The panic is worse than the disease!

[User Name]

Am I the only one who thinks this whole coronavirus reaction is WILDLY OVERBLOWN? Colleges and other schools are closing, routine life is being thrown into a tizzy, stock markets are crashing, Walmart is sold out of toilet paper, the global economy may well fall into recession, and FOR WHAT?

The coronavirus is basically just like having the flu! It is only really threatening to the elderly or immunocompromised--but those people are threatened all the time by everything anyway. Normal healthy people get over it with no problems!

So I say, all of this reactive behavior is more dangerous than the virus itself!

Am I wrong here, or is this whole thing just crazy?

 

[Right Divider]

Am I the only one who thinks this whole coronavirus reaction is WILDLY OVERBLOWN? Colleges and other schools are closing, routine life is being thrown into a tizzy, stock markets are crashing, Walmart is sold out of toilet paper, the global economy may well fall into recession, and FOR WHAT?

The coronavirus is basically just like having the flu! It is only really threatening to the elderly or immunocompromised--but those people are threatened all the time by everything anyway. Normal healthy people get over it with no problems!

So I say, all of this reactive behavior is more dangerous than the virus itself!

Am I wrong here, or is this whole thing just crazy?

I agree. The main stream media is fanning the flames.

 

[ok doser]

I wondered why I couldn't open this.

 

[Arthur Brain]

Am I the only one who thinks this whole coronavirus reaction is WILDLY OVERBLOWN? Colleges and other schools are closing, routine life is being thrown into a tizzy, stock markets are crashing, Walmart is sold out of toilet paper, the global economy may well fall into recession, and FOR WHAT?

The coronavirus is basically just like having the flu! It is only really threatening to the elderly or immunocompromised--but those people are threatened all the time by everything anyway. Normal healthy people get over it with no problems!

So I say, all of this reactive behavior is more dangerous than the virus itself!

Am I wrong here, or is this whole thing just crazy?

It's out of hand. It's something to take seriously but fights over toilet paper are ridiculous.

 

[eider]

Am I the only one who thinks this whole coronavirus reaction is WILDLY OVERBLOWN? Colleges and other schools are closing, routine life is being thrown into a tizzy, stock markets are crashing, Walmart is sold out of toilet paper, the global economy may well fall into recession, and FOR WHAT?

The coronavirus is basically just like having the flu! It is only really threatening to the elderly or immunocompromised--but those people are threatened all the time by everything anyway. Normal healthy people get over it with no problems!

So I say, all of this reactive behavior is more dangerous than the virus itself!

Am I wrong here, or is this whole thing just crazy?

No.
You've got that wrong, or so the medics say.

There is no resistance to, or medication for covid-19.
Our medics reckon that although we know about 600 cases in the UK, that there are between 5000 and 10000 mild cases that we don't know about, and every one is a carrier.
This means that we will get a peak like Italy's in about a month, if we are careful now.
We need to reduce and flatten that peak in to a lower but longer expansion so that our emergency services, our surgeries, GPs, hospitals do not get snowed under by a sudden mass of cases.
Most families are trying to prepare for isolation which looks like general panic buying...... they need about two week's provisions.

This is a really serious situation and is shown by:-
Plunging stocks down to 1987 recession levels.
Talk of covid-19 being as bad as the Spanish flu of 1920.
The whole World preparing for a pandemic, quite as bad as any war.

The USA may have a hard time with this illness because:-
It does not seem to be able to provide subsistence for families being temporarily unemployed.
Or a communal and all embracing medical care system for everybody.
It seems to have dismissed the risks when it needed to be preparing.

Give it a month and see where things are at.
It's not going to be good.

 

[eider]

It's out of hand.

It's out of control....... the sickness.
But we're doing our best to face it here (UK).

It's something to take seriously

You could say, but many have been dismissing it and now the knee-jerk reactions are beginning.

but fights over toilet paper are ridiculous.

