Author Topic: Covid 19  (Read 68729 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #30 on: March 10, 2020, 10:26:43 am »
I suspect going to Italy at the moment would be rather unwise.


You are spot on there Ian, it would be too risky.   Perhaps going on holiday to Russia would be a better option after all they only have 23 reported cases of Coronavirus for the whole country              &shake&

It seems that Putin,  Trump and Boris have at least one thing in common


Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #31 on: March 10, 2020, 01:14:34 pm »
Listening to the BBC's political programme today, I heard a statement that stood out, from Dr Margaret Harris, senior doctor with the World Health Organisation, who said in response to the question why some people are not taking protective measures, despite all that the government is saying....
Her reply, "people do not trust what politicians say, however if they here it from the science or medical community they listen"
I looked up their advice page, and found it made sense.

So with that in mind.....                      if you cannot see links search....    World Health Organisation instructions for coronavirus

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public                Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public


The WHO    main page, https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019


Offline spotty dog

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #32 on: March 10, 2020, 01:48:31 pm »
This maybe of interest

COVID19
I will post this as somebody asked.
As most of you know I live in China and we have been through the first wave (there will be others) of CoviD19. Here is just a little of what we are experiencing now, after the first wave.

Everything here is slowly going back to normal. Hand sanitizer, masks etc. are now back in the shops. Public parks are starting to re-open, but currently restaurants etc. are still only allowed to do take out and food delivery. There are now zero cases in our city of 7m people, and we have had no new cases in 15 days now. There are only two remaining cases in the province.

The policy of containment has worked very well. One of the first beneficial uses of big data has been the use of a mobile phone app and QR codes. When we leave the housing development we scan a QR code. Before we enter public spaces (parks, pharmacies, supermarkets, malls) we get a temperature check (if temp is high entry refused) and we scan a QR entry code. When we leave we scan a QR exit code. We then have a temp. check and scan an entry code to re enter the housing development.  If someone later tests positive for the virus, the records will show where they have been, who they may have come in contact with, and the authorities then call people and actively follow up.

The biggest part has been the behavior of people. Most of the population has practiced social distancing. Not going to public places unless necessary and maintaining a 2m distance from others where you can. This in a culture where people always jostle and push.

Toilet paper. The roots of this one are in Hong Kong. Early on someone suggested that toilet paper manufacture in China would be hit. People in HK added toilet paper to the panic buy lists.  Singapore did the same. There has been panic buying of TP in the UK as well, although I think most of the TP in Europe is manufactured in Sweden (believe it or not TP used to be Nokia’s main product).

Simple advice I can give. Practice social isolation. Don’t go out unless you need to, and combine errands when you must. Wear gloves as well as a mask when you go out. Avoid close contact with others. Don’t touch surfaces (like elevator buttons, ATM screens) with bare hands if you can avoid it. Avoid touching your face (including your eyes). Wash your hands when you get back.
If people come to your door, talk through the door.
These precautions are more of an 'bottom' ache than we are used to, but they have worked well in China.

Sorry to ramble on a bit. I do that. It's my age.

Offline Ian

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #33 on: March 10, 2020, 02:55:17 pm »
Thanks for that excellent insight, SD. Please keep us up to date with anything else that transpires.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #34 on: March 12, 2020, 11:54:12 am »
From New Scientist today:

AS THE number of coronavirus cases escalates, a massive research and development effort is under way, with human trials planned.

What the thousands of people who already have the covid-19 virus would benefit from is a drug that can stop it replicating. To find what may do this, people are ransacking lists of existing drugs that could be repurposed with minimal further testing.

Leading the pack is remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug now undergoing large trials in patients in China and the US, including 13 people who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

It is hoped that the drug, which failed in trials against Ebola in 2014 but passed safety tests, can stop the covid-19 virus replicating by blocking a crucial enzyme. Its maker, US firm Gilead Sciences, is building manufacturing facilities ahead of trial results in April.

