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vickster
Legendary Member
COPD, heart disease, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, reduced immunity due to medication or a health condition such as kidney or liver disease or a malignancy...all manner of things can make you more susceptible to illness or opportunistic infection
Some things I've learnt from almost ceaseless updates we pick up here:
- the death rate is not known. The current estimate figure of 2-3% is based on total deaths divided by cases diagnosed so far. However, there is a time lag between diagnosis and death, so as people increasingly die the mortality rate might increase . Conversely, there may be many undiagnosed because they are asymptomatic or who have had such mild symptoms they do not present themselves for diagnosis.
- Of those diagnosed, about 20% have become serious enough to require hospitalisation, including 5% who have been put in the ICU.
- So far the best laboratory of likely outcome is from the Diamond Princess, from which there were 691 diagnosed. They tested everyone on board, regardless of whether or not they had symptoms. About 50% who showed positive results were asyptomatic at the time they were tested.
- People are more likely to have contracted Covid if they are elderly or have weakened immunity - people with heart disease, undergoing cancer treatment, with diabetes or HIV. The most serious cases end up with viral pneumonia. The nature of viral pneumonia from Covid-19 seems to be no different than viral pneumonia from other sources (such as flu) - it's just that Covid makes it more likely to happen. Once you have viral pneumonia you should expect 30-40% mortality. Key mortality predictors once you have viral pneumonia are age (>60 years), low immunity, high blood pressure or a history of smoking.
- it is viral. Antibiotics are of limited help, apart from keeping opportunistic bacteria from infecting weakened lungs during the viral pneumonia
- There seems to be low contagion and fatality among children.
- Having said that, fit young people have succumbed.
- Even if it is now impossible to contain this from a pandemic, it is important to reduce the rate of transmission as much as possible. This will help public health is not overloaded. It also gives time for vaccine and/or treatment development.
- More and less serious strains will evolve. The less serious ones will be more likely to disperse as people tend to self-isolate when they can't leave bed. So over time (who knows how long), theoretically this will become no more dangerous than flu or the cold.
- the death rate is not known. The current estimate figure of 2-3% is based on total deaths divided by cases diagnosed so far. However, there is a time lag between diagnosis and death, so as people increasingly die the mortality rate might increase . Conversely, there may be many undiagnosed because they are asymptomatic or who have had such mild symptoms they do not present themselves for diagnosis.
- Of those diagnosed, about 20% have become serious enough to require hospitalisation, including 5% who have been put in the ICU.
- So far the best laboratory of likely outcome is from the Diamond Princess, from which there were 691 diagnosed. They tested everyone on board, regardless of whether or not they had symptoms. About 50% who showed positive results were asyptomatic at the time they were tested.
- People are more likely to have contracted Covid if they are elderly or have weakened immunity - people with heart disease, undergoing cancer treatment, with diabetes or HIV. The most serious cases end up with viral pneumonia. The nature of viral pneumonia from Covid-19 seems to be no different than viral pneumonia from other sources (such as flu) - it's just that Covid makes it more likely to happen. Once you have viral pneumonia you should expect 30-40% mortality. Key mortality predictors once you have viral pneumonia are age (>60 years), low immunity, high blood pressure or a history of smoking.
- it is viral. Antibiotics are of limited help, apart from keeping opportunistic bacteria from infecting weakened lungs during the viral pneumonia
- There seems to be low contagion and fatality among children.
- Having said that, fit young people have succumbed.
- Even if it is now impossible to contain this from a pandemic, it is important to reduce the rate of transmission as much as possible. This will help public health is not overloaded. It also gives time for vaccine and/or treatment development.
- More and less serious strains will evolve. The less serious ones will be more likely to disperse as people tend to self-isolate when they can't leave bed. So over time (who knows how long), theoretically this will become no more dangerous than flu or the cold.
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kingrollo
Guru
Well I am borderline COPD with a Heart murmur ! -
I wouldn't think it makes you more likely to catch it - you just don't deal with it as well !
vickster
Legendary Member
Speak to your doctor. Only really hygiene measures will stop you getting it as there's no vaccine. Assume you've had the flu jab at least
cookiemonster
Squire
- Location
- Hong Kong
Diabetes seems to be the main underlying health issue with victims.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
With this winter's coughing and flu illnesses, GP's were checking for 'worse' infections - I was sent for xray to rule out pneumonia, and my missus was straight onto anti-biotics.
Milzy
Guru
What I was going to put.
kingrollo
Guru
I think you have said above what my GP would say.
My GP struggles to refer for conditions that have solutions ! - they are a bit bite shite to be honest. Have had flu jab.
vickster
Legendary Member
Change GP maybe.
Certainly Coronavirus is not something I have any concern about at present
kingrollo
Guru
I think they are all much of muchness - the CCG controls the money and with procedure and with procedures of limited clinical value imposed by the CCG - I don't think another GP practice would be much different.
There is one GP in our practice who literally does his consultations in 90 seconds - he doesn't even look at you - he is on the PC getting the prescription as soon as you start speaking. ! Complained about him a couple of times - no one is interested though.
vickster
Legendary Member
It’s not just about having money though, also about having a GP you can talk to and trust. Mine is great 
I book the last appt of clinic and get as much time as needed (her other patients too as she is usually running very late which doesn’t bother me).
I’ve probably seen most of the other long standing GPs and nurses too. No complaints. Even the receptionists seem friendly
I book the last appt of clinic and get as much time as needed (her other patients too as she is usually running very late which doesn’t bother me).I’ve probably seen most of the other long standing GPs and nurses too. No complaints. Even the receptionists seem friendly
kingrollo
Guru
It’s not just about having money though, also about having a GP you can talk to and trust. Mine is great
Thats good.
But thats not my experience. My son once was needing his inhaler every minute - took him to see GP - who took sames inhaler from my son - held it in front of his face and told him take it twice every 4 hours.
I drove him straight to A+E who gave him steroid inhaler he was better within hours.
- Location
- London
The wonders of targets and box ticking.
I got a letter a couple of years ago from my GPs about a routine kinda age related blood sample they needed. I assumed it would be done there by the nurse. Rolled up, waited to be called, went and sat in front of GP - he clicked a few keys and printed out a chit for me to trot off, make a separate appointment at a local blood testing place/hospital - then I was to trot along there and then return to GPs for the post test chat.
I played merry hell with him for wasting my time/the practice treating me like an idiot. Asked him why they couldn't just have posted me a notice to trot along to the blood place.
I asked if they had got "points"/credit for my totally pointless visit and he had to admit that they had.
(suppose the thing may have been a sly test as to whether I still had my marbles/basic assertiveness)
