COVID-19 Virus.

[Phil Perry]

Today (Monday 9th March) UK death figures by cause:

 

Other : 1395

 

Roads : 5

 

The Virus : 1

 

Some perspective needed here, and less Panic creation from our beloved media wouldn't go amiss.

[old man emu]

Regarding the supply of toilet paper in Australia.

1. All of the toilet paper used in Australia is manufactured here in Australia.
   
2. The toilet paper manufacturers have been working 24/7 to produce toilet rolls for restocking of retailers.
   
3. The toilet paper manufacturers now have massive stocks of product in warehouses.
   
4. There are not enough delivery trucks available to divert from their normal work in order to transport product from warehouse to supermarket shelf.
   

For once OME is not talking through his cloaca. One of the manufacturers is a business partner of his.

[willedoo]

The death rate will probably come down to how many elderly contract it, as well as those with existing health problems and lowered immune systems. Italy's death toll jumped by more than 130 in one day; quite possibly all older people. One expert here is saying our death % rate might end up being higher than China's as they have 9% of population aged over 65 compared to our 16%. Not sure of the exact figure compared to normal flu; have read around three times, so still not huge.

[willedoo]

Just as an edit to the above post, I just read that the death rate from seasonal flu is typically around 0.1% in the U.S., and the coronavirus death rate is about 3.4% globally at present. Quoting three times the rate, I must have missed a decimal point somewhere.

[Yenn]

It is hard to compare the death rates. The US figure of 0.1% probably means 0.1% of all the known cases of the flu virus.

We have been told that the counting of corona virus cases has been under reported so that means that the death rate will be higher, until we can compare deaths to total cases.

One thing is that it is old people who are dying and they are not far from the normal end of life anyway. To make a fuss over someone of 95 years old and living in a nursing home seems a bit over the top to me. Anyone who has reached the normal lifespan is likely to pop off for some reason or other at any time.

[willedoo]

I just read a break down of Italy's death figures. 75 per cent of the deaths are aged between 70 and 89, with 13 per cent aged over 90, 10 per cent in their 60s and just 1 per cent in their 50s. Only 1% are aged under 50.

 

What the figures don't tell us is the percentage of those people who have pre-existing health problems. A lot of the elderly who have died could quite likely have been sick previously, eg. battling cancer with a reduced immune system. The same situation could be possible for the 1% of deaths under 50. Age is a factor, no doubt, but I suspect a bigger factor is age + existing illness. An older person who is in good overall health probably has a good chance of recovery.

[nomadpete]

Regarding this 'flu spreading rate, refer to Bex's post on RecFlying forum. He raises a major point.

[old man emu]

To make a fuss over someone of 95 years old and living in a nursing home seems a bit over the top to me.

 

Unless it's your own Mum or Dad.

 

Yenn has shares in Soylent Industries - makers of Soylent Green.

[red750]

I'm a fatalist - I believe when your time is up your time is up, the means by which it happens is a matter of circumstance. If it's not the virus, like Yenn said, it could be cancer, pneumonia, electrocution, a motor accident or criminal violence. It was your time. On the other hand, if it's not your time, you will get the symptoms but recover. I've had a number of situations which could have been deadly, but it obviously wasn't my time.

 

I saw a piece of news footage from the States in which a health or government spokeswoman was reading out how to avoid the virus.

"Don't touch your face - your eyes, your nose, your mouth." She then proceeded to lick her finger to turn the page.

 

I also saw Mike Pence and others bump elbows in greeting, rather than shake hands. I thought you were supposed to stifle a sneeze into your elbow. ????

[Old Koreelah]

Good news:

[kgwilson]

The Flu kills around 400,000 people a year world wide. The great majority of these fall into the same age brackets and pre-existing conditions scenario as Covid-19. The difference is that the Flu is accepted as normal and there are vaccines for it. Even so in the Winter of 2018 80% of the Flu vaccines administered were ineffective because they had been produced for Flu strains that were no longer an issue as they had mutated into new more virulent strains.

[Yenn]

It is OK to be a fatalist, rather like being a Muslim, God willing. I believe in trying to improve the odds in my favour.

I certainly wouldn't want to bump elbows or anything else with Mike Pence.

If the virus gets a go on in the USA we will see how it works at its worse. I doubt that they can control it.

I am booked to go to Europe and UK in June July and that probably won't happen, because to visit rellies there is only risking their safety. I am not worried about my own, even though I am in the age group most likely to be affected. I don't think it will kill me as I am far too fit. But I may be wrong.

[spacesailor]

"I'm a fatalist - I believe when your time is up your time is up, the means by which it happens is a matter of circumstance."

NOT so.

With today;s medicines. Those of us that get that deadly disease, could be here longer than expected.

I had Osteomylitis as a kid the then doctors didn't hold much hope on that New fangled drug : Penicillin.

spacesailor

[spacesailor]

OOPS

forgot to say.

Thank you Dr Alexander Fleming.

spacesailor

[red750]

Obviously not your time. I've known people who have had all the best of care and medical science, but still passed away.

[Phil Perry]

Not only have there been unscrupulous persons selling hard to get supplies for inflated prices,

I've just seen some commemorative 2020 coronavirus jewellery.

 

[Phil Perry]

[Phil Perry]

 

Concerned supermarket managers call in Bogroll protection officers to enforce the 4-pack per customer limit. . .

