To not understand the coronavirus panic

[YeahWhatevver]

With all the media coverage and social media posts on coronavirus it's hard to really understand why it's so bad.

As I understand it, for most people (and I accept that for those with preexisting conditions it's more worrying) nothing will come of it beyond a respiratory infection.

What am I missing?

Sorry for being ignorant, but what are the 'pre-existing conditions' that make it worse?

@Toria70
You will be pleased to learn that the Chinese implemented new controls from Monday of this week regarding the sale and consumption of wild animals.

Pre-existing conditions
Any lung diseases
Hypertension (high blood pressure, undiagnosed in many people)
Diabetes (undiagnosed in many people)

There are more but I cannot remember them right now.

@NotTerfNorCis

Heart disease or diabetes are the two underlying conditions (that make it worse) I remember offhand, but there were others.

Thankfully, it doesn't seem to have increased impact on pregnant women or children (in fact, likely less from reports thus far).

Lung diseases would include asthma I suppose.

Sorry for being ignorant, but what are the 'pre-existing conditions' that make it worse?

Anything respiratory like asthma or COPD. Heart conditions. Weakened immune system.

If you can find the list of people who are offered the flu jab on the NHS, it's probably broadly the same.

Okay, thanks for the info everyone.

As I'm one of those offered a flu jab, I guess that's me on the vulnerable list.

The misinformation is mind blowing.

As of 27th feb 83,265 were infected and 2858 are dead.

That is a mortality rate of 3.4%

this is NOT GOOD

The R0 (pronounced r nought) varies but some figures are putting it at 4.4 or higher.

I don't want my parents, my pils and other peoples old or poorly loved ones dying.

Also being seriously ill is unpleasant. has OP even been ill?

Do you not have any older people that you love?
Or who have an underlying health issue. This one attacks the lungs struggling to breathe is horrible.

I am not overly concerned I don't think.

But this is different. The rate of infection scares me and obviously the reaction of many govts too.

I am not impressed by UK govt but not impressed with them with anything anyway. Although in fairness to them I am not convinced that other countries may not be overreacting. More because it can't be contained now.

I have started discussing it with my kids though. Things may change for them soon and I want them to understand it. I want my 5 year old to wash his hands properly. If school closes or one of their friends gets infected I don't want them to be scared.

Is it a guarantee that you would catch it if you came into contact with it? So for example family members I live with have had flu/bugs etc and I haven't necessarily caught it when arguably living together would make it impossible to isolate ourselves from spreading germs. So I've assumed I have escaped whatever those bugs were due to my good health at the time, therefore could this be possible with coronavirus? I guess it's too early to tell. Sounds like your recovery from it is linked to your age/health/gender but it doesn't sound like we know if it's a guarantee you would definitely get it. Which therefore makes it very different to flu which is what the panic is about . . . I might get it and recover but the danger is who I pass it onto and so on. Where the incubation period is so long, the spread is hard to track as there are no symptoms during that time. I've often wondered the same about chicken pox, always assumed my kids would get it immediately if in contact with someone that has it, but for ages they avoided it in a nursery with regular cases. I think it's wise to be prepared and consider how you would manage if the govt recommends a period of isolation. Could you survive for 2 weeks + indoors? No harm in be prepared for that eventuality

Talk of plans for a makeshift morgue in Hyde Park.

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-news-live-symptoms-update-china-uk-us-italy-stocks-mask-latest-a9364321.html

@YeahWhatevver

It is because it affects many people mildly, some so mildly that they may not even know they have it that makes it so dangerous.

Many more people catch a cold than the flu, because the flu makes you sick enough to stay in bed and not infect many people, whereas people go to work and school with a cold.

Now, imagine something that spreads as easily as a cold that kills 20 times more than the flu. Does that not worry you?

It is because of the fact that it is very mild in many people that makes it so dangerous.

