Coronavirus.

[WestCoast]

Self-responsibility counts. It's very basic rules, nevertheless very important ones:

• Wash your hands throughly
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your arm
• Stay at home if you have fever and/or a cough

Don't expect the government to do this for you.

Agreed! The amount of people who don't seem to make any effort to cover their coughes and sneezes always astounds me, it's basic manners.

 

[HOOVER29]

I don't think 80% is outlandish. I suspect very near 100% of people get a common cold each winter, for example.

indeed, I had something last week that put me in bed for 4 days.
Off my food, the lot. Cough cold fever & aches.
Work still shafted me though.
Do I care? Not a jot.
If you are bad you are bad.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

A thought: the elderly are the ones most at risk of this, but the Government's idea of dealing with it is to recall retired doctors...?

 

[ninja-lewis]

A thought: the elderly are the ones most at risk of this, but the Government's idea of dealing with it is to recall retired doctors...?

Medical staff are at the greatest risk in a disease epidemic. We can't afford to risk too many current NHS staff because we will need a functioning health system afterwards. The effects of large numbers of losing young trained staff will last for a generation.

Worst case, retired medics would serve the same role as the Home Guard had an invasion happened: create time and space for the regulars to regroup, not just for this battle but all future ones.

 

[Busaholic]

A thought: the elderly are the ones most at risk of this, but the Government's idea of dealing with it is to recall retired doctors...?

That'll cut down on pension pay-outs....

 

[ld0595]

First case has been confirmed in Scotland (Tayside)

The first case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Scotland after a patient was diagnosed having recently travelled from Italy, the government has said.

The patient, from the Tayside area, tested positive and is receiving treatment in isolation in hospital.

Details of people they have been in contact with since returning to the UK are being gathered.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "Scotland is well prepared for a significant outbreak."

The total number of cases that have been diagnosed in the UK is 36.

Health bosses said Scotland is "well equipped to deal with infections of this kind".

Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said: "We have a proven track record of dealing with challenging health issues, and have been preparing for this possibility since the beginning of the outbreak in Wuhan.

"This is peak season for respiratory and flu-like illness."

"There will be people presenting with symptoms of acute respiratory illness but these cases are highly unlikely to be coronavirus (COVID-19)."

The virus is contracted through close contact either face-to-face or spending more than 15 minutes within two metres of an infected person, the government said.

Ms Sturgeon chaired a meeting of the Scottish government's resilience committee on Sunday evening and is expected to take part in the UK government's Cobra meeting chaired by prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday.

There have been a total of 698 negative tests in Scotland since the outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Health officials are to begin testing some people with flu-like symptoms for the virus even if they have not visited affected areas.

Ms Sturgeon said: "Our first thoughts must be with the patient diagnosed with coronavirus, I wish them a speedy recovery.

"Scotland is well prepared for a significant outbreak of coronavirus but there is currently no treatment or vaccine.

"Early detection measures will continue to be vital in helping to prevent the spread of the virus."

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Has anyone got a copy of the map of counties with new cases that was shown on the BBC news at 17.25 today please? I can't seem to find it online... wanted to have another look at it.

 

[St Rollox]

Dread to think what the UK government plans for the homeless in our towns and cities.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Dread to think what the UK government plans for the homeless in our towns and cities.

You think they plan anything?

 

[nlogax]

My guess is that we're two or three months away from stopping the need to count new cases. Covid-19 is going to turn into something that goes around like flu or the common cold and we just need to be prepared that that while a vaccine is developed. We'll have to adapt our lives and our social interactions during the wait.

 

[DarloRich]

To that list you can add the possibility that they might breach an attendance policy. For example it’s not uncommon for companies to have a policy like “two non-attendance items within X weeks will trigger a potential disciplinary hearing”.

agreed - but if things really kick off there will have to be a degree of flexibility!

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Dread to think what the UK government plans for the homeless in our towns and cities.

Since when did our government care about the homeless...?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

To that list you can add the possibility that they might breach an attendance policy. For example it’s not uncommon for companies to have a policy like “two non-attendance items within X weeks will trigger a potential disciplinary hearing”.

