Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[Guinness Boy]

My father died last summer aged 90. For at least 5 years previous, he was type 1 diabetic, with heart problems which meant that he would be exhausted by any type of exertion (even a fairly short walk). The only reason he lasted as long as he did was due to scientific developments of the last 20 years. At any time, in that last five years I believe Flu, a heavy cold or any other significant infection would have done for him. (I'm not even sure he would have survived a strong gust of wind).

As I mentioned in an earlier post, due to medical breakthroughs over the last few years there are now a large number of people in that category and I believe these are people at very high risk from Coronavirus.

This is exactly what I was trying to explain earlier in this thread about my father in law. Although only 80 he's basically in exactly the same boat. The next serious "thing" he gets will do him in for sure, whether it's covid-19 or flu or whatever. As a result he's mostly housebound anyway and my mum has taken to not travelling on the tube and getting his daughters to drop round food. But they have only started this routine since the coronavirus outbreak despite all his health problems and it didn't need the government to tell them what to do for them to act.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Hugely encouraging to see politicians everywhere - apart from here obviously - taking the hard decisions. Advising pensioners over 70 not to go on cruises and advising schoolkids not to go on school trips overseas is like taking a water pistol to a bushfire. Lucky for us, our sporting and cultural bodies are showing far more in the way of leadership than our government, who are now just reduced to playing catch-up. Pathetic beyond words

Or in the long run rather than actions that simply make populations who are panicking and in fear feel safe, our government is actually taking the actions to give them the best actual chance of being safe.

We’re probably all scared to some degree, and when we’re scared we want to feel like someone is in control. Fact is this virus is out of control, lock downs will only have short term impacts, because ultimately you’ll need to come out of them at some point.

If there isn’t the evidence than shutting schools is going to have a big impact, and actually the impact on them being at home will be greater, be brave enough not to do it, don’t just do it because everyone else is. Act of your own professional scientific advice, not because of how other countries with different borders, populations, climates, rates of infection etc etc are acting.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I think that this is spot on as to what the government are doing. Two things:

1) If they want a herd mentality approach and for the majority of us to get it, why ban all mass gatherings and sporting events. I understand that they want to drip feed the virus slowly to save the hospitals etc but surely we need a few more people to get it initially otherwise this thing could go on for months.

2) No matter how you interpret the government plan there is no getting away from the fact that they are hanging the elderly and people with underlying health issues out to dry

1) We haven’t yet cancelled mass gatherings. Organisers have done that themselves. It’s going to run on for years not just months.

2) No one is being held out to dry. Unless anyone is proposing locking the world down for literally months or a year, the virus will continue to spread - the only weapon we have is time. Like any Flu virus, severe cold or illness those with underlying health issues are always more at risk.

You’re point here is what is driving some of the actions worldwide - I think some countries are acting out of the psychological impact of their populations feeling they’re doing everything they can to stop it, rather than the brutal truth the UK has fronted up to that there is no stopping it. I do admire the UK at this point for that. It is a bold move and many people are angry because they want more security, even if it’s just an illusion.

 

[dingodan]

21 dead in the UK now.

 

[atomised]

Huge jump today been expecting one like that but still shocks when it happens

 

[Eeyore]

This is exactly what I was trying to explain earlier in this thread about my father in law. Although only 80 he's basically in exactly the same boat. The next serious "thing" he gets will do him in for sure, whether it's covid-19 or flu or whatever. As a result he's mostly housebound anyway and my mum has taken to not travelling on the tube and getting his daughters to drop round food. But they have only started this routine since the coronavirus outbreak despite all his health problems and it didn't need the government to tell them what to do for them to act.

This is what is bothering me. I get the strategy of almost encouraging infection in the main population, but older folk should not be seen as expendable.

I hope a strategy, however draconian, is put into place here. All of us should be prepared to take up responsibilities here.

 

[Wozza]

1140 cases. 40% up.

As expected?

 

[Nobby]

We need a national kindness effort

Yeah right

We need a looters law - just shoot em simples


Luciana Berger
“man in Golders Green Sainsbury’s wouldn’t give an elderly lady just 1 of a number of (the last) packets of dry pasta he had grabbed. He said no when she asked him politely. Very upsetting. We need a national kindness effort to look out for the elderly, infirm & vulnerable”

 

[sparkie]

Johnson's "we've all got to catch it" strategy is risking the lives of our old folks.

He's a monster.

 

[atomised]

1140 cases. 40% up.

As expected?

Bit higher than I expected. I had in mind just over 1000

 

[Eeyore]

1140 cases. 40% up.

As expected?

There was talk of the doubling effect. When it's small in numbers it goes without notice. Looks like it has reached the ascent.

