Coronavirus (Covid19) Corner

[Stanley]

I have had a letter from 'Matt'. That's how my new guidance on shielding is signed.... Not impressed.

[Sue]

We (South Australia) have not had a single new case of Coronavirus for 28 days.
And we are only just opening pubs with social distance rules in place.

And the sensible ones amongst us ie 90% of the population won’t be going. Its all about political pressure and not science, that went long ago.

[Big Kev]

We (South Australia) have not had a single new case of Coronavirus for 28 days.
And we are only just opening pubs with social distance rules in place.

And the sensible ones amongst us ie 90% of the population won’t be going. Its all about political pressure and not science, that went long ago.

I certainly won't be going to any densely populated places. Be interesting to see the effects of opening pubs. South Australia has the benefit of a population density of 1.6 per sq km. I noticed the highest new cases, for Australia, is Victoria with 23.5 per sqkm.

Screenshot_20200624-100032_Chrome.jpg

The UK population density is around 280 per sqkm. I can see the infection rate rising once people start going into pubs both here and anywhere else that is relaxing rules.

[PanBiker]

Perfect storm country, lets open the pubs, same time as all the televised football matches. 1m + now downgraded to advice, yea right!

[Marilyn]

Don’t forget that most of South Australia is desert...and nobody lives there! Our population is settled around the coast. There are housing blocks selling nowadays that are just six metres wide, so I would say we have a lot of high density housing areas.
Adelaide contains about 1.4 million people...

[Sue]

We (South Australia) have not had a single new case of Coronavirus for 28 days.
And we are only just opening pubs with social distance rules in place.

And the sensible ones amongst us ie 90% of the population won’t be going. Its all about political pressure and not science, that went long ago.

I certainly won't be going to any densely populated places. Be interesting to see the effects of opening pubs. South Australia has the benefit of a population density of 1.6 per sq km. I noticed the highest new cases, for Australia, is Victoria with 23.5 per sqkm.
Screenshot_20200624-100032_Chrome.jpg

The UK population density is around 280 per sqkm. I can see the infection rate rising once people start going into pubs both here and anywhere else that is relaxing rules.

I have often thought this of other countries eg New Zealand, but didn’t have the figures to hand.Much of the UK of course is high hills and mountains and low population , the housing is mainly concentrated in the cities and industrial towns of the Victorian era, streets and streets of terraced house and now Tower blocks. So much the same really. I hate tit for tat.

All countries have their problems. The decisions are made by government created in our case by the pressure of the hospitality industry, where so many are employed and so much money is spent. They have asking for 1 m distancing for months. If the guidelines are read carefully it is still two metres except where it cannot be maintained then it is 1 m plus. Here Masks should be worn and/ or limited face to face conversations. No contact ie social distancing still exists. France who is only a couple of weeks ahead of us have bars etc open an has a 1 m rule. Are we so different from other European countries I think not. So S Australia is doing it one way, Europe another, different issues, different population distribution.

[plaques]

Why are people still comparing different countries? The UK's infection and death rate is simply because we ignored the problem and reacted too late. The blame lies with the government, no more no less. Of course they are happy to blur the picture as much as they can.

[Big Kev]

Why are people still comparing different countries? The UK's infection and death rate is simply because we ignored the problem and reacted too late. The blame lies with the government, no more no less. Of course they are happy to blur the picture as much as they can.

My comparison was on population density, I would imagine the same applies to big towns and small villages wherever you are.

[plaques]

My comparison was on population density, I would imagine the same applies to big towns and small villages wherever you are.

Kev, if we are comparing numbers, ie: the current covid events where we all know the dangers and where we have all emerged from lockdown then the population density along with relative incomes should give reasonable comparisons. So in this respect you are right. Again you have to compare like with like and as we have seen there are numerous other factors that can skew the results. In my post I was winding the clock back to when it first started where the UK was behind the curve on taking action resulting in a larger fatality rate than other countries irrespective of population density.

[Whyperion]

Monday 22nd June Cases / Deaths UK 958 / 15 (actually 5pm June 21st) Govt Data
21st June Cases / Deaths (cannot find) / 43

Tuesday 23rd Reports 1147 / 121 Which is mainly the monday catch up from the weekend.
Wednesday 24th June 653 /151

Cases across the UK , can we get down to below 500/ 100 ??


Speaking of dense populations or not, see the BBC website this morning. analysis of Wales, Ceredigan (centre Aberystwyth ) has much lower cases and deaths, it locked down (county heath advice) earlier than UK and have kept folk out of care homes. It has similar population profiles to its neightbouring counties but they had different results from different (lack of) actions

[Sue]

I am expecting big increases very soon, its 2-3weeks since all the BLACK LIVES MATTER demonstrations. It would not surprise me if these caused the sudden massive increases in the States

[Whyperion]

Depends how much covid-19 was in the community/ies and how effective the mask wearing was. It is mainly indoor events that have shot up numbers (touching door handles/ toilets and eating places I think for most community transmission.

