Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Sheilbh]

Oh okay - I remember reading that basically they provide a kind of essential hygiene service for people with reduced or no mobility. Strange that it moved.

[Syt]

Hit 2013 cases today in Austria. Only 5 fatalities so far, thankfully.

[The Larch]

Just popped out to buy a paper and some milk, rather than try buying it on a crowded weekend, supermarket largely picked clean.

But what I don't understand if all the barbers, hair saloons and nail bars being open and having customers; what exactly is the societal benefit of having relative strangers breathing each others breath for 15-30 minutes at a time?

The government should have closed all non essential shops at the start of the week to increase social distance and cut possible transmission events.

So I think the Spanish members may have more information on salons as they're still allowed to operate in Spain and I think this caused a lot of jokes, but actually there were quite good reasons for it but generally they're operating on a one barber/hairdresser and one customer at a time policy.

Less clear on the nail bars and I'm inclined to agree - my area has loads which are normally very busy and they're still open but I've not seen more than one or two customers which is something. I also worry about them in general, in my area lots have been raided for breaking modern slavery laws and the council works with mainly Vietnamese charities to try to reach out to the people who work there. I worry about the staff in this situation and feel we maybe need something in place for vulnerable workers - but I'm not sure what.

The rationale for hairdressers over here was that many elderly and handicapped people use them extensively, and closing them down would leave them without ways to look after their own higyene (think more about just washing your hair rather than getting hairdos). Anyway, it was soon backtracked and they're closed too, but allowed to do house calls.

[crazy canuck]

Increasingly convinced our lack of experience of another pandemic in the West v South Korea, Hong Kong etc is a key factor. So not taking this seriously - see also the French comments about idiots and Italian authorities talking about "irresponsible behaviour of some citizens".

Just had an email from soneone who is at a leaving lunch now. Their theory is they've all been at work together for the last week

This has got my attention as well. I think someone mentioned it earlier in the thread. The SE Asian countries have had a few practice runs, SARS especially so government has had a pressing incentive to be prepared. There also seems to be some important cultural or social factors related to trust in public institutions and the media, and personal responsibility. People in SKorea for the most part seem to understand whats at stake and what their role is as individuals. These are just impressions I have from reading news reports.

Does South Korea have something like a Fox News telling them its fake? Is there a rich tradition of making up conspiracies and being hostile to government and governance? I have no idea.

My facebook feed is still peppered with Covid deniers, my employer is still talking about a "media frenzy" and determined to stay open and my sons Grandparents (on the maternal side- the former spouse) are Trumpers and Fox watchers who despite being in their 70's are insistent that this is all hysteria.

Turns out Trumpism will have a high mortality rate.

[garbon]

Prince Albert of Monaco has tested positive.

[DGuller]

Turns out Trumpism will have a high mortality rate.

Unfortunately not just among the idiots.  We're all floating on a metaphorical rubber boat, it only takes one idiot juggling knives on that boat to sink us all.

[Syt]

Daily percentage increase of cases in Austria. The dotted line is 7 day average.

[Grey Fox]

Santa Cruz County is one of the counties on "Shelter in Place" orders.  Unfortunately, my job as Manager of Receiving and Mail services means I and my whole crew are considered essential.  This means we come in to work every day, go to all the mail stops and see all the freight and truck drivers, in short we are essential in taking it on the chin for interaction with the disease.  Oh, essential means we are also far lower paid than the full time office sitters who, incidentally, are complaining that the Surplus Operations (that I also run) are closed and they can't poke around for cheap lumbar support chairs or ergo desks for their work at home.

I am 54 years old with fucked up bronchial tubes from several overly harsh bouts of bronchitis years ago.  My hope is that my case will be one of the mild one, but I am not betting on it.

#capitalism. Reject it.

[Valmy]

Santa Cruz County is one of the counties on "Shelter in Place" orders.  Unfortunately, my job as Manager of Receiving and Mail services means I and my whole crew are considered essential.  This means we come in to work every day, go to all the mail stops and see all the freight and truck drivers, in short we are essential in taking it on the chin for interaction with the disease.  Oh, essential means we are also far lower paid than the full time office sitters who, incidentally, are complaining that the Surplus Operations (that I also run) are closed and they can't poke around for cheap lumbar support chairs or ergo desks for their work at home.

I am 54 years old with fucked up bronchial tubes from several overly harsh bouts of bronchitis years ago.  My hope is that my case will be one of the mild one, but I am not betting on it.

Do they at least give you masks and other health gear?

[Fate]

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001282?query=TOC

TLDR: the HIV drug lopinavir-ritonavir (also known as Kaletra) is ineffective in treating COVID-19 based on a large trial in China.

Hopefully we get chloroquine and remdesivir study data soon. I kinda doubt the former drug has any effect despite the upcoming hype in the press, but I'm happy to be surprised. We do know remdesivir inhibits in-vitro growth of the virus but that doesn't mean it will necessarily have any effect on clinical outcomes in severely ill patients.

[celedhring]

Hopefully we get chloroquine and remdesivir study data soon. I kinda doubt the former drug has any effect despite the upcoming hype in the press, but I'm happy to be surprised. We do know remdesivir inhibits in-vitro growth of the virus but that doesn't mean it will necessarily have any effect on clinical outcomes in severely ill patients.

They are running a chloroquine trial at "my" hospital and the guy running it is convinced it's going to work. I know fuck all about microbiology, but I'm surprised a drug that stops a cell-based patogen (malaria), works on a virus...

[Sheilbh]

This is one of the exciting bits that should give hope - I understand there's at least thirty trials on repurposing drugs going on that are expected to report initial findings by the end of next month:
https://www.biocentury.com/article/304658


Medical research world really seem to be responding quickly and collaboratively

[Josquius]

Today I talked to an elderly guy for work related reasons.
Before getting down to work stuff asked if he was well, as you do.
His response... Its ridiculous all this stuff going on, its all a load of panic about nothing, its quite nice though as me and my friends have the pub to ourselves since all the kids are hiding.



More encouraging side. Good signs of the Japanese flu treatment.

[Valmy]

Today I talked to an elderly guy for work related reasons.
Before getting down to work stuff asked if he was well, as you do.
His response... Its ridiculous all this stuff going on, its all a load of panic about nothing, its quite nice though as me and my friends have the pub to ourselves since all the kids are hiding.



More encouraging side. Good signs of the Japanese flu treatment.

It is funny because we are primarily hiding in an attempt to save his life.

[Sheilbh]

Brits!

BBC boxsets coming to iPlayer:
Spooks / The A Word / Waking the Dead / French and Saunders / Baptiste / Wallander / The Missing / The Honourable Women.

Already there: Line of Duty / Torchwood / Call The Midwife / Our Girl / Snowfall / Last Tango / Pose / Guilt / Luther / Capture

More is on its way - thank God