terrytini

I’m leaving the thread but... one reason that’s been posited is that they had a specific guy in the worst affected region who was ill all through January, in and out hospital but not diagnosed. By the time they identified him he’d had weeks of spreading the virus, to an elderly close knit population. Which of course could happen anywhere . But might not . Ditto the Hotspot in the USA - a Care Home. It’s pretty logical that if you get a insular group, then one infected person could cause chaos ....especially if the people aren’t the healthiest. So, it’s one thing lots getting it, but lots getting it over a long period should be the norm. It won’t prevent massive hotspots, and those hotspots may provide the bulk of the deaths.

True, but they are different. Again, there is research on the issue that things I’ve mentioned MIGHT make a difference, which is all I’m saying. Having posted one post to point out some reasons for hope I’m starting to get bogged down in several debates with people who are telling me the negative side - of which I’m fully aware and have Posted on quite a bit. Not wishing to have those debates - no future in them other than despair - I will bow out

It doesn’t disappear there is a wealth of data on the deceased and it includes people in their thirties and forties. But people in those age groups have underlying health conditions too...and they arent always known. It must be remembered that for a percentage of people ( and I may be one so I’m not minimising it) the virus is ‘simply’ bringing forward a date that wasn’t too far off already. People with underlying health conditions were going to die every week, and they still are, so some of the numbers are these people. It doesn’t make it ok, but it is part of seeing the whole picture, not just the worst thoughts. An overconcentration on the individual stories can only really cause extra anxiety....there is little context.

And significant elderly population. And high proportion of smokers. Of course we could be as bad, or far worse. But it isn’t inevitable.

It was intended to be an optimistic view if you read the Post in which I first mentioned it. The whole of what I posted to Mark was to present the hopeful side. There’s plenty of the opposite everywhere.

Then she knows that the idea the NHS has plenty funding is utter garbage

I don’t think it is Mark. From everything I’ve read it is almost a worst case scenario. There’s hundreds of countries, they aren’t all like Italy, yet some have been closer to the epicentre both geographically and in people movement. We might be where Italy are. But we might not. I agree with your closing sentence. I wasn’t taking away from that, just providing some hopeful ideas.

It’s been widely stated it’s primarily respiratory illness, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Although, of course, anything which weakens the immune system will increase risk. Ive suffered with three of those and when I had the flu a couple of years back I was very ill. For 3 weeks I only got out of bed for the loo. Lost a lot of weight. Fevers, the lot. But... ..it WAS bearable. So for those who have not experienced it, if you aren’t made critically ill, so if you are one of the 80% who get infected but “ just” get ill.....it’ll be tough but ( in my view) you’ll get through ok. If it helps to share these things.....I also had a Pulmonary Embollism ( blood clot) in my twenties that broke off from the vein in my leg, went through my heart and lodged in my lung. Had a bigger piece broke off - kaput. I can say the resulting pain from trying to breathe was unbearable. It began in the morning, and by the time I was trying to pick up the phone next to my bed I couldn’t. The strain of moving made it impossible. When the girlfriend got in at 6pm she called an ambulance, I was rushed to hospital and put on a drip. It was touch and go. Two days later I was well on the way to recovery, albeit with a partially collapsed lung. So, again, take heart.....we are built amazingly well.

And maybe, just maybe, when it’s over we might have a public who demand paying more tax to fully fund a Health /Care Service that can handle these things, rather than low tax to buy more Holidays and Takeaways.

Don’t lose heart mate. Theres other possibilities....warm weather might help, might help a lot......the use of unproven vaccines on seriously ill patients could throw something up......the initiative of the many ( not those we see on Facebook in pubs and airports) in self isolating will play a part. Every disaster/war looks hopeless at the start........ We will produce more ventilators, more medicine. Those that get ill and recover will help keep things going. If Italy hadn’t happened, whilst we would all still rightly be worried and careful we would be less frightened, and Italy hasnt happened everywhere. And, finally, it remains the case that the evidence suggests most who get it will get over it. I share your fears but just wanted to share my hopes

Nobody with respiratory illnesses takes/ should take ibuprofen unless they’ve medical advice to that effect it aggravates all breathing issues.

I hope people thinking that way are in a tiny tiny tiny minority.

Yes I’m afraid any willpower Ive had to moderate my eating recently has gone out the window. Sod it !

Yes. The panic buying will almost certainly pass but can cause a lot of fear and worry that it’s Armageddon when pictures first show up. It’ll calm down. More than panic buying I’d expect the military to have an input into looking after distribution areas and links. Again, in my view it’s welcome.

Yes I mean it’s obvious they will be making preparations for areas to be subject to martial law IF things evolve to worst case scenarios....not as frightening as it sounds it’s only like the U.S using National Guard. But my sense is that the majority of things will be in ensuring transport functions, deploying camp/ bed/ medical facilities, ( and maybe the more morbid aspects) and all that goes with these things. Im a little reassured by it. Which helps !

I would say that the whole world is going to ‘drop’...so there will a big stimulus similar to those which followed ww2 after (?) this calms down. There will be a lot more coming in the way of income supplements in the short and medium term....there’s no way that every country can just write off so many people’s incomes. So there will be difficulties, some very hard, but this aspect won’t be allowed to get as bad as it currently looks, in my view.

I’ve been given no facts whatsoever but I’ve family in the forces and they’ve told me there is a lot of preparation of this nature and similar going on. Lots of extra training to.

Tesco been skimping on the maggots AGAIN ?

I sympathise, genuinely. It’s not been easy, even just from the point of view of knowing that to convince some I had to actually end up exposing them to stuff they’d rather not hear. Wierdly the wife was one of the hardest, I think because she’s so concerned about me and her mom she had gone down the denial route. Got there in the end with all of them, though one daughter ( with three kids) is still borderline in her concerns, she is doing all we have asked. Having done it, they’ve thanked me for it, now I want to forget it ! I experienced a few rows too....hopefully as mine did yours will see you mean well. Then, sometime later, they will see you were right with their own eyes..good luck.

I’ve been on it for two weeks. Digested CNN, read all the research, the lot. Chose the time for family info...got the doubters on board. Everyone knows what to do. With luck, warm weather, and the self care many people are taking we might keep it on the best case side. The panic buying will pass as supplies reappear, some rationing is brought in, and people get over the shock. There is lots of evidence from many past traumatic events in many places to suggest on the whole a disciplined calm will set in at some point. As people get sick, then well, there will be a growing immune population to help out. Its deadly serious, but not the plague. Ive 2 kids and a Son In Law in the forces. There’s a lot of preparations underway to alleviate the problems. ( I’ve no idea what). Italy doesn’t have to be typical. Im now moving into “ good mental health” stage.....there’s nothing more to be achieved, and constantly reading and looking at the topic can no longer add anything beneficial. I hope in time most feel that way and speculation and extreme cases get less ‘unnecessary’ circulation. So that’s me done with news, newspapers, the lot. I’ll keep VT open, but I’ll read very little now. I post this on the off chance it might help one person formulate their thinking. Sorry I’ve gone on. Good luck All

Yup. Done it for myself and for the Mother In Law ( we’ve only 1 surviving parent between 2 of us). Im going nowhere. She will walk in her local park, that’s all. Same for both houses.. Systems in place for deliveries, packages, food packaging. Procedure for showering and changing after going out.....only other close family allowed in....they’ve all got the idea re what to do on arrival. Whole house been disinfected, First Aid kits checked, candles etc. Mobile phone ‘ policy’....they are germ collectors so need to be treated carefully. Just in case. It’ll soon be second nature, and hopefully soon become redundant. But worth being a bit excessive rather than regrets later. Good luck Mark

You know El and Ghazi is just one guy yes ? ( it’s 18)........

To be fair Trumps throwing blame around, they all will. I’d prefer to ignore the politics. I share your views of the “ common folk” though ( except the scousers ).....but I don’t think it’s just people of the UK. We are genuinely all in it together, all suffering together, all hoping together, all with our share of heroes and villains.

Without wishing to invite ridicule of the “ bringing apple for teacher” variety I’d like to echo this and specifically thank @limpidfor the fact the site exists. I don’t see people outside my missus and kids except at the Matches. I’m at home all the time ( which I usually like ). I watch CNN for its excellent reporting. And, recently, my mind has been fully focussed on this, and what to do for myself and my family. Its tough. At times it’s utterly utterly terrifying. Despair pops in occasionally of course. Ive had a breakdown in the past, 6 years ago, and I can struggle with anxiety, although ( for the most part CBT has nailed that. At 58, Ive had heart, lung, and kidney problems in the last few years. So I’ve got a fair cocktail in all that to make dealing with all this difficult. The fact that - at any time day or night - there are people, from all over the world, on this site, chatting, posting thoughts, information, fears, and hopes, and the fact that they all ( well, most ) feel like friends, and that I trust what they are saying,is important beyond measure. Thats quite some contribution Limpid and VT

I hope you don’t mind me mentioning but could you post a link for stuff like this...? i don’t even know who they are .there’s so much out there it’s important to read what’s been said and by who