Coronavirus

[Bryan Cedar 1Participant @bryancedar1]

I am on an immuno suppressant drug and am going to self isolate for the time being. On the rare occasion I have to go out I will wear thin latex gloves and dispose them on my return. my good neighbours will shop for me. Good health to all forum members.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

A classic case of "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON".

 

Seriously. Those posters originated in times far more dire than this. Ady1 is right. We have been exceptionally lucky to live in such good times — and still are. 

 

Edited By Hopper on 12/03/2020 12:08:54

[Stuart BridgerParticipant @stuartbridger82290]

I have just come off a call to a work colleague in the Milan area. Police cars are touring the streets with tannoys telling people not to leave their houses unless essential. Buying food means queueing two metres apart outside the supermarket with only one person allowed in at a time. Restautants and bars are closed. Not even funeral services are allowed.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Bryan Cedar 1 on 12/03/2020 11:43:21:

I am on an immuno suppressant drug and am going to self isolate for the time being. On the rare occasion I have to go out I will wear thin latex gloves and dispose them on my return. my good neighbours will shop for me. Good health to all forum members.

Good to have neighbours like that. All the best of health to you too.

[Nathan SharpeParticipant @nathansharpe19746]

With four more cases reported in Wales today it looks like it will reach us in Gwynedd fairly soon. We will do a bit of shopping and sit tight.

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

A microbiologist friend forwarded to me a communication from a prof. who had done a lot of research work on corona viruses: the guy knows a thing or two. His advice is pretty standard – gloves, hand washing, isolation, etc., and masks. I had always thought that masks were largely a psychological boost, being unable to filter out viruses, but his letter provided a lightbulb moment.

Masks are to stop you putting your contaminated hands into your nose and mouth! You should also avoid touching your eyes. It seems that hand-to-face contact is the most likely infection route.

Sadly, more evidence that bureaucracy exists for its own sake, in spite of demonstrably poor performance: the World Health Organization must have a huge budget, but hasn't been able to roll out a co-ordinated international response, even though one might have thought that pandemic planning would have been an important part of its work, for decades.

Edited By Kiwi Bloke on 12/03/2020 20:22:49

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

Posted by Kiwi Bloke on 12/03/2020 20:22:11:

Sadly, more evidence that bureaucracy exists for its own sake, in spite of demonstrably poor performance: the World Health Organization must have a huge budget, but hasn't been able to roll out a co-ordinated international response, even though one might have thought that pandemic planning would have been an important part of its work, for decades.

Not entirely fair as WHO is not an enforcement agency, they cant make other countries carry out mitigating actions, and differing countries will have differing resources and political tools. China has done well, they have the tools and the social culture that can deliver an effective response.

If you want a real example of demonstrably poor performance look to the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth – sad, so sad.

As a species overall we seem to suffer what one could euphemistically refer to as 'learning difficulties'. Pandemics and plagues are not new and the methods of control are as old as time, and yet the same mistakes invariably made – response is always too slow, the infective agent becomes established in the population and events must take their course.

We got the UK plan B briefing this afternoon, pretty logical and in line with what has worked for every outbreak from the Black Death onwards. Essentially if you feel ill, stay in your house till you get better, don't tell the grown ups because we need to conserve resources for the really ill.

He didn't actually say nail up the front door and paint a red cross on it but I guess that is because we have other means of communication these days…..

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Of more concern to me — at the moment and that doubtless may change in time — is the effect its having on the stockmarkets and even bonds and the flow on effects to retirement funds. I'm never going to get that new milling machine if the Dow Jones keeps dumping like yesterday's 9.9 per cent. We live in intetesting times.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Factoring in inflation and my pension planning had just about recovered from the 2008 crash – following the typical 10 year pattern for doubling prices and market recoveries. That crash was handled by business pulling it;s horns in and waiting. This time may well be different with no real fiscal manoeuvers left and a loss of personnel across the board rather then at the businesses choice. The principles of trading without reserves affected mainly the banks last time. This time it's going to collapse a whole slew of businesses with the obvious entertainment and holiday co's first, travel and conferences and hotels, cafes and restaurants going under and a whole lot of pain for those folk already struggling with debt who are too sick to work.
Society should use the 'opportunity' to restructure itself away from the self-indulgence it's used to and back towards the '50s restraints – but it doesn't learn. We'll be back to pollution and waste as soon as possible.

