COVID-19 Pandemic

[Spikecollie]

1 minute ago, Snipper said:

So why weren’t you infecting people right left and centre?

I think the problem is that because we had a 'flu peak round about then, people can easily identify with the symptoms and make a false mental positive when it is suggested that COVID-19 could have been around. No one knows when it started outside China - do they?

There are lots of suggestions around about symptoms too - everything from pneumonia to a cold-like affair. Let's face it, if you are not tested while you are infected you will never know. No point in speculating when it started - it is here now and we need to keep ourselves and those who are most vulnerable around us safe.

Wash those handies after any external contact - I've gone completely mad on this. I shopped today and did my hands with gel before handling each item as I had touched the trolley handle. Yes, people could have touched the item before me but I think it's a less likely source of infection than the trolley.

OH pointed out how skanky most supermarket baskets are too - full of nasty brownish gunk in the bottom. Maybe time to clean them up bosses...and yes, bosses, get stuck in and help your employees here, get your (often) fat pink hands dirty.

[Snow Queen one]

My friend just rang to say she developed a temp yesterday and felt aches and pains with headache.  Took cold tabs and felt better developed a cough now and is self isolating. She came round for lunch on Tuesday. My question is what do I do now.?  Does she have the virus?.  I have had a cough and last Friday felt I'll with a headache now got a cough did I give it to her?  As they are not testing unless you end up in hostpital how can I tell?

I have been home all week this week but have to say I have had one cold after another recently because I have been looking after pre school grandchildren.

[Yarmy]

34 minutes ago, Weather-history said:

Trump briefing, it is like some kind of congratulatory and advertising session. 

Just bizarre. He was shaking hands with everyone, apart from one guy who refused. He’s more or less an irrelevance during this crisis though, so not really worth getting exercised about it.

[BeazleyBlizzard]

4 minutes ago, Yarmy said:

Just bizarre. He was shaking hands with everyone, apart from one guy who refused. He’s more or less an irrelevance during this crisis though, so not really worth getting exercised about it.

Hes just been blasted regarding not being tested and going against his own advice after being in contact with someone who has tested positive. Hes now conceived he will be taking a test. Embarrassing moment for him. 

[Spikecollie]

1 minute ago, Snow Queen one said:

My friend just rang to say she developed a temp yesterday and felt aches and pains with headache.  Took cold tabs and felt better developed a cough now and is self isolating. She came round for lunch on Tuesday. My question is what do I do now.?  Does she have the virus?.  I have had a cough and last Friday felt I'll with a headache now got a cough did I give it to her?  As they are not testing unless you end up in hostpital how can I tell?

I have been home all week this week but have to say I have had one cold after another recently because I have been looking after pre school grandchildren.

Crikey, I don't know. As I said earlier, my OH was in an awful way last night. He had cold symptoms but let panic get to him. No cough, just snuffly, blocked nose and feeling grotty. The aches and pains and cough would ring alarm bells for 'flu with me but given the times we are in just be careful that everything gets better rather than worse. No one can tell you whether you have COVID-19 unless you are tested. If you feel worried enough call the NHS...

[Robbie Garrett]

11 minutes ago, Snipper said:

So why was it so slow to kick in.  Initial cases were all traceable to elsewhere

7 minutes ago, Andy Bown said:

Lots of people I know (including myself, my wife and son) had really bad infections causing long lasting coughs etc from mid December until late January, makes me wonder what we had.

When I went to the doctors in Mid-January I had all the tell-tale signs of a Virus, hence why I was told that's all it was.  Dry cough, aches, sinus, mild fever, sneezing, soar throat and then recovered in 3 days. But didn't feel 100% for 2-3 weeks after and had pain in my sides for a week or two.

Below is the chart with all the links of the UK strains for Mid-January.  I'd say highly likely true as I work with tourists, many of them Chinese and I live with a huge amount of Chinese students who returned 10-15 days prior to me feeling rough.

[Bristawl Si]

4 minutes ago, Snow Queen one said:

My friend just rang to say she developed a temp yesterday and felt aches and pains with headache.  Took cold tabs and felt better developed a cough now and is self isolating. She came round for lunch on Tuesday. My question is what do I do now.?  Does she have the virus?.  I have had a cough and last Friday felt I'll with a headache now got a cough did I give it to her?  As they are not testing unless you end up in hostpital how can I tell?

I have been home all week this week but have to say I have had one cold after another recently because I have been looking after pre school grandchildren.

I wouldnt worry about it, myself. As long as you're not suffering from severe breathing difficulties just ride it out, no matter what it is. If you start to suffer proper serious breathing difficulties call 999. If you feel you might compromise someone elderly, self isolate.

Regards Dr BB

[alexisj9]

1 hour ago, Summer Sun said:

MP Nadine Dorries says her mum, 84, has tested positive for Coronavirus.

 

I hope she will be OK. 

[alexisj9]

1 hour ago, mountain shadow said:

All, if you have Netflix, there is a documentary series called 'Pandemic ' 

Only out this year. 

Watch it.

No thanks, don't think I can watch anything like that right now. 

[Zak M]

 

[kold weather]

3 minutes ago, Zak M said:

 

Good to see we actually are decently high in regards to the testing rankings.

