Coronavirus - worldwide spread and control

[Invisible Woman]

A question: Are people with ME particularly worried about coronavirus along with other groups who might have compromised immune systems? Are folks taking any particular precautions? Just curious.

I'm in the south east of England. I'm pretty much housebound all the time. Might make it out once a week and, ME permitting, I'll still go out. Having said that I live in a relatively rural location.

My husband sometimes has to go in to a city for for work. Has to fill the car with fuel. All the normal stuff. We're aware, but beyond handwashing & common sense hygiene, not a lot we can do.

We tend to fill our freezer every few months anyway, but if there's a supply issue with fresh fruit and veg then we'll have to deal with it.

 

[Wonko]

I'm following the official advice, of other governments not the UK one, and not going out into crowded places, rarely going out at all.

This isn't for fear of CV - it's just life (there doesn't appear to be a maniacal giggling smiley)

ETA - I am not concerned about catching CV. I am concerned about other people catching it, not for any altruistic reasons but because if enough others catch it then it is likely to impact things that I need. I need power, water, internet, delivery of things, and for supply chains to work, to survive. I cannot go traipsing around looking for things (even if that was permitted), I can't get anywhere without public transport and even if I could walk a reasonable distance I can't carry sod all.

So yep, CV 'concerns' me, a little, it's only because of the fiasco that was H1N1 in the UK that I feel less concerned as to it's likely impact on my environment.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

Why does this (hypothetically) increase susceptibility?

There is something odd about HLA-B27 in several respects. If I remember rightly it is associated with the slowest conversion (very slow) of HIV infection to clinical AIDS. It is also specifically associated with a spectrum of illnesses probably mediated by CD8 T cells - ankylosing spondylitis, post-infective arthritis (Reiter's) and anterior uveitis (nearly 100% of cases).

In simple terms it seems to code for an unusually 'efficient' CD8 response.

That would make sense if the pneumonia from Covid-19 is part of an aggressive immune response, which is more than likely.

 

[Hoopoe]

A question: Are people with ME particularly worried about coronavirus along with other groups who might have compromised immune systems? Are folks taking any particular precautions? Just curious.

I'm not worried (about myself). I think ME/CFS makes me less susceptible to infections. It's a bit hard to distinguish between mild infection and ME/CFS fluctuations but infections when they are clearly present seem to produce intense symptoms and fever less often than for other people. Presumably the body is continuously in a state adapted to survive illness and that would include increased viral defenses.

 

[Esther12]

I'm hoping that everyone else will be sufficiently worried about this that their precautions mean I can ignore it. I'm doing my bit by so rarely leaving the house.

 

[Kitty]

A question: Are people with ME particularly worried about coronavirus along with other groups who might have compromised immune systems? Are folks taking any particular precautions? Just curious.

I can't say I am, on a personal level at least. I probably won't change my routine unless I'm told to do so to protect others, or buy anything special.

I think those with pre-existing lung conditions, or reduced immunity due to cancer treatment or similar, will be much more vulnerable than folk like me.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

I note a rather different tone in the US from that in the UK (which is 'don't panic ducky'). Someone has said:
We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad.

That seems honest although the meaning is somewhat tortuous. How does one prepare for an expectation? Surely you just expect?

 

[Mij]

My only real concern is that I've been in a viral/vertigo state since mid October and most likely wouldn't know if I've been infected? No fever though. So I am staying home and only in contact with one person- the delivery guy.

 

[InfiniteRubix]

A question: Are people with ME particularly worried about coronavirus along with other groups who might have compromised immune systems? Are folks taking any particular precautions? Just curious.

Family using masks, limiting locations visited, avoiding people with mountains of luggage who have obviously just arrived, especially from far east ,etc.

Photo of Rome supermarket 5mins ago by family there

 

[Hoopoe]

For example, I have had an itchy, twitching and runny nose in the last days, and noticed an unusual muscular weakness. I do a few pull ups every day, but barely managed to do a single one instead of being able to do three in a row like usual. Today that had improved. I'm not 100% sure if that was some kind of low grade infection or just some expression of ME/CFS. I was out of the house on Friday and crashed a little, but it seemed to already have improved by evening of the next day. Maybe these additional symptoms were still part the crash.

A runny or stuffed nose and sore throat are very common symptoms for me. It is interesting that one could plausibly interpret that and ME/CFs fluctuations as frequent infections, while the near absence of infections that provoke fever could be plausibly interpreted as "never having infections". But the science seems to say that as group ME/CFS patients don't have frequent infections, we might just often feel like we do.

 

[InfiniteRubix]

Greatest risk to me is my family, especially child going to school, where options are v limited. Very

 

[rvallee]

I note a rather different tone in the US from that in the UK (which is 'don't panic ducky'). Someone has said:
We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad.

That seems honest although the meaning is somewhat tortuous. How does one prepare for an expectation? Surely you just expect?

There is every expectation that the US will fare particularly badly, I think this one was just someone acknowledging a harsh truth without being able to voice the reasons: that a substantial number of infected Americans will not even go to the doctor to get tested because of costs and this will likely cause the US to fare about as bad as under-developed countries.

Most of the advice people get, including in Canada, is to call if you suspect you may be infected and let medical authorities sort out how they handle the logistics. This is what most people should do to help stop the spread. This advice won't work in the US, where somewhere close to 20% of the population does not have meaningful health care coverage and for at least half the population we are talking about hundreds in out-of-pockets costs, tens of thousands if they are infected and need urgent care, that they don't have and which could be entirely unnecessary if it turns out to be the common cold or influenza.

