Covid 19

[Ian]

 

We really need a dose of humour at the moment, Steve.  Well done :-)

[DownUnder]

On a lighter note, I read that Tom Hanks and his wife have been given the all clear, from the virus, which is just as well, considering the list below, there would not be much chance for the rest of us.

An update on the "Brisbane Cure".

The targeted fund raising has been reached and almost double the target has been achieved. One rumour has been that a very large contribution was made by Tom Hanks, but this is pure speculation.

"A team of Australian researchers say they may have found a cure for the novel coronavirus and hope to have patients enrolled in a nationwide trial by the end of the month.

The researchers from the University of Queensland had previously been testing two existing drugs in a lab setting and had been trying to get a clinical trial off the ground, setting a target of $750,000.

Overnight it was announced the researchers reached that target and as a result the clinical trial will go ahead. Around 50 hospitals across the country have signed up to be a part of the clinical trial.

UQ has one of only three programs globally, and the only one in Australia, initiated by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), leveraging "rapid response" platforms in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

In just three weeks, the team of researchers had created their first vaccine candidate in the laboratory and will move immediately into further development before formal pre-clinical testing.

If the drug proves to be an effective cure for people infected with COVID-19, this would be a major step forward and would drastically speed up the process of making the cure available to people around the world - as opposed to developing a vaccine, which is an expensive and time-consuming process."

[Hugo]

Thanks for the news from Down Under, it's nice to hear some optimistic news nowadays.     I hope that you are keeping well Hugh and taking all the necessary precautions to try and avoid this outbreak
I've relations in Brisbane but don't have any contact with them but hope that the Hughes family and everyone else there will be safe

[SteveH]

North Wales hospitals tough coronavirus restrictions brought in
The health board has announced major changes to visiting rules.

From 18 March all visits to patients will be restricted to just 15 minutes at all Betsi Cadwaladr hospitals.

The Health Board has said that one visitor per patient will be allowed and children under the age of 16 will no longer be able to visit the ward areas.

Visits to children’s wards will also be restricted to one parent or carer at a time.   cont.    https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/kids-visits-banned-north-wales-17943373

[Ian]

There are a number of scams circulation from the usual evildoers concerned with Covid. Here's a roundup:

"One we’ve seen is an email that claims to come from the World Health Organization. It’s short and sweet, asking that you click on a link to what it says is a PDF offering advice on how to stay safe during the outbreak.

Security firm Sophos has a detailed breakdown of what happens if you click on that link, but broadly it shows you a pop-up in front of what looks like the WHO’s actual website asking you to input your email address and password so that you can receive the non-existent PDF.

Action Fraud has warned that emails purporting to be from organisations including the US Centers for Disease Control and the WHO are being sent with the aim of tricking you into opening malicious attachments or giving away your passwords.

Another email we’ve seen is full of doom-laden warnings that ‘There is no vaccine for coronavirus’ and that ‘the US government, like the Chinese government, isn’t telling us the truth about how many are infected’.

That email is full of links. While we’ve only seen screenshots of this, it seems likely that these links will lead you to either phishing sites or, worse, sites that can infect your computer with malware.

We’ve also seen reports of particularly nasty scams where criminals are taking advantage of older people by knocking on their doors. One scam has the criminals offering to take their temperature – thus allowing them into the house, where residents can be robbed or worse.

Other potential scams include criminals claiming to sell you things like protective face masks and even hand sanitiser. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau says that it has already identified 21 reports of fraud where the coronavirus was mentioned – costing the victims a total of more than £800,000."

[DownUnder]

Thanks for the news from Down Under, it's nice to hear some optimistic news nowadays.     I hope that you are keeping well Hugh and taking all the necessary precautions to try and avoid this outbreak
I've relations in Brisbane but don't have any contact with them but hope that the Hughes family and everyone else there will be safe

Our daughter is currently undergoing chemotherapy so we are directly involved having regular access to her and to her two very young and beautiful daughters. So we are trying to be super careful, not just of the Covid 19 virus, but to any virus. She is currently doing remarkably well but her health is a constant worry for us. We have been able to support her by dropping off/collecting her eldest daughter from school, and by taking advantage of a recent decision by several supermarkets to open at 7am but restricting shoppers to those with pension or invalid cards. This has allowed us to gain access to "panic buying" goods such as rice, frozen vegetables etc. Vitally important due to her daughters' food intolerances.

Cannot fathom the depth of the Panic Buying here. We have had people brawling in supermarkets over toilet paper, a stabbing of a supermarket employee, and the latest move - police presence in supermarket toilet roll, tissue, and hand towel aisles.

The majority of diagnosed cases in Australia are related to people traveling/returning to Australia who have been exposed to the virus overseas. The latest move by the government is to effectively ban all entry into Australia (except for citizens or those visiting relatives who are citizens). Our main air carrier Qantas and Jetstar has effectively stood down 20,000 staff due to the current government restrictions relating to visitors to Australia and the directive to citizens to avoid all overseas travel.

