Coronavirus

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Hi RMA

Totally agree with all of the points you raise, seems we are still way behind the game especially with testing.

Emgee

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

RMA – agreed. Funny that the 'money markets' are still going, apparently without impediment… Must say something about priorities.

I think I read recently that the tubes were still running in London. Is that true? Criminal idiocy if it is.

Edited By Kiwi Bloke on 01/04/2020 10:25:28

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Must remember to keep moving else I get "Dysoned"

Lol

Mine had an episode yesterday so she's totally knackered today and its nice and quiet

The police stopped us going to the local big park for dog walking where we could avoid everybody, so now we pound the local streets with everybody

10 days in, 80 to go

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Kiwi Bloke on 01/04/2020 09:07:42:

…

There are too many unknowns. It isn't yet known what degree of immunity will be developed by people who recover, thus there is no certainty that repeat infections won't occur. It seems that viable viruses can be recovered from the faeces of people who have recovered and it's not yet known for how long. Even virus-free people can act as intermediaries in an infection chain, especially when infection is frequently via surface contamination.

Sorry to pour cold water on what is an optimistic time for you both, but I would suggest your daughter exercisse caution and delays a return to the outside world for a bit. And also keep up your own high level of household precautions.

Good point – she's taking advice and won't leave the house until confirmed it's OK. She and I are keeping our distance and taking all usual precautions.

I'm not sure what the latest statistics are on repeat infections. Although cases were reported from China and Italy early on, it's not been mentioned much since. I guess the statistics aren't in yet. In China, South Korea and other Asian countries, the virus looks to have peaked. We'll know more when they relax their lock-downs and people start circulating. If there's a problem, the disease will kick-off again. If it stays down we can relax a bit!

Keeping it in perspective, worldwide 43,271 deaths so far. Tiny compared with the 1918 flu pandemic – it killed between 50 and 100 million people. I don't believe it's known what made the 1918 virus so vicious, but in addition to it being exceptionally nasty many people were in poor health in 1918, treatments were primitive, and there was no lock down. We have to count our blessings!

Dave

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by Danny M2Z on 01/04/2020 08:13:52:

It is actually people like this who make me feel a bit sad QLD billionaire gives no rent relief to affected tenants

I know a few wealthy people, some are sympathetic such as this bloke Twiggy Forrest

If I had a $1 million tucked away for a rainy day then maybe cutting a bit of slack to the people who helped me make such a fortune would be the decent thing to do.

But then, some people get to be billionaires by just being ruthless bast***s.

That's the world that we live in, unfortunately!

* Danny M *

It's the democracy you voted for. Well not really 'cos I still argue about the none of the above option..
A reality check on these guys… having a few billion doesn't mean you've got it in cash under the bed. My own million that I had 2 mths ago (untouched pensions) has just become £400K less and i have no income these days.
Your example of Twiggy Forest..As I read that it's his charitable foundations (AKA tax relief and kudos and chance to rub shoulders with the other Nobs) that sourced/bought the stuff and plans to sell it to the state at 'cost' – which doubtless will include the freight, staff costs, phone calls etc. But excellent publicity for him and another step towards his knighthood or whatever. He isn't actually giving anything away.
Or perhaps I'm just cynical.

Here UK we've just heard that banks aren't paying out dividends to their shareholders to keep money around to help the economy. On central bank advice. Some of those shareholders were probably depending on that divvy for their income so essentially it's gov ripping off it's public to hang on to cash. Believe me its going to be us that pays for coronavirus one way or the other while the elite line their pockets, state how tough it all was and go have another conference banquet.

pgk

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 01/04/2020 11:47:51:

Keeping it in perspective, worldwide 43,271 deaths so far. Tiny compared with the 1918 flu pandemic – it killed between 50 and 100 million people. I don't believe it's known what made the 1918 virus so vicious, but in addition to it being exceptionally nasty many people were in poor health in 1918, treatments were primitive, and there was no lock down. We have to count our blessings!

