Coronavirus outbreak

[randynewmanscat]

It would appear that you are allowed to cycle to the shops/chemist, but not sure if it has to be the nearest shop, or any shop 🤔

You have to book it like an MOT so that if you get stopped you can say "I am on important shopping business, for sustenance and refreshments" as the cans, bottles and pies bulge from the panniers.

 

[randynewmanscat]

Everything near me feels eerily quiet, and a bit tense.

I was out earlier and busy streets had turned into a handful of people.

Have a look at the webcams for Venice and some of Romes normally busiest places. I took a look on Saturday morning and for a moment thought I was looking at still images until pigeons flew by.
https://www.skylinewebcams.com/

 

[johnnyb47]

I don't know whether it's just my imagination but i agree @DCLane. My local town felt really tense today. The people in the supermarket where generally relaxed but you could feel an underlying tension.
At the checkout everybody was standing a more noticeable distance from each other
and were just busy getting what they needed and then leave, instead of the usual chit chat you often see amongst shoppers.
The main car park was also noticeably quieter.
I could imagine the pubs will be really quiet for the foreseeable future.
I'm certainly not going out for a pint anytime soon

 

[randynewmanscat]

I'm certainly not going out for a pint anytime soon

Pubs, cinema, its a long list and I see no reason to doubt your caution. I only realised on Saturday that my belote nights are out for now. My usual playing partners are older than me and two are a bit creaky with ticker and lung problems. Life is going to be trying for older people, boring if nothing else.

 

[DCLane]

The other concern I have is for the businesses who rely on sports / entertainment / travel - they're really going to struggle.

Events / holidays / work transport cancelled. Part of me thinks this 'herd immunity' is hoped to prevent millions out of work with an impact years hence. I do understand the scientists' approach here, which is to help long-term, but it's a risk.

Oh, and the cynical part of me is wondering whether it's being used so weak/sick/old die to reduce the pension/social care budget. I really hope not.

 

[slowmotion]

In London W14, there isn't even a hint of eeriness. The pubs and restaurants are as busy as ever. The diners in the French restaurant we went to tonight didn't look like zombies to me.

 

[Blue Hills]

Whilst trying not to appear rude, I think you're dreaming if you think this will happen

To bring this home, my friend in Alicante is really unhappy because, as from Monday, he is barred by law from riding his bike. Don't be surprised if we have similar in UK soon. Get as much riding in as you can. Very good chance there's will be no outdoor cycling in UK soon

Same in italy apparently.
Don't you think this is over the top?
Folks allowed to go out for food, which clearly involves meeting people, handling stuff other folks then handle, but not ride a bike solo round streets and lanes?

 

[Wobblers]

https://www.latimes.com/world-natio...n-korea-coronavirus-reinfection-test-positive

Hmmm

Hmmm indeed. Norovirus produces little or no resistance after infection, so re-infection is possible, but that's the only virus that I know of which does so. On the other hand, there are a number or viruses that hang around after infection; Epstein-Barr virus is one - it causes glandular fever and about 95% of us have it. But 95% of us aren't just about to come down with glandular fever! In short, you can test positive for a virus but not be in any danger of becoming ill. Given that it takes up to 28 days for full virus clearance from recovery, this is a plausible reason for these apparent instances of re-infection. The investigators WHO sent to China did not find any significant evidence of re-infection.

The test is not that sensitive. Furthermore, what is its false negative rate? No test is 100% accurate. A series of three tests where the first and third are positive, but the second yields a false negative result would produce exactly the observations of apparent re-infection observed. Given that China, Korea and Japan have conducted many hundreds of thousands of tests, 100 cases represents a false negative rate of less than 0.1%, which seems entirely plausible to me, especially given the circumstances that they've been carried out in - mistakes such as mislabeling are bound to have happened.

 

[Fab Foodie]

If factories are remaining open then why the frack are the employees not tested? I'd happily carry on working so long as the infected are sent away.

And how do you test?

 

[Mo1959]

Trying to look for some positives to all this. I bet the air quality is improving quite dramatically if flights and a lot of other non essential travel is curtailed.

I agree that it is starting to feel a bit tense and eerie. Lots of discussion on my local town Facebook page, ranging from those that say it's nothing to be overly concerned about to those that are obviously really quite frightened.

 

[Pale Rider]

those that are obviously really quite frightened.

I saw my first example of genuine corona fear yesterday during a visit to my local bike shop.

The young mechanic has a serious health problem which I forget the name of but will probably kill him well before his time.

Some joshing along the lines of 'you are going to die anyway', but it seemed to me he was genuinely very worried about catching the virus due to working in the shop.

I've mentioned in the other thread the shop had a customer who bought a bike rather than go to the gym, but that was more taking precautions than outright fear of the virus.

 

[Mo1959]

I saw my first example of genuine corona fear yesterday during a visit to my local bike shop.

The young mechanic has a serious health problem which I forget the name of but will probably kill him well before his time.

Some joshing along the lines of 'you are going to die anyway', but it seemed to me he was genuinely very worried about catching the virus due to working in the shop.

I've mentioned in the other thread the shop had a customer who bought a bike rather than go to the gym, but that was more taking precautions than outright fear of the virus.

Maybe something like cystic fibrosis? It will be extremely worrying for anyone with conditions like that.

 

[Rocky]

This is a simulation of the spread of the virus under different containment strategies (you should be able to get behind the WP paywall as it allows a few free views)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

The thing I found interesting was the 'leakiness' of the Chinese style total isolation. It seems that some form of social isolation does work best.

 

[BoldonLad]

Some handy phrases for you @BoldonLad if you get stopped by the police or army -

* Voy al supermercado - I’m going to the supermarket
* Voy al médico - I’m going to the doctor
* Voy al hospital - I’m going to the hospital
* Voy a la farmacia - I’m going to the pharmacy
* Voy al estanco - I’m going to the tobacconist
* Voy a la gasolinera - I’m going to the petrol station
*Voy al trabajo - I’m going to work

*Necesito comprar medicina - I have to buy medicine
*Necesito comprar comida - I have to buy food supplies
*Necesito echar gasolina - I have to get petrol

*Espero que el sudor de mi espalda no este oxidando tu canon Pedro - I hope the sweat from my back is not rusting your gun barrel sir

Out cycling this morning, no problem.

 

[Dave7]

Well, I'm avoiding crowded air-conditioned supermarkets and can get all the food we need from farm gate sales and rural shops. However, there's a distinct lack of farm gate bog roll sellers.

Every supply crisis I've known - the 70s oil crisis, the three day week, the transport drivers strike etc. has resulted in panic buying of toilet roll and other staple items. Once it was sugar, for some reason. Anyway, an entirely predictable outcome, if rather a bizarre one. Nothing changes in 50 years. It also makes good tv because the product takes a lot of shelf space so it looks impressive when its gone.

I have to admit having a small stack ourselves post Brexit when trying to work out what basic items might end up stuck in a queue on the M20 if there was no deal. It was that and cat food.

Me and MrsD were talking about that just yesterday. The sugar shortage Why? At the time we had 2 young kids and MrsD did lots of baking so that was her main problem.
I dont recall bog roll being a problem but as kids the Liverpool Echo was fine for us so it doesnt seem such a tragedy.