Coronavirus Thread

[michael rauls]

Probably everyone knows this, at least the first part, but I'll throw it out there anyway.
Studies show that zinc is the most effective supplement you can take to shorten the length and severity of viral illness. Much more effective than the commonly used vitamin C( which is also helpful to a much lesser degree).
I also remember reading somewhere that quinine( which can be found in small amounts in genuine tonic water) greatly increases zinc penetration at a cellular level.
So maybe some zinc supplements and a little tonic water might take a little of the edge off this thing if anyone gets it. Certainly can't hurt.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Probably everyone knows this, at least the first part, but I'll throw it out there anyway.
Studies show that zinc is the most effective supplement you can take to shorten the length and severity of viral illness. Much more effective than the commonly used vitamin C( which is also helpful to a much lesser degree).
I also remember reading somewhere that quinine( which can be found in small amounts in genuine tonic water) greatly increases zinc penetration at a cellular level.
So maybe some zinc supplements and a little tonic water might take a little of the edge off this thing if anyone gets it. Certainly can't hurt.

Been doing 50mg of Zinc a day for the past 10 years.

 

[michael rauls]

Same here. Now I just have to remember to grab a little tonic water when I'm out shopping tomorrow.

 

[JAG88]

Are there deaths there?

2 in Ecuador
2 in Argentina
1 in Panama

From memory.

RECORDED cases still under 50 in most countries (easy to achieve when you dont test people) save for Brazil, most of them of Italian origin, but phase 3 has already began due to lax containment measures.

I would be AMAZED if SA does not become a replay of Italy...

So far toilet paper terror seems to be an anglo thing, so it wont be an issue when people REALLY begin to shit themselves over this, we are still in the meme phase though.

On the other hand, looting has become kind of a fashion on recent times in some countries, specially after most got flooded by Venezuelan refugees, so I am looking forward to that, fun times.

 

[michael rauls]

The " shell"( cant think of the proper term right now) that encapsulates virus with a few exceptions is not viable for nearly as long in warm weather( hence the cold and flu season being in the winter) so I wouldn't expect this to really take off in the southern hemisphere right now.
If it does that could mean we've got one of those exceptions on our hands and that wouldn't be good but hopefully this thing burns out as the weather warms up shortly.
That would be my expectation but who knows.

 

[Marcel]

SOAP is better. It does not kill the antibodies on your skin you need to combat virus infections but does eliminate the shit that has to go.

This. To support this: Situations Leading to Reduced Effectiveness of Current Hand Hygiene against Infectious Mucus from Influenza Virus-Infected Patients

 

[Vincenzo]

You may be correct. I took the number from a BBC article Is S Korea's rapid testing the key to coronavirus?

maybe the "nearly 20,000" was the best day

 

[The Basket]

I would like to read something which I would find useful.

The media are saying all sorts which means getting info is biased based on fiction rather than facts.

So it's either a paper tiger or black death II with extra toilet rolls.

As a qualified scientist I am not reading unbiased information which I can base my own judgement on.

 

[nuuumannn]

I've found reading about this event puts COVID-19 into perspective:

The Discovery and Reconstruction of the 1918 Pandemic Virus

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/1918-flu-pandemic

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic

 

[JAG88]

The " shell"( cant think of the proper term right now) that encapsulates virus with a few exceptions is not viable for nearly as long in warm weather( hence the cold and flu season being in the winter) so I wouldn't expect this to really take off in the southern hemisphere right now.
If it does that could mean we've got one of those exceptions on our hands and that wouldn't be good but hopefully this thing burns out as the weather warms up shortly.
That would be my expectation but who knows.

Hopefully it is so, I live on the Equator so no winter, days begin around 6-10º and peak around 24-32º, all we get is "wetter months". Down south is full 4 seasons of course and summer is ending, still, Chile is already on 61 cases and in community contagion, no longer limited to imported cases in spite of authorities there having better reaction times.

It is in all SA countries now:

Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS

Edit: Keep in mind that, like Italy, some countries are testing just the sick people, so it is far worse than reported, which is why Ecuador has a 10% mortality rate (in a very small number of cases, but still).

 

[stona]

SOAP is better. It does not kill the antibodies on your skin you need to combat virus infections but does eliminate the shit that has to go.

Soap is not better or worse than alcohol.

Soap is effective against the lipid coating of the virus and also denatures the outer viral proteins. It is just more practical and readily available in the home. Some researchers believe that it is lipids that will prove the Achilles heel of this family of viruses.

Outside the home alcohol is just as effective at destroying the lipid envelope and it disrupts the RNA within the virus.

I'm not going to use alcohol at home when I have easy access to soap and water. When I'm out and about I will use alcohol to sanitise my hands from time to time, and before driving home.

 

[michael rauls]

Hopefully it is so, I live on the Equator so no winter, days begin around 6-10º and peak around 24-32º, all we get is "wetter months". Down south is full 4 seasons of course and summer is ending, still, Chile is already on 61 cases and in community contagion, no longer limited to imported cases in spite of authorities there having better reaction times.

