AIBU to ask you if you are worried about the new Coronavirus?

[IvyBush123]

I am not sure if there is reason to worry about the new Coronavirus. I am not a medical expert but to be honest feel a bit scared because we know so little and some experts seem worried. How do you think?

There was talk last night that Japanese researchers suspected that only half of those with coronavirus got any symptoms at all. It read like they tested a group of people who had been evacuated from wuhan and found cases which were symptomless and didn't seem to develop any symptoms later on. They were worried because this might have implications and that quaratining wouldnt be fully effective. Obviously if you haven't got symptoms you aren't coughing and sneezing everywhere but you still might be infectious.

So far all the cases involving Brits both in the UK and elsewhere have been linked to other cases. That's unlikely to continue indefinitely if the number of cases increases and it becomes increasingly difficult to contact trace people.

I think there is a 50% chance it's more than a normal virus...why go to this level in China of erecting hospitals overnight, pulling victims out by their wrists and ankles in hazmat suits and throwing them into grey boxes on the back of a truck with them screaming and banging (source BBC1 news Friday 7th).
I think it's everywhere already.
I've been saying to my DH the rates are incomparable to SARS and MERS, we're at 35k+ in just 2 months the others were at something like 8k after 4 months.
I'm not worried about the general population but those who are sick and immunocompromised already.
But again, that's normal flu.... So why the panic China?

@RedToothBrush
You are correct, saving money is also important. We are trying to get back to the uk, but due to various restrictions had to delay our flight for two days, which means extra costs on food and accommodation. Similarly leaving China also requires financial resources.
I think people following rules in China is partly mindset and partly because we are fully aware that consequences can be severe and access to a fair trial/any trial is not a given.

I worry for the two confirmed cases in York.
It’s been 10 days and no reports or updates as to if they are recovering

Obviously if you haven't got symptoms you aren't coughing and sneezing everywhere but you still might be infectious.

Hopefully, much less infectious though.

I worry for the two confirmed cases in York.
It’s been 10 days and no reports or updates as to if they are recovering

There seems to be a complete media blackout on that now, presumably they aren't recovering.

It’s been 10 days and no reports or updates as to if they are recovering

I think it takes over two weeks before people start recovering. I don't think the student even had any symptoms when he was diagnosed so it will take another week or two to know how he is doing. It would be nice if there was some reassurance though.

There seems to be a complete media blackout on that now, presumably they aren't recovering.

The media probably don't know one way or the other.

So a fourth person now in hospital in the U.K. with the virus. He apparently picked it up from the Brighton man in France.
(but I’m guessing flew back to the U.K.?)

The people in York didn't infect anyone so I expect that when they were taken into hospital when they were at the very early stages. They were obviously very alert to the fact that they could have the virus and alerted the authorities straightaway. The case in Brighton is much more worrying is clearly he was wondering around whilst very infectious.

There seems to be a complete media blackout on that now, presumably they aren't recovering

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Pointless speculation based on zero fact.

I wonder (in a very morbid way) if people taking out life/critical illness insurance policies at the moment will be facing an increase in premiums, or exclusions of cover.

I'm not doing this myself, DH and I already have it in place but the thought occurred to me last night. Also if employers' death in service would cover this situation? (Annoyingly I got less LI cover than DH when we bought our own, as I had a good death in service cover at the time, which now I don't have and Sods Law, DH is much more likely to receive my life insurance than I am his.

(Apologies if that is too morbid and I certainly don't want to worry or upset people, our life insurance has been on my mind recently for reasons totally unrelated to CV)

I’m guessing the fourth person came back from France early and when he realised the rest of his friends in the chalet were affected that he better get checked

It’s reasons like this that it’s so important for them to report on the clear facts so that if people are likely to have come into contact with people directly that they know to report themselves and quarantine until they get taken to hospital

A scientist who is not medically trained told me the difference with the way the symptoms present when this NCP turns to pneumonia is that it makes the lungs bleed from the inside

Isn't this what Spanish flu did?

