COVID-19

Taking precations to protect citizens is fine. It is their press releases I take issue with.
I agree with you that that slowing the spread down is important but not just for the reason you state. If they can slow down the spread it also give more time to develop test and (the hard part) mass produce enough vaccine to protect the majority who have not yet been exposed to it.
Nevertheless, I genuinely believe this Virus (currently) is no more agressive than any of the flu viruses that seem to arrive although it could mutate now it has 'jumped' into humans. On that point, if many of the same people get flu more than once, given the Auto Immune system memory we have it suggests the Flu virus is more than one strain and given it appears every year must mean that it is a mutation of previous viruses. On that basis this new Corona virus is not much more agressive than the annual Flu epidemics, just that no-one has been immunised due to lack of vaccine.

 

Idiot!!

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Lots of conspiracy theories about China about that the numbers affected there or who have died because of it are probably far higher than they are letting on. Depends on how much people trust President Xi to tell the truth.

 

I must've missed the post when you explained to us your background in microbiology that qualifies you to make judgments on how dangerous this virus actually is.

BBC reports something as fact - even breaking down the ages of people that are most at risk so how on earth you come to the conclusion they are sensationalising it is beyond me - but you proceed go on a classic TT rant about it. You frequently take issue with the BBC, but continue to read and get wound up about it?!?! Absolutely bonkers.

I'd argue offering up unqualified opinions about the danger of this is far more damaging than pulling apart a factual article, but you crack on!

 

That said posts like this give a very different take on things



The real issue seems to be distinguishing between the danger to most of the population which is relatively low, and that of the elderly population which is relatively smaller in size, but still considerable in number.

Pressures in Healthcare services could be severe if the transmission and case rate goes through the roof.

 

I agree with this, and this is what I've been saying - if there is a widespread outbreak mortality will climb due to inability to provide necessary care. It looks like there is a not insignificant subset of serious cases where people require mechanical ventilation but ultimately survive. It doesn't take an epidemiologist to work out what will happen if the number of serious cases is greater than the number of ventilators.

 

a massive rant about media sensationalism..... hmmm well who’d have thought it. You literally couldn’t make it up.

 

It'd be like me hating the Daily Mail but proceeding to repeatedly go onto the site... shakes fist goddammit!!! I must post this on the BBS and tell everyone how annoyed I am!



What a way to enjoy retirement.

 

As usual you are using your personal dislike of me to make unfounded accusations. I did not make unqualified opinion on how dangerous it is but merely offered an opinion based on all the scientific documents ( from experts and press releases that I have seen and the real time situation. Please do not confuse my cynicism with arrogance.

Given the number of 'known unknowns' even the WHO reports are only opinions anyway and so "unqualified" e.g. 4 point something % deaths on recorded cases is irrelevant of you do cannot include ages/pre-existing conditions and data relating to the number (probably substantial) of unreported recovered cases. Did you read the thread with the twitter from an actual microbiologist?

The facts I posted corroborate my opinions. They were taken from scientific documents e.g. the Italian flu epidemic stats gathered over years vs the stats from the current Covid outbreak.
One of the most useful facts the WHO COULD have publicised but have not updated would be the latest information on the lifespan of the virus outside a host on various surfaces and in conditions. Is it minutes, hours. They are STILL reporting it could be several days whilst other scientific source including at least one qualified microbiologist (see - I do read stuff) are aying the Covid 19 virus isn't exactly a toughie and, in bright sunlight for example, would be unlikely to survive for more than a few minutes or even seconds. Even the WHO are saying it is unlikely you can contract it from hard surfaces (contradictory or what?) and the main means of transmitting it are close contact within 1 or 2 metre which is clearly self evident.
You appear to be more 'wound up' than me. As I said I was just stating that much of the sensationalism in the reporting is doing far more damage potentially to economies etc than the virus itself. If you choose to believe everything the BBC / newspapers (how many microbiologists do they employ to write copy) puts out then fair enough. I like to dig deeper.

