Actually I’m thinking of renting enough chairs for the campers and will send out an update this week!
2020 Spring Camp Updates
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Oh brother!
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Ben,
Are there any thoughts about the possibility that public health authorities may start placing restrictions on travel or public gatherings in the face of the corona virus threat? I am coming in for the March 26th camp and am hoping that we aren’t facing a national emergency and mandatory prohibitions by that time. I’m sorry to throw this “wet blanket”, but these are things worthy of some consideration.
Bob Jacobs, MD (and aspiring guitar picker)
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I’m hoping, too! If they do, they do, and there’s nothing I could do about that. But that is highly, highly, highly unlikely.
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I’m combining Camp with some business travel, so I’ll be driving - from Sheridan, Wyoming - about 1,500 miles, LOL. (I hope the hotel has room for my 20’ flatbed trailer.) I’ve been wanting to do something like this for a long time, so there’s not much chance of anything keeping me away! 
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Unless the travel authorities get hysterical or the “threat” suddenly goes from a mild flu to an actually dangerous disease then there shouldn’t be any problems
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That’s an awfully big room. 
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Influenza is actually a greater risk and deadlier. 105 children have died of the flu this season (as of last week). And many of these have been very healthy kids.
Get your flu shots and wash your hands!
Covid 19 seems to only be taking out those with comorbidities, ie: heart, lung , kidney disease and elderly.
Just to be on the safe side, only drink Corona light.
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Yeah, and imagine the size of the door to get that rig in!
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The statistics on covid 19 are in flux. It is not entirely clear how many people are actually infected, since many have mild or no symptoms. However, of the actual reported cases the mortality rate appears to be between 2-3%, usually in the population with comorbidities (other health issues). It does look like the pediatric population is not susceptible to this virus. Garden variety “flu” affects millions of people in the US and has a mortality rate of only about 0.1%. This new corona virus looks like it has the capacity to spread easily and may become a bigger problem than is now appreciated. Happy thoughts for the folks in Mt. Juliet suffering from today’s weather problems and looking forward to camp late this month.
Bob Jacobs, MD
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Just my opinion, but I believe the mortality rates in China are skewing the numbers for the rest of the world. If you look at China, the mortality rates are highest in the older folks, and tend to be concentrated where air pollution is really bad. Plus, I’ve read that there are a lot of smokers in China, especially older men. Sounds like a perfect storm for a virus that causes respiratory distress.
I can’t help but wonder what the real exposure rate has been outside of China. My uneducated opinion is that it’s probably much higher than we know, but people aren’t getting the same symptoms as folks in China.
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News Headline. Coronavirus cases in UK leap to 87 as medical chief warns ‘significant epidemic likely’ and Brits ‘will die’
Here in Europe there is a lot of hype in the media which is causing some folk to panic. Italy seems to have be hit quite bad but I would say no more than is normal in a European winter. Media reports suggest that it’s the elderly and those with pre-medical conditions are the most likely to be fatal. We all got to pass sometime so I think I’ll make the best use of the time I have left and go pick some banjo.
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Same in the states, people are likening it to Ebola, which is just willful ignorance. 80% of deaths have been over 60yo and 75% already had underlying health problems. I didn’t think about the air pollution in China, but that’s also a factor. Death rates have been about 8% in Wuhan, around 3% elsewhere in China, and about 0.7% in other regions (i.e. internationally). I can see why Italy would get hit hard, they have a large smoking percentage of population, and also harsh winters. I’d imagine London would also not fare well with pollution and weather, but for the most part it’s nowhere as serious as it’s made out to be, people are just scared cuz it’s new and they don’t know what to expect.
And I say all this from the perspective of having had malaria (an illness with one of the highest worldwide death rates) eleven times. So chill, stop smoking, and you should be fine. Wash your hands, because of the flu, which has killed more than five times as many people as covid-19 this year
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London and other major cities in the UK are a lot less polluted than when I was a kid. Back then everyone had a coal fire, Factories and Railways all burnt coal. Walking home from school on a foggy afternoon our faces and clothes were blackened by soot. And so were our lungs.
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Even without power we’ve been pushing through! Campers, look for an email update from me in the next 24 hours. Here is the video that is included in that email, but there are other important things, too.
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@BanjoBen Amazing progress in difficult circumstances. Thank you for making us feel so welcomed. I am really looking forward to some warmer weather, even though it may be damp. The precipitation where I live is still a frozen variety.
BTW do you switch to Daylight Savings Time this weekend?
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Absolutely, these disease phenomenons are in constant flux. The CDC is reporting 32,000,000 illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 18,000 deaths from the flu this year. Compared to 90,000 illnesses and 3,000 deaths attributed to Covid 19.
So the numbers reveal a far higher incidence of flu and flu related complications and deaths, however a higher mortality rate for Covid.
What does this mean friends.?
Wash your hands for @ least 20 seconds covering all surfaces. Use the alcohol wipes @ the grocery store to wipe down cart handles. Avoid handshaking. Avoid people with cough or fever. Avoid close contact (6ft distance) with others that are sick. Stay home of you are sick.
Get your flu and pneumonia vaccine.
There is no reason to wear a mask if you are not in close proximity-6 ft from someone who is sick.
Peggy Shumsky, BSN, RN
Infection Control Officer
MVMC
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