Dealing With Panic here in the USA?

[JD Spydo]

Early This morning on 3-22-20 I went to my local grocery store ( Hy Vee) at about 9:30am central daylight time. I was amazed when I got to the store. It was as though Christmas Shopping season had returned for a second go-around. There truly was hardly even more than 3 open parking slots in a massive parking lot. I was scratching my head thinking "What the Heck!!??" What's the special occasion? No store sale could be that good :confused: ???

When I got into the store it was far worse than the cartoon "Keystone Cops" and it was even worse than when ladies in this area in the mid 1980s were fighting over newly released Cabbage Patch Dolls at the local Rip-Mart>> and believe me there were some major cat fights at Wally World on that day :eek: :rolleyes:
But I saw so many adult people acting like children in a mode of panic. Apparently this town I live in is supposed to go into a total lockdown come Tuesday ( 03-24-20) from what my neighbor just told me. I was truly amazed and ashamed at the same time that many of the adult people in my community were acting as though an asteroid is going to wipe out the entire planet>> or something of that ilk :rolleyes: . I couldn't hardly believe how many adults were acting like teenagers that missed out on some Led Zeppelin tickets>> yeah but it was even worse than that.

Are we here in the USA a bunch of children that are losing their collective minds??? Is it panic mode where you all are living? Let's talk about Pandemic Panic. Let's talk about how to deal with it. Let't talk about how we can circumvent public places that are seemingly overcome with panic. It can't be this bad everywhere can it?

[Naperville]

That is why preppers prep. Everything is purchased months if not years before they are needed.

There was an earlier thread that was telling everyone to stock up a solid month before the runs on the stores. But, people who did not know better said it was "fear mongering" so they shut it down.

[JD Spydo]

That is why preppers prep. Everything is purchased months if not years before they are needed.

There was an earlier thread that was telling everyone to stock up a solid month before the runs on the stores. But, people who did not know better said it was "fear mongering" so they shut it down.

Thanks Naperville and in all due respect I wish that Spyderco didn't take out that other "CoronaVirus" thread down that we had going. Yeah there was a bit of bickering on it but there was also some great information on it too that we discussed.

I've been reading survival type magazines and books since the late 90s and have procured many survival items over the years. I'm willing to bet that you also have been getting prepared yourself Naperville I've got a lot of food and I'm networked with some good friends and great neighbors that have access to more if needed.

You're right even a month ago when we had that other thread going so many people were giving us a hard time when most everything we were talking about came to fruition. Our Grand Parents knew of the importance of prepping and storing up stuff for tragic events and shortages.

I've got two dear elderly ladies who live in my neighbor hood who aren't taking it very well mentally and I truly do worry about them. Not sure how I'm going to play that card.

[The Deacon]

No, it's probably worst in places where state or local government has fueled panic buying by imposing lock downs. Stores in my area are a bit more crowded than normal at the times I normally shop and low or devoid of items like paper products, bread, meat, rice, and milk but everyone shopping is polite. I suspect the higher traffic is due, at least in part, to people being laid off, kids being home from school, and everyone having fewer options at mealtime.

IMHO, the government's response to the Wuhan virus has been totally disproportionate to the actual damage it has done here. Latest figures show a total of roughly 350 dead in the entire country and the majority of them were elderly folks who already had serious, potentially life threatening, medical issues. To put that in perspective, Johns Hopkins puts the US death toll due to medical errors at 250K per year, or about 685 per day and, according to their own reports, Planned Parenthood aborts about 345,700 babies a year, or about 950 day.

[JD Spydo]

No, it's probably worst in places where state or local government has fueled panic buying by imposing lock downs. Stores in my area are a bit more crowded than normal at the times I normally shop and low or devoid of items like paper products, bread, meat, rice, and milk but everyone shopping is polite. I suspect the higher traffic is due, at least in part, to people being laid off, kids being home from school, and everyone having fewer options at mealtime.

IMHO, the government's response to the Wuhan virus has been totally disproportionate to the actual damage it has done here. Latest figures show a total of roughly 350 dead in the entire country and the majority of them were elderly folks who already had serious, potentially life threatening, medical issues. To put that in perspective, Johns Hopkins puts the US death toll due to medical errors at 250K per year, or about 685 per day and, according to their own reports, Planned Parenthood aborts about 345,700 babies a year, or about 950 day.

Paul where you make mention of the "FACT" that the government and many news agencies as well as health departments throughout the nation are truly taking this thing completely out of proportion. I've been listening to a former Green Beret who has a podcast show on RepublicBroadcasting.org
he has said over and over that the regular flu here in the USA kills so many people per year without fanfare and without the news media making a big deal about it. He also said that more people here in the USA have died of the existing flu viruses than what this so-called "CoronaVirus" has killed. I would be willing to bet that there are more people dying of car/truck accidents than there are those who die with CoronaVirus. So public panic is way out of the scope of what the real facts are. I'm so glad you pointed that out

He also said that most of it's victims are elderly with conditions that have already weakened them. I'm not saying that the CoronaVirus is not dangerous because it is potentially dangerous to people with compromised immune systems or people that are diabetics and the like are most vulnerable. I think it can also be dangerous to people that don't take it seriously. I would love to know how many people with pneumonia have died this winter here in the USA compared to those who have died of the Virus?