I guess they will move to the next stage in the week.

 

[Eeyore]

Johnson's "we've all got to catch it" strategy is risking the lives of our old folks.

He's a monster.

It's not his strategy. It's the CMO's. The belief is that it will be a 'year on year' thing. Also, it could re-emerge at any time. I think, that is why the UK is taking a slightly different path from others (from what the CMO said).

I get that, but it is, as you say, something that needs to consider the vulnerable.

 

[Creaky]

This is what is bothering me. I get the strategy of almost encouraging infection in the main population, but older folk should not be seen as expendable.

I hope a strategy, however draconian, is put into place here. All of us should be prepared to take up responsibilities here.

I don’t see the government strategy as treating the “older folk as expendable”.

In realistic terms if 80% of the general population are going to catch Covid-19 then so are 80% of the older folk. I just don’t see how you can possibly prevent that happening.

That doesn’t mean us wrinklies shouldn’t take the same precautions as the rest of the population, of course we should. The flatter the infection curve is then the better for those needing hospital treatment.

It would be ridiculous to take Draconian measures to protect the at risk section of the population and then when the main crisis was over “release” them back into society and suddenly have a large proportion of elderly people with health problems becoming infected. That really would be the worst possible scenario.

 

[Eeyore]

I don’t see the government strategy as treating the “older folk as expendable”.

In realistic terms if 80% of the general population are going to catch Covid-19 then so are 80% of the older folk. I just don’t see how you can possibly prevent that happening.

That doesn’t mean us wrinklies shouldn’t take the same precautions as the rest of the population, of course we should. The flatter the infection curve is then the better for those needing hospital treatment.

It would be ridiculous to take Draconian measures to protect the at risk section of the population and then when the main crisis was over “release” them back into society and suddenly have a large proportion of elderly people with health problems becoming infected. That really would be the worst possible scenario.

I don't know. I'm just a layman trying to read what is coming from central station. But I do know that the elderly thing is worrying.

There are things folk can do. Like stop being such selfish ******** in the local Asda.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Johnson's "we've all got to catch it" strategy is risking the lives of our old folks.

He's a monster.

There is no other strategy. All any government has is delay, that’s all it is. You’re holding on to a precept that the virus can be stopped. It can’t, it can only be delayed and with delay you hope you’re better placed to cope. Our old folks lives are at risk whether next month or next year from this virus. Hopefully it will be spread out enough for them.

 

[neilbard]

1140 cases. 40% up.

As expected?

Probably at least another 5000+ not tested...

 

[Guinness Boy]

Johnson's "we've all got to catch it" strategy is risking the lives of our old folks.

He's a monster.

There is no other strategy. All any government has is delay, that’s all it is. You’re holding on to a precept that the virus can be stopped. It can’t, it can only be delayed and with delay you hope you’re better placed to cope. Our old folks lives are at risk whether next month or next year from this virus. Hopefully it will be spread out enough for them.

Exactly what [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] has said above. There is absolutely no situation in which old people will not get this, the whole point is that there should be the best possible chance of them getting a bed and respirator if they do, and of them not infecting young, fit NHS workers with a large viral load.

The only thing is that I still don't buy the "80%" figure. That is literally the worst case scenario. The infection rate wasn't that high on the Diamond Princess, which was pretty much a coronavirus lab test. But whatever % of us do get it, exactly the same % of those at risk will get it as those not at risk. There is no "prevention" strategy left. We are at mitigate.

EDIT - incidentally this means we need to be good at identifying the peak. At some point living with covid-19 as a possible disease is going to be the new normal.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Google offices in London have told all their staff to work from home until further notice.
Catering staff are still expected to go in.


They even have their own app for it

 

[Birdie Boy]

Google offices in London have told all their staff to work from home until further notice.
Catering staff are still expected to go in.

View attachment 121015
They even have their own app for it

Who will they be cooking for?

 

[Guinness Boy]

From the BBC Liveblog

"A group of Dutch scientists believe they’ve found an antibody that could help to detect and prevent the coronavirus from being able to infect people.
It hasn’t been tested on humans - a process that will take months.
The researchers at the Erasmus Medical Centre and Utrecht University describe their discovery as an antibody to Sars2, the coronavirus causing the current pandemic (Covid-19).
The scientists were already working on an antibody for Sars1 and when the new coronavirus broke out, they said they had found that the same antibodies cross-reacted and blocked the infection.
Their findings are still being reviewed and the antibody is yet to be rigorously tested.
The researchers are hoping to convince a pharmaceutical company to support its mass production as a medicine which they believe would detect and prevent the spread of the virus."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-51886497