Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[Ditto]

Research shows the virus can survive up to 28 days on some surfaces. There was an early post suggesting we should focus on aerosol transmission. They'll be other research with other headlines. The lesson is not to leap in any direction based on a singular piece of research or news article. We need to take a broad and balanced range of actions to do what we can to protect all and not jump to conclusions based on any one report.

[DrBeaker]

Research shows the virus can survive up to 28 days on some surfaces. There was an early post suggesting we should focus on aerosol transmission. They'll be other research with other headlines. The lesson is not to leap in any direction based on a singular piece of research or news article. We need to take a broad and balanced range of actions to do what we can to protect all and not jump to conclusions based on any one report.

It's interesting now how IT risk assessments for returned kit from homes, surely will have to say now (based on this) that they need to quarantine for 28x days then as a minimum?

[Ditto]

It's interesting now how IT risk assessments for returned kit from homes, surely will have to say now (based on this) that they need to quarantine for 28x days then as a minimum?

 

I forgot to include a link to the BBC article - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54500673. Ever extra day will reduce risk, but the article did point out the phones were kept in the dark as UV light is known to damage the virus. So in some ways, it's almost as if they were nuturing the virus, so perhaps a little unrealistic. I'd suggest to go through the normal thorough cleaning with appropriate solutions would mean it's going to reduce the risk significantly. The option of placing them in the sunshine, like drying rice in southern hemisphere sunshine, isn't going to be an option for us over the coming months . Whether investing in a UV light is worthwhile and exposing the devices to that for a period of time isn't something I know and AFAIK isn't in DfE advice, but perhaps less likely to cause keyboard damage?

[jthompson]

Also, the BBC article mentioned that the virus wasn't in any human mucus when placed on those surfaces, which would've killed the virus within hours anyway.

 

I suspect the study was more focussed in its scientific aims than it might seem from the headlines.

[mavhc]

The paper linked from that bbc article says:

 

the chance of transmission through

inanimate surfaces is very small, and only in instances

where an infected person coughs or sneezes on the

surface, and someone else touches that surface soon

after the cough or sneeze (within 1–2 h).

[paulkerton]

Research shows the virus can survive up to 28 days on some surfaces. There was an early post suggesting we should focus on aerosol transmission. They'll be other research with other headlines. The lesson is not to leap in any direction based on a singular piece of research or news article. We need to take a broad and balanced range of actions to do what we can to protect all and not jump to conclusions based on any one report.

The research was also done in completely dark rooms as a laboratory control. UV is shown to affect the viruse's life span. Even the amount we get in daylight.

One of the issues we face is the rapidly dwindling amount of daylight in the northern hemisphere in the next 5 months, and any offices in buildings that have no windows... which let's face it is historically the server rooms and IT offices!

[mikeprice]

my wife was tlking to our daughter-in-law (or would be if they got married) and her mother yesterday

 

The whole family is convinced that this virus is the fault of the Chinese and they released it from 'that lab in Wuhan'

 

she had to give then a quick but firm lesson in what the science actually says

they were amazed and asked how she knew this stuff

 

so she had to follow up with a quick lesson on reliable sources and looking at a spread of sources

 

 

and they don't even listen to Trump!!!!!

 

 

it is no wonder a lot of people are confused

[sigma]

From Twitter: https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1315089898655883266/photo/1

 

 

Worrying.

[mikeprice]

From Twitter: https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1315089898655883266/photo/1

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]59384[/ATTACH]

 

Worrying.

 

Very - especially as one case could be a signal that several (or more) are wandering around unknowingly spreading it

 

and this when this area has just upped the lockdown levels so the pubs etc etc etc are now closed

[supportman]

My Mum who has a PHD in virology and was high up in the old Public Health Lab service before she retired told me something that really shocked me the other day:

 

"Children under 18 are more at risk from the Flu than Covid-19".

 

She supports all the measures in place as she herself is a 75 year old at risk...

 

But it really does put it into perspective all the people being told to put their lives on hold for what is essentially an old persons issue.

[paulkerton]

My Mum who has a PHD in virology and was high up in the old Public Health Lab service before she retired told me something that really shocked me the other day:

"Children under 18 are more at risk from the Flu than Covid-19".

 

But it really does put it into perspective all the people being told to put their lives on hold for what is essentially an old persons issue.

 

Except when all those "old people" fill the hospitals because it's so prevalent, it then becomes an issue for people with long-term chronic health issues and cancer sufferers who have their treatments delayed because of it.

It's an issue for anyone with an underlying health issue that could be complicated or killed by it, like Crohn's Disease, Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure. It's an issue for people who get Covid and are now dealing with long-term lung damage and "Long Covid" which is transforming their lives. To suggest it's an "old persons" issue is blinkered at best.

 

As someone who works in schools, you clearly know that they don't run themselves and children don't go there without interacting with staff who, if not directly affected by these things themselves, are highly likely to have an immediate relative who is. Many of the children will have relatives who suffer with issues like this too. Reports are still mixed, but it seems that whilst children don't suffer from the disease directly, they're just as likely at secondary level at least, to transmit it as well as adults do.

 

It's a novel virus that we still know relatively little about, that is mutating rapdily, and is seemingly becoming more infectious but less potent and yet has still infected 600,000 known people so far and killed 42,000. Which is 7% of the known number of infected.

If that is an accurate reflection of the rate of death for this thing (I doubt it, I would suggest it's likely to have infected 10 times that amount by now) we'd be headed for 4 million dead once all is said and done. Even if it's 10 times that amount infected, it'd still be 400,000 dead from it. The flu kills around 10,000 a year.

 

We were asked to put our lives on hold for 3 months or so over the summer to buy the Government time to get preparation in place for the winter, where we know the NHS is stretched as is. They didn't do it.

Edited October 12, 2020 by paulkerton

[pooley]

I agree to a degree with the Old Person comment, but a colleague of mine has her 20yr old son currently on a ventilator due to covid, he is/was previously fit and healthy with no underlying medical issues. So while this virus is new and relatively unknown I think a cautionary approach is the best way.

[LeMarchand]

The whole family is convinced that this virus is the fault of the Chinese and they released it from 'that lab in Wuhan'

 

I know a member of staff who has booked a holiday to the US next summer and was warned that there was a possibility that they would need to factor in an extra 2 weeks quarantine.

 

Apparently not, as once Trump is is confirmed as POTUS he'll be able to drop the whole Covid pretence that he's playing along with to ensure the Libtards don't get in and the world will be back to normal. Staff member originates from the US.

[kennysarmy]

It's a novel virus that we still know relatively little about, that is mutating rapdily

 

Evidence for this?

[mavhc]

https://nextstrain.org/ncov/global

[sonofsanta]

Evidence for this?

 

 

None of us round here are getting infected with the Chinese virus: it's actually the Italian virus right now... (so sez my neighbour, wot is a nurse in the thick of it)

[Norphy]

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/margaret-ferrier-hung-dry-scripted-092138500.html

 

Oh my heart bleeds.

 

Not.

 

I just think it's a shame that the Recall of MPs Act 2015 doesn't apply here.

[paulkerton]

Evidence for this?

 

That it's a novel virus, or that it's mutating rapidly?

 

Novel virus:

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

 

Mutating:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02544-6

[the_quick]

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/margaret-ferrier-hung-dry-scripted-092138500.html

 

Oh my heart bleeds.

 

Not.

 

I just think it's a shame that the Recall of MPs Act 2015 doesn't apply here.

 

I'm sorry, but she was just stupid and inconsiderate - she went on the train after testing positive - despite months of messages that you have to self isolate when you get symptoms and especially if you are confirmed case. She can't blame on stress, she is just making excuses to her actions - she knew well enough that she should have isolated. She didn't, as she probably hope she will get away with it. No sympathy from me, should resign - shame she cannot be forced.

 

Covid is not old people virus - we all know someone who was middle age and suffered badly from it. Yes, it might be not dangerous to under 18 and that what really make my blood boil. All the messages, schools are save for children etc. yes they are, as children mostly do not suffer from it, but what about the staff? Why the news outlets didn't point it out, that there are adults in schools??

[mavhc]

As long as children never meet adults everything will be fine. - quote from a member of the upper chamber, someone called Lord Oftheflies.

[6Foot2]

As long as children never meet adults everything will be fine. - quote from a member of the upper chamber, someone called Lord Ofthelies.

More appropriate, perhaps?

 

[kennysarmy]

That it's a novel virus, or that it's mutating rapidly?

 

Novel virus:

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

 

Mutating:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02544-6

 

That it's mutating RAPIDLY!

[6Foot2]

Link:

[Rich Preston Video Tweet]

 

Exactly 9 months ago, just after 5am UK time on the 12 January, the first BBC TV report ran about the death of a man in central China from a peculiar new disease. Officials insisted it was all under control and would be nothing like the 2008 SARS outbreak which killed 770 people.

Click the link above for the video.

[6Foot2]

.

[jthompson]

BBC News - Covid-19: Are we still listening to the science?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54514387

 

Something in this article that I don't remember having seen before: the estimated impact on R of various different restrictions. Most things, like closing pubs and cafes, are estimated to reduce R by 0.1 - 0.2, but closing schools is estimated to reduce it by 0.2 - 0.5.

 

Interesting that banning household mixing is still only expected to lower R by 0.1 - 0.2.