The language of Corona

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Just read a thread on another site posted by someone who has been self isolating (on lockdown) in China since January. Things are now slowly returning to normal as there are few new cases and corona virus isolation hospitals are closing. This has cheered me up!

I doubt very much whether things are returning to "normal". The Chinese economy has taken an enormous hit. The repercussions will be around for years. China was prepared to take draconian measures to isolate the infection. I wonder whether people in the UK are prepared for it.

That's what I don't understand. Why haven't the governments of the world looked to China? They seem to have it under control, they have closed their emergency hospitals. Yet we have only just started tinkering with the idea of lockdown. Even then I was only after social media uproar.

It is also being queried what happens when the population that has been in total lock down return to ' normal life ' if there ' could possibly ' be another outbreak as no ' Herd Immunity ' has been developed in the population. Damned if they do damned if they don't.

The only answer is a vaccine and only a fool does not understand that governments/countries are not going all out to find one.

But surely 'herd immunity' just equals survival of the fittest?

No that’s not it. It’s like when say 90% of the population is vaccinated against measles , that protects the few that can’t have the vaccine as there are fewer to catch it from.
Survival of the fittest would be a free for all - and let the old and sick die. They are not doing that but isolating the vulnerable to protect them. By the time we are ‘let out’ hopefully most of the population will have had it and be immune. I think that’s the theory anyway.

China may find that they have a second wave of it as most of the population has not come into contact with the virus.
It would then spread worldwide again.
Let's hope they may have produced a vaccine by then.

Well if there is a second wave it will inform our government what to do (or not do)!

Old people quietly dying in their homes... untested and untreated. What a bonus for the government. It will relieve the Nhs now and in the future and nursing home pay outs. And of course all the pensions that will be saved.

If that was the aim they would have us out and about ! They are trying to PROTECT the vulnerable. I’m no fan of the tories and particularly of this government but they do seem to be listening to the scientists on this occasion!

Read the Imperial college link from the scientists. All explained there Including why the policy changed. No idea how to post the link, sorry

That's my understanding too pollyperkins. The trouble is that it almost certainly takes more than 60% of a population to be immune, as is the case with measles.

Yes well that’s the mathematical model they are working on. It remains to be seen if it works. We are all in uncharted territory . They are closely watching what happens in China & Italy. I have family members working in public health (not medics)

Even if 60% immunity were to be achieved, I can't see that it would slow down the spread that much. It would still mean that almost half the people one would meet would not be immune and could possibly be a carrier. Vigilance is going to be needed for a long time, until a vaccine is available.

Is this the Imperial College link you meant?

www.imperial.ac.uk/news/196234/covid19-imperial-researchers-model-likely-impact/

Bugger self isolating, I am just “staying in” and when I have had enough I will take myself off to the woods, along with my “social distancing” equipment - my bagpipes !!

The language used by officials describing the spiralling scenarios risks dehumanising us, and makes us feel we no longer matter

Kathryn Hearn

On a very flippant note do you realise you can sing " Corvid 19 " to the tune of " Come On Eileen " Dixie's midnight rummer's song.

The most disgusting language comes, quite predictable from Trump who keeps referring to the "Chinese virus"

He is akin to something I would scrape off my shoe.

And yet they still rate his chances of being re-elected. What does it take for US voters to see through this charlatan?