Coronavirus

[Thingy]

Somebody has to be the first to mention it, so I guess I will stick my head above the parapet.

I am looking at this following some news, sketchy at present, that Cobra are supposedley considering locking down cities if the situation progresses as they expect. Leaving aside the obvious discussions about the Virus, we all know the risks, any form of lockdown would severely curtail travel plans for everyone. How much do you think this is going to affect all of us for our travel plans this year. Should we be thinking of not travelling. Has anyone changed their plans, or are you considering it. Or is it business as usual for us? For those going farther afield, will your travel insurance cover this if you travel, or refund if you have to cancel.

It really is such a grey area at present that nobody really knows how this is going to pan out. Hopefully we will all be spared this, but its worrying to think that as most of us are at the back end of the mortal coil, we are possibly the most at risk.

For me, I refuse to let this affect my life. I will go on as planned unless I either cannot travel for health or legal reasons.

 

[camel]

The population of the UK is sixty million I think 36 people have this virus in the UK so am I worried no, I think you will know when the government puts cities on lock down and restricts travelling you just won't be going anywhere,

 

[camel]

The population of the UK is sixty million I think 36 people have this virus in the UK so am I worried no, I think you will know when the government puts cities on lock down and restricts travelling you just won't be going anywhere,

40 people have the virus,

 

[otherclive]

Somebody has to be the first to mention it, so I guess I will stick my head above the parapet.

I am looking at this following some news, sketchy at present, that Cobra are supposedley considering locking down cities if the situation progresses as they expect. Leaving aside the obvious discussions about the Virus, we all know the risks, any form of lockdown would severely curtail travel plans for everyone. How much do you think this is going to affect all of us for our travel plans this year. Should we be thinking of not travelling. Has anyone changed their plans, or are you considering it. Or is it business as usual for us? For those going farther afield, will your travel insurance cover this if you travel, or refund if you have to cancel.

It really is such a grey area at present that nobody really knows how this is going to pan out. Hopefully we will all be spared this, but its worrying to think that as most of us are at the back end of the mortal coil, we are possibly the most at risk.

For me, I refuse to let this affect my life. I will go on as planned unless I either cannot travel for health or legal reasons.

I think your final sentence is the most sensible and forms the basis of my actions. Other than taking advised precautions if the infection spreads there’s not much more an individual can do. Insurance will only pay out of FCO advise against travel or another country bans inward travel.

 

[Mike]

I was saying earlier to my son (who thinks 'camping' is purgatory), that the being able to travel alone, pitch up a good distance from anyone else and stay in your own private 'hotel', whilst cooking your own meals, has to beat any 'all-in' hotel, or cruise holiday!

 

[Thingy]

The problem with this is that only 40 people have it confirmed. How many people have they been in contact with before confirmation. How many of those are now carriers. This could get real serious very quickly.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I am not suggesting this thought applies to anyone on the forum, but one of the reasons for the present spread of the virus, has been individuals that have ignored or deliberately evaded the quarantine instructions, and gone on to infect others.

One of the big problems with this virus is the fact that an infected individual will initially not know they are infected by virtue of no apparent symptoms. Unfortunately this means they may or believe they are perfectly well, but are in fact highly infectious for several days before any symptoms appear.

Apparently one of the best defences is good personal hygiene, using a handkerchief when sneezing or coughing, and avoiding touching your face and eyes until you have thoroughly washed your hands.

how to wash your hands properly video - Google Suche

www.google.com

I would strongly advise if you are asked to self quarantine, please do so if for nothing else to protect yourself if not others..

 

[Beehpee]

I haven’t thought about curtailed travel plans for within the uk other than if there was a massive outbreak in a particular part of the country I’d probably give it a miss, it’s likely it will be busy towns that will maybe go on lock down and in the main I’d expect most of us don’t especially set up our caravans in busy town centres so maybe won’t affect us badly, it might mean more people staying in uk rather than travelling abroad so we who stay in uk normally might need to look to book a bit earlier, all this is obviously only if this bug gets out of hand, as I have an existing respiratory ailment which doesn’t under normal conditions cause me any problems, but it means if I got the bug it would be a problem, to catch it at its outset the only thing I’ve done is purchased a digital thermometer as most news you read say early signs are high temperature and fever, other than that it’s business as usual and hope for the best I guess.