Vaccines (Imperial College, London - working with a USA Source?)
"using synthetic strands of genetic code, (RNA) which mimic the virus.(part of it?)

Once injected into muscle, the RNA self-amplifies - generating copies of itself - and instructs the body's own cells to make copies of a spike protein found on the outside of the virus. "

Interesting, a few commentators are worried about the 'synthetic' idea - to me at what point does the RNA replication shut off - will the immune system over-react ? and will the virus modify its spike protein in response, and what specifically does that protein do - is it something that the body normally regards as bengine ,or beneficial? (I think the spike works as a lock onto cell or lock into cell operand from memory), and if so does it end up denying the body something that is needed for its own cell growth and reproduction? ( by the way I think kids get the virus different because of the way their bodies are growing - so fast and in differing ways from smallness and processing external cell 'food' in different ways). The synthesis of a protein presumably (For those with skill, time and equipment) is straightforward as the chemical receipe is determined from the cell chemicals they will be identical the trick is building the chain link correctly - presumably there is some electron bonding going on in that too. Perhaps someone can remind me though why RNA will reproduce but why it needs a DNA host so to do ?

[Sue]

Oo crikey let me try and remember the specifics RNA copies DNA, an enzyme causes the DNA chain to unzip, or open and the RNA that is formed is messenger RNA . It is single stranded, it moves to ribosomes in the cell and attaches to the ribosomal RNA in this form Each sequence of three bases of the messenger RNA has a function, but mainly they in effect attract and bind to amino acids. The amino acids are in the cell attached to a specific piece of RNA, called transfer RNA, specific to the amino acid it carries. At the ribosomes enzymes bind the tNA to the mRNA attached to the ribosomes. This brings amino acids close together which then attach to each other by chemical peptide bonds. Once the amino acid is attached , the tRNA moves back into the cell to pick up another amino acid specific to its exposed code. The amino acids binding to each other form the polypeptide chains of the protein that the DNA coded for. Some codes of three bases act as a full stop, or should I say it is a break in the production of a chain as the polypeptide chain is complete . DNA codes for a polypeptide chain but in effect is sedentary it cannot move to the site of protein production in the cell, the ribosomes. RNA is mobile and thus is needed to get the message to the ribosomes where polypeptides and then proteins are made. The ribosomes are attached to the Endoplasmic reticulum, which is a series of internal channels in the cell. The proteins are transported through the cell in these channels and are either secreted from the cell or used as building blocks of the cells own proteins.
Not sure if that answers your question.
I do not accept responsibility for missing knowledge of the details.


As for levels in the community all alternative information to government figures implies 10000s were out there in the community.

[Marilyn]

I almost wept when I saw “Black lives matter” gatherings. Can’t we do this later, I thought.
They don’t understand they can be spreading death, by rallying, and taking this home to families. Absolute stupidity, disguised as passion for a cause.
We have tried SO hard to protect our indigenous population. Our border closures were (really) to protect them as much as the rest of us, as they are so vulnerable.

[Tizer]

This photo from the Telegraph's front page shows Bournemouth beach yesterday. Other papers show similar problems at other beaches. It's an uphill struggle to get people to understand the dangers - but then what can we expect when 22% of Brits believe in `creationism' and 17% `intelligent design'?

[Whyperion]

I think you could hold those beliefs, but not undertake those actions - unless you mean the picture demonstrates an unintelligent outcome !
Same repeated today, I think the hot sun gets to you. Quite why those leaving litter about are not prosectuted and fined I dont know (see Brighton Too). Wales is more locked down so the Birmingham Folk are travelling to Bournmouth.

Case numbers today 1,118 / 154 Deaths. I have a feeling someone is not counting new infections properly , seems rather low given the hot (meat - cold ?) spot are numbered well . I think i can trust Scotland and N Ireland. not certain about England

[Big Kev]

It's been declared a major incident in Bournemouth today, according to the Daily Mirror anyway
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/b ... 35-GHCmI_Q

[Big Kev]

The BBC have replaced the daily government briefings with episodes of Pointless, no change there then

[Wendyf]

The BBC have replaced the daily government briefings with episodes of Pointless, no change there then

To be fair the daily briefings replaced Pointless.....

[Big Kev]

The BBC have replaced the daily government briefings with episodes of Pointless, no change there then

To be fair the daily briefings replaced Pointless.....

This is true

[Sue]

The BBC have replaced the daily government briefings with episodes of Pointless, no change there then

To be fair the daily briefings replaced Pointless.....

This is true

So pointless replaced pointless and now pointless replaced pointless. All makes pointless sense in this crazy world

[Big Kev]

[Wendyf]

If you are going to start criticising Pointless then.... then....I dont what I'll do. It's my only TV pleasure!

[Big Kev]

If you are going to start criticising Pointless then.... then....I dont what I'll do. It's my only TV pleasure!

[plaques]

And someone said in Tizer's science News, who shall remain nameless....Ye gods, have you lot nothing better to do with your time, back to my patchwork.