The Covid-19 community thread

by **RDW** Thu 19 Mar 2020, 9:37 am

First topic message reminder :

With not much sport going on I want to create a thread for anything to do with the global pandemic.

Feel free to use it however you want.

If you need to release stress or anxiety about what's going on to a bunch of strangers who don't know you then go ahead.

If you're self isolating and want some benign chat then crack on.

If you're struggling and looking for anyone to help with anything then reach out here and see if anyone can help out.

This may not be used or it may kick off and help someone out - either way please be nice. We're literally all in it together!

by **Pr4wn** Mon 21 Dec 2020, 10:04 am

I'm currently back in Jersey, had a family bereavement that I had to get back to deal with. Was supposed to have some extended time here with family and friends (I don't have any in the Philippines, really) but, given the flood of travel bans that are being put in place on the UK, I've had to change my booking to go back on Wednesday.

Mandatory 2 weeks isolation when I arrive, so I'll be in isolation on Christmas and New Year. Not sure how this period could be much worse.

by **RDW** Mon 21 Dec 2020, 10:11 am

Sorry to hear about your loss Pr4wn - there's never a good time but this is a particular awful time for it.

I had one a few weeks ago too which sucked - I obviously couldn't go being in Australia but my family said the funeral was really tough with all the restrictions. My sister had to travel from Aberdeen to Edinburgh and sit on her own the whole time throughout the funeral. No one able to console each other.

Will you be needing to isolate on your own? And does it need to be in a hotel like in Australia?

by **RDW** Mon 21 Dec 2020, 10:38 am

I've got to say I'm feeling pretty bleak about the events of the last few days. Our families back home are pretty miserable and it definitely feels like breaking point has been reached for a lot of people. They've been sensible and taken few risks all year and it's just never ending.

Now in Sydney there is what could be a new mass outbreak - the contact tracers are so good here they've identified something like 100 venues that had a visit from a Covid positive person. Everyone is on edge waiting for the daily announcements as it means a Covid test AND 14 days self quarantine if you were there at the same time!

The world is desperately in need of some good news.

by **Pr4wn** Mon 21 Dec 2020, 11:10 am

We need to isolate in a hotel for 1-2 nights until we get our negative test result back. Then we need to isolate at home for 2 weeks.

by super_realist Mon 21 Dec 2020, 11:57 am

Pr4wn wrote:We need to isolate in a hotel for 1-2 nights until we get our negative test result back. Then we need to isolate at home for 2 weeks.

Thiugjtbit was 10 days now?

by **Pr4wn** Mon 21 Dec 2020, 12:18 pm

14 days in the Philippines.

by **RDW** Mon 21 Dec 2020, 9:33 pm

Aye the UK seems to be going solo on the 10 day thing. It's 14 days in Aus too.

by **LondonTiger** Tue 22 Dec 2020, 11:00 am

RDW wrote:Aye the UK seems to be going solo on the 10 day thing. It's 14 days in Aus too.

TBH I think the reduction to 10 days was not based on any scientific evidence but rather a belief that people were not complying with with the 14 days.

My ex-wife is a senior ICU Consultant in London. At a London wide briefing over the weekend it was declared that adult intensive care beds are now at capacity (90%+ occupancy) with over half those patients Covid. Elctive operations (ie non-emergency) are now being cancelled as no beds for recovery and adults are now being placed in paediatric ICU. I have tried (at home at least) to stay positive but it does start to look as if the system is close to breaking point. We are already seeing patients triaged in teh car parks, treated in corridors etc.

by super_realist Tue 22 Dec 2020, 11:08 am

LondonTiger wrote:
RDW wrote:Aye the UK seems to be going solo on the 10 day thing. It's 14 days in Aus too.

TBH I think the reduction to 10 days was not based on any scientific evidence but rather a belief that people were not complying with with the 14 days.

My ex-wife is a senior ICU Consultant in London. At a London wide briefing over the weekend it was declared that adult intensive care beds are now at capacity (90%+ occupancy) with over half those patients Covid. Elctive operations (ie non-emergency) are now being cancelled as no beds for recovery and adults are now being placed in paediatric ICU. I have tried (at home at least) to stay positive but it does start to look as if the system is close to breaking point. We are already seeing patients triaged in teh car parks, treated in corridors etc.

