Some of the panic created by this has been ridiculous, it’s not Ebola FFS. The recovery rate is fine, like every other similar situation some people go into full blown panic mode.
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Some of the panic created by this has been ridiculous, it’s not Ebola FFS. The recovery rate is fine, like every other similar situation some people go into full blown panic mode.
I think if you're of a certain age and have cardiovascular issues or other underlying issues, then I can kind of understand people worrying about a disease that's sweeping the world and coming ever nearer. Even if you have vulnerable relatives it might feel threatening.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scouse Hibee
I get all that but it really goes beyond that with plenty of folk, who make it sound as if anyone getting it is certain to die. Had to tell a few folk today to get a ****** grip.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibrandenburg
If you are over 60 it currently has an estimated mortality rate of around 4% so 1 in 25 people who get it will die. It also appears to be highly contagious so I can see why people are concerned.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scouse Hibee
Although I think it will eventually turn out to have a far lower mortality rate.
I think the fear among many is the WHO have suggested we are not far from the point when it becomes an endemic virus. While something like SARS was far more deadly, it was relatively quickly contained. This is increasingly looking likely to be another virus we are going to have to deal with on an ongoing basis.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scouse Hibee
:agree: Decent explanation here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pretty Boy
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/607000/
I see that that's folk who have returned from Tenerife to the UK starting to be diagnosed with it.
And so it begins.
Only a matter of time now till Johnson's on the tellybox reminding us that this great country of ours won two world wars and that there's no need to pay too much attention to the so-called experts' warnings, as Matt Hancock is doing such a superb job of keeping us all safe.Quote:
Originally Posted by DH1875
Do you get a flu jab every winter?Quote:
Originally Posted by DH1875
No confirmed cases in Scotland yet,
Chief Medical Officer says it's "inevitable."Quote:
Originally Posted by Scouse Hibee
I don't think we're far away from this being a pretty big test for "life as we know it".
This disease is now beyond being contained imo and the current measures in place have no hope of containing it, so it's only a matter of time before it is declared a pandemic.
It probably could have been contained, but that would have involved dramatic, arguably draconian measures and the benefits and costs of containing this disease will have to be weighed up against the impact of the global economy potentially grinding to a halt.
There are potentially huge ramifications to come - what happens if businesses who deal with large numbers of people coming and going and coming into close contact with each other (hairdressers, dental practices, gyms etc) have to close, and ALL make claims on business continuity policies? What effect will that have on the insurance industry?
I'm not convinced it is all that much nastier that "proper" flu (which is in itself horrible, and all of the minor variations of it) but it is starting to look like it is going to have to just work it's way through the global population for a year and a bit before a vaccination can be found and possibly added to the flu vac. In the meantime the old, the weak, the immunocompromised, the poor in the poorest of countries will be very afraid and those of us who don't necessary fall into those categories should too.
How afraid are you of "normal flu." Panic seems to be the biggest enemy here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Smartie
There will have been too many people in Italy for the rugby at the weekend, and people who will have been in direct or indirect contact with people from that hotel in Tenerife for it to avoid coming to Scotland.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
We've got good facilities in place to cope.Quote:
Originally Posted by Smartie
Petrified.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
I think it is a minor mutation (natural or man made) away from being able to wipe out the human race.
As it stands I get the vaccination every year and would encourage everyone else to do so.
Tell me about them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
There is no harm in a cautious approach. Why do you say it's a minor mutation away?Quote:
Originally Posted by Smartie
Ninewells, Crosshouse, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Smartie
In short a world class public health system.
Are you being serious? I saw on the news last night that 81% of people who catch it only have mild symptoms and don’t need medical attention. This is being completely blown out of proportion imo.Quote:
Originally Posted by Smartie
If 50% of the population gets it and 0.5% of them die (that's kind of pessimistic but not extreme numbers), that would be 1.5M deaths in the UK. Flu kills an average of 17000. It has the potential to be a really big deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
Edit: d'oh! 150000 deaths. But you get the point.
I wonder if the panic about this is actually helping the spread, not just of this virus but of the regulars colds and flu we see every year.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
People who have a temperature, sore throat, cough, sneezing, aches etc would normally just take a couple of days under the duvet, get some Lemsip down them then get back to work. This being headline news is probably driving people to get on buses, walk down the street etc and present at their doctors, A&E and so on. That's bringing them into contact with people they otherwise would never have been near.
It's clearly a pretty serious situation but a lot of the fear is driven by the unknowns. I'm currently sitting in an office with a woman who's son has just returned from Costa Adeje and another who has just returned from Rome for the rugby. I can't say I feel at any real risk. The spread seems inevitable and in time the panic around it will settle down and we'll deal with it in the way we have colds and flu for years. Yes some people will get more seriously ill but that's the case with almost every illness that is mild in the majority.
That's part of the problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
SARS was deadly - meaning that people were generally killed by it before they got the chance to infect anyone else.
This seems to be highly contagious and can be spread before any symptoms are experienced, therefore the potential for it to affect vast numbers of people is high. Because we are now all so interconnected it is almost impossible to contain it in any way. It is worse to have a weaker virus that infects billions and kills a smaller proportion than it is to have a strong one that kills its host before it has a chance to pass it on.
I also read about the virus having the potential to reinfect people and for it to be more powerful a second time - the idea of which is terrifying.
Modern science is great, but (for very good reasons) there will be proper process to go through before any vaccination is developed.
I hope this turns out to be a storm in a teacup but the potential for disruption is massive. It is the responsibility of government to protect us from infection and keep us safe but it is also their responsibility for business to continue as normal and to keep the economy to keep ticking over - it will be interesting to see how they balance the two, and whether we end up being good at taking advice from experts (and whether or not experts will be allowed to continue to give advice).
Yes, Why?Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
Would you feel more at risk in the office if you had an underlying health condition? Assuming you dont of course. It is resulting in pneumonia so anybody with copd or even asthma could be at risk not even going down the chemo and immune disorder routeQuote:
Originally Posted by Pretty Boy
I posted last night and deleted it as i felt it was too personal but one thing i did say was what if it gets into care homes, not just for the elderly but for any vulnerable group? How are we going to staff hospitals? The knock on effect from vital operations being cancelled due to staff illness is huge.
I was wondering what your attitude to the risk of getting the flu is. I really wanted to reassure you that this virus doesn't appear to be any more serious than the flu.Quote:
Originally Posted by DH1875
What has been the experience in China, have any of these things happened?Quote:
Originally Posted by J.S
I think that might be right - but there is no jab and not likely to be for at least a year. I'm not worried for myself but surely most of us have relatives who regularly are advised to get flu jabs to protect them?Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
A woman that my wife works with has recently returned from Italy. She has started to come down with flu like symptoms and has phoned work to tell them she is to stay off and isolate herself. Problem is she already been around her family (including her sister) and been into work a couple of days. The sister also works in the same office and has told my wife she isn't feeling well. My wife is now knitting herself. I've told her to get her boss told and to get this woman sent home.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pretty Boy
I dont know but I worked in a care home setting where swine flu caused this issue and we lost a few patients to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana