[StarrySky]

Update from Finland:

Today the government announced a slew of new measures/guidelines, pretty much in line with what other countries have been doing. This comes after the head of the top medical body admitted that although the number of confirmed infections is 270-odd, the actual number may be 20-30 times this figure already. Currently, these measures are intended to last till April 13. Some of the new measures are:

- Schools, colleges, universities are all closed and will switch to distance learning. However, daycare facilities will remain open and special classes for children in grades 1-3 may be arranged on need basis. The logic is that if parents have to stay at home to take care of small children, then a large number of health and social workers may be forced to stay at home to look after their kids. Government recommends that those parents who are staying at home anyway (remote work and such) should not send kids to daycare.

- Borders are being closed. No travel abroad is recommended for citizens and residents. Citizens and residents who are currently abroad may return, but will be quarantined for 14 days. The restrictions cover the Easter holiday period, the intention probably is to stop people from travelling abroad again and bringing in fresh infections.

- Those above 70 have been asked to isolate themselves as much as possible.

- Most government-run public places will be closed - museums, theatres, libraries, sports facilities etc. Private enterprises are advised to do the same, but it seems it is not mandatory yet.

- Gatherings of more than 10 people are banned - not sure how this works if restaurants choose to remain open. Maybe the issue will solve itself if people stay away anyway. Last weekend, we had been to a shopping centre which also houses an adventure parks for kids - the place was deserted.

- Testing will be increased. This means we will probably see big jumps in the confirmed cases in the coming days.

Public transport will remain functional. However, people have been asked to avoid all unnecessary trips and not to spend more time than absolutely necessary in public places. There is currently no lock down like in Italy and I hope it will not come to that.

[warrioraks]

Originally Posted by StarrySky

Update from Finland:

Today the government announced a slew of new measures/guidelines, pretty much in line with what other countries have been doing. This comes after the head of the top medical body admitted that although the number of confirmed infections is 270-odd, the actual number may be 20-30 times this figure already. Currently, these measures are intended to last till April 13

If I remember correctly, Finland has a very high density of Chinese immigrants. This itself puts the country at significant risk considering people might have travelled to mainland for celebrating the Chinese New Year in February.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Can you say where you are checking the figures for Chennai? The MOH-GOI website still shows 1 for TN. It is updated twice a day I think.

Memory of the last source I read. I don't mean to argue with any official source: please believe figures from more reliable sources than me!

But for an indication of the difference in numbers between UK/London and India/Chennai, my numbers will do.

This is just an observation from FB. This chap is has a big following for his weather forecasts. He is not in the medical profession.

https://www.facebook.com/tamilnaduwe...type=3&theater

I don't facebook. This would be Pradeep John, right? He is authoritative about weather. And a nice guy... I can't say any more.

Originally Posted by govigov

I highly doubt this. My thoughts - My wife works in Chennai, and in just last week, few of her colleagues flew in from Sweden via Doha, and they have not been quarantined. They come to work as if all is normal. When all the 4 major airports in Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana are having cases, I think, it is just lack of testing in Chennai that is the issue. Something is very wrong in Chennai and TN, the lack of cases reported from there is a concern. It should have more cases, knowing that Chennai airport is a huge airport and a big gateway to south India.

Chennai airport is not that big. There are, no doubt, undetected, unreported cases. Not to mention the asymptomatic/undeveloped cases that airport screening is not going to pick up. It is a pretty crude tool.

I don't know if the recent increased restrictions include Sweden. Maybe they should just totally close the borders. All the restrictions are, in my very humble opinion, the right thing to do: it is inevitable that hindsite will say they should have been done sooner, that can't be helped.

[AMG Power]

Update from Madrid:

1. All travel prohibited except to the pharmacy or the grocery store.

2. Police are dealing strongly (includes thrashing) with anyone found violating the above rule.

3. Army tanks have blocked all motorways / highways to prevent road travel.

4. All restaurants closed (in addition to malls, cinemas, museums, other public places)

5. All Airports in Spain to be shut down shortly. There are no trains.

6. Entire country is under lockdown.

[Raj_RD]

Are domestic airlines offering free cancellations/rescheduling? Have booked flights to and fro Srinagar (Vistara and AirAsia). All the gardens have also been closed.

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by iamahunter

One positive case was detected in my office building on Friday. My manager is asking us to come to office today.

I am not sure how to handle this thing now. They have done deep cleaning of the building premise, but a lot of common such as the lift, lobby, parking etc.. would still be prone to the virus.

Originally Posted by iamahunter

Airoli, Navi Mumbai.
The building has been completely sanitized and managers are now encouraging "resources" to come to office. "It’s the safest building to work from now" - they say.

.

I know which building in Airoli, Navi Mumbai you are talking about. We received an information about this on Saturday. I am a Doctor in the vicinity and already had a very low risk patient from that building in the night whom I screened and examined. Advised that patient to quarantine for two weeks.

Don't worry much if the building has been sanitised. Unless you had directly come into contact with that positive patient or already have any flu like symptoms, you can relax. However it would have been much better, if your company allowed you to work from home. The MoHFW India has primed all local administrations about preventing the progress from stage 2 to stage 3 of this epidemic in our country. Mumbai metropolis is at very high risk presently.