Incidentally BBC do NOT report all facts and are often guilty of misleading by omission (something they have become prone to as the standards of investigative journalism decline and they veer towards clickbait reporting). How many headlines on various topics include 'may' 'might' 'could'. They are therefore NOT facts merely conjecture.

 

Apparently according to TitusMcagee you can and I have

 

Lol not wound up, find it amusing. If you don't rate the BBC why on earth would you continue reading it?!

I dread to think what your blood pressure is like, getting your knickers in a twist every 2 mins about something! You strike me as someone who deep down is bricking it about this virus and is trying to convince yourself otherwise.

 

I saw a BBC headline the other day that said 80% of population could be infected. Now I know that's factually true but when i read the article the expert who had given the quote actually said "it could be anywhere between 30% and 80%its just too early to tell, we don't have enough data"
The BBC are by no means above clickbait headlines.

 

I never said they weren't to be honest. I'm sure all media outlets do at some point.

The article GammonTyke has lost his **** over though isn't sensationalist at all. He has frequent form for this when the BBC is concerned which begs the question why read it?!?! It's like repeatedly banging your head against a wall and then complaining it hurts.

 

I was the same, had a valve repair, surgical ablation and atrial appendage occlusion. The following couple of days I was apparently well out of it, so much so that my son had a couple of days off work ( previously unheard of) because he was so worried. The hospital recorded it as post operative delusions. Day three reight as rain, very strange.

 

And once again you jump the wrong conclusion.

If you can read the post objectively, you will realise are not actually rants. they are just comments (with examples). As to why you like to pick me up on posts and feel the need to point out my failings' says a lot more about you than me. Nothing wrong with me complaining about what I think are slipping standards at our National Broadcaster. in the same way you seem to jump to their defence. If you don't like my posts why do you feel the need to come on here to reply and insult me with name calling .e.g 'Gammon Tyke'.

 

Like I said I find it funny, it doesn't wind me up. Seems others have jumped to the wrong conclusion about your posts this week then, too. Can't possibly be the way you come across. Pretty sure you've called someone an idiot in this thread if we're going to get all angelic about it too

 

Is this 'expert enough for you? Just read this from a Facebook share. And it reflect the reason for my posts on poor reporting...... "I am a doctor and an Infectious Diseases Specialist. I've been at this for more than 20 years seeing sick patients on a daily basis. I have worked in inner city hospitals and in the poorest slums of Africa. HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis,TB, SARS, Measles, Shingles, Whooping cough, Diphtheria...there is little I haven't been exposed to in my profession. And with notable exception of SARS, very little has left me feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed or downright scared.

I am not scared of Covid-19. I am concerned about the implications of a novel infectious agent that has spread the world over and continues to find new footholds in different soil. I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19.

What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. I am scared that our hospitals will be overwhelmed with anyone who thinks they " probably don't have it but may as well get checked out no matter what because you just never know..." and those with heart failure, emphysema, pneumonia and strokes will pay the price for overfilled ER waiting rooms with only so many doctors and nurses to assess.

I am scared that travel restrictions will become so far reaching that weddings will be canceled, graduations missed and family reunions will not materialize. And well, even that big party called the Olympic Games...that could be kyboshed too. Can you even
imagine?

I'm scared those same epidemic fears will limit trade, harm partnerships in multiple sectors, business and otherwise and ultimately culminate in a global recession.

But mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, openmindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested.

Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviors and "fight for yourself above all else" attitude could prove disastrous.

I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let's meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing.

Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts.
Our children will thank us for it.

#washurhands #geturflushot #respect #patiencenotpanic

 

Yes the club were really taking this seriously today. No soap in the dispensers in the Gents on the Upper East Stand level. At the refreshment kiosk the young servers were putting lids on hot drinks with their bare hands and then passing them to customers who presumably would then put them to their lips. FFS.