Coronavirus (Covid19) Corner

[Stanley]

I like the sign outside the hospital. I shall thank them personally if my cystoscopy is still on at Airedale.
Susan reported a strange thing happening in Earby, doubt if it is the pandemic that's causing it but it will affect people who only have a landline, often the case with old folks. There is a widespread problem of people having no ring tone and their phones being useless. Funny thing is that whatever the fault is it doesn't affect internet connection. Susan spoke to BT (40 minute wait to get connected) and they say it is 'widespread and we are working on it'.

[Marilyn]

This cracked me up...

[Stanley]

Unfortunately there will be many who will be near that level when it comes to keeping busy. Not everyone is a self-starter.

[Wendyf]

The company my son works for hasn't closed yet, they produce satellite receivers for Sky, so not exactly essential. He has no alternative but to keep going work and is getting quite worried.

[Marilyn]

My son is a metropolitan train driver. He is still at work until all staff are ordered home to quarantine. ( he loves his job, his dear old dog is on her very last legs, and he would rather be alone at home sharing her last days than having to leave her each day and come home to find her dead.)

[Stanley]

I Understand both of you and what follows will give an idea of the way I am thinking.
I have just heard an emergency care doctor on BBC Today. She was reporting real time on her shift last night. She admits that what she is seeing makes her afraid. She can see the pressures building. Most worrying she says that the majority of confirmed and suspected cases of Covid19 infection are young, previously fit people. In her opinion it signals that there is a possibility that young people are no more resistant to the virus than old ones, it's just the outcomes that are different. She can see a situation arising immediately of there not being enough ventilators. Of course what she is reporting on could be because young people are not being as strict on keeping their distance.
I have given it some thought, my treatment tomorrow is not immunotherapy but just assessment. Going on my last assessment, nothing has changed and I don't expect anything other than another clear result. That being the case I have weighed up the odds and am going to cancel on the grounds I am self-isolating (which is quite true of course) and I am not comfortable with exposing myself in transport and in the hospital to an increased chance of contact. My only concern is that by doing this I do not flag up as a 'difficult' client.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the forest, all Jury trials are cancelled until further notice.
All rail franchises are cancelled and the companies put on a management fee only, again until further notice.
Pressure overall is building for London to be locked down and it's beginning to look likely this could be extended further.
The situation is moving very fast and we can expect announcements like these at any time outside the 3 podium show.

[Marilyn]

I can’t help feeling my anxiety rise.
I have banned any news in our house past 7pm. Otherwise I have trouble sleeping.
I get saturated enough during the day.

[Stanley]

I took advice from the endoscopy unit and they agree it's better to cancel and for me to stay at home. They will reschedule if and when the situation eases.

[Marilyn]

Best thing to do. I wouldn’t go anywhere near a hospital just now, or for the next 6 months.

[Cathy]

Just had my last ‘in person’ visit with my daughter, for quite awhile, didn’t kiss and hug,
She’s working from home, and self isolating as much as possible, I’m the same but not working.
The new norm .

Between us we have managed to get about 1 months worth of cat food and litter together, so that’s a good thing.

The other day Supermarket customers were advised to use their trolley as a distance guide and to follow floor markings at checkouts for social distancing. Today our Woollies supermarkets said they will be installing plexiglass screens in all stores at checkouts to help safeguard team members and customers.

[Tripps]

Interview on Sky news last night with the Mayor of Bergamo in Lombardy, which is the epicentre of the virus in Italy says he has two daughters being educated in England at Taunton and Canterbury, and he is getting them to return home, because he thinks they will be safer there. Bergamo is on total lockdown - people only leaving their home for food and funerals. He says the measures being taken in UK are totally inadequate.

[Tizer]

His daughter in Taunton would be better off staying here and living in the college if that's possible, rather than travelling back to Italy. So far there aren't many confirmed cases in Somerset and there's plenty of opportunity to go outside without being near other folk. We live near a college and have many foreign as well as British students here. I can't understand why he'd think they were safer in Bergamot compared with Taunton!

Stanley, that's sensible and I'm sure they will appreciate you having suggested it yourself. I've seen reports of people in Britain in their 30s and 40s now ending up in hospital seriously ill from Covid-19 and some of them are doctors and nurses. China was right when he told us weeks ago not to believe what we'd heard then and they were finding the virus more dangerous than expected.

This 2-minute video is worth watching...
`Coronavirus: More myths to ignore'
`Holding your breath and drinking cow urine? Reality Check's Chris Morris busts more health myths about Covid-19 being shared online.' LINK


Here's something for Chinatyke...

And what I want to know is what happened (law wise) to those that killed and sold the animals in the markets that caused all this in the first place? Does anyone know?

Perhaps Chinatyke knows!
I'd also like to hear him tell us whether the Chinese people believe their leaders who have been claiming that the covid virus was brought to China by American soldiers last year (Trump must have suffered apoplexy when he heard that. He probably went `apocalyptic'! )

...Where did that story arise quoting Chinese leaders? Don't believe all the things you read on the Internet or Sun newspaper!

