Fred99:

 

IMO it's time to seriously consider closing borders.

 

Think keeping the money flowing is way more important to government then a low percentage of population drying.

Read one article about Chinese canceling future tours leaving from China, got impression way article written  more concern over lost tourist dollars.

My white blood cells attack my kidneys so I'll probably be toast, meanwhile the money has to keep coming into the country.

lol closing the boarders would most likely kill more people than the virus. The country isn't going to just go chill, it'll ramp the tension up and would clear supermarket and pharmacy shelves across the country, Not to mention what every asian looking person in the country would go through if they so much as got hey fever.

Boarder closure/Travel bans just don't work and pretty much make things far worse in infected countries by hastening societal collapse and elevates the situation to the point where people fear they are being left to die and flee

https://www.vox.com/2020/1/23/21078325/wuhan-china-coronavirus-travel-ban

Beccara:

 

lol closing the boarders would most likely kill more people than the virus. The country isn't going to just go chill, it'll ramp the tension up and would clear supermarket and pharmacy shelves across the country, Not to mention what every asian looking person in the country would go through if they so much as got hey fever.

 

Boarder closure/Travel bans just don't work and pretty much make things far worse in infected countries by hastening societal collapse and elevates the situation to the point where people fear they are being left to die and flee

 

https://www.vox.com/2020/1/23/21078325/wuhan-china-coronavirus-travel-ban

 

One of the reasons border closure often doesn't work is that it's left too late - and it's left too late because....?

While I'm not happy with doomsday CT being shared on social media about this virus, I'm equally not happy with the popular - but very wrong - opinion that this virus is - thus will have an impact - "just like the (normal/seasonal) flu".  It isn't. 

At this stage, from what's known, it could be similar in impact to the 1918 epidemic - and possibly worse because survivors of SARS who'd required ICU ended up with long term health issues. It could just fade away too - nobody knows.  So, say it's relatively low risk of high impact, but if the impact is high in one location (true) - then it needs to be stopped in its tracks, and total travel ban (as implemented already within parts of China) is the only measure that *might* work (even if so far it doesn't seem to be). Put it another way, if China's response is a draconian internal travel ban - and it does seem to be working, then apart from economic impact and inconvenience, what's a good reason not to impose global travel bans while the epidemic continues to escalate?  It's easier to fly from parts of China that have an epidemic to NZ than it is to fly to the SAR of Hong Kong which already has cases? That's nuts.

Give it a few days - and consider again.

rugrat:

 

Read one article about Chinese canceling future tours leaving from China, got impression way article written  more concern over lost tourist dollars.

 

This.  It's unbelievable.  

Fred99:

 

in any case a person can be infectious before showing symptoms, then airport screening for people with fevers etc may be a complete waste of time.
IMO it's time to seriously consider closing borders.

 

Thats my worry. We have flights coming in every day, hundreds of people from China. Some schools have a policy here of no Chinese at school for 14 days, I assume to allow symptoms to show, but in the meantime, hundreds enter the border each day, often using Guangzhou, a major hub

tdgeek: Some schools have a policy here of no Chinese at school for 14 days,

Interesting video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk5XkhUKMDM "Coronavirus - Inside info and discussion"

Or the Readers Digest version (rough notes)

Lax reactive response is responsible for spread.

People reporting the disease were being arrested and reporters asked to delete images taken from the wet markets.  Govt selectively using anti-rumour laws.  Rumours being spread that you must abandon your pets.  

China govt likes to keep control of 'viral' news and release it themselves.

Chinese have too much trust of their govt that constantly lies to them by playing down the severity of situations.

Chinese like to place blame; they're blaming the Wuhan govt and even Americans.  "Don't blame the CCP".  "Thousands of Americans die every year from the flu but China only has like 60 deaths per year".  Foreigners often blamed every time something bad happens in China.

The amount of people infected in hospitals is a lot more that's actually being reported e.g. official data showing 15 in Shenzhen quarantined however doctors at that hospital saying there's 30.

Doctors told they're not allowed to go on holiday despite it being a holiday period.  Doctors on holiday recalled.

Doctors not properly equipped e.g. basic surgical masks, no protective clothing.  China is currently in their winter season.

It's a rarity for Chinese to wash their hands.  Hospitals, most hotels and public bathrooms don't have soap.

Wuhan is the source of the virus however the 'threat level' wasn't raised when it was raised in other areas.

Chinese are big on alternative medicine including the consumption of random animal body parts as aphrodisiacs.

Largest public banquet record attempt attempted at 7KM from ground zero as an attempt to downplay.  Propaganda about sick people being strong and still attending these events.

Face masks being purchased en masse in bulk from Amazon - all sold out.

Areas with counts of zero infections despite there being videos showing sick people collected into ambulances by people in hazmat suits from those places.

Wuhan was quarantined but not before they tell everyone all the roads are going to close meaning everyone drives out anyway.  People then allowed to drive out regardless.

People are openly bragging on social media about escaping from Wuhan.

The holiday is a huge event - desperation to travel back home (due to urbanisation) drives up crime e.g. theft to pay for the travel.

Majority of Chinese go to wet markets.  Culture is to eat fresh every day rather than making use of refrigeration.  SARS was supposed to have ended the selling of live animals but still you get your purchased animals killed right in front of you.  Any animal you can imagine is available (Chinese koala, armadillo, cats and of course dogs).

Hygiene isn't part of their culture.  Spitting is seen as healthy.  Compare to the Spanish flu where spitting was banned.  Deaths are family business and not properly reported.

gzt:

tdgeek: Some schools have a policy here of no Chinese at school for 14 days,

This is 100% not the case. Please choose your words carefully at this time. School mitigation policies like this will apply to anyone outbound from all China regions, which is probably overkill anyway and likely to be refined.

Yes careful wording is needed.

Schools are following the Ministry's advice of a 2 week quarantine for all people (not Chinese) that have come from or passed through China or Hong Kong

gzt:

tdgeek: Some schools have a policy here of no Chinese at school for 14 days,

This is 100% not the case. Please choose your words carefully at this time. School mitigation policies like this will apply to anyone outbound from all China regions, which is probably overkill anyway and likely to be refined.

You are correct, but you wont get non Chinese returning from New Year holidays. I should have said Chinese school kids. 

gzt:

tdgeek: Some schools have a policy here of no Chinese at school for 14 days,

This is 100% not the case. Please choose your words carefully at this time. School mitigation policies like this will apply to anyone outbound from all China regions, which is probably overkill anyway and likely to be refined.

Why is it overkill? 

MadEngineer

tdgeek:

 

gzt:

tdgeek: Some schools have a policy here of no Chinese at school for 14 days,

This is 100% not the case. Please choose your words carefully at this time. School mitigation policies like this will apply to anyone outbound from all China regions, which is probably overkill anyway and likely to be refined.

 

You are correct, but you wont get non Chinese returning from New Year holidays. I should have said Chinese school kids. 

 

Pardon? I imagine there will be many non-Chinese affected. As an example, my friends (from NZ to be clear!) happened to be transiting through Shanghai about a week ago. As a result their daughter has been told to stay home from school for the next week. 

This lady is getting rid of the virus but in the wrong way.