Since when have the government used science? They're back to listening to the discredited Neil Ferguson again.

by **LondonTiger** Tue 22 Dec 2020, 11:12 am

by lostinwales Tue 22 Dec 2020, 7:15 pm

Given the discussion on 'black swan' events this also seems appropriate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-2isJqqAKY

by king_carlos Tue 22 Dec 2020, 7:55 pm

Completely unrelated to 2020 or current events but a pal sent me that last night as it's a skit that never ceases to cheer me up.

by doctor_grey Thu 24 Dec 2020, 12:44 am

super_realist wrote:
LondonTiger wrote:
RDW wrote:Aye the UK seems to be going solo on the 10 day thing. It's 14 days in Aus too.

TBH I think the reduction to 10 days was not based on any scientific evidence but rather a belief that people were not complying with with the 14 days.

My ex-wife is a senior ICU Consultant in London. At a London wide briefing over the weekend it was declared that adult intensive care beds are now at capacity (90%+ occupancy) with over half those patients Covid. Elctive operations (ie non-emergency) are now being cancelled as no beds for recovery and adults are now being placed in paediatric ICU. I have tried (at home at least) to stay positive but it does start to look as if the system is close to breaking point. We are already seeing patients triaged in teh car parks, treated in corridors etc.

Since when have the government used science? They're back to listening to the discredited Neil Ferguson again.

Over here in New Jersey, things are slightly better than at home. But parts of the US are a train wreck. In Los Angeles county the ICU beds are over capacity and the docs, nurses, and support staff are at the physical and emotional breaking point. Here in northern NJ, people have always taken a bit more care than other parts of the country and there were never big crowds hanging at bars or pubs. I do a lot of A&E work and it is heartbreaking to see people come in with their lungs failing and genuine fear in their eyes. The federal government led by Trump has virtually no cohesive strategy outside of throwing some money at a couple of pharmaceutical firms to expedite their R&D. Everything else is left to the states. Generally speaking the northeast states worked well together and people seemed to get it. But some states are f**k-all stupid and are doing WTF they want, so as not to upset some people. And for them, the science be damned. And it's not really even science, just plain common sense. Some people just don't understand that we do this all together or not at all. And every time someone or some group does something stupid, it sets the whole process back. Sorry for the rant, just in alcohol withdrawal which I plan to remedy........

by lostinwales Thu 24 Dec 2020, 1:12 pm

super_realist wrote:
LondonTiger wrote:
RDW wrote:Aye the UK seems to be going solo on the 10 day thing. It's 14 days in Aus too.

TBH I think the reduction to 10 days was not based on any scientific evidence but rather a belief that people were not complying with with the 14 days.

My ex-wife is a senior ICU Consultant in London. At a London wide briefing over the weekend it was declared that adult intensive care beds are now at capacity (90%+ occupancy) with over half those patients Covid. Elctive operations (ie non-emergency) are now being cancelled as no beds for recovery and adults are now being placed in paediatric ICU. I have tried (at home at least) to stay positive but it does start to look as if the system is close to breaking point. We are already seeing patients triaged in teh car parks, treated in corridors etc.

Since when have the government used science? They're back to listening to the discredited Neil Ferguson again.

Ferguson was never the problem

by super_realist Thu 24 Dec 2020, 1:21 pm

lostinwales wrote:
super_realist wrote:
LondonTiger wrote:
RDW wrote:Aye the UK seems to be going solo on the 10 day thing. It's 14 days in Aus too.

TBH I think the reduction to 10 days was not based on any scientific evidence but rather a belief that people were not complying with with the 14 days.

My ex-wife is a senior ICU Consultant in London. At a London wide briefing over the weekend it was declared that adult intensive care beds are now at capacity (90%+ occupancy) with over half those patients Covid. Elctive operations (ie non-emergency) are now being cancelled as no beds for recovery and adults are now being placed in paediatric ICU. I have tried (at home at least) to stay positive but it does start to look as if the system is close to breaking point. We are already seeing patients triaged in teh car parks, treated in corridors etc.

Since when have the government used science? They're back to listening to the discredited Neil Ferguson again.

Ferguson was never the problem

He's a reputation for getting stuff wrong.

by **RDW** Thu 24 Dec 2020, 8:46 pm

Remembering this is the community thread, Merry Christmas everyone from down under!

I'm sure a lot of people won't be overly merry this year but I hope everyone can find something that makes them happy. Wallaby

by lostinwales Thu 24 Dec 2020, 9:04 pm

super_realist wrote:
lostinwales wrote:
super_realist wrote:
LondonTiger wrote:
RDW wrote:Aye the UK seems to be going solo on the 10 day thing. It's 14 days in Aus too.

TBH I think the reduction to 10 days was not based on any scientific evidence but rather a belief that people were not complying with with the 14 days.

