News Coronavirus Thread

[giantroo]

California now in full lockdown

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Any idea what is preventing this?

Less than two months after the coronavirus became a public health emergency in Australia we are dangerously short of the reagent needed to carry out tests for the killer virus.

News Corp understands that stocks of this reagent are under pressure in Western Australia and Queensland.

While other states such as South Australia have around a month’s supply.

The chemical is held by public pathology labs, private pathology labs as well as key scientific organisation such as the CSIRO.

However, News Corp understands that the bulk of the supply is made by a single pharmaceutical company – Roche.

The chemical is imported into Australia and supplies worldwide are dwindling as coronavirus spreads and it is needed by multiple laboratories.

The countries that make the reagent are keeping the supplies they have for their own coronavirus testing.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Hi mate, I'm an industrial chemist, so can probably explain this.
Metho is ~95% ethanol in water and some stuff that prevents you from drinking it. Aloe Vera gel might not be soluble in ethanol, so best to just use water and then moisturize.
below is a WHO guide for a basic hand sanitizer formulation.

https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Guide_to_Local_Production.pdf

Hydrogen peroxide is like your pool sanitizer, it preserves the mixture.
Glycerol is used in hand cream to stop your skin from going all dry, so just rub moisturizer afterwards.
Use cold boiled water if you can.

Greetings, I am not critical of anything you have stated, it's good advice, however I have recommended home made aloe vera gel & ethanol formulations as the following MSDS for Aloe Vera Gel (~ 99.5%) informs that it is miscible at 50:50 v/v for ethanol:

http://www.essentialingredients.com/msds/CERTIFIED%20PLUS%20Aloe%20Vera%20Gel%20D.pdf

70% ethanol extracts (200ml) of powdered aloe vera (20g) exhibited good zone inhibition results for both gram negative and positive bacteria:

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/bjm/v40n4/v40n4a23.pdf

I reasonably assume that ~65-70% methylated spirits solution would exhibit good miscibility with aloe vera gels.

H2O2 is okay, but of course as you would know as an experienced chemist, it breaks down when exposed to heat and light, so the layperson should put thought in to how it is stored.

For the non chem folks, you can obtain ~ %65-70 methylated spirits by diluting each 100 mls of methylated spirits with 25-30 mls of water.

 

[spurs]

We need this app for the season.

Did you see the YouTube clip of the football club that had spectators cheering for them in an empty stadium via an app?

 

[Orange Peanut]

The situation evolves hour to hour day to day.

Honestly have no idea how the AFL sat in a room and made the decision to continue with round 1.

It was dodgy when they made the call and as it's evolving its now going to break regulations as set out today.

The sheer arrogance is astounding.

I've always rated your posting OF, so I hope this doesn't come across wrong.

But the AFL spent days coming to the decision, to the point where they delayed their own press conference by several hours ensuring they got it right.

It seems clear from some of the media that the govt actually encouraged them to begin playing.

I get that you don't like the decision but I think it's a bit rough to call it arrogant or dodgy.

 

[Groin guru]

What if they call the season and award Richmond the flag? They are the only team to win a game.

The AFL would love that because the biggest supporter base is happy and those dickheads will still buy the 2020 Grand Final dvds (Richmond vs. Carlton).

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Testing, self-quarantines and contact tracing are the keys people.


Amid these dire trends, South Korea has emerged as a sign of hope and a model to emulate. The country of 50 million appears to have greatly slowed its epidemic; it reported only 74 new cases today, down from 909 at its peak on 29 February. And it has done so without locking down entire cities or taking some of the other authoritarian measures that helped China bring its epidemic under control. “South Korea is a democratic republic, we feel a lockdown is not a reasonable choice,” says Kim Woo-Joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University. South Korea’s success may hold lessons for other countries—and also a warning: Even after driving case numbers down, the country is braced for a resurgence.

