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?

the government is doomed to criticism whatever they do. If they introduce strong restrictions without enough evidence then they'll be to blame for the economic consequences and subsequent chaos (particularly if measures are effective and we don't see any sort of spread) and if they sit back and wait for cases to start flooding in it will be far far too late for containment strategies to be effective.

This is very true.

I've seen comments until recently (before this outbreak) saying that the WHO overreacted over SARS, as well as swine flu and Ebola.

I think there is absolutely no point in being worried. Just tracing the contacts of that one man has shown it's really infectious, often before symptoms show and seems to cause mild symptoms in many. There must be many more incidents of it spreading in the UK that haven't been picked up. Especially as many Asian flights are still arriving.
The other thing is the c.v. test is only 10% accurate from what I can gather? Even the Chinese doctor that died had several false negative tests before finally testing positive.
I really don't see how this virus can be controlled now.

The thing is though if children were to be kept off school and the first sign of a cough who would look after them? I know my work wouldn’t look favourably on me taking time off, I am not sending them to their elderly vulnerable grandparents which would be what usually happens when they are ill. Also, I can’t stay off work with a cough and if you look at some of the Americans on the cruise ship the only symptom they had was a slight cough, not even a fever. I don't know what the right answer is just that it’s not going to be easy to contain this without massively impacting on society.

Imo public health advice should include a discouragement of handshaking as well as things like hand washing and disposing of tissues.

I think there is absolutely no point in being worried.

I disagree as being worried may help slow the spread. Having been immunosuppressed for many years I really notice how much people vary in how careful they are either to not catch illnesses or not spread them. It is generally the ones that think there is no point being worried and there's nothing they can do to stop it that don't bother being hygienic. I'm not sure if it's because they think there's no point or if they think they'll be all right Jack but either way it makes me quite angry at times including now.

@Ciwirocks I’m sure your work would rather you stayed at home if you told them there’s a risk you’ve been in contact with coronavirus cases...

Yes stopping handshaking is so obvious to me.

I am totally speculating but reading about the case in a German business and the cluster at a conference / hotel in Singapore I was imagining a lot of businessy hand shaking!

Slowing the spread is worthwhile in itself.

IMO the government know that they need to reduce panic yet put out enough that information those who are sensible enough to look into this will know its worth taking precautions and preparing for problems.

You don't raise the threat level this high just because of one person saying they will leave a facility (whatever they are now saying to try to calm everyone down again.)

@Lycidas the point I was trying to make was that as this progresses people are not going to know if they have been in contact with someone or not particularly if people can be infectious and symptom free. Obviously they would be ok with it right now if I said I have a cough and have been in contact with someone with Coronavirus

I think you've misinterpreted my comment @woodchuck99. Of course I'm concerned and following the latest news. This virus is having a huge impact on dh's job and I've lived in HK during Sars. But the virus is already spreading and I don't think we can contain it. I understand if you're immunosuppressed it's a lot more worrying and I sympathize. But there is absolutely no point in people panicking. Especially as this may cause a rise in hospital attendees - the worried well. The experience in China has shown that a massive proportion of patients acquired the infection in hospital. Often the severest form.

@teta I agree there is no point in panicking. However that isn't the same as worrying which is why I disagreed with your comment that there is no point in worrying. If people worried about more about the potential for catching viruses then many would take a lot more care than they currently do and this could reduce the spread. Obviously it's more difficult if people spread while asymptomatic but even then just a bit more care can make a difference. For example, not only handshaking but things like buffets lunches are risky in my opinion.

As far as I am concerned, it's not the fact that I am immunosuppressed in itself which is the problem. It's more to do with the fact that the benefit of being immunosuppressed may start to outweigh the risks. That is why I'm keeping a close eye on it personally and why am getting irritated by the lack of information.

@DorritoPaws
Surely the point is the Chinese are not playing it down. Can you imagine the uk being able to shut down London? The Chinese have learnt from SARS and, IMO, doing everything they can to stop the spread. Ironically, many people seem to dislike the actions the Chinese are taking: taking people into compulsory quarantine etc. What is is you want them to do that they are not doing?
I have lived in China for 12 years and am humbled by the actions the Chinese are taking to control the virus: from medical personnel to those working in supermarkets to ensure that supplies are there.

I have lived in China for 12 years and am humbled by the actions the Chinese are taking to control the virus: from medical personnel to those working in supermarkets to ensure that supplies are there.

Me too. I only wish people here would take it more seriously.

The guardian live are reporting that one of the newly confirmed cases is a doctor.

Isn't the man's wife a doctor?

"One of the four new confirmed cases from Brighton – one of the three men – is a doctor who was part of the group that were skiing in the resort near Chamonix with the man who is at the centre of this outbreak, the Guardian understands."

IMO the basics such as hand washing and good personal hygiene are important. I live in China, and hygiene standards are below that in the uk, but have never been really ill and this is because of a few simple measures: was hands when I come home, use hand sanitizer when I am out, don’t touch anything in the loos (squat toilets are the best for this!), cook food properly and be circumspect regarding eating street food and don’t buy meat that other potential customers have been prodding and feeling with their dirty hands!

@woodchuck99
Yes, have to confess that I am becoming increasingly irritated here in Australia with people not washing hands in loos and sneezing without covering their face. I am in danger of looking like a complete nutter and screaming at people: use a tissue, way your hands!!

Yes, I also give anyone who coughs and sneezes a very wide berth. If on the train I just get up and move. I often end up moving several times actually. I'm not sure what will happen if everyone starts to do the same thing. Even if this can spread among asymptomatic people they still probably need to do something to pass on to others such as sharing food so that's best avoided. I never touch a big bowl of crisps which everyone has put their hands into example.

So far, all of the processed test samples (21 of them) for coronavirus at Les Contamines-Montjoie have come back negative. They are waiting for another 25 samples to be processed today.

I'm the same as you woodchuck. I keep my hand gel in my pocket at all times and try not to touch things. If i have to, I use the gel till I can wash my hands.
I always wash them as soon as I get home.
I never buy open food like baked goods that aren't covered in the shop.
Having kids in school though means we still end up ill. My son washes his hands and uses a hand gel there but other children obviously don't.

The man from Brighton who went to Singapore for a conference, then came back via skiing in France and now has Coronavirus has infected 10 other people from what I understand (5 in Uk, 5 in France).

It doesn’t sound like the contamination rate can be correct that each person only infects 3-4 others. Unless he is some kind of super spreader. It’s a lot of people who have caught it directly from him.

His friends must love him! He’s been very generous with it!

I wonder what makes someone a super spreader? Why do some people spread it more easily?

I wonder what makes someone a super spreader? Why do some people spread it more easily?

I imagine the people who spread it more easily have fewer symptoms so are up and about meeting a lot of different people. They are perhaps also less hygienic.