Pandemic panic

I was at the Albert Hall yesterday, packed with people a similar age to me (60-70+). No handgel anywhere. People using bare hands on door handles and handrails. I tried to be very careful, and did not do the same, and washed my hands at every opportunity. I have antiseptic handwipes as well and used them, I suppose if you cannot get to soap and water they are better than nothing.

So, who are these 3 million volunteers that Matt Hancock has said have offered their services to help out in hospitals and nursing homes? And, are inexperienced volunteers a help or a hindrance?

3 million? Have just read that Sunak has said that the NHS will have whatever it needs to deal with the infection. Trained staff? ICU beds? GPs appointments?

The many people who currently volunteer in the NHS and elsewhere in Care are likely to be in the older age bracket. On a recent visit to a friend in hospital the volunteers seemed to be overwhelmingly 70+, bringing around the books trolley and serving in the tea room.

Younger volunteers - I know a 40-something woman who does a few hours in the same hospital - could well be at home with children if schools are closed in any numbers.

I've read that at tomorrow's COBRA meeting there's to be discussion on BANNING over 70s from public events! Not advising against, but banning. How is that going to work - there are people that age still at work? I'm assuming that banning isn't really on the cards

I gather hand washing, for those who live alone and don't go out, is most important after touching something from the outside world. I shall keep my distance from the nice Tesco man.

It is all about controlling the numbers that get covid, the more that get it soon and recover the better. There will gradually be more immunity in society and people will carry on with work and being available to care for the elders. So yes elders should be ultra careful, it is not a good time to be relying on the nhs, not right now, not yet

The situation in Italy is very grave.
This from the BBC website.
The health care system in the Italian region of Lombardy is on the brink of collapse, the head of its crisis response unit has said.

"We're now being forced to set up intensive care treatment in corridors, in operating theatres, in recovery rooms. We've emptied entire hospital sections to make space for seriously sick people," Antonio Pesenti told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

"One of the best health systems in the world, in Lombardy, is a step away from collapse," he said.

craftyone; I bought some colloidal silver to add to my handwash but I've since read some serious side effects from using it. I assume it's safe to use topically. Do you know anything about it?

Colloidal silver is of no use fighting corona virus.

Read this: www.bbc.com/news/world-51735367

Riverwalk I do not believe that 70 year olds will be banned. Government and others have said that it is older people _with pre-existing conditions-, who are at risk, not all older people.

The children's news programme was showing them how to wash their hands effectively. They put something on their hands that showed up under a light. The bits they missed seemed to be mainly around the nails. Not under the nails as you might expect but around the cuticle.

Labaik, I always have a bottle of colloidal silver spray. I have had a bottle handy for 20 odd years, I recently replaced it with a fresh bottle. I certainly don`t use it on a daily basis but eg I might give a sore on my leg a quick spray or on a cut or a quick spray if I get a sore throat. In the old days it was all about taking it orally by the tbs, I have never done that. I make no claims for it but would not be without it. I never go by media programmes, only my own knowledge and experience

As in a previous post. All over 60 year old are at risk, owing to the lack of viable naive T cells. Those who have had healthy lives will stand more chance as their T cells may well have a bit more response. Telomeres are also made shorter due to much the same reasons as T cells becoming non-responsive ie unhealthy lifestyle. The whole thing is very complicated and there is no quick answer in spite of what the media are saying. Trouble is that the majority are gullible and that goes with not having the scientific knowledge. Don`t be taken in and maybe don`t listen to the news. You can only do your best

The death rate is 1 - 2%, the vast majority of them people with pre existent conditions, most of them elderly. Note my reversal of order of those two contra indicators.

I am far more worried about my DDiL, 25 years my junior, who has rheumatiod arthritis than I am for myself, free of any underlying conditions, on no medication and fit and active at present.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35064071

Regarding Eyam's heroic self isolation

lets get things in proportion. The Black Death killed a third of the population. Corona virus kills 1 - 2% of those affected. So far in the UK only about 200 have been affected.

Alexa we were just talking about that as one of our DC was in the play.

Well the figures continue to rise with the biggest jump so far announced today. Total 273. While the mortality percentage is small it projects to thousands if it continues at this rate. People are still saying it's just flu. The government needs an awareness campaign. They also need to tell people what their plans are so that it doesn't come as such a shock.

I don't remember any diseases that were reported as much as this virus. I remember my mum when I was young telling me that there had been a T.B outbreak but I know very little about it. The only one I remember is the B.S.E and seeing the vets going to all the farms and many of the cattle had to be euthanized and people were infected with something that attacked the brain.
The H.I.V. virus (commonly known as AIDS) when the big scare for that went global was in the 80's but that was only passed by having direct contact with someone already infected and body fluids were passed to one another.

Inexperienced volunteers are a help as long as they are intelligent enough to follow orders from the professionals. Some older women especially have domestic caring experience that is better than that of some young nurses.

I was speaking to my elderly mum today, and it seems that all her equally-elderly friends are carrying on as normal - and that includes presenting at the doctor's surgery with flu-like symptoms!
Is there no happy medium in people's response to this health-threat?

It was announced today by Anthony Fauci that the U.S. is beyond containment and tracking, he advised seniors to avoid crowds, long trips and cruise ships-

Alexa and anyone else interested, there’s a very good novel by Geraldine Brooks about Eyam. It’s called Year of Wonders.

Oddly enough, it was my book group’s choice at last month’s meeting - I promise we had absolutely no inkling of CV when we chose the title last year!

Saw Boris on the BBC News tonight visiting flood victims in Worcestershire. DH commented he was shaking hands with all and sundry, don’t know if he had used hand gel, assuming of course he had been able to get hold of any!

This is a sneaky virus that creeps up on you as those who think they're free of it right now could have had it " brewing " inside the body for 3 weeks until it shows itself.
I've always thought that it's been around longer than the experts have stated.

I wondered that too, EllanVannin