Dave

Spanish flu lasted 2 years. we're into 3-4mths and it hasn't kicked of fully in the third world. We're 'flattening' the peak but not stopping it. If there is any government plan it's to keep things at a level where they can try to treat most people but let everyone catch it 'cos they can't stop it. If the true mortality rate is circa 2-3% then short of everyone obeying totalitarian rules forever it's going to go through at least 4 billion population in democracies. The math is frightening.

I can only hope I'm wrong

pgk

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

You may like to hear about the efforts of our Lab in the scientific effort. You can read about it here.

**LINK**

regards Martin

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks for sharing that, Martin

Fascinating and encouraging

… I will look out for further developments.

MichaelG.

[Bill Davies 2Participant @billdavies2]

Martin, thank you and all your colleagues.

Such important work. Incredible that biology was considered so unimportant in my youth, that my generation of boys were not taught the subject. Just to be fair, the girls weren't taught physics.

Bill

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Hi Bill

I'm at home and not involved with the research. I'm normally part of the support staff (electronics workshop) and not a scientist so not needed at this time. We do have a number of non scientific staff operational to supply all that the teams currently working on the virus require.

It's my colleages who should be thanked. I feel quite emotional to know how directly they are involved. I'm proud of them.

regards Martin

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Just received a travel mag inviting me to travel to the Far East for "Tour of my life".

Comments please ????

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Might just cost you your life ! ! !

Dave W

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

As a change to the doom and gloom:

One of our rescue/sanctuary/stray sheep is a bit of an escape artist..through the smallest hole or squeeze under the lowest wire. She had an away-day a few months back…

Now she's using her assorted escape routes to come to the back door and beg for extra treats. No this isn't part of our lockdown food supplies…

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

After hanging on the phone for over an hr, got through to Jet 2 & getting a full refund on the cancelled holiday due to the dreaded.

Steve.

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Great efforts by a lot of people, thanks for posting that Martin, hopefully they're combined effort will beat this damned virus before it kills many more people.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Posted by larry phelan 1 on 01/04/2020 16:59:59:

Just received a travel mag inviting me to travel to the Far East for "Tour of my life".

Comments please ????

Global adventure holidays, go now to avoid the crowds

We have a huge selection of 20,000 hotel rooms, you can choose from every single room we have

There is no room service so please bring your own sandwiches

guests are encouraged to find their own way home at the end of their holiday

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

**LINK**

3D printed face shields for NHS people at lower risk to help prioritise full shields for people dealing with high risks.

You have to take care to keep them sterile.

This looks a more practical way people with 3D printers can help. I'm on my second frame and only started 2 hours ago.

If I can do 20 in two-three days it looks like DHL will collect and take them to the central distribution point.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Martin Kyte on 01/04/2020 13:18:43:

You may like to hear about the efforts of our Lab in the scientific effort. You can read about it here.

**LINK**

regards Martin

Brilliant, thanks Martin.

Neil

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Here is Antonia talking about viruses at our exibit at the 2013 Royal Society Exhibition. The James group was invited to demonstrate their then new findings of how antibody can destroy virus particles even after they have invaded the cell. This is the same group now working on the current problem described in my earlier link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aLqsTxPFls

Little did we know then how serious the effort was to become some 7 years later.

regards Martin

 

Edited By Martin Kyte on 01/04/2020 21:13:23

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Hi All,

Just started to 3D print the PRUSA RC£ face masks to forward to the NHS, can manage 10 or so I hope, maybe more. Not much but I guess every little helps?

Cheers, Martin

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

Well, it's great that some people with 3-D printers are doing their bit, but 3-D printing is so slow. It should be possible to knock out face shields by the thousand with laser and/or water jet cutters. Transparent plastic from packaging firms and foam plastic/rubber for the headband/former.

Hope product liability and medical device testing, etc. is relaxed, otherwise, should any device procured from a 'novel' source fail and be a possible cause of a medical problem, the lawyers will jump in…

[Colin WhittakerParticipant @colinwhittaker20544]

Here in Phuket we have 1 week to decide whether we intend to stay for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis.

