Coronavirus - worldwide spread and control

On a national scale, the best thing is simple surgical masks which prevent you from knowingly or unknowingly transmitting it to others. Those are cheap enough you can toss them several times a day if need be, and much less uncomfortable then a multi layer N95. The thin masks are not much good for protecting yourself, but that’s not their purpose. They are meant to protect others.

But that’s not how Americans in big cities think; in our densely packed cities it’s all about Me, attitude that may be summed as “If other people, especially people in a group I don’t identify with catch it, that’s just fine.”
You won’t get the average American to use an N95 effectively. I’ve seen people wearing them over thick beards, which makes them completely useless, or pushed down to cover their chin. To move it back you’ve got to handle it with both hands, which completely defeats the purpose.

 

The GP in the family said that wearing a mask prevents other people from getting infected by her, but does virtually nothing to protect her against contamination from them.

 

Hmm, yes. Of course, Great Britain is an island too, as is the island of Ireland. Logically, it ought to be possible to do it here too, albeit rather more complicated owing to the much larger population.

 

Thanks @Andy . This is really superb. I highly recommend those interested in this thread listen to this. Ian Lipkin was first told about this virus in mid-December and he went to China and met with very senior scientists and Chinese Health/CDC folks. He has a 17 year strong relationship with these people and believes what they tell him. The Chinese do have the virus under control.

In addition Ian Lipkin gives a first hand account of having the virus with an underlying health condition. His latest personal update is that he thinks he is through the worst of it. I certainly hope so.

He recommends we all wear masks and gloves and treat others as if they have the virus. If you don't have a mask wrap a scarf.

Did I mention it's well worth a listen

 

Lipkin worked with the Contagion writers, director, and cast to put together a public education video series narrated by the cast members. Each actor covers a different topic. He wants this to be shared widely.

 

I have to say that this is the REAL

Science (for) MEdia Centre

The coverage that members have come up with, way ahead of the major outlets, is amazing. Top class basic science, clinical virology and logistics. With the best critiques.
Not to forget the mask making instructions from @Keela Too

 

I'm just amazed that the govt isn't putting out public information broadcasts on the need to sanitise stuff (such as shopping) that you bring into your house, or telling people to cover their faces with a scarf, at least, when they go out to protect others.

We have millions of people on lockdown now who have sewing machines and who could be knocking these masks out, to a pattern provided by the govt.

 

I was listening to Talk Radio this morning between about 4 am-6 am. The presenter was interviewing a doctor (can't remember his name) who kept emphasising to the presenter that if you asked any medical student how to deal with a pandemic, they would say, test, test, isolate positive individuals and trace contacts etc. He was highly critical of the UK government scientific advisors on not advocating this right at the start (a couple of months ago). I can't go into the rest of what he was saying as it would be a breach of the no politics rule.

Edit: Just to add this doctor was highly critical of the government listening to the behaviourist advisors!

 

This, I find *really* interesting. I will try to listen to the podcast later to get the details and his reasoning on this. But if you’ve already listened to it, would you be able to summarise why he thinks this is the case?

If it is, I think this would mean it’s even more important that Europe and the US implement strategies done in some Asian countries, similar to what we were talking about yesterday. Eg everyone wearing masks could be an important step because that would help reduce people touching their faces, mouths, nose and then transferring those germs onto other surfaces. From what I remember in China, (Hubei), no one could even leave the house without a mask during lockdown (or they were fined heavily?).

Secondly sanitising surfaces would reduce surface contamination, and would mean other countries have the right idea- like is done in parts of Asia and like my friend said, in Dubai. Spraying outside but also indoor things too. I heard recently the Tube in the UK is being sprayed with a disinfectant that will stop coronavirus growing for 30 days. That could be sprayed regularly in all supermarkets and chemists, all the tills and touch screens and ATMS and card readers.

Outside on the crossings, where we have to press a button so it turns to the green man. Even in our block of flats, there are about 50 flats here that all use the same surfaces (buttons, door access). That could easily spread for people coming in and out of the house - yet our communal areas are only cleaned once a week and I also am not sure if they focus very well on cleaning the actual buttons and shared surfaces like door handles, more on the carpeting and floor of the lifts. There’s a lot of surfaces that could be a source of spreading disease due to being shared.

 

From SMC:

https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/...t-mental-health-during-the-covid-19-outbreak/

"Useful evidence-based resources for clinicians coordinating psychosocial responses to COVID"
https://www.traumagroup.org/

I can think of better things they could be doing than reading this.

 

Urns in Wuhan far exceed death toll, raising more questions about China’s tally

http://shanghaiist.com/2020/03/27/u...ll-raising-more-questions-about-chinas-tally/

Edit: There is no certainty for the moment about this, and it should really be taken with a grain of salt.

 

A good science news resource:

https://www.sciencemag.org/coronavirus-research-commentary-and-news?intcmp=ghd_cov

 

I just read that, it's a good example of creating a story based on very little facts and a lot of speculation.

 

https://twitter.com/user/status/1242757842668568578

 

I doubt it raises any questions. My quick calculation is that the 2,500 Covid deaths in Wuhan would be alongside about 50,000 deaths from ordinary reasons in the period of lockdown. Maybe more people died from ordinary causes too, because of the chaos.

 

interesting thread

https://twitter.com/user/status/1243883141900763137

 

Just saw on the news that Boris Johnson is writing to everyone in the UK to warn us to expect this to go on for a long time. He could have taken the opportunity to put the above kind of info out.