With cities in lockdown, food and medical supply shortages, hospital queues, and doctors feeling absolutely desperate and fearful, especially during the lunar new year, my thoughts go out to those trying to fight and contain the Wuhan flu/coronavirus
I don’t know if there are gamers from Wuhan or China but I hope everyone is ok and stays healthy.
Another reminder that E and P is just a game
Yes it’s a game, but it connects us to people across the world. We’re all in this together.
Adding my thoughts and prayers to those in the midst of this awfulness, from my little corner of the globe 
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I’ve been following the news on this pretty closely, and it’s really a messy situation for anyone in Wuhan and Hubei Province.
Like @FrenziedEye said, I don’t know how many E&P players are in that area, or active on the Forum, but I’m definitely thinking about what’s now over 50 million people in the quarantined area.
Being from the US, it’s hard to even imagine that scale of people in a quarantine — it’d be like everyone from California and Ohio being quarantined; or all of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and all of 6 states in New England.
It’s almost as many people as the population of England, over twice the population of Australia, and over one-third the population of Russia.
Just truly staggering to think of that many people being impacted very directly by limits on travel and supplies — and of course all of the people beyond Wuhan and Hubei Province who are feeling the impacts too.
I can only join in your hope that people stay healthy and safe, and the situation improves — and appreciate the nice reminder from @Sarah2 that this game has connected so many of us from all over.
Indeed.
What I am worried about is certain national authorities making the assumption that the virus does not spread during incubation ie before symptoms
I mean, China’s health minister has said the opposite. He may or may not be right but it’s a bit of a gamble isn’t it assuming he is wrong
“The German case is most worrying because if the Chinese woman was indeed asymptomatic at the time of the training session it would confirm reports of spread before symptoms develop making standard control strategies less effective.”
It’s very worrisome indeed. All of our governments have to be honest about the potential severity.
I am very surprised and touched by this post.
I am a Chinese-Canadian myself but a lot of my family members (cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents) live in China. None of them lives in or near Hubei Province so they are relative safer. Still, seeing this post is really heart-warming. Thank you!
On a side note, I am actually at a bigger risk than my family members in China. There hasn’t been any confirmed case of infection in their city; but in Toronto (where I live) there are two cases already. So I will take some of the prayers for myself 
My best friends in primary school were Canadian and Korean 
Hope all is well on your end, I don’t know how this will play out
Hey @zephyr1 and @princess1 do you think our governments are taking it too easy?
I mean that’s clearly a leading question… It’s probably the case we should be alert and cautious but not alarmed
I think the issue is that there’s not a lot that can be done. It’s just hard to contain a virus.
As much as coronavirus matters and is getting coverage, look at what the flu does every year, even when it’s not a particularly virulent strain.
We tolerate mass infection and a significant number of annual deaths from flu because we don’t really have any better option as a civilization.
I think for this situation, the most important thing right now is resource management to avoid the spread becoming completely uncontrolled.
A moderate response from less-affected locations can help that, so supplies aren’t taken away from, or blocked from getting to, more active zones in need.
Keeping borders open and trade flowing is part of that, as is avoiding instilling panic and rash actions by large numbers of people.
Here in Australia the government has said masks are only needed for GPs seeing suspected patients.
No masks needed for the public.
If human to human is a possibility why can’t they warn us to wear masks in general is what I don’t understand. Maybe it will be for nothing but it’s better to be safe than sorry?
Or is it a resource management thing in case ppl overkill on masks and we run out?
That’s my thinking. There’s already a shortage in manufacturing because of China’s current needs.
That would only get worse if people start wearing masks in places where the risk is quite low.
It’s not an easy thing to juggle for sure but I wonder how much information is kept away from us for a ‘greater good’
Probably a ton, on all sorts of matters.
That’s what makes this virus feel so alarming. When’s the last time you heard of China locking down cities? Russia closing borders, etc?
I’m sure they are doing their best to contain it but it certainly makes you want to avoid large public events, and hospitals, at the moment.
JUST IN: Australia’s chief medical officer confirms that new strand of coronavirus is contagious even before people show symptoms
Meanwhile the US is mulling halting all flights between the US and China.
So much for moderate action.
Flights? perhaps… that’s huge .
Fights should be halted too 