SARS CoV-2 coronavirus / Covid-19 (No tin foil hat silliness please)

11101

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Warm weather wouldn’t explain what’s going on in London as this won’t affect transmissions inside buses or on the tube.

It would be fecking amazing if something else is going on.
I take it you've never been on the tube in the summer months then :lol:
 

Conor

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That point slipped my mind and it’s actually the most pertinent point.

Eg: I can wipe down things I use in a gym, but it’s all the sudden heavy breathing that an asymptotic gym rat would exhale that is the danger and inhalation of their droplets is the critical infection route.
The droplets of an asymptotic gym rat can be deemed insignificant as the number of gym goers grows.
 

Wibble

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Have there been any further studies done on how temperature affects the virus? Italy has been getting back towards normal for 2.5 weeks now. People are out and about and distancing measures are not exactly being strictly adhered to, but there has been no rise in cases. It's also starting to get properly hot here now.

I know the virus has spread in Middle Eastern countries and Singapore, but that's been largely down to their slave labour camps where people live 10 to a room.
I'm not sure 145 deaths today is really getting back to normal. Much better than before but nowhere near normal or under control.
 

Wibble

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Warm weather wouldn’t explain what’s going on in London as this won’t affect transmissions inside buses or on the tube.

It would be fecking amazing if something else is going on. Although I think it might just be a much longer gap between infection and symptoms than we thought. Same reason it took much longer for lockdown to flatten the curve than you’d think based on a one week incubation.
Except in that people are less snotty and sneezy in summer.
 

Classical Mechanic

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Warm weather wouldn’t explain what’s going on in London as this won’t affect transmissions inside buses or on the tube.

It would be fecking amazing if something else is going on.
They do have open windows on the tube in the summer I think. You'd imagine that the air flow at that speed would lead to the air being recycled quite well. I guess the warmer and dryer weather would encourage more people to walk, that along with more masks and better hygiene could contribute to the reductions perhaps.
 

Pogue Mahone

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They do have open windows on the tube in the summer I think. You'd imagine that the air flow at that speed would lead to the air being recycled quite well. I guess the warmer and dryer weather would encourage more people to walk, that along with more masks and better hygiene could contribute to the reductions perhaps.
Open windows is a good point. Think that’s only on the lines that have overground sections?
 

Wibble

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Yeah I agree that lockdown has basically disintegrated, but i think part of that it that it was so weak to begin with and that the rules are so nonsensical now that people don't really see the point. A number of people (including some of my neighbours) were always going to flout the rules out of sheer stupidity/selfishness, but I think a fair few are forming their own conclusions about what is reasonable in the absence of any clarity or logical consistency from the government - obviously as non-experts with their own self-interest in the mix they are not qualified to do that. Ultimately, anticipating the public's habit of misinterpreting messaging, whether through inability to understand or through conscious exploitation of ambiguous wording, is the government's job. I've been involved in writing guidance (albeit not public health guidance) and most of the work is ensuring there aren't any loopholes and that what you've written can only be interpreted in the way it's intended.
Here in Australia there was some mixed messaging but nowhere near the scale of the BoJo induced contradictory messaging chaos. And the response to breeches was simple. $1000 plus fine and/or arrested. When we opened a beach or two up and people didn't behave we closed them again. I can't stand our government and generally I wouldn't trust them to park my car but compared to BoJo and Trump they are a shining example of competence.

NZ are the lucky ones. Basically we should make Jacinda Ardern Emperor of the Universe.
 

JPRouve

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Commuted on it for years. It’s horrendous. My point is that it’s never cold. Which is a theory about why viruses spread more quickly in winter. They linger longer on cold surfaces. Otherwise it’s all about changes in our behaviour.
I'm not sure if coldness is the thing, isn't dryness the main point? If I'm not mistaken dry and cold isn't good for virus or bacterias while warm and humid is. Living beings tend to slow down in the cold and die in dryness.
 

11101

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I'm not sure 145 deaths today is really getting back to normal. Much better than before but nowhere near normal or under control.
I meant in behaviour. If you took the masks away you wouldn't notice much difference from any other year.

Deaths are a difficult stat to use as there is such a lag and the time to die gets progressively longer. It's now 11 days from symptom onset to death in Italy, almost double what it was at the beginning. It doesn't really tell you anything about what's going on right now.
 

