OT: Coronavirus - Start Prepping

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This is an error. If you press the Canada button on the list to the left it shows 67, not 133.

I have the same. I'm calling BS on the 133.

 

[Thqre]

I have the same. I'm calling BS on the 133.

Maybe they added some numbers on cruise ships

 

[TVs Frank]

The “don’t panic” advise applies to stocks as well. I have a couple of mutual funds that are taking big hits right now. They took big hits back in 2008 too. I left them alone back then and they had bounced back and were in the black within two years. Unless you really, really need your money or have invested in highly speculative stocks, just try to ignore your investments. This isn’t the time to sell and not the time to gamble with a big buy. I would just leave whatever cash I have in savings or GICs.

 

[ULF_55]

I have the same. I'm calling BS on the 133.

from 66 to 132, like someone double counted, and now have add 1 for today?

 

[TVs Frank]

Cases in Canada just jumped from 66 to 132 overnight

The John Hopkins source you linked to made an error. If you click “Canada” on the list to the left it shows 67, not 132.

 

[Merrrlin]

CSSE – Center For Systems Science and Engineering at JHU

Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS

That John Hopkins dashboard is excellent

 

[lottster14]

The John Hopkins source you linked to made an error. If you click “Canada” on the list to the left it shows 67, not 132.

Okay, thought it said 132 for a minute and i wasn't crazy. Big error

 

[tmlms13]

The “don’t panic” advise applies to stocks as well. I have a couple of mutual funds that are taking big hits right now. They took big hits back in 2008 too. I left them alone back then and they had bounced back and were in the black within two years. Unless you really, really need your money or have invested in highly speculative stocks, just try to ignore your investments. This isn’t the time to sell and not the time to gamble with a big buy. I would just leave whatever cash I have in savings or GICs.

I'm probably doing the same but wait for the signs when the rebound happens and add any spare money I have to take advantage.

 

[Fogelhund]

I checked my stocks for the first time in two weeks today (I've been purposely not looking because there's no point but I had to pay the bills so it was unavoidable) and I was pleasantly surprised to be only down $100k. No idea how bad after today though (and of course if this continues).

On another note, I had a meeting with a major auto parts manufacturer client of mine the other day (major under the radar company, he's a billionaire nobody's ever heard of). He has facilities all over Ontario and the 'States and he seemed completely unconcerned and is operating as usual.

My clients are up. Nearly all of them.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

My clients are up. Nearly all of them.

I'm pretty defensive but that sounds like a different level.

 

[Fogelhund]

"These people"? Jesus, it's just a discussion and I'm not "peddling" anything.

The mortality rate is much lower than the reported 3.4%. It's actually zero so far here in Canada. The rates are inflated because the countries worst hit so far didn't even know they had it at first so there's no way to measure people that were asymptotic and people that just assumed they had the flu or a cold. The stated rate is based on *confirmed* cases.

FFS I'm tired of getting insulted over this. Go f*** yourself actually.

LOL... So they are lower than reported... and yet still multiples higher than the flu.

 

[mikeo1]

That’s the denominator in the equation. The population impacted.

The numerator is equally important.

Unless you have a test while alive or when you pass.. there’s no way to know what people may have died of.

Lack of testing impact both ends.

Severely ill people are much more likely to be tested (and die) than those with mild illness. Washington state is no longer testing people with suspected mild illness, and I believe the same is true for many health care groups in California. Don't know what is going in Italy or S.K., but I suspect they do the same.

 

[Big Muddy]

The growing sentiment that COVID-19 is a man made pathogen is disturbing on so many levels. The question is whether it was released intentionally or by accident.

On a positive note, yesterday I read an article that Israeli scientists believe they are on the cusp of developing a vaccine within a few weeks.

That's good news, but market trials (in the U.S. at least) usually take about 1 year to complete.

 

[Big Muddy]

Yes.

Imperfections in our system aside (or in the UK’s NHS) it is without question better to treat people than not.

It’s better to test more people than live with unknowns. It’s better to establish baselines to know if mitigation efforts, eventual vaccines or virus mutations have any impact.

Our systems allows for this.

The USA’s system does not.

