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

[sptrawler]

Sorry to hear of your situation. It's not good but unfortunately seems to be the standard approach.

My understanding is that there's a lack of tests available, as in there's a lack of the required physical materials, hence they're effectively being rationed out.

Officially there's 1314 infections in Australia but reality is that some are asymptomatic and even of those who do have symptoms most aren't being tested. Those with mild symptoms may not seek testing and even if they do they quite likely won't actually be tested.

The true number of infections is anyone's guess but realistically it would be very much higher than the official figure for those reasons.

From what I have read smurf, as you say the material required to make the test kits isn't produced in Australia, I assume we could have made it years ago, but as with most things they are now produced in Asia.
The other thing that is coming to the fore, is people saying we are doing too little too late, the case may very well prove we are doing too much too early time will tell.
Everyone is an expert untill they can be proven wrong with hindsight, but by then those who rant on, will have moved on to the next issue they are self professed experts on.
Fortunately they don't attract a very big audience, which is fine, because as the media has proven an audience of one is usually sufficient for them.

 

[Humid]

Not sure if I’ll feel to confident when I’m in the ambulance entering a green building with a big red hammer on the wall with the words Lowest prices are just the beginning

 

[Humid]

Sausage in a roll 3 times daily

 

[bellenuit]

Sausage in a roll 3 times daily

Nope. They stopped the sausage sizzle a few weeks back because of Rona.

 

[Smurf1976]

The other thing that is coming to the fore, is people saying we are doing too little too late, the case may very well prove we are doing too much too early time will tell.

One thing I think can be said with certainty is that this has thus far proven pretty much everyone wrong.

Look at basically anything, from finance to medical, that was written in a Western context on this even just a month ago and it's a very long way from reality.

Much of the financial discussion, including from the experts, had a 20% decline as the absolute worst case and a general thought that we probably wouldn't see that. This was still being said 2 - 3 weeks ago so the scale of it all has taken most by surprise it seems.

 

[rederob]

Sorry to hear of your situation. It's not good but unfortunately seems to be the standard approach.

My understanding is that there's a lack of tests available, as in there's a lack of the required physical materials, hence they're effectively being rationed out.

Officially there's 1314 infections in Australia but reality is that some are asymptomatic and even of those who do have symptoms most aren't being tested. Those with mild symptoms may not seek testing and even if they do they quite likely won't actually be tested.

The true number of infections is anyone's guess but realistically it would be very much higher than the official figure for those reasons.

Thanks all for the kind thoughts.
Grandson's fever has spiked and he's now under observation at hospital.
However, although he displays all the symptoms of COVID-19 they will not test him or his mother as he and his mum are unable to prove they have had contact with a person known to have the virus, or is from a high risk group (recent overseas arrival with COVID-19 travellers aboard).
The same occurred for Senator Bragg before testing positive and spiralling some colleagues and acquaintances into self quarantine.
That's a recipe for disaster from our health system which should have been better prepared.

The other thing that is coming to the fore, is people saying we are doing too little too late, the case may very well prove we are doing too much too early time will tell.

Perhaps you can provide evidence for that comment because it appalls me.
Remember that it was on 31 December last year that China alerted the WHO to several cases of unusual pneumonia in Wuhan, and on 7 January WHO officials announced they had identified this new virus.
WHO alerts all nations immediately, so our health authorities have had over 2 months to plan for all possible contingencies.
Our authorities now acknowledge they do not have enough PPE let alone test kits.
Our authorities are still saying it's ok to send kids to school.
Maybe you should speak to people that have turned up at hospitals and been turned away, only to be retested positive later, along with those who had initially taken them there. I think they would laugh at you.

 

[SirRumpole]

Thanks all for the kind thoughts.
Grandson's fever has spiked and he's now under observation at hospital.
However, although he displays all the symptoms of COVID-19 they will not test him or his mother as he and his mum are unable to prove they have had contact with a person known to have the virus, or is from a high risk group (recent overseas arrival with COVID-19 travellers aboard).
The same occurred for Senator Bragg before testing positive and spiralling some colleagues and acquaintances into self quarantine.
That's a recipe for disaster from our health system which should have been better prepared.

