Preparing for Coronavirus?

[mamselle]

Maybe start uploading any files of "old standards," that you always use and already have on hand, just in case?

Maybe just do a week or two of a skeletal outline (put in a date and overview page for each class) that you can add to if need be, or leave alone if it becomes unnecessary.

That would at least make it easier if you do have to go full online, and while I sympathize with the need to wrestle with a CMS for anything beyond the basics, I can set up a shell like that in an hour or so, and usually do at the beginning of the semester, just to have it in place "in case."

M. 

[spork]

Word from Japan: big run on toilet paper. Store shelves are empty.

[pigou]

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/coronavirus-live-updates-who-covid19-covid-19-italy-china-canada-wuhan-deaths

Not new news.  the headline may not accurately reflect her comments.

Coronavirus updates: Stockpile food and meds in case of infection, Canada's health minister says
"Health Minister Patty Hajdu is encouraging Canadians to stockpile food and medication in their homes in case they or a loved one falls ill with the novel coronavirus.

For what it's worth, I think this is really bad advice coming from the government. This is going to lead to more empty shelves (we already see those), which can then cause even more panic when people think there's an actual shortage. And that in turn leads to more hoarding. Stores just don't have a massive inventory in the back anymore as everything is delivered just in time. It's the equivalent of a bank run: it's the panic response that then ends up causing actual problems.

[science.expat]

Lots of panic buying already here in Australia.

[ergative]

Fortunately, in the UK, those of us who were stockpiling for Brexit have our hordes already in place.

[backatit]

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/coronavirus-live-updates-who-covid19-covid-19-italy-china-canada-wuhan-deaths

Not new news.  the headline may not accurately reflect her comments.

Coronavirus updates: Stockpile food and meds in case of infection, Canada's health minister says
"Health Minister Patty Hajdu is encouraging Canadians to stockpile food and medication in their homes in case they or a loved one falls ill with the novel coronavirus.

For what it's worth, I think this is really bad advice coming from the government. This is going to lead to more empty shelves (we already see those), which can then cause even more panic when people think there's an actual shortage. And that in turn leads to more hoarding. Stores just don't have a massive inventory in the back anymore as everything is delivered just in time. It's the equivalent of a bank run: it's the panic response that then ends up causing actual problems.

Don't you think it's not a bad idea to already have 2 week supply though? Those of us who live in hurricane alley are just doing our hurricane prep a month early. This is SOP for us, and honestly, no matter where you live, you should have some sort of plan for a natural disaster. I have an extra prescription from my doctor (that I pay for out of pocket - such a pain, and not really feasible for those without means), a 55 gallon water storage tank, a well pump (and a generator to run it) that I can hook up to the house plumbing if necessary, and a whole garage full of non-perishables. I teach fully online already, and keep 2 syllabi for Fall; one with some flexibility built in for school closure that I can snap up there (as long as my phone doesn't go down) in an instant. I suppose I'm weird but we were out of power for weeks after the last one, and that wasn't the first time it has happened.

I agree with you that people shouldn't panic buy, totally. But I also think that people should always have a plan in place.

[spork]

I'm trying to raise alarm bells on my campus. We have had interruptions before due to storms and loss of electricity, heat, etc. While administrators are generally on board with the idea of disaster preparedness, a lot of faculty are not. They don't want to bother disturbing their routines by making their teaching more resilient.

[clean]

Those of us who live in hurricane alley are just doing our hurricane prep a month early.

I dont know if it is exactly the same.  I am in a hurricane area. I have some water and some food to get me through five day's needs of food* that would not need refrigeration or even water to heat up. I have the ability to fill my gasoline and propane tanks (which are full).  However, this is somewhat different.  We will not need gas, water or be restricted to canned goods.  The electricity should still work, so I wont need to cook on a grill or camp stove or need my battery operated radio or flash lights.  I dont know why there would be a shortage (or run) on toilet paper! 
The loss will be in fresh goods. I can not exactly store bread or fresh fruit and veggies.  I can use frozen chicken, beef or fish, so meat wont be a problem

* Another difference between NOW and Hurricane season is that I am close enough to the coast that my primary hurricane default answer is 'flight'.  I evacuate for hurricanes, so I dont usually need to have a lot of food, water, gas for the generator... I board up and flee! 
There is no where to flee to!  In fact, the response to THIS 'crisis' is the opposite of 'Flee'. It is to hoard and hide.  That is a new response for me.  "Flight" may even be prohibited, in the most dire case, if the government tries to replicate the China response!