My neighbor is a doctor. He had some interesting info. In the U.S., test kits cost $3,200. Many people in the U.S. are without coverage, so unless Medicare is going to cover the testing costs, a lot of people who potentially have a mild case won't get tested.

He is also anticipating closing his office for a few months. He is already getting lots of calls and isn't really in a position to give much more info other than what is publicly available. He also has to inform callers/patients that he has no test kits, and even if he did, he would have to tell them they cost $3,200. He is also worried about the health & safety of his staff.

He also mentioned that the cost to produce a test kit is $3, yet is being sold for $3,200 (in the U.S.).

I think the coronavirus will really test the ability of the U.S. government (& the current President & his administration) to function in a way that helps control or mitigate the pandemic. I'm not sure they are up to it given what has been happening - see excerpt from Fortune magazine below.

The cuts started in 2018, as the White House focused on eliminating funding to Obama-era disease security programs. In March of that year, Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer, whose job it was to lead the U.S. response in the event of a pandemic, abruptly left the administration and his global health security team was disbanded.

That same year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was forced to slash its efforts to prevent global disease outbreak by 80% as its funding for the program began to run out.

 

[Big Muddy]

Flu death rate in 2018/19 was 0.098 % in the United States
The Global Death rate for Coronavirus is currently around 3.4%

These people trying to pedal number of deaths, would be the same people who would say that World War 1 wasn't too bad, because it only killed three people by day 2.

Sadly, although its a pandemic and has widespread consequences, people are going to feel inclined to be political about this. And, you can guess what kinds of folks with specific political persuasions are going to try to downplay the significance of what is happening.

 

[Big Muddy]

Media makes a ton of money on this so they over report it. Its like their hatrrd of Trump. Number 1 goal is clicks. I have faith humanity isnt stupid and will realize this panic is unneccessary.

Ah yes, and here is the typical reaction that connects it back to politics. Very unsurprising.

 

[Clark4Ever]

It's been a bloodbath on Wall Street today, and the TSX has definitely seen better days as well.

I'm tempted to buy but I'm not convinced the market has bottomed out yet.

 

[Einzakin]

Ah yes, and here is the typical reaction that connects it back to politics. Very unsurprising.

What? I was using an example of the media using something for clicks. Could be anything. Relax.

 

[Einzakin]

It's been a bloodbath on Wall Street today, and the TSX has definitely seen better days as well.

I'm tempted to buy but I'm not convinced the market has bottomed out yet.

Yep. Buy in spurts. The down days it's good to just continue. At some point it'll recover once people stop their overreaction and panicking. I think that's this week.

 

[Big Muddy]

It's been a bloodbath on Wall Street today, and the TSX has definitely seen better days as well.

I'm tempted to buy but I'm not convinced the market has bottomed out yet.

Doubt if we have hit bottom yet, but its anybody's guess I suppose. The major indexes are 17% lower than market peaks.

 

[Advanced stats]

Yep. Buy in spurts. The down days it's good to just continue. At some point it'll recover once people stop their overreaction and panicking. I think that's this week.

What do you recommend buying? Honest question from a market rookie.

 

[Big Muddy]

What? I was using an example of the media using something for clicks. Could be anything. Relax.

I guess I thought I saw something about hating POTUS as being the reason for media doing what they are doing.

 

[yubbers]

Sadly, although its a pandemic and has widespread consequences, people are going to feel inclined to be political about this. And, you can guess what kinds of folks with specific political persuasions are going to try to downplay the significance of what is happening.

Sane people that ask questions?

 

[Einzakin]

I guess I thought I saw something about hating POTUS as being the reason for media doing what they are doing.

Nah but I mean, certain media outlets don't like Trump. That's fine. I don't care but they use the people's interest in Trump to get mega clicks. They make a f***ing ton from it.

 

[Big Muddy]

What do you recommend buying? Honest question from a market rookie.

No matter what you do, always keep a diversified portfolio. Also, age factors into investment decisions. The older you are (closer to retirement), the more your portfolio should be weighted on fixed return assets. No one should be giving you advice without knowing a bunch of stuff about you e.g. age, risk tolerance, your other investments, etc.