Without spreading fear and panic - there is talk of a new strain of coronavirus starting - its named Ribenavirus be aware TD
I don't know about how it is where you live but the whole US is now in full ape s*** panic mode. I don't get it.
A lot of upper lips are still relatively stiff (of course that could be rigour mortis). But then we don't have a head of state that one minute says it's all a hoax and the next imposes wholesale travel bans ("don't panic, nobody panic")
Dave same here in the UK been like it for a week. The sad thing is many of these people are well I wont say it for fear of offending but some are not so bright they have cleaned the shelves of toilet roll and pasta 1 They have left the kitchen roll,now some own brand kitchen roll is cheap as chips and has the same consistency as toliet paper .the shelves are full of this. 2 They have bought all the pasta ,a few places the whole wheat pasta is still in place as are the many pasta sauces. Also they have hit the main supermarkets but havent tried the local shops that are well stocked I have always prepared for the apocalypse some would call me a UK prepper or ocd which ever all's well that ends well. having surveyed a few queues I have to say none of them would be on my team when the time comes
As I interpret the mass event cancellations, school closures, WFH policies and other preventative measures, the primary intent is to simply flatten the curve on the spread of the virus. I've seen recent projections which estimate that 30-70% of the population will become infected so the primary goal is to keep the numbers within the capacity of the healthcare system to handle it. The loss of life will be much higher if it spikes over a shorter period and the medical community is overwhelmed. Many unknown factors but some estimate it will be around for 3-7 months.
Where was all this concern when the H1N1 was in town? It was much more aggressive and deadly than the Kung Flu but not a peep out of anyone.
I've found myself coming to the same conclusion as 'canuck' has outlined above. The dread for the NHS is perhaps not so much to do with the mortality rate, but rather the treatment rate of those who do contract covid19. Without looking I think the UK population is currently around 65m people. If so just one in ten contracting the virus means 6.5m, and if of those a further one in ten require medical intervention, that could mean over half a million people going through NHS doors over the period of a few months. We all in the UK know the strain the NHS has been under for many years, so suddenly asking them to treat so many new cases, including acute ones, could collapse the system. My closest remaining relative is going to have to put their trust in the NHS shortly for a very important operation and subsequent care, which is a personal reminder of just how important it is. If us all taking a knee for a spell helps keep the health service functioning, not just now but through the next six months or so, I ain't got any alternatives. I just hope that those many people who are going to get financially broadsided as a result receive some help to get through it, which will be the next big question. Gary
I was thinking yesterday that the Financial Markets should be suspended during these times. Always annoys me to think speculators will play around the edges of this, when what’s needed is clarity and calm. On the medical side. My dad’s doctor was on the phone today and suggested off the record, that there is a need for a good number of infective cases to develop throughout the country in order to achieve general herd immunity.
There are reports today of people using condoms to protect themselves when touching lift buttons. When asked to comment local resident Alf, 71, said it was a sensible precaution but he was finding it difficult to get an erection every time he left the flat. thank you R4 Newsjack
I have been self isolating for over a week now and my missus has put me on a diet of pancakes. I can't stand them but it's all she can get under the door. We tried tomato soup but most of it went between the floor boards. The cheese came off the Welsh Rarebit and stuck to the bottom of the door and the spaghetti was too floppy to go through the key hole.
