majority of people at my work place are running low with shelves empty! They could be doing the challenge with anything else. Rolled up socks?
It’s going to piss people off in a time where people are anxious and going without.
SARS CoV-2 coronavirus / Covid-19 (No tin foil hat silliness please)
- Thread starter Don't Kill Bill
- Start date
majority of people at my work place are running low with shelves empty! They could be doing the challenge with anything else. Rolled up socks?
It’s going to piss people off in a time where people are anxious and going without.
Not yet. If I get down to the point I'm working my way through the pocket tissues I might seek some of these vids out for a hatewatch.
Medical authorities in China have said a drug used in Japan to treat new strains of influenza appeared to be effective in coronavirus patients, Japanese media said on Wednesday.
Zhang Xinmin, an official at China’s science and technology ministry, said favipiravir, developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, had produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials in Wuhan and Shenzhen involving 340 patients.
“It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment,” Zhang told reporters on Tuesday.
Patients who were given the medicine in Shenzhen turned negative for the virus after a median of four days after becoming positive, compared to a median of 11 days for those who were not treated with the drug, public broadcaster NHK said.
In addition, X-rays confirmed improvements in lung condition in about 91% of the patients who were treated with favipiravir, compared to 62% or those without the drug.
As per The Guardian
Zhang Xinmin, an official at China’s science and technology ministry, said favipiravir, developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, had produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials in Wuhan and Shenzhen involving 340 patients.
“It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment,” Zhang told reporters on Tuesday.
Patients who were given the medicine in Shenzhen turned negative for the virus after a median of four days after becoming positive, compared to a median of 11 days for those who were not treated with the drug, public broadcaster NHK said.
In addition, X-rays confirmed improvements in lung condition in about 91% of the patients who were treated with favipiravir, compared to 62% or those without the drug.
As per The Guardian
It’s upset me to be fair, I’ve been wiping with kitchen roll for a week
Feckin Aussies are hoarding like mofos
As others have said, you can be an asymptomatic carrier. Doctors suspect those are the worst culprits in terms of spreading it because people who are actually symptomatic tend to stay at home.
Going to the pub itself isn't as such worse than going to the supermarket. However, the point of social distancing is to limit the amount of social interaction of all forms, such that the likelihood of carrying the virus around is lowered. That means you cut out all non-essential stuff. You need to get your groceries and go to work, but you don't need to go to the pub or the cinema. It's not difficult.
So I've been self isolating and my dry cough goes away periodically (and it's not even really much of a cough - feels like a bit of an itch at the back of my throat that I can ignore most of the time).
However, for the last couple of days the symptom I have developed is a tight chest - I thought it was just anxiety at first. It feels like there's a finger firmly pressed into the middle of my chest.
However, for the last couple of days the symptom I have developed is a tight chest - I thought it was just anxiety at first. It feels like there's a finger firmly pressed into the middle of my chest.
I am in the exact same boat.
Don't underestimate what loneliness means or how the message being given to the 70+ is being heard. Last month they (along with some people on disability pay) were being told to get out more, exercise more, to keep/go back to work.
Now they're hearing - twelve weeks house arrest, and an emphasis on the elderly as a NHS consuming, bed hogging liability. Don't begrudge Boris trying to put that as "strongly advised" - let them have some dignity/autonomy in theory of not in practice.
In twelve weeks some of them will be dead - of Covid or other conditions. Others will be in poor shape, due to self-neglect, dietary issues, or just because they haven't had that routine operation for cataracts and now they can't even see the TV or move around safely. Others will be ready to sign that DNR or to ask the GP for an extra dose of morphine.
Skype doesn't replace human contact, especially if you have no one close enough to Skype.
Incidentally if you've not already taught your grandparents to Skype/facetime/WhatsApp or whatever and they've not used a computer/tablet/smart phone you'll find it very tough to train them before they go into lockdown.
