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Corona Virus

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:27 pm
by Brent D
Well, We may as well talk about it.
Its all over the news in the west. Id love to hear from people living abroad, as our news outlets are...questionable. Whats the word out there in the world.
Ill admit, I am not ordering any tea until this gets resolved.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 6:41 pm
by Bok
Brent D wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:27 pm
Well, We may as well talk about it.
Its all over the news in the west. Id love to hear from people living abroad, as our news outlets are...questionable. Whats the word out there in the world.
Ill admit, I am not ordering any tea until this gets resolved.
It’s triple all over the News in Asia I can tell you that... literally almost everyone is wearing a mask in Taiwan and it hasn’t even properly arrived here (yet). There are a lot more background stories here and earlier. But it remains very difficult to tell how many of them are true and what is fear mongering...

One thing is sure. The Chinese government, while more open than with SARS, does not tell everything that’s happening. At least the numbers of people infected and dead are questionable. Guess the best thing is to wait what scientists and doctors outside of the country say and find out.

For sure there will be a shortage and delay of many goods in the next few month all over the world. If the predictions are right this whole thing might at least last another couple of months.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:17 pm
by Hmm
Bok wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 6:41 pm
Brent D wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:27 pm
Well, We may as well talk about it.
Its all over the news in the west. Id love to hear from people living abroad, as our news outlets are...questionable. Whats the word out there in the world.
Ill admit, I am not ordering any tea until this gets resolved.
It’s triple all over the News in Asia I can tell you that... literally almost everyone is wearing a mask in Taiwan and it hasn’t even properly arrived here (yet). There are a lot more background stories here and earlier. But it remains very difficult to tell how many of them are true and what is fear mongering...

One thing is sure. The Chinese government, while more open than with SARS, does not tell everything that’s happening. At least the numbers of people infected and dead are questionable. Guess the best thing is to wait what scientists and doctors outside of the country say and find out.

For sure there will be a shortage and delay of many goods in the next few month all over the world. If the predictions are right this whole thing might at least last another couple of months.
you have to remember that the official numbers talk ONLY about who they know DEFINITELY have the virus after testing. That means basically those who go to the hospital, which means those who are having the worst complications, and who have the highest risks of dying. There are many who are probably carrying the virus but are asymptomatic, and many who have basic cold like symptoms, but won't be going to the hospital over that. That said even supposedly in the worst case scenario, so far 2.2% have died, and it appears 0 deaths so far out of the hundred or so people world wide, so perhaps the numbers aren't so far off.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:23 pm
by Bok
Yes I do sincerely hope so...

Yet there are other troubling news that lots of deaths did not make it into official accounts as they quickly cremated them without checking cause of death. But who knows if that is accurate or not.

My only consolation for now is that it doesn’t seem to affect kids as much as it does adults.

But I hate the panic making going around, I get panic sells better than facts, but I’d wish the media would restrain themselves a little bit. In Taiwan you can now only buy three masks per person a day - if you can get any at all...

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:27 pm
by Bok
Not buying tea because of it is maybe a bit of an overreaction, if you think about it, probably a good chunk of things we own are at least partially made in China from clothes to appliances...

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:29 pm
by Bok
Not even mentioning the last thing the average Chinese needs is the world buying less of their products, adding economic worries to the existing ones.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 10:52 pm
by aet
Brent D wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:27 pm
Ill admit, I am not ordering any tea until this gets resolved.
What does it have to do with tea?

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 10:49 am
by brutusK
Bok wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 6:41 pm
Brent D wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:27 pm
Well, We may as well talk about it.
Its all over the news in the west. Id love to hear from people living abroad, as our news outlets are...questionable. Whats the word out there in the world.
Ill admit, I am not ordering any tea until this gets resolved.
It’s triple all over the News in Asia I can tell you that... literally almost everyone is wearing a mask in Taiwan and it hasn’t even properly arrived here (yet). There are a lot more background stories here and earlier. But it remains very difficult to tell how many of them are true and what is fear mongering...

One thing is sure. The Chinese government, while more open than with SARS, does not tell everything that’s happening. At least the numbers of people infected and dead are questionable. Guess the best thing is to wait what scientists and doctors outside of the country say and find out.

For sure there will be a shortage and delay of many goods in the next few month all over the world. If the predictions are right this whole thing might at least last another couple of months.
Been trying to figure out how to respond to this, regarding the reported numbers coming from China.
To preface, I'm a virologist with coronavirus expert friends, colleagues, and superiors who work on nCoV here in the states.

In expert circles, the understanding is that these numbers are probably not too far off from the actual measured counts so far. That isn't to say the counts are necessarily accurate: after the initial panic of all this wanes and the serological tests are done, I'm sure we'll find that a lot more people had mild inapparent or asymptomatic infections. Right now understandably the focus is on identifying and treating the most severe cases.

I understand the hesitation to believe the numbers, given the history of the SARS epidemic. Right now, it looks to us like that lesson was learned and China's reporting is much much improved.

There's a *lot* of fearmongering out there from people without relevant expertise. The wackiest most recent one I've seen is from a non peer reviewed really atrocious paper that nCoV somehow has "HIV genes" in it. But certain personalities with large audiences have spread that around now so I guess it is just accepted in conspiracy circles now.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 11:23 am
by faj
brutusK wrote:
Sat Feb 01, 2020 10:49 am
To preface, I'm a virologist with coronavirus expert friends, colleagues, and superiors who work on nCoV here in the states.
Out of all places where I would have looked for a virologist, TeaForum is not near the list... But hey, everyone drinks tea, so...
brutusK wrote:
Sat Feb 01, 2020 10:49 am
There's a *lot* of fearmongering out there from people without relevant expertise.
I guess people who are worried should be looking at cases reported outside of China, as there probably is a decent number by now. I do not think even the most die-hard conspiracy theorists would argue that the Chinese government has the ability to prevent information about sick people in other countries from being reported...

I am very much not a virologist and have no expertise or data, but my hunch is most people should worry about bog-standard influenza, pneumonia or just being hit by a car on the way home more than about this new disease for the time being.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 12:12 pm
by brutusK
Good tea is for everyone 😋, even scientists!

I agree with that latter statement as well.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 12:25 pm
by debunix
Yes. I'm feeling another bog-standard cold coming on, and will be drinking abundant C sinensis as well as making some ginger-lemon-tea for later, when I want to stay hydrated but not so caffeinated.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 5:02 pm
by Chadrinkincat
Brent D wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:27 pm
Well, We may as well talk about it.
Its all over the news in the west. Id love to hear from people living abroad, as our news outlets are...questionable. Whats the word out there in the world.
Ill admit, I am not ordering any tea until this gets resolved.
Are you planing on spending that money on lottery tickets instead?

You should probably be more concerned about what’s two feet in front of your face everyday rather than the endless possibilities of scary things that a tiny percentage of people in the world will ever encounter.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:08 pm
by aet
Sorry guys, I still don't get it. What does it have to do with tea?
Do I miss something between the lines here?

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:31 pm
by Bok
aet wrote:
Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:08 pm
Sorry guys, I still don't get it. What does it have to do with tea?
Do I miss something between the lines here?
I guess the worry is contamination of tea leaves/packaging by the virus... Very far fetched and alarmist if you ask me.

Re: Coronavirus

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 10:00 pm
by faj
Bok wrote:
Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:31 pm
I guess the worry is contamination of tea leaves/packaging by the virus... Very far fetched and alarmist if you ask me.
That, and the fact that the area of the world from which most of the teas people on the forum drink is experiencing a public health emergency. I would not be surprised if the situation were to cause issues for production or logistics.