Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[Tin-Tin]

Can't think of any racing fan on here who thought that should have gone ahead.
Shocking decision.

There are calls for an investigation into the influence of the gambling lobby on the government regarding Cheltenham.

There needs to be repercussions and people held accountable. But there wont, similar to the madrid fans being allowed to travel here and the Steteophonics gigs in Cardiff being allowed to go ahead.

These 3 decisions (esp Cheltenham and Stereophonics gig) could have been responisble for a full on nationwide outbreak.

 

[peteblue]

Of course we would, because there's been years of runnning down the NHS and social care system under these murderers.

But the LP are much more in tune with international co-operation than the Johnson criminal gang; you can easily see how they'd have reacted with greater speed to developments in China and South Korea and to WHO recommendations.

Greater speed, ffs it’s taken 5 months to elect a leader......

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Coronavirus: UK deaths could reach 1,000 per day around Easter peak, says Matt Hancock

Health secretary Matt Hancock has said it is “perfectly possible” that the coronavirus outbreak will peak in the UK around Easter Sunday, with as many as 1,000 deaths a day in the period leading up to it.

Speaking at the opening of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital in London, Mr Hancock suggested that the high point of the pandemic could come within weeks and said the NHS was preparing for 1,000 deaths a day or worse.

Pressed on suggestions from officials that the daily death rates could peak on 12 April, he told Sky News: "I defer to the scientists on the exact predictions they make.

"I'm not going to steer you away from that, I think that is one perfectly possible outcome.

"Of course there is uncertainty around that. Part of the challenge of communicating about this disease and our response to it is there are a lot of things we don't yet know and this is one of them.

"But we are prepared not only for that eventuality but also in case it's worse than that, because I want to make sure that the NHS is prepare for all reasonable outcomes, as well as something that might be closer to the central projection."

Modelling by the government and public health experts predicted a slow daily increase in cases of coronavirus until the number of infections was expected to shoot up, known as the peak of the outbreak.

Ministers had originally hoped to delay this period, which will put the NHS under the greatest strain, until the warmer months but lockdown measures were brought in on 23 March to flatten the peak and bring it forward.

Earlier, the health secretary said the peak would come within weeks if the public continues to observe the lockdown, saying the predictions were “very sensitive” to how many people following strict social distancing guidelines.

 

[Dixieslaces]

There will come a time when the damage done to the economy by so much expenditure and borrowing will in itself cause businesses to fail, massive unemployment and potentially ruin a whole generations chances of a future career.

If it goes on too long the world could even see a depression to equal the 1930's with untold misery in both poverty and lack of any hope for a worthwhile future. This will also potentially cost lives and lead others to all the social risks that derive from hopelessness and severe depression.

There will come a time when the difficult balance of permanent and irreversible damage to the economy really will have to be seriously thought of as a price that would maybe cause more damage in both lives lived and lives lost and a prolonged cure worse than the alternative, especially after the peak of the curve is past and the rate of new admissions begins to fall.

We may already be there! Figures around the world are bearing this out, as in economics!

 

[Toast]

There are calls for an investigation into the influence of the gambling lobby on the government regarding Cheltenham.

There needs to be repercussions and people held accountable. But there wont, similar to the madrid fans being allowed to travel here and the Steteophonics gigs in Cardiff being allowed to go ahead.

These 3 decisions (esp Cheltenham and Stereophonics gig) could have been responisble for a full on nationwide outbreak.

Stereophonics are boss though.

 

[Shevin Keedy]

Stereophonics are boss though.

You are still unwell then?

 

[summerisle]

 

[witchdoc187]

Ah playing god. Before any assessment, left in care home to drown in their own lung fluid where little to no medical assistance will be available to make passing away more comfortable. People need to watch a recording of such deaths...

"We may therefore recommend that in the event of coronavirus infection, hospital admission is undesirable."

This is how I fear my dad will pass and none of us will be able to say goodbye.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Mayo Clinic to lead national COVID-19 plasma trial to give patients immune system boost

Mayo is leading national initiative

www.startribune.com

Mayo Clinic announced Friday it is leading a national trial to use donated plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 as a treatment for others infected by the novel coronavirus that causes the illness. The cooperative effort with 40 institutions in 20 states could verify a vital treatment, given that nobody has immunity against the coronavirus that has quickly spread across the globe. Administered in a handful of U.S. cases already, plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients could provide immune system boosts to others with the illness.

"Theoretically, it gives them an antibody boost, which should help them clear the virus," said Dr. Michael Joyner, the Mayo doctor leading the program.
Joyner said hospitalized patients will be targeted for the therapy, but not just those with the worst symptoms in intensive care. Immune system overreactions could actually be hurting some of these patients, meaning that plasma therapy could be ineffective or even harmful in such cases.

