Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms So did we all get the message tonight from Doris

Some interesting data from the USA regarding the efficacy of mask wearing and distancing in controlling the spread of C19.

Given that a virus is basically just a ball of genetic material (RNA in the case of Coronavirus) wrapped in a protein coat one would expect that it would mutate to measurably different forms relatively frequently, and some of the mutations are bound to make the virus more effective either in terms of its infectiousness (ability to penetrate cell walls) and its efficacy (ability to convert host genetic material to virus without actually killing the host).

So yes, it would be normal to expect an increase in infectiousness - but this is a very long way indeed from expecting an increase in contagiousness.

The idea that mutation could make the virus more contagious is more than a bit problematic. As we know, the virus is most effectively spread in water droplets from breath - which is why masks and distancing are recommended. The idea that masks are becoming less effective depends on the virus somehow being able to either reduce the size of the water droplets it is carried in or increase the speed of expulsion such that the droplets are carried further when the carrier coughs, speaks, or sneezes. The virus cannot make itself any smaller, and cannot exert any forces on its environment beyond the simple chemical ability to inject itself through a cell wall into which it comes into contact.

Mechanical disrupters like soap will always be able to destroy the virus by breaking up the protein coat. Lipids are always lipids and will always be susceptible to detergents. They are chemicals and cannot mutate.

I'd love to see more data and models from these outlandish claims if they can't withstand a bit of critical thinking. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

We know how to beat this virus, it's no longer a case of hindsight. Masks and distancing when out and about, coupled with effective Test and Trace so that infected individuals can self-isolate. Without Test and Trace we are constantly forced into large-scale lockdowns which are destroying the economy, causing widespread financial hardship and damaging the mental health of many people.

The fact that the government has still been unable to implement such a mechanism despite having loads of other countries' experience and expertise to draw on is a national embarrassment. And please don't fall into the trap of blaming the NHS for this fiasco - it's not 'NHS Test and Trace'. The whole thing has been outsourced to Serco and other private contractors. This is a failure of privatisation/outsourcing.

More interesting with current data (those are very old numbers). As of yesterday, San Francisco 11,143 cases and 101 deaths. Idaho 40,501 cases and 460 deaths. Both populations are experiencing lower infection and death rates than the overall US population.

Leeds: population 750,000, deaths from Covid 340. I suspect it's being spread by the whippets.

How are you going to get a mask to fit a whippet? Whole new problem, call Boris quickly.

Well said. Any uk Gov at present would have the same problem.

We've just bought a load from Turkey.

Except a government that simply said “let’s ask Germany to help, they’re managing much better than we are”.

Politicking and hubris are all very well, but not when people are dying because of it.

. On no we've just bought a whippit pup.

Don’t worry
Just inject it with bleach, the tangerine faced sh!t monkey reckoned that would work and he’s a President so he should know