Wibble

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I meant in behaviour. If you took the masks away you wouldn't notice much difference from any other year.

Deaths are a difficult stat to use as there is such a lag and the time to die gets progressively longer. It's now 11 days from symptom onset to death in Italy, almost double what it was at the beginning. It doesn't really tell you anything about what's going on right now.
Agreed but I think most countries are reducing restrictions far too fast. Lock down for another month and you may get closer to eradication or at actual restriction/management. Relax now and a second wave is almost inevitable.
 

Pogue Mahone

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I'm not sure if coldness is the thing, isn't dryness the main point? If I'm not mistaken dry and cold isn't good for virus or bacterias while warm and humid is. Living beings tend to slow down in the cold and die in dryness.
Yeah, you’re right. Dryness kills influenza. Cold wet surfaces spread norovirus, I think? Rarely an issue on a tube carriage in the middle of summer, mind you! They’re horrendous sweat boxes.

I’ve read that the biggest driver of seasonality, by far, is our behaviour. No schools, less time indoors etc Plus we all get a little immune suppressed in winter. See comment above re Vitamin D.
 

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Why they have such a big disconnect between covid attributed deaths and excess deaths? I’m not actually sure. I don’t fully understand their criteria for attributing a death to covid in the UK. I do know that in Ireland we’ve seen a much bigger gap between official covid deaths and excess deaths in Northern Ireland, as compared to the ROI. So I assume the UK must require a bigger burden of proof before sticking covid on the death cert than Ireland (and most other countries)
Not sure you know, in the sense that I don't know about burden of proof if other countries but in my dealings with bereavement office and medical examiners its fairly straight forward (admittedly this is for hospital patients), remarkably I haven't had to do a single coroner's office referral related to a covid patien

Crem forms are easier too know. Government guidelines are here
https://assets.publishing.service.g...l-certificates-of-cause-of-death-covid-19.pdf
Basically says as long as pre-death symptoms suggestive of covid no swab needed and you can apply clinical judgement

I understand that there might be subtle differences in Scotland and N Ireland from this MDU article but not really too different across the UK when you consider its implications for ONS data etc
https://www.themdu.com/guidance-and...ce/certifying-deaths-during-covid-19-outbreak
 

11101

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I'm not sure if coldness is the thing, isn't dryness the main point? If I'm not mistaken dry and cold isn't good for virus or bacterias while warm and humid is. Living beings tend to slow down in the cold and die in dryness.
Bacteria like warm and humid conditions, but viruses vary. Temperature is less important but certain enveloped viruses like influenza prefer low humidity, and others like rhinoviruses prefer high humidity.
 

Pogue Mahone

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Not sure you know, in the sense that I don't know about burden of proof if other countries but in my dealings with bereavement office and medical examiners its fairly straight forward (admittedly this is for hospital patients), remarkably I haven't had to do a single coroner's office referral related to a covid patien

Crem forms are easier too know. Government guidelines are here
https://assets.publishing.service.g...l-certificates-of-cause-of-death-covid-19.pdf
Basically says as long as pre-death symptoms suggestive of covid no swab needed and you can apply clinical judgement

I understand that there might be subtle differences in Scotland and N Ireland from this MDU article but not really too different across the UK when you consider its implications for ONS data etc
https://www.themdu.com/guidance-and...ce/certifying-deaths-during-covid-19-outbreak
Interesting. Thanks. I worked in the Uk but never certified any deaths (thank feck, was doing child psych in GOSH)
 

legolegs

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Have there been any further studies done on how temperature affects the virus? Italy has been getting back towards normal for 2.5 weeks now. People are out and about and distancing measures are not exactly being strictly adhered to, but there has been no rise in cases. It's also starting to get properly hot here now.

I know the virus has spread in Middle Eastern countries and Singapore, but that's been largely down to their slave labour camps where people live 10 to a room.
It's pretty warm in Brasil at the moment and that's one of the hardest hit countries in the world.
However doing the social activities outside likely helps a lot as the virus isn't as easily transmitted if you're not in a closed room.
 

