Coronavirus

[Nearly Sane]

Despite me flashing back to the opening credits of the 1975 version of Survivors a lot recently, it's not clear quite how dangerous coronavirus is.

After following the travel news to Hong Kong because of the protests, I'm now looking for the affects of the disease

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-51353279

[jeremyp]

Despite me flashing back to the opening credits of the 1975 version of Survivors a lot recently, it's not clear quite how dangerous coronavirus is.

After following the travel news to Hong Kong because of the protests, I'm now looking for the affects of the disease

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-51353279

I flew back in to Heathrow on Friday. I saw a number of Asians in the baggage hall. Every single one of them was wearing one of those surgical masks.

[Nearly Sane]

I flew back in to Heathrow on Friday. I saw a number of Asians in the baggage hall. Every single one of them was wearing one of those surgical masks.

Lots of Asians in Glasgow wearing them.

[Aruntraveller]

Bizarrely a taxi driver in Littlehampton wearing one on Saturday.

[Udayana]

At this rate we'll all end up in burqas!

[jeremyp]

At this rate we'll all end up in burqas!

Just in case anybody isn't aware of this but, when you see people wearing those masks in Japan, it doesn't mean they are concerned about catching colds etc from other people but they are protecting you from catching things off them. It's the opposite of a burqa which men make women wear to stop them (the men) from getting lustful thoughts.

[Robbie]

I'd like to wear a burqa sometimes. I could do all sorts of things and no one would know who I am, my imagination is working overtime at the thought.

[wigginhall]

But surely Brexit will stop burqua wearing?  If we can't be white and poor, what is the point?

[Udayana]

Just in case anybody isn't aware of this but, when you see people wearing those masks in Japan, it doesn't mean they are concerned about catching colds etc from other people but they are protecting you from catching things off them. It's the opposite of a burqa which men make women wear to stop them (the men) from getting lustful thoughts.

mmm.. I never really got that, as the sexy veiled lady is a common archetype.

A surgical mask fetish must be much rarer, and the mask more off-putting for everyone else?

[Udayana]

But surely Brexit will stop burqua wearing?  If we can't be white and poor, what is the point?

Maybe the Saudis will take over broken Britain ...

[Nearly Sane]

Of course.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/01/30/coronavirus-is-not-the-corona-beer-virus-what-people-are-googling/


Anyway suspect that I will not be in Hong Kong and Borneo on a couple of weeks given the latest reduction of flights to HK.

[Udayana]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-51409801

Information emerging about the discovery of the new virus and the doctor that flagged it.

I had been wondering how they seemed to have quickly identified it as new disease, recognised its severity and attempted to stop it spreading... but that is not the case.

The doctor, Li Wenliang, 34, who first tried to warn about the virus has died following infection. Chinese authorities tried to suppress information about it. Possibly more could have been done, at an early stage, to stop it spreading?

[Robbie]

Hindsight.
It's an awful illness by the sound of it, so many dead.

[Udayana]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-the-new-coronavirus-compare-with-the-flu/

Nice article comparing new virus with seasonal flu - gives some perspective on risks and relative danger.
 

[Nearly Sane]

Brighton GP practice shut


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51447761

[SteveH]

Despite me flashing back to the opening credits of the 1975 version of Survivors a lot recently, it's not clear quite how dangerous coronavirus is.

After following the travel news to Hong Kong because of the protests, I'm now looking for the affects of the disease

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-51353279

Not very. It's quite virulent, but the death rate is low.

[Nearly Sane]

Not very. It's quite virulent, but the death rate is low.

Non sequitur

[SteveH]

Non sequitur

Why is it a non-sequitur? You asked how dangerous it was, and I answered. I do wish you'd drop the obsessive fallacy-hunting - it pisses people (well, me, anyway) right off.

[Roses]

The virus it is close to becoming a pandemic according to the lunchtime news, however whether it is anymore dangerous than flu, which kills a lot of people each year is not clear, but I suspect it isn't anymore deadly.

For a couple of years or so now, whenever I have been out and about mixing with other people I not only put the anti bac hand gel on my hands, I also put a tiny bit in each nostril. Whether it is a coincidence or not, I haven't had a cold since I have been doing that.

[Aruntraveller]

For a couple of years or so now, whenever I have been out and about mixing with other people I not only put the anti bac hand gel on my hands, I also put a tiny bit in each nostril. Whether it is a coincidence or not, I haven't had a cold since I have been doing that.

It may well be helping, but also your age my dear 

Each time your body is exposed to a virus, it develops antibodies that make you immune to that virus in the future, so the older you get, the more likely it is that you'll be immune to some of the estimated 200 cold viruses in circulation.

[SteveH]

For a couple of years or so now, whenever I have been out and about mixing with other people I not only put the anti bac hand gel on my hands, I also put a tiny bit in each nostril. Whether it is a coincidence or not, I haven't had a cold since I have been doing that.

Viruses and bacteria being completely different, I'm not sure it'd help, though possibly it zaps viruses as well.

[Walter]

Viruses and bacteria being completely different, I'm not sure it'd help, though possibly it zaps viruses as well.

Dettol. There's a wipe for that 

[Nearly Sane]

Today I was due to be flying from Hong Kong to Borneo. I dod look at some alternatives when it became necessary to cancel; one of them was Tenerife.

[wigginhall]

Iranian deputy health minister has the virus, and the Guardian is reporting its spread in Iran.   I suppose the fear is of a country with a worse health system than China having many cases.

[Udayana]

Today I was due to be flying from Hong Kong to Borneo. I dod look at some alternatives when it became necessary to cancel; one of them was Tenerife.

If it stops people travelling - isn't that a good thing? The wider it spreads the higher the risk of it mutating to a more dangerous variety.

Anyway, once we have stopped it by isolation and vaccination or medication, or it has spread everywhere, we can get back to the job of filling the atmosphere with CO2.