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Are you worried that you might become infected by the coronavirus?

37 Comments
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What's with the fear of death? If I get it and I'm one of the unlucky ones who get critically ill and die, so be it. I rather live free than in fear.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

We take all of the precautions but we still need to buy food every couple of weeks and have hospital visits once a month or so. Otherwise we see nobody - not even our children or grandchildren. Both my wife and I would surely not survive being infected - both have immunology issues. Run of the mill for those neat 70 - completely unrelated to prior lifestyle, habits, etc.

Those who don’t follow the guidelines are attempted murderers. Unfortunately, there are many.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

So this is running at 67% yes, to some degree, and 33% not at all, as of Friday evening.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I am more afraid of elderly drivers.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

'Old people over 70', might make them sound like statistics out there somewhere, but these are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, grandparents, i.e. warm, alive human beings, our own family extensions.

When I was young I saw people as divided into three clear boxes of young, middle-aged, and old. Having moved smoothly through all three boxes, with my body growing older, I can now understand that the spirit never grows old and I am always me.

This thing worries me as my lungs are not too good, and if I start the long battle to breathe, I could well drop off the cliff into eternity. I would not wish this on anyone.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I’m not too worried. However, my concern is more about my family’s welfare and since my kids are home from school, my wife and I use this opportunity to educate our kids and creating family learning projects like family gardening, reading time, and things to that extent. I allow my girls to help me with my Japanese.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I am not super worried, i think I am fit enough/ a healthy dose of wishful thinking. I know it has got healthy people too. I am more worried about losing my ability to earn and to look after my family. I am self employed, still doing ok. But it is crazy to think what might happen. For me life is almost as usual here in Tottori, 3 cases (known/ disclosed)

Worried about my kids school, other people and the future.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I had to vote and check the results so far. 30% said no.

Unbelievable. So this is one reason why it's spreading. EVERYONE should be worried about being infected.

I take precautions. My family takes precautions. Taking proper precautions allows people to remain calm and carry on. Worry can come later.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"I am over 60 with risk factors. Odds are covid-19 will kill me."

Only about 10% of Covid patients have enough symptoms to get diagnosed (according to New York State Department of Health numbers). Of those approximately 15% get sick enough to be hospitalized. So 1.5% of the infected.

Assuming that you are in the 60-69 age range, if you are in the 1.5% of Covid patients who get sick enough to be hospitalized, then your chances of death are 18.7% if you are male and 12% if you are female (according to a study of New York State patients published in the Journal of the American Medical Association).

So combining the two percentages gives a 0.18% death rate for females and a 0.28% chance for males. The odds are that it will not kill you.

If you are much older, the odds are worse, but only in the 80+ age group do they become substantially worse.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

90% of those who catch it will not notice.

99% will not be hospitalized.

99.9% will survive.

99.99% of those who are not obese, diabetic, over 70 or hypertensive will survive.

And that's before we have drugs or a vaccine.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

The current worldwide death rate is 7% of confirmed cases (228,239 dead out of 3,220,847 COVID-19 positive). With every batch of testing done and the subsequent discovery that larger percentage of people are positive yet totally asymptomatic, this death rate will continue to fall until it is more accurately in the neighborhood of the seasonal influenza. In future history books, this pandemic will be written up as having been a serious medical issue only for those 70 and up or with certain medical conditions that place them at risk. For everyone else, the suffering consisted of fear and panic from a little known disease, which is understandable in the early stages but inexcusable once the figures have painted a realistic picture that's far less bleak, and unfortunately for some politicians and media outlets, less newsworthy or clickbait.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I personally know of 4 people who have tested positive for COVID19. 3 have fully recovered one of whom was 75 years old. The 4th is recovering but being watched closely as she has asthma. The point is that the media overflow makes one think that anyone who catchs it just keels over and dies. That is clearly not the case. But all efforts to contain this yet untreatable no-vaccination coronavirus must be carried out.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Yes, I'm concerned I may pass it on to others.

We need large scale testing.

Why does Japan continue to do terrible job on testing? You can't 'lose face' to a virus.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Every single most powerful people in the world fears the virus. The reason is not the infectious lethality, rather it is the uncertainty. The uncertainty of its mutating power. The uncertainty of its damage on global economy. The uncertainty of its origins and resurgence.

There are so many questions that can't be answered. That is why I am definitely worried.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

35% yes

34% no

Clearly this is a complete waste of time, people arent staying home or at least enough to be effective.

Abe looks fed up, stuck between the scientists and economists. The only option is to follow Sweden, (i.e go back to way it was in March.)

Keep schools closed (irrespective of the actual value of this) and mandate wearing of masks(clearly effective) in public to please the 35%.