It is in all SA countries now:

Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS

I wouldn't let my guard down, just in case.
Of course one can still get colds and flu in the summer( and that really sucks by the way, having the flu when its 100 degrees outside) it just isn't as viable outside the body for as long in the warmer weather so doesn't spread as fast or affect nearly as many people.
So ive read anyway.
Hopefully it doesn't really take off in the southern hemisphere right now.

 

[mikewint]

Vitamin C can reduce the duration of cold symptoms if you've started taking it regularly before falling sick. This seems especially true for athletes and older people.

Vitamin D3 can help prevent upper respiratory infections. People's spending a lot of time indoors in the winter is tied to seasonal flu through higher viral transmission in closed areas and a lack of sun (in addition to allowing your skin to synthesize vitamin D, solar UV rays can inactivate viruses).

Zinc oral lozenges can reduce symptom severity, due to inhibiting viral replication at the back of your throat. Swallowed tablets aren't effective, and nasal spray may cause permanent adverse effects (anosmia). Zinc acetate lozenges may be a bit more effective than zinc gluconate lozenges, although perhaps not significantly so.

Hemilä H, et al. Zinc acetate lozenges for treating the common cold: an individual patient data meta-analysis. Br J Clin Pharmacol. (2016)
Hemilä H, Chalker E. The effectiveness of high dose zinc acetate lozenges on various common cold symptoms: a meta-analysis. BMC Fam Pract. (2015)
Hemilä H. Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage. JRSM Open. (2017)
Alexander TH, Davidson TM. Intranasal zinc and anosmia: the zinc-induced anosmia syndrome. Laryngoscope. (2006)
Hemilä H, et al. Zinc Acetate Lozenges May Improve the Recovery Rate of Common Cold Patients: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. Open Forum Infect Dis. (2017)

 

[JAG88]

I wouldn't let my guard down, just in case.
Of course one can still get colds and flu in the summer( and that really sucks by the way, having the flu when its 100 degrees outside) it just isn't as viable outside the body for as long in the warmer weather so doesn't spread as fast or affect nearly as many people.
So ive read anyway.
Hopefully it doesn't really take off in the southern hemisphere right now.

I was raised on the knowledge that everything grows and flourishes here, plants, animals... and diseases. I dont expect the weather to help one bit, on the coastal plain it is hot but very humid, on the highlands the temperature peak is brief if any, a couple hours, it is always spring here to give you a reference.

On the southern cone summer is dying down, autumn rains are a couple weeks away and this is just starting. We'll see.

 

[Marcel]

Schools closed here until April 6th.

 

[pbehn]

The UK is now in fully Henny Penny mode, the government is asked why they are not doing every thing that all other countries are doing. I am off to tell the king myself

 

[Shinpachi]

Looking the course of event for a month, basic points would be -
1. Try to stay at home
2. Don't visit the hospital without doctor's advice
3. Think the hospital is for the serious patients only because -
This is no serious disease for the youths.

 

[stona]

There is a lot of hysteria around the pandemic. Panic buying etc. People need to get a grip. Today I had to go to three of shops before I could find some Yorkshire Gold (tea). It's f*ckin' ridiculous. Who is hoarding tea FFS? I went to buy some because I had run out, which seems perfectly reasonable.

The UK's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has repeatedly said the government's analysis suggests the death rate is either one per cent or less overall.

"The overall mortality rate is in our view one per cent or less overall, although higher in older and vulnerable groups."

Figures from South Korea, which has the most extensive testing per capita in the world, would appear to back up this analysis. The death rate in South Korea is currently just below one per cent, if you divide the number of positive cases by the total number of deaths in the country – although even they may not have tested every single case.

I returned from Italy, though not the affected area* a while ago. I did pass through airports and share flights with potentially infected people. I had a new cough which continued for over a week but which I am now getting over. I did feel a bit shit for a couple of days. I stayed at home since I developed the cough and avoided the family with the exception of the Fuhrerin, though I did move into a spare bedroom. We also didn't have a grandson over on this weekend as we usually do (he was very pissed off about it!). I haven't been tested and have no idea whether I had the virus or just...errr...a cough.

It's a matter of common sense. If I had it and the Fuhrerin develops it, she will almost certainly be fine. The grandson thing was mainly because if he coughs once at his day care centre he'll be sent home for two weeks, the prospect of which drives his mother insane

It is NOT just another flu, but for the VAST majority of people, symptoms are mild and they make a complete recovery in days rather than weeks.

Now all I have to do is convince the Fuhrerin to let me move back into our bedroom!

*I was in Sicily for a few days break with the Fuhrerin, after the tour I was supposed to be working on was cancelled, not due to the virus.

 

[fubar57]

Yep. We are almost 1000kms from the nearest case and some people here have gone nuts as well. No T.P. or baby food on the shelves

 

[pbehn]

Yep. We are almost 1000kms from the nearest case and some people here have gone nuts as well. No T.P. or baby food on the shelves

In the absence of sport the media are now treating announcements of deaths and confirmed cases as some sort of gruesome competition.