new coronavirus outbreak China, Korea, USA - mod warnings in OP (updated 24/02/20)

Duke of Url wrote: »

Grace. People are searching for videos and articles of worse case scenarios and posting them as fact.

All the professionals are saying current analytics are not correct as it’s impossible to know if you tested the world population now, How many cases would there be.

A question for you Grace.... Have you ever been put off travelling during the winter or spring time?

You agree we don't enough data on virus, and the experts say its likely a global pandemic and in the us CDC says it's a "tremendous public health threat", I can look up all the other bodies saying how serious it is. And you agree we don't have good data on it...? So what's your point? You are assuming this will be more like the flu than SARS. And yet we're told we're wannabe experts for saying the situation appears to be pretty serious.

Outside of the actual death rate, it is causing 1/10th of the world to shut down. And when in your life have you heard of these kinds of quarantines becoming ubiquitous? There's so much to this story but because it's not at our front door, discussing it is panic. Speculating is panic. But saying it is no big deal - which seems to be a minority opinion of experts and public health bodies - is the true picture. Even though we see a pattern (in Italy and Iran) of everything being fine until it isn't.

Sick of being told we're wannabe experts when others who want to downplay it make outlandish claims to show how not concerned they are like 'we will not get a case" "the death rate is less than 1% guaranteed". etc. yet have you seen any expert or body say that? Whereas most of the people discussing the facts (which by their nature sound serious) are just as calm and there has been almost no misinformation in this thread considering it's size and how many people have contributed. Maybe all the governments are panicking too, I'm open to that and I'm not ruling out that it will be milder. Though I've seen more certainty from the people who declare to be mild on average.

Kaya Prehistoric Landlord wrote: »

A pandemic is when there are epidemics in multiple continents. Any epidemics that have been identified are still in Asian countries.

Italy is certainly not in Asia

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

And yet we're told we're wannabe experts for saying the situation appears to be pretty serious.

So what? What if you're right? Is it enough to win Internet points by being proven to be right - do you want to people to be frightened, to panic, to start making decisions in a frightened state?

I hear people saying "well I'm just making sure people are aware and are prepared". Prepared in what way? Rush to a hardware store to buy masks, which will deprive the people who really need them? Rush to the supermarket to buy out the place, so putting massive strain on logistics? Start going to their GP everytime they have a cough, and filling our hospitals with people with minor illnesses?

We don't know how bad this will be. It doesn't look great, but it's not catastrophic either - if it spreads lots of us will get it, most will be mild, the hospitals will be stretched. But that's it - life goes on, we'll need to go to work, we'll need to be a bit more careful about washing hands or shaking hands, businesses will need to be a bit more careful about not allowing employees to work if they are sick. The biggest danger is that people start panicking and thinking it's a bigger deal than it is, and we all have a responsibility to be careful about what we say.

The reason households were always advised to have a stock of staples that could see them through a few weeks was precisely to prevent panic buying and strain if there's a sudden emergency. For instance, in the big snow, those of us with some flour and pasta in store didn't have to rush and and bulk-buy bread - we had enough food in to keep us going until the emergency was over and the supply chain back to normal.

With the latest new from Italy the chance of us getting away without a few weeks disruption seems to be getting smaller, and I'd sooner have a few extra cans of stuff to use up next winter that have to worry about shopping if there was highly contagious disease around.

My worst experience of being locked in was heavy snow about 30 years ago - four of us in the house for a week with no electricity or running water, and an impassable road. We got through just fine, on our supplies, and with the help of a neighbour a few fields away with water from a different source where the pump had a generator - she was very tolerant of a visit from people carrying buckets every afternoon.

hmmm wrote: »

So what? What if you're right? Is it enough to win Internet points by being proven to be right - do you want to people to be frightened, to panic, to start making decisions in a frightened state?
I hear people saying "well I'm just making sure people are aware and are prepared". Prepared in what way? Rush to a hardware store to buy masks, which will deprive the people who really need them? Rush to the supermarket to buy out the place, so putting massive strain on logistics? Start going to their GP everytime they have a cough, and filling our hospitals with people with minor illnesses?

Not at all, why would anyone want that? I don't assume everyone goes into a panic just because they are expressing concern about a rapidly developing situation. I come here because people are posting so much the information and it is a very high standard of content all things considered. There has been very limited fake stuff and quite a lot of breaking news. I'm very interested in the story and I think it's a crazy situation, it's unprecedented and historic in terms of what's happening in China.

hmmm wrote: »

We don't know how bad this will be. It doesn't look great, but it's not catastrophic either - if it spreads lots of us will get it, most will be mild, the hospitals will be stretched. But that's it - life goes on, we'll need to go to work, we'll need to be a bit more careful about washing hands or shaking hands, businesses will need to be a bit more careful about not allowing employees to work if they are sick. The biggest danger is that people start panicking and thinking it's a bigger deal than it is, and we all have a responsibility to be careful about what we say.

I completely agree.

Anyone else find the Iran situation bizarre. 9 Deaths now out of 28 cases; exported at least 2 cases if not more (Lebanon & UAE)
Must be a complete hotbed over there - what sort of medical facilities does Iran have to handle this?

Graces7 wrote: »

Agree totally. But this is a way of life many city raised have no experience of and no skill in. Always their way is to rush to the shop

A soccer coach on newstalk lately said they've a problem with kids playing soccer Dublin kids don't know how to fall, there literally face planking themselves causing injury and driving up insurance. Dublin is screwed if this takes hold, imagine what their parents are like.

laurah591 wrote: »

Anyone else find the Iran situation bizarre. 9 Deaths now out of 28 cases; exported at least 2 cases if not more (Lebanon & UAE)
Must be a complete hotbed over there - what sort of medical facilities does Iran have to handle this?

Can dismiss the 28 cases, more hundreds if not likely thousands of cases

Anyone found spreading rumours will be dealt with...hmmm