Zico, the crown-jewel of brazilian football, has been staying here in Japan for years
to lead a Japanese soccer team, Kashima Antlers, in the right direction.

Here's his message:

A lot of people are concerned here with what's going on with the Coronavirus issue.
The Japanese Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry and all entities, canceled all games until March 18th.
Let's devote our total attention for the next two weeks. No panic and respecting past information.


Zico himself.

Basically, unless you are going to be absolutely rigorous about keeping masks clean and germ-free (like health professionals who wear them), they may not be the best idea if you are not ill. The best thing you can do to keep yourself safe is to wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face and eyes, which people do very very frequently without even realizing it.

This is the WHO advice on the use of masks:

[www.who.int]

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dcba

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Bellajane
If you really want to be scared watch the movie "Contagion".

It did scare me... It was so awful! And the fake phoney plot twist that consisted in letting Gwyneth Paltrow die pretty early in the movie... Lame!

Gwyneth dying early in the movie was my favourite part.

In looking at the 'death rates', it seemed to me that in terms of the reported cases at least, they are under reported at around 2%. If you take the number of deaths just in China for instance, and divide by the number of cases, you get up around 3.5%.

Here's something interesting though. A stat that divides the number of 'recoveries' by the number of those that didn't recover.

In this case, the death rate is a staggering 7%. Here is a reference link:

[www.worldometers.info]

So this means that they are not taking into account those that currently have the disease, but those that don't have it anymore - either because they recovered, or because they died.

The other stat I saw was that it starts hitting people much harder once they are in their 50s onward, which is why we're seeing far fewer issues amongst the very young thankfully. But if you're in your 80s, the death rate is estimated at 15% or more.

I think what we know for sure is that the information we have to date is probably not completely accurate, or where we'll end up once some time has past.

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lem motlow
Good lord, it’s gonna be fine .my only concern is trying to figure out why the hype job. I’m not trying to be flippant but does anyone else see what I see?

I think I know what you mean. I work at a U.S. hospital as a contractor. My company is European-based. Both client and company are inundating us every week with COVID-19 training and information and contingency plans and travel policies. Part of me looks at the facts (as opposed to Youtube clips from Asian sci-fi movies passed off as secret footage from China) and I think the only thing I'm worried about is how the hysteria will destroy the economy everywhere for a very long time. I voiced that at a meeting. It was greeted with silent stares.

The thing is, if it truly becomes a pandemic situation with people dying in the streets and families and friends and some of us succumbing, then whatever precautions are being taken are not only worth it, but not enough.

And yes, I tend to think it seems like an over-reaction and that mainly we're just making things really hard on all of us. However, I still firmly believe the only worthwhile news is from the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control and their counterparts. Everything else is either driven by an agenda or doing exactly what you and I are doing and giving non-expert, uninformed opinions as laymen.

I teach in a large high school with a multinational population and the concern here is very real. All-day long students and teachers share desktops, laptops, pencils, water fountains, door nobs - you name it.

I am heeding the advice of health professionals as best I can, but I could wash my hands 20 times a day and I still wouldn't be able to avoid someone else's germs. I suspect that is the case with many working people across the globe.

Do the best you can everyone, and hope that a vaccine is developed quickly. Also, STAY HOME if you are sick! Too many people soldier on thinking that they have to get to work. No one is indispensable, it's much more important to look after your own health and those with whom you come into contact.

Thank you for this thread, Bjornulf.

As far as germs go...do you use the handrail on stairs? Do you use the remote control in your hotel room? Do you press the buttons on an elevator? Do you use the common phone to dial in meetings in the conference room? Do you eat food prepared in a cafeteria? Its endless the ways I see germs spreading just in my job and that's before the fact that it's a hospital full of very sick people and my crew works in operating rooms, in patient rooms, deal with raw sewage, unclogging patient toilets. We've all had hepatitis shots, flu shots, pneumonia shots, just as the normal cause of business. Can we wash our hands enough in public restrooms that everyone uses the same sink and facilities? Despite mandates from the hospital and my employer, people still shake hands when they see each other.

