Virus transmission understanding

From the start of this crisis, the status of the Islands has intrigued me - Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles, and how at least two of those areas managed to avoid infections for at least a decent period.
Now, with the terrible new coming from Skye, which had done so well in avoiding infections for so long, I can only assume -that the locals were prudent and protective of their environment.

Unfortunately, the virus made it to those areas.
My idea/question is that I would have thought it would require some semblance of an idea as to how the virus got to those areas

Why the contribution is important

Why is is important. I can't see how we can reduce social-isolation when it does not appear that we actually have a grasp (or an inkling) of how it actually spreads, and if it spreads with social-distancing, what it will do if social distancing is relaxed?

(Also I had two weekends booked for the Cuillins, and I'd like to make it back :-) )

by JohnZed on May 05, 2020 at 01:18PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.1
Based on: 9 votes

Comments

  • Posted by GillyWhite May 05, 2020 at 13:31

    I agree John, we have very little information given to us, how it is spreading, where it is within communities etc.

    Being told how many cases in a Health board is worse than useless in Scotland, we should be getting figures by postcode area, then we would know where it was, less fear, better choices from people.
  • Posted by OldDeuteronomy May 06, 2020 at 03:45

    I believe that Covid arrived in the care home on Skye via agency workers due to their being unable to attract local employees.
  • Posted by MargaretR19 May 06, 2020 at 08:35

    Fully agree. We still have a lot to understand
  • Posted by AlJones May 11, 2020 at 08:44

    I have concerns about the ‘r’ number that is keeping us in lockdown while England isn’t. Assuming the virus wasn’t in Scotland before March (and it may well have been) Scotland went in to lockdown earlier than England, so it doesn’t appear to make sense that we would follow continue on with a higher ‘r’ number.

    If, as has been explained, the ‘r’ number is bing generated by where the virus is known to be then it is not a true reflection of the ‘r’ number as so many area are not being tested and not forming part of the statistics. Scotland is less densely populated than England. Does it stack up that across the whole of Scotland our ‘r’ number is higher than England’s?

    I appreciate there is very little good data available but let’s be sure we’re not making decisions based on data that is so limited that it is the equivalent of using bad data. Speak to the remote areas. Ask the GPs if they can reasonably assume their patients had the virus. Then looking at the Covid-19 research app that extrapolates an estimate of how many in that area have had virus-symptoms. And see whether that would generate an ‘r’ number similar or lower than the figure you are currently keeping us in lockdown for.
Log in or register to add comments and rate ideas