Perhaps you can provide evidence for that comment because it appalls me.
Remember that it was on 31 December last year that China alerted the WHO to several cases of unusual pneumonia in Wuhan, and on 7 January WHO officials announced they had identified this new virus.
WHO alerts all nations immediately, so our health authorities have had over 2 months to plan for all possible contingencies.
Our authorities now acknowledge they do not have enough PPE let alone test kits.
Our authorities are still saying it's ok to send kids to school.
Maybe you should speak to people that have turned up at hospitals and been turned away, only to be retested positive later, along with those who had initially taken them there. I think they would laugh at you.

I agree rob, we need as many test kits as we can get, and test as many people as we can.

We have definitely been caught short with this virus, all we can do is hope they rectify the shortage of test kits very soon and not let it happen again.

 

[frugal.rock]

Thanks all for the kind thoughts.
Grandson's fever has spiked and he's now under observation at hospital.
However, although he displays all the symptoms of COVID-19 they will not test him or his mother as he and his mum are unable to prove they have had contact with a person known to have the virus, or is from a high risk group (recent overseas arrival with COVID-19 travellers aboard).
The same occurred for Senator Bragg before testing positive and spiralling some colleagues and acquaintances into self quarantine.
That's a recipe for disaster from our health system which should have been better prepared.

Perhaps you can provide evidence for that comment because it appalls me...

I am guessing that he is referring to the financial side of things Rob?

Hope your Grandson and Mum is ok, and hearing about this kind of thing really breaks your heart.

I refused to get private health insurance, in my opinion, it creates a division of service.
Statistics show that the private health insurance take up rates have been reversing as policy prices spike up.... increase the Medicare levy I say, ditch private. It hasn't worked.

F.Rock

 

[sptrawler]

The good thing is they wont have to go far, if they find a screw loose.

 

[Smurf1976]

Thanks all for the kind thoughts.
Grandson's fever has spiked and he's now under observation at hospital.
However, although he displays all the symptoms of COVID-19 they will not test him or his mother as he and his mum are unable to prove they have had contact with a person known to have the virus, or is from a high risk group (recent overseas arrival with COVID-19 travellers aboard).
The same occurred for Senator Bragg before testing positive and spiralling some colleagues and acquaintances into self quarantine.
That's a recipe for disaster from our health system which should have been better prepared.

Unfortunately your situation seems par for the course.

The approach to testing is pedantic rather than practical. If someone has all the symptoms then it's rather silly to assume they don't have it and not test. That largely defeats the point of testing.

That said, best wishes with it. I mean that genuinely - we disagree on quite a few things but this situation goes far beyond politics and debate.

Perhaps you can provide evidence for that comment because it appalls me.

I'm taking the original comment as being somewhat generic in that we've gone from nothing to what looks like a panic and panics don't usually result in the best response to anything.

Eg is closing Australian state borders really the best approach?

Or would it make more sense to put the containment line somewhere other than the literal state border?

Eg instead of saying someone can drive from Sydney to Broken Hill but can't cross into SA, would it not be better to contain those in the cities to the cities and try and keep it out of rural areas?

Etc. Whether or not the example is right or not, it's probably true that some of what we're doing isn't the best response and we'd be better to stop that and do something else.

 

[rederob]

Unfortunately your situation seems par for the course.

The approach to testing is pedantic rather than practical. If someone has all the symptoms then it's rather silly to assume they don't have it and not test. That largely defeats the point of testing.

That said, best wishes with it. I mean that genuinely - we disagree on quite a few things but this situation goes far beyond politics and debate.



I'm taking the original comment as being somewhat generic in that we've gone from nothing to what looks like a panic and panics don't usually result in the best response to anything.

Eg is closing Australian state borders really the best approach?

Or would it make more sense to put the containment line somewhere other than the literal state border?

Eg instead of saying someone can drive from Sydney to Broken Hill but can't cross into SA, would it not be better to contain those in the cities to the cities and try and keep it out of rural areas?

Etc. Whether or not the example is right or not, it's probably true that some of what we're doing isn't the best response and we'd be better to stop that and do something else.

A close relative thinks that Scomo has done a good job.
So I said Wuhan went into lockdown a few months ago and there's no new cases.
Then I said it took hundreds to die in Italy before they acted.
So despite thousands already dead across the world we still had everything open for business, and warnings to be careful and keep washing our hands.
And then I said you are still sending your kids to school and there is no testing happening at all.
When I asked if they knew if other school kid's parents had recently travelled overseas the penny dropped.
Tomorrow their kids are staying home and wont' be returning to school until the threat is over..