Not trying to be a defeatist, but containing this virus or any virus in such a setting is nigh on impossible.

After Italy, France follow as expected, and Europe soon.I'm still gobsmacked by the lack of means given by the politicians to the hospitals and doctors.They knew it could happen but it wasn't their main target, local elections first here.
Now most of the doctors I've heard says that for now they can rule the thing, if it become worst, medical breathing machines will miss.
France is in Phase 2, Nice Carnival , Lemon Festival in Menton and Paris's Marathon have been cancelled.
At work, 50 people I know who just came back from Venice's Carnival are now in forty which in fact is 14 days.
So Yes, it's at our doors , thanks to our national medias who share the phobia rather than being simply reporters, and calming.Now there is people with fear almost everywhere.
I still believe one should be quiet with it, no need to share the fear, it add to the global mess.

HMN

Lots of hysteria here in the UK and also especially Italy (my better half is Italian)

But a lot of these patients would have been susceptible to plain old everyday flu anyway. They are elderly or immune compromised. Even without Covid 19 they would be at risk.

And to put it in perspective 2 people in the UK die everyday from falling down the stairs.

Wash your hands people. Properly and often!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-02-29 21:11 by exhpart.

it is not about 2% of people dying. It is about too many people getting sick at the same time so the healthcare system fails and a lot more people (both corona and not corona) will die. Therefore every action to decrease infection rates are extremly important and will probably cause cancellation of a lot of events (Soccer, F1 and also Rolling Stones)

Information given by
WHO
and
Robert Koch Institut

First US death reported in Washington state, officials say

[www.yahoo.com]

Can you imagine Mick Jagger singing with a face protection mask?

I don't give a shit about any of this. IF the band is on tour, so am I.


plexi



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-02-29 22:50 by timbernardis.

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Rocky Dijon
I still firmly believe the only worthwhile news is from the World Health Organization ...

This hasn't been WHO's greatest moment.

While true, Dean. I would still rather stick with an actual health organization than what you find on a website (I don't mean here) or Youtube videos or what a politician says. Not naming names in the latter case for obvious reasons.

The first confirmed death in the US has happened in the Seattle area where I live. I'm taking precautions as my health isn't good at all right now. I have a good friend in Italy who I'm worried about who has similar situation, trying to get a hold of her right now. This is definitely not to be taken lightly!

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crholmstrom
The first confirmed death in the US has happened in the Seattle area where I live. I'm taking precautions as my health isn't good at all right now. I have a good friend in Italy who I'm worried about who has similar situation, trying to get a hold of her right now. This is definitely not to be taken lightly!

Stay safe man. I just read the South Korean government is advising people not to go outdoors.

Holy mackeral...I can't imagine the panic they must be having over there.

Have Faith, not Fear. Word is—-this will end as quickly as it began.

It will disappear, and the economy will recover.

Not sure when.God only knows. He keeps playing His trump card over evil. Watch and wait. And, wash your hands. And, don’t touch your face. And, boost your immune system with airborne and such. God bless you all. This, too, shall pass. Help is on the way.

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Straycat13
Have Faith, not Fear. Word is—-this will end as quickly as it began.

It will disappear, and the economy will recover.

Not sure when.God only knows. He keeps playing His trump card over evil. Watch and wait. And, wash your hands. And, don’t touch your face. And, boost your immune system with airborne and such. God bless you all. This, too, shall pass. Help is on the way.

huh?

Hey, trust the 13 year old Stray Cat from YA-YA'S.

Think about what would happen if something truly dangerous like ebola started spreading worldwide. That would be bad. This thing here is just a matter of not drinking any Corona beer.

Not sure the WHO agrees on that last part though

jb

With all respect to BV and the WHO, use your own common sense about masks. When you see news clips with police cordoning off infected areas, they are wearing masks. There must be a reason, right? In the WHO clip the lady is demonstrating a mask that most people won't even be using. She says to not wear one, and then a minute later she says wear a mask if you are taking care of an infected person. WTF?

