March 4, 2020 at 12:00 am
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The COVID-19 Impact
March 4, 2020 at 3:49 am
You talk of hoping that people that feel sick won't go out but that's the problem with this virus... you can feel great and actually be spreading the bug in a major way.
I've been following some of the info on a vaccine for this bug. It's remarkable to me that it was developed in only about 3 hours (supposedly with the help of AI) and should be in clinical trials in only about 6 weeks. Of course, it'll take a while to make and distribute the vaccine after that and I hope it's not too late.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
March 4, 2020 at 8:46 am
In our industry we are relatively well placed to work remotely - just totally impossible for some service industries.
Its difficult to judge how serious an issue it will be for the UK at the moment.
Best of luck to everyone here - it might come down to the roll of the dice..
March 4, 2020 at 8:49 am
I think we need to get COVID-19 into some sort of perspective. The fear is that there will be an outbreak of some virus comparable with the Spanish Flu of 1918/19 that killed 20million world wide. COVID-19 is not that virus. No-one knows if a Spanish Flu equivalent would have the impact today that it did in 1918/19. A hypothesis is that an exhausted and malnourished population with primitive and not widely available medical help were suffering circumstances where flu would cause maximum damage. We are mostly not in that place today.
The people who are dying are largely those who would be most at risk from "normal" flu. The elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, particularly respiratory tract conditions and those with compromised immune systems.
Of course I don't want to catch it but given that I work in Greater Manchester and my commuter train is always packed I'm resigned to the fact that I will. I've got plenty of paracetamol, lemon & honey drinks, plenty of bog roll, the freezer is stocked, my wire brush is rust free and sitting next to the Dettol. I've done all I can, no point panicking over what I can't control.
This virus is selling an awful lot of newspapers.
March 4, 2020 at 9:13 am
In December I has type c influence that evolved into type A (the bad kind) that resulted in a collapsed lung on Christmas day.
yesterday I got a text message from My GP asking us all to NOT contact them if we were at risk and to use the UK 111 service (an online or phone nurse service that is only ever going to say - go to your GP) 🙁
but as I understand it there are only 9 confirmed victims in the UK... surely this is just panic
MVDBA
March 4, 2020 at 10:17 am
but as I understand it there are only 9 confirmed victims in the UK... surely this is just panic
I've been thinking the past few days that I don't fear the natural spread of this nearly as much I do the unnatural ( purposeful ) possibilities. To me, that is the far greater risk. I hope and pray for safety for all of us through this.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
March 4, 2020 at 12:24 pm
Some Numbers:
COVID-19 Mortality Rate: 3.4%. Source: WHO.
Estimated percentage of people worldwide who will become infected: 40% to 70%. Source: Harvard University epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch.
World Population: 7.7 Billion. Source: Worldometer.
You guys are as good at math as anybody.
Conclusions...?
March 4, 2020 at 12:33 pm
in 1918 the spanish flu (influenza A) killed somewhere up to 100 million people. we aren't there yet 🙂
MVDBA
March 4, 2020 at 3:17 pm
I am one of those individuals that are at risk. In 1985, I was diagnosed with an incurable, potentially fatal disease: asthma. Now, age is not on my side either. In 2018, I got bronchitis; after a week of sleepless nights, I went back to the doctor. X-rays indicated pneumonia. If there was any good from this round of pneumonia, I was able to watch many of the 2018 Winter Olympics live events, such as the US Women hockey team winning gold and the US Men curling team also win gold. Pneumonia is hell with its endless hacking cough.
Two bordering states, Georgia (CDC confirmed) and North Carolina (reported last night), have covid-19 cases. It's only a matter of time. CDC is reported that 11 states have covid-19.
Regarding the Spanish flu of 1918, medical knowledge has increased greatly. Bloodletting was a common treatment for a lot of the flu victims.
March 4, 2020 at 3:18 pm
I tend to think that COVID-19 isn't as serious as many people think it is. I'm not minimizing it. People have died and that's very sad and serious. However, people have died from other illnesses (this year's flu, etc.) which either no one is concerned about or it no longer hits their radar.
Regardless of what I think about COVID-19, its very clear that a lot of people are taking it much more seriously. The cancelling of gatherings such as the Mobile World Congress and Microsoft's MVP Summit (although that will still continue as a virtual event, so I'm told) proves that people, companies, government agencies, etc. are taking COVID-19 very seriously.
In some respects I think this will be a good thing. Not people getting sick and some dying, but the reaction that people, companies, government agencies, etc. will take to cope with it. I've heard that Slack's stock ratings have gone up as people/companies are starting to use it more. I imagine the same will be true with Microsoft Teams. Working from home may actually see an increase, which for me would be great! However, some places are going to be severely challenged. For example, in my state both public and private sector companies and organizations have resisted vigorously allowing their employees to work remotely or from home. (I learned this from TEKSystem recruiters who do annual surveys of job markets.) That being the case, by and large they're not ready for this demand on their infrastructures, let alone their policies allowing for this. Hopefully, such places will adapt quickly.
Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.
March 4, 2020 at 3:38 pm
I am one of those individuals that are at risk. In 1985, I was diagnosed with an incurable, potentially fatal disease: asthma. Now, age is not on my side either. In 2018, I got bronchitis; after a week of sleepless nights, I went back to the doctor. X-rays indicated pneumonia. If there was any good from this round of pneumonia, I was able to watch many of the 2018 Winter Olympics live events, such as the US Women hockey team winning gold and the US Men curling team also win gold. Pneumonia is hell with its endless hacking cough.