Trials are also planned for kaletra, a combination of two anti-HIV drugs that stops viral replication and has reportedly worked on covid-19 in China.

Chloroquine, an antimalarial drug that most malaria now resists, might also hold promise. Studies suggest that it stops the related SARS virus replicating and invading cells, and that it works against the covid-19 virus. Treatment guidelines in China now recommend two 500 milligram doses daily.

Another approach is to use proteins called monoclonal antibodies that target specific viruses for destruction by the immune system. Vir Biotechnology in the US has made monoclonal antibodies for the covid-19 virus for an experimental diagnostic test. It now plans, with Chinese firm WuXi Biologics, to test them as a treatment. US firm Regeneron is brewing similar antibodies.

A team at Imperial College London has used artificial intelligence to assess approved drugs for promising candidates, and identified a rheumatoid arthritis drug, baricitinib (The Lancet, doi.org/dph5). This blocks the pathway the covid-19 virus uses to invade cells, as well as interfering with interleukin-6, the signalling molecule that triggers the lethal runaway immune response that can kill in severe cases. An antibody called tocilizumab is already being used in China to block interleukin-6 in people with covid-19.

For people who don’t catch the virus during this outbreak – and future generations – a vaccine will be needed. French firm Sanofi is working on hybridising the covid-19 virus with a harmless baculovirus already approved for its flu vaccine, which it can make in mass quantities to test if it works as a covid-19 vaccine.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is backing several other drug candidates. It was launched in 2017 by the Gates Foundation and several governments to develop vaccines for new diseases. “We were set up to respond to exactly this situation,” says spokesperson Jodie Rogers.

CEPI plans to have at least one vaccine in human trials by May. If trials succeed, it plans to make “hundreds of millions of doses available” by early 2021.

This week, CEPI announced that it would back a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford that is made of Vaccinia virus, once used in smallpox vaccine, carrying an external spike protein from covid-19. The group will also support a vaccine from US firm Novavax made of “nanoparticles” of the spike protein plus an immune-stimulating chemical.

CEPI has already launched four other covid-19 projects. US firm Inovio had been working on a DNA vaccine for the related MERS virus, and says it had one for covid-19 just 3 hours after the gene sequence for the virus was published on 10 January. It plans clinical trials in April and to have a million doses by December, if the approach works.

DNA vaccines are rings of genetic material that enter our cells and make viral proteins that induce immunity. However, they have never been approved for humans for fear they might affect our own genes or induce damaging immune reactions.

Messenger RNA vaccines don’t pose the same problems. CEPI is backing one from CureVac in Germany and another from Moderna in the US, which recently made enough vaccine for human safety trials in the record time of 42 days.

Supporters say that DNA or RNA vaccines, unlike some conventional vaccines, can’t cause disease, are stable, cheap to mass-produce and effective in small doses – all boons in a pandemic emergency. By the time they are fully tested, however, covid-19 may no longer be an emergency. It may even be hard to find test subjects not already immune.

The coalition is also supporting more conventional vaccines, including a process to make viral proteins from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a viral protein vaccine from China’s Clover Biopharmaceuticals plus an immune-boosting additive from British firm GSK. A further 48 proposals are still being considered.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #35 on: March 12, 2020, 12:08:54 pm »
Gives us hope, I wish them well.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #36 on: March 13, 2020, 12:02:16 pm »
News appearing 11.55 am.........First case of Coronavirus confirmed in Anglesey

I think my out patient visit yesterday, confirmed my opinion, that more people, have to do better than stockpile toilet rolls, waiting for my appointment, I watched automatic doors being ignored, in favour of the push pull type, children allowed to wander, playing on seats, picking up and putting down leaflets and magazines, the parents apparently, not worried about possible contamination, (which makes me think, those with waiting rooms should remove unnecessary paraphernalia) not once did I see the use of hand sanitiser, inside or outside, also the latest news that people are still turning up at surgeries and other facilities, causing shutdowns.

