kactus

For new vaccines, scientists need to assess the potential side effects of the drug and weigh the risks on the sample of people tried, which is what makes it time consuming....

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On another note though, I find it quite surprising that the level of spread of this virus is quite low in war zone areas like Syria with refugee problems. You would expect the magnitude of the spread in those regions showing a much higher proportion of people catching C.19.

It is one hell of a job to go down the conspiracy route. Given the kind of impact this virus had on stockmarket in recent days shrinking major economies to the magnitude incomparable in peace times...It is beyond comprehension why a government/s would do such a thing...

There's a lot of fake news around capitalising on this god damn virus....

It is a bit of a good news but as the interviewer said I am sceptic of 100% treatment of Coronavirus. Furthermore, we don't know about the side effects of malaria drug on Corona patients.

I do not think that's the way they calculate the mortality rate during an outbreak. The mortality rate is based on the number of cases reported and does not take into account unreported cases. Although this may not be an accurate representation (as in the case of Italy) where mortality rate is far higher suggesting there are many more asymptomatic cases unreported.

Wouldn't it be ironic if Trump was brought down by a virus from China named after a Mexican beer

For now...Wait until Canada reaches the peak just like Italy

Such a silly thread to blame a whole nation for this epidemy... This will just fuel hatred against another nation.

Given the numbers and the lack of the proactiveness from the italian government I am not actually surprised. Italy is a lesson for other western government not to repeat the same mistake. Fortunately with the WHO emphasis on "test" "test" "test" The UK and other western governments have stepped up the gear discussing with manufacturers to increase production of ventilators. Macron announced 300bn euro injection into the economy. Delay phase strategy has already started.

Too much dooms and glooms at the moment. Panic causes chaos. Chaos provides a perfect environment for this virus to grow...

One of the things known about this virus is that elderlies with weaker immune system can die from this disease. It affects their lungs and the whole body can shut down. It is not the best way for this group of people to catch the virus and “get over it” as many countries now including UK advocates elderlies to stay at home. Covid.19 is not a cold or a flu and old people with existing condition have died from the disease. Infact, the data on mortality rates amongst 70+ is much higher worldwide, which does make this group vulnerable.

Panic+ignorance is a combination that has caused mayhem for the government. Well, when you have a government that states we have the worst health crisis for generation and you are going to lose families and loved ones and on the same statement mention and by the way we are not banning school closures and mass gatherings do not get surprised when football bosses make their own decisions to postpone/ cancel matches. People get panicked and swamp supermarkets stockpile on staple food, toilet papers to the point of rationing.

Thanks for clarifying. Still not sure how flattening the curve can be achieved when mass gatherings is not yet banned by the government in England. Surely that will not prevent it from spreading.

I never claimed I was an expert in the area. That's why I put a question mark in my post if you had paid attention as I am really interested to learn more. I never said anything to contradict this. That may be the case with Italy as we know that many people had the virus for some time but did not report it. But we know the symptoms for Covid.19 Coughs, Fever, difficulty breathing, etc? Here's the definition of herd immunity. It is a formal term. the resistance to the spread of a contagious disease within a population that results if a sufficiently high proportion of individuals are immune to the disease, especially through vaccination. "the level of vaccination needed to achieve herd immunity varies by disease" My point of contention was that there is no vaccination for C.19 virus so exposing people to a virus that mutates can potentially be dangerous. This was the case with the second wave of Spanish flu when the virus mutation resulted in more deaths. There are a lot that is unknown about C.19. I never said I am panicking....I said older people with pre existing conditions catching this virus to build immunity are more predisposed to die from it. Again I use the example of the virus in Spanish flu once mutated resulted in more deadly wave. We don't know if C.19 will mutate but I merely asked the question in my original post. So don't shoot the messenger....

How so? Isn't it the case that the elderly's immune system with pre existing condition is already compromised and they are more vulnerable to die from the virus? The British government has explicitly said in a statement that UK has entered a delay phase to help ease the strain on NHS until summer. In doing so, he wants people to catch to virus and become immune to the virus. The elderlies are vulnerable and will die in the process. My point is that whilst the objective is to flatten the curve a lot of of elderly people will lose their lives.

On one hand you have panic Flattening that curve will mean compromising the health of elderlies or people with pre existing conditions that will inevitably put a strain on NHS as you suggested. I am actually wondering as to whether the ‘herd immunity’ idea will immunise antibody and save lives for those affected? But what if the virus further mutates? Given that there is no vaccination available for C.19 this would be quite concerning...

Why is it racist when Mexico i truces the ban but when Trump bans flights from all over Europe it is ok...

Also for those extolling the virtues of the greatest POTUS, this is the type of president whose vocabulary is confined to “great” or “tremendous” yet when it comes to even being asked a direct question about whether he is tested for Covid.19 he dodges the question. No gravitas but a pompous git with no legitimacy...

I am not condoning the behaviour. Just pointing out if there is a validity in linking eating bats or (mosquitos as rue has pointed) with Coronavirus. I cannot answer that as I have no appetite on feasting on these scavenges but those that do have apparently done it for years and I question if the argument is valid

I am just a bit pead off rue....It frustrates me with our own government so relaxed about this pandemic and do as politicians do by shifting the blame on somebody else. Trump has proved time and time again that he dies not have the ability to remain truthful and changes his stance whichever way the wind blows... I am really curious to understand from fellow Americans on this forum how Trump plans to support small businesses in the face of this pandemic. No country including the US can sustain their economy by closing their border to other countries.

I used to blame those people too but I hear they have been feasting on bat soups for years. Why now?

That’s because Trump is a tw&t and disgusting character. Just 48 hours ago on his speech he said everybody is ok and everything is under control and just this morning blaming the spread on Europeans admitting people from China and other hotspots...The guy does not have a single bit of integrity.....

Good riddance....I am not normally in favour of cursing ordinary people but the fewer Mullahs and their apparatus are alive the more Iranians will prosper. This regime has no mercy for Iranian people. Whilst Iranians are suffering they are supplying aid to Iraqis. Not that there's anything wrong with this but they have completely got their priority wrong. I have not shy away from expressing my opinion on this forum and being critical of the policies of Netanyahu. But Kudos to him and I respect his decision to quarantine people who come to visit Israel for 14 days. It shows that he cares about his people....