And open the economy to protect jobs and to please the 34%

No one is happy, no progress is made, the poor and weak take a hit but that's usually what a modern democracy looks like.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

But but the flu kills 60,000 people every year... And this virus have killed 59,000 in the US and that's just in a month or two. The flu goes away in warm season but Covid19 is in Florida, Puerto Rico, Singapore and other really hot countries. Meaning it won't just stop with hot weather. If you're not worried the slightest about this virus, I don't know but I think you might be living in lalaland of denial.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

I am over 60 with risk factors. Odds are covid-19 will kill me.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

I had to vote and check the results so far. 30% said no.

Unbelievable. So this is one reason why it's spreading. EVERYONE should be worried about being infected.

Like someone else said, I'm more worried about spreading it to more vulnerable people than I am that it will kill me. I'm also worried about the lockdowns collapsing the economy and causing suffering and death that will make the coronavirus look like a picnic.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

I’m more worried that I’ll infect other people, than I am about getting it myself.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

No.

The reason is that I take all the precautions.

From a young age I was always taught to wash my hands often.

Also, I’ve had the usual gamut of infections plus an extended trip to India where I caught something and dropped 5 kilos.

I take 4-5 thousand milligrams of vitamin C a day and haven’t had a cold for years,

and the virus is not at all prevalent in my area.

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

Yes, I am, frightened/concerned for my family. There ages, 50% plus over 65, would categorise a heightened venerability. Many with additional high-risk health factors. Immunocompromised, has been diagnosed.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

I am very worried, I have a low immunity that has existed since i was born. I am now over 35 years old, i have two big strikes against me for dying from this virus.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Herd immunity is the most important thing to do.

https://www.zerohedge.com/health/2-whisteblowing-cali-er-doctors-urge-open-society-now-because-lockdowns-are-weakening-our

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

The vast majority remain asymptomatic throughout the process, from incubation to full recovery.

I might worry more about myself as a spreader affecting neighbors. Now I'm living by pretending to be a virus carrier, behaving accordingly. It's sort of good awareness exercise at ease.

@runner3

 This is the most contagious virus we have ever seen.

Measles is so far the most contagious virus whose basic reproduction number is 12-18. And it flies in the air. R0 for covid19 is at max 5.7, according to recent reports.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Are you worried that you might become infected by the coronavirus?

worried, yes, but not for me, for my family...

12 ( +13 / -1 )

There is an amazing amount of ignorance or self deception on display in the comments. The mortality rate is in the region of ten times that of an average flue year. Being fit or young is no guarantee of immunity or survival, all too many young and fit people have died from this disease around the world.

15 ( +21 / -6 )

Oldman_13, you have never seen a flu like covid 19 unless you're over 100 years old. This is the most contagious virus we have ever seen.

17 ( +25 / -8 )

I can't believe the number of people that say their not worried about getting covid 19. I work in a hospital I'm healthy, and fit but I worry about getting it every day. Because I see healthy, fit, young people come to the hospital every day sick with covid 19. We just heard 3 of our coworkers caught covid 19 we pray their going to be ok. Everyone stay home, if you go out wear a mask and wash your hands often.

23 ( +27 / -4 )

Nope, not at all considering I don't fall into the very high risk category and ultimately the death rate of the coronavirus is no worse than the common flu despite the hysteria the media wanted you to believe.

-7 ( +14 / -21 )

Yeah. I don't like being sick.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

I have an autoimmune disease, though not one I imagine would affect my chances of surviving in either direction. Who knows though. No diabetes, low blood pressure.

I'm a non-smoker, I regularly exercise, eat relatively healthy (though losing a bit of weight would make me happier). I'm a woman... in my early 30's.

If it were only myself I were responsible for I would throw on my mask, wash my hands and go about business without much worry. But I have a child, a husband, and my in-laws who rely on me and I would never be able to forgive myself if I were reckless and passed on illness to anyone.

Also, although unrelated... I lost my father 3 years ago to cancer. He was the most health conscious man I've ever known personally. He went from an impossibly healthy man of 60 to a name on a gravestone in a span of 6 weeks. I have zero illusions as to what healthy means in the face of illness.

Any one of you who believes you are too healthy for the disease to take you could be harboring a yet undiscovered illness or predisposition that would take you quickly into the high risk category. If you passing through this life alone and are willing to take the risk, that is your decision and I respect it. But if you have people who care for you please don't exchange your freedom to be reckless for the grief of your loved ones.

25 ( +30 / -5 )

It will be a while before we can get a vaccine.

I just make sure I stay healthy, so that if I do catch it I will be able to handle it with minor or no symptoms. And I won't need to take the vaccine (which also has a certain risk) when it does become available.

If you are healthy, I don't think it's any more dangerous than the usual flu.

-18 ( +10 / -28 )

I give it some attention seeing as I'm in the prefecture that the elderly couple who visited Spain was allowed to return to.

Currently confirmed infections here: 22. Deaths: 0.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Not worried one bit. If I get infected, most likely I get a two-week paid vacation, a slight fever, and mild coughing. I can live with that. And if I become one of the few that gets it worse and dies, the world would be better off for it. Either way, a win-win situation.

-2 ( +26 / -28 )

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