Right now, I am not sure what to think of all this. I think,
@Train Dodger, calm down but be ready. I am. I have food, water, and a means to shut this house down if I have to. I am hoping, praying, that it won't come to that, but
in case it does? I am ready.
That is where we all need to be. I don't know the truth of what's going on in China. I don't think anyone does. Right now, to borrow a phrase from one of my fave books? We're trying to G2 an epidemic from 5000 miles away with managed news and internet innuendo. We're all doing the best we can.
But for the love of God, don't panic. Panic will kill as surely as the damn bug. Be smart, be aware, and don't do things you wouldn't do during flu season for starters. Stay informed, and I don't just mean CNN/FOX. They're getting stage managed by the damn PRC, and we all know it. Check CDC, John's Hopkins, and look for patterns in the data. Read
between the lines, and keep in mind, what is usually attributed to malice, can often be correctly be attributed to stupidity. I think at worst, this is another Sverdlosk, which is bad enough.
I am a little closer to this than most, as my wife is Chinese. Most of her distant family hails from Shanghai and Hong Kong, and there's been a lot of rumor running around, and from what she tells me, the authorities haven't helped. It's not on our everyday radar, but it's getting up there. My brother in law, bless him, is trying to get masks to send over there. There's not any to be had in the DMV. Nada, zip, zero. Power of panic.
I was in NYC on 9/11. I saw what panic and being fat, dumb, and happy looks like. We owe it to ourselves and each other to be aware, alert, and informed. We cannot let fear cripple us. Prepping will alleviate that fear to an extent. It's ok to be afraid. Fear focuses us, but panic, panic kills.
<end of soapbox commentary>