A message from a coward re coronavirus

I guess that's tongue in check geekesse but I think it is quite irresponsible. Every person who gets Covid19 will have at least 10 contacts, quite a few of those may be at risk. Perhaps some of their well loved relatives?

Apologies for the link but worth reading this post containing a piece by an Italian doctor, cannot understand people who are so casual about this virus.

www.facebook.com/groups/stroudsisterhood/permalink/3077213608985214/

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Ok, how’s this for a suggestion? Those of us who are not in high-risk groups for COVID 19 should all set about catching it ASAP and then recover. Between us, we’ll build up enough herd immunity to limit the spread further, and thus protect those whose health is more fragile. Coronavirus party anyone?

DH and I go swimming twice a week at the local leisure centre. Never caught anything there as far as I know. Still going - will continue until told not to!

I also remember the Asian flu epidemic of 1957. It reached Scotland by way of a US Navy visit to the Firth of Clyde and a lot of girls went to a dance hall in Largs in the hope of meeting the sailors! Our school never closed though the staff were badly hit and at least two children died. None of the prefects got it and we were sent to supervise junior classes whose teachers were missing. Sods law - the virus got me on its second round, the following spring. I was very poorly tho' didn't need hospital - just Mum's TLC.
Come to think of it - it seems to me that schools never closed for epidemics or severe weather. We must have been a hardy lot.

I would say its better to be safe than sorry, whats 2 weeks. Stay away and be safe. We are flying out to Malta in 3 weeks and I am already thinking about the airport and all the people. Decided to wear gloves while at the airport, once in Malta it will be easier as we staying in a large apartment and self catering.

Apparently China Town in Manchester which is a lovely, bustling place is absolutely deserted.
Such a shame for all the hard working proprietors and workers. I hope their businesses can survive.

And to answer the OP, my dd caught a horrible skin infection from a spa pool so we’ve avoided them like the...err...plague ever since. It was at a quiet time of year, too, and we didn’t see anyone else use the pool while we were staying at the hotel yet it was still germ-ridden.

I’d avoid the pool for now. There’s little to lose and much to gain by staying away.

Exactly so, MissAdventure. Even delaying exposure is sensible as a lot more will be known about it in a few week's time.

Hand gel which contains 60% alcohol does kill viruses. Most hand gels contain 60% - 95% and are useful when hand washing facilities not available. (read in report in Guardian).

Soap isn't anti viral but a cleaning agent and when rubbed around hand and importantly rinsed adequately cleanses well.

Prof Sally Bloomfield says that Covid-19 is an 'envelope virus' with a coating around it which alcohol can attack, but careful hand washing is preferable to a small blob of gel applied inadequately

I would be exactly like you. Better to be safe than sorry. Give it a miss for a while.

It makes sense to minimise risk where you can, I think.

Missing a week or three isn't too catastrophic, but catching the virus could be, to someone with a compromised immune system.

Not true, Stella. Hand gel is effective against Covid. It doesn’t work for all viruses but in this case, it does.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/28/hand-sanitiser-or-hand-washing-which-more-effective-against-coronavirus-covid-19

I wouldn't go swimming at the moment. That's not cowardly, just common sense.

I'm not playing down the seriousness of Covid 19 and individuals must make their own decisions on potential risks. I would say beware of media sensation and scaremongering. There are a lot of balanced reports of the effects and potential spread available online which are worth reading. I was away this week and read online that shops had run out of bottled water and tinned food. Hotfooted it to Aldi and Sainsbury's yesterday and guess what? Plenty of everything!

I have just come back from shopping where I saw someone having a coughing fit over loose tomatoes which got me thinking about fruit and salads which we just wash with cold water.

Antibac on hard surfaces and soap and water for hands, cold water does not kill many bacteria and certainly not viruses.

I am not worried about it as it is what I have always done but it got me thinking.

It’s also worth noting that antibacterial gel kills bacteria, but not viruses. Therefore, it’s no protection against Covid-19!

People playing down the risk of this virus are overlooking a number of things. Firstly, it’s said that thousands die from common flu viruses each year and we don’t worry. True, but this virus specifically attacks the lungs. That means it’s much more serious and risky for anyone with lung disease, including asthma, than are more common flu viruses. Secondly, various figures for mortality risk are banded about from 1% to 2.4%. The fact is, we don’t have accurate enough stats yet to know for sure and anyway, that figure is only relevant to health organisations, both national and international, who count the risk to citizens overall. For individuals, the figure that matters is the one for your subgroup (age, pre-existing conditions etc). As a 60-year-old asthmatic, I am at high risk of serious problems if I contract it, so I am very cautious. No visits to large shopping centres, restaurants or the cinema etc for me. My husband is 67 and has diabetes. Less of a risk than if he had lung disease, but still cause to be careful.

The risk is very low but anyone who is elderly, unwell with heart problems etc. would be wise to minimise it. Surely it's better to be cautious and avoid crowds if possible for a few weeks.

due to go to a spa resort in the Alps in two weeks- and I am thinking about cancelling, With water at 35C, saunas and steam-rooms- probably the best way to spread a virus- very popular at this time of the year with people from the Asian sub continent.

Will wait for a bit before making a decision- and as it is a timeshare exchange, not sure about reimbursement with our travel insurance. Probably ask the resort to provide us for a bill for it would have cost if ot timeshare exchange.

Contactless doesn't work above a certain amount, is it £30? I know you can make arrangements to use your mobile phone but many of us would prefer not to.

We all have different circumstances that influence our responses.

I am sixty six, have a weakened immune system, have only just recovered from a severe illness that included a bout of pneumonia, and I have chronic asthma. I use hand gel if I don't have access to washing facilities, but otherwise I wash my hands frequently, for the prescribed 20 seconds, and for the most part I will avoid large gatherings when I can.

BUT, I am going to be speaking at (usually) very well attended Lent services once a week for the next four weeks. I will be coming into contact almost daily with homeless people whose access to washing facilities is extremely limited - and right now I think the risks involved are worth taking. It may be that in weeks to come I will take additional precautions.

I'm feeling slightly frustrated that the hand gel we give to our (homeless) clients, as a normal part of our offer, is now being rationed so that I haven't been able to easily supply it.

I go to my aquafit classes twice a week for health purposes. I'll be continuing to attend.
I know its perverse but I almost wish I could get corona virus just to get it over and done with. I'd either be OK after a while or not but I hate this worrying about it all. I feel its hovering over the whole world.

othwes others