Coronavirus

[MikeG.]

As you can imagine, I've sat on my bum for the last 3 or 4 days doing nothing, so I've seen plenty of Youtube clips. No way will I find them again. However, I would point you to the Medlife Crisis Youtube channel. He's a hospital doctor, and he gives lots and lots of info on the disease..........and then he caught it himself.

 

[FatmanG]

Cheers Mike
I've seen Italian doctors etc but nothing from any survivors who have been really I'll but pulled through. I saw the Italian Dr who said it was a vicious pneumonia not a flu at all. Hopefully we will start seeing videos of people who have suffered and pulled through to give us an account of the illness but more importantly give hope to us as at the moment its all doom. I appreciate you posting even feeling like craap I hope you get through it mike as you are one of the most helpful on here always willing to give advice and your WIP are superb were lucky to have you on this forum.
Get well soon
FG

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Letter in today's Times -
VIRUS DATA MUST DICTATE POLICY
The government’s insistence that its policy “follows the science” may give the impression that science is a collection of proven facts. The reality is that science is a collection of speculations supported by evidence or, as the philosopher Karl Popper put it, conjectures corroborated by data. Where data is scarce, as with this virus, scientists can support a range of conjectures.

Whether the UK’s approach is optimal remains to be seen, but it is far better to change policy as data accumulates — as appears to be the case — rather than stick with the original plan.
Professor Michael Hyland, Plymouth University

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Has anybody given any thought to what the medium or longer term consequences of the current emergency and measures in place to address it might be, socially and economically?

I rather hope that some of the social consequences might be positive. In our neck of the woods, the Parish Council is organising a system whereby anyone in isolation can get some help with shopping, phone chats, and so on. The local churchwarden passed the other day, and she told me the church was organising a rota of volunteers to keep in touch with some of the village's older folks. Yesterday, two of my neighbours pushed a leaflet through my letterbox asking if anyone wanted to join the street Whattsapp group - one of them is a pensioner, the other is 11. The nearest neighbours are swapping phone numbers and pledges of mutual help if needed, and I don't think it's just hollow talk. All that happened with nobody being asked or cajoled, and from what I hear on the grapevine, it isn't just round here that such things are happening. Hopefully, the strengthening of local bonds won't completely evaporate once we're passed all this.

Economically is a bit more uncertain. Shutting down a significant portion of the economy, the huge knock to much of the rest of it, and the vast increase in Sovereign debt is all something I haven't quite got my head around. I'm not sure anybody else has, yet, either.

 

[Nigel Burden]

Reports on face book report that a gang of youths have congregated outside of the local Co-op and are coughing on passer bys.

Nigel.

That's barely believable. What sort of education have these youths had to make them think that that is in any way acceptable? What is there appreciation of real life?

I trust somebody called the police as a bit of police brutality would do them no end of good.

Back in the 1950s the local policeman would probably put his belt across their backsides, and if their fathers were any thing like mine, you wouldn't go home complaining because there would be another belting coming your way, and worse than the one the policeman gave you. The problem is that they know that basically, there's nothing that's going to be done to them, and if it is, their parents are up in arms about it. Also, this is not a rough neighbourhood, its a relatively affluent part of S.E. Dorset.

Nigel.

 

[RogerS]

Reports on face book report that a gang of youths have congregated outside of the local Co-op and are coughing on passer bys.

Nigel.

That's barely believable. What sort of education have these youths had to make them think that that is in any way acceptable? What is there appreciation of real life?

I trust somebody called the police as a bit of police brutality would do them no end of good.

Back in the 1950s the local policeman would probably put his belt across their backsides, and if their fathers were any thing like mine, you wouldn't go home complaining because there would be another belting coming your way, and worse than the one the policeman gave you. The problem is that they know that basically, there's nothing that's going to be done to them, and if it is, their parents are up in arms about it. Also, this is not a rough neighbourhood, its a relatively affluent part of S.E. Dorset.

Nigel.

The best thing anyone can do in these circumstances is to take their photo using your smartphone and then post it up together with details as to what they were doing on the local Facebook group page, Twitter etc. Let local peer pressure sort them out. Either that or a handy length of 4x2 accidentally swinging around as you thought you heard someone shouting 'Help' and you turned to see if you could help.

 

[Nigel Burden]

Do that on our local community Facebook group and the moderator will remove it. That would be invading their rights. :roll: Personally, I like the idea of the 4 by 2.

Nigel.

 

[MikeG.]

...... Shutting down a significant portion of the economy, the huge knock to much of the rest of it, and the vast increase in Sovereign debt is all something I haven't quite got my head around. I'm not sure anybody else has, yet, either.

I think they're all pretty clear that catastrophic as these things are, all the alternatives are worse.

Our village works more on an informal basis than you describe. We all look out for each other. Since word got out that I'm ill we've had a steady flow of people dropping stuff off outside the front door. We've had 3 dozen eggs in the last 3 or 4 days. Jars of jam and marmalade. A homemade cake, some homemade biscuits, a bag of homegrown leeks, and a box of paracetamol.

 

[MikeG.]

........My wife thought I was just malingering for the first couple of days. And talking of her, if she is to get unwell it's around today or tomorrow when she might be expected to show symptoms.........

My wife has started coughing. That's not good.

 

[AES]

@"CC": Yes, same here too. Yesterday my wife took a phone call from our village "Gemeinderat" (Council). It would seem that we're on their list of "wrinklies" ( ;-) )and the caller left a local telephone number from which we can get help with shopping, prescriptions, etc, as needed.