I'm willing to bet that by at least May if not the middle of April we will be over the worst of it. By summer I do believe it will be in the history books.

[James Y]

I don’t watch more than maybe 20 to 30 minutes of news coverage at a time, because it’s all about COVID-19. I am aware and have made some preparations. Not as much as some people, but I do have some. I’m doing what I can to avoid this thing, but I still refuse to buy into the panic that so many have bought into.

There’s also a lot of “doublespeak” going on. The media says “be informed, but not fearful,” then CA governor Gavin Newsome says that “Fifty-six percent of all Californians are going to get COVID-19.” WTH? How does he come up with that prediction? So they’re basically saying, “Don’t be afraid, be very afraid.” No wonder so many people are in panic mode right now. And I refuse to buy into it. What’s the worst that can happen? I can honestly say that, while I’d prefer to live out the rest of my life, I’m not afraid to die when it’s my time. I will continue to live as best I can, with dignity. It’s either that, or “fear this, fear that, fear everything; and if not this time, then the Next Big Thing... and then you die.” IMO, that’s no way to live. Take precautions, do the best that I can, and see what happens, without buying into the constant fear and hysteria. That’s what I’m doing.

Jim

[JD Spydo]

I don’t watch more than maybe 20 to 30 minutes of news coverage at a time, because it’s all about COVID-19. I am aware and have made some preparations. Not as much as some people, but I do have some. I’m doing what I can to avoid this thing, but I still refuse to buy into the panic that so many have bought into.

There’s also a lot of “doublespeak” going on. The media says “be informed, but not fearful,” then CA governor Gavin Newsome says that “Fifty-six percent of all Californians are going to get COVID-19.” WTH? How does he come up with that prediction? So they’re basically saying, “Don’t be afraid, be very afraid.” No wonder so many people are in panic mode right now. And I refuse to buy into it. What’s the worst that can happen? I can honestly say that, while I’d prefer to live out the rest of my life, I’m not afraid to die when it’s my time. I will continue to live as best I can, with dignity. It’s either that, or “fear this, fear that, fear everything; and if not this time, then the Next Big Thing... and then you die.” IMO, that’s no way to live. Take precautions, do the best that I can, and see what happens, without buying into the constant fear and hysteria. That’s what I’m doing.

Jim

Jim I heard on Shortwave radio last night that China is claiming that the worst of the epidemic is pretty much over for them. If that is accurate then this panic should subside very soon. When the real percentages and real numbers finally come out I think most people are going to be amazed at how government and society over-reacted for the most part.

[bearfacedkiller]

That is why preppers prep. Everything is purchased months if not years before they are needed.

There was an earlier thread that was telling everyone to stock up a solid month before the runs on the stores. But, people who did not know better said it was "fear mongering" so they shut it down.

Or maybe all the shortages and panic is being caused by the fear mongering? Crazy!

Again, calmer heads prevail.

[TomAiello]

To put that in perspective, Johns Hopkins puts the US death toll due to medical errors at 250K per year...

FWIW, that statistic is completely bogus. It includes everyone who dies _and_ had a medical error.

That includes (real example) terminally ill patients who missed a single dose of a medicine unrelated to their terminal illness (like an anti-depressant, when they were dying of cancer). Correlation _is not_ causation.

[Surfingringo]

I don’t watch more than maybe 20 to 30 minutes of news coverage at a time, because it’s all about COVID-19. I am aware and have made some preparations. Not as much as some people, but I do have some. I’m doing what I can to avoid this thing, but I still refuse to buy into the panic that so many have bought into.

There’s also a lot of “doublespeak” going on. The media says “be informed, but not fearful,” then CA governor Gavin Newsome says that “Fifty-six percent of all Californians are going to get COVID-19.” WTH? How does he come up with that prediction? So they’re basically saying, “Don’t be afraid, be very afraid.” No wonder so many people are in panic mode right now. And I refuse to buy into it. What’s the worst that can happen? I can honestly say that, while I’d prefer to live out the rest of my life, I’m not afraid to die when it’s my time. I will continue to live as best I can, with dignity. It’s either that, or “fear this, fear that, fear everything; and if not this time, then the Next Big Thing... and then you die.” IMO, that’s no way to live. Take precautions, do the best that I can, and see what happens, without buying into the constant fear and hysteria. That’s what I’m doing.

Jim

Amen to all of this. I don’t like the way this is being handled but I am at peace.

[bearfacedkiller]

For sure! I shouldn’t be here and I have been running on borrowed time for a while now. I guess that I don’t think about death for the same reason most folks do, it is inevitable. I just take it one day at a time. Yesterday and tomorrow only exists in my mind so I try to keep my mind focused on what is real which is right now.

The world is not ending, civilization is not collapsing and we will push through this. It will be easier if we are kind to each other and stay positive. :) Every man for himself is the more difficult path. And again, calmer heads prevail.

[The Deacon]

To put that in perspective, Johns Hopkins puts the US death toll due to medical errors at 250K per year...

