CoVid-19 Part IX - 785 cases ROI (3 deaths) 108 in NI (1 death) (20 March) *Read OP*

Do you know what happening in the area around Lodi where all this began?
People who call the emergency services are asking for help.

But do you know what they ask?
They simply ask for help.
They expect nothing.
And, incredibly, they’re not shouting, insulting or threatening.
They’re kind. They apologise for bothering us and patiently and quietly wait hours before someone can listen to them and hopefully help them, even if just over the phone.

Those of you not living here will not understand why they’re so remissive and resigned.
I do.
And I’ll try to explain.

I get a call from Lucia.
She lives in a house on two levels.
She’s 55 and lives on the first floor, is in quarantine with her two sons.
I ask if she needs anything.
She tells me her mother lives on the floor above.
I ask if they’ve had contact with anyone tested positive for coronavirus.

She begins.
Gianni, her 57-year old husband is in intensive care on a ventilator.
Stefano, her 49-year old brother died the other day while in intensive care.
He’s not in the same ICU as her husband as there were no more places.

Her husband was taken away a week ago by ambulance with a fever and breathing difficulties.
Lucia hasn’t seen or heard from him since then.
Every day she waits for a phone call from the ward to find out if her husband is still alive or whether he’s making a recovery.

Her voice trembles as she tells me and I don’t have the courage to interrupt her.
I don’t want to interrupt her while she’s speaking to me even though I have 20 call waiting after her.
It’s been like this for days and will continue like this for a lot more I’m sure.
She finally takes a break and I can continue to understand how I can help her.
She tells me she’s calling about her mother.
Lucia’s mother lives on the ground floor.
She’s 88.
She’s had a fever for several days, she’s weak and has a wheezy cough.
Her GP is following her.
Lucia and her mum are lucky.
Their GP is not sick or in quarantine.
The doctor got her an x-ray and got oxygen delivered because she has trouble breathing.
She tells me the doctor has just made a house call and recommends she be admitted to hospital because he doesn’t know how to manager her situation.
She adds that the doctor wanted to speak to us (999) but after being on hold for an hour he had to move on to other patients.
I apologise for the wait and try to explain that we are literally swamped with emergency calls and at breaking point.
She interrupts me to say:
“No need to apologise, you’re doing too much already.”

She consoles me.
For **** sake!


I suggest an ambulance to take her mum to hospital.
I do tell her though that it will take time and I’m not sure they’ll be able to take her to Lodi hospital where her husband is.

She stops me
Her voice is calm yet decisive.
I have the feeling I should prepare for an argument. I’m tired and selfishly I don’t feel like talking to anyone anymore. I’m sick of hearing the same stories, the same suffering and the same pain.
I then think about the fact that in an hour my shift will be over and again, selfishly I see myself in bed asleep.

However, Lucia gives me a life lesson that here, two days later, is still imprinted in my mind and heart.
Lucia tells me she doesn’t want her mother taken to hospital.
She explains that she’s already lost a brother without being able to say goodbye or go to his funeral and she hasn’t seen her husband for 10 days.
She doesn’t want her mother to die in hospital.
And adds, “I know perfectly well that you are barely able to care for young patients and I know well that if I send my mother to hospital she’ll be left to die because you don’t have time to treat her.”

She says this without bitterness but with such awareness that it chills me to the bone.
I remain silent because I know she’s absolutely right, but I can’t actually tell her this is the case.
She understand my silence and continues:
“I just need someone to tell me I’m doing the right thing and that I can let her die with dignity at home and without suffering.”

I’ll finish now.
I’ll not add anything.
Just to say that Lucia’s mother passed away in her home an hour later.

Maybe one day I’ll go to Lucia’s house and hug her and tell her she did the right thing.
Because if I was a father I’d want a daughter like her.

Lucia is just one of many.
You have no idea the tsunami of sickness, suffering and pain this pandemic is creating.
And don’t for a minute think this can only happen to others and not you.

Therefore, I beg you to stay at home. We are on the verge of collapse.
We no longer have hospital beds even for the young.
Us health workers are getting sick and the epidemic is widening.