Now they're hearing - twelve weeks house arrest, and an emphasis on the elderly as a NHS consuming, bed hogging liability. Don't begrudge Boris trying to put that as "strongly advised" - let them have some dignity/autonomy in theory of not in practice.
In twelve weeks some of them will be dead - of Covid or other conditions. Others will be in poor shape, due to self-neglect, dietary issues, or just because they haven't had that routine operation for cataracts and now they can't even see the TV or move around safely. Others will be ready to sign that DNR or to ask the GP for an extra dose of morphine.
Skype doesn't replace human contact, especially if you have no one close enough to Skype.
Incidentally if you've not already taught your grandparents to Skype/facetime/WhatsApp or whatever and they've not used a computer/tablet/smart phone you'll find it very tough to train them before they go into lockdown.
It's true that loneliness is a health hazard, particularly for older people. I hope your gran gets through this.
The way folk live here is helping tremendously - we have a relatively high number of super-elderly here but they don't live alone, they're in a house with their extended family. My neighbour lives with her husband and son, and her husband's mum, who is 96 and still active and fit. The old lady is normally is out every day doing her own shopping, but I haven't seen her for a few weeks because she's staying in. However, she's not alone. We lost that way of living a long time ago in the UK.
Remarkably it has its own healthcare system, is managing its own response and is keeping its own statistics during this crisis. http://www.iss.sm/on-line/home.html
It’s a proper country, albeit just very small. A visit is very much recommended!
The UK, and I presume Ireland, are very humid. It just doesn't get that hot much of the time. When it does you rarely get a dry heat.
Humidity today where I am is 90% falling to 75%.
Last edited:
This is the dream, an effective drug that is already tested for side effects and is just waiting to be rolled out.
For sure, although there's another article that implies they don't actively manufacture it - and when they have done, it's only been bought by Japan, but if its efficacy is as stated, then surely it'll be pushed further afield in the coming months. At least it would appear to alleviate time needed in ICU.
you’re spot on. I’m looking out for humanity, you’re looking out for you. Carry on
Favipiravir is one that was already earmarked as a potential "pandemic flu" drug. If it does prove to be effective then I suspect global manufacture can be ramped up fairly fast.
Part of why it hasn't been used as a general purpose flu drug is that flu strains can evolve to become immune to it. But it could well become part of the tool kit to deal with the crisis now.
An older article on the drug
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/188766/flu-virus-could-evolve-resistance-pandemic/
Part of why it hasn't been used as a general purpose flu drug is that flu strains can evolve to become immune to it. But it could well become part of the tool kit to deal with the crisis now.
An older article on the drug
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/188766/flu-virus-could-evolve-resistance-pandemic/
The Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa has now reported that locals might throw rocks at foreigners while shouting "corona". Great stuff.
Good thing it's easy to find a driver.
Good thing it's easy to find a driver.
Are you down with covid-19?
Guardian says it's not effective in severe cases, though? So not really useful right? Since we know the mild cases recover. Unless the severe cases are also containable when it's still mild.
That's annoying, the additional quotes were not in the article when it first went up. Still, looks like it's better than nothing.
Yea - reference for others interested.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-effective-in-treating-coronavirus-says-china
Man - I am desperate for positive news -- we all are. It's just a steady drip of negative news.
Projections in Iran are truly horrific:
There's another drug been tested in Marseille, Plaquenil, which I believe was originally an anti-malaria drug which has also shown promising results. Like this it's an already existing drug, so you could imagine that production and supply could be ramped up. In fact the company behind it already offered millions of doses to the French Government to treat 300,000 patients. Link below (story in French though). Anyway news stories like this make me feel a little more positive about this whole thing.
https://www.letelegramme.fr/france/...que-juges-prometteurs-18-03-2020-12528286.php
They've started testing a vaccin on animals in Italy today, which is supposed to be the first step to usage on people.
I'll probably get flamed for this, but just an idea...
