Chat about Novel Coronavirus - 2019-nCoV - COVID-19

Like the guy says - it's one of the larger viral outbreaks of the last 20 years. I don't think anyone is disputing that. What I am less keen on is media reporting on it like it's something I should personally worry about right now to any significant degree. It's not, if anything I should still worry more about getting the 'normal' flu. (However, I did get a flu jab as my work is related to / affiliated with a hospital and they were offering it for free and easily accessible for staff)

Governments around the world are 'on it', it's not something that is being ignored, and as someone not working on anything directly related to it, there is really nothing you can do that you shouldn't already be doing to avoid catching other stuff - and you're also not terribly at risk at the moment.

During the Swine Flu pandemic, the clinicians I worked with used a 1% serious illness rate and a 2% mortality rate as the benchmark for when front line care and mortuary services become overwhelmed and field hospitals being required.

I work from home and don't get out much. Was surprised to see people wearing mass on public transport this morning.

That was 10 years ago tho, presumably it'd take less for the NHS to become overwhelmed now?

I have had no experience in this field in the last ten years so I honestly have no idea.

It's not a biggie unless it hits London ah the old I'm all right jack pull up the ladder.
I'm pulling your leg. It's getting worring here in HK simply beacuse of the boarder issues I know people's work has dried up beacuse of the virus and the lack in confidence in the Gov is staggering. Meaning daft things happening like panic buying big roll. 🙄

Have you managed to find a way back? Or are you having extended luna new year holiday? Hope your friends and colleagues are all OK 👍

One of my colleagues has been in the Philippines for two months, she gets back next week but changed her flight to connect in HK instead of Beijing... She's pretty scared about the whole situation, travelling with a young family can't be any fun with this hanging over your head...

Stay away, @hats!!

Yeah I mean obviously this is from the perspective of someone living in London. It'd be different if I was at home somewhere in Wuhan. But that was my point, right - the people on the verge of a mild freakout that I read comments etc. from, be it in online news or on twitter or under the youtube video posted earlier, mostly live in London or comparable places too.

Similarly, obviously you're more impacted in HK even just due to the specific situation there. One temporary work colleague is a clinician from Hong Kong, due to return in three or four weeks - he's thinking of delaying the flight back for his wife (with a young baby) just to be on the safe side, which given he has that option is not completely unreasonable.

With Spanish flu, the case mortality rate was about 10% but some communities escaped relatively unscathed and some communities lost 90% of their adult population. Location matters.

Edit: Communities in Alaska and Tonga had 90% infection rates and mortality rates closer to 40%. Mortality rate was not 90%.

Lunar holiday got extended by a day, but we're now all working from home or other offices as the shanghai govt won't let us open the doors to the office without a special permit. I'm ok cos I'm in London (so working from our London office), but colleagues in Shanghai are having a tough time trying to work normally (VPNs are fucked) and one colleague has been sealed inside her apartment by the local residents committee people as her housemate came back from somewhere "bad" (not sure where, shanghainese people generally dislike all outsiders). She can't leave for 14 days and will be brought food every 7 days. Other cities have a card system for leaving the house, one household member every 2 days is allowed to leave for 3 hours to buy provisions. Even "unaffected" compounds are making people sign in and out. Masks in Shanghai are government rationed and we have to sign up for our ration.

Hope she and her family get back OK. They are switching flights and stuff alot but hopefully she won't get effected. 👍

Bloody hell sounds a nightmare i guess the paranoia is growing. Enjoy London 😁

Yeah seen some daft stuff but it's the age of unfounded news and roumor on twitter just grows and grows. There is no doubt that this is a bad virus. But I think your OK over there in London.... For the moment.

It's hit here in the North of England. Mrs P works for the Probation Service, quite a few Clients have missed appointments due to it. Suspect they may be self diagnosing.

Self quarantine 🤔

Seen reports that pangolins may be the source of the jump from animals to humans (with bat's being the ultimate reservoir). If that's true then that's what you get for trading the poor things.

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#Karma *cough*

cough

Better get that checked out.

Over here we’re on DORSCON Orange.

It’s full on panic mode for no reason. Disgusting and disappointed to see how selfish people can be. The government are not exactly helping things either. They have one of the highest levels of education but not an ounce of common sense.

We’ve also run out of bog roll.

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Urrrrgh the panic buying is growing. Apparently the rumours about lav paper is none is being shipped out by supplyers as factories are still shut because of the virus.

This is the revenge of the soapy bum washers.

Time to fashion together a sponge on a stick, will a Brillo pad do?

Yeah

Yeah don’t the bogs come with ‘equipment’ for dealing with this situation?