Toilet paper is needed for much more than just loo-rolls.
And alcohol hand cleanser is important because wash basins are never 'to-hand'.
And paracetamol reduces temperature.
And tinned foods are a safe food source for a month, etc.

People are collecting what they might need in isolation, and some are over reacting, which is usual.

 

[User Name]

This is a really serious situation and is shown by:-
Plunging stocks down to 1987 recession levels.
Talk of covid-19 being as bad as the Spanish flu of 1920.
The whole World preparing for a pandemic, quite as bad as any war.

For perspective, let's look at similar viral outbreaks in the recent past. According to the CDC, in 2009 swine flu infected nearly 61 million people in the United States and caused 12,469 deaths. There was a fair bit of media hype about swine flu, but nowhere near the uproar and overreaction we are seeing now with coronavirus. Why is that, do you think?

Give it a month and see where things are at.
It's not going to be good.

Well no, it's not going to be good. The elderly and immunocompromised of all ages are at considerable risk. Measures do need to be taken to protect these at-risk groups. But the rest of us are going to survive this just fine. Flu-like symptoms and shortness of breath for a week or two won't kill us. For those of us who are not "at risk," I think life should go on as normal. That isn't what's happening, and I think the consequences of overreaction are extreme and possibly will be worse than the effects of the virus itself. There is no need to send the economies of nations across the globe into recession because of this virus.

 

[WYRose]

UK stock market jumped 5% today.

 

[eider]

For perspective, let's look at similar viral outbreaks in the recent past. According to the CDC, in 2009 swine flu infected nearly 61 million people in the United States and caused 12,469 deaths. There was a fair bit of media hype about swine flu, but nowhere near the uproar and overreaction we are seeing now with coronavirus. Why is that, do you think?

The 1920 Spanish flu is being compared, which took 20+ million lives.

Well no, it's not going to be good. The elderly and immunocompromised of all ages are at considerable risk. Measures do need to be taken to protect these at-risk groups. But the rest of us are going to survive this just fine. Flu-like symptoms and shortness of breath for a week or two won't kill us. For those of us who are not "at risk," I think life should go on as normal. That isn't what's happening, and I think the consequences of overreaction are extreme and possibly will be worse than the effects of the virus itself. There is no need to send the economies of nations across the globe into recession because of this virus.

So maybe the leaders of the world do actually care for the elderly and weak?
Even your President knee-jerked in to action this week, so even he is getting the message at last?
Your country is unlikely to peak for several weeks, but if the peak is too tight and too high then your services are likely to crash, just as ours could, and then the cost could be more clear.

Look at it this way....... if you are right and this is all for nowt, then the reaction is going to be a worldwide catastrophe. True?
If your wrong and the virus is a deadly killer, then this will be a worldwide catastrophe.

Either way, we're in for one nasty ride........ but if you point blame then your leaders get it. But I think our leaders (UK) have done their very best, and that isn't because I support their party, 'cos I don't..... they've just done their best.

 

[User Name]

The 1920 Spanish flu is being compared, which took 20+ million lives.

Who is comparing coronavirus with the Spanish flu? No reputable source that I know of:

Covid-19 Is Nothing Like the Spanish Flu

Look at it this way....... if you are right and this is all for nowt, then the reaction is going to be a worldwide catastrophe. True?

I'm not saying it's all for naught, but I think it is far out of proportion to what is reasonably called for, and the consequences of this overreaction will harm and possibly even kill more people than the virus itself!

 

[eider]

Who is comparing coronavirus with the Spanish flu? No reputable source that I know of:

Our Chief Science Officer and Chief Medical Officer, both in company with Mr Johnson (UK) at a daily report screening, both mentioned this.
They are both respected scientists. I am going to trust their opinions which have varied from other countries' specialists over a few aspects of this virus. You will have to pick your authority to follow, but one journalist's report probably won't cut it.

Look...... if that suggested possibility is correct, then it's going to be slightly bigger than you thought. I for one hope it will not be.