First we began to lose access to transit airports such as Singapore, Dubai, Abu Dhabi etc.

Then they closed the bridge between Phuket and the mainland.

Next week Phuket International Airport will close until the end of the month and probably longer.

I had no plans to go anywhere but it's a funny feeling when they close all the doors and lock them.

Good luck to you all.

Colin

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

l had a few words with my postman/junk mail person today,

He saw me removing the junk mail from the mailbox and asked why was I wearing rubber gloves and remarked that he was fine so I was being a bit paranoid.

I told him that even if he was fine, he should buy and wear his own gloves as he had no control over who handled the letters/advertising material before him and suggested for him to be careful.

I also remarked that all junk mail and (especially) my bills should be printed on toilet paper which should save me shopping for the stuff and also be useful for appropriate re-cycling purposes.

Well he got a bit snarky.and stormed off in a bit of a huff.

I was actually trying to do him a favour but then some people just don't learn.

What's more important, if he does get the WuFlu then every letter that he touches could spread it around my little township like wildfire.

Am I really being a bit too paranoid?

* Danny M *

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by Danny M2Z on 02/04/2020 05:43:14:

I was actually trying to do him a favour but then some people just don't learn.

What's more important, if he does get the WuFlu then every letter that he touches could spread it around my little township like wildfire.

Am I really being a bit too paranoid?

* Danny M *

Modern folk have got more touchy about how things are said. You should have held up emoticons while you spoke.

As for Postie wearing gloves:
The claims we hear are that you can't catch it from eating food.
That it's an airborne disease.
That one should wash one's hands.
BUT we are not privvy to the real statsitics or perhaps they aren't really known.

For frontline staff facing high viral loads and generally needing to be clean then handwashing is a must and while I follow 'da rulzs' I strongly suspect that short of picking your nose with contaminated hands the hazard level is low and WHO and gov advice is as much to keep the public occupied as it is of benefit – like collecting all the pots and pans and iron railings during WW2 then not using them. A sort of morale boost that one is doing one's 'bit'

Realistically for Postie he'd have to disinfect/change a pair of gloves between every delivery because of theoretical risk to him and if he had the bug then any pair of gloves he wore would be contaminated by him pronto unless he fumigated the back of the van before gettng out each delivery and held his breath thereafter until deposited.

Gov advice at present is not there to stop you getting it. It's there to slow down the rate of spread so they can cope with the level of serious cases as they happen but everyone will catsh it. To stop it they'd have to have resources to supply effective mask for everyone, disposable whole body suits every time you go out, disinfect all public spaces regularly and all goods and a total lock-down of all borders with enforced quarantine for anyone and their contacts while mass testing everyone every couple of days until proven immune. And keep everyone 6m apart.

pgk

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Posted by Danny M2Z on 02/04/2020 05:43:14:

l

Am I really being a bit too paranoid?

* Danny M *

Well as youhave asked, and just thinking this through.

Probably

The last thing we need is for delivery's to stop. However traces of virus could be on objects so hand washing is very desireable.

As to pgk pgk's 'we are not privy to the real statistics'. I would suggest we are. The government are being completely frank with us. Data is disseminated as soon as it is available and reliable. It is the governments interest that the population take all the neccessary precautions to stop the spread and if there were a high risk of spread through material handling then warning would be issued.

At the moment the chances of your postman being an infected person is low, as soon as he shows symptoms it is most likely he wont be working, if he is contaminated again the chances of transfer to your parcel will be less than 1, and if you are washing yor hands again the chaces of you catching the virus from the packaging are also fractional. Each probability step reduces the risk. So don't panic but do wash your hands.

Most of the previous post are responsible and balanced so I'm not criticising or getting at everyone, but like wildfire is a little too emotive in my opinion?.

You were probably more at risk by standing talking to him than handling the post.

best regards Martin

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