[News] Antibiotics

[Triggaaar]

The BIG problems are doctors prescribing antibiotics for viral infections, and patients not completing their antibiotic course.

The problem is that doctors didn't explain the reasons why you had to finish the course. I don't know if they make a bigger deal of it now, but they certainly didn't when I was younger. Naturally, once I was better, I stopped taking them.

Thanks doc.

 

[vegster]

Actually it would kill about 2 billion, leaving 5 billion to carry on spawning and we’d be back to 7 in no time at all. Especially with them, you know, foreign types, breeding like rats ironically Nope, no plague will ever kill us off. We however might do it on our own eg AI, Nuclear War, Climate change etc

I think it would be far worse than that. Our creaking NHS would not be able to cope with the huge amount of infected people, throw in the fact that doctors and nurses will be infected too and that will further erode our ability to cope.
Society will effectively collapse as experienced doctors, nurses, police and fire brigade staff are incapacitated or killed. Bodies will be unburied and other health issues will arise There will be rioting, crime, businesses will collapse as they will have no staff and no market. It would take several generations to get back on track if ever.

 

[beorhthelm]

I think it would be far worse than that. Our creaking NHS would not be able to cope with the huge amount of infected people, throw in the fact that doctors and nurses will be infected too and that will further erode our ability to cope.
Society will effectively collapse as experienced doctors, nurses, police and fire brigade staff are incapacitated or killed. Bodies will be unburied and other health issues will arise There will be rioting, crime, businesses will collapse as they will have no staff and no market. It would take several generations to get back on track if ever.

its interesting how we seem to believe that we would cope worse today that in history, despite the better technology, education, services available. but i think sadly you are right and we wouldn't cope, maybe because of those advances.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

My experience with my family over the last couple of years has been that it is now very difficult to get antibiotics prescribed by a GP and if you do they are very persuasive about finishing the course.

Now abroad, that's a different issue. I think I've heard that there are places not recommended to go because of their terrible record on antibiotics meaning you are more likely to pick up something nasty.

You can buy antibiotics (creams, certainly) in the states. Get yourself a cracking antibiotic-resistant skin condition...

 

[portlock seagull]

I think it would be far worse than that. Our creaking NHS would not be able to cope with the huge amount of infected people, throw in the fact that doctors and nurses will be infected too and that will further erode our ability to cope.
Society will effectively collapse as experienced doctors, nurses, police and fire brigade staff are incapacitated or killed. Bodies will be unburied and other health issues will arise There will be rioting, crime, businesses will collapse as they will have no staff and no market. It would take several generations to get back on track if ever.

I’m thinking more on a global scale but regardless this is probably a bit too hollywood. History shows we are remarkably resilient to disease even during the greatest outbreaks, often without rhyme or reason too. Many more survive than don’t so if a 1:3 die, that still leaves about 5 billion. We don’t need to call up the Battlestar Galactica to ensure new colonies survive just yet...

 

[vegster]

I’m thinking more on a global scale but regardless this is probably a bit too hollywood. History shows we are remarkably resilient to disease even during the greatest outbreaks, often without rhyme or reason too. Many more survive than don’t so if a 1:3 die, that still leaves about 5 billion. We don’t need to call up the Battlestar Galactica to ensure new colonies survive just yet...

Sadly, Ebola is not a Hollywood invention.

 

[portlock seagull]

Sadly, Ebola is not a Hollywood invention.

Yes but like the old plague it’s not a domestos kills all virus either. People get and survive. Don’t forget, AIDS was going to kill us all back in the 80s too. As a species, more of us always survive than don’t. Considerably more. Even during pandemics.

 

[Noah All]

The pending meteorite or Yellowstone geezer will get us first.

Would that be Fungus the Bogeyman?

 

[vegster]

Yes but like the old plague it’s not a domestos kills all virus either. People get and survive. Don’t forget, AIDS was going to kill us all back in the 80s too. As a species, more of us always survive than don’t. Considerably more. Even during pandemics.

It seems to kill about 50% though, that fact it spreads so fast and needs intensive care in order to have a hope of recovering will drain health services at an alarming rate if it ever gets here.

 

[vegster]

Would that be Fungus the Bogeyman?

No, it's a fudging great magma plume which has historically erupted on a fairly regular basis..... the next one is overdue. It's not a planet killer but the huge amounts of particulates thrown up in to the atmosphere will cause a huge reduction in light levels causing a massive reduction in photosynthesis ergo, crop failures for 2-3 years.

 

[Noah All]

No, it's a fudging great magma plume which has historically erupted on a fairly regular basis..... the next one is overdue. It's not a planet killer but the huge amounts of particulates thrown up in to the atmosphere will cause a huge reduction in light levels causing a massive reduction in photosynthesis ergo, crop failures for 2-3 years.

Ah! That would be the Yellowstone Geyser rather than the Yellowstone Geezer.

 

[portlock seagull]

It seems to kill about 50% though, that fact it spreads so fast and needs intensive care in order to have a hope of recovering will drain health services at an alarming rate if it ever gets here.

It might indeed rock us like nothing before, point is that would still leave several billion of us. Ironic but we’re more of a plague than any virus affecting us! Anyway, been good sharing opinions. I can recommend this book, read it about ten years ago now and it’s written by a Cambridge professor in a very interesting way based on fact and historical records of an English village, in a part fictional way though. The manner in which rumours of the plague approaching England, then makes its way up the country, is told, is really chilling. In a witch finder general way. It must have been terrifying to live through those times and the book successfully makes you empathise with how these medieval communities must have felt. I found it rather gripping and grimly fascinating. Try it! John Hatcher’s The Black Death...

 

[vegster]

It might indeed rock us like nothing before, point is that would still leave several billion of us. Ironic but we’re more of a plague than any virus affecting us! Anyway, been good sharing opinions. I can recommend this book, read it about ten years ago now and it’s written by a Cambridge professor in a very interesting way based on fact and historical records of an English village, in a part fictional way though. The manner in which rumours of the plague approaching England, then makes its way up the country, is told, is really chilling. In a witch finder general way. It must have been terrifying to live through those times and the book successfully makes you empathise with how these medieval communities must have felt. I found it rather gripping and grimly fascinating. Try it! John Hatcher’s The Black Death...

thanks, will look that up.

 

[portlock seagull]

Ah! That would be the Yellowstone Geyser rather than the Yellowstone Geezer.

thanks, will look that up.

I’d pass it on but it’s long since gone to a charity shop.

 

[The_Viper]

I'm currently reading The Stand. Fantastic.