I found the copy of the The Times and here's the story, China...



Iran is mentioned in that article and we're not getting much information from there except that it's bad. Here is probably the best information we can get. It's from BBC Persia experts...
`Is Iran covering up its outbreak?' LINK

[Wendyf]

My son has just let me know that someone has reported in with possible symptoms so they are closing the factory for 7 days and he is to self isolate for that length of time. I have suggested that he spends the time cleaning!!

[Cathy]

One of my concerns are those that work on the ‘front line services’ eg health workers, that have children, especially single parents- if they catch the virus and then have to self isolate, the children are sent to grandparents, Grandparents are vulnerable. Round and round it goes.

[PanBiker]

I have put this glitter analogy up in another thread but it's worth putting it here as well.

Glitter.JPG

Both our kids Carla and Jack are still working as is Jacks girlfriend Jemma. All in the education sector covering for key workers kids. Glusburn CPS where Carla works is working on a rota of three days on two days off. They are seeing how it pans out and how many kids they have to cater for. Jack is providing technical support for the schools on his remit that are still open, mainly SEN establishments. Some support can be done remotely but not all.

[Tripps]

First thought - why say glitter when virus would do?

I've just read something which has caused me to be distressed and frightened. I won't link to it.
I hope it's not true. I'm going now - in order to rethink everything.

[PanBiker]

They use glitter as an example because of it's resilience to cleaning. Anyone who has worked with glitter would attest to the fact that it is extremely hard to clean it up. You can also see glitter but you cant see a virus.

[chinatyke]

Thanks, Tiz. I'll just keep an open mind whilst the blame game is running. Who knows what caused it? I'm in a country in which I want to remain so I dare not say anything controversial and you know that isn't like me!

[Tizer]

China, the security people over there probably don't understand your Northern England sense of humour so you're safe. Come to think of it, most of the UK security people wouldn't understand it these days - they're probably all foreign.

Some observations. We stopped at the Tesco Express on our walk and Mrs Tiz went in to get milk. The only milk was full-fat. That suits us and it might be better for other people too, especially at the moment!

Some shoppers have been making a fuss in the supermarkets because there are no eggs. This is an example of how little many people understand the origins of their food. You can't simply rack up the supply of eggs overnight - they come from chickens, don't ya know! If you want to increase the supply of eggs you have to breed more chickens and grow them to maturity.

I've just read something which has caused me to be distressed and frightened. I won't link to it.
I hope it's not true. I'm going now - in order to rethink everything.

Perhaps it would be better to discuss it here, Tripps. I assume it is to do with the virus. Are you worried about further lockdown measures? Or public behaviour, perhaps?

[Big Kev]

The 5pm Downing Street briefing is not happening today because of a COBRA meeting. I suspect lockdown is imminent, based on the recent behaviour of idiots I don't think there's much else they can do really.

[Marilyn]

I think I know what Trippy doesn’t want to say..
( is it about who/who isn’t going to be considered for care? Blanket rule - don’t bother going to hospital.)

[Big Kev]

The 5pm Downing Street briefing is not happening today because of a COBRA meeting. I suspect lockdown is imminent, based on the recent behaviour of idiots I don't think there's much else they can do really.

We're locked down now, it needed to be done.

[plaques]

A list of measures.

Here are the major points of his speech:

From tonight, people in Britain will be allowed to leave their homes for only “very limited purposes” - shopping for basic necessities; for one form of exercise a day; for any medical need; and to travel to and from work when “absolutely necessary”
People are warned not to meet friends or family members who they do not live with
Shopping is only permitted for essentials like food and medicine, and people are advised to do it “as little as you can”
Police have powers to enforce the rules, including through fines and dispersing gatherings
All shops selling non-essential goods, such as clothing and electronic stores, are ordered to close
Libraries, playgrounds, outdoor gyms and places of worship are to close
All gatherings of more than two people in public - excluding people you live with - are banned
All social events, including weddings and baptisms are banned
Funerals are not included in the new restrictions
Parks will remain open for exercise but gatherings will be dispersed
Restrictions “under constant review” and will be checked again in three weeks. They will be relaxed “if the evidence shows we are able to”

[chinatyke]

I think I know what Trippy doesn’t want to say..
( is it about who/who isn’t going to be considered for care? Blanket rule - don’t bother going to hospital.)

I'll say it, high risk cases excluded from intensive care. Is that right, Tripps?
My eldest daughter works for the NHS in Cumbria in the community. She was told by a colleague that people like her with COPD will not receive ICU care because the prognosis is poor. She is not being provided with the correct PPE and so is already working under a death threat. What a dreadful way to treat your staff. What happened to the employer's Duty of Care?
I hope it doesn't get to that stage where the NHS is overwhelmed and care is rationed and restricted to the selected ones.

[Marilyn]

...and weight limits may even apply. It is terribly difficult taking care of large people on ventilators. Even though they may be young, I can see weight limits becoming a factor. Even a young persons disability may be a factor...
( grim thoughts)