I'm concerned because of people's attitude. There's a lot of "well I'll be ok" about, but if you have it and it's mild and wander about, you're going possibly then give it to someone who is immunocompromised
People are idiots with stuff like chicken pox already, I can't see this being any different. Such as the woman that sat in a busy doctors surgery and announced after about ten mins that she had chicken pox. I was raging and reception weren't best pleased either
I just think some people will be very oh it's fine about it all without realising that immunocompromised people aren't all locked up in a giant complex together sadly, maybe we could build one with extra hand gel

I am asthmatic. The idea of being separated from my very young children either for isolation or if I needed hospitalisation, absolutely breaks my heart.

My mum, dad, sister and step dad would all be very much at risk if they caught it. As would my husband's grandparents.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not panicking and going about my life as usual. I'm just making sure I'm eating well and maintaining a healthy lifestyle so if I do catch it, I've got a better chance at a smooth recovery

So far 1 British person has died from it. Every day thousands of people in the U.K. die from cancer, heart disease, sepsis, old age, diabetes, accidents, suicide etc but none of them make the front page and there's no mass hysteria over the thousands that die on a daily basis from all other issues! Crazy media over reaction!

So far 1 British person has died from it.

Yeah, so far. And if the medical experts thought it was going to stay in low figures I'm sure they wouldn't be taking these serious precautions.

There was a more or less episode on the stats on R4 it was very interesting, it's on the website and app as a podcast. It's also incredibly difficult to ascertain the mortality rate as a large number of people will suffer it so mildly they won't seek treatment and thus won't be counted in the statistics

Pre-existing conditions, for those who want to know, tend to be chronic diseases that affect vital organs like heart, lungs, kidneys, liver etc. Often people with these illnesses are taking meds that affect their immunity so they tend to throw off infections with greater difficulty. That could be some common (but potentially serious) like asthma or heart disease and it could somebody who’s on anti-rejection meds after a transplant. People who are on chemo as cancer treatment are also at greater risk if they can’t throw off an infection easily. Generally the people who are dying or becoming seriously ill from this virus are developing pneumonia which causes a strain on vital organs like heart and lungs.

Other groups at increased risk include older people (the immune system is less affective as we age) - that’s often regarded as over 70s. Obviously some older people are very fit and healthy. Small children and babies - smaller breathing tubes etc

The mortality rate figures are misleading. Far more people will have been infected by it than those officially recognised. It is serious but nothing to loose sleep over.

I’m scared, I’m a A Single parent and was due to take My kids to too see their dad in an affected country

So on a personal level it worries me , and there is NO WAY the NHS can cope if it
Spreads here like in italy

And on a global level ...
Well it’s looking like a global depression is Highly viable

The only business that is OK is the one that makes the masks and hazmat suits . Fuck , DuPont are running extra manufacturing shifts

Agreed that mortality rates are misleading and more likely to be nearer those of flu. However, the speed and ease of transmission is the worry.

Having previously had a stroke seems to make people particularly vulnerable.

And a sensible bit of prepping isn’t panicking, it’s the opposite. It would be great if we don’t need to utilise the preparations we’ve put in place as individuals, institutions and governmentally but we would look foolish if it was needed and we were totally unprepared.

There’s plenty of fit, young, previously healthy people who have died. The 23yo female Iranian football player for one.

Hospitals won’t have beds for all who need it so don’t assume you can rely on medical treatment.

Death rate is 7% when you only take into account concluded cases, so either died or recovered. It’s far more contagious than flu.

@newbingepisodes Yes they do, because everyone dies eventually. But most of us die of things when we are old. I am 50 and not yet ready to die. If I die in my 80s of any of those conditions you have listed fine. I know I am not immortal. But the coronavirus includes a lot of extra deaths that would not have happened yet.

Also economically the leisure industry is huge in Britain. Eating out, cafes, etc. Even if we don't get a close down, if we get enough cases and deaths to really scare people, our economy will be majorly affected.

And do you really think China acted the way it did for fun?