General Discussion/Q&A on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[lovetravellingoz]

Sigh... or just laugh?

The problem is reminiscent of British railway issues such as “leaves on the line” and trains being delayed after encountering the “wrong type of snow”.

Revealed: The 'design flaw' that leaves coronavirus test swabs too long to fit inside sample vials

Technicians at testing labs have reported samples being returned without the lid screwed on

www.telegraph.co.uk

Sad. The UK has continued to be an example of what not to do.

 

[Flashback]

i did see they were looking at exemptions for Australians who arrive on the direct flight from Perth. Plus they seem to be reviewing the youth visa applications for Aussies and extending the time to first arrive in the UK.

The current list of 'exceptions' to the quarantine rules is about 40 long. Yeah but nah but yeah but nah but. Absolute bollocks.

Sigh... or just laugh?

The problem is reminiscent of British railway issues such as “leaves on the line” and trains being delayed after encountering the “wrong type of snow”.

Revealed: The 'design flaw' that leaves coronavirus test swabs too long to fit inside sample vials

Technicians at testing labs have reported samples being returned without the lid screwed on

www.telegraph.co.uk

Don't forget ....... it's too windy ........ it's too hot (30 degrees) .......... it's too wet, etc.

Sad. The UK has continued to be an example of what not to do.

You certainly don't need to tell me that Still no sign of full lock down easing in the next month.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sigh... or just laugh?

The problem is reminiscent of British railway issues such as “leaves on the line” and trains being delayed after encountering the “wrong type of snow”.

Revealed: The 'design flaw' that leaves coronavirus test swabs too long to fit inside sample vials

Technicians at testing labs have reported samples being returned without the lid screwed on

www.telegraph.co.uk

It was no easier at my test - the swab had a cut, but trying to actually break it off with only one hand was pretty hard! Of course the supervising nurse can't do anything to help, and there's no way to free up your other hand as you're carrying all these papers and forms (no where to put them, being ultra CV19 safe and all).

As an aside - I recall reading the science behind the 'leaves on the line'... apparently it's the oil in the leaves that gets forced out when a train passes over, making the tracks too slippery for following trains to brake safely. And the same with the 'wrong kind of snow' - flattened snow becomes dangerous ice. But of course the media loves to make a story out of it!

 

[Princess Fiona]

We can’t comprehend this much sorrow.

Powerful reading and imagery from the New York Times.
Feeling guilty but forever grateful that it isn’t us.

 

[VPS]

and already a parody on that.

The furore in UK politics with Johnson and his adviser coughmings is just amazing. If coughmings hasn't gone by the time I wake up in the morning I despair even more about the UK

 

[Pushka]

And that is just 1%!

 

[burmans]

By the end of this the US may have at least doubled this if they keep going the way they are now. Not good, so glad I live here, not there.

 

[Princess Fiona]

This is the link to the online version of that NY Times cover.
It’s absolutely heartbreaking, even more powerful online than the print version.



An Incalculable Loss

 

[Flashback]

In the UK the lockdown continues to be extended .... Non-essential shops to reopen from 15 June - PM

Non-essential shops were due to be allowed to open in a week, but that's now been pushed back by another 2 weeks.

 

[VPS]

I can't believe coughmings is still hanging in there. What a debacle.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I can't believe coughmings is still hanging in there. What a debacle.

Boris can't survive without him.

 

[Himeno]

Boris can't survive without him.

Boris could just keep hiding.

 

[VPS]

Boris could just keep hiding.

Apparently Boris is now going to front the press conference daily

 

[p--and--t]

Apparently Boris is now going to front the press conference daily

Must be a strain for him, being such a shy unassuming person that he is but then again he always knows whats best for everyone

 

[p--and--t]

Two Sydney schools closed to day as students test positive - only managed one day a few days! [edited]

Coronavirus forces closure of two Sydney schools, one day after students returned full time

Parents are told to pick their children up from Moriah College and Waverley College, in the eastern suburbs, after students test positive for coronavirus. The area has previously been named as a COVID-19 "hot spot".

www.abc.net.au

 

[Lynda2475]

only managed one day

Think you'll find that they managed a week and 1 day, most of the independent and catholic/community schools started back full time last week (18th May), it was only state schools that delayed the start until yesterday. Waverly definitely returned on 18th.