On the topic of border crossings, I agree it's arbitrary.
The problem we have is that we are not in a position to test en masse, so we are having to take these measures.

In summary, we knew what had worked in China and Korea and did not follow their lead. Many weeks later we still have not followed their lessons of best practice, and our infection rates continue to rise exponentially. This is not how to run a country unless you want to slowly run it into the ground, along with more dead.

 

[sptrawler]

Hi Rob, it sounds as though you have been affected in some way by the virus, I certainly hope it turns out well for you.
Unfortunately I still have you on the ignore list, so all I can do is give my best wishes.

 

[sptrawler]

It appears the States are following the same lead with schools, W.A is keeping schools open, but parents can take their kids out if they wish.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-23/wa-coronavirus-update-schools-to-stay-open/12080400
I guess for a lot of parents, there is very little option, if both parents work and schools and child care facilities are closed it would make it very difficult to stay employed and look after the children.
People like nurses, doctors, sanitation workers, essential service workers probably don't have the option of just not turning up.
Very sad and difficult times.
Eventually schools will be closed one would think and school holidays are fast approaching.

 

[qldfrog]

It appears the States are following the same lead with schools, W.A is keeping schools open, but parents can take their kids out if they wish.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-23/wa-coronavirus-update-schools-to-stay-open/12080400
I guess for a lot of parents, there is very little option, if both parents work and schools and child care facilities are closed it would make it very difficult to stay employed and look after the children.
People like nurses, doctors, sanitation workers, essential service workers probably don't have the option of just not turning up.
Very sad and difficult times.

Ideally, school should become summer camps reserved for emergency personnel: medical but also could be logistic, police, etc
and everyone avoiding using these if they can.
this is no mystery the highest infected group in NSW..(relatively small sample so caution )
were women aged 30-39...schools has to be the link

 

[SirRumpole]

Ideally, school should become summer camps reserved for emergency personnel: medical but also could be logistic, police, etc
and everyone avoiding using these if they can.
this is no mystery the highest infected group in NSW..(relatively small sample so caution )
were women aged 30-39...schools has to be the link

What did London do during the war ? Evacuated all the kids to the country. So set up boarding schools where the kids can stay, continue learning and stay away from the rest of us.

 

[sptrawler]

When I picked up the grandkids today, it looked as though half the kids are turning up, in the grade 4 class 19 out of 34 and pre primary 9 out of 19.

 

[jbocker]

Perhaps you can provide evidence for that comment because it appalls me.

Y2K was what came to my mind (it didn't eventuate in places that didn't apply Y2K).

Having said that this not comparable in magnitude and I would give a huge vote of thanks if we have proved to have done 'too much too soon'. Sadly I don't think that will prove the case, even if the govt is telling us right, the people have got to acknowledge and follow the rules and again sadly we find that is not the case

 

[Humid]

A new test with results in 15minutes to be released in a week?

 

[sptrawler]

Y2K was what came to my mind (it didn't eventuate in places that didn't apply Y2K).

Having said that this not comparable in magnitude and I would give a huge vote of thanks if we have proved to have done 'too much too soon'. Sadly I don't think that will prove the case, even if the govt is telling us right, the people have got to acknowledge and follow the rules and again sadly we find that is not the case

So true whether people like it or not, having all the Governments meeting together to develop a plan, people have to follow it otherwise it will be just chaos.
The problem is the media want to make a story out of everything, which just adds to the confusion and misunderstanding.
We either let the Governments run it and sort it, or we let the media run it and sort it, I know which I would prefer.
People are just taking the pizz as usual, and is normal, no one respects authority anymore.
So it will be difficult to enforce any social isolating, this is going to be a long and tortuous path IMO.

 

[barney]

Just saw this online … If its true, it is huge news. I hope it is for real. Anyone know for sure?

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/coro...dollar100-billion/ar-BB11xTTh?ocid=spartanntp

COVID-19 test could return results in under an hour

Australian regulators have approved another rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19.

As the ABC's national science reporter Michael Slezak explains, it promises to give results in just 45 minutes, without requiring the sample to be sent to a specialised lab.

The new test has received expedited approval by the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA).

Earlier today, it was revealed the TGA had approved the another rapid test for diagnosing COVID-19, which could produce results in just 15 minutes.