Chinese virus

[Chris Ashdown]

Many of us buy items from China and other countries who may well have this new virus

Question if goods say from China are sent by post as normal from China, is it possible for the virus to hitch a ride either on or in the package maybe on the poly bag inside the envelope or alternatively will it have a shelf life

 

[Deleted member 59730]

If someone sneezes on a bit of bubble wrap, which is a nice insulator, I'd have thought that the virus could hitch a ride. Coming by air over the pole it would likely freeze to death.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Could be well wrapped with thousands of other packages and jiffy bags

 

[tony84]

The person having this virus and it being undetected, then ending up in the parcel, surviving the journey, then infecting another person is probably possible, but I suppose you have to weigh up the chances.

 

[Mark T Jones]

According to Bill Bryson the greatest domestic carrier of viruses is bank notes (interesting to see what impact plastic notes and cashless society have on viruses.

On the other hand, they don't like hard or shiny surfaces; so plastic is probably virus friendly, whereas Jiffy bags could be bank note equivalents.

 

[Mr D]

How do you normally get the common cold? How do you normally get the flu?
Back when SARS or MARS or (more recently) MERS was around, how did people get it? From stuff produced in China (middle east for MERS) or by other methods?

Whatever method you use to protect against common cold could be useful this time.

 

[AstEver]

Coronaviruses can live outside of a body for several hours, maximum 5 days in urine, saliva, etc.

 

[ecommerce84]

According to Bill Bryson the greatest domestic carrier of viruses is bank notes (interesting to see what impact plastic notes and cashless society have on viruses.

On the other hand, they don't like hard or shiny surfaces; so plastic is probably virus friendly, whereas Jiffy bags could be bank note equivalents.

Another good reason to go cashless imo.

@billybob99 will take his chances.

 

[TMark]

Another good reason to go cashless imo.

Then we just have the other types of virus to contend with.

 

[Mr D]

Coronaviruses can live outside of a body for several hours, maximum 5 days in urine, saliva, etc.

Subject to UV.
Surface in sunlight different than surface in darkness.

 

[AstEver]

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-qu...o-bacteria-and-viruses-live-outside-the-body/
How long does a parcel take from China?

 

[Mr D]

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-qu...o-bacteria-and-viruses-live-outside-the-body/
How long does a parcel take from China?

2 weeks or so based on the most recent delivery my wife had.
Bit longer for containers.

 

[ecommerce84]

The coronavirus has been declared a global emergency by WHO?

 

[Mr D]

The coronavirus has been declared a global emergency by WHO?

Yes.
A week after they said it wasn't that serious.

That's … the fifth time they've done that in recent years someone was saying.

 

[billybob99]

Cash is king, with the right protection.

 

[AstEver]

WHO declares coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern

Is this a newspeak for pandemia?

 

[alan1302]

Yes.
A week after they said it wasn't that serious.

That's … the fifth time they've done that in recent years someone was saying.

And at the time they were correct - they can't say it's serious before they have the full facts.

Would you want them to do otherwise?

 

[UrbanRetail]

We're all fk'd, see you down The Winchester.

 

[Gordon L]

Worthwhile considering the impact of enforced factory closures in China. One of my UK suppliers buys up his stock in China. I was checking on their stock levels for a couple of skus yesterday and they imformed me that their supplier in China had been made to close until 10 Feb at the earliest. So i bought a bit more stock from my UK supplier than I would normally, just in case. If the virus continues to spread and if the enforced closing of factories is continued, there is a risk to some of us that stock availability could become a problem.

 

[The Byre]

Considering that the mortality rate has been 0.01% so far (SARS was 9%) I get the sneaky feeling that this whole thing is being blown out of all proportion.

It would hardly surprise me if more people died as a result of the measures taken to prevent this disease than die of the disease!

There are about ten-times too many people on Planet Earth anyway.

 

[Newchodge]

A friend of mine works for Border Force at Newcastle Airport. Since the beginning of January there have been hige numbers of people from China coming back to their university courses. As non EU-nationals they have to be seen by a passport control officer and can spend quite some time talking to them. The 2 people who have been confirmed as having the virus are students at York university and the chances of their having come through Newcastle airport are very high. Anyone got a mask?

 

[AstEver]

Considering that the mortality rate has been 0.01% so far

over 2%, based on official numbers
https://thewuhanvirus.com/

 

[The Byre]

You're right! It is 2%.

 

[Mr D]

Considering that the mortality rate has been 0.01% so far (SARS was 9%) I get the sneaky feeling that this whole thing is being blown out of all proportion.

It would hardly surprise me if more people died as a result of the measures taken to prevent this disease than die of the disease!

There are about ten-times too many people on Planet Earth anyway.

259 deaths out of 11860 in China.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

That's 2.18% mortality rate in the only country showing mortality so far.

Please, if going to give information try and make sure its correct at the time.

Its early days yet and may be months or years before we have a definite count of victims to get the same accuracy that SARS now has.

 

[AstEver]

It is not only about the mortality rate. The coronavirus is much more contagious with its 2-14 days incubation period, which may translate into more deaths due to high number of people infected by it. What is also worrying is possible mutation. On the other hand, influenza seems to be a deadlier killer and there is no panic about it.
It is difficult to be realistic about the situation
NB Global economy is taking a hit.

 

[Mr D]

It is not only about the mortality rate. The coronavirus is much more contagious with its 2-14 days incubation period, which may translate into more deaths due to high number of people infected by it. What is also worrying is possible mutation. On the other hand, influenza seems to be a deadlier killer and there is no panic about it.
It is difficult to be realistic about the situation
NB Global economy is taking a hit.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Transmission rate of 3 - 4. Which is only an estimate and will change as people change activities anyway. Even that, low as it is, could be 100% infection in sufficient time.