Hunkering down at home works short term but if it;s true that the virus survives on surfaces for 3 days and can infect vai that route then soon all supermarket goods will be contaminated with no way to hide.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Posted by Journeyman on 11/03/2020 13:20:10:

You could always get one of these:

Should last a week or two

Reminds me of a prop for a TV show i used to like to watch back in the 70s – Land of the giants !

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

The wife has a bad cough and I have never had so much time in the shed for weeks as what else do you do as we are self isolating. No collecting granddaughter from school, no shopping for clothes no visiting mother in law as she is in hospital and don't want her infected. Suppose I should go and get on with a bit of painting of new lathe parts in shed.

David

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

[This posting has been removed]

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

So David  are you complaining about being locked in your workshop

 

Edited By XD 351 on 13/03/2020 08:16:27

Edited By XD 351 on 13/03/2020 08:25:11

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Bill Chugg on 13/03/2020 08:14:09:

Posted by Hopper on 12/03/2020 23:31:02:

Of more concern to me — at the moment and that doubtless may change in time — is the effect its having on the stockmarkets and even bonds and the flow on effects to retirement funds. I'm never going to get that new milling machine if the Dow Jones keeps dumping like yesterday's 9.9 per cent. We live in intetesting times.

Of more concern to me is the preservation of life.

Sick people do not always recover, but historically stock markets always do in time.

Bill

Edited By Bill Chugg on 13/03/2020 08:15:57

Yes indeed. As I said, I am pretty sure the health concerns will come to the fore in time. (Probably a short time too.)

Two interesting news items today. The bad news: Flight Centre, a national chain of travel agents has closed 100 shops Australia-wide until the whole Coronavirus thing is over.

The good news, a Canadian biotech firm reckons they have the cure, will have it ready to go by November — but can only make 10 million doses a month. So that will be 30 months to innoculate North America. Hopefully others will be able to manufacture it under license? VACCINE LINK

It's only a media report at the moment but it does offer perhaps a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. The Aussie stock market seemed to think so, going from 8 per cent down to 4 per cent up in the three hours following the announcement. Phenomenal and a new record for a one-day swing.

Interesting times indeed.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Yesterday, I went into Manchester on the ‘bus, and chose to sit in the very front seat “away from all that shared air”

On the return journey, I suddenly realised that the litter in the footwell comprised a discarded tissue and face-mask

… Sometimes you just can’t win.

MichaelG.

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

My soon to be 96 year old mother is in a care home, so my brother and sister and I and our families were organising a visit for mothers day and her birthday the following Sunday, I've just had a call from the home effectively saying they are in lockdown and all gatherings have been cancelled for the forseeable future, well understood by us of course but because mum suffers from vascular dementia and is not sure of time and events it wont be much for her to worry about,

Martin P

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

[This posting has been removed]

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Bill Chugg on 13/03/2020 10:15:53:

Posted by Hopper on 13/03/2020 09:59:58:

Posted by Bill Chugg on 13/03/2020 08:14:09:

Posted by Hopper on 12/03/2020 23:31:02:

 

The good news, a Canadian biotech firm reckons they have the cure, will have it ready to go by November — but can only make 10 million doses a month. So that will be 30 months to innoculate North America. Hopefully others will be able to manufacture it under license? VACCINE LINK

 

After all the gloom and doom posts, not good for us senior members of a nervous disposition, it was good to read of the good news posted by Hopper in the above link.

Thank you Hopper.

Bill

 

 

You're welcome. Yes I thought it brightened things up at least a bit. Modern science will win through in the end despite what the climate deniers say about it.

Rather amazing the techniques they are using if you read the article all way through. Instead of growing the vaccine cultures in eggs the traditional way, they grow it in soil bacteria which is then taken up through the roots of plants and the vaccine extracted from the plants. Who'da thunk it?

Science. It's the way of the future. And we have every reason to be confident in it.

 

PS @ MG: Ewww. Some people are beyond even modern science.

@ Martin P: Yes, I've been through the dementia thing. Sometimes it's tougher for us than for them. Sometimes a phone call is almost as good as a visit, if she can manage it. They are doing the same here at nursing homes etc too. All for the best in the long run.

Edited By Hopper on 13/03/2020 10:27:36

Edited By Hopper on 13/03/2020 10:30:33

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I wonder if any labs are researching the survival time of the virus on oil covered hands. Does the oil kill it or provide a feeding ground? Does machinists barrier cream work as a defence?

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Just tried to order food delivery from Tesco and the first available date is next Wednesday at the moment. I suppose I will have to go shopping as the beer will run out well before then and what about Sunday lunch. The wife is coughing quite a lot and I was using that as an excuse to isolate in the shed. At least I got the parts for latest project masked up for painting.

David

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by Bazyle on 13/03/2020 12:45:47:

I wonder if any labs are researching the survival time of the virus on oil covered hands. Does the oil kill it or provide a feeding ground? Does machinists barrier cream work as a defence?

Viruses don't feed – they use cellular contents to multiply their own template so it comes down to whether the oil will denature viral protein, or dissolve its outer shells or have some direct chemical effect. Of course you might just manage to modify the virus chemically that way – for better or worse….
The most likely effect will be sticking virus to your hands (and or face if you're a mucky engineer) all ready to be flushed down the sink.

A nice UV light should work

One of the worst things invented are hand driers – blowing a spray of poorly rinsed hand muck aerosl around public loos. Dysan airblade is one of the worst – just look at the floor underneath them – covered in splashes and spot At least with paper towel the bad washers are wiping some muck off.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Two weeks ago we had a rally held in Perpignan with over 100,000 Catalan separatists coming from Spain. Now there are cases of COVID-19 in Perpignan. What were these people thinking?

Now we have all schools and Universities closed throughout France so will those kids go to stay with their grandparents while Mum goes to work. Us over seventies are advised to stay at home and in our village (10km from Perpignan) all community activities and sports are forbidden.

Just for once I think Boris might have it right!

Russell

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Just been having a discussion about whether to keep our Men's Shed open. Its main aim is to provide social interaction and that has been highlighted by several news reports as a negative effect of hasty shutting down of so many facilities in other countries. No advice from the Men's Shed Association which is disappointing. Nothing either from the various council bodies that refer people to us.

Many clubs rely on public running for an income. which could be a problem for them. For us our club nights relies on a good turn out to pay for the hall fees. Might end up cancelling meetings but not sure if we still have to pay for the hall. Hopefully it will be over before the St Albans ME club show at the end of September which is vital for our club finances but is another risk for us not covering the venue fees.

Just had an email from one of the Shed's suppliers of timber etc saying how they are keeping up their supply chain. However Costco who see fit to spam me daily have not mentioned anything about their loo roll supplies while offering me a coffee machine and steam iron.

Edited By Bazyle on 13/03/2020 17:52:48

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

I am chair of a Village Hall management committee and where organisations have to cancel their bookings we adopt a policy of not charging the hire fees if there are circumstances such as snow, illness, circumstances such as the Coronavirus situation or other unavoidable happenings. One would hope that your venue would adopt a similarly sympathetic approach.
Dave W

[Raphael GolezParticipant @raphaelgolez]

It has been a very stressful week and making sure all my patients are safe and well looked after with weekend plans. We have been constantly updated with up to date guidelines and flow plans in preparation for this situation. Not to be negative but my chances of exposure is very high and its a matter of time for me. I will accept this and continue to look after my elderly patients until I can't. Hoping that our NHS can cope with this. Best way to minimise chances of getting this is to avoid going out in public unless it is important. Hand washing and properly scrubbing all your fingers and applying alcohol gel if you have it. Be safe everyone.

Raphael

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