Turkey is throwing open its borders This seems as if it would just compound struggles especially if some of those coming over are already infected. Another test for europe’s open borders.
Off_Field wrote:
Turkey is throwing open its borders This seems as if it would just compound struggles especially if some of those coming over are already infected.
Greece and Bulgaria are on high alert on this, apparently Turkey has driven a bunch of refugees to Edrine and let them loose there saying they should cross into Greece or Bulgaria. Both border cross points are close by.
According to the live map of the Corona virus tests, neither Turkey nor Bulgaria so far have any confirmed ill people. Greece has one isolated case in conjunction with Italy.
For Europe, it appears that Italy is the focal point where almost all index cases in European countries are being traced back to. Seeing that, the rather harsh measures taken there were most probably appropriate but late.
We are on the 2nd highest alert level in Switzerland now, with all public events of more than 1000 people being prohibited (this includes exhibitions like the Geneva Autoshow, sports events e.t.c.) and more to come. We do expect that if numbers of confirmed infections start to grow, they will impose the highest alert level which then will shut down most of public life.
While people are openly laughing it off, this is like whistling in the dark. People are really very upset and scared, bulk buying canned foods and other stuff and keeping their distances much more than usual. In the end I think the latter may well do the trick: If people keep their heads and really try hard to keep their distance and wash their hands properly and regularly as well as stop playing “heroes” and go to work sick, we may have a shot of eradicating this bastard before it does too much damage. But things may get much worse before they get better and the economy will take a huge beating. I would not be surprised if public transport will get restricted or shut down as well as international travel restricted. And a lot more events will take either a massive beating or be cancelled out altogether.
In the end, while I believe it is not productive for doctors now to shout horror figures like a 30 % wipe out of the population into the press, it may well be one of the most disruptive outbreaks since the Spanish flu 100 years ago. Not necessarily due to mortality figures but due to the impact prevention efforts have. Most of these plans come from stuff like biological warfare and maybe this outbreak is one of the better ways of testing them than having to deal with a real biowar scenario featuring Ebola or similar stuff.
Today at the supermarket many shelves of staple products like potatoes, pasta, rice etc. were completely empty. Several nurses at work confirmed similar experiences at their respective local markets.
MedEwok wrote:
Today at the supermarket many shelves of staple products like potatoes, pasta, rice etc. were completely empty.
I wonder what will happen once this blows over and people sit on 2 years worth of canned ravioli….
Mooney_Driver wrote:
I wonder what will happen once this blows over and people sit on 2 years worth of canned ravioli….
30% of total UK deaths (300k/year) are linked to poor food diet, lack of physical activity and other 10% is tobacco/alcohol
Not sure if 2 years of canned ravioli in a bunker make better numbers…
Peter wrote:
Still it is amazing why say UK and Germany has so few cases while Italy has loads
That’s because the “fire” hasn’t started yet, but it will. That’s the scary part. China has really taken this seriously, and still it’s spreading. I don’t see any western country taking the same strong measures as the Chinese, not even close. In Norway we have 15 cases now. At least half of those could be prevented if the hospitals had taken this just a tad more serious than a normal flu. I mean, if you want to get the virus, just go to the hospital. And that’s not even a “Corona” joke 
Where is Fuji abound these days?
He might be somewhere warmer
What is the US planning to do?
If Germany is raiding the supermarket shelves already, with of the order of 1ppm infected, and the chance of catching it being similar to winning a jackpot on the lottery, what will happen in weeks to come? There will be riots.
Here in the UK we see hand wipes and similar products flying off the shelves.
EASA is getting on the act here local copy
The following is claimed to originate from some research in China:
1. If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold
2. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.
3. This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 26/27 degrees. It hates the Sun.
4. If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.
5. If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours – so if you come into contact with any metal surface – wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap.
6. On fabric it can survive for 6-12 hours. normal laundry detergent will kill it.
7. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.
8. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but – a lot can happen during that time – you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.
9. You should also gargle as a prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.
10. Can’t emphasise enough – drink plenty of water!
THE SYMPTOMS
1. It will first infect the throat, so you’ll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days
2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further.
3. With the pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.
4. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. You feel like you’re drowning. It’s imperative you then seek immediate attention.
From Icelandic Review Online:
“Surgeon General Alma Möller stressed that while there is still much that is unknown about the virus, health professionals do know that 80% of patients experience only minor symptoms, while 5% fall seriously ill.”
I’ve just heard from a ski chalet owner in Italy, who was booked up through to end of April, that in past 24hrs totally everybody has cancelled. It’s like a bomb has hit the place.
Amazing that just 4 years ago we were discussing Italy again and that went on for a year.
I’ve read suggestions that “southern Europe” is a lot more vulnerable because they smoke a lot, and smokers have not only damaged lungs already but also a reduced immunity.
