It seems that cases in other countries increasing massively, but not here...?

[fedup21]

Is that correct and if so, why?

If it‘a not true, is it just because it’s very early days?

I was looking at the stats someone posted about how quickly it was increasing in Italy and it doesn’t seem to be following the same pattern here?

Give it a few weeks

One reason is that NHS 111 are currently not testing anyone who hasn't been in an infected area overseas or been in direct contact with anyone who has tested positive. (Which, as the number is only 40, means that there won't be many people who will have knowingly been in contact with them.) There have also been people who tested negative initially who will test positively later.

It's also the season for winter viruses so people who have only mild symptoms won't get themselves tested.

Give it time.

The Italy outbreak erupted from nowhere.

I imagine not having to pay for treatment makes a difference

Healthcare is also free for Japanese, Chinese, South Korean and Italian citizens in their countries. Didn't seem to make much difference to them so far.

Dear @NousernameformeNousernameforme. I know this was the advice you were given By 111 but if you go to your GP and your son turns out to be infected, you risk having infected all the people you came into contact with along the way, including all the people in the studio, patients, doctors, nurses, receptionists etc. They will have to close the studio as a possible source of contamination too, etc., etc. so it would be better to telephone your doctor first to see what protocol they have in place. 😘

I agree on the tissue thing. There are probably lots of old ‘etiquette’ things that we are forgetting but protected us from spreading infections

• carry a handkerchief and use it
• don’t spit in the street
• don’t eat on the train/bus
• don’t put your outdoor clothes on your bed
• if you are ill stay off school/work (and receive sick pay!) until you are better

Although to be fair I’m not sure how well followed these were in the past - there were probably more spitters when there were more smokers! But my point is we shouldn’t just dismiss all those things our parents/grandparents taught us as old fashioned and pointless.

Surely you'd be better off sniffing rather than blowing your nose? A paper tissue doesn't protect your hands, you might as well just snot direct into your hands from a germ pov. Fair enough if you effectively hand gel your hands immediately afterwards but I find it a bit grim to be blowing your nose while out and about.

Most people don't clean their hands afterwards and if they do not for long enough.

If people stopped spitting that would be a major silver lining. Though whoever used to do it near me must have moved, as I've not noticed it for a while.

This is a video demonstrating how to wash your hands thoroughly.

Thanks for that, MC50! He's great. By far the clearest amd most concise info so far.

@MC50 don't worry I have no intention of taking him anywhere unless its absolutely necessary.

Even then i would phone in advance to make sure we could be isolated.
He was a fair bit improved for a lot of today but dipped this evening when his temp came up but that's normal for him when he gets ill.

I have a question kind of linking to this.....

Bearing in mind poverty levels, poor access to healthcare and overcrowded living conditions, I’m a little surprised to not see soaring numbers in places like India, Pakistan. Perhaps there’s less international travel? I would have expected it to be horrific there, moving very fast.

Please don’t think I was suggesting you were being too hasty in taking your son straight to the surgery, it’s just that since this whole thing exploded over here I have seen such a lot of misinformation and bad advice given by certain professionals all over the world that it’s difficult to imagine why their logic didn’t kick in sooner... Perhaps that’s what their protocol foresaw, but there comes a time when intelligence has to prevail.

That is indeed a worry, especially seeing as they have to pay for medical treatment. Dr. Campbell has mentioned it many times.

I remember as a child in England there used to be notices up in the street saying that spitting was prohibited, just as there were signs on the backs of public toilet doors saying Now Wash Your Hands...

@picklemewalnuts - Watch his other videos. If there are any nurses or trainee nurses among you, go to his page on YouTube as he has many teaching videos on there which are extremely interesting even if you’re not training to be a nurse (🤣)