COVID-19 — Coronavirus

[SWP's back]

Because you don’t believe such a thing exists, presumably?

There’s no such as Mother Nature you mean?

Absolutely.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Lamb is hardly a baby animal, it's basically a full grown sheep that's young enough for the meat to still be tender. Pigs and Cattle are slaughtered at a similar stage of growth.

I've got bad news for you mate. Sheep are fully grown at around 18 months. We slaughter lambs for eating between 4 and sometimes as late as 10 months. Typically around 6 months, so well before maturity.

So yes, lambs are baby sheep.

 

[Crouchinho]

Strange reporting by the BBC, the wording here made me feel a little uncomfortable.

Coronavirus: Giuseppe Berardelli among 50 priests killed

Father Giuseppe Berardelli, 72, died in hospital in Lovere, Bergamo - one of the worst-hit cities in Italy.

At least 50 priests have reportedly been killed by coronavirus in Italy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52015969

They probably got fed up of the reports of priests in Italy diddling kids. Good old Beeb, the corporation of morals while covering up Mr Saville for decades.

 

[M18CTID]

we know what its about,Boris promised the earth to people who are out of pocket,well i spent 3 hours today on hold to universal credit and then being told we will ring you back,what a bloody joke and people suck it up thinking what a guy he is,il let you make your own mind up

That’s shit mate, but I’m guessing the Universal Credit people will be a tad busy at the moment due to some virus going round which I’ve heard about on the news.

Hope you hear from them today

 

[SWP's back]

I believe there was an equilibrium that stood for hundreds of millions of years that we’ve completely overwhelmed in the space of around two hundred years, by our ingenuity and our greed. Any living thing, when attacked, will defend itself. I think that ‘equilibrium’ is fighting back.

99% of all species that existed over the previous “hundreds of millions of years” are already extinct mate and were before humans were able to draw graffiti on cave walls.

There’s never been a “natural balance” where every species existed in equilibrium.

Viruses have existed for over 1.5 billion years, long before our genetic ancestors had gills. They always have (and always will) evolve to find new hosts to pass their genes on. This present virus is a great deal less virulent than the one humans had to deal with 100 years ago when our population was 1/3rd of its present size - were they being punished harder than us for the Earth’s first global conflict? It’s not nature fighting back anymore than the Yorkshire floods a few years back were down to God punishing gays.

I know we, as humans, try and make sense of natural phenomena. We try and find patterns and anthropomorphise things and events. We’re genetically predisposed to do so through millions of years of evolution.

This virus isn’t attacking us because it hates us, or is punishing us. It’s simply satisfying its own genetically evolved “instinct” (for want of a better word) to find new hosts. Hosts that will then allow it to replicate in a nice warm respiratory tract en masse before going and finding new hosts. To suggest anything else is all rather woo. It’s the same as believing in star signs or crystal energy.

Now obviously you can believe whatever you like, just as people can choose to believe the Earth is 6,000 years old and human life began in the garden of Eden, and other people can choose to think that those beliefs are neither evidence based nor rational.

 

[jay_mcfc]

Huge jump in worldwide deaths yesterday. From 1813 two days ago to 2384 yesterday. Spain, Italy, USA, Iran and France looking like the biggest sufferers for the rest of the week.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

It’s far more likely that seasonal flu has just been quite widespread this year too. The amount of negative tests for covid (a lot of which would have been for people who thought they had the symptoms) is evidence of that.

what tests?
The UK only tests hospitalised patients.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

According to this article posted earlier, and also confirmed by a Google search, Italy has a large anti-vaxxer movement, which could be contributing. France does too.

Sorry if this has been covered before now. Just catching up.

please explain how any vaccination beliefs could affect the current onslaught by a completely new virus about which which there is no vaccine for people to refuse.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

If the wet markets have caused it, then surely China bears some responsibility.

every single local outdoor market in France sells live rabbits and chickens.
Probably true in Italy.

 

[AcceptedWalnut]

I'm getting pretty anxious about all this. I work in a supermarket which exposes myself to a lot of different people and have a horrible feeling this thing might finish me off.

My medical history has all been respiratory related. Pleurisy, pneumonia, two collapsed lungs which required surgery which led to complications and a prolonged chest drain and now I'm diagnosed with bullous emphysema.

I've raised concern with the night manager but he stated unless I receive one of those letters from my GP I'm fine to work. I'm already on a reduced hours contract because of occupational health.
I'm thinking of self isolating for the good my anxiety more than anything.