Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[ausproofs]

Here is another article regarding the same...

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200317-covid-19-how-long-does-the-coronavirus-last-on-surfaces

[autocoupler]

I gargle (then drink) scotch twice a day.......may not keep COVID-19 at bay but tastes good and I always feel better after.

Haha, I've had a similar theory for years. A couple of times in the past whenever I felt a ticklish throat, straight to the vodka, no gargling, just drink the bottle. It worked on more than one occasion too, next day no sign of any bug, although, it was a risk driving to work. Hey, the Ruskies do it, why not those from Oz?

A couple of weeks back, same thing, felt the funny throat thing happening so straight on to the vodka, alas, must have not quite got the timing right, just made myself sick. I was able to confirm that vodka remains a powerful brew though, through the night I had a need to visit the loo, problem was staying upright in the dark, or light for that matter. I did manage to get myself to the dunny OK by using old technology, hands and knees :yahoo: 

Have managed to shake this mongrel flu bug after a couple of weeks sooking and whining about it, and I know it wasn't the China flu because I don't drink Corona beer.

[JeffH]

The local bank branch is taking the social distancing measures seriously. Signs stating no more than 5 customers to be in the branch at one time and tape on the floor to show where you should stand while waiting to be served. Also a line of tape out from the teller's counter -step over that and the teller retreats and you will not be served until you get behind the line. Gloves too for handling the money.

More than what I saw looking in the door of the supermarket; lined up, shoulder to shoulder, at the checkouts...all studiously ignoring each other!

[jens coins]

"The local bank branch is taking the social distancing measures seriously. Signs stating no more than 5 customers to be in the branch at one time and tape on the floor to show where you should stand while waiting to be served. Also a line of tape out from the teller's counter -step over that and the teller retreats and you will not be served until you get behind the line. Gloves too for handling the money."

We had the same at our banks today. Tellers with gloves and tape on the floor of where to stand.
Had a greeter at the door and no more than 10 people in branch including tellers.

Supermarkets were a lot quieter today between 7am - 8am.

[interest]

The local bank branch is taking the social distancing measures seriously. Signs stating no more than 5 customers to be in the branch at one time and tape on the floor to show where you should stand while waiting to be served. Also a line of tape out from the teller's counter -step over that and the teller retreats and you will not be served until you get behind the line. Gloves too for handling the money.

More than what I saw looking in the door of the supermarket; lined up, shoulder to shoulder, at the checkouts...all studiously ignoring each other!

Can you wear a face mask into the bank?

we went to Coles this morning tween 7 & 8 an old lady fell over, nobody wanted to help her (we were 3/4 up the aisle) just saw what happened Coles staff helped her up.
All fresh fruit & veg plenty of it.

4 confirmed up here now.

[JeffH]

Very disturbing reports today that Spanish soldiers sent to help in old peoples facilities found them abandoned except for dead bodies of the residents. Supposedly staff just didn't come to work. Please let that not be true!

Can you wear a face mask into the bank?

I don't see why not but face masks are a rare sighting around here.

[fred lever]

Just to give a different tale to all the doom and gloom.
Went to doctors GP today, waiting room empty, book ahead and they tell you when to appear at surgery, no 1 hour wait.
Got papers filled for license and parking permit. straight in and straight out.
Went to state gov center (old RTA) to process paper work.
Bouncers at door, short queue. One person comes out , next person in. Short wait I go in.
Man inside looks at papers pulls out ticket sit over there. My ticket is O110.
Place is near empty O108 being processed, then O109, then i'm up.
Lady at desk fixes my stuff ups in paperwork, ticks off papers, permit will be in mail, out in 10 minutes.
Off to Woolies, no queue, no crowd, pretty full shelves except for , tissues, dunny rolls and EGGS!
20 minutes later into empty checkout, out we go.
Off to chip shop, empty, leave order sit outside lady calls me to pick up and pay.
All done and no stress, so its not all bad news!
Fred

[Triggersmob]

and less traffic on the Freeways too.

