Tag: RVA Travels

What You Need to Know & How to Keep yourself Safe from the COVID-19 aka Coronavirus

February 16, 2020

I finally had the time and resources to scratch off a country off my bucket list and to add icing on the cake my best friend was coming along. It was going to be an epic girls’ trip.

Had the hotel selected the dates locked in, all I needed to do was save enough money to afford a first-class ticket for a 19 plus hour trip. Being an avid traveler I find waiting till closer to my trip date I have been lucky in finding the best deals. Then it hit. News reports a new disease the Corona Virus coming out of China and it was fatal. I paid very close attention to reputable news sources while others were inciting fear. Then travel advisories hit and the disease was spreading. After talking to my closest friends the risk was too high and I could not afford to miss another two weeks of work and being away from my family due to quarantine. So I canceled my trip.

A little annoyed I did not want to risk coming in contact with a disease I was unfamiliar with and had no knowledge of how it affected the body. Having contracted respiratory infections a handful of times from flying with sick people on long flights. I did not want to risk being a headline on the local news. I wanted to know more about the disease that caused me to put my health and safety first instead of proceeding with my trip.

What is the Corona Virus?

The Coronavirus everyone is familiar with is actually called COVID-19. It stands for Coronavirus Disease 19. Coronavirus is actually a classification name. Other coronaviruses are SARS and MERS. It is more common in animals but then becomes zoonotic when the virus transfers from animals to humans. SARs and MERs are also zoonotic diseases. The virus is a respiratory illness that spreads from person to person in close contact.

Where did it come from?

According to the Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 originated Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China it is unclear what animal the disease transferred from. Due to China’s lack of transparency with the rest of the world when the disease first broke out it is unclear who patient zero was or the details. The doctor who broke the news died in early February.

How does it Spread?

According to the CDC, the disease is highly contagious and spreads from person to person within six feet. Close contact with infected persons through respiratory droplets. In laments terms snot and spit from someone coughing or sneezing. surfaces are another known form of transmission. If an infected person has contact with a surface the virus can survive for up to several hours.

What are the symptoms to observe?

For confirmed Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms can include:

Fever

Cough

Shortness of breath

CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS-CoV viruses another member of the coronavirus family. So far persons exhibiting signs and symptoms are highly contagious.

Prevention and Treatment

(Directly from cdc.gov)

According to the CDC, there is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, the CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Stay home when you are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.

CDC does not recommend that people who are well wearing a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Conclusion

Little is still known about the pathology of the disease outside of what China has disclosed. While the media always evokes fear and unclear information on the status of the disease. The only valid source of reputable information is the CDC. As information develops the CDC continues to update its website regularly. This is unbiased information. For those who want the information without the fear attached to it. For more information please refer to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

Be safe be vigilant in staying safe don’t let the media try to scare you do your research.

Richmond Silent Party is it Worth the Hype? Is it Here to Stay?

December 31, 2019

Bohemian Travels

It’s been years since I attended a night club. I guess you can say, I outgrew the loud overly crowded establishments where the music is a hit or miss, unable to move, unwanted advancements from drunk men and having drinks spilled on my stilettos from silly girls with fake IDs. In addition, I feel like I am a chaperone versus a patron now that everyone is faking it for the Gram. When I do manage to leave my house. I prefer a more laid back, grown and sexy chill vibe of a bar or lounge. I can sit down and look cute and spare my feet the painful walk back to my car while navigating the crowd in the parking lot.

via GIPHY

While going through the Event Brite app looking for an event or function to attend I came across a Silent Party
So what exactly is a Silent Party and is it worth the hype? I’ve actually heard of a silent party, ironically it was while I was watching a tv show one lazy night, several months prior. I was quite surprised it was an actual thing. I figure sure why not. Let me try something new. When you Google Silent Party, you find links, for rentals and an article about one writer’s experience. According to the promoter, this trend been around for years. I didn’t question it since I don’t really go to clubs, so I felt pretty late.

Wanting to experience something different I set a reminder in my calendar, and told a friend about is and asked for her to come. This wasn’t your traditional club layout. I walked up to the door, paid my cover, and handed a set of wireless headphones. I was instructed by the promoter the color-coded channels, where the volume button was located, and I was on my way.

via GIPHY

The theme of the event was Trap vs. R&B, the Red channel was R&B, the Green Channel was Trap, and the Blue Channel was nothing. Since I got there early, it was pretty empty what little people were there did the same thing I did found a place to sit and switched between Trap and R&B and just scrolled on my phone.

Jamming to some songs, it can make a person feel pretty awkward or silly. Since the venue was quiet, you would be conditioned to think this is lame even a few people were yelling how lame it was. You can practically scream across the room. The scene was like a traditional club. Various lights dancing your typical blue, red, yellow, and green strobe lights, multiple televisions mounted to the walls with game highlights on. A fully stocked bar. Without the headphones, it just looked like a dead birthday party or reception. One or two people are singing and raping way off-key to a tune and dancing along. The magic begins when you put your headphones back on, and the energy comes alive. Since two different songs were playing at the same time, the color codes are the only indication of what the majority of the crowd was listening to.

via GIPHY

By midnight the crowd began to fill the establishment. Few people were singing and dancing along to the song the DJs were playing since there was another club downstairs the bass from those speakers were loud to hear only if you took your headphones off. I placed my headphones above my ears. I could still hear the music, but I could also listen to what was happening around me. I couldn’t help but smile overhearing a young woman belting off the lyrics to Plies. Or a couple was grinding on each other to Silk. Two Parties in one venue occupying the same space in harmony.

The coolest thing about the whole vibe is I am not having to scream over the music, the bass from the speakers isn’t triggering my migraines, if I want to talk to someone or flirt with a cute guy, I simply lift my headphones and have a conversation at a normal tone.

What I appreciate the most about this concept is people who are sensitive to loud noise can enjoy the club vibe without the migraine-inducing noise. from what I researched you can rent the equipment and throw your own private Silent Party. This is especially useful if you live in a restrictive neighborhood or apartment, a popping party without the police being called on you.

via GIPHY

I’ve attended the venue a couple more times and brought other friends. By then the popularity has grown the crowd increases. It’s fun, edgy and new, it’s a different way of having a great time without going deaf and losing your voice yelling over the music. I definitely look forward to attending another event like this with friends who’s never heard of a Silent Party. So if you want to try something new and out the box, I highly recommend attending a Silent Party it’s worth the Hype.

Do you, Be you, Love you
Bohemian Life