"COVID-19 Bug In tips exchange"

[Ever]

The building has a hall ventilation system connected to all floors that is strong enough to create a breeze 8 feet into my apartment from around and under the door.
...Does anyone have experience or ideas?

you might start by calling maintenance and asking if the hall way should be positive to negative in regards to the apartments.

OR have you considered assisting the building with their air balance issue by removing the inlet, and tapping some cardboard to restrict the air flow in the vent?

If your apt is healthy & the hall/other apts are 'sick', you should have positive pressure (overpressure), if your apt is sick & the hall/other apts are healthy, then your apt should be negative pressure.

If sick/sick, maintain positive pressure. It's kind of a shitty thing, but life isn't perfect.

Here's what I did:
I cut 5' X 8" strips from a clear-ish 65 gallon bag to line the front door jam on the outside, top/bottom/both sides.

The bottom was tricky. I settled on stretching a strip across the bottom connected to left and right jams, reaching 5 inches up and secured with packing tape to the floor with the top loose against the door.

Several places on top & sides were loosely taped to prevent sucking inside when the door opened, but still loose enough to create an air stop when closed.

I worked it until I had no inflow air.

The whole thing stops air into the apartment and allows air to freely flow into the hallway when my balcony door is open.

Is that what you were saying to do?

[Ever]

Baking Through the Pandemic: Sourdough Soft Pretzels

On a related note: mandatory work at home + cancellation economy has given me time to go through my preps top to bottom. One find in the back of my refrigerator was a sealed jar of baker's yeast, circa 2012. I proofed it and while slow to take it did start bubbling. So I attempted to bake some bread. Note to self: it apparently takes far less biological activity to produce bubbles in a diluted flour solution than it does to actually leaven bread. I ended up with what could charitably be called a pair of "wheat bricks".

I also made some soup with two very old cans of asparagus that I'd sooner starve than eat straight up. The soup turned out delicious however. And I discovered that wheat bricks, once sliced, toasted and slathered with butter, are quite palatable as long as you dunk them in delicious homemade potato-asparagus soup. Bon appetit!

fantastic!

I foresaw myself getting back to making bannock breads again during this because going to the grocery while the walking infected are everywhere does not make good sense to me. So I have 10 lbs of flour waiting for my heavy hand.

But don't ask for a taste cause I'm not good at getting the same taste twice, and they're not necessarily all that tasty... except once in a while by chance. So I compensate by loading them with dates, raisins, cranberries... whatever I have on hand.

Potato asparagus soup, huh. You make it sound delicious.

[flybynight]

The building has a hall ventilation system connected to all floors that is strong enough to create a breeze 8 feet into my apartment from around and under the door.
...Does anyone have experience or ideas?

you might start by calling maintenance and asking if the hall way should be positive to negative in regards to the apartments.

OR have you considered assisting the building with their air balance issue by removing the inlet, and tapping some cardboard to restrict the air flow in the vent?

If your apt is healthy & the hall/other apts are 'sick', you should have positive pressure (overpressure), if your apt is sick & the hall/other apts are healthy, then your apt should be negative pressure.

If sick/sick, maintain positive pressure. It's kind of a shitty thing, but life isn't perfect.

Here's what I did:
I cut 5' X 8" strips from a clear-ish 65 gallon bag to line the front door jam on the outside, top/bottom/both sides.

The bottom was tricky. I settled on stretching a strip across the bottom connected to left and right jams, reaching 5 inches up and secured with packing tape to the floor with the top loose against the door.

Several places on top & sides were loosely taped to prevent sucking inside when the door opened, but still loose enough to create an air stop when closed.

I worked it until I had no inflow air.

The whole thing stops air into the apartment and allows air to freely flow into the hallway when my balcony door is open.

Is that what you were saying to do?

Have you got a box fan ? (actually any fan with a strong flow of air and can be pointed in one direction ) position it to blow at the door straight out. Turn it on before you open the door and leave it on while you are outside your home. Hallway air will be blown away from your door.
This is basically how researchers work with pathogens in a lab environment. Except of course the whole lab has negative air flow to a Hepa filter system and the pathogens containers are opened and worked on in a BSC with it's own directional air flow to it's own filters.

[MPMalloy]

Ever:

1. If you want the hallway air to stay out, maintain higher pressure in your apt than the hallway. A box fan should help.

