Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

[Lord Tyrion]

I am thinking that there has for a couple of decades been a scornful, scoffing and somewhat sneering attitude by we Brits when confronted by Chinese and Japanese in the UK wearing masks. How silly they were; how silly they looked; such over-reaction - and to what...? It was an attitude that we had learned - it was an attitude that was embedded.

So for those of us who so scoffed (mea cupla) we have to forget and get over our sneering and scoffing at the wearing of a mask- else we have to sneer and scoff at ourselves. We have to understand and accept that we simply did not understand...that our British sense of superiority in all matters trivial and significant was in this instance quite misplaced. And that is difficult for many to do - on an individual and very personal basis,

Having done a reasonable amount of air travel with work I don't think I have ever seen or heard a sense of superiority regarding people looking at those from SE Asia wearing masks. Odd looks, uncomfortable looks but not superiority. Equally, no one else in Europe wears them, no one from Africa, N.America, S.America, the other regions of Asia so why state British superiority? There is none. Masks are regularly worn by travellers from that region as they are paraniod about SARS type viruses in particular but viruses generally. It is standard for them to wear masks on flights, they don't think twice about it. We have not as we have simply not had anything like this hit us before, it has mainly stayed within the SE Asia region.

The odd looks going forward will no longer be there, there will certainly be greater understanding of why masks are worn. I still think the rest of the world will not be adopting masks as standard though. Not unless this keeps hanging around and re-occurs year after year.

 

[Hobbit]

Quite possibly, although the basic masks that we would be buying are very basic, not up to covid levels of protection. The reasoning behind us all not wearing masks sounded plausible, and as I mentioned the chief scientists and medical advisors have not wavered from it. May be they just don't think they make much difference for people who are out and about?

An analogy I heard was if you're stood in shorts, and I pee towards you, you will get a wet leg.. If you're wearing long trousers, you get a damp leg. If I'm wearing trousers you get... a bit simplistic I know.

Someone might cough/sneeze out millions of germs. Without a mask, all of them head towards you. Depending on how good a mask they're wearing will have a direct correlation to how many germs make it to you. You might still catch it but a mask will limit the viral load, which in itself is very important.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

An analogy I heard was if you're stood in shorts, and I pee towards you, you will get a wet leg.. If you're wearing long trousers, you get a damp leg. If I'm wearing trousers you get... a bit simplistic I know.

Someone might cough/sneeze out millions of germs. Without a mask, all of them head towards you. Depending on how good a mask they're wearing will have a direct correlation to how many germs make it to you. You might still catch it but a mask will limit the viral load, which in itself is very important.

I heard that analogy, it is a good one. What if you are not coughing and sneezing though? They don't make a difference particularly then. Also, more importantly, if you are coughing and sneezing then you shouldn't be out anyway, mask or not.

 

[fundy]

An analogy I heard was if you're stood in shorts, and I pee towards you, you will get a wet leg.. If you're wearing long trousers, you get a damp leg. If I'm wearing trousers you get... a bit simplistic I know.

Someone might cough/sneeze out millions of germs. Without a mask, all of them head towards you. Depending on how good a mask they're wearing will have a direct correlation to how many germs make it to you. You might still catch it but a mask will limit the viral load, which in itself is very important.

or learn to aim and stop peeing on me

 

[BubbaP]

or learn to aim and stop peeing on me

He thought you were on fire ?

 

[Billysboots]

During lockdown here in Spain the average of both male and female infecteds was over 60. Its now 55 for men and 47 for women. Bearing in mind the number of infected back then it takes huge numbers to pull the averages down.

I have noticed the Worldometers figures for Spain do not appear to have been updated for a couple of days. I’ve a horrible feeling we’re about to see a big spike.

 

[Hobbit]

I have noticed the Worldometers figures for Spain do not appear to have been updated for a couple of days. I’ve a horrible feeling we’re about to see a big spike.