BP

 

[camel]

Every pharmacist in Melton Mowbray sold out of sanatising gel over the weekend but that does not surprise me round here, tomorrow is market day someone is bound to be selling something on the cattle market like sheep dip,

 

[Woodentop]

From what I have seen in the media. you are only infectious by droplets for about 24 hrs before you start to feel ill yourself;
To contract it by droplets in the air you have to be within about 2m of someone who is infected for about 15 mins;
The greatest risk is touch something that has droplets on it and then putting your fingers into your mouth or onto something (food?) that goes in your mouth. Most people are very poor at personal hygiene - washing your hands in warm soapy water will kill the virus on your skin.

I'm sorry to say it but this is just major hype from the media and the Boris Team are running with it just to show how good they are. As already said, 40 people infected in the UK population of 66m? Anybody remember the fear factors of the BSE some years ago - and how many people died then?

 

[Mel]

Not affecting our travel plans unless government advice changes. The six nations rugby is looking like it may not happen though. OH more bothered by this than any threat of infection.
Don’t panic and wash your hands PROPERLY. Ask any NHS staff member; we are assessed on hand washing. Or see the link that the Prof posted. If you need to sneeze and can’t get a tissue quickly enough, sneeze in the crook of your elbow.

If the virus cannot be contained, the biggest problem for the NHS will be the numbers of people who will be sick at the same time; not the medical complications of the illness. Seasonal flu kills thousands and thousands every year in this country; this is what forms a big chunk of NHS winter pressures. We don’t see the public wearing face masks then.

mel

 

[otherclive]

A distinct plus is that even before this virus some nice sites in France were reducing prices because of a drop in UK bookings, and looking today they have reduced prices further. 👍

 

[Woodentop]

Not affecting our travel plans unless government advice changes. The six nations rugby is looking like it may not happen though. OH more bothered by this than any threat of infection.
Don’t panic and wash your hands PROPERLY. Ask any NHS staff member; we are assessed on hand washing. Or see the link that the Prof posted. If you need to sneeze and can’t get a tissue quickly enough, sneeze in the crook of your elbow.

If the virus cannot be contained, the biggest problem for the NHS will be the numbers of people who will be sick at the same time; not the medical complications of the illness. Seasonal flu kills thousands and thousands every year in this country; this is what forms a big chunk of NHS winter pressures. We don’t see the public wearing face masks then.

mel

And the one thing that has been correctly quoted by the media throughout is that almost all of those that have died (outside China because we don't know about them) have had other underlying conditions that made them more susceptible. Type 1 Diabeties for instance is a failing of the imune system so puts those at risk, as is anyone with chest or some cardio problems. The vast majority of us who are otherwise fit and well if we get it it will feel like a minor dose of the flu and which we will treat in the same way.

 

[Mandarin]

We seem to be one of the few here seriously reviewing travel plans, which are for a 3 week trip to Southern Poland. As OH has both cardio and immune system issues if this continues (as I suspect it will) we'd rather be on home soil in reach of the NHS. The ferry fares are due in April so that's the decision point and we'lre prepared write off the deposit or see if we can change the booking to 2021.

UK touring will be on CL/CS type small sites.

 

[moyer87]

I think the only solution is to get a good immune system and not spend time in crowd places. Try to take vitamins and wish for the best.

 

[Guzzilazz]

I think the only solution is to get a good immune system and not spend time in crowd places. Try to take vitamins and wish for the best.

...but the "best" way to get a good immune system is to have a lot of contact with a lot of people, so that you actually catch minor things and your immune system develops resistance. There was also a view a few months ago concerning antibiotic resistant bacteria developing due to obsessive use of disinfectants and antibacterial materials...

Obviously thee comments above do NOT apply to individuals with challenged immune systems such as Type 1 Diabetes

 

[Mel]

...but the "best" way to get a good immune system is to have a lot of contact with a lot of people, so that you actually catch minor things and your immune system develops resistance. There was also a view a few months ago concerning antibiotic resistant bacteria developing due to obsessive use of disinfectants and antibacterial materials...