2. If you want your apt air to stay out of the hallway, keep the air pressure in your apt lower than the air pressure in the hallway.

[manacheck]

There's this bad advice that I keep hearing like a broken record about "staying in for coronavirus": to "eat your perishables first, and then eat your frozen foods, then your canned and dry goods."

My tip is: No. Do NOT do this like how it sounds. In a power out is one thing. Then it makes more sense.

I'd suggest instead: start by eating some of whatever item you have MOST of, first. Doesn't matter what type of food item it is. It will give you more opportunity to make more meals more balanced, at the point where you have the most variety of things available to you in your bug-in. Might also help with menu fatigue.

Got lots of macaroni? Make your first meal have some macaroni in it. Make your third meal have some in it, too. That's my tip. Use what you have most of first. You can always blanch/freeze, dry, or can/salt your perishables to last longer, after all. No rush on eating every last egg and vegetable before making the first pot of spaghetti.

[FlashDaddy]

...
I'd suggest instead: start by eating some of whatever item you have MOST of, first. Doesn't matter what type of food item it is. It will give you more opportunity to make more meals more balanced, at the point where you have the most variety of things available to you in your bug-in... No rush on eating every last egg and vegetable before making the first pot of spaghetti.

I agree! And variety is the Thyme of life. We have been using canned soup from the “pantry” with fresh bread and cheese. My wife used some frozen flour to make a cake today. We had 15 bean soup from a stored package of dried beans. Everything will stretch out. We will get through this together.

[Ever]

...
I'd suggest instead: start by eating some of whatever item you have MOST of, first. Doesn't matter what type of food item it is. It will give you more opportunity to make more meals more balanced, at the point where you have the most variety of things available to you in your bug-in... No rush on eating every last egg and vegetable before making the first pot of spaghetti.

I agree! And variety is the Thyme of life. We have been using canned soup from the “pantry” with fresh bread and cheese. My wife used some frozen flour to make a cake today. We had 15 bean soup from a stored package of dried beans. Everything will stretch out. We will get through this together.

Now 'that' hadn't occurred to me, this being the first long term event I've ever had to face, as well as my first bug in.

I can use as many more tips like these throughout this COVID-19 Event as anyone wants to share because
......I'm way out of my depth now in this Real Time application.

[manacheck]

....variety is the Thyme of life.

Love the thyme puns!

Your dinners sound delicious. Please mail me some of that soup. (Since I'm asking something like that, would you make sure it's still hot when it arrives, too? I could also use a winning lottery ticket. ) I'm drooling just reading about it!

[manacheck]

this being the first long term event I've ever had to face, as well as my first bug in.

I can use as many more tips like these throughout this COVID-19 Event as anyone wants to share because
......I'm way out of my depth now in this Real Time application.

Well, I do have another suggestion about feeling way out of your depth. Also food-related, but specifically for dealing with acute, short-term, heightened anxiety.

If you have the resources without needing to go out to get them, and find yourself feeling panicky... even if it sounds hokey, try putting yourself on a strict, unforgiving keto diet for a full 24 hours... or even 36 if you want to. (By strict and unforgiving, I mean without breaking it, five hours in, with a Twix bar. I mean intaking 25g of carbs or less for the full day's meals and snacks, all together, including carbs from vegetables.)

I know many people do this kind of diet for longer lengths of time, but for this purpose, one full day in ketosis is usually enough by itself to have a calming effect on your adrenals.

Not to say that carbs have no place in your diet. They do. But if your anxiety is particularly bad and you realistically have the option, a one day of keto can usually help you get your body out of that fight-or-flight overdrive. And remind you you have flexibility. In this event we don't need to support fight or flight so much as we need to support calm, collected states of mind. Short term keto is able to efficiently accomplish that goal for many people.

[majorhavoc]

The Urban Prepper has a good video focusing on what you can still do now to deepen or [*choke*] start your COVID-19 preps. Several nuggets in there that I hadn't thought of and found very useful.

[Ever]

you might start by calling maintenance and asking if the hall way should be positive to negative in regards to the apartments.

OR have you considered assisting the building with their air balance issue by removing the inlet, and tapping some cardboard to restrict the air flow in the vent?

If your apt is healthy & the hall/other apts are 'sick', you should have positive pressure (overpressure), if your apt is sick & the hall/other apts are healthy, then your apt should be negative pressure.

