Dear Vocally Wild and Friends,

This will, sadly, be a short Newsletter.and even though some of you might think "thank goodness" (!!!) I know I would prefer be able to 'waffle on' and give you too much news!!! 

In this current climate, you would all have probably anticipated that changes were inevitable regarding how we conduct choir and so, to get straight to the point, Committee has decided unanimously that the best and safest decision is that we cancel Term 2.

Russel will be in touch with you all about our plans as far as Diana and Patrice are concerned and Cherry will write to you all about membership fees and our decisions in this area.. 

Consequently, many of our planned activities have been cancelled, for example the ANZAC Parade/Service. The Annual General Meeting has been deferred to later in the year and our Concert will probably be cancelled, or deferred to much later in the year;.

You will have received today the message from Cecilia that the Hobart Festival of Voices has just been cancelled for 2020, but we have a date for the 2021 Festival in our diaries already, so that is something to be optimistic about!

So that we can maintain our connection during our time away from rehearsals, we are wondering if you have any suggestions as how to do this.  For example these amazing creations such as Zoom, Chat Rooms, Facebook come to mind.  We would be happy to hear your ideas.  In the meantime, do watch out for each other and if there is anyone who is alone and needing help, please make contact with anyone from our committee - Vocally Wild has a large membership and there is sure to be someone who could help.

A message, sent to me by Rose Olson, is printed below.  It is a copy of an internal email from the Royal Brisbane Hospital sent to their staff, dated 17th March, 2020.  Their explanations and recommendations about the coronavirus may avert some possible fear or uncertainty.

"Hey Mr. Trolleyman, sing a song for me ....."  Has anyone else seen him? 

Ilse looked out for Mr Trollyman - "thought it was him humming away, bare feet. along Sandy beach". 
Keep me posted if you spot him during your social distancing - he seems to be adrift with his friend Mr. Curly, so watch out for him!  Would love to hear what he's up to!

Kindest regards and we will be in touch.
Pat

Virus Detection:

The simplest way to distinguish Coronavirus from a Common Cold is that the COVID-19 infection does not cause a cold nose or cough with cold, but it does create a dry and rough cough.
The virus is typically first installed in the throat causing inflammation and a feeling of dryness. This symptom can last between 3 and 4 days.
 
The virus typically then travels through the moisture present in the airways, goes down to the trachea and installs in the lungs, causing pneumonia that lasts about 5 or 6 days.
Pneumonia manifests with a high fever and difficulty breathing. The Common Cold is not accompanied, but there may be a choking sensation. In this case, the doctor should be called immediately.

Experts suggest doing this simple verification every morning: Breathe in deeply and hold your breath for 10 seconds. If this can be done without coughing, without difficulty, this shows that there is no fibrosis in the lungs, indicating the absence of infection. It is recommended to do this control every morning to help detect infection.

Prevention:

The virus hates heat and dies if it is exposed to temperatures greater than 80°F (27°C). Therefore hot drinks such as infusions, broths or simply hot water should be consumed abundantly during the day. These hot liquids kill the virus and are easy to ingest.
Avoid drinking ice water or drinks with ice cubes.

Ensure that your mouth and throat are always wet, never DRY. You should drink a sip of water at least every 15 minutes. WHY? Even when the virus enters water or other liquids through the mouth, it will get flushed through the oesophagus directly into the stomach where gastric acids destroy the virus. If there is not enough water, the virus can pass into the trachea and from there to the lungs, where it is very dangerous.

For those who can, sunbathe. The Sun's UV rays kill the virus and the vitamin D is good for you.
The Coronavirus has a large size (diameter of 400-500 nanometers) so face masks can stop it, no special face masks are needed in daily life.

If an infected person sneezes near us, stay 10 feet (3.3 meters) away to allow the virus fall to the ground and prevent it from falling on you.
When the virus is on hard surfaces, it survives about 12 hours, therefore when hard surfaces such as doors, appliances, railings, etc. are touched, hands should be washed thoroughly and/or disinfected with alcoholic gel.

The virus can live nested in clothes and tissues between 6 and 12 hours. Common detergents can kill it. Things that cannot be washed should be exposed to the Sun and the virus will die. The transmission of the virus usually occurs by direct infection, touching fabrics, tissues or materials on which the virus is present.

Washing your hands is essential.
The virus survives on our hands for only about 10 minutes. In that time many things can happen, rubbing the eyes, touching the nose or lips. This allows the virus to enter your throat. Therefore, for your good and the good of all, wash your hands very often and disinfect them.  You can gargle with disinfectant solutions (i.e. Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide) that eliminate or minimize the amount of virus that can enter the throat. Doing so removes the virus before it goes down to the trachea and then to the lungs.
 
Disinfect things touched often: phone, keyboard, mouse, car steering wheel, door handles, etc.