Coronavirus

Fran - because this is highly contagious and about 17 percent of cases need hospital/medical care which is going to be hard to come by even in this country. OpIt's not flu but equally we may need to live with it as we do with flu.

I don't think they're being told to stay at home, only to avoid crowds and skip routine hospital and doctor's appointments. No vaccine for about 18 months, so this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

OldWoman - all seems to be sensible advice and much more realistic.
I must say with 23 cases confirmed in the UK, I feel that I probably have as much chance of contracting this as I have of a major win on the Lottery (and, I do not purchalse lottery tickets_)
Good handwashing, with soap and water is just good, everyday advice for all of us , all of the time. Far better than all the s-called anti-bac hand gels............
Still do not quite understand why everyone is so panicking about this - do we self-isolate to prevent spread of 'flu?

People over 60 advised to stay at home? No thanks, I'll take my chances.

I also saw advice that suggested that there's no need for the over60s to take action yet as they are managing to control. Will be different if it widespread as it has in France and Germany.

I hadn't really given it much thought until yesterday when GD announced she is going on a school ski trip to Bulgaria end of March. I guess I'd better avoid her for 2 weeks after. Bulgaria may currently be free of the virus but Heathrow or any airport would be a high risk place to catch it.

The keypads for credit cards are absolutely filthy. Best to use antibac hand gel after keying in your PIN until you can wash your hands.

One suggestion, avoid self service till screens as you never see the screens being disinfected.

Just one question, if it cannot survive a temperature of 26/27 degrees how does it live in humans with a body temperature of 37 degrees ?

....and how did someone in Africa get it?

Just one question, if it cannot survive a temperature of 26/27 degrees how does it live in humans with a body temperature of 37 degrees ?

I see online today that people over 60 are being advised to stay at home, not go to supermarkets, routine GP appointments or busy places.

I live alone so will go bonkers with the isolation

will be killed by a temperature of just 26/27 degrees. It hates the Sun

I have heard this about heat before. Lets hope for a good hot summer then. One which starts early too. Unfortunately this country rarely reachers 26 degrees , even in June.

Yes it worries me. I dont think we are doing half enough to cut its spread.

Helpful, medical grade info about hand washing.

Interesting fact in it. If we all adequately wash our hands, spread should reduce by 70%.

www.fempositive.com/the-world-health-organization-released-detailed-guide-on-how-should-we-wash-our-hands/amp/?fbclid=IwAR1W2MqJXU4oxxycybdUf7usRHJUluLlC4L-jduQXUicCVmEXDpHes8bEQs

The government plan involves getting retired medical staff back to work. Plus larger class's sizes if teachers are off sick. How do retired people feel about going back under these circumstances? Large classes will surely ensure more spread?

3 more tested positive in the UK so 23 now.

That’s helpful advice, we have heard nothing about the symptoms and progression of this disease until now. Only that some people get it badly and even die, whilst it’s so mild in others they don’t know they’ve got it. Thank you OldWoman70.

Great post, OldWoman70- I wondered about temperature and surfaces-

Thanks for that Oldwoman70. Why can't they give us this detailed information on TV? All we hear is 'wash your hands'.

Unless it is a high quality mask/respirator as soon as it is damp, approximately 60 minutes it is no longer effective. It might even act as a magnet for the virus.

This has come up time and time again from various doctors and health experts.

The advice I heard regarding gloves was that they deter handwashing which is more effective so were not beneficial. Seems that the spread is also through droplets so you can breathe the virus in. Masks help to prevent the spread which is why the Chinese are so keen on them. So you would be using one for the benefit of the community.

Sounds grim.

This has just been posted on my Facebook page which may be of interest. It was reposted by a friend and I don't know the people involved so cannot comment on its veracity

Last evening dining out with friends, one of their uncles, who's graduated with a master's degree and who worked in Shenzhen Hospital (Guangdong Province, China) sent him the following notes on Coronavirus for guidance:
1. If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold
2. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.
3. This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 26/27 degrees. It hates the Sun.
4. If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.
5. If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours - so if you come into contact with any metal surface - wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap.
6. On fabric it can survive for 6-12 hours. normal laundry detergent will kill it.
7. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.
8. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but - a lot can happen during that time - you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.
9. You should also gargle as a prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.
10. Can't emphasise enough - drink plenty of water!
THE SYMPTOMS
1. It will first infect the throat, so you'll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days
2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further.
3. With the pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.
4. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. You feel like you're drowning. It's imperative you then seek immediate attention.

suziewoosie - "The rubbish that keeps getting repeated in this thread. I despair. Hurdy Gurdy the death rates for seasonal flu is FAR BELOW the death rate for COVID 19 on all the evidence we have so far.

My response - This is from the government's published paper on influenza from 2018/2019 - assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/839350/Surveillance_of_influenza_and_other_respiratory_viruses_in_the_UK_2018_to_2019-FINAL.pdf
"The case fatality rate (ie proportion of ICU influenza cases which have died due to
influenza) of 19.9% (33/166) is slightly lower than seen in previous seasons 2017 to
2018 (24.4%, 40/164), 2016 to 2017 (26.9%, 23/89) and 2015 to 2016 (26.5%, 50/189)."

Whereas from the BBC health section www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51674743
"Researchers currently think that between five and 40 coronavirus cases in 1,000 will result in death, with a best guess of nine in 1,000 or about 1%."*

I don't think fatality rates of 19.9%, 24.4%, 26.9% and 26.5%, 50/189 can be classed as "FAR BELOW" that of Coronavirus, at 1%.

There are people on this thread in the vulnerable groups.
including me!

Why are some posters so determined to minimise the concern felt by other posters? If you’re not concerned well bully for you in your safe smug little worlds but why keep posting on here with information we all know already?"

I think that comment about "being safe in my smug little world" is uncalled for and unnecessary.
My views remain the same - that we need to take reasonable precautions, but not allow the media, which is well know for whipping up hysteria, to panic us unnecessarily.

Oh thanks Sparklefizz. It’s the first ‘home grown’ case I understand.

JenniferEccles Whereabouts in Surrey does the latest victim live?

I think it was Haslemere.

Chestnut and after washing his hands he then walked to the door and opened it with his hand!

I immediately noticed that, too.

I am always careful if I've handled money ever since a bus driver was sacked for using cocaine, and it turned out that he was totally innocent and had got it on his fingers from notes people used to pay their bus fares. I would rather be OCD re handwashing than not.