From there being 11 new outbreaks in different areas last week there are now over 100. A couple of areas are in a Leicester-style lockdown. Several regions have been knocked back to phase 2 of unlock, which is not far short of total lockdown again. A good number of provinces are now mandating masks if you're outside your garden gate.

A number of provinces who missed the first spike through March/April/May/June, ours included, are seeing the biggest rises - fresh fodder for the virus?

 

[Hobbit]

I have noticed the Worldometers figures for Spain do not appear to have been updated for a couple of days. I’ve a horrible feeling we’re about to see a big spike.

Now at 120 new outbreaks. Hospitalisations are relatively small, but the numbers going into ICU amongst the younger generations is worrying. Deaths still quite low, and will hopefully stay there but early in the cycle...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Having done a reasonable amount of air travel with work I don't think I have ever seen or heard a sense of superiority regarding people looking at those from SE Asia wearing masks. Odd looks, uncomfortable looks but not superiority. Equally, no one else in Europe wears them, no one from Africa, N.America, S.America, the other regions of Asia so why state British superiority? There is none. Masks are regularly worn by travellers from that region as they are paraniod about SARS type viruses in particular but viruses generally. It is standard for them to wear masks on flights, they don't think twice about it. We have not as we have simply not had anything like this hit us before, it has mainly stayed within the SE Asia region.

The odd looks going forward will no longer be there, there will certainly be greater understanding of why masks are worn. I still think the rest of the world will not be adopting masks as standard though. Not unless this keeps hanging around and re-occurs year after year.

I am more specifically thinking of when we see Japanese and Chinese in the UK wearing face masks...not thinking of when abroad. Perhaps not so much superiority - but of course in the UK we have historically know better in this matter...that masks just aren't required in the UK so why are they wearing them...

But even if we were only bemused - I have to get over the thought that others will be bemused by me wearing one - that others won't be laughing at me as I rather laughed at others. I am not laughing now.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I am more specifically thinking of when we see Japanese and Chinese in the UK wearing face masks...not thinking of when abroad. Perhaps not so much superiority - but of course in the UK we have historically know better in this matter...that masks just aren't required in the UK so why are they wearing them...

But even if we were only bemused - I have to get over the thought that others will be bemused by me wearing one - that others won't be laughing at me as I rather laughed at others. I am not laughing now.

Masks were not ever required in the UK before this. Walking around in one prior to this would have drawn glances, we were not in a pandemic then, we have not had SARS epidemics here. Now we are in a pandemic, very different circumstances, and no one looks twice at someone in a mask.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I am more specifically thinking of when we see Japanese and Chinese in the UK wearing face masks...not thinking of when abroad. Perhaps not so much superiority - but of course in the UK we have historically know better in this matter...that masks just aren't required in the UK so why are they wearing them...

But even if we were only bemused - I have to get over the thought that others will be bemused by me wearing one - that others won't be laughing at me as I rather laughed at others. I am not laughing now.

Didn't do the Chinese population much good wearing the masks when Covid started though did it?

I also think its sad if anyone has a superior attitude to those from Asia wearing masks. Isn't that just another stereotype akin to racism in the same way as slitty eyes (from the GB cultural attache Prince Phillip)

 

[Billysboots]

Now at 120 new outbreaks. Hospitalisations are relatively small, but the numbers going into ICU amongst the younger generations is worrying. Deaths still quite low, and will hopefully stay there but early in the cycle...

The figures have now been updated and, whilst there has only been one death recorded in the last 24 hours, there are over 2000 more positive tests than when Worldometers was last brought up to date on what’s happening in Spain.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Now at 120 new outbreaks. Hospitalisations are relatively small, but the numbers going into ICU amongst the younger generations is worrying. Deaths still quite low, and will hopefully stay there but early in the cycle...

