On the way back from Brussels ComicCon, Bec got really ill with all the Coronavirus symptoms (only a flu though). She was quarantining before it was cool. Matt surprisingly didn't want to have her over for a podcast recording. They decided to make this episode the Quarantine Special.
What happens if you actually get quarantined in a hospital? What do you take? What goes on? Any recommendations?
There's not much, only a bed, bathroom, sink, and a window (nature's TV). Chances are you're so sick you don't need anything else. Don't worry too much about entertainment. Take a tooth brush, tooth paste, toiletries (if you have preferred ones). Take a couple of pairs of socks and a spare blanket. Take a pair of normal clothes for your way home. Maybe a friend who can drive you back and then leave the car for two weeks.
They gave her a phlegm flask to collect samples from violent coughing. Take some fun item to put in there, maybe a lego figurine, dnd miniature, a small vial of Worcestershire sauce, or wasabi. When hospitals are overloaded, all the staff want is a little laugh (at least according to Matt).
"[…] while the virus is still alive." — Bec
A "ding" from Bec
What are Matt and Bec's tips for working from home?
Keep in touch with other people, but don't over-socialize too fast. Maintain a certain routine. Bec is recording this episode from a small closet under her neighbour's stairs, by the way.
Bec's routine: Bec has a big whiteboard with a check list which she has to complete every day. First, she writes a few pages stream-of-consciousness, for mental health purposes. She has a stay-focused app that blocks messages before 10:00 and after 22:00. One of the items is "go outside".
Matt's routine: Matt refuses to look at the emails before he officially starts work. After Matt and Lucie get ready, they walk to work by walking around the block once (a 20 minute walk). At the end of the day, they walk the other way back around the block.
Bec challenges people to recreate the dance from Iceland's Eurovision entry "Think about things" to get exercise instead of going for a walk at the same time as everybody else. Matt will not participate.
Matt's tip for getting up at a reasonable time: Have a proper schedule that doesn't make you get to bed late. Bec's advice for staying focused: Don't talk to her. Create a dedicated work space or corner. Bec has a working nook in her kitchen. Listeners are encouraged to send pictures of their own workspaces.
A "ding" from Matt
Bec has been seeing a lot of memes and infographics, and she doesn't know which ones to believe. Bec describes a specific meme titled "The power of social distancing" that shows significant decrease in infections when exposure is reduced.
Matt looked up the source of the meme, which appears to be reputable. He then reverse-engineered their calculations, which appear to be sensible. Some infographics count the currently infected cases, some (like this one) counts the total amount of infections.
Two things are scary about exponential growth: First, a slight difference in the infection rate has a large effect on the end result. Second, it starts deceptively slow but in the end grows very large very quickly. As an example, Matt fills all the houses in the UK with rice in one month.
A "ding" by Bec