If sick/sick, maintain positive pressure. It's kind of a shitty thing, but life isn't perfect.

Here's what I did:
I cut 5' X 8" strips from a clear-ish 65 gallon bag to line the front door jam on the outside, top/bottom/both sides.

The bottom was tricky. I settled on stretching a strip across the bottom connected to left and right jams, reaching 5 inches up and secured with packing tape to the floor with the top loose against the door.

Several places on top & sides were loosely taped to prevent sucking inside when the door opened, but still loose enough to create an air stop when closed.

I worked it until I had no inflow air.

The whole thing stops air into the apartment and allows air to freely flow into the hallway when my balcony door is open.

Is that what you were saying to do?

Have you got a box fan ? (actually any fan with a strong flow of air and can be pointed in one direction ) position it to blow at the door straight out. Turn it on before you open the door and leave it on while you are outside your home. Hallway air will be blown away from your door.
This is basically how researchers work with pathogens in a lab environment. Except of course the whole lab has negative air flow to a Hepa filter system and the pathogens containers are opened and worked on in a BSC with it's own directional air flow to it's own filters.

okay. I tried every which way I can to position my two box fans; one only, both, stacked, high / low on separate stands, near, back further back, together, apart.

I cannot manoeuvre them in a way that doesn't also 'create' an inflow as they blow toward the opening door. (I've been hanging pieces of thread And twine up and down the door frame to track air movement)

As near as I can tell I'm getting less and shorter inflow + intensity from not using them. When I close the door without using them the parimeter plastic barrier described in previous post seals again. Using a fan prevents that seal.




And today's news report regarding finding COVID-19 in the cruise ships cabins 17 days after they were vacated (before decon procedures began) makes me feel more confident about going with a perimeter seal rather than my original plan to go with a sheet, or later thinking a variation of those hanging freezer strips. (placebo effect may be happening but at this point in the game I'm gonna take it)

I had changed my mind after those first reports on how long the virus lasts on different surfaces/conditions because I couldn't figure out a way to avoid self contamination using the door for any reason short of burning my eyes, skin, airways, and lungs with spraying bleach all the time. I 'think' the perimeter seal will take less spraying. It's certainly easier to avoid touching. I'm also more confident of the seal.

[emclean]

keep in mind that you don't need an airtight seal, you are not trying to keep the virus out, just any droplets that might be infected.

[Ever]

this being the first long term event I've ever had to face, as well as my first bug in.

I can use as many more tips like these throughout this COVID-19 Event as anyone wants to share because
......I'm way out of my depth now in this Real Time application.

Well, I do have another suggestion about feeling way out of your depth. Also food-related, but specifically for dealing with acute, short-term, heightened anxiety.

If you have the resources without needing to go out to get them, and find yourself feeling panicky... even if it sounds hokey, try putting yourself on a strict, unforgiving keto diet for a full 24 hours... or even 36 if you want to. (By strict and unforgiving, I mean without breaking it, five hours in, with a Twix bar. I mean intaking 25g of carbs or less for the full day's meals and snacks, all together, including carbs from vegetables.)

Well, this is a well thought out suggestion. I appreciate it very much and will definitely do some looking into it. If it looks like I'm gonna give it a 24 hour try I'll give you a report on how it worked for me. Definitely one for the toolbox to be pulled out at a later date if I don't get to it right away.

[Ever]

keep in mind that you don't need an airtight seal, you are not trying to keep the virus out, just any droplets that might be infected.

Okay, good. Thanks.

Now that's also including the up to 3 hrs airborne part they've been documenting (I forget where) right?

[emclean]

keep in mind that you don't need an airtight seal, you are not trying to keep the virus out, just any droplets that might be infected.

Okay, good. Thanks.

Now that's also including the up to 3 hrs airborne part they've been documenting (I forget where) right?

just keep in the back of your mind that the 3 hours is under the right set of circumstances.

[Ever]

I did not know where to put this information; here in 'tips' or in the COVID-19 thread.

In the end I decided the info is definitely a tip, and probably important around how to move about during the bug in, the probably extended bug in, possibly months of at least semi bug in, then on through the second wave (mentioned on news today) of bug in expected as winter approaches, and thru it, depending on the timeline of wide vaccine distribution.

