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I was thinking the whole Coronavirus thing had 'gone away' but my wife has just been told she's got to cancel some of her clinics to start mass Coronavirus screening.
Interesting. Whereabouts are you?
Interesting. Whereabouts are you?
Cardiff, I don't think we've even had a single case in Wales. She's a wound nurse so it's not really her area, not to mention it's a 12 week wait to see her in clinic.
That certainly points to a strong suspicion among the powers-that-be that Covid-19 is already out and about in the community. Who is she screening? Walk-ins or randoms?
Best start stock piling.
Over 6k people tested still only 9 confirmed.
It's a bit weird, certainly. You would have thought anyone admitted for respiratory illness over the past few weeks would be automatically tested, which would show up whether coronavirus was the culprit.
I'm somewhat surprised that we are still at 9 cases, given how contagious it is meant to be and beacuse we apparently had contagious people at large in central london.
P-jays info is at odds with the general 'there's nothing to see here' response from authority.
I suppose it would be belt and braces to pick a few urban areas and test more widely as an indicator, rather than just test folk turning up at hospital with pneumonia. If it's any wider than that, the leakiness of the NHS will make sure we know about it pretty quickly.
P-jays info is at odds with the general ‘there’s nothing to see here’ response from authority.
His info adds nothing either way. Absolutely no info what the reasons for this are or indeed any proof. Not saying your lying P-Jay but sometimes rumours aren’t true, it could misinformation from your wife’s work.
Well on the assumption it is true, 'mass coronavirus screening' certainly is at odds with the general message that no-one needs to worry unless they've been in affected areas or within a couple of metres of a known infected person.
As Martin says though, maybe its a more statistical thing to see if it is already undetected in the wider community.
Or simply setting up infrastructure so it's ready to go. If you need somewhere to handle suspected cases that isn't the foyer of an A&E department, then you need to allocate staff to it in advance.
When and if it arrives in greater numbers, then you need these things already working.
The advice and information from the WHO is quite clear. The vast majority of transmission is through airborne droplets, either inhaled, ingested or rubbed into the eyes. You need to be in close contact with an infected person for over 15mins to stand a greater than 5% chance of infection. Infections through transmission from surfaces, etc fall off a cliff when compared to direct transitivity as it's a virus. The overwhelming majority of deaths have come from the old and infirm.
Or simply setting up infrastructure so it’s ready to go. If you need somewhere to handle suspected cases that isn’t the foyer of an A&E department, then you need to allocate staff to it in advance.
Exactly.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-novel-coronavirus-diagnostic-test-rolled-out-across-uk
there's very active surveillance rolling out into the community for sensible reasons as pointed out above, and nothing covert about this, including in Wales https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m698
...and though whilst on the one hand I'd like to listen to Funk https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00361-5
...if anyone wants to get worried, I'd note that so far there have been cases reported on every continent bar Antarctica, the luckiest continent with only one case reported (in Egypt) being Africa, particularly lucky given the extent of trade links and movement of people in both directions between Africa and china. On the other hand perhaps it's not so much luck, as absence of diagnostic facilities in the African countries with closest links. [insert 'we're doomed, aye' gif]
Hey ho.
But back to complacency - evolution tends to favour these things getting milder the further they spread (a slight variant in the virus that knocks you over is going to spread less than one that lets you get to the shops/office/pub) and there's some evidence that this is happening in china right now. Today's bmj again.
She’s a wound nurse
it’s a 12 week wait to see her in clinic
She mustnt be very busy. Most of my wounds have healed in half that time XD
She mustn't be very busy. Most of my wounds have healed in half that time XD
She mostly deals with the very old / palliative. plus unpleasant but long term stuff like pilonidal sinus infections up to things like Necrotising fasciitis.
She has little interest in my cuts and bruises when I fall off my bike.
Don't you go dissing pilonidal sinus wounds - I enjoyed mine so much I had two operations, both of which made local medical training headlines. There wasn't a district nurse in Sussex who didn't get to admire the additional hole in my arse!
Anyway, for proper panic, you need to pop over to Ukrainian SingletrackWorld
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51581805
She’s a wound nurse
tightly?
Lol.
There was mention of it on Inside Science yesterday on R4. This virus expert was on and explained (I paraphrase here) that it was passed on by bats as they had been around for 50 million years and so had been exposed to plenty of viruses and, because they are mammals, it wasn't so much of a 'species jump' for them to pass it on to humans.
Don’t you go dissing pilonidal sinus wounds – I enjoyed mine so much I had two operations, both of which made local medical training headlines. There wasn’t a district nurse in Sussex who didn’t get to admire the additional hole in my arse!
Sorru, I know it's horrible, I've heard all the stories and in some cases seen the pics, but be thankfully you didn't have Necrotising fasciitis.