A scientist who is not medically trained told me the difference with the way the symptoms present when this NCP turns to pneumonia is that it makes the lungs bleed from the inside

How do they know that? There doesn't seem to be anything at all that I can see which suggests it.

The same person mentioned that it’s presenting the same as Spanish flu so maybe that was the link they made.
Worrying if it’s anything like Spanish flu as there wasn’t half the amount of air or train travel in 1918 as there is now.

At least we have better healthcare and understanding about spread of viruses and control nowadays

There is no guarantee that it will be reported if someone recovers because people do have a right to keep their health private in this country.

It's worth remembering that since there are so few cases out there, information can easily be personally identifying. The stigma from having the virus could have a detrimental effect on you in the long run. Imagine being the person labelled as the one who 'brought the plague to the uk' in the press.

Certainly the press can not legally give updates at this stage without the explicit consent of those affected.

Those in York affected have some additional factors to consider.

The press won't be able to approach them in quarantine and they are less likely to have British friends and family to pass on information. There may be something of a language barrier. And there maybe some concerns about what happens to them when they return to China because they have had coronavirus. Their privacy over their health might also be a matter of personal safety.

Whilst it might not be reassuring that you've not heard anything, you also need to consider that a 'media blackout' is part of our right to privacy of health which protects us all from discrimination and any exceptions to this rule have to be carefully considered. If someone does become seriously ill, the risk of long term complications arises so there is reason to avoid stating this publicly. Being vague and releasing only the bare minimum of information is consistent with this concern.

Equally, the way I view it, no news is good news. It would be reported if someone had died. They haven't.

I therefore don't put the lack of update down to a 'media silence' but down to the UK government and the law protecting people at a point of vulnerability in their lives and protecting their long term interests. Which I'm glad of.

If the situation changes and its felt to be essential for us to know what's going on, then this might change. But as it stands what 'need' is there for us to know more? Trying to satisfy general anxiety of the public could have exactly the opposite effect.

I’ve read a few articles that say how we all have gender ally built up some immunity to Coronaviruses in general throughout early life and it gives younger people some resistance to it. It wears off as we get older which is why it’s affecting people over 40 more so

I’m wondering if our vaccine schedules of flu vaccines each winter could help in a minor way despite some saying it can’t because it’s different strains

However, would that not explain some way in that China has been massively more affected and the mortality rate far higher (so far) than other countries that do vaccinate for flu ?

If the situation changes and its felt to be essential for us to know what's going on, then this might change. But as it stands what 'need' is there for us to know more? Trying to satisfy general anxiety of the public could have exactly the opposite effect.

I think it more likely that not telling the public what is going on has the effect causing concern. We don't seem to be getting as much information in the UK as they are in many other countries. Whilst I understand that people have the right to privacy regarding their health I don't really see how this applies when the general public don't know who the people in York are.

I find the attitude that it is better to not tell people what is going in case of panic quite patronising.

The release of the names of the people infected in the France chalet was given by French officials. Uk officials didn’t think UK needed to know

I’m wondering if our vaccine schedules of flu vaccines each winter could help in a minor way despite some saying it can’t because it’s different strains

It's not a different strain. It's a completely different virus.

@woodchuck99
Perhaps the media will be informed when they have been discharged. Two patients were discharged in Australia last week (I read it in the paper here) and extra checks were carried out to ensure they were no longer contagious. No details regarding the identity of the patients were released (rightly so) and extra checks will add time to the hospitalisation period so no update yet is not necessarily an issue.

Perhaps the media will be informed when they have been discharged. Two patients were discharged in Australia last week (I read it in the paper here) and extra checks were carried out to ensure they were no longer contagious. No details regarding the identity of the patients were released (rightly so) and extra checks will add time to the hospitalisation period so no update yet is not necessarily an issue.

I realise the fact that there is no information doesn't mean anything at the moment. I just don't think it helpful to keep quiet about how they doing. It doesn't break confidentiality if we don't know who they are,

Although I'm sure many students at York University do know who they are.