[pmccarthy]

Apparently the virus has to develop in your throat before entering your lungs. A stubby every 15 minutes will flush it into your stomach and kill it. Don't know if that will work with English ales.

[octave]

Apparently the virus has to develop in your throat before entering your lungs. A stubby every 15 minutes will flush it into your stomach and kill it. Don't know if that will work with English ales.

 

Incorrect, it needs to be a cheeky robust IPA. I can't yet provide evidence but I will undertake my own study and will let you know the results

[old man emu]

Without wandering down the path of conspiracy theories as to how this virus came to be, let's look at the economic and political effects it is having.

 

Sydney's Royal Easter show has been cancelled. This event generates multi-millions of dollars in a wide variety of areas. It takes twelve months to organise. The money spent there has gone out the window. Think of the costs competitors have paid out just to qualify to compete at the Royal. Then there's the accommodation for when "the Country comes to the City". It's disaster for the Carneys who depend of this two weeks for most of their annual income - just as retailers do with Christmas. Anyone want a show bag, just past its 'use by' date?

 

The pandemic may not be a tool of war, but it has shown Australia just how vulnerable its way of life is. Imagine a war where the aggressor did what Japan did and conquered Southeast Asia. We have let ourselves squander our opportunities to become a force in the First World to the extent that we hardly have boot straps to pull ourselves up with.

 

On May 14 1986, treasurer Paul Keating delivered his famous warning that Australia risked becoming a "banana republic". Keating extemporised that: "I get the very clear feeling that we must let Australians know truthfully, honestly, earnestly, just what sort of international hole Australia is in. "If this government cannot get the adjustment, get manufacturing going again, and keep moderate wage outcomes and a sensible economic policy, then Australia is basically done for. We will just end up being a third-rate economy, a banana republic," he warned.

 

But what has happened? No stimulus of manufacturing. Almost total reliance on digging up the country and shipping it off. A high standard of living that demands everything from scented candles to communication devices that would have made the Apollo spacecraft as spacious internally as the Tardis, none of which are produced here on a commercial scale. Innovation is not supported.

 

This article A trillion dollars in debt, but no 'banana republic' decries the government's adoration of the "current account deficit" although it was written in 2017/18.

 

Politically, the scarcity of imported goods that we rely on, as well as the cancellation of the people's entertainments, can only be bad karma for the Government. Financial stimulus packages are futile. The last time the Government gave these cash handouts, most people realised that reducing personal debt was more important than buying the latest trinket, so the money poured into the coffees of the financial institutions.

 

As for causing entertainments to be cancelled - many a Roman Emperor diverted political unrest with bread and circuses. The phrase means to generate public approval, not by excellence in public service or public policy, but by diversion, distraction or by satisfying the most immediate or base requirements of a populace — by offering a palliative: for example food (bread) or entertainment (circuses). Take these away from the plebeians and heads will roll in the corridors of power.

[willedoo]

The virus name is SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 (corona virus disease-19) is the name of the respiratory disease that develops from it. There seems to be a few different forms of corona virus including a bovine one. One of the three in one injections for cattle that also immunizes against coronavirus is effective in reducing calf deaths. So I wonder if farmers in regular contact with cattle would have some built up resistance to the present COVID-19. Possibly the various strains are too different for that to happen.

[willedoo]

On May 14 1986, treasurer Paul Keating delivered his famous warning that Australia risked becoming a "banana republic". Keating extemporised that: "I get the very clear feeling that we must let Australians know truthfully, honestly, earnestly, just what sort of international hole Australia is in. "If this government cannot get the adjustment, get manufacturing going again, and keep moderate wage outcomes and a sensible economic policy, then Australia is basically done for. We will just end up being a third-rate economy, a banana republic," he warned.

 

ome, I think Paul might have been right on a lot of things. Unfortunately at the time, a lot of people had stopped listening.

 

You're quite right about our way of life being vulnerable. I wouldn't use such strong terms as fool's paradise, but with the way our society, economy and modern lives work, it doesn't take much to upset the apple cart.

[red750]

It looks like the entertainment portion of your equation is also gone. Gretel Killeen was saying on Sunrise this morning that the ban on crowds of over 500 will put singers, musicians, comedians, etc out of work, not to mention the support crews etc. The Wiggles have cancelled a number of shows. Robbie Williams concert cannot go ahead. How many other performers are scheduled to appear here in the near future, tours planned over a year ago. Another medical expert on the show said we will all have to sit at home and watch Netflix.

 

Things keep getting weirder and weirder. I am typing this in front of the TV with the WWE on, Friday night Smackdown. There are two announcers, a few cameramen, a referee and a couple of wrestlers, Nobody else. Makes the "Ladies and Gentlemen" intro sound ridiculous.

 

The Bahrain and Vietnam F1 Grand Prix have been cancelled, as have the NBA and NHL in the States and a major golf tournament (can't remember which one.) Most live TV Shows in the US have been cancelled, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Dr Phil, Steven Colbert to name a few. So it's not just here.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Apparently the virus has to develop in your throat before entering your lungs. A stubby every 15 minutes will flush it into your stomach and kill it. Don't know if that will work with English ales.

 

I am fine.. I am a lager lout. these days!

 

Although, Aussie wines feature strongly - maybe about every 7 - 8 mins... Should do the trick!