COVID-19

You are correct in that WHO have used generic information about survival rates of Coronaviruses stating from "a few hours to several days" depending on conditions
However they also state:
"It’s possible that the virus could be on frequently-touched surfaces, such as a doorknob, although early information suggests viral particles would be likely to survive for just a few hours,....".
This also assumes that someone who is sick with the virus has touched a surface after sneezing... I did trawl through t'internet a couple of days ago as I wanted to know the level of risk seeing as we live in Italy, Obviously one of the first thing researchers did was to see how the virus was transmitted and early indications confirmed Covid 19 does NOT have a long lifespan outside the body. Unfortunately I cannot find the link to the site where the document was.

Another point, I would think a school would still be warm on Friday evening/ Saturday morning in winter due to residual heat from the weekday so cold unheated school conditions don't really apply. I would also have thought though the opposite i.e. warm humid conditions might be a better environment for a virus to thrive (like many bacteria do) Who knows? Saturday night and Sunday though would provide the opposite conditions before the heating kicks back in. So one or other would be detrimental to any surviving virus. Most viruses I believe hate the cold which is why a cold snap often kills off flu vuruses or at least seems to stop or slow outbreaks. Besides as, they state, you have to either inhale or get a hand to mouth intake to catch the virus. Merely touching a contaminated surface does not transmit it. As they advise, if you wash hands regularly after touching surfaces and before eating touching face you should be relatively safe.

 

Screen them for what, and how, given that no symptoms are apparent for 14 days?

 

I though that was EXACTLY how how could be caught i.e. airborne inhaling droplets from close contact with other people or hand contact with contaminated surfaces and then hand to mouth transferance. True though that masks dont work. (I believe the type they are using are too porous to prevent microscopic viruses to pass through)
THIS: the largest virus is smaller than the smallest bacterium. All viruses have is a protein coat and a core of genetic material, either RNA or DNA. Unlike bacteria, viruses can't survive without a host. ... Also unlike bacteria, most viruses do cause disease, and they're quite specific about the cells they attack.

 

I read in one article that sneezing is not one of the symptoms. Which reduces the spread.

 

Not infallible I know but they are using thermometers to monitor body temperature at quite few airports in arrivals (apparently during the incubation period and before the onset of fever the body temperature elevates and that can be detected using the laser type thermometers on for example the forehead.) I use one on my Pizza oven and they are very accurate. Anyone showing a slightly raised body temperature is then tested for the virus ( probbaly catches a few nervous drug mules as well). Not 100% sure how effective it is as a screening method again , could just be PR exercise to reduce alarm but I suppose it is better than nothing

 

Yerbut we all sneeze from time to time even when healthy... Dust... allergic reaction... bright sunlight can induce a sneeze anytime. ...

 

Just shows how confusing the info out there is, just took this off the NHS site


Because it's a new illness, we do not know exactly how coronavirus spreads from person to person.

Similar viruses are spread in cough droplets.

It's very unlikely it can be spread through things like packages or food. Viruses like coronavirus cannot live outside the body for very long.

 

MY friend is a recently retired doctor but has kept up to speed on this through his university (Italy ) contacts ... First sentence is either out of date or wrong as they DO know! Sentence 2 is true but doesn't reference other transmission methods . Last paragraph lacks detail although it IS essentially true as unlike bacteria viruses need a host to survive and handrails and door knobs are not hospitable to a virus

 

Think some parents will do that anyway.

 

Surely that extends to some medical 'experts' in the media and elsewhere. Since when did antibacterials kill viruses? I always understood viruses have a different mechanism and cannot be killed by antibacterials so what is the point of using anti baterial gels for example (other than basic hygiene when handling food etc.)

 

If the NHS site is wrong what hope do us mere mortals have!

 

I dunno but my daugher once had the unsettling experience with a locum when my grandaughter turned out to be allergic to milk proteins (not lactose intolerent) My daughter was breastfeeding and the doctor could not uinderstand why she was avoiding all dairy - cheese milk etc. She pointed out it passed into her breast milk which he initially discounted. Only when she insisted did he look it up (in her presence) and confirmed she was right. The most unsettling thing was he actually said to her..." Well I never... I have learned something new today"
Doh!! I also once had to explain to a nurse!! the difference between 'aseptic' and 'antiseptic' as she said "once you have opened a tube of antiseptic cream it is no longer sterile". I had to point out that although a sealed dressing or plaster is aseptic and so it is true that once opened it is no longer sterile, an antiseptic actually kills bacteria. She did not believe me and 'got the hump' stating she was a qualified nurse. God help us!!

 

So the same as shampooing carpets which also has the benefit of making the school cleaner?

 

Nah, that's not it. Not with viruses. Check out how many died of Spanish Flu around the time of the first World War. And they were right dirty bast@rds.

 

Yes I know about the Spanish Flu, but my point is still valid, if your immune system is healthy then you have a greater chance of fighting any infection, bacterial or viral. If your immune system is weak due to never having had to do anything before, you've got little chance.

 

Exposing yourself to dirt, which contains millions of bacteria, will not help you fight off a virus. It just won't.

Your general health will, but keeping your house surgically clean or a right mess will have no bearing.

 

1. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth with your fingers. Don't pick your nose

2. Wash your hands, fingers, thumbs before eating and after using the toilet.

3. Carry and use alcohol based gel on a regular basis especially if you're opening and closing doors, touching surfaces which are in heavy public use.

4. Cough into the fold of your arm where possible, not your hand. If you do cough into your hand wash and/or gel it before touching anything else*

5. If you're using tissues dispose of them ASAP and wash your hands/use gel.

5. Wearing a mask will provide some protection but you'd need to replace them regularly and be careful about removing them due to cross contamination. Finding a decent mask is another issue as they're all sold out.

*I saw a woman in the supermarket cough heavily into her hands then walk round the supermarket picking stuff up and putting it back down again. Lovely.

 

2 children in my local primary school have measles - potentially more harmful than the Corona virus - the school remains open.

 

Agree that it's much more harmful, but not nearly as contagious, particularly as most pupils will have been vaccinated, therefore the risk of infection is significantly lower than it would be had two pupils been diagnosed with corona virus