Pleased to see the gvt have now changed their advice, and anyone who has travelled from specified countries is to self isolate and call 111 if they have symptoms. While it's better late than never, on a personal note of concern, this means I've come into direct contact with two people who have (hopefully) colds, one just back from Hong Kong, one just back from Taiwan, both of whom are now seeking advice from 111 - especially as they've also been around 100s of students and staff. And by direct contact, I mean sat down and ate food with, shared a work kitchen / bathroom with.
It's interesting that it's the Chinese gvt, whose economy stands to be the most affected, who are saying '[There] should be no panic, no overreaction'. Of course they don't want special measures in place. They're actively campaigning against them, bringing huge amounts of pressure to bear on WHO. At the point a gvt prosecutes one of its own doctors for blowing the whistle on a a public health emergency (as it did in December, tragically that doctor is now dead from the very virus he was trying to alert the authorities to), I do tend to feel as if there's something of a cover up and I'm not inclined to believe a word they then go on to say on the matter. I certainly don't want to follow their advice.
Re: deadliness. Yeah, well, just because it's people with pre-existing conditions who it's most likely to be fatal to (yes, I have a problem with my lungs), that doesn't mean all the healthies should think it's fine as a method of 'natural selection'. And there are also the environmental factors to consider. Of course, those of us living and working in densely populated urban areas are at more risk.
