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

Brwned

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This bits interesting.

"They come after the UK's reproduction, or R, number escalated to between one and 1.2 for the first time since March."

So all these reports about the "R going back above one" these last few months have been bs upto now.
They estimate the R number has been around 1 since the beginning of August. It exists in a range so what they're saying is the bottom limit of that range has been 1 since the beginning of September, for the first time. That's not the same as the upper limit of that range being below 1 for that time. It's been above 1 for about a month now, nationally, and it's went above one in multiple regions before then. It's all here. So maybe the bullshit is in the interpretation, not the reports.
 

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I mentioned Preston's two walk-up centres earlier, the news is they have closed early at 3pm yesterday and today to enable those waiting to be seen before home-time. Queues a hundred strong reported. I suppose it shows people are taking the situation seriously if nothing else.
 

0le

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UK figures - 9 deaths, 3,105 cases.
For all the talk of the cases rising, it is pleasing to see that the death count has remained quite low at least for the moment, based on Google's data in the UK, Italy and France. I guess that is one positive and one that is easy to forget. I still remember seeing daily deaths of the order of hundreds.
 

Berbaclass

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For all the talk of the cases rising, it is pleasing to see that the death count has remained quite low at least for the moment, based on Google's data in the UK, Italy and France. I guess that is one positive and one that is easy to forget. I still remember seeing daily deaths of the order of hundreds.
Hospital admissions are going right up though. The more they do the more pressure on the system.
 

lynchie

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For all the talk of the cases rising, it is pleasing to see that the death count has remained quite low at least for the moment, based on Google's data in the UK, Italy and France. I guess that is one positive and one that is easy to forget. I still remember seeing daily deaths of the order of hundreds.
Hopefully it stays that way. However, the number of people in hospital is definitely starting to rise now, so we might start to see the number of deaths increasing in the next couple of weeks

 

F-Red

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For all the talk of the cases rising, it is pleasing to see that the death count has remained quite low at least for the moment, based on Google's data in the UK, Italy and France. I guess that is one positive and one that is easy to forget. I still remember seeing daily deaths of the order of hundreds.
I think we've got about 2-3 weeks to see what the rise in cases does the hospitalisation rate and then death rate. Bit too early to say if it's positive news or not.
 

lynchie

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In slightly optimistic news, England has now gone 3 months without anyone under 20 dying from Covid.
 

Giggzinho

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UK figures - 9 deaths, 3,105 cases.
Those death figures are wrong. It’s 27 not 9 according to the Gov Uk Coronavirus site unless I’m missing something? Death rate looks like it is already rising sadly.
 

hmchan

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Again I don't think we can ever make a certain conclusion on this topic, but a Chinese virologist previously worked in the HKU has the following opinion.

Unusual Features of the SARS-CoV-2 Genome Suggesting Sophisticated Laboratory Modification Rather Than Natural Evolution and Delineation of Its Probable Synthetic Route
https://zenodo.org/record/4028830#.X2Dtz2kRUwA
 

SnowRoll

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https://www.pittwire.pitt.edu/news/...highly-effective-preventing-and-treating-sars

At very low concentrations, Ab8 completely blocked the virus from entering cells. With those results in hand, a team at UNC tested Ab8 at varying concentrations in mice using a modified version of SARS-CoV-2. Even at the lowest dose, Ab8 decreased by 10-fold the amount of infectious virus in those mice compared to their untreated counterparts.
Still some way to go, but it does look promising.
 

redshaw

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From BBC
More than 100 UK patients on ventilation for first time since July
The number of patients in mechanical ventilation beds across the UK has passed 100 for the first time in nearly two months
There were 106 patients on ventilation in the UK on Monday - the first time the figure has been over 100 since 24 July.
UK-wide figures for today are yet to be published but there were 101 patients on ventilation in England on Tuesday.


Those death figures are wrong. It’s 27 not 9 according to the Gov Uk Coronavirus site unless I’m missing something? Death rate looks like it is already rising sadly.
Yes it's 27 today. Tuesday usually the highest after weekend lag.

Similar to SnowRoll's post
https://scitechdaily.com/ab8-covid-...-completely-neutralizes-the-sars-cov-2-virus/
Read it yesterday but only seen scitech talking about it at the time. Hopefully not more false hope.
 
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F-Red

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Those death figures are wrong. It’s 27 not 9 according to the Gov Uk Coronavirus site unless I’m missing something? Death rate looks like it is already rising sadly.
I pulled it from the site, unless the death figures hadn't updated on the site (they had Microsoft Azure problems yesterday). I would go with 27 based on what the site says now.
 

sammsky1

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My Uncle and his wife and 3 kids, who live in Hertfordshire, have had symptoms since Friday. They have been trying to get a ‘testing appointment’ every day since via website but to no avail.

UK Government ‘test and trace’ scheme is a complete disgrace.
 

