Daily Stats as of March 16, 5:30 AM CT (from John's Hopkins), as organized and provided by Glenn Beck, BlazeTV

• Total Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 171,105 (up from 136,388 Friday) 
• Total Confirmed Deaths Worldwide: 6,531 (up from 4,995 Friday)
• Total Confirmed Recovered Worldwide: 77,783 (up from 70,437 Friday)
• 158 Countries have confirmed cases (up from 129 Friday) 4 more have suspected cases
• 7% of Active Cases are considered serious (requiring hospitalization), down from 9% Friday and down from 19% just 3 weeks ago
• US has 3,802 Confirmed Cases and 69 Deaths, up from 1,762 cases and 41 deaths Friday
• In the US, only West Virginia does not have at least 1 Active Case

SHELTERING IN PLACE for the AGING

As you may know, I am a long-time senior volunteer emergency preparedness and disaster response specialist.

In the face of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic or any public safety emergency, a practical action for aging adults is AVOIDANCE.  And, the most effective avoidance strategy is to shelter-at-home/self-quarantine.

You and I, as aging adults, are proving to be the most likely populations to develop severe COVID-19 infections that require medical intervention. The older we are, from age 60 forward, the greater our vulnerability.  Access your vulnerability based not only upon your age, but your underlaying level of health.

The Newest Guide for All Things Earthquake

The FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Bulletin of March 9th provides the best EQ document I have seen.  It is long; it is informative.

The guide is called:  Earthquake Safety at Home, available at FEMA.gov. Even the images are helpful. 

The page:  How to Use this Guide near the beginning is helpful.  “Readers using the electronic version of this document can hover over and click online resource references to be taken to the source website.  A list of resources is provided at the end of this document.  You are encouraged to read the document in the order presented; or you can skip to a topic of particular interest.”

If you live in Alaska, California, or Utah, you already know you live in EQ County. But, did you know that half of all Americans also live in areas subject to earthquake risk?  Also, we are a mobile nation, so at some point, visitors will find their way to EQ county and need to be informed.

There are Six Main Sections:  

1. Earthquakes Across America:  Understanding EQ Basics and Your Risk. 
2. Prepare:  Securing Your Space, Making a Plan, and Organizing Your Disaster Supplies.
3. Protect:  Identifying and Addressing Your Vulnerabilities.
4. Survive:  Knowing What to Do During & Immediately After the Earth Shakes.
5. Respond:  Getting Back in Your Home – The First Few Days.
6. Recover and Repair:  Restarting Utilities and Repairing Damage. 

Disasters Don’t Take Their Turn.

They Can Come One Upon Another, Reports Tennessee

On March 2nd, overnight into March 3rd, while the US health and first responders were gearing at a community level to battle the COVID-19 Crisis - now a Pandemic - a violent tornado struck Nashville, TN and a 4-county area.  A You Tube has been posted showing the vast devastation of some areas.

The tornado came on the heels of a severe storm that dropped golf ball-sized hail.

The death toll is reported as 25 at this time along with about 100 injuries.  Volunteers helped day and night to search and rescue any survivors who were trapped.  The American Red Cross set up shelters for those whose homes were damaged or destroyed.  Faith-based volunteers gathered locally, then arrived from other states to meet the needs of the people suffering this horrific disaster.

Daily COVID-19 Stats as of 5:30 AM, March 13th CT (from John's Hopkins)

• Total Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 138,156, (up from 127,388 on the 12th, over 9% increase). On Saturday, 3/14, @ 5:00 p.m. the numbers were over 145,000, an increase of ----.).
• Total Confirmed Deaths Worldwide: 5,080 (up from 4,641 yesterday, over 9% increase), 
• Total Confirmed Recoveries Worldwide: 70,437 (up from 68,327 yesterday)
• 132 Countries have confirmed cases (up from 125 yesterday) 4 more have suspected cases
• 9% of Active Cases are considered serious (requiring hospitalization), down from 11% yesterday and down from 19% just 2 weeks ago, 3% of patients require ICU
• US has 1,762 Confirmed Cases up from 1,336 cases, (over 7.6% increase); and 41 Deaths up from 38 confirmed deaths yesterday.  (Up over 9%)
• In the US, only Alabama, Alaska, West Virginia and Maine don't have at least 1 case.

You Have Power Against the Threat of COVID-19

Reliable information and instructions are everywhere and they are empowering. 

If you want a global view, https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. At the bottom center, you can link to CDC.gov and WHO. Easily obtain information and updates from state, county and local sites. https://coronavirus.utah.gov/ serves me well. 

Answers about COVID-19 will evolve and be disseminated as more people are tested, treated, recover and unfortunately, a few will expire.  Don’t be surprised if information from government, public health, religious and community leaders change from time-to-time. 

What Can you do to lessen the impact of COVID-19 in your home and workplace?

Coronavirus — Did You Know

• The Coronaviruses are a common, large family of viruses. 

• Our current crisis comes from an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus named “SAES-CoV-2.”

• This virus causes the disease coronavirus 2019, that is abbreviated as COVID-19.

• There is more than one theory as to the origin of COVID-19.  What you need to know is that person-to-person spread occurred first in Wuhan China and is in now in most nations.