Dancfc

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Have there been any further studies done on how temperature affects the virus? Italy has been getting back towards normal for 2.5 weeks now. People are out and about and distancing measures are not exactly being strictly adhered to, but there has been no rise in cases. It's also starting to get properly hot here now.

I know the virus has spread in Middle Eastern countries and Singapore, but that's been largely down to their slave labour camps where people live 10 to a room.
Wasn't lockdown mainly about suppressing a wave? Which means the trajectory Europe is seeing now (decline after the peak) is what we would have seen in quicker time with no intial restrictions but ofcourse the peak totally overwhelming the health systems.

While there's always the threat of a second peak further down the line I don't think it's as simple as "open up and cases straight away rise to unsustainable levels again" which early signs are is not happening, quite the opposite in fact.
 
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T00lsh3d

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I see Brazil and other emerging market countries are lifting lockdowns despite their cases being on the rise. Mass slaughter incoming
 

Josep Dowling

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I've said from day one the furlough scheme was inherently flawed. I've taken a 40% pay cut and am working full time to keep the business afloat, whereas many of my staff have taken a 20% pay cut not to work.

Getting staff to return from furlough isn't the easiest as when transport costs etc are taken into account they're working 45h a week for a few quid. When the staff do return they're often far more difficult to motivate because their mates are having beers in the sun whilst they're at work. Any system where staff are begging management to not be at work is not going to be a good one for business.

If the government insisted on a lockdown there should have been a part time subsidised scheme whereby the government paid 40%, companies paid 50% and the employee worked part time for 90% salary.

In our business it would have been cheaper for the government (we'd have put everyone on a part time contract rather than 65% of people furloughed), better for our business as we'd have the right member of staff doing every job (rather than someone covering 3 jobs they're unfamiliar with.... unproductively) and the employee would be being paid more whilst not pining to be at home and feeling demotivated that they're essentially working for nothing.
And this is the problem. There is a divide building amongst people working and people on furlough working for the same company. I don’t see why I should be covering the work of 3 people whilst many are now going to the beach as restrictions are relaxed. How exactly is this fair? The point of the measures is to stop the spread of a ‘killer’ virus yet this point now seems to have been lost on many.

Most people have had paid time off which they would never be able to afford to take 2/3 months off in their working life.
 

sglowrider

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Here in Australia there was some mixed messaging but nowhere near the scale of the BoJo induced contradictory messaging chaos. And the response to breeches was simple. $1000 plus fine and/or arrested. When we opened a beach or two up and people didn't behave we closed them again. I can't stand our government and generally I wouldn't trust them to park my car but compared to BoJo and Trump they are a shining example of competence.

NZ are the lucky ones. Basically we should make Jacinda Ardern Emperor of the Universe.
My brother lives in Auckland. Apparently she wasn't doing so well until the Christchurch shooting then it dipped again ...and now this. Crisis star. Better leader than a manager?
 
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balaks

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My brother lives in Auckland. Apparently she wasn't doing so well until the Christchurch shooting and now this. Crisis star. Better leader than a manager?
Lucky then that what we really need right now are strong leaders rather than managers.
 

Conor

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I've said from day one the furlough scheme was inherently flawed. I've taken a 40% pay cut and am working full time to keep the business afloat, whereas many of my staff have taken a 20% pay cut not to work.

Getting staff to return from furlough isn't the easiest as when transport costs etc are taken into account they're working 45h a week for a few quid. When the staff do return they're often far more difficult to motivate because their mates are having beers in the sun whilst they're at work. Any system where staff are begging management to not be at work is not going to be a good one for business.

If the government insisted on a lockdown there should have been a part time subsidised scheme whereby the government paid 40%, companies paid 50% and the employee worked part time for 90% salary.

In our business it would have been cheaper for the government (we'd have put everyone on a part time contract rather than 65% of people furloughed), better for our business as we'd have the right member of staff doing every job (rather than someone covering 3 jobs they're unfamiliar with.... unproductively) and the employee would be being paid more whilst not pining to be at home and feeling demotivated that they're essentially working for nothing.
And when your business is thriving, do all your staff earn as much as you? You can't be happy to rake it in when things are going well, but expect not to bear the brunt when things aren't. That is the whole game of being a small business owner.
 