 

[lunarainbows]

A question: Are people with ME particularly worried about coronavirus along with other groups who might have compromised immune systems? Are folks taking any particular precautions? Just curious.

Yes, because whenever I get a virus, I become extremely unwell sometimes for months on end, sometimes over a year - and I have permanently worsened (ie never recovered) after some. And I have asthma and tendency to pneumonia so I’m very scared. A few days ago I had a slight fever and was having trouble breathing. Today I have a sore throat. I have no idea if I have a virus or not but my mum reports she has been feeling unwell for a couple of days too. I do wonder whether other people who have these sorts of symptoms are not being tested, because they haven’t been in China in the last 14 days and not been in contact with a confirmed case so won’t be tested. It’s hard for me to tell as feeling feverish, sore throat and breathlessness are symptoms of ME for me too.

Extra precautions I take are:
Told my partner who travels in and out of central London, to keep hand gel with him at all times. He says he uses it when he gets on and off the tube and train each time. As soon as he gets into the home, he has to put all his bags down and then wash his hands. Then he has a shower making sure hair face etc are washed, new clothes etc - he does not sit on anything in my house (sofa) or touch anything while in his outside clothes. His phone and headphones are disinfected with wipes each time.

my mum does the same. I don’t do the same with having a bath but that’s because I don’t get out of my wheelchair, and don’t go anywhere except in a wheelchair to a taxi - but I don’t touch anything much in the taxi and keep hand gel in my bag and use it all the time. As soon as I get home, I wash my hands; face, and change clothes. Never sit in outside clothes at home. Anything that has been outside like phone gets disinfected.

Will be doing a bigger food shop online soon. And obviously trying not to go into crowds and even when going to hospital staying away from others as much as I can. Seems a bit over the top perhaps but I need to be super careful

 

[Saz94]

A question: Are people with ME particularly worried about coronavirus along with other groups who might have compromised immune systems? Are folks taking any particular precautions? Just curious.

I'm not, because I never seem to get viruses.

 

[Mij]

I better put in a grocery order soon or I will be making stew with toothpaste, onions, tomato paste and kefir.

 

[AliceLily]

Preparations to consider:

Asesemble these items:

Hand sanitizer, several bottles. If leaving home, take one with you and use frequently, as well as wash hands upon return, if not sooner.

Thermometer (100.4F plus lower respiratory symptoms: cough, shortness of breath==call doctor)

Mask--save for trip to doctor's office for testing (call them first-alerting them of possible Covid case) preferably not by a public vehicle

Bleach and gloves (to reuse) to disinfect (one part bleach to nine parts cold water, made daily) surfaces in a home, like toilet, or the outside door knob, anything someone could have touched who in infective or whose status is unknown

Medications taken on a regular basis---three months supply on hand, if possible

Food, drink, toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex. Aim for a month's worth

Anything else?

Thanks. These sorts of list are helpful. I am about to go to the supermarket and will get some of these to store away.

We could do with another helpful list of what to do if we get the virus. One thing I will be doing is sleeping upright in bed hoping it won't develop into the pneumonia stage.

 

[lunarainbows]

An Italian biologist said that in southern China the population has a high prevalence (over 60%) of a HLA B27 variant that increases susceptibility to the coronavirus. In Europe this variant is uncommon (about 1%).

Did the biologist say anything about the rest of the world’s populations? Like black ethnicities, Asian ethnicities (like Indian, Sri Lankan etc) and the HLA variant??

 

[Invisible Woman]

IM was supposed to be going on a short trip which would involve 2 international airports each way, but he can't get flight times that work. So, that's on hold for now. I can't say I'm not relieved.

If I'm worried about anything it's the food and meds supply chain and that's beyond my control.

On the other hand, I am fortunate that I have a freezer with plenty in it. It might get a bit boring without fresh ingredients, but we wouldn't starve.

Looking at those empty supermarket shelves in Italy, I think it's very concerning for the many people in the UK who have to rely on foodbanks. Only some get coronavirus and a minority die, but everyone has to eat. If the supermarket shelves were to empty then foodbanks would run out too.

 

[ladycatlover]

A question: Are people with ME particularly worried about coronavirus along with other groups who might have compromised immune systems? Are folks taking any particular precautions? Just curious.

I'm somewhat worried about it as both myself and OH are over 70, so as I said above somewhere our mortality rates are reputedly 8%. Of course those figures might have changed again by now, but that's a bit worrying.

Not that worried for myself, as it seems to me my ME means I have a hyper-active immune system, at least where viruses (virii?) are concerned. Last time I got really sick was the Swine Flu, and I was a lot less sick than OH. Since then have only had the odd snivel. Bacterial stuff is a different matter - teeth especially.

I bought hand spray, and by mistake (couldn't work out the website!) bought 4 - we'll leave 2 here at the caravan "just in case", and the other 2 have gone home already. I don't have any particular faith in them, but figure anything might be better than nothing. We're both practising good hand washing technique in preparation! (must check the soap stock when I go home!)

I'm more worried about OH as he is the one who goes out to shop. But he's pretty sensible, and I think has some clue as to being careful. It may be a different threat, but anyone who gets in a sailing boat has to be used to assessing risk and being careful! Plus as an ex-med-lab-tech I'm pretty neurotic about infection sources! I like to think I've trained him well!

 

[Kitty]

I better put in a grocery order soon or I will be making stew with toothpaste, onions, tomato paste and kefir.

One particularly memorable effort from my bedsit days in the 1970s was made from onions, a tin of tomatoes, some slightly rubbery carrots, plus half a box of Alpen to thicken it up!