Coronavirus

[smcc]

1 hour ago, faraway saint said:

Interesting, from a year ago............................

I'm a doctor and an Infectious Diseases Specialist. I've been at this for more than 20 years seeing sick patients on a daily basis. I have worked in inner city hospitals and in the poorest slums of Africa. HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis,TB, SARS, Measles, Shingles, Whooping cough, Diphtheria...there is little I haven't been exposed to in my profession. And with notable exception of SARS, very little has left me feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed or downright scared.

I am not scared of Covid-19. I am concerned about the implications of a novel infectious agent that has spread the world over and continues to find new footholds in different soil. I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19.

What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. I am scared that our hospitals will be overwhelmed with anyone who thinks they " probably don't have it but may as well get checked out no matter what because you just never know..." and those with heart failure, emphysema, pneumonia and strokes will pay the price for overfilled ER waiting rooms with only so many doctors and nurses to assess.

I am scared that travel restrictions will become so far reaching that weddings will be canceled, graduations missed and family reunions will not materialize. And well, even that big party called the Olympic Games...that could be kyboshed too. Can you even

imagine?

I'm scared those same epidemic fears will limit trade, harm partnerships in multiple sectors, business and otherwise and ultimately culminate in a global recession.

But mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, openmindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested.

Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviors and "fight for yourself above all else" attitude could prove disastrous.

I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let's meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing.

Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts.

Our children will thank us for it.

I, too, was a doctor, although only a humble GP for nearly 40 years before I retired, and was a schoolboy at the time of the Asian Flu pandemic in the late 1950s. By some freak of nature I was the only boy in my class of 36 who did not contract the disease. The Hong Kong flu pandemic of 1968 occurred just after I started ii GP and I remember that our practice of 4 GPs often had over 100 requests for home visits per day. (Yes, those were the days when home visiting still happened).  I don't remember large numbers of deaths. Hospitals were not overwhelmed.

For me the striking thing about today's pandemic is the numbers of serious illness and deaths, and in view of my age and 50+ years of living with type 1 diabetes I have been taking sensible precautions as advised. I can't , however, condone the behaviour of groups like those Rangers fans who gathered outside Ibrox yesterday.

[faraway saint]

3 minutes ago, FTOF said:

There's definitely an element referring to scaremongering, and TBH he simply referred to all of the things that I'd imagine most rational people worried about. 

However his use of the phrase that I quoted was quite telling and dismissive IMO. I'm sure that others will have a different interpretation.

I'd also say that for every example of genuine "scaremongering" that there will events that were dismissed as "scaremongering" which actually came to pass and were indeed as bad as initially predicted.

The main thing that did for us was our lack of preparedness for this type of event, in every aspect of every day life. e.g. The Health service, financial institutions, education etc.

We seem to have adopted, pre-pandemic, the attitude that "it'll never happen".

Also, it's not just the deaths caused by the virus though. To give one example below.

NHS may face a million long Covid patients after pandemic | Long Covid | The Guardian

 

Not forgetting the massive waiting lists for almost every other ailment/illness that was on the go before the pandemic.

I know someone who was told it was a 55 week waiting list for a podiatry appointment. 

[faraway saint]

7 minutes ago, smcc said:

I, too, was a doctor, although only a humble GP for nearly 40 years before I retired, and was a schoolboy at the time of the Asian Flu pandemic in the late 1950s. By some freak of nature I was the only boy in my class of 36 who did not contract the disease. The Hong Kong flu pandemic of 1968 occurred just after I started ii GP and I remember that our practice of 4 GPs often had over 100 requests for home visits per day. (Yes, those were the days when home visiting still happened).  I don't remember large numbers of deaths. Hospitals were not overwhelmed.

For me the striking thing about today's pandemic is the numbers of serious illness and deaths, and in view of my age and 50+ years of living with type 1 diabetes I have been taking sensible precautions as advised. I can't , however, condone the behaviour of groups like those Rangers fans who gathered outside Ibrox yesterday.

This, football fans, hasn't been exclusively a Rangers issue. There's been umpteen similar situations over the last year when a team has achieved something and fans have gathered.

That's not to mention other groups who have seen it as their right to gather for various "demonstrations".

None of the above should have happened, but none are better or worse than each other. 

TBH there was no need to bring it into your, otherwise, decent post. 

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by faraway saint

[windae cleaner]

2 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

This, football fans, hasn't been exclusively a Rangers issue. There's been umpteen similar situations over the last year when a team has achieved something and fans have gathered.

That's not to mention other groups who have seen it as their right to gather for various "demonstrations".

None of the above should have happened, but none are better or worse than each other. 

TBH there was no need to bring it into your, otherwise, decent post. 

 

Anyone breaking the law resorts to whataboutery

[smcc]

7 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

This, football fans, hasn't been exclusively a Rangers issue. There's been umpteen similar situations over the last year when a team has achieved something and fans have gathered.

That's not to mention other groups who have seen it as their right to gather for various "demonstrations".

None of the above should have happened, but none are better or worse than each other. 

