donate where there is a cause that personally connects with them). But she's not really doing the real purpose of the library anymore. You know, those books are for ppl to read and all?
Like many of the ppl here, she not only refuses to believe me but I've decided she doesn't even really care if people panic, just as long as she's safe. Not even if ppl starve from overshopping. She's earning so that she can leave for the city. And normally I'd convince her not to go, but right now I'd be sorely tempted to say something I'd later regret like "good riddance."

My other friends are mostly from the church, and they've decided to shut down, doing services instead on Facebook. I've long since removed my Facebook account, and I have little desire to see her go through the motions of a service without any people. A church, to me, is about people overcoming their fear and being around each other. And as a child of the 1980s, I remember seeing a lot of "at your own risk" signs, like skate or ski or whatever. The idea was that as a grown adult you are able to make your own decisions, even if they put you in danger. The late 1990s and stupid people burning themselves by placing coffee between their legs then suing because you know, coffee may be hot put an end to most personal responsibility, but I think we're in this mess because people can't be trusted to take their own risks, so they instead trust a nanny state.

I'd like to say right now that I feel the presence of Jesus soothing me and reminding me that this time will be over soon. But all I feel around me is more fear. I feel the presence of Jesus mainlt when two or three are together. When I'm with ppl. Like this, I'm not sure what to turn to, what to trust.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

The late 1990s and stupid people burning themselves by placing coffee between their legs then suing because you know, coffee may be hot put an end to most personal responsibility, but I think we're in this mess because people can't be trusted to take their own risks, so they instead trust a nanny state.

The difference is, if I spill coffee on myself, I'm the only one that gets hurt. If I am reckless and catch the coronavirus because I didn't follow the health guidlelines, I will infect others, some who may die.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

Except they also agreed that being around ppl was worth the risk. Who are we to take other people's choices from them?

People may die, if I get in a car and drive to work (not during a disease, I mean, from accidents). "Warning: cars may cause death. Use at your own risk." People have always been able to put others' lives ar risk by getting very drunk and then doing something reckless, but there isn't a national emergency about alcoholism. And every smoker gives other ppl a risk of lung cancer.

I went to a Baptist church last Sunday. They made it clear several times that if you were here, you were here because ypu want to be, and several ppl had stayed home, despite it being, you know, a rowdy Baptist church. They had hand sanitizer, and they took precautions, but they were here to worship, and there was no peace passed but some people DECIDED to shake your hand anyway.

Today, I stayed home because I was not only feeling under the weather, but severely depressed at how easily choices are getting taken away.

If you don't trust ppl to make stupid decisions, pretty soon there aren't gonna be any left to make. You'll have a society like Matched, where ppl aren't even allowed to choose their love interest.

God said to Adam and Eve, "Eat any tree but that Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil because it may kill you." Adam said, " Wow, I wouldn't want Eve to die there. Let's stay away from that, and just eat lemons and stuff. "

(Said nobody ever, cuz it didn't happen. Adam and Eve decided life was worth risk, and they were branded sinners for it)

Maybe you'd rather they eat from the Tree of Safety instead?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

This virus lives for days on surfaces. Even for day on cardboard. I'd call that highly contagious.

Same as other viruses, though. I think maybe 'cause it's new and doesn't have a cure that plays into it a lot.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Sorry to create another Covid 19 Pandemic thread but I thought it would be useful to hear stories for anyone interested about how we are coping or struggling during this rapidly escalating crisis.

I live in New Zealand and we now have 52 cases with another 13 confirmed in the last 24 hours. For the first tine we have a couple of cases we can’t link to those who have entered the country recently. Perhaps its the beginning of community spread. We shut our borders to overseas visitors two days ago. Now we are implementing further measures. Asking our over 70s and those with significant health conditions to stay at home as much as possible. Those workplaces that can implement work from home plans should. Any non essential domestic travel should be deferred. An alert system has been devised.

Coronavirus: New Zealand at level 2 of COVID-19 alert system

I’m on the frontline as a GP so we’re looking at setting up designated testing stations for coronavirus so we don’t have infected people walking into our practices. We’ll probably start implementing telephone consultations this week.

As a health provider I follow developments closely in my country but overseas too. We’ve got it easy here in NZ compared to some parts of Europe and the States. So I’m trying to stay positive and make practical and sensible decisions. I think my faith encourages that but recognise faith isn’t necessary at all for many of us here.

Anyway, just thought I’d check in.

Dear Adrian you and people like you are the salt of the earth. We rely so much on you guys yet the work you are doing exposes you to great dangers and you deserve our utmost support and thanks for being there for everyone when they need it most.

 

[Vee]

Sorry to create another Covid 19 Pandemic thread but I thought it would be useful to hear stories for anyone interested about how we are coping or struggling during this rapidly escalating crisis.

I live in New Zealand and we now have 52 cases with another 13 confirmed in the last 24 hours. For the first tine we have a couple of cases we can’t link to those who have entered the country recently. Perhaps its the beginning of community spread. We shut our borders to overseas visitors two days ago. Now we are implementing further measures. Asking our over 70s and those with significant health conditions to stay at home as much as possible. Those workplaces that can implement work from home plans should. Any non essential domestic travel should be deferred. An alert system has been devised.

Coronavirus: New Zealand at level 2 of COVID-19 alert system

I’m on the frontline as a GP so we’re looking at setting up designated testing stations for coronavirus so we don’t have infected people walking into our practices. We’ll probably start implementing telephone consultations this week.

As a health provider I follow developments closely in my country but overseas too. We’ve got it easy here in NZ compared to some parts of Europe and the States. So I’m trying to stay positive and make practical and sensible decisions. I think my faith encourages that but recognise faith isn’t necessary at all for many of us here.

Anyway, just thought I’d check in.

Dear Adrian, first of all thank you very much for all that you and your colleagues all over the world are doing, putting yourselves in danger to help others.

Here in France we've been on quarantine for about a week and I doubt it will be over anytime soon, since many people are not following the rules, they're not taking this seriously and we'll all end up paying for their indiscipline. I think we might be in for a long, difficult recovery.
All group activities have been suspended so JW are doing a lot via video conference and we try to keep a healthy spiritual routine and have a life as close to normal as possible. We call each other a lot to check if everyone is OK , specially the elderly and those who live alone so they won't feel so lonely. We're respecting the guidelines from the government and staying home until this situation is over and doing what we can with what we have. Despite everything, we feel very lucky to have so much technology available today, it really makes everything much easier.

Stay safe and keep us posted.

Vee