Coronavirus (Covid19) Corner

[Big Kev]

I see testing waste water seems to be the new 'thing'.

I believe we were discussing this a few weeks ago, it's been going on for a while...

[Tizer]

Yes, scientists at Bangor University have been working on it for 5 months, developing methods capable of detecting covid genetic material in such complex samples.

[chinatyke]

How’s it going over there China, do things feel and look more normal these days?

Probably back to the "new-normal"- masks are still required when using public transport and track and trace is in operation, but otherwise things have returned to a relaxed awareness. International travel is a different story. Passengers are tested on arrival in China followed by 7 days quarantine and if the test is negative you then spend 7 days home isolation. I think that is how it works. I'm not risking leaving the country. China avoided the worst of the epidemic mainly because of their stringent actions and enforcement.
There is also some anti-foreigner sentiment mainly because of The Donald although I haven't personally seen any animosity, the locals treat me more as a curiosity.

[plaques]

I haven't personally seen any animosity, the locals treat me more as a curiosity. Same here, a walking museum piece without batteries, Yet. A quick shopping trip into Colne. All very civilized, wall to wall masks. A lot of things are missing from the shelves, medicines, cakes, milk, cut meats. fish. It may be because they haven stocked up yet but it may be a sign of the times that some things are becoming hard to get. Get your paracetamol in before the second wave hits us. We're all doomed.

[Marilyn]

I saw a woman loaded up with toilet paper the other day and I thought “here we go again”.
They have started limiting buying on Chicken, Beef Mince, pasta, rice and paper goods...
Last time, they took every bench/chair out of our shopping mall, so I expect that will be done again soon. There was one rickety wooden chair outside the chemist, reserved for the truly decrepit.
It is all quite depressing.

[PanBiker]

Welcome to a type of dystopian future Maz. We should be ready really there have been dozens of films about the many variant possibilities. I wonder which scenario we will end up with. Choking from Covid or the pollution of the planet for Capitalist gain?

[Cathy]

Sth Aust. We have been doing so well with very few new coronavirus cases in our state for quite a while now. Obviously we are still social distancing where we can, washing / sanitising our hands every 5 minutes, stocking up on masks, following respiratory etiquette etc. My view is that our supermarkets and news reports have just this week warned us of possible / actual shortages , obviously because of what is happening in Victoria , and shoppers here are already stocking up, b cause the Victorian warehouses have no workers at the moment. With SA being so close I reckon we will be the first place the supermarkets will restock from.
It still hangs over our heads every day that the last few months could very easily be repeated .

[chinatyke]

It still hangs over our heads every day that the last few months could very easily be repeated .

I think that sums up the feelings here, too.

[Tizer]

Welcome to a type of dystopian future Maz. We should be ready really there have been dozens of films about the many variant possibilities. I wonder which scenario we will end up with. Choking from Covid or the pollution of the planet for Capitalist gain?

I've been reading a detailed book about the global consequences of the eruption of the volcano Tambora in Java in April 1815. It's reckoned to have been the biggest eruption worldwide in the 10,000 year period since the Ice Ages. Most of the ash fell within about 500 miles of the volcano but lighter dust and noxious gases went higher and were carried around the global atmosphere for the following 3 years. Worst of all, a lot of sulphur dioxide gas was produced and this reacted with water high in the atmosphere to make sulphuric acid and sulphates. These diminished the amount of the sun's heat reaching the surface of Earth and also caused heat to be absorbed and raise the temperature of the higher atmosphere. The result was 3 years of terrible weather, failed crops, disease and human migration for most of the world except for a few places like Russia and the Eastern USA which escaped. Millions of people died. There were knock on effects for decades, not just in health and agriculture but it also brought changes in politics, science and society in general.

I guess we will see a miniature version of that played out as a result of covid-19 but if we don't attend to climate change quickly then we might get something closer to Tambora's effects. The volcano caused massive climate change for a very short period; we could see lesser climate change but for a much longer time or forever.

[Stanley]

Waste water... Yes Kev but then the politicians were demeaning it, they have changed their tune now and decided it could be 'World beating'.
I see they have ditched the world beating app....
Peter is right and basically this is what some of us have been saying for a while now. Keep up with the precautions, isolate, eat well and look after your own corner. Spanish Flu was a bigger killer because people were ignorant about transmission. This virus is more dangerous but we have more knowledge. Apply it and stay as safe as possible.
The next global shock is imminent, but as yet we don't know which one it is. It will come out of left field!

[Whyperion]

Tizer it was private care homes with paid carers and 'care villages.

Then I don't understand the claim. Testing is available to all care home staff by the manager applying for it as explained in this gov.uk web page...
LINK
`Get coronavirus tests for a care home. Get coronavirus (COVID-19) testing kits to test the residents and staff of your care home. This testing is available throughout the UK. The staff and residents do not need to have coronavirus symptoms for you to get the tests..'.

I think the radio today mentioned that this might be the aim, but insufficient immediate kits and capacity to test anyone without symptoms ( which bit of the evidence are the govt missing to get something ?simple? right ??

[Whyperion]

I haven't personally seen any animosity, the locals treat me more as a curiosity. Same here, a walking museum piece without batteries, Yet. A quick shopping trip into Colne. All very civilized, wall to wall masks. A lot of things are missing from the shelves, medicines, cakes, milk, cut meats. fish. It may be because they haven stocked up yet but it may be a sign of the times that some things are becoming hard to get. Get your paracetamol in before the second wave hits us. We're all doomed.

32 packs of paracetamol at Boots for 75p, behind locked doors - well 16s are the counter limit , cheaper than 45p for 16, but I found cheaper for 16s in a more local shop. Shopping in town centre I am giving a miss, but the local centre has lost all its bookies and banks so its difficult as so much looks empty now. Need them for wifes pain in leg from an old injury and me for iffy missing teeth.

