Amazon workers test positive for covid-19

here we go...

[blend27]

In the last few days, Amazon workers tested positive for covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, in New York City, Shepherdsville, Ky., Jacksonville, Fla., Katy, Texas, Brownstown, Mich., and Oklahoma City, according to Amazon and local media reports.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/03/24/amazon-warehouse-workers-coronavirus-positive/

[creeking]

people should consider putting their amazon delivery in a big plastic bag, and letting it sit unopened for a week

[tangor]

That won't work. Coronavirus survived 17 days in shipboard cabins and really likes plastic and steel to remain viable.

Meanwhile, didn't Amazon just hire 100,000 new employees?

[NickMNS]

I think there is a temptation to feel a sense of schadenfreude with respect to Amazon, specially among the WW community. But this should be very worrying to everyone. If Amazon is forced to reduce output as a result of these cases, the impact across all level of the already fragile supply chain could be catastrophic. If its a problem at Amazon, it also a problem at Walmart, Best Buy or any other major company that operates distribution centers.

[tbear]

Might be worth storing in copper lined boxes....

The findings suggest the virus might last this long on door handles, plastic-coated or laminated worktops and other hard surfaces. The researchers did find, however, that copper surfaces tended to kill the virus in about four hours.

[bbc.com ]

[lucy24]

Well, that was always the problem with hunkering down and buying everything online. Physical goods aren’t made by elves and dropped down your chimney with no human involvement. Everything is made by humans, packed by humans, shipped by humans, delivered by humans ... all of whom are in constant contact with other humans.

[NickMNS]

@Tangor

Coronavirus survived 17 days in shipboard

Do you have anything to support such an inflammatory claim that appears to be fear mongering more than anything else?

Here is a link to the NIH website describing research regarding the life span of the virus on surfaces and in the air, it links directly to study conducted by CDC:
[nih.gov...]

Scientists found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be detected in aerosols for up to three hours and on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for up to three days.

3 days not 17.

The article further states:

According to the CDC, it may be possible to contract the virus responsible for the current outbreak, SARS-CoV-2, by touching a surface or object with the virus on it and then touching your face. However, SARS-CoV-2 is believed to mostly spread from person-to-person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Now I don't want to downplay the risks of the virus. It is serious, very serious. This statement suggests that the risk is highest from respiratory droplets, and while possible appears less likely by touch. But regardless, to suggest that you can catch the virus after 17 days, is misleading and false. Which is all the more surprising coming from you @tangor, as in another thread you down played the risks equating the virus to the flu. Are you trolling?

Regarding the point made by @creeking, I think one needs to worry less about products from Amazon or other delivery services as these boxes have likely come into contact with only a few people along their journey and have spent sufficient time travelling that the probability of coming in contact with active virus is pretty small. On the other hand, goods purchased at the grocery store, were the public is allowed to circulate freely is much riskier, as there may have been tens or hundreds of people in contact with the product in the hours before your purchase.

If you are at high risk you may want to consider cleaning the packaging before storing or using the product.

[engine]

Thanks NickMNS, useful information.

Let me add this mod note that i've said before, but I need to say it again. Please stick to the facts, and please use only authority sites to show examples of the claims. Authority sites only. No here-say.
It's how we can all get through this by understanding the facts.

Thank you.

[tangor]

@NickNMS and other disbelievers...

[people.com...]

Or CDC (link in link above) or other places, too.

Nothing inflammatory, just reports facts posted elsewhere.

COVID-19-SARS-2 does have some behaviors a bit different from other SARS flu versions.

WASH YOUR HANDS, and YOUR PLASTIC AND STEEL, TOO.

[tangor]

Other commonsense things:

Wear latex or plastic (disposable) gloves when on errands, filling the car, opening doors to enter businesses. Dispose of them upon return in a plastic bag (if your location still allows single use plastic bags with a KNOT. WASH YOUR HANDS. Put your buys away. WASH YOUR HANDS.

If you buy fresh produce make sure it is the kind you can WASH, and WASH and WASH and that you COOK to at least 140 degrees. WASH YOUR HANDS.

Keep your living space at 78 degrees or warmer... heat degrades the virus on solid surfaces. Meanwhile, clean every surface you come in contact with, and that includes floors. WASH YOUR HANDS.

Bake your own bread (been kind of fun doing that recently). WASH ALL SURFACES BEFORE YOU START AND WASH YOUR HANDS AFTERWARDS.

Canned goods or frozen. WASH cans and packaged frozen before use. Do NOT wash cans before storing. Keep the can opener clean. WASH YOUR HANDS.

Avoid contact with others, and if they crowd you at the check out counter tell them to back off.

Do your own protection, don't expect the government to do it for you.

WASH YOUR HANDS!

[lammert]

The only information in that article is that RNA was found, not a living virus. RNA is the genetic material of virii, just as DNA is that of higher-level creatures. You can find DNA of thousands years old mammoths in Siberia, but that doesn't mean that once you thaw the mammoth, it will start walking again. The same for virii.

What is shows, and what the study acknowledges is that the virus is able to contaminate surfaces to such extent that it is detectable 17 days later. But the study specifically mentions that this discovery cannot be used to conclude that the contamination was a way of transmission.

This is the authoritative link [cdc.gov] for this study. And a full quote of the relevant content:

SARS-CoV-2 RNA was identified on a variety of surfaces in cabins of both symptomatic and asymptomatic infected passengers up to 17 days after cabins were vacated on the Diamond Princess but before disinfection procedures had been conducted (Takuya Yamagishi, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, personal communication, 2020). Although these data cannot be used to determine whether transmission occurred from contaminated surfaces, further study of fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 aboard cruise ships is warranted.

[tangor]

One other precaution. If you have carpets do not vacuum unless your device has medical grade hepa filtration. You'll throw dust and virus (if present) into the air. Shampoo instead.

If you have groceries delivered, do NOT let the delivery person INSIDE your abode. Set it down at the doorstep and leave. You don your gloves and bring it in. See post above.

[tangor]

If you don't have gloves, single use plastic bags serve equally well as "mittens". When done, reverse the bags and knot them before disposing.

[engine]

This thread appears to have run its course.