My ex-wife is a senior ICU Consultant in London. At a London wide briefing over the weekend it was declared that adult intensive care beds are now at capacity (90%+ occupancy) with over half those patients Covid. Elctive operations (ie non-emergency) are now being cancelled as no beds for recovery and adults are now being placed in paediatric ICU. I have tried (at home at least) to stay positive but it does start to look as if the system is close to breaking point. We are already seeing patients triaged in teh car parks, treated in corridors etc.

Since when have the government used science? They're back to listening to the discredited Neil Ferguson again.

Ferguson was never the problem

He's a reputation for getting stuff wrong.

He has a reputation for being a fall guy.

Models are models and open to interpretation. They need adjusting as more knowledge is gained, but how and when those adjustments are made can make them easy targets for those who would look for fault and places to lay the blame.

by doctor_grey Thu 24 Dec 2020, 9:23 pm

Ferguson was one advisor amongst many. And he was in general out to lunch. But so were many others around the world, either by misinterpretation, wishful thinking, creating parallels to diseases already known, or for political purposes (this last group has a special place waiting for them).

I am off to work covering the Christmas Eve overnight shift. I remember a few years ago Boxing Day (celebrated here by returning gifts to shops) was on a Saturday and I had the Rugby streamed into the OR. Unfortunately, this is 2020.......

Merry Christmas and Hasta Mañana.

by **Pr4wn** Thu 24 Dec 2020, 9:35 pm

RDW wrote:Aye the UK seems to be going solo on the 10 day thing. It's 14 days in Aus too.

We weren't able to get away in the end. The Philippine govt introduced a travel ban on all passengers arriving from the UK until the new year, so we're staying put for now.

by doctor_grey Fri 25 Dec 2020, 3:05 pm

Happy and Merry Christmas to all. Just got home a from my overnight A&E shift and have a heart breaking but uplifting short story to share.

A couple came in overnight after their car was hit by a drunk driver. She was mostly OK, but her husband was extremely high risk due to injuries and blood loss (we got phenomenally lucky in the end). Due to Covid-19 restrictions we couldn't allow her in to see him. On some holidays we pump music through the communications systems in the public areas. Since he knew he his chances were poor he asked us to pump the following song through to let his wife knows he was thinking of her in case he would never see her again. This literally tore us up. Shows in the depth of Covid and tragic loss, the better parts of all of us. Just a short listen and think of the context. Will never think of this song the same way ever again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tWOiipIsG4&list=PLGPjAvLOPMts4kv_WmRJZeeIzR672dggX

by jimbopip Fri 25 Dec 2020, 3:32 pm

Merry Chrimbo doc. The Boss hits the spot every time.

by **RDW** Fri 25 Dec 2020, 9:23 pm

That's an incredibly moving story Doc and a great effort from you and the team.

Brucey is a God to me and my family so fully appreciate the link too!

Hope you got a well earned whisky or something similar after that shift.

by doctor_grey Sat 02 Jan 2021, 5:32 pm

Here's a nice ending to the story I told above. The gent I mentioned had serious injuries and our med team were very lucky (the vascular surgeons took a completely unorthodox and brilliant approach) and he left hospital this morning in a wheelchair with his wife and family. Someone organised over 40 staff standing outside spaced and wearing their masks singing the song I mentioned above as he left. Everyone was singing, and loving every second of it. And we were joined by his wife and family, of course, but also just people going in or out, patients, staff, just folks who may or may not have known the history there. Since I was the one who broke hospital rules and piped the song through (in a fine disregard of the rules), I could not think of a better way to start the year.

And absolutely, The Boss is always right on the money.....

by **BigGee** Sat 02 Jan 2021, 9:12 pm

Having been doing my time in a London Hospital over the holiday period, there have not been to many good news stories to share unfortunately.

That one is good to hear!

by **RDW** Sat 02 Jan 2021, 9:44 pm

That's a great positive news story to start the year!

by **RiscaGame** Sun 03 Jan 2021, 12:41 am

Thanks for that story and update Doc. Top person for sharing it.

by yappysnap Mon 11 Jan 2021, 2:57 am

Happy New Year everyone.

Living in NZ it's easy to forget what the rest of the world is still dealing with, it's great to hear stories like Doc's with some good news amongst the bad.

Good luck to everyone dealing with isolation and Covid. Stay strong.

by **RDW** Mon 11 Jan 2021, 3:52 am

I have a similar feeling in Australia but we have had a few outbreaks recently to keep us on our toes. I'm not going to lie I have a lot of 'survivors guilt' about having a relatively normal life out here, knowing my family and friends are all close to breaking point at home. If we were still living in London we would have had a really bad year in 2020! We definitely pick and chose the photos we send home - for example this weekend I don't think people really wanted to see us at the beach in the sun when it was -6 in Scotland....