I'm not saying it's all for naught, but I think it is far out of proportion to what is reasonably called for, and the consequences of this overreaction will harm and possibly even kill more people than the virus itself!

So what are you going to do? Are you going to do exactly what you are advised to do to deter and (later on) to delay this sickness or will your mindset about this leave you half hearted? A half hearted response to the medic's instructions will do a serious amount of damage because the illness will peak much higher and much sooner because of such responses = medical provision crash.

 

[eider]

Who is comparing coronavirus with the Spanish flu? No reputable source that I know of:

I just heard a similar point that you made, that the equating of this virus to Spanish Flu is wrong.
I don't know who was speaking, but they mentioned that you have 320 million citizens.
Opinions about the catch rate vary from 50-80% of the population.
Mt Trump has already said that the death rate is much lower than the 3% predicted by many boffins and will probably be down to about 1%.

So if the catch rate is down 50% of your population and the death rate is down to 1%, the USA is only going to lose about 1.6 million folks.

But of course the whole world might lose more like 20 million if that figure is correct.

Oh ....... and that's a reduced figure.

 

[eider]

Am I the only one who thinks this whole coronavirus reaction is WILDLY OVERBLOWN?

A US contact has just told me that in the USA there are circa 2200 cases with 50 deaths and 12 recoveries.
If there is a 50% catch rate in America, then this figure could mean that US mortality rates alone could easily exceed 2 million. In fact the maths calc points to circa 3.75 million.

But will 50% of the people catch Covid-19? Some specialists are mentioning a catch rate of 80%

In any event, it looks as if the reaction is not overblown..... what do you think?

 

[JudgeRightly]

From a few days ago....

https://media2.kgov.com/files/covid-19-20200311.png

 

[ok doser]

From a few days ago....

https://media2.kgov.com/files/covid-19-20200311.png

not sure what I'm looking at on my tiny screen

 

[WYRose]

panic buying in my UK town today. paper goods, pasta, rice shelves all empty.
But masses of meat, biscuits, bread...

 

[User Name]

In any event, it looks as if the reaction is not overblown..... what do you think?

I think it is very much overblown. I'm in normal routine mode, myself. The only people who need to take extra precautions are the known vulnerable groups, e.g.: smokers, diabetics, elderly, etc. People who come down with symptoms should quarantine themselves for the recommended time.

I can understand cancelling large events that put the public in close quarters in large numbers, but other than that, the rest of us should just practice appropriate hygiene and proceed with normal life.

 

[ok doser]

From a few days ago....

https://media2.kgov.com/files/covid-19-20200311.png

Never mind, got it to work . :thumb:

 

[7djengo7]

Am I the only one who thinks this whole coronavirus reaction is WILDLY OVERBLOWN? Colleges and other schools are closing, routine life is being thrown into a tizzy, stock markets are crashing, Walmart is sold out of toilet paper, the global economy may well fall into recession, and FOR WHAT?

The coronavirus is basically just like having the flu! It is only really threatening to the elderly or immunocompromised--but those people are threatened all the time by everything anyway. Normal healthy people get over it with no problems!

So I say, all of this reactive behavior is more dangerous than the virus itself!

Am I wrong here, or is this whole thing just crazy?

No, you're not the least bit wrong, here!

 

[eider]

I think it is very much overblown. I'm in normal routine mode, myself. The only people who need to take extra precautions are the known vulnerable groups, e.g.: smokers, diabetics, elderly, etc. People who come down with symptoms should quarantine themselves for the recommended time.

I can understand cancelling large events that put the public in close quarters in large numbers, but other than that, the rest of us should just practice appropriate hygiene and proceed with normal life.

The thing is, with so many companies looking as if they will be shut down, millions of folks will be on sick-leave or emergency benefits incomes. All shops apart from medical and food will be closing in areas of high peaking virus, etc etc..... This will affect many more people than just the high risk groups.

'Routine' is going to be very different for most people.

You could be lucky if you live in a very small community or isolated area, of course.