First death in Europe from the virus  in France.

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

Where are you getting your info from? 

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

Where are you getting your info from? 

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

Where are you getting your info from? 

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

AFP news agency on their Twitter.  Another good source for Covid19 news is BNO Newsroom and their Twitter. 

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

https://www.france24.com/en/breaking/20200215-chinese-tourist-dies-in-france-in-first-coronavirus-death-outside-asia

Originally Posted by: Ulric 

Reposted to Coronavirus thread.

The Missis gave me Terry Pratchett's book A Slip of the Keyboard for Christmas. He dealt, of course with his "Old Timer's" disease, with the wit and wisdom you would expect from such a wordsmith. We are in our 70s, so we now know of a good many people on the difficult road of Altzheimer's and Parkinson's etc. or folks caring for such people. Some posters here know that situation well. Pratchett was only 59 when diagnosed with PCA, and his observations on the subject are compelling and moving - not that we were in need of much more "moving". I can only speak from a personal point of view, but I would welcome being "rescued" by influenza or COVID-19 rather than ending up bedbound and failing. I have a friend in a local care home who would echo that.

Here's an extract as a taster - and my sadly disturbing thought that epidemics can sometimes offer a blessed relief to some of us.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/15/a-butt-of-my-own-jokes-terry-pratchett-on-the-disease-that-finally-claimed-him

Roger

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 

Hi Roger

I was having this very conversation with a friend yesterday. Maybe it merits its own thread but in essence I think as you get older, and particularly as your parents grow old, you start to question how we approach end of life: preserving life at any cost v quality of life.  I make the point in such conversations that when a much-loved family pet falls seriously ill we take steps to avoid it enduring needless suffering; yet when it comes to human beings, for whom we should show as much or more compassion, society insists that life be preserved. There are, we all know, grey areas but there's a fine line not to be crossed.

Originally Posted by: Gandalf The White 

 yet when it comes to human beings, for whom we should show as much or more compassion, society insists that life be preserved. 

Originally Posted by: Gandalf The White 

  I would add that when you see it happening to other people (like I have) it makes you question how long you want to go on yourself despite being in middle age. Quality over quantity is valued in most areas so why not in life itself?

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

I think all of us would like to continue in full health till our 90's then peacefully and suddenly pass away in our sleep one night. Unfortunately the reality is usually quite different. My own Mum is in her 80's and not in the best of health. Life and death are tough there's no getting away from that. 

On a positive note Mrs NS's Dad is nearly 80 and very much lives life to the full  - and still enjoys a pint or three on more than one occasion every week!

Originally Posted by: Northern Sky 

On a lighter note, you remind me of one of my favourite pieces of graffiti:  on an advert for an upcoming talk on the risks of childbirth it said "The first few minutes after birth are amongst the most dangerous of your life." Someone added beneath: "the last few minutes aren't too safe either."

😀

Originally Posted by: Gandalf The White 

Exactly; it's when you see it first hand that it starts to hit home.  

I think religion is the underlying issue here: the sanctity of life is very largely unchallenged.  But now that people are generally healthier and we have medical and pharmaceutical advances capable of keeping us alive there really ought to come a time when this is challenged.

A new thread is needed so we don't drag this further off topic.

Originally Posted by: Gandalf The White 

I've started a separate thread.

Originally Posted by: Ulric 

recovery rate in the UK is currently 89% which is excellent news - only one of the 9 remains in hospital

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

Yep, I've said right from the start of this outbreak that it seems no worse than the flu. Even if a widespread outbreak does occur in the UK, it will only be a major threat to unhealthy or immune-compromised people. Unpleasant if you get it yes, and it might floor you for a few days, but it isn't much of a threat to ordinary people.

The scare stories surrounding this are truly ridiculous.

Originally Posted by: Bolty 

Realistically I don’t think we really know how deadly it is. Interesting take: Originally Posted by: bowser