I was thinking the whole Coronavirus thing had ‘gone away’
off the front page of the forum for 4 days = fixed. 😁
Anyway, sorry "mass screening" was hyperbole on my part it seems.
She's been tasked with visiting 'at risk' people at home, probably anyone who's had to call 101 etc. I doubt it's a 'new' thing, just the usual NHS delays.
From Private Eye:
Deaths in UK related to Covid-19 = 0.
Deaths in UK related to Love Island = 3.
I say we halt all flights from Love Island until they get things under control. Obviously we can organise an airdrop of fake tan and condoms to keep them going.
1.25million road deaths a year world wide . Of which 1750 are in the UK.
I've been stockpiling cycling helmets and high vis.
Anyway, sorry “mass screening” was hyperbole on my part it seems.
Well that’s just great I’ve lost the receipt for the plies of dog food and toilet rolls so I can’t take them back. Can you start another one so I can sell them to Kerley?
Downside of the Corona virus here in HK, so many hikers clogging the trails as its the the one place they can be seen to lose the masks. Otherwise we are surviving as its great riding weather (silver linings and all that).
I had no idea that the lab in Wuhan was so famous.
Well, it seems Lombardy is taking this seriously.
Innit
Italy v Scotland 6N (Women) canx and Torino v Parma canx too.
Well, it seems Lombardy is taking this seriously.
I suppose mass quarantine is worth a go, but I would be surprised if they managed to halt it from this point onwards. The volume of cases, and the fact they are popping up in Veneto with no apparent link to the original patient suggest that horse has already bolted.
I was in Northern Italy last week. That cluster of towns that are locked down is centred around Piacenza where my train stopped on the way to and from Milan; there are 2 cases in the region I was in and one suspected case in the town I was in.
I was ill this week, and my wife is ill this weekend, although we had flu like weakness we haven't had coughs and sneezes or apparently any fever...
Super spreader
A nasty strain of Flu is a real worry for me, with aging parents, one of which is in Cancer recovery, and with work as my employer works with multiple health conditions, including chest related illness (COPD high on that list) I’d really rather not see a large scale pandemic.
For good measure we organise lots of events. Just to make sure there’s plenty of transmission routes.
I was ill this week, and my wife is ill this weekend, although we had flu like weakness we haven’t had coughs and sneezes or apparently any fever…
I hope you did your civic duty and went down the pub to spread it about a bit?
#typhoidMolly
I'm in B&Q buying fence panels.
I always knew that DIY would be the death of all of us.
I’m in B&Q buying fence panels.
That’s some very odd panic buying.
I was shown the instructions given to doctors about what to wear to protect themseves. It was layer after layer, two pairs of gloves and so on. I don't know for how long you could operate efficiently under that lot, you'd boil in the bag.
There’s a built in flaw with a gas tight suit...
I do hope no one tries one on without the requisite BA.
We were supposed to be going to bolonga Italy next week.
Making plans to wind that up now given we would be traveling with a vulnerable person.
Should be fun with the insurance since as yet the area we are going to isn't on lock down but being responsible I don't want to end up stuck there with a. Vulnerable person who has a high chance of getting any illness going. (And no I don't mean my infant daughter.....someone more vulnerable to such virus.)
I'm.sure it'll cost money to be responsible in such situation.
It may be an opportune moment to post this up...
Well I'm due to head to northern italy in about 6 weeks. Just outside Lombardy but I'll be flying into Milan. Unless they get it under control ASAP I can see it spreading beyond there pretty quickly. Have't booked flights yet but accommodation is booked. I'm fit and healthy so not overly concerned but the missus is a T1 diabetic so is in the high risk category
Bad news coming out of Iran too. It looks like they have been under-reporting the number of cases.
Officially they have 46 cases but now apparently 50 are dead in Qom alone?
Qom is a Shia pilgrimage site so potentially gets lots or tourist traffic.
Anyone close to this? My daughter's now poorly, although without all the symptoms as described on the internet. It seems that testing is only offered to people who've been to the Asian hotspots, but the Italian one is now kicking off apparently.
We aren't particularly ill but I don't want to be a carrier.
Some advice here Molly.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public
Yeah I read that - none of the sites mention Italy though. I'm guessing that if I call it in they'll just follow those guidelines and not offer us a test.
Might call them anyway though.
Currently it’s not but no but I’d not be surprised if it gets added, I’d not be too concerned but a call may help give you peace of mind.
I would guess they would rather test you than not! Given you know you've been to an area where it is present, the responsible thing would be to call up and explain. Better that than read about an unexplained outbreak related to a Cardiff DIY store in a weeks time!
Plus you probably get to meet P-jay's missus.