"Certainly in patients that are extremely ill in the ICU, this is a possibility," Joyner said. "The thought is that historically this type of therapy (in other conditions) has been most effective when used relatively early in the course of disease as people are getting sicker and sicker. "We're going to have people trying it for different indications but I think that rescue therapy (for severe cases) is going to be an area where it's probably going to be relatively less effective."

 

[Tin-Tin]

Mayo Clinic to lead national COVID-19 plasma trial to give patients immune system boost

Mayo is leading national initiative

www.startribune.com

Mayo Clinic announced Friday it is leading a national trial to use donated plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 as a treatment for others infected by the novel coronavirus that causes the illness. The cooperative effort with 40 institutions in 20 states could verify a vital treatment, given that nobody has immunity against the coronavirus that has quickly spread across the globe. Administered in a handful of U.S. cases already, plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients could provide immune system boosts to others with the illness.

"Theoretically, it gives them an antibody boost, which should help them clear the virus," said Dr. Michael Joyner, the Mayo doctor leading the program.
Joyner said hospitalized patients will be targeted for the therapy, but not just those with the worst symptoms in intensive care. Immune system overreactions could actually be hurting some of these patients, meaning that plasma therapy could be ineffective or even harmful in such cases.

"Certainly in patients that are extremely ill in the ICU, this is a possibility," Joyner said. "The thought is that historically this type of therapy (in other conditions) has been most effective when used relatively early in the course of disease as people are getting sicker and sicker. "We're going to have people trying it for different indications but I think that rescue therapy (for severe cases) is going to be an area where it's probably going to be relatively less effective."

Think they used this on 5 people who were basically on deaths door in Wuhan and a few improved straight away, while others improved slower but still needed intensive care. The doctors said it was very promising but it would need a bigger trial as the patients were also receiving high doses of antibiotics and one other for of treatment (cant rememer that).

Hopefully this is the volume of data they need to see if it is a successful form of treatment

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

Doctors conducted the study at a Shenzhen hospital from January 20 to March 25. The five patients, ranging in age from 36 to 73, received plasma between 10 and 22 days after being admitted to the hospital.

Within three days of the transfusion, four of the five had their body temperature normalize. Four of the five also saw their cases of acute respiratory distress resolve within 12 days.

All told, by the time the results were published Friday, three of the patients had been discharged from the hospital. The other two were both in stable condition, but still needed to be on ventilators in a hospital setting

 

[BlueToff]

The issue I have with the bold part is better prepared in what way? We obviously can’t have had a vaccine but how many of the deaths per day are happening due to a lack of equipment/care? If people are dying each day from this and there’s nothing we could do to prevent it then I don’t see how we could have been more prepared.

The spreading of the virus itself isn’t the fault of the gov/NHS it’s the fault of human nature, lifestyle and complacency when it all kicked off.

They've built a hospital in a week.

There could have been four built - one in London, one in Manchester, one Birmingham and one in Glasgow, for example. That would help capacity.

Stepped up the production of ventialators - which keep people alive. Stepped up the production of testing. Stepped up the production of vital PPE to ensure hundres of nurses and doctors aren't going to end up on their deathbeds.

Come on mate. There's plenty which could - and should - have been done.

And yes while 'lifestyle and complacency' may have played a part, the impact of that would have been mitigated had we been more prepared. I don't see how you can deny that?

 

[BlueToff]

This isnt a complete drop off a cliff, and it would survive for a lot longer if it wasn't so weak (sorry - lean and agile). I agree that small businesses are going to be hammered, but when they were already living hand to mouth is it any wonder?

Many weren't. A lot were, I'm sure, but there's plenty of healthy businesses which have lost all of their income now.

It is a drop off the cliff if the country - or countries - are in lockdown for 2-3 months.

 

[mahermi1]

Greater speed, ffs it’s taken 5 months to elect a leader......

when are the Tories going to elect one ?......

 

[LinekersLegs]

Think they used this on 5 people who were basically on deaths door in Wuhan and a few improved straight away, while others improved slower but still needed intensive care. The doctors said it was very promising but it would need a bigger trial as the patients were also receiving high doses of antibiotics and one other for of treatment (cant rememer that).

Hopefully this is the volume of data they need to see if it is a successful form of treatment

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

Doctors conducted the study at a Shenzhen hospital from January 20 to March 25. The five patients, ranging in age from 36 to 73, received plasma between 10 and 22 days after being admitted to the hospital.

Within three days of the transfusion, four of the five had their body temperature normalize. Four of the five also saw their cases of acute respiratory distress resolve within 12 days.

All told, by the time the results were published Friday, three of the patients had been discharged from the hospital. The other two were both in stable condition, but still needed to be on ventilators in a hospital setting

The thing I find really exciting about the potential plasma treatment is it uses a resource we will hopefully have a lot of, recovered patients, rather than having to manufacture a lot of a drug that will have to be paid for. For poor countries in particular not having to buy from a foreign drug company could make a huge difference in how many get access to it.

Still a big question as to its efficacy though.

 

[DrEFC]

My colleague is recovering. No longer vented