Situations like this should bring out the best in us, but the overwhelming evidence seems to be exactly the opposite. In Australia, even our go-to solace, the church has been effectively banned by an indoor limit of 100 persons. I liken this event to my parents experience of WWII where everyone was greatly affected and were all in the same boat. Hopefully and collectively, we will all get through to the end of the tunnel without suffering any losses, and with our lives intact.

[Ian]

Very sorry to hear about your daughter, DownUnder, and I really hope things turn the corner.

I agree that we seem to be in a wartime situation, yet apparently lacking the compassion and decency often associated with WWII, certainly. Situations like this certainly tell us a lot about society.

[Ian]

Slowly but surely, the news is getting better:

"In a study published on 9 March, researchers led by Alexandra Walls at the University of Washington in Seattle used electron microscopy to determine the atomic structure of the spike protein on the covid-19 virus (Cell, doi.org/dpvh). With this information, inhibitor drugs can now be designed to block it from attaching to a human cell."

[SteveH]

My best wishes to you Downunder and your family,............ I heard from my sister, who lives in France this morning, and it is easier to post the relevant bits below........

 Yep,  France has taken drastic measures in an attempt to curb the epidemic. Confinement, curfews and social distancing came into force Monday lunchtime. Schools, universities, restaurants, café bars, cinemas, theatres and parks have been closed until further notice. Sporting events, concerts cancelled and all non-essential commercial activity is strictly forbidden ! 

We've  printed our "Mandatory Trip Certificates" a standardised form stating the reason for being outside (essential necessities), to be submitted to authorities if requested. A lockdown fine of €135 will be applied should the confinement regulations be broken... "Stay at home, it's as simple as that"

We had a call from Holland yesterday  (My niece ) with an update :  No workplace restrictions have been enforced yet, as for the boys, they are studying from home as their respective schools closed at the weekend, seemingly a few of the students / members of staff were tested positive, so, best play it safe ! 

[SteveH]

New drive-through test units have been set up across North Wales in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

At this stage, the three centres will provide priority testing for identified NHS workers involved in the response to Covid-19, said health chiefs.

They are are located at Ysbyty Alltwen in Tremadog; Bryn y Neuadd Hospital in Llanfairfechan; and on the grounds of Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

The units in Llanfairfechan and Tremadog will begin testing on Friday, March 20, with the Wrexham unit beginning testing on Monday, March 23.

The aim is to reduce the risk of NHS staff infecting other patients, or having to take time off work to self-isolate if they develop symptoms, without confirmation of whether they have the virus or not.

The new units are not operating a walk-in service and will not provide testing to NHS staff without an appointment.

Health chiefs said there was no additional risk to people living in the immediate vicinity of these units.
They said a range of precautions and infection prevention measures have been considered and put in place, including strict clinical protocols and the use of personal protective equipment, to keep staff, patients and people living and working nearby safe.

Teresa Owen, executive director of public health at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “The testing units will provide testing for NHS staff who have a crucial role to play in tackling the covid-19 outbreak.

“They are not offering a walk in service, and we ask the public not to visit the units, as they will not be tested, but may cause delays for NHS staff.

"I would like to provide reassurance that there is no additional risk to people living in the immediate vicinity of these units.
“We urge people to continue to follow the latest advice from Public Health Wales.

"People no longer need to contact NHS 111 if they think they may have contracted novel coronavirus (covid-19).

People with a fever or persistent cough should stay at home for seven days if they live alone, or 14 days if they live with others.

“Anyone who lives with someone displaying coronavirus symptoms should self-isolate and stay at home for 14 days. They should not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

“They should only contact NHS 111 if they feel they cannot cope with their symptoms at home, their condition gets worse, or their symptoms do not get better after seven days.”
.

[SteveH]

A 26-year-old man has become the first person to be arrested in the British Isles for failing to self-isolate after being detained in the Isle of Man.
Police confirmed an unnamed British man was arrested after failing to self-isolate after arriving in the Isle of Man last night.

The Isle of Man, which is a self-governing British Crown dependency, passed emergency legislation on Tuesday to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak.     https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-26-arrested-refusing-self-17953244

[Hugo]

I read in the Daily Mirror today that David Beckham is sharing the # I Stay Home For Hashtag and Beckham wrote # I stay home for VB and kids SIGN Becks  urging social media users not to go out
That's really sound advice but I just hope that the Mirror won't now be bombarded by selfies and photos from this publicity seeking duo

[Ian]

The government has just transferred 2000 troops to its specialised Corvid 19 task force amid fears the police won't be able to cope..

[Ian]

Researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK are planning a safety trial for a vaccine against coronavirus in humans. Normally vaccines are tested in animals first, but the trial has been accelerated due to the speed of the coronavirus outbreak.

The first human trial of a vaccine to protect against the covid-19 coronavirus began in the US earlier this week. Other vaccines are in development in Germany and China. Development of an antibody test will also be important to confirm whether people have acquired immunity to the coronavirus.

[Meleri]

There has been an increase of 89 new cases in Wales over the past 24 hours bringing the total to 280. 7 of those confirmed cases are within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.