(highlighting & emphasis mine)




Coronavirus patients may be contagious for weeks longer than first thought, study says

(Excerpt)
Researchers looking at cases in China say patients could spread the virus for up to 37 days after they start showing symptoms, according to the study published in the British medical journal The Lancet.

Some people who get the coronavirus could be contagious for a lot longer than the two-week quarantine period that many countries are using, a new study says.

On average, survivors still had the virus in their respiratory system for about 20 days and could presumably continue to spread the disease, researchers found.

A separate study in the New England Journal of Medicine said that coronavirus patients could be infected for up to 24 days before showing symptoms. The average time was much shorter, about three days, the study found.



British Medical Journal The Lancet
Rational use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic

(Excerpt)
Universal face mask use in the community has also been discouraged with the argument that face masks provide no effective protection against coronavirus infection.

However, there is an essential distinction between absence of evidence and evidence of absence.

Evidence that face masks can provide effective protection against respiratory infections in the community is scarce, as acknowledged in recommendations from the UK and Germany.

However, face masks are widely used by medical workers as part of droplet precautions when caring for patients with respiratory infections.

It would be reasonable to suggest vulnerable individuals avoid crowded areas and use surgical face masks rationally when exposed to high-risk areas.

As evidence suggests COVID-19 could be transmitted before symptom onset, community transmission might be reduced if everyone, including people who have been infected but are asymptomatic and contagious, wear face masks.

[sheddi]

I did not know where to put this information; here in 'tips' or in the COVID-19 thread.

British Medical Journal The Lancet
Rational use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic

(Excerpt)
Universal face mask use in the community has also been discouraged with the argument that face masks provide no effective protection against coronavirus infection.

It seems to me that the main argument in the West against Joe Q. Public wearing face masks is to reduce demand for the things and help ensure they are available to healthcare professionals, Joe and his friends being at low risk while Dr Joe MD is at a much higher one. If the supply chain supported a larger supply and distribution of masks, I imagine public use would be recommended.

I briefly (very briefly!) consdered wearing my S10 to the supermarket this morning but the marginal utility was outweighed by the thought of how ridiculous I would look, and the risk of negative reactions from other shoppers.

[manacheck]

Well, this is a well thought out suggestion. I appreciate it very much and will definitely do some looking into it. If it looks like I'm gonna give it a 24 hour try I'll give you a report on how it worked for me. Definitely one for the toolbox to be pulled out at a later date if I don't get to it right away.

If you do try, and it doesn't feel like it's helping, make sure to give yourself permission to do what makes you feel the most safe, and try to be forgiving of yourself. During an emergency sometimes you can't help but try new things, but it's always better to be able to practice when things are calmer so you're able to know how you personally do with one thing or another. Trial by fire isn't the way we like.

I notice that for me, the more nervous I get, the more I WANT to eat things like higher levels of carbs. It's rather difficult to have your body saying, "NO. EAT PASTA. NOW" when you're trying to eat veggies or meat. And it's weird because I'm normally not a big fan of pasta. Weird times make for weird eating habits I guess.

[Ever]

I did not know where to put this information; here in 'tips' or in the COVID-19 thread.

British Medical Journal The Lancet
Rational use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic

(Excerpt)
Universal face mask use in the community has also been discouraged with the argument that face masks provide no effective protection against coronavirus infection.

It seems to me that the main argument in the West against Joe Q. Public wearing face masks is to reduce demand for the things and help ensure they are available to healthcare professionals, Joe and his friends being at low risk while Dr Joe MD is at a much higher one. If the supply chain supported a larger supply and distribution of masks, I imagine public use would be recommended.

I briefly (very briefly!) consdered wearing my S10 to the supermarket this morning but the marginal utility was outweighed by the thought of how ridiculous I would look, and the risk of negative reactions from other shoppers.

We are in agreement. Indeed, I would go so far as to say in general the 'only' reason the West is (understandably) having an issue is the run that left first response & medical workers endangered.

Which consequence of course could have been mitigated with more efficient foresight and action by everyone & every entity this emerging event being seen was likely or even possibly going to impact.



Typing one's thoughts is often challenging to accurately fully convey meaning and intent.

My own for putting this information forward was the extended contagion time both before we know we've got and when we think we're over it which has now moved beyond conjecture (John Hopkins Medical Center) and reached peer reviewed medical journals. (The Lancet & The New England Journal of Medicine)

For a heads up to this community and all others we impact, that during this Event we have more information to be better able to be proactive regarding safety.



