Rancid wrote:Of course of course. I'm not pouring my life savings into this, just money that if lost, I will not die over it. Further, this is money I do not intend to touch in 10-20 years, so I can sit on it.
I'm buying the whole market (S&P index) rather than companies. I'm betting on the entire economy to bounce in the longer term (5+ years from now)
5 years might be optimistic. This could get as bad as the Great Depression. If I recall correctly, it took about 20 years for value to be restored in stocks from early 1930’s to mid 1950’s. But you are young and you have kids, so think in terms of a 25 year investment.
Crantag wrote:I don't have any stock, but I've been waiting for a collapse before I thought of possibly trying to buy any. It was glaringly obvious that the market was way overvalued, the only thing missing was a good global pandemic.
This moment the markets are down more than 18% from their mid February peak (2/12 or so), getting very close to bear territory.
Maybe there will be a short term rally giving an opportunity for some profit taking. But those supply chain disruptions will still be working their way through the system. I’d be expecting very bad economic conditions later in the year. Is it worth holding stocks for long early in the year? But this is more your territory, so I’ll leave it up to you to judge.
Kaiserschmarrn wrote:This is surely preliminary at best?
Yes and no. The basic stuff on viruses and moisture and temperature is older information with support. The stuff about this virus specifically hasn’t had time for peer review. This is one reason why I wrote to Rancid that we don’t yet completely understand this virus. So yes, it should be considered preliminary.
This is what I read in every Austrian/German newspaper article, some of them accompanied by a photo of policemen wearing face masks, giving a somewhat mixed message.
GPs in NZ have been complaining that they are running out while the government is holding on to millions of them.
As far as I can establish, it depends on the type of mask and how well they fit.
There are lots of different types of masks. The one commonly seen in photos is the surgical mask. It is designed to keep droplets in rather than keeping micro organisms outside. It protects from the wearer by preventing them spluttering muck everywhere.
3M has a more advanced surgical mask, which in N95 rated, resistance to liquids, and has a filter material suitable for screening out bacteria and viruses. This one is intended for medical staff dealing with infectious patients and will protect the wearer. This is actually the technically correct mask for a pandemic situation but it needs to be reserved for medical staff.
https://www.3m.com.au/3M/en_AU/company-au/all-3m-products/~/3M-Flat-Fold-Particulate-Respirator-Surgical-Mask-1870-N95-P2-with-Fluid-Resistance/?N=5002385+8711017+3294348458&rt=rudSo, N95? What does it mean?
This is the American rating system. N is normal, P is oil solvent resistant, R is oil solvent proof. Can be 95, 99 or 100 rated filter. There can be activated carbon or similar features for dealing with orders and such like. Some have valve vents to make breathing easier.
For what most people want, a face mask to wear at the shopping centre during quarantine, an N95 with valve will do. These can be reused to a limited extent. But one needs to understand whatever virus particles are present will have been concentrated in the filter medium. Which is why they say don’t touch your mask while taking it off. Was hands throughly and avoid touching filter. Check CDC website for fuller explanation of mask use and reuse.
Europe has a different rating.
FFP1
FFP2
FFP3
I think the FFP2 is equivalent to the US N95.
Now Aust/NZ also have a rating system. P1, P2, P3.
P2 is an N95 on it’s own. Sealed face protection can push it up to P3.
So you will see P2/N95 rates masks in your shops in NZ (if there is any left). 3M masks with cool flow (ie: a valve) is what you want. Cambridge is another good brand of masks currently unavailable everywhere.
Medical staff will often have a face shield. This is to stop spilt and other body fluids landing on their respirator masks. That muck can compromise the filter medium. Also viruses can get in through the eyes, so goggles are typically worn.
There is a lot to know around masks. But hand cleaning really matters. A mask is all for nothing if the virus gets on your hands and then onto your face the moment you take the mask off.
In Italy some people from the locked down villages escaped, were caught by police and brought back. One had a permit to go to hospital for a health condition, but he used it for visiting a friend. In Korea there's lots of anger at a female sect member who was apparently told repeatedly to get tested because of her symptoms but chose not to for a week or so, possibly spreading the virus far and wide.
It's usually a small minority who mess it up for everybody else and it's no different here.
That is why those people in Wuhan videos are getting caught, thrown in a truck and taken to the quarantine hospitals. They were supposed to self quarantine at home but violated the quarantine so the authorities caught them and took them away.