Behind its success so far has been the most expansive and well-organized testing program in the world, combined with extensive efforts to isolate infected people and trace and quarantine their contacts. South Korea has tested more than 270,000 people, which amounts to more than 5200 tests per million inhabitants—more than any other country except tiny Bahrain, according to the Worldometer website. The United States has so far carried out 74 tests per 1 million inhabitants, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show.


And yes, Australia is aware of it, so hopefully we are moving in the right direction with testing:

South Korea’s experience shows that “diagnostic capacity at scale is key to epidemic control,” says Raina MacIntyre, an emerging infectious disease scholar at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. “Contact tracing is also very influential in epidemic control, as is case isolation,” she says.

Yet whether the success will hold is unclear. New case numbers are declining largely because the herculean effort to investigate a massive cluster of more than 5000 cases—60% of the nation’s total—linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive, messianic megachurch, is winding down. But because of that effort, “We have not looked hard in other parts of Korea,” says Oh Myoung-Don, an infectious disease specialist at Seoul National University.

New clusters are now appearing. Since last week, authorities have reported many new infections, including 129 linked to a Seoul call center. “This could be the initiation of community spread,” through Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi province, Kim says. The region is home to 23 million people.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Just on testing kits:
Mr Hunt said alongside importing more internationally manufactured kits, the Government is focused on expanding the use of alternative tests recently developed in Australian laboratories.

"The aim is to have more tests and more types so we can avoid any disruption in the large-scale testing regime we have in place in Australia," he said.

The Doherty Institute in Melbourne has created an in-house testing method made from different components to the international commercial testing kits, which the Government hopes to roll out to other labs.

Defence to help manufacture essential supplies
Late on Tuesday, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds also revealed members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) would be used to help ramp up domestic production of fast-depleting medical equipment.

Around a dozen ADF personnel will assist the Victorian manufacturer Med-Con to make supplies including surgical face masks, sanitiser, goggles and gowns.

 

[SMaturin]

It’s perhaps not the right time, but I would dearly love to see what kind of musical number Mr. G can come with in the face of the coronavirus.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

It’s perhaps not the right time, but I would dearly love to see what kind of musical number Mr. G can come with in the face of the coronavirus.

View attachment 843397

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

 

[arden station]

I've always rated your posting OF, so I hope this doesn't come across wrong.

But the AFL spent days coming to the decision, to the point where they delayed their own press conference by several hours ensuring they got it right.

It seems clear from some of the media that the govt actually encouraged them to begin playing.

I get that you don't like the decision but I think it's a bit rough to call it arrogant or dodgy.

Having the footy on arguably provides people with some relief from the new reality.

The current broadcast rights agreement is $2.5 billion over 6 years, or $416 million a year. You wonder what the broadcasters have told the AFL about that money. Works out to about $2 million a game.

With so many of us at home, you'd think TV ratings for all free to air and pay channels would be through the roof and so too streaming and downloads etc. So who knows how much the AFL will actually receive of this year's broadcast money but $413 million is obviously a lot to lose when you have as big an opex as they have.

 

[Hojuman]

Vic - 178 + cases
Hosp - only 6
ICU - 0
Deaths - 0

We will get there.

 

[D23D]

Hi mate, I'm an industrial chemist, so can probably explain this.
Metho is ~95% ethanol in water and some stuff that prevents you from drinking it. Aloe Vera gel might not be soluble in ethanol, so best to just use water and then moisturize.
below is a WHO guide for a basic hand sanitizer formulation.

https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Guide_to_Local_Production.pdf

Hydrogen peroxide is like your pool sanitizer, it preserves the mixture.
Glycerol is used in hand cream to stop your skin from going all dry, so just rub moisturizer afterwards.
Use cold boiled water if you can.

I tried to buy some metho today but it's sold out! Everyone getting ready to drown their sorrows or, make hand sanitizer.
So, I've got a couple of bottles of cheap vodka downstairs, and as it's only 37%, when I put it in the freezer, it mostly freezes up (as opposed to the 50% stuff which does not freeze). Am I safe to assume that the non frozen liquid is mostly ethanol and therefore good for hand cleanser?
I don't like cheap vodka so this at least puts it to good use.

