Then don't take my word. But packages are super unlikely to be a primary transmission vector with a virus. Viruses are too fragile. Bacterial? Maybe. There's some precedent there.

Yeah, yeah, I saw that piece from Wired too. I hope they got their clicks.

First: fast-killing viruses tend to explode onto the scene, then burn themselves out just as quickly. Being fatal to the host isn't good for sustaining infection rates. See Ebola.

Second, there have been no widespread Covid-19 outbreaks outside of China (yet). We'll see if that develops, but there are a lot of various conditions in China that may make the virus far worse there. It may be less of a threat elsewhere.

Third, while coronavirus may eventually make its way here and be a problem, the flu is already here. Because people are used to that fact and it's not as sensational, they tend to let their guard down and not handwash as much or take other basic precautions. "Oh no, there's a lion in the village! Everyone run for their lives!" Meanwhile, the scorpion infestation that's been there all along is an ignored fact of life.

Sorry, Wired got this one wrong. It's contrarian for the sake of it, and it's bad advice to dismiss an actual, current threat for a largely hypothetical one.

In short: just open your packages. And wash your hands.  

 

I can't help but laugh at the thought of big piles of packages stamped "CHINA" sitting on porches for days because people are too scared to open them. I'll open them for you. I'm badass like that. NO FEAR.

I've gotten around five packages from China since this started - all I caught was a case of annoyance from them taking extra long to arrive. If you really think you're going to get sick from a package, guess what - by that logic, ANYTHING YOU BUY could make you sick. You don't know what germs the person who boxed whatever it is up had going on.

 

Wired is about as accurate as the Onion when it comes to anything scientific. However, viruses cannot live on a surface for more than a few hours under typical temperature and pressure conditions without some kind of unique conditions present.

 

I called one of my local US vendors and asked a question about shipping pricing and signature required. When I got done I apologized for taking his time and he said "Well at least you didn't ask if you could get coronavirus from our toys so thanks for that!"  

 

Better line up the lawyers just in case ...................

 

And they said I was mad for submerging all my mail in sheep dip.

 

I know just the guy...

 

Too much work, just get one of these to clean your packages:

 

Yeah. I just read somewhere that Corona beer sales are down like 18-20%... because people think that they could get coronavirus from the beer. "Corona beer virus" was a trending search on Google for weeks.

A Mexican beer.

People are morons.

 

Safe to say we're all going through some TF withdrawal with the production / shipping shutdown.

 

Well, too much Corona can occasionally result in unwanted STDs if you're not careful.

 

It's up for debate which is more disappointing, the idiots who would actually do that, or the people who imbibe stories like that and regurgitate them.

 

Well, too much imbibing of Corona can result in unpleasant regurgitation.

I'll be here all week. Tip your waitress.

 

I wish I could say that. I just spent $312.72 this paycheck buying off of other people's collection in Junkion Exchange, and that's just on TF stuff coz' I collect other lines as well. I was doing so well staying away for 5 years. I blame the latest Bumblebee remake  

 

We are suffering withdrawal even though most things we want had been scheduled for sometime in April/May anyways.

Nah, this is normal withdrawal i.e. we get itchy if we don't have anything on the way from someone.

 

They sure are. Everybody knows Corona is how you get Lyme disease, not Coronavirus.

 

Wow, did I win the lottery today, or are you needlessly combative with everyone?

<Checks previous post history>

Nope! It's everyone!

Here's a little rag from something called "NASDAQ" talking about it: Drinkers Are Confusing Corona Beer With the Coronavirus

Oh, and BoingBoing: Is Corona Beer experiencing the AIDS/Ayds effect?

Annnnd Ignored. Have a lovely day.

In more relevant news, I just got a package in from Baba, so things appear to be moving again (if slowly). It was sent after the primary delay. Now for the shipping backlog from hell.

 

A statue producer who lives in China said their factory was set to reopen next week.

 

And it just wouldn't be the same here without him.

 

Yeah, I added a couple of links for reputable news sources to the original post. I'll be shocked when an apology isn't forthcoming.