2019 Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 Discussion

Forums › Health and fitness › 2019 Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 Discussion

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#2470374 24-Apr-2020 15:05

They clarified non contact sport like golf and tennis. Only in your bubble. So unless you and wife/partner play, no tennis, and play a round of golf by yourself, Seems bizarre for golf as each "court" is a few acres, its by far the easiest sport to keep distance.

neb

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#2470376 24-Apr-2020 15:07

Interesting article in the NYT on why We Need a More Resilient American Economy. Apples to a lesser extent to other countries as well, but it's unusual to hear that in the US, and from a Republican no less.

DS248

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#2470378 24-Apr-2020 15:13

SepticSceptic:
DS248:

https://www.france24.com/en/20200423-sunlight-destroys-coronavirus-quickly-says-us-agency

"Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect solar light appears to have on killing the virus on both surfaces and in the air"

...

In the presence of sunlight, this dropped to just one and a half minutes."

Not really surprising (nor new) re sunlight. It was being strongly promoted in 1918.

I was wondering about hanging used facemasks on the washing line for a week in the sun.

Sounds plausible as a disinfectant ?

I have used one N95 mask on the two times I have been shopping - 1x chemist, 1x supermarket, with no sign of any coughing or snivels nearby. Only wore it ~1 hr each time. On both occasions left it hanging in the sun for several hours afterwards and am more than happy to use it again. Still looks pristine.

ezbee

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#2470379 24-Apr-2020 15:24

In Asia there is lots about using a Rice Cooker to treat masks, as rice cookers abound.

Same principle as using an oven.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3910853

Edit- That link was more about the humorous attempt by one of Taiwan CEE Head not knowning how to use a rice cooker. .

This pictograph describes the process , no water just dry heat , like oven .

https://www.taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=36&post=176008&unitname=Snapshots&postname=Helpful-tip

Don't steam, just dry heat.

kingdragonfly

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#2470394 24-Apr-2020 15:58

ezbee:
In Asia there is lots about using a Rice Cooker to treat masks, as rice cookers abound.

Same principle as using an oven.

I question whether this would actually work, with inexpensive rice cookers. Many turn off when the pot gets above 100 C, which I'd guess they'd do pretty fast without water.

At least the chances of catching fire would be small for the old-fashioned ones using magnetic thermal switches in metals to detect the boiling water phase transitions. I'd hope they'd also have a secondary thermal fuse.

Here's a long video about how cheap rice cookers work.

neb

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#2470396 24-Apr-2020 16:03

kingdragonfly:
ezbee:
In Asia there is lots about using a Rice Cooker to treat masks, as rice cookers abound.

Same principle as using an oven.

I question whether this would actually work, with inexpensive rice cookers. Many turn off when the pot gets above 100 C, which I'd guess they'd do pretty fast without water.

And you've also got the same problem I mentioned earlier with UV, that heat at that temperature will probably destroy the functionality of the mask. You need 30 minutes of dry heat at 50-70 degrees C, not a few minutes or whatever you're getting at 100 degrees.

This sounds like one of an endless series of home remedies distributed via social media and/or the toddler-in-chief.

kingdragonfly

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#2470406 24-Apr-2020 16:24

New York Times: Britain says it is following scientists’ advice. Just don’t ask who the scientists are.

Accused of botching its response to the coronavirus, the British government has repeatedly insisted that it was following the advice of its panel of scientific advisers, known as SAGE.

But no one outside government or the panel knows what that advice is, who is giving it, or how faithfully the government is following it.

Meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies are closed. Its list of members is secret. Its recommendations are private.

That has made it impossible for the public to assess how Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government arrived at its laissez-faire approach to the pandemic through much of March, even as other European countries were limiting travel, public gatherings and personal movement.

Nor is it any clearer what scientific advice had changed when the government did impose a lockdown, on March 23. Mr. Johnson tested positive for the virus three days later and is still recovering.

“You can’t challenge the advice if other experts can’t see what they are looking at,” said Sarah Wollaston, a former chairwoman of the health committee in Parliament.

Critics say the government’s delay may have cost lives and question whether it is getting scientific advice from the right people.

As of Thursday, more than 138,000 people in Britain have tested positive for the virus, and more than 18,700 have died, according to the government’s counts — and there is ample evidence, as in other countries, that the real figure is likely significantly higher.

In Europe, only Italy, Spain and France have higher official death tolls, but they were hit earlier than Britain and are closer to getting their outbreaks under control.

In early March, Britain’s government settled on a strategy of urging voluntary measures and keeping the economy running, rather than closing businesses and ordering people to stay at home.

It stuck to that approach until a week after Imperial College London published a frightening study on March 16 that projected up to 500,000 deaths if Britain did not act more aggressively.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/23/world/coronavirus-news.html?type=styln-live-updates&label=global&index=1#link-1a244dad

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frednz

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#2470408 24-Apr-2020 16:24

Doctors in Tokyo say a state of emergency, declared two weeks ago, is not slowing the spread of the virus enough to stop new cases overwhelming the hospital system.