[backatit]

I am on the coast as well, but with 4 dogs and 3 cats, we can't flee, so we've hardened our home (impact windows, reinforced roof, generator, etc) and are used to "hunkering down" (oh how I hate that phrase and yet it's remarkably apt). The food prep is definitely different, but we're doing the normal stuff for class and work prep that we would otherwise do. I have a couple of contingency plans for students should they get sick (I get guidance from my university for this - I think universities in hurricane-prone areas are a bit better at this sort of thing). For me my biggest issue is always meds (I have a couple of chronic conditions and I wouldn't live for long without certain meds, so I do have to prepare for that).

[pigou]

Don't you think it's not a bad idea to already have 2 week supply though? Those of us who live in hurricane alley are just doing our hurricane prep a month early. This is SOP for us, and honestly, no matter where you live, you should have some sort of plan for a natural disaster.

Much of this depends on where you live. Suburbs or rural areas that could get cut off? Absolutely, even when there's no viral outbreak. Major urban center? It's just not very likely. If your city gets flooded, so does your backup stash. In other cases, restaurants are pretty good at adapting and tend to remain open. My disaster mitigation plan is frequent flyer miles to get a last minute ticket out of town. There's just no reason for me to sit at home with no power and it's not like work would continue.

But on the public health messaging: the problem is that most people don't have these kinds of reserves and they're now buying them all at the same time. If they spaced out their purchases over a month, it wouldn't be a problem. But everyone showing up to Costco on the same day isn't great. That can cause actual supply issues, in turn fueling more panic about shortages.

[clean]

Much of this depends on where you live. Suburbs or rural areas that could get cut off? Absolutely, even when there's no viral outbreak

My house is 1550 sq feet.  As I am currently single, that is plenty of room. However, in some urban areas, that size house would be HUGE. If you are living in a 1 bedroom place, there may not be storage room for 2 weeks of supplies.  Fortunately, I have a freezer that was empty before this weekend when I added some frozen goods to my possible quarantine scenario supplies. IF I lived in a one bedroom apartment, even my small freezer (the smallest upright Sears made at the time) would be too large.

Way off the topic, but my bride to be was looking at a china cabinet because we 'need' china on the wedding registry. Her mom was willing to give us hers.  I asked, "Where are you going to put it?  Your parents have an entire room for formal dining.  I/we have only this space for ALL eating (and part of my work space when I need to spread out to grade big projects). " 
So SPACE is a constraint for some people, especially in more urban areas. 

[magnemite]

I'm trying to raise alarm bells on my campus. We have had interruptions before due to storms and loss of electricity, heat, etc. While administrators are generally on board with the idea of disaster preparedness, a lot of faculty are not. They don't want to bother disturbing their routines by making their teaching more resilient.

I just prodded part of our department to look at, plan for, scenarios involving off-campus field courses coming up.

Although not "fair" to the interim person, I am very happy to be on leave, and not serving as department chair this year. We are a quarter-based university, and so there must be a non-trivial risk that a whole quarter could be cancelled...

[spork]

I bought two liters of Cretan extra virgin olive oil today because I think supply chains of European goods might get disrupted.

American and Delta have cancelled flights to Milan.

[dismalist]

Well, we have plenty of dry pasta, fresh potatoes, onions, jars of sauce, tinned [canned] meat and fish, and other goodies. Most important, there is one helluva lot of wine. :-)

Best of luck to all.

[mamselle]

I can not exactly store bread or fresh fruit and veggies.

Actually, you can freeze bread, or I like English muffins, very easily. Just pop it in the freezer.

Be sure to take it out the night before you plan to use it and let it thaw, still wrapped, in the refrigerator. No sogginess, and no drying out.

For veggies and some fruits, there are frozen cubed squash, broccoli, etc., that hold up decently for a bit of time: they started out fresh and were flash-frozen, so are fine when used within their dates.

I also have some very good fresh/frozen strawberries....hmmmm.....and I bought shortcakes the other day....hmmm.....desssseeerrrtt....

M.