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?

I think there would be a very slim chance of that. I am sure they would just tell you to follow the guidelines already released.

What I'm talking about is not allowing anyone to come here from China unless they live here and/or have a British passport in which case they need to be quarantined on arrival.

Drs and nurses in China are striking because they are still allowing visitors from China. They have had one death there already. They have also had a death in the Philippines. This is despite the fact that hardly anyone in those countries has been infected and they have good healthcare.

China Hong Kong!

Please be aware that the 'coronavirus' is a group of viruses. MERS and SARS were also a type of coronavirus. Look on the back of a bottle of Dettol and you'll see 'coronavirus' written there, its not a new thing.

SARS had a higher mortality rate, but this strain is more infectious. I dont think theres anything to worry about particularly.

And you could get run over by a bus or car or fall down the stairs today, tomorrow, etc. and die from the injuries. Is that something to worry about as well?

You do take sensible precautions though. You look out for busses, you cross on traffic lights, you look where you step when you do the stairs. So while you might not see this as the same sort of worry, you are conditioned to be careful.

Nope not at all

Please be aware that the 'coronavirus' is a group of viruses. MERS and SARS were also a type of coronavirus. Look on the back of a bottle of Dettol and you'll see 'coronavirus' written there, its not a new thing.

People are aware. What makes you think they aren't?

SARS had a higher mortality rate, but this strain is more infectious. I dont think theres anything to worry about particularly.

I don't get your rationale there. If something has a 3% mortality rate rather than 10% but is much more infectious it can potentially kill ALOT more people. In fact there have already been more deaths and this will continue to rise.

I’m worried about it. China has a history of lying about the severity of illnesses. Every year they under-report deaths from seasonal flu. They kept the SARS outbreak a secret for six months. I don’t think they’re telling the truth about the number of people infected or the mortality rate. Some experts have suggested the published figures need to be multiplied by ten. I certainly don’t think they’d have responded on this scale if it wasn’t serious.

Even developed countries are pushed to their limits with the flu every year. Because it's only during part of the time and they allocate resources based on average requirements taking into account known extra needs.
Now double the number of patients requiring hospitalisation than the annual flu at the same time. Plus these patients probably have pneumonia. No vaccine and hardly any immunity in the general population.

Well I'm certainly not going to a Chinese restaurant while people from China who are potentially infected still visiting. If they close the borders I would think differently. The current policies are really not doing the Chinese people who are living in this country any favours.

Do you really think that Chinese people who may have travelled from China in recent weeks do not work in restaurants that are not Chinese?

We really haven't moved on much since the Middle Ages. Xenophobia is rife in the UK in 2020.

Well I'm certainly not going to a Chinese restaurant while people from China who are potentially infected still visiting.

So if there is a Chinese person in your local Coop or McDonalds, should that be avoided too?

There are also many non Chinese people who travel to and from China. They walk among us.

Do you really think that Chinese people who may have travelled from China in recent weeks do not work in restaurants that are not Chinese?

Do you really not think that a higher proportion of workers in Chinese restaurants are Chinese compared with other restaurants? That would mean the risk is a lot higher. There are only a few Chinese restaurants near me and whilst I haven't seen all the kitchen staff most of the waitresses/waiters are Chinese. That's not the case in other restaurants at all.

We really haven't moved on much since the Middle Ages. Xenophobia is rife in the UK in 2020.

Considering that so far all almost all cases of virus have been in people who are Chinese and have visited China recently how is it xenophobic to try and avoid close contact with those who are more likely to have visited China recently?

They have also had a death in the Philippines

The death in the Philippines was a Chinese national. The news has skimmed over this bit to be a bit more alarmist.

People are aware. What makes you think they aren't?

I dont think its a widely known fact. We have people coming into A+E (where I work) who complain of showing symptoms of this strain of the virus. I explain this to them to add a bit of context and nobody so far has known. Similarly, none of them were that concerned about MERS or SARS. FYI - nobody has tested positive for it (yet - i'd never rule it out).

I don't get your rationale there. If something has a 3% mortality rate rather than 10% but is much more infectious it can potentially kill ALOT more people. In fact there have already been more deaths and this will continue to rise.

Comparative disease progression is measured on a 'like for like' basis. So at this point in the SARS outbreak there were more deaths than there are in this outbreak. Equally, just because something is infectious doesn't mean it'll kill you. The common cold, for example, is very infectious, but very few people die from it.

There are also many non Chinese people who travel to and from China. They walk among us.

Obviously, but there is a higher chance that someone who is Chinese has visited China recently compared with someone who isn't. Calling it xenophobic to realise that is pathetic.

Obviously, but there is a higher chance that someone who is Chinese has visited China recently compared with someone who isn't.

Ooo! Tell you what, why not avoid anyone who looks Chinese then.

Comparative disease progression is measured on a 'like for like' basis. So at this point in the SARS outbreak there were more deaths than there are in this outbreak.

There are already more deaths in this outbreak then there were from SARS altogether.

Equally, just because something is infectious doesn't mean it'll kill you. The common cold, for example, is very infectious, but very few people die from it.

Obviously, but this isn't a cold and the death rate has been estimated to be 3%.

There are only a few Chinese restaurants near me and whilst I haven't seen all the kitchen staff most of the waitresses/waiters are Chinese.
Some many of them may not ever have been to China or not in recent months Are you planning to cross the road whenever you see someone you think may be Chinese

Considering that so far all almost all cases of virus have been in people who are Chinese and have visited China recently how is it xenophobic to try and avoid close contact with those who are more likely to have visited China recently?

Chinese people does not = people who have travelled to China recently or ever. Children with Chinese heritage in schools up and down the country are already experiencing ignorant and hurtful comments about them having NCV from other dc.

Anyone may have travelled to China, whatever their ethnicity.

Ooo! Tell you what, why not avoid anyone who looks Chinese then.

I haven't said I will avoid people who look Chinese. I have said I will avoid eating in Chinese restaurants because they are likely to be Chinese and they may have visited China recently.

People are aware. What makes you think they aren't?

I wasn't. Thanks for the info Letsallscreamatthesistene.

Obviously, but this isn't a cold and the death rate has been estimated to be 3%.

Obviously its not a cold. I was using that example to make a point. I think you're being deliberately obtuse here. My point still stands though, just because something is very infectious doesn't mean its more likely to kill you.

There are already more deaths in this outbreak then there were from SARS altogether.

Id be interested to know where you've got this from? Genuinely happy to be proved wrong.

Chinese people does not = people who have travelled to China recently or ever.

So you are saying that people who are Chinese are no more likely to visit China then anyone else? Don't be ridiculous.

Children with Chinese heritage in schools up and down the country are already experiencing ignorant and hurtful comments about them having NCV from other dc

Extrapolating the fact that I am trying to avoid being infected to those making hurtful comments to Chinese children in schools is ridiculous.

Id be interested to know where you've got this from? Genuinely happy to be proved wrong.

Perhaps you should rethink that comment unless you are genuinely be happy if the death toll from this virus is higher than SARS.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/03/coronavirus-dozens-more-deaths-chinese-province-centre-outbreak-hubei

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/03/coronavirus-dozens-more-deaths-chinese-province-centre-outbreak-hubei this link says more deaths from Corona than SARS now

Cross post woodchuck