Coronavirus - The Thread :(

[ben]

Yeah, I was due to leave next week originally to get ready for brooklands! (With a stop off in Bangkok on the way)

Went shopping at Costco just now to get some steaks, I must have been the only person in there not wearing a mask

 

[Charlie Binyon]

as there is no testing, we don't know how many have had it already, with mild symptoms, and so these are not counted in the numbers. I had a mild temperature for 3 days, as did a couple of others I know, with slight sore throat and a slight headache. so have I had it? there might already be 30 or 40 percent of the population that have had a mild dose, and we wouldn't know as these would not be reported anywhere. I'm still staying at home though!

 

[chris3234]

as there is no testing, we don't know how many have had it already, with mild symptoms, and so these are not counted in the numbers. I had a mild temperature for 3 days, as did a couple of others I know, with slight sore throat and a slight headache. so have I had it? there might already be 30 or 40 percent of the population that have had a mild dose, and we wouldn't know as these would not be reported anywhere. I'm still staying at home though!

I had a bad sore throat most mornings for about 2. Week back in early February before this all took off

 

[A3jeroen]

Overhere they've started to test the blood of blooddonors for antibodies. Might give an indication of what percentage of the population might have had it without noticing it.

gr J

 

[AndyRKett]

There should in the not to distant future be a home antibody testing kit available.
65M people in the UK they have to make a lot of testing kits so I suspect they will be rolling them out to most in need first.

 

[ben]

There should in the not to distant future be a home antibody testing kit available.

With that hopefully meaning those people are now immune and not infectious?

 

[AndyRKett]

With that hopefully meaning those people are now immune and not infectious?

errrrm Maybe.

we actually don't know enough about the virus to say that it's guaranteed that having had it in the past means you won't get it again. There have been reported cases in italy and china of people having it, then being re-infected again.

But you'd hope someone who has antibodies would be more resistant than someone who didn't.

Going back to your other post, what are your plans with visa running out, can you extend it or is that not an option?

 

[chris3234]

There should in the not to distant future be a home antibody testing kit available.
65M people in the UK they have to make a lot of testing kits so I suspect they will be rolling them out to most in need first.

3.5m kits apparently for the starting order/manufacturering run

 

[ben]

what are your plans with visa running out, can you extend it or is that not an option?

Technically I can for apply another 60 days, but that will put my yearly allowance way over (I have to keep it at less than 180 in the previous 365 day period) - but in this case they might allow it due to the situation.

Or they might not.

My concern then would be I go to the UK and can't get back!

My cat sitter would *not* be happy!

 

[Goudrons]

With that hopefully meaning those people are now immune and not infectious?

That's the hope, though there is no way to know for certain.


The antibody tests are now being evaluated as there are some important factors to consider.

The plan is to test frontline staff that have either had or suspected they had the virus or self isolated because someone in their immediate family has first, if they have the antibodies they hope they can then return to work asap.


The trouble I hear is that there does need to be a safe working limit around the tests, which is being tested now.

If you have the virus your system will produce lots of these antibodies to fight the virus, but you could still be infectious.
So testing for antibodies and acting on the results needs careful consideration.


It's thought there needs to be a time distance between no longer being infectious and testing, otherwise the results may not be fit for purpose and a lot of tests will be wasted.

 

[judderbar]

I mentioned before the death rate in Italy is currently surprisingly low and is 87% biased towards those over 70. For all ages it now stands at 1.3 people for every 10,000 of the population.

Interestingly the annual death rate in the UK is a huge 600,000 people!

Anyway. The official figures tell us 8000 people a year die of Flu. But in fact a very much larger number of people have flue when they die. After all 500,000 are dying each year. The 8000 dying of flu is modeled to somehow account for those people who would not have been part of the 600,000 who would die of something or other - other than flu.

So how many people are going to die of Corona who would not have been part of the 600,000 who would have died of something else? Modelers are saying if the corona death rate is 1% then only 1600 will die of corona who would not have been part of the 500,000. If the death rate is 5% then 8,000 will die who would not be part of the 600,000 and the large majority will be older people. Younger healthy people have a very very low chance of dying. A big unknown at the moment is what is the actual death rate via the virus. Some people are almost symptom free. Not all corona testing actually tests this particular virus. The whole testing story is very messy.

I am doing this from memory by the way............

I am myself concerned about my health and death because of Corona. I have started running daily - i had an unused running machine. When the virus comes, as it most likely will come, I am expecting to have the resources to deal with the problem.

