Coronavirus - General Chat - No statistics

[Leothebear]

Pubs are going to be very hard hit. Many having a struggle to survive anyway.

I told you we were doomed.

[AleisterCrowley]

I will have to 'do my bit' tonight then.
Keep Calm and Carry On (Drinking)

[bungeejumper]

What is the big attraction of pasta and rice? Neither are ever on my shopping list.

They don't need to be. Because, trust me, somewhere at the back of your kitchen units is a bag of penne or fusilli with a best-before date of 2003. You bought it as an emergency stopgap just after 9/11, because the world was about to be plunged into terrorist paralysis and anarchy, and you wanted to be..... err, just the same as everybody else, really.

Ditto the bag of rice, which might be even older. You'll be able to tell for certain if you scrape the blue mould away from the best-before sticker, and dispose of the dusty mouse skeleton that ate its way halfway into the bag before it died of boredom. You could always tart it up with that jar of cardamom seeds that says 2s/11d on the label.

Keep looking. I expect there's a 1970s Vesta beef curry in there as well. Just add water. Buried treasure in your hour of need.



BJ

[scotia]

What is the big attraction of pasta and rice? Neither are ever on my shopping list.

I could see the attraction of ready meals, if you had room in your fridge for them, which we do not.

Maybe I shall have to rely on cereals and maybe use the milkman for more than just milk, if need be.

TJH

This is an age related phenomenon. In my parent's abode, there may (very) occasionally have been a rice pudding, or macaroni cheese - but savoury rice or the word pasta were not in use. My wife has cautiously corrected such an upbringing, and my grandchildren eat much more pasta than potatoes.

[Gaggsy]

What is the big attraction of pasta and rice?

They have a long shelf life and they don't need refrigeration. Perfect for stashing away in the survival bunker.

[Leothebear]

Stopping all mass attendance events will only put the virus on a slower rate of infection at best. The solution isn't as simple as that. The virus should be allowed to spread gradually peaking in the summer not next winter.

The only way to stop it is to either develop a vaccine (lengthy process) or to have enough of the population having immunity, due having survived the virus, to start to reduce the rate of spread of infection, eventually to near zero.

[sg31]

Staggering to think that the first reported case of Coronavirus was only back on 17th November 2019 in Wuhan.

Just 16 weeks later it's a global pandemic with around 140,000 confirmed cases, and rising all the time...

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Many more infections than just those confirmed

Ohio’s Republican Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday ordered all schools in his state closed after the state health department reported that, although the state has only a handful of confirmed cases, roughly 100,000 Ohioans are likely already infected with the virus.

It's figures like that that are truly frightening.

[jackdaww]

Stopping all mass attendance events will only put the virus on a slower rate of infection at best. The solution isn't as simple as that. The virus should be allowed to spread gradually peaking in the summer not next winter.

The only way to stop it is to either develop a vaccine (lengthy process) or to have enough of the population having immunity, due having survived the virus, to start to reduce the rate of spread of infection, eventually to near zero.

================================

does that mean , as i think it does, that most of the population has to get infected and then , those who survive are ok ?

there IS a way to stop it , and that is to shut down ALL non essential activity COMPLETELY for two weeks .

[UncleEbenezer]

What is the big attraction of pasta and rice?

They have a long shelf life and they don't need refrigeration. Perfect for stashing away in the survival bunker.

Rats and mice say thank you for the food.

[simsqu]

I told you we were doomed.

Leo, as you know, for the past ten years or so, I have lived my life by your prophecy, and I feel a better person for it.

[tjh290633]

What is the big attraction of pasta and rice? Neither are ever on my shopping list.

I could see the attraction of ready meals, if you had room in your fridge for them, which we do not.

Maybe I shall have to rely on cereals and maybe use the milkman for more than just milk, if need be.

TJH

This is an age related phenomenon. In my parent's abode, there may (very) occasionally have been a rice pudding, or macaroni cheese - but savoury rice or the word pasta were not in use. My wife has cautiously corrected such an upbringing, and my grandchildren eat much more pasta than potatoes.

Do you know, I was putting something away in one of our cupboards, when I came across some ancient spaghetti and some macaroni. Not a lot, but it's there. Also a bag or two of long grain rice. I don't think that is suitable for rice pudding.

I didn't check the sell-by dates.

TJH

[DrFfybes]

Stopping all mass attendance events will only put the virus on a slower rate of infection at best. The solution isn't as simple as that. The virus should be allowed to spread gradually peaking in the summer not next winter.

The only way to stop it is to either develop a vaccine (lengthy process) or to have enough of the population having immunity, due having survived the virus, to start to reduce the rate of spread of infection, eventually to near zero.

================================

does that mean , as i think it does, that most of the population has to get infected and then , those who survive are ok ?

there IS a way to stop it , and that is to shut down ALL activity COMPLETELY for two months .

There you go, I've corrected that for you.

Paul

[roger4]

I'm with Leothebear. Let it spread and the population develops immunity.

What I find really regrettable is the level of hysteria this virus has generated. The overall fatality rate is around 2% which is twice that of "normal" influenza virus. Is this really such a big deal? The Black Death Plagues mortality rates were around 15-20% but of course we didn't have social media then.

