Coronavirus worries?

[WiredIncorrectly]

it's more likely you've got the regular ol' flu.

Regular ol' flu is the strain women get. Men get man flu and according to my partner turn into drama queen's. I can easily wind her up by saying "My flu is worse than yours mine is man flu. You just had a normal flu"

[lebonvin]

Thankfully not in Wuhan Carys, too many roasted snakes. It was a takeaway and I had to fight my way through all the 'spacemen' Pulisa.

And before this post gets taken down, I have nothing against Chinese people whom I think are lovely. The people running the takeaway have been there over 20 years.

Crikey I'm supposed to be panicking aren't I.

They don't roast snakes in China man. They boil the schmucks. Tastes like chickin. Youd never know it was a snake lessen the bones

[lebonvin]

ok so yous got a suspected case in UK now lovin it!

[Carys]

Not yet, just 100 or so people being tested as a precaution, but I'm sure it s a matter of time before there are a handful of cases just as with other outbreaks in the past. They reckon it'll peak in around 10 days, but consider that out of a population of nearly 12 million people (in Wuhan) only 9 thousand have contracted it thus far, and around 150 vulnerable have died - thats really pretty good in my eyes in terms of trying to contain it.

[Toby2000]

Not many people seem to be panicking about it now, as with most "fad scares" creates by the media (e.g. WW3)

[Toby2000]

I'm concerned about the fact that different countries are bringing their citizens who were there temporarily, back from China... that seems like a big risk to me

[Carys]

Its been done before, for other health scares - there are stringent practices in place for how its done and where and how long isolations take place, and testing etc. The fact is, despite the crazy media hype, out of 12 million people, if 9 thousand have contracted it, then the chances of anyone on a plane coming home having it is statistically very low and its better to get them back before the peak of the incidents. Also, I would have thought better to get people back in a logged and monitored way, than appearing here and there 'unrecorded' from that area. So, we aren't medical experts, but just like SARS, Ebola and such-like, those who know how to do this safetly will be giving advice. There is some irony to my mind that this all began from illegal trading in wildlife, the human race.....

[Lala1]

I don’t post often as I am usually on top of my HA however this virus has literally brought me to my knees. I’m in Australia and we have 6 known cases that are in isolation. I developed a summer cough about a month ago prior to news of this virus which doesn’t go away despite medical treatment. The worst things are going through my mind. I haven’t travelled to China and I don’t believe that I have been exposed to anyone with the virus but I am so freaked out. There is a flu bug and my pharmacist told me that a lot of people are coughing or have pneumonia but that only puts my mind at ease for short while until I watch the news or watch reports on social media. Please could someone put my mind at ease?

[Carys]

Lala, go back and read this thread, that would be my advice firstly as there are posts from worriers and those giving reassurance.

Its under control, and I hear that Australia has a handy island they will be using for quarantining their repatriated nationals ! This type of thing has happened before, I don't know how old you are but those of us who are over 40 (and over 50 and 60) will recall quite a few times of major 'scary viruses' (including HIV before it was understood!) which have been controlled and then treatments found. They are ontop of this and it will be old news soon. There is plenty of advice and experience in dealing with new human illnesses, from very intelligent people who understand how to protect the public. The death toll actually isn't any higher than standard flu and is affecting the usual vulnerable people, old and those with respiratory compromises !

[Lala1]

Thank you Carys, I appreciate your sensible reply and will read the entire thread.