Easy there turbo. Take a few deep breaths and turn off the overdone news would be a nice start.

I agree about the "overdone news". I'm just about ready to quit all news and social media!

Well, it's nice to know you've got it all figured out and handled. If you could drop me (and the NCAA, NBA, PGA, the President, etc.) a line when it's all good to go, that would be great.

I just want to get this straight.....

the NCAA, NBA, PGA, MLB and numerous other entities have just foregone BILLIONS of dollars because of media frenzy?

Consider this - the US has a certain number of ICU beds and a certain number of ventilators. CV isn't going to spread itself out over 6 months or so like flu season. Ventilators aren't going to magically appear. Hospitals don't typically run a 50% vacancy rate. I have a mild case of asthma which is no big deal, but if I get bronchitis, it hits my lungs hard and fast. I think I'd survive (not sure), but might depend on what medical support is available. Let's just say I'm twitchy about it.

There was an interesting set of statistics from Italy on Twitter (can't find the link now or I would) that said age is just one factor. Obesity is just as bad.

We had an ERMC meeting Monday morning. We had a WebEx set up for anyone who couldn't make it, but nobody sent an email saying to use WebEx. It was noted by the CEO that we weren't following our 6 foot social distancing procedures by being shoulder to shoulder in the Boardroom, but the 90 minute meeting continued. Right before it started, one person mentioned spending most of the day before at the hospital with her daughter who had a high fever - so [censored] did she think her presence was so critical to that meeting that she came in person instead of using WebEx? We can't send mixed messages at the top of the organization and yet....

I have a trip to Florida with my son to go fishing scheduled for next week and I am not cancelling. Unless there is a ban on domestic air travel (nothing would surprise me at this point) we will be going. Schools here are still in session.

Media frenzy never made anyone give up millions of dollars, let alone billions.
I'm a March Madness junkie - can we just declare the #1 seed the NCAA winner, print the shirts, and let Jayhawk fans go spend lots of money on the shirts?

RockChucker? I bet you could get a great last minute deal on a cruise ship! Stay out of WalMart and go see the islands.

I can see you are very emotional at the moment so let's continue this conversation in 90 days or so.In the meantime I might take HMS Pippii's advice and get a great deal on a cruise.

My mom's assisted living center is basically on lockdown last night, although we don't have any confirmed cases in our county yet. The residents can only leave for essential services (which doesn't include grocery shopping). They recommend increasing their meal plan to 2 meals a day and having an outside service deliver other things that may be needed. Visitors aren't allowed unless providing essential services, and anyone who does enter the building has to pass a screening.

I guess it's good that the facility is on top of this, but a little notice so we could have stocked up on a few things for her would have been nice.

Not emotional.......tired of even a pandemic being political fodder.

And even in 90 days (and i'm not directing this at you directly, i have no idea how you'll react in 90 days) i don't see how it will be different. If these measures WORK and the spread is curtailed, many will then say "see???? Big overreaction." It's a never-ending game in today's world. I'm just sick of it. I don't think the news media could show a picture of an infant taking its first step without social media making it political.

People's "opinions" on what we should do about a pandemic are just meaningless to me. How you want to react in your personal life to it? Of course. What you think the government's reaction to a health crisis which rank and file Americans haven't the slightest expertise in? Just seems ridiculous to me.

I live in a county in Indiana that hasn't seen a case of the virus yet (I pray that we don't, but I'm not holding my breath). They announced yesterday that the 3 colleges in town will begin e-learning for like the next 3 weeks. The school corporation just announced today that school is closed until April 3rd. I guess what confuses me is, that all of these kids still have to go somewhere while their parents work, whether it's daycare or to a family members house. It's not like they are being quarantined....they are still going to be interacting with other kids and adults. So are all of these closures really going to stop the spread of the virus?

I'm not going to let the media and anyone else make me panic over this. I don't want to see anyone get sick or worse, die, but everything that is happening right now just seems really really extreme.....just my opinion at the moment though.

