Coronavirus thread 13

[KenAdams]

Previous thread here.

We are using Worldometer, BDO and Dr John Campbell videos as part of the discussions.

@Springinsight only because of children's natural behaviours and habits. They touch so much. So for example, we did hand washing when we got off the coach and in the place of our trip, and they touched hand rails. Then their faces etc.
Don't get me wrong, I am enforcing it and taking it seriously, it just seems futile with younger children.

handwashing is one of the recommendations from the health dept - just not the only one.

What are the others please @BigChocFrenzy

@TheFormidableMrsC I'm due at that same RAH event on Sunday. Whilst it would be very sad to see it cancelled after all the work that's gone into it, I admit to being surprised it's currently billed as going ahead. But then, it's 3 days away, and in the current climate, a lot can change in 3 days.

Furfock same here (see my post re aunt)
My mother laughs it off and goes back to smoking 20 a day,
My father says it's going to take more than handwashing.
And FIL, 83, who had triple heart bypass and recently returned from.a cruise and will be planning his next, thinks we are "snowflakes"

At work there's lots of jokes "it's the flu" and I feel like I'm the only one...

Lumene, I was about to ask BigChoc the same thing!

On Tuesday DH's company sent an email round telling everyone to take their laptops home every night just in case they need to work from home. For the third night running DH has made an excuse not to bring it. It's really not helping with my anxiety, mostly because I know how high his anxiety will be if the office is closed for a deep clean & he hasn't followed instructions & can't do his work. He says he'll bring it back at the weekend...

I'm not even that concerned about the virus - we're all normally fairly healthy & have a stock of supplies so we'd be fine if we had to isolate, it's just that I can't cope with DH not following the rules!

“ My mother laughs it off and goes back to smoking 20 a day,”

Doesn’t smoking kill off a lot of bugs?

I can’t resort to this, I’m asthmatic!

A major sporting event in Newcastle has been cancelled this weekend, involving hundreds of children. Cancelled by the university (venue) rather than the sport organisers.

Glad to hear that but I'd see it as even mote essential to simply do it more?

I have young dc I see it myself.. Also nail biter. I simply get her to wash hands more.

I can't do that when she's at school.

I trust the school too. But I have lost faith in our school anyway.

who the fuck is this chief medical officer, who does he meet with?

Christopher John MacRae Whitty CB FRCP FFPH FMedSci (born 21 April 1966) is a British physician and epidemiologist, who is Chief Medical Officer for England (CMO), Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government, Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) at the Department of Health and Social Care and head of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).[2][1]

Chris Whitty
CB FRCP FFPH FMedSci
S465 chris-whitty-gov.jpg
Chief Medical Officer for England
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 2019
Preceded by
Sally Davies
Personal details
Born
Christopher John MacRae Whitty
21 April 1966 (age 53)
Malvern College [Pembroke College, Oxford]
Profession
Physician and epidemiologist
Website
www.gov.uk/government/people/christopher-whitty
Whitty is a practising NHS Consultant Physician at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, and Gresham Professor of Physic at Gresham College. He was educated at Malvern College.

Until becoming CMO he was Professor of Public and International Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Public lectures outlining his views on tackling current challenges in medicine and public health include Gresham lectures and the Harveian Oration at the Royal College of Physicians. He has held various roles in government including:[3]

2009–2015: Chief Scientific Adviser and director of research for the Department for International Development[2] (DFID)
2016–2019: Chief Scientific Adviser and head of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Department of Health and Social Care[1]
2017–2018: Interim Government Chief Scientific Adviser and head of the science and engineering profession in government[1]
His early career was as an NHS doctor, at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and as an epidemiologist and clinician in Africa and Asia working on infectious diseases, in particular malaria.

there are several measures everyone can take apart from hand washing

@middleager I give up. I’ve said I’ve warned them, I feel angry about it being dismissed as some sort of nonsense and that I’m just too ‘worried’. I’m not worried, I’m calm, the Governmwnr have said exactly what’s going to happen and it’s going to be a total shit show. My DS is a teacher and she says she’ll work until the Government say otherwise ... and they’re not going to send teachers home until the very last minute. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

On the up side (apart from the fact they're probably ineffective) my face masks arrived today, when I was told it would be 23rd March.
Unfortunately, dh and the dcs, on current form, will point blank refuse to wear them.

And FIL, 83, who had triple heart bypass and recently returned from.a cruise and will be planning his next, thinks we are "snowflakes"

It's unlike me, but just for a fleeting moment, I read this and felt a tiny stab of envy, to have this mindset.

"In the 2nd world war, we had Bletchley Park set up to crack the Enigma Code"

Not for school closure, but there is a new international initiative to prepare for / prevent future epidemics, clearly needed:

https://fortune.com/2017/01/19/epidemics-bill-gates-ebola-davos-cepi/

A new coalition to prevent epidemics was launched Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos,
with the aim of creating vaccines and other measures to preclude the spread of infectious disease.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), backed by the governments of Germany, Japan and Norway with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
will commit an initial $460 million to “outsmart epidemics,”

@Springinsight definitely nail biting. And as soon as I see any of mine with a finger up their nose, off they go to wash their hands! This is what I mean, it's a constant thing. I feel that with the best will in the world, I can't stop germs. But I have responsibility to look after children and I'll continue to do it.
On a lighter note, it's particularly nice to see little boys wash their hands so much! Haha

Whilst it's good news that children appear to be relatively unaffected, or mildly so, isn't it also interesting that, what with them being "super-spreaders," we teachers are fucked. But who cares about that, so long as childcare for other workers is safe-guarded?

*“ My mother laughs it off and goes back to smoking 20 a day,”

Doesn’t smoking kill off a lot of bugs?

I can’t resort to this, I’m asthmatic!*

Well it might explain why she's doing so well for 73 generally...the vodka probably staves it off (think Patsy from AbFab)

Mentioned the smoking bit because I worry it also puts her at risk.

We have no additional soap in school. I've taken in my own supplies and they're virtually gone after 2 days.
Now what?

I'm not being funny but I've had the worst flu of my life this week. I have a really bad sore throat, have been bedridden with aches and pains, no runny nose and a tight chest (though only a mild cough).

I keep fluctuating between thinking I'm being ridiculously over dramatic to take another week of work and thinking I'm being really selfish to even contemplate it.

I haven't been to any of the hot spots or been in contact with anyone confirmed with the virus. But I probably come into close contact with about 150 people a week through my job.
In an ideal world I'd be able to get a test and have it done with, but I feel really infantilised by the system.

@nellodee You are scaremongering. South Korea and Italy haven't seen cases double every two days. Why on earth would the UK grow at a rate higher than any other country? That's insane.

That's got to be an incredible project to work on, BCF.

@fedup21 yes meanwhile they're getting sicker. Maybe they'll be tested if they end up admitted? This is a scandal and the press need to do their job here. My heart goes out to GPs left in the lurch here too.

Middle - I can drink! Alcohol won’t just save my hands 😂