Working From Home - Impacts of Coronavirus

[Muttley Snickers]

I rang the hospital today to arrange a couple of outpatient appointments and was told that both the cardiologist and vascular specialist would probably conduct these follow up sessions over the phone instead of an attendance at the hospital. The normal routine is to sit in a crowded waiting room for two to three hours alongside some very sick people which I don't enjoy one bit.

When they do finally call you up it's generally just a five minute chat and perhaps a prescription change so the phone call thing will be a big improvement. This also saves a trip to the hospital and the hassle of trying to find a carpark, in addition it eliminates the risk of catching a bug from other patients or putting the nursing staff and specialists at further risk of the Coronavirus.

[Zero999]

I don't want to get political but I'm very disappointed with my government. They gave up on testing, contact tracing and containment far too early. I appreciate testing might be expensive and they aren't prepared for it, but it will save money. For example, there are those like myself who are off work because they most likely have a mild common cold (a minor cough and no fever) who could be tested and go back to work. I'll probably have to take at least five days off work. I don't even have to bother doing the calculation to know the cost in hours lost, is greater than the price of a Covid-19 test, even at the rip-off prices charged by some private providers. At least those employed in critical sectors such as healthcare should be tested, at the first sign of the mildest symptoms, rather than being sent home and told to self-isolate! It's retarded!

Although I think it's highly unlikely, I hope I have Covid-19, because if it's just going to be a cough for me, I'd be happy to be immune to it and not pass it on. Assuming I don't have it, the only good think about self-isolation is I won't catch i, on top of this cough, which would have made it worse. Now my cough has improved significantly, but I believe I'll still need to continue self-isolation for a couple of days afterwards. Hopefully not. I'll discuss it with my employer tomorrow.

[bd139]

I disagree. They're doing the best they can in a situation which is effectively a no win whatever containment measures we put in place. The containment measures will actually likely in the long run, according to the Imperial report, actually not improve the outcome significantly because the healthcare system is overwhelmed almost instantly.  It might save thousands of lives which in numbers are statistically insignificant but that's worth it.

Not joking but I think I've had / have got this [1] and there is no test available for me as well. Saying that the key issue with testing is volume. It's not trivial to bring up whole labs to run tests so they have to test for critical cases first which are in hospitals i.e. people actually likely to end up in an ICU or are sick. They are ramping up test production as fast as possible. Key issue I understand is reagent supplies and skills. Being told to self-isolate is about reducing impact from the 80%+ of minor cases on people who it is a high risk for, nothing more. They don't have the capacity to test the entire planet. No one does. Simply because it has to be done multiple times.

My takings from this are:

1. Live your life early on, not the carrot of retirement.
2. Take your health seriously.
3. Prepare for the worst (bog roll and beans) and hope for the best (steak and chips )

The planet can off us as a species almost instantly if the situation arises and no national government has a plan that can cover all scenarios. Knowing how this year is going already it'll be raining asteroids by July.

[1] lost 4kg weight in last 8 days, had sweats, 40oC temp, really nasty cough, chest infection, feel like shit but am still working (from home). I am self isolating as are my family for ref.

[Zero999]

I agree with you about the the containment measures currently put in place, but don't think they go far enough. For example barbers shops are still open near where I live and people still seem to be crowding. We're better off completely locking down the country and suffering greater short-term stress and economic loss, in return for stopping this thing, which will ultimately save both lives and money in the long run. China have proven it's possible to stop this. It's not too late.

Covid-19 testing and contact tracing are recommended by the world health organisation, have been implemented by China and South Korea and has worked very well over there and Germany is currently doing the same, with some success, so our government not doing it makes no sense. I agree it probably makes less sense for those such as yourself who can work from home and me, who isn't employed by an industry essential to the country's infrastructure, but it's sensible to prioritise testing of healthcare workers at whatever cost.

Yes, I emphatically agree with points #1 to #3, except don't panic buy bog role and beans!

Hope you feel better soon, you really have got it and it's not too bad for you.

By they way, don't take anything to bring your temperature down. It's helping your body fight the disease and will most likely result in a poorer outcome, even if it makes you feel better, in the short term.

[bd139]

I agree but unfortunately people are arseholes generally and don't give a shit past their own personal circumstances. They have to factor that into the calculations. I've seen packs of joggers going past this morning ffs. 

Yes I haven't taken any medication at all other than chocolate biscuits  . The immune response is to raise body temperature to destroy the virus so I've let it go. Just have to keep hydrated. Feeling better now apart from the chest but if it was that then I've had worse. Full blown chicken pox at the age of 28, for the second time, was much much much worse. Most people are asymptomatic. The kids have been around me past the incubation time and had a sniffy nose and that was it.

[langwadt]

I agree but unfortunately people are arseholes generally and don't give a shit past their own personal circumstances. They have to factor that into the calculations. I've seen packs of joggers going past this morning ffs. 

I just read places in Italy have military on the streets and 5000€ fines for being more than two together or leaving
home with out a valid reason, that shouldn't be needed if people got the message. If that kind force is needed in a
place  hit that hard I don't have big hopes for the rest of the world

[2N3055]

The planet can off us as a species almost instantly if the situation arises and no national government has a plan that can cover all scenarios. Knowing how this year is going already it'll be raining asteroids by July.

[1] lost 4kg weight in last 8 days, had sweats, 40oC temp, really nasty cough, chest infection, feel like shit but am still working (from home). I am self isolating as are my family for ref.

Yep. Yesterday in the morning capital of Croatia (Zagreb) had earthquake....  5,5 Richter scale. It's been shaking since, 57 smaller tremors since.
Government issued no travel order.

Hope you get better soon and that your family is OK.

Sinisa

[SiliconWizard]

By they way, don't take anything to bring your temperature down. It's helping your body fight the disease and will most likely result in a poorer outcome, even if it makes you feel better, in the short term.

Yes. Also, like with many other viral infections, anti-inflammatory drugs are a bad idea in general, as they can make things worse.
If your temperature gets too high to be safe, just call emergency.

[PlainName]

Covid-19 testing and contact tracing are recommended by the world health organisation, have been implemented by China and South Korea ...

Isn't it a numbers game? That is, you can do it if the numbers are low enough that you can achieve it, but once they get too high you can't possibly trace them all and then have to assume it's anyone. In China they isolated everyone so anyone that had it has had it by now, and anyone that isn't suffering doesn't have it. Now they can do contact tracing and make a difference because the numbers are manageable.

Don't know about Germany. If they are contact tracing how do we know it's working if their numbers are still going up?

[langwadt]

Here the government research institute that deals with infectious diseases and the likes is asking to
collect all location data from the phone companies to evaluate how well the "stay at home" works.
The phone are waiting for clarification of of the legality

I guess if they trace back the movements of those who are tested positive it could also help map the spread

[SiliconWizard]

Here the government research institute that deals with infectious diseases and the likes is asking to
collect all location data from the phone companies to evaluate how well the "stay at home" works.

Why not. Although I guess if this is made public, people will know they are traced. And those not willing to really comply/or fearing they might get in trouble being traced could just leave their phones home and get out...

[Zero999]

Covid-19 testing and contact tracing are recommended by the world health organisation, have been implemented by China and South Korea ...

Isn't it a numbers game? That is, you can do it if the numbers are low enough that you can achieve it, but once they get too high you can't possibly trace them all and then have to assume it's anyone. In China they isolated everyone so anyone that had it has had it by now, and anyone that isn't suffering doesn't have it. Now they can do contact tracing and make a difference because the numbers are manageable.

Don't know about Germany. If they are contact tracing how do we know it's working if their numbers are still going up?

Yes, there's a limit to the numbers, but it has been proven to be helpful in other countries with a larger number of cases than the UK.

[SilverSolder]

Here the government research institute that deals with infectious diseases and the likes is asking to
collect all location data from the phone companies to evaluate how well the "stay at home" works.

Why not. Although I guess if this is made public, people will know they are traced. And those not willing to really comply/or fearing they might get in trouble being traced could just leave their phones home and get out...

Very few young people appear to be able to survive for more than a few milliseconds without their phone...

[james_s]

I know seniors who are just as glued to their phone as kids. They are addictive devices, though useful. The difference with kids is that they never knew life without mobile phones.

[SiliconWizard]

Here the government research institute that deals with infectious diseases and the likes is asking to
collect all location data from the phone companies to evaluate how well the "stay at home" works.

Why not. Although I guess if this is made public, people will know they are traced. And those not willing to really comply/or fearing they might get in trouble being traced could just leave their phones home and get out...

Very few young people appear to be able to survive for more than a few milliseconds without their phone...

Good point. Those that have been seen to comply the least so far tend to be young people, and unless they were really ill-intentioned and wanted to hide their movements, they are likely to have their phones at all times. You can't completely rule out ill-intentioned people though...

[james_s]

We are already there - it affects all of us to some degree. Imagine for a moment if our Dave succumbed: are you suggesting that since we are rational engineers it wouldn't affect us any more than seeing some random name in a newspaper article?

