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[CLKD]

How worried?  It's a 'flu virus.  It's 'flu season in the UK.  People are being screened because they may have it.  There was a GP at a surgery yesterday saying that they were swabbing everyone coming in who complained of respiratory problems.  Well they shouldn't be in a surgery anyway, under normal circumstances!   There isn't anything that can be done for a virus per se - it's 2ndary infection that gets treated 

It is the older people, mainly men that are dying - those with underlying chronic health disease.  Not many reports about 'healthy' people dying from pneumonia via the 'flu.  We had people self isolate in our village of 2,500 residents and no one knew ......... they went to Italy, didn't have symptoms but took the decision.  Now they are out and about again, no problem.

As for fighting in stores - that's normal human behaviour when threatened.  Those people won't survive when the bomb goes off ;-)

I bought an extra bathroom spray and some cat food yesterday  .  I reached for the loo rolls to put into the food bank collection box but 

[Sparrow]

It is a new virus but they do crop up from time to time.  I was reading yesterday about the Hong-Kong flu, which happened in the late 1960s.  That was two virus combined into one and caused a problem for a couple of flu seasons.

There is nothing we can do but follow the advice.  My sister is more concerned as she and her husband are in their 70s, with health problems. For me I am more concerned about the inconvenience factor. Whether my holiday will be cancelled or my trip to London next Saturday. Panic buying is stupid and annoying and the media saturation is over the top.

In some ways I am finding it fascinating, from a social science point of view.  Don't worry though it will come to an end.  Both China and Korea have got it under control now and so shall we.

[Hurdity]

Absolutely - I have been worried ever since it spread outside China and even looking at the situation in China. Like I've already said on here - because it is a NEW virus, there is little or no immunity to it and therefore it is highly infectious so if very large numbers of people get it then large numbers will probably die. Of course we should be worried hence the government doing everything to try to contain the spread or at least delay it. The sheer numbers of people that could (will?) get it may well overwhelm the capacity of the health service to deal with it. It is a viral respiratory disease that affetcs the lungs and causes breathing difficulty. Many who are seriously ill need artifiicial help with breathing when the virus is at its worst but many of these make a full recovery with appropriate treatment ie artificial ventilation.

It is thanks to the enormous efforts in China that the epidemic there is under control and has not spread as quickly around that continent world as it could have done. It could have been a lot worse.

As for all the guff about subduing the population (did I read somewhere up thread?), never heard such nonsense! I would welcome draconian measures to contain this virus before it kills too many vulnerable people and occupies hospital beds needed for other people.

I have three close (immediate) family members who could be classed as vulnerable or at risk (and I'm not talking about people in their 70's generally. My husband is but I'm not worried about him) and yes I am very worried about them.

Re the mutations - this happens all the time apparently more so with RNS viruses. read an interesting article in New Scientist yesterday:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2236544-coronavirus-are-there-two-strains-and-is-one-more-deadly/

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and don;t forget to wash your hands  !

Hurdity x

[Countrygirl]

Ive stopped visiting my parents in the last week who are in their 70's as one of them is poorly already and even a bout of normal flu could really harm them, and in the last week 4 cases confirmed local to them and that made it become very real to me x

[CLKD]

China had been alerted to this virus way back in November .......... the diseases that have sprung from China apparently come from the same sources.  Open, live animal markets .......... once might be a mistake, the 2nd should have been a learning curve but the 3rd!

But the rest of the World doesn't challenge China or India due to the increased reliance on products from Asia.  As a throw-away society Europe buys from Japan, Taiwan or China ........  their use of cheap labour means that most Companies are able to undercut those in Europe and the UK.  Apparently home industries are beginning to boom 

I remember Hong Kong 'flu which was a problem when I was growing up.  I have no idea which strain/s I went down with in 1988 and 1989.   I was too ill to even phone the GP for advice  so certainly couldn't leave the house to infect anyone else 

Apparently milk is short 

Also: if the hotel in China has collapsed why chance have the hurriedly thrown up hospitals got of remaining standing?

