Australian (ASX) Stock Market Forum

Coronavirus (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2) outbreak discussion

Will the "Corona Virus" turn into a worldwide epidemic or fizzle out?

  • Yes

    Votes: 37 49.3%

  • No

    Votes: 9 12.0%

  • Bigger than SARS, but not worldwide epidemic (Black Death/bubonic plague)

    Votes: 25 33.3%

  • Undecided

    Votes: 4 5.3%
  • Total voters
    75
Jump to new
cutz said:
Some interesting thoughts from Aussies over in Sweden.

www.abc.net.au

Australians in Sweden say the country is almost 'set up' for pandemic conditions

Everyone seems to have an opinion about Sweden's coronavirus strategy — so we asked Australians living in the Scandinavian nation what they thought about life there during the pandemic.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au
Click to expand...

A quote from the article: As an added plus, Mr Keane said he thought Swedes' natural penchant for social distancing might also be working in their favour.

Heard a joke early on in the pandemic. When Swedes were told they had to keep 1.5 metres apart, some said - why so close?
 
I don't know what has changed with W.A today, but there appeared to be a lot more flights out of Perth this morning, it appeared to be pre covid busy. ?
 
Xi 05a.jpg
 
COVID situation across Europe, US in fact almost everywhere (except Australia.. China and some other Asian countries ) is now disastrous.

Update from The Guardian is sombre.
A summary of today's developments

  • The EU’s disease control agency joined health workers across Europe in sounding the alarm about the surge in coronavirus infections as the World Health Organization warned of an “exponential” rise in cases. Several countries in Europe are reporting infection rates higher than during the first wave of the pandemic in March and April, with Spain saying it has now more than 3 million cases.
  • Denmark is lowering the limit on public gatherings to 10 people from 50 and banning the sale of alcohol after 10pm to curb the spread of coronavirus, prime minister Mette Frederiksen said.
  • AstraZeneca has resumed the US trial of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine after approval by US regulators, the company said. It was paused on 6 September after a report of a serious neurological illness, believed to be transverse myelitis, in a participant in the company’s UK trial.
  • Dr Anthony Fauci, the US infectious disease expert, said the White House coronavirus task force’s meetings have become less frequent, even as infections rise in dozens of US states.
  • Covid-19 was the main cause of death for 543 people in Moscow in September, up 21% from August, the Russian capital’s healthcare department said, as the spread of the coronavirus widened.
  • Iran is planning new restrictions, including state employees working every other day in the capital Tehran, after a record surge in coronavirus cases on Friday, a senior official said. Iran’s health ministry reported 6,134 new cases for the previous 24 hours, bringing the national tally to 556,891 in the Middle East’s hardest-hit country.
  • Turkey will evaluate possible new measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus as the outbreak flares nationwide, president Tayyip Erdoğan said.
  • France’s second wave of coronavirus could be worse than the first, the boss of Paris public hospital group AP-HP said on Friday as the country registered a record number of daily cases. With pressure on hospitals rising fast, France has expanded a 9pm to 6am curfew to cover 46 million people, more than two-thirds of its population.
  • Italy registered 19,143 new coronavirus infections, a jump of more than 3,000 within the last 24 hours. The northern Lombardy region, the worst hit region during the first wave of the pandemic, recorded almost 5,000 new cases while in Campania, in the south, there were 2,280.
  • More than half a million people in the US could die from Covid-19 by the end of February next year, but about 130,000 of those lives could be saved if everybody were to wear masks, according to estimates from a modelling study.
  • In Portugal, face masks will have to be worn in crowded outdoor areas, the country’s parliament decided on Friday, to contain the surge in coronavirus cases. The measure will be in place for at least 70 days and covers all residents aged 10 and over, who must wear masks outside when they cannot keep a physical distance from people.
 
The Conversation has an excellent analysis of the Victorian/Australian successful efforts at combating COVID compared to many other similar countries. They point out that only a couple of months ago these countries had roughly the same number of infections per day - 500-700. Where are they now ?

It certainly strengthens the argument that, as painful, as the last few months have been, we have seen a very constructive outcome.

ERIK ANDERSON/AA
Finally at zero new cases, Victoria is on top of the world after unprecedented lockdown effort

If the past few months have been like a long-haul flight, Victorians are now standing in the aisles waiting for the cabin door to open, a little groggy and disoriented but relieved.

They have every right to be. No other place in the world has tamed a second wave this large. Few have even come close.

theconversation.com

Finally at zero new cases, Victoria is on top of the world after unprecedented lockdown effort

Victoria’s lockdown has been hard, but it now occupies a rare and envious position. As Victorians await new freedoms on the next step towards COVID-normal, they should feel a sense of accomplishment.
theconversation.com theconversation.com
 
Only time will tell, if it has been fully effective.

Note : we still cannot travel more than 25kms, cross state borders, international travel a no no, stay in a hotel, go for a holiday, go to the pub. etc.
 
bellenuit said:
Coronavirus: Antibodies fall rapidly after COVID infection, dashing hopes of herd immunity - study

news.sky.com

Coronavirus: Antibodies fall rapidly after COVID infection, dashing hopes of herd immunity - study

Researchers find that the number of people with antibodies in their study fell by 26% since lockdown measures were relaxed.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
Click to expand...

I did read that the T Cells seem to be providing protection for those who have had Covid.

They said that while Antibodies were not very strong the change in the T cells is doing the same job.

Hopefully something works, we cannot keep locking down, we are going to just have to live with it among us.

Mask up in or avoid crowds, self isolate if sick, just copy Taiwan, no other option
 
Challenging story on how COVID is overwhelming the Belgium medical facilities.

I have also posted the huge increase in infections in the last few months.
Again both Australia (largely Victoria) and Belgium had roughly the same number of new daily cases in early August (around 500 ). Three months later Belgium has 15,000 plus new cases a day.

This reality is echoed around Europe.

Doctors with COVID-19 continue to work as hospitals in Belgium buckle under pandemic
Posted 40mminutes ago
12821440-3x2-xlarge.jpg

Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes is among thousands of Belgians caught up in the country's second wave of COVID-19.(AP: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen)
Share


COVID-positive doctors and nurses are continuing to work in Belgian hospitals as a fresh wave of the pandemic creates an "impossible" situation for the country's medical system.
Key points:
  • Infected medical staff only treat patients who are also infected
  • The head of the Belgian Association of Medical Unions says sending doctors home "would be worse"
  • Inadequate testing and contact tracing, as well as the onset of cold weather, are fuelling the pandemic
The Government will convene on Friday local time to decide on a potential new national lockdown, with the country now suffering Europe's highest rate of coronavirus infections per 100,000 citizens.

The head of the Belgian Association of Medical Unions, Philippe Devos, said hospital staff infected with COVID-19 would only treat patients who were also infected with coronavirus, to limit the risk of spread.

"They must eat in a separate room [from healthy staff members] and they must not remove their masks during the shift," he told RN Breakfast.

1603849425762.png


www.worldometers.info

Belgium Coronavirus: 333,718 Cases and 10,899 Deaths - Worldometer

Belgium Coronavirus update with statistics and graphs: total and new cases, deaths per day, mortality and recovery rates, current active cases, recoveries, trends and timeline.
www.worldometers.info www.worldometers.info

www.abc.net.au

Belgian hospitals forced into 'bad decision' of using doctors infected with COVID-19

COVID-positive doctors and nurses are continuing to work in Belgian hospitals as a fresh wave of the pandemic creates an "impossible" situation for the country's medical system.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au
 
Top