Touch wood over here we're still Covid free in ICU and have been for a few weeks although the hospital in general has gone back to a state of readiness and already pre-planning for a second surge in the Autumn/Winter. It's trying to learn from the mistakes of the first outbreak and so things will be done differently. I am not sure there has been thought as to whether it'll affect the younger generation in particular and think it'll be simply a case of dealing with that's in front of you at the time

 

[SaintHacker]

Touch wood over here we're still Covid free in ICU and have been for a few weeks although the hospital in general has gone back to a state of readiness and already pre-planning for a second surge in the Autumn/Winter. It's trying to learn from the mistakes of the first outbreak and so things will be done differently. I am not sure there has been thought as to whether it'll affect the younger generation in particular and think it'll be simply a case of dealing with that's in front of you at the time

Do you feel that given what we now know about the virus, how it spreads, and how best to treat it, we will be more on top of it from the outset if/when it does start to bite again in the winter months (assuming there's no vaccine by then)?

 

[Ethan]

There is still a significant reservoir of disease in the community, currently more or less held in check by social distancing, working from home etc. It hasn’t come down enough to raise any realistic prospect of there not being a significant second wave. The US is about to get a severe kicking of cases so I think people here will be chastened. We’ll see if that is enough. If by November we know there is a viable vaccine that offers at least a years protection, even if it not Sydenham available, then it should be possible to batten down the hatches for long enough.

 

[Hobbit]

One city and 6 large towns in Northern Spain are placed in full lockdown, as per the rules from mid-March. Only one person allowed out to buy essential items, and that's it. No bars or restaurants. All non-essential businesses closed again.

The regions and provinces are reacting quite quickly but the numbers are still rising.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

...and Hancock says we'll be wearing masks in shops and on public transport for the foreseeable future - with no end date given. Joys. But no plans for mandating general wearing in public places apparently...well hopefully that's well grounded in the science and so let's hope that that doesn't change.

Add in some epidemiologists/virus bods telling us that Covid-19 may well end up always being with us in the manner that the common cold is always with us. We will have to learn to live with it - but it's always going to be about. And with much more serious consequences for some than catching a cold...

 

[Ethan]

...and Hancock says we'll be wearing masks in shops and on public transport for the foreseeable future - with no end date given. Joys. But no plans for mandating general wearing in public places apparently...well hopefully that's well grounded in the science and so let's hope that that doesn't change.

Add in some epidemiologists/virus bods telling us that Covid-19 may well end up always being with us in the manner that the common cold is always with us. We will have to learn to live with it - but it's always going to be about. And with much more serious consequences for some than catching a cold...

Covid probably will be with us, so the big question is whether it mutates and bigger and badder versions come along. Some of the smart biologists who have examined Covid think that the likelihood of significant mutation is not high. And once we get to the point where everyone is either exposed or vaccinated, then our ability to respond to subsequent strains might be better. Like with the flu (although Covid is NOT the flu), over decades we have developed a sort of immunological understanding with it. With Covid, we are trying to do it in a much shorter time.

 

[Slab]

One city and 6 large towns in Northern Spain are placed in full lockdown, as per the rules from mid-March. Only one person allowed out to buy essential items, and that's it. No bars or restaurants. All non-essential businesses closed again.

The regions and provinces are reacting quite quickly but the numbers are still rising.

Not good news at all

More & more (& only with hindsight) i'm glad we had one of the toughest lockdowns here
I do wonder if the same medical curfew lockdown could've worked in larger population countries, we have a high population density but not a high population (comparatively speaking) or would there just be too many rule breakers for it to be effective when the population is in the tens of millions

 

[GB72]

Not good news at all

More & more (& only with hindsight) i'm glad we had one of the toughest lockdowns here
I do wonder if the same medical curfew lockdown could've worked in larger population countries, we have a high population density but not a high population (comparatively speaking) or would there just be too many rule breakers for it to be effective when the population is in the tens of millions

I suspect that sort of lockdown would have required the army on the streets