[Ozcoins]

I have been wearing a face mask when in shops for over a week.
First day a woman shopping said to me "smart man".
I figure I am happy to lead by example which should encourage others to do it too.

[JeffH]

Isolation rate must hit 80% to slow virus
We are obviously not doing enough.

Fiji seems to have the right idea;
•All of the, so far, confirmed cases (5) are in isolation in medical centres.
•Recent contacts of confirmed cases are in home quarantine under police surveillance.
•Lautoka is in complete lockdown with police roadblocks and CCTV cameras installed.
•A number of people alleged to have breached self isolation rules have been arrested and taken before the courts.
•The taxi driver who took the V.C. of Fiji University from Lautoka to Nadi Airport is now in remand (jailed). No doubt he was offered a cash inducement to break the regulation.
•Nadi Airport is closed, from today, to all commercial flights.

Prime Minister Bainimarama has directed police to apply the law -yes the lockdown/quarantine/self isolation regulations now have the force of law. They are starting with the 36 Fiji Airways flight crew who have been widely reported to be flaunting their isolation requirements. These crew reside in the Lautoka zone and can't return home. Fiji Airways has put them up in a Nadi hotel for the duration. They are alleged to have been receiving outside visitors, partaking off grog (kava) ceremonies*, venturing out for shopping etc.
Mt Bainimarama has expressed the opinion that they should serve out their period in jail. And his opinion carries a lot of weight.
The CEO of Fiji Airways has stated that any employee found guilty of breaching the anti-virus measures will no longer have a job when flights resume.

So how serious are our measures really?

*Traditional kava ceremonies involve the use of a communal bilo (coconut shell cup) to drink the kava from.

[fred lever]

Face masks don't stop you from catching bugs, unless top graded rating.
However they do stop your spit and and slow down  virus bugs coming out!
We are making our own washable masks and intend wearing them and don't give a stuff what we look like.
Also wearing gloves either washables or disposables.
Also wash wash hands and stay away from stupid old Australians smoking a ciggy and overheard by me "just come back from cruise and government is all bullshit not stopping me from shopping" or words to that effect. I got out of sight real fast.
He is in the top rank to die, I intend to live.
Stay safe all.
Fred.

[JeffH]

The thing to remember is that a virus is inanimate in the open and only activates if in a carrier -in this case a human.
If the carrier travels, so does the virus. If a carrier doesn't travel, neither does the virus.

[interest]

FFS when are we going to stop people coming from oversea's???

COVID-19 confirmed cases on the Mid North Coast rise again today.

 Two more people, who have returned from overseas, have tested positive bringing the region's count to 14.

[Ozcoins]

By wearing the mask, at the very least I am making sure I stop other people getting sick from something I am infected with.
I do not believe for a second that "masks do not stop you getting sick"
What is every single doctor who is dealing with even potential COVID19 cases wearing?
It's the same argument as "People die while wearing seatbelts, so seatbelts do not work" Sure, they might not be 100% effective, but it's a lot better than nothing.
If everybody you saw at shopping wore a mask, what do you think would happen to transmission rates?
It is all layers of imperfect measures and they all add up.

[fred lever]

Thats it exactly Ozcoins, well spoken!
we would have to wear a 99% respirator for 99% protection.
Then throw on full gown and hat and dispose of all that when coming back through the door!
Simplest thing to do is wear a 50% spit mask, gloves like we are doing now and do not go out until necessary.

People that smoke leave me wary as the smoke is a colloidal cloud and forms a carrier for bugs!
No, the tobacco smoke does NOT kill the bugs, that is the most stupid thing i ever heard.
Non smokers can smell the cloud 20 feet away and guess what , here comes corona!

Simplest thing to do STOP SMOKING. Its a filthy HABIT spitting on other people.
If any of you smoke STOP IT because you are spitting on people!
Spend a day helping in the lung ward where sometimes the best a patient can hope for is to sit up and walk to the window with a oxy respirator on and thats the days exercise. That is an eyeopener.

Fred.