Note: Due to the COVID-19 threat, both Domes and the Flying Halls at the IdealLife Campus will be closing until further notice after Sunday evening’s program. To maintain coherence, Maharishi Foundation ask us to lift off at our usual times, 8:15am and 5:45 pm.
Forwarded from Ben Gosvig, who lives in North Campus Village: Dear Neighbors: My wife, Eileen, and I, Ben, are likely infected with Coronavirus. We cannot confirm this, because our physician, JCHC, and Iowa CDC cannot provide a test. I spent hours on the phone the yesterday trying to acquire a test with no success. Why do we think we have it? Last Saturday, March 7, we hosted my wife's boss from Norway for a day here in Fairfield. Prior to arriving, he had traveled throughout Europe and Mexico. Also, his home town of Oslo Norway is one of the hardest hit by Coronavirus, with nearly 600 confirmed cases. My wife's boss exhibited no symptoms and hasn’t been tested (which is why we cannot be tested). However, according to the WHO, 80% of Covid-19 carriers have mild or no symptoms. They are, essentially, ticking time bombs. The average incubation period for Covid-19 is 5.2 days, with some infections occurring in as little as 1 or 2 days. 4.5 days after our meeting, on the evening of March 11, both Eileen and I began exhibiting symptoms of fever, chills, body aches and respiratory congestion with coughing. Here's the kicker: I just had the "normal" flu 3 weeks ago, and made a full recovery. By the end of February, I was 100% healthy. I have NEVER had the flu twice in 3 weeks. At this point, my symptoms are pronounced, while Eileen's are less so. I'm 66 years of age, while she's a youngster at age 55. I also have no spleen (compromised immune system). We are, of course, in self-quarantine, and will remain so for 14 days. My wife’s boss is also now in quarantine in Norway. My message to my neighbors is twofold: 1) America's testing capacity for Covid-19 is woeful. Nationally, the CDC, can only test 350 people per day, in a population of 331 million. South Korea, with 1/6 our population can test up to 20,000 people per day. Nearly every country affected by Covid-19 has better testing capacity than the US. As a result, our measure of "confirmed cases" is wildly inaccurate. Thousands of infected people, like us, are walking around, some with mild or no symptoms, infecting others. This virus is highly contagious. Without adequate testing, infected people cannot confirm their status, and therefore have little motivation to self-quarantine. CDC's reporting vastly understates the severity of this crisis. Iowa currently reports only 16 cases, most from a cruise ship that visited Egypt. You can be sure this number is far from reality. 2) Even if you're not infected, stay home as much as possible, and avoid gatherings. In countries hardest hit (China, Italy, Korea) they've adopted near lock-downs, which has dramatically slowed the spread of the virus. Here's an important link that discusses how essential it is to avoid gatherings, even if you're 100 healthy and uninfected... https://www.newsweek.com/young-unafraid-coronavirus-pandemic-good-you-now-stop-killing-people-opinion-1491797?amp=1 <https://www.newsweek.com/young-unafraid-coronavirus-pandemic-good-you-now-stop-killing-people-opinion-1491797?amp=1> Eileen and I will likely be fine. We've arranged for food delivery, and are extremely careful to not contact anyone. Several times per day we (mostly my wife - I'm too sick) must make a short walk down north Ruby Lane to bring our large dog, Bailey, to the field north of NCV for his walks. He's a big, boisterous boy and must get out. If you see us headed toward the field, please remain clear of us so you don't expose yourself. This crisis is exploding quickly, and with greater severity than most realize. The proliferation models I've seen by epidemiology experts are terrifying. We can only stem this outbreak by being vigilant, and recognizing the gravity of our situation. I'm sorry if this message alarms anyone. As a probable carrier of this infection, I can assure you this is a nasty disease - especially for people my age, which includes most of NCV. The greatest threat of this virus is difficulty in breathing due to congestion in the lungs. Once fluid collects in the lungs, the danger is extreme. My wish is that everyone in our community remains healthy, and nobody else contracts this deadly disease. Regards, Ben & Eileen 2110 Ruby Lane