Southern Comfort wrote:The best thing to do is for us all to get it now and build up some natural immunity for when it comes back more virulently in the autumn
That's certainly not the official advice. Immunity gained now may, or may not, be protection against a more virulent form. We can't tell.
Southern Comfort wrote: this strain has not yet mutated and shows no signs of doing so
Mutation doesn't work like that. All genomes mutate randomly, most of these mutations are deleterious to the organism, it is only a matter of time and chance until a mutation proves advantageous to the organism. That's how evolution works. Advantage and virulence are not however the same thing. There are 13500 letters in the virus' genome, and the rate of copying errors is about 1 in 10000 letters, (I wonder if that's better or worse than your average medieval monk copying the bible?) so odds on every new virus particle will have a mutation of some sort. Most however will have no effect or render the virus handicapped.
Southern Comfort wrote:The whole thing is a media-driven frenzy (as usual).
RobH wrote: I'm told that brass door handles do not carry infection for more than a few minutes - don't know whether this is true.
Research published in 2006 on Norovirus showed the virus survived for 8 hours on brass (cf 2 days on a computer mouse). There was a 90% reduction in virus in less than 4 hours, but that's a long way from minutes. I'd say that in church, most of us use the door handle within seconds of each other.
But this isn't just about Swine Flue. If viruses can be so easily passed on, and are particularly nasty for older parishioners, of which there are many, should we be thinking more generally about what we have and how it's passed on?
I am sure I read somewhere that this swine flu is not affecting the over 60s, it is a young person's virus. Something about immunities built up over the years.
But there again, there has been much written about it and at this stage I am not sure what to believe.
At work, we are being told to stay away from the office if we have flu like symptoms and there are signs on the external doors saying not to enter if there is a chance you have this flu. HR attended our team meeting yesterday and said we should not come into the office if we have a heavy cold and are still contagious. Lessons being learned from the swine flu should be applied to heavy colds too - don't come in and spread round the misery. But I can't imagine taking time off work just because I have a cold. However, it does annoy me when people turn up to sing in the choir and they are coughing and spluttering all the way through.
If we are in fear of disease and door handles and sneezing then sure, stay home, better pray then. Pop along to confession with some wet wipes to clean our way. Get some spray surface cleaner while we are about it.
Get that vaccine shot as soon as possible.
How about we make plans, not for isolation, but for care and support for the sick.
Or alternatively, buy some shares in the drug companies. They are the only business doing well just now.
Hopefully, everyone who is advocating that people should stay away from work when they have a cold or 'flu won't object when Sunday Masses have to be cancelled because the priest has a cold/'flu.
Personally, I think the panic is way over the top - we're not dealing with the Plague here.
JW wrote:Hopefully, everyone who is advocating that people should stay away from work when they have a cold or 'flu won't object when Sunday Masses have to be cancelled because the priest has a cold/'flu.
Well, if a priest has a temperature over 100, and if a substitute can't be found, I would have thought that a Eucharistic Minister leading the service of Holy Communion would be appropriate for those who are unable to attend another parish.
dunstan wrote:if a substitute can't be found, I would have thought that a Eucharistic Minister leading the service of Holy Communion would be appropriate for those who are unable to attend another parish.
NB: It doesn't have to be a commissioned minister of communion to lead this sort of service.
dunstan wrote:if a priest has a temperature over 100, and if a substitute can't be found....
This is something we face in a pastoral area with few priests spread over several churches. So we got together and planned the Sunday Mass times across the district. The first is at 8.30am and the last is at 11.30am. Firstly, while there is only one Mass in each church, there is still quite a choice of Mass times in the area. Secondly, in theory, when a priest is sick there is, theoretically, always someone free to cover. I've seen it work once: ours is the latest Mass in the area so when the PP was away at v short notice, one of the others was able to help out – admittedly, he arrived around two minutes late and had driven ready vested.
Clifton has already suggested/ directed that we have Communion under one kind only, and no contact at the Sign of Peace. Also our parish has emptied the holy water font, and we have hand cleaning gel bottles hung beside the doors, since last Monday. The deacon is quite vocal in telling us we may bow or nod... He has already had experience with bringing a bottle of hand gel to the credence table when he and PP had a cold a few weeks ago.
Have just returned from community Week on Iona where practices in the ecumenical Abbey have changed also. But I do wonder about their efficacy. They continue to pass a loaf of bread around from which folk tear and hold until the wine comes to them and intinction follows. It does strike me that this is a little dangerous. Not so dangerous for loyal catholics there perhaps.
On the day when the Cathedral Dean came out before the Ordination Mass to inform the assembled masses that the Bishop had consulted the Health experts and the ruling was: Communion under one kind only, in the hand only, and just smile at your neighbour and murmur sweet nothings at the Sign of Peace, the Bishop then ordained three Deacons to the Priesthood and he and all 80+ Priests on the Sanctuary then proceeded to give them big hugs and kisses! Presumably ordination really does confer extraordinary powers?
Latest from the C of E - no handshakes at Kiss of Peace, host intinctured and placed in hand. Westminster Cathedral not doing anything as there is no epidemic as yet!