On a secondary personal level to share that I thankfully have information I've just come across to give any locals still choosing to minimize my use masks and fomite avoidance during cold & flu season.

As one of the people I know said to me a couple of weeks ago, 'You're not going to have to be doing things any different.'

(fist pump 'yes!')
If he only knew.

[majorhavoc]

I was shocked to find plenty of toilet paper in my local Walmart today. None in the paper goods aisle, mind you, those have been completely bare for weeks. I was in the automotive section and stumbled on multiple packages in the RV supplies aisle. Now the RV specific TP is about 3 times as expensive as normal TP - it supposedly breaks down much quicker in an RV's black water tank - but it had been completely overlooked by the desperate masses.

I didn't buy any; I'm all set for at least 6 months. But if you're running low and have a Walmart handy, definitely check the RV section.

[MPMalloy]

I was shocked to find plenty of toilet paper in my local Walmart today. None in the paper goods aisle, mind you, those have been completely bare for weeks. I was in the automotive section and stumbled on multiple packages in the RV supplies aisle. Now the RV specific TP is about 3 times as expensive as normal TP - it supposedly breaks down much quicker in an RV's black water tank - but it had been completely overlooked by the desperate masses.

I didn't buy any; I'm all set for at least 6 months. But if you're running low and have a Walmart handy, definitely check the RV section.

Will do.

[flybynight]

I think things are moving towards more normal ( at least in some areas. ) I think I posted earlier this week that we found TP at Menards ( several Pallets ) and saw a lady carrying two large packs out of Dollar General. I think it was Monday or Tuesday .

[WhoShotJR]

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=40324&hilit=artisan+bread

Most of you may have seen this, but if not, fun hobby and great bread. I make boules, dinner rolls, pizza dough, cinnamon rolls etc from this. Super versatile.

[Ever]

Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Bug In day 25

COVID mitigation report:
- knew this a.m. (to miss crowds) was my last chance to possibly pick up my 'too weak to cook' prep hole and have the odds still in my favor for not coming in contact with an infected.

I used my less than full head to toe ppe. It is right from the picture in the news of that family with the child in the stroller in some kind of line using the clear plastic bags.

It worked as easy as it looked like it would; comfortable, lightweight, very loose, covering down to mid-thigh. No impediment in any way.

The sterilizing afterwards was messy. I dipped in in a tub of bleach water and hung it to dry on the balcony. Next time I'll hang it first and spray it, let that side dry, then flip it and spray. Though I don't see the need to spray the inside. I could be wrong though.

This is the picture I used as my pattern. Thanks @raptor for posting it. My own version looks exactly like the woman who is holding the baby. But I was wearing a hat.

We have all seen makeshift PPE. IMO this is one that is likely to effective The simple plastic covering.
Yes it looks stupid but it will block spittle, mucus and grunge that humans will expel while letting in air flow. Assuming of course you discard it and do not bring it into your home.

I carried with me a medium sized Bed Bath & Beyond bag I'd hung onto for a year or two.

Once I left the grocery I used hand sanitizer on my gloves while still wearing them. Then reached inside to grasp the top of the covering with one hand, my other hand turning it inside out as I gingerly removed it.

But I didn't discard it. (which you could easily do if you wanted to)

I sort of folded/rolled it to fit into the oversized bag, being overly cautious to not touch the perimeter or outside of it while doing so.

Used hand sanitizer to disinfect the gloves a second time.

At home the BB&B bag still carrying the ppe went directly into the tub of bleach water. Using my still gloved hands to gently work the ppe out and opened in the bleach water.

Then carried the tub to the balcony where I hung the ppe & BB&B bag to dry.

And discarded the gloves.

I made the ppe from a clear (not opaque) chair cover throw I bought at the hardware store.

From one clear (not opaque) chair throw cover and a bit of clear packing tape, I made
- 1 head to mid-calf ppe
- 1 head to mid-thigh ppe
- 1 head to chest ppe

I purchased 7 'clear' (not opaque) chair cover throws @ $3.99 each, and the clear packing tape for, also, $3.99 at an Ace hardware store.

I didn't feel like I looked stupid under these circumstances. I saw no one whom I saw look at me even take a second glance... or even a pause.