I had a link to a NYT article pop up on my FB today, alleging that Coronavirus is a leak from a Chinese lab. Apparently the only Chinese level 4 lab capable of handling such viruses is in Wuhan.
Fake News or viable?
At this point it doesn't matter either way.
Fake News or viable?
The virus is certainly the latter.
If the Chinese have been playing with this, they are far more likely to be closer to a vaccine than the 18 months suggested by uk experts.
I would guess they would rather test you than not! Given you know you’ve been to an area where it is present, the responsible thing would be to call up and explain. Better that than read about an unexplained outbreak related to a Cardiff DIY store in a weeks time!
Whereas I would guess they would probably rather not. The testing is expensive, and testing too many very low risk people creates a bottle neck behind the high risk cases. A train passing through an area with over 50,000 people of whom 165 have been diagnosed, is not the same as having close contact with someone who is infected. Especially as whilst he has "flu like symptoms" he doesn't have the symptoms most closely associated with this infection: cough or fever or shortness of breath. Most likely he had regular man-flu as many people will get this winter; following good hygiene practice to reduce exposure to others will help either way.
Plus you probably get to meet P-jay’s missus.
Pretty likely, Molegrips doesn't live far from me.
The WHO website has a much longer list of symptoms though many of which I had. I'll probably call NHS direct, they probably won't test me.
@p-jay ask your Mrs if I should call NHS direct or not?
although we had flu like weakness we haven’t had coughs and sneezes or apparently any fever…
Ring 111 if it'll make you feel better, but you haven't had they symptoms?
From The Grauniad:
In France, the government urged anyone who has visited Lombardy or Veneto – the two most affected regions in Italy – to wear face masks if they go outside, limit non-essential activities and take their temperatures twice a day
From WHO
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell.
Aches and pains, diarrhea, nasal congestion, tiredness. All mild.
The WHO website has a much longer list of symptoms though many of which I had. I’ll probably call NHS direct, they probably won’t test me.
@p-jay ask your Mrs if I should call NHS direct or not?
She said they don't specifically ask people who've visited the affected parts of Italy to call, but they really won't be upset if you do.
I'd give them a call, they've got more info than most and you won't find your house being buzzed by black helicopters if they think you need checking, it'll be a District nurse wearing a HazMat suit
Stock markets taking fright today based on concerns about economic effects; one day movements mean nothing so will be interesting to see what happens next.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51612520
As for covid-19, good hygiene practice should be a given; gloves, goggles, masks - if you wish.
Any change to NHS guidelines will be widely communicated and I wouldn't do more than they recommend.
it’ll be a District nurse wearing a HazMat suit
A well-placed camera to record the reactions of your neighbours please.
Fake News or viable?
It's a story been doing the rounds since day 1, I'm going to say bat shit.
If it does turn out to be true we should all be very glad it wasn't something nasty.
Stock markets taking fright today based on concerns about economic effects; one day movements mean nothing so will be interesting to see what happens next.
It's payday in a couple of days - fingers crossed this run on the markets lasts a few more days so when we drop our deposits into our pensions / S&S ISA's we buy our funds at a nice discount!
I’m going to say bat shit.
Yeah that was the suspected cause.
Yeah that was the suspected cause
Apparently it was supposed to be guava soup but the chef misread it.
Is there a reason why the Corona virus dashboard (link on page 1) is now password protected? Shame as it was a useful gauge on the situation. Hope there's nothing more covert going on...!
For MolGrips:
Chief Medical Officer advice (according to Matt Hancock) is that if you've been in Italy, North of Pisa, self-isolate if you have symptoms
If you've been to one of the quarantined areas, self isolate regardless
Heard that on the news, thanks folks.
It just says self isolate - although it doesn't say for how long - and it says if you have returned after 19th Feb. I left on 13th.
14 days is the normal isolation period. One for the medics - does it count as being isolated if you're all alone riding a bike in the woods, only touching gate hardware with gloved hands etc?
Sounds like there are now cases in other areas in Italy as well according to the news.
Plus a hotel in Tenereife is in lockdown.
Re. the self isolation, I was thinking that a lot of people who are advised to self isolate I guess. WHo picks up the bill for that. If you are a salaried worker I guess its covered as sick leave, but if you are self employed?
I guess @Molgrips the idea is to self isolate for 14 days since you left the country so you are almost there already. Did you call 101?
And there's a vaccine now* too...
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1180695.shtml
*if you're a crazy scientist testing it on yourself
does it count as being isolated if you’re all alone riding a bike in the woods, only touching gate hardware with gloved hands etc?
Yes that would count, just as walking down an empty street would count. You won't be catching anything and won't be transmitting anything if no-one else is around.
However you will not be able to go to the shops and if your area is in lockdown you may not be able to get anything delivered. That is exactly why I stocked up...