There is then the political dimension. To what extent are we ready to increase suicides, increase mental illness, poverty and other forms of suffering to ensure we are not part of the statistic when eventually we all die anyway and 600,000 people a year die anyway annually in the UK? Modellers will somehow have to take account the human toll amongst the living that will potentially be present for all of their lives as parents divorce and degraded parenting leads to various mental and physical health issues related to childhood emotional deprivation ***and*** increases the death rate in subsequent years for non-virus reasons. What is the cost of the cure really?

Big questions. To a certain degree the answers are simple but humans are complicated when coming to these kinds of questions and democracy can prevent strong leadership while alternatives are no better in the longer run.

There are now 7.7 billion on the planet. We keep kicking the can down the road. Sooner or later we are going to have to answer some of these questions. For now government borrowing will increase and the problem is passed to somebody else down the road. Nothing will change today. We also have to take notice of the first lesson of history. The first lesson of history is the lessons of history are never learnt.

 

[varesecrazy]

Boris has apparently tested positive now

What on earth are the testing protocols?

Like so many other reports of viral infections.. weve had 'something' for the last 6 weeks

Last I heard you only got tested on hospital admission..
But my region has the highest confirmed cases @370..
Ive been invited to travel 100+ miles to help build ventilators.. dont really wish to pass it to half the build team..

My guess is the only people who've had nothing are locked away.. self isolating.etc

Time will tell.. stay safe everyone

 

[ben]

Boris has apparently tested positive now

Just had a call from my dad saying their next door neighbours are suspected of having it (dry cough and low fever for 10 days) - but they can't be tested unless the symptoms get really bad...

He is more worried he can catch it from their cat who goes in the garden everyday

 

[AndyRKett]

Boris has apparently tested positive now

Matt Hancock also, the health secretary. Also the word in the health service today is they are being told to conserve Oxygen... that’s never a good sign.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

15.50hrs. Just saw on the ticker at the bottom of the screen on BBC News as they were telling us Boris is isolating on the first floor of No 10: 'Dominic Cumming seen running from Downing Street'

 

[09 johno]

Also the word in the health service today is they are being told to conserve Oxygen... that’s never a good sign.

The increase in delivery of Oxygen can only take place once all the extra drivers and banksman are fully trained and suitable transport trucks are sourced. Training facilities are limited but the Oxy supply should start to ramp up very quickly.
Its yet another cog in the supply of equipment and resources the NHS need, lots of good people are working all hours to ensure this kind of thing is achieved in as short a time as possible but in the mean time it will be a struggle as sad as it is.

 

[dave]

What on earth are the testing protocols?

Rich people who can easily isolate in a big house and work from home can have a test because a magical supply just arrived.

Front line nhs staff who are stuck isolated in tiny house with 2 other nhs staff who also have to isolate, may just have a cold and need a test to get back on the front line if clear cant have a test because suddenly there are none again.

 

[Ocwobio]

If I might make some (potntially useless!) observations, which I feel there might be a lot of agreement on?
1) The world has suddenly changed.
2) Not for the better either.
3) This change will continue and develop many other terrible aspects.
4) There will be no going back to what we had, in many respects.
5) Pretty much all that can be done now is damage limitation.

Not helpful, but these I see as simple facts we can mostly agree on. Six months ago, I was dissatisfied with many aspects of daily life, but now? As ever, ''you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone!''.

I'm staying in as far as poss as I have heart failure, as does my wife.

 

[Graham2018]

Perhaps Michael Jackson's " Heal the World " should become an anthem for
the world .
Everyone should listen to the song, listen to the lyrics, one of which is to make
a space . If everyone listens to the advice, we can save our fellow men & women . we have a duty to help each other and to save as many people as
possible . we have to make this a better place for our children & our childrens
children, so that nothing like this can ever happen again . We all must play our
part however hard .
I want live, I want to go back to work and be able to look after my family. So we must all do the right thing . If we all do whats being asked, we can help
our heroes in the NHS......we have the best in world .
This is a nightmare and somehow we must all help each other to turn this
around .

Graham

 

[dave]

Perhaps Michael Jackson's " Heal the World " should become an anthem for
the world .
Everyone should listen to the song, listen to the lyrics, one of which is to make
a space . If everyone listens to the advice, we can save our fellow men & women . we have a duty to help each other and to save as many people as
possible . we have to make this a better place for our children & our childrens
children, so that nothing like this can ever happen again . We all must play our
part however hard .
I want live, I want to go back to work and be able to look after my family. So we must all do the right thing . If we all do whats being asked, we can help
our heroes in the NHS......we have the best in world .
This is a nightmare and somehow we must all help each other to turn this
around .

Graham

**** off he was a pedo