FWIW, that statistic is completely bogus. It includes everyone who dies _and_ had a medical error.

That includes (real example) terminally ill patients who missed a single dose of a medicine unrelated to their terminal illness (like an anti-depressant, when they were dying of cancer). Correlation _is not_ causation.

Have no way of verifying how Johns Hopkins came up with that number, but even if the number of deaths where the error was directly responsible is 5% of that, it's still more deaths from medical error in 2 months than have died from the Wuhan since the first case showed up in the USA in mid January. I'd also be willing to be that, if you removed all the deaths from Wuhan where the patient had a high probability of dying within 6 months from other causes, the number of US deaths from it would be well less than half of what it is.

[shunsui]

One year doesn't seem like too much, but when you lay it ALL out...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_veh ... S._by_year

[ChrisinHove]

We have an official briefing from the Prime Minister, Chief Medical Officer etc. I just watch that now, not all the endless news coverage, debate and speculation that was just getting me down.

It’s interesting to compare the information you get “straight from the horses mouth” with how it’s reported: I’ve wondered several times if they’ve even listened to the same speech.

Also, you get to hear the questions from the Press, and it’s been interesting how the questions from some newspapers are clearly nuanced to give them the headline creating answers they want.

In truth, like a battlefield, we might only find out what has really happened long after the event, and even that will depend upon the author of the account.

[TkoK83Spy]

I'm just hoping I'll be able to retire comfortably some day. Had a good thing going prior to all this. Checked the ole 401K when this all first started, lost $35K and haven't checked it since. That's about the only thing I really plan for with the future, nearly made me sick

I know everyone else is also going through the same thing, but that was a big scare and doesn't seem like it will be getting any better any time soon.

[Wartstein]

Jim I heard on Shortwave radio last night that China is claiming that the worst of the epidemic is pretty much over for them. If that is accurate then this panic should subside very soon. When the real percentages and real numbers finally come out I think most people are going to be amazed at how government and society over-reacted for the most part.

From what we hear here in Europe that is true. China did not have a single new infection for days now (just some people who have the Virus and came back to China from abroad).
They say though this was only possible by imposing massive lock downs and so on... who knows, I just can tell what I read and hear..

It does not seem too bad except in Italy and now also in Spain. In the North of Italy (being a neighbour country to mine) they really do struggle and it is quite a tragedy,

[TkoK83Spy]

I read that about China as well, and really hope it's true and can provide a bit of positivity for the rest of the world, as we all need something positive right now. At the same time, so many reports and news outlets it's impossible to know what to believe anymore.

[The Deacon]

I'm just hoping I'll be able to retire comfortably some day. Had a good thing going prior to all this. Checked the ole 401K when this all first started, lost $35K and haven't checked it since. That's about the only thing I really plan for with the future, nearly made me sick

I know everyone else is also going through the same thing, but that was a big scare and doesn't seem like it will be getting any better any time soon.

Doubt this pandemic panic will last more than 6 months and I suspect the stock market will rebound within a year or two once it's over. So, unless your "some day" is in the near future, I'm fairly sure the impact of this on your 401K should be minimal to non-existent. Hadn't bothered to look till now, but my fairly small Deferred Comp account has taken about a 20% hit. Luckily, I don't depend on the RMD from it to augment my pension and Social Security

[Naperville]

My best guess is that even if this lasts 18+ months, the panic will be over in 3 months. People may not be going back to work anytime soon, but hoarding will probably stop.

[James Y]

I don’t watch more than maybe 20 to 30 minutes of news coverage at a time, because it’s all about COVID-19. I am aware and have made some preparations. Not as much as some people, but I do have some. I’m doing what I can to avoid this thing, but I still refuse to buy into the panic that so many have bought into.

There’s also a lot of “doublespeak” going on. The media says “be informed, but not fearful,” then CA governor Gavin Newsome says that “Fifty-six percent of all Californians are going to get COVID-19.” WTH? How does he come up with that prediction? So they’re basically saying, “Don’t be afraid, be very afraid.” No wonder so many people are in panic mode right now. And I refuse to buy into it. What’s the worst that can happen? I can honestly say that, while I’d prefer to live out the rest of my life, I’m not afraid to die when it’s my time. I will continue to live as best I can, with dignity. It’s either that, or “fear this, fear that, fear everything; and if not this time, then the Next Big Thing... and then you die.” IMO, that’s no way to live. Take precautions, do the best that I can, and see what happens, without buying into the constant fear and hysteria. That’s what I’m doing.

Jim

Jim I heard on Shortwave radio last night that China is claiming that the worst of the epidemic is pretty much over for them. If that is accurate then this panic should subside very soon. When the real percentages and real numbers finally come out I think most people are going to be amazed at how government and society over-reacted for the most part.

Joe,

I also saw a report that China is now deconstructing all the temporary hospitals they had built to deal with the onslaught of patients. I hope they’re right and not ‘jumping the gun’. I also hope it isn’t propaganda to make China’s actions appear more effective than the situation there really is. Supposedly, new infections are starting to taper off in South Korea, BUT they are bracing for a possible resurgence.

Jim