[Tizer]

Some useful information coming through in this report but read it through to the end to get the balanced view. Asymptomatic cases are a danger to us but not as bad as symptomatic ones because they aren't coughing and spluttering...
`Coronavirus: Asymptomatic cases 'carry same amount of virus'' LINK

[Stanley]

All part of my assertion that it is out there and remains a clear and present danger. Don't relax precautions! It doesn't matter who they are or whether they look healthy or not, they exist and we know they do. Typhoid Mary is alive and well and moving amongst us.

[Sue]

Well I don’t know where you lot shop but nothing much seems to have changed round here, except for masks.

[Big Kev]

Well I don’t know where you lot shop but nothing much seems to have changed round here, except for masks.

[plaques]

Maybe I'm being a bit biased but here in Colne the whole covid business seems to be taken very seriously. Everybody wearing masks in shops and market hall. Between shops there is a tendency to continue to wear masks. See someone coming towards you if you stop or step to one side they say "thank you". Sainburys, Only 80 people allowed in the store at any one time, total masks and sanitisers, people waiting until you and your basket are out of the way. I know some friends who travel from Burnley to Colne to do their shopping.

[Marilyn]

Pretty safe here too of course, but the other day we got out of our car at the supermarket ready to do our social distancing. It was a man parked next to us, admiring our car. I kept stepping backwards, he kept coming closer. I stepped back more, he came even more forward. I felt uncomfortable. (He was interested in buying a similar car for his wife apparently). I rapidly got to the point where I didn’t care what his motives were, he was too close and invading our space. We felt uncomfortable and made excuses to hurry on.
Why let random people invade your comfort zone these days? ...bad enough when you have to avoid contact when shopping or in the chemist etc.
This virus is changing our lives...

[Sue]

I feel safe here too, despite the news. I wasn’t implying everything was the same and unsafe, I was implying no problem shopping, no shortages, no difficulties exactly as it has been for weeks. I tend not to listen to what the news says, I see as I find or is it I find what I see, whatever. As far as i am concerned no problems. Rochdalians are well known for complaining , after over 40 years we have learned to find out for ourselves and ignore hear say

[Tripps]

I watched racing on TV and the web this afternoon. Salisbury England behind closed doors, no crowd - The Curragh Ireland seemed much the same thought the start was next to a public road - Deauville France - seemed to be quite a crowd at the course.

A trial with a reduced crowd at Goodwood last week was called off as too risky.

France, it was briefed, came close to being put on the 'return and go to quarantine ' list a few days ago.

I don't understand it all.

[Tizer]

How about this for confusing reports this morning...
`Coronavirus: Little evidence of Covid transmission in schools, says Williamson' BBC
`There is little evidence of coronavirus being transmitted in schools, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said. Mr Williamson said the government was being guided by the best science as it accelerated plans to reopen schools to all pupils in England next month....The education secretary said the "latest research, which is expected to be published later this year - one of the largest studies on the coronavirus in schools in the world", would make it "clear there is little evidence that the virus is transmitted at school". He is believed to be referring to a forthcoming report to be released by Public Health England..'.

`Older kids ‘spread coronavirus like adults’, researchers warn as Boris Johnson insists schools will reopen next month' LINK
`Secondary school pupils could spread coronavirus as easily as adults, according to new research, in a blow to plans to resume education fully next month. Despite finding that primary pupils do not appear to transmit Covid-19 to each other, a study by Public Health England (PHE) suggests tougher rules are likely to be needed for older children. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said PHE’s conclusions due to be published later this year suggest that bringing children back to the classroom in September will not fuel the pandemic. However, The Times reported that the scientists who worked on the study are unhappy with the way their findings, which have not yet been fully analysed, have been used by ministers..'.

[plaques]

Do infant schools spread the virus. In England the only kids attending infant schools are children of key workers. Assuming that key workers are checked regularly for covid then their children would be automatically withdrawn from school and therefore not able to pass it on. So what is this study studying? The key phrase seems to be ...one of the largest studies on the coronavirus in schools in the WORLD", The question then arises are we comparing like with like and are the worlds schools like our schools? and what is the social environment that they live in? While schools are closed nobody not even Gavin Williamson can say what is going on in English schools and what will happen when they open them.
Smoke and mirrors or perhaps the government is saying that the present levels of infection and deaths are the new norm that they can live with as long as its someone else who is doing the dying.

[Big Kev]

In England the only kids attending infant schools are children of key workers.

Year 1 and Year 6 went back to the classroom before the summer holidays, key worker children were kept in their own 'bubble' away from the other children.

[PanBiker]

My daughter as you all know is a Primary School teacher. She has been working throughout supporting key workers and their children. This has been on a needs must basis and she has never had more than six children to teach throughout the pandemic. Half a dozen or so can be spaced and managed under the distance and no shared resources policy quite easily once the system is in place. Every one back is a completely different kettle of fish. Her normal size class is around 30 arranged on four kids to a table. It remains to be seen if primary kids spread the virus despite the claims of world beating studies it has never been tried yet, time will tell. Will they shut some of the other risky already open venues like pubs again? What is more important a few bob in the economy or the education of the present school generation?

[Stanley]

How did Gavin Williamson get his job? It can't have been on the grounds of his stunning intellect.
I haven't done any world beating studies but it was always my impression that when infants went to school they brought every infection in the Northern Union back home.
I see our world beating app is being 'reconfigured'. I think that means that they have discovered that it is useless and expensive. Cue Dido to let us know that it was all the fault of the public. Part of the reconfiguration seems to be to give Serco a different contract. Leg bracelets springs to mind.....