Anyway more interesting is to understand how these kids aquired their cases - had they returned from overseas or been visiting someone who had?

Im also perplexed at tthis statement in the article "If this was influenza," infectious disease physician and microbiologist Peter Collignon added, "we would keep schools closed until this was over". " I dont ever recall a school being closed because a single student has contracted the flu. Im sure many teachers and students suffer influenza every year.

 

[Pushka]

Think you'll find that they managed a week and 1 day, most of the independent and catholic/community schools started back full time last week (18th May), it was only state schools that delayed the start until yesterday. Waverly definitely returned on 18th.

Anyway more interesting is to understand how these kids aquired their cases - had they returned from overseas or been visiting someone who had?

Im also perplexed at tthis statement in the article "If this was influenza," infectious disease physician and microbiologist Peter Collignon added, "we would keep schools closed until this was over". " I dont ever recall a school being closed because a single student has contracted the flu. Im sure many teachers and students suffer influenza every year.

Me either. Nursing homes maybe but schools? Good grief. And this is going to be the way it will be for a while. Close down the risk areas but not the whole country.

 

[p--and--t]

Well the nice period of putting politics aside was good while it lasted .

Had to have a giggle when simple Simon fired petty potshots at Anna over the QLD border being closed when she came back with the following barrage. Serves him right.

'Go and talk to your own Premier': Annastacia Palaszczuk fires back at Federal Tourism Minister

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk lashes out at accusations she's "pretending" Australia hasn't had success in tackling coronavirus as justification for keeping the state's borders closed.

www.abc.net.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

1.5 million tests in day in a single city is quite amazing...

As it that Wuhan's Government said it tested 9 million out of the city's 11 million residents in 10 days !

Wuhan tested 9 million residents for coronavirus in 10 days. How did they do it?

Chinese health authorities in the city of Wuhan claim to have tested an incredible 1.47 million people for COVID-19 on Friday alone. Here's how they did it, and why.

www.abc.net.au

To test quickly, health authorities are reportedly using what is called batch or pool testing — combining samples from 10 people or fewer and conducting one test.

If the test comes up positive, all samples will be individually tested.

According to Professor Cheng of Alfred Health, "pooling of specimens is a valid strategy, but the optimal pool size depends on how often there are positives — if they are rare, then pooling 10, or even more, is an efficient use of resources."

"But if 5-10 per cent are positive, then you can only pool a few otherwise you'll need to re-test many individual specimens."

 

[drron]

During the Swine Flu epidemic some nursing homes went into lockdown but not schools.Also Australia did not close our borders though before planes were allowed to deplane pax Custom Officers checked the cabins and thermal imaging was used.

Unlike other flu epidemics the Swine flu affected mainly the under 65s.The highest rates usually in the 0-17 age group.Australia usually only tested severe cases so figures not reliable.but the NZ figures were 0-17-20% infected, 18-64- 7% ,Over 64 - 1%.

Officially Australia had 191 deaths but some estimated 1600 deaths as in this report from the Lancet.

Estimated global mortality associated with the first 12 months of 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus circulation: a modelling study.

BACKGROUND: 18,500 laboratory-confirmed deaths caused by the 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 were reported worldwide for the period April, 2009, to August, 2010. This number is likely to be only a fraction of the true number of the deaths associated with 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1. We aimed...

zenodo.org

the break up of cases and deaths.

2009 swine flu pandemic in Australia - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And just to show that some never learn from their mistakes was the case of the Pacific Dawn.
"SYDNEY (AFP) – Australian authorities defended a decision to let 2,000 passengers off a cruise ship where there was a suspected swine flu outbreak, as the confirmed cases here more than doubled in 24 hours.

Despite suspicions a number of people on board the Pacific Dawn liner were suffering swine flu more than 2,000 passengers were allowed to return to the community Monday and told to self-quarantine for seven days.

A total of 14 passengers have since been diagnosed with the deadly virus, with 172 people on board showing flu-like symptoms or reporting contact with someone who did."

Australia: Swine flu on cruise ship Pacific Dawn - FluTrackers News and Information