Coronavirus

queen koopa

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Wag the dog. Charles Manson's "family" killed more people worldwide than this virus. The common cold has killed exponentially more people than this virus this year and every year.

Your tortoise is not at risk, and "they" are successfully distracting you from whatever issue they don't want you thinking about.
EXACTLY!!! Please if everyone in the world could read just this little tiny post on a damn tortoise forum and start seeing with open eyes!
 

Tony the Tort42

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kaycov

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You don't have to get snarky. I am concerned about my pet that I have put many years into raising with an abundance of care. I simply needed to know if extra care should be given. I Apprently joined a forum where these types of questions are met with judgement and not care I will be sure not to return.
Snarky? Judgement? What?

I answered your question and shared what I thought was info demonstrating how much of an issue this virus isn't. You've jumped to the wrong conclusion here, and I don't know how.

I just told you that you are being lied to, mislead, and distracted from important matters, and your response is to call me snarky and judgmental? I think you are upset with the wrong person or persons...

Snarky? I didn't see that at all. Kinda thin skinned, eh?
 

Kipley

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Nowhere did I say that you were overacting with your first post in this thread. I expressed that this "Corona virus issue" is not a big deal, but that the powers that be are trying to make it seem like a big deal to distract all of us from the real issues at hand. I also answered your question with a no, your tortoise is not at risk.

I do think your second post to me, and this latest one are an over-reaction and a misinterpretation of what I was trying to say to you. No offense was intended. Sorry you took it that way.

Perspective.
Your tortoise is fine. The rest of us will be too...probably.

So, I'm a Respiratory Therapist on the front lines here in Seattle. The infection rate doubles here about every 48 - 72 hours, and the death rate grows daily.
There are two attitudes that are endangering lives up here; Those who are panicking and think that 36,000 rolls of toilet paper and two pallets of bottled water are the answers, and those who feel we are being lied to, and that this virus is no worse than the flu.

The death rate so far is 10x the flu's mortality rate.
Please do your research not using the media - but academic sources, wash your hands, and be cognizant of what you're touching, especially your face. Don't panic. But please stop discounting this virus. It is very serious and I'm sure in another few weeks your perspective will have changed as much as my professional perspective has changed over the last several weeks.
 

Tom

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Perspective.
Your tortoise is fine. The rest of us will be too...probably.

So, I'm a Respiratory Therapist on the front lines here in Seattle. The infection rate doubles here about every 48 - 72 hours, and the death rate grows daily.
There are two attitudes that are endangering lives up here; Those who are panicking and think that 36,000 rolls of toilet paper and two pallets of bottled water are the answers, and those who feel we are being lied to, and that this virus is no worse than the flu.

The death rate so far is 10x the flu's mortality rate.
Please do your research not using the media - but academic sources, wash your hands, and be cognizant of what you're touching, especially your face. Don't panic. But please stop discounting this virus. It is very serious and I'm sure in another few weeks your perspective will have changed as much as my professional perspective has changed over the last several weeks.
Thank you for sharing this info with us. So this one is different than the bird flu, H1N1, Ebola, and all the other ones that have been over-exaggerated?
 

ManAlive85

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Thank you for sharing this info with us. So this one is different than the bird flu, H1N1, Ebola, and all the other ones that have been over-exaggerated?

The H1N1 virus caused the Spanish Flu which killed around 3% of the world’s population within 12 months. COVID-19 is estimated to have a relative mortality rate comparable to or higher than the Spanish flu.

Only time will tell how this pandemic will pan out but it is deeply unwise to dismiss it.
 

Kipley

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Thank you for sharing this info with us. So this one is different than the bird flu, H1N1, Ebola, and all the other ones that have been over-exaggerated?
Tom, up until a few weeks ago I spent my time telling everyone they were over reacting to this virus. I told people it would never reach the mortality rate that the Flu does each year (80,000 death in 2018 in the US alone) and would be just like SARS, Ebola, etc; A Big Nothing. I felt exactly like you do.

