Off Topic Coronavirus

[Staines R's]

The problem is that one can very quickly turn into the other Staines. We are certainly seeing clusters of infections in Germany, all of which could become the epicentre of a second wave if no action is taken. It was to be predicted as soon as the summer holidays came to an end and the schools opened. They should have either prevented all unnecessary foreign travel or delayed school opening - relaxing both of these together was lunacy.

So are you saying at the moment it is just localised spikes but, in your opinion, these could evolve into a ‘second wave’ ?
On your point about school openings.....dunno where I read it (poss sky news app) that evidence suggests that schools being open will have no effect whatsoever on the spread of COVID, something I tend to agree with.......personally I think the effect on the next generation for the future by shutting schools, is far worse than any possible harm that could of been done by possibly spreading COVID.

 

[colognehornet]

Some very good points.....is anyone on here honestly concerned about touching cash and getting COVID ?

That’s fair enough Col, but I would suggest, and only in my opinion, it’s rather bizarre.

It might be a bit bizarre but I think most of these measures are a bit bizarre if treated in isolation. It's like having voles in the garden eating your veggies - single measures don't work Wearing masks and ignoring all other safety measures won't work, the same with standing a metre away from people. Common sense tells you to stop and think about everything - it is common sense to wash your hands well after using public transport or after touching anything which is used publicly such as when using money machines or public door handles. I guess that coins could transport some diseases (not sure about this one). The truth is that if everyone does all of these measures - in other words use their common sense, then we will see our way through this. I mean would you deliberately handle lots of coins and then stick your fingers in your mouth even if Covid 19 wasn't there - I wouldn't.

 

[colognehornet]

So are you saying at the moment it is just localised spikes but, in your opinion, these could evolve into a ‘second wave’ ?
On your point about school openings.....dunno where I read it (poss sky news app) that evidence suggests that schools being open will have no effect whatsoever on the spread of COVID, something I tend to agree with.......personally I think the effect on the next generation for the future by shutting schools, is far worse than any possible harm that could of been done by possibly spreading COVID.

I think the problem about schools is that reopening immediately after the summer holidays then you have lots of them returning from holidays abroad and subsequently going straight into the classroom. Although kids may not often show symptoms they can then infect teachers, who, in turn infect lots of others. The other point is that the officials who decide these things often have no idea whatsoever about how impossible social distancing is in most schools - it just doesn't work. What kids miss most are the social contacts at school, but these could have been replaced over the lockdown through other measures (not sure what, but a bit of imagination is required here) - we are deluding ourselves if we think that what they actually learn in the classroom is much use to them. I agree about the possible damage to the next generation - they could be known as the Covid generation. For those few who live in villages, or on farms the lockdown would have been ok. possibly great if you spent your time driving around in dad's tractor but for those in the city in high rise flats it must have been hell. My main point was that there should have been a time gap between the end of the holiday period (when a spike was to be expected) and the school return.

 

[Staines R's]

It might be a bit bizarre but I think most of these measures are a bit bizarre if treated in isolation. It's like having voles in the garden eating your veggies - single measures don't work Wearing masks and ignoring all other safety measures won't work, the same with standing a metre away from people. Common sense tells you to stop and think about everything - it is common sense to wash your hands well after using public transport or after touching anything which is used publicly such as when using money machines or public door handles. I guess that coins could transport some diseases (not sure about this one). The truth is that if everyone does all of these measures - in other words use their common sense, then we will see our way through this. I mean would you deliberately handle lots of coins and then stick your fingers in your mouth even if Covid 19 wasn't there - I wouldn't.

Do you wash your hands every time you touch a public door handle ? Or wash them in the supermarket after every time you touch an item or surface ? I definitely don’t and I suspect the vast majority don’t......therefore I find this obsession with some shops not accepting cash rather strange...

 

[Staines R's]

I think the problem about schools is that reopening immediately after the summer holidays then you have lots of them returning from holidays abroad and subsequently going straight into the classroom. Although kids may not often show symptoms they can then infect teachers, who, in turn infect lots of others. The other point is that the officials who decide these things often have no idea whatsoever about how impossible social distancing is in most schools - it just doesn't work. What kids miss most are the social contacts at school, but these could have been replaced over the lockdown through other measures (not sure what, but a bit of imagination is required here) - we are deluding ourselves if we think that what they actually learn in the classroom is much use to them. I agree about the possible damage to the next generation - they could be known as the Covid generation. For those few who live in villages, or on farms the lockdown would have been ok. possibly great if you spent your time driving around in dad's tractor but for those in the city in high rise flats it must have been hell. My main point was that there should have been a time gap between the end of the holiday period (when a spike was to be expected) and the school return.

Again, and I think I read it in the same report I mentioned earlier, I thought children are known not to be prolific spreaders or receptors of the virus....and the chances of them passing it on are minimal.

 

[colognehornet]

Do you wash your hands every time you touch a public door handle ? Or wash them in the supermarket after every time you touch an item or surface ? I definitely don’t and I suspect the vast majority don’t......therefore I find this obsession with some shops not accepting cash rather strange...

Most supermarkets in Germany have disinfectant sprays for use upon entry as should every public building. I can't really comment upon the cash issue because I've not come across this in Germany - I agree it sounds strange. I wash my hands, on average, about 5-6 times per day - but this would be normal, with or without Covid 19. Anyone that doesn't wash their hands after using eg. public transport would need to be stupid.

 

[colognehornet]

Again, and I think I read it in the same report I mentioned earlier, I thought children are known not to be prolific spreaders or receptors of the virus....and the chances of them passing it on are minimal.

