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

Yeh I’m with you. I’m going to bail.

Italy has now seen 1,016 deaths, amid a total number 15,113 infections.

Italy has now seen 1,016 deaths, amid a total number 15,113 of known infections.

Ftfy I hope? Seems high fatality rate otherwise.

My dad is recommending that I take my son out of school ASAP. I can’t tell whether that’s an over reaction and he will miss out on too much academically. they have no comprehensive online learning tools set up as of yet.. ..or if it is the sensible thing to ignore what the government advise is and take matters into our own hands to some extent

Any forumers in a similar predicament?

He also offered to look after him, but I worry that taking him round there after a week of going to and from school on public transport is an unnecessary risk for my parents. Would be bad if we brought it to them

In the CMO briefing earlier today, he quoted the reasonable worst case infection rate of the UK at 80%. Presumably this is unlikely but possible.

He also quotes their best estimate of mortality at 1%. This number seemed much firmer.

So, worst case is over half a million deaths in the UK.

80%

Any idea where this is coming from? That’s high (and scary).

From the Chief Medical Officer of the UK

It doesn't seem to affect kids that much. It's your parents I'd worry about.

Belgian PM just announced all bars and cafes to close from midnight tomorrow till 3rd April. Blimey.

I took my teenage girls out of school today as I was concerned with the government’s slow response. I had assumed, wrongly, that they’d be closing the schools as of tomorrow or Monday at the latest.

Not sure what to do now.

My gut says keep them home, revising and doing a full day. I feel they’re just keeping them open because they worry parents will be unable to work if closed and the financial impact will be huge.

Nor number tested.

Why? Kids (in general) aren't getting it badly. If the experts view that we have up to 3 months before the peak, is he planning to stay in isolation for that long?
I would suggest your dad looks after himself as a priority.

GF school is waiting for a confirmed case to close. The messages on whats app between staff and student mentioned up thread were bullshit. But there are a couple of self isolators as mentioned earlier.

But closed for how long? What happens to the GCSE and A-levels? Will you be fined?

There is also concern that closing schools will result in lots of healthcare workers being unable to come to work when they’re most needed.

Mikel Arteta positive test.

My Mum has just found out she spent an evening last week sat next to someone who had been in close contact with a relative who has now tested positive. Sister in law works with someone who is currently being tested.

How long is the question.

Rumours are that my eldest’s GCSEs will be pushed back, but nothing concrete.

I know I’m being cautious, possibly overly so, but it’s not the kids I’m concerned for. We know they weather this fairly well. But my wife has a health issue that means I don’t want to risk them infecting her if they do catch something at school.

It’s tricky.

Thanks. Interesting. I don't know how I'd do it, I do see your points and definitely didn't mean to suggest it's a vaccine, but given it is known to be safe it seems worth a go. Plus both NICE and PHE recommend taking vitamin D (if deficient) and many of us are to a degree, so taking it for whatever reason seems like a good idea.

I should add that I've been officially diagnosed with low vitamin D in the past so I especially should be taking it anyway.

Is it a good idea for people, young people to contract it so they can care for their older family members without infecting them

I picked up from the cmo that this is part of the plan?

This sounds insanely stupid

I was thinking of you sir

Can anyone explain (to most lay of laymen) the scientific reasons for our govts current approach? I tried to find the full briefing but only caught bits on the beeb. They seemed to be saying we need to flatten the curve but now wasn’t the time and we need more people to be infected before it’s worth bothering trying to flatten the curve. Or something.

Are you not going to work either? I kind of understand your choice as my wife is also in a high risk group, but I don't think that realistically we can isolate as a family for months on end. It is pretty inevitable some/all of us will get it so just have to prepare as much as possible and recognise when she gets it.

Did he definitely say that? He (Chris Whitty) is definitely not stupid but that seems to fly in the face of the principle of trying to delay the spread of the virus as young people will spread it to others including old people.

Either way unfortunately my very young niece seems to be leading by example: she has developed a very high temperature this evening and my brother in law has developed a cough. So my sister and family need to self-isolate for a week.

NHS 111 could only tell her to stay at home for a week - not that reassuring - and the guidance for self-isolation has an FAQ for pets but not babies!
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Flattening the curve means fewer people infected as we take preventative measures so onset is slower, spread out more so health service can deal better with the 12% serious cases