Covid 19 aka Coronavirus

[elanfan1]

Gino I know there has been an outbreak in your area - is this having any impact on day to day living as yet?

The rugby authorities have postponed the Ireland v Italy international games. I suspect there may be some cancellations of other large sporting events if more cases of infection are found. (Another 2 cases announced today in the UK).

For anyone interested in preparing for the worst and want to get some face masks before they’re impossible to find (there’s already some shortages and people profiteering with prices having gone up steeply). The masks you should look for are designated FFP3 with a valve to aid exhalation. I’ve looked into this being considered a vulnerable person with the likelihood that if I got it I’d be in the small percentage that snuff it. The majority would be ill for a couple of weeks but would recover.

Should this virus become widespread here I can well imagine that Castle Combe would be cancelled this year.which would be a shame. Hopefully the authorities can contain it.

[JonB]

You sound worried Steve.

I wouldn't bother with a mask but I would be staying in and washing my hands more often.. if I were you..

We have a bottle of hand sanitiser right by the front door.

[elanfan1]

Unfortunately I have no choice but to go out a few times a week for medical stuff where there are also lots of people around. Medical facilities are great festering hot pots of infection.

I won’t be wearing a mask at home unless the kids start coughing and spluttering!

[billwill]

I expect most of us already have face masks for doing mucky jobs on the cars.

[elanfan1]

Maybe so, but if they aren’t the FFP3 or better rated they’ll let viruses through and so offer some protection but not total (if there’s such a thing!).

[JonB]

Unfortunately I have no choice but to go out a few times a week for medical stuff where there are also lots of people around. Medical facilities are great festering hot pots of infection.

If you mean prescriptions, you can perhaps get them delivered. If you mean visiting clinics, then I'd agree you should get a mask (and use the hand sanitisers).

Anecdote: Just after Christmas we had my mother in law staying with us, as she had a horrible chest infection / cold. We washed hands often and sterilised doorknobs, light switches and other surfaces. Neither of us caught what she had - maybe because we's been scrupulous, maybe because we were immune, but it felt better knowing the place was sterile.

[69S4]

Medical facilities are great festering hot pots of infection.

Very true, and both my wife and daughter work in them. My wife had to buy her own facemasks.

[The Veg]

Regarding masks, what little reporting on them is happening in the US press -and there seems to be agreement from the medical establishment over here- is that only the infected should bother with them, to protect everyone else from the results of their coughs and sneezes. Unless of course having one increases your sense of security, in which case go for it! Time will tell.

And since we're having an election this year, things could get even more interesting. Here's one columnist's take:

https://www.wired.com/story/covid-19-wi ... xV-cjlFIL0

[elanfan1]

Problem is you’re infectious before any symptoms appear so could be spreading it about unwittingly.

[wotsisname]

soap and water, cleaning hands,etc is your first defence. alcohol type sanitisers are good but soap better (there is data to support this ). this virus seems capable of hanging around on surfaces. just listening to a Chinese doctor at the centre of it and his main point is that no country has sufficient ventilators to cope with a serious outbreak, hence the desire to contain it. likely that it will be 12-18 months before any vaccine is available, but possible they may fast track any untested treatment to the most serious cases.. this is what happened with swineflu, where the serious cases were given intravenous antivirals (FDA approved) before that method had undergone clinical trials

[vincereynard]

To maintain perspective - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4910444/

Introduction

Influenza prevention is a public health priority worldwide. In Europe, seasonal influenza causes between 4 and 50 million symptomatic cases each year and the death toll associated with influenza is estimated at between 15,000 and 70,000 every influenza season, in terms of excess deaths

[ericbushby]

I went to the doctors today.
I said "you`ll have to help me doctor, I keep breaking into song"
He said "what sort of songs are they"
" All sorts, but mainly Frank Sinatra stuff. I can`t get My Way out of my head. Can you do something for me."
"Ah I think I know what the trouble is".
"It`s something going around, you will have to go into quarantine. You have caught that new Crooner Virus"

Eric in Burnley

[661]

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[john.p.clegg]

To maintain perspective - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4910444/

Introduction

Influenza prevention is a public health priority worldwide. In Europe, seasonal influenza causes between 4 and 50 million symptomatic cases each year and the death toll associated with influenza is estimated at between 15,000 and 70,000 every influenza season, in terms of excess deaths

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John

[Craven]

Concerns over this particular virus I think is due to the fact there is no antiviral medication (vaccine) available to help prevent serious complications, if you get it you’re on your own.