Joking aside our families are happy that we're (relatively) safe and able to have some kind of normality out here, as it helps make up for the fact that we're stranded with no real chance to get home (or more accurately, if we did get home we'd be stuck in the UK for several months unable to get back to Aus, which isn't really an option with our work and entire lives now being out here).

We had always been targeting June as heading home for a friend's wedding but that isn't looking overly likely just now. I can't see us going home until we don't have to isolate on either end of the journey, and it will likely be later this year before that's going to happen - if at all this year.

So we could be faced with 18 months or more without seeing our families. That isn't overly rare for people who move over this side of the world, but in a normal life our original plans would have worked out around every 6 months either people visiting us or us heading home. Mrs RDW is definitely struggling not knowing how long it will be - she's very close with her mum in particular and is getting incredibly homesick. Being stuck with me all the time not helping!

by alfie Mon 11 Jan 2021, 4:06 am

Hope you get a chance to travel earlier than you fear , RDW...though I suspect you are right to be a bit pessimistic .
We were also hoping to get over to the UK again this year to see some elderly relatives but are more or less resigned to having to put those plans on hold for a fair while.
Two edged sword isn't it ? On the one hand you are thankful to be living in a "safe" environment ; but also helpless to do anything more than hope and pray for those in the increasingly dangerous situation in the old country.

Guess we just keep our fingers crossed and hope the vaccine roll out brings things under control sooner rather than later. My thoughts are with all those doing it tough through this wretched time...

by **RDW** Mon 11 Jan 2021, 4:27 am

You've not exactly had an easy time of it alfie if you're based in Melbourne! Until a few months ago you'd probably been in lockdown longer than in the UK.

I agree on the helpless feeling. I've already missed the funeral of an elderly family member - one that I probably would have gone home for - and it was really tough not being around at that time. Without being too negative about things, I'm so nervous about anything else going wrong back home as I really don't want to be in the position of having to decide whether to go home or not. The practicalities of getting home just now and getting back would just make it a non-starter - I think there is something like 40,000 Aussies who have been waiting months and months to get a flight back to Aus from the UK, not helped by the cap on foreign travel being reduced even more recently due to the new UK strain. Not to mention how high risk international travel is and the fact we also don't want Covid ourselves!

But again though I feel guilty about feeling frustrated about these things given how 'lucky' we are out here!

by doctor_grey Fri 26 Feb 2021, 2:31 pm

Her Majesty commenting on the vaccine. I wish we would see more leadership like this: "think about others..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imMogk-UC7k

by **RDW** Tue 23 Mar 2021, 5:41 am

How's everyone doing?

I actually had the Astrazenica vaccine today - the 'benefit' of being classed at risk is I managed to get into Phase 1b here in Aus, which is the group immediately after frontline workers. It was an amazingly simple system - you just went online and booked a timeslot, and there were loads available. I only went on it yesterday and got it today! The Phase 1b rollout only started yesterday.

The average Australian is pretty skeptical about the vaccine as for most of them Covid has basically just been a minor inconvenience - they have no idea just how bad its been in the rest of the world, whereas ex-pats obviously keep up to date with the UK. There definitely needs to be a lot of education done here as I hear a lot of "I'm not getting it, it's been rushed through and isn't safe" chat. For me I wanted it ASAP, as will my wife, as for us it's the key to being able to see our friends and family again at some point this year!

I suspect my experience was very different from the average UK person. There's no mass vaccination centres here and it's all done by the GPs. I was called in and the doctor said "so how can I help?", and I was like "um, I'm here for my Covid vaccine...?".

Completely different world here!

by alfie Tue 23 Mar 2021, 6:03 am

One step closer to your being able to travel again ,RDW ...though I think it will still be a while before you can make it back to the UK. Heartening to see the rollout in Britain is going so well nevertheless and hopefully these latest Euro shenanigans over vaccine supplies don't mess it up ! Good to see those terrible daily death figures are coming down - fingers crossed the trend continues.
I am in the over 70 group so will be able to get jabbed soon enough - not in any huge rush , happy to wait until called : wife being a few years younger so I'm sure we will both be "done" well before we contemplate getting on a plane again...

Not too bothered about the skeptics : as long as they don't form too large a group they probably won't derail the herd immunity once the general population has been immunized. And as you say , the situation here is very different from that in much of the world.

by **RDW** Tue 23 Mar 2021, 6:19 am

Oh yeah I don't see us being able to fly home until at least October/November at the earliest. If it's reliant on having a vaccine I think it will be Mrs RDW that is the hold up - as she's young fit and healthy ish (damn her) she'll probably not be able to get hers until June/July. Add on the 12 weeks for round 2 and that's September/October plus a couple of weeks for the antibodies to get going.