Now after watching what is happening here in Washington, I'm having to retract everything I've said. I don't ever follow conspiracy theories, panic over anything, or generally overreact to situations, but this is totally different. And I don't mean to imply there is any conspiracy behind this virus - this was not manufactured in a lab - I'm just stressing that I'm normally a sane, realistic person who relies on data and not superstition or supposition.
And I think this virus is going to cause quite a bit of disruption for the next several months until we get a handle on it.

New data, quite preliminary and needing more research, shows that Covid - 19 is detectable in the air for 3 hours, and lives on some surfaces for days. Cardboard for 24-48 hours. This is concerning as many here are self quarantining and depending on food deliveries to eat. The Governor declared a state of emergency here yesterday, and as of today any gathering of over 250 people is banned in a tri-county area. This will hopefully flatten the infection curve and give us time to "get a handle on this." Numbers are changing quickly - but we are at 25? deaths and 250 or so testing postive. However it is believed that there are thousands of us up here infected and contagious. Most people have mild symptoms, or none at all, yet the average positive person is infecting 3-4 other people. So numbers up here are going to change drastically in the next few weeks. As they will across the rest of the nation.
Just wash your hands and then wash them again. This is not the flu, it is worse, but we will be on top of it eventually.
 

mark1

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viruses like ebola are no joke , thankfully they are easier to contain , harder to spread , there are other viruses out there as deadly as ebola , thankfully they're harder to spread too…..….. this may only be 10x more serious than the common flu , hopefully it's seasonal ????? it's good practice for governments , cdc , who and other such organizations in trying to contain it , it's for sure worth paying attention to ……. imagine a virus as easily spread as this with a death rate like ebola something like 5000x the flu …… they better get good at this , although it would help curb the population , save the planet …...I read one time that it's doubtful a virus could lead to extinction , something about the real deadly ones being "dumb" viruses …..…… makes a good argument for knowing who is coming into your country , every country ……… the snake thing was originally believed because it is thought to have come from bats , they said they had no bats at the market where they believe it originated , but they had snakes that eat bats , I believe they tested them , don't know how that worked out , was pretty hard reading for me …...… I imagine a vaccine is imminent , they've had a vaccine for corona in dogs forever …….. but it's easier to get vaccines and antibiotics approved for animals than people ……..just my 2 cents ...….
 

Tim Carlisle

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My work just declared a mandatory work-at-home directive effective over the next 3 weeks. I hate working from home cuz if my critters know I'm around, they demand my attention. lol
 

Cathie G

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Tom, up until a few weeks ago I spent my time telling everyone they were over reacting to this virus. I told people it would never reach the mortality rate that the Flu does each year (80,000 death in 2018 in the US alone) and would be just like SARS, Ebola, etc; A Big Nothing. I felt exactly like you do.

Now after watching what is happening here in Washington, I'm having to retract everything I've said. I don't ever follow conspiracy theories, panic over anything, or generally overreact to situations, but this is totally different. And I don't mean to imply there is any conspiracy behind this virus - this was not manufactured in a lab - I'm just stressing that I'm normally a sane, realistic person who relies on data and not superstition or supposition.
And I think this virus is going to cause quite a bit of disruption for the next several months until we get a handle on it.