T00lsh3d

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And this is the problem. There is a divide building amongst people working and people on furlough working for the same company. I don’t see why I should be covering the work of 3 people whilst many are now going to the beach as restrictions are relaxed. How exactly is this fair? The point of the measures is to stop the spread of a ‘killer’ virus yet this point now seems to have been lost on many.

Most people have had paid time off which they would never be able to afford to take 2/3 months off in their working life.
Yes. Don’t know about you but I’m run into the ground. It’s unreal to think of people getting the break of their lives on 80% pay, whilst the ones that are working will need a month or so to recover from the crippling workload they’ve had
 

SalfordRed18

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And when your business is thriving, do all your staff earn as much as you? You can't be happy to rake it in when things are going well, but expect not to bear the brunt when things aren't. That is the whole game of being a small business owner.
Very good point.
 

Maagge

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Wasn't lockdown mainly about suppressing a wave? Which means the route Europe is seeing now (decline after the peak) is what we would have seen in quicker time with no intial restrictions but ofcourse the peak totally overwhelming the health systems.

While there's always the threat of a second peak further down the line I don't think it's as simple as "open up and cases straight away rise to unsustainable levels again" which early signs are is not happening, quite the opposite in the fact.
Yeah the signs are good so far. Let's hope it stays that way.
I think it helps massively that people are still wary of going back to normal life, in the sense that we might have opened version things, but people still keep a certain distance as much as possible. Plus the handwashing and cleaning in general has basically wiped out other diseases, so I'm sure it's helping on this virus as well.
 

One Night Only

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Yes. Don’t know about you but I’m run into the ground. It’s unreal to think of people getting the break of their lives on 80% pay, whilst the ones that are working will need a month or so to recover from the crippling workload they’ve had
Aye, and we will have to use our holidays to get the break, so wasting holidays to recover from excess workload. It's bullshit tbh.
 

Dan_F

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And this is the problem. There is a divide building amongst people working and people on furlough working for the same company. I don’t see why I should be covering the work of 3 people whilst many are now going to the beach as restrictions are relaxed. How exactly is this fair? The point of the measures is to stop the spread of a ‘killer’ virus yet this point now seems to have been lost on many.

Most people have had paid time off which they would never be able to afford to take 2/3 months off in their working life.
Plus, in my sector they’ve all been doing lots of extra training. For example, some have been doing a teaching qual, which takes up a fair bit of time. I’ll be expected to do that alongside my usual work when we go back to normal.
 

Wolverine

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Surprising numbers - what it shows is how disastrous allowing covid to spread more across european communities would be given the number of deaths and only single digit seroprevalence to show for it
New York City residents with their dense population had something like 20% and they were the highest I can recall or rather have seen quoted, probably the reason death rates aren't higher there is due to demographics I'd think

I've heard it mentioned that you need a smaller number of immune patients to reach effective herd immunity threshold than you would for something like Measles and seen wide variations in percentages quoted but you'd need WAY more than the numbers listed above.

What it means I think is that this thing will be with us for a while with restrictions eased. Contact tracing, isolation of those infected, continued shielding unfortunately for the extremely vulnerable, mass testing and managing this thing at local levels in hot spots should now be prioritised rather than one-size-fits-all national-level guidelines which will be ignored en-masse anyway.
 

Arruda

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Wouldn't it be expected that Sweden would be higher given their comparative lack of lock down to Italy and Spain?
I think they expected that, but clearly it didn't happen that way. And good for them, because if it did, they would collapse as other countries did.

It stands to reason that their "lack of lockdown" made little difference in the end. I think there was merit to the idea that they were "social distancing" naturally already, due to the specificities of the country and it's social culture.

Reality tells us that they did social distance to some degree. Even then, they still had too many cases and far more deaths than needed. Couple that with the daunting reports that they failed to provite adequate care for their eldery (despite, apparently, having more than enough capacity to do so) and I think this has all been a huge fiasco for Sweden. Fortunately, not in the same dramatic way I thought it would be, but still pretty bad, and inexcusable in my view.

I started paying attention on the day they surpassed Portugal in the number of deaths, because the policies were so different and both are peripheral countries yet population number is roughly the same. Yesterday they officially reached the triple of our deaths. I think they will still reach 4x before our numbers start to rise too (we're starting to ease our lockdown).