lol So whether you overestimate or underestimate this coronavirus pandemic due to your views, without a doubt I'd say it's pretty obvious that it's going to effect the spring walleye and bass fishing season this year. Some parks are already shutting down in other states, a lot of fishing stores are also starting to shut down or have limited hours. I assume some boat launches may be closed down. And there's no telling what other precautions and measures our state representatives are going to take to protect those who are most vulnerable to the virus.

I'm sure majority of people's immune systems are going to handle the virus, but if you have a weakened immune system due to maybe a autoimmune disease and you're on immunosuppressant drugs, may be even diabetic, smoke, or be of the age 60 years or older. The worry is that the healthy people may contract the virus out in public and bring it home to loved ones who may have an immune compromised disease. So just like the hoarders who aren't thinking about others at grocery stores, remember to not just think about yourself, but the others around you.

While coronavirus has been around for a long time, the virus is found even on back of Lysol. Understand that is the original less aggressive strain of virus, the S type. While the L type strain is found in 70% of the cases in Wuhan China, ground zero for the outbreak. To prevent the virus from mutating or becoming more aggressive, which can happen in large groups of living organisms, which happens just about every spring with the VHS virus with schools of gizzard shad hint hint, we'll prevent this by shutting down large group gatherings.

And I do hope that those who are saying that our goverment representatives are blowing it out of proportions are right, but having 475 people die within a 24 hours in Italy, we must take the right preparations for the elderly and others who are immunocompromised. I myself was looking forward to the Michigan Fly Fishing Expo on March 14th at Warren. Along with the Vintage Fishing Tackle Show on May 2nd in St. Clair Shores at the Bruce Post. Both have been canceled due to being a large gathering.

And just a headsup, if you're still worried about family members, I know the President recently made a remark about chloroquine phosphate aka plaquenil, this is one of the already FDA approved drugs that has shown effectiveness for the virus, which is an antimalarial drug. There's also the drug Disulfiram which has shown to inhibit MERS and SARS, which are also other forms of coronavirus. I think China is having success using the antiviral drugs favipiravir and remdesivir. A vaccine may not be out for another year! So just be aware there are already FDA approved drugs, one antiviral drug has already saved one emergency doctor in the US that was in critical condition, I think it was remdesivir.

Tight lines anglers and take care!