Yes - the BBC online profiled an Italian woman in her 60s who has a chronic heart condition for which she needs regular treatment, but her next appointment has been cancelled because the hospital has no capacity. It is not just those with coronavirus who are in trouble, but those with pre-existing chronic conditions who cannot be handled because the whole system is in crisis.

That is the only way to contain it though - not that dissimilar from the early action taken by Taiwan.

This is what the scientists at "the day job"  have been up to :-

https://www.diamond.ac.uk/covid-19.html

(I'm on the technical side, trying to keep the thing running, so not  able to answer any scientific type questions).

Supposedly he met a friend on 21/01 who had just returned from China (subsequently friend tested negative) but did not show symptoms until 14/02 when he went to the Doctors. On the 16th he went to hospital but no precautionary measures were taken and he interacted with other patients and staff. He was basically asymptomatic for up to 24 days and in that time he spread it to numerous people. It begins to make sense now why Italy have such a problem.

It'll certainly kill off their holiday industry for a while.

The economic hit could be potentially huge

You've gone too far now Justin. Rush were a great band.

I'm sure this government just looks at covid19 as a benefit. It will reduce the pension shortfall and I'll bet they are salivating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tq-UsaRchI&list=PLoJqomTcBeAqe4Lb5ZZ7VNLqjgXMGPUk-

As we head into evening sp500 saw the bull at the gate first thing trading was stoped for very uneasy 15 minutes as circuit breaker was activated but thankfully the bull backed away from the gate so circuit breaker 2 was not activated-13% required before 3.25PM

Sp500 rebooted very poorly all day.

Dow terrible day worst since FC at times some calling black Monday currently around -7% investors like the 24k mark will be interesting to see and I suspect a small recovery this evening as investors look for bargain stock.

This was not helped by virus, and oversupply of oil (lower demand expected)

Oil tanks -20%

Tensions rose between Saudi Arabia and Russia over the weekend, prompting fears of an oversupply. U.S. West Texas Intermediate tumbled 24.59%, or $10.15, to settle at $31.13 per barrel. It was WTI's worst day since 1991, and second worst day on record. During the session the contract traded as low as $30

Ftse another terrible terrible day -7.6% Sub 6k yes sub 6K

All European stocks have plunged below 6%.

Gold peaked around 1.72 just after mid night back tracking a little (profit taking)

This is called a sale across all assets,

Asian markets looks set to follow similar vane

Can’t have another day like this tomorrow can we?

From a personal point of view, I'm concerned about having had chemo and radiotherapy in the past. My immune system may be compromised, and one of the chemo drugs can cause/exacerbate precisely the problems that this flu causes: interstitial pneumonia. It also doesn't look good if I need oxygen:

To what extent can you self isolate to reduce exposure to others?

I think the time has come to start banning mass public events why wait. Many other European countries have done so already. Also ask people to work from home if they can. 

My  fingers are crossed for you, Nick.  If  you can, I would lie low until a vaccine gets developed, although I realise that is easier said than done.

We  did a thought experiment today at work WRT   what  can get contaminated  and allow the wretched thing to get passed on. The company provides IPA gel in the toilets and  kitchenettes  but it's a waste of time if you use it and then immediately grab a  contaminated door handle, hand rail or surface.  

The technique  developed was  washing your hands with soap and warm water,drying and holding the gel in the palm of your hand.  Only rubbing it in prior to eating your sarnies  after you had gone through all the doors back to the office.  The company canteen offers many more  "opportunities"   for contamination - we gave up  the "Howard Hughes"  experiment   with that.    If the thing becomes widespread,  it will only take 1 mistake  to contract it.  I would say it would be a tall order avoiding it in the average work place. 

My main weakness  is  hands on face - I'm really struggling not to do it

Exactly that.

Difficult to enforce in a "free" society though.

Never mind them, the Chancellor and his billionaire wife can bail out the whole country if they wanted to. Yet, most plebs think he is a "man of the people" because there was a photo of him making Yorkshire Tea 

The UK media has ruined this country and  turned plebs into turkeys voting for Christmas

Well, the strike means I'm limiting my exposure quite a lot. Tesco and taking my boy to football is what I'm restricting myself to. But with 2 kids going to school every day, there's a limit to what I can do. Got a sore throat and some chestiness for about 3 days now, but no temperature.

I might try to get out of doing the open days in 2 weeks. Not great to be at close quarters with 200 people from around the UK.

Since late Jan I have increased both the number of times and the 'quality' of my hand washing, but reducing face touching is so difficult.

Apparently humans touch their face around 23 times per hour,  hopeless.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25637115

"We're all in this together."

 - David Cameron

Good to see Duane back!

Brian, any chance of letting SMErc, Grey Wolf and Codge back?

And Martyn?

If we are all going to die anyway, might as well have a TWO reunion before

People actually believe in American style Libertarianism. They believe it's their own fault if they die.

It would be better if they made a different decision.

Martyn would have blamed the virus on either western pharmaceutical companies or (his favourite) on western decadence.