Dave participates on the forum, I've interacted with him as have many others, if I had a good reason to contact him I could do that. There's a lot more connection there than most people have with typical celebrities, I mean Dave knows I exist at least, most ordinary people's relationships with celebrities are entirely one-way. So yeah if he died I'd be bummed and miss his presence here, however I don't think I'd mourn the same as if a family member or close personal friend had died. It's all relative.

[PlainName]

however I don't think I'd mourn the same as if a family member or close personal friend had died. It's all relative

  Good one!

I guess you missed the mass grief that Princess Di provoked when she went on her way. It was pretty over the top, but it does show that people do feel a connection even if it's only one way. It is natural for us. Celebrities score high because, well, they're celebrities. How do you think they get to BE celebrities in the first place? Of course, one's susceptibility to this kind of thing ranges from ludicrous (and you'd probably be a stalker) to 0 (and you' probably be a psychopath). But in normal people it is there, and it's why things like 'breaking the ice' work. And cons and scams, of course.

[SilverSolder]

Here the government research institute that deals with infectious diseases and the likes is asking to
collect all location data from the phone companies to evaluate how well the "stay at home" works.

Why not. Although I guess if this is made public, people will know they are traced. And those not willing to really comply/or fearing they might get in trouble being traced could just leave their phones home and get out...

Very few young people appear to be able to survive for more than a few milliseconds without their phone...

Good point. Those that have been seen to comply the least so far tend to be young people, and unless they were really ill-intentioned and wanted to hide their movements, they are likely to have their phones at all times. You can't completely rule out ill-intentioned people though...

There will be some a-holes around, but they are likely to find out to their cost that people are not quite as stupid as they think...

[james_s]

however I don't think I'd mourn the same as if a family member or close personal friend had died. It's all relative

  Good one!

I guess you missed the mass grief that Princess Di provoked when she went on her way. It was pretty over the top, but it does show that people do feel a connection even if it's only one way. It is natural for us. Celebrities score high because, well, they're celebrities. How do you think they get to BE celebrities in the first place? Of course, one's susceptibility to this kind of thing ranges from ludicrous (and you'd probably be a stalker) to 0 (and you' probably be a psychopath). But in normal people it is there, and it's why things like 'breaking the ice' work. And cons and scams, of course.

No, I didn't miss it, though I was only a teenager at the time and remember thinking "who cares?"  Why Americans seem so interested in the British royal family in general is a total mystery to me. I don't want any of them dead but I really don't give a rat's ass what they are up to on a day to day basis but it's all over the news any time one of them so much as farts.

[Mr. Scram]

Very few young people appear to be able to survive for more than a few milliseconds without their phone...

We give devices which have been very carefully and deliberately devised to "retain attention" to children and they do exactly what's expected?

[bd139]

Very few young people appear to be able to survive for more than a few milliseconds without their phone...

We give devices which have been very carefully and deliberately devised to "retain attention" to children and they do exactly what's expected?

Neither is true. We give them a device which gives them a social advantage and they use it, then we kick back and whine about it as if they don't have that social advantage while falling into irrelevance ourselves. Not joking but I'm staying at the bleeding edge with them and it has done me very well.

[EEVblog]

We are already there - it affects all of us to some degree. Imagine for a moment if our Dave succumbed: are you suggesting that since we are rational engineers it wouldn't affect us any more than seeing some random name in a newspaper article?

Dave participates on the forum, I've interacted with him as have many others, if I had a good reason to contact him I could do that. There's a lot more connection there than most people have with typical celebrities, I mean Dave knows I exist at least, most ordinary people's relationships with celebrities are entirely one-way. So yeah if he died I'd be bummed and miss his presence here, however I don't think I'd mourn the same as if a family member or close personal friend had died. It's all relative.

*cough* *cough*

[chickenHeadKnob]

*cough* *cough*

As long as gnif keeps the forum's wheels spinning I'm good.
...
...


Kidding, kidding, I'm just kidding

[EEVblog]

*cough* *cough*

As long as gnif keeps the forum's wheels spinning I'm good.

He has the keys to the server kingdom.

[Mr. Scram]

Neither is true. We give them a device which gives them a social advantage and they use it, then we kick back and whine about it as if they don't have that social advantage while falling into irrelevance ourselves. Not joking but I'm staying at the bleeding edge with them and it has done me very well.

I don't think there is much question about the addictive nature of smartphones they have by design. We should be mindful to balance advantages against the risks. They can be useful tools but now we're past the initial infatuation we'll need to figure out how to blunt the edge they seem to come with.