Off Topic Coronavirus

At our Studio we do get the odd visitor or two, probably a couple every two weeks, but we have our own scan poster displayed for the satisfaction/protection of anyone who visits. But it did cross my mind that while people (who decide to) scan on arrival they don’t when leaving so not picking up the 15mminute contact guidance. It doesn’t really matter at our Studio as they are always there longer than that, but it does seem very odd for supermarkets and high streets. Also scanning yourself twice (in and out) seems more reinforcing of habit, daily awareness and ownership by people.

 

When launched they admitted that the NHS app gets the contacts wrong 33% of the time because of problems with Bluetooth. But your numbers are clearly rubbish, it’s only meant to record people you are within 2 metres of for over 10 minutes. So unless all of the shoppers stood still in a scrum around you, it can’t be right. Get the feeling everyone who had scanned themselves into the shops at a similar time as you were recorded as a contact, regardless of distance.

Now how would you feel if one of these people, who you had had no genuine contact with, tested positive and you were told to self isolate? As far as I understand it you are not told who your contact was, or even where and when you were in contact with them. You can be fined for not complying with the isolation order.

I haven’t downloaded the app. I will if I need it to go to a pub or restaurant (no inclination at the moment) but will probably delete after each use.

 

I believe it doesn’t log you out so essentially anyone who is somewhere is there all day.

World-beating etc.

 

Seems far too hit and miss.
I'm not bothering.

 

Impressed with the turnaround on the results up here....

Work called yesterday just before 11am to tell me that one of my colleagues had tested positive for Covid, and could I get a test as they wouldn't allow me to return to work without the all-clear. Went online to the NHS Scotland website and booked a drive-thru test at Glasgow Airport (just under 20 miles away) for 1:30pm (you choose your half-hour slot) no issues. Confirmation of appointment sent through by both SMS and email.

Got to the test centre, well sign-posted from the entrance to the airport (they are using one of the long stay car parks), showed my QR code through the window (kept fully up all the way to the test station) and they stuck my test sheet to my wing mirror. Drove round to the testing point, with five testing stations each with at least 5 or 6 cars in the queue. Eventually drove forward and the medic got me to put down the window, asked some basic questions then carried out the swab test. Once complete, I was given a test complete card, which I had to show on my exit. All in all I was there for 20 minutes, but there was a constant flow of traffic coming through the entrance.

Text and email came through just after 8am this morning, all clear (which I was pretty sure it would be as I had COVID back in April) - not a bad turnaround at all. One of my colleagues had his test done at Prestwick Airport at 7pm last night and also had his results this morning. It will be interesting to see the turnaround of some of the guys who live down in England, there's a large bunch of them live in the Doncaster area....

 

The release of the new Bond film now delayed until spring next year, and as a result several cinema chains, including Cineworld, the largest, say they will close down permanently as they have nothing popular to show. Even when they did, the Christopher Nolan physics effort, apparently business was very slow.

The last time I went to the pictures was for Mad Max Fury Road, so can’t say I’ve done my bit to keep this industry going, but it’s a bit sad, and very sad for those who work in it.

 

I've only just seen this edit, Stainesy. Thanks so much for this extremely kind offer, but I wouldn't put you to the trouble on your day off. I'm all out of cake, anyway!

I'm going to phone the GP in the morning and will keep you posted.

Thanks again.

 

No worries mate, anytime. Offers still there if you need it.

 

So I can see the contact times ..on the list...and half of them seem to corrolate with roughly when I went into Tesco's.

There is a group 90 minutes later...that I cannot think what is was.

The second set are obviously related with a trip to Mand S.
There I only spent a limited time ( say 2-3 minutes) with the saleslady....no-one else.

As you say ...if one of the contacts tests positive...I have to isolate for 14 days or until I get a Covid test that is negative.
Annoying but doable for me...but people who work...!!?!

I am going to make a little diary this week ( because I am OCD ) and study this....
And I also have a birthday treat to the Ashmolean in Oxford...to see the Rembrandts....that should be an interesting test for the app

 

Presumably you have to book in advance to visit the Ashmolean? Happy birthday!

 

It's interesting reading about long Covid (all the best to your wife Steels).

My wife got ill in March 2019 and since then has had a series of problems - ectopic beats, shortness of breath (bending down, climbing stairs, hanging out washing), chest pains, brain fogs, poor concentration and tiredness.

She's had chronic fatigue since 2011 (triggered by stress but kicked in after a virus) which has never gone away.

After spending last year battling for any diagnosis (speculations of glandular fever, costachondritus, silent reflux, some rib displacement thing, menopause) and several trips to A&E worried about palpitations, I can't help to think that long covid is a relative of existing unexplained conditions.

Hopefully some effort might be made to get to the root of these post viral conditions because they are seriously life impacting and it sounds like long Covid is the worst of a bad bunch.

 

Yes you do and I have....birthday not for another week though and Oxford could be in lockdown by then though

 

Hi KooPeeArr
Sorry to hear about your wife, my best wishes to her. Sounds just like a postviral illness, and as you say longCovid is just another member of the family.
Viruses hide in the body and keep coming out for a new attempt at taking over. ME is thought to be another. The symptoms are always hard to pin down but as you say covid has made the medics far more interested in this sort of long running effects. Perhaps we will get to the bottom of it soon.. till then just try to keep you both as healthy as possible. Viruses don't like healthy people as much as less healthy ones

 

Trump on steroids too. Kitchen sink. Now, steroids are used to calm down inflammation caused by an over reactive immune response in seriously ill patients. They do not work, and indeed could be harmful, in patients with mild illness, where you actively want the immune system to kick in.

He could be leaving hospital on Monday, they say. COVID symptoms take around ten days to peak in patients who get them, with a bit of ebbing and flowing in how you feel over that time, as I’m sure those on here who have had it can confirm.

Draw your own conclusions but looks very odd to me.

 

You know I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but somehow this isn't adding up is it?

 

I suspect, as always, incompetence. Doctors and PR team not talking to each other. Clash between accuracy and positivity.

But, strange times......

 

Yep.

 

In the light of various theories on here about the origin of the CoVid19 virus, and the debate in the thread that has recently been shut by the super mods, I thought I'd share this link which I found helpful. Its about how to engage in dialogue with proponents of these theories.

I found it helpful and, after discussion with Beth, thought worth sharing.

https://www.technologyreview.com/20...lk-to-conspiracy-theorists-and-still-be-kind/

 

Conspiracy theories obviously circulate with extra strength during times of uncertainty such as now - the problem with most of them is that they don't know the concept of birth control. If you give credit to one then you are automatically led into others - as we saw in the thread which was closed. How can eg. a concern about people wearing masks lead to the so called Great Replacement Theory - one conspiracy theory leads into another. The problem I have is that many groups are using the Covid 19 crisis for their own political ends - where uncertainty, and a certain mistrust of political systems, is there then mostly hard right conspiracy theories will flourish. In most cases the originators of these theories are not actually interested in things like Covid 19 - but are using them as a 'way in' to attacking anything which they don't like and want to group into one package. The best method in cases like this is to try to expose their hidden agenda and bring it out into the light.

 

Very fair and good idea. I for one can probably learn from it.

Though, in my opinion, the protagonist on the closed thread was an aggressive propagandist for a sinister ideology rather than a simple conspiracy theorist.

And being kind works in more than one direction, if we are not careful it seems rather patronising.