Lodi and Codgono are small towns.
Today, you’ve seen photos of the trucks taking away coffins in Bergamo.
Do you know how many people live in Milan?
Their hospitals are already full of patients.
But none of these patients are from Milan.
Guess where they’re from!

Do the maths.
Even though you’re not mathematicians.

If this pandemic seriously spreads to Milan, Bergamo will seem like a walk in the park.
I regret not being in China where everything can be closed.
Because this is what is needed.

So, I beg you.
Those of you who are healthy, take a step back.
You could be carrying Covid-19 and unknowingly be infecting everything and everyone by leaving the house.

We’re not asking much.
Just stay at home.
Please.

We are not ****ing giving up but give us a hand and play your part.

pH wrote: »

Around West Dublin this morning, people out in force in the nice weather, chemists have locked doors, and a few shops seems closed, but many people out in force, walking with kids, buying coffee etc. Many elderly people too (though to be fair mainly walking alone). Busses reasonably empty but this wasn't rush hour by any means.

I would not be surprised if this level of 'social distancing' isn't enough to halt the outbreak.

Blueshoe wrote: »

Is there a bit of a head cold going around too?

I am sneezing, blowing the nose and am tired. I have noticed my coworkers have similar symptoms. Nobody is coughing though

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

If I remember correctly she had a fine set of lungs on her.

pH wrote: »

"Wolfgang Wodarg says:
The corona hype is not based on any extraordinary public health danger. However, it causes considerable damage to our freedom and personal rights through frivolous and unjustified quarantine measures and restrictions. The images in the media are frightening and the traffic in China's cities seems to be regulated by the clinical thermometer.
Evidence-based epidemiological assessment is drowning in the mainstream of fear mongers in labs, media, and ministries."

And this is the problem that someone like Boris Johnson (and Trump) had in the last few weeks. These points of view are out there, from serious people with actual credentials in virology and epidemics.

The world was a very difference place 30 days ago:
"Did the US overreact to the outbreak" (18 Feb)
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3051011/science-vs-politics-did-us-overreact-coronavirus-outbreak-china

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist who serves on the faculty at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University’s school of public health.

Rolling Stone: You’ve argued that “containment is no longer possible” with coronavirus and “it’s now time to shift to mitigation.” How should that change our strategy and tactics in dealing with this outbreak?

Angela Rasmussen: We need to focus on trying to minimize the spread. And that means two things. First of all: making sure that our health care systems are prepared. It also means educating the public about what coronavirus in their community means, how to protect themselves, how to minimize their exposure risks — and also not to panic and overwhelm their health care systems, which is my biggest concern.

Rolling Stone (March 2nd)
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/containment-failed-coronavirus-spreading-america-960309/

I could go on and keep linking these articles and quoting experts, but I won't. And this is why we need to give people like Boris Johnson and (dare I say it) even Trump some slack.

pH wrote: »

Maybe Trevor's year?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpjigCffIX8

tobefrank321 wrote: »

There's crucial lessons here for us. We definitely want to follow the German model.

froog wrote: »

also when googling that guy, he is massive critic of the global response to H1N1 (and which most people actually do agree the world went completely overboard on a disease less harmful than the regular flu). so you can see why he's skeptical of this one.

but he's being willfully ignorant of certain facts, and perhaps supported by his own country's figures which do not match up at all with the rest of the world.

Mwengwe wrote: »

I think this is the wrong attitude. Everyone should be assuming they're a carrier, symptoms or not. If you knew you had the virus would you distance yourself from the rest of your family? a: Yes.

Ficheall wrote: »

Reporting deaths differently?

froog wrote: »

he seems like a smart guy. but how do you explain the massive sudden requirement for ICU and ventilation equipment? if this was nothing out of the ordinary this would not be the case. health systems would not be overloaded like we saw in wuhan, like we are seeing in Italy and Spain. it just doesn't make sense.

maybe someone can explain his argument better to me though, i'm not sure I fully grasp his logic.

An Ciarraioch wrote: »

77 cases reported in NI, which would be an increase of 9 since yesterday.