Corona virus

Hi I'm 51 had my pacemaker for 11 years left bundle branch blockage I'm trying to find out from my cardiac team if it is safe to continue going to work I work for the MOD in a very busy camp in an air conditioned building with no windows any help would be much appreciated thank you Moira 


8 Comments

Depends a lot on your heart health and the importance / urgency of your job

by crustyg - 2020-03-19 08:38:49

There's growing suspicion that prolonged close contact is a much bigger risk of infection than a mass event (football, pub, school).  That's the risk.

How healthy your heart muscle is controls the seriousness of any infection - that's the hazard.  There is evidence that 'heart disease' (all cause) significantly increases the seriousness of Covid-19 for you.  Having a PM is *not* heart disease.  But quite a few  heart disease patients end up with a PM.

You need to check with your manager or CO about whether the urgency and criticality of your work justifies the risk multiplied by the hazard to you of contracting Covid-19.

For many in civvie street working from home makes sense, but in many Gov-related roles that's permanently impossible.

Over to you!

Air conditioning and virus spread

by Selwyn - 2020-03-19 08:58:23

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/06/air-conditioning-systems-could-spread-coronavirus-research-shows/

The coronavirus is know to survive 3 hours in aerosol form.

It can survive 2-3 days on smooth surfaces such as plastic and steel.

If you follow the above link you will see there is some evidence that air conditioning may spread the virus.

Hope this helps.

 

 

Quarantine

by doublehorn48 - 2020-03-19 10:11:36

 The best thing anyone can do is self quarantine. After 2 days off I was suppose to go to work today.  I have applied for FMLA.  My reason was high risk age group.  Everyone needs to stay away from other people as much as possible.

Wuhan Virus

by AgentX86 - 2020-03-19 13:49:19

As said above, it depends on your other health issues and why you have a PM.  If your only problem is LBB, then you're probably at no more risk than anyone else your age.  If there are underlying issues (COPD, CHF, PHT, or really any lung problems) you're at a very high risk.  Since you're in the military (?), I assume none of the above apply.  That doesn't mean there is no risk, at 51, but no worse than any other 51YO.  Your pacemaker isn't going to catch the virus.  ;-)

My employer is shut down, except for manufactuing) for at least two weeks and probably longer.  Everyone is working from home.  In any case, everyone is getting paid, except contractors who, because of their assignments, can't work remotely (legal issues, "out of management's control").  There is much that I can't do without my lab equipment but I have enough paperwork to keep me busy for a couple of weeks, at least.  :-(

American Virus

by IAN MC - 2020-03-19 14:46:29

........  yes it is also Italian , Japanese , French, Dutch , British, Canadian , Australian , Irish, Swiss, Danish ............

Do I need go on ?  The world has a global virus problem which the world must tackle in a concerted way .  Am I alone in finding it tiresome that many Americans feel the need to remind us of the virus origin ?

Ian

Who can really say with absolute certainty how and where the virus started ?

by Gemita - 2020-03-19 15:12:30

We know it is all around us now and it is unhelpful to blame a particular region for it and this is already causing racial tension in the UK.  We need to stay "together" over this one to overcome the challenges

 

Bullshit

by AgentX86 - 2020-03-19 22:46:45

It clearly started in the Wuhan province of China and like all other like diseases is properly named for the origin.  Ever hear of SARS, or MERS, or Lyme disease?  GMAFB, drop the PC crap and call things what they clearly are.

...and it IS political

by AgentX86 - 2020-03-19 22:48:49

Ever hear "Never let a crisis go to waste."?  Just watch US television and you'll find that it would be a good thing if a million died and the US economy tanks (it has).  Get off the PC crap and open your eyes.

You know you're wired when...

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