Perhaps the question should be do we self-isolate social media??

[JohnB]

Flu mortality rate a tenth of what you say, and few people catch it each season. I think I've only had it once in 50 years. It kills 20000 people a year. Read https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... -FINAL.pdf

Coronavirus could infect 80% of people and kill 600000, 30 times more in a worst case scenario. If you believe different, can you quote your sources

[redsturgeon]

This is a slightly different approach to social distancing. The thing with social distancing is that while it has been shown to be effective, there is a large economic impact. This approach below softens that impact. Seems sensible to me.

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2020/03/ ... re-is.html

1. Protect the most vulnerable with all available resources. All nursing facilities, retirement homes, and the like would be essentially quarantined, with all patients and staff tested for the virus, with those testing positive isolated from the remainder. All visitors would have to be tested. All individuals who are over 60 and possessing serious health problems would be asked to self-quarantine, with food and other assistance provided to allow them to reduce contact with the outside community.

2. Extensive random testing of the general population would be initiated, with millions of tests available for this purpose. Such general testing would allow a determination of the extent of COVID-19 spread and the isolation of affected individuals and their close associates. This is what I call "smart quarantine"-- the use of massive testing to identify the carriers and currently sick and to take them out of circulation.

South Korea is trying this approach and it appears to be working

3. A fund to provide salaries for quarantined individuals would be initiated. This would encourage all individuals to be tested and encourage financially marginal individuals to isolate themselves.

[jackdaww]

Stopping all mass attendance events will only put the virus on a slower rate of infection at best. The solution isn't as simple as that. The virus should be allowed to spread gradually peaking in the summer not next winter.

The only way to stop it is to either develop a vaccine (lengthy process) or to have enough of the population having immunity, due having survived the virus, to start to reduce the rate of spread of infection, eventually to near zero.

================================

does that mean , as i think it does, that most of the population has to get infected and then , those who survive are ok ?

there IS a way to stop it , and that is to shut down ALL activity COMPLETELY for two months .

There you go, I've corrected that for you.

Paul

==================

i have highlighted your correction for clarity .

my estimate is of course a guess , as i expect is yours , even if you are a medic ( i dont know) .

my further guess is we might be in limbo for 6-12 months without shutdown .

i prefer the shutdown approach , and am happy to pay via taxation to support people and business's for the duration.

[Arborbridge]

Stopping all mass attendance events will only put the virus on a slower rate of infection at best. The solution isn't as simple as that. The virus should be allowed to spread gradually peaking in the summer not next winter.

The only way to stop it is to either develop a vaccine (lengthy process) or to have enough of the population having immunity, due having survived the virus, to start to reduce the rate of spread of infection, eventually to near zero.

================================

does that mean , as i think it does, that most of the population has to get infected and then , those who survive are ok ?

there IS a way to stop it , and that is to shut down ALL non essential activity COMPLETELY for two weeks .

Yes, though I haven't heard anyone say what percentage of the population needs to get it before we achieve herd immunity. I would have thought it's a fairly high percentage.
Since younger people are less vulnerable to the effect of the virus, it seems the rational policy is to give it to as many children as possible to protect us oldies!
A bit like the budget the other day - borrowing billions of pounds which our children will have to pay back.

I hear the government is leading from behind this morning, having gone along with what several organisations have already done by suggesting they will pass legislation to ban large gatherings next week. I'm sure some wit could find a Dad's Army clip which illustrates this rear facing leadership quality.

Arb.

[Leothebear]

Why not concentrate on the vulnerable? Those over 70 or with health issues. Isolate them.

Let all those who're healthy and under 70 mix but take precautions to prevent a rapid increase.

Are there any plans to issue face masks?

[sg31]

Why not concentrate on the vulnerable? Those over 70 or with health issues. Isolate them.

Let all those who're healthy and under 70 mix but take precautions to prevent a rapid increase.

Are there any plans to issue face masks?

The ordinary ones don't work very well and not at all when they get wet from breathing. The big full face ones are so uncomfortable and painful to wear their use is limited. I saw a picture of a nurse who had been using one and her face looked like she'd been in the ring with Mike Tyson. (Sorry I can't remember where I saw it so I can't post it. Someone else might remember it.)

[AndyPandy]

What is the big attraction of pasta and rice? Neither are ever on my shopping list.

I could see the attraction of ready meals, if you had room in your fridge for them, which we do not.

Maybe I shall have to rely on cereals and maybe use the milkman for more than just milk, if need be.

TJH

This is an age related phenomenon. In my parent's abode, there may (very) occasionally have been a rice pudding, or macaroni cheese - but savoury rice or the word pasta were not in use. My wife has cautiously corrected such an upbringing, and my grandchildren eat much more pasta than potatoes.

Do you know, I was putting something away in one of our cupboards, when I came across some ancient spaghetti and some macaroni. Not a lot, but it's there. Also a bag or two of long grain rice. I don't think that is suitable for rice pudding.

I didn't check the sell-by dates.

TJH

Long grain rice is no good for Rice Pudding, you need short grain rice. Should you or your parents end up self-isolating, one thing that will while away the time is to cut all the grains in half.