[CLKD]

Coronavirus: The fake health advice you should ignore
By Reality Check team
BBC News


worth a giggle ..............

[Blot]

I'm not worried myself, which is unusual for me because I worry about everything. But I know two people personally who are really terrified. One young man who is 29 and has no reason to be worried and the other in his fifties, who does have a few health issues. They are both at the stage of wanting to lock themselves away and just not see anyone to be on the safe side.
No matter what I say to try and calm and put things into perspective, it's just not working. All this stuff in the media, the total negativity, is just getting out of hand. I know we need to be informed and take precautions but it's verging on hysteria.

I don't know what I can do to help them.  I guess they are not the only ones and there will be hundreds of frightened people feeling the same.

[Tinkerbell]

I am a bit concerned but i am not panic buying, it is a novel virus, so that is more concerning. I also have two teens who both have health conditions that put them in the more at risk category, one good thing is it is making me think i should get back on the exercise bike and stop eating chocolate in the hope i am healthier to fight it if i get it!

[Ju Ju]

I'm concerned for my parents , who are well into their 90s and for myself, as I have asthma, which is normally well controlled, but with infections can be serious. 3 years ago I had pneumonia after what was a minor, silly cough, which landed me in hospital and several months of recovery.  Fortunately, I don't catch things easily, probably due to teaching young children for years. But I have no intention of isolating myself in case! Only if I have to. What will be, will be.

My son is in a difficult situation. He and his family are booked to fly here from the USA in a couple of weeks. If he cancels he won't get the cost of the air fares back. He has been told that if he does come over and has to go into isolation through contact, he could lose his job! He's a paramedic, so is probably at more risk at work! Some decisions and discussions with his HR department tomorrow.

[Pennyfarthing]

The advice to ?bin? your used tissues puzzles me.  I have always made my family flush used tissues down the loo.  I hate the idea of used tissues sitting around in bins or waste baskets.

[CLKD]

We put kitchen roll, tissues and organic waste into our compost.  After use they go into a bin with a lid on, which is emptied daily. 

Ju Ju - he's a paramedic and they are threatening him with job loss    .........   I would be looking for another Company for which to work!  Where in his Contract of Employment does it threaten him?  This sounds typical Yankee reaction.  However, I would stay put 'cos one never knows whilst travelling in an enclosed space what one might catch  .  Most people I know who fly regularly have regularly health issues.

Got through another night etc., etc., etc.  .......

[Tc]

Hiya ladies. My mum has just returned from her bowls club. A notice has gone up saying "do not kiss, hug or shakes hands". At the end of the match everyone was bumping elbows!!!  The thing is everyone touches the Jack (one of the bowls) and the mats to move them, not to mention all the other surfaces. A doctor said on the radio that the virus doesnt penetrate (unbroken) skin on hands.  It's the mucous membranes which quickly and very effectively absorb.  I knew this from when my wife was having chemo and was advised about infection control. A nurse taught me how to wash hands properly  and the importance of not touching  your face, mucous membranes in the nose,  eyes and mouth until you are able to thoroughly wash your hands.  Its vital information I told my my elderly parents weeks ago.   But it seems public awareness on this has been slow to be addressed. X

[Sparrow]

Good points Tc.  It's the touching of the face that important.

[CLKD]

Tnx.  I touch my face all the while: it seems to be the place that, when washing up etc., gets the Biggest Itch 

I noted that none of the supermarkets were wiping down trolleys so I took my own hand wash  then my hands were sticky, the trolley handle was sticky ........

For years I have used hand gel B4 turning on taps in public places, or on handles where a lot of people go in/out   .........    and a little dab as I leave ;-).  It doesn't need much.  I use a spray in the house on handles and taps, toilet push plungers etc..

Some elderly people have had problems getting basics and are quite distressed.  I wonder how food banks will cope too.

[Sparrow]

One problem we will have, if infection increases markedly here,  is the lack of enough intensive care beds.  We have the fewest per head in Europe.  10 years of austerity have not helped.