Coronavirus Part II - Its arrived - We're Doomed!!! See OP for Mod warnings

gmisk · 25-02-2020 04:32PM

firemansam4 wrote: »

Well if I cancel I lose nearly everything anyway, so won't actually be cancelling flights or hotel yet, but I'm just resigning myself to the fact we'll probably have to cancel when the time comes.

Had to cancel the time of the Ash clouds from Iceland so have form for picking the worst times for travelling...

I emailed hotel in Italy and they were happy to move date (no refund as we paid up front).
I think you will only get refund for flights if they are cancelled

BanditLuke · 25-02-2020 04:33PM

I sincerely hope the 2% fatality rate isn't accurate because this is going global now and the casualty rate will be extraordinary.

25-02-2020 04:35PM

It's all well and good saying the deaths only appear to be affecting elderly and immune compromised people but ANYONE can get it and spread it around.

Don't the elderly deserve to live? What about that 40 year old who is undergoing chemo? They've been told that their chances of surviving cancer are high only to get knocked down by Covid-19! Are they just cannon fodder too?

It's already been shown that super spreaders can be asymptomatic so telling people only to self isolate if they show symptoms is a ****ing cop out and it boils my blood.

Has the HSE bothered to update their website yet?

:mad:

Martina1991 · 25-02-2020 04:38PM

Ficheall wrote:

Except you're infectious for days before you start showing symptoms.. and as far as I can tell, we seem to be testing hardly anyone, no matter where they've been or whom they've been in contact with.

If someone is not displaying symptoms or feeling unwell you could argue why test them.

We have limited resources. Staff, tests, beds, masks, oxygen tanks. Shouldn't our resources be designated to those that will need them.

darjeeling wrote:

Would you have any thoughts on whether and how antibody testing would be used as fast test kits become available?

I haven't heard of anything like that yet, but i havent looked into it. If an assay does become available it would have to be compatible for all the various analysers used in labs all over the world. The equipment we use in Ireland may be different to what they use in China, Iran, Italy etc.
Months would be the minimum timeline.

darjeeling wrote:

I know it won't replace diagnostic nucleic acid tests, but it should allow rapid screening to see who has been exposed, including people who have recovered but I don't know where it might best be used though, and if the HSE conducts this kind of general population screening.

Define rapid. The actual length of time tests can take on an analyser can be anything from minutes to hours depending on the assay. Results have to be checked, controlled and verified.

Routine labs are already short staffed and overworked. Imagine adding thousands and thousands of Covid-19 tests to that. There wouldn't be enough hours in the day to get through the workload.

Mic 1972 · 25-02-2020 04:38PM

Martina1991 wrote:

Testing anyone and everyone as a screening program is a waste of time and resources.

I'm starting to agree with this. There is no cure at the moment
Prevention is the only solution and it should be applied to all, regardless of whether they are infected or not. All countries should apply strict rules to prevent spreading.
People with mild symptoms stay home, don't interact with anyone. I doesn't matter if it's flue, cold or the virus. No need to test, if you are fine, just stay home and don't spread it
People in critical conditions are being treated the best we can in Hospital as they would.

megatron989 · 25-02-2020 04:39PM

DrumSteve wrote: »

Lets be real, it's already here.

They are most likely waiting for the first (bad) case to pop up to put any resources to that.

This. Definitely the case. They aren't testing anyone unless they are on death's door probably because it's better to not find it if possible. At least put off the first confirmation as long as it can be, why? Well because that's the only plan they have. The numbers of people that would require hospital care (not number that die, number that need help) will be hilariously over what our hospitals can handle that it'll cause absolute mayhem. This id put money on.

DrumSteve · 25-02-2020 04:39PM

BanditLuke wrote: »

I sincerely hope the 2% fatality rate isn't accurate because this is going global now and the casualty rate will be extraordinary.

Until we know how many are actually infected, it could be lower or higher.

As I said above if you take Hubei out, the figures look a bit different based on what's known.

KWAG2019 · 25-02-2020 04:40PM

This is very odd stuff. Reports on social media of students from Maynooth area flying home having left a lockdown area in Northern Italy 24 hours before it was locked down. On arrival parents advised to say nothing. By who?

Irish Examiner claims media blackout ordered by “authorities” but it is publishing details.

Unsettling and odd.

givyjoe · 25-02-2020 04:42PM

KWAG2019 wrote: »

This is very odd stuff. Reports on social media of students from Maynooth area flying home having left a lockdown area in Northern Italy 24 hours before it was locked down. On arrival parents advised to say nothing. By who?

Irish Examiner claims media blackout ordered by “authorities” but it is publishing details.