I like this thinking        'Behave like you already have the virus'

A video interview with Prof Medley   ref BBC    interesting full interview part way down live update
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-51866403

'Behave like you already have the virus'
An infectious disease expert says people shouldn't just try to avoid getting coronavirus - instead, they should act as though they already have the virus and want to avoid passing it on.

Professor Graham Medley, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said this during an interview with BBC Newsnight last night when asked if there was a "simple message" he could give the public.
His response was: "Most people have a fear of acquiring the virus, but I think a good way of doing it is to imagine that you do have the virus, and change your behaviour so that you're not transmitting it.

"Don't think about changing your behaviour so you won't get it. Think about changing your behaviour so you don't give it to somebody else."



Offline Ian

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #37 on: March 13, 2020, 06:44:48 pm »
Disney have just closed all their parks worldwide.

When this started, one or two folk were openly arguing it either wouldn't be that bad or it was all just a fuss about nothing. It's clearly not a fuss about nothing, and the odd thing was I'd been following the news since it broke in December and I had the uneasy feeling this wasn't going to be a storm in a teacup.

What makes this bout different is the infectious nature of the disease. None of the other nasties that have made their way out of China have been that infectious, and although the mortality rate isn't as bad as MERS or SARS the likelihood is that, very like the 1957 Asian 'Flu  pandemic, most of us are going to catch it.

Currently, young children don't seem to get it as badly which, again, is a divergence from the '57 Asian 'Flu outbreak. "“This is unlike flu,” says Akiko Iwasaki at Yale University. With flu, young children and older people are usually the most severely affected, so why is the new coronavirus different? It's a bit of a mystery.

A straightforward explanation would be that children are resisting infection in the first place, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. One recent study even found children to be just as likely as adults to get infected.

In any case, children that do become infected are still less likely to get sick with covid-19 and die – a similar trend to that seen with SARS or MERS, two other severe diseases caused by coronaviruses. So, what is protecting children?

“No one has a good answer to that question yet,” says Iwasaki. But she and other experts suspect it may be down to the unique way children’s immune systems respond to these viruses.

A common complication of covid-19, SARS and MERS in adults is acute respiratory distress syndrome, where the immune response against the coronavirus becomes overzealous and causes life-threatening damage to the lungs.

The resulting leakage of fluid and immune cells into the lungs causes big problems, says Chris van Tulleken at University College London. Even if those immune responses are trying to help by attacking the virus, they can end up blocking oxygen uptake in the lungs, he says.

Because children’s immune systems are still developing, one suggestion is that they are shielded from this type of dangerous immune response – called a cytokine storm – when they get covid-19 or similar diseases. During the SARS outbreak, two studies found children produced relatively low levels of inflammation-driving cytokines, which may have been what protected their lungs from serious damage.

That doesn’t explain why children’s immune systems react differently to coronaviruses compared with flu. It might be due to differences in the type of cytokine response produced against each virus, says Iwasaki."

The one factor that will make this far different from the 1918 'flu pandemic, is that no emerging disease will be studied as much as this one, since it's shown that it attacks the wealthy as well as the poor. And it's not confined to a third world country, which focuses the minds of those in power.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #38 on: March 13, 2020, 06:49:11 pm »
I like this thinking        'Behave like you already have the virus'
"Don't think about changing your behaviour so you won't get it. Think about changing your behaviour so you don't give it to somebody else."


Yes; that makes a lot of sense.  Apparently, our Asda delivery chap tells us that the call for deliveries has gone through the roof. Older folk, who are following advice to stay home and not mix with large numbers still have to deal with parcel and food deliverers.  It's possibly less embarrassing to tell the driver you don't want to give him anything, than to stand ten feet away shouting instructions.    $angry$
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid 19 ..............................CYD medical practice news
« Reply #39 on: March 14, 2020, 10:13:23 am »
I believe the doors are locked ?