 

[Snake_Baker]

I tried to buy some metho today but it's sold out! Everyone getting ready to drown their sorrows or, make hand sanitizer.
So, I've got a couple of bottles of cheap vodka downstairs, and as it's only 37%, when I put it in the freezer, it mostly freezes up (as opposed to the 50% stuff which does not freeze). Am I safe to assume that the non frozen liquid is mostly ethanol and therefore good for hand cleanser?
I don't like cheap vodka so this at least puts it to good use.

No good mate, and a novice will have a bastard of a time purifying it at home.

Try around for methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol. It's out there.

If you can't find any then you can use bleach for surfaces and soap for your hands.

 

[Val Keating]

It’s perhaps not the right time, but I would dearly love to see what kind of musical number Mr. G can come with in the face of the coronavirus.

View attachment 843397

Gallows humour is what will help us

 

[Val Keating]

Reckon that was my last Friday arvo at the pub for a while

 

[Steamin Beamin]

Greetings, I am not critical of anything you have stated, it's good advice, however I have recommended home made aloe vera gel & ethanol formulations as the following MSDS for Aloe Vera Gel (~ 99.5%) informs that it is miscible at 50:50 v/v for ethanol:

http://www.essentialingredients.com/msds/CERTIFIED%20PLUS%20Aloe%20Vera%20Gel%20D.pdf

70% ethanol extracts (200ml) of powdered aloe vera (20g) exhibited good zone inhibition results for both gram negative and positive bacteria:

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/bjm/v40n4/v40n4a23.pdf

I reasonably assume that ~65-70% methylated spirits solution would exhibit good miscibility with aloe vera gels.

H2O2 is okay, but of course as you would know as an experienced chemist, it breaks down when exposed to heat and light, so the layperson should put thought in to how it is stored.

For the non chem folks, you can obtain ~ %65-70 methylated spirits by diluting each 100 mls of methylated spirits with 25-30 mls of water.

You're right, I haven't tested this so it's just my assumption. I've been testing things in my lab and am trying to find some way to thicken the mixture, any ideas?
It looks like H2O2 is just there to kill any bugs in water and alcohol, it's not long term preservative.

 

[7577969923]

In the space of 24 hours, my plans for tomorrow have changed from attending a wedding with the reception at Moondog Brewery in Abbotsford to hosting it at my place. To tie in a NM connection, Mrs BBB will be coming over to take care of the formalities.

 

[D23D]

No good mate, and a novice will have a bastard of a time purifying it at home.

Try around for methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol. It's out there.

If you can't find any then you can use bleach for surfaces and soap for your hands.

Thanks Snake - I know it's only 37% when its in solution in the vodka bottle. But, when I freeze the bottle, is it mostly the WATER that freezes and the remaining liquid ethanol? If so, then the ethanol would be much higher than 37%?
Thats my angle anyway

 

[ferball]

And I quote:


So not as dire as it seems (yet).

Looks as though it hasn’t started to spread person to person as violently as it could.

In NSW the number of cases of unknown origin are early equal to the ones with exposure to confirmed cases in Australia. By tomorrow they will probably outnumber them.

If it wasn't out in the community before it is now.

 

[7577969923]

Reckon that was my last Friday arvo at the pub for a while

I think we can all feel your pain.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

So we’re at less than 1% mortality currently.

Let’s hope that keeps getting lower.

 

[Steamin Beamin]

I tried to buy some metho today but it's sold out! Everyone getting ready to drown their sorrows or, make hand sanitizer.
So, I've got a couple of bottles of cheap vodka downstairs, and as it's only 37%, when I put it in the freezer, it mostly freezes up (as opposed to the 50% stuff which does not freeze). Am I safe to assume that the non frozen liquid is mostly ethanol and therefore good for hand cleanser?
I don't like cheap vodka so this at least puts it to good use.

There's 151 proof alcohol that's around 75%.
I don't think freezing vodka can separate out the alcohol concentration...