Pandemic panic

we hear that 81% of people will have symptoms but recover
Yet other predictions differ... from 20% being infected to 80% and out of each %, whichever it be, a small % of already vulnerable people will die (who might well have died this year anyway......)

I suggest that, until this flu is over and done, you stop trying to understand it in terms of numbers or % of the population getting it and dying. The truth is, that nobody knows these figures, they can only try and predict them on numbers of people going down with it currently, and so the predictions are far from reliable.

What is the point of scaring yourself when the information that is frightening you is only an unreliable estimate made on not enough evidence?

What is the point of being scared anyway? Just wash your hands, don't shake hands, have some food in the house to cover a week of being ill, possibly avoid people if you are in a high risk group, sneeze into your elbow, if you are ill stay at home, if you are worried phone 111.

Come on gang, we are British (in the main) we can survive anything!

Having experienced more than one natural disaster in the US doesn't make me an expert, just a witness to the truth that despite officials encouraging us to prepare, they themselves are not-

That said, they can't be faulted for making no effort at all-

The night before last, as people were preparing for a potential pandemic and to vote the next day in the presidential primary, a vicious tornado ripped through Tennessee killing 24 people, destroying homes and businesses, uprooting trees and knocking out power for thousands - There are at least 22 people still missing-

While the idea of temporary accommodations or hospitals isn't ideal, when it's all there is, it's welcome relief opposed to nothing at all-

Testing for coronavirus won't be available in the state I live until next week- For everyone- 7 people that have been tested, due to where they traveled, tested negative- 1 more is waiting for results- According to the state CDC and Health Dept. -

I called my GP and 2 local hospital emergency departments - They all 3 said they aren't prepared to test, that they don't have "anything" in place to do so-

welbeck Wed 04-Mar-20 16:07:00
I really do not want to upset you but I think you are catastrophising.
Indeed, to lay out oxygen etc to all those Sports Hall beds would not work. I am sure the Chinese ones were for people diagnoses with the flu to go to until they were well enough to re-enter society.
Whatever the practicalities, I think the way you are reacting and speaking is very close to hysterical and is not at all helpful to others. If wearing protective gloves makes you feel safer, then fine, but please do not frighten the people who have chest and heart conditions into believing that death is lurking on every supermarket item on the shelf.

i am not trying to scare anyone but i think it is dangerous to minimise the unusual situation this presents, and want everyone to be as careful as possible, as so many are already vulnerable.
people dismissing it as just like the flu cause me concern so i am trying to urge them to read up, get more informed, so they will understand the issues for those who are really at risk. it is not just like the flu, in so many ways.
never underestimate your enemy.

rosecarmel
a vicious tornado ripped through Tennessee killing 24 people

I'm so sorry! That does put things into perspective! I am so sorry to hear this. To live under this kind of uncontrollable threat must be dreadful and something we in the UK cannot imagine, despite our weather having become ever more violent. I hope and pray for the 22 missing people. I have been following the primaries, and wondered if the gatherings might be cancelled due to the virus. Good luck to you all I sincerely hope that the virus completely misses your area. A tornado is quite enough. God bless you all.

Thank you Tillybelle, my thoughts exactly!
I think you’ve pretty much summed up what the more reasonable (and optimistic?) of us are thinking .
There is plenty of scaremongering, verging on hysteria ,in the media without it being repeated here .

The devastation caused by the tornado was shown on the lunch-time news, rosecarmel. Truly terrible, it must have been very frightening for those caught up in it and the death toll may be more as I understand people are still missing.

Tillybelle- sorry , crossed posts . I was referring to welbecks post upthread .

wellbeck

Having been told many times whenever an official comes on TV to speak from the Dept. of Health, that experiencing COVID-19 can be like a bad cold to mild flu with sneezing, a sore throat, cough and possibly a bit of difficulty breathing if you are prone to that say, from asthma, plus a higher temperature and that most people do not feel all that ill, I am at a loss as to how you can say:

it is not just like the flu

Please would you explain why you have such a different area of knowledge about it? Your claims differ greatly from those Professionals who have informed us on the media, who have gained their information from people who have had the flu named COVID-19.

Hear hear Tillybelle

We are British! Our parents and grandparents lived through two world wars. More of the stiff upper lip folks!!

Why the panic now and not previously? I suspect information and misinformation is more readily available now. People have had time to see this one coming from across the world and use the internet to express their fears. Many of us in the UK have not experienced this kind of threat and are perhaps less resilient, relative to the generation that lived through one or two world wars.

