"Hikers are starting their annual trip north on the Appalachian Trail. Coronavirus could make it complicated"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...s-backpacking/
"Hikers are starting their annual trip north on the Appalachian Trail. Coronavirus could make it complicated"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...s-backpacking/
The concern with COVID-19 (aside from it being easy to catch) is its potential impact to health compromised older adults. I’d imagine the majority of young healthy hikers in top shape with excellent lung capacity would be in the majority of cases who experienced little or no symptoms.
I still would avoid sleeping in a full shelter though.
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Shelters are horrid germ laden mouse doo sportin stankhiker hostin havens anyway, aren’t they?
Ever use a privy at a busy AT lean-to? Last time I did, the viruses were buzzing around on jet skis!
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Isn’t the potential / real overloading of the healthcare system also a major issue? As well as the huge personal health care costs if you require treatment? As well, where we require care is important. Rural areas won’t likely be able to provide care beyond their local clientele. (Read what Mags is saying, for instance.)
Don’t we bear a strong civic responsibility to do our personal part to “flatten the curve”? I know it’s an old idea, but it’s worth repeating: Rights come with Responsibilities.
My hiking this year will be short off-major trails and using dispersed camping. I’ll not be hiking further than I can carry one load start-to-finish. (And I’m not Tipi …)
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Isn’t the potential / real overloading of the healthcare system also a major issue?
yes it is......
china had to build additional hospitals just for this virus.....
I agree. I am too young to have experienced rationing and other sacrifices the general public went through during WW2 or the Great Depression. There was shared sacrifice. Is it too much to ask people to stay home and avoid crowds? Your hiking approach is the one I will adopt this year.
More walking, less talking.
There is this item and talk of the Army setting up field hospitals where needed as well.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4...ip-to-nyc-amid
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
Well France and Italy are starting to report cases of young people seriously ill.
Early information suggested children and young people were being spared the worst of this, probably due to the decision not to conduct widespread testing in the early days of this pathogen's arrival in the US. However, latest information as of yesterday cites approximately 1/5 to 1/4 of 20 - 44 year olds who are infected are requiring hospitalization, 2% - 4% of those hospitalized require ICU care. Additionally, approximately 10% of infants infected are at severe/critical levels.
Apparently there is more to the virus than was originally thought, especially as it relates to individual biology and underlying conditions that may take longer for younger people to present. The "safety of youth" from this pathogen as touted by spring breakers in FL who are clustered together in large numbers and feeling particularly invincible appears to be incorrect and invincibility rather than rock solid is vapor.
I had planned my first longer hike this year, the LT. I trained all Winter, upgraded my gear, reduced weight both on gear and myself and I will wait until a cure is found. I simple cannot leave my family alone for three to four weeks in a time when our lives change almost every hour. This outbreak was and is very poorly handled but if nothing else, Mother Nature is getting a break from us humans. It’s almost as if she said “You can’t figure out how to limit pollution, let me give you a hand with that”.
Be Healthy!
Kudos to the hikers who are sacrificing for the sake of slowing the epidemic/pandemic.
Kudos to the hikers who are sacrificing for the sake of slowing the epidemic/pandemic. And thank you.
[Sorry for the duplicate post!]
Last edited by RuthN; 03-19-2020 at 08:04. Reason: Duplicate post
I must admit I do not know the feeling of cancelling a thru hike. Must be devastating, but also a great review of what you can do in the interim. Hopeful it’s not all summit fever and people make bad choices and whatnot (but i am sure folks will do what they want and ignore advisements and closings) always have and always will be those types!
Hard decision to pull the plug on any adventure, let alone a thru.