New data, quite preliminary and needing more research, shows that Covid - 19 is detectable in the air for 3 hours, and lives on some surfaces for days. Cardboard for 24-48 hours. This is concerning as many here are self quarantining and depending on food deliveries to eat. The Governor declared a state of emergency here yesterday, and as of today any gathering of over 250 people is banned in a tri-county area. This will hopefully flatten the infection curve and give us time to "get a handle on this." Numbers are changing quickly - but we are at 25? deaths and 250 or so testing postive. However it is believed that there are thousands of us up here infected and contagious. Most people have mild symptoms, or none at all, yet the average positive person is infecting 3-4 other people. So numbers up here are going to change drastically in the next few weeks. As they will across the rest of the nation.
Just wash your hands and then wash them again. This is not the flu, it is worse, but we will be on top of it eventually.
I agree it's serious even though I've been joking about it. However, I've been dealing with a serious consequence of the 3 day measles for 61 years. My brother is a victim of that virus. Also the new virus can live in the air for 3 hours that means it's airborne also. I kinda think all of them possibly are. They are giving good advice to protect each other. Wash your hands. Stay out of crowds. Stay home if you're sick. Wash all frequently touched surfaces doorknobs etc. I do that anyway. The airborne part I don't know what to say except eventually what goes up must come down...and land on something...
 

Blackdog1714

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My work just declared a mandatory work-at-home directive effective over the next 3 weeks. I hate working from home cuz if my critters know I'm around, they demand my attention. lol
My wife’s had done that as well! No work from home for me though!
 

Farcryjj

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Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses which, by definition, are transmitted between humans and animals. All coronavirus outbreaks such as the recent SARS and MERS have been found to have originated in other mammals before infecting humans. Whilst there have been reports of other mammals testing positive for COVID-19, it seems unlikely that the strains of this virus that are currently being transmitted between humans would be able to make the leap from a human to a tortoise or other reptile due (put simply) to the significant differences in our genetics.

That said, this is a brand new disease and the truth is, nobody really knows if or how it will transmit between species. Viruses can also mutate and adapt rapidly, especially as they grow in prevalence so even if COVID-19 isn't able to transmit between species today, nobody can say for certain that it won't be able to make that leap next week or next month. The best assumption is that, whilst unlikely, it is possible that COVID-19 could transmit to our pets; however by taking sensible actions we can further limit the likelihood of this happening. Thoroughly washing hands before and after touching pets and limiting their exposure as far as possible to anyone who is showing flu like symptoms would be a sensible approach to take at any time, for any family member, your tortoise need be no exception.

A lot of people on this forum are extremely knowledgable in the field of tortoise care and offer excellent advice in this area but are not, it would seem, all expert epidemiologists. It is true to say that far more people have died each year from seasonal flu than have died after contracting COVID-19 however that will not continue to be the case for more than another week or two. This is a rapidly spreading virus to which none of us have any immunity and has a mortality rate many times that of seasonal flu. COVID-19 is not a conspiracy, it's a virulent and dangerous virus that should not be dismissed. Of course it's important not to overreact but it's equally important to properly prepare for the social, economic and health impacts of this outbreak and to take all reasonable measures to limit further transmission.

Well said, ManAlive85 and Kipley. The death rate of Covid-19 is 10 times as the common flu and transmit extremely fast compared to SARS. It not only damages the lungs but also triggers immune system reactions to attack other organs. There are many young people who died in China caused by this virus in January and February, before the doctors could figure out how the virus work that triggers sudden death to patients.
Until now, there's still no definite conclusion on where the virus strain is from. It is believed that it is originated from bats but carried by a mammal before it made the jump to affect human.
People in China applied very strict rules on quarantine and mask-using. Temperature is taken in all public places, residential communities and public transportation system. Restaurants were closed. People were not allowed to go to work or schools. All public events and gatherings were canceled. The economy took a huge hit in China as the result of the precautions taken. But if the virus was allowed to transmit freely like common flu, millions could die in China alone. It is not to be taken lightly.
 

William Lee Kohler

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You don't have to get snarky. I am concerned about my pet that I have put many years into raising with an abundance of care. I simply needed to know if extra care should be given. I Apprently joined a forum where these types of questions are met with judgement and not care I will be sure not to return.

It's a matter of not going all nuts about everything you read on the internet from alarmists and idiots! Normally diseases that effect humans and warm blooded critters does not cross over to reptiles. They have their own unique strains that they can catch.
 

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