Unsettling and odd.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/students-from-waterford-being-monitored-after-trip-to-italian-region-impacted-by-coronavirus-983964.html

dominatinMC · 25-02-2020 04:43PM

KWAG2019 wrote: »

This is very odd stuff. Reports on social media of students from Maynooth area flying home having left a lockdown area in Northern Italy 24 hours before it was locked down. On arrival parents advised to say nothing. By who?

Irish Examiner claims media blackout ordered by “authorities” but it is publishing details.

Unsettling and odd.

I just say the same tweet. Like something out of a George Orwell novel

4068ac1elhodqr · 25-02-2020 04:43PM

auspicious wrote: »

It's outrageous.
Which one person in government does it fall to to implement basic directives such as checking flights from affected regions? If even one death results from the lack of adequate action I'd like to see prosecution.

Maybe they're hoping it can reduce the ever-growing housing crisis in the longer term, who knows for sure.

There are some quick (3hr) test kits available (or due on the market very soon), but would likely be high demand for them. The US recently had faulty batches sent to them, so even these are never 100% conculsuve.

The NHS have started home testing already (London currently only, before full roll out) as they don't want anyone inside an ambulance, which would then need a deep clean. Instead someone just calls their hotline and someone shows up to test them.

Mic 1972 · 25-02-2020 04:43PM

megatron989 wrote: »

This. Definitely the case. They aren't testing anyone unless they are on death's door probably because it's better to not find it if possible. At least put off the first confirmation as long as it can be, why? Well because that's the only plan they have. The numbers of people that would require hospital care (not number that die, number that need help) will be hilariously over what our hospitals can handle that it'll cause absolute mayhem. This id put money on.

Also nobody wants bad publicity, the way Italy is getting
So let's rub it under the carpet. Test as few people as possible

JDD · 25-02-2020 04:44PM

It does seem a bit odd that we aren't taking any precautions. I know there's an argument for "but it's likely to be here already", yet we haven't had a confirmed case yet - despite the number of flights going back and forth from affected areas. Chances are, if it is here already, it's not widespread and could still be fairly contained. Especially if we took the precaution of checking people coming in on flights from Northern Italy.

The Machiavelli in me suspects that the government wouldn't be too worried if a widespread corona-virus outbreak killed off a chunk of elderly people, Logan's Run style, thus vastly reducing the burden on the health service. But perhaps that is too far-fetched for even my cynical mind.

givyjoe · 25-02-2020 04:44PM

Mic 1972 wrote: »

Also nobody wants bad publicity, the way Italy is getting
So let's rub it under the carpet. Test as few people as possible

Or test em and keep it very very quiet.

josip · 25-02-2020 04:44PM

KWAG2019 wrote: »

This is very odd stuff. Reports on social media of students from Maynooth area flying home having left a lockdown area in Northern Italy 24 hours before it was locked down. On arrival parents advised to say nothing. By who?

Irish Examiner claims media blackout ordered by “authorities” but it is publishing details.

Unsettling and odd.

Have you a URL for this please KWAG?

otnomart · 25-02-2020 04:44PM

otnomart wrote: »

Earlier on Italian State TV, the WHO rep stated that European Countries differ in how they select people for testing :
-in France the swab tests are carried out only on people with symptoms
-while in Italy - until now - the swab tests were carried out widely on people in the (now quarantined) areas, regardless of them having symptoms or not.

As tomorrow a WHO delegation is doing a site inspection in Italy, what I expect to happen is:
- swab tests done only on people with symptoms going forward
- statistics split in: infected with symptoms and infected without symptoms

Video:
https://twitter.com/agorarai/status/1232049332335075328

And these are the stats split from Italy:
-in intensive care: 29
-infected with symptoms: 109
-total number of tests: over 6200

https://twitter.com/Fabio20957882/status/1232275111904006144

darjeeling · 25-02-2020 04:45PM

Martina1991 wrote: »

Define rapid. The actual length of time tests can take on an analyser can be anything from minutes to hours depending on the assay. Results have to be checked, controlled and verified.

I've never done serological testing so I can only go on reports that say you get a result in 15 minutes and can therefore mass screen large numbers of samples.
That would be much faster and less labour intensive than any PCR-based test for viral RNA, but wouldn't have the same diagnostic value for individual cases.

theguzman · 25-02-2020 04:47PM

YFlyer wrote: »

We took the foot and mouth situation a lot more seriously.

Larry Goodman was effected by it, once it starts to hit the elite here expect action, if the 100,000 Brazilian fake students left Dublin tomorrow then every Fianna Fail landlord crony would get Fianna Fail to act fairly quick.

KWAG2019 · 25-02-2020 04:48PM

josip wrote: »

Have you a URL for this please KWAG?

I can’t do that from social media but somebody has it above.

Seamai · 25-02-2020 04:49PM

"Media Blackout" WTF!!!! Someone's boll*cks deserves to be on the block.

Ficheall · 25-02-2020 04:50PM

Martina1991 wrote: »

If someone is not displaying symptoms or feeling unwell you could argue why test them.