More positively, perhaps we have underestimated the benefit that the warning from Asia and Italy has provided so that we can be more prepared. Maybe also we underestimate the effect on our healthcare system relative to some other parts of the world.

The stock market's panic reversal is hard to shake off. China is now a much greater force in the world economy than in the past and, if it grinds to a standstill, its impact is relatively quick, notably on the supply of components. The knock-on effect of the virus is also widespread and potentially severe for travel, airlines, entertainment, the high street etc., adding to existing structural challenges.

Personally, I don't feel panic but I am aware. I do not want to put myself at risk, nor others with whom I have close contact, especially those who are more vulnerable. My hands have never been so clean!

I am asthmatic, the only thing I have done differently was using a hand sanitizer the minute I got in my car (and on the key) after pushing trolley round supermarket today.

( I was not stockpiling just topping up my wine fridge , the checkout lady said it had been exceptionally busy all day and some of the shelves were nearly empty)

As it has now been proved that dogs can catch it shouldn't Crufts be cancelled? I believe there is a lot of support for trying to stop it anyway, due to the ridiculous breeding requirements causing distress & bad health to so many breeds.

Didn’t I also read that the Chinese have found two strains of the virus?

I’ve signed a petition on change.org from a GP who asks for various very simple measures to immediately be put in place.
I would rather hear from GPs and health workers now what they think we should be doing rather than politicians!

I don’t believe there is scientific evidence dogs can catch the virus rather that virus has be found on dogs in a minute amount and not enough to infect anyone.

Large numbers of dogs could be abandoned if the rumours are passed around on social media???

I think the government is being advised by health professionals and the Chief Medical Officer has appeared regularly in the media, XrGran.

Dr Chris Witty is taking this very seriously.

I too remember the 1957 flu epidemic when schools were closed and, I believe, large congregations of people discouraged, if not banned.

The problem now is that this is a newly evolved virus for which no immunity has been developed nor a vaccine. People are comparing this to flu but, approximately 70% of the population are vaccinated meaning that we have herd immunity.

I am 76 and mildly asthmatic. Whilst I am not panicking (certainly not stockpiling loo rolls), I am keeping up to date with government advice and considering going to events where there are a lot of people in close proximity.

I have always carried hand gel but it is antibacterial not antiviral. I have been unable to source the latter.

tillybelle obviously does not understand the way a virus of this type behaves. I have specific scientific knowledge btw and am taking every precaution. Be as complacent as you like tillybelle, just don`t put the sensible people down and no it is not like flu and the virus does not infect the cell like flu. Lets leave it at that

any alcohol tweedle, it does not have to be called sanitiser. A virus has an oily coat and the alcohol will break it down. There are several types of alcohol,just put some high strength in a bottle.

A common sense approach to it all and doing everything you can to protect yourself, thereby protecting others in the process, is the best way forward.

This virus was the first to transfer from animal to human hence the uncertainty of the unknown.

There is, as yet, no vaccination for it.

Children are potentially a huge threat as they have discovered children have a higher immunity and do not show symptoms therefore are potential hosts harbouring and spreading the virus.

A large percentage of posters on here are in the vulnerable group which we would not want to put in a more vulnerable situation.

It is very different to Viruses mentioned of the 1950's in many ways, not least for the reason that people travel the World easily now. They didn't in the 1950's.

Panic - No
Act sensibly - Yes

Dogs can't catch it. The dog that was tested was owned by someone who had the virus and had a tiny amount probably from just being around the owner. The same as if you sneeze and got something on your sleeve it would not be enough to transmit.
ITS NOT FLU (sorry, just couldn't help it!)

for those unfortunates who get covid-19 and are in the groups which will be most affected. I am afraid that wellbeck is correct and many would need intensive hospital care. We, in the uk, do not have the beds and the elderly and very unwell would be at the bottom of the queue. Hence it is best to try and avoid catching it at all. Also wise to make an assumption that some of the people you meet will have it in its mild state or pre-symptom

Ten years ago I had cancer. Quite a serious one, that I was warned was fast growing and aggressive. I spent a fair amount of time trying to come to terms with dying, arranging a surrogate mum for my young adult daughter.

I felt quite isolated and alone (I wasn't, but we all die alone really, don't we?) and very sorry for myself. Then the Japanese earthquake and tsunami happened. I watched the news thinking of all the healthy people who were alive the day before but who had died. I realised you really can't predict who is and isn't going to die.

Anyway, clearly I'm not dead. I'd LIKE to use that lesson not to panic about the virus. Not sure it'll work. But we really don't know who will and who won't survive.

Thank you Craftyone. I shall get some (not my precious gin though!)