Indeed but if your company specifically instructs you to stay away from work then the policy has to go on the back burner...

 

[83A]

We had an email at work this morning stating we should stop all international travel unless its absolutely vital and then it has to be approved at a high level.

I have a business trip to Holland in the next few weeks so I have asked HR today if the ban includes travelling around Europe.

Interesting times at the moment.

 

[nlogax]

We had an email at work this morning stating we should stop all international travel unless its absolutely vital and then it has to be approved at a high level.

Similar situation here. At extremely short notice we've just seen big internal events cancelled in Spain, the US and Japan and I foresee our travel ban becoming more stringent over coming weeks.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This, for large corporates, is no big thing - every single one I've ever worked for/with ends up with a quarter 4 travel ban when they've overspent.

 

[Master29]

Among the subject of travel and as this is a rail forum I don`t think it's long before this subject will be reaching the main "rail discussion" part of the forum seeing as rail travel would have to be one of the main carriers of this nasty virus nationwide. I've lost count of the even recent journeys by rail where someone isn't spluttering up their insides. A woman who sat opposite me left her snot filled rags on the table as she exited the train. Very nice. I think the panic buttons may well be about to be pressed given this mornings news.

 

[nlogax]

Among the subject of travel and as this is a rail forum I don`t think it's long before this subject will be reaching the main "rail discussion" part of the forum seeing as rail travel would have to be one of the main carriers of this nasty virus nationwide.

That's partially from where this topic originated

 

[westv]

I'm not quite sure why it was moved from there in the first place.
Anyway, they were cleaning both the tables AND the menus on my LNER train this morning as it pulled in to Kings X.

 

[Master29]

I'm not quite sure why it was moved from there in the first place.
Anyway, they were cleaning both the tables AND the menus on my LNER train this morning as it pulled in to Kings X.

Maybe at that point it was not considered the threat it has now become so understandable but it looks like that will soon change.

 

[DarloRich]

could someone please explain to me what the hell this means. Does Mr Johnson even know?

He advised that "the single most useful thing" people could do was wash their hands "two times to Happy Birthday with hot water".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51708550

 

[83A]

This, for large corporates, is no big thing - every single one I've ever worked for/with ends up with a quarter 4 travel ban when they've overspent.

Ha yes this has happened many a time. !

 

[Mag_seven]

could someone please explain to me what the hell this means. Does Mr Johnson even know?





https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51708550

Apparently you are supposed to wash your hands for 20 seconds which is the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday". Why he can't just say "20 seconds" is beyond me.

 

[83A]

could someone please explain to me what the hell this means. Does Mr Johnson even know?

I can only assume you sing happy birthday to someone and time it. Then multiply that time by two. Thats how long you need to wash your hands for. For extra fun you can sing "happy birthday dear Coronavirus" in your head while washing.

 

[DarloRich]

Apparently you are supposed to wash your hands for 20 seconds which is the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday". Why he can't just say "20 seconds" is beyond me.

oh. Why not just say: Wash your hands with soap and hot water for 20 seconds? The man is a prat.

 

[Domh245]

The man is a prat.

You've only just noticed?

 

[AM9]

Apparently you are supposed to wash your hands for 20 seconds which is the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday". Why he can't just say "20 seconds" is beyond me.

No doubt after a few deaths followed by some ill considered comments on social media, the expression will go away like 'Stayin' Alive' did when it was used to describe the rate of chest compressions when doing CPR.

 

[DarloRich]

You've only just noticed?

no. i just hadn't had my view reinforced for at least 20 minutes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

could someone please explain to me what the hell this means. Does Mr Johnson even know?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51708550

I think the suggestion is that the song Happy Birthday sung at a normal speed dictates about how long you should wash your hands for. Except it's not, as it doesn't last anywhere near two minutes.

 

[Crossover]

oh. Why not just say: Wash your hands with soap and hot water for 20 seconds? The man is a prat.

In fairness, I don't think this is necessarily one that has been dreamed up by the Government in response to Coronavirus - I have heard similar "advice" from elsewhere before.