We have limited resources. Staff, tests, beds, masks, oxygen tanks. Shouldn't our resources be designated to those that will need them.

At this point, perhaps. Had the HopeSpringsEternal pulled the thumb out a few weeks ago, they could perhaps have reduced the number of people who would need said resources.

Hector Savage · 25-02-2020 04:51PM

'It is still possible the virus can be contained'

Hugh Pym

BBC News Health Editor

England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty told me that he thinks it is still possible the virus can be contained.

He said the situation in Iran is extremely concerning and the death rate high - suggesting a much higher number of cases than reported.

He anticipates that deaths and cases in Italy will go up sharply as more cases come through.

But there is no change at present to the advice on travel. People going to northern Italy just need to report symptoms if they have them.

Jesus H Christ

timmyntc · 25-02-2020 04:52PM

At the very least they should have some level of screening at airports - temperature checks and be on the lookout for symptomatic patients, coughing etc.

If they've been lucky enough to be selected, take a sample send it to get tested, tell the person to wear a mask and minimise contact with other people, and give contact details.

It's not particularly intrusive but it would be a big help for contact tracing and keeping the outbreak contained.

lunamoon · 25-02-2020 04:54PM

If people aren't showing symptoms for up to 2 weeks after exposure what's the point in screening them at airports?

KWAG2019 · 25-02-2020 04:54PM

Given the FB stuff and the Examiner article the govt must issue clear statements quickly this evening. I’d expect by 6 at the latest. The issue of a media blackout if true is profoundly unsettling.

Mic 1972 · 25-02-2020 04:54PM

timmyntc wrote: »

At the very least they should have some level of screening at airports - temperature checks and be on the lookout for symptomatic patients, coughing etc.

If they've been lucky enough to be selected, take a sample send it to get tested, tell the person to wear a mask and minimise contact with other people, and give contact details.

It's not particularly intrusive but it would be a big help for contact tracing and keeping the outbreak contained.

This would have have made sense at the start of the outbreak
What benefit are we going to get from having resources dedicated to screening people now? Everybody should limit their exposure to others for the next while and wait for this thing to cool off

odyssey06 · 25-02-2020 04:54PM

Martina1991 wrote: »

If someone is not displaying symptoms or feeling unwell you could argue why test them.

We have limited resources. Staff, tests, beds, masks, oxygen tanks. Shouldn't our resources be designated to those that will need them.

Routine labs are already short staffed and overworked. Imagine adding thousands and thousands of Covid-19 tests to that. There wouldn't be enough hours in the day to get through the workload.

Sure why bother testing anyone then? Symptoms or not?

No one has proposed using oxygen tanks for people who may be carriers, why are you bringing them into the conversation?

Just the HSE standard for testing and at risk cases is noticeably laxer than other countries.

If the HSE can't get through the workload of the tests how will it get through the workload infected by people they didn't test and let carry on their business?

25-02-2020 04:57PM

KWAG2019 wrote: »

This is very odd stuff. Reports on social media of students from Maynooth area flying home having left a lockdown area in Northern Italy 24 hours before it was locked down. On arrival parents advised to say nothing. By who?

Irish Examiner claims media blackout ordered by “authorities” but it is publishing details.

Unsettling and odd.

I dunno, if someone told you to keep quiet, would you? I know I wouldn't/couldn't

https://twitter.com/Minnie1602/status/1232328403266756610?s=20
https:/

https://twitter.com/Minnie1602/status/1232328403266756610?s=20/twitter.com/Minnie1602/status/1232328403266756610?s=20

theguzman · 25-02-2020 04:57PM

All air traffic in and out of the island of Ireland should be stopped immediately.

Drumpot · 25-02-2020 04:57PM

Listen to the WHO presser and put aside what hes saying about China.

"Shift in Mindset is required. Shift to a readyness rapid response ready".

He is uptalking China because they have taken huge efforts to stop the virus , manage and are actually planning on things continuing regardless of this virus.

I said it before, this reminds me of the language used when my dad was seriously ill in Hospital. Its preparatory language trying to get people everywhere to start preparing to manage this issue on a larger scale.

In short, when you get past the anger about how much WHO are bigging up China, I hear them say "Get prepared, get your population ready and plan because its most likely coming". "You have to bring your population with you early because things are going to change quickly and you have to have the tools to communicate and adapt as things change". .

These are quotes. In fairness, China has the most experience of every country, thats just a fact. Regardless of whether we believe everything they say, they do have more experience. But they can also take harsher decisions that a democracy may struggle to implement.

I do think that he has used this press conference to basically tell the world community to cop the f**k on and start taking this seriously , communicating/preparing populartions and taking preventitive measures.

Coronavirus Part II - Its arrived - We're Doomed!!! See OP for Mod warnings

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