That may well have been done "because we have to" (I don't know), but we also received calls out of the blue from 2 near neighbours offering similar. Those 2 people are just "ordinary local people" so clearly there are at least some people who are voluntarily thinking in a "community together" fashion. At least one good outcome from a horrible situation. Let's hope it continues after this is all over.

About economic financial and business outcomes, I really don't know CC, any more than anyone else. I can imagine several pretty awful scenarios, but best not to speculate at this point I believe (& that last NOT intended as a damper on the latter part of your post BTW).

Apart from my age taking me into the most at-risk group, I'm really glad I'm retired now, especially as my job involved a lot of travel, usually by air. The people who are working/will go back to work after this is all over really do have my sympathies and best wishes.

 

[Nigel Burden]

Sorry to hear about your wife Mike, and good to hear that you are improving.

My wife has messaged me from work, and the resident for whom they had to call an ambulance did not have coronavirus. The isolation of the staff who had contact is now lifted it seems.

Nigel.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

...... Shutting down a significant portion of the economy, the huge knock to much of the rest of it, and the vast increase in Sovereign debt is all something I haven't quite got my head around. I'm not sure anybody else has, yet, either.

I think they're all pretty clear that catastrophic as these things are, all the alternatives are worse.

Our village works more on an informal basis than you describe. We all look out for each other. Since word got out that I'm ill we've had a steady flow of people dropping stuff off outside the front door. We've had 3 dozen eggs in the last 3 or 4 days. Jars of jam and marmalade. A homemade cake, some homemade biscuits, a bag of homegrown leeks, and a box of paracetamol.

Given the difficulty of obtaining them now, the box of paracetamol is genuinely thoughtful and generous.

As to the alternatives, I'm not at all sure that anything is very clear. There seem to be a lot of people either laid off, dismissed or going on involuntary gardening leave, some of them not knowing if, how or when they'll next be paid. There are business owners not knowing whether their businesses will be solvent next month. That's a big, immediate worry for many. Given the suddenness of the economic measures intended to alleviate such problems, there will inevitably be confusion for some time over their delivery, adding to peoples' worries. Exactly what the longer term consequences of all that will be, Lord knows.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

@"CC": Yes, same here too. Yesterday my wife took a phone call from our village "Gemeinderat" (Council). It would seem that we're on their list of "wrinklies" ( ;-) )and the caller left a local telephone number from which we can get help with shopping, prescriptions, etc, as needed.

That may well have been done "because we have to" (I don't know), but we also received calls out of the blue from 2 near neighbours offering similar. Those 2 people are just "ordinary local people" so clearly there are at least some people who are voluntarily thinking in a "community together" fashion. At least one good outcome from a horrible situation. Let's hope it continues after this is all over.

About economic financial and business outcomes, I really don't know CC, any more than anyone else. I can imagine several pretty awful scenarios, but best not to speculate at this point I believe (& that last NOT intended as a damper on the latter part of your post BTW).

Apart from my age taking me into the most at-risk group, I'm really glad I'm retired now, especially as my job involved a lot of travel, usually by air. The people who are working/will go back to work after this is all over really do have my sympathies and best wishes.

One thing that does lift my spirits a bit is the contrast between the Facebook report of yobbery and the fact that an 11 year old on our street (with support of one of our public-spirited pensioners) has taken it upon herself to take steps to set up a Whattsapp group. Does give you a bit of hope for the future!

 

[RogerS]

........My wife thought I was just malingering for the first couple of days. And talking of her, if she is to get unwell it's around today or tomorrow when she might be expected to show symptoms.........

My wife has started coughing. That's not good.

Ouch...how well did the two of you manage to isolate from each other ?

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've just posted something that apparently is not true, or at least, is denied by the Italians. My apologies if anyone read it and was alarmed. I've deleted it.

 

[MikeG.]

........Ouch...how well did the two of you manage to isolate from each other ?

We tried, but quickly realised that it was impossible to do effectively.

 

[RogerS]

........Ouch...how well did the two of you manage to isolate from each other ?

We tried, but quickly realised that it was impossible to do effectively.

Why was that Mike...rooms ? cooking ? Would really appreciate more info.

 

[Trevanion]

It's strange that a bit of isolation (or at least the thought of isolation) of all things is actually bringing communities together much stronger than I've ever seen before.

If nothing else comes out of this, It'll be nice to see people getting on and talking with each other again.

 

[RogerS]

It's strange that a bit of isolation (or at least the thought of isolation) of all things is actually bringing communities together much stronger than I've ever seen before.

If nothing else comes out of this, It'll be nice to see people getting on and talking with each other again.

We were already doing that up here !

 

[MikeG.]

Why was that Mike...rooms ? cooking ? Would really appreciate more info.

Every surface in every room I visited would need cleaning after every visit I made to the room, for a start. I mean, if we had a mansion with wings we could have separated completely, but that's not the way for most people. There's also the whole thing of being infectious before you know you are ill. I didn't know I was ill until Wednesday, but I'd caught the bug on the previous Thursday or Friday. So I had probably infected my wife before I even knew I was infectious. Once we thought through the implications we realised that isolation from each other within the same house just wasn't going to work. Sleeping separately, changing our individual towels every day, washing hands and wiping surfaces........we quickly realised it was all a bit token.