Two bordering states, Georgia (CDC confirmed) and North Carolina (reported last night), have covid-19 cases. It's only a matter of time. CDC is reported that 11 states have covid-19.
Regarding the Spanish flu of 1918, medical knowledge has increased greatly. Bloodletting was a common treatment for a lot of the flu victims.
A hockey fan ? field or ice ? - I play both and I umpire ladies field hockey.. well I will do next season after my collapsed lung decides that I can run for more than the time it takes to get to the bus before it leaves
MVDBA
March 4, 2020 at 3:46 pm
I tend to think that COVID-19 isn't as serious as many people think it is. I'm not minimizing it. People have died and that's very sad and serious. However, people have died from other illnesses (this year's flu, etc.) which either no one is concerned about or it no longer hits their radar.
Regardless of what I think about COVID-19, its very clear that a lot of people are taking it much more seriously. The cancelling of gatherings such as the Mobile World Congress and Microsoft's MVP Summit (although that will still continue as a virtual event, so I'm told) proves that people, companies, government agencies, etc. are taking COVID-19 very seriously.
In some respects I think this will be a good thing. Not people getting sick and some dying, but the reaction that people, companies, government agencies, etc. will take to cope with it. I've heard that Slack's stock ratings have gone up as people/companies are starting to use it more. I imagine the same will be true with Microsoft Teams. Working from home may actually see an increase, which for me would be great! However, some places are going to be severely challenged. For example, in my state both public and private sector companies and organizations have resisted vigorously allowing their employees to work remotely or from home. (I learned this from TEKSystem recruiters who do annual surveys of job markets.) That being the case, by and large they're not ready for this demand on their infrastructures, let alone their policies allowing for this. Hopefully, such places will adapt quickly.
In the UK we have had a few hospitals closed and I think a few schools - total overreaction - and closing a hospital makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.. that is the place you go to get fixed.
I blame airplaines - they are metal tubes with air circulation - I've never got off an aircraft without a cold or something that the kid 2 seats in front of me had
MVDBA
March 4, 2020 at 3:53 pm
A hockey fan ? field or ice ? - I play both and I umpire ladies field hockey.. well I will do next season after my collapsed lung decides that I can run for more than the time it takes to get to the bus before it leaves
Not a hockey fan, but I cheer for the US teams and cheer for the underdogs, like the Jamaican Bobsled team. Winter sports in South Carolina, US, are football and basketball.
March 4, 2020 at 4:07 pm
Rod at work wrote:I tend to think that COVID-19 isn't as serious as many people think it is. I'm not minimizing it. People have died and that's very sad and serious. However, people have died from other illnesses (this year's flu, etc.) which either no one is concerned about or it no longer hits their radar.
Regardless of what I think about COVID-19, its very clear that a lot of people are taking it much more seriously. The cancelling of gatherings such as the Mobile World Congress and Microsoft's MVP Summit (although that will still continue as a virtual event, so I'm told) proves that people, companies, government agencies, etc. are taking COVID-19 very seriously.
In some respects I think this will be a good thing. Not people getting sick and some dying, but the reaction that people, companies, government agencies, etc. will take to cope with it. I've heard that Slack's stock ratings have gone up as people/companies are starting to use it more. I imagine the same will be true with Microsoft Teams. Working from home may actually see an increase, which for me would be great! However, some places are going to be severely challenged. For example, in my state both public and private sector companies and organizations have resisted vigorously allowing their employees to work remotely or from home. (I learned this from TEKSystem recruiters who do annual surveys of job markets.) That being the case, by and large they're not ready for this demand on their infrastructures, let alone their policies allowing for this. Hopefully, such places will adapt quickly.
In the UK we have had a few hospitals closed and I think a few schools - total overreaction - and closing a hospital makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.. that is the place you go to get fixed.
I blame airplaines - they are metal tubes with air circulation - I've never got off an aircraft without a cold or something that the kid 2 seats in front of me had
DBAs and developers are fortunate in that, in many cases, we can work remotely.
Covid-19 has a mortality rate of 2% to 3% which is still more lethal than the seasonal flu that has a mortality rate of 0.1%. But the seriousness comes from the widespread nature of the disease. Ground Zero of covid-19, the Wuhan province is apparently a major manufacturing hub. China quarantined that province and basically shut it down. As covid-19 spreads, it can affect other manufacturing areas which impacts the global supply chain. I think the slowdown or shutdown of factories has contributed to the decline in the global stock markets, impacting such things as auto manufacturing and smartphone manufacturing.
I know that my Individual Retirement Account and 401K has a case of covid-19 right now.
March 4, 2020 at 4:26 pm
After six confirmed deaths in nearby Kirkland over the weekend, on Monday the company I work for closed the corporate HQ office in downtown Seattle for a minimum of a week. All 700+ employees normally located there are telecommuting until told otherwise. That choice was influenced by noting over 90% of the office (which has a nice open plan) normally commute via mass transit.
From the technologist perspective what has been impressive is that our VPN configuration has handled the transition seamlessly. We even had a previously scheduled 200 person department quarterly meeting Tuesday morning via Skype with no problems. None. Even five years ago that would not have been the case.
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