Previously, the virus in Japan was regarded as well under control, so it's of concern that hospitals in Tokyo are now overwhelmed with covid-19 patients.

Just as well the Olympic games were postponed, but they were fairly unwilling to take that step. But now, Japan has joined those nations whose hospitals are overwhelmed. I hope we don't take it too easy here under Level 3, this awful virus seems to have a habit of bouncing back when people thought it was all under control.

ezbee

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#2470410 24-Apr-2020 16:28

Sorry this post went completely wrong. Please ignore

vexxxboy

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#2470421 24-Apr-2020 16:47

frednz:

Doctors in Tokyo say a state of emergency, declared two weeks ago, is not slowing the spread of the virus enough to stop new cases overwhelming the hospital system.

Previously, the virus in Japan was regarded as well under control, so it's of concern that hospitals in Tokyo are now overwhelmed with covid-19 patients.

Just as well the Olympic games were postponed, but they were fairly unwilling to take that step. But now, Japan has joined those nations whose hospitals are overwhelmed. I hope we don't take it too easy here under Level 3, this awful virus seems to have a habit of bouncing back when people thought it was all under control.

With Japan it seems pretty obvious now that they covered up the serious of the virus in the country so the Olympics would go ahead, now they are paying the price for that stupidity.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

mattwnz

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#2470431 24-Apr-2020 17:14

tdgeek:

They clarified non contact sport like golf and tennis. Only in your bubble. So unless you and wife/partner play, no tennis, and play a round of golf by yourself, Seems bizarre for golf as each "court" is a few acres, its by far the easiest sport to keep distance.

It doesn't make much sense, when workplaces and schools are a risk in themselves of bubbles merging. I do wonder how many cases there have been in level 4, from workplaces, where people have got it from other staff members.
I found these article very good, and I do worry complacency under level 3, which we won't get some evidence of, until close to when level 3 is due to end.
This guy really knows his stuff, and I think if NZ does eliminate it, the country can owe a lot to him for speaking up like he has, and the government listening, because he is probably one of NZ leading experts on this stuff

Covid 19 level 3 complacency could risk another lockdown, epidemiologist says

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12327338

New Zealand needs to urgently look at wearing masks in public - expert

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/04/new-zealand-needs-to-urgently-look-at-wearing-masks-in-public-expert.html

Also how long have we been waiting for advice from WHO as to whether it is recommenced to wear masks in public? What is the delay. I think their use in enclosed spaces is a good idea, because if someone has it and they sneeze, then the mask will help to contain this.

neb

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#2470434 24-Apr-2020 17:16

mattwnz:
Also how long have we been waiting for advice from WHO as to whether it is recommenced to wear masks in public? What is the delay.

Put yourself in their position, what would you advise?

mattwnz

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#2470436 24-Apr-2020 17:22

neb:
mattwnz:

Also how long have we been waiting for advice from WHO as to whether it is recommenced to wear masks in public? What is the delay.

Put yourself in their position, what would you advise?

As above, to wear them in enclosed places when risking coming into contact with other people, which seems to be the advice in other countries at the moment. That also seem to be what some people on here are doing when visiting the super market or chemist. Also from what I have seen reported masks have had an effect in Asian countries such as Taiwan, as part of their approach. But obviously people need to use them properly.

neb

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#2470437 24-Apr-2020 17:25

mattwnz:
neb: Put yourself in their position, what would you advise?

As above, to wear them in enclosed places when risking coming into contact with other people, which seems to be the advice in other countries at the moment. That also seem to be what some people on here are doing when visiting the super market or chemist.

So you're telling the public to go out and buy masks? OK, now about 25% of the public has panic-bought all available masks, leaving 75% without access to any. Also, medical staff can't get PPE any more since it's all been panic-bought. Now what?

mattwnz

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#2470441 24-Apr-2020 17:42

neb: So you're telling the public to go out and buy masks? OK, now about 25% of the public has panic-bought all available masks, leaving 75% without access to any. Also, medical staff can't get PPE any more since it's all been panic-bought. Now what?

It is happening overseas already, as the recommendation went out in other countries like the US. I would hope medical institutions would be getting them from different sources, and they have their own dedicated supply that is ringfenced, so they never run out. So the public can't just buy their supply from under them.. I understand we are now making some masks in NZ with lots of different types from companies who have moved into making masks, so supplies of public masks should be increasing anyway. Panic buying can be controlled by rationing. If public supply run out, then they run out, and the public can't buy them. People were bulk buying them before the lockdown anyway, and stores were rationing them at that stage.

The thing is that if we are now going into level 3 and more and more people now risk coming in contact with one another, then the odds of cases increasing grows. Masks at a far earlier stage possibly have the potential to decrease the potential infection rate according to that article.

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