Forum Topic

Coronavirus lack of info

It appears that the majority of those who get the virus will go on to make a full recovery. I would like to read stories about those who have had the virus and recovered. Obviously there will be some deaths mainly elderly, vulnerable or those with pre existing health conditions. I think it would allay fears a little if people could be reassured by those who have gone on to make a full recovery. I have seen nothing in the press along those lines.

Sean Wales ● 2436d27 Comments

I agree. The numbers of people who have recovered are sometimes quoted but not many real life examples.This was in the Guardian a few days ago.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/29/to-hell-and-back-my-three-weeks-suffering-from-coronavirus

Will Watson ● 2436d

Another story has emerged now of a 25 year old who contracted virus in Wiuhan. He was young fit and healthy and he was very poorly developed pneumonia and was hospitalised.

Sean Wales ● 2436d

He wasn't actually hospitalised and he was rather foolish not to take the antibiotics prescribed.=======Day 12:I decide to go to Zhongnan University Hospital because there are plenty of foreign doctors there, studying. It isn’t rational but, in my feverish state, I want to see a British doctor. My Mandarin is pretty good, so I have no language problem when I call the taxi. It’s a 20-minute ride. As soon as I get there, a doctor diagnoses pneumonia. So that’s why my lungs are making that noise. I am sent for a battery of tests lasting six hours.Day 13: I arrived back at my apartment late yesterday evening. The doctor prescribed antibiotics for the pneumonia but I’m reluctant to take them — I’m worried that my body will become resistant to the drugs and, if I ever get really ill and need them, they won’t work. I prefer to beat this with traditional remedies if I can.

Will Watson ● 2436d

As I understand it South Korea has been doing a lot more testing than elsewhere and it seems that more people have it than they thought but they aren't really ill.  So it looks as though the statistics are possibly not quite as bad as they thought.  So maybe a little more cheerful. However lots of us aren't young and fit.  So keep on washing your hands thoroughly and sneezing and coughing into the crook of your arm or into a tissue and throwing it away of using loo paper and flushing it.  Stop shaking hands and definitely stop kissing all the people you meet!

Philippa Bond ● 2435d

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-symptoms-covid-19/?WT.mc_id=e_DM1209645&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Loy_Dig_Acq_200304_Coronavirus&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Loy_Dig_Acq_200304_Coronavirus20200305&utm_campaign=DM1209645

Loraine Pemberton ● 2435d

That's a well-balanced article Lorraine, I have made it 'clickable'.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-symptoms-covid-19/?WT.mc_id=e_DM1209645&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Loy_Dig_Acq_200304_Coronavirus&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Loy_Dig_Acq_200304_Coronavirus20200305&utm_campaign=DM1209645

N V Brooks ● 2435d

Antibiotics do nothing to viruses though. So unless he had a secondary bacterial infection, there would have been no point in taking them.

James Tickell ● 2435d

I can't agree that there's a lack of info. Tonight's PM Programme on Radio 4 was about nothing else. It would, though, be good if some people who've had it were allowed on air to explain how they hardly even felt ill.

Susan Kelly ● 2435d

"I have made it 'clickable'."For me, that doesn't work because it's still inside the ChiswickW4.com framework.Try this link.

Richard Jennings ● 2435d

Those of us having to sell stories into the media are having a tough time - unless it has a corona angle there is little interest. Everything I see online and in print, TV, radio etc is all about this.  Aren't we getting a tad hysterical?  Does anyone know what the comparison (to date of course) is between people who die of this and of flu?

Claire Moran ● 2435d

Just back from Charing Cross Hospital. The ladies loo that I used had two empty soap dispensers and an overflowing bin, both of which I reported.  Honestly it left speechless!

Maggie Dodge ● 2435d

i have to say Matt Cock our new health secretary doesn't fill me with confidence.

James Smith-Jones ● 2435d

What’s the health secretary got to do with toilets in Charing X? personally I think the reaction to Coronavirus is an over reaction but I could be wrong. It’s great the Brits are the most relaxed about it. The reality is that no one actually knows what will happen next so for me it’s business as usual although I am washing my hands a lot more ha!

Jayne Thorburn ● 2435d

I beg your pardon madam . I thought it was a thread about corona virus. Slightly off topic but hardly a hanging offence!!

Maggie Dodge ● 2435d

I see the Queen was wearing gloves at a recent investiture ceremony.  And recommendations to wear gloves when strap-hanging (not the Queen btw).If one has a tendency to touch your eyes and/or mouth with your hands how does this practice help?  Do you steep the gloves in disinfectant?  Obviously I can see the benefits for one-off disposable gloves by those in the medical profession but just normal gloves a germ/virus magnet?

Philip Coe ● 2435d

I would have thought the one thing we haven't been short of is information, it's driving many of us bananas, even QT last night was practically taken over by talking about it. Seems the simple things will be the most effective at prevention, and it would be nice if the Chief Nursing Officer at West Middx. ensured that nursing staff were not going to and from work in their uniforms, and that all of them were laundered to the required temperature on site.