TBH there was no need to bring it into your, otherwise, decent post. 

 

I did not suggest that it was exclusively a Rangers issue; the Ibrox "demonstration" just happened to be fresh in my mind.  What I said was "I can't , however, condone the behaviour of groups like those Rangers fans who gathered outside Ibrox yesterday.

[faraway saint]

2 minutes ago, smcc said:

I did not suggest that it was exclusively a Rangers issue; the Ibrox "demonstration" just happened to be fresh in my mind.  What I said was "I can't , however, condone the behaviour of groups like those Rangers fans who gathered outside Ibrox yesterday.

I'm aware you "tip toed" around the point.

I'm also aware you, and many others, don't raise these other groups when they gather.

I'm out, there's too many threads and mentions of Rangers on this forum. 

 

[FTOF]

42 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

Not forgetting the massive waiting lists for almost every other ailment/illness that was on the go before the pandemic.

I know someone who was told it was a 55 week waiting list for a podiatry appointment. 

Indeed.

That's something I highlighted right at the start of all this. It's certainly an area, on reflection, that I think the NHS will look at and think that they could maybe have done better. 

[portmahomack saint]

8 hours ago, Sue Denim said:

Asks a middle class leftie ❤️

Me middle class  if only you knew,  I'm as close to middle class as Prince Charles is to working class

[portmahomack saint]

8 hours ago, Sue Denim said:

Asks a middle class leftie ❤️

Here is a clip of my Wedding video just before I took the plunge with auntie Betty stealing the limelight as usual,  

[oaksoft]

7 hours ago, bazil85 said:

Covid doesn’t discriminate against people regarding their social & political stance. 
 

Really?

Oh thank god you are here to educate us all on this. 

[bazil85]

1 hour ago, oaksoft said:

Really?

Oh thank god you are here to educate us all on this. 

Well we can’t all be posting the motivational vibes can we? 

Edited March 7, 2021 by bazil85

[Slarti]

Please accept my scorn...
“c. AND I would bet the house that you'll respond to this post due to that same argumentative impulse.

d. To repeat - if you DO respond to this - you'll be confirming your argumentative weakness.”

Here was me thinking that you were using reverse reverse psychology and that it clearly worked. [emoji16]

[Russian Saint]

Not forgetting the massive waiting lists for almost every other ailment/illness that was on the go before the pandemic.
I know someone who was told it was a 55 week waiting list for a podiatry appointment. [emoji20]

55 weeks for a Podiatry appointment??? FFS, I’d tell them to take a hike 🤭

[antrin]

7 hours ago, Russian Saint said:

 

55 weeks for a Podiatry appointment??? FFS, I’d tell them to take a hike 🤭

 

From September 2019, I was on a waiting list for a foot procedure.

 

It eventually got done 3 weeks ago. 

 

 

[ALBIONSAINT]

7 hours ago, Russian Saint said:

 

55 weeks for a Podiatry appointment??? FFS, I’d tell them to take a hike 🤭

 

There rushed off there feet 🦶😅

[Slarti]

From September 2019, I was on a waiting list for a foot procedure.
 
It eventually got done 3 weeks ago.  [emoji20]
 
 

You no' a bit auld to just be learning to walk?

[faraway saint]

[antrin]

4 hours ago, Slarti said:

4 hours ago, antrin said:

From September 2019, I was on a waiting list for a foot procedure.
 
It eventually got done 3 weeks ago. 
 
 

You no' a bit auld to just be learning to walk?

I now must learn how to hirple.

[Slarti]

I now must learn how to hirple.
[emoji4]

Hope that's no' affecting yer middle leg.

[faraway saint]

Did I pick up that wee Nicky has allowed up to 4 people can meet in an outside space yet up to 50 can meet at a church? 

[Cookie Monster]

Did I pick up that wee Nicky has allowed up to 4 people can meet in an outside space yet up to 50 can meet at a church? 

Naw.

[faraway saint]

5 minutes ago, Cookie Monster said:

34 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

Did I pick up that wee Nicky has allowed up to 4 people can meet in an outside space yet up to 50 can meet at a church? 

Naw.

Are you drunk again?

Maybe god will protect these 50 people. 

Rules on social interactions will be eased so up to four adults from two households will be able to meet outside from Friday.

Communal worship will be able to restart from Friday 26 March, The limit on attendance at communal services will also be increased from 20 people to 50, 

[ALBIONSAINT]

5 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

Are you drunk again?

Maybe god will protect these 50 people. 

Rules on social interactions will be eased so up to four adults from two households will be able to meet outside from Friday.

Communal worship will be able to restart from Friday 26 March, The limit on attendance at communal services will also be increased from 20 people to 50, 

Just you be careful, he is a vengeful god 😂

[faraway saint]

1 minute ago, ALBIONSAINT said:

Just you be careful, he is a vengeful god 😂

I've hired out the local church for a party. 

[ALBIONSAINT]

1 minute ago, faraway saint said:

I've hired out the local church for a party. 

Ah the long lost eleventh commandment: thou shall not drink beer in my house with less than 20 people 🥳