COVID-19 Pandemic

[Methuselah]

1 minute ago, Kiwi said:

This is ridiculous!!

........and now I'm panicking, some morons think tonic water fends off coronavirus and the shelves in my local supermarket were empty! Plans to fight my way through a lockdown fortified by Gin and Tonics are now in tatters!! 

Oh no!!!!!! I love the stuff, as I've convinced myself it helps relieve fatigue-pains. (Not exactly malaria, but there you go!)

The good news: Irn Bru contains quinine too!

[kold weather]

Looking to me like Switzerland is taking off now as well in much the same way Spain took off last weekend. 236 new cases reported and they report multiple times in a day so that will rise.

[Zak M]

Here we go again

 

[Bristawl Si]

Presume Easyjet will follow Jet2. Is it a Spanish govt instruction? Our 11 months of planning for 2 month stay in Fuerteventura looks fast becoming like all for nothing.

[kold weather]

6 minutes ago, Spikecollie said:

Some hints of potential problems with the elections here in France tomorrow, the Interior Minister has been talking about measures to ensure that there are enough "scrutineers" for the process. There are also shortages of hand gel for voters. My opinion is that it is a major mistake allowing voting to go ahead. Many older people I have spoken to take their right to vote very seriously and while some have a postal vote, others do not trust the process or they want to be physically present and seen. Not a good contagion scenario...

I mean really those elections are not going to represent reality, would it not be better to postpone them? As you say, that is a huge contagion risk, especially for the older generation who are more likely to do in person as you say.

[Spikecollie]

Interesting one from the French Health Minister advising against the use of anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibruprofen or Corticosteriods as they enhance the virus in the body. I knew this generally but had not thought about it specifically in the COVID-19 context. Paracetamol is recommended for fever and pain associated with the infection...

Edited March 14, 2020 by Spikecollie

[Methuselah]

Just now, Zak M said:

Here we go again

 

Good grief! Someone must be full of s**t?

[Spikecollie]

1 minute ago, kold weather said:

I mean really those elections are not going to represent reality, would it not be better to postpone them? As you say, that is a huge contagion risk, especially for the older generation who are more likely to do in person as you say.

Yes, a "double-edged sword" contagion and mis-representation of political/democratic intentions.

The local democratic context here in France is a very important one, with Maires being very powerful figures and all levels of local democracy wielding very strong budgetary and strategic power.

Yes, the elections should be deferred. You know as well, they happen over two Sundays - tomorrow and next. Two opportunities for damage...

[Summer Sun]

 

[Zak M]

 

[alexisj9]

4 hours ago, daz_4 said:

Just woke up and found out the government closed all pubs, restaurants and other non-essential shops completely overnight. Surreal feeling. 

Where? 

[Summer Sun]

1 minute ago, alexisj9 said:

Where? 

Czech Republic

[Kiwi]

5 minutes ago, CatchMyDrift said:

My Gran used to drink tonic water to relieve muscle cramps when she was bad with MND, so not too much of a stretch to suggest it aids fatigue?

Tends to make me a bit wobbly.....or is that the gin?

[alexisj9]

3 hours ago, The PIT said:

What some people are mis understanding here is that the Government has to appear in control. However it's clear to me anyway that the lack of action has brought about a lack of confidence in organisations. A loss of confidence in the Government is a very bad thing and will cause more panic than being pro active rather than post active.

Italy according to the beeb is showing a slow down which shows that strong action could have the possible desired effect which will heap even more pressure on the Government.

 

 

 

I lost confidence in them years ago. 

[kold weather]

2 minutes ago, Summer Sun said:

 

Totally understandable, of course this is different from the Spanish Flu, and so whilst I agree it is the best model to what we have, its not something I'd be hanging my hat on, even though there is some sense.

For example nothing to say that a 2nd wave won't be weaker than the 1st. Also note that 1st wave came during the peak of summer, so again slightly different situation.

Also, worth noting, that 1st wave still has a peak of 5,000 deaths. That would probably still overwhelm the NHS given the hospitalisation amounts.

 

[alexisj9]

3 hours ago, Robbie Garrett said:

Just a thought.

 

 

It it more wide spread than we think is how, it hasn't missed us, most people don't know if they've had it or not. They are in a position where they can get tested privately. 

[Stabilo19]

4 hours ago, The PIT said:

What some people are mis understanding here is that the Government has to appear in control. However it's clear to me anyway that the lack of action has brought about a lack of confidence in organisations. A loss of confidence in the Government is a very bad thing and will cause more panic than being pro active rather than post active.

This point was made on the BBC this morning. 

Government says no need to close anything yet > sudden independent mass closures of sports fixtures/universities > government feeling loss of control > official announcement on closures. 

[Zak M]

 

[kold weather]

Just now, alexisj9 said:

It it more wide spread than we think is how, it hasn't missed us, most people don't know if they've had it or not. They are in a position where they can get tested privately. 

Surely that is because those people travel many many times more than most normal people.

I mean as president of a country you would be going to different countries on a frequent basis. so would many celebs as well and would therefore be more likely to be exposed. In other words they are super spreaders, and probably are more likely to be exposed by other super spreaders. They are also likely to meet alot of people/fans as well which again raises the risks big time.

[Stabilo19]

2 minutes ago, kold weather said:

Also worth noting, that 1st wave still has a peak of 5,000 deaths. That would probably still overwhelm the NHS given the hospitalisation amounts.

 

And that's the sad reality of it all! The first "small" peak could be catastrophic enough during the peak.

Let's hope we do infact develop a natural immunity after the infection, and that the virus doesn't mutate significantly. 

[Guest Delete Me]

Apple’s COVID-19 Response

WWW.APPLE.COM

---

Apple will continue to play a role in helping individuals and communities emerge stronger with a new series of responses to COVID-19.

Apple to close ALL stores outside China for 2 weeks

Edited March 14, 2020 by Delete Me

[Spikecollie]

The announcement of cases in very fragile places like Rwanda and Sudan, for example, is very sad and potentially a humanitarian disaster.

[kold weather]

This graph illustrates my fears with regards to trying to get herd immunity on the assumption of the 2nd wave:

This is an image regarding the Spanish Flu and you can see St Louis had a 2nd peak, but it didn't go anywhere near matching the first peak because Philadelphia didn't put in enough measures.

[Stabilo19]

22 new cases in Wales, sounds like community spread is kicking off there

[The PIT]

Can we use the Spanish flu as a model though considering the planet is more interconnected than before and if there isn't the effect of a world war to take into consideration.

We also still don't know if summer will actually knock it back a bit or it will carry on regardless. There's also a possibility new strains develop which we won't be immune too as well.

It's a shame that China's knee jerk reaction to hide it allowed to spread so easily at the start.

When it's all over there will have to be a new set of rules for countries to follow to help delay the spread when the next crisis comes along be it 10 years, a year or 100 years later.