I got tested week and a half ago. It went from 48 hours wait for results, to 72 hours, to “we’ll call you.” I ended up just getting Public Health England’s local office number and managed to get hold of a doctor there. I got my official results after 6 days
Just wanted to say what a bunch of cretins are sitting at WHO still not calling it a pandemic. Corrupt to its core.
It would make difference in countries that are not yet dealing with this in large numbers giving governments more ammunition to act proactively.It's a pandemic.
There.
What difference does that make?
Individual countries enact protocol by their own definitions. I don't get what the big deal is with the WHO sticking to their own definitions and not declaring a pandemic until it reaches their own parameters.
Any idea how quick symptoms are meant to show? I saw him Monday morning and I feel perfectly fine now.
I hate the hysteria going around and don’t want to add to it, but there appears to be a lack of info and people just scaring the shit out of each other on Twitter etc.
About a fourth of the population here in my city are students at the university and pretty much all of them come from all over Italy, I reckon they're all trying to get back home to their families while they still can. This is also a commuter city where people spend weekdays attending school/university/working and go home over weekends so I guess everyone that's basically not from this city is leaving right now.
Imagine how quicly some of these systems can be overwhelmed in an epodemic. A large ICU with a significant number of doctors and nurses needing quarantine at the same time will have difficulty replacing them with doctors who are ready to provide the same standard of care, for example.
I have friends involved on this, who are working in hospitals with zero or one cases, and are tired just of the preparation.
Feck me. 3000 in intensive care!
.
I'm a doctor and an Infectious Diseases Specialist. I've been at this for more than 20 years seeing sick patients on a daily basis. I have worked in inner city hospitals and in the poorest slums of Africa. HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis,TB, SARS, Measles, Shingles, Whooping cough, Diphtheria...there is little I haven't been exposed to in my profession. And with notable exception of SARS, very little has left me feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed or downright scared.
I am not scared of Covid-19. I am concerned about the implications of a novel infectious agent that has spread the world over and continues to find new footholds in different soil. I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19.
What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. I am scared that our hospitals will be overwhelmed with anyone who thinks they " probably don't have it but may as well get checked out no matter what because you just never know..." and those with heart failure, emphysema, pneumonia and strokes will pay the price for overfilled ER waiting rooms with only so many doctors and nurses to assess.
I am scared that travel restrictions will become so far reaching that weddings will be canceled, graduations missed and family reunions will not materialize. And well, even that big party called the Olympic Games...that could be kyboshed too. Can you even
imagine?
I'm scared those same epidemic fears will limit trade, harm partnerships in multiple sectors, business and otherwise and ultimately culminate in a global recession.
But mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, openmindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested.
Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviors and "fight for yourself above all else" attitude could prove disastrous.
I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let's meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing.
Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts.
Our children will thank us for it.
Right, so 1/6 will need intensive care? Is that a disproportionate number of elderly?
On one hand people are saying don't panic and then reports like this. So much disinformation and bullshit. It's really hard to know what to believe or not.
Then this is circulating on Facebook and getting loads of respect for being a supposed voice of sanity.. ... ..
So which is it?
I quoted that Facebook post a few pages back because I was curious what @Arruda thought of it.
He like me, thought it was silly and irresponsible. This situation must not be seen as business as usual. At the same time though, panic is pointless, we need to be reasonable, sensible and decisive rather than doom mongering.
The outlook is serious, yes but that doesn't mean we can't still get on top of the situation and get new infection levels down to an acceptable level (Singapore was one of the first countries outside of China affected, and with good public education and robust measures, they're now at ~5% increase in cases daily)
Panic and fear mongering are never helpful, nor are some of the doomsday relishers who just love to be the first to post all the worst case scenarios.
There's still a chance to get a handle on this. Worse case is not locked in. But that situation with 16 million in Italy effectively quarantined is a pretty good indication that this situation is not business is usual.
I'm not panicking for my own safety. I obviously don't want to get ill per se, but I'm healthy enough that the odds are in my favour.Right, so 1/6 will need intensive care? Is that a disproportionate number of elderly?
On one hand people are saying don't panic and then reports like this. So much disinformation and bullshit. It's really hard to know what to believe or not.
Then this is circulating on Facebook and getting loads of respect for being a supposed voice of sanity.. ... ..
So which is it?
Right, so 1/6 will need intensive care? Is that a disproportionate number of elderly?
On one hand people are saying don't panic and then reports like this. So much disinformation and bullshit. It's really hard to know what to believe or not.
Then this is circulating on Facebook and getting loads of respect for being a supposed voice of sanity.. ... ..
So which is it?
