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Post by Horacewimp on Mar 12, 2020 9:30:09 GMT
Not a nice topic to have to start but the way things are going here is a place to discuss the outbreak of this virus. As some of you know I went to Venice nearly two weeks ago, the day before we flew out the outbreak in Italy escalated, we did travel but it was a bit unsettling. Around 5% of people we saw there wore masks and as the days went on tourists were returning home but not been replaced by new ones so the City was getting quieter. All the main tourist attractions were closed which was a shame but any commercial tours and sites were still open, they still want your money. After our return we have been careful checking our temperatures but have showed no symptoms, tomorrow is 14 days after we returned so it looks like we did not catch the virus. Everyone stay safe and let’s hope we can beat this, below is a link to a site which gets updated regularly with news and information on cases. www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ |
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Post by Timeblue on Mar 12, 2020 11:29:41 GMT
We have a holiday to Crete booked for September and we are watching the news everyday for possible information on travel to Greece. If it means cancelling then so be it,we can always go another time. Just hearing about Tom Hanks and wife both catching it so no one is immune!
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Post by orioles70 on Mar 12, 2020 12:57:03 GMT
most of the universities in America are closing their campuses indefinitely and switching to on-line learning
it leaves a lot of questions - like what do foreign students do? if they go home, they may not be able to return when campuses reopen and with time zone differences it could be difficult to participate in webinar "live" classroom discussions.
ironically, my daughter may already have had Covid. She has 2 Chinese roommates in a 4BR apartment. Both traveled back from China in late January. My daughter and one of the Chinese girls promptly came down with a flu like ailment: fever, body aches, severe cough, shortness of breath with any activity. Being in their early 20s both recovered after several rough days and the disease (flu, Covid, ?) spread widely across campus before winding down
there are many kids from the NYC area at this college, and they will be going from upstate NY (2 cases) to the metro area (over 200 cases)
meanwhile, my company sent a bunch of people over to Dubai for a conference
I hope none of them have trouble getting back home and of course that none get sick or quarantined.
there's a fine line between "over-reacting" and "under-reacting".
China seems to have stopped their epidemic by taking drastic action.
I just hope that these travel and event cancellations work quickly.
pandemics normally take a year to 18 months to run their course
this one looks like it may pass more quickly if China's success can be duplicated
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Post by vlogdance on Mar 12, 2020 12:58:37 GMT
I've been getting over a bad cold, which has left both my ears slightly blocked. (My younger colleague Dan teased: "Too much ELO!"  ) Just been to the health centre this morning to get the ears checked out. Afterwards, the doctor took my temperature, and asked if I'd been travelling lately. I replied: "No, and I haven't been to see any Tom Hanks films either." I think the laugh was quite welcome at this exceptionally busy and worrying time for our health service staff. |
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Post by Timeblue on Mar 12, 2020 13:02:23 GMT
Just turned the spare bedroom into a store room for toilet rolls,pasta and hand sanitizer gel.....
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Post by Horacewimp on Mar 12, 2020 13:39:35 GMT
We have a holiday to Crete booked for September and we are watching the news everyday for possible information on travel to Greece. If it means cancelling then so be it,we can always go another time. Just hearing about Tom Hanks and wife both catching it so no one is immune! I’ve got Budapest booked for June, F1 Grand Prix at Spa with visits to Belgium/Germany/Holland in August and Toronto in September, just need to check my travel insurance is up to date. 
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Post by Buttler on Mar 12, 2020 15:59:57 GMT
Horacewimp Happy to hear that you and your family are ok pal. 
You can't believe what's happening here in Italy. 
Everything's closed, you can leave your house only for working or going to grocery or pharmacy.
Everything else is banned.
You have to fill a certification up to take with you, not only if you are driving your car but even if you are going outside on foot.
Hospitals are collapsing, we are in the same situation China was one month ago.
Face masks are extremely rare, and if you find one they ask you lots of money.
Psychosis, panic, people are going crazy.  
My dear friends, don't underestimate Covid-19.
Be careful.
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Post by Timeblue on Mar 12, 2020 17:03:57 GMT
This could be a vicious rumour but I read today in the Wuhan region of China,there are a couple of laboratories that are linked to the Chinese bio- warfare industry....
