Pandemic panic

We have 160+ people diagnosed wth Coronavirus. As a miniscule percentage of a population of over 60 million, I don't think it's worth getting hysterical - there are enough people doing that.
Two elderly people with underlying health issues have died - which is obviously sad, but people die every year from flu.
Half the people who contracted the virus are now better (BBC main news last night) so this would appear to be saying that around 80 people actively have the virus. I still can't see anything to get worked up about but no doubt someone will tell me I should. Just glad we are an island with free access to medical care - that must put us all in a strong position.

Now that two baggage handlers at Heathrow have tested positive there are concerns they may have infected travellers luggage. The virus could last up to three days apparently which is longer than I heard before. There really is no hope of containing this disease. We just have to be scrupulously clean and careful.

I am just reading an article in this week's Economist. The first comment that leaps out is:

"Low case numbers, though, should not be taken to signify successful containment; they are often a measure of ignorance."

It then goes on to describe what has happened in the USA.

“Test and you shall find,” says Gabriel Leung of the University of Hong Kong, who was also on the WHO team. “You either test and find it early, and do something about it, or the body bags are going to pile up", he adds

This is not happening in the USA. Their private healthcare system is a nudge in the direction of not saying anything and not having to pay for the test.

In a population without measures in place to control such chains, a single undiagnosed case can, in principle, give rise to more than 3,000 cases six weeks later. On March 4th, while Mr Trump blamed his predecessor, Barack Obama, for the CDC’s problems, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, revealed he had asked 1,000 people in Westchester, where the infected lawyer lives, to isolate themselves.

The article then contrasts this with South Korea where:

... the government is being forthright and formidably transparent, allowing Koreans to trace their possible brushes with the disease. As well as briefing the press thoroughly twice a day, and texting reporters details of every death, the government puts online a detailed record of each new patient’s movements over previous days and weeks, allowing people to choose to shun the places they visited. The risk of illicit activity being thus uncovered—at least one extramarital affair may have been—gives people an extra incentive to avoid exposure to a disease which, in most of the infected, results in only mild symptoms.

Where do we stand by comparison I wonder.

I went out this afternoon and did my bit of strategic shopping. We are in France at the moment, where there is no run on even loo paper or pasta, plenty of that, but I bought a six pack of kitchen towel, which I use in preference to paper tissues, 2 bottles of bleach instead of the one I planned to buy and two packets of medicated wipes, claimed to be effective for viruses like Corvid-19 (not sure I believe that). Medicated wipes, including the brand I bought seemed to be selling well, but otherwise the store looked as normal. DH has said that when we when we get home we must buy a couple of packs of cuppasoups, just in case. But as I said, carefully thought out strategic shopping, not hoarding (grin)

A scarf or anything wrapped round the face is as good as a mask.

There should be enough face masks to go around. They will be useful if someone is looking after an infected person at home, which is looking likely. This epidemic has been known about for 2 months and forecast forever. Even Trump said they had 40 million masks and had ordered 35 million per month.

I think that we are out of the containment phase too, but as they only announced their plan on Tuesday either spinning out phase one or want to delay the next phase as it means stepping up actions. The government do seem to be slow at taking what seems to be sensible steps.

Healthcare professionals must be bracing themselves for the onslaught and I hope they get a medal when all this is over. They are so important at times like this and we really owe them our lives. I was disgusted to hear there were not enough face masks for them as I think face masks should be reserved for them only.

You are right sodapop. Many community workers have no choice, and they are often the ones so called "self employed" on zero hours contracts.

My mother aged 95 is totally dependent on 2 carers 4 times a day as she can do nothing for herself. I am very worried because I cannot see that there is any real contingency plan in place for vulnerable people in the community, or for that matter in care homes.

‘I think we have been bombarded with information about this and have become afraid but we have to be grateful to all those people who are carers in any capacity.’

Absolutely, totally agree with you sodapop!

That's all very well for your workers Grandad1943 but what about the community care workers who are going from home to home giving personal care. All the medical staff who are caring for infected people. Care home staff etc. It's a vicious circle for some people who are in danger of both passing on infection and contracting it themselves via their jobs.
I think we have been bombarded with information about this and have become afraid but we have to be grateful to all those people who are carers in any capacity.

I honestly don't think there is the slightest chance of containing it especially if you're contagious for two weeks or more before symptoms show. You may be in contact with hundreds of people in that time depending on your job, type of transport etc. It's out there and we've just got to take our chances.

What really annoys me is the Govt publicly stated that we were in the containment phase and all known direct contacts with those affected would be spoken to and tested. Our neighbour had direct ie touch contact with infected person for an hour last week. There would be many others in exactly the same position but no one has spoken to or tested her. She found out when another customer told her and eventually had a phone call from the business. It's too late now, shes been worried all week, as shes had no phone call from PHE has been out and about shopping with friends etc. PHE know exactly what the infected person does for a living and that a lot of her clients are elderly but have chosen to do nothing about it. Containment my ....

I worry very much about schools closing or parents becoming ill. It will be us oldies that have to step in and care for the children, maybe round the clock for weeks. Apart from being exhausting that will put us in direct contact with potential carriers which is not good as we are the ones most at risk of dying. I expect some grans can lock themselves away and hibernate but many of us will be called to the front line.

After being away from home for a few days we have come back to find our friend and neighbour has been in direct contact with a person who has been diagnosed with CV. The person in question returned from Italy with her husband around two weeks ago. They did not self isolate, she runs her own business and was back to work dealing directly with clients almost immediately which is when our elderly neighbour came into contact. Neighbour was advised at the start of this week that PHE would be in contact and has heard NOTHING!!

Someone (M0nica?) asked for links. I read the headline about the dog catching it on the news page which pops up when I first switch my iPad on. Of course it's gone now! So much scare mongering. I'm learning a lot on this thread.

(I have a small bottle of Chinese gin at the back of the cupboard. It's incredibly strong and incredibly horrible. Would it be an effective hand wash!

My son who works for a London trading bank, in an admin capacity, has just had to buy his own laptop for work use, when required to work from home. He's not on a high salary either, I couldn't believe it.

Grand dad, it's excellent that your organisation has emergency planning in place. Despite the possibility of one fifth of the workforce being sick at one time a lot of companies have not given it any thought. Heads in the sand. Ok, it might come to nothing but with the current forecasting it would seem negligent.

We have as an employer arranged for our administration staff to begin working from home next week.

With the Assignment team staff who go into other companies and people homes, there is nothing we can really carry out to protect them. However, there is a higher risk of those teams binging the virus into the office as they go back and forth, and that is the reason we are asking the administration staff to work from home.

As has been stated we worry in regard to those with young families contracting this illness, more so than we worry in regard to ourselves.

All anyone can do is protect as best one can by following all the advice given.

And so, after all the talk it all now really begins.

Thank you Missfoodlove. My immune system is compromised as I had a kidney transplant over 20 years ago so I’m quite worried.
Good advice; it’s not only about the individual.

Quite honestly, I am more worried for them and my family than for myself.

Same here, Calli. I wish I could just have all my lot here in the middle of nowhere and pull up the drawbridge.

Sorry, already reported upthread.

First death from the virus in the UK.

Thank you welbeck

I am a bit surprised that our local secondary school is still intending to take a party skiing in northern Italy on Saturday. Admittedly, it is in a region that has only had one case to date.
My DS school in Spain has cancelled exchanges with France and Germany.

That is really irresponsible, janea.
I am worried that some children from the DGC's school may return after travelling back from the Far East.

Quite honestly, I am more worried for them and my family than for myself.