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This may be happening in Australia, our decline in new cases has plateaued.

I think this is moderately likely. The USA and UK are likely to become isolated, with limited economic opportunity, and restricted travel. However, while air travel will be restricted, cargo transport by ship should not be impacted much, which means that supply chains should function.

Yes, and have police out enforcing isolation in some popular public areas, first by warnings but with a few fines. We also banned a lot of travel, and put international travellers in empty hotels with a quarantine order. If you come from overseas you will be quarantined. Its not a prison-style...

I can't hit like for this, but I saw this earlier. I can hope he makes a speedy recovery, and that his experience gives him a deeper understanding of the crisis, which leads to wiser action.

Isolation slows viral growth down, and by decreasing burden on the hospitals it improves survival. At peak infection the death rate may climb and approach 9% where it is in some countries. Most of this reply follows on this point and its for the general readership. This also ignores the second...

A news report on our national broadcaster just pointed out our lowering of case numbers may be due to the decreased arrival of infected people. The vast majority of our cases are from overseas, not local, especially cruise ships. So its unclear what trajectory our local cases are on.

I was looking at this a few hours ago. I try to wait a day before I am certain of the figures, because they might change as the day advances, but the last week has been a steady trend down. In Australia, if we quarantine all new arrivals and there is no second wave, we might be passed the...

Just ask yourself in what normal year do the morgues overflow into makeshift morgues, with bodies stacking up so fast they cannot be buried fast enough to cope?

Every major problem that concerns me in the world has an exponential growth. People in daily life are used to seeing linear growth. Trying to convince people who have no mathematical training is difficult, but they could dive into the subject and come out understanding ... but in my experience...

Quite so. Half measures are dangerous in this situation for a lot of reasons. Full restrictions, early, lead to much less economic impact in the long term, and much less in personal consequences. I have said this elsewhere, but let me point out the consequences for the young. Fewer will get...

"The hospital says nobody should attend the A&E department, even if they have an emergency." This is happening in Italy I suspect. It will be over much of the world in a month or less. Most hospitals will be overwhelmed. Even if you make it to a hospital there will be no beds, and no doctors...

Its worse, much worse, if you don't tell them the truth. People need to understand. If the death toll maxes out, uncontrolled, there will be high risk of civil unrest, and the situation will get even worse. If supply chains break down, it will be much worse again. There are provisions in the...

Understanding why, not just what, is crucial for many areas in life. Its not just about pandemics ... but the consequences are so much worse in life and death situations.

Once upon a time this was a serious criminal offence, due to tuberculosis risk. Those times are coming back. You can now be fined for doing that in some parts of Australia, and maybe all of Australia.

It never was enough. Rules like this and handwashing are about decreasing risk, not eliminating it. Its been known for many years that a cough or a sneeze can travel a long way, and persist for a while. Decrease risk of transmission enough and fewer and fewer get infected. Fail to decrease risk...

I am unclear if this is relevant. It is if the severity of the current strain is important, it is not clear if the severity of the patient responses are more important. My understanding, with a failing memory, is that those who go on to get some kind of CFS from a virus (not necessarily ME, the...

This can be more prudence than fear. Hospital waiting areas are likely to be high risk in a pandemic. You want to be really sure you need help before turning up. In fact I keep seeing doctors suggesting that, suggesting instead that patients contact their regular doctor and discuss options, one...

Cook it, and while waiting on oven dispose of packaging then wash your hands. That is what I do currently.

In nature viruses can survive potentially for centuries, but not sure about RNA viruses, they are more fragile. DNA viruses do though.

I am already doing this. Its only the freezer stuff that is an issue for me.