However it does kind of show just how far short we all are in be able to stop the virus in its track, south Korea has done nearly 10x the amount we have! However we leave alot of countries behind which is also a great effort.

[alexisj9]

44 minutes ago, Snipper said:

So why was it so slow to kick in.  Initial cases were all traceable to elsewhere

They were only testing people who came from elsewhere at the time. 

[Derecho]

Hello, after the chaos of yesterday, rising death tolls, speeches and crashing stock markets.... I had to admit yeah the anxiety due to this pandemic really hit me. This was especially the case today when the thought of my mum catching it, when she had pneumonia last year came across my mind. It's affected me to such an extent I decided not to travel back home from my annual leave as I've been on public transport quite a bit recently and there is always that paranoia about me passing it on. Going back would have also meant going through the London Underground and the thought of that didn't fill me with much cheer.

Tough week and it's also made tougher by the fact we hear about the worst side of the coronavirus... Here is a story from a man in his 50s. For a huge majority it will probably sum up the experience of it. He basically said it was a mild fever for him and that for many people it's just a cold but I obviously also want to stress that a challenging time will be coming our way.

What does it feel like to have coronavirus?

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

---

One of Scotland's first Covid-19 cases describes what it is like to contract and recover from the infection.

For what it's worth I don't think quoting unverified accounts on Twitter of 40 year olds in Italy being cast aside for life saving treatment of 30 year olds isn't helpful for anxiety levels and I am of the firm belief it is fake as it goes against all the statistics. I hope this man's account eases the concerns of many on here and in other news, global stock markets have had a huge rebound today which suggests things aren't spiralling out of control.

I do worry for our NHS and really hope our government gets this right. There is less for me to feel anxious about today but yeah I still worry about what lies ahead. We can pull through it. I just want this thing gone.

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Quicksilver1989

[saint]

Our workplace has started to implement the usual measures like some staff working from home, but they're trying to spread it out as they expect the impacts to be felt on the workforce until June. Very much planning for the long haul. 

[pip22]

Spain just reached over 5,000 cases up from 3,100 cases. wow!!

 

 

 

[kold weather]

2 minutes ago, Quicksilver1989 said:

 

I do worry for our NHS and really hope our government gets this right. There is less for me to feel anxious about today but yeah I still worry about what lies ahead. We can pull through it. I just want this thing gone.

 

Oh for sure, the vast majority of us will get through it and will look back at this as probably our defining moment of the generation.

I think if it goes the way the government expects, realistically there is going to be a 3-4 week period where basically normal society will crumble and it will be important that law and order is kept and that the health services are given everything required. I suspect the army will have an important role in those weeks as well. Sounds extreme, but you could in theory have 10 million people out of action at the same time which is going to stretch all departments and all parts of our lives.

However, we will get through that peak, however long and large it becomes and like in the wars, we will get to a point of peace at some point in the future.  

[Mapantz]

8 minutes ago, pip22 said:

No sign of social distancing over there either.

Fake news. It's a picture from some time ago. Worth checking the forecast as well, it was only 15°C.

Edited March 13, 2020 by Mapantz

[kold weather]

10 minutes ago, saint said:

Our workplace has started to implement the usual measures like some staff working from home, but they're trying to spread it out as they expect the impacts to be felt on the workforce until June. Very much planning for the long haul. 

Makes sense, the 10-14 weeks till peak would suggest that is the case. However also there is going to be a similar distance of time to drop from the peak to something close to normality, how long that will be is kind of hard to tell at this stage. So I;m thinking this likely will still be an issue even at the end of July.

[pip22]

10 minutes ago, Mapantz said:

Fake news. It's a picture from some time ago. Worth checking the forecast as well, it was only 15°C.

Hows that fake news?? Lord Ashcroft posted it on twitter which makes me to believe it. Ah well.

Edited March 13, 2020 by pip22

[Bristawl Si]

20 minutes ago, pip22 said:

No sign of social distancing over there either.

What i've been saying for last couple of days. Close schools, unis, etc too early in the 'cycle' and people will just congregate in groups elsewhere. Even if it is fake, it represents what will happen.

Edited March 13, 2020 by Bristle boy

[Zak M]

 

[Man With Beard]

21 minutes ago, pip22 said:

No sign of social distancing over there either.

Don't believe this one. No Portuguese go to the beach until at least June, even if it's 90F outside - only the Brits! 

[northwestsnow]

15 minutes ago, pip22 said:

Spain just reached over 5,000 cases up from 3,100 cases. wow!!

 

 

 

Its another Italy incoming..

We got to mentally prepare for something out of a horror movie IMO.

[Styx]

Tasmania had its 5th confirmed case last night. The first four are international students from different parts of the world. No word yet if the fifth is the first community transmission. Some discussion that Tasmania should close its borders to the mainland but that's a tricky proposition as it will challenge the Australia constitution on free movement between the states. Major supermarket chains here now rationing pasta, flour, rice, toilet paper, paper towels, tissues,some medicines and hand sanitiser.  

[Mapantz]

3 minutes ago, pip22 said:

Hows that fake news?? Lord Ashcroft posted it on twitter which makes me to believe it. Ah well.

Also, at the time of that image doing the rounds, schools weren't closed.