I'm not sure if any of you have been personally impacted by all of this, but today I found out that I was at a large public gathering last week and a woman that was also there is now positive for the virus. I had no direct contact with her and should be fine, however two of my co-workers did have direct contact, and they have been sent home by the Bank. So whether you think this is funny (run on toilet paper and Clorox wipes), political or whatever, please show kindness. No one wants to get sick or make others sick. So please think about everyone who is ill and say a pray that they get better and that others avoid it.

Kindness should be top of mind. Well said, Soccer!

Everything isn't extreme. Unfortunately, society as a whole has no clue how to react to this. Put five people in a closed room and have a clown jump out and you'll get five different reactions.
Look at Italy. They didn't think it was that bad either.
Social distancing in hopes of lowering the curve is our best chance at not ending up like Italy on a much grander scale.

Good points Soccer.
And yes, of course I hope this is a huge overreaction and things turn around quickly. I guess until I see that this illness (not the social response to it) is in fact more impactful to the general health of individuals than the flu I don't see what the big deal is. When I was watching the Utah Jazz player who got infected I expected a bunch more people on the team and staff to get it since it was so contagious. They tested over 50 people in that group and only one other player had it and that is with them sweating on each other, being in the same locker room, flying in the same airplane and traveling in other vehicles together. I understand that there are individuals who are more susceptible to it, heck I'm immune compromised and in stage 2 kidney failure so it's not like I want it either. I've always been more of a watch and see person and less of a go with the crowd kinda guy.

I think the seriousness came about when they cancelled the NCAA Tourney. Once the professional leagues followed suit it became apparent this could be much worse than many assumed. My wife has been following along for a couple weeks and had the fridge stocked; I was very skeptical until a couple days ago. Seeing what is happening in Italy is a sobering thing and makes me very concerned about my parents, as they are 66 and 72 and have smoked for many years.

That being said, people need to educate themselves using truly educational sources. I was presented with an article that basically made the entire thing sound apocalyptic. Turns out the author was in marketing and has no medical background. I hope everyone stays safe and this passes asap.

Same thing here. I wish we would have had a day notice. I can drop off groceries at the door only. No visitors. My Mother isn't worried, thankfully.

As of yesterday, everyone who can work at home is being outfitted to do so. I had already asked and received the necessary equipment earlier last week so I'm home for the foreseeable future. Hubs and I and my 93 year old mother will forego grandgirls visits, et al in an effort to get through this safely. We'd started pulling wallpaper and sanding to paint the dining room and now will have plenty of time to finish it without rushing on a weekend.

I applaud all that have stepped up to make this huge effort to flatten the curve by encouraging and even enforcing social distancing.

Stay healthy, fellow BOLers.

It may be best to enforce social media distancing as well.

I agree with the mixed messages from various folks at the top. Just an example, yesterday at church (borderline allowable as the city has strongly discouraged groups of 250+ from meeting; 8am service isn't THAT crowded though.....) They removed the sign-in pew books and asked people to do 'drive by' communion (rather than altar rail) - BUT everyone was in a big crowded line to get said communion AND they did common cup. ?!?!?!? Someone didn't think this all the way through.

Brothers buy up hand sanitizer After I saw this article where they bought up around 17,000 bottles of hand sanitizer and disinfectants, I was glad Amazon, EBay, and others shut them down. Trying to claim the price gouging wasn't profiteering and rather a public service was just sad.

When Vegas strip casinos are closing you know it's getting real. I think we will be discussing the economic impact of this crisis for a very long time.

Those brothers ended up donating all that hand sanitizer in an effort to offset the charges being brought against them.
A friend posted that they had to pay $23 for a pack of toilet paper at Home Depot in their state so the gouging is not just online.
We had limited quantity signs in the stores but don't know of any gouging up here.

The picture of the little old lady standing by the bare shelves prompts me to ask you all to check on a neighbor you know might be in need, especially those in the high risk group. Offer to shop for them. And please remember to stay 6' away when you deliver stuff. You may be the only contact they have through this. Thank you.