   Meddygfa Craig Y Don Medical Practice
Clarence Road, Craig y Don, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 1TA
 01492 864540                                                         
                                                   
                                                             URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT                               
Due to the current Coronavirus Pandemic, for patient safety from Monday the 16th March we are having to change the way we offer patient care.

IF YOU HAVE A TEMPERATURE, COUGH OR FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS DO NOT ATTEND THE SURGERY, EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ABROAD OR HAD CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WITH CORONAVIRUS.

We are now only dealing with urgent problems, and the overall aim is to reduce face to face contact to the absolute essential minimum. If you feel that you need advice from a Doctor please telephone the surgery – DO NOT simply turn up as you will be asked to leave and telephone.

Your care will be reviewed by a Clinician and dealt with appropriately. These arrangements are likely to apply for the next few weeks until we are notified that we can return to normal working arrangements.  Please pass this information on to anyone you know.

If you already have an appointment booked in the please ring the surgery as it may need to be cancelled.

If you require a repeat prescription then please post it into the box outside, please either nominate a pharmacy for us to send it to or include a stamped self-addressed envelope

PLEASE DO NOT QUEUE AT THE DOOR AT 8AM if you need an appointment then please ring 01492 864540

We apologise for any inconvenience at this time and appreciate your understanding

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #40 on: March 14, 2020, 12:37:06 pm »
A PERSON has tested positive for Novel Coronavirus in Conwy.                       no details other than Conwy county

Public Health Wales confirmed on Saturday, March 14, that 22 new cases have tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 60.

This is the first person to have been tested positive for Covid-19 in the Conwy County area.

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18305226.first-person-test-positive-covid-19-conwy-bringing-total-amount-cases-60-wales/


An update on the CYD medical practice post above..........

GP surgeries across Conwy change services and appointments in response to coronavirus.
Those impacted include: Canolfan Goffa Ffestiniog in Blaenau Ffestiniog; Rysseldene in Colwyn Bay; Llys Meddyg in Conwy and Meddygfa Gyffin in Conwy
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18305200.gp-surgeries-across-conwy-change-services-appointments-response-coronavirus/

Offline Hugo

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #41 on: March 14, 2020, 04:48:07 pm »
Thanks for posting the latest information as the situation is starting to get very serious.     My GP is in Rhoslan Surgery and they share the same building as Russeldene so I would imagine that the same rules apply to Rhoslan but the problem with Rhoslan is if you phone for an appointment then most of the time they don't answer the phone

I wonder if the first person to be tested positive in Conwy County has anything to do with the sudden closure of the Llandudno Junction surgery?

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #42 on: March 14, 2020, 05:27:51 pm »
I think that closure was down to someone walking in, after returning from Italy, and thought he had the virus, however there was further

complications. “That person has been tested to see whether they have the virus, but Public Health Wales are refusing to tell me the result.”   

full story ..      https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2020-03-06/gp-criticises-public-health-wales-for-refusing-to-tell-him-whether-his-patient-had-coronavirus/

Offline SteveH

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #43 on: March 15, 2020, 01:59:59 pm »
Public Health Wales has confirmed that there are 34 confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Wales - bringing the total number of positives cases to 94.

But the number of cases of Covid-19 in North Wales has stayed the same since yesterday.

As it stands, there are confirmed cases in Wrexham , Flintshire , Conwy , and Anglesey - one in each of the counties, a total of four in North Wales.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-34-new-confirmed-cases-17927136


As a PS,  I noticed on the news last night, that a Bodelwyddan Business Park company that makes hand sanitiser , their order book jumped from 100,000 units pa to 2,500,000 units.

and PPS   and a fun one for kids, why you wash your hands with soap.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x81rJ17WO8

Offline Ian

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Re: Covid 19
« Reply #44 on: March 15, 2020, 02:47:23 pm »
Yes...that's useful. Alcohol gel - not less than 70% strength - is fine for bacteria but soap is what does for viruses.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.