F-Red

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My Uncle and his wife and 3 kids, who live in Hertfordshire, have had symptoms since Friday. They have been trying to get a ‘testing appointment’ every day since via website but to no avail.

UK Government ‘test and trace’ scheme is a complete disgrace.
Have they called 119?
 

Penna

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I mentioned Preston's two walk-up centres earlier, the news is they have closed early at 3pm yesterday and today to enable those waiting to be seen before home-time. Queues a hundred strong reported. I suppose it shows people are taking the situation seriously if nothing else.
Home-time? Why don't they have a night shift on? That's ridiculous.
 

sammsky1

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Have they called 119?
Ive even tried on his behalf. Keep getting this message since Friday.



When we call 119, they say keep trying website. Tried explaining about website, but they say that's the only way to get appointment as none of his family have 'key worker' status. Tried calling GP direct and they say the same. Anyone had a similar recent experience?

They are not complaining, just stating it as firsthand evidence on how appalling UK testing capability is right now vs the stated promise made by Boris and Hancock
 
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Buster15

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My Uncle and his wife and 3 kids, who live in Hertfordshire, have had symptoms since Friday. They have been trying to get a ‘testing appointment’ every day since via website but to no avail.

UK Government ‘test and trace’ scheme is a complete disgrace.
That can't be right. Boris told us all that it was World Class...
 

F-Red

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Ive even tried on his behalf. Keep getting this message since Friday

They are not complaining, just stating it as firsthand evidence on how appalling UK testing capability is right now vs the stated promise made by Boris and Hancock
Yep, from what my other half said (works in the NHS) it's completely f*cked at the minute. Not enough tests, more people coming forward with covid cases, and interestingly more with colds which has gone through a couple of schools in her local area, and lab challenges in terms of processing.

No idea what the feck the government have been doing all Summer. Complacencies all over the show.

Really loosely on-topic but I'm not sure where else to ask...

What masks are recommended for people with glasses? I'm taking driving lessons and need glasses to help decrease glare at night but they steam up every time I have my mask on.
Just put your glasses over the mask (might need to pull the mask up high). It doesn't steam up that way. Alternatively use contact lenses.
 

Classical Mechanic

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Are the Brits trying to do a trump and not test to reduce (reported) case numbers?
Doubt it. The test centres are overwhelmed with people that probably don’t have it but have to get tested because they or their kids have symptoms that could be Covid. A lot of colds have been going round schools apparently giving similar symptoms to Covid. If they or their families have symptoms they have to self-isolate for two weeks in the absence of a test. People are desperate to get cleared for work etc. That’s at least what one of the test centre managers said on the radio earlier.

The government just haven’t been able to scale up the systems well enough. Probably because of how centralised everything is in the UK. National roll outs like this are very poor. I know the Mayor of Manchester has been asking Westminster for control over test and trace recently, not sure why we can’t have it. I’m convinced we’d have done much better as a nation if the regions had autonomy over these systems like they do in Germany.
 

decorativeed

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Hong Kongers are also very good at following the rules. Social distancing means social distancing over there.

There definitely seems to be a correlation between virus cases and how willing/able people are to follow whatever rules have been set.
I think the train I get to work now reflects that. Previously it shuttled between two stops east of Manchester. Now it goes through Manchester and beyond to Southport via Bolton. At Victoria so many people piled onto it without thought for anyone getting off, and the majority either had no masks on or pulled them down below the chin when they sat down. Wonder why those parts of Greater Manchester are now the worst affected in the country?
 

Penna

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We went through Heathrow last week, during the daytime. We'd filled in our public health form online and printed it off, as instructed. The officer who checked us told us that the system was chaotic, most people aren't filling in the form because they don't know about it (and it's not something you can do in 30 seconds), and it was basically a system which isn't working at all. He was quite frank about it.

Being a forward planner by nature, my immediate thought was that the airlines should be distributing them on the plane to anyone who hasn't completed one, much like they used to do with the visa waiver forms in the old days when you went to America. Nothing at all was mentioned during the flight about the need to complete a form, and of course the form is in English and some passengers weren't English-speakers.

I've already found the form we have to complete when we return to Italy. However, I had to look for it myself on an Italian site. Not everyone is able to do stuff like that online.
 

hmchan

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I think the train I get to work now reflects that. Previously it shuttled between two stops east of Manchester. Now it goes through Manchester and beyond to Southport via Bolton. At Victoria so many people piled onto it without thought for anyone getting off, and the majority either had no masks on or pulled them down below the chin when they sat down. Wonder why those parts of Greater Manchester are now the worst affected in the country?
I understand other countries are not as crowded as Hong Kong, but still I think the whole "distancing" thing is a joke. There's no way people can make sure they are 1.5m apart at all times and the only effective way to limit the spread is to wear a mask. Some other measures, like using elbows instead of handshaking, are nothing more than a symbolic geature and they don't help at all.
 

Dancfc

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We went through Heathrow last week, during the daytime. We'd filled in our public health form online and printed it off, as instructed. The officer who checked us told us that the system was chaotic, most people aren't filling in the form because they don't know about it (and it's not something you can do in 30 seconds), and it was basically a system which isn't working at all. He was quite frank about it.

Being a forward planner by nature, my immediate thought was that the airlines should be distributing them on the plane to anyone who hasn't completed one, much like they used to do with the visa waiver forms in the old days when you went to America. Nothing at all was mentioned during the flight about the need to complete a form, and of course the form is in English and some passengers weren't English-speakers.

I've already found the form we have to complete when we return to Italy. However, I had to look for it myself on an Italian site. Not everyone is able to do stuff like that online.
Who are you flying with? I went into Rome with EasyJet in August and they gave us the required forms before boarding.

However we weren't asked to show the form when we got there which seemed strange given how strict Italy were/are in regards to this pandemic, apart from a temperature check before boarding the Fiumicino express it was basically no different to the usual airport experience.
 
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I understand other countries are not as crowded as Hong Kong, but still I think the whole "distancing" thing is a joke. There's no way people can make sure they are 1.5m apart at all times and the only effective way to limit the spread is to wear a mask. Some other measures, like using elbows instead of handshaking, are nothing more than a symbolic geature and they don't help at all.
Eh?
Of course not handshaking helps, possibly more than masks to be quite frank.
Hands are likely the biggest “spreader”.
 

Buster15

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The penny is beginning to drop. Whatever the government tries to say, the Test and Trace system ( if you can call it that) has and still is a catastrophic shambles.
The real problem is that this government simply has no idea of the reality of the situation. And they are getting a reputation for incompitence.
Just stop lying and get this shambles sorted out. Fat chance of that..
 

decorativeed

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The absolute state of the replies to this

Jesus. Believing in the natural outbreak of a virus - one of many in the last century alone - is too much of a stretch for these people. The occult and the new world order though are much more plausible, apparently.
 

jojojo

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Who are you flying with? I went into Rome with EasyJet in August and they gave us the required forms before boarding.

However we weren't asked to show the form when we got there which seemed strange given how strict Italy were/are in regards to this pandemic, apart from a temperature check before boarding the Fiumicino express it was basically no different to the usual airport experience.
I traveled to Spain and back this month. Ryanair sent more or less daily reminders about the forms for Spain and the UK.

Spain had a straightforward app (or a form as an alternative) that takes your passport number, flight details, contact details (phone/email) and whatever resort information you want to give. Output is a QR code. At the airport they scanned the QR code, and did a temperature test on entry. All very fast. Some people had to stay in the baggage area and fill it in instead.

Returning to the UK. Poorly designed online form that collects duplicate and largely pointless information and doesn't even try and verify the contact phone number. Output is a 4 page pdf with a tiny QR code at the top. At Liverpool, they were basically looking to see if you'd filled one in but no verification of anything.

I've no idea what they were doing if people hadn't filled it in, or if not everyone in a group had one. Maybe there was somewhere to fill in paper forms. Quite a few people trying to fill it in on their phone, in the queue - which given the form's design won't have been easy.

Ryanair were good at keeping people sat down, no queues for toilets, no standing up chatting to mates etc. Masks on unless eating and drinking - so they are trying. Same in Spain. Liverpool airport asked for similar but no enforcement - and ignored by a substantial minority, mostly the groups of lads.
 
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CassiusClaymore

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Step daughter was sent home from College on Monday after a coughing fit. We know she's got a cold (she always gets a cough with it) but she can't come back until she gets a test or we're all supposed to self isolate for 14 days. Well there's no feckin tests anywhere obviously.

Did make me think though, any kids that don't wanna go school can surely just cough a bit and class and voila...extra 2 week holiday...rinse and repeat.
 

Penna

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Who are you flying with? I went into Rome with EasyJet in August and they gave us the required forms before boarding.

However we weren't asked to show the form when we got there which seemed strange given how strict Italy were/are in regards to this pandemic, apart from a temperature check before boarding the Fiumicino express it was basically no different to the usual airport experience.
We were with British Airways, you'd think they'd be on the ball as to what's required in England!
 

stevoc

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Again I don't think we can ever make a certain conclusion on this topic, but a Chinese virologist previously worked in the HKU has the following opinion.

Unusual Features of the SARS-CoV-2 Genome Suggesting Sophisticated Laboratory Modification Rather Than Natural Evolution and Delineation of Its Probable Synthetic Route
https://zenodo.org/record/4028830#.X2Dtz2kRUwA
I would have thought a report from a Chinese virologist who worked at the Hong Kong University coronavirus lab claiming that Covid19 was created in a lab and not natural might have sparked more discussion in here.