I actually think it's more likely our parents will be able to come visit here before we're able to get home, but that's hugely dependent on Australia's attitude to border closure, which is a huge unknown just now. The chief medical officer did hint at easing border restrictions from certain countries and those vaccinated, but it's a long way off I reckon. I'm guessing it will also be heavily dependent on data on how effective the vaccines are at quashing transmissions - I'm sure the UK will feed heavily into that data set.

by alfie Tue 23 Mar 2021, 6:33 am

Yes the tricky thing with Australian border closure predictions is this state-based system : you never know when one Premier or other is going to react sharply to the odd case popping up. Think the feds are keener to see things opening up quicker ; but not all in their control.
I am resigned to waiting until 2022 for international travel (possible exception NZ ?). My elderly Aunt won't fly long haul so it will be up to us to make the trip and I'm hopefully looking at next northern spring...

by **Pr4wn** Tue 23 Mar 2021, 9:26 am

I came back to Jersey from the Philippines in November due to a bereavement and I've been stuck here since. Philippines cases are getting much worse and they've not been allowing foreign nationals in since December. My wife had to go back as she runs a business there and I've not seen her in over two months.

Have had to quit my Philippine job as I'm not able to work the hours. Bloody rubbish.

by lostinwales Tue 23 Mar 2021, 11:17 am

Pr4wn wrote:I came back to Jersey from the Philippines in November due to a bereavement and I've been stuck here since. Philippines cases are getting much worse and they've not been allowing foreign nationals in since December. My wife had to go back as she runs a business there and I've not seen her in over two months.

Have had to quit my Philippine job as I'm not able to work the hours. Bloody rubbish.

Sorry to hear that. Not good at all.

by **RDW** Wed 24 Mar 2021, 5:30 am

That sucks Pr4wn. Hopefully the future is looking a bit brighter.

Tell you what I've been absolutely floored by Astrazenica - I literally didn't sleep last night as I had the shakes, a banging headache and dizziness. Feeling much better now a day and a half later.

Having spoken to friends and family back home this seems to be a pretty common side effect with AZ - feeling awful for 24 hours then fine after that. Conversely Pfizter just seems to give you a sore arm and that's it.

I'd definitely recommend people blocking off the day after their AZ jab just in case!

by BamBam Wed 24 Mar 2021, 9:32 am

Sorry to hear that Pr4wn, hope it gets resolved soon.

I got the AZ vaccine on Friday, a lot earlier than expected. My experience is nothing more than a sore arm! My wife and sister both had AZ a few weeks ago, and were completely floored for a couple of days, so my not very scientific analysis is that fat lads are fairing better with it than those with less body mass

Either that or the other prevailing theory I've heard is AZ hits you worse if you've previously had COVID

by **superflyweight** Wed 24 Mar 2021, 4:13 pm

I've heard that the AZ will only floor you if you're carrying an STD.

by **Galted** Wed 24 Mar 2021, 6:17 pm

superflyweight wrote:I've heard that the AZ will only floor you if you're carrying an STD.

My wife wasn't in great shape after the AZ, I was quite supportive until I read your post. Think I'll hit her in the face with one of her mops as soon as she's finished breaking my new Hi-Tecs in.

by **JuliusHMarx** Wed 24 Mar 2021, 6:35 pm

RDW wrote:Tell you what I've been absolutely floored by Astrazenica - I literally didn't sleep last night as I had the shakes, a banging headache and dizziness. Feeling much better now a day and a half later.

Pretty much the same for me, after my AZ jab on Sunday.

Can't be due to STD, because I'm married which rules out the S part.

by **Galted** Wed 24 Mar 2021, 7:58 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:
RDW wrote:Tell you what I've been absolutely floored by Astrazenica - I literally didn't sleep last night as I had the shakes, a banging headache and dizziness. Feeling much better now a day and a half later.

Pretty much the same for me, after my AZ jab on Sunday.

Can't be due to STD, because I'm married which rules out the S part.

Hmm, starting to make sense.

by **RDW** Wed 24 Mar 2021, 8:20 pm

by doctor_grey Fri 26 Mar 2021, 8:03 pm

In my family between us all we have had Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. AZ not available here yet. No one had any problems though I have seen problems with Moderna. A few if my old running mates and colleagues back home had similar issues with AZ. We just gotta keep going.

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