By the deaths to date it looks like - similar to flu - its the weakest who are most at risk of dying.
The economic hit of people being ill would be partially itself impacted by the deaths.

Yes, flu can be deadlier. Wasn't that many years back the UK had a lot of people die from flu.
We now have lots of people able to get flu shots which protects against some strains - can still get the flu!

 

[UKSBD]

The 2 people who have been confirmed as having the virus are students at York university and the chances of their having come through Newcastle airport are very high. Anyone got a mask?

https://www.sbvd.co.uk/how-to-make-your-own-coronavirus-mask/

 

[OMGVape]

This whole thing doesn’t make sense. I’ve been told by a Chinese National that many more people died in China in January from the regular flu.
If this thing is so dangerous how come the staff and bus drivers didn’t have protective clothing at Brize Norton? It wouldn’t be personal choice, those people would have been ordered to cover up.
I’ve also read somewhere that China got a right bollocking for being to slow and secretive about the SARS outbreak. Maybe they have swung the other way and got the whole world in a panic.

What ever is happening I hope they get back to work soon, I paid a deposit on a container two weeks ago :-(

 

[Mr D]

This whole thing doesn’t make sense. I’ve been told by a Chinese National that many more people died in China in January from the regular flu.
If this thing is so dangerous how come the staff and bus drivers didn’t have protective clothing at Brize Norton? It wouldn’t be personal choice, those people would have been ordered to cover up.
I’ve also read somewhere that China got a right bollocking for being to slow and secretive about the SARS outbreak. Maybe they have swung the other way and got the whole world in a panic.

What ever is happening I hope they get back to work soon, I paid a deposit on a container two weeks ago :-(

Perhaps they will get back to work soon.
Have seen people in China claim emergency lasting until early March. Have seen May mentioned.
However long particular places remain locked down / people are at home for / how many die.

Countries are already set up to deal with flu, regular or not (usually multiple strains knocking around).
This is new.
Even with 2% mortality rate from the new virus (and that will probably change), 2% of UK population is well over a million dead if we all get it.

Flu last year in England killed (p51, table 7) https://assets.publishing.service.g...tory_viruses_in_the_UK_2018_to_2019-FINAL.pdf
1,692 people. Back in 2017/18 it killed 26,408.
Either figure get bandied about on the news? Presumably affected at least the people concerned and their families.
But we can cope with flu.

 

[alan1302]

This whole thing doesn’t make sense. I’ve been told by a Chinese National that many more people died in China in January from the regular flu.

And that is a problem with something like this - people don't understand why it's more serious than the flu despite less people dieing from it.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

@Chris Ashdown You pay somebody else to handle the freight while you sit in your posh office or in my case old portacabin
Hope this helps

 

[OMGVape]

s of this morning, 11946 cases worldwide but only 259 outside of China. That sounds pretty well contained to me.

 

[Mr D]

s of this morning, 11946 cases worldwide but only 259 outside of China. That sounds pretty well contained to me.

14,642 worldwide and 304 deaths in China. One death in Philippines (out of 2 cases).

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Its up to 14 days incubation period - and infectious while not showing symptoms. So no one can know yet how contained it is.
In 3 weeks we may know how contained it was at start of February. Or could be much longer to be certain.

You could pick it up from someone else without travelling out of the country. Have you come across anyone yet who came across someone who came across someone who came across someone travelling from China?

 

[Onthebrightside]

Even if someone did sneeze on the bubble wrap, wouldn't you have to lick it to get the virus? so unpack and wash your hands. Other option is to leave the parcel for 14 days before unwrapping it. Or you could do what they do with kiddies toys to kill off germs and pop the package into the freezer for 24 hours (if contents permits

 

[Mr D]

Even if someone did sneeze on the bubble wrap, wouldn't you have to lick it to get the virus? so unpack and wash your hands. Other option is to leave the parcel for 14 days before unwrapping it. Or you could do what they do with kiddies toys to kill off germs and pop the package into the freezer for 24 hours (if contents permits

Do you have to lick the bubblewrap to catch other viruses?

Including common cold and the flu?

You can pick up viruses by standing close to someone breathing them out and it being transmitted in the air. Or in some viruses, them sneezing and liquid droplets in the air.
You can pick up viruses by touching something that someone else has infected. And later ingesting the virus by eating something in your hand.

The 14 days is human rate of incubation - surfaces could be much shorter or longer depending on conditions for the virus to survive.

Freezing - that works as a method of killing all virus?

 

[Onthebrightside]

Do you have to lick the bubblewrap to catch other viruses?

Is this virus now airborne then?

 

[Mr D]

Is this virus now airborne then?

Apparently.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html


Most often, spread from person-to-person happens among close contacts (about 6 feet). Person-to-person spread is thought to occur mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It’s currently unclear if a person can get 2019-nCoV by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.

Typically, with most respiratory viruses, people are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest). With 2019-nCoV, however, there have been reports external icon of spread from an infected patient with no symptoms to a close contact.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

https://www.sbvd.co.uk/how-to-make-your-own-coronavirus-mask/

Isn't there a world wide shortage of material which stops viruses? Any bit of material doesn't actually do the job.

 

[Onthebrightside]

Can't help feeling sorry for the businesses out there to suddenly be closed down from trading abroad, it must be a dreadful knock to them.

 

[Mr D]

If its March / April / May before production back to normal in China (could be longer) some slack will be taken up by businesses in other countries. If they can.
So far international air travel from certain places is affected. Next stage would be a lot more international travel cut down, then international shipping affected though they have their own quarantine for long distant travel - though also without top medical care while at sea.

Will see how weak supply chains are.