Coronavirus

Sparklefizz
MamaCaz Does your surgery have your email address?

Yes, they do - although not necessarily on the correct database, as they keep sending me a circular that I don't think is intended for patients!

The problem I have is that every time someone speaks about the virus on TV I immediately think they're lying! Words of reassurance fall on my deaf ears I'm afraid. I just think they are saying everything is under control to keep everyone calm.

Nothing at our GP surgery and nothing from them. No signs or information at the local hospital either.

Going a bit off track. I received an e Mail from a well known long haul tour operator we have travelled with previously suggesting a trip to Japan. Would love to go, but not at the moment!
Had a look at other trips they offer, seems like China, Thailand, Singapore still being promoted. Wonder if you have to speak to an advisor before booking? Surely you would be reluctant to commit to these places as things are.

For goodness sakes! OK, it looks like Coronavirus is very infectious. However, it's not very dangerous (except to those with pre-existing medical problems). People are far more likely to catch the usual seasonal flu. If you want to panic, it would be more logical to panic about that!

www.livescience.com/new-coronavirus-compare-with-flu.html

Hetty58

I have glanced at the link you gave, and am unsure how you arrived at the conclusion that we should be more worried about flu.

Surely this sentence from the article in your link says the opposite"

The death rate for 2019-nCoV is still unclear, but it appears to be higher than that of the flu.

Ok, at the moment, the coronavirus is not nearly as prevalent as the flu virus, but I haven't seen anything to suggest that we are going to be able to prevent its spread, so surely that makes it potentially more (and possibly much more) dangerous than flu?

Well I am currently on holiday in Thailand. Tourism is down around 80 % due to there being no Chinese tourists. Considering the population here and in the UK and the number of cases in each I reckon I’m in no more danger here than at home. Frequent washing of hands and general hygiene is the best any of us can do.
I wonder how many people will want me to quarrentine myself when I return.

This is a useful science based article, apparently the virus has been found in some stool samples so may spread by fecal contamination as well as respiratory droplets. So, wash your hands!!

www.livescience.com/new-china-coronavirus-faq.html?fbclid=IwAR1s0XJ8tD9CMmvtpH3L2MsFhYg_taA8IreTv92jihAzox19bzUUo3wHi88

According to Chanel 4 News, a poll of NHS staff shows they are worried about hospitals coping with an influx of infected patients. GPs are apparently complaining that some people are being given incorrect advice by 111 and GPs themselves do not have protective clothing.

I take comfort from the fact that some of the U.K. patients who contracted the coronavirus have now recovered and been discharged, so it is mild in some people.

However it clearly isn't like the seasonal flu virus because I don't think medical staff in UK generally succumb and die after contracting seasonal flu when treating patients, as some have in China.

There's not enough evidence to cause us to worry yet I think.

For those who are dismissing this as ‘scaremongering’ or ‘nothing to worry about’ or ‘only the elderly or sick need worry’ there are two things you should consider.

Firstly have you seen the chaos it is causing in China? Can you imagine our NHS trying to cope with all those who need hospitalise?

Secondly, it appears children too are at risk.

Yes, quite agree it's no use putting head into sand; this is a very serious virus particularly for seniors. NO COUNTRY has yet shown it is so on top of their outbreak that they have stopped it in its tracks.

I was actually going to post an update (and see my previous post for what you CAN do to prepare).

So....here is the good news as of today. We now have clinical published material from China (nearly 2000 cases analysed) and there seems to be no correlation with smoking (but don't start!) in this disease. Children are very low risk. Sadly confrims seniors are!

Possibly even better news: report of transfusions of plasma from recovered patients. This seems to have produced rapid improvement in most cases, but we shall see... I have heard of this somewhere before, I think it was with Ebola and it was, at least partially, successful though to what extent I don't remember. It has always seemed very practical to me if there's no vaccine available.

I am sure that with excellent medical care even the most serious cases have a good chance of recovery. However the chances of that happening when there's more than a handful of patients is remote. People are left on trollies for hours now without the complications of this virus. Intensive care beds can't magically appear.

Yes. that is the big worry. Our hospitals are woefully understaffed. So far the government seems to be pretty complacent too. BJ jumping up and down with optimism.

Of course they SHOULD already have plans in place eg: service medical personnel recalled home where feasible, audit of equipment needed - where it is and how it can be transported, plans to turn public buildings (and maybe others) into field hospitals, etc.

I haven't heard of any of this - has anyon?

I haven't heard the PM mentioning it at all.

What I did see was the childish parroting of Johnson by the new cabinet, reciting the mantra 500 nurses and 40 new hospitals.

Weren't these claims dismissed as lacking credence in the GE?

I’m not going to worry about something I can do absolutely nothing about, yes I’m in the at risk group, but will continue doing all the things I’ve always done, washing hands, etc etc and carry on with my life as normal

Older people are at risk because they often have underlying health conditions. I think this applies to most of the fatalities.

It is health, not age that is the danger factor.

I agree with Monica it was sheer stupidity that made that woman take a taxi to the hospital A and E.

"Stupidity". Of course people are stupid if they lack information. Information has been almost absent, by comparison for instance with wartime information e.g. "Careless talk costs lives" "Dig for Victory" and more to the present point "Is your Journey Really Necessary?". All of those had informational coloured pictures on the posters and newsprint to the effect the repeatedly displayed messages were understood and for the most part were heeded.

I have a long standing holiday booked for March - to Morocco. I wonder if the insurance will pay up if I cancel?
I'm really hesitating about going now, but its a lot of money to lose.
But what's money compared to your life?

I wouldn't fly anywhere at the moment. I always catch something on board a plane at the best of times. Planes with their recirculated air are a breeding ground.

No! trendynanny it's not true you can't do anything at all. Please see my earlier post. You CAN boost your immune system by firstly, and most importantly, getting PLENTY of sleep and eating well. You CAN prepare for shortages by stocking up on food, essentials, and especially, water.

Should the government rescue the UK passengers from the cruise ship? I think they should especially given that the quarantine isn’t working properly.

ExD1938.. insurance will not normally pay out unless it is government advice not to travel. Even then they may not unless you have a clause in your insurance which you have paid extra for.

It's easy to blame people for stupidity, but Channel 4 News said some GPs were complaining that 111 had been advising people to go to A&E. I hope that wasn't or isn't true now, with the recent much published guidelines.

I’m reading that if the virus gets a grip in the UK the main advice will be to self-isolate for two weeks if you have any flu-like symptoms. Apparently that means also isolating yourself from other people in your home and a separate bathroom & toilet if possible. That's not going to be very practical, if you have people who need to be cared for, such as children or older folk.

Everyone gets sniffles and colds at this time of year, so I can imagine that swathes of the population would be hors de combat at a time, if you have to self-isolate for each sniffle. I can’t really imagine how it’s going to work, how people will get food etc.

I should also say that there’s been not a cuckoo from our surgery so far. Nothing.