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Post by Horacewimp on Mar 12, 2020 17:38:20 GMT
Stay safe Buttler it must be a horrible time for you and your family.  |
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Post by BSJ on Mar 12, 2020 17:46:25 GMT
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Post by eloneen on Mar 12, 2020 18:04:27 GMT
Buttler Take care! I can only imagine how challenging this must be! You and your family are in our thoughts! Keep us posted!  I've picked up a minor bug, and I've been worried about what it might be. Today I called the hotline for the health system for my doctor's practice, and they said that my symptoms do not match/meet the criteria for testing for COVID. Just practice the general hygiene and contact guidelines that are recommended, get rest, and treat symptoms. I'm mostly concerned about picking up something at work and passing it on to my elderly mother (87), who lives with me. We need to keep her safe and healthy. Thank God she's not in a nursing home! That would be extremely frightening!! At school, we're currently working on plans for distance learning for our students, and are waiting to hear when/if they might close schools. There are more cases in our area, and the numbers will continue to rise... Time to hunker down, if you ask me! We've stocked up on the essentials and are ready to stay home for a while if we have to. Let's all stay in touch for moral support and encouragement! These are not easy times we're going through, some much tougher than others! 
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Post by eloneen on Mar 12, 2020 18:09:03 GMT
This could be a vicious rumour but I read today in the Wuhan region of China,there are a couple of laboratories that are linked to the Chinese bio- warfare industry.... I'm no expert and I have no inside info, but I've heard similar suggestions and I would be inclined to call it a rumor that this is the origin of the virus. People feel more in control if they can blame someone in situations like this. Life can be really scary and messy sometimes and conspiracy theories will spread...
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Post by Helmut83 on Mar 12, 2020 19:09:05 GMT
The virus has arrived here in Argentina too, with 6 cases and one death. It is said that it hasn't spread yet, as all of the cases came from foreign countries (mostly Italy) and got properly quarantined, so there weren't cases by transmission yet, but I think with such a contagious virus it's really hard to keep it controlled and rather sooner than later it will start spreading here too. The bad news for us who live in the Southern Hemisphere (and good news for you guys in the Northern Hemisphere) is that hot weather seems to damage this virus, while it thrives in cold weather. We are about to start our autumn, which means we have the whole cold season (approximately 8 or 9 months in Buenos Aires) ahead of us. If the virus expands, things could get pretty bad due to so many months of cold weather helping it. I've asked my brother-in-law, who is a doctor, about the virus. He said that it is in the rising phase now but at some point it will eventually start receding and then just pass and disappear or be limited to very few cases. The mortality rate is 3%, and with people below 40 years of age the mortality is just 0,2%, which means only 1 in 500 people under 40 who get the virus dies (a very low rate luckily). I have a wedding this Saturday (in 2 days) and the guys who are getting married are still wondering whether they will suspend it or not. Buttler, it's terrible how hard it has hit Italy. As if it weren't enough with the earthquakes, political issues, etc. this virus seems to have gotten it against Italy. Hope things start improving soon there. |
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Post by Helmut83 on Mar 12, 2020 19:16:09 GMT
This could be a vicious rumour but I read today in the Wuhan region of China,there are a couple of laboratories that are linked to the Chinese bio- warfare industry.... I'm no expert and I have no inside info, but I've heard similar suggestions and I would be inclined to call it a rumor that this is the origin of the virus. People feel more in control if they can blame someone in situations like this. Life can be really scary and messy sometimes and conspiracy theories will spread... I don't believe these conspiracy theories. In China, particularly in the North, people have this habit of eating anything that's alive, all sorts of animals and insects. And they don't cook them well, they eat them pretty raw, so it's not surprising that some strange viruses get transmitted to people. Of course, for every big event that affects mankind there will be conspiracy theories. People feel more in control if they can blame someone in situations like this. Exactly. People like to find culprits, it makes them feel better to have someone to blame.
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Post by tremblinwilbury on Mar 12, 2020 21:25:52 GMT
From the BBC News website...
BREAKING NEWS - In Ireland the virus has mutated. It's now called Connor O'Virus.
(Actually, a comment to the story about the closure of schools in Ireland)
Seriously, we're all in this together. Let's do the best we can to get through it.
Big Wuhan Shake, or Elbow Bump to you all x
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Apparently it's quite hard to see them with the naked eye, you need to be looking through a camera or other type of lens?