Drastic measures

It’s curious how this blog has taken a turn from being about my cancer to being about everyone’s corona.  Months ago I got heartfelt wishes for my health and packages of sweets for my spirit from my friends in Italy.  Now it’s me who’s concerned about them and their well-being.  They live half an hour north of Milano.

Switzerland is far from the worst afflicted country but has a fairly high per-capita infection rate and recently imposed strict measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.  Bars and restaurants had to close their doors.  All shops except grocery stores are shuttered.  Curiously, the old-school department store in town remains open.  It must have secured a special permit for the food department in the basement, which doesn’t have a separate entrance.

I know my way around the structures of coronavirus proteins that have been solved and published over the last month, but I have quite a few questions about the virus itself.

• Why is the virus passed on so readily?  One infected person infects on average three others unless precautionary measures are taken.  This is the R-0 value.  Is this enough to cause the epidemic we’re experiencing?  Is this what life was like before vaccines?  Rubella, measles and mumps all have even higher R-0 values but these days, they cause problems only among the vaccine-averse.  And what’s up with the original SARS virus that went close to global in 2003?  It was much more deadly than the new coronavirus but also quickly contained and infected only 8000 people.
• How long does the virus survive on various surfaces?  The two ways of infecting others are sneezing in their face and leaving viable viruses on surfaces likely to be touched by people who then touch their mouths or eyes and infect themselves.  Sneezing is easily avoided.  Surfaces less so.  Why is there no table with survival times of corona on metal door knobs, touch screens, coins?  It can’t be too hard to do these experiments to statistical significance, even if it takes a biosafety level 3 or 4 laboratory to do them.
• Why do people panic-buy toilet paper?  I’d rather stock up on wine and chocolate.  And who wants to eat pasta with canned sauce every day?  Food delivery still works, though it tends to be a bit slower than normal.

Despite all the measures taken, Switzerland still seems fairly normal.  Movement is not restricted, public transport is working (though empty), and you can go to playgrounds with your children.  I have no doubt that restriction will be tightened even further.  Tomorrow, before my second-to-last chemo, I will ask my doctor for a certificate stating that I’m very sick and that moving around in fresh air is absolutely essential for my survival.  I don’t want to be stuck inside for weeks when the lockdown comes.