Look, a proper N95 mask has a diaphragm valve that opens when you breathe out. The whole point of the mask is to filter out the atomized water droplets when you breathe in so that you don't get sick in the first place.

If you live in a city with say 500,000 people and the pandemic has hit, and say there are 20,000 known cases with the virus, then in my opinion you should wear a mask when you are out in public, period. You do not know if someone on the street has the virus, why take a chance with your life? Especially considering that many of the contributors to this board are older.

Beyond that, there are better masks that have a double-diaphragm system that take two puck-sized replaceable filter cartridges. The big hint for finding any type of mask is to try hardware stores and automotive supply stores and stores that sell personal safety equipment for the construction industry. But they will most likely also be cleaned out of stock.

In my country all of the safety masks are gone. If you were wise you were ahead of the curve. There might be a few tens of thousands of N95 masks in warehouses waiting to be shipped, and tens of millions of people that were not ahead of the curve that now want them. The whole point is to have a mask if you need it. Saying, "But more people will die in automobile accidents" is a nonsensical moot point.

It's also very important to get factory-type protection goggles to protect the mucous membranes of your eyes from virus-carrying atomized water droplets.

Look at 9/11. You had people in the second tower that sat at their desks because some political apparatchik came on the PA system and said to remain calm and stay at your desks. Meanwhile other people saw the disaster out their windows in the first tower and said, "I am leaving."

Spend $30 to protect your life and the lives of your loved ones. You may not even need to use them, but having them if you do need to use them is the wise course of action.

On a more imminent gig — I’m going down to London on the coming Tuesday by train (which takes a few hours to get there) to attend Music For The Marsden, the all star charity event at the O2 Arena. While I speculate it’s too early to be over-cautious and withdraw from every entertainment-related activity, my hyper-hypochondriac self (read: paranoid) wonders if I should go as planned or give it up, waste money (ticket, train and accommodation all booked) and stay home. Seriously folks, what do you think? FYI my seat is a cheap nosebleed.

[www.royalmarsden.org]

In addition to Bjornulf's excellent points re face masks for the healthy, there is the reality that if everyone bought them for preventative reasons, there would not be enough supply for those that need them, resulting in the virus spreading much more rapidly etc.

All the major health experts and orginazations are saying the same thing.

Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.
CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
[www.cdc.gov]

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timbernardis
I don't give a shit about any of this. IF the band is on tour, so am I.


plexi

That's the spirit!

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RisingStone
On a more imminent gig — I’m going down to London on the coming Tuesday by train (which takes a few hours to get there) to attend Music For The Marsden, the all star charity event at the O2 Arena. While I speculate it’s too early to be over-cautious and withdraw from every entertainment-related activity, my hyper-hypochondriac self (read: paranoid) wonders if I should go as planned or give it up, waste money (ticket, train and accommodation all booked) and stay home. Seriously folks, what do you think? FYI my seat is a cheap nosebleed.

[www.royalmarsden.org]

Go to the show.

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Topi

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timbernardis
I don't give a shit about any of this. IF the band is on tour, so am I.


plexi

That's the spirit!

Me? ...too old to rock ‘n’ roll...but too young to die

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daspyknows

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RisingStone
On a more imminent gig — I’m going down to London on the coming Tuesday by train (which takes a few hours to get there) to attend Music For The Marsden, the all star charity event at the O2 Arena. While I speculate it’s too early to be over-cautious and withdraw from every entertainment-related activity, my hyper-hypochondriac self (read: paranoid) wonders if I should go as planned or give it up, waste money (ticket, train and accommodation all booked) and stay home. Seriously folks, what do you think? FYI my seat is a cheap nosebleed.

[www.royalmarsden.org]

Go to the show.

Seconded, emphatically.

Normal face masks cost a dollar or so, and they do not sit tight. There are of course professional 100% tight masks that do protect a lot more, but those are not on regular sales, and they cost a lot more. A virolog said it very clearly: When she took of her mask there was a clear mark all around her face, because it is 100% tight. We all know that the regular masks used by the public are just a peace of textile with a couple of hooks around the ears. You would not go into ebola areas with that, right?

Bjornulf