Mostly shaking your hands (male with male), and kissing (male with female).Complete conjecture here from me so apologies if stupid or offensive.
Could the Mediterranean tradition of often kissing each other as a greeting have increased the spread of the virus?
I'm fairly sure in Italy it's commonplace for both genders to kiss each other frequently.
Or correct me if I'm wrong?
Complete conjecture here from me so apologies if stupid or offensive.
Could the Mediterranean tradition of often kissing each other as a greeting have increased the spread of the virus?
I'm fairly sure in Italy it's commonplace for both genders to kiss each other frequently.
Or correct me if I'm wrong?
Probably. It's the same cultural practice in Iran, for what it's worth (albeit intra-gender rather than inter-gender).Complete conjecture here from me so apologies if stupid or offensive.
Could the Mediterranean tradition of often kissing each other as a greeting have increased the spread of the virus?
I'm fairly sure in Italy it's commonplace for both genders to kiss each other frequently.
Or correct me if I'm wrong?
Well one is just an opinion based on nothing and the other is a fact. We've four posters here describing the situation based on facts and looks like parts of Italy are about to descend into chaos. Chaos which was present in China a few weeks back. My colleague was in Hong Kong when this broke out and she said it was horrible. No one was allowed out. Yet a vast majority of people want to believe that this isn't actually happening. Just because a lot of us are safe doesnt mean there are millions (billions) of people not suffering out there.
This isn't a movie. This is definitely real life. I hope that the rest of the world gets through unscathed. I wish Italy the best and hope they can rally through this.
I'm not trying to induce panic. But if this can happen in Italy so quick, whats stopping the same happening elsewhere?
I'm not panicking for my own safety. I obviously don't want to get ill per se, but I'm healthy enough that the odds are in my favour.
But by the same token, I don't want the disease to spread. Because if it does, a lot of vulnerable people will die and the NHS will be stretched to breaking point.
There are two sides to the equation. One is concern for myself and the other is concern for the public good. It's possible to judge the two sides separately and come up with different conclusions without them necessarily contradicting each other.
By way of analogy, I'm not worried about eating peanuts. But that doesn't mean I want people with allergies to suffer reactions because of poor labelling and/or food hygiene. I support the latter because it's the right thing to do, even though I gain no personal benefit.
It's right for me not to panic, but it's also right to have serious concerns.
Do you believe China is overreacting in the steps they have taken? They have been dealing with the virus at a large scale longer than anybody. I don't know if people think what they have been doing is just a totalitarian exercise. With your school example, you said yourself it has taken a week for the kid to show any symptoms.That may also be the case for those that may have contracted the virus from this kid. Besides everything I've read says kids may not get the virus at the same rate or show symptoms the same way as adults. So you can't really come to any conclusions from this.I think somewhere in the middle is the most sensible and logical answer.
Do you believe China is overreacting in the steps they have taken? They have been dealing with the virus at a large scale longer than anybody. I don't know if people think what they have been doing is just a totalitarian exercise. With your school example, you said yourself it has taken a week for the kid to show any symptoms.That may also be the case for those that may have contracted the virus from this kid. Besides everything I've read says kids may not get the virus at the same rate or show symptoms the same way as adults. So you can't really come to any conclusions from this.
Do you believe China is overreacting in the steps they have taken? They have been dealing with the virus at a large scale longer than anybody. I don't know if people think what they have been doing is just a totalitarian exercise. With your school example, you said yourself it has taken a week for the kid to show any symptoms.That may also be the case for those that may have contracted the virus from this kid. Besides everything I've read says kids may not get the virus at the same rate or show symptoms the same way as adults. So you can't really come to any conclusions from this.
As you'll see I argued early on there should be significant measures in place (closing schools is insufficient). The blue curve should be labeled with significant or sufficient. Beyond China not seeing a country do enough.That is the model but simple putting generalised "protective measures in place doesn't magically bring the number of cases below the carrying capacity of the system. I hope we achieve this but also think that there is very likely going ti be some very severe bottlenecks revealed e.g. how little spare ICU capacity there is.
Are you in Milan? Stay safe.Sirens all night long, people escaping from Milan to South Italy
I didn’t even know it reached the panhandle. Do you know which town by chance? I wonder if it’s where I went to high school.@Florida Man 2 of the 4 in Florida have now died. Both older. One in panhandle and other in Fr Meyers. No word on the 2 in Hillsborough county.
I didn’t even know it reached the panhandle. Do you know which town by chance? I wonder if it’s where I went to high school.
As you'll see I argued early on there should be significant measures in place (closing schools is insufficient). The blue curve should be labeled with significant or sufficient. Beyond China not seeing a country do enough.