Coronavirus - sick and tired of the hysterical scaremongering

[Ashtower]

I work in an office and I've overheard a number of people blowing the outbreak all out of proportion. One colleague has ordered facemasks off Amazon - we're in SE England ffs. I wish people would educate themselves (from reputable sources) and stop winding everyone up.

Of course, a healthy amount of caution is important but it's made me aware of how mass hysteria ie witch trials occurred in the past. Just takes one ignorant person with a massive mouth (yes I'm talking about you Sue in budgeting).

As I said on the active thread started yesterday:

"Well there's now 5 patients who are currently being tested in Scotland, so as an immunocompromised person I'm as cautious with this illness as I am with any other..."

But yabVu for starting a new thread on the topic when, as I said, there is an active thread started yesterday...

It’s the same as any pandemic. I remember swine and bird flu being the same, I was never bothered about those either.

It is better to be safe than sorry I guess. Is your colleague causing harm by wearing a face mask?
You may think it is OTT but people have died. Have some respect and don't belittle it.

Retro - surely anyone can start any thread about whatever they like

Im a conspiracy theorists I’m more worried about the news they are burying

I haven't come across any hysterical scaremongering, not even on the fail.

Wearing a facemask is pointless though, that would irk me. Look at the people being interviewed in China, they take them off to talk which kind of renders them completely pointless.

It’s in the news and some people are more prone to panic and anxiety than others. And some people are just natural drama llamas. Usually if you just respond calmly with some facts, other level-headed people will follow suit.

It’s a bit like the occasional mad panic over false widow spiders taking over the UK, where people will tell you all about their cousin’s brother-in-law who had to be “blue-lighted” to hospital after being bitten by one and how they read that two people have died from them. Point out that several hundred people a year are hospitalised and an average of five die after bee stings but we aren’t all panicking about bees, and they quieten down.

I did have to roll my eyes at a headline yesterday that was something like " rRisk of transmission to the UK more likely ", yes it was upgraded from very low to low! Hardly the same thing.

I do think if you are immunocompromised I can understand being nervous but not quite ready to panic yet

You may think it is OTT but people have died

People can and do die from the bog standard ordinary flu virus. I don't see the same OTT reactions to that.

@Retroflex if you dont like the thread, just move on. You are not obligated to click and read.

I agree with you OP.

Of the patients being tested for the virus, does anyone know how many are positive? Genuine question as the all ive seen in the media is that people are being tested.

I work in A+E in a big hospital. We have a coronavirus action plan. We've tested two people who have met the criteria for the illness. Neither one of them were positive (they were positive for standard flu).

I agree that people's anxiety is triggered due to over-hyped media reporting.

Just remind them that face masks are worn by those that are infected to reduce transmission to others, they have no effectiveness at preventing infection. Then ask them if they're alright, because they're looking a bit peaky.

@Vulpine and @letsallscream

Yes,people can start threads, and I can voice my opinion... If you don't like it, don't feel obliged to read and comment?

Given the choice, I prefer the drama llama response to the blasé and callous one that goes 'only the old and the sick will die' - oh that's alright then, disaster averted - fuckers.

I am not worried on a personal level, and I note the relatively low mortality, but the reports (China building a hospital in 5 days for this, 14 cities shut down) suggest to me that it isn't the mortality rate that is the issue here (assuming that isn't being understated by China) but the number of people needing medical treatment. I would think the last thing the NHS needs is a major influx of sick people, maybe needing ITU beds, putting pressure on availability of services for people with other illnesses. So that concerns me.

@Polly99

I agree the nhs probably wouldn’t be able to cope on the back of a normal flu season

At least it’s stopped people mass panicking about Brexit.
However YANBU it still has a low rate mortality. It’s hardly Ebola.

I'm personally keeping an eye on the news reports, not due to panic or hysteria but my DS has underlined issues with his lungs so any info on flu outbreaks are kept an eye on.
However, DD tried to get out of school today with a cough on the pretext of seeing the news about the outbreak and said she may have it. I gave her 10/10 for being interested in the news, and 0/10 for using it to get out of school. She was given a strepsil and sent on her way

I think YABU. Yes it’s got a low mortality now, however viruses can mutate quickly and as it’s a virus for which there is no treatment, it could very quickly become a new Ebola. China has a poor record of disclosing the seriousness of new epidemics, and there are many reasons to believe the number of people who are affected is much higher than the figures being reported.

As for wearing face masks, there are many studies that show that they are effective if paired with good hand washing routine. In fact, they can reduce the spread of the flu virus (also airborne) by 75%.

But then again, I live in Asia where wearing face masks is pretty normal.

You also need to consider the population density in Asia. We are daily in contact with hundreds of people on the streets, buses etc. People tend to live in high rise buildings. Viruses can spread very quickly in that environment.

There is also the fact that the virus does not have easily recognisable early symptoms, such as a fever. This means it’s very difficult to isolate people who are carrying it.

You got more chance of having a cow drop on your head than dying from it. Don't forget to get your flu jab tho.

I can die from the flu. Or a sickness bug. So I wear face masks all over the place.

Maybe your colleague has illnesses you don’t know about?

An excellent prog on radio 4 last night discussing all things about this virus. One of the doctors said that in uk flu and the return of measles and polio were of greater concern and that we should take up available vaccine of all three when offered. There was much praise for the way china has rapidly responded and communicated. It is not a pandemic. And also nothing like Ebola which was in a country unable to respond to the health needs as china can

People should be more frightened of measles..

Yes, measles, polio and the flu all present potentially greater risk, but the big difference is that there is no treatment, no vaccine, and no human immunity against nCov-19. It’s a virus that first appeared in a human population 3 weeks ago, and has already killed 26 people.

I would be tempted to mention my friend Yu Yang who I was with last night, and has just come back from China. And then mention later that I think I am developing a cold.

One woman has bought masks and that equals hysterical scaremongering in your world?