I can't really comment on this but I know that kids are great spreaders of most other diseases as teachers well know. Which leads onto another aspect - the world's population has never been as healthy as it is now because as a result of social distancing many other diseases have been kept in check, The normal influenza wave was cut dead in its tracks, and many other diseases such as Tuberculosis have also been remarkably reduced this year. I've even heard that the numbers of sexually transmitted diseases have also gone down.

 

[Staines R's]

Most supermarkets in Germany have disinfectant sprays for use upon entry as should every public building. I can't really comment upon the cash issue because I've not come across this in Germany - I agree it sounds strange. I wash my hands, on average, about 5-6 times per day - but this would be normal, with or without Covid 19. Anyone that doesn't wash their hands after using eg. public transport would need to be stupid.

What I’m trying to say is why is the use of cash being curtailed ? Just doesn’t make a lot of logical sense to me

 

[Staines R's]

I can't really comment on this but I know that kids are great spreaders of most other diseases as teachers well know. Which leads onto another aspect - the world's population has never been as healthy as it is now because as a result of social distancing many other diseases have been kept in check, The normal influenza wave was cut dead in its tracks, and many other diseases such as Tuberculosis have also been remarkably reduced this year. I've even heard that the numbers of sexually transmitted diseases have also gone down.

Regretfully, TB, which was once almost wiped out in this country, is indeed making an upsurge. I see it very often in the patients I go to

 

[colognehornet]

What I’m trying to say is why is the use of cash being curtailed ? Just doesn’t make a lot of logical sense to me

I guess that this might be a panic reaction in as much as that we're in a unique situation (at least as far as modern society is concerned). It is true that handling lots of coins is a very unhygienic thing to do and could be dangerous with other diseases which are transmitted by touch - apparently money was not used during the times of the Black Death in the middle ages, and would still be risky if the Bubonic Plague returned. The same is true of some other diseases, but this one is caused primarily by airborne droplets. I don't know if anyone has actually caught this disease by touch - I don't know if they can actually determine how it was contracted in each individual case. I have not heard of anyone refusing cash here - but then most Germans don't use credit cards anyway.

 

[bobmid]

Again, and I think I read it in the same report I mentioned earlier, I thought children are known not to be prolific spreaders or receptors of the virus....and the chances of them passing it on are minimal.

There do seem to be conflicting reports and articles everywhere. One thing I am certain of is that the infection rate will considerably increase when schools reopen. I hope I'm wrong but I very much doubt it.

 

[ELLERS]

One thing I am certain of is that the infection rate will considerably increase when schools reopen.

You need to stop looking in your crystal ball Bob.

 

[Staines R's]

I guess that this might be a panic reaction in as much as that we're in a unique situation (at least as far as modern society is concerned). It is true that handling lots of coins is a very unhygienic thing to do and could be dangerous with other diseases which are transmitted by touch - apparently money was not used during the times of the Black Death in the middle ages, and would still be risky if the Bubonic Plague returned. The same is true of some other diseases, but this one is caused primarily by airborne droplets. I don't know if anyone has actually caught this disease by touch - I don't know if they can actually determine how it was contracted in each individual case. I have not heard of anyone refusing cash here - but then most Germans don't use credit cards anyway.

Here is very different with many shops and businesses actually refusing cash and insisting on people using ‘touchless’ bank cards.....We even had a bizarre case recently where a woman was sacked from her job because she let elderly people pay by cash (against the companies rules) and use her own card.....as I said, it all seems rather odd and with no firm evidence that this can be spread by banknotes...I keep asking myself why.

 

[Staines R's]

There do seem to be conflicting reports and articles everywhere. One thing I am certain of is that the infection rate will considerably increase when schools reopen. I hope I'm wrong but I very much doubt it.

What makes you think that Bob.....? Any evidence to point to this or just your gut feeling ? Genuine question as I think the opposite and think it will have no influence whatsoever (just a gut feeling on my part)

 

[Staines R's]

You need to stop looking in your crystal ball Bob.

Just like you need to start answering straight forward questions Ellers......people would respect you more for it (Just my personal opinion Ellers, but I’m pretty sure many on here would agree mate)

 

[bobmid]

What makes you think that Bob.....? Any evidence to point to this or just your gut feeling ? Genuine question as I think the opposite and think it will have no influence whatsoever (just a gut feeling on my part)

Just a feeling mate. We will soon find out though and I really do hope I'm wrong.

 

[bobmid]

You need to stop looking in your crystal ball Bob.

Its served me well enough up to date

 

[rangercol]

That’s fair enough Col, but I would suggest, and only in my opinion, it’s rather bizarre.

Why?
I'm the wrong end of my fifties and I'd rather not get this virus, that seems to have an outside chance of making me quite/very ill.
This friend is a retired liver specialist and was at the top of his game.
I'm not obsessive about things and I've continued to work throughout, because I believed it was ok for me to do so.

What's bizarre about trying to do the best you can for you and your family?
There are too many people criticising people who take precautions, who end up affected by the virus themselves.

 

[rangercol]

What I’m trying to say is why is the use of cash being curtailed ? Just doesn’t make a lot of logical sense to me

There was a lot of medical advice early on that metal was a surface that harboured the virus, including coins.
I think you're being rather argumentative mate.

 

[Stroller]

Why?
I'm the wrong end of my fifties and I'd rather not get this virus, that seems to have an outside chance of making me quite/very ill.
This friend is a retired liver specialist and was at the top of his game.
I'm not obsessive about things and I've continued to work throughout, because I believed it was ok for me to do so.

What's bizarre about trying to do the best you can for you and your family?
There are too many people criticising people who take precautions, who end up affected by the virus themselves.

Each to their own I suppose, but I find washing money a bit weird. Have you been to the pub or eaten in restaurants since they re-opened?