Obviously thee comments above do NOT apply to individuals with challenged immune systems such as Type 1 Diabetes

Absolutely agree. Immunity spreads through a system too. The problem with new viruses in the community is that there is no immunity, hence the high sickness and mortality rate initially.
mel

 

[Mike]

The reports of (badly) affected people use a phrase 'underlying health problems', to describe those more at risk. Where is the bottom line for these? There are huge numbers of folk taking tablets for numerous 'conditions'. But not all will fall under the above statement. We could do with knowing who is more at risk if they catch it. Also 'the elderly'. What is this age - 60...70...80+??

 

[otherclive]

The general information tends to show that unlike say flu where very young and elderly, coronovirus seems tompredicate more on the elderly and those with underlying health issues. Obviously as people die the heath authorities aren’t going to release specific details of what if any underlying health issues they may have had. But as coronovirus affects the lungs it’s those with breathing or cardio-circulatory problems most likely to be at risk as well as those with suppressed immune systems.

What is “elderly”? An impossible question to answer as a 60 year old in a western country might be healthier than a 45 year old in China. Like it or not as you pass 60 years you are elderly and more at risk to this virus and influenza than you were at 40 years of age. Hence the reason the NHS offer free flu and pneumonia jabs to the over 60s.

The BBC has a good information page and following last nights BBC programme there’s IPlayer playback. NHS site has good info. But in the famous words “ Don’t panic Captain Mainwaring”

COVID-19 advice and services

Get NHS advice about COVID-19 and COVID-19 services, including testing, vaccination and the NHS COVID Pass.

www.nhs.uk

 

[Raywood]

We had been looking at going abroad this year but have shelved plans for the moment to see how things work out. Ferries could be seriously affected by this if there is a major problem, so if you are going the best bet may be the tunnel as you just sit in your vehicle and do not have to touch anything. If it turns out to be a false alarm there could be some real bargains, if it does hit then your travel operator could easily go down, as the level of bookings is well down according to today's papers.
Not sure if you have the Scottish projections but they suggest that up to 80% of the population could catch it and 5% of the population could end up in hospital. For most though the symptoms are mild, but the elderly and weak are at risk with a death rate of about 1%.
There looks to be serious trouble ahead,but the up side is a reduction in polution as the number of planes flying and car journeys drop.

 

[Mike]

We are also hanging back on going to France; on a 'virus' level,

Moderator Note: Remainder of post removed as it had absolutely nothing to do with Coronavirus.

 

[Buckman]

Excluding the corona virus approximately 23 people have died from the normal flu virus this winter. In 2018 it was over 180 people. Every year thousands and thousands of people contract flu so why is the corona virus so different?

 

[Dustydog]

Historically we have had far worse pandemics. Asian flu one million dead, Hong Kong Flu 2 million, AIDS 36 million Black Death 200 million.
But I fully agree with taking all the safety action listed on here so far. SWMBO is the concern. Her family trip to Tenerife may result in a quarantine situation. Look at the poor folk on the Diamond Princess Japan. I believe the quarantine may be worse than the disease🤪

 

[JezzerB]

Find it very strange they are quarantining like this when actually although it is a bit of an unknown it now seems not much worse than flu. We usually adopt the take care but get on attitude-had the most amazing holiday in Mexico when they were blamed for swine flu-hotel was all inc but half empty and service was amazing as they needed the custom and had little to do! Went back shortly after but it wasn't the same! May be those that are vulnerable should self quarantine? Hides under a parapet!

 

[otherclive]

Find it very strange they are quarantining like this when actually although it is a bit of an unknown it now seems not much worse than flu. We usually adopt the take care but get on attitude-had the most amazing holiday in Mexico when they were blamed for swine flu-hotel was all inc but half empty and service was amazing as they needed the custom and had little to do! Went back shortly after but it wasn't the same! May be those that are vulnerable should self quarantine? Hides under a parapet!

I suppose that never seeing 70 again I might be classed as “ vulnerable”. When do you recommend that I should start self quarantine? Immediately, or if it arrives in Wiltshire, or wait for 2-3 months until its rampant? The last thing this vulnerable old gent requires is to be locked away now that the weather may be perking up after one of what must be the worst winters I can recall with it’s never ending rain and gloom. 😂