Assumptions;
- if you get it once you can't get it again
- Virtually zero chance we get a vaccine rolled out for 18months+
- 70%+ of us are getting this in the next two years anyway
Some sweeping assumptions there but If they are correct, and you are healthy and under 30 with the ability to work from home/self-isolate - doesn't it make sense to just get the virus to help us move closer to herd immunity?
If I was in that demographic and it was an option I'd consider it just so to decrease the chance I pass it to my folks within the next couple of years (and I can visit them without worrying about exposing them).
tldr young people should take one for the team and have Coronavirus parties
Assumptions;
- if you get it once you can't get it again
- Virtually zero chance we get a vaccine rolled out for 18months+
- 70%+ of us are getting this in the next two years anyway
Some sweeping assumptions there but If they are correct, and you are healthy and under 30 with the ability to work from home/self-isolate - doesn't it make sense to just get the virus to help us move closer to herd immunity?
If I was in that demographic and it was an option I'd consider it just so to decrease the chance I pass it to my folks within the next couple of years (and I can visit them without worrying about exposing them).
tldr young people should take one for the team and have Coronavirus parties
Croke Park drive-through test centre in Dublin:
"This doesn't look like Krispy Kreme lads"
There's lots of reports of 20-40 year olds ending up critically ill and some people only finding out about their underlying condition thanks to the virus. Individually you might fancy your chances but there will be plenty of people where luck is not on their side.
No one proved yet that you get immunity after being sick. There are some reported cases of being infected twice already, but those are questionable too.
Also, no one knows yet what it does long term to a patient, there are somw reports posted already from Italians that it's not good for your lungs by any means.
Does the same test for the virus confirm that somebody who has recovered from it had the virus?
@Arruda
@Arruda
If you had unlimited hospital space and staff then yeah this would be what you'd do. However we obviously don't and those under 50 are still needing hospitalisation (at a reduced rate obviously).
We can't afford for anyone who could avoid it to take up beds as it will impact mortality rates.
Any idea how this works - how quick are people getting results?
Someone i work with got tested on a Tuesday, was then given the all clear over the phone on the Friday, to be called straight back to say there had been a mix up and that those werent his results, only to be given the all clear a week later! All in, it took 10 days to get results
No. At the moment there is no way to test to see if someone has had it.
I think that's because they make the news. The death rate is still very low, about 1 in 500 from known case from the Chinese and Italian stats I think. I think the idea that younger people are at risk is alarmist when you consider your chance of dying in a car crash in a lifetime in the US is about 1 in 100.
Not that I agree that we should be aiming for unrestrained herd immunity as a policy.
Last edited:
Well then aren't we fecked? How can life resume for at-risk groups if you can't find people who are safe to interact with them?
I’m not sure at all, consensus seems to be it takes a couple of days worldwide, but some places like South Korea seem to move faster.
I’m hoping this 15-minute test currently being developed here turns out to be reliable and cheap, but it’s probably not gonna work that way.
That is why I put one of my assumptions is that most of us get it. If there is a significant chance that isn't true the plan is bollocks.
Though I hadn't thought about not knowing you have an underlying condition, that's a very good point. But still, those people are getting it anyway.
I hope 70% getting it in the next two years is overestimated. 70% don't catch flu, or any other disease, on average - is it that contagious?
Either yesterday or the day before the powers that be (in UK I think) said that the development of a test that does this is a priority, so I'm sure they'll get it done but wouldn't want to put a timescale on it.
That NYT columnist that was interviewed on Bloomberg (?) seemed to suggest there was a 4hr while you wait turnaround service in China.
Yeeeee- kind of. There are two major types of tests. Virus are really really small and hard to detect so one test takes a sample, then sees if it can make a lot lot more until they show up. Another test checks to see if you have antibodies AKA you were/are infected and your body is making those antibodies. (this is the oh-wow-only-takes-15-minutes one) So that second type of test could test for what you're asking. The second one isn't as reliable as the first one.