Vanessa Smith ● 2435d

Expect they will be told to drive everywhere next.

Janice Evans ● 2435d

We don't wash our clothes as hot any more.  What about the Carers who go from house to house?  Both groups are in short supply and tend to work longer hours than they should be.

Philippa Bond ● 2434d

From Munich:"A 33-year-old otherwise healthy German businessman (Patient 1) became ill with a sore throat, chills, and myalgias on January 24, 2020. The following day, a fever of 39.1°C (102.4°F) developed, along with a productive cough. By the evening of the next day, he started feeling better and went back to work on January 27."Good news is that the man didn't even know he had it and recovered in a couple of days. Bad news he got it from a colleague visiting from China on 19th-20th Jan who wasn't ill and she didnt show any signs until 26th Jan on way home.He subsequently passed it on to 3 more colleagues who also didn't get ill other than a mild cold.This indicates that this virus is being passed on during the incubation period.  The Italy outbreak is thought to have been around for a month at least before anyone showed any signs. It is also a different strain to the 2 Chinese ones which suggests it's had time to mutate not a direct pass on.Bottom line is you've maybe got it already - you just dont know it yet and might never know!I suspect the real figure of infections is already in the millions - but most of the infections are so mild that people don't think they've had anything more than Novavirus , a cold or a heavy night in George IV...

Richard Potts ● 2434d

Thank you Richard.See that story has a kind of happy ending but you will not see it in any newspaper or news broadcast over here. Again tonight I saw 1 Japanese person wearing a face mask on my commute but the paper is telling us otherwise.

James Smith-Jones ● 2434d

I soimetimes think some people live on another planet.

Julian Pavey ● 2434d

https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/03/04/coronavirus-covid-19-5-things-you-can-do-to-protect-yourself-and-your-community/

Philippa Bond ● 2433d

The latest official UK figures show 209 cases, up by 45, with 2 deaths, but 18 are listed as 'recovered', which is what people were asking about, leaving us with 189 'active cases'.

Peter Evans ● 2433d

The Italians were 'relaxed' about it at first by all accounts. See them right now instituting lockdowns of big cities mimicking what the Chinese have done with larger municipalities. And, still the UK is allowing tourists to tour thither to Italian Corona towns to gad about on holiday skiing and such. The media tales we hear of non-testing on return beggars believe.

Bobbie Carnegie ● 2433d

I am really getting angry with the media on this print, internet and TV.  Every time they talk about the virus they have a big picture of someone wearing a mask.  The virus is not airborne like flu or the common cold so the mask will not prevent you getting nor save anyone you know from getting it from you.  Gel is good as a short term need but the only sure fire way of preventing spreading it is to wash your hands thoroughly.  The virus has a 48 hour life outside a hosts body.  Stay away from events which involve lots of people and wash your clothes on the day you wear them if you go out in them.  The symptoms are like a cold so sneezing aching bones  and a cough.  If you have any symptoms don't panic it could be a cold.  Anti bacterial products will not prevent this it is a virus.  They will prevent you picking up a bacteria whilst your immune system is weak.  Yesterday I did some research on Amazon etc for gels and hospital cleaning products a 4 pack of Dettol wipes was £39.99.  So profiteering is alive and well and playing on people fears.  And yes it would be great to hear some I got it and I am over it stories in the press but unfortunately dire warnings and hysterical headlines sell more papers.

Caroline Carney ● 2433d

Caroline: I'm afraid you are so very misdirected in your believe that this virus is NOT airborne. PRECISELY THE OPPOSITE! According to professional medical sources this virus is particular and contagiously airborne via droplets from sneezing and coughing at short distances and via smaller fine aerosols within greater spaces that pass from one person to another. As for the virus's surface longevity depends, arguably on temperature, and certainly on hygiene application. A UK doctor's YouTube channel has been running very informative info following the virus as it impacts on varied countries. They are worth a perusal. The doc's latest video is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVTyl7Y4IMo

Bobbie Carnegie ● 2433d

In Singapore you have to keep taking your temperature. I wonder if everyone has a thermometer at home?  I don't think we are as prepared as our parents used to be.  Just like the car plants run in a just-in-time way I think there are many who live in that way with their food and other essential purposes.  If they are going to have to self-isolate for two weeks they won't be able to buy things every day or other day.We have to work hard at washing our hands and following the guidelines because they are learning all the time about this virus and it is worse than seasonal flu for a lot of people.The NHS has been run down and underfunded for so long that there are long waiting lists for routine appointments and operations and definitely not enough beds and staff hence the need to make the extra efforts to keep ourselves well. It isn't sensible either to have the staff that there are working such long hours (often longer than they are supposed to) when they need to stay fit and well themselves.

Philippa Bond ● 2433d