If you develop any flu like symptoms, quarantine yourself instantly and inform the authorities on the helpline number. You will be guided by them on how to go about further.

- Dr. Vivek

Check this below meme on Mumbai on internet which is factually true and is really funny but honestly speaking is utterly stupid in the current scenario. Enough of us basking in the glory of " never say die spirit of Mumbaikars"

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Chennai airport is not that big.

Airport checks/restrictions/quarantines are ordered by GOI and are common for all airports. No question of them being followed in one airport and not in another. Sweden might have been included in quarantine list later on.

[AMG Power]

Roche to start testing vaccine against COVID-9 from Monday

https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/6abc.com/amp/6016413

Public health officials say it will take upto a year to validate any vaccine.

[GTO]

Man flies in from Iran, goes home with no checking . Be safe, guys. Completely isolate yourself as much as you can from the world.

Amid mixed reports about India's response to the Coronavirus outbreak, a man who landed from Iran early on Monday morning, walked out of the Mumbai airport without being screened. Ali Abbas, 57, stayed for 20 days in Qom, where Iran's first case was recorded. However, Abbas told mid-day that he was not screened even for body temperature at the airport and has now reached his residence in the city.

Around 2 am on Monday, Abbas landed from Tehran airport via Doha. "I boarded a Qatar Airways flight from Tehran and landed at Mumbai Airport via Doha. The flight was full of passengers - eight from Iran. When I reached Mumbai, there was a heavy rush at the airport and nobody checked me; not even my body temperature was noted. I met the authorities at the airport and explained my travel history. But I was surprised at the way I was treated," said Abbas, adding, "I easily walked out of the airport and reached home. As a precautionary measure, I have self-isolated myself currently."

Source

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by GTO

Man flies in from Iran, goes home with no checking . Be safe, guys. Completely isolate yourself as much as you can from the world.

That’s insane. The cases so far (e.g.; in Kerala) were general public trying to sneak out fearing isolation/quarantine, but here the guy went to the authorities, only to be ignored!

[volkman10]

Coronavirus death rates peak in Italy and Spain.

Italy and Spain have emerged as new epicentres with the progression of deaths surpassing China’s.

In five European nations, the death rate has surpassed the recovery rate as of March 15.




Link

[Night_Fury]

Guys how safe is it to fly from chennai to kochi. I know the best bet is to not travel but can't help but ask. My college is shutting down till 31st march . I'm very skeptical about the fact that there in only one positive case here in Tamil Nadu. Chennai seems ill prepared to be honest.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Night_Fury

Guys how safe is it to fly from chennai to kochi. I know the best bet is to not travel but can't help but ask. My college is shutting down till 31st march . I'm very skeptical about the fact that there in only one positive case here in Tamil Nadu. Chennai seems ill prepared to be honest.

If you need to go wear a mask at the airport and on the flight. At least it provides a base level of protection. My work (self employed) requires me to fly each week within the country and this is the basic precaution I take in addition to a washing my hands with soap about a dozen times a day and avoid touching my eyes. I work at hospitals (non-medical person) and I simply follow the same precautions there.

[vibbs]

Here in Singapore, yesterday saw the highest single day spike. 17 confirmed cases, 11 of them imported.
My wife and daughter are slated to travel back on Friday. Singapore has already introduced restriction for ASEAN countries. I am worried this could be extended to India as well soon. Fingers crossed.

Originally Posted by vb-san

That’s insane. The cases so far (e.g.; in Kerala) were general public trying to sneak out fearing isolation/quarantine, but here the guy went to the authorities, only to be ignored!

Let me tell you, from my experience at Bangalore airport, it is way too easy to skip the temperature screening.

After all it was only one guy checking temperature of all passengers with a hand held sensor. The passengers disembarked and did not really follow a queue.

It is not a whole body thermal image scan as being done in Singapore where the entire passage itself is visible on the screen and high temperatures appear as red.

I dont know what is more accurate, but the way it was done in Bengaluru, in case of a large crowd it is very easy for more than one person to just miss it.

[rascalangel]

I have a query for the knowledgeable in the house. My institute in north India has already informed the undergrads to proceed to respective hometowns. The postgrads like me have been given the option to stay or leave. The medical resources on campus (its a closed campus) will be stretched to the limits or may not be adequate in the event of an outbreak. Slowly the feelers from the management are that everyone should vacate the campus. In the event shit hits the fan in coming weeks, we will be made to leave the campus. My problem is that I have to take flight to go home. Chances thus are high of contracting while traveling. I have got both elderly and kids at home. If I choose to leave now, my chances of contraction are low, but if I wait till it gets worse and I am told to vacate then, the chances of me contracting increase exponentially. I am in a proverbial "Dharmasankat". BTW I have a runny nose for past few weeks, no fever, no persistent cough though.



So I want to know the following:
1) Is it safe to travel?
2) What precautions I need to take while traveling?
3) What should be my behavior post reaching home? (Considering I don't show obvious symptoms)


Please advice.