I’m now genuinely worried about the hysteria and potential disruption more than anything else.

Genuinely concerned. 

Much more so than the virus itself. 

Originally Posted by: Joe Bloggs 

People keep saying there is hysteria everywhere but I don't see it either on this forum or in the real world. There's concern because it is concerning. Where's the hysteria?

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

I agree, complacency has been the bigger problem. Was with my son-in-law this afternoon who is an NHS GP and he is clear that corona virus is far more serious than seasonal influenza. That is because there is no herd immunity, it is  because it is unlikely to be seasonal in the way flu is and it is because for those who are badly affected, they need hospitalisation - in a mass outbreak, with 20% hospitalisation, healthcare systems will buckle.

More should have been done in the early stages on containment. On which topic, Japan appears to be doing far, far better than Italy which is a centre for spreading the virus across Europe and it is where the infection rate is exponentially increasing thus far.

Originally Posted by: Maunder Minimum 

People keep saying there is hysteria everywhere but I don't see it either on this forum or in the real world. There's concern because it is concerning. Where's the hysteria?

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

Saying that we should close our borders or ban flights is hysteria. 

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

I agree with most of this but Japan has only tested 2300 people far less than Italy thats why their numbers are lower.

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

Trying to prevent the deaths of elderly, confused and vulnerable people is not hysterical.

But enough about Old Speckled Hen

Originally Posted by: Justin W 

Trying to prevent the deaths of elderly, confused and vulnerable people is not hysterical.

But enough about Old Speckled Hen

Originally Posted by: Justin W 

No idea where you got that figure from but they carried out 5700 tests between the 18-23 feb

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

From here seems legit

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://covid19japan.com/&ved=2ahUKEwjytu2qjvrnAhXObMAKHaVKCgYQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2f4ahE317AIrhSJLf0c2cZ&cshid=1583094459502

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

Boris Johnson: Coronavirus likely to "spread a bit more" in the UK he believes the country does have the capability of dealing with the spread of COVID-19

Originally Posted by: Gavin D 

I agree, complacency has been the bigger problem. Was with my son-in-law this afternoon who is an NHS GP and he is clear that corona virus is far more serious than seasonal influenza. That is because there is no herd immunity, it is  because it is unlikely to be seasonal in the way flu is and it is because for those who are badly affected, they need hospitalisation - in a mass outbreak, with 20% hospitalisation, healthcare systems will buckle.

More should have been done in the early stages on containment. On which topic, Japan appears to be doing far, far better than Italy which is a centre for spreading the virus across Europe and it is where the infection rate is exponentially increasing thus far.

Originally Posted by: Maunder Minimum 

It does but then I got this from Bloomberg

While the government says it has the capacity to conduct 3,800 tests a day, only 5,700 were actually carried out between Feb. 18-23, Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told parliament Wednesday.

Who knows what to believe 😳

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

You can't buy hand sanitiser around here. On Amazon it is either very expensive or not available for weeks. I seriously doubt whether the UK government will a) be able to quickly source enough b) have the means to quickly deploy it widely 

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

Interesting you say this, I had tea today with a retired virologist (she used to work at the Royal Marsden) and she told me pretty much the same thing. It's very difficult to stop such a virus from spreading, we can try and delay it but at very high cost, which is probably much higher than the damage that this virus will eventually cause.

She finds the media reaction to be OTT and unhelpful and to anybody who is really worried about catching it, she half-jokingly recommends getting the common cold from a child as this will offer protection from covid-19 (for the duration of the cold).

I could see Quantum now cataloguing the different common cold viruses and following kids like a very dodgy guy.

Originally Posted by: xioni2 

I expect it will be the usual thing in the UK. The procurement process will likely be outsourced to x number of companies who then subcontract it out to x more. Likewise the distribution of the stuff when it arrives.  

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

Maybe Waitrose is out, but still loads on sale for pennies round here in places like Aldi, Lidl, Home Bargains. I bought 5 pocket-sized ones the other day.

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 

 So basically we are screwed

He has put on at least 2 stone since he disappeared. Was he sleeping in the larder at Chequers?

Originally Posted by: The Beast from the East 

Presumably the close down the borders and transport folk think Scotland should close its border with England? So far there has only been one recorded case in Scotland and it is directly linked to the Italian outbreak.

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

Maybe Waitrose is out, but still loads on